KegWorks Blog

According to an official Gallup Poll, beer has regained a comfortable margin over wine as the favorite alcoholic beverage of U.S. drinkers.

It’s good to know that the stats are finally reflecting the truth. Beer rules.

In recent years, wine had narrowed the gap and in 2005 it even pulled ahead by 3%. This year, beer enjoys an 11% lead over wine.

The Consumption Habit’s poll proves that the shift back to beer has occurred mostly among Americans between the ages of 30 and 49. Younger drinkers (aged 18 to 29) are more likely to drink liquor than wine but still have a wide preference for beer. Wine is the choice beverage of drinkers 50 and older.

Other interesting findings from this year’s consumption poll include:

• 62% of American’s say they drink alcohol
• The average drinker reports having consumed 3.8 alcoholic drinks in the past week
• “Daily drinking” is more common among Americans of higher socioeconomic status. Over the past four years, an average of 42% of college graduates report having had a drink in the last 24 hours, compared with 32% of those who have not graduated from college.
• Similarly, 41% of drinkers with incomes of $75,000 or greater say they have had a drink in the past 24 hours, compared with 36% of middle-income respondents (those with household incomes between $30,000 and $74,999) and just 23% of those residing in lower-income households (with incomes of less than $30,000).

According to gallup.com, results are based on telephone interviews with 1,016 national adults, aged 18 and older, conducted July 10-13, 2008. For results based on the total sample of national adults, one can say with 95% confidence that the maximum margin of sampling error is ±3 percentage points.

According to me, the poll is very much correct and beer is better. This t-shirt though, I’m not so sure.

TAGS [ BEER | WINE | LIQUOR | GALLOP POLL | ALCOHOL CONSUMPTION | CONSUMPTION POLL ]

Here is an interesting article highlighting the differences between beer culture in the UK and USA, revolving around some controversy created by one of BrewDog Brewery in Fraserburgh, Scotland’s craft beers.

The article concerns Tokyo, a 12% alcohol-by-volume strong aged stout and the protests it has generated from health campaigners across the UK. Apparently, there are few beers that strong brewed in Scotland and anti-alcohol do-gooders in Scotland see this beer as promoting binge drinking amongst young people.

I, and I am sure many reading this, will find this strange since many craft beers in the US are as strong or stronger. These strong and expensive beers are not the brew of choice for the American binge drinker, who seems to prefer lots of cheap, watery, lower alcohol lager. I would guess that the same holds true for Scottish binge drinkers as well.

TAGS [ BEER | BREWDOG | BREW DOG | BREWDOG TOKYO | MICRO BREWS ]

I came across a neat article by Carolyn Smagalski called “Bizarre Beer Tales.” I hope you enjoy it!

Every so often, bizarre stories about man and nature come across my desk, and they usually have some strange connection to beer. Stories referring to Clay Henry, the beer-drinking goat in Lajitas, Texas who attracted curious tourists to the town; or the 2004 story from Baker Lake Resort, 80 miles northeast of Seattle, about the black bear who preferred Ranier Beer over Budweiser; and the New Zealand racehorse, “Bonecrusher,” who achieved his incredible win of the WS Cox Plate in 1986 through intense training, paired with a steady diet of Guinness Stout and a special racing mix.

Columns published in the New York Times in the late 1800s and early 1900s are even more bizarre. Common sense and reason make it difficult to believe these wily tales. Verification with medical authorities would be sketchy, at best. Most analyses were based on observation and conclusion, rather than any actual medical research or accurate testing. The stories are fascinating, however, and allow us to peer into a past era when hostilities by prohibitionists were building against the growing beer culture in America.

In August, 1901, a report came out of Ashland, Kentucky about a camping trip, turned sour. Ralph Dunbar accompanied six other men on a fifteen mile journey across mountainous territory into an outing camp in Welch. The seven men transported numerous kegs of beer with them over rocky terrain. Along the way, the kegs were considerably agitated, but the happy-campers remained unaware of the increased gas pressure building within these kegs as a result of such jostling motion. Upon arriving at the outpost, the kegs were moved into a spring-fed creek to keep them chilled. When the cold water hit them, one of the kegs blew a bung hole, but the men paid little attention to it. The open hole created an inviting environment for a copperhead snake which crawled into the beer keg, but died a short time afterward. All of the men, with the exception of Dunbar, consumed the beer, oblivious to the presence of the snake. Four of the drinkers died soon afterward, while the other two endured severe illness before also expiring. Authorities concluded that the presence of the poisonous snake in the keg caused these deaths, either due to the venom leeching out into the beer, or from the decay of the snake’s body in the liquid.

Another column from the August 5, 1879 edition of the New York Times reported incredible tales of beer-drinkers who could consume extraordinary amounts of beer without any ill effects. None of the stories gave accurate details about the beer drinking feats – details such as the ABV of the beer consumed, or the weight and height of the men involved. Words such as “of quite spare build, quite obese,” and “glasses of ordinary size,” were used, although one reference concluded that the glasses were “one tenth of a gallon,” and that the kegs hold 8 gallons each. The story concluded that it was possible for some experienced beer drinkers to consume a keg of beer in two hours, a gallon-and-a-half in thirty seconds, or 200 glasses of beer a day, and that breweries such as Gambrinus Stock Company’s Brewery and J. G. Sohn & Co. allowed each of their employees to consume between a gallon to a gallon-and-a-half of beer every day during work hours. These men worked from 3 a.m. to 6 p.m., and required less sleep than the average person. The stories noted that, although the men were well paid, they suffered financially because of making customary rounds at the local saloons, where they regularly treated the locals and drank with them to ensure their loyalty as customers.

More recent tales report a Wisconsin University study seeking to determine whether it is impossible to be too drunk to fish. Conclusions are forthcoming.

Cheers!

TAGS [ BEER | BEER TALES | BEER NEWS | BEER STORIES | ODD BEER NEWS | BIZARRE BEER STORIES ]

This year at Tales of the Cocktail 2008, in New Orleans, Joe Fee of Fee Brothers introduced yet another new cocktail bitters. Call me crazy, but I had never once imagined Rhubarb Cocktail Bitters would exist. Joe Fee, however, thought it would be the perfect addition to his ever-growing selection of bitters, and now I couldn’t agree more.

What, you may ask, should Rhubarb Bitters be used for? I’m sure you could come up with a plethora of recipes, but here’s one to get you started.

Strawberry Reverie

3 strawberries, muddled
2 dashes Rhubarb Bitters
1½ oz vodka
½ oz orange juice
¼ oz maple syrup
¼ oz Parfait Amour Liqueur

Put all ingredients into a cocktail shaker. Shake well and strain over ice into a rocks glass. Garnish with a strawberry.

I don’t know about you, but this concoction screams “Summer Dessert Cocktail” to me. Something most definitely worth trying out this weekend, for sure.

TAGS [ RHUBARB BITTERS | COCKTAIL BITTERS | COCKTAILS | COCKTAIL RECIPES | FEE BROTHERS ]

Somewhere not too far from the intersection of Routes 294, 46, and 12, near Boonville, NY there must be some really happy cows. Although it is said to be a trade secret recipe, I speculate whether or not the cows there graze on the finest grapes – or if they’re just allowed to drink on the job.

The good people at Mercer Dairy, it seems, have found a way to produce wine ice cream. Mind you, the merging of those two words: “wine” and “ice cream” doesn’t really faze me as much as it probably did you just now. Then again, I’ve had garlic ice cream – which was quite good and doesn’t taste even remotely as bad as it might sound.

Regardless, the concept of wine ice cream sounds interesting to me. After all, wines have been paired with desserts and sweets for ages. Mercer has produced several blends, including Cherry Merlot, Royal White Riesling, Red Raspberry Chardonnay, Peach White Zin, and Ala Port.

Winner of Best New Product “Small Bite Big Taste” Competition at The Great American Dessert Expo in Atlanta in 2007, the ice cream carries a 210-300 calorie per half cup penalty and contains about 5% alcohol by volume, so expect to be carded if you go out to your local freezer section and pick up a pint. Mercer’s distributes their buzz-inducing creamy goodness to New York, Illinois, North Carolina, Wisconsin, and Illinois.

To enhance your experience, you might be interested to know that KW has a full selection of ice cream related products.

TAGS [ WINE ICE CREAM | DESSERTS | MERCER DAIRY | WINE SORBET | WINE DESSERT ]

I just had to share this article from Alex Beam of the Boston Globe. Not only is it well written, witty and entertaining, it certainly does address the issues weighing on everyone’s minds in regards to Belgian-based InBev’s almost final acquisition of our (formerly) all-American brewer, Anheuser-Busch.

I’d like to note that the author’s opinions do not necessarily reflect my own, as despite many of my coworkers’ disgust, I like Stella. To be honest, I like Sam Adams and Sea World too.

Check it out:

“Assuming that toothless US regulators rubber-stamp the deal, Belgium-based beer conglomerate InBev will soon be taking over America’s largest brewer, St. Louis-based Anheuser-Busch. I know what you are thinking: How will this $52 billion takeover affect me?

As a public service, I will sift through the deal’s most pressing concerns in question-and-answer format.

Q. With Anheuser-Busch in the hands of the Belgians, with Miller owned by South Africans, and with the red-blooded, flag-waving, homophobic Coors family beer now half-owned by (gasp) Canadians - will Americans still have access to bad beer?

A. Not to worry. Americans will enjoy continued access to thin, watery brew, even during the delicate InBev-Busch consolidation period, when bootlicking Busch executives try to figure out which of Belgium’s three national languages - Dutch, French, or Walloon - they should bother learning.

It is important to note that InBev already makes plenty of bad beer on its own. Stella Artois, originally brewed for dipping the Belgian national dish, french fries, is the Budweiser of Belgium. Here is an even-handed Stella review from the website ratebeer.com: ‘Ugh, how plain. . . . Generic aromas and flavors of light malt, weak hops, and a hint of yeast (if you manage to get some that isn’t skunky). The palate is the same as Coke’s. Don’t buy it. Please.’

Q. The Belgians have said they will dump ‘noncore’ assets of the new company to pay off debt. Could the plodding, overbred Clydesdales be heading for the glue factory?

A. It’s more likely the interlopers will dump A-B’s ‘fun’ parks, including notorious mammalian prison camps such as SeaWorld. Why would Anheuser abandon its trademark, slow-paced ‘image’ advertising, in which August Busch IV stares into the camera and assures the viewer . . . something. I wouldn’t know. Whenever his face comes on the TV, I head for the kitchen to yank an Anchor Steam porter out of the refrigerator.

Q. With billions of kegs of US beer now under foreign control, should Congress and the Bush administration consider filling the Strategic Beer Reserve?

A. Unless Americans learn to conserve our precious beer resources, for instance by drinking tasteless, low-octane ‘light’ swill, the SBR - empty since Prohibition - may have to be reactivated. In the past, Chicagoans have been receptive to the idea of draining Lake Michigan and refilling it with healthy American bock.

Q. What about other national security implications? Before they accepted InBev’s massive payoff, the Anheuser directors raised the specter of Americans drinking . . . Cuban beer.

A. It is true that InBev owns several Cuban labels that would probably find an eager audience in Castroist enclaves like Brattleboro and Northampton. But as long as right-wing loons control South Florida electoral politics, the prospect of seeing Bucanero at your local Bertucci’s is about as remote as Hugo Chavez throwing out the first ball at the World Series.

Q. Before the deal was struck, President-presumptive Barack Obama declared that ‘it would be a shame if Bud is foreign owned. I think we should be able to find an American company that is interested in purchasing Anheuser-Busch if in fact Anheuser-Busch feels that it’s necessary to sell.’ Is it possible that Obama was making a vacuous, pandering proclamation in the crucial swing state of Missouri?

A. President-presumptive Obama is a new kind of politician who practices an entirely new brand of politics. It is unthinkable that he would toss off a witless sound bite for a quick headline or for short-term political gain.

Q. Did you watch CNBC’s mindless advertorial ‘American Originals: Budweiser’ last week? Was that some kind of joke? Were they not aware that Budweiser was being brewed in Central Europe in the 18th century, roughly a hundred years before the piratical Adolphus Busch stole the name?

A. ‘Czech Originals: Budweiser’ doesn’t sound like a ratings hit in the making. Outside of Prague, that is.

Q. In writing a column about beer, it wouldn’t be like you not to take a cheap shot at the Boston Beer Co.’s flagship Sam Adams brand, even though its founder and brewmaster Jim Koch has been unfailingly gracious in the face of your previous attacks.

A. I’m glad there is still an American-owned company making bad beer. But Jim can’t do it all by himself.”

TAGS [ ANHEUSER BUSCH | INBEV | BUD | COORS | MILLER | BUDWEISER ]

There’s something about sweet, ripe strawberries that always conjures up thoughts of lazing around in the grass, sun beating down on my body, red juices running down my hands and arms…. Ah, summer. There’s nothing like it.

Strawberries aren’t, of course, just for eating raw or over shortcake. I’m sure many of you have enjoyed strawberry wheat beer before. The question is, however, have you ever brewed your own?

Brewing your favorite beer at home is not as difficult as it may seem, especially with Mr. Beer. For budding home brewers, Mr. Beer is the perfect way to go. And you’re not stuck with just a few paltry brew options. No, Mr. Beer offers nearly as many flavors and styles as your local pub - in some cases, even more! Take a look at this recipe - it’s sure to get your creative juices flowing:

Mr. Beer Strawberry Blonde

This version of this popular style has a smooth, sultry character that is at once both sweet and tart. It possesses a pungent aroma and abundant berry flavor, whose sweetness is balanced by mellow hoppiness and crisp wheat.

1 can Whispering Wheat Weizenbier
1 can Golden Wheat UME
2 cans strawberries
1 packet One Step

1. Clean and sanitize the following equipment according to your Brew Keg instructions: a pot of three-quart size or greater, a metal spoon or metal whisk, your keg fermenter, keg lid, spigot assembly, and a funnel or cup measure for transferring to the keg fermenter, as well as your can opener. Keep all on a sanitized surface. Also sanitize your blender and puree the 2 cans of fruit.

2. Place 4 cups of water in the pot. Bring the water to a boil, then remove from heat.

3. Add the Whispering Wheat Weizenbier and Golden Wheat UME. Stir with a sanitized spoon or whisk until fully dissolved. This mixture is called the wort. Note: hops will appear as green leaf particles and will not dissolve.

4. Add 4 quarts of cold tap water to your sanitized keg fermenter.

5. Add the wort from the saucepan to the brew keg using the funnel or cup measure, and top up with cold tap water to the 8.5-quart mark. Add in both cans of pureed fruit and stir to make sure that the wort is all one temperature. Preferable temperature is between 70 and 80 degrees. WARNING: if the temperature is too hot, there is risk of killing the yeast.

6. Sprinkle the yeast from the packet on top of the wort. Allow to sit for 5 minutes, then stir the wort vigorously with the sanitized spoon or whisk. Special Note: this fermentation can be serious! You may want to place your keg in a lipped cookie sheet to catch overflow.

7. Screw the lid in place and set the keg fermenter in a room with a stable temperature (68 to 76 degrees F is best). Leave the fermenter for at least two weeks, or until the fermentation has ceased.

8. Bottle in PET carbonated beverage bottles or non-screw top beer bottles, using the correct amount of priming sugar as directed in your Brewing with Mr. Beer booklet. Carbonate as usual. For best results, allow to lager for at least two to four weeks before popping the first one open.

Click for a printable version of the recipe.

Don’t have a Mr. Beer Premium Brewing System yet? Get one here. Not a huge fan of fruit-infused brews? Check out our entire Mr. Beer Home Brewing selection.

TAGS [ MR BEER | HOME BREW | WHEAT BEER | STRAWBERRY BEER | STRAWBERRY WHEAT | HOME BREWING ]