beer

How to Pour Beer (video)

Filed under: Luxury Travel & Hotels, Spirits

Our partners at the Food Network visited an authentic
Irish pub in Dublin to learn how to pour the How to pour beer. "perfect pint". According to the experts, there are six key steps to do so. Watch the video above and find out why a 45 degree angle is so important, what the "perfect dome" looks like and what happens in precisely 119.5 seconds.

Click here to read our related post on the Best Brew Pubs in the U.S.

Tags: awards-main, beer, beer tap, brew pubs, Dublin, how to pour beer, irish pub, luxist-awards, The Food Network, video

First U.S. Guinness Store To Open On The Las Vegas Strip

by Deidre Woollard (RSS feed) —

What better opportunity to open the first official Guinness store in the United States than St. Patrick's Day? Moodie Report says that the Guinness Store Las Vegas will open at the Shoppes at Mandalay Place on the Las Vegas Strip on March 17. The famous Irish stout is over 250 years old and is one of the world's most popular beers.

The 1,500-square-foot store will offer the largest selection of Guinness merchandise located in a single venue outside of Ireland. It will sell customized pint glasses, clothing, gifts and more. The store will also share information about the brewing process and the brand through visual and interactive exhibits.

Tags: beer, guide, guinness, ireland, st. patricks day

Beer, Made The Jefferson Way, To Be Tapped On President's Day

by Deidre Woollard (RSS feed) —

Our founding fathers weren't just politicians, they were Renaissance men with a variety of talents one of which included making tasty things to drink. George Washington distilled whisky and brandy at his Mount Vernon estate and Thomas Jefferson brewed beer at his Monticello plantation. The Mount Vernon estate has recreated Washington-style rye whiskey and peach brandy during the last few years. Now it's Monticello's turn. The Thomas Jefferson Foundation has announced a project with Starr Hill Brewery in Crozet to offer Monticello Reserve Ale.

Businessweek reports that Starr Hill's master brewer Mark Thompson will brew the ale using lightly hopped wheat and corn, as was done back in Jefferson's day. The beer will feature local ingredients including some hops grown at Monticello. Wheat-style beer is generally lighter, often with a bit of a lemony taste.

The Monticello blog says that Jefferson wrote in 1821 that he had "no receipt for brewing," doubting "if the operations of malting and brewing could be successfully performed from a receipt." His brews varied on the grains available. The Monticello Reserve Ale will be sold in 750ml bottles and served on tap at local restaurants. It all begins with a Presidents' Day Tasting on Monday, February 21, starting at 12:15 p.m. with the tapping of the first keg.

Tags: ale, beer, monitcello reserve ale, monticello, starr hill brewery, thomas jefferson

Boston Beer Launches Champagne-ish Beer

by David Kiley (RSS feed) —

Filed under: Spirits

The Boston Beer Company is launching a sparkling beer called Infinium this month in time for holiday parties.

The champagne-like beer is the result of a two-year partnership with Germany's Weihenstephan Brewery. The drink will be packaged in 750 milliliter bottles with 10.3 percent alcohol by volume – or twice the amount of a typical beer.

Boston Beer is making the beer available at this time of year in an effort to court Christmas shoppers. The Infinium beer will sell for a suggested retail price of $20.

This is the South Boston-based company's first champagne-like beer. The beer will share both the Samuel Adams and Weihenstephan logos, and will be brewed at both companies' breweries.

Tags: beer, Boston Beer, champagne, Holiday Beer, holiday drinks, Infinium

Antarctic Nail Ale, A New Rival For The Title of Most Expensive Beer

by Deidre Woollard (RSS feed) —

Filed under: Spirits, Auctions, Charity

There's a new contestant for the title of world's most expensive beer. At the Sea Shepherds auction in Fremantle,Australia this week the number one bottle (of 30) of Antarctic Nail Ale sold for $800. The beer was brewed with ice brought back from the Antarctica from the Sea Shepherds last campaign. Proceeds went to the Sea Shepard, which fights to stop Japanese whaling ships killing whales in the Antarctic sanctuary. The buyer was the Elliot Syndicate. The new beer rivals the £500 "The end of History" created by Brewdog. The Scottish brewery brewed eleven bottles of the beer which has an alcohol content of 55 percent ABV and was sold in animal carcasses. Antarctic Nail Ale was brewed by Nail Brewing Australia at Edith Cowan University. Sea Shepherd has bottles #2 to 10 available for purchase.

[via Ecorazzi]

Tags: antarctic nail ale, beer, most expensive, most expensive beer, worlds most expensive

Sam Adams' Collectible $150 Utopias Beer Expanding Distribution

by David Kiley (RSS feed) —

Filed under: Spirits

Samuel Adams Utopias, an extra strong beer brewed with a blend of malts and maple syrup and aged in cognac, bourbon and port casks, is expected to sell for $115 a bottle when it arrives in Canadian stores this month.

Utopias has been on sale in the U.S. since 2002 and the Canadian introduction gives us a chance to share our tasting experience. It also may give some an idea for a first-class holiday gift for the beer lover.

The beer, priced in the U.S. at about $150, is banned in 12 U.S. states because its high alcohol content (27 per cent by volume) puts it past their legal threshold for "beer." Older vintages of Utopias, like from 2002, sell for hundreds of dollars on the auction market.

Utopias is made from a blend of several different strong beers that have been aged in cognac, bourbon and port barrels.The oldest of the strong beers blended to create Utopias is 15 years, Sam Adams co-founder Jim Koch says. Figuring out how much of each beer to put in the final blend is a the magic that makes each release different. Ten thousand of the bottles were produced and can still be purchased at select retailers.

Taste: The high alcohol hits you right away. The oak is very over-the-top. It would be criticized if we were tasting cognac or wine. In beer, it is novel. Taste of figs and caramel come from the barrels. The finish is short, which is a bit disappointing. But once you understand that this is a different product than whiskey when it comes to finishes, it's okay. You have to accept, or not, the character of aged, barreled beer. Worth the money? I would buy it for a serious beer drinker, aficionado.

Utopias isn't the most expensive beer in the world by a long-shot, but it is what probably ignited the interest in high-alcohol aged beers. End of History, a 55-per-cent alcohol beer from Scotland's brewdog, sold for 500 pounds ($811). Vintage #3, a barley wine made by Carlsberg, sold for 2,010 Danish kroner ($382).

Tags: beer, Brewdog, Carlsberg, End of History, most expensive, Sam Adams, Sam Adams Utopia

Win a Trip to New Zealand from Steinlager Pure

by Jared Paul Stern (RSS feed) —

Lion Nathan, the leading brewer in New Zealand, has announced the U.S. introduction of Steinlager Pure this month, a beer brewed using only the finest water, barley, hops and yeast the country has to offer. Wholly sourced from New Zealand, the "purest place on Earth", Steinlager Pure is totally preservative and additive-free.

To celebrate its introduction to the States, Steinlager Pure is launching a contest offering lucky beer drinkers (21 and over) the chance to enjoy the heady brew straight from the source. Entrants must describe the first moment they experienced its natural and refreshing taste; the author of the "purest" narrative will win a trip for two to New Zealand. Check out SteinlagerPureNzTrip.com for details.

New Zealand's unique natural elements including rich volcanic soils, pure water sources and unrivalled clean air, contribute to the taste and freshness of Steinlager Pure. Barley is harvested from the sweeping landscapes of the North and South Islands, while the hops are grown on the northernmost tip of the South Island. Together, they create a beer with a light hop nose, a clean, natural finish, and a smooth, perfectly balanced flavor.

The new, state-of-the-art Steinlager Pure brewery follows rigorous sustainability practices in order to maintain the unaffected nature of its surroundings and allow for environmentally friendly brewing. Located on the outskirts of Auckland, The Pride Brewery uses 10% less energy in the brewing process, low energy lighting, and harvests rainwater for non-brewing purposes. Steinlager also has a record of reduced water use and CO2 emissions, as well as recycling, reusing or value-adding more than 99% of the solid waste generated.

Tags: Auckland, beer, brewery, contest, New Zealand

Beer: Best Sipped Cool, Not Cold

by Tom Henkenius (RSS feed) —

Filed under: Dining, Spirits

If it has to be served "ice cold" it probably isn't a good beer.

Instead Daniel Kahn, brew master for Buckbean Brewing Company, a microbrewery in Reno, Nevada, says all beer should be served at 55-degrees Fahrenheit. "Because when it's too cold it numbs your taste buds, which in turn affects how you taste the flavors - or really, how you don't taste them," he explains.

So throw out what you know about a frosty mug of beer, to completely appreciate the vast array of brews being produced today let them warm a couple of degrees.

The Brewers Association classifies beers into two categories: ales - where the yeast ferments on top examples include IPA, pale ale, porter, stout - and lagers - where the yeast ferments on the bottom as in pilsners, Bocks or dark lagers.

Kahn knows a lot about both types. His two-year-old brewery began by producing one of each: a Bavarian Schwarz bier Lager called Black Noddy Lager and zesty ale called Original Orange Blossom Ale. These are beers that offer huge flavors; they're meant to be sipped, not chugged. Chilling them too much does more than numb your taste buds, "If you serve your beer too cold the gases don't release and you miss out on the aromas, which also affects taste." He says the next time you have a beer - or eat anything for that matter - plug your nose. You'll find your sense of smell is responsible for a lot of the flavor.

Tags: awards-main, beer, beer temperature, beertemperature, beertypes, Black Noddy Lager, Brewers Association, buckbean, BuckbeanBrewingCompany, entertainment-pedia, lagervs.ale, luxist-awards, main-pedia, Original Orange Blossom Ale, outdoor-entertainment-pedia, perfecttemperatureforbeer, serving temperatures, temperature

Continue reading “Beer: Best Sipped Cool, Not Cold”

Brewdog Creates New "World's Strongest Beer"

by David Kiley (RSS feed) —

Filed under: Spirits

Scottish microbrewery BrewDog has created what it's claiming is the most alcoholic, most expensive beer in the world. It's called "The End of History", and has an alcohol content of 55 percent ABV. Cost: £500 for a bottle. (Their previous world's strongest beer offering, unveiled last year, was called Tactical Nuclear Penguin.)

The name comes from a quote by philosopher Francis Fukuyama, who claimed, "What we may be witnessing is not just the end of the Cold War, or the passing of a particular period of post-war history, but the end of history as such."

The beer, which comes infused with juniper berries and highland nettles, is being produced in a limited run of just 12 bottles. Brewdog achieves the high ABV by freezing the beer down to -70 celsius repeatedly. The water freezes before the alcohol does, and the ice crystals are extracted, concentrating the flavor and the alcohol content.

Tags: beer, Brewdog, The End of History, worlds strongest beer

Continue reading “Brewdog Creates New "World's Strongest Beer"”

Paddles and Pints Combines Beer and Adventure

by Deidre Woollard (RSS feed) —

Sometimes there's nothing better after a day of exertion than a good beer. The 2010 Paddles and Pints rafting trip combines both. Rogue Wilderness Adventures is partnering with Oregon brew master Mark Vickery for three days of whitewater rapids and tasty brews. For the last five years Mark has been the head brewer at Golden Valley Brewery in McMinnville, Oregon and he has over 20 years of brewing experience. This trip will be a rafting excursion down the wild and scenic Rogue River Canyon in Oregon. During the day, the staff of Rogue Wilderness Adventures will take paddlers down one of the most beautiful whitewater rivers in the country. Evenings will be spent camping on sandy beaches as guides serve dishes like steak, grilled shrimp, and fajitas paired with a variety of beers. Mark will be lecturing each evening on his favorite beer types and how each one is created. The trip runs Friday August 27, 2010 to Sunday August 29, 2010 or Friday September 10, 2010 to Sunday September 12, 2010. The cost is $899 per person. Other special trips are available including the Paddles and Paws Rafting trip that pairs dogs and owners for an exhilarating adventure.

Tags: beer, beer tastings, rafting, rogue river, whitewater rafting

Cigar and Beer Pairings in Beverly Hills

by Tom Johansmeyer (RSS feed) —

Filed under: Cigars

Cigar Reader Summer Cigar Cheatsheet

When you crack open a cold one this summer, what are you going to cut and light to go with it? Vin Lee, CEO of the Beverly Hills Cigar Club, has put together a list of cigar and beer pairing recommendations for your Fourth of July festivities, with eight ways to celebrate the birth of our nation. My favorite is the My Father #1, but I've always been a fan of Pepin Garcia's work. What's your choice for the best barbecue weekend of the year? Leave a comment, and let us know.

[spreadsheet courtesy of John Biggs]

Tags: beer, beverly hills, cigar, cigar club, cigar lounge, cigars, summer

The Perfect Beer Connoisseur Set

by Annie Scott (RSS feed) —

Filed under: Spirits, Wine, Men's Style

Spiegelau's new Beer Connoisseur Kit is an instant classic. Whether it's for Father's Day or for you, you're not likely to find a simpler and more elegant set of crystalline beer glasses -- and for just $49.

Lager is one of the most common beers, and that's why most people serve all beers in lager-friendly pint glasses. However, the shape of the glass greatly affects the experience of a beer's aroma and flavor, and not all beers are made alike. If you consider the way the taste buds are arranged on the tongue, it makes sense that the way a beer flows into the mouth will affect the taste. The shape of the glass determines that flow, and there is no one-glass-fits-all for beer.

The Kit features, from left to right, Spiegelau's new Tall Pilsner Glass, Wheat Beer Glass, a Lager Glass (pint glass) and a Stemmed Pilsner Glass, ensuring that you always serve your beer in a shape conducive to expressing the beer's optimum flavor.

All the glasses are German-made and dishwasher-safe. If presenting someone with the Beer Connoisseur Kit as a gift, we recommend also gifting them with four imported beers ideal for the glasses, like a Bohemian-style pilsner for the Tall Pilsner Glass, a wheat (or "weizen") beer, an esoteric lager and a highly-fermented, intense pilsner for the stemmed glass.

Tags: beer, beer glasses, fathers day, fathers day gift ideas, fathers day gifts, glasses, glassware, pilsner, pilsner glasses, spiegelau

Serving Temperatures for Beer

by Carl Benjamin (RSS feed) —

Filed under: Dining, Spirits

The proper temperature for beer is important for taste and your enjoyment. If you serve beer too cold, it might be refreshing, but it will hold back most of its flavor. Serving beer, at room temperature, brings out the best in flavors and aromas. This is usually the best way for judging a beer, in contests.

However, most Americans like their beer cold. That being said, here are some guidelines to follow to bring out the best in your beer drinking.

Fruit beers should be served at between 40 and 50 degrees Fahrenheit.
Wheat beers and pale lagers should be served at 45 to 50 degrees Fahrenheit.
Pale ales and amber or dark lagers should be served at 50 to 55 degrees Fahrenheit.
Very strong ales, such as barley wines and Belgian ales, is 50 to 55 degrees Fahrenheit.
Dark ales, including porters and stouts, should be served at 55 to 60 degrees Fahrenheit.

The problem arises, because most brew pubs, restaurants and bars can't serve beer, at a variety of temperatures. Simply put, they don't have enough coolers. Brew pubs tend to serve the house beer, which is usually their specialty beer, at the preferred temperature.

Besides temperature, there is another important factor to consider. All beer should be poured into the middle of a glass. This prevents the loss of flavor and aroma. Many people pour it down the side of the glass, which reduces the foam (also known as "head") on the beer. However, if you let it sit for a few minutes, the foam will settle.

Finally, avoid shaking beer. Remove it from the cooler, with as little shaking as possible. Pulling it out straight up, is the best way to remove it from the refrigerator or cooler.

Tags: ales, beer, beertemperatures, brew pubs, entertainment-pedia, lagers, luxist-awards, main-pedia, outdoor-entertainment-pedia, stouts

Silver City Brewery Wins Luxist Awards Readers' Choice Award for Best Brew Pub

by Carrie Coolidge (RSS feed) —

Filed under: Dining, Spirits

Silver City Brewery Wins the Readers' Choice Award for Best Brew Pub

Though Silverdale, Wa. is about 20 miles from downtown Seattle as the crow flies, the body of water that lies between the two towns makes the trip a bit more complicated than one might expect. The journey from Seattle takes you down around the southern boundary of Puget Sound – 70 miles by car – but it's worth the time if you're headed to Silver City Brewery, the Luxist Awards Readers' Choice Winner in the best brew pub category.

The Silver City story starts long before the brewpub's 1996 debut. Steve and Scott Houmes first went into business together in 1990, opening a restaurant called Top Notch Burger. Six years later, feeling squeezed by the big burger chains, they decided to regroup and try a new approach by entering the brew pub business. They remodeled their Silverdale location into its modern form, and the rest, as they say, was history.

Gallery: Silver City Brewery

Silver City brews its beers on premises. Some favorites include Clear Creek Pale Ale, a blend of three lightly roasted British malts and hints of caramel; Panther Lake Porter, a dark, chocolatey ale; and Fat Scotch Ale, a malty and whiskey-esque brew that clocks with a hefty 9.2% alcohol content. Silver City sells beer by the glass at its bar and restaurant, but for those who want to take home a larger quantity, the microbrewery sells kegs as well.

The food at Silver City's restaurant makes for a great accompaniment to the delicious brews. The menu includes a variety of salads, appetizers, main courses and desserts – and of course, the Houmes' specialty: a good, old-fashioned cheeseburger.

Tags: awards-main, beer, brew pub, luxist-awards, microbrewery, Silver City Brewery, Silverdale, winners-entertainment

Nominees for Best in Entertainment

by Carrie Coolidge (RSS feed) —

Filed under: Dining, Spirits

Best Wine Bars

The first nominee offers an authentic Tuscan experience in the heart of Manhattan while the second nominee is an inviting and chic wine bar that is a favorite of San Francisco residents. The third nominee is sure to please every oenophile with its vast selection of wines from around the world while the fourth nominee offers a stunning selection and intimate ambiance with a European feel. The final nominee is a cozy, yet sophisticated establishment that attracts wine country royalty.

Accademia di Vino

Bar Bambino

The Local Vine
Mercy Wine Bar

Underwood Bar & Bistro

Best Cocktail Lounges
The first nominee is a monumental place with a magical atmosphere while the second features handcrafted liqueurs and innovative imbibables. The third nominee takes a culinary approach to the art of cocktail making while the fourth has been mixing masterpieces for Parisians and international celebrities since 1911. The final nominee is housed in a two-story barn that dates back to the 16th century England.

Best Coffeehouses
The first nominee is known for discovering unknown and exotic coffees from around the world while the second is focused on its craft of making the best coffee. The third nominee is the largest chain of coffeehouses in the world while the fourth nominee knows coffee the way oenologists know wine. The final nominee features artisan-roasted beans and single-origin coffees and teas from around the world.

Zoka

Best Hotel Bars

The first nominee offers the royal treatment and is located within one of the world's most glamorous hotels. The second nominee blends grand heritage with modern panache while the third offers spectacular service and stupendous views. The fourth nominee is a decadent, elegant and decidedly dressy bar while the final nominee is a New York landmark and iconic meeting place.

Best Brew Pubs

The first nominee is in Vemont and the only way to sample its beer is to go there yourself. The second nominee has won countless awards while the third nominee features hand-crafted beer. The fourth nominee brews its award-winning beer on the premises while many consider the beers made by the final nominee among the best in the world.

The Alchemist Pub and Brewery

Four Peaks Brewing Co.

Lost Coast Brewery

Silver City Brewery

Spuyten Duyvil

Tags: awards-main, beer, best brew pub, best cocktail lounge, best hotel bar, best wine bar, claridges, Cocktail Lounge, four seasons, Four Seasons George V, hotel, luxist-awards, Plaza Hotel, Starbucks, starbucks coffee, wine, wine bar, winners-entertainment