The Friday Mash (Micro Republic Edition)
On this day in 301 A.D., a stonecutter with the wonderful name of Marinus of Rab founded what is now The Most Serene Republic of San Marino. This “micro republic” has a flag, a constitution, a parliament, and even a coat of arms. Unfortunately, it’s never had an event listed on the Beer Festival Calendar.
And now…The Mash!
We start with the discovery of two-centuries-old bottles of beer at a shipwreck in the Baltic Sea. So far, the divers who found the beer haven’t reviewed it on RateBeer.com.
It’s chile harvest time in Hatch, New Mexico, and Jesse Hughey of the Dallas Observer hunts up beers that pair with chile dishes.
Overshadowed by its beery neighbor to the south, Washington State is on the verge of a microbrewery explosion, with as many as 20 new establishments about to open their doors.
Stan Hireronymus reviews Last Call: The Rise and Fall of Prohibition, by Dan Okrent. Factoid: James Madison, who stood only 5′4″, drank a pint a day. Whiskey, not beer.
Alan McLeod (A Good Beer Blog) argues that macrobrewers still don’t get it: they rely on T-shirts and $5 coupons, not better beer, to attract customers.
Seth Levy of BeerConnoisseur.com caught up with Jennifer Tally, the brewmaster at Squatter’s Pubs & Beer. He also found out how good-tasting a beer can be despite an ABV of less than 4 percent.
Finally, scientists have found that the ancient Nubians drank beer containing the antibiotic tetracycline. To your health, indeed!
Take Me Out to the Ballgame
It’s summertime, which means it’s time for Maryanne and Paul to hit the road and take in some baseball at the old ballpark. Not to mention a cold beer or two. Over the weekend, they stumbled upon an article by Kristine Hansen of Wine Enthusiast magazine. She knows where to find craft beer at major league parks.
Of course, no trip to the ballpark is complete without a trip to the concession stand, and that’s where David LaHuta comes in. LaHuta, who writes for Travel + Leisure magazine, directs us to the best ballpark eats. The best of the best, by the way, can be found at AT&T Park in San Francisco.
The Friday Mash (Beat the Clock Edition)
On this day in 1908, Bud Collyer was born. He’s perhaps best known for hosting the TV game show “Beat the Clock,” which pitted couples against a loudly ticking clock in a race to perform silly stunts.
Right now, you probably feel like a game show contestant, stressed-out and tired. But hang in there…the weekend is coming and The Mash is up!
We begin in Ontario, which kicks off its Beer Week on Sunday. To mark the occasion, the province’s craft brewers have put together a video entitled “I Am An Ontario Craft Brewer”.
An air of mystery surrounds the collaboration between Boston Beer Company and Weihenstephan. What’s up with the three labels, all marked “For Sample Purposes Only”?
It’s good to see that the Cicerone program is getting attention in the mainstream press. John Stanley of the Arizona Republic explains the program as well as its significance.
Greg Hall, the brewmaster at Goose Island Brewery, sat down with of Esquire magazine and offered tips on the right way to pair beer with food.
Fancy an India pale ale? At SeriousEats.com, Maggie Hoffman compiled a long list of Midwest-brewed IPAs.
Latrobe beer, Pennsylvania’s best-selling brew half a century ago, returns to the shelves starting next month. It will be brewed in the town for which it’s named.
Finally, it’s time to hit the trail. Bend, Oregon, has seven craft breweries within walking distance of one another, and the city has created a Bend Ale Trail connecting them all.
SAVOR Ticket Sales Begin Wednesday
Thinking of attending SAVOR, the Brewers Association’s event highlighting “American Craft Beer and Food Experience” on June 5? The location is the National Building Museum in Washington, DC.
Better hurry up. Tickets go on sale tomorrow.
Ludwig thinks that’s one fine line up of breweries paired with some mighty fine good eats. General admission is $95.
Update: The D.C. Beer blog reports that SAVOR sold out in just ten minutes.
Craft Beer With an Italian Accent
Maryanne and Paul are big fans of the Food Network. Which is why a recent story in BeerNews.com about a collaborative restaurant and craft brewing venture in New York City caught their attention. Read on; you’ll find out why.
The complex, which will be located at 200 5th Avenue, will include an Italian specialty food market, multiple restaurants that pair gourmet foods with artisanal beers and wines, and a rooftop brewery and pub with a view of the Empire State Building.
The principals in the beer end of the venture are Teo Musso of Birrificio Le Baladan and Leonardo Di Vincenzo of Birra del Borgo in Italy, Sam Calagione of Dogfish Head Craft Brewery, and Vinnie Cilurzo of Russian River Brewing. They’ll join forces with Mario Batali, Joe Bastianich, and the Italian food emporium Eataly.
The Friday Mash
Joshua Kay of the Ann Arbor Craft Beer Examiner reviews the Jolly Pumpkin Cafe and Brewery…..The Brooklyn Brewery received a grant from the State of New York which will allow it to expand its on-premise capacity from 8,000 to 50,000 barrels….The latest art-related post on the Brookston Beer Bulletin features English artist George Moreland and his depiction of “alehouse politicians.”…The folks at Brewvana answer a burning culinary question: what is the proper beer pairing for Rocky Mountain oysters?…Finally, as if you needed any more reason to visit Portland, the Oregonian’s John Foyston provides a rundown of establishments that offer games. Not just darts and pub trivia, but Skee-Ball, which Paul excelled at in his formative years.