This is the list of all contributions published on this web site, in chronological order.

To the joy of your favorite Beer of the Month Club, Lancaster county’s first commercially brewed beer in nearly 40 years, reawakened a rich and colorful brewing history. Brewing in Lancaster County grew from the back rooms of inns in the early 1700’s into a thriving industry. By 1810, the county accounted for 7% of all U.S. beer brewed, producing some 200,000 barrels of beer annually – quality beers that won praises near and far. In 1868, H. L. Menckon declared in the Daily Intelligencer newspaper, “Lancaster in America occupies the same position that Munich does in Germany regarding the brewing industry.”

But two issues interrupted the flow: World War I dictated that coal be used not for brewing, but for the war effort. In November, 1918 legal production of beer was halted. In January of 1920, Prohibition further smothered the struggling brewing industry, but what was left of Lancaster kept brewing undercover, piping brew through a hose from one of their plants through the sewers to a warehouse where it was kegged. With the repeal of Prohibition, brewing was once again legalized, but one by one the plants failed. Lancaster was on hiatus from 1956 until its reopening in 1995, flourishing since 2001, with brews of the old traditions under the guidance of Head Brewer Bill Moore.

Milk Stout is one of the few surviving examples of the traditional English Sweet Stout. It’s a dark ale bursting with roasted barley dryness, mellowed by non-fermentable lactose sugar.

Lancaster’s Amish Four Grain Pale Ale is their multi-grain PA that summons the sweetness of oats, the complexity of rye, and the smoothness of malted wheat . . . all balanced by a generous dry hopping of imported Nobel Saaz hops.

Featured Beer from Lancaster Brewery:
Milk Stout & Amish Four Grain Pale Ale
www.lancasterbrewing.com

MILK STOUT – Lancaster Brewery’s Milk Stout: Stouts are usually rich, very dark, full-bodied ales, top fermented, highly hopped and dry. Often times rich and creamy, this version, subtly sweet, is a perfect fit for dinners ending with any chocolate dessert. Try it at room temperature.

PALE ALE – Lancaster Brewery’s Amish Four Grain Pale Ale: In spite of the name, these fruity, nutty, toasty flavored brews are golden to amber in color. This Amish one from Lancaster outpaces the rest of the pack, rich with sweet oats, smooth malted wheat and the complexity of rye, bundled with finesse with imported hops. Top fermented, serve with veggie salads and hearty burgers, or pretzels with mustard.

Granite City Food and Brewery is a casual dining restaurant with an on-site brewery. Their initial restaurant commenced operations in St. Cloud, Minnesota in June, 1999. Their second, located in Sioux Falls, South Dakota, opened for business in December of 2000, followed by their third in November of 2001, in the cold north country of Fargo, North Dakota. Your favorite Beer of the Month Club reports GCFB now has 26 sites operating in 11 different states.

Their success has a lot to do with a broad menu of items prepared fresh daily, generous portions at reasonable prices. But their true magnetism centers around their unique hand-crafted beers. Offered at moderate prices, they run the gamut of unique styles and flavors – truly something for everybody!

Founders Wagenheim and Burdick have more than 52 years of combined hospitality industry experience. Mr. Wagenheim’s includes that of corporate executive, while Mr. Burdick, a talented brewing chemist, has more than 30 years of experience. They successfully launched their patented brew process, Fermentus Interruptus, making micro brewery for multiple locations more efficient, shipping sweet liquid wort from their central brewing facility to individual stores.

Brother Benedict’s Bock is a German style lager. This Bock carries a brownish color, medium body, mouth-watering smooth, wonderful malt flavor.

The copper color of Duke of Wellington’s India Pale Ale hints at its strong malt character – necessary to support its hoppy bitterness, which defines this classic beer.

Featured Beer from Granite City Brewery:
Brother Benedict’s Bock & Duke of Wellington IPA
www.gcfb.net

BOCK – Granite City’s Brother Benedict’s Bock: Bottom fermented, this brew is lower in alcohol than the German Bocks, which are notably strong brews. It belongs with a meal of smoked Cornish hens, chicken dishes or turkey.

INDIA PALE ALE – Granite City’s Duke of Wellington IPA: A strong, bitter beer originally brewed in Britain for export to soldiers in India, made strong to survive the long boat trip. Lots of malt, and generous amounts of hops for strong hop flavor and aroma, enjoy this refreshing brew with seafood, spicy foods and all things grilled.

Some of the greatest beers on Earth have their brew roots in Belgium, a fact that has never been disputed by beer critics. The tradition of American breweries, both craft and “The Big Guys,” show their admiration for the Belgian brews by imitating them to varying degrees.

Unfortunately, the number of breweries based in Belgium today is less than in the year 1900. Two devastating World Wars, changing tastes, and business consolidations have all raised havoc with the industry there. Visitors to the country find some solace, however, in the fact that thousands of Belgian cafes (also known as taverns) serve fine beers along with their unique pub food.

Brewing in Belgium at one time fell into the laps of farm families. But in the 11th century, Monks got in on the activity and began brewing in the Abbeys, selling their wares to the masses. Today, there is a small handful of Belgian abbeys where beer is still brewed, and it’s a hot commodity worldwide.

By the 16th century, beer was such a big part of Belgian aristocracy that rich brewers built the famous Maison de Brasseurs (Guild Hall of the Brewers) on the Grand-Place in Brussels as a tribute to their brew.

Believing that brewing is a true art, the Belgians try in vain to classify their beers by the style used to produce it. Being that a Belgian ale could be anything from a cidery-tart Rodenbach, to a leathery Trappist ale, or an ambrosial cherry beer, this is a difficult – if not impossible – feat. The Belgians have combined the wine tradition of France, with the beer tradition of Germany, and the ale tradition of Great Britain – combining them into dozens of unique and amazing beers. Part of their uniqueness comes from the variation of ingredients used – any one or a combination of: fruit, invert sugar, unmalted wheat, aged hops, or many kinds of yeast.

Many Belgian-produced beers are treated royally, being corked, wired shut and wrapped in tissue paper, handled as delicately as champagne! Specific glasses are used for specific beers. It’s rumored that in some smaller pubs with limited glassware, patrons must wait for their beer until that brew’s special glass becomes available when another patron finally gives up the vessel!

Happily, you’ll never have to wait for that special glass when you reach for one of the selections from your favorite Beer of the Month Club . . . just pop the top and enjoy!

Since 1994, the Casco Bay Brewing Company has distinguished itself by brewing exceptional ales and lagers. This excellence has been recognized at both the World Beer Cup and the Great American Beer Festival, where their beers have won many Gold and Silver medals over the years. In 2008, Casco Bay Brewing was acquired by Shipyard Brewing Company.

Founded by Bob Wade and Mike Lacharite in 1994, today Casco Bay distributes beer throughout New England under its own brand as well as the Carrabassett brand. The brewery has a capacity of 11,000+ bbls a year with their brewing and bottling operations located in their facility near the Portland waterfront.

Your favorite monthly beer club wants you to know that Casco uses only two-row malted barley and a variety of other specialty malts, while adjusting flavor, color and mouthfeel by utilizing grains from Germany, England, Belgium, Canada and the U.S. It uses German hops for its Pilsners, Pacific Northwest hops for the rest. Ale yeast is an American strain, while lager yeast is imported from Germany.

What’s brewing? Casco Bay Brown Ale, with exquisite clarity; clean, clear and crisp; deep plum-and-cola color. Complex malt character with just the right amount of Pacific Northwest hops. It’s cool, creamy, sweet chocolate, caramel and refreshing!

Riptide Red Ale, their flagship brew, is an Irish-style Red Ale that won Gold at the 2000 World Beer Cup. A perfect balance of 5 different malts and 3 hop varieties. Surprisingly complex, this is a medium-bodied, full-flavored, easy-drinking brew.

Featured Beer from Casco Bay Brewery:
Brown Ale and Riptide Red Ale
www.shipyard.com
www.mainebrewersguild.org/casco.php


BROWN ALE: Casco Bay Brewery’s Brown Ale: A great beer for all beer drinkers, especially ones looking for something unusual and complex in a top fermented beer. Serve this ale with rare beef, smoked cheese, burgers or smoked fish.

RED ALE: Casco Bay Brewery’s Riptide Red Ale: This is a crisply refreshing ale with a malty sweet finish. These beers of antiquity are known for their expressiveness and complex boldness. Red ales are heralded for their rich deep red-brown color. At its best when paired with beef stew, and brings out the sweetness of vegetable soup in beef broth!

Your favorite Great Clubs Beer of the Month Club introduces SweetWater, a 49,000-barrel microbrewery specializing in aggressive West Coast style beers. It was a relatively new brewery when it was awarded the title “Small Brewery of the Year” at the Great American Beer Festival, and it was the first and only brewery east of the Mississippi to win “the big one” at this Super Bowl of Brewing. It was sweet success for Freddy Bensch and Kevin McNerney, the two college roommates with the shared pipe dream of brewing their own beer and making a living at it.

Spurred by the Summer Olympics in Atlanta in 1996, and the obvious need for an upturn in Atlanta’s brewing scene, assisted by family and friends they pursued their dream. After a long list of adventures and misadventures, they opened SweetWater on February 17, 1997. A worthwhile pursuit, they reached their goal: making enough money to feed the dog while having plenty of good beer to enjoy. Two milestones were the opening of SweetWater Draft House at the Hartsfield International Airport in August of 2007, and their move to their current 25,000 sq. ft. brewing facility adjacent to Ansley Park. With a brewing capacity of 100,000 barrels of beer annually, they will probably stay at their current location for a while.

SweetWater IPA is a mammoth India Pale Ale, loaded with intense hoppy character; unfiltered; unpasteurized. It’s what you’ve been training for!

SweetWater 420 Extra Pale Ale is refreshing, with an inviting hop character: extra crisp; extra clean; extra-ordinary! Their most popular brew, a multiple award winner with its own cult following!

Featured Beer from SweetWater Brewery:
SweetWater IPA and SweetWater 420 Extra Pale Ale
www.sweetwaterbrew.com

INDIA PALE ALE: SweetWater’s IPA: A strong, bitter beer originally brewed in Britain for export to soldiers in India, made strong to survive the long boat trip. Lots of malt, and generous amounts of hops for strong hop flavor and aroma, enjoy this refreshing unfiltered brew with seafood, spicy foods and all things grilled.

EXTRA PALE ALE: SweetWater’s 420 Extra Pale Ale: You will find this EPA to be a hoppy, extra crisp version of the standard pale ale. Pop the top and serve this top fermented EPA with hearty cheese, bread and raw vegetable dishes that accentuate the flavor and personality of this brew.

Ever entertained the thought of opening up your own microbrewery to cut down on your monthly expenses? Read on. We believe there’s an easier way.

THE DREAM: Every year starry-eyed brewer-wanna-be’s attend the trade shows and conferences, rubbing elbows with maltsters, studying bottling systems, gazing at shiny new copper brew kettles, and dreaming. “What if . . .” Buoyed by the seminars given by brewing legends who have made millions, and inspired by the many bottles of beer offered for tasting, thousands go home glassy-eyed, future brewers.

UGH, THE REALITY CHECK: Not to pop your bubble, but opening a small craft brewery today costs in the neighborhood of a million bucks. (And we’re talking small potatoes, no brewpub!) So what are the essentials you’ll get for your initial million dollar investment?

EQUIPMENT: One 20-barrel brewing system with fermenters, hoses, bells and whistles. Being made of copper (not gold), it will cost, conservatively, $300,000. A minimal bottling line will set you back another scant $75,000. And then there are the insignificant tools of the trade, and the necessities of the craft – all costly essentials with varying price tags attached.

FACILITY: Improving a leased building will run upwards of $150,000, no matter how you slice it. But that’s still cheaper than building. Mandatory modifications are huge drains, a slanted floor for proper drainage, vents, electrical stuff, etc.

ADVISORY STAFF: Better hire an architect, and unless you know a lawyer with a degree in accounting, you’ll need the advice of a real lawyer to check out codes, licensing, zoning regulations, surety bonds, etc., and a real accountant, because spending all those zeroes gets confusing!

MINOR DETAILS: Since you’ve never done this before, you’ll need a professional brewing consultant. A head brew guru, three brew grunts and a driver should round out the initial crew – add another $100,000.

MAJOR DETAILS: There are kegs, bottles, a delivery van with insurance, utility hook-ups, office supplies, advertising and promotion, and kiss your private life good-bye.

Want to refocus your glazed eyes on an easier way? Depend on your favorite Great Clubs Beer of the Month Club – our selections are great

Diamond Bear Brewery, Little Rock’s first production brewery in more than fifteen years, started brewing in the fall of 2000. (Wondering about the name? Arkansas is the only state in the United States that boasts its very own diamond mine! And the bear part? Early on, Arkansas, with its large popular of bears, was known as the Bear State.)

First distributed locally in the Downtown River Market District, they have steadily expanded their offerings and their domain. Their beer styles are produced in the old time-honored traditional methods of European brewers, using only two-row malted barley, hops, yeast and great Arkansas water. You have your favorite Beer of the Month Club’s guarantee that they never use adjuncts or preservatives of any kind.

This is a family owned brewery, with Russ and Sue Melton at the helm, guided by their vision of bringing craft beer to Arkansas and outward. Their Master Brewer, Jesse Melton, has had his hands in several of their Gold Medal winning brews; and Bonz is their prized retail guru.

Diamond Bear Pale Ale is a perfectly balanced classic English Pale Ale, medium bodied, with both sweetness from the malt and a pleasant hoppy aroma. Awards? Oh yeah! Silver at the GABF in 2003, followed by Golds in 2004 and 2006 at the World Beer Cup, and another Gold at the 2007 GABF.

Paradise Porter is paradise in a glass! This medium-bodied porter has notes of roasted and chocolate malt, making it a perfect balance of sweet and bitter. Generous hops give it a unique dry finish.

Featured Beer from Diamond Bear Brewery:
Pale Ale and Paradise Porter
www.diamondbear.com

PALE ALE: Diamond Bear’s Pale Ale: In spite of the name, these fruity, nutty, toasty flavored brews are golden to amber in color, and are sometimes called Amber Ales. Pleasantly dry with a little bitter aftertaste, serve with veggie salads and hearty burgers.

PORTER: Diamond Bear’s Paradise Porter: Porters, a member of the Ale family, were first brewed to fortify the hard-working laborers, including the porters on the docks. A meal in itself, you don’t need to eat when enjoying a Porter, but if you’re hungry, go for the beef (like Porterhouse steak), cold cuts or any type of fish dishes.

Established in 1998, Sebago Brewing Company offers a full line of year ‘round craft beers, five seasonal beers, and several highly-anticipated limited edition “Single Batch Series” beers offered throughout the year. All are brewed with all American malt, hops and crisp water from Maine’s Sebago Lake. This is a brewery that is proud to be known for its creative, high quality, unique beers that tempt and arouse the palates of New England’s beer lovers. Your favorite Beer of the Month Club is proud to serve as your connection to Sebago, and offers you a way to fall under Sebago’s spell.

Sebago is lucky to have retained the original brewmaster and owners since the company’s inception. With a shared history and institutional knowledge, their instincts and experience guide them to continually improve and attain new heights of brewing excellence.

Slick Nick Winter Ale is their most popular seasonal ale. The caramel and black malts they used to brew Slick Nick gives it the deep amber color. This insidious brew is best enjoyed during the freezing Winter months, so prepare to warm up with one of Maine’s best Winter offerings, slightly hoppy and balanced with malt and caramel sweetness.

The popular cliffs on Sebago Lake, Frye’s Leap, is where locals and tourists alike pull up in their boats to watch daredevils scale and jump from the cliff. Take a leap, yourself, with Frye’s Leap IPA, an intense experience. It’s a hoppy medium-bodied ale full of strong character and strong hop flavor and aroma. Caramel malts lend its golden color and distinct fruit hoppiness.

Featured Beer from Sebago Brewery:
Slick Nick Winter Ale and Frye’s Leap IPA
www.sebagobrewing.com

WINTER ALE: Sebago’s Slick Nick Winter Ale: A traditional cold-weather English old ale, it is usually a deep coppery brown color and delivers a dry toasty body and a blend of hops that rounds out a vibrant finish. Sebago’s version, with its medium carbonation, is great with rich sauces, BBQ, grilled meats, hearty sandwiches and holiday fare.

INDIA PALE ALE – Sebago’s Frye’s Leap IPA: A strong, bitter beer originally brewed in Britain for export to soldiers in India, made strong to survive the long boat trip. Lots of malt, and generous amounts of hops for strong hop flavor and aroma, enjoy this refreshing brew with seafood, spicy foods and all things grilled.

Like everything else, science has defined the bitterness of beer, just as it has defined other aspects of brew, such as color. Unscientifically, however, the beauty of beer is in the eye (or in this case, the tongue) of the beholder. No scientific data will change the bitter fact . . . a lot of hops in a light lager will have more bite to it than the same measure of hops in a sweet malty porter.

Brewing scientists have developed a unit of measure called the International Bitterness Unit (IBU) which measures the bitterness in beer. It is based on a mathematical formula of interest to homebrewers and brewmasters who use it to decide how much hops to add to a brew in order to attain the desired level of bitterness, while avoiding the dreaded Tongue Pucker syndrome. It is the alpha acid (bittering agent) in the hops that is the culprit.

For those of us who don’t home brew, but do enjoy beer, it’s simply a matter of taste. Mass-produced American Pilsners have about 5 to 15 IBUs. Bohemian lagers, as a rule, measure about 25 to 30 IBUs. Noticeably bitter beers weight in in the 30 to 50 range, while over-the-top strong beers will bite your tongue to the tune of 50 to 90 IBUs!

The brainchild of a not-too-swift advertising campaign person, “Bitter” is also a term used to describe England’s most popular beer style. While “Bitter” is not exactly an appealing name for a commercial product, keep in mind that hops are good bitters. Enjoy a little bitterness, compliments of your favorite Beer of the Month Club.

Fire Island Brewery threw your favorite Beer of the Month Club a curve ball when they introduced themselves by saying they were from “the Other New York.” When pressed, they said they are proud to come from “the Other New York” where the people are laid-back and friendly; the surroundings are vibrant and colorful; and visitors there tap into the serenity the moment they step off the ferry onto Fire Island. This other New York is a state of mind that goes perfectly with great, flavorful, well-crafted beer. Fire Island Beer Company proudly makes the official craft beer of the Other New York.

It all started when two brothers and their cousin (who all love beer) ran The Shack in Atlantique Beach on Fire Island. It was a landmark in the Other New York, a laid-back place where anybody and everybody met to share a story and a few beers. Here they served their first home brew – whose taste was inspired by the easy-going vibe at The Shack and throughout the island.

The locals loved their flagship brew, Fire Island Lighthouse Ale. This American Amber has a clean, crisp taste with sweet flavors of caramel and toasted malt. Light and refreshing, it’s a copper-gold brew with a moderate head and vibrant but soft carbonation. Sweet notes of caramel and bready malts make this sturdy substantial ale easy to drink.

Smooth Fire Island Red Wagon IPA, pale bronze with burnt yellow along the edges, pours an off-white half-inch head. With big citrus and floral notes, it’s mild for an IPA. Caramel and brown sugar are there, balancing the hope aromas. Wonderfully spicy and peppery in aroma, it delivers tangy fruit and a powerful hop punch to the palate, finishing with a crisp taste. It’s named for the red wagons used by the islanders, as no cars are allowed on Fire Island!

Featured Beer from Fire Island Brewery:
Fire Island Lighthouse Ale and Red Wagon IPA

www.fireislandbeer.com