Summer Seasonal Beer Review

The warm summer months are upon us. Gone are the dark cold days filled with hearty stout and heavy porter beers. Onward to crisp, refreshing ales and pilsners. Hoppy IPAs and delicious Belgians. Not to mention all of the wonder beers that are brewed just for these summer months.

MJ watching the Euro Cup on TV.

For today's review we have two beers that are perfect to drink during the summer months. While they are not seasonal specific beers (in other words - the brewery does not only brew these in the summer months, but rather, they brew them all year round), they are beers to drink on a sunny warm day.

The beers were sampled at the North 45 Pub in Portland, Oregon. This pub is known for it's love of soccer, it's menu with mussels, and it's Belgian beers. We tasted the Trumer Pils and the Affligem Blonde, reviewed below. Let us know if you've sampled either of these beers - and what you think about them. The Jolly Good Fellows always love suggestions, so send along your favorite summer seasonal beers and we will make sure to try them.

 { Prost! }

Beer links for the week of June 11th.

We are getting so close to summer I can almost taste it. Here are a few beer links to satisfy your cravings.

In the News!

Finally, gluten-free beer that tastes like beer (St. Louis Post-Dispatch by way of The Republic)
In a few months we will be looking at new arrivals on the gluten-free scene. 

This is a dual purpose picture, one to
inform you about Minnesota's local
craft scene, and the other to remind
you to go read my awesome
SAVOR article!

Beer-lovers to push for homebrewing law (Jackson Clarion-Ledger)
Mississippi beer lovers had a huge win a few weeks ago, here is hoping they soon have another.

To Grow A Craft Beer Business, The Secret’s In The Water (NPR)
Yes it is. It is sort of the rug that ties the whole room together. 

Beer maker asks commuters to give up four wheels for two (WTOP 103.5 FM)
No surprise this comes from New Belgium, sustainability and environmental stewardship are a big part of their corporate culture.

Beer, Wine Now Sold In Lincoln Sundays Before Noon (WOWT Channel 6 News – NBC)
Another blue law steps aside.

Where local beers are King: Patriotism or great taste in Minnesota and Wisconsin? You be the judge (The Dickinson Press)
I vote Wisconsin though in this election we all actually win. 

Secret to being thin hidden in your beer (iol)
Science!

Craft Breweries Take Off In Region (WUSA Channel 9 – CBS)
The DC metro region is starting to take off!

‘Queens of Beer’ to open first LGBT brewery ever in San Diego (Los Angeles Times)
My first thought was, "I thought this would have happened sooner." Needless to say though this is a positive for the industry.

Bill would allow small breweries to expand sales (readingeagle.com)
This is a good thing for small brewers but I find the distributors' response somewhat puzzling. You need to change your business model to reflect the times. 

No limits on local beers as brewers expand (Houston Chronicle)
If I have to move to Texas then this blog won't lack for material.

Beer makes hay while sun shines (Daily Pioneer)
While I read this article I had a little daydream of starting a craft brewery in India.

5 refreshing canned beers to beat the summer heat (MSNBC)
Get prepared for summer! Want other options to bring to the beach or lake where bottles and glass are prohibited? Then go check out www.craftcans.com!

Tom Kitchin: ‘That’s the essence of these artisan beers – the best of the old with the best of the new’ (Scotsman)
That is probably as good a statement for craft brewing as any.

Beer Glasses (New York Times)

Remember the importance of glassware for beer!

In Site News!

Look for more stories from Iceland, pictures from SAVOR, and another piece about New York. I'll be honest I have more content than I can shake a stick at.  As always you can follow us by clicking on the widget in the top right corner. Thanks for stopping by!

SAVOR DC 2012: Beer puts on formalwear and steps out on the town.

These glasses await their destiny.

Brewers and beer lovers descended on the National Buidling Museum in Washington DC for a celebration of beer and food over the evenings of June 8-9. Welcome to SAVOR 2012. Under the Roman arches and Corinthian pillars in the Great Hall, craft brewers from across the United States served up top notch beer paired with a cornucopia of foods. Styles of beer ranged across the spectrum from Black IPA to Imperial Stout, Rye Saison to Berliner Weisse. Food pairings were just as diverse with small plates ranging from lobster pot stickers and braised goat to S'mores and cornbread cobbler. The name of the game for SAVOR DC is quality beer paired up with an assortment of small plates. All the beers were tied to a particular style of food meant to amplify each other and bring out the best of both. An example of this is would be an espresso stout paired with red velvet cake, or a porter paired with salt cod fritters.  It  is pretty safe to say there was something for everyone.

Beer and food, two
great things meant
for each other.

Much like the variety in the food and beer, the brewers also reflected the diversity of the craft beer community in the United States. Young and old, big and small, the breweries included such large stalwarts such as Sierra Nevada and Sam Adams ranging down to small brewpubs like Vintage 50 and Magnolia Gastropub. Representation came from across the country too such as Surly Brewing hailing from Minnesota or Uinta Brewing from Utah, to locals brewers from the DC metro region, like newcomers DC Brau and Port City. 

For all the brewers SAVOR DC is a chance to share their passion for making good beer with an appreciative audience. Tim Surprise, founder of Arcadia Ales, said, "I'd like people to be titillated enough that our beers began the journey for them to not only become a fan of our beer but to discover something that resonates their interest in beer and food for the long term. 

For other breweries SAVOR DC offered a chance to educate and inform the attendees that great beer can be found across the country. Paul Kavulak, founder of Nebraska Brewing Company, said, "We already have great beer in the Midwest, but Nebraska hasn't really been known as a great craft beer state, I'm hoping people leave understanding that good beer can come out of there too."

Kavulak brought his gold medal winning (and delicious) Melange A Trois chardonnay barrel aged Belgian strong ale to back up his statement. 

Building a better world,
one glass at a time.

While there was no official dress code, people dressed in what made them comfortable, ranging from suits and evening gowns to a few t-shirts and bluejeans. Overall though that really didn't matter. What was more important was to be part of veritable smorgasbord of delicious food and drink with like minded people. There was a very cordial atmosphere over the whole event with folks mingling with each other, writing up their own tasting notes, sharing recommendations and moving from station to station looking for their favorites brews or that next something special. 

Brewers took the time to talk with guests, explaining their beer and brewing techniques between keeping tasting glasses refreshed. Lines moved quickly at the various beer stations and food stations stayed pretty well stocked. Only once did I spy a station that ran empty, but that was remedied about a minute later. If there was a real wait is was for freshly shucked oysters but even there the folks many that both worked their knives with deft assurance. Overall the event was well run with excellent support from the wait staff, security, and the volunteers. 

As guests departed the event they were handed a bottle of Terra Incognita, a beer brewed specifically for SAVOR events, a collaboration between Sierra Nevada of California and Boulevard Brewing of Kansas City, MO. (Which for you fans of Boulevard it will be out here in the DC market starting next week! Huzzah!)

It almost seems peaceful
from up here.

So what to make of SAVOR? First off it really is a celebration of how far we have come with craft beer. An event like this, with it's diversity in styles and brewers, doesn't exist a decade ago. Now, not only does it exist but it sells out almost immediately. There is a clamor and demand from the beer drinking public to push the limits and explore the boundaries. The versatility of beer with food is an eye-opening experience, with pairings running the gamut from hors d'ovres  to dessert (in the case of Stone's Collaboration Highway 78, a nice cigar would have been excellent.)

There really is a beer for every time and place on the food spectrum. SAVOR stacks up the evidence and goes about the business of making believers out of anyone who would argue otherwise. While SAVOR could prove a bit challenging to a brand new explorer in the craft beer world it will be a revelation to folks who enjoy a good food and beer adventure. (On a side note while I believe beer with it's varieties will always have an edge in pairing versus wine I would like to know if there is a particular food where wine actually pairs better than beer…food for thought, if you have any ideas let us know in the comments.)

Events like SAVOR don't
happen without awesome
volunteers! Cheers to them!

Here is where I would interject a word of caution though, while SAVOR is a a worthy celebration of craft beer, we still need to continue to make beer approachable and enjoyable. In other words we don't walk down the path to beer snobbery and elitism because at the end of that is place where we will all lose. At the same time though a great counterpoint was made by Kristi Griner, head brewster at Vintage 50 stated it best, "We are still introducing a new crowd to the joy of craft beer and bringing them over to our side, while some of these beers may be unique to some people, for others these are their local breweries and are places they go to enjoy great beer." 

My mother hennish thoughts aside, SAVOR is an excellent and worthwhile event that any food or beer loving person should highly consider attending. You will not be disappointed.

Welcome to Your Weekend: Return from Iceland Edition

The Loot: starring Borg Brugghús, & Gæðingur Öl, with
special guest Einstök.