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 mini-kegs from Kulmbacher, as well as bottles of Kulmbacher Pils, EKU Pils, Kapuziner Weisse, and Kapuziner Schwarz-Weizen. BUT, wait...it gets better. We are going to dig deeper into Franconia still. You should also look for small amounts of Mahr's Brau Weiss, their special Der Weisse Bock and Spezial Rauchbier Lager.
It doesn't stop there, either. Dan slipped some more specialties into those direct shipments from Franconia. Check this out:
Keesmann-Bräu Bamberger Herren Pils
Löwenbräu Buttenheim Ungespundetes Lagerbier
Weissenohe Eucharius Märzen
Kundmüller Weiherer Rauch
Ahornberger Maibock
There isn't much of these to go around, so find them quickly and drink them while they are nice and fresh. You'll be glad you did.
Once you find yourself addicted to Franconian beer, you'll want to check in with Fred, who runs the Online Guide to Franconian Beer. The folks there might be able to help you track down these Franconian treats out in the Golden State. You'll also find lots of great photos and notes on the region.
Prost
Posted by: Matt Dinges
on Jun 19, 08 | 12:36 am | Profile
4 Comments | Archived under: Tastings, Notes, and Beers
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 already sold out. However, you can take a peak at the pairings.
By the way, notice the De Ranke Guldenberg on the list. There have been some rumblings that this beer seems even better than ever lately...if that is somehow true, we might now be in heaven.
Posted by: Matt Dinges
on Jun 17, 08 | 5:24 pm | Profile
1 Comments | Archived under: Tastings, Notes, and Beers
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 De Molen line-up. Proprietor Chris Black has held onto a keg of Cantillon Cuvee des Champions for this night, and who knows what else might be around. It promises to be a fun evening. I'm looking forward to it, I know that much. I'll probably get there around 5pm, but I bet beer will be flowing before that hour arrives. Stop in, say hi and drink some beer...that sounds like something to do.
Posted by: Matt Dinges
on Jun 10, 08 | 11:42 pm | Profile
3 Comments | Archived under: Tastings, Notes, and Beers
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 raise money for Mellemfolkeligt Samvirke – Mozambique. 
MS Mozambique is working to strengthen and develop the teaching of democracy in Mozambican grade schools in order for the idea of democracy and self-determination to take root in the poor country in the southern part of Africa.
Mikkel, Jeppe, and Michael decided to create a special, 8 month sherry cask barrel-aged version of Mikkeller’s rare and delicious X Imperial Stout that had been brewed exclusively for the beer festival in Valby, Denmark in May 2007. This is a one-time, very limited edition - only 40 bottles (75 cl champagne bottles) are available! Each bottle has been numbered and signed by brewer Mikkel.
Click here to read more.
We encourage everyone to bid. 100% of the proceeds will go to MS Mozambique, so you will know that your money is going to directly benefit children.
Posted by: Will Shelton
on Mar 26, 08 | 7:56 am | Profile
5 Comments | Archived under: Miscellaneous
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 the brewer's art neatly siphoned into five charmingly labeled bottles.
The breweries represented here really are tiny and dedicated, and they really do make the best beers of Belgium. Here they are pulling out all the stops and doing their damnedest to impress for the holiday season. Every one of these beers is a gem.
More...
Posted by: Will Shelton
on Dec 06, 07 | 12:45 pm | Profile
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 the exception of Dad himself, thankfully.
Michael announced only recently that he suffered from Parkinson's, and was planning to write about it, but we also knew that he wouldn't be spending nearly as much time in public as he had done, and it seemed a good idea to get the beer hunter on film while he was still somewhat active.
And so it was that Daniel last month set out to interview Michael . . . not about beer, per se, but about the person, and, particularly, about the person dealing with Parkinson's. We were able to get a few hours of footage in the bag, but knew we wanted lots more. Sadly, that's not going to happen. We will, of course, edit what we have and will make it available as part of a larger project, but in the meantime, you can see a brief preview of the one and only interview here.
Posted by: Will Shelton
on Sep 04, 07 | 6:18 am | Profile
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. All of the beers are unfiltered and unpasteurized, and will re-ferment a bit in the bottle, which of course means much more flavor, and a longer shelf-life. As with any tiny craft brewery -- and this one right now makes the equivalent of only about three truck-loads of beer every year -- there can be variation from batch to batch, and thank goodness for that! Though they vary some, they're always good. 
Achilles took as his symbol the Seraph, a six-winged high angel of Heaven. Seraphim are noted for their delicate celestial song, and Achilles, the musician and music teacher, hears their sweet, soothing notes as he brews the beers he named for them. Music and song are a joy and a centering point for Achilles, and the brewery.
Our favorite beer so far is Celtic Angel, an interesting ale inspired by an Irish musical group that Achilles befriended. There are three other Achilles beers in the country now -- be the first on your block . . .
Posted by: Will Shelton
on Aug 17, 07 | 12:45 pm | Profile
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' beer movement -- our effort to bring just a wee bit of sanity back into American brewing. Our flagship product, Beer of the Gods, is a low alcohol (4.5%), very hoppy take on German ale brewing. It's what you'd get if the Germans decided to brew an IPA . . . which they won't, of course, which is why we had to do it.
The perfect beer for summer, Beer of the Gods is thirst quenching, but hoppy enough to whet your palate for another. No one can drink just one.
High and Mighty beers are currently available in just a few states -- Massachusetts, Connecticut, Maine, Vermont, New York, and Pennsylvania -- but we'll be expanding into other markets this year. Oh, and by the way, look for our Two-Headed Beast, a hoppy (!?) chocolate stout, on draft starting in mid-August at select beer bars. This beer was made collaboratively with Ron Jeffries from Jolly Pumpkin Artisan Ales . . . . need we say more?
Posted by: Will Shelton
on Aug 03, 07 | 12:37 am | Profile
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, so we spent a few months poking around the U.K. in search of the real stuff. But it all proved to be just more of the same, bland, sugary-sweet, alcoholic apple juice we'd rejected in the past -- and eventually we gave up.
Then, out of the blue, in December, 2005, my brother got an email from Jordana Pomeroy, curator of art, and proprietor of Minerva Imports in Washington DC, saying that she’d like to talk to us about some outstanding cider and perry that her good friend Tom Oliver was making on his farm in Herefordshire. Brother Ron, who had already been planning a trip to England, was promptly dispatched to Oliver's Cider House to have a look.
More...
Posted by: Will Shelton
on Jul 20, 07 | 12:38 am | Profile
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 a multitude of side-by-side tastings to see which version their fans prefer. In Belgium, where the beer is made, drinkers are loyal to the original, by a wide margin. In neighboring France, however, Pannepøt is the hands-down winner. Which beer will Americans choose? Well, now's the time to find out, since we've just received a fresh batch of both versions.
We'll be supplementing the brewers' research this weekend at the Belgium Comes to Cooperstown festival. We'll have just a few bottles of each, so, if you're lucky enough to have a ticket to the event, be sure to stop by and say hello, at, say, 3:00 or so? It won't be there at 3:15!
Posted by: Will Shelton
on Jul 13, 07 | 6:43 am | Profile
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