Beer of the Day: Guinness Draught...in Ireland

My girlfriend is on a trip to Ireland this week with her son. It's part of a class trip for her son. Of course she had to try the local Guinness. She of course says its better than what is served elsewhere. It's creamier and more flavorful.She couldn't even finish the pint she was served. I'm of course full of envy.

I've heard constant testimony that to really enjoy Guinness is to have it in it's homeland of Ireland. I've yet to have the privilege of enjoying in it's native land. It is on my bucket list of things to do. That is having a pint of Guinness in a Pub in Dublin. Just something about the mystique and history behind it.

Guinness Commercial: Empty Chair

King of Golden Suds

I was feeling rebellious to craft beer community so I picked up this 25 ounce can of the golden suds  otherwise known as Budweiser! You might ask why 25 ounces? I imagine because this is the king of beers! Only mere mortal peasant beers come in a ordinary conformist 24-ounce can.  It's awesomeness just can't be contained in just 24 ounces.

In order to try and maintain my craft beer street cred, and to rebel against my first act of rebelliousness, I'm using my snifter glass which is the official glass of the fussy beer drinking snob. I got this glass at the most recent beer fest I went to which surprisingly I saw no Budweiser booth. I must have missed it. Maybe being the king of beers they didn't feel the need to bow down to the commoner types at the beer-fest.I thought they'd fit in between Samuel Adams and Sierra Nevada just nicely.I can hear the Clydesdale's fussing in the background as I pour.

Of course we all know if the Darth Vader had an official beer of the evil empire it would be this would be the one. It is the infamous symbol of big macro corporate beer. It even hurts beer snobs to say the word "Budweiser".

What exactly is evil about this beer? Is it because of it representing corporate beer? Is it the beer itself? Maybe the bully type of marketing and sales techniques they allegedly use? Maybe it's a combination of all of the above.

The beer itself is brewed to be pleasant and unoffensive as possible. It's golden color is crystal clear. Despite it detractors it a sweet and unoffensive beer. I've tasted far worse macro lagers including the hipster favorite Pabst Blue Ribbon which I found quite awful. It does have a fuller flavor than it's lighter sibling Bud Light.

It makes me wonder at times what exactly makes a good or bad beer? Is it how well it conforms to tradition or craft. Is it how many people enjoy it? It's very debatable to say the least.

It's brewed to be a beer for the masses. Just like a politician running for office anything offensive  is taken out as to not offend anyone. It's to be consumed in massive quantities. That's why pale lagers became popular. People loved it to drink it in great quantity. If you look at the history of the style it took a lot of work to get the beer this light and smooth in the beginning.


I do believe in celebrating all beer and don't believe in deriding those that drink a certain brand or worry about who owns the company, unless they are owned by Taliban,ISIS, Nazi's, child pedophiles, anti-vaxxers or something like that. It's about what comes out in the glass in the end. The care, quality and craft in the brew will come out of the tap in the long run. To get all your panties in a bunch because of a buyout is immature and jumping the gun. If the quality lags then I can see it. I can't see jumping ship on a hard working brewery and it's workers because beer snobs turn their noses on a product that has more than likely gone unchanged besides ownership and financing.

I have a hunch that it's unlikely that AB-InBev will change much in those craft brewers it decides to buy. They know that the core of the craft beer fan base are watching and waiting for any change in product so I kind of doubt they would change, at least not while anyone was looking. They know they failed gain credibility with psuedo-craft beer like Shock-Top so they have shore up their brand with craft beer that all the start up work and credibility have already been established.

Be proud of what you drink and don't worry about what corporate beer suits or beer snobs think. Enjoy your beer wherever it comes from!  

Sierra Nevada Beer!

I'll be waiting by the door. 

Brewed The Hard Way

As we all know beer commercials are king during the Superbowl and this year's with  my hometown team New England Patriots verses Seattle Seahawks was no different. I did happen to catch the Budweiser talking smack against craft beer in their commercial entitled "Brewed the hard way". Which has the heavy drum beat and horn section marching through dissing craft beer snobs and bragging about being Beechwood aged and all that. I knew this would make for interesting fodder for craft beer enthusiasts on social media. I wasn't disappointed when I checked on line either.

Here it is if you missed it:

To me it say Budweiser isn't ashamed who they are as a macro beer. It isn't a beer to fussed over or analyzed but to be enjoyed by people who like to drink beer. I know those in craft beer circles have been getting their panties in a bunch about this and  I'm sure that was to be expected.

I kind of thought this was a ballsy move by Budweiser. They actually acknowledge the existence of the craft beer movement and they're  not talking it lightly. I think this is a good sign in a way. It means the craft beer community has gotten the attention of the big guys. Welcome to the big time.

Yes I've drank it!

I know Budweiser is synonymous with its parent company AB-InBev but this was a commercial about the Budweiser beer itself and it's brand. It's been taking a beating over the years especially from craft beer enthusiasts(including myself). I've made fun of those that drank this stuff in the past.


I think I've come to the conclusion that the beer community has room for the fizzy water beers too. It actually suits the occasion at times. If people like to drink it so what? To each his own. We should be celebrating beer drinkers all around. Beer consumption has fallen in comparison to wine and liquor. So brewers are fight for a smaller piece of the pie. Of course competition will become fierce. Perhaps the real enemy are those turning to wine and hard liquor instead of beer. Craft beer has been gaining ground in a smaller piece of the same pie as Budweiser and the like.

I'd rather see beer drinkers banding together rather than fighting against each other. If the beer community and consumption grows it makes everyone happy. Infighting does no one any good.

Before I get craft beer nerds crawling up my butt I'll say that I'm a huge craft beer fan and drink lots of it. Nine out of ten beers I drink are of the craft variety. Occasionally I'll have a macro beer and I survive and so will craft beer. I'm through picking on those that drink the big beers. If you want to fuss over beer that is quite alright and if you just want to drink it that it's that's fine too. We need all the beer drinkers we can get.

Cheers!

Rhode Island Brew Fest 2015

Had the pleasure of attending the Rhode Island Brew Fest at the Pawtucket Armory. I was originally slated to go to the early session but because my girlfriend wanted to be my designated driver but she could only go to the second session at 5:30pm. My past experience with these events is that you really should have a designated driver. Having many samplings do add up after awhile.

It was very crowded in the big hall was challenging working your way through the three main passages. After about one time around my girl tired of it and stayed near back where the music and food was while I worked my way around solo. The vendors were a mix of local and big name craft beer brewers. Big names Samuel Adams, Sierra Nevada, Magic Hat, Smuttynose were there. Some local names were Rhode Island's own Foolproof(who's brewery I've visited), Newport Storm, Narragansett and Revival and more.

My strategy was to try ones that I haven't tried before. My girlfriend wanted to enjoy my company later rather than having driving around a stumbling fool. I won't tell you about how she was at the Superbowl party the next night but I'll leave it at that. It was for my safety.

Here are some observations:

• Was disappointed Sierra Nevada's Hop Hunter IPA after the much talked about lawsuit by Lagunita(who was also there),that was quickly dropped.
• Finch's Beer out of Chicago could be filed under "Nicest Surprise" with their Nuclear Winter dark Belgian Ale and Secret Stache American Stout. I'm looking forward to finding those at my local bottle store.
• Best Swag Item would be Vermont's Magic Hat  with the "Magic Hat Condom". Yes I did take one. 
•  Under What I've been wanting to try but haven't got around to was Oscar Blues Ten Fidy which I was not disappointed by the least.

Here are some more scenes:

Smuttynose

Narragansett Brewing

Cisco Brewing out of Nantucket

My girl decided she had enough of being hit on while waiting around for me and it was nearing the end it was time to go. It was great time. I even collected a nice snifter glass which I'm enjoying some nice brew in now writing this. Now she says I owe her a wine tasting.

The glass, disappointed Mayflower Brewing was not there.