Random Beer Roundup

Here's a few new and old beer related articles I've run across in the past couple days.

MSNBC declares Belgium "Malt Disneyland" - "American craft brewers may boast about their innovative ways: bourbon-barrel-aged beers, wild ingredients, formulas that tip the alcohol content well north of 10 percent. Guess what? The Belgians were there first."

Can microbreweries revive Germany's lagging beer sales? - "There used to be 100 breweries in this neighborhood alone," Lemke said. "They died out in the 1970s with the trend toward mono-breweries. The big breweries -- for example Warsteiner or Licher – said: ‘We're only going to make one sort of beer, a premium pilsner, and we'll market it nationwide.' And that inevitably leads to a dead-end. At some point, even the world's biggest idiot notices that there's virtually no difference between a Warsteiner and Licher."

I'm guessing Anheuser Busch products lead to sensory underload - "Menus laid out seven courses of haute cuisine: coconut shrimp and Michelob, beef tenderloin and caramelized onions with Michelob Amber Bock, and Caesar salad with Budweiser in pilsner glasses.

Brewmaster and host George Reisch stood by, explaining how a Ray Hill's American Pilsner — brewed by A-B in New Hampshire — would "open up" the taste buds to savor the oils and creams of the tenderloin and balsamic vinegar."

Diners "don't ever forget this," he said. "It's sensory."

Speaking of forget, forget what I told you yesterday: In yesterday's post about English and American Barleywines, I confused the samples. Bell's Thrid Coast is an American Barleywine (not English), and Brooklyn Monster Ale is an English Barleywine (not American). I've corrected the post now. In case you're paying attention, that means I've had something wrong twice in just three posts. Next time someone else is typing up the notes.