Neal McCoy "Billy's Got His Beer Goggles On"

Water v. Beer

I got this in my email the other day:

WATER...... It has been scientifically proven that if we drink 1 liter of water each day, at the end of the year we would have absorbed more than 1 kilo of Escherichia coli bacteria found in feces. In other words, we are consuming 1 kilo of poop!

However, we do not run that risk when drinking beer because alcohol has to go through a distillation process of boiling, filtering and fermenting.

WATER = POOP

BEER = HEALTH

Free yourself of POOP, drink BEER!!!

It is better to drink beer and TALK shit than to drink water and be full of shit.

There is no need to thank me for this valuable information; I am doing it as a public service.

Another Beer Game

Here's another flash game, More Beer. This time, you have to keep pipes running from the kegs to the bar.

Ice Beer Glass at Williams Brewing

Here's a way to keep your beer cold all summer long. A central chamber is filled with ice, and beer is poured around it. The folks over at Williams Brewing sell this.

I know what I want for Christmas!

Perlick Beer Dispenser

Every beer lover needs this Perlick beer dispenser. I could use one in every room!

Asahi Beer Robot Video

Adnams Brewery Retires Dray Horses

Adnams Brewery in Suffolk, England stopped delivering their beers by horses in Early September. Adnams is moving their distribution center, and officials decided that it would be too far for their two horses, Percherons named Sam and Monarch, to walk to make deliveries. Adnams had resumed horse deliveries in 1970 after a 17 year hiatus.

Grupo Modelo drops Gambrinus

After making Corona the #1 imported beer, the Gambrinus company is being dropped by Grupo Modelo brewing. Modelo makes Corona, Modelo Especial, Negro Modelo, and Pacifico beers.

Carlos Alvarez founded Gambrinus in 1987 and began importing Corona. By 1997, Corona was the #1 imported beer in the United States. Gambrinus also owns Spoetzel Brewing Company in Shiner, Texas; BridgePort Brewing Company in Portland, Oregon; and Pete's Brewing Company.

Grupo Modelo will continue and enhance their association with Barton Beers of Chicago, who will become the only importer of Modelo products. Perhaps not coincidentally, Gambrinus, who supplies 25 states, is experiencing a shortage in shipments from Modelo. Modelo has sent a notice to its distributors citing a supply problem with one of their bottle suppliers. Some parts of New York have been out of Corona Extra for ten days. While the shortages are also being experienced by Barton Beers, Gambrinus, because of its larger share of market, is bearing the brunt of the shortage. In an effort to salvage their earnings, Gambrinus has announced a price increase on Modelo products. Barton Beers has sent a letter to retailers urging them to hold the price line, saying that the price increase is not the result of a Modelo price hike. Meanwhile, American brewers are waiting to see if they will be able to take advantage of the situation to raise their prices as well.

Already, rumors are flying that Gambrinus might be looking to sell its breweries and that SABMiller is interested in purchasing the Spoetzel Brewery. The rumor is that SABMiller would continue to operate the brewery in Shiner as a Texas Brewery for a Texas Beer. However, Miller Brewing (pre-SAB days) bought the Celis Brewery in Austin, Texas, closed the brewery and discontinued the product line, and sold the brand to the Michigan Brewing Company, so I'm taking that promise with a grain of salt.

Godsmack to Headline 2006 Shiner Bocktoberfest

Godsmack Headlines 2006 Shiner Bocktoberfest

13th Annual Concert Hosts Powerhouse Line-up on Oct. 14

SHINER, TX -- (MARKET WIRE) -- August 28, 2006 -- Chart-topping alternative metal group, Godsmack, will headline the 2006 Shiner Bocktoberfest Concert on Saturday, Oct. 14, in Green Dickson Park. The Shiner Bocktoberfest Concert, known as one of Texas' premier live music events, celebrates the best of country, Americana, alternative and modern rock, while satisfying thirsty music fans with an assortment of Shiner's award-winning, handcrafted brews.

Each year, thousands of concert-goers flood the tiny town of Shiner (population 2,070) to attend Texas' largest, one-day outdoor music festival. Shiner is home to one stoplight, two elevators, and Texas' Oldest Independent Brewery® -- the Spoetzl Brewery. The Shiner Bocktoberfest annually delivers crowd-pleasing, energetic line-ups showcasing diverse music genres. The 2006 line-up is bursting with Texas favorites like Blue October, Pat Green, Old 97's and Lost Immigrants, not to mention all-around crowd pleasers, superstar headliner Godsmack and country blockbusters, Diamond Rio and Restless Heart.

What began as a grassroots celebration of Shiner Beer and Texas music has become a veritable icon among contemporary music events. The Shiner Bocktoberfest Concert began in 1994 as the "Thanks a Million" concert, a tribute to the first million-case sales year achieved by the Spoetzl Brewery. Thousands of people attended the concert as the City of Shiner celebrated -- thanking Shiner consumers for their loyalty. Originally held on the brewery grounds, Shiner Bocktoberfest is now held in Green Dickson Park, just one mile east of the Spoetzl Brewery, to accommodate ever-growing crowds.

Wildly popular New England alternative metal group Godsmack has proven their iconic rocker status with the release of its newest album, "IV." The captivating combination of front man Sully Erna, drummer Shannon Larkin, guitarist Tony Rambola and bassist Robbie Merrill is sure to have the audience enthralled.

Blue October, formed in Houston in the late '90s, is famous for smash hits like "Hate Me" and "Calling You." The group is recognized for dynamic live performances sure to rock Shiner thanks to lead singer/guitarist Justin Furstenfeld, his brother, drummer Jeremy, Ryan Delahoussaye, guitarist/vocalist C.B. Hudson and bassist Matt Noveskey.

The name Pat Green ensures sold-out performances wherever he plays. The three-time Grammy nominee and grassroots artist recently released the spirited "Canonball." Green's distinctive lyrics and music always has his loyal fans cheering for more.

Grand Ole Opry inductees Diamond Rio helped define the "young country" movement of the early 1990s. Their first seven albums are all certified gold or platinum. After 15 years as a band, they've released "Greatest Hits, Vol. 2," which includes their first single, "Meet in the Middle."

Old 97's began as a popular Dallas bar band in 1993 recognized for their crowd-swaying, diverse array of alternative country hits. Philip Peoples, Ken Bethea, Murry Hammond and Rhett Miller form the quartet who gained notoriety shortly after the release of their first album, "Hitchhike to Rhome." Recently, the group made a cameo appearance in the summer blockbuster "The Break-Up."

Restless Heart, famous for hits like "I'll Still Be Loving You," "Tender Lie" and "Bluest Eyes In Texas," blends back roads country training with contemporary pop and West Coast country-rock. The band's been a success since the late '80s, and they're still going strong.

The unique sound of Lost Immigrants is hard to categorize. Equal parts country, rock, pop and blues, their catalog of songs is sure to please even the most selective music fans.

Additional Information

Tickets for the legendary Shiner Bocktoberfest Concert are $28 at the brewery gift shop and $35 online at www.shiner.com. With the energetic music line-up featured this year, the Shiner Bocktoberfest Concert is expected to be a sold-out show. If available, tickets will be sold at the gate on the day of the show for $45. As in years past, PARKING IS FREE. More concert information and photos from last year's event can be found at www.shiner.com.

For concert-goers who want to soak up the entire experience, 600 overnight campsites will be available for tents and RVs in Green Dickson Park, the site of the Shiner Bocktoberfest Concert and only 200 yards from the front gate, for an additional fee. Space is limited so early reservations are required. Register for camping at www.shiner.com.

Gates to the grounds of the concert open at noon, and the evening will end with an orchestrated fireworks show at 10:30 p.m. Concert-goers should leave coolers, cameras, blankets, pets and weapons, including knives of any kind, at home. Bring a folding chair and get ready for a rockin' good time. Down-home favorite food and beverages -- including award-winning Shiner brews -- will be available for purchase throughout the day. An ATM will also be available onsite.

What It's All About

Proceeds from the Shiner Bocktoberfest Concert benefit the Shiner Chamber of Commerce and other Shiner civic and charitable organizations.

For more information on the Shiner Bocktoberfest Concert, the Spoetzl Brewery or the Shiner family of beers, please visit the brewery website at www.shiner.com or see our Wikipedia page at http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bocktoberfest. For more information on the city of Shiner and the Shiner Chamber of Commerce, visit www.shinertx.com.

Pre-Pro Stock Ale

Continuing my series of 19th century recipes, we turn to Stock Ale. Stock Ale, or Old Ale, is an English beer with a high specific gravity and aged for a year or more, and are a counterpoint to Mild Ales served in English pubs. Wahl & Henius list Stock Ale under American top-fermented beers, and tell us that the beer is usually all-grain, or has 25% of the fermentables as sugar added at the end of the boil. The gravity ranges from 1064 to 1074. Eckhardt doesn't list an American Stock Ale, nor does he give a hop estimate. Since they are similar to Belgian Ales, I assume they were hopped similarly.

Wahl & Henius Stock Ale

• 10 pounds light malt extract
• 1 oz cascade hops 60 minutes
• 2 oz Kent Goldings 10 minutes
• American Ale Yeast

More beer opening tricks

How to open a beer with paper.

Sapporo to buy Sleeman Breweries

Japan's Sapporo Breweries will buy Canada's Sleeman Breweries for $300 million. Soon, there will be no Canadian owned breweries in Canada. Canada's largest brewery, Molson Coors Brewing Company is effectively controlled from the US.

John Sleeman started his brewery in 1988, and by acquiring other, smaller microbreweries, became Canada's third largest brewery.

Homer's Beer Run

Here's a little Flash game staring Homer Simpson and beer!

Pre-Pro Cream/Present Use/Sparkling Ale

A comment on a previous post about Heinrich Kreische, someone asked if my book, Historic Texas Breweries, had recipes. The answer is that it doesn't. I haven't found any historic recipes. But I do have access to a couple of resurces that can help us out. I hope to revise my book over the winter and add these recipes.

First, the folks over at Home Brew Digest have Wahl & Henius'American Handy Book of the Brewing, Malting and Auxiliary Trades available online. And I also consulted The Essentials of Beer Style by Fred Eckhardt.

I thought I would start with Cream Ale, Present Use Ale as described by Wahl & Henius, and modified with information on a 1901 Sparkling Ale described by Eckhardt. The beer had an original gravity of 1056-1057. It could be made with either all grain or a 70-30 mix of malt and corn or rice. According to Wahl & Henius, the beer had an alcohol by volume of 6%. The only pre-Prohibition ale listed by Eckhardt had 60 IBUs, which is as hoppy as a modern IPA. So I sat down and came up with this recipe:

Wahl & Henius-Eckhardt Ale

• 8 lbs liquid malt extract (I recommend Williams Brewing's American lager which has 30% corn extract)
• 1 1/2 ounces Cascade hops/60 minutes
• 1 1/4 ounces Cascade hops/30 minutes
• 1 1/4 ounces Cascade hops/10 minutes
• American Ale Yeast

OG = 1056 IBU = 60 (yes, 60) ABV = 6%

Craft Beer sales rise

Craft beer sales rose by 11% over last year, according to a story in the Rocky Mountain News. Since 1996, craft brewers increased their output by 26 percent. Most of the increase seems to come from more established craft brewers like New Belgium in Colorado.

Thanks, Beer Goggles!

Here's a link to a commercial for beer goggles. It's a promo for the upcoming movie, "Beer League." It looks like "The Bad News Bears" have all grown up. Should be fun!