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

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.

• Ever consider opening your own brewery?  Be there at 1:00 p.m. as we start our discussion with four of the newest breweries in Michigan.
• Ever wonder how certain breweries continue to make the perfect Pale Ale?  Show up at 2:30 p.m. as we interview four of the best brewers in the world!  I’m not being biased here . . . these brewers have the hardware to prove it!!!
• Are you a women and want to get into this business?  Be there at 4:00 p.m. as we interview some of the wonderful women who are part of our brewing community.
• Have you seen the movie Beer Wars?  You won’t want to miss our final segment as we talk about the three-tiered system and how that effects us here in Michigan.

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

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!

Love the design of their logo.

I am what you call an instant sizer-upper. Not a real term I realize, but ask my sister, I have always been one to modify the English language at will. What that means is that I can pretty much size a place up, i.e. decide if I want to stay and hang out, in the first 30 seconds after walking through a door.  (I am also one that will happily turn off a movie or put down a book if I am not enjoying it. I don’t NEED to see things to the end. Life’s too short!)

I have a few criteria: good beer list (well, that’s a given), divey or comfortable feel, no red lights, house music, velvet rope, or door guy in a suit(hello Gaslamp San Diego), no obvious customer profile of douchebags, and most importantly, no pretentious attitudes from the staff (there is nothing worse than being made to feel like an idiot when you ask a question).

If these simple, yet effectively telling criteria are not met, I am the first one to turn on my heel and walk out. You know the saying “Life’s too short to drink cheap beer?” Well life’s also too short to be somewhere you don’t feel good!

The moment I walked into Blind Lady off the sunny streets of Adams Avenue, I said “I love this place.” I felt an instant comfort with its dark wood, picnic-style seating, and relaxed vibe.  The menu, a delight of pizzas and appetizers, perfectly fit the rumbly in my tumbly. And then there is the beer list….A HUGE smile spread across my face when I saw the delectable and mouth-watering choices of liquid pleasure above the heads of the bartenders. I am smitten.

So in true family style, I along with my comrades order a lineup of beers to all share together. And boy, did we make good choices:

Round 1: (L to R) Avery Out of Bounds Stout, Chocolate Rain, Cuvee des Jacobins, Ten Fidy

Avery Out of Bounds Stout: 5.1% ABV: A nice, easy going stout. Notes of cocoa powder, coffee, charred wood, with hints of dried tobacco. Creamy mouthfeel. Precisely what I expected from an Irish Dry Stout. Unfortunately, it got a bit lost amongst the others. Would like to try again.

Chocolate Rain: 5.6% ABV: The house offering of the Blind Lady, I have to order anything with a name like Chocolate Rain. Tons of coffee and sweet chocolate. While there is a nice bitter malt finish, it is not enough, in my opinion.  It’s a bit heavy-handed, and needs more balance.  It would be difficult to drink alot of this beer.

Cuvee des Jacobins: 6.8% ABV: Oh my. Yes. Yes. Yes. From the moment I dive my nose in, I am in love. Wonderfully balanced. Nose of grape and cherry skins fermenting.  If you’ve been in the wine business, around wineries, or even taken a tour of a winery, you know this smell. Perfectly sour on the nose and palate. One of the favorites of the day, this one got drained quickly and was promptly refilled, much to the delight of everyone!

Look at the head on the Ten Fidy (Far Left). Mmmm, nice!

Oskar Blues Ten Fidy: 9.5% ABV: I have been WAITING to try this beer since I first heard tale of it during my 100 beers 30 days Stouts vs. Porters challenge last fall. Unfortunately, I was unable to acquire it in New Orleans, so it got placed at the top of my Stout waiting list! So when I saw it on the board, I did a little Woo Hoo! and promptly ordered it.

This fella is the color of motor oil and has an insanely dark head. The color of espresso with just a drop or two of milk, and good retention. Sweet nose of cane sugar, dark fruit, dried fig. What you would call an almost brooding nose. Dense and intense. Big, full mouthfeel, but not too much.

When I initially eyed the color, and smelled the aromas, I thought it was going to lay on me the black hole weight I had experienced with another Imperial, Haand Bryggeriet’s Dark Force, one of the heaviest stouts I have ever experienced. I was pleasantly surprised at the drinkability of this one. I will happily drink Ten Fidy again, and am interested to sample it from the can.

Round 2: (L to R) Avery Salvation, Alesmith Lil' Devil, Echte Kriek, MORE Jacobins

Avery Salvation: 9% ABV: Mmmm. Everyone likes this one. Great, drinkable ale. Smells of a freshly shaved face, i.e. clean and slightly herbal. Definite wine aromatics, like a chenin blanc. There is a definite minerality there. Or a well-made Sauvignon Blanc. Nelson Sauvin hops used? Wait, there is a note of Muscat/Moscato there! Ever had that delightful effervescent dessert wine from Italy? One of its highest notes is apricot. That’s in this beer. And sure enough, Avery calls for you to cellar this brew for up to 3 years. It truly is a wine-like experience!

Vernhaeghe Echte Kriek: 6.8% ABV: This Flanders Red Ale has a beeeautiful, clear amber-red color with highlights. Think Grand Marnier but WAY better and a touch more red. Gentle, lovely nose. Floral notes of rose and orange blossom, and cherry (of course!). Refined and subdued palate. Beside the Jacobins, a much more restrained Flanders.

Alesmith Lil’ Devil: 5.5% ABV: Lots of Belgian yeasty fruitness. Citrus, banana, candied fruit, some orange peel, and light spiciness. Think nutmeg, white pepper, and clove. The baby brother to another great Alesmith offering, the Horny Devil, which even at a whopping 11%, I think I prefer. Do I see a side-by-side in my future? I think so.

If you have not made your way over to Normal Heights recently, make a special trip and visit the Blind Lady Ale House. You are gonna thank me…and you might just see me there….

CHEERS!

Editor’s Comments: Thank you Laurie.  Awesome job!!!  If you want to read more of Laurie’s work, or wish to contact her, here is more information:

http://100beers30days.wordpress.com

100beers30days@gmail.com
Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/pages/100-beers-30-days
Twitter: http://twitter.com/100beers30days

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!

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!

This beer is named for an Irish walking stick, or the feeling you get

 from being hit by one. That’s what this beer will do for you. It is a

 stronger (7.5% abv) oatmeal stout with cocoa added to enhance

 the chocolate flavor even more. This beer is smooth and silky

, with a pronounced chocolate flavor. It is not very hoppy, and is

 served with a Nitrogen gas push for that creamy texture. I call this

 a “Todd Stout” in that it is too strong for an oatmeal stout, too

 weak and not hoppy enough for an imperial stout, and too sweet

 for a foreign export stout.

Food Pairings: this beer goes well with heavier dishes like the ribs or a

 steak and also goes well with dessert.

Similar Beers: Short’s Mystery Stout,Young’s Double Chocolate Stout

Copper Canyon Brewery Presents

Beerposium #8, Mar. 6, 4:00 PM

Porter’s, and Stout’s

This will be a celebration of the dark and delectable. Here, you will get a lot of common flavors of chocolate, coffee, and dark fruit. You will learn what is an Oyster Stout, what is the difference between a Stout and Porter, what is Three Threads, and what constitutes a Breakfast Stout? This should be a fun adventure to get you ready for St. Pats!

Reservations will be taken as seating is limited. $20 in advance $25 day of event. You will get at least 10 different beverages and one will be a pint (at least).

Beerposium #9, Apr. 3, 4:00 PM Summer Beers

Here’s Round Two of our pictures.  Enjoy: