Turn Your Thanksgiving Day Into Something Special

In the wine world there is a unanimous consensus that “white” goes with poultry.


In the beer world it’s not so cut and dry.
I will concede that flavor is in the taste bud of the beholder however, a little direction may go a long way when it comes to selecting a beer or even several for the holiday.
For starters, any of the sour ales would be an eclectic twist for a beverage choice. Don’t let the name fool you. These ales are mouth watering. They can be likened to a liquid version of a green olive. It’s intended to whet the appetite but one wouldn’t want to make a dinner of it.
Sour ales such as Flanders Red or Brown or a gueze are not easy to find. Some BevMo’s may carry them. World Market or Whole Foods is also a good place to look. Don’t add to your holiday rush. These are places that we commonly go to for uncommon items. When you find yourself there just remember the beer style and if you find one then you know you have something extra special to share with family and friends during the holiday season.
Sour Ales are have very low or even absent hop aroma and flavor. They are also quite reasonable in the alcohol content being between 6 and 8 percent ABV% for most. The cultures added during the fermentation ( to mimic original fermenting styles) are what add to the sour characteristic of the beer profile. It is for this reason you may want to offer only small amounts since these can be an acquired taste.
These beers have a great punch of flavor with tons of complexity. Loads of fruit and malt characteristic are well balanced with the hops and sour character. The Flanders are made with high quality pilsner malt and crystal malts which contribute to the color and rich flavor of the beer style.
The Lambics/ Gueze are made primarily with wheat to give it the characteristic color and mouth feel the fruit flavor in these beers comes from the fruit added to the beer after its first or primary fermentation. The fruit is allowed to macerate in the beer, taking on the flavors .
It will take awhile for the beers to unfold on the palate. They have a light to medium mouth feel so they are not too heavy and have a good amount of carbonation. These beers are rich in European history so you may want to encourage on your guests to partake in a little bit of European culture. Be sure to give them a heads up about these beers. They do require an open mind.
These ales should be served at app. 65 degrees . Serving these beers at refrigeration temperature will close the taste buds more than effect the actual character of the beer. These beers are very complex in aroma so they would do well in large rimmed glasses just be sure to only offer a short pour. Encourage the head of the beer by pouring down the middle of the glass as you finish the pour.
You should now have the perfect glass of sour ale at the best temperature and a topped of with a fine head.
These beers are too be savored. Just drink a little at a time. They will actually tell you when you are ready for another sip. They can be addicting the same way olives can be addicting. Enjoy!

What's all the fuss about awards anyways? Well let me tell you what I learned

Asians are won over with California beers.

Recently, I received an excited face book announcement from Denise Jones of Moylan’s Brewing Co. that they had taken 2 of the 4 medals awarded to California Breweries in the European Star Competition. I saw her several weeks later the other day at the California Small Brewers Conference for Northern California.




I congratulated her on the award and I learned a few things. First let me say that when I saw the award, I thought to myself, that’s a long way to send beer out for competition. I know that Moylan’s is not hurting for recognition so why compete in an international format? My other thought was, what they had hoped to accomplish by winning an award in a European country?



She mentioned a program that has been out for several years now. It was established by the Brewers Association (BA) in 2004. It was a result of a grant received from the Department of Agriculture’s , Market Access Program. With these funds BA has formed the Export Development Program(EDP). The objectives of the program are to:

• Educate international trade and media groups about the quality and diversity of products offered by the US craft beer industry and culture.

• Provide and promote brewers opportunities to place their product in key international target markets.

• To complement industry efforts to increase international distribution.

Participation in craft shows and competition has led to countless awards. This leads to bolstering domestic and international media exposure for U.S breweries, improving public relations and distribution agreements throughout Asia and Europe. All of this has resulted in a 196% U.S craft beer exports.



Sending beer out to Asian and European countries requires substantial administrative and financial support.

Participation requires that the brewery subscribe to the program. In order for a brewer to subscribe the brewers pay a fee based on the size of their operation. The fee is to offset related costs to provide administrative support, shipping, and representation of the shipped product. Currently there are 40 subscribers in the U.S.



After learning about this it helped me to appreciate that our U.S government considers beer to be an agricultural product. Winning medals overseas is more about raising awareness of the craft of beer making in the U.S. and that promoting this awareness stimulates our economy and trade relations.



While I wasn’t able to acquire a list of the 40 breweries subscribing to the Export Development Program I was able to view a recent competition in Asia. Some of the participating California breweries included: Uncommon Brewers, Stone Brewing Company, Sierra Nevada Brewing Co., Lagunitas, Green Flash, and The Bruery.

California is home to the most breweries in the U.S. according to California Small Brewers Association.Our brewers are not only very good at their craft when it comes to setting standards, pushing envelopes, and creating trends. They also have a strong desire to make sure that not only are they outstanding beers by California and U.S. standards but they are also to be recognized by their peers in other countries as well.

Entering competition is not longer a prestigious award on a local level. It is much more depending on where you submit you product. It is about creating awareness, education, developing interests and forming alliances. The next time you see a beer win a competition I hope that you appreciate as I have come to appreciate through the writing of this article, the comprehensive value that is acquired by the brewer, the brewery through their beer

30th Anniversary Party Sierra Nevada Brewing Co.

November 15, 1980, Sierra Nevada produced it's first batch of beer. 

Over the years, Sierra Nevada Brewing Company has been a pioneer in the craft of Micro brewed beers.  Ken Grossman has been a trailblazer and a business model for brewers all over the nation.

The party kicked off at 4pm.  Tickets were $15 and that got you an Anniversary glass which was the perfect size for sampling the 35 some odd beers that were made available for the evening.  Many of the beers I never heard of.  All of the beers I did not try.  I was the designated driver for 13 others from the Sacramento area.
 The venue was huge.  Much like Fort Mason in San Francisco.  There were the musical stylings of great funky jazz, and blues by the  Joe Cavern Trio, Roy Rogers, and Houston Jones.
  Freshly made pretzels straight from the breweries restaurant came out hot and salty.  The place was well prepared for the huge crowd it drew.  Dinner was served buffet style and included fresh mixed salad, sauteed vegetables, sweet pepper polenta and tri-tip.
There was a point in the evening that there were so many people there that getting around required an introduction.  The evening was pleasant and the party lasted till the dying end. 

Women on the Beer Band Wagon

Polls have been pointing in the direction of increased interest in beer over wine.  Even more interesting is that these polls are targeting women to find out what our preferences are.  Do we need a Gallup Poll to tell us something that we women already knew? 

No, but,  maybe the polls are a wake up call to the industry.  Women have always enjoyed beer.  There are definitely some aspects of beer that make it more challenging for us to warm up to. 

Stroll down the aisle of your favorite bottle shop or liquor store and what do you find?  I will tell you what I find.  Rows and rows of stupid looking labels on six packs.  This does not make me want to take any of the bottles home, to a party or any place else.  Many of the labels derogatory and on the verge of insulting intelligence. 

As a intelligent and educated women,  I want to pick a bottle that speaks to me with intelligence and sophistication.  If beer consumption is still being dominated by men it is only because they don't mind being seen at the check out stand with a six pack of crazy, unattractive, labeling.

 I spoke with owner of NapaSmith Brewing Co. and shared with him this small detail.  Looks may not cover up a poor beer, but if you have a really good beer, give it a really good label. 

Beer Back to Double-Digit Lead Over Wine as Favored Drink

Beer Back to Double-Digit Lead Over Wine as Favored Drink

Asian thirst for beer set for further growth

The Asian beer market is set to account for 38% of total global beer consumption by 2015, according to latest figures from industry analyst


Fermented beverages are no stranger to asian countries.