Chimay 25th Anniversary Celebrations and Special Package Released Throughout U.S.A.AUSTIN, October 06, 2008 - Chimay Trappist Ales have been brewing in Belgium for 146 years and U.S.A. inhabitants have been able to take pleasure in this incomparable beverage for 25 years in the states. In recognition of this grand occasion, Bires de Chimay has designed a special collector goblet to recognize the exportation of Chimay Trappist Ales to the United States for 25 consecutive years. Various Chimay-selling bars throughout the United States will host Chimay 25th Anniversary Celebrations throughout the remainder of the year.  read more »

My thoughts......... A little article on a great beer style called Lambic. This style is often under appreciated here in the US due to the sometimes aggresive tartness found in true lambics. Some offerings from Belgium such as from Brouwerji Lindemans offer a sweeter version that has fruit blended into the beer to offset the tartness. Great pairings for the lambic style in my opinion are Chocolate desserts, rich decadent desserts can really work best, fresh raspberries, ice cream with a fruit demi-glaze sauce, or crme caramel, baked Alaska, oysters, and occasionally caviar.  read more »

More Belgian imports are likely in the wake of InBev's deal for Anheuser By CHARLES FORELLE and JOHN W. MILLERJuly 19, 2008; Page W4 Amid all the patriotic tub-thumping about the recently sealed takeover of Anheuser-Busch, maker of all-American King of Beers Budweiser, by Belgian-Brazilian InBev, one vital fact has gotten lost. Americans could soon get to drink a lot more, and more unusual, kinds of beers. WSJ's Charles Forelle and John Miller travel to Belguim to speak with Joris Pattyn, one of Belgium's finest palates, as he weighs in the beers owned by InBev, including Budweiser.  read more »

This weekend—Friday and Saturday the 8th and 9th to be exact—is the KLCC Microbrew Festival over in Eugene (Oregon). From 5 to 11pm each day, it's at the Lane Events Center Exhibit Hall (796 W 13th) and costs $10 admission. Tasters are $1.

(There's also a homebrew competition; it's a $10 entry fee but you get subsequently get free entry to the 'fest.)

This is a big deal for Eugene. KLCC is the Public Radio station over there, and they put on a good fest; just check out this list of beers to see what I mean:  read more »

New Belgium Brewing today announced that it is now packaging mixed twelve packs called "Folly Packs." The sampler packs are the only place where beer lovers can find bottles of an old favorite, Old Cherry Ale, and the introduction of a new beer, Mighty Arrow Pale Ale. The Folly Packs are available in all New Belgium markets with the exception of Iowa due to its slightly higher alcohol content (6.5% abv).

I recently found a new IPA on tap at Anna Bananas in St. Johns on N.Lombard Avenue. Betwix tap handles for Hopworks' HUB IPA and Pyramid Snowcap, There was a new tap handle I'd not heard of before. The label read "Panty Dropper Ale." I've heard of others dubbing potent libations under such a moniker, but never found a brew actually called such. I inquired with the nice man working behind the counter and he informed me that it was a beer "brewed by a woman in Hillsboro, or something." My facination grew after I sampled the hoppy treat. I am a nut for finding new micro brews. And one from the Portland area...even better!

The next day I employed Internet search engines only to find one entry that appeared to match. It was for the Portland Spring Beer & Wine Festival. Apparently they were to carry the Panty Dropper. From this site, under brewers' web sites, there was just an email. So, I emailed what, when, where, who was Panty Dropper. To my delight, I was replied to by a kind lady named Linda Hansen. Linda wrote in detail about her fine brew:  read more »

OK, here's the deal. I can't really tell you when any of these things are going to go on tap because we only have 8 faucets to run the sours through (we need to keep some "normal" beers on), and we have close to 20 different offerings lined up. There's also a couple of local breweries that have promised kegs, but have yet to deliver them (you know who you are!) and I don't want to get people's hopes up unnecessarily. That said, here's an almost complete list of puckertastic beer.

Currently On Tap:

Cantillon - Vigneronne: Light and delicate, yet aggressively sour. Malted grain meet pressed grape. This is a beer of incredible contradiction that somehow transcends both beer and wine to become something which can only be called Vigneronne. Judging by sales, this was the most popular pour last night, and the keg is already 1/3 gone. I'd give it until Thursday at the latest.  read more »

A Joint Adventure; New Belgium and Elysian Share Breweries
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Win had mentioned that one of his coworkers was also a bartender at a new beer bar/brewpub in Waco called The Dancing Bear Pub. This was exciting because Cricket's, Waco's other beer bar, focuses more on imports than on craft beer (though there are some good craft options). Waco is already "Chain Restaurant Hell" so it's nice to see something -anything- open that isn't a chain. That's not to say there aren't good non-chain restaurants in Waco , there are (Bangkok Royal has some of the best Thai food I've had anywhere), but the most popular restaurants seem to be chains, and the citizenry only seems to be clamoring for more chains. Enough bitching about Waco though.

The Dancing Bear opened recently, and as a consequence doesn't yet have the permits from the TABC for brewing. According to the menu there will be 5 beers: Dancing Bear Pale, an American Pale Ale; Black Bear Stout, an Irish Dry Stout; 12th Street Wheat, an American Pale Wheat Ale; Barron Estates IPA; and 76 Magnum IPA, a Double IPA. I was a little disappointed the brewery wasn't up and running yet, because I don't know when I'll be back to Waco. Unless something comes up between now and then it won't be until next Christmas.  read more »

Six Colorado breweries made it on the Brewers Association's list of top 50 craft brewing companies, based on sales volume in 2007.

New Belgium Brewing Co. of Fort Collins ranked highest on the craft brewing trade group's list, behind only top-ranked Boston Beer Co. of Boston and second-ranked Sierra Nevada Brewing Co. of California. All three had the same rankings last year.  read more »