If you’re into beer and you’ve ever visited Chicago, you’ve no doubt checked out Goose Island. Well, the original brewpub on North Clybourn northwest of downtown Chicago, is closing. the problem Chicago Business.com says is a lease renewal…

Goose Island Beer to close Clybourn brewpub

By: Andrew Schroedter April 14, 2008
(Crain’s) — Goose Island Beer Co. is looking for a new home for its Clybourn Corridor brewpub after negotiations with the landlord failed to bring about a new lease deal.

The brewer of Goose Island 312, India Pale Ale and other locally produced beers has been at 1800 N. Clybourn Ave. since 1988, but its lease for about 12,000 square feet expires at the end of the year.

“The lease came due and we couldn’t come to an agreement on a lease renewal,” says Charles Malk, president of Deerfield-based CRM Properties Group Ltd., which owns the Clybourn building. “It’s that simple.”
Goose Island’s Wrigleyville location, 3535 N. Clark St., will remain open. READ MORE…

This is really an advertisement, but it’s for a worthy cause, rehabbing the Sonoma Communty Center. I’m going to be there with a couple of ace homebrewers and Sheana Davis of Epicurean Connection. There’s be a whole lot of beer, paired with Sonoma C0unty cheese and a chance to ask questions about beer and cheese.

The number to call for reservations is: 707-938-4626 ext. 1. The address is: 276 East Napa St., Sonoma, CA.

Here’s the scoop:

The story behind the news that Magic Hat Brewing, South Burlington, VT. , is buying Seattle-based Pyramid Breweries for $25 to $30 million is that us West Coasties may some day soon see Magic Hat beers out here. They would be brewed at Pyramid’s big brewery in Berkeley.

In interviews last week, both Pyramid’s CEO Scott Barnum and Magic Hatt CEO Martin Kelly said that though nothing has been decided (The deal is expected to close in August), the possibility exists.cTo find out a little bit about Magic Hat beers, I asked a number of people who are familiar with them. Read on:

Hi William.
I cover the Vermont beat for Yankee Brew News. I’ve known about Magic Hat, and their beers and their people since they first came out.
Their marketing has always been superlative. Founder Alan Newman possesses an extraordinary ability to define a market, determine its needs and meet them. They were fortunate to be one of the first breweries to debut an apricot-influenced beer, and #9 did for craft beer what the Mustang did for muscle cars: it caught women’s attention and drew them into the category, benefiting all craft brewers and Magic Hat in particular.

The company is very socially responsive, and besides supporting causes, it throws events that draw their home market of Burlington, Vermont together. Their Mardi Gras parade is family friendly and has got to be one of the top winter events in New England. With something like 34 floats on parade in the middle of Vermont winter, it’s an amazing event with over 20,000 onlookers.

They may have added other yeast strains over the years, but I believe Magic Hat used the Ringwood yeast strain in its early days. Their Lucky Kat IPA is year-round and is a pleasantly assertive, but not extreme, IPA. Magic Hat has enjoyed strong success in seasonal mixed 12-packs, and has used the opportunity to test new products through that package. Magic Hat’s seasonal and special releases have usually been quite good. Their Thumbsucker Imperial Stout was always enjoyable, and two or three vintages of Chaotic Chemistry barleywine still take space in my cellar.
Orlio Organic Beers are a subsidiary of Magic Hat. Like the label artwork, the beers connote simplicity and wholeness.

Full disclosure: Over the course of eleven years of beer journalism, they have bestowed honors on this writer including two amazing and memorable weekends in Burlington, Vermont! That little city rocks! Paul Kowalski

William: Yes, I get their beers regularly. They’ve made some quirky brews, as befits their brand. Some of the best, like Thumbsucker Imperial Stout, Feast of Fools Stout, St. Gootz Dunkelweizen- have unfortunately been dropped (maybe they’ll come back).

I think the #9 Not-so Pale Ale is their flagship now, and Both are just OK, not outstanding, But I like their Orlio Organics. The Common Ale is a very clean, well balanced brew, although low in hops, and the Black Lager is a very good, smooth schwarzbier. A.

Bill –They have a pretty wide range including some small batch stuff which is very good. No. 9 may be their best seller, pale ale with a hint of apricot. They do seem to go after the younger demographic with some of their regular brands.

They did a great series in black 750 bottles — humdinger I believe barleywine, imperial stout and others. Tony Forder, Editor, Ale Street News

Bill, I’d describe Magic Hat’s beers as quirky but not to the extreme extent
of Delaware’s Dogfish Head. Like a liquid version of Vermont’s other
best-known food product, Ben and Jerry’s ice cream, it’s a deliberate quirkiness that I think has a lot to do with marketing.. Usually if I’m in a bar with Magic Hat on tap or in bottles, that bar has a wide enough selection that I find myself drinking something else. It’s not that I dislike them, it’s that there’s a bunch of stuff I like better.

The beer I personally like most from their lineup is Circus Boy, a hefeweizen. What happens to it when the company merges with Pyramid would be a good question.

And, if you want an odd bit of trivia for the baseball fans of the Bay Area, one of Magic Hat’s employees is former Boston Red Sox pitcher Bill “Spaceman” Lee. G.

Hi William. I have mixed feelings about Magic Hat. At least two of the beers I’ve tried have natural flavorings in them (including their big favorite, #9), and I personally have a big problem with that (from a nutritional POV first, as a beer drinker second). I’m sure you’ll hear from someone in New England who can give you a more full review. Mike.

Bill: I haven’t been all that impressed, although I’ve also had limited experience with them. I can tell you that #9 (Not Quite a Pale Ale) sells well in this market, but the rest lag a bit (at least at the retail shop with which I am most familiar). #9 is, in effect, its “Fat Tire,” a popular beer which is what it is, a crossover beer but hardly a mind-blower. Clever imaging and wild tap handles are part of the appeal. XC

Bill: Magic Hat is just in the Atlanta market and No. 9 is doing well. Oddly enough, distributed by the A-B company here. Truth be I’m not a huge fan of the Magic Hat beers myself, but they have a huge following in the Northeast. I would highly recommend Magic Hat’s Fat Angel (a pale ale), and the Circus Boy - I think that one is a wheat. Their Number 9 I could do without (apricot beer). I didn’t realize they had grown big enough to begin acquiring other breweries. The Fat Angel is wonderful on a hot day, really a very drinkable beer.. Just don’t drink it looking for the strong hoppiness that comes with an IPA. Bob .

William, Had many of the Magic Hat beers while on vacation 2 years ago in New Hampshire and found all to be of excellent quality. #9 is a great session beer and some of their seasonal’s are excellent. One thing I did notice though, was that while we traveled the 3 state region, some of their beers I had a pubs did not have the same quality as those near the brewery. I’m not sure if this was because the locals were drinking something else, or that maybe they were using inferior caps. But other than having some minimal carbonated beers and a couple of stickers; their beers were very good. Kevin Smith

Bill,While I can’t speak for all of their selections, I have tried their #9 , which is presumably their flagship beer and a bit of a cult favorite on the East Coast. I found it to be a decent beer that was hard to place stylistically–fruity and crisp, with a sweet finish. If I were guessing I would say it is made with a good portion of wheat. Probably a popular summer beer should they release it out here. Tim Clifford

So what do you think? Have you ever tried Magic Hat beers?  What do you think about the merger. Personally, I think the merger will help Pyramid. It will remove the responsibilities of public ownership; it will give them some freedom to innovate and however good or bad Magic Hat beers are, they’re certainly innovators. That has to help Pyramid shed its too-staid image.  Post a comment here or e-mail me at whatsontap@sbcglobal.net.

One of the blogs I follow is Food Gal, a blog about cooking, restaurants and food written by Carolyn Jung, who was Food Editor at the San Jose Mercury News before the most recent round of layoffs and buyouts. This week, she notes, there’s a new restaurant in San Francisco:

    New And Fishy

May 1st, 2008
From the team with the golden touch responsible for Town Hall and Salt House (both in San Francisco), now comes Anchor & Hope, a new fish house.

Located at 83 Minna St. in San Francisco, Anchor & Hope is the brainchild of the Brothers Rosenthal (chefs Mitchell and Stephen) and their best bud and front-of-the-house maestro, Doug Washington. …. READ MORE…

I was curious, so I went to the restaurant site and, of course,  Anchor and Hope
has an extensive wine list, conveniently posted on line. Nothing about beer.  So I scanned the menu and found Guinness Battered Skate Wing (skate is a fish that figures in a lot of famous dishes.) Hmm. So I e-mailed the restaurant. Do you have a beer list I asked?  Do they ever:

Draft: Drop Top Amber Ale, Anchor Steam Porter

Bottles: Alaskan Summer (Kolsch), Scrimshaw Pilsner, Franziskaner,  Alagash White , Czechvar (the Czech Republic Budvar Budweiser), Session Premium Lager (Full Sail),  St. Peters Organic English Ale 500m.

Firestone ‘Union Jack’ IPA, Dogfishead 90 min IPA, Stone IPA, Fullers ESB, Fisher Blonde Flip Top 650m, Duvel, Tremens Delerium, La Choffe, Deschutes ‘Mirror Pond Pale Ale.

Unibroue ‘La Fin de Monde’, St. Bernardus Tripel, Rogue ‘Dead Guy Ale’, Lost Coast Downtown Brown, Wolavers Brown, Three Philosophers, Samuel Smith Oatmeal Stout, Ole’ Rasputtin, Young’s Double Chocolate Stout 500mL, Duchesse De Bourgogne.

Prices are middle-of-the-road, entrees in the low $20 range. Not cheap, but obviously a place to go with someone special. One question. They have great beer. Why in the hell don’t they advertise it?

As the days warm up, the world of beer festivals gets into high gear. Here’s a listing of some noteworthy events…

Thursday, May 8, 6-9 p.m. The Trappist, 4608th St., Oakland, CA.  Achouffe & Ommegang Glass night. $6 for the first glass of Achouffe Houblon, refills are only $5. You keep the glass. And $5 for the first glass of Ommegang Rare Vos or Ommegeddon, refills are only $4. You keep the glass. If you’ve never tried Ommegeddon, this beer alone is worth the trip.

Thursday, May 8, 5:30 p.m., Anchor Brewing hosts Charles Bamforth, Brewing Sciences Chair, UC Davis, author of a new book: Grape vs. Grain: A Historical, Technological, and Social Comparison of Wine and Beer, (Cambridge Pess, $27) Here’s a note about the the book:

Charles Bamforth is a brewing scientist. One of the best. He’s been bothered for a while with a nagging question: why do many people consider wine to be more sophisticated than beer? Is it really better? Healthier? Why do most fancy restaurants have massive wine lists and a few token beer selections?

Bamforth picks apart the complex social, cultural, and scientific histories of both beverages. He has quite a few suprising insights about the (often highly scientific) production of both beer and wine. He’s not seeking to take wine down a notch, but to elevate beer to its proper place, right next to wine, demonstrating just how healthy and complex a beverage it really is.

Anchor Brewing, 1705 Mariposa St., San Francisco. Open to the public, no charge.

Saturday, May 10, 7 p.m. CD Release Party, Ray & The Detonators, The Bistro, 1001 B. St., Hayward, CA. Not exactly a beer event, but great music and the Bistro’s outstanding beer selection right at hand.

Sunday, May 11, Conversations on Cheese, Wine & Beer. Guest Speaker: William Brand (yes, that’s me). Guest Home Brewers Matt Ridge, Ukiah, and Sean Paxton, Sonoma. Craft Brew Bar including beers from Russian River Brewing Company, Lagunitas Brewing Company, Marin Brewing Company, Moylan’s Brewing Company and Rogue Ales. Cheese provided by Sheana Davis, The Epicurean Connection. 3-4 p.m. Conversations, 4-5 p.m. Beer and cheese tasting. Sonoma Community Center, 276 East Napa St., Sonoma, CA. $20. Reservations: 707-938-4646, ext. 1. All proceeds to the Sonoma Community Center Kitchen Rebuilding Fund. This will be a free-wheeling event, with questions from the audience welcome.

Tuesday, May 13, 6 p.m. Monk’s Kettle, 3141 16th St., San Francisco, CA. Sam Adams Beer Dinner celebrating American Craft Beer Week. Three-course beer dinner with Sam Adams Brewer Grant Wood, $50. Reservations: 415-865-9523. See you there!

May 16-17 SAVOR: An American Craft Beer & Food Experience, Washington DC, Andrew Mellon Auditorium. Sponsored by the Brewers Association, the Boulder, CO. craft beer trade group to mark American Craft Beer Week, May 12 -18. This is a BIG DEAL. There will be three dinners, featuring 96 craft beers from 48 craft breweries across the country and 35 foods, prepared by Federal City Caterers in tapas-size portions. Julia Herz of the Brewers Association says pours will be two ounces; the idea is to sample the tapas, sample a beer and go on to the next beer and the next tapa. Kind of like the Great American Beer Fest with food and no medals.

Here’s a partial list of some of the brewers who will be there: Tomme Arthur - Port Brewing Company, Adam Avery - Avery Brewing Company, Peter Bouckaert - New Belgium Brewing Company, Sam Calagione - Dogfish Head Craft Brewery, Greg Koch - Stone, Jim Koch - Boston Beer Company, Garrett Oliver - The Brooklyn Brewery, Hugh Sisson - Clipper City Brewing Company, Carol Stoudt - Stoudts Brewing Company and Rob Tod - Allagash Brewing Company

Lots of California brewers and their beer will be present, including 21st Amendment (San Francisco), Hoppy Brewing (Sacramento), Port Brewing (San Marcos), , Russian River (Santa Rosa) . Santa Cruz Mountain Brewing (Santa Cruz) , Sierra Nevada (Chico) , Stone (Escondido). There are all kinds of presentations and events besides thje actual dinners. I’m going, it’s one not to miss. If you think you’d like to go, get tickets now. They won’t be sold at the door. You can buy them here. $85.

Because of all the brewers in town, there are going to be all kinds of events at local pubs and restaurant. Greg Kitsock writes about them in the Washington Post.

By William Brand, STAFF WRITER
In a move that surprised almost everyone, Magic Hat, an East Coast craft brewer noted for its eclectic beer styles is buying Seattle-based Pyramid Breweries and taking it private in a deal worth $25 - $30 million.
Pyramid’s major brewery is in Berkeley. The company also has an adjacent alehouse restaurant and a brewpub-alehouse in Walnut Creek, an alehouse in Sacramento, alehouses in Portland and Seattle and a brewery, the former Portland Brewing, in Portland.

The merger, to take effect in August, would create one of the largest craft breweries in America. Magic Hat Chief Executive Officer  Martin Kelly, who was Pyramid’s president and CEO in the early 1990s said his company approached Pyramid with the offer. He became chief executive at Magic Hat, which is located in Burlington, Vt., not long after it opened in 1994.

Eventually, there is a possibility that Magic Hat beers may be brewed in Berkeley and Pyramid beers, including its best-selling Hefeweizen, will be brewed in Burlington, the companies said. However such a decision has not been made, an official said.

Pyramid is one of America’s craft beer pioneers, a merger of two breweries that opened in the Seattle area in the early 1980s. It is also one of the few publicly traded craft breweries in America and has been a consistent money loser.  Magic Hat, which company officials said, has backing from Basso Capital Ventures, will  pay stockholders $2.75 a share.

“The craft beer category has a great track record and room for lots of future growth,” Kelly said. “We feel we can retrain what is special and unique with each business and without the added burden of being a public company, Pyramid can become profitable,” he said. Pyramid Chief Executive Officer Scott Barnum said  the deal includes assumption by Magic Hat of a significant amount of Pyramid debt. Pyramid shares (PMID) closed Tuesday at $2.52, on volume of nearly 900,000 shares, up from an average daily volume of about 7,000 shares.

The deal makes sense; it’s good synergy, Barnum said.

“Pyramid’s big sellers are unfiltered wheat beers; Magic Hat makes interesting and funky ales, including a very good IPA.”

The deal gives the merged company national reach, Barnum said, and prepares both companies for the future with its anticipated relentless competition from larger breweries.

Tom Dalldorf, publisher of the Celebrator Beer News, a national publication based in Hayward covering the craft beer industry, said the deal surprised him and everyone he knows in the business.

“Alan Newman, the owner of Magic Hat, is not your archetypical brewery owner,” Dalldorf said. Magic Hat beers are unknown out here, he said. “They have a best-seller called #9, another called, I believe, Monkey Boy. They’re all curiously named.”

“I’m bewildered by this, it makes me dizzy, ” Dalldorf said.Pyramid  made just over 200,000 barrels of beer last year, ranking it about the 7th largest craft brewer. Magic Hat, founded in 1994, is growing rapidly. Production in 2007 jumped 30 percent to 102,000 barrels, making it the 13th largest, according to the Boulder, Colo.-based Brewers Association.

Staff Writer William Brand  covers beer and brewing. Contact him at bbrand@bayareanewsgroup.com or 510-2080-6454.

In the middle of reporting the Pyramid takeover story – more details to come – I talked to Adam Lamoreaux at Linden Street Brewing in Oakland, who told me that at The Trappist in downtown Oakland, they’re marking Koninginnedag (Queen’s Day), the big Dutch holliday tomorrow, April 30 with a special on his beer.
For three hours, 4 - 7 p.m. Urban People’s Common Lager, aka Linden Street Common, will be sold for $3 a glass, “Everybody’s also supposed to wear orange,” Adam says.

This is from the Trappist:

Wednesday April 30th Koninginnedag Celebration (Queens Day) $3 Linden Street Common from 4pm to 7pm, Two Dutch Beers on Tap (Jopen), Food (might not be good), Live Band. (might also not be good)

This comes from an old Letterman show. You can check out the inventor’s Web site here.

This is totally stupid. Let’s call it a Personal Home Beer Delivery Robot. Here’s a clip from the Letterman show The inventor, John Cornwell, has an entire web site devoted to the machine and you can see a longer video here.

Basically, it’s a refrigerator stocked with cans of beer. The user (in this case, the inventor) his a remote, which operates the robotics. Click the remote. An elevator inside the refrigerator lifts a can of beer (all Miller’s, donated by Miller Brewing) up through the top of the refrigerator. A robotic arm grabs it, the robot rotates toward the direction of the person with the remote and tosses the can of beer in that direction.

There’s a real catch. The consumer has to catch the beer. You gotta see it to believe it. This video’s had over 5,000 views since i posted it last year.

Ahh American ingenuity and know-how. With this one ( and with Miller Chill Lime you don’t have to stick a lime wedge into your Corona bottle anymore…

Bud Light Lime will be in the hands of active adults April 28, as they soak up the sun, entertain outdoors and enjoy the patios and verandas of their city’s laid-back bars and restaurants. Savvy partygoers, who not only demand new drink options but also value name-brand cache, will find their new drink of choice in Bud Light Lime.

Playful, outgoing men and women are sure to enjoy Bud Light Lime — while the splash of natural lime flavor will tempt the palates of those who thirst for something refreshingly different.

Brewed at Anheuser-Busch’s Baldwinsville, Fort Collins and Cartersville breweries, Bud Light Lime contains 4.2 percent alcohol by volume (also available in 3.2 percent ABW) and is available in 12-ounce, clear glass bottles, 22-ounce single-serve bottles and 16-ounce aluminum bottles.

Sodden thoughts…they paid somebody a lot of money to write this. And note, 4.2 ABV. An American Mild. 

Photo:
Credit: Gail Williams

The brewers and friends, left-right, Vic Kralj, proprietor, The Bistro, Hayward, CA.’; Rod Tod, Allagash, Portland, ME., Adam Avery, Avery Brewing, Boulder, CO.; Tomme Arthur, Port Brewing-The Lost Abbey, San Marcos, CA., Vinnie Ciluzo, Russian River, Santa Rosa, CA. and Cynthia Kralj. Not pictured, he’s hidden behind Cynthia, is Sam Calagione, Dogfish Head, Milton, DE.

Beer dinner puts the spotlight on barrel-aged beer

I couldn’t attend what, no doubt, was one of the stellar beer dinners of the year, in San Francisco last Sunday, April 20, 2008: Beer Chef Bruce Paton’s Dinner with the Brewmasters: Five Guys and a Barrel dinner at the Cathedral Hill Hotel.

Fortunately, Gail Williams and Steve Shapiro, the intrepid creators of beerbybart.com, the Web site that shows one how to get to most every decen beer venue in the Bay Area by BART, Caltrain, bus and foot, did go and furnish this account.

Gail took the photo above and has more on her Flickr site.
At my suggestion, they went through the courses one by one. Take over the reporting now Gail and Steve:

This was a remarkable event, created by “the beer chef, Bruce Paton,” last week… “Five Guys and a Barrel” a dinner featuring Allagash White, Russian River Blind Pig IPA,Dogfish Head 90 Minute IPA , Avery The Maharaja, Allagash Interlude, Russian River Supplication, Port Brewing Cuvee de Tomme , Dogfish Head Palo Santo Marron, Avery The Beast Grand Cru, Lost Abbey Older Viscosity, then a toast with the intensely sour rustic concoction the brewers of all of the above blended after a trip to Belgium together — “Isabelle Proximus”

Beer Chef’s Hors D’Oeuvre Selection
Allagash White and Russian River Blind Pig

Hors D’Oeuvre — included three intense little soups, two in small glasses and one in white Chinese soup spoons — the artichoke and mushroom was a delectable wonder to behold. beers were Allagash White is a very approachable refreshing beer to have with food… andVinnie’s Russian River Blind Pig — ok, not a lot to say except that this is still my favorite IPA on the planet, not to be dethroned by the lovely IPAs to come..

First Course
Citrus Cured Curraun Blue Sea Trout with Accoutrements
Dogfish Head 90 Minute IPA and Avery The Maharaja

It was really amazing, sea trout is a form of salmon and it was served with little dabs of sauce. It was a wonderful palate of flavors. Dogfish Head 90 Minute IPA - a delightful unexpected nutty flavor came thru in
the double IPA in this pairing,

Avery The Maharaja — more floral, perhaps better with the salmon-like dish at hand and the delicious smattering of sauces and roe.

Second Course
Selection of Artisanal Cheeses with House Made Condiments
Allagash Interlude and Russian River Supplication

Both beers were fabulous. And as we ate the brewers were telling stories about their trip to Belgium. Lots of fol de rol and guy stuff. Three amazing cheeses — We’d love to find out what they were.

Allagash Interlude was the more delicate and seductive of these two complex and interesting sour beers, and now I’d try it with any flavorful cheese.

Russian River Supplication was much bolder and more rustic … it did sort of pray for or even demand my full attention, so the name makes more sense to me now. For me, in each course there was a closely paired beer, and an odd couple that sort of triangulated off of the more tightly paired beer. This was an awesome effect.

Third Course
A Study in Duck
Port Brewing Cuvee de Tomme
Dogfish Head Palo Santo Marron

Various forms of duck including a seasoned”duck ham” with Port Brewing Cuvee de Tomme — the room adored hearing Tomme say “cuvee de me” and Dogfish Head Palo Santo Marron — made in a rare incense-like jungle wood container. It’s fascinating that wood is becoming so important in craft beers. Our table loudly wished he’d said “cuvee do moi” but had no complaints with the pairing.

Fourth Course
Warm Chocolate Mocha Cake with Blood Orange Sabayon and Fig Syrup
Avery The Beast Grand Cru
Lost Abbey Older Viscosity

Steve: The Older Viscoscity was wonderful It worked so well with the chocolate. Just a beautiful pairing. They were counterpoints to each other.

Gail: Was that delicious! Avery The Beast Grand Cru — this was the beer I’d have had if I had
skipped dessert, but the Lost Abbey Older Viscosity completely went with the chocolate and citrus — this pairing was one of those amazing combos that knocked both of us out of the park. Again, The Beast became the counterpoint for me.

The final toast
Isabelle Proximus

Gail: Isabelle Proximus is the 5 guys beer — five American brewmasters who play at a high level with Belgian beer styles went to Belgium and brought back some magical mystery bacteria! There’s something so amusing and delightful about the concept.

Isabelle Proximus is complex, intense — tough after the sweet course, but quite the experience! thank goodness I’ve been letting Vinnie, Tomme and all the guys educate my palate in this direction… this was no beginner’s Belgian… It was demanding but terrific. Hooray for five guys plus Bruce!

Steve: There were a number of sour beers. It was a treat. It gave us such a wide diversity of beer styles, big and sweet, intense and sour.

Post dinner: Afterward we went to the hotel bar in order to leave with Blind Pig on the palate. The fact that that beer is nearly always availble from the hotel bar puts the Cathedral Hill Hotel at Van Ness and Geary on the mental map of SF beer fans.

Final note from me: Except for Isabel Proximus, every one of these beers can be purchased here in the Bay Area. Don’t know where? E-mail me at whatsontap@sbcglobal.net and ask for our 2008 Northern California Retail Beer Store List. Bruce Paton has lots more dinners coming. Sign up for his e-mail list here.