Events: The 75th anniversary of the end of America’s national Prohibition (on alcoholic drinks) is coming up on Dec. 5 and naturally the 21st Amendment, 563 2nd St., San Francisco, has big plans. They’re still looking for someone who was born on that day in 1933 and for someone who turns 21 that day. They’ll pay each $100 cash and let them lead the Repeal Prohibition Parade…Of course there will be a parade and a beer dinner and a beer….
- Monday, Dec. 1, 5 p.m. Repeal Prohibition Keg Tap of “Beerly Legal Lager” at
21st Amendment Brewery, 563 2nd Street, San Francisco. Brewed specifically for the occasion of the 75th anniversary of the 21st Amendment, which repealed prohibition in America. PHOTO: 21st Amendment co-owners Nico Freccia, left, Shaun O’Sullivan.
- Wednesday, Dec. 3, 6 p.m. Repeal Prohibition dinner at 21st Amendment Brewery, 563 2nd Street, San Francisco. Features rare seasonal beers, guest brewers and a five-course meal. $75/person, includes tax and tip; cash only. Reservations required: 415-369-0900
- Friday, Dec. 5, 4 p.m. Repeal Prohibition Parade (aka We Want Beer! March) begins at Justin Herman Plaza (1 Market Street) with a full marching band and a coterie of revelers in 1930’s garb. Parade ends at 21st Amendment Brewery (563 2nd Street, San Francisco) with a Repeal Prohibition celebration featuring a three-piece jazz band, special menu items, and a password-only speakeasy. Passwords will be hidden around town, and retrieval instructions will be twittered to 21st Amendment followers on December 1. Admission is free.
New Beers…Here’s one to look for, should be in good beer stores in the Bay Area soon…Schneider & Brooklyner Hopfen-Weisse. It’s the marriage of classic American and Bavarian brewing styles. Double IPA meets Hefeweizen and sires Hopfen-Weisse. According to Schneider’s California rep, Ed Chainey, the beer was a collaboration between Brooklyn Brewing’s Garrett Oliver and Schneider’s Georg Schneider VII. It’s a Euro-Brooklyn fresh hop ale, brewed with the season’s fresh hop crop. 8.2 percent, huge hoppy nose and finish, Ed says and I believe him. He’s a guy that goes back to the beginning in the California craft beer scene. Among other places he’s worked is Anderson Valley.
Also, the 40th anniversary version of Thomas Hardy’s Ale has been released in England. Lots of irony here. The first Thomas Hardy’s Ale was brewed in 1968 to commemorate the 40th anniversary of the literary giant’s death in 1928. The Zythophile, an English blog, has a fascinating account of the genesis of the beer. . One note, the American importer who discovered the beer, brought it to the U.S. in 1987 and quite recently found another UK brewer in the same area to continue making this great, English classic, is George Saxon of Phoenix Imports, Ellicott City, MD. Shot him an e-mail asking when the 2008 would arrive. No word yet.
Got a note from a regular poster to this blog, Scott Bruni.
- Just got back this weekend from Tahoe. I went to Bar 24 Tap Room & Grill - that place in Bill’s Casino that you wrote about a few weeks ago. The bar itself is kind of dingy but with a nice selection of craft brews. I wrote down the list of what they had on tap:
- Alaskan Amber, Deschutes Black Butte Porter , Widmer Hef , Stone IPA , Stone Arrogant Bastard , Deschutes Mirror Pond, Downtown Brown, Gordon Biersch Marzen , GB Octoberfest, Sierra Pale Ale , Red Hook ESB , Spaten Optimator , Spaten Munich , Blue Moon , Blue Moon Honey. Dos Equis Amber, Guinness , Harp , Killian’s Irish Red , PBR , Bud Light, Coors Light , Newcastle Brown, Stella Artois.
Not too bad for a Nevada casino.
Remembering Michael Jackson…Gregory Daurer, a Denver writer and photographer, who takes photos for us each year at the Great American Beer Festival, has a blog. It’s photo-oriented, but he also posts beer-related things from time to time. He recently posted a remembrance of his late friend Frank Morris, who helped Charlie Papazian organize the first Great American Beer Festivals, which were held in Boulder, a town 30 miles north of Denver. Gregory explains he was the beer guy at Liquor Mart in Boulder, a place copied by BevMo decades later.
- He was a crazy wisdom poet and writer. I’ve, also, excerpted Morris’ descriptions of the late Michael Jackson for the blog entry. I think Frank captured Jackson fittingly. According to his piece, Morris reviewed one of Jackson’s books for an early issue of Zymurgy at Papazian’s instigation. Assuredly, there are probably still a few people left in the Bay Area who remember Frank Morris, as well. Thanks.
Cruising the blogs, more yuks from Philadelphia, where Don Russell, who writes the Joe Sixpack column in the Philadelphia Daily News and books on beer and the Beer Radar Blog…Take it away Don…
- If you’ve lost count, the success of Philly Beer Week also inspired: New York Beer Week, San Francisco Beer Week, Syracuse Beer Week, Ohio Brew Week, Indiana Beer Week. And, because they did it first (on a considerably smaller scale): Charlotte Beer Week. Read the rest of the post…