The Festival: Portland Maine June 21 and 22 2013

Big thanks to the Portland Press Herald for laying out what makes The Festival so awesome. If you didn’t know, we have brewers (yes, actual brewers) coming in from all over the world converging on Portland, Maine this weekend for our second installment of The…

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Welcome to the New Website

Welcome to the new Shelton Brothers website! Over the coming weeks and months we will be adding additional content and information for both our consumers and industry peers. Please check back for more information or contact us at 413.323.7790.

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Attention MPBN Listeners:

Attention MPBN Listeners: If you are visiting our site because you heard about The Festival on the Maine Public Broadcasting Network, please click here.  Use the code letters ‘mpbn’ for special promotional rates on tickets to evening sessions on Friday and Saturday.  Thank you for…

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Vintage 3 Fonteinen

Heads up. There will be a limited amount of vintage 3 Fonteinen Oude Geuze at THE Festival. We have a few cases of ’98, ’99 and 2001. One year will be poured at each session and when it’s gone, it’s gone. How will we decide…

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Cantillon Premiere Revealed

World premiere time…the new Cantillon that will be unveiled in Portland is – Lambic d’Haute Densité. A high density lambic, think of it as a Gueuze/Barley Wine. Maybe it’s best to just come to THE Festival and let Jean explain it to you. Happy Monday…

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High & Mighty Beer Show #76

High & Mighty Beer Show #76Tune in this week as the SBs, tearing into some Russian Imperial Stouts, ramble on about Catherine The Great’s horse, beer-rating websites, and much, much more. This attention-deficit-disordered program may come up short in the historical accuracy department, but it…

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High & Mighty Beer Show #75

  High & Mighty Beer Show #75Make sure to tune in this week as Joel and Robert get political. Coming at you with all the subtlety and thoughtfulness of a legally-purchased assault weapon in action, this profanity-laced (yet FCC-friendly, thanks to the bleep machine) edition touches…

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High & Mighty Beer Show #73

Tune in this week as faux-brothers Robert and Christian recount their recent business-with-pleasure trip to Belgium. On hand to jog their memories is none other than Urbain Coutteau of De Struise Brouwerij in Oostvleteren, who, besides taking “compromising” photos of the boys during their visit,…

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Zwanze!

Sorry, we completely forgot to mention that Cantilllon Zwanze 2012 will be served at THE Festival.

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Events around the Festival

Looking for something to do before or after THE Festival? Maine Beer Tours is excited to be working with The Shelton Brothers, and would like to offer a special to those attending THE Festival. Portland has an incredible beer scene, and we want to show…

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High & Mighty Radio Show #72

Tune in this week – Live from New York, Joel and Shelton Brothers Big Apple rep B.R. Rolya welcome master cider and perry maker Tom Oliver, of Oliver’s Cider & Perry (well, of course) to the show.  Tom somehow manages to maintain a career as…

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Westvleteren 12 at THE Festival

There will be a very very limited quantity of Westvleteren 12 available at each festival session. If you’ve always wanted to try this sought after beer, now’s your chance. We’re going to spread out the few remaining bottles we have over the 3 sessions, when…

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Drie Fonteinen

Time for another festival announcement. A brand new 3 Fonteinen Beer will be making its US debut at THE Festival in Portland. Here’s a picture

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High & Mighty Radio Show #71

Tune in this week as substitute-bros Robert Merryman and Christian Gregory man the microphones this week while the Brothers go AWOL, and Robert takes the opportunity to ring up old Catalunya pal Sven Bosch from the Drunk Monk beer bar in Mataró. Sven and the…

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CANTILLON

We waited until April 2nd just so there’s no confusion. We ain’t foolin’. There will be a WORLD PREMIERE of a NEW CANTILLON BEER at THE FESTIVAL! For the moment, that’s all the details you get.

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High & Mighty Radio Show #70

This Saturday don’t miss the High & Mighty Beer Show #70 at 3:30pm.The Bros continue their sour explorations and talk to Mark Lattanzi about fermented stuff . Listen live on WHMP AM1400 & 1240 and FM96.9 or get the podcast here:http://whmp.com/pages/11904106.php

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Festival Food Artisans

Somebody real smart once said: Man cannot live on beer alone. We’ve already confirmed two great local food artisans for THE Festival The Thirsty Pig http://www.thirstypigportland.com will be serving up their handmade sausages and pickled things and Bite Into Maine www.biteintomaine.com will offer their soon to be world champion lobster rolls.

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High & Mighty Radio Show #69

This Saturday don’t miss the High & Mighty Beer Show #69 at 3:30pm.The Bros are in a sour mood. But that’s a good thing- they’ve got Raphaël Mettler, brewer at Switzerland’s Brasserie Trois Dames, on the phone, and a collection of his great wild-yeast ales…

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The ever growing brewery list

Here’s an up to date list of Brewers, Cider and Mead Makers who will be at THE Festival in Portland Shelton Brothers breweries: 8 Wired (New Zealand) ▪  Agullons (Catalonia, Spain) ▪ Amager Bryghus (Denmark) ▪ Anchorage (USA)  ▪ Au Baron (France) ▪ Bad Attitude (Switzerland)▪ Baird (Japan)▪ Barfly/Laborotorio (Italy)▪ Blaugies (Belgium) ▪Brewfist (Italy) ▪ Brodie’s (England) ▪ Buxton (England)▪ Cambridge (USA)▪ Cantillon (Belgium) ▪ CCM…

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The ever growing brewery list

Here’s an up to date list of Brewers, Cider and Mead Makers who will be at THE Festival in Portland Shelton Brothers breweries: 8 Wired (New Zealand) ▪  Agullons (Catalonia, Spain) ▪ Amager Bryghus (Denmark) ▪ Anchorage (USA)  ▪ Au Baron (France) ▪ Bad Attitude (Switzerland)▪ Baird (Japan)▪ Barfly/Laborotorio (Italy)▪ Blaugies (Belgium) ▪Brewfist (Italy) ▪ Brodie’s (England) ▪ Buxton (England)▪ Cambridge (USA)▪ Cantillon (Belgium) ▪ CCM…

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Festival News

Some big Festival news – We’re saving some cases of Blaugies/Hill Farmstead Brewery La Vermontoise for THE Festival! But don’t spend all your drink tickets in one place because we’re also going to be busting out world premieres of De Ranke XXX Bitter (yes that’s…

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Festival News

Some big Festival news – We’re saving some cases of Blaugies/Hill Farmstead Brewery La Vermontoise for THE Festival! But don’t spend all your drink tickets in one place because we’re also going to be busting out world premieres of De Ranke XXX Bitter (yes that’s…

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Maine Brewers Represent Represent

There are some great local producers joining us at THE Festival : Allagash, Bull Jagger, Maine Beer Co, Maine Mead Works,  Marshall Wharf, Oxbow and Rising Tide.

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High & Mighty Radio Show #68

This Saturday don’t miss the High & Mighty Beer Show #68 at 3:30pm. Back in Belgium (or at least talking about it) for a second week, Dan, Joel and Christian try to conjure up Flemish accents, to little avail. Hoping to hear the real thing,…

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Festival News

12% Imports has just confirmed: Evil Twin Brewing (DK/US)-Stillwater Artisanal (US)-Omnipollo (SE)-Gueuzerie Tilquin (BE)-Brouwerij Hof ten Dormaal (BE)-Hopfenstark (CA)-Brasserie Cazeau (BE)-Local Option (US)    

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HEADS UP

The 48oz limit in Maine is a big issue for some Festival attendees. We can’t change the law, but we’ve come up with the following modification to the ticket system for the festival.  We know a lot of you want to taste as many different…

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Festival News

12% Imports has just confirmed: Evil Twin Brewing (DK/US)-Stillwater Artisanal (US)-Omnipollo (SE)-Gueuzerie Tilquin (BE)-Brouwerij Hof ten Dormaal (BE)-Hopfenstark (CA)-Brasserie Cazeau (BE)-Local Option (US)    

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THE Festival 2013 Portland ME Edition Tickets are on sale NOW

Let’s get ready to R….avoid using HBO’s copyrighted catch phrase. THE Festival tickets are on sale now http://thefestival2013.eventbrite.com/

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THE Festival 2013 Portland ME Edition tickets are on sale now

Let’s get ready to R….avoid using HBO’s copyrighted catch phrase. THE Festival tickets are on sale now http://thefestival2013.eventbrite.com/

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TICKETS WILL GO ON SALE MONDAY MARCH 11th at eventbrite.com

The Festival 2013 presented by Shelton Brothers and 12% Imports in collaboration with Habitat for Humanity of Greater Portland $2 from every ticket sold will be donated to HFH   Location: Portland Yacht Services Building 58 Fore St Portland MAINE   Session 1:  Friday,  June 21st,…

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High & Mighty Radio Show #66

This Saturday don’t miss the High & Mighty Beer Show #66 at 3:30pm. The Sheltons Brothers “don’t know squat” about mead (despite the fact that they import two different brands) so Michael Kiker, of Celestial Meads in Anchorage, schools them. It’s Mead 101 as Michael…

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High & Mighty Radio Show #64

Shelton Brothers’ own Robert Merryman is back, discussing his upcoming trip to Pianetta Birra (the “Planet Beer” trade show) in Rimini, Italy, denying rumors that he’s from New Jersey, and chatting up Brewfist’s Pietro di Pilato, who admits on air that Brother Dan Is the true…

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High & Mighty Radio Show #63

This Saturday don’t miss the High & Mighty Beer Show #63 at 3:30pm. Mark Roessler, Managing Editor for the Valley Advocate in Northampton, MA, is called in by the Brothers to explain his recent article suggesting American beer may have surpassed that of the Europeans….

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The Festival 2013

  The Festival 2013 will be held at the Portland Company Complex on the water at 58 Fore Street in Portland Maine Friday 21 June 2013 and Saturday 22 June 2013. Stay tuned for more information…

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High & Mighty Radio Show #62

This Saturday don’t miss the High & Mighty Beer Show #62 at 3:30pm.The Shelton Brothers are known for their formidable portfolio of beers from Europe, Asia, and Oceania, but this week they discuss their distribution and exportation of American brew, in particular theBelgian-influenced funky offerings…

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The High & Mighty Beer Show #61

  This Saturday don’t miss the High & Mighty Beer Show #61 at 3:30pm. The Brothers are tee’d off about the latest ill-informed and misguided editorial on their handling of the controversial Westvleteren 12 distribution ( check out shows #55 and 56 for the straight…

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The High & Mighty Beer Show #60

  This Saturday don’t miss the High & Mighty Beer show at 3:30pm. In this sophomoric yet erotic episode,The Sheltons welcome their newest Brother/employee Robert Merryman, straight off the plane from Barcelona (as this hidden camera photo from the Barcelona Airport proves). Robert’s invaluable background…

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The High & Mighty Beer Show #59

This Saturday don’t miss the High & Mighty Beer show at 3:30pm. In this reflective “insiders” edition, Dan travels to Philadelphia to meet up with legendary publican, old friend, and knighted ambassador of Belgian beer “Sir” Tom Peters, at his pioneering Monk’s Café. Joined by…

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Belgian Beer Fest with Beer Advocate

    We’re excited to say that we’ll be pouring at Beer Advocate‘s Belgian Beer Fest this year. The event is two days, September 7 and 8 at The Cyclorama in Boston. Friday’s Night of the Funk is sold out but rumor has it there…

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The Kings of Christmas

Is it a coincidence that there are Three Kings and also Three Shelton Brothers? When you consider that the three Brothers Shelton have assembled the largest, most diverse and infamous collection of Christmas and Winter beers ever known to humankind, it seems clear that chance had…

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Cider and Perry Update

While we caught on years ago to the beauty of well-made cider and perry, we are now starting to understand just how vast the world of fermented pomme fruit really is.  From New Zealand to Spain, we’ve been travelling the world specifically to find you…

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Screw American Beer Month, it’s Bastille Day!

[Please note that the following message from Brother Daniel has not been checked for historical or cultural accuracy, and we strongly suspect that he’s mostly full of crap.] Ah, Bastille Day, Bastille Day! Our favorite holiday at Shelton Brothers, bar none. Christmas? Bah humbug! Easter?…

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Timothy Taylor’s Landlord

‘Sorry, but we’re not interested in export.’ It’s something we’ve heard more than a few times in the sixteen years we’ve been importing beer into the US. It’s disappointing, of course, but you get over it and move on. There’s always something exciting and new…

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Statement on New York Supreme Court Ruling

We’ve heard that there’s been a bit of banter about the recent New York Supreme Court ruling, mostly by ill-informed and emotionally fraught bloggers. (Keep those death threats coming, folks!) The facts here are really quite simple, though the legal and financial issues are apparently…

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The Festival: presented by 12% Imports and Shelton Brothers

12% Imports and Shelton Brothers have partnered to present a unique international festival focused on artisanal brewers, as well as cider and mead makers. We aren’t just throwing the words ‘unique’ or ‘artisanal’ around lightly here. We specialize in importing small-batch products, from tiny producers,…

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12% Imports and Shelton Brothers present: The Festival

12% Imports and Shelton Brothers have partnered to present a unique international festival focused on artisanal brewers, as well as cider and mead makers. We aren’t just throwing the words ‘unique’ or ‘artisanal’ around lightly here. We specialize in importing small-batch products, from tiny producers,…

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Dan on Sunsets, Rest Stops, and How to Drink Beer

Daniel’s in Hawaii at the moment, but while spending the night in the car after being evacuated from his hotel due to the tsunami alert, he had a moment to spare to answer some questions for Jimmy’s No.43 in NYC. 1. Shelton Brothers were featured…

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Will Shelton: Defender of Pub Culture

Here it is folks: an article from The Valley Advocate that does justice to the Shelton Brothers mission. Not to mention, a photograph that does justice to brother Will’s stunning good looks.   Beer: The Next Level Local brewer Will Shelton tries to save American…

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Shelton Brothers on Heritage Radio Network

Check out Beer Sessions on Heritage Radio Network:http://www.heritageradionetwork.com/episodes/690-Beer-Sessions-Episode-6-Jim-Barnes-Cory-Bonfiglio Our friend Ray Deter – of d.b.a. in Brooklyn – guest hosts and contemplates the mysteries of Fantôme.

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Chicago, The Shelton Brothers Way

Dozens of Shelton Brothers and hangers-on are off to Chicago this week for an extended drinking session. It’s called the Craft Brewer’s Conference.Just like last year in Boston, lots of our beer-friends from around the U.S. and around the world will be there with us,…

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La Companiya Cervesera del Montseny — CCM

  We’re in the ugly uphill climb of the holiday beer-shipping season, but we must take a little time out to announce the U.S. debut of a brand new brewery that we’re excited about.La Companiya Cervesera del Montseny — known to friends simply as CCM…

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Citizens of the World in Denver

A quick note to let everybody know that Bryan Baird will be visiting Denver this week, as well Ron Jeffries of Jolly Pumpkin. Daniel & Tessa along with a couple others of the SBs crew will also be there. Thursday night we will be in…

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Citizens of the World Unite in Boston

Next week in Boston is the Craft Brewer’s Conference. Lots of brewers, distributors and other industry folks will be converging on Beantown for the event. As Boston is basically our backyard, we decided we would make sure we entertained everybody. So, we’ve rallied the troops,…

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Upcoming Events…featuring our beers…

Just a quick note on a few upcoming events that will feature Shelton Brothers beers and our highly trained and educated staff of beer professionals. First up, tomorrow we’ll be presenting beers in a place that is pretty new to the world of great beers:…

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Dust Off Your Wooden Shoes!

We know you’ve been waiting for the perfect occasion to slip on those clogs you bought during that frenzied trip through Amsterdam back in college. Maybe you’ve been putting cut tulips in them during the spring? Shame on you, wooden shoes is for wearin’! Peter…

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Real cider.

With the arrival of three new ciders from Henney’s, we’re growing even more excited about the future of this traditional drink. Along with Farnum Hill and Oliver’s, Henney’s Ciders are the real thing. It is time for us to ask a very important question: are…

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Why do you buy our beers?

Graduate students at Western New England College are researching buyer behavior for imported craft beer. This research is being conducted for educational purposes and involves interviewing someone who drinks imported craft beer. The interview will involve a variety of questions that seek help students understand…

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An open letter to Sarah Palin

Dear Sarah, We know you are probably busy keeping an eye on Russia for us, but we thought maybe you could use a break from that and the new baby and everything, ya know? We would like to invite you to visit the Shelton Brothers…

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Where the Wild Beers Are

Something fun is taking place in Minneapolis soon. The event is officially called Where the Wild Beers Are. It is being put on by a guy we call Jeff Two Wallets, from Twin Cities Imbiber, and hosted by the good folks at Stub & Herbs….

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Nørrebro Bryghus Launches Old Odense Ale – A Unique Beer Created in a Unique Way!

It is with great pride and pleasure that Nørrebro Bryghus hereby announces that Old Odense Ale – a truly unique, challenging and charming beer, created as a joint brewing project between Sam Calagione of Dogfish Head and Nørrebro Bryghus – is now available through selected…

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Franconian beer hits California!

That’s right folks, the Franconians are coming to California. Soon, and maybe even as we speak, BevMo stores across the state will be filling their shelves with some wonderful lagers from what might just be the best beer region on Earth. Look for fresh 5L…

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San Diego Fair Beer Fest

For all you in Southern California that are starving for some good Shelton Brothers beers, you best get yourself to the Del Mar Fairgrounds this Saturday, June 21 for their Craft Brewers Competition and Festival. We’ll put emphasis on the festival part of that name….

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Prepping for a beer dinner down South…

As I type this, Dan is preparing for Martin Wine Cellars’ first beer dinner. Their Metairie location (New Orleans suburb), which features a gourmet bistro and deli, will host the event tonight. Unfortunately, for all of you just hearing about this now, the event is…

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Things to do in Denver…

This Saturday, the folks at the Falling Rock have agreed to play host to an informal beer gathering featuring some beers from Brouwerij de Molen in the Netherlands. Two of the Ron Pattinson (re)creations will be available, as well as a couple from the regular…

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Mikkeller Beer Auction

Here, friends, is a chance to do something great. Mikkel (head brewer and owner of Mikkeller ) and Michael and Jeppe (owners of Denmark’s most specialized beer store, Ølbutikken) conceived the brilliant idea of brewing a special beer to be sold at an auction to…

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Your holiday shopping, done

You’ve got enough to worry about in this festive (some would say maddening) season. Here’s an idea that makes it easier for all concerned: We’ve found the good stuff and put it all in one handy carrying case of pure Christmas spirit; splendid examples of…

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If Music be the Food of Love . . .

Achilles Va de Moer, is a gentle, unassuming home-brewer who has all but left his job as a music teacher to realize his dream of a self-sustaining commercial brewery. Microbrouwerij Achilles (sometimes spelled Achiel, and pronounced Ah-sheel in Flemish or French) makes simple, honest beers….

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Beer of the Gods

As many of you may know, Shelton Brothers is now also brewing its own beer. In August of last year, High & Mighty Brewing Company was born, with the release of two new beers. High & Mighty was started as a response to the ‘extreme’…

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Belgium Goes to Cooperstown

Here’s a quickie list of beers we’re planning to bring to this weekend’s fête at Ommegang Brewery. With any luck, we won’t run out of beer after the first hour . . . again. We’re also hoping to have a few bottles each of Struise…

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Pannepot vs Pannepøt

As a tribute to their loyal fans in Denmark, the good men at De Struise Brouwers have made a special version of their spicy Pannepot Old Fisherman’s Ale, which is screaming up the charts as more and more people discover it. The ‘Sturdy Brewers’ have conducted…

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With a name like Slaapmutske

. . . . it has to be good. And, indeed, it is. A few years back, brewer Dany de Smet bravely accepted our challenge to make Belgium’s hoppiest tripel, and the result was Triple Nightcap, a refreshing take on this classic Belgian style. Obviously…

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Isn’t it good?

Actually, John, it’s bloody brilliant. Hundreds of years ago, you see, Norwegian farmers were also strictly required to be brewers. It was as simple as this: if you didn’t brew, your farm was taken away from you. And the ale these law-abiding Norwegian farmers made…

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Not Just for Breakfast Anymore

  With so many great new beers coming to the USA these days it’s hard to pick just one to showcase, but this week we’re picking Beer Geek Breakfast Stout. Many of you have already caught the buzz about these two guys from Denmark who…

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The Pissenlit auction is closed!

Thank you to everyone who has made a bid to help Justine! More than $US 6000.00 has been raised to help her win her battle with Leukodystrophy.THE AUCTION IS NOW CLOSED TO FURTHER BIDS.

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Fantôme Charity Auction

In the small village of Ohis, France, there’s a young girl named Justine who needs our help. Justine is suffering from a rare neurological condition known as leukodystrophy, which often leads to paralysis, and we’re trying to raise money for her desperately-needed operation.Brasserie Fantôme’s Dany…

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Introducing the Scandinavian Craft Brewers Guild

Not too far from Hell, in southern Norway, a local priest has angered parishioners by ‘fraternizing with the devil.’ The ‘devil,’ in this case, is Kjetil Jikiun, brewer at Nøgne-Ø Brewery, where the priest has been taking brewing lessons. Kjetil cannot fail to find some…

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If it quacks, part deux

Mr. Lipa’s invocation of HORAL is one fat, quacking canard if ever there was one. I almost feel bad bringing it down. But a man’s gotta shoot what a man’s gotta shoot. Quick and painless:HORAL is an informal association of lambic brewers whose primary mission…

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Black, White & Read: Cantillon in the News

Black, White & Read: Cantillon in the News   Visitors to our blog know our feelings on the debate about ‘authentic’ lambic. As NY Daily News columnist Ron Givens recently wrote, “There are no such questions about Cantillon, which brews the way it first did…

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If it quacks like a canard . . .

In anticipation of Eric Asimov’s article on lambic in the New York Times – which is undoubtedly the first, and probably the last, story about lambic that millions of ordinary beer-loving people will ever read in their lives – we here at the Shelton Brothers…

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Lambic in the New York Times

It must be Lambic Appreciation Month! There’s a most intriguing article (and related blog post by Eric Asimov) about lambic beer in the New York Times this morning. You can read the article here. This follows closely on the heels of Brother Daniel’s recent screed…

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Joe Sixpack: Brewing a taste for Belgian beer

After our recent trip to Belgium, Shelton Brothers has been featured in the regular and well-regarded Philadelphia Inquirer beer column, “Joe Sixpack,” written by Don Russell. Click here to read the March 24 article.

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Long Ago and Faro Away

More warm froth and drool, fresh from Beer Advocate, came across my desk this morning. It seems that once again the organizers of the site – the unsubtle Brothers Alstrom, Jason und Todd – are arguing with me. Of course I don’t participate in the…

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People Are Gushing About Blaugies

Let it never be said that the Brothers Shelton don’t care deeply about the beers they import – and the people who buy them. We’ve elected to show some recent correspondence regarding a delectable but somewhat volatile bottle of beer because it’s an interesting look…

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The Bad Elf Has Been Freed…For Now

We bring good news for the people of Connecticut and for all those who still believe in the Constitution: the state has relented! Now, while this means that Seriously Bad Elf and Warm Welcome will indeed be available to adults throughout Connecticut, it is important…

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Banned!

Banned!   In the case of State of Connecticut vs. Santa Claus, the defendant pleads . . . bewildered. “I never meant to hurt anybody,” an obviously shaken Claus told reporters, after posting bail at a Hartford-area police station.Claus, also known to authorities as Kris…

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Men’s Journal’s 50 Best Beers in the World

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASEShelton Brothers feel good about themselves again after Men’s Journal hits the stands!Shelton Brothers note with considerable satisfaction the release of the July issue of Men’s Journal, which includes an article on “The 50 Best Beers in the World.” The Men’s Journal panel…

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Shelton Brothers in the New York Times

Chug This? Shame on You By ERIC ASIMOV, published October 13, 2004 I know more than a few beer fanatics, and though they are fine people, almost all have an ax to grind. Why is wine, they want to know, venerated as a complex, sophisticated…

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Interview in the Beverage Business Journal

Reprinted with permission from journalist Andy Crouch. Copyright 2003. Dan Shelton is a purist. In an industry where self-criticism is considered impolitic and counter-productive, Shelton is given to making strong proclamations about the beer market and the products and brewing methods of his competitors. For…

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O Little Town of Belchertown!

Christmas transforms Belchertown, “America’s small town,” into one great festival of lights, and a generous, over-heaped smorgasbord of huge glowing plastic statues – bright figures of dogs, birds, moose, and more, all dressed up to resemble St. Nick, gently bobbing in the cold still air…

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C’mon Get Hoppy!

De Ranke H.O.P. Flower Power!Nino and Guido, meet the Partridge Family . . . That’s what this label looks like, anyway.The quintessential fake-family/fake-rock band’s fake-psychedelic mini-bus makes its way through a veritable shit-storm of what almost looks like marijuana, but is in fact Nino and…

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The Great Lambic Summit

The Lambic World is more divided, politically charged, and fraught with danger than the Middle East. So it’s a really big deal when you get Armand Debelder (3 Fonteinen), Frank Boon (Brouwerij Boon), and Jean Van Roy (Brasserie Cantillon) together at the same table. In…

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A Toast to Michael Jackson

Writer and beer expert Michael Jackson would have been 67 this Friday, March 27, 2009. To celebrate and honor him, we’d like to share this visit that Daniel had with him shortly before his death on August 30, 2007. Please raise a glass in memory…

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The Path to Citizenship: A Complete List of CBC Related Events

Citizenship is not bestowed on a whim. It must be earned. In order to become eligible for consideration, you must attend 2 classes each day, from the selection below. At the end, you will be expected to know how to pronounce Nøgne-Ø, the proper context…

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New Beer Friday

All right, we realize that we haven’t exactly been on top of web site maintenance around here. It’s ironic, I suppose, that we’ve been so busy selling beer that we haven’t had time to . . . sell beer. Well, that all changes, as of…

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Belgian beer lovers rejoice!

We’re pleased to announce that the fabulous beers from the little Brasserie Ellezelloise are set to return to the USA, after an absence of more than two years. By mid-June, you should start seeing the handsome little flip-tops back on shelves. We’re bringing in five…

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Michael Jackson and Parkinson’s Disease

  Most of you will know by now that Michael Jackson has died as a result of the Parkinson’s Disease that afflicted him for years. What you won’t know, of course, is that Parkinson’s also took virtually every member of our father’s family — with…

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In memory of John White

Very sad news reached us today from the UK, where our friend, and craft beer ambassador, John White, has died. John was a true example for all of us in the beer world — an impassioned beer traveler with strongly-held opinions, who still managed to…

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Zythos Festival: Session Beers

It’s ironic that while a few highly-regarded American brewers were in Belgium last week touting their ‘extreme’ wares, the most interesting and enjoyable stuff I came across during my time there suggested a small but growing trend in Belgium toward hoppy, session-type beers.At last weekend’s…

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Santa Welcome in Maine

State Decides to Accept Disputed Beer Labels Portland — In what may have been the most talked about censorship case of the holiday season, Santa and the brewing company that wished to put him on its labels came out on top. In a letter dated…

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The Hot Receptionist

So we’ve gotten a few phone calls and emails from listeners of some obscure radio show about a supposed on-air phone call to our offices, in which our receptionist — how to say this delicately? — ummm, loses her cool. Well, we’re sorry to report…

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The New York Liquor Authority Tries to Stop Christmas From Coming

Well, it’s happening again . . . This year, apparently, the State of New York has decided that you shouldn’t be allowed to buy the world-class Christmas beers we’re importing from all over the world — beers that are perfectly legal in the other forty-odd…

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Banned in Bangor

  Do you find this offensive? We didn’t think so.So here are some very interesting resources that go a long way to explaining why ‘Santa’s Butt’ — Santa sitting on a barrel enjoying a beer — is a perfectly sensible and appropriate (not to mention…

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All The Brews That’s Fit to Print

From the time a young Daniel first ranted his way into his school newspaper, the Brothers Shelton have loved seeing their names in print. In the recent frenzy over the state of Maine and St. Nick’s posterior(or more accurately, his large beer barrel), we’ve missed…

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The Mechanics of Religion and Beer

As I always do whenever I have a problem, such as this business in Maine (perhaps you’ve heard about it?), I called the guy who fixes my car, Ken.Ken lives in Monson, a couple of towns over, and he’s a wiz with internal combustion engines,…

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More on Censorship

We’ve received a ton of email about this issue in the past couple days, with those in support of the First Amendment and the US Constitution outweighing the negative ones by about ten to one. But there’s a lot more to this than just our…

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Beer Label Censorship

Shelton Brothers Challenge Maine Censorship of Artistic Beer Labels PORTLAND—Today, the Maine Civil Liberties Union Foundation filed a case against government censorship. The MCLU represents Daniel Shelton, a specialty beer distributor who was refused permission to sell three beers because the State deemed their labels…

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Shelton Brothers Does Cider

Well, sure, we’ve been asked to bring in ciders before, but we didn’t much like the ones we tried and figured we’d stick to beer. Three or four years ago, however, we started to hear a bit of a buzz about traditional English farmhouse cider,…

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“He Considers Beer a Matter of Great Import”

(Reprinted from the New York Daily News article by Ron Givens, April 04, 2006) For Dan Shelton, the world can be neatly divided into “good beer” and “industrial beer.”The good stuff is complex, while the industrial stuff is like water. The good stuff is made…

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State of the Union

  My fellow Americans . . .At first I was upset and even a little angry when Brother Will informed me that, after he wrote up a snappy new intro for our home page, he didn’t hit ‘preview,’ but instead hit ‘publish’ – thereby inadvertently…

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Happy New Year

Greetings and best wishes to all for the new year! 2006 will mark the tenth anniversary for Shelton Brothers, and we plan to celebrate, big time. What does that mean to you? Plenty. We’ve got a bunch of new beers coming, from such far-flung places…

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Upcoming Events

THURSDAY, 29 June Whole Foods Market, Hadley MA 7:00 PM A special event featuring Stephan Michel, from the Mahr’s Brewery in Bamberg, GermanyThe Dirty Truth, Northampton MA 9:00 PM From Whole Foods, Stephan moves on to Northampton to spread the word.FRIDAY – SUNDAY, 30 June…

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The Brothers Beer Blog

Posted by Steve B on 12/18/2004 11:30 AMThere are certain beers which [sic] I have always thought should never be exported to the States, Westvleteren amongst them. (Spezial in Bamberg is another, but that’s a different thread altogether.) The monks are right — there’s something…

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Introducing the Brothers Beer Blog

Hey Everyone!!! This is the maiden voyage of our own message board!!! It’s a voyage that will take us from the U.S. to Europe, especially Belgium, and back again!!! And back again to Europe, and then back to the U.S., and then back and forth,…

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