- Bottoms Up (RSS)Oddbits: Zima unplugged, Half Moon Bay Mavericks Ale: Obama all the way, new Belgian-style beers coming, Trappist haiku contest, Beer Drinker of the Year contest
By William Brand
Monday, October 20th, 2008 at 12:48 pm in Uncategorized.
News flash…It’s all over for Zima, the ridiculous water-colored malt beverage alcopop from Coors. They’ve pulled the plug…. A beverage not even worth a burp and the public has voted.
Moving on…Who’s on first? Well,we know for sure the San Francisco Bay Area sure ain’t Orange County or rural Missouri. For the last few weeks, Half Moon Bay Brewing has offered beer drinkers a chance to vote their presidential preference by buying either a Mavericks Obama Ale or a Mavericks McCain Ale (oughta’ be a rice lager, shouldn’t it – considering McCain’s wife’s family owns the Anheuser-Busch distributor in Phoenix). Well Obama’s way ahead as the chart above shows.
Thanks for the update to Joe at beeratjoes.com. Joe voted for Obama. Me too. The Mavericks label by the way refers to the annual surfing contest near the pub, not the McCain logo. Buy the beer and vote here.
There’s a new Belgian-style brewery emerging, finally, on the San Francisco peninsula: Mayfield Brewing. It’s eventually going to be in Palo Alto, but right now their beers are going to be produced at Devil’s Canyon in Belmont. The idea is corked, bottle-conditioned, wine barrel-aged beers, sold by mail order and retail at prices around $20. That’s steep, but the founder John Aldrete believes the demand is there, for premium, store and age beers. John says they’ve got their federal license and are in full production mode. Here’s wishing him the best.
Got a note from Chuck Stilphen at The Trappist in downtown Oakland. Their haiku contest is going strong. They have 29 submissions so far. Deadline is this Thursday. All you have to do is write a haiku about a beer or your favorite beer. Check out the submissions so far here.
Chuck and his co-founder Aaron Porter add they have a new beer on tap:
- Tilburg’s Dutch Brown Ale Very nice brown ale at 6% ABV. Brewed at the la Trappe Brewery in the Netherlands (not a Trappist product. Come check it out here and then go pick up a six pack as the artwork is awesome, the label art is based on Dutch painter’s Jeroen (Hieronymus) Bosch’s [1450-1516] The Garden of Earthy Delights. The detail depicts a bird–like creature devouring a human with other birds emanating from the human’s backside. You cant see that on the keg.
Are you a hard-core beer drinker or do you know such a person? Well, consider Wynkoop Brewing’s Beer Drinker of the Year award.
We’re not talking about someone who can down a case of lager at one sitting. We’re talking about variety and travel.
Denver, Colorado) – Wynkoop Brewing Company is seeking beer resumes from the nation’s most beer-minded men and women for the 2009 Beerdrinker of the Year contest. The 13th annual contest seeks and honors the most passionate, knowledgeable beer lovers and beer ambassadors in the United States.
The 2009 Beerdrinker of the Year wins free beer for life at Wynkoop Brewing Company and $250 of beer at their local brewpub or beer bar. They also win apparel proclaiming them The 2009 Beerdrinker of the Year, and have their name engraved on the Beerdrinker of the Year trophy at Wynkoop. And they brew a special beer with Wynkoop head brewer Andy Brown that is served at the 2009 Beerdrinker of the Year National Finals on February 21, 2009.
Resumes for the 2009 Beerdrinker search must include each entrant’s beer drinking philosophy, and details on their passion for beer and their 2008 beer experiences. Resumes should detail the entrant’s understanding of beer and its history and importance to civilization, and the entrant’s efforts to educate others to the joys of great beer.Resumes must be sent by email only to beerdrinker@wynkoop.com, and received by Wynkoop by no later than December 31, 2008. Each entrant will receive an email confirmation that their resume was received.
There’s supposed to be complete info at www.wynkoop.com/beerdrinker, But it isn’t posted yet. If anyone is interested, I have the details, e-mail me at whatsontap@sbcglobal.net and I’ll send them along.
Would you pay$12 for a hamburger? If it was accompanied by a stunning selection of good beer I might (Athough I might just split the burger with a friend.) Anyway…we’re talking about Father’s Office, the Los Angeles pubs. Check out this review by Carolyn Jung, the former Mercury-News food columnist who writes the Food Gal blog.
- Sang Yoon, a South-Korean-born chef who has worked with the likes of French culinary genius Joel Robuchon, turned his back on fine-dining to create these two casual, fun, hip pubs that serve gourmet bar food and 36 craft beers on tap. Smoked eel with poached egg and horseradish creme fraiche, anyone?
- It is his “Office burger,” though, that has got tongues wagging and teeth chomping for seconds. A $12 burger made of dry-aged strip steak, bleu cheese, arugula, and onions caramelized with a splash of sweet-tangy balsamic. READ THE REST OF THE POST…
Father’s Office
1018 Montana Avenue, Santa Monica, CA 90403
TEL: (310) 736-2224
Los Angeles, 3229 Helms Avenue, Los Angeles, CA 90034
TEL: (310) 736-2224
[You can leave a response, or trackback from your own site.]
October 20th, 2008 at 1:46 pm
The first time I saw the McCain Mavericks Ale was at Whole Foods in Redwood City. When I asked the beer clerk why they didn’t have the Obama Ale on display he said “See that space there? That’s where the Obama was. We’ll be getting some more soon.”
October 20th, 2008 at 1:56 pm
Wow, that really says it doesn’t it. Wish the whole contry was in sync with us.
October 20th, 2008 at 2:26 pm
Too bad it’s a gimmick. The beers are exactly the same (according to a brewery employee. All just re-labled pale.):-). Makes a statement about your presidential choices doesn’t it? Interesting concept nonetheless.
October 20th, 2008 at 4:42 pm
I sense some political satire – both beers are the same except for their names.. however, the McCain should be brewed as an old ale.
October 20th, 2008 at 4:53 pm
Hah! Old Ale. Yesss.
October 20th, 2008 at 6:20 pm
Shameless plug…. here is our video about last year’s contest. Actually, it is more about our friend who won.
http://www.beergeek.tv/17/01.html
October 20th, 2008 at 6:27 pm
Shameless plugs are allowed Chris. I’ll check it out. Also, life runs so damn fast I haven’t had time to post a link to your GABF video. Will do so in the a.m.
October 20th, 2008 at 7:22 pm
They still make Zima?
I guess I just don’t pay any attention to the alcho-pop shelf, I thought they stopped making that stuff around the same time they pulled the plug on Crystal Pepsi and I cut off my mullet.
October 20th, 2008 at 7:49 pm
It’s all gruel to me.
October 20th, 2008 at 8:58 pm
How about Palin Pop instead? Spritzy, bubbly, sugary sweet — and filled with nothing all that good for ya?
October 21st, 2008 at 7:26 am
And lager, of course.
October 22nd, 2008 at 10:41 am
Does anyone know for sure where to find six-packs of the Tilburg’s in the East Bay? It sounds interesting…
October 22nd, 2008 at 3:38 pm
Thanks for the plug!
John’s Beer’s (Mayfield Brewing Company – http://www.mayfieldbrewing.com/ ) are indeed tasty, the brewery itself has a interesting history with the Bay Area.
Stealing from his ABOUT page:
The original Mayfield Brewing Company was founded in 1868 by Alsace native Michel Klineclaus. Starting off on the corner of College and Yale streets in the College Terrace neighborhood of the unincorporated community of Mayfield (now Palo Alto), the brewery was later moved to the corner of Lincoln and Second streets (now California and Birch Streets).
In 1871, Christopher Ducker bought the brewery from Klineclaus and ran the brewery for 35 years. In 1906, Christopher Ducker retired and sold the Mayfield Brewery to Ernest Klevesahl, who continued to run the brewery with his son Carl until the brewery closed due to Prohibition in 1920.
At its peak, the brewery supplied a steam beer to the communities of Woodside, Portola, Redwood City, San Mateo, and South San Francisco. 87 years after the Mayfield Brewing Company closed its doors, it has emerged once again to serve the Palo Alto and surrounding communities with premium, handcrafted beers with a modern flair.
~~~~~~
Cheers and See You At Beer Friday! (Wear a costume this month!)
Daniel Curran
DevilsCanyonBrewery.com
October 22nd, 2008 at 3:39 pm
Thanks for the plug!
John’s Beer’s (Mayfield Brewing Company – http://www.mayfieldbrewing.com/ ) are indeed tasty, the brewery itself has a interesting history with the Bay Area.
Stealing from his ABOUT page:
The original Mayfield Brewing Company was founded in 1868 by Alsace native Michel Klineclaus. Starting off on the corner of College and Yale streets in the College Terrace neighborhood of the unincorporated community of Mayfield (now Palo Alto), the brewery was later moved to the corner of Lincoln and Second streets (now California and Birch Streets).
In 1871, Christopher Ducker bought the brewery from Klineclaus and ran the brewery for 35 years. In 1906, Christopher Ducker retired and sold the Mayfield Brewery to Ernest Klevesahl, who continued to run the brewery with his son Carl until the brewery closed due to Prohibition in 1920.
At its peak, the brewery supplied a steam beer to the communities of Woodside, Portola, Redwood City, San Mateo, and South San Francisco. 87 years after the Mayfield Brewing Company closed its doors, it has emerged once again to serve the Palo Alto and surrounding communities with premium, handcrafted beers with a modern flair.
~~~~~~
Cheers and See You At Beer Friday! (Wear a costume this month!)
Daniel Curran
http://www.DevilsCanyonBrewery.com
November 3rd, 2008 at 3:44 pm
Hi Will; thanks for taking the time to notice the talk. If it wasn’t for the fact that I’ve been single parenting (wife’s traveling for Stanford currently) I would have been more proactive about letting people know about the presentation. Although RSVPs were requested, we’re prepared for drop-ins. Tastings of the Alt will be provided. Should be a fun evening of learning about the original brewery (some relatives of the original owners will be in attendance).
Hope to see you there.
Cheers,
jpa
March 24th, 2009 at 10:36 am
obama sucks B=>