Craft Brew Cast Blog

Libation Station is a new radio show coming out of Portland Oregon.The show is co hosted by the much loved Beer Goddess, also known as journalist Lisa Morrison with Bruce Bjorkman. I asked Lisa to write a few words to entice you to tune it. Here’s what she says:

Want to get the latest beer news from the heart of Beervana? Pour yourself a pint and listen to the Libation Station on KXL 750 AM each Saturday from 3-4 p.m. Co-hosts Bruce Bjorkman and Beer Goddess Lisa Morrison bring you all the brews news that fit to sip. Can’t catch it live? Check out the podcasts at http://www.kxl.com/KXLTalkShows/LibationStation/tabid/85/Default.aspx
–Lisa Morrison

You can also subscribe thru an RSS feed and listen to each episode computer or mobile device FREE! Here’s that link: click here

Here’s a sampling of what you can expect to find on the show

Here’s What We’re Pouring May 17

• Broadcasting from Newberg Tire Factory, 2305 Portland Road, Newberg
• Live Report from Brewers Memorial Ale Festival, Newport, from Jim Cline of Rogue Ales
• EXCLUSIVE INTERVIEW: Rick Sellers, Director of Beer, DRAFT Magazine
• Uncapped Brew News
• Quick Poll
• Cigar of the week!
• Order of the Frothy Head Events Calendar
• All the news that’s fit to drink!

Cheers to Lisa and Bruce for bringing us more Beervana culture!

Organic brewers from around the world celebrate sustainability June 27-29 in Portland, Oregon at the  North American Organic Brewers Festival (NAOBF). The 2007 festival featured 50 organic ales and lagers, drew 7000 attendees and raised over $2000 for local charities. The largest organic beer festival in the world, the NAOBF was first held in 2003 in Gresham, Oregon, and has been an annual event since 2006. In addition to organic beer the festival features live music, local and organic food, and sustainability-focused vendors.  

WHY ORGANIC BEER?

Until the 19^th century all beer was organic, but chemical fertilizers and pesticides are now the norm in barley and hop production. The Pinkus-Mueller brewery, in Muenster, Germany (sample Pinkus beers at the NAOBF) brewed the world’s first modern organic beer in 1980, as the brewmaster was concerned with the declining quality of malting barley grown with chemical fertilizers. Organic beer made its debut in the US in the mid 1990s’ and production has grown by leaps and bounds since then. Organic beer is now a more than 20 million dollar market in the US. The festival celebrates the diversity of styles of organic beers from pilsners, pale ales, porters, and ambers, to stouts, India Pale Ales, and a plethora of Belgian styles.

CHARITY

A benefit for Oregon Food Bank, Leukemia Lymphoma Society, and Oregon Tilth, the NAOBF celebrates numerous facets of sustainability. The chemical pesticides and fertilizers used in conventional agriculture are one of the leading causes of cancer. The Leukemia Lymphoma Society, helps those suffering from leukemia, lymphoma, Hodgkin’s disease and myeloma. The Oregon Food Bank feeds the hungry, and Oregon Tilth promotes sustainable agriculture and is one of the most stringent organic certification bodies in the nation.

This year the festival also features a special guest beer, the 2008 Sasquatch Legacy brew, the proceeds from which will benefit the Glen Hay Falconer Memorial Foundation, which maintains a Brewing Scholarship to the Siebel Institute of Technology brewing school. Eugene brewer Glen Hay Falconer was an organic beer pioneer while at the Wild Duck Brewery and Restaurant in Eugene. This years Sasquatch Legacy Project is the Imperial Vienna, brewed by 2007 scholarship recipients Corey Blodgett and Jacob Leonard using organic malt.

SUSTAINBLE PRACTISES

In the interest of sustainability the NAOBF is working to reduce its waste stream, and minimize its carbon footprint. This year the NAOBF has switched from plastic to cornstarch tasting glasses, which are 100% compostable. Conventional plastics not only take up landfill space, but have been linked to cancer, and are made from foreign petroleum. The cornstarch cups are made from domestically grown corn by Colorado-based Eco-Products, .a zero-waste, solar-powered company. Onsite compost receptacles will be provided at the event for the cups and food waste. All food vendors are required to use compostable flatware and plates.  A Biodiesel-fueled generator provides the festival’s energy needs, and attendees are encouraged to take MAX light-rail to the event. Vendors at the NAOBF promote sustainable living through their wares and services

EVENT DETAILS

Overlook Park N. Interstate and Fremont Streets, Portland, Oregon Friday June 27 3pm-9pm, Saturday 12-9pm, Sunday 12-5pm. Admission is free, a tasting glass is $5, and 4oz samples of beer are $1. A $1 discount will be given for a valid Tri-met transfer OR three cans of food for the Oregon Food Bank. The event is all-ages. Service animals only. There is no onsite parking, attendees are encouraged to take public transit. (MAX Yellow Line to Overlook Park stop). Bicycle parking will be provided.

Links:

Technorati Tags: beer, festival, organic, scholarship, tilth, biodiesel, portland, oregon, brewer, international

This just in from the Beer Institute:

Beer Institute Celebrates

75 Years of Post-Prohibition Brewing

Recognizes Economic Contributions of Industry Since 1933

WASHINGTON, DC – Today, America’s brewers and beer importers will begin celebrating the 75^th anniversary of the first legal beer deliveries in the United States following Prohibition.  For millions of workers and consumers, America’s beer industry has grown exponentially into an economic force, creating and supporting millions of jobs and contributing billions of dollars to federal, state, and local economies annually. The repeal of Prohibition also ushered in a new era of responsibility in how alcohol is regulated and consumed.

“The last 75 years powerfully demonstrate that a healthy beer industry strengthens our overall economy,” said Beer Institute President Jeff Becker. “Looking forward, fair tax policies are essential to ensuring that brewers and beer importers can continue supporting the more than 1.7 million jobs we’ve created and $190 billion provided annually to the economy.”

Today, the beer industry is burdened with an excessively high and regressive beer tax that unfairly hurts manufacturing employees and lower and middle-income consumers hardest. Since the federal beer tax doubled in 1991, approximately 60,000 Americans lost their jobs in brewing, distributing, retailing, and related industries. Rolling back the beer tax increase would provide a much-needed shot in the arm to the nation’s struggling economy and help stimulate job growth.

In addition to toasting the numerous economic benefits beer has delivered for the last three quarters of a century, brewers, beer importers, and suppliers are also using April 7 to celebrate the rich traditions and cultural heritage of beer in America. Just a few examples of the celebrations going on across the country:

●    Anheuser-Busch’s flagship brand, Budweiser, will celebrate the milestone with a variety of events, including a re-broadcast of August A. Busch Jr.’s 1933 national radio address, an appearance by the Budweiser Clydesdales and a new historical exhibit on Prohibition at Anheuser-Busch’s St. Louis tour center.

●    Miller Brewing Company will play host to Milwaukee Mayor Tom Barrett, who will present an official Proclamation declaring April 7 “Beer Day” throughout the entire City of Milwaukee. Barrett and Miller Brewing Company will call for Milwaukeeans to make a citywide beer toast celebrating the economic and entrepreneurial success the beer industry created in the city.

“From coast to coast, our members stand united as we celebrate this important milestone,” added Becker. “Together, we have built a strong record of growth and responsible community involvement, and that is something in which we can all take great pride.”

Brewers and beer importers spend millions of dollars annually on numerous civic and community programs. These include alcohol abuse prevention efforts, corporate philanthropy, and environmental initiatives.  For more information on these programs and the industry’s economic contributions, visit www.beerservesamerica.com.

Although the national repeal of Prohibition did not become finalized until December 5, 1933, brewers and beer importers celebrate April 7 as a day of great significance in the industry’s history. On April 7, 1933, the Cullen-Harrison Act took effect, which legalized the first sales of beer. To mark the occasion, President Franklin D. Roosevelt famously received shipments of beer at the White House from many brewers and a team of Budweiser Clydesdales delivered several cases at the U.S. Capitol.

# # #

The Beer Institute, established in 1986, is the national trade association for the brewing industry, representing both large and small brewers, as well as importers and industry suppliers. The Institute is committed to the development of sound public policy and to the values of civic duty and personal responsibility: www.beerinstitute.org.

This just in from the Brewers Association and Beer Institute: 

 75th Anniversary of Legal Beer in America

BOULDER, CO - March 12, 2008 - On April 7th, brewers, beer importers, distributors and beer lovers across America will celebrate 75 years of beer that has been flowing legally since the drought of Prohibition. The date will be marked with specially brewed commemorative beers, brewery tours and events at many of America’s 1,400 plus breweries.

Historians note that Prohibition officially ended on December 5, 1933, with the ratification of the 21st Amendment. But earlier that year, newly-elected President Franklin D. Roosevelt took steps to fulfill his campaign promise to end the national ban on alcohol. He spurred Congress to modify the Volstead Act to allow the sale of 3.2 percent beer in advance of Prohibition’s ratification. Thus on April 7, 1933, Roosevelt himself received newly legalized beer at the White House to toast what was the beginning of the end for Prohibition. In the 24-hours that followed, more than 1.5 million gallons of beer flowed as Americans celebrated.

“April 7th is a day to recognize the past 75 years of beer and the beer community’s contribution to American’s quality of life. The explosion of creativity and innovation by those who make beer is an American success story,” said Charlie Papazian, President of the Brewers Association.

“As we celebrate this significant day in the history of beer, we also recognize the incredible contributions beer has made to our nation and the economy over the last 75 years,” added Jeff Becker, President of the Beer Institute. “Today, our industry contributes nearly $190 billion annually to the U.S. economy and provides more than 1.7 million jobs to our nation’s workforce.”

“April 7th is the perfect time to highlight the entrepreneurial spirit and economic contributions America’s beer industry brings to our country. Americans now have access to nearly 13,000 labels of beer – within the safest alcohol distribution system in the world - because of the state-based regulatory system that was established 75 years ago,” added Craig Purser, president of the National Beer Wholesalers Association (NBWA).

To mark this special anniversary, breweries across the country will hold ‘75 Years of Beer’ events for all consumers, employees, and their families. Numerous breweries are planning 75th anniversary celebrations including: dedicated festivals, special cask pre-prohibition beers, viewing parties of the historical documentary “The American Brew” – a film commissioned by “Here’s To Beer”, brewery tours, scheduled toasts and more.

For more information and a list of brewery celebrations by state please visit: http://www.75yearsofbeer.org/

 Show links:

Brewers Association

Beer Institute

National Beer Wholesalers Association (NBWA).

Here’s To Beer

The American Brew Video

Craft Brew Cast home page

Craft Brew Cast on myspace

Technorati Tags: beer, microbrew, american, repeal, brewers, podcast, prohibition

Pioneer Press

Article Last Updated: 03/07/2008 04:12:31 PM CST

If you’re plan to drink on St. Patrick’s Day, Miller Brewing Co. will give you a free ride home.

The company said today the Miller Free Rides program will be available in the Twin Cities on March 17. It’s the program’s 11th year.

“We encourage everyone who will be out celebrating the holiday to consider leaving their cars at home and riding the bus or train,” Brian Lamb, Metro Transit’s general manager said in a statement. “Last year, more than 86,000 free rides were given on St. Patrick’s Day.”

The program offers free bus and train rides on all Metro Transit routes starting at 6 p.m. on March 17 until the last scheduled trip.

Free rides will also be offered on Metropolitan Council Regional routes and on buses operated by Minnesota Valley Transit Authority and Plymouth Metrolink.

See www.millerfreerides.com or call 800-FREE-RIDES (800-373-3743) for more information.

Rogue has taken its flagship ale Dead Guy to the next level with a Double Dead Guy.

Scheduled to being released as the latest of John’s Locker Stock and on the books for release in Rogue’s trademark Ceramic 750 ml swingtop bottles later this year.

Here’s what Master Brewer John Maier says about his latest creation:

“D2 is the new reincarnation of our classic Dead Guy Ale. It is mahogany in color. It’s full bodied and has an amazing mid palate richness of toffee and caramel. The hops are evident also, with just enough to keep the maltiness in check. The finish lasts > 15 secs. D2 is Double the fun! Enjoy!

Prost! John C. Maier

Recieved the following press release from Rogue Wireless : 

Dead Guy

Appearing in Basements & Garages Nationwide!
  

NEWPORT, OR., February 20, 2008 (Rogue Wire Service): Brewcraft USA, a nationwide distributor of brewing equipment and ingredients began distributing a Rogue Dead Guy Ale Homebrew kit on January 23, 2008. The Dead Guy kit is the first beer kit for homebrewers that was cooperatively developed and branded by a U.S. craft brewer. The kit has been test brewed by the Cascade Brewers Society and given the official blessing of Rogue Brewmaster John Maier, a long-time member of the Cascade Brewers Society and Lifetime Member of Southern California’s Maltose Falcons.

John Maier began homebrewing in 1981 and went on to win the American Homebrewers Association Homebrewer of the Year Award in 1988. John started brewing for Rogue in 1989 when the Newport Rogue Brewery began in a rented garage.  John created Dead Guy Ale in the mid-90s and has been Rogue’s brewmaster for 20 years.

Rogue Dead Guy Ale has won 25 awards for quality and excellence, including the 2007 Northwest Brew News Reader’s Choice Awards for Best Bock, and a Gold medal from the World Beer Championships.

Dead Guy Homebrew kits include whole Perle and Czech Saaz Hops, Amber, Munich and Crystal Malts, Candi Sugar and English Pale Ale malt extract. Rogue’s proprietary Pacman yeast (although not part of the homebrew kit) will be available at homebrew shops nationwide. Pacman yeast is part of the Very Special Strain (VSS) program developed by Wyeast Laboratories and was the #1 selling VSS product in 2007.

Visit www.brewcraftusa.com for more information.

Green Dragon Bistro and Brewpub in Portland Oregon is hosting Meet the Brewer Tuesdays. First up we’ll have an opportunity to meet Hopwork Urban Brewery’s brewers Christian Ettinger and Ben Love.

Long time Publican and Craft Brew Cast regular Jim Parker has 4 “Meet the Brewer” nights scheduled thru January 2008. Dates and brewers featured are included on the Craft Brew Cast Calendar.

You can subscribe to the calendar feed and event listings will be delivered to you automatically. As alway there is no charge. But feel free to buy  me a beer thru the link at craftbrewcast.com

Head to the Green Dragon on December 18th at 6pm and have an exceptional microbrew from this award winning brewing team. Introduce yourself, thank them for the brew, ask them anything…..they may answer.

I hope to see you there.

Green Dragon on Myspace
Hopworks Urban Brewery
Hopeworks Urban Brewery Blog

Technorati Tags: brewery, brewer, microbrew, portland, oregon, calendar

Beginning November 30^th 2007 you can head over to Hopworks Urban Brewery aka H.U.B. to purchase the fine microbrews that brewers Christian Ettinger and Ben Love are brewing up. Their beers have been available for a few months at surrounding tap houses so the beer appreciators in Portland Oregon are well familiar with these quality craft brews. Now you can spread the love from your home or party too. Just in time for the holidays.

Technorati Tags: beer, microbrew, brewery, brewer, Portland, Oregon

Hopworks Urban Brewery

H.U.B. blog

H.U.B on RateBeer.com