Darkness Takes Over the IPA

In the world of craft beer the west coast is known for one thing...hops.  Lots of them.  In some cases the beer unabashedly tastes more like a hop contest than an actual beer.  You know the what beers I am talking about, don't pretend you don't.  You develop bitter beer face and it has nothing to do with a domestic light lager. 

I can appreciate a good hoppy beer, but with the caveat that it must be in balance with the malt to truly be an exceptional brew.  So imagine my delight when I visited the Deschutes pub in Portland in January and had my very first Intergalactic Black IPA (cue the Beastie Boys now).   Now this is a beer to behold.  Warm roasted malts coupled with a bright citrus finish that left my taste buds confused but delighted. 

Fast forward to tonight and I pull their Hop in the Dark out of my fridge for a little hoptopia and the beer has evolved into one of their Bond Street Seasonals.  They prefer the name Cascadian Dark Ale as opposed to a Black IPA because well, this is the west coast and the authority on hopped up styles and pay homage to the native Cascade hops.  Now I must admit I liked the version in Portland a little better, (no doubt because I was in Portland) but Hop in the Dark transported me back to that fabulous beer city.  This is an exciting new frontier for the IPA beer style as the craft brewers once again are pushing boundaries. 

Paying it Forward with Beer

The craft beer movement is about so much more than beer.  Yes, beer is the reason for the movement but I contend that it is the culture of the people that takes a person from liking beer to falling in love with a brewery.  There are many attributes of the folks involved but one of  my favorites is the giving nature of the craft brewers. 

First example, Stone Brewing Company.  Their annual Anniversary Festivals are a celebration of great, great, beer.  But did you know that the festival is also a huge fundraiser for four amazing charities?  The Boys & Girls Clubs of San Marcos, Palomar family YMCA, Surfrider Foundation and Fight ALD all walk away with thousands of dollars to go forth and do their good work.  Talk about paying it forward.

Next, New Belgium Brewing and their bike-centric, costume circus, vaudeville meets beer fest, Tour de Fat.  This 13 city tour of sustainable folly will funnel funds directly back to biking advocacy groups, a mission that has long been at the forefront for NBB.  Did I mention that they do all of this in the most sustainable way possible?  Trucks run on bio-diesel, stages are powered by solar, vendors must be earth friendly and the beer cups are composted.  Take it a step further and one lucky person per city trades their gas guzzling automobile for a commuter bike and promises to live petrol free for the next year. 

Last, enter Deschutes Brewing.  They are what I call the masters of spreading their love.  They give away beer, cash, swag and goodwill to dozens of different charities.  They host golf tournaments and other events that bring the community together and benefit many different organizations.  Call it brewery karma as their following grows with every charity they help.

Cheers to the breweries that give back and pay it forward.  That makes me love you even more. 

Stone Brew 14th Anniversary Beer Fest Video!

Here is a little peek into my time at the Stone 14th Anniversary Beer Fest.  Excuse my amateur foray into video....

How Many of the Top 50 Have You Tried?

Golf has the PGA, doctors have the AMA and craft brewers have the Brewers Association (BA) to turn to for information on the industry.  A few months back, the BA published their list of the top 50 craft brewers (according to volume).  Now remember, the BA qualifies this with their definition of a craft brewery as small, independent and traditional.


The end result is one heck of a list for enthusiasts to start working through.  This enthusiast has sampled myway through 37 of the 50 at one point or another.  Now, I am a tad disappointed by my number, but rest assured steps are being taken to improve my stats for next year!  Here is the list, how many have you tried?

1.	Boston Beer Co.	Boston	MA
2.	Sierra Nevada Brewing Co.	Chico	CA
3.	New Belgium Brewing Co.	Fort Collins	CO
4.	Spoetzl Brewery	Shiner	TX
5.	Pyramid Breweries Inc.	Seattle	WA
6.	Deschutes Brewery	Bend	OR
7.	Matt Brewing Co.	Utica	NY
8.	Magic Hat Brewing Co.	Burlington	VT
9.	Boulevard Brewing Co.	Kansas City	MO
10.	Harpoon Brewery	Boston	MA
11.	Alaskan Brewing Co.	Juneau	AK
12.	Bell’s Brewery, Inc.	Galesburg	MI
13.	Kona Brewing Co.	Kailua-Kona	HI
14.	Full Sail Brewing Co.	Hood River	OR
15.	Stone Brewing Co.	Escondido	CA
16.	Dogfish Head Craft Brewery	Milton	DE
17.	The Brooklyn Brewery	Brooklyn	NY
18.	Abita Brewing Co.	Abita Springs	LA
19.	Summit Brewing Co.	Saint Paul	MN
20.	Anchor Brewing Co.	San Francisco	CA
21.	Shipyard Brewery	Portland	ME
22.	New Glarus Brewing Co.	New Glarus	WI
23.	Great Lakes Brewing Co.	Cleveland	OH
24.	Rogue Ales/Oregon Brewing Co.	Newport	OR
25.	Long Trail Brewing Co.	Bridgewater Corners	VT
26.	The Lagunitas Brewing Co.	Petaluma	CA
27.	Gordon Biersch Brewing Co.	San Jose	CA
28.	SweetWater Brewing Co.	Atlanta	GA
29.	Firestone Walker Brewing Co.	Paso Robles	CA
30.	Victory Brewing Co.	Downingtown	PA
31.	Flying Dog Brewing Co.	Frederick	MD
32.	BJ’s Restaurant & Brewery	Huntington Beach	CA
33.	Odell Brewing Co.	Fort Collins	CO
34.	Rock Bottom Brewery Restaurants	Louisville	CO
35.	BridgePort Brewing Co.	Portland	OR
36.	Lost Coast Brewery and Cafe	Eureka	CA
37.	Big Sky Brewing Co.	Missoula	MT
38.	Stevens Point Brewing Co.	Stevens Point	WI
39.	Mac and Jack’s Brewery	Redmond	WA
40.	Karl Strauss Brewing Co.	San Diego	CA
41.	The Saint Louis Brewery, Inc.	St. Louis	MO
42.	Blue Point Brewing Co.	Patchogue	NY
43.	Gordon Biersch Brewery Restaurants	Chattanooga	TN
44.	Oskar Blues Brewery	Longmont	CO
45.	North Coast Brewing Co.	Fort Bragg	CA
46.	Breckenridge Brewery	Denver	CO
47.	Utah Brewers Cooperative	Salt Lake City	UT
48.	Saint Arnold Brewing Co.	Houston	TX
49.	Boulder Beer Co.	Boulder	CO
50.	Bear Republic Brewing Co.	Cloverdale	CA

40 Down, Thousands to Go

After a long day at the office, I joined my husband in a toast to a new beer we were trying (Laughing Dog CSB) and we started that age old discussion of what we would do if we didn't have to work.  My answer is always the same, I would travel the world visiting breweries.  I never tire of trying new beer, hearing the history of the brewery and meeting new friends. 

I love the teeny tiny breweries who create tasting rooms with folding tables after they roll up the garage door (Flat Earth in MN) or sleek modern breweries that are constantly expanding their facilities to keep up with the demand for their beer and tasting areas bursting at the seams (New Belgium).   I even, on rare occasion, get a kick out of seeing the "big" guys and marvel at the robotic nature of their facilities.  It makes me appreciate the craft brewers that much more.  

Lucky for me my friends and family are great partners in crime as I taste my way across the world.  Thanks to them I have tasted my way through 40 breweries but have thousands to go. 

Beer Court becomes Craft Beer Girl

Ever dream about your blog? Nope, me neither but I was thinking about it in the shower this week. My "real" job involves me masquerading as a marketing professional and it occurred to me the many ways "Beer Court" could be misconstrued. For example it could mean that I am literally taking beers to court of law, a basketball court or perhaps a gathering area in a mall. None of which would be true... It could mean that I am holding court with the many beers in my life deciding who would be the winner. That too would be impossible, as picking a favorite beer is much like picking a favorite child (so I hear).

Alas, I have decided it is time for a new name. Craft Beer Girl is short, simple and to the point. Alternative meanings seem to ring true. I can be crafty, I like craft beer and am most definitely a girl (of age, of course). I also aspire to craft my own beer by the end of the year, which should provide plenty of material for this page.

I'll be working on an update to the Facebook page in the coming days so keep an eye out. In the meantime, grab a cold, delectable craft brew. Cheers!

Is Leine's a Craft Beer?

I recently found myself in central Wisconsin for a wedding and when given the choice to go scout out cheese or beer, I naturally went for beer Enter the Jacob Leinenkugel Brewery in Chippewa Falls, Wisconsin. I will never pass up a chance to go on a brewery tour regardless of the quality of beer. Call me romantic, or sick if you prefer, but I swoon when I see the gleam of copper, shine of stainless steel and the sweet aroma of the wort. The Leinenkugel brewery was no exception.

We entered the Leine Lodge and signed up for a tour approximately ten minutes later, just enough time to take a lap around the gift shop area and check out the tasting bar. The Miller Coors influence was palpable. It might have been the overabundance of items for sale, the cheesy uniforms or perhaps the "Disney-like" quality of the staff. It felt like you were there to be entertained and they were there to provide the show. Not to say that the staff didn't know their stuff, just that the whole experience was a little too slick.

The tour began with our friendly guide welcoming us to what is clearly a historic brewing site. It was very cool to see a brewery that existed before prohibition still in operation. However I had to bite my tongue as our guide informed the group that they were the 4th largest craft brewery in the U.S. Say what?? I looked to my husband to make sure I heard that right and sure enough I did. Now it is this blogger's opinion that a couple key factors knock you out of "craft beer" status. Number one, they are a wholly owned subsidiary of Miller Coors. Second, they use an adjunct, corn, in the brewing process. Combine these two factors and you have the beer equivalent to false advertising.

Here comes the rant, hold on to your pints! One of the reasons I am so passionate about craft beer is that is comprised of a community of independent brewers that have the freedom to experiment, perfect and bring their unique product to market. Now I am aware that we live in a capitalistic society and that as the popularity of craft beer continues to soar so will the involvement of the larger mass producing breweries. But, what I cannot stand is when the large domestic beer makers masquerade their smaller brands as "craft" breweries. Just be honest about your product! In this instance the only reason that visitors to Leinenkugel's knew that they were owned by MillerCoors was because someone asked the question.

Now that I have said my peace and emptied my glass I know that this will never happen. It is up to us, the craft beer lovers, to be well educated on the source of the beer that is being marketed. I implore you to avoid the craft beer posers, pull out your wallet and invest in the true craft breweries out there.

Behold the Tour de Fat Schedule is Here

Tour de Fat, New Belgium's Ballyhoo of Bikes & Beer is just around the corner....I can't wait! Only 173 days to go until it comes to my town. What makes this festival so special you ask? Well frankly, everything!

First, the disclaimer...I was once an NBB employee and helped the amazing event team put a couple of these bad boys on, so I am without a doubt biased about this event. These guys and gals work hard, even the carnies.

This is not your average beer festival, it is a psychedelic combination of a beer fest, bike parade, vaudeville show, costume contest, fundraiser pulled off in a sustainable fashion. The whole shebang kicks off with a cruiser bike ride through the streets of your town. Costumes are more than welcomed, they are encouraged. The ride eventually leads back to the main event where ID's are checked, wrists are banded and a line-up of New Belgium beers are poured. The MC will take the stage and the festivities officially kick off. You can expect to be entertained by the bands, acts and fellow beer drinkers.

The bike theme carries through the whole fest with proceeds being donated back to biking charities in the community the festival was held in. Activites inside the main gates include the slow ride, whoever crosses the finish line last (without spilling their beer or touching the ground) and try out one of the many "art" bikes! Each city also searches out an individual that will trade their car for a commuter biker for a year, NBB provides the bike and donates the car! That in and of itself would be a good enough reason to go, now get this - the event is about as green as a festival can get. Trucks run on bio-diesel, the stage on solar and the crew to set-up on bikes. In years past they have seen over 90% of the trash diverted from the landfill.

So get this on your calendar now, tune up your bike and start working on your costume. If you are headed to the one in Tempe, I'll see you there!

Tour de Fat Schedule

Tour de Fat Facebook Page

NBB Ranger IPA

I just returned from The Compound in Scottsdale and a preview party for Ranger IPA, the latest offering from New Belgium Brewing. The history behind the beer goes a little something like this...

Once upon a time there was a brewery named New Belgium and that brewery needed a sales force to go out into the world and spread good beer far and wide. But NBB didn't just need sales folks, they needed Rangers to protect, pour and partake. And so the initial offering of an IPA is named in their honor - those that spend countless days ensuring that we the people get fresh, great beer and demonstrate the joy of drinking it.

The liquid itself is delightful! By far the closest thing to a hop heads delight to come out of New Belgium. Ranger is still beautifully balanced, quite the feat when you consider it clocks in at 70 IBUs and over 6% ABV. Typical of NBB's hops line-up it features Chinook, Cascade and a relative newcomer (to NBB not IPAs), Simcoe in this lively brew. Then they do it all over again by dry hopping with Cascade. What you get is a citrus, fruity, crisp finish that keeps you from refusing a second round. Cheers to the NBB Rangers, congrats on getting your beer!