Beer and Food

Greetings,

Let me preface this “rant” with the following: I live in Brooklyn, NYC and have spent most of the last thirty five years of my life living north of Staten Island. That said, as my matriarchal side of the family hales from one southern state or another so I have been exposed to that part of the United States. Their ways are familiar to me and I find many a paradox in their society. The most obvious to me is their social stand regarding beverage alcohol. The fact that the county where genuine “bourbon” whisky is distilled is a “dry” county. To me, that about sums up the social attitude regarding beverage alcohol in the southern United States.

And so, it was with great pleasure that I noticed the following in the “News” this morning…

I nearly set a record for clicking my trusty old mouse on that link: http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/23783068/

And there were more!

http://www.wkrg.com/news/article/just_help_yourself/11922/

It seemed a young fellow figured out that the state of Georgia:

“…a state that still bans residents from picking up a six-pack on Sundays… actually allows diners to pull their own beer at the table.”

“"It turns out the law supports it. It's the same as putting a pitcher of beer at the table, and it actually increases monitoring," says Jeff Libby, the 26-year-old who patented the system.”

For more on a twisted logic that might actually make more sense than first expected I suggest you read the entire piece. I raise a glass to Mr. Libby!

Cheers!

Peter LaFrance

( http://www.beerbasics.com )

Greetings,

In the news today there is a report on the St. Louis Today web site (http://www.stltoday.com/stltoday/business/stories.nsf/0/83D7D33AC2D20BFC862574130006DB00?OpenDocument ) that, in October 2008 a new Budweiser American Ale will be introduced.

I am not surprised. This is a company that can brew a special beer for any one of its distributors who can sell the product. That was demonstrated with the Pacific Coast brand and Spinnaker on the east coast. Once upon a time in Idaho, along with two dozen other journalists and beer-press folks, I had a chance to spend a morning tasting over two dozen different beers brewed by the A-B folks as they set about introducing the "Classic" line of Michelob products. As I remember it, the "Pale Ale" was the first offering.

And now, Budweiser is going to slap its brand on an ale! Well it's about time. The brand itself has seen significant market share and sales losses over the past few years. The "craft" segment of the market has, during the same time, shown double digit increases in profits and production; and so I am not surprised that the good folks at A-B see the writing on the wall and seem to want to meet the challenge of a changing market and fix what ales them.

As one who fondly remembers something delicious once called Ballentine Pail India Ale when it was brewed in Cranston, RI, a fine inexpensive ale, worth seeking out, I only hope that they find a flavor profile that will make the product worthy of the name "Ale."

Cheers!

Peter LaFrance

( http://www.beerbasics.com/ )

Greetings,

I just listened to a report from N.P.R. (National Public Radio)  (http://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=88602422 ) that observed there are still communities in the United States of America where the consumption of beer that has more than 5% alcohol by volume is prohibited. That report also presented a 78 year old activist who, seventy five years after the repeal of Prohibition, still dedicates himself to the prohibition of the consumption of beverage alcohol not only in his community but in all others as well. I can understand dedication but delusion is another thing entirely.

I applaud the involvement of people in serving their community in local government. I appreciate that the number of votes cast for a representative or referendum determines who gets elected to office and what laws govern the community. I acknowledge that the community deserves the results of elections and allow that there are found the seeds of discontent. This is almost always the case when a vocal minority marches to the polls while the self-absorbed majority smugly lets it happen. Then, governed by the will of the minority the seeds bear fruit in the increase in citations issued and fines paid.

As I mentioned above, there was a decade in the history of the United States when the consumption of beverage alcohol was banned. The only fruit that grew from that was organized crime. "Prohibition" of any sort is doomed from inception simply because someone, just to do it, will break the commandment.

Mississippi and West Virginia presently have laws restricting the alcohol content of beer to below 6% by volume.

It seems that the folks of Alabama would like to "Free the Hops" is a way similar to the legislation recently passed in North Carolina allowing brewers and retailers to "Pop the Cap" on alcohol content in beer sold in that State.

I wish the good folks of Alabama the best of luck in freeing the hops. And I toast the success of popping the "cap" in North Carolina, and the brave souls who carry on the fight in Mississippi and Vest Virginia.

Salute!

Peter LaFrance

( http://www.beerbasics.com/ )

Go ahead and play with your Beer, by Greg Kitsock explains the “Black & Tan” traditional pairing…http://www.heraldtribune.com/article/20080319/FEATURES/803190652/-1/newssitemap .

I fondly remember chatting with the young Irish bartender about the proper ratios to mix his “special” beers and enjoying the whole tasting process well through an afternoon.

Don’t be afraid to mix it up… that way you have the perfect excuse to open not just one bottle of beer eh?

Cheers!

Peter LaFrance

( http://www.beerbasics.com )