Mar 17
Through our friends at paper.li, we have the ability to deliver a daily paper based upon Twitter post from breweries and craft beer people. Here are the links:
Exploring Craft Beer (magazines, bloggers, authors, etc.) http://paper.li/craftbeerlocatr/exploring-craft-beer
Craft Brewery News (Founders, Sierra Nevada, Dogfish Head, etc.): http://paper.li/craftbeerlocatr/craft-brewery-news
Enjoy!
CBL
One of the summer’s highlights will be upon us . . . the dates are almost here . . . July 23 & 24, 2010: The 13th Annual Michigan Brewers Guild Summer Beer Festival at Riverside Park, Depot Town, Ypsilanti, Michigan.
Last year we had the privilege of bringing our mics, mixer, recorder, and speakers as we broadcasted our interviews with the brewers.
This year we have been asked to do it again! However we going to be mixing things up a bit as this year. We will be hosting nine different paneled discussions on various topics concerning craft beer.
Please look at the topics and plan on being there for the ones that you want to hear! Most importantly: Make sure you have a nice Michigan beer in your hand though! Also, this year we’ll be allowing the audience to ask questions of the brewers too, so come prepared! Here’s our agenda (click on agenda to see full size):
Panel Discussion for the Michigan Summer Beer Festival - 2010
Lastly, we’ll be recording each episode for our podcast “The Michigan Beer Scene” so you just might end up on a podcast!
Please stop by and give these brewers a listen or just say “hi.” We’d love to see you and hopefully you’ll gain some additional knowledge as we pick the brains of those in our brewing community.
Explore beer,
Craig Belanger
Reviewed by Heidi Kerr-Schlaefer – www.HeidiTown.com
A friend displays a Grimm Brothers Brewhouse t-shirt. Photo by H.M. Kerr-Schlaefer
Last Tuesday, we attended a free beer tasting at Pourhouse Bar & Grill in Loveland, Colorado. The beer in question was that of the Grimm Brothers Brewhouse, currently brewed by the owners in their garage.
The Grimm Brothers Brewhouse was seeking feedback on their brew, and what better way to get the public to participate than by offering free beer.
We arrived at 7 p.m., planning to have dinner before the main event. Promptly sat, we ordered a round of Left Hand brewery beers and settled into our dinner. While Ryan and I ordered hamburgers, our friends went for the special, a bratwurst made special for the occasion. Despite the over 200 people in attendance, service at the Pourhouse was actually fairly good.
The Grimm Brothers aren’t brothers at all, and in fact, the two founders met only a handful of years ago through the Liquid Poets home-brew club in Fort Collins. Don Chapman and Aaron Heaton decided to go into the beer brewing business after winning local and national home brew contests. They plan to open a brewery in downtown Loveland, Colorado in 2010.
Grimm Brothers Brewhouse beer tasting feedback cards. Photo by H.M. Kerr-Schlaefer
Before the beer was served, each table received a pile of feedback cards. The cards had the name of each beer to be tasted and an area to write down opinions of the beer and rate them on a scale of 1 to 5.
As their name suggests, the brewers specialize in German style beers, and they name each beer after a famous Grimm Brothers Fairytale. The night got underway with heavily laden trays of Iron Henry Kolsh.
While I do know a thing or two about beer, I do not claim to be a beer aficionado. However, I will share with you my thoughts on each of the Grimm Brothers Brewhouse beers served that evening. Other people may have differing opinions, and if so, I’d love to hear them.
Iron Henry Kolsh – To me, this beer had a sort of honey taste and reminded me of Mead. I gave it 3 out of 5.
Rumpelstiltskin Hefewiessen – I am a big fan of Hefewiessen beer. This one had a strong banana flavor with a touch of orange and a lingering background taste of cloves. I liked it a lot. I gave this beer a rating of 4 out of 5.
Seven Eights Roggenbier – I felt this one was rather non-descript, but Ryan thought it was a good “sipper” beer. Our friend Doug absolutely loved the name and continued to say “Roggenbier” throughout the rest of the night.
13th Door Munich Dunkel – This one had a roasted, nutty flavor. And I thought it was an excellent winter beer. For some reason (perhaps it was the beer), I forgot to write down what rating I gave this beer, but I think I gave it a 3.5, even though that wasn’t an option on the card.
Big Bad Wolf Altbier – The Grimm Brothers Brewhouse blended both American and German hops in this beer and at first sip I didn’t care for it, but it grew on me. Our table of four declared this to be their favorite beer, though I still preferred the Hefewiessen, I gave this beer a 4 out of 5.
All and all, this was a great night at the Pourhouse Bar & Grill and I think the Grimm Brothers Brewhouse has a bright future in Colorado. To keep an eye on their progress, check out their Web site at www.GrimmBrothersBrewhouse.com.
The Pourhouse Bar & Grill are avid supporters of locally brewed beer and plan to offer a Grimm Brothers Brewhouse beer on tap, just as soon as possible.
Visit the Pourhouse online at www.pourhousebarandgrill.com.
Did you attend this tasting or are you familiar with Grimm Brother’s beer? If so, please leave your thoughts!
I’m looking forward to a good time in the Windy City today and Thursday. This will be my very first time at a brewers conference. I’m not really sure what to expect, but I know that I will have a great time and I’ll learn a lot! I’ll see several brewers from Michigan whom I already know (some very well), and I look forward to meeting several others from outside my home state. Unfortunately, I have a seminar in Grand Rapids that I must attend Friday morning and that puts a kink in my plans, but the two days here will be better than none! Before you read any farther, let me warn you, the rest of this blog will not be focusing on craft beer!
I know that I have used this blog to thank Al (our Webmaster) and Niko (our Art Director) for the countless hours they have suffered with me these past two years. However, I also want to thank my wife, Dawn, for her support. She’s stood by me while we work getting this Craft Beer Locator thing rolling. Without her patience, understanding, flexibility and . . . just putting up with my crap . . . there is no way this project would stand a chance of success. (I also want to thank Mary [Al’s wife] and Amber [Niko’s wife and my first-born] . . . this has been one unbelievable team effort!!!)
Where am I going with this? Well, 31 years ago tomorrow marks the day I said “I do” to Dawn and have never regretted it. Before you do the math to determine my age, let me tell you I was 12 when I got married. Okay, not really! I’m from Michigan, not Arkansas. However the first time I saw Dawn, I was either 10 or 11 years old. While I don’t remember the exact date or my age at the time, I’ll never forget that moment! It was in the kitchen at my parents house. She was so pretty I had to run up to the bathroom and comb my hair. WOW!!! It’s funny . . . after 40 years she still makes me feel that way!
For the past 30 years we have spent every April 8th together, doing something special. This year will be different. This year, her gift to me me was allowing me to spend this night apart from here for the first time since 1979. I don’t care how much I will learn or how much fun I will have, this April 8th will not be the same. Sure, we have plans for Friday evening, but that’s April 9th! We have never made a big deal about celebrations on certain days of the year, but since 1979, April 8 has always been special. This union has given us two beautiful daughters and one unbelievable son-in-law who takes amazing care of my first-born daughter.
Business takes many of us away from our loved ones. Personally, I have never gotten used to being away from home, or at least away from Dawn. I don’t sleep well (if at all) and I’m just not myself. I think that when someone looks forward to going out of town without their mate, that’s a sign that the relationship may need some work. I also know that the return trip home feels better as the miles peel off behind me and the sites from my windshield start looking more familiar.
When I pull into the driveway, I love when Dawn opens the front door of our house for me even before I get out of my car. I love the fact that Roxy (our dog) is running as fast as she can to come greet me. I love the fact that 11,322 days ago this punk 20-year-old convinced a beautiful woman to commit to spending the rest of her life with him . . . “for better or worse.” Wow!!! I sure got the better half of this deal! It continues to get “better” and there has been no “worse.”
Thank you Dawn. I love you more!
Mar 23
Things are definately looking up. At least they look that way. We have continued to add new functions to Craft beer Locator in our commitment to be the best and most comprehensive Craft Beer website in the world. I encourage all of the explorers to update your profile and keep it that way. Some of the things we are working on will really enhance your Craft Beer Explorations and allow you to keep track of where you have been, when you were last there and what your notes are. Think it would be nice to find out when your favorite retail store has a limited supply of that special beer? Sign up to receive e-mails and/or text messages from your favorite Craft Beer Locations so you can stay up to date on their current activities. Want to have a fun night out with your Craft Beer Friends? Take advantage of our Beer Expedition tool to map everything out for you. Not an Explorer? Sign up now….Its FREE!
I’ll level with you: I’m no blogger!!! When I get inspired to write (about every 15 years or so) look out! So when laying out www.craftbeerlocator.com, we all agreed that allowing the brewers an opportunity to blog would be a good thing. We also agreed that we would use the blog too! However, it’s not easy to keep active . . . especially when life is so busy.
But sometimes a flash of inspiration hits and you tell yourself, “Hey! Get busy! Write something!!!” So here’s my day: I spent a good portion of this day inviting people to our Release Party tomorrow night in downtown Detroit. We look forward to seeing 50 – 70 beer people there. I have two good friends helping put this together: Jon Piepenbrok and Jason Peltier. Both are passionate about craft beer and are extending themselves in behalf of me and Craft Beer Locator. Thank you guys! You are AWESOME!!!
Among my calls today was to a start-up beer company in Michigan, Wolverine State Brewing Company (www.wolverinebeer.com). At this point, Wolverine is having their beer contract-brewed at Michigan Brewing. (By the way, Michigan Brewing contracts for several other companies and does an AMAZING job!)
Wolverine at this point has one beer available in the market and I have seen it in several stores. It’s an American Lager. Now before you roll your eyes and let out a sigh, save your judgment until you try it! I had my first sample of this beer at Bo’s Bistro (Pontiac, MI) last week. It was surprisingly good! I will tell you that this is not normally a beer I would choose to drink. After all, I’m the guy who will drink water at a wedding reception where the only thing they have is Bud! However, Wolverine is NOT Bud. Let me count the ways:
1) They are not owned by a multi-billion-dollar conglomerate!
2) They are not owned by a company headquartered on another continent!
3) They are not a company that has hundreds-of-thousands of employees!
4) They are not a company with a budget for several Super Bowl commercials!
5) They are not a company with a few hundred other beers in their stable!
6 – ???) Wolverine is not a Fortune 500 company, does not have an equestrian estate with draft horses, doesn’t own billboards, trucks, distribution companies, multiple-locations . . . you probably get the picture.
Let’s talk about what they are: Wolverine State Brewing Company is a small company with a passion for making beer. The company has three partners: Matt Roy, Trevor Thrall and E. T. Crowe. They have brought on Oliver Roberts as their brewer and they look forward to brewing soon in their Ann Arbor location (three blocks away from The Big House) at 2019 West Stadium. Local Ann Arborites will recognize their location as the “Old George’s Warehouse.” Wolverine will really be focusing on the tail-gating crowd for the games come the 2010 football season and will have 6 – 8 taps available at their bar, with plenty of room for watching the games on one of their TV’s if you weren’t able to get tickets.
Here’s what their beer lineup will look like:
Wolverine Premium Lager: I like what their approach is here. Wolverine sees this as not only their flagship beer but as a “gateway beer” to the craft beer world. Someone who drinks the macro-brewed beer this country offers will find this a pleasant surprise! A premium American lager with real flavor!!!
Dark Lager: This beer will be available late in 2010.
Light Beer: This will not be a watered-down version of their Premium Lager, but will be a “true light beer.” Using enzymes, Wolverine will be able to offer a beer that is truly light in calories but NOT light in taste!
Okay, I already admitted that this is a beer that I normally wouldn’t order at a tap room or grab a six-pack to take home. So why take the time to write about this?
1) They are not a “me too” company. They are not positioning themselves on a gimmick (remember the beer “Moon Shot” in the movie Beer Wars? The caffeinated beer with the number 69 on the label??? COME ON!!! Is there really a niche beer market for 15 -20 year-olds???). They have a product with much more flavor than the “Big Three.” They know they are not a Founders or a Dogfish Head and this is not the market they want to enter. They see hundreds of millions of BMC drinkers out there who may give another beer a chance, but not that ‘hop bomb’ that we may love. Wolverine is marketing their product as a “gateway product” to craft beers. That’s a good thing!
2) While I have yet to meet Matt Roy and Trevor Thrall, I have met E. T. Crowe. Within seconds of meeting E. T. you feel her passion for what she does . . . a passion for her product and her company. Have you seen Wolverine Premium Lager in your favorite beer store? If so, it was E. T.’s passion that got it there! E. T. is also an avid blogger. Check out her work at www.a2beerwench.com.
3) I’m someone who has not been in a Walmart for over three years. I drive cars that my neighbors helped build. I try to buy local whenever and wherever possible. I live in Michigan and purchase Michigan products when I can. (Please don’t call me a hypocrite if you see a Belgian beer or two in my cellar.) I’m really tired of the homogenization of the products forced down our throats by humongous companies. I like seeing the small start-up companies succeed against the odds . . . going to market with a great product and a tireless energy to share their message with the world!
I wish Wolverine State Brewing Company success as they move forward. We’ll keep you in the loop as they do. In the mean time, if you see Wolverine in a beer store pick up a six-pack for that certain neighbor / relative who stops in and wants a beer. Perhaps you’ll be repaid when you stop over his (or her) place and notice the fridge isn’t loaded with bad beer thanks to you opening the gate!
Another successful Michigan Brewers Guild Winter Beer Festival has come to an end. Over 200 delicious beers to sample kept 5,000 people from even noticing the fact that it was still February. I was able to collect several good interviews and I will post those to our Podcast section as soon as they are ready. I posted Round One of our pix on our Facebook Fan Page. A special “thanks” goes out to the Michigan Brewers Guild, the organizers, Fifth Third Ballpark, the breweries, the brewers, the servers and all those who worked so hard behind the scenes to make this such a special event.
Here’s Round Two of our pictures. Enjoy:
I must say that I have ALWAYS had a great time at beer festivals. I still remember the excitement of my first one about six years ago. I was having flash-backs to my first time going to Cedar Point as a kid. Dozens of festivals later, I can share some wisdom that I have picked up along the way and I’ll conclude with some points recently made the the friends on our Facebook Fan Page.
Here’s my initial list:
1) Homework: Not only check out the beers that are offered at the festival, but check out the breweries. Go to their websites . . . check them out . . . educate yourself. If you’re new to craft beer, you most likely have preferences. Hoppy, malty, citrusy, sour? Most likely, you’ll find examples of beers that fit these descriptions. Ask the brewer/server for what you like, but eventually branch out.
2) Bring someone! This is a great opportunity of bringing someone new into the fold! Introduce them to this marvelous world of beer that has flavor!!!
3) Dress: Winter garb for winter fest & summer garb for summer fest. The Michigan Brewers Guild has their Winter Beer Festival the last Saturday in February. It has ALWAYS been COLD!!! Be prepared!!! Boots, winter coat, layers, hat, gloves . . . the whole nine yards . . . literally! Summer: WOW!!! Whatever you feel like! Have a kilt? Dig it out of your closet and put it on! You’ll fit right in!!! One word of caution: Be careful of the heat. Alcohol and high temperatures are not a good combination! Pack a hat and some sunscreen too!!!
4) Eat!!! This is NOT the day to start your diet! You will consume several thousand calories this day!!!
A) Have a solid breakfast. DO NOT ARRIVE HUNGRY WITH AN EMPTY STOMACH!!!
B) Eat during the festival. Keep food in your stomach
C) Eat somewhere local after the festival. This will allow your body to process the alcohol before your ride home if you do not have a Designated Driver.
5) Transportation:
A) The Bus: We have taken the bus a few times. This is a great way to travel. On the way there, there are usually beer-related games/trivia to keep you entertained. Plus, the ride home will be nice too!
B) Designated Driver: This is a great option. No worries of getting behind the wheel when you really shouldn’t. If you find a friend who loves you enough for this great sacrifice, hang on to that person FOREVER!!!
C) If Options A & B are not open, see 4C above. Get something in your stomach. Coffee will not do the trick. Get some carbs and protein AND PLENTY OF WATER!!!
6) Hydrate BEFORE the festival . . . DURING the festival . . . AFTER the festival (also, drinking water between each sample will help to cleanse your palette)
7) Build up alcohol tolerance. True or false? While there is some truth to that, there are two schools of thought: A) Prepare by drinking every night for at least the week leading up to the festival or B) Prepare by NOT drinking every night for at least the week leading up to the festival. For me, the jury is still out. The Alstrom brothers (of Beer Advocate fame) recommend building up tolerance by having 6 – 10 beers a day. However, I have talked with a few brewers who abstain from all alcohol before they whisk themselves off to the GABF. They are choosing to be kind to their livers.
DON’T SMOKE!!! This may offend some smokers out there, but your smoking not only irritates the non-smokers at these festivals (and they are in the majority), you’re also doing yourself a disfavor by dulling your taste buds and not getting the full benefit of the layers of flavor in these amazing beers! One of my favorite quotes was in the Festival brochure for the Great Taste of the Midwest: “Bad smoke ruins good beer!”
9) Get the Beer List.
A) Select breweries that you don’t have the opportunity to get their beers
B) Select beers from breweries that are special . . . “festival only” beers. Most breweries will bring beers not regularly available at the pub
C) Try the breweries that you may have ruled out from previous experiences. Perhaps you’ll find that ‘diamond in the rough’ was the brewery you almost passed over
D) Tell the server you want only a half-sample. This will allow you to get to more beers
Added 2/28/10 (day AFTER the Winter Fest): E) THOSE THREE OR FOUR “MUST HAVES” . . . GET THEM RIGHT AWAY! Run to the brewer’s table . . . stand in line . . . be there for the set release time!!! I missed out on three of the beers I was most looking forward to because they were on everyone else’s list too! It was like going to Cedar Point and not getting to ride the Magnum! You’ll still have a great day, but you’ll be left wondering what you missed out on.
10) Take tasting notes. This allows you to slow down . . . really think about what your tasting. You may wish to review these notes several weeks later and relive your experience. You may wish seek out those beers and see if they are available locally. PLUS: You’re recall what beer(s) really stood out to you.
11) Music: Most festivals have bands or groups that are brought in to entertain you. Take advantage of this. 99% of the time, these groups are awesome!!!
12) Seminars: If there are special panels (ie: Beer/Food Pairings, Beer Education, Cooking with Beer, etc.) check them out. They are always educational and usually the people that put these classes 
on are well known in the beer-community (ie: Lucy Saunders).
11) Capture memories: Bring a camera and take lots of pictures . . . especially if you have a Facebook page or a blog
12) Arrive early! First come, first served. This will also give you a chance to talk with the brewers before things get too hectic!
13) Leave late . . . at least make sure you’re 100% capable of making the drive home safely! (again . . . see 4C)
14) Suggestions from Facebook friends: Before posting this blog, I asked for some suggestions on our Facebook page. Here are some great replies:
Pace yourself; get one of those pretzel necklaces; be considerate to others; rinse your glass between beers; bring a chair (if allowed)[I'll assume this suggestion applies to Summer Fests]; get a head-start to the latrines; don’t be afraid to dump a beer if you don’t like it – don’t slam it; if the lines are long keep the lines moving by not engaging in conversation with the pourers; if you’re a vegetarian bring your own food; don’t wait to the last minute to get your tickets; don’t get hammered – stay at home if this is your goal; any proposal made after 4:00 p.m. is null & void; work from light to dark beers.
WOW! Some good ones in there that I didn’t think of!
Here’s the bottom line: Go with a plan. If done right, this will be one of the highlights of your year. Remember, you’re there to explore the wide range of flavors to be found in beer. Lastly, I look forward to reading your posts in your Explorer’s Log!
Explore Beer!
Craig B.
Feb 16
Wow! It’s been almost a full month since we’ve launched our site publicly. Since then, we are closing in on the 600 mark of registered Beer Explorers (and we thank you for your support). We also have 106 Premium Sites on board thanks in large part to the Michigan Brewers Guild.
We have been meeting with breweries, beer stores, beer-centric restaurants and beer distributers. (This may be why many of my dreams are featuring beer topics.) The people in this industry are the best! They love talking about beer and often this is while they are sharing a beer with you!
I think the most difficult aspect of this entire project is staying balanced! Like most, I have a family . . . a real job . . . and many other responsibilities to keep focused on. I think that’s why I titled this post “No Rest for the Weary.” I’m not complaining as I knew what I was getting into when I committed to this project. I just want you to know that we are still committed to making this a world-class website. This is not something that happens by chance nor does it happen over-night. This takes place through hard work, dedication, endurance and encouragement.
I have had the support of two amazing partners in this project: Al and Niko. These two guys are amazing and I could not have asked for better guys to be on this journey with. They have been there since Day One and have dedicated thousands of hours (literally) into this project.
We have many features coming to the site, so we thank you for your initial support and your patience as we move forward.
What else would you like to see in this site? Let us know! If it fits our vision, we’ll do what we can to make this more YOUR site! Reach me anytime at craig@craftbeerlocator.com.
Thank you,
Craig