Beer Buzz 032: Best. Beer. Gadget. Ever.
Beer Tap TV News:
On this week’s episode of Beer Buzz we uncover the best beer gadget ever, period! Plus, an entire island of beer… and drinking your way towards a healthier prostate.
Beer Buzz is the weekly show that will keep you informed and updated on all the things going on in the beer world, from the noteworthy to the nutty. Know something we don’t (which is highly likely)? Email us at AlwaysHoppy@BeerTapTV.com and share the news… we just might use it.
Show Notes:
UPDATES
Congrats to Opstaz (Jeff) who actually contacted us and now has a way cool Beer Tap TV shirt. See, that wasn’t so hard now, was it? This week we’re giving away another signed copy of Bob Skilnik’s book “Does my Butt Look Big in this Beer.” And the winner is… what she show to find out!
BEER NEWS
Beer Wars DVD Release
The Beer Wars DVD is now available exclusively on the Beer Wars website for a mere $19.95.
What’s inside? The Beer Wars DVD (in English, Color 5.1 sound, 16:9 ratio)
SPECIAL FEATURES include:
* Beer Wars Live Panel Discussion (uncut)
* Deleted Scenes and Trailers
Some things you should know…
* Anat is Self-Distributing this film, so every DVD sale supports this independent filmmaker!
* This film will not be available on Netflix, iTunes or Amazon until next year.
* This BEER WARS DVD is available for purchase for home use only.
* If you’d like to set up a screening of the film for your film club, bar, brewpub, homebrew club any other group, please contact Anat Baron.
* This is an all-region NTSC DVD that is compatible with standard NTSC and all-region DVD players.
Odell Brewing Company embarks on new expansion
On June 9, 2009, Odell Brewing Company officially broke ground on its new expansion. The project, which includes an expansion of the existing manufacturing, office, and taproom facilities, will help the brewery accommodate increased and enhanced brewing operations. In addition to the building, the brewery will include improvements to its parking, shipping, and overall landscaping.
“While we are expanding capacity, we are really viewing this as an investment in innovation in both style and process,” said brewery owner Wynne Odell. Not only will the brewery gain much needed space, but it will also improve its creative brewing processes with investments such as a single-serve packaging line and a new barrel aging cellar.
The brewery has also incorporated multiple environmentally friendly installations and “green” considerations in its plans. Such as a roof mounted photovoltaic system that will generate 50 KW of energy, which is approximately 1/3 of the brewery’s summer daily peak demand. Solar tubes in the brewery’s new warehouse will provide natural lighting, and a day-lighting system will actually turn off light fixtures when this natural light is sufficient. The brewery will also include a water recovery system in its bottling line that will capture clean rinse water and use it for landscape irrigation. Odell Brewing expects to complete the expansion in early 2010.
The cardboard beer mat made its debut back in 1880. Friedrich Horn, a German printing and board mill company, created small cardboard mats and printed messages on them. Before long, their simple invention had become a firm fixture under beer glasses across the country. Bar keepers liked them as they protected their tables, didn’t need washing and didn’t cost them anything — advertisers footed the bill in a bid to reach new customers.
The world’s biggest beer mat company, Katz Group, declared bankruptcy at the end of April. Tucked away in Weisenbach in the south-west of Germany, Katz Group, which was founded as a sawmill in 1716, had been in the beer mat business since 1903. Katz International Coasters controlled around two-thirds of the European market and 97 percent of the US market.
Ska Brewing Wins Double Gold with Canned Beers at North American Beer Awards
Ska Brewing Company announced that two of its beers, Modus Hoperandi and the ESB Special Ale, both available in cans, won gold medals at the 2009 North American Beer Awards. Ska’s Modus Hoperandi IPA won gold in the American-Style India Pale Ale category, and their ESB Special Ale won gold in the Best Bitter category. A third Ska beer, the Buster Nut Brown Ale, won bronze in the English Brown Ale category.
The North American Beer Awards (NABA) is a prestigious annual event, now in its thirteenth year. Judges include brew masters from major national breweries as well as experts from small, independent breweries, beer journalists and certified judges. Judging is performed in a blind format, and all of the proceeds from the associated festival are donated to charity. Winners were chosen from an impressive field of more than 1,100 beers in 72 categories.
According to Ska Co-Founder Dave Thibodeau, the awards are especially notable because both the Gold Medal winners are available to the public in cans, with the Modus Hoperandi being Ska’s newest year-round release. “The cans are proving to be a great fit with our outdoor-loving culture here in Colorado. There are a lot of scenarios – a raft trip or backcountry journey for example — where cans work better because they’re light and they don’t break. Now people can have the convenience of a can, with a gold-medal winning craft beer inside,” says Thibodeau. “Just the thought of it makes me want to put a few in my backpack and take off right now.” Ska’s line of canned beers also includes the True Blonde Ale, a 2006 Bronze Medal winner at the Great American Beer Festival.
The NABA gold-medal wins come at an especially busy time for Ska, as they continue to increase production capacity to meet demand. Late last year Ska opened its new, $4.8 million, 24,000-square-foot world headquarters and tasting room, and added a larger canning line. Ska recently expanded its distribution to include Texas and Kansas and the beers can also be found throughout Colorado, Arizona, New Mexico, Nebraska, Illinois and North Carolina.
BEER RELEASES
Festina Peche – Dogfish Head – Milton, DE
A refreshing neo-BerlinerWeisse fermented with honest-to-goodness peaches to (get this!) 4.5% abv! Because extreme beers don’t have to be extremely boozy! Available in 4-pack and draft during the sweaty months.
Sadly, there are only a few breweries left in Berlin still brewing the BerlinerWeisse style which is characterized by its intense tartness (some say sour). There were once over 70 breweries in Berlin alone making this beer! In addition to fermentation with an ale yeast, Berliner Weisse is traditionally fermented with lactic cultures to produce its acidic or green apple-like character. It is delicately hopped with a pale straw color and served as an aperitif or summertime quencher. To soften the intense sourness, Berliner Weisse is traditionally served with a dash of essence of woodruff or raspberry syrup.
In the Festina Peche since the natural peach sugars are eaten by the yeast, the fruit complexity is woven into both the aroma and the taste of the beer so there is no need to doctor it with woodruff or raspberry syrup – open and enjoy! ABV: 4.5; IBU: 8
Sunrise Weissbeir – Victory Brewing Company – Downingtown, PA
This unfiltered, Bavarian style Hefeweizen is true to its origins with all ingredients except for the water having been imported from Germany. It remains unfiltered to feature the tangy, fruity flavors of its unique yeast. The imported German malt contributes greatly to add a crisp, citric snap that makes this beer a superb summertime refresher.
Malts: 2 row German barley and wheat malt
Hops: German and Czech whole flowers
Yeast: imported, of German origin
Alcohol by volume: 5.7%
Availability: Draft and bottles, June through Autumn.
NEW BEER BAR OF THE WEEK
Welcome to the only Island in the world, where to get there, you don’t have to put your shoes through a metal detector. In fact shoes are optional. Coney Island welcomes something, that we all fantasize about a Beer Island! This family friendly resort, serves a wide selection of beer, wine and entertainment. We offer many bottled varieties and several premium beers on tap, and naturally they are served ice cold, a welcome refreshment on a hot day!
BEER GADGET OF THE WEEK
Build a Remote Controlled Beer Keg
The crew on Revision 3’s show “System” updates the classic beer keg with motorized wheels and a remote control tap to build the ultimate robotic beer keg. Although the modern beer keg has been with us since the 1960’s the technology surrounding it has advanced much. The gang at System figured they would put a few 21st century bits of technology on the thing and turn it into a mobile and easily controlled beer dispenser. Watch and learn!
BEER BLOG OF THE WEEK
Rick Lyke is a veteran drinks journalist who writes about beer, wine and spirits. His work is published regularly in a number of magazines including DRAFT and All About Beer. Read about beer, wine and spirits; travels to breweries, distilleries and wineries; festivals and events; alcohol issues; beverage marketing; and have fun along the way.
Pints for Prostates is a grassroots effort to reach men with a critical message about prostate cancer screening using the universal language of beer. Started by prostate cancer survivor and drinks journalist Rick Lyke, the goal of the program is to communicate with men in a friendly and non-threatening way about the need for regular PSA testing. All funds raised by Pints for Prostates go directly to Us TOO International (http://ustoo.org/) to assist with that group’s support, education and advocacy efforts.
It’s a big week for the Pints for Prostates campaign. First off as part of Father’s Day weekend they have seven events going on around the country. If you are near Stanley, Iowa; Issaquah, Wash.; San Francisco, Calif.; Raleigh, N.C.; or Newport, Eugene and Portland Oregon, plan to come out and help raise funds for Us TOO International. Details are on our Facebook page and we’ll also be announcing some more events shortly, so the chances are we’ll be coming to a town near you soon.
Secondly, late last week they received word from the Lance Armstrong Foundation that Pints for Prostates has been invited as one of a limited number of groups to participate in the Livestrong Global Cancer Summit taking place in Dublin at the end of August.
Their Facebook page hit 900 members this week and they’d love your support in reaching more guys as Father’s Day approaches. Please help in their quest to reach men using the universal language of beer by going to the Pints for Prostates page and clicking on the Share+ button along the right side. From there you can post a message on your Facebook page or send an email to your friends. The more men we reach, the more lives will be saved.
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