Posts Tagged ‘beer’
Wednesday, June 9th, 2010
I recently read an article about a genius British geneticist whose diet consists almost entirely of beer. Although I doubt that as this man writes about longevity, he is helping along his own by consuming just that particular beverage, the whole idea could make for a pretty good marketing campaign.
Meanwhile, back in the colonies, strides are also being made by making or drinking American brewski. Mid-Spring, U.S. breweries did quite well in the 2010 World Beer Cup. (Yes, it exists.) In late April, news that the convenience store 7-Eleven was to come out with its very own beer added to the importance of the beverage. For those who previously avoided the mega-mart, you might want to stop by just to try Game Day, the exclusive 7-Eleven beer that is made in LaCrosse, Wisconsin. And, on a personal note, a few exorbitantly hot days ago, I stopped in the small town of Lynchburg, Virginia and was immediately brought back to life by the Rockfish Wheat ale by Blue Mountain Brewery. (Of course, the local, organic sausage that I ate with it certainly helped.) Also in Lynchburg and just steps away from Mangia is Ned’s, a new, locally owned beer specialty store. The young proprietor’s knowledge and belief in the power of a good bottle was heartwarming in a kind of way that you wouldn’t necessarily believe beer could achieve. Lessons learned? To get up and running, drink a bottle of the good stuff down daily. Oh yes, and make sure to eat something substantial while you do.
-Serena
Drink beer. Make it American.
Tags: american made, beer, buy local, eat local, made in the USA
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Saturday, February 6th, 2010
The time has come San Francisco to celebrate its numerous local breweries.
“Oh, hoppy day! San Francisco Beer Week has begun!” reads one of the latest tweets about the city’s joyous festival of brew. Friday, the 5th, through the following Sunday, the 14th, encloses a mad-long series of (local) beer-related events in San Francisco. Trust me. Just the advent of reading the schedule might require one to sit down with some of that golden stuff to sip on. If you thought that Restaurant Weeks were great and well organized then you’ll absolutely love this long celebration, brought to San Fran by its very own Brewers Guild. I mean, the website is so done up that it even includes a section on lodging. (I guess the event attracts a number of people from outside the region?) Next year, I might have to take the Guild up on its suggestions. This time, I hope that whoever’s there already is able to participate— and hoppily, at that.
-Serena
Tags: beer, buy local, california, eat local, locavore, san francisco
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Friday, January 29th, 2010
This micro-brewery’s emblem may evoke images of Natural Light beer but believe me, the two are nothing alike.
Just into Grand Junction, Colorado from Washington, D.C., I headed over to Rockslide Brewery on the small city’s Main Street. My father lives in Western Colorado and had been to the brewpub once (or twice) before. A beer connoisseur, I was sure that any brewery he would take me to would be a great one. And, after my first taste of Rockslide’s local brew, I could affirm that it was. The large glass of Big Bear Stout did its job in both flavor and smell. I’m a fan of stouts. They’re a sort of alcoholic dessert for me. Thick, they’re like food. Tasting of chocolate while smelling of roasted coffee beans, they’re a tall order of an after-meal course. And, as an aperitif, they work wonders for holding over hunger until meal time. The Big Bear was all of this. Rockslide itself describes the brew as rich and dark and “…brewed with a variety of grains for a unique, smooth roasted flavor with a slightly bitter finish.” Perfectly satiating for the time and place.
-Serena
Tags: beer, buy local, colorado, eat local, local foods, locavore
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Tuesday, September 8th, 2009
Two fun event announcements have tumbled into my inbox this week – the first for the third annual Heritage Harvest Festival at Montalto of Monticello, featuring seed-swaps, workshops, tastings, music, and of course lots and lots of yummy local foods to eat. This kid-friendly affair promises to be a great way to spend a September Saturday!
Heritage Harvest Festival Flyer
Later that evening, mingle at the Young Farmers Mixer held at Roundabout Farm and hosted by the Greenhorns and Starr Hill Brewery. What an exciting locavore Saturday it will be!
Young Farmers Mixer Flyer
- Karen
Tags: agriculture, beer, charlottesville, drink local, eat local, events, food, local food, locavore, virginia
Posted in Eat Local, agriculture | No Comments »
Wednesday, August 12th, 2009
It was about 11:30pm last Saturday night and all of a sudden, I felt like I was partaking in some sort of 1920s-style movie on the American Prohibition. Except that the theme of the scene had little to do with abstinence; it was a down-under, scandalous kind of set-up. Why the ambience? Why not. The Tobacco Company in Richmond, Virginia is a restaurant, bar and club that celebrates its history as an old tobacco warehouse by keeping the feel alive. The high-ceilinged main room is dark and filled with similarly dark-stained wood décor. Live palm trees overtake the grand, central room, evoking a bit of an escape as a throaty black female sings soul to the drinkers in room. Buxom girls in old-fashioned waitress costumes walk around with trays of cigarettes for sale. It is a complete throw-back to the city’s real past; it seems at once mischievous and indulgent. Best of all, what is served reflects the reality of the region as well. Besides those cigarettes that are native to the Virginian tobacco country, most of the beers available are from local microbreweries as well. Sexy, sultry, cultural— The Tobacco Company gives going “local” a line-up of new names.
-Serena
The palm tree-stricken central space.
Stained glass lamps and warm, red bricks give a dark glow to the main room.
Tags: beer, buy local, eat local, virginia
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Thursday, July 23rd, 2009
Looking into the bottom of my beer at Spitzer’s.
The second heat wave of summer (or okay, the first real one) has finally arrived. It is sticky, sweltering, and generally too hot for most activities and/or consumptions. But it’s never too hot for beer. Last Friday night in New York City, I had a dinner reservation at 10:15 and knew that I’d need to ingest some solid, cool calories beforehand if I wanted to make it that long. Good thing a group of friends had planned on meeting around 7:00pm at Spitzer’s. Spitzer’s Corner in the Lower East Side is a self-proclaimed “American gastropub” and boy, do they do beers right. Though the establishment’s selection also takes from foreign countries, the number of Made in the USA microbrews is up there as well. I was totally taken by my pick: a Peak Organic Espresso Amber Ale. That, my friends (wow, does that ring a McCain bell or what?!), is Serena in a draft glass. When I read the description, “A good cup of espresso made into a beer-truly unique, must try,” I couldn’t believe it; it was me to the max.
I loved the beer so much that I did a little extra research on where it had come from. The waitress said Maine. She was right on. Peak Organic Brewing Co. is based out of Portland and has its sustainability ducks in a row. The group is committed to, “…using barley or hops that are grown without toxic or persistent pesticides and chemical fertilizers…” for the purpose of achieving not only better taste but also a more enduring environment. No wonder it was so good.
-Serena
Tags: beer, buy local, eat local, new york city, nyc
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Friday, May 22nd, 2009
Just two of the many beers available at Beer Run
Beer Run (in Charlottesville, Virginia) is the best. It is the place that I walk to when it is beautiful outside and I have nothing better to do, it’s the brunch location I look to on sunny Sunday mornings, it’s that quick yet awesome dinner— oft accompanied by the music of local bands, and it is most definitely my go to for all acquisitions dealing with beer. If you’re generally unfamiliar with the beverage but want to learn more, head over for Wednesday evening tastings. Or, just head over on any day of the week to pick up some brew, to-go. Though there is a large international selection that you could probably lose yourself in quite easily, I recommend the thorough region of Virginia-based beers in the store. My latest picks? An Olde Richmond Brown Ale (based out of Hampton, Virginia) and a Grand Illumination American Brandywine Style Beer (from Williamsburg, Virginia). Once I went black, I never went back, and these two darker brews definitely do it for me. While the Brown Ale is just that (not even close to a pale ale but not syrupy enough to be a stout), the latter is more unique. Think hints of cherry and bourbon in a black stew of carbonation. Deliciousness. And, if drinking makes you hungry, don’t hesitate to stick around; there are plenty of local foods (eggs, veggies, and more) that can be served to you while you down those state-based brews.
-Serena
Tags: beer, buy local, charlottesville, eat local, virginia
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Friday, May 15th, 2009
No matter how hard I try, I sometimes wonder if I’ll ever hit all of the breweries in my area. And I don’t even mean visiting them all— trying each of the beers that are made locally would probably be enough. In the past month or so, I’ve made that—just the tasting part—my mission. The latest item on this long to-do list? Old Dominion Brewing Company’s featured “flavor” of the season: Beach House Golden Pilsner. The label even has a sweet little Gilligan’s Island shack on it— perfect for a warm evening out. Though I feel the need to disclaim that the beer’s aftertaste is a bit odd, I’d also say that it could be safe to assume that this “uniqueness” was intentional. Pair it with some free range regional chicken, locally grown veggies, and a side of southern hush puppies (my first ever!) and you won’t notice either way.
Good food, good beer. What more could you ask for?
-Serena
Tags: beer, buy local, eat local, virginia
Posted in Buy Local, Eat Local | 5 Comments »
Monday, March 23rd, 2009
inside craft brewery
Something I have been wondering about, actually….
What is the difference between a microbrew and a craft brew? A microbrewery and a craft brewery? Somehow, they seemed to blend into one another…
Paul Hightower of the Dallas Craft Brew Examiner, né the Microbrew Examiner, examines the semantics before us.
Follow this link if you, too, have wondered about the subtle differences between microbrews and craft beers.
And follow this link to add your favorite craft brew to the Locallectual directory.
Prost!
-Karen
Tags: beer, craft beer, drink local, local food, local foods, microbrew
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Tuesday, March 10th, 2009
TheFullPint.com is calling all beer drinkers to vote for what their favorite Best Down South Craft Brewery
is. There is no special prize for the winning brewery, just recognition from a community of beer lovers…that seems to be reward enough! The breweries are Louisiana’s Abita Brewery and Dixie Brewing, Georgia’s Atlanta Brewing Company, Terrapin Brewing, and Sweetwater Brewing, Florida’s Cigar City Brewing, Dunedin Brewing, and Florida Beer Co., Arkansas’ Diamond Bear Brewing, Mississippi’s Lazy Magnolia, Texas’ Rahr and Sons and Saint Arnold brewers, and Tennessee’s Yazoo Brewing Company.
Voting Ends March 27.
-Jess
(more…)
Tags: american beer, american made, beer, drink local, eat local, microbrew
Posted in Buy Local, Eat Local, Manufacturing | No Comments »
