Like most of you, I constantly sift through news feeds looking to see what others are writing about beer. Aside from the occasional big-ticket stories that spread to every possible publishing outlet (hello, Beer Summit and Cameron vs. Obama), beer headlines range from “Local man stabs other local man with beer bottle” to “Beerbeque-n-Blues fest tonight,” on any given day. Every. Single. Day. This morning I decided to do a casual search for wine, just to see the print/online life this beverage lives. I can’t say I was surprised. Ladies and gentlemen, today’s Beer vs. Wine headline match-up.
Beer
Wine
Hmm. Something seems off-balance here. Beer gets stuck with the anonymous man while wine gets the celebrity. Beer and wine have shared an uneven relationship for the thousands of years they’ve been around, so maybe there’s nothing shocking here—except for “200 Bottles of Beer at Warp Speed.” Sign me up.
What beer headlines make you laugh, or piss you off the most?
Part of my job here at DRAFT—arguably the most important outside of tasting and reviewing beer—is to stay connected with the industry. That means phone calls, meetings, scouring the Internet and lots and lots of emails. But while it’s crucial to keep an eye on the industry’s producers, it’s just as beneficial to watch the consumer. So, in an effort to connect with craft beer supporters, I recently pushed back from the confines of my desk and guest bartended at a neighborhood beer bar. Before this foray into slinging drinks, I’d never bartended—hell, I’d never even worked in the service industry aside from a stint in a Shoney’s dish room during college. It was fun and exhausting, and here’s what I learned.
A bar’s like a hive
Think you’re a lone wolf? Whether or not you bellied up to the bar alone, you’re drinking pattern is tuned in to the rhythm of the bar as soon as you sit down. As a testament to the social nature of beer, people subconsciously connect with the drinking pace of those around them, and from behind the bar, you can stare out into the room and see these waves of orders approaching like you’re standing on a beach looking out at the ocean.
The dishes are never done
Not until the door’s locked and the final glass is polished are the dishes truly done. And more often than not, there’s a rogue glass you catch at the last minute. Keeping glasses behind the bar is a constant battle. If you don’t tune into the bar’s rhythm you’ll have two problems: No pint glasses to pour into, and a mound of dirty ones that will further throw you off course. Also, weissbier glasses are a pain in the ass to polish.
People want to discover new flavors
In a beer bar, people are excited and determined to experience new flavors. They’ll tell you what they like and expect you to push them a little further. If you can’t confidently guide them on this journey, they’ll quickly lose faith in you and the bar. That means knowing which IPAs are citrusy and which are grassy. Speaking of which…
You can never have enough IPAs on tap
Still the darling of the industry, IPAs rule the attention of customers. Out of the 11 or so beers we had on tap, three were IPAs, one was an extra pale ale and another was a black IPA. Customers want to know two things: Is the IPA good? Where is it from? If it’s on tap it’s delicious. And knowing the brewery’s location is crucial to the drinking experience. People want to connect with those who made it. That’s partially why artisanal products are so much fun to consume.
Women aren’t afraid of dark, strong beer
This isn’t news to me, nor is it to you. That said, those in big beer marketing should spend some more time in beer bars. Women aren’t afraid of strong beers. Some people are afraid of strong beer, but a specific gender can’t claim ownership of that clause. I poured just as many imperial stouts for women as I did fruit beer for men. What does this mean? Nothing. Erase years of marketing and there’s no pattern of preference connected to gender.
Do you tend a bar? What do you see from behind the taps?
Cascade, Idaho, July 1941. Reproduction from color slide. Photo by Russell Lee. Prints and Photographs Division, Library of Congress
I’m a fan of old time advertising. Okay, now that’s out of the way let’s take a step back from words today and saunter down dusty memory lane. A blog at the Denver Post recently featured roughly 70 stunning colorized images from 1939-1943, taken by the Farm Security Administration and now owned by the Library of Congress. Sure, those depicting bomber planes and backyard barbecues are certainly interesting, but I couldn’t help being drawn to the images spotlighting beer. Everything looks so hot, dry and secluded (minus the Pabst photo), it’s impossible not to imagine hiking down a long rural road, eventually quenching your parched, dusty throat with a longneck of Jax, or whatever. Take a look, and tell me you don’t wish you could jump in the middle of a Steinbeck novel.
Melrose, Louisiana, June 1940. Reproduction from color slide. Photo by Marion Post Wolcott. Prints and Photographs Division, Library of Congress
Belle Glade, Florida, February 1941. Reproduction from color slide. Photo by Marion Post Wolcott. Prints and Photographs Division, Library of Congress
Chicago, Illinois, May 1943. Reproduction from color slide. Photo by Jack Delano. Prints and Photographs Division, Library of Congress
A very quick update this afternoon from the Craft Brewers Conference in what is currently the Rainy City, Chicago. We’ve got FACTS, here. And to spare you from epic ramblings on loosely connected subjects, we’ve got QUOTES. Damn fine quotes. Let’s get with the facts!
Did you know?
* This year up to 3,400 people are in attendance at the CBC. Where are you? On a side note I wouldn’t mind being the BA rep who carries the moneybags out of the Sheraton when this thing’s over. You’d never hear from me again.
* More than 27 countries are representing the world craft scene this year. There’s a rumor going around that a model U.N. session might ensue at the Publican tonight.
* According to the science of stats, 1,552 breweries produced beer at some point during 2009. Thanks to these breweries, roughly 100,000 people can avoid the unemployment line.
* Top Selling Styles!
1. Seasonals (vague, I know)
2. Pale Ales
3. Ambers
4. IPAs
5. Amber lagers
* 86-percent of regional craft brewers increased sales in 2009…and the numbers keep growing. Overall total craft beer revenue looks something like this. 2007: $5.9 billion. 2008: $6.2 billion. 2009: $6.9 billion. I’ll go out on a limb here and say 2010 might just break $7 billion.
Those were some fine stats. But what about quotes?
A few awards were doled out to a number of notable craft brewing figures this morning, and here’s what they had to say.
F.X. Matt Award (for defending and promoting craft beer): Brooklyn Brewery founder Steve Hindy.
“Disunity [between breweries and wholesalers] in the beer industry is bad for beer.” Hindy spoke toward uniting the two fronts in order to create a formidable presence on Capitol Hill. This during the rising push to promote H.R. 4278, essentially an excise tax reduction bill meant to “level the playing field” between craft brewers and the macros. Lesson: Unleveled playing fields are not good.
Brewers Recognition Award:Bell’s founder Larry Bell
“One of the reasons I got into brewing is because I didn’t want to go to jail — they don’t like you selling homebrew out of the basement.”
The Russell Schehrer Award (for innovation in craft beer): Sierra Nevada founder Ken Grossman
“When I started brewing 30 years ago, American beer was really considered a laughing stock by serious brewers around the world. Now, collectively, because of what we’ve all done, the world looks to America for leadership.”
There you have it. Facts & Quotes. Stay tuned for more today, tomorrow and Saturday from the CBC. There’s also some magic happening here.
The first real day of the Craft Brewers Conference is about to get underway, which means it’s time to put on our professional faces and head over to the “Practical Lautering for Maximization of Quality” seminar at this ungodly hour in the morning. [Crickets]
For now, a few images from last night’s reception at Chicago’s Field Museum. But first, look at THIS GUY.
This righteous guy was clearing security at Phoenix’s Sky Harbor Airport. I don’t know where he was going, but if it didn’t involve beer delivery this guy’s a poser.
It didn’t matter where you walked, his eyes followed you.
After a few hours, the animals revolted.
So yeah, much beer was consumed inside the Field Museum and I hope the visiting school children wandering the halls today know what went down. Stay tuned for more today from the CBC. Or see what I’m seeing here.
We’re very proud to introduce DRAFTMag.com’s newest blog: Beer Editor.
Written by our own Christopher Staten, DRAFT’s beer editor (well-named, huh?), the blog deals with all the comings and goings in the craft beer world. In his first post, Chris explains what’s coming:
Here at the Beer Editor’s blog, expect fresh, researched musings, interviews and news about craft breweries around the world. We’re going beyond the magazine, getting real close with the folks that hand-craft the brews you spend face-time with, and, on occasion, we’ll indulge the off-topic conversation that goes hand-in-hand with a round of pints. Discussing late hop additions and yeast strains is great, but so is me trying to convince you that ELO is not a guilty pleasure, but a legitimate, street-cred-worthy band best listened to at maximum decibels. We’ve got a crack team brainstorming regular weekly departments, and they’re going to be good. Stay tuned.
There comes a time in every workingman’s life when The Company sends down a grand assignment; a honey-do job from those who sign your paycheck. Revise the TPS report. Submit to government chemical testing. Green light the “Star Wars” prequels. Well, that day’s finally come for this working stiff. Two years into my stint as associate editor at DRAFT, the papers finally arrived: Start a blog — and just as I was about to settle down with my morning cup of coffee.
Yes, that’s my computer at the top of the post. Yes, official business here at DRAFT HQ often unfolds via sticky note. And, yes, that is most certainly Luke Skywalker shredding the guitar. The force is strong with my computer. Let’s get with the basics.
Name: Christopher Staten New title: Beer Editor College focus: History/Anthropology (with a casual focus on beer’s role in historical events/accidental drinking habits of Australopiths) 9-5: First newspapers, now magazines Weirdest interview: Grace Slick Last beer consumed: Odell Red Ale Most exotic locale with beer: Islander IPA, Singapore Last great foreign pint: Hop Back’s Summer Lightning, The Ten Bells Pub, London. Last great concert: Of Montreal, Halloween, Baltimore Little known fact: I’ve got a personal bet for what happens to me first: bald or gray?
So that’s me in a beer nutshell, but I’m more interested in you. Of course, that’s not going to happen unless I provide grade-A intel on the craft beer scene to coax you out of the woodwork. On with the Mission Statement:
Here at the Beer Editor’s blog, expect fresh, researched musings, interviews and news about craft breweries around the world. We’re going beyond the magazine, getting real close with the folks that hand-craft the brews you spend face-time with, and, on occasion, we’ll indulge the off-topic conversation that goes hand-in-hand with a round of pints. Discussing late hop additions and yeast strains is great, but so is me trying to convince you that ELO is not a guilty pleasure, but a legitimate, street-cred-worthy band best listened to at maximum decibels. We’ve got a crack team brainstorming regular weekly departments, and they’re going to be good. Stay tuned.
Announcement No. 1: The Mailbag
Each week on this Friday post I’ll answer your questions — any question — whether they’re beer related or otherwise. What’s the next New Glarus Unplugged Series beer? What the hell is a metheglin, and why should I care? What beer does Charlie fake drink on “Two and a Half Men”? What is a human paraquat? Drop me an email and I’ll post it, with the answer, in all its glory.
Announcement No. 2: Live Chat
Like James Cameron, we’ve waited for certain technologies to catch up to our vision, and now they have (years ago). Watch for updates from Web Editor/Guru Noah Davis on draftmag.com; you’ll know when it’s coming. Line up for a chance to chat one-on-one with your favorite brewer. Occasionally, we’ll open up the live chat for just you and me. This is your chance to get up in my business.
Announcement No. 3: I’m on the TeeVee (not really)
We sample a lot of beers here at DRAFT. We also get tired of talking to just each other about them. YOU ALREADY SAID GRASSY HOPS. Each Friday we’ll post a new video with our mugs on camera tasting a brew: New beer. Aged beer. Future beer. (Future beer?). We will prime you for happy hour.
So, my newfound friends, this isn’t just the beginning of a blog, but the beginning of a beertiful friendship. And, like I said before, ELO is badass — if I knew I could stage dive with a cello, I would have rethought the guitar.
