This Week's Brew News - July 24, 2007 -- Beer Info

Dog: A Brewery with an Online Presence(July 23) - Colorado - Everyone involved in making Cure for What Ales You happen loves the interweb and you probably do too. I know since my neighbors got a computer (that was capable of logging onto AOL 1.0 or whatever was out then) in or around 1996, I have been hypnotized by online media. Complete Story

Taste and Tour at Starr Hill Brewery Grand Opening(July 22) - Virginia - Beer drinkers will soon be able to enjoy a local cold one in the middle of wine country. The Starr Hill Brewery in Crozet is opening its doors, and bottles, to let you in for a taste and tour. Complete Story

Beer of the Week

"Full Sail Amber"

Wisconsin lawmakers show their love for beer(July 21) - Madison - From handing out free samples at grocery stores to shunning a proposed tax increase, Wisconsin lawmakers love their beer. One of the first bills they passed this year made sure bar patrons didn’t lose drinking time when the clock jumped back an hour this spring. Complete Story

Taste Test Showdown: He'Brew Origin Pomegranate Ale (July 21) - Tennessee - Brewed by the Schmaltz Brewing Company of San Francisco and New York, this libation arrived yesterday in a plain cardboard box, packed in bubble wrap (thanks!) and resting at a temperature somewhere between magma and the inside of T-Rac's costume head in mid-August. Complete Story

Brooklyn Brewery brews Brooklyner-Schneider Hopfen-Weisse(July 20) - New York - Brewmaster Hans-Peter Drexler of Schneider will visit The Brooklyn Brewery on Wednesday, July 18th to brew Brooklyner-Schneider Hopfen-Weisse. This exciting new beer will be a strong pale weissbock at 8% ABV, robustly bittered and then heavily dry-hopped with Mr. Drexler’s favorite American hop varieties. It will be fermented using the Schneider Weissbier strain of yeast. Complete Story

Pumpkinhead Ale Has Been Bottled(July 20) - Maine - The first batch of Pumpkinhead Ale was bottled at Shipyard yesterday. We don't want to rush the end of summer, but this is a definite customer favorite. Complete Story

Two New Releases from Bristol Brewing(July 20) - Colorado - We love this time of year: all day bike rides, getting elbow deep in our garden, the occasional warm-cool shiver of a jacketless twilight dinner on the deck (great friends, yummies on the grill, Venus ablaze over the Rampart’s indigo silhouette), outdoor music festivals, camping, hiking, horseshoes, golf... How do we love thee, Summer? Let us count the ways. Complete Story

Mead Day—Worldwide Celebration of the 5,000+ Year Old Fermented Beverage(July 20) - Colorado - Mead Day only comes once a year, but homebrewers have been celebrating and making mead for over 5,000 years. The American Homebrewers Association (AHA) recognizes Mead Day annually on the first Saturday in August. Complete Story

Skyscraper Brewing Company to Hold Open House(July 19) - California - Skyscraper Brewing Company Celebrates its Award-Winning Beers with an Open House, Saturday August 11th, 2007 in El Monte, CA. Complete Story

Ayinger Oktober Fest Märzen Arrives!(July 19) - Seattle - Highly awarded; sought after by fine restaurants, stores, and great bars; Ayinger Oktober Fest Märzen arrives in the US soon. Ask for it at your favorite beer place after August 1, 2007. Complete Story

A beer tasting on the high seas(July 18) - Chicago - Beer aficionados bored with tastings on dry land may want to hop aboard a boat tour on Sunday dubbed, "Exploring Chicago's Yeast Side: A History of Beer." Complete Story

Epic American brews usher in cultured era(July 18) - California - HAVE YOU WANDERED through a store with well-stocked beer shelves recently? If you haven't, do it soon. You're in for a shock. The American beer world is changing rapidly, becoming more sophisticated, more interesting, with dark corners and twists and turns, and tons of strange elixirs. Complete Story

North Star Craft Brewery's success is bitter for Shasta Lake(July 17) - California - Why do government rules so often take pages of legalistic fine print to define the obvious? Because sometimes the obvious, when you really start trying to nail it down, is about as clear as a pint of rich, malty porter. Complete Story

Beer crafters take center stage(July 17) - Ohio - It isn't the common assumption, but, to Ohio Brew Week enthusiasts, beer is a creative medium like any other. Twenty-three brewers from throughout the state will travel to southeastern Ohio this week to show off their craft during the second annual festival, to continue through Saturday. Complete Story

Budvar sells 58% more Czechvar beer in US(July 17) - Czech Republic - Czech brewer Budejovicky Budvar saw sales of its beer Czechvar soar 58 percent in the US in January-June this year, Budvar's PR agency said Monday. Czechvar is distributed in the USA by Budvar's rival Anheuser-Busch. Complete Story

Make Your Own Beer - A Lesson In What Not To Do(July 16) - Seattle - Seattle already has tons of great beer to offer, so why make your own? Because it's cool. There is something special about getting a buzz from a tasty beer that you brewed yourself. Brewing can be easy, and you can turn out some fantastic beers right away. Complete Story

Beer of the Week: Red Hook Sunrye Summer Ale(July 16) - New York - As you may have heard, July is American Beer Month, and we’re in full celebration mode here at Gothamist. Not that we really need a reason to throw back all sorts of delicious, nationally crafted microbrews but the occasion serves as a handy reminder to try something new and explore what’s out there. So exploring we have done. Complete Story

Beers in the Hood(July 16) - Oregon - July is a month when most Oregonians are bustling with enthusiasm and enjoying anything from a sessionable lager to a piquant IPA. With the rain taking more time off and the sunshine clocking more hours, the outdoors plays host to a variety of festivals. Complete Story

Sam Adams' Jim Koch: A Brewing Passion For Beer(July 15) - Boston - Do you believe in yourself enough to be rich? Jim Koch certainly did. For the first 35 years of his life, the Koch family history and his future career lay dormant in the attic of his parents' house. Complete Story

Steamworks Brewing Co. launches new, interactive web site(July 14) - Colorado - Designed to emulate the rustic, industrial feel of the two physical brewpubs, as well as showcase the quality products and company ethic, the site was developed by Brian McEachron, director of marketing and sales, in conjunction with Kelly Schell from Sugar Free Design, based out of Denver. Complete Story

Microbreweries to test Ontario waters(July 13) - Canada - Ambitious regional microbreweries across Canada are planning to expand nationally despite difficulties breaking into the lucrative Ontario market. Complete Story

Beer Festivals

Oregon Brewers Festival - Portland, OR - July 26-29
Twentieth annual event; North America's largest gathering of independent brewers, with beer from 72 invited breweries; exhibits by hop growers, maltsters, and homebrewers; food and live entertainment.

Michigan Brewers' Guild Summer Beer Festival - Ypsilanti, MI - July 27-28
Tenth annual festival; 5 pm - 9 pm on Friday and 1 pm - 6 pm on Saturday; beautiful park setting; live entertainment; local food vendors; educational lectures; participation by breweries from entire lower peninsula; hourly releases by bigger breweries.

Rhythm & Brews Festival - Simi Valley, CA - July 28
Presented by the Rotary Club of Simi Sunset - Six live bands and 50 beers, food and craft vendors, proceeds benefitting the Historical Corriganville Park Pavillion and restoration, in addition to many local charities benefitting Youth and Seniors. $25 pre-sale online, $35 at the gate. Tickets are limited!

BrewExpo 2007 - State College, PA - July 28
Two tasting sessions; more than 150 beers from 60 microbreweries and specialty importers gourmet international buffet; People’s Choice gold medal competition, Brewzeum exhibits, and BrewForum interactive tasting seminars; special guests to celebrate the 10th anniversary of this event.

Brew at the Zoo - Norristown, PA - July 28
More brewers and more beers this year; food and live music; proceeds go to charity. More details will be available on the festival website starting in April.

Lac du Flambeau Lions Club Brewfest - Minocqua, WI - July 28
Beer from 30 or more breweries; merchandise raffle, live music, and food; proceeds benefit Lions Club breweries. Contact John and Gretchen Spickerman by email at 8jgspick at newnorth dot net or by phone at 715.588.3413 for more information.

Music City Brewer's Festival - Nashville, TN - July 28
Beer from more 30 local and domestic breweriees, plus new import section; music by local bands; food from area restaurants; cigars; homebrewing demonstrations; portion of proceeds benefit the Second Harvest Food Bank of Middle Tennessee.

Featured Beer of the Week

Full Sail Brewing Company - Full Sail Amber
Anyone remember the grocery store cooler back before it turned into a kaleidoscopic fantasy world of beer options? You pretty much had two choices: Regular or Light. In 1989, when we brewed our first batch of Full Sail Amber, not only was it the first Amber ale here in Beer Mecca (aka Oregon) -- it was the first craft beer to go into a bottle. And two things became immediately apparent. It wasn’t Regular and it sure as heck wasn’t Light. Our Amber is a sweet, malty, medium-bodied ale with a spicy, floral hop finish.