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One outta 1001 ain't bad.
Thursday, March 25, 2010
I picked up a copy yesterday of "1001 Beers You Must Taste Before You Die" and thanks go out to Stephen Beaumont and the publishers who felt inclined to recognize our Humulus Ludicrous as one of those 1001.
This is the third time in less than a year that Half Pints has ended up in print as part of the national history of beer by being included in the conversation about what makes real craft beer in Canada so damn good. You can see that where a national identity with regards to craft beer had been lacking due in part by the majors sucking so hard at brewing anything worth drinking - case in point. While the big guys continue to grasp at straws like an 18 year old at a 80's dance party, craft brewers continue to hone their skills and stick it to them.
Congratulations therefore are offered to all the Canadian breweries mentioned in the book, but especially:
The Bushwakker for their Palliser Porter - my old Alma mater has brewed this dark porter regularly since day one. It's from an old homebrew recipe that Bev had won a national award for. Just like Mozart never goes out of style, so it is with the Palliser Porter.
Wild Rose for their Cherry Porter - Brewmaster Dave Neilly has some really good brews up his sleeve so we should keep our eyes out for whatever comes next.
King Brewing - my favourite Pilsner - alright Summit does a wicked one, too - but this is my favourite Canadian Pils.
In Other News:
Beer Wars is officially available for rent on MTS VOD & Shaw On Demand. Despite there being some minor quibbles about who should've or who shouldn't have been included in this look at the American Brewing industry, it's not a bad documentary overall.
The film takes a look at the American brewing industry from a craft oriented standpoint. The big guys play the Snidely Whiplash to the craft industries Dudley Do-Right, always tethering store owners to the rail lines to get market share and such.
It's interesting to me to note just how ass backwards the American three tiered distribution system is compared to the few in Canada that work the same way. It makes me feel lucky that we have the MLCC, even if it does have its faults (not unlike everywhere else).
This is the third time in less than a year that Half Pints has ended up in print as part of the national history of beer by being included in the conversation about what makes real craft beer in Canada so damn good. You can see that where a national identity with regards to craft beer had been lacking due in part by the majors sucking so hard at brewing anything worth drinking - case in point. While the big guys continue to grasp at straws like an 18 year old at a 80's dance party, craft brewers continue to hone their skills and stick it to them.
Congratulations therefore are offered to all the Canadian breweries mentioned in the book, but especially:
The Bushwakker for their Palliser Porter - my old Alma mater has brewed this dark porter regularly since day one. It's from an old homebrew recipe that Bev had won a national award for. Just like Mozart never goes out of style, so it is with the Palliser Porter.
Wild Rose for their Cherry Porter - Brewmaster Dave Neilly has some really good brews up his sleeve so we should keep our eyes out for whatever comes next.
King Brewing - my favourite Pilsner - alright Summit does a wicked one, too - but this is my favourite Canadian Pils.
In Other News:
Beer Wars is officially available for rent on MTS VOD & Shaw On Demand. Despite there being some minor quibbles about who should've or who shouldn't have been included in this look at the American Brewing industry, it's not a bad documentary overall.
The film takes a look at the American brewing industry from a craft oriented standpoint. The big guys play the Snidely Whiplash to the craft industries Dudley Do-Right, always tethering store owners to the rail lines to get market share and such.
It's interesting to me to note just how ass backwards the American three tiered distribution system is compared to the few in Canada that work the same way. It makes me feel lucky that we have the MLCC, even if it does have its faults (not unlike everywhere else).
Labels: 1001 Beers You Must Taste Before You Die, Business of Beer, Humulus Ludicrous
Pothole season is just around the corner...
Wednesday, March 3, 2010
Yep, I said it - but with all this warm weather we've been getting recently, it's a good thing we started brewing the Pothole Porter early.
Just in time for the Winnipeg tradition that is pothole season, we've got our strong Baltic Porter styled beer coming out. As you all know, we're famous here in 'Peg City for potholes that could swallow your leg (or a car), and Half Pints loves to celebrate our oddities with this tongue in cheek beer featuring the tag line "stare into the abyss".
This year's Pothole is aged with toasted oak spirals, and has a lovely dark chocolate finish. It's just right for soothing your nerves after the drive home where it's entirely possible you tried to jerk the wheel like a madman while avoiding your rush hour neighbour's door panels by a half an inch.
And, if by chance you're one of those tail-gating, cell phone yapping, text sending morons, now is the time the rest of us get our sweet revenge because you can't see the crater sized opening in the earth below your soon to be replaced front axle. Victory is sweet so we raise this glass of black darkness to you!
On Saturday - March 6th we're doing a special release party at the Lo Pub for Jack's favorite beer. We'll be tapping 2 kegs of wonderfulness - one has been aged for 2 years, the other is from the new batch. We give new meaning to the term "2 fisted drinker".
Hopefully we'll see you there, if not, we know you got swallowed up by a Pothole of your own.
(Ol' Young Man; King of the Pothole, Knower of all Relative Pothole Volume within the brewery)
Labels: Lo Pub, Pothole Porter