One year later...

Jolly Good Fellows has reached its first birthday and for awhile I toyed with the idea of a big, convoluted post to celebrate the occasion but I think I would rather just say thank you.

Thank you to Sarah, Brian, Dan, Jeremy, Rudy, and Craig for being part of this, contributing, and providing counsel when I needed it. You are all awesome beyond measure.

Now this is a birthday cake!
(Original here)

Thank you to everyone who has read an article, commented, shared us with their friends, listened to us, provided advise, took the time to speak with us, welcomed us into their brewery, allowed us to attend your festivals and events, smiled for photographs, and shared a pint or two with us. Without your support we wouldn't have made it this far. 

We have come along way in a year and have told some good stories, but there is still much work to be done and many more excellent beers and beer stories to discover.  Jolly Good Fellows is just the type of site to find them!

Thank you and may you be privileged to drink excellent beer!

Skye

Welcome to your weekend: Spooky Halloween Edition!



Brought to you by spooky plastic pumpkins with
special guest Saranac Pumpkin Ale.
Also remember to check in today for a special Untappd badge!

Virginia craft brewing has arrived! A recap of the Great American Beer Festival Awards Ceremony

Colorado Governor John Hickenlooper
toasts the assembled craft brewers.

This past Saturday I attended the Great American Beer Festival Awards ceremony held in the Wells Fargo Theater in downtown Denver where the Brewers Association handed out the medals and awards for the judging portion of the festival. Charlie Papazian, the godfather of American homebrewing, and president of the Brewers Association greeted and awarded each brewer or brewing team that was privileged to be called up to the stage.

One of the cool stories of the awards ceremony was watching the east coast beer scene really come into its own. Devils Backbone Brewing, by any definition, kicked ass and stole the show taking home 8 medals (2 golds) and small brewpub and brewpub brewer of the year award. With their strong showing at the Virginia Beer Cup and now here, I think we can safely crown them heir-apparent to the brewing crown of Virginia. While they may sit on the throne now there are still usurpers waiting in the wings to seize it. My local, Port City Brewing, took a bronze with Monumental IPA and Blue Mountain Barrel House (Devils Backbone's neighbor up the road) bronze medaled with Local Species, Mad Fox Brewing  and Rock Bottom - Arlington also grabbed some nice shiny hardware.  Half the Virginia breweries that entered the competition took home at least a medal. While Virginia made a strong showing so to did other breweries in the region. DuClaw from Maryland medaled and so too did the District's own DC Brau. To the south, Mother Earth Brewing in North Carolina grabbed a bronze and to the north, Troegs of Pennsylvania ran away with a few medals and the mid-sized brewery and brewer of the year award. A bit closer to my heart was the showing by Wisconsin breweries. Old favorites of mine such as New Glarus, Stevens Point Brewery, and Central Waters also took home medals. 

Devils Backbone Brewing of Virgina stole the show. 

The competition had 84 categories with a total of 4338 entries by 666 breweries (This is the real reason why Devils Backbone won! It's a conspiracy) and was judged by 185 beer industry professionals from 11 countries over three days. Take a moment to think about that because that is a lot of beer and a good portion of it has only recently emerged on the scene in the last ten years or less. As for the beer itself, IPAs still dominate with the American-Style India Pale Ale category having over 200 entries submitted and the Imperial IPA category had over 100 entries. As one brewer said sarcastically while receiving his medal, "These IPAs are just a fad."  Other categories that were deep with entries were Herb and Spice beer, American Pale Ales, American-Style Strong Pale Ales, and surprisingly the Wood and Barrel Aged category.

The big picture is this. There is no better place in the world right now for beer. Time and again it was said that America is brewing the best beer in the world. American craft beer can go toe to toe, pound for pound against any country in the world not only in beer quality but also for sheer diversity. It is hard to refute that when you look at the strong showings by breweries across the country in all the categories.  

On a side note, one of the things that was interesting to note was audience reaction to several of the winners.  Of particular interest was how former crafts who had been bought up by macro companies were treated. Both Goose Island and Leinenkugels appeared to get the cold shoulder with only perfunctory applause from the audience when their medals were announced. Meanwhile Pabst got a rousing applause from the crowd for its gold medal in American-Style Lager. Make what you will about that. 

Final results can be found here.

The Greatest Beer Show on Earth! Part 1

Overwhelming, loud, relentless. These are the thoughts that cross my mind as I walk through the throngs of crowds crisscrossing in front of me from one beer station to another. Cries go up everytime someone drops their plastic tasting glass. All I can think is this is a bit insane, but absolutely wonderful at the same time. 

Hours later I started writing this while down in the media room on the floor below the convention hall. Even here behind closed doors the dull roar of the crowd above can still be heard, pulsating and droning on. Plainly put, the Great American Beer Festival is simply, "Beer as Spectacle."

 Merriam-Webster defines spectacle as:

"something exhibited to view as unusual, notable, or entertaining; especially : an eye-catching or dramatic public display"

This is what GABF is for craft beer, a dramatic public display on what craft beer is, was, and what it can be. The love of beer here both by brewers and participants is infectious. The mad scramble from one station to another, the deep conversations, and the celebration of a good thing. 

This year there were 570 plus breweries and brewpubs on the floor with over 2700 beers being poured. For shear size alone this is intimidating. My original plan was quickly dashed to pieces and I just rambled through the lanes tasting known entities in my first session. Big hits of the Friday evening session were Stone, Cigar City, Russian River, Dogfish Head, and Bear Republic. The lines for them were long but moving quickly. A majority of the stations I passed had minimal or no wait though and an attendee could quickly bounce among them tasting what they liked. With a one ounce taster you could easily try a lot of things without losing your senses.



I wouldn't go so far to say fortunes are won or lost here, but medaling here will make a difference. Fortune is won by almost every brewery or brewpub who is participating. The exposure to tens of thousands craft beer fanatics is priceless for these breweries, putting unknowns on the radar, and reconfirming the stature of others. For many of the attendees here this may be the greatest beer experience they have ever had. It is very cool to be part of this. 

Stay tuned for more updates!

Beer Links for Oktoberfest!

Beer and pretzels, two things that
are even better together!
(Original found here.)

Oktoberfest is in full swing and Autumn is here. The next two months are my favorites in the year. Let’s take a look at a few headlines.

In the News!

Photos: Oktoberfest – world’s biggest beer festival going strong (Denver Post)

Has Oktoberfest Become A Tourist Trap (Photos) (Huffington Post)
Over 6 million people on 64 acres at tourist prices? I think the safe answer is yes, it's a tourist trap. I still want to go.

Raise a glass (or beer mug) to the Oktoberfest tradition (NBC News)
Can’t make it to the big one? Here are some American alternatives.

Oktoberfest Alternatives: German Beer Destinations Beyond Munich (Conde Nast Traveler)
Want to get away from the big one? Here are some other Deutsch alternatives!

Daughter won’t get beer, so man calls 911 (Philadelphia Inquirer)
Oh stupid beer crime, I do miss you.

10 Most Expensive NFL Stadium Beers (The Street)
Drink before you go in the stadium...it will save you money.

Drunkenomics 101: Playing a Beer Market (Wired)
Not much in the way of beer, but it could make for an entertaining evening.

When it Comes to Beer, Variety Rules in USA (Voice of America)
This right here is why America is currently the best beer country in the world. Not only are we brewing more styles, we are even bringing them back from the dead.

Crooked Stave Barrel Cellar ordered to stop selling draft beer (Westword.com)
I'll be a bit put out if I can't get a few bottles for some reason when I go to Denver in a few weeks.

New Beer Bar Makes Stolovayas Trendy Again (The Moscow Times)
I just want to know what beer they have!

National Drink Beer Day: Cheers to free (and reduced) beer across America (Video) (examiner.com)
I don't need an excuse to drink beer but if one is available then why not use it!

Budweiser Will Launch 3 Limited Edition ‘Zip Code’ Beers Next Month (Business Insider)
I think this will be the perfect opportunity for a big ol' beer roundtable with the JGF crew.

In Site News!

Oktoberfest month drives on so we will have some more Oktoberfest reviews and commentary coming your way so stay tuned. 

Thanks for stopping by!

Beer links for a vacation hangover

I’m back from vacation. All and all a good time was had; I lounged on the beach, floated in the ocean, drank some new beer from Florida and tried my hand at not doing much of anything. Now it is time to turn back to the grind.

In the News!
Heineken Is Twice Bitten, Not Yet Shy (Wall Street Journal)
A lot of money is going to be spent to grab a Tiger's tail.

The right beer can make all
the difference.

Brewing up love: Weddings tap craft beer craze (Appleton Post Crescent) Why not? There is plenty of great biere de Champagne out there.

Kiss Cam Guy Chooses Beer Over Girlfriend (Huffington Post)
If it were me, I’d be pissed for being passed over for such a shitty beer.

Majority in U.S. Drink Alcohol, Averaging Four Drinks a Week (Gallup)
A cool study on American drinking habits.

The Yardley Inn’s sour beer dinner (Washington Times)
Sours are "in"; look for more of them to be making it to shelves near you real soon.

Oskar Blues now shakes its can in Chicago (chicagonow.com)
Great news for the Second City!

Gose with crabs: Spread the word (Washington Post)
It is always exciting when forgotten styles get rejuvenated!

Revealed: The president brews his own beer, and brings it with him on the road (Des Moines Register)
I think my next big mission needs to be interviewing the White House brewmaster and scoring a bottle or two of these brews.

Beer drinkers say cheers to methane (Stock and Land)
That's a lot of gas.

Beer industry raises a glass towards cutting water consumption (GreenBiz.com)
That's a lot of water!

Yorkshire Benedictine beer proves a hit around the world (The Press)
This is going on the list of beers to track down.

Hunt for exotic beers goes beyond the pale (Kansas City Star)
Want to know we live in great beer times? This is happening in the heartland of America.

Highland Games inflatable beer tent bursts during event (Scottish Daily Record)
First time the event isn't dry in ages and the beer tent collapses...these two events are not related.

In Site News!

So I have been a bit delinquent on some macrobrewing commentary, I’ll try to rectify that this week. Expect a closer look at Miller Lite and Miller Genuine Draft, and finally you will be able to find us at the Virginia Craft Brewers Festival this weekend. Make sure to say “Hi” if you see us! (I'll be wearing a JGF shirt.)

As always you can follow us on a variety of social media sites, just click on the widgets in the top right corner. Thanks for stopping by!

Mafiaoza's Music City Brewer's Fest chronicles the rise of southern brew

One of the best arenas to see the rise of craft beer culture in the south has been the Mafiaoza’s Music City Brewer’s Festival. Now in its eleventh year, the festival has been center stage in the development of the southern craft scene and has often served as a platform for exposure and opportunity for new and emerging brewers.

All dressed up and ready to go!

Candace Price, owner of half FULL Productions and principal organizer of the festival for the last 11 years witnessed first hand the growth of the Nashville craft beer scene.

"Our first year we probably had about 1200 people, 7500 now, so it has grown quite a lot in attendance. We have about 60 breweries and we didn't start out with that. I think the industry in general has grown quite a lot over the last 11 years too," said Price, "It is interesting to me to see how the local scene has changed over the years, we used to have only a few local breweries now we have roughly 10."

It isn't a beer festival without sausages.

There is really no argument that the southern part of the United States is still behind in the craft brewing scene. Georgia and the Carolinas are rapidly expanding but are still miles behind the craft scenes of the Northwest, Midwest or Northeast. While those states are starting to do well, others like Mississippi and Alabama are just managing to creep out of the dark ages. Their craft brewers have had a tougher time not only with draconian regulations limiting alcohol content and bottle size but with a culture that wasn’t open to the creativity and taste of craft brew. Now though the cracks in the wall have become gaps and southern beer is starting to flow.

The 11th Music City Brewers Fest was a celebration of beer. Attendees included macrobrewers like MillerCoors and Heineken alongside craft stalwarts New Belgium, Sam Adams, and Brooklyn Brewery.

The real stars of the show though were the emerging Nashville and regional craft beer scene. This was a front row showcase of a brewing culture sweeping through the region. Nashville craft beer king Yazoo stood shoulder to shoulder with brand spanking new local breweries like Jackalope, Cool Springs, and Turtle Anarchy. (Turtle Anarchy had only stood up about 20 days before.) The brewpubs Bosco’s and Blackstone were both in attendance with impressive lineups of their own. A few short years ago this kind of diversity didn't exist here, now Nashville can actually make claim to a true craft beer scene.

Even more reassuring for the craft community is that this emerging scene isn’t only occurring in Nashville. While the Nashville scene made their presence felt at the Festival, even more impressive was the regional brewers who were present. Breweries from Alabama (Avondale/ Good People Brewing), Kentucky (Kentucky Ale),  Georgia (Terrapin & Sweetwater), Mississippi (Lazy Magnolia), and North Carolina (Craggie and Highland) to name just a few all turned out. Take a moment and realize that this is a pretty incredible assortment from an area that has been underrepresented in craft beer for awhile.

Price summed it up, "We have brewers that are looking to break into the Nashville market that come to this festival to launch their brands here. It is a good opportunity for our local distributors to look at some different brands that they might want to bring into the market. It is really pretty impressive for both a business to consumer and business to business opportunity. It is a great opportunity for these brands to be able to touch consumers that are very passionate about their product."

Ready for prime time. Cool Springs
finishes their board.

Breweries arrived with a diverse selection of brew from here-weizens to stouts, with even a few Oktoberfests spotted, though a majority were summer beers, a good thing too since it was sweltering during the daytime session. Some of the brewers had brought a few special barrels too. Standouts that I tried included Cool Springs Brewing's fantastic Berliner Weisse, Magnolia Brewing's rarely seen out of the state Jefferson Stout, Another Way to Rye by Turtle Anarchy, Spring Street Saison by Avondale, and Number One Frog by Jackalope Brewing. Overall the selection of brews at the festival were an encouraging blend of of styles showcasing the confidence and quality coming out of these breweries.

The Festival was a well run affair, reasonably priced, nice food selection, and with a good mix of national, regional, and local brewers pouring a diverse array of beer. The brewers were passionate to discuss their brew and talk with guests, continuing to develop the community that makes craft beer special. Here is the final word. People of Nashville rejoice! You have got yourself a cool craft beer scene that continues to evolve. Craft beer drinkers, if you want to catch a glimpse of the southern beer scene then the Music City Brewer's Fest is highly recommended to experience the creativity and innovation coming out of an area that is on the tipping point of booming. I’m looking forward to attending again next year.

It's time to celebrate! Have an IPA.

Welcome to macro month in which we are going to explore, critique, and debate the contributions of the macrobrewing industry. Before we dive into those potentially controversial topics we are going to take a small pause and celebrate for today, August 2nd, is IPA day.

The most famous of the original IPAs.
(Found here)

What a choice you can have too, double, white, black, American, English...IPAs have thrived during the craft revolution, enjoying more popularity now than even in their heyday as the beer of the British Raj. They are a style that has truly been embraced by both brewers and beer lovers. If there is a benchmark style for craft beer then India Pale Ale is that beer.

It started with an incredibly long boat ride and very thirsty Englishmen but that is a story we will dive into when we get to IPA month in September. In the meantime crack open a bottle of hopped goodness and enjoy. (If you are on Untappd don't forget to check in!)

Tell us about your favorite IPA in the comments. Cheers!