Have you ever felt some odd connection with an inanimate object? I'm not saying holding complete social interactions with such a thing, but just having a connection. Maybe for some of you it's a stuffed animal, a childhood toy or some form of a lucky token. I think an obvious one for many is a car.
Sometimes their first car. I've felt such a connection for all of the above. I have a teddy bear my late grandfather gave me before he passed away when I was 3-years-old. I still keep it close. MY first car was always close to me. Hell, I had to use it a lot of the time. That beat up old Chevrolet Lumina was my first vehicle. I was through it all with that thing.
Trips to Gettysburg, going to class at Slippery Rock, visiting family outside of Pennsylvania and even some interesting beer adventures. Many trips to festivals and breweries to check out how beer is made and to even try some. The numerous trips to Pipers Pub on the South Side to have excellent pub fare paired with a cask ale.
The time came this weekend for the two of us to part ways. That thing did more than just serve its purpose to me. It was that time, but I still feel like I betrayed a best friend. Everything always happens for a reason though.
I bid you adieu, dear Lumina.
Showing posts with label craft breweries. Show all posts
Showing posts with label craft breweries. Show all posts
January 13, 2014
November 7, 2013
Adjunct Adventures
I wrote about the pluses of corn in beer earlier this week. Once I finished the blog post, I posed a quick question on Twitter asking if anyone knew any brewers in Western Pa. that had or still use corn in any of their brews. I was surprised at the response I got. Here are some of the informative tweets I received.
Douglas from Baltimore commented on the post that initiated all of this corn stuff and mentioned that as long as the beer is well-crafted it shouldn't really matter. He has a strong point.
In case you haven't noticed, I don't care for the way the word adjunct gets thrown around. Or maybe that it's the way certain beer ingredients have been logged under that category. What I hate the most is that if a brewery uses it, there are some out there that don't consider said beer or brewer "craft" or "crafty enough."
Still, I don't feel as if I'm done on this subject. Adjuncts in beer might be a great topic for my usual Monday post. Eventually I might do a post on some beer's I;ve tried and enjoyed with corn in them in some form. We'll see. Stay tuned.
@BurghBeerSnob Straub does. Technically, it's part of the American lager style.
— Craft Pittsburgh Mag (@CraftPittsburgh) November 5, 2013
@CraftPittsburgh @BurghBeerSnob yuengling uses corn syrup....
— Jake Johnson (@jacobecody) November 5, 2013
@CraftPittsburgh @BurghBeerSnob @StraubBeer uses flaked corn in Amer. Lagers as per their 140 yr. tradition. They also brew craft styles w/o
— Michelle Reid (@Pourthing) November 5, 2013
. @BurghBeerSnob @CraftPittsburgh We've also brewed w/corn: Pennsyltucky Uncommon, Classic American Pilsner, and S.W.I.L.L. all had it.Craft Pittsburgh and an old college friend were the first to note that Straub has and always used corn in the American Lager. So, I went ahead and double-checked. They both were correct. Flaked corn was on the malt bill in St. Mary's. As for the East End brews, I did recall uncovering that the Pennsyltucky Uncommon that was made for Pittsburgh Craft Beer Week included corn in some capacity. I just didn't recall it being used until that tweet jogged my memory, so to speak. The thing that stands out to me about the East End response is that none of those beers (or the brewery) was vilified or outcast for using corn.
— Scott at EastEnd (@EastEndBrewing) November 5, 2013
Douglas from Baltimore commented on the post that initiated all of this corn stuff and mentioned that as long as the beer is well-crafted it shouldn't really matter. He has a strong point.
In case you haven't noticed, I don't care for the way the word adjunct gets thrown around. Or maybe that it's the way certain beer ingredients have been logged under that category. What I hate the most is that if a brewery uses it, there are some out there that don't consider said beer or brewer "craft" or "crafty enough."
Still, I don't feel as if I'm done on this subject. Adjuncts in beer might be a great topic for my usual Monday post. Eventually I might do a post on some beer's I;ve tried and enjoyed with corn in them in some form. We'll see. Stay tuned.
October 29, 2013
An Industry of Numbers
I was recently alerted to an intriguing infographic with tons of cool information in the craft beer industry. I think I've only given the airwaves to another person on this blog just once if I can recall correctly. I'll do so once again today and give the reigns to Matt Zajechowski. Kendall College, where the beer infographic originated, is one of Matt's clients.
Without further adieu, take it away Matt.
Let us all take a second to toast to the growth of the craft beer industry. The craft beer industry has a whole has seen tremendous growth in the last decade. Craft beer drinkers have to rejoice at this fact. No longer are we forced to settle drinking on watered down light beer from the big 3 (Coors, Miller and of course Budweiser). Most consumers in the United States still choose to settle on these light beer choices, but the good news is that there are many more choices for consumers who enjoy the different tastes and styles of craft beer. The growth of the craft beer industry was something that both students and professors in the hospitality program at Kendall College decided they wanted to learn more about. They took the time to study different factors of the craft beer industry. They focused on overall growth of the industry, employment numbers and jobs that the industry creates, different demographics views on craft beer, people’s view on craft beer taste and also food pairings with craft beer. This resulted in the craft beer infographic that can be seen here. There is a lot of good information in this infographic but I’ve highlighted some of the more important findings below:
• Consumers enjoy the taste of craft beer. 36% of consumers say they enjoy the taste of craft beer. This number still may not be that high but has been on a steady rise over the past decade. The big 3 still control roughly 90% of beer sales overall so seeing that number rise is a positive step in the right direction for the craft beer industry.
• Younger age groups are more apt to try craft beer than older age groups. 43% of Millenials (ages 25-34) say they prefer the taste of craft beer. When you compare that to Baby Boomers only 32% prefer the taste of craft beer. I think this trend will continue to rise when younger consumers become of drinking age.
• People tend to enjoy pairing craft beer with food. It makes sense because food and drink pair well together. Certain beer styles pair better than others with different types of foods. Darker beers tend to pair better with desert foods. If you like lighter beers like wheat beers and saisons try pairing them with salads and sushi and other lighter food options.
• Overall sales of craft beer has continued to rise and is projected to continue to rise within the next few years. Experts project sales of craft beer to top 40 billion by 2012. This is impressive when compared to sales in 2007 that were only 5.7 billion.
• The total number of breweries is growing as well. As of 2012 there were 2,403 breweries which is the highest number since the 1880s.
Without further adieu, take it away Matt.
 |
| Just a segment of the craft beer infographic. |
A Toast To The Growth Of Craft Beer!
Let us all take a second to toast to the growth of the craft beer industry. The craft beer industry has a whole has seen tremendous growth in the last decade. Craft beer drinkers have to rejoice at this fact. No longer are we forced to settle drinking on watered down light beer from the big 3 (Coors, Miller and of course Budweiser). Most consumers in the United States still choose to settle on these light beer choices, but the good news is that there are many more choices for consumers who enjoy the different tastes and styles of craft beer. The growth of the craft beer industry was something that both students and professors in the hospitality program at Kendall College decided they wanted to learn more about. They took the time to study different factors of the craft beer industry. They focused on overall growth of the industry, employment numbers and jobs that the industry creates, different demographics views on craft beer, people’s view on craft beer taste and also food pairings with craft beer. This resulted in the craft beer infographic that can be seen here. There is a lot of good information in this infographic but I’ve highlighted some of the more important findings below:
• Consumers enjoy the taste of craft beer. 36% of consumers say they enjoy the taste of craft beer. This number still may not be that high but has been on a steady rise over the past decade. The big 3 still control roughly 90% of beer sales overall so seeing that number rise is a positive step in the right direction for the craft beer industry.
• Younger age groups are more apt to try craft beer than older age groups. 43% of Millenials (ages 25-34) say they prefer the taste of craft beer. When you compare that to Baby Boomers only 32% prefer the taste of craft beer. I think this trend will continue to rise when younger consumers become of drinking age.
• People tend to enjoy pairing craft beer with food. It makes sense because food and drink pair well together. Certain beer styles pair better than others with different types of foods. Darker beers tend to pair better with desert foods. If you like lighter beers like wheat beers and saisons try pairing them with salads and sushi and other lighter food options.
• Overall sales of craft beer has continued to rise and is projected to continue to rise within the next few years. Experts project sales of craft beer to top 40 billion by 2012. This is impressive when compared to sales in 2007 that were only 5.7 billion.
• The total number of breweries is growing as well. As of 2012 there were 2,403 breweries which is the highest number since the 1880s.
October 23, 2013
Craft Beer Impossible
Like most humans, my intellectual side s sometimes stimulated when skimming through articles on the internet. I was a journalism student in college. Surprise, right?
An article via CNBC had the typical headline you see about how craft beer is booming and that the sky is the limit for the industry. Yes, it sounds like your typical puff piece before you click on it. This article was a bit different though.
Us journalism kids were always about the sources and quotes used within our stories. Sometimes they make of break your story. For the one I read, a quote is what made this story stick out in my mind.
The quote in question said that it's quite possible that the craft beer industry can one day be very similar to the restaurant industry with many new breweries jumping in and leaving just as fast.
That's amazing when you think about. That's some amazing speed in terms of growth. Also, the thought of such a diverse selection might pose a chance of dissolution of the overall product. That product, in short, is one of the things we all love. Beer.
An article via CNBC had the typical headline you see about how craft beer is booming and that the sky is the limit for the industry. Yes, it sounds like your typical puff piece before you click on it. This article was a bit different though.
Us journalism kids were always about the sources and quotes used within our stories. Sometimes they make of break your story. For the one I read, a quote is what made this story stick out in my mind.
The quote in question said that it's quite possible that the craft beer industry can one day be very similar to the restaurant industry with many new breweries jumping in and leaving just as fast.
That's amazing when you think about. That's some amazing speed in terms of growth. Also, the thought of such a diverse selection might pose a chance of dissolution of the overall product. That product, in short, is one of the things we all love. Beer.
September 16, 2013
Monday Rant: Definitions, Definitions
As I'm a well-known cynic, I take exception many things in both life and society.I complain like an old man. Everyone tells me that I'm pretty much a 60-year-old man in the body of a what is now a 25-year-old. Many issues irk me within the beer community. I threw a fit when there was a big push to exile the English Shaker Pint. I did much the same when everyone drooled at the thought of purchasing the Dogfish/Spiegelau hop-forward glass which we eventually found out was simply an updated wine glass.
One issue that makes me have to remind myself to breathe, as comedian Lewis Black would say, is the craft vs. craft debate and defining of craft beer, craft brewers etc.
I came across a CNBC article that kind of pointed out that the definition of a craft brewer has been expanded to cater the growth of certain brewers such as Boston Brewing Co. At least, that's what I took from reading it.
I'm just tired of the Brewer's Association laying down it's own law. It's all just beer. Who cares how many barrels a brewery produces per-year? Why does it matter if a brewery like August Schell uses corn as an adjunct in some of its offerings?
The Brewer's Association says that you can't be considered a craft brewer if you use corn or rice. The major American companies use corn and rice, but most of the beer that comes from said companies simply is repulsive. I've had beer with corn that tastes great. Craft beer should be a very loose term. A personal definition for each of us that drinks beer we like. That's what craft should be.
One issue that makes me have to remind myself to breathe, as comedian Lewis Black would say, is the craft vs. craft debate and defining of craft beer, craft brewers etc.
I came across a CNBC article that kind of pointed out that the definition of a craft brewer has been expanded to cater the growth of certain brewers such as Boston Brewing Co. At least, that's what I took from reading it.
I'm just tired of the Brewer's Association laying down it's own law. It's all just beer. Who cares how many barrels a brewery produces per-year? Why does it matter if a brewery like August Schell uses corn as an adjunct in some of its offerings?
The Brewer's Association says that you can't be considered a craft brewer if you use corn or rice. The major American companies use corn and rice, but most of the beer that comes from said companies simply is repulsive. I've had beer with corn that tastes great. Craft beer should be a very loose term. A personal definition for each of us that drinks beer we like. That's what craft should be.
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