You need to try my Lot 53 IPA, JORR. Brewed with citra, cascade, centennial, shredded NBA player mail, and beard trimmings.

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-- source

You need to make a brown stout out of Dusty Baker's racist hate mail and toothpicks.

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Power is always in the hands of the masses of men. What oppresses the masses is their own ignorance, their own short-sighted selfishness.
- Henry George

I'm listening...

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The InBev/Miller deal will become the equivalent of beer Muzak as they will look to exploit their distribution networks and push out the beers they think will drink best locally. Meanwhile they will continue to acquire smaller breweries as a way to preserve their market share and shelf display space. Craft breweries will also eventually see a shakeout as those that can make a quality beer consistently will push out those who either become too esoteric or the trust fund money is directed elsewhere.

The analogy to rock and roll would be interesting if only to share what you're listening to today, as compared to 5-10-20 years ago? I'm willing to try new artists but I also like to tap my feet to the old stuff I liked as well. When it comes to beer I still have my old favorites all the while trying and tasting new beer and cranking out new stuff.

Tonight we untap our first collaboration with Blue Island Beer Co., a rose hibiscus saison.

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DRINK BƎTTƎR. @theRIPH

We've survived the chef as artist craze. I think we can do the same with the brewmaster.

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O judgment! Thou art fled to brutish beasts,
And men have lost their reason.

Terroir, Seacrest. The struggle of the grapes.

_________________
Anybody here seen my old friend Bobby?
Can you tell me where he's gone?
I thought I saw him walkin' up to The Hill
With Elon, Tulsi, and Don

Hops and barley don't struggle?

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In beer, no. Only the "glorious and noble" wild yeast strains that Belgian monks choke the life out of to present you lambic beer struggle.

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There are only two examples of infinity: The universe and human stupidity and I'm not sure about the universe.

JORR is trolling right?

Anyway, I do agree that the market is beginning to get a little over saturated with craft beers - especially here in Chicago. However, a lot of these small breweries are really popular with the neighborhoods they are in and are pretty much sustained just by neighborhood people. Almost as if they are taking the place of neighborhood bars. How long will it last? I'm not sure. I do believe craft beer is here to stay. Like "No Clever Moniker" said, Bud/Miller will survive by buying out small breweries.

Was there ever a clearing of the confusion around Charlie Trotter's death? Or Homaru Cantu's money "issues"?

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There are only two examples of infinity: The universe and human stupidity and I'm not sure about the universe.

I don't believe the struggle of hops and barley, if indeed there is one, displays itself as an inherent quality of the beer. I'm no expert, but I would guess that's why brewing generally doesn't have its own version of vintages. And I've never heard much discussion about where the hops or barley in a particular beer was actually grown.

_________________
Anybody here seen my old friend Bobby?
Can you tell me where he's gone?
I thought I saw him walkin' up to The Hill
With Elon, Tulsi, and Don

I have no idea what you just said.

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Sorry, trappist ales (I think). They're the overloved (imo) beers "officially" only brewed in monasteries that beer snobs love to obsess over the "glorious & noble" wild yeast strains that permeate the beer during this special process. And cost $10-15 bucks a bottle at Binny's.

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There are only two examples of infinity: The universe and human stupidity and I'm not sure about the universe.

*sigh*....

Okay, where is the barley in Founder's KBS grown? Is it grown on the same land every year? Is KBS an estate beer?

_________________
Anybody here seen my old friend Bobby?
Can you tell me where he's gone?
I thought I saw him walkin' up to The Hill
With Elon, Tulsi, and Don

Rather than sighing, why don't you educate me? Are there appellations for hops?

_________________
Anybody here seen my old friend Bobby?
Can you tell me where he's gone?
I thought I saw him walkin' up to The Hill
With Elon, Tulsi, and Don

There are definitely regional hops.

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You know me like that.

Yup, and it is an expanding industry here in the United States. It just takes some time to get it right like anything in regards to growing.

My local place was trying to do a completely local brew but I think it is like a 2 year project.

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You do not talk to me like that! I work too hard to deal with this stuff! I work too hard! I'm an important member of the CSFMB! I drive a Dodge Stratus!

I have spoken to a couple brewers that did some all-Illinois hop beers.

The ones I had weren't too good though.

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You know me like that.

But does the specific land where the hops were grown manifest itself in the character of the beer?

I do believe there are certain barrel-aged beers that can be stored and further aged once bottled. And that year's production may have different qualities than other year's. Maybe, the Bourbon County products as an example? I'm not sure. But I would say that such is an exception rather than the rule. Generally, when someone orders a beer he expects it to taste like the last one he had regardless of the year in which it was brewed, no?

_________________
Anybody here seen my old friend Bobby?
Can you tell me where he's gone?
I thought I saw him walkin' up to The Hill
With Elon, Tulsi, and Don

I'm no expert but they way they were talking about it sounded just like they talk about grapes for wine and the need for the land to be adjusted for years before it really pays off.

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You do not talk to me like that! I work too hard to deal with this stuff! I work too hard! I'm an important member of the CSFMB! I drive a Dodge Stratus!

The Pacific Northwest is hop country, isn't it?

There are guys that grow grapes in Grayslake too though.

_________________
Anybody here seen my old friend Bobby?
Can you tell me where he's gone?
I thought I saw him walkin' up to The Hill
With Elon, Tulsi, and Don

Yes it does, according to the guys who were talking about it.

The industry here is still in its relative infancy though, so imported hops from more established areas are required.

If you go to a homebrew store you'll see packets and packets of ingredients from areas nationally and internationally.

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You do not talk to me like that! I work too hard to deal with this stuff! I work too hard! I'm an important member of the CSFMB! I drive a Dodge Stratus!

That was what I was made to understand from what they told me as well.

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You know me like that.

I think for the year-round brews that is likely the case and, for the most part, they do.

For the seasonals, I'd say it definitely varies from year to year somewhat depending on the type. The thing is most beer doesn't age like wine so it's not really something that creates a huge aftermarket for a 2013 RuinTen for example.

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You know me like that.

Pacific NW and Michigan are the hops goldmines, JORR.

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-- source

Add in Wisconsin too. The problem with Hops is that they are susceptible disease. Some hops are uniquely cultivated and trademarked (i.e, Simcoe) while others are used because of their availability. Most beers don't age well unless brewed intentionally to be stored, then again barrel aged beers when they haven't been aged long enough can taste "hot" or too alcoholly.

The majority of wines are blends of grapes/wines and thus their vintage is suceptible to that year's weather and harvest (too much rain, not a good thing). Barrel aged beer is also a blend as each barrel imparts unique characteristics to the beer that is brewed. Unlike the Cameron Hughes where the surplus is repackaged, the excess beer has to be either blended in other forms (sometimes a good beer results) or poured out.


*Shameless plug*
This Saturday night will be "Stout at the Devil" at the Rock Island Public House in Blue Island, IL. There will be at least 10 handles of unique or rare Stouts and Barrel Aged beers.

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DRINK BƎTTƎR. @theRIPH