When the Replacements wrote “Beer for Breakfast,” I don’t think they had craft beer in mind. Judge for yourself:

All I wanna do is drink beer for breakfast
All I wanna eat is them BBQ chips
All I want is someone just to try to protect us
You can try but you’d never wanna try to defend us

But, the song does bring up a good point. What’s your motivation to have beer for breakfast? Last night a group of people gathered at a local St. Patrick’s Day party, (a few days late) discussed beer for breakfast. The majority of people had consume beer for breakfast, but it was mostly a common thread of after-party necessity, early morning fishing/camping/hunting trips or the ubiquitous Montana red beer.

No wonder there is such a stigma about having beer before noon. These experiences will definitely make you think twice before popping the top on a cheap canned beer with your Wheaties.

When I talk about breakfast beer, I mean the thick, over-indulgent and decadent craft beers the world has to offer today. And by breakfast, I mean the I’m-going-to-sleep-late-and-make-chocolate-chip-pancakes-today kind of breakfast, not necessarily your oatmeal and coffee and run-out-the-door kind of breakfast.

Which brings me to today’s Saturday Breakfast Beer, Rogue Ale’s Chocolate Stout.

This rich, cocoa-tasting stout exudes breakfast in its silk, coffee-like blackness, cream-colored head and biscuity maltiness overlaid with dark notes of chocolate and burnt cream. Which makes it a perfect partner for chocolate chip pancakes, crepes drizzled with melted dark chocolate and even saltier fair like bacon and eggs with a chocolate scone.

The cascade hops give this beer a slight bitterness that blends perfectly with the darkest of chocolates that you dare to put in your morning foods.

Having come of age in Oregon, this was likely one of the first breakfast beers that I tried during an outing to our favorite towns along that rocky, surf-pounded coastline. And it’s been one of my favorites to return to over the years. I try to keep a couple bottles around for the impromptu chocolate pancake breakfast or the evening chocolate tastings that inevitably occur when I get a sweet tooth for that most decadent of foods.

Prost,

GG

Rogue Ales Chocolate Stout

Red Chair NWPA

Worden’s Market has two new beers that’d be worth checking out. I haven’t tried either yet, but my buddy told me the Red Chair Northwest Pale Ale from Deschutes Brewing Company is a really drinkable pale with some good body and a decent hop note. Here’s the description from Worden’t website via Deschute Brewing Company.

It has a plush body with satiny caramel flavors derived from seven varieties of malt.  Yet, despite it all, it remains a hop-forward ale with that distinctive citrusy punch.  Just minus any mouth-puckering bitterness.

Noir De Dottignies from Brouwerij De Ranke

And the second looks like a contender for your Saturday Breakfast Beer. Here’s what Worden’s says about the Noir De Dottignies from Brouwerij De Ranke:

The heaviest ale on our menu with a very rich taste, coming from the six different kinds of malt we use. These malts also give it that rich, dark, nearly black colour. The royal doses of Challenger and Saaz hops bring the typical balance between sweet and bitter.

Pick up a few bottles of each and let me know what you think of them. I’ll be enjoying the Red Chair Northwest Pale Ale tonight.

Prost,

GG

Apparently MillerCoors is planning to release a pre-prohibition lager called Batch 19. This bad boy supposedly comes equipped with better taste and ingredients that the other MillerCoors products.

I saw this posting on BeerNews.org recently, which referenced a Wall Street Journal article, and it made me reflect on the current state of the craft beer industry. After all, many attempts have been made by the macros to continue to appeal to the masses. The very idea of upping the quality slightly in order to compete with craft breweries seems absurd to me. I tried one Budweiser American Ale a few years back, and I didn’t find it to offer anything more than pale ales available locally did. Why would I want to buy something mass-produced in St. Louis or elsewhere, when I’ve got a product that is local, imparts a tiny carbon footprint compared to MillerCoors and InBevBudweiser?

I’d buy a local blue cheese over an imported British blue cheese any day. I’d buy local, grass-fed beef over something imported from Vermont. Why? Because local is a much better view. Knowing where the products are made and how the animals are raised is as important to me as knowing the servers at the local tap rooms by name. Service is generally better, it makes you feel good to be addressed by name, and to know that the folks who made your beer are concerned about the same things you are.

If MillerCoors wants to release Batch 19 in hopes of winning over craft beer drinkers, the money men might want to consider that more and more people are drinking local to support their communities and because knowing where your food comes from and how it’s made is increasingly valuable in this day and age of rapid transport.

The point here is not that they will compete with or possibly shut down the craft breweries, but that they might be completely out of touch with their customers. Oh, I know there will be plenty of beer drinkers out there who go for this new product, and it might even be a decent beer, but I don’t see this idea as sustainable.

What do you think?

Prost,

GG

I had dearly wanted to make the Hard Liver Barley Wine Festival in Seattle this weekend. Unfortunately the economy hasn’t improved enough to afford me that luxury. Oh, well, there is always next year.

However, if you live in the Pacific Northwest and you can get yourself to Seattle on Saturday, you will be rewarded with an amazing array of barley wines like you’ve never seen before.

Having been to the Big Wood Festival at Brouwer’s Cafe, I know this year’s Hard Liver will be amazing.

Prost,

GG

The war for the world’s strongest beer is either heating up or it’s ended. I can’t tell just yet, but that’s because most Americans haven’t been able to taste Brew Dog’s Tactile Nuclear Penguin, Schorschbrau’s Schorschbock or the newest Sink the Bizmarck. Either way, this hilarious video from Scotland’s Brew Dog is both educational and funny.

Sink the Bismarck! from BrewDog on Vimeo.

Prost,

GG

Saw this on Big Sky Brewing Company’s Facebook Page. View the whole CNBC slideshow titled America’s Biggest Beer-Drinking States here. I find it interesting that the top 7 included most of the central and northern United States. Montana, Wyoming, North Dakota and South Dakota, in fact.

Montana is the number one beer-drinking state

Prost,

GG

I was astounded to overhear these things in only two different bars last night. I won’t name the bars, for fear it would damage their reputation that such smart and attentive people are patrons.

Top 10 Worst Things Overheard on St. Patrick’s Day

1. Hey, does that green beer taste like mint? (Not the best pickup line ever dude)
2. How do you think they turn the beer green? (Well, see, this here is the magical work of Leprechauns)
3. Do they brew it green like that? (Why yes, it’s brewed from green grains)
4. I believe St. Patrick brewed the first green beer. (Yes, he must have, otherwise why would we drink it?)
5. This is weird, this [green] beer tastes just like PBR. (Well, that’s just wrong, it’s obviously Bud Light)
6. The non sequitur – The beer is green, because there are no snakes in Ireland. (No need for a comment)
7. Kiss me…I’m not really Irish, but I love the Irish. (He then proceeded to hold up a green beer as some kind of evidence of his love for the Irish)
8. The only time of year I ever drink green beer is on St. Patrick’s Day. (Really?)
9. Is this [green] beer imported from Ireland like Guinness is? (No, this special beer comes all the way from St. Louis)
10. I’m a Bud Light man, I don’t really like the taste of green beer. (Um, excuse me sir, that green beer you’re holding is Bud Light with tasteless, odorless food coloring in it)

Prost,

GG

This came via Kettlehouse Brewing Company’s Facebook page. Thanks for posting.

Prost,

GG

I saw this news article about the sale of Anderson Valley Brewing Company on BeerNews.org this morning, and I realized that there is a bigger controversy bubbling under the surface here.

What is the definition of craft brewery these days?

This is the Brewer’s Association defines a craft brewer as.

I can see why investors would want to gobble up successful craft breweries and throw them in their holding company pens with their other money makers, but I worry about the craft in craft brewing if certain business models start meddling with a good thing.

I’ve expressed this before, but large breweries often find success at the cost of losing some touch with the community. I applaud those breweries who make an effort to reach out to local beer drinkers.

Anderson Valley Brewing Company is pretty rural, and as such, I wonder if more growth-focused business will hurt the brewery at a local level. Who knows, I’m judging these business investors without letting them see what they can do. It’s just a suspicion at this point.

Prost,

GG

I’ve highlighted a few others today, but I want you to be aware of a few more events going on.

The Flathead Lake Brewing Company is having a soft grand reopening tomorrow. If you have a chance to get up there and help them celebrate, do it.

Here’s the info:

On March 17th, 2010 come celebrate St. Patrick’s Day at The Flathead Lake Brewery as our doors unlock for the public. Then, on Saturday, March 20, 2010, come back and join us for our official grand opening celebration. That day either sit back in our updated tap room with one of our flagship beers and an amazing item off our new menu or hangout outside under a tent on our deck while listening to the Bad Larry’s from 4:00 pm – 8:00 pm. We look forward to serving you, so bring down the family and meet our new one. Check out our web site at www.flatheadlakebrewing.com for more information. We can’t wait to serve old familiar faces and get the chance to say hello to new ones.

Here’s the information from Glacier Brewing Company in Polson.

St. Patrick’s Day!!! We’ll have live, all-original music! We’ll have corned-beef and Irish soup! We’ll have Chad’s mustaches!! (ya’ gotta ask him for it though!) Get in here and have some Polson fun!!! p.s. NO GREEN BEER!!!!

And from Great Northern Brewing Company:

It’s the time of year to DRINK GREEN BEER! $3 pint specials and live music from Spring Wagon this Wednesday for St. Patty’s Day…

Happy St.Patrick’s Day.

Slainte,

GG