Beer-articles 439
Warning for British Fans: The Strength of German Beer
STORY: The British government is warning its
soccer fans against ‘stronger’ German beer
ahead of the Euro 2024 championship in Germany
Location: Munich, Germany
Sonny, a British football fan, opines,
“I would say if you’re going to drink German beer it has to be in this glass, (shows stein) it has to be double the size… it just gets you drunk quicker. It’s fantastic. It’s crisp. It’s definitely a bit stronger.”
German beer is served in steins, which are almost twice the size of British pints.
Source: Drinkaware
Average beer strength in Germany is also between
4.7% and 5.4%, while British beer is closer to 4.4%
(Kean, British football fan)
“I mean, I think it’s pretty strong, the German beer. But you still got a few a few percentage like craft ones in London. I mean it’s larger, the steins, obviously are larger, aren’t they? So, drink responsibly, as they say.”
Euro 2024 will take place across
Germany from June 14 to July 14
New Brewery Launching in Lynden: Serving Homemade Beer, Pizza and Wings from May 1st
A popular local brewery is opening a new location in Whatcom County, serving fresh beer, homemade pizzas, wings, salads and even dessert pizza.
District Brewing Co., a brewery and restaurant, first opened in 2020 in Mount Vernon serving pizzas named after well known movies such as “Top Gun,“ “Lilo & Stitch,” “Casablanca,” “Mamma Mia” and “Field of Dreams.” The in-house brewery also produces its own lagers, porters, IPAs, ales and hefeweizen, and its pub ale, “Buzz Lightbeer.”
The brewery’s Ferndale taproom opened in 2022, bringing Whatcom County a taste of the local brewery.
Now, District Brewing Co. is opening a new location in Lynden on Wednesday, May 1, according to a new release.
The brewery will have 24 taps featuring beer from the Mount Vernon brewery and other cider, kombucha, seltzers, and non-alcoholic options such as root beer and orange cream. The restaurant will serve pizzas, salads and appetizers.
District Brewing Co. is owned by Mark and Amy Shintaffer, who have local ties to Whatcom County. Mark Shintaffer graduated from Ferndale High School and lived in Everson for over 20 years.
The local entrepreneurs will feature local sports memorabilia in the Lynden restaurant.
“We’re going to be a fun place for families and friends to gather,” Mark Shintaffer wrote in the news release.
The new taproom and restaurant will be open from noon to 8 p.m. Monday through Thursday, noon to 9 p.m. Friday and Saturday and from noon to 8 p.m. on Sunday at 6912 Hannegan Rd. in Lynden.
The Ferndale location of the District’s is open from 4 to 9 p.m. Monday through Thursday, 4 to 10 p.m. Friday, noon to 10 p.m. Saturday, and noon to 8 p.m. Sunday at 2000 Main St.
The Mount Vernon location and brewery of the District’s is open from 11 a.m. to 8 p.m. Monday through Thursday, 11 a.m. to 9 p.m. Friday and Saturday, and noon to 8 p.m. Sunday at 520 S. Main St.
Discover Farmingdale’s New Brewery: A Must-Visit for NJ Beer Enthusiasts
The craft beer industry in New Jersey has seen a significant boom over the past ten years. Today, breweries serve as a fantastic spot to unwind and try the local brews.
A newly opened brewery in Farmingdale offers the ideal environment for such an experience.
Having hosted their grand opening in December, Tall Oaks Farm and Brewery might be newcomers to the game, but their bustling clientele and friendly staff certainly doesn’t give that impression.
Visitors have the options of sampling their beer in a homely tasting room or taking their drinks outside to the outdoor section of the premises.
There are fire pits that you can reserve to sit around and chat with friends. If you’re still chilly even with the fire, they offer blankets to keep you warm.
How cute is that?!
We’re not just brewing beer; we’re crafting and cultivating a unique experience for you.
Tall Oaks is not only kid-friendly (when I was there, there was a birthday party for a baby in their outdoor pavilion), it’s also dog friendly, as long as your pup remains leashed and in the outdoor area.
Join us on this journey as we redefine standards and bring a fresh perspective to the world of craft beer in our beautiful state of New Jersey.
🍺 Monday: 12 p.m. – 7 p.m.
🍺 Tuesday: Closed
🍺 Wednesday: 12 p.m. – 9 p.m.
🍺 Thursday: 12 p.m. – 9 p.m.
🍺 Friday: 12 p.m. – 9 p.m.
🍺 Saturday: 12 p.m. – 9 p.m.
🍺 Sunday: 12 p.m. – 7 p.m.
You can check out their current beer menu here.
Gallery Credit: Charlotte Barnett
Gallery Credit: Meg Dowdy
The post above reflects the thoughts and observations of New Jersey 101.5’s Kylie Moore. Any opinions expressed are Kylie’s own. You can follow Kylie on Instagram.
Click here to contact an editor about feedback or a correction for this story.
Whatcom Community Updates: New Outlet near Trader Joe’s, Beer Festival, and a $4 Million Hotel Renovation
Here’s your weekly roundup of the latest retail, business and restaurant activity in and around Whatcom County:
Living Pantry, an eco-friendly and natural product store, is moving its current Bellingham location and is opening next door to Trader Joe’s.
“We are looking to open as soon as possible but as with most things it is dependent upon some parts out of our control; therefore at this time, we don’t have a set date,” an email from the business stated.
Living Pantry will move from 2400 Yew St. to the new store at 2410 James St. in Bellingham. Living Pantry also has a location in Blaine at 264 H St.
The Holiday Inn Express at 4160 Meridian St. has filed a permit with the city for an interior and exterior remodel, with an estimated cost of $4 million. The permit was filed April 18 and had not been approved as of April 19.
Bellingham Beer Week, the 11-day-long beer festival and celebration, runs for a few more days. The festival is put on by 15 participating breweries and nine taprooms. It includes block parties, new beer releases, live music, brewery tours and other events.
Here’s a few events you won’t want to miss:
• Floral IPA Beer Release on Saturday, April 27 at Structures Brewing Old Town, 601 W Holly St. in Bellingham.
• April Brews Day, Bellingham’s biggest and best beer festival, runs from 5:30 p.m. to 9 p.m. Saturday, April 27 at the corner of Granary Ave & Chestnut St. in Bellingham.
• Hangover Helper Brunch, a brunch to conclude Bellingham Beer Week at 10 a.m. to Aslan Brewing’s Depot. The event will include a live DJ and brunch menu. Aslan Depot is at 1322 N. State St. in Bellingham.
Bellingham is full of local events, markets, festivals and other events during April. Here’s your guide to this month’s events, trivia nights, live music and more.
This curated weekly newsletter is a roundup of what’s new and exciting to help you live joyfully in Bellingham and Whatcom County. Click here to sign up. In your inbox every Thursday.
Uncovering Poland’s Van Gogh Masterpiece Once Sold for a Beer
Pictures by Wojtek Radwanski. Video by Damien Simonart
Poland unfurled an art exhibit on Friday in honor of its singular Van Gogh painting, a remarkable early landscape revered in millions that was once peddled by a merchant for the equivalent of a pint of beer.
The piece “Country Huts Among Trees” hails from 1883 when the penniless Dutch artist was honing his painting craft amid the bucolic surroundings of The Hague.
The diminutive oil painting, alternatively titled “Farmhouses Among Trees,” is “worth noting for its humility and for showcasing an entirely dissimilar perspective of Van Gogh,” commented Agata Smolnicka, co-custodian of the Warsaw exhibit.
He painted it with a limited palette, and not many who are familiar with his ‘Starry Night’ French phase are aware of his Dutch phase,” she declared to AFP.
“Works from The Hague are relatively rare,” Teio Meedendorp, an expert at Amsterdam’s Van Gogh Museum, which authenticated the unsigned work, conveyed.
“He created approximately 75 pieces there but only one-third survived. The majority were either lost or destroyed over the years,” he explained to AFP.
The canvas was found in a carpenter’s loft, along with a collection of Van Gogh’s other early works, after he relocated overseas.
The carpenter eventually sold “that junk” — as he called them — for a song to a hawker who peddled the pictures from his handcart.
“He brought the works to a cafe… Anyone who bought him a round of beer received a Van Gogh,” exhibition consultant Juliette van Uhm wrote in the show’s catalogue.
“Some canvases were given to children to play with; they tied them around their waists as if they were aprons,” she added.
Many were saved by a discerning tailor who tried to buy them all up. They were later exhibited and sold, with the Polish Van Gogh ending up in Switzerland.
Charles Zbigniew Carroll-Porczynski, a Polish collector stationed in Britain, made a purchase of the artwork in 1987 and subsequently gifted it to the Catholic Church in his home country.
A fresh exhibit at the Museum of John Paul II and Primate Wyszynski in Warsaw delves into distinct aspects of the masterpiece.
The painting was described as “Van Gogh in the stage prior to becoming the renowned Van Gogh” by Stefania Ambroziak, one of the co-curators. She observed that Van Gogh was at this time in the process of mastering oil paint and experimenting with color applications.
Van Gogh, by this juncture, had already invested substantial effort in perfecting his sketching skills, even though experts believed that he was not a natural talent such as Picasso or Toulouse-Lautrec.
“When you see juvenile work by Vincent, it’s a big surprise he became an artist,” Meedendorp said, laughing.
“Because he was not very good. I mean he had no natural feel for perspective and proportion.”
What he did have was speed, which is evident in the painting on show in Warsaw.
“You can distinguish the hand of a very quick painter, working wet-on-wet very quickly. And this is a wonderful example of it,” Meedendrop said.
Though the Polish painting’s palette is less vibrant than the brilliant shades often linked with Van Gogh, Meedendorp remarks that it evidences his inherent talent for colour.
“His talent in colour mixing and contrasting, particularly with the reddish and green tones, was exceptional,” said Meedendorp.
“Van Gogh was a natural colourist. However, it wasn’t until he truly studied and absorbed colours in Paris, did he evolve into the exceptional painter we know,” added Meedendorp.
The exhibition entitled “Van Gogh. The Stories of One Painting” will be on display in Warsaw until the end of December.
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Madison Beer Brillantly Remakes ‘Jennifer’s Body’ in Her New ‘Make You Mine’ Video
Madison Beer continues to embrace contemporary classics. She released the video for her single “Make You Mine” on April 24, which showcases her in a reimagination of a noteworthy thriller scene.
The track itself sees Beer expressing a fresh obsession.
Lyrics of the chorus, “I want to feel the rush / I want to taste the crush / I want to get you going / I want to lay you down / I want to string you out / I want to make you mine,” are sung over a captivating, rhythmic beat.
In the visual representation, Beer takes on the personas of Jennifer Check and Needy Lesnicky, roles originally portrayed by Megan Fox and Amanda Seyfried in the 2009 film, Jennifer’s Body. As these characters, Beer reconstructs a number of scenes from this movie, featuring the famous hallway walk, the scene at the pool, and the dance sequence.
In a recent interview with Billboard, Beer declared “Make You Mine” as her top favorite song she’s ever crafted.
“It’s just so exhilarating, extremely feel-good song,” Beer voiced. “It’s alluring, it’s irresistible. Every single person I’ve played it for started dancing and felt an immediate boost in their mood upon listening to it, and that’s the kind of reaction I always aim for.”
The video for “Make You Mine” can be seen above.
Decoding the Best Beers for Spicy Foods: IPAs, Hazy, Kolsch or Stouts?
I confess, I was raised on bland meals and never nurtured a fondness for spicy food. Despite this, my spouse, kids, and companions, who enjoy spice in numerous forms, delight in provoking me to sample various dishes, usually assuring me with “It’s not excessively hot! You’ll manage.” However, I never actually do.
In my childhood, when I dared to try spiced dishes, my mother used to hand me a glass of milk to alleviate the burn I felt. I never understood why, but it seemed to do the trick. Thankfully, I found the same relief in certain beers. The right brew not only enables me to bear spicy meals but also almost savor the ordeal. And for those who already delight in the heat delivered by chili peppers, this combination is absolute perfection.
Whether you’re a spicy food veteran or a timid beginner, here are some recommendations for coupling beer with spicy meals while keeping your sanity (and hopefully without crying).
Here’s a daring suggestion: I don’t believe IPAs pair well with spicy meals. While numerous beer aficionados argue that IPAs go well with spicy dishes, they only heighten the sensation of heat. The elevated alpha acids in hops, notably prolific in IPAs, can mix with capsaicin (the active component that gives chile peppers their spiciness), forming a vicious cycle that intensifies the heat. Whether it’s the heat from habaneros or some other source, a hop-dominant beer only amplifies the spiciness.
Indeed, a cold drink provides temporary relief from the heat of spicy food. However, as your mouth warms up, the spiciness returns. This is because capsaicin, the molecule responsible for spicy heat, does not dilute in water, and beer is mostly water. Capsaicin is neutralized by fats and alcohol, explaining why milk is often recommended.
For a lasting solution, you can consider several strategies. It’s worthwhile to note that spiciness is not a flavor but a sensation, although it can combine with various flavors. Therefore, try to either pair strong with strong where suitable, or balance matching or similar tastes. Additionally, think about how sweetness or fizziness can influence the pairing.
In my experience, malt-rich and sweet beers counterbalance spiciness quite well. Therefore, I find Märzen, amber lagers, or Vienna lagers superior to IPAs. Their sweetness doesn’t conflict with the potent flavors and provides a lasting sweetness layer in your mouth.
I’d suggest pairing foods with smoky chili like chipotle or ancho with a stout, preferably one with chocolate undertones. Generally, stouts go well with hot foods. Oatmeal stouts and sweet/milk stouts are especially fitting. Oatmeal stouts derive their smoothness from the oats used in their brewing, while sweet or milk stouts are brewed with malt sugars or lactose. While not traditional milk, it neutralizes spiciness much the same. For complementing smokiness, opt for a roasted malt beer such as a brown ale.
Dark beer varieties such as black lagers, schwarzbiers, and dunkels are perfect complements to spicy dishes for several reasons, with Death and Taxes, a San Francisco-style black lager from Moonlight Brewing, being perhaps the most well-suited among them. Notably, many of such beers bear caramel undertones that further elevate their compatibility with spicy food.
Beers with high residual sugar content, including Belgian specialty ales, saisons, barley wines, and lambics, effectively neutralize the heat of capsaicins. Hazy IPAs with low bitterness also serve the same purpose.
Alternatively, some recommend countering spicy flavors with carbonated drinks. Some researchers argue that the bubbles might stimulate more pain sensors, potentially worsening the burning sensation depending on your tolerance and the spiciness of your food. However, I find bubbly drinks rather helpful in dealing with spice. If you would like to test this hypothesis, try out a Kölsch, saison, witbier, hefeweizen, biere de garde, tripel, or sparkling ale.
The art of pairing beer and food typically abides by universally accepted guidelines. However, pairing spicy food with beverages is a unique case. Some people find appeal in spicy food precisely because of the burning sensation it elicits. Thus, feel free to experiment and discover the combination that suits your preferences. If you relish the spicy thrill, opt for an IPA.
Navigating the Challenging Landscape of Craft Beer: Insight from the Brewers Association
Bart Watson, chief economist with the Brewers Association, delivers the annual state of the industry address at the Craft Brewers Conference.
The Brewers Association, the trade association representing America’s small and independent breweries, delivered its annual state of the industry address today. Bart Watson, chief economist with the Brewers Association, described it as a “challenging landscape.”
“There were some positives and some negatives,” said Watson during his address to thousands of brewers and industry professionals attending the annual Craft Brewers Conference, this year being held in Las Vegas, Nevada.
Craft beer production was down 1%. Categories within the industry saw various levels of growth and shrinkage. Taprooms were down 2%, brewpubs were down 4%, contract and alternating proprietorship beer companies were flat, regional breweries grew by 1%, while microbreweries were down 5%. Watson noted that there were breweries within all of those categories that have different levels of success. “44% of breweries found growth last year,” said Watson in his presentation.
The sector’s number of consumers is now quite stable in terms of its growth, says Watson, indicating that the rise of individuals drinking more craft beer now matches the decline. However, Watson continues that consumers remain willing to pay for beers they highly appreciate, with close to $30 billion spent on small and independent brewing last year.
Watson also points out that alongside the lack of growth, numerous breweries struggle with their finances due to the increasing cost of goods at a rate that surpasses the increase in prices. Successful breweries often focus on operations, sometimes through collaboration and partnerships to achieve economies of scale, whilst others succeed through finding innovative methods to distribute their craft beers and associating the drink with various occasions.
Watson provides an estimate that shows “125 million Americans who drink didn’t have a craft beer last month,” implying that there are still untapped avenues for breweries to explore for growth. Addressing brewers directly, he states that “Many of your customers are fiercely loyal. Breweries that are succeeding are finding ways to have customers drink their products on more occasions”.
“Craft beer as a category has seen fads in beverage alcohol come and go,” said Watson. “But craft is here to stay.”
Beer Nut: The Resilience of New England in the Craft Beer Market
When it comes to craft beer, New England actually compares favorably to California in certain ways.
This might be surprising to some, as California is a renowned craft beer mecca, and more than twice the size (both in population and land mass) of all six New England states combined.
The way I’m writing about today is pretty specific but still notable: In a recent report from the Brewers Association, California had 11 of the top 50 producing craft beer companies, and New England had eight. I’d say that’s an impressive number for New England, given the size disparity between the two regions. Of course, Oregon, which is much, much smaller than both California and New England, had six of the top 50, so that’s even more formidable.
These statistics came from the Brewers Association’s recent annual report on production figures for the American craft brewing industry.
Of the top 50, Massachusetts certainly held its own with three entries: Boston Beer Co. (No. 2), Boston’s Harpoon (No. 18) and Jack’s Abby in Framingham (No. 38). While Connecticut only had one, it was a surprising one to me: Athletic Brewing Co. in Milford, a brewer of nonalcoholic beers, which came in at No. 10. This goes to show how well a good NA beer can do. (I’ll be writing about a few more NA brews in the coming weeks.)
Maine’s Allagash (15) and Shipyard (46) both charted, as did Vermont’s Fiddlehead (28) and Rhode Island’s Narragansett (23). New Hampshire was shut out.
The number of operating craft breweries also kept climbing in 2023, reaching an all-time high of 9,761. New brewery openings (495) declined from the previous year, and closings (418) went up, but that still yielded an overall gain for the year. Also, craft brewers directly employed 191,421 people in 2023, which meant a 1.1% increase over 2022.
Bart Watson, vice president of strategy and chief economist of the Brewers Association, said that 2023 was a “competitive and challenging year for small and independent brewers.”
“Nevertheless, even as growth has downshifted, small brewers have proved quite resilient, as seen in the increase in number of breweries, relatively low closing rates, and gains in onsite sales and jobs,” he said.
And while the overall beer market saw a downturn of 5.1% in terms of volume in 2023, craft beer actually gained market share, as the craft beer volume decline was only 1%. Craft beer now holds a 13.3% market share of the overall U.S. beer world.
“While distribution is as competitive as ever, we continue to see success stories and pockets of growth across the top 50 list,” Watson said. “Even in an era of slow growth, the strongest brands still resonate with beer drinkers, regardless of company size or location.”
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Selena-Inspired Beer Discontinued Following Cease-and-Desist Letter to Businesses
Spencer Heath, Digital Journalist
LOS ANGELES – A beer created to honor the legend of Selena Quintanilla did not last long.
According to LAist, the Los Angeles, California-area owners of a brewery called Brejeria and a Chicano lifestyle boutique teamed up to release a Selena-themed beer called “Tomo La Flor.”
The limited-edition beer was named after one of Selena’s well-known hits, “Como La Flor.” The beverage was described as a hibiscus pale ale with a hint of guava.
Before a second batch was made, the businesses were served with a cease-and-desist letter from Selena’s estate, KNUE 101.5 reported.
“We just wanted to honor Selena,” Agustin Ruelas, co-owner of Brewjeria, told NewsBytes.
This is not the first time members of Selena’s estate sued a business for using her image or likeness.
In 2023, Selena’s father, Abraham Quintanilla Jr., sued a cruise company for using the Tejano music legend’s image and likeness without the family’s permission.
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