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Can You Identify American Breweries?

partysugar — Mon, 27 Oct 2008 03:00:49 -0700

Happy American Beer Day! To commemorate the many great American breweries, I put together another round of the popular American beer identification game. I'll list a brew and you tell me if it's American or not. Sound like fun? Get cracking!

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Can You Identify American Breweries?

YumSugar — Sat, 27 Oct 2007 11:31:19 -0700

Today is American Beer Day, and while American beer often gets a bad rap, there are definitely a lot of fantastic small breweries. To celebrate the day I thought it would be fun to see if you can identify which of these breweries are American and which are not. Ready to give it a try? Source

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Happy Hour: Snoweizen Wheat Ale

partysugar — Wed, 11 Jul 2007 14:01:32 -0700

I'm all about eating and drinking locally, and one of my favorite treats of heading up to my vacation house is Snowshoe Brewery's Snoweizen beer. In my mind, it's the best hefeweizen/wheat style beer around. Smooth and creamy with a fruity aroma, Snoweizen has a golden color and thick white foam. Refreshing and light, a lemon wedge is a must have garnish for this tasty beer with a clean finish. Highly drinkable, I enjoy it by the lake in the afternoons or at the country club bar in the evening. I always bring a six pack home with me and it's gone in a matter of days. It pairs nicely with barbeque and salty appetizers. Oh, and the thing I love most about this beer is saying the name: Snoweizen. It's so much more fun than saying hefeweizen! You can buy a six-pack online for $9.95.

Happy Hour: Buffalo Bill's Pumpkin Ale

YumSugar — Wed, 28 Oct 2009 16:15:11 -0700

These days, my street isn't the only thing covered with pumpkins; so is my kitchen. I've been using the gourds in everything from moist pumpkin bread to chicken pumpkin stew, and so I decided it was high time I enjoyed it in ale form, too. Although it's believed early American icons like George Washington and Ben Franklin enjoyed pumpkin ales, one Bay Area craft brewhouse, Buffalo Bill's, brought the beer back into vogue when it became known for its special blend in the 1980s.The whisky-colored amber ale ($7.99 for six), which is brewed with fresh roasted pumpkins and malted barley, possesses only a delicate squash flavor, but has lingering pumpkin pie spices like cinnamon, cloves, and nutmeg that become more prominent as the beer warms. Because it doesn't have a malty flavor or the bitter taste of hops, Buffalo Bill's Pumpkin a great find for people who aren't that into traditional beer. What's your favorite Fall ale?

Come Party With Me: Oktoberfest - Drinks

partysugar — Thu, 17 Sep 2009 14:30:25 -0700

No specialty cocktail is needed at an Okotberfest celebration, the German festival is all about one thing - beer. Instead invite friends to partake in a beer tasting! There are several different ways to host a beer tasting. You can get the same kinds of beers, say German pilsners, all made by different breweries. You could select one brewery, purchase all the varieties of beer they make, and serve those. Or you can just buy a bunch of beers from various styles and regions. Head to Bevmo, Trader Joe's, or other local shop that sells a wide assortment of beers and purchase six packs or larger bottles for the tasting. To get more beer-tasting tips read more.

When selecting beers, think about the likes and dislikes of your guests. If the majority of people enjoy lighter style beers, get those. On the other hand, if your guests are adventurous drinkers, consider picking up hoppier/darker ales.
Handle the beer carefully and be sure to properly chill it.
Like wine, beer requires appropriate glasses for each type. However, for the sake of the tasting, simply serve the beer in standard glasses. Avoid using plastic or paper cups.
Drink slowly and take note of the beer's color, aroma, and head. Discuss how it tastes.
Each pour should be about 3-4 ounces.
Host the tasting before dinner and have extra bottles on hand to enjoy while consuming the meal.

Have you thrown a beer tasting? Please tell us about your experience below!

Would You Drink Chicha Beer?

YumSugar — Thu, 10 Sep 2009 16:15:36 -0700

"Off-centered stuff for off-centered people" is the slogan used on every beer at Dogfish Head Craft Brewed Ales, a Milton, DE-based craft brewery. Although the company is perhaps best known for its 60-Minute India Pale Ale, it's made headlines recently for being one of the few to produce chicha, a traditional Peruvian beer made out of corn that's been milled and moistened - in the brewer's mouth.

"Ancient brewers through trial and error learned that the natural enzymes in saliva would convert the starch in corn into sugar, so it would ferment," Dogfish Head founder Sam Calagione told the New York Times.

Although the beer's boiled for an hour and Calagione claims it's "completely sterile," I simply don't know if I can stomach a drink that has a stranger's saliva in it. What about you?

Source: Flickr User zieak

Guinness Unveils New 250th Anniversary Stout Beer

YumSugar — Thu, 09 Apr 2009 09:00:11 -0700

Stout lovers get excited: for the first time since it began exporting to the US, Guinness is introducing a new stout beer to select markets.

On April 24, to celebrate its quarter-of-a-century draught legacy, Guinness is launching a limited-edition beer, 250th Anniversary Stout, which will be available in bars and stores in the US, Australia, and Singapore. The anniversary brew honors Arthur Guinness's signing of a 9,000-year lease in 1759 at St. James's Gate Brewery in Dublin, where the company's flagship brewery is located.

Less creamy than its original counterpart, the special-release brew will have a heavy malt flavor and more effervescence, along with a slightly higher alcohol content. Instead of nitrogen and carbon dioxide (used in original Guinness draught), the new stout will use carbonation, as well as two types of malt, and triple hops. The resulting beer is intended to have a more refreshing taste and a simpler pouring process.

Unlike Guinness's famous two-part pouring process (which involves filling the glass 75 percent of the way at an angle, letting the surge of foam settle, and then topping it off with the rest), the anniversary stout can be poured at once.

Since I love a bold, zippy beer, this stout sounds like something I can get behind - possibly even more so than traditional Guinness. When April 24 arrives, stock up while you can, since the commemorative brew is only slated to be around for six months. Do you have plans to seek out the special-release stout?

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What's Cooking at Slashfood

YumSugar — Thu, 16 Apr 2009 04:00:07 -0700

We love Slashfood so much that every Thursday we round up their most delicious stories. Here are this week's finds:

Are those hard-boiled eggs from the Easter egg hunt safe to eat afterward?
Get acquainted with allepo, serrano, and dried arbol chiles.
Extend the life of overripe eggplant by salting it beforehand.
The Brewers Association has released their list of America's top 50 breweries.
Terrance Brennan's tips for making winning grilled cheese sandwiches.
What will go down at this year's National Grits Festival?

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Meet the 2009 James Beard Award Nominees!

YumSugar — Mon, 23 Mar 2009 11:30:53 -0700

Last month, we introduced you to the semifinalists for the 2009 James Beard Awards. This morning, the short list of final nominees was unveiled, and the winners of the awards - nicknamed the "Oscars of the food world" - will be revealed at an awards gala at Manhattan's Lincoln Center on May 4. In addition to the highly anticipated nominations for outstanding restaurateur, outstanding chef, and outstanding restaurant, among others, the foundation's other honors - in cookbooks, newspaper writing, restaurant design, and blogs - were also announced.

Did any of your favorite chefs and restaurants make the list? View the all the nominations, or check out a summary of some of the biggest award nominees when you read more.

Outstanding Restaurateur Award
Tom Douglas, Tom Douglas Restaurants; Seattle, WA
Keith McNally, Balthazar, Lucky Strike, Pastis; New York, NY
Richard Melman, Lettuce Entertain You Enterprises; Chicago, IL
Drew Nieporent, Myriad Restaurant Group; New York, NY
Stephen Starr, Starr Restaurant Organization; Philadelphia, PA

Outstanding Chef Award
José Andrés, Minibar; Washington, DC
Dan Barber, Blue Hill; New York, NY
Tom Colicchio, Craft; New York, NY
Suzanne Goin, Lucques; Los Angeles, CA
Paul Kahan, Blackbird; Chicago, IL

Outstanding Restaurant Award
Babbo, New York, NY; Chef/Owner: Mario Batali, Owner: Joe Bastianich
Boulevard, San Francisco, CA; Chef/Owner: Nancy Oakes, Owner: Pat Kuleto
Fore Street, Portland, ME; Chef/Owner: Sam Hayward, Owner: Victor Leon and Dana Street
Highlands Bar & Grill, Birmingham, AL; Chef/Owner: Frank Stitt
Jean Georges, New York, NY; Chef/Owner: Jean-Georges Vongerichten, Owner: Phil Suarez

Rising Star Chef of the Year Award
Nate Appleman, A16; San Francisco, CA
Sean Brock, McCrady's; Charleston, SC
Johnny Monis, Komi; Washington, DC
Gabriel Rucker, Le Pigeon; Portland, OR
Michael Solomonov, Zahav; Philadelphia, PA
Sue Zemanick, Gautreau's; New Orleans, LA

Best New Restaurant
The Bazaar by José Andrés, Los Angeles, CA; Chef/Owner: José Andrés
Corton, New York, NY; Chef/Owner: Paul Liebrandt, Owner: Drew Nieporent
L20, Chicago, IL; Chef: Laurent Gras, Owner: Richard Melman
Momofuku Ko, New York, NY; Chef/Owner: David Chang
Scarpetta, New York, NY; Chef/Owner: Scott Conant

Outstanding Pastry Chef
Gina DePalma, Babbo; New York, NY
Kamel Guechida, Joël Robuchon; Las Vegas, NV
Pichet Ong, P*ong; New York, NY
Nicole Plue, Redd; Yountville, CA
Mindy Segal, Mindy's Hot Chocolate; Chicago, IL

Outstanding Wine Service Award
Bin 36, Chicago, IL; Wine Director: Brian Duncan
Blackberry Farm, Walland, TN; Wine Director: Andy Chabot
Le Bernardin, New York, NY; Wine Director: Aldo Sohm
Patina, Los Angeles, CA; Wine Director: Eric Espuny
Picasso at Bellagio, Las Vegas, NV; Wine Director: Robert Smith

Outstanding Wine and Spirits Professional
Dale DeGroff, Dale DeGroff Co., Inc.; New York, NY
Merry Edwards, Merry Edwards Wines; Sebastopol, CA
Garrett Oliver, The Brooklyn Brewery; Brooklyn, NY
John Shafer and Doug Shafer, Shafer Vineyards; Napa, CA
Julian P. Van Winkle, III, Old Rip Van Winkle Distillery; Louisville, KY

Outstanding Service Award
Daniel, New York, NY; Owners: Daniel Boulud and Joel Smilow
Emeril's New Orleans, New Orleans, LA; Owner: Emeril Lagasse
La Grenouille, New York, NY; Owners: Charles Masson and Giséle Masson
Spiaggia, Chicago, IL; Owner: Larry Levy
Vetri, Philadelphia, PA; Owners: Marc Vetri and Jeff Benjamin

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What's Cooking at Slashfood

YumSugar — Thu, 26 Feb 2009 04:00:03 -0800

We love Slashfood so much that every Thursday we round up their most delicious stories. Here are this week's finds:

In the wake of the recession, family-owned pizza parlors may be among the last bastion of thriving businesses.
Cheez-It introduces the new Scrabble Junior Cracker.
The USDA hires sustainable agriculture expert Kathleen Merrigan to take the post of deputy secretary.
Get to know sciacchetrà, Cinque Terre's most notable dessert wine.
Michigan is providing a tax credit to help a local brewery with production of a proposed Kid Rock-branded beer.
What parameters exist for food that's labeled "all natural"?