Dogfish Head / Victory / Stone Saison du BUFF from stonebrew on Vimeo.

This announcement out of Stone Brewing Co., has me very excited. Why? Because the thought of brewers putting out beers without regard to formal style considerations or cost of ingredients means that we finally have achieved high art in the craft of brewing.

Here’s the latest collaborative effort from Stone Brewing Co., Firestone Walker and 21st Amendment:

Sure, we’re a bunch of Arrogant Bastards, but we humbly admit that we were inspired to start brewing by other fantastic breweries and homebrewers. There are a whole lot of fellow craft brewers who we respect and admire, and who we’ve wanted to collaborate with. So why just dream about it? Starting in 2008, we released a new series of collaboration beers. The goal was to get three brewers from three different breweries to put their heads together and have some fun with no regard for boundaries. No restrictions on fitting a beer into a lineup, using familiar ingredients, conforming to preconceived beer styles, using tested procedures in the brewing process or even affordability. Each of these beers is the result of three brewers coming together and doing what they love. Therefore, many of our collaborations include ridiculous amounts of decadent ingredients without regard for shelf price. And because our collaborations are usually only brewed once, they can be rather difficult to find, and once they run out—they run out. Consider yourself warned.

If you’re lucky enough to get your hands on these liquid tributes to the spirit of camaraderie, you’ll agree that the end result is worth it.

Prost,

GG

This is an excerpt from a little documentary about Stone Brewing Co.’s collaboration with European breweries. Instead of buying the world a Coke and teaching them how to sing, we’re giving the world a craft beer and teaching them how to get a long.

COMING SOON: Stone Skips Across the Pond from stonebrew on Vimeo.

Prost,

GG

Though it’s many thousands of miles away, Mikeller Brewery in Denmark might just be one of my favorite craft breweries anywhere. This is not a light statement either. There are many factors that surround this. For one, Mikkeller pays tribute to the adventurous American breweries who are not afraid of taste and exploration in brewing techniques and styles. Mikkeller would like to emulate that in Denmark, where light lagers dominate the market. Another reason is that Mikkeller is not afraid of collaboration with other European breweries to create fascinating Old/New World combinations like single-hop beers with the addition of brettamyoces. (a yeast strain that produces a prominent smell characteristic in many Belgian and French beer varieties. Yet another reason is that one of the original founders of Mikkeller, Kristian Klarup Keller, is a journalist, and, well, you all know how I feel about journalists, especially journalists who like good craft beer.

Struise Mikeller (Elliot Beer)

Recently, someone opened a bottle of Mikkeller’s Struise Mikeller, (Elliot Beer) a strong-hopped Northwest-style IPA with a Struise strong blond. But then again, everyone gets a long with blonds, don’t they? The marriage of these two beers is interesting. I’ll withhold any judgement as to this being the best in the style I’ve ever had, because I’ve never had the style before. But the fact that the two breweries collaborated on something this unique is extraordinary, and it’s here that the U.S. breweries could learn a lesson. Yes, your bottom line beers are important, to your bottom line no less. But what is driving the popularity of craft beer is the innovative styles unique to various communities that are becoming more readily available elsewhere. I remember when I had my first Mikkeller here in Missoula. I was astounded that a Scandinavian craft brewery could produce such wonderful U.S. craft styles. Then out of nowhere, they explode to become Rate Beer’s 5th highest-ranking brewery in the world.

It goes to show you the value of playing well with others and brewing as an art instead of a business science. Those of us who love craft beer will love you all the more for your willingness to be inventive rather than your ability to put a fairly standard IPA, brown ale or stout on the shelves of the local grocery store throughout the year. When Big Sky Brewing Co.’s Ivan the Terrible Imperial Stout sells out in places like Seattle and other western cities, it brings so much more attention to the brewery for the fact that the beer is limited.

Many limited beers are now becoming full-fledged production beers, which opens many more people up to trying different styles, which then creates demands for new beers, which increases creative interest at breweries, and the whole thing is just a big, vicious circle of craft-beer loveliness.

Mikkeller beers have been available at the Good Food Store and at Worden’s Market.

Prost,

GG