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I first saw this Big Sky Brewing Company video spot in 2007 when I moved to Missoula. I’ve often wondered where I could find it since the. Turns out beer buddy Jon happened upon it today, and so here it is again, for your viewing pleasure. And if I might add, Andy Smetanka is incredibly talented.

Big Sky Brewing Company Ad Spot from andy smetanka on Vimeo.

Prost,

GG

Check out this amazing Andy Smetanka Big Sky Brewing Company video spot from 2007 - http://grizzlygrowler.com/2010/03/10/check-out-this-amazing-andy-smetanka-big-sky-brewing-company-video-spot-from-2007/

[-] A slow day today, and I've been doing other things. However, I see Stan has linked to a list of BrewDog's favorite hops. This is interesting for a couple reasons: 1) Scottish brewers have not heretofore been noted for their hop passion, and 2) half are American. Bonus points for how they associate the different hops (positively, which goes to show that Scotland is a long way from Oregon) with Lady Gaga, David Hasselhoff, Spandau Ballet, Ziggy Stardust, Tony Christie [?], and the Boss. You can decide how well these personalities align.

Next, Derek rather off-handedly selects his top ten Oregon breweries. Inclusions include Standing Stone and Big Horse, and exclusions include Full Sail, Pelican, Caldera, Ninkasi, Fort George, Widmer, Roots, Hopworks, and so on and so forth. His fave brewery? Hint: it's been open less than two years. Very bold! Personally, if you gave me a few more slots--say 35-40, I might play along. But ten? No way. You may go take issue with him there.

Update: I should add--confess--I do like Lady Gaga. But I'd call her more of a Summit than a Simcoe.

Lists, Lists - https://www.blogger.com/comment.g?blogID=21271644&postID=8009610234930832751

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The Brewers Association notes:

• Currently, a small brewer that produces less than 2 million barrels of beer per year is eligible to pay $7.00 per barrel on the first 60,000 barrels produced each year. Reducing this rate to $3.50 per barrel would provide approximately $18.0 million per year to help strengthen our nation's smallest brewers and support their efforts to maintain and generate jobs.
• Once production exceeds 60,000 barrels, a small brewer must pay the same $18 per barrel excise tax rate that the largest brewer pays at over 100 million barrels. Lowering the tax rate to $16 per barrel on beer production above 60,000 barrels up to 2 million barrels would provide small brewers with an additional $26.2 million per year that would be used to support significant long-term investments and create jobs by growing their businesses on a regional or national scale.
• The small brewer tax rate was established in 1976 and has never been updated. Since then the annual production of America's largest brewery increased from about 45 million to 107 million barrels. The ceiling defining small breweries is 2 million barrels. We support raising this ceiling to 6 million barrels to more accurately reflect the intent of the original differentiation between large and small brewers in the US.

They've posted a page with much more information and tools you can use to contact your elected representatives in Washington. Use those tools to ask your representatives to co-sponsor HR 4278. You just might be helping to save your local brewery in the process.

HR 4278: Reduce the excise tax for small brewers - http://www.brewersassociation.org/pages/government-affairs/excise-taxes/hr-4278-resource-material

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March 11, 2010
6:00 pm	to	9:00 pm

Is there smoke in the air? Or do brewing minds just think alike? Anyway, another release this week that brings images of flames to mind.

Be at Rock Bottom by 6:00 pm for the tapping of Fire Chief Scotch Ale and the first pint is on the house.

Fire Chief Release @Rock Bottom - http://mnbeer.com/2010/03/10/fire-chief-release-rock-bottom/

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The Brewers Association announced the 2009 craft beer sales numbers and other statistics yesterday in its annual report, released just before the Craft Brewers Conference in Chicago next month. (Click the graphics for larger version.) From the Brewers Association:

“Beer lovers continue to find great value and enjoyment in fuller flavored craft beers,” said Paul Gatza, director of the Brewers Association. “Americans have an increasing appreciation of craft beers, and the growing number of brewers behind them. They’re eager to try the latest seasonal release and to sample a variety of beers from different breweries.”

In 2009, craft brewers represented 4.3 percent of volume and 6.9 percent of retail dollars for the total U.S. beer category. With the total U.S. beer industry representing an estimated retail dollar value of $101 billion, the Brewers Association estimates the actual dollar sales figure from craft brewers in 2009 was $7 billion, up from $6.3 billion in 2008.

The total number of U.S. craft brewers grew from 1,485 to 1,542 in 2009, and they produced 9,115,635 barrels, up from 8,501,713 barrels in 2008. Overall U.S. beer sales fell from approximately 210.4 million barrels to 205.8 million barrels.”

Beer sales down, but craft beer sales are UP! - http://www.bruisin-ales.com/beerblog/2010/03/beer/beer-sales-down-but-craft-beer-sales-are-up/

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A new law took effect in September 2009 that will allow Texas wineries to pour and sell their wines at farmers markets and festivals in wet or dry areas, and without the festivals having a liquor license, as long as the wine is bottled in Texas and contains a certain percentage of Texas grapes or juice. The wineries have to get a two-year certificate for each event or market that limits their participation to no more than five days at one location within a 30-day period and no more than three consecutive days at a single location.

This is a disturbing law on a couple of levels. First, this could set Texas' Local Option laws on their collective ears. The Local Option allows each city, country or even precinct in a county to determine whether or not to allow alcohol sales. For example, Mesquite, Texas is dry while the neighboring towns are wet. I know this because Ricky D. Sawyer is both a proponent of the Local Option, and a liquor retailer in the wet community of Balch Springs. He opposes alcohol sales in Mesquite to protect his children. I wonder if he knows that a Farmers Market in Mesquite could sell wine? In full view of his children? This law puts the decision to sell alcohol into the hand of the manufacturer instead of the voter.

Second, what about Mr. Sawyer's business? Doesn't he sell wine? How much more is his license than the wineries' permit? Will Wineries selling wine at a Farmers Market take food off his family's table and money out of his Local Option war chest?

Third, what about wine distributors? Won't they lose money as they would if breweries sold beer? Won't they be unable to encourage Texas winery growth (as the beer distributors testified they do when the brewery sales bill came up last year) they do for Texas Brewery growth?

More wineism (the preferential treatment of wine over other alcoholic beverages). We can go to a winery, pay for samples and buy cases and cases of wine. They will tell us what stores in our hometowns sell their product. But go on the Real Ale Brewing brewery tour, and they can give you samples but you can't buy anything except T-shirts, and they can't tell you who sells their beer. Texas could have a brewing industry as vibrant as our wine industry if only the law would treat vinters and brewers the same. Don't believe me? Check this out!

More Wineism (New Word!) - http://homebrewer2005.blogspot.com/feeds/1984799664461352587/comments/default

[-] In all the excitement over the PLCB/BLCE raids in Philly in the past five days, there's been very little comment on an opinion piece that ran in the Inquirer yesterday. It's by Ed Klunk, the vice president of the Malt Beverage Distributors Association, and we've seen pieces like this before.

Here's some of his argument (the best parts, really, though they're not much):

Each beer distributorship in Pennsylvania is individually owned and allowed to operate out of only one location, so there's no opportunity to monopolize malt-beverage sales. But the grocery and convenience stores that are seeking to act as distributors are not subject to the same limitations, which raises the prospect of unfair competition.

Actually that is unfair, and lifting the limits on distributors won't wholly make it fair. You can't expect them to suddenly come up with the cash to open five more stores. And grocery stores can sell anything they want, making them a more attractive stop than a place that sells beer, snacks, and lottery tickets. But the next argument is bogus.

Because grocery and convenience stores sell a wide variety of items, they would have the ability to sell selected beverages below cost, essentially undercutting any beer distributor in the area. We have seen Wal-Mart do the same with other goods, undercutting neighborhood retailers.
Wal-Mart does so partly by negotiating lower wholesale prices using its bulk purchasing power. But the company has also shut out the competition through "loss leader" pricing, willingly selling some items below cost so it can bring in customers and build market share.

That's just downright deceptive (which is not to say "lying." There, I didn't say it), because Pennsylvania law forbids selling beer for less than cost. Not to mention, Klunk only ever refers to these stores as "Wal-Mart," because he knows there's bad feeling about Wal-Mart. Wal-Mart, of course, doesn't currently sell beer in Pennsylvania. He doesn't say anything about Wegmans selling beer, because people love Wegmans. Hah? "Deceptive." In fact, some say "Downright deceptive." *

How about this howler:

Grocery and convenience-store chains argue that allowing them to sell beer will improve access and convenience for customers. That's a weak argument when you consider that beer is available for carryout or on-site consumption at approximately 1,200 distributors and 14,000 carry-outs, bars, and restaurants in Pennsylvania. 

Did he say "That's a weak argument"? Yes, yours is, Ed! Selling beer by the bottle, sixer, or 12-pack DOES improve access and convenience for customers, especially when it's right where they buy their groceries! That's such a slam-dunk argument, I don't know why you brought it up. Are you trying to scare weak-minded people into thinking there are too many retail beer outlets? Sorry.

But he saves his worst for last:

The current system also deters illegal sales to minors. It does so by limiting beer sales to licensed locations that are highly dependent on alcohol sales. If a grocery or convenience store is cited for underage sales, it may have to padlock the beer coolers for a week or a month. But it can keep selling other stuff and stay in business.
Cite a beer distributorship or a neighborhood bar, meanwhile, and it has to close its doors while its license is suspended. The financial penalty is severe.

Ed, Ed, Ed... Wegmans does 100% carding. I'm 51, and I get carded at Wegmans, every time. Do you card everyone at your store? (Ed Klunk also owns Thorndale Beverage, a beer distributor in Thorndale, PA.) I strongly doubt it. But don't worry. You can always drop a dime on Wegmans for selling unregistered brands; seems likely that everyone in the State is. Have you checked your stock against The List lately? (The phone number for the BLCE anonymous tipline is 800-ISQUEAL, kids!)

Okay, kidding aside, this is a lousy piece. Klunk really should have focused on that first argument and made the whole piece out of that. Like the case law or not (and apparently most of you don't), the state's distributors have worked under the often ridiculous strictures of The Almighty Liquor Code. Tons of paperwork, needle-nosed inspections, and they too, suffer from the case law. I worked beer retail in PA for a while in the early 1990s: throwing cases is a long day, and the customer always wants the case on the bottom of the stack. I remember one distributor telling me with heart-felt emotion how he'd really love to have a nicer store -- "with carpet, and wood shelves" -- but with the case law, they're stuck with concrete floors and pallet-jacks.

Is it a monopoly? Sure. Would they like to protect it? Of course. But to toss them aside like used Kleenex isn't fair either. We need to rewrite the Liquor Code to allow these guys a fair shake. Here's one plan: give them a free upgrade to an "all-alcohol" license when the state stores are privatized. Then they could be real liquor stores, with everything from beer to tequila, and the grocery stores would just have beer. Mmmmm....package store.

But if the MBDA and Krunk and our buddy Dave Shipula just keep fighting this without trying to compromise, they're going to wind up out in the cold. They need to see this coming, gear up, and go to Harrisburg to get the best deal they can. Not this kind of stuff.


*It was me, at the beginning of the paragraph. I wouldn't want to deceive you.

More bad arguments for keeping PA's beer out of grocery stores - http://lewbryson.blogspot.com/feeds/5316434864294858698/comments/default

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Here is some of the latest information on Wolf Pack Brewing Company in West Yellowstone provided as a comment by a recent visitor.

The Wolf Pack was open 2.14.10. It is not brewing beer but has a decent selection of beers on tap (probably the best selection in all of West Yellowstone). I had a delightful time there speaking with the owner. Her husband has taken ill and cannot do the brewing. She is very knowledgeable about beer and the brewing process. I learned quite a bit from her and I will most definitely stop by again the next time I am in West Yellowstone! By the way, I also had a very good lunch there. The homemade tomato basil soup was fantastic!

Prost,

GG

Wolf Pack Brewing Company update - http://grizzlygrowler.com/2010/03/10/wolf-pack-brewing-company-update/

[-] All right, I know I'm going to get strung up for that headline but the last three home brews I've been daft enough to accept have (in order) made me vomit, made me gag at the smell and have not even made it across my threshold before exploding! So, forgive me if I'm a little wary of people giving me homebrew.

Fortunately, the last one that was handed to me was from Sean Ayling, who is an ex-hack and keen homebrewer, whom I caught up with in the Brown Dog in Barnes, .

He bought me a Cooper's kit beer brewed with Amarillo hops and it was delightful! Luscious lychee and tangerine aroma, a jaunty effervescence and a good grapefruity finish with a hint of kaffir lime peel all vied for my attention along with a lingering tropical fruit-yoghurt creaminess.

Not only does the man brew well, he also writes entertainingly about it - well worth checking out his blog and if he ever thinks of taking this up full time I can see a much bigger shed in his future!

Home Brewer Makes Jolly Good Beer Shocker - http://girlsguidetobeer.blogspot.com/feeds/8122338800165189173/comments/default

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If you live in Pennsylvania, contact your state legislators and get them to fix the circle-jerk that is the PLCB. If you live in a state that requires brand registration, beware, because this could happen to you, too.

This past Thursday the Bureau of Liquor Control Enforcement and the PLCB carried out three simultaneous raids on Memphis Taproom, Resurrection Ale House, and Local 44. The raids were the result of a complaint that the three bars were selling beers that are not registered with the State. (No one has, at this point, stepped forward to take credit for lodging this complaint; I'm assuming that they're hiding behind "Anonymous.") Each bar was visited by five armed officers -- again, simultaneously, presumably so no one would call the other bars so they could somehow hide cases or kegs -- who proceeded to check beers against the list of registered brands, and confiscated ones they couldn't find on the list. They evidently didn't look too hard: Brendan Hartranft, owner of Memphis, told me yesterday that they seized bottles of Duvel, a beer that's been imported into the US for over 30 years, and is clearly on the list.

So what's this tell us? First, that the PLCB is incompetent.
Second, that the PLCB has no sense of proportion.
Third, the idea that someone -- oh, let's say it: that some rival bar or restaurant owner, or maybe a brewer with their nose out of joint [...] would deliberately rat out another small beer business leaves a very bad taste in my mouth.
Fourth: this is clearly a violation of PA liquor law. [...] Well... Why? Why is there a law? [The tax had been paid on the beers in question, just not the registration fees. -RDS]
So let's say it. Brand registration is bullshit.

Lew Bryson rants much more effectively than I do, and he goes into a lot more detail at his Why The PLCB Should Be Abolished blog. Read it, be outraged, and learn.

The Memphis 44 Resurrection Raids: and why you should care - http://noplcb.blogspot.com/2010/03/memphis-44-resurrection-raids-and-why.html