In this issue:
* Here's to Beer
* German Beer Woes Continue
* But Russians Enjoy Steady Growth
* Disappearing Beers - UK's Darker Beers Fading
* Barley Wine Tops At CAMRA Festival
* OBF Kicks Off With Blind Tasting Test
* Web Watch
- Beer Mapping
- What Your Drinks Says About You
- Drinking Big in San Francisco
* Young's Beer Ad Too Sexy
* What Would Jesus Drink?
* 'Hedonism' Labels Spark Controversy
* Russian River, Allagash Honored
* Pub Doctor
* You Can't Leave Your Hat On
* Quote of the Month
***********************************************
HERE'S TO BEER
The Beer Institute, with considerable financial backing from Anheuser-
Busch,
rolled out its "Here's To Beer" campaign to promote beer's image during the
Super Bowl telecast. A-B donated 30 seconds of its advertising time (that
half minute cost $2.5 million) to run a commercial titled "Slainte," which
showed people around the world toasting with beer. The Beer Institute also
launched a web site, www.herestobeer.com, supporting the promotion.
"This ad
and Web site were created to celebrate beer - from its social value to the
romance of the brewing process," said A-B executive Robert Lachky, who
has
been a driving force behind the effort. The campaign launched just days
after
A-B announced the impact of flat sales and higher costs in the fourth
quarter
of 2005, with profits plunging almost 40% from a year ago.
http://www.realbeer.com/blog/?p=72
http://www.brookston.org/beer/?m=20060205
http://www.herestobeer.com
GERMAN BEER WOES CONTINUE
German beer sales, which rebounded briefly in 2004, resumed their slide in
2005. Beer sales fell about 0.5% in 2005 to 10.5 billion liters, the Federal
Statistics Office said. The government said consumers have turned to low
alcohol alternatives - one of the reasons sales of beer mixed with things
such as lemonade and cola jumped 15% to 300 million liters, or some 3% of
the
total. Sales climbed marginally in 2004 with the help of exports, ending a
five-year skid. Beer sales have contracted more 15% in the last dozen years.
http://www.realbeer.com/news/articles/news-002834.php
BUT RUSSIANS ENJOY STEADY GROWTH
Beer production will grow by 5% to 7% in Russia in 2006, the same level as
in
2005, said Vyacheslav Mamontov of the Russian Brewers' Union. "The
main
reason behind the growth is the social and economic condition of most beer
consumers," he said. "Beer consumption is higher, for example, in the
central
region, where people are better able to afford it. This figure is lower of
course in the subsidized regions," he said. Russians consumed an average of
more than 60 liters of beer per person in 2005, 20th in the world.
DISAPPEARING BEERS - UK'S DARKER BEERS FADING
Britain's Campaign for Real Ale has launched a campaign to show beers
have
personalities and save three styles that appear endangered. Illustrator
Christine Joplin created quirky cartoon characters that represent porters,
stouts and old ales - beer styles rich in history by fading in popularity.
CAMRA's research showed that 42% of the old ales, stouts and porters
varieties brewed in 2000 longer exist. CAMRA has grouped these beers
styles together for this promotion because they are often referred to as winter
warmers. Tracy Saunders, chair of CAMRA's Light and Dark Supporters
Group
which campaigns specifically for Britain's endangered beer style - said:
"We
often talk about the bland nationally produced brands and we wanted to
show
some of the characteristics of real beers." All three characters are featured
on beer mats, posters and pump clip crowners unveiled at the National
Winter
Ales Festival in Manchester.
http://www.realbeer.com/news/articles/news-002823.php
BARLEY WINE TOPS AT CAMRA FESTIVAL
A Over T from Hogs Back Brewery, Surrey was named as the Supreme
Champion
Winter Beer of Britain 2006 by a panel of judges at CAMRA's national
winter
celebration of beer. A Over T, which stand for Aromas Over Tongham, is a
barley wine. Gales Festival Mild won the silver. "Congratulations to Hogs
Back. A Over T is a fantastic Barley Wine that fully deserves this accolade.
I hope this will encourage more beer drinkers to try this style of beer,"
said Steve Proscott, festival organizer. "It is also excellent news that
Gales Festival Mild won the national Silver award. We hope this
recognition
will encourage Fuller's to continue brewing this excellent brew at Horndean
in Hampshire."
http://www.realbeer.com/blog/?p=57
OBF KICKS OFF WITH BLIND TASTING TEST
Oregon Craft Beer Week gets more packed with events every year. News
comes
from Portland that the Oregon Brewers Festival has added a fundraiser the
evening before the festival officially starts. The inaugural OBF Blind
Tasting & Test, a benefit for the Oregon Blind Commission, will take place
from 5-9 p.m. July 26 on the festival grounds at Tom McCall Waterfront
Park.
The Blind Tasting & Test begins with the tasting portion, in which a total of
24 different beers will be served: 12 IPAs brewed in Oregon, and 12 Pale
Ales
brewed in Oregon. Beers will be served on a tasting tray in two-ounce
samples. Patrons will be encouraged to vote for the "People's Choice," one
vote for each of the two styles. Following the tabulation, the winning
brewery from each beer category will be announced, with the two winners
receiving a trip to a European beer festival for the brewer and a guest. The
festival itself runs July 27-29.
http://www.realbeer.com/blog/?p=60
*******************WEB WATCH*******************
BEER MAPPING
Numerous web sites have tapped into the Google Maps technology, but
none has
done a better job of making sense of America's beer landscape than the Beer
Mapping Project.
http://beermapping.com/
WHAT YOUR DRINK SAYS ABOUT YOU
The blog called Waiter Rant reveals what your drink says about you and
takes
no prisoners. Consider the beer entry: "Blue collar, simple, and an old
standby. (I think a girl wearing a t-shirt and jeans while drinking a good
'ol Bud is very sexy.)" We like the comment added by a reader: "Not
subidviding 'Beer/ is somewhat like not distinguishing between wines.
Someone
drinking Budlight isn't THAT similar to someone drinking microbrews."
http://www.realbeer.com/blog/?p=68
DRINKING BIG IN SAN FRANCISCO
Two San Francisco brewpubs team up for the fourth year to present a whole
bunch of big beers this month. You can pick up a punch card at either 21st
Amendment or Magnolia Pub and Brewery and sample your way through
10 choices.
Drink them all (not in one sitting) and get a commemorative tasting glass.
In
addition, both breweries will dig into their beer libraries and serve some
vintage strong ales.
http://beertravelers.com/postcards/?p=151
***************ADVERTISEMENTS*****************
SETTING A NEW STANDARD FOR DOUBLE PRE-EVAC
Applied Bottling Ltd. - Supplying Double Pre-Evacuation Inline, Table Top and
Rotary Filling Systems for the Brewing Industry. Specializing in Brew Pubs &
Microbreweries, we can supply you with a system to suite your every need and
budget.
http://www.applied-bottling.com
BEAR'S LAIR BREWPUB
The Bear's Lair has been in the UC Berkeley Student Union since 1962. Known
as the center of campus social life on the UC Berkeley Campus, the Bear's
Lair was named one of the "Top 25 Sports Bars in America" by Sports
Illustrated in 2005, and also one of the "Top Five College Bars in America"
by SI College Edition. "The Lair" serves a great variety of house beers, plus
great pizza, sandwiches, soups and salads.
http://www.bearslairpub.com
OKOCIM BEERS "BEST OF THE FEST"IN ORLANDO!
Orlando confirmed what we keep telling you, Okocim is way more than just OK.
Okocim Porter took "Best of the Fest" honor at the 7th annual Orlando Beer
Festival in November. Okocim also lead the way to great taste with Okocim
Porter placing first in the Brown/Black category and Okocim Mocne at the
top-of-the-heap in the Specialty beer category.
http://www.stawskidistributing.com/p_Okocim.html#porter
************************************************
YOUNG'S BEER AD TOO SEXY
Britain's Advertising Standards Authority banned two posters from London's
Young & Co. for linking alcohol to social success and seduction. The first ad
for Young's Bitter showed a man in a white suit with a ram's head. He was by
a swimming pool with several women in bikinis, whose attention was focused on
the ram. A second ad depicted the ram is in a gentleman's club surrounded by
well-dressed men whose attention is also focused on the ram. The men were
laughing at what the ram was saying. Both ads also featured the head of a
pint with the phrase "This is a ram's world." A member of the public
complained that the ads depicted the ram as the center of social attention
and, therefore, implied social and sexual success and enhanced
attractiveness.
http://www.realbeer.com/news/articles/news-002815.php
WHAT WOULD JESUS DRINK?
Catholics in Lithuania are upset a brewery is using Jesus Christ in its
advertisements. The Catholic Church condemned beermaker Kalnapilio-Tauro
Grupe for using a picture of Jesus wearing earphones to advertise its
products. "Many believers are hurt and outraged that the savior's image ...
was used for advertising beer," said Archbishop Sigitas Tamkevicius. "The use
of Catholic symbols for commercial purposes and especially for advertising
alcoholic beverages is absolutely unjustifiable," said Tamkevicius.
http://www.realbeer.com/news/articles/news-002821.php
'HEDONISM' LABELS SPARK CONTROVERSY
Legacy Brewing Co. calls it "cutting-edge artwork." But a few distributors
are refusing to sell a Pennsylvania microbrew called "Hedonism," or are
wrapping the cases they do sell in plain brown paper because of its risque
package design: a cartoon image of bare-torsoed characters kissing and
caressing. "I sent it back because of the graphics," said Bob Dano, who owns
Engleside Beverage Mart in Lancaster. The backlash surprised the
Reading-based brewery. "We're just trying to establish cutting-edge artwork,"
said Dave Gemmell, a Legacy managing partner. "We're not trying to offend
anyone."
RUSSIAN RIVER, ALLAGASH HONORED
Russian River Brewing Co. earned the honor of Brewery of the Year in Malt
Advocate magazine's 12th annual awards. The magazine, which honors mostly
those in the world of whiskey, points to the range of beers made at the Santa
Rosa, Calif., brewery. It cites Supplication, a brown ale aged for 12 months
in pinot noir barrels, produced with sour cherries and wild bacteria and
yeast; Beatification, a blond ale aged for 22 months in barrels acquired from
New Belgium Brewing Co.; and Pliny the Elder, a beer that evolved from
the
first commercial Double IPA brewed in America.
- Saveur magazine bestowed a different sort of honor on Allagash Brewing
Co., naming the Portland, Maine, brewery to the Saveur 100. The
explanation
begins, "Creamy, rich and powerful, the eight or so Belgian-style ales from
Allagash Brewing Company are beers to savor slowly."
http://www.realbeer.com/news/articles/news-002828.php
PUB DOCTOR
Great Britain's Campaign For Real Ale (CAMRA) has launched a new
program to
help people find their perfect local. The Real Ale Pub Doctor scheme runs
until Feb. 17, the day before its National Pubs Week begins. Members of
the
public are invited to fill out an online form, detailing what they are
looking for in a pub. Criteria includes detailing whether the pub should
offer features such as traditional pub games, wheelchair access, a family
room, evening meals or an outdoor drinking area. A CAMRA representative
will
then reply by email, suggesting an ideal pub.
http://www.realbeer.com/news/articles/news-002837.php
YOU CAN'T LEAVE YOUR HAT ON
A customer at a Greene King pub called the company's edict forcing him to
remove his hat "madness" after a barmaid at the Monument in Hereford told
him
that it was obscuring the newly installed CCTV cameras. Colin Osborne,
64,
said his other choice was being tossed out of the pub. "I was annoyed, I was
put out and I was surprised," Osborne said. "I couldn't understand why my
poor old trilby should offend anyone." A Greene King spokesman said that
the
recently installed cameras were for the safety and security of customers, and
had been welcomed by residents and licensing authorities.
http://www.realbeer.com/news/articles/news-002822.php
***********************************************
QUOTE OF THE MONTH
"We make our beer for the minority who care more about what's happening
inside the bottle than all the marketing bullshit happening outside the
bottle."
- Sam Calagione, founder Dogfish Head Brewery
**********************************************
MANAGE YOUR ACCOUNT
To change your newsletter preferences at Realbeer.com please go to:
http://www.realbeer.com/shared/subscribe
Just sign in and make the changes you want. If you don't remember your
password, you'll find a link to a page that will allow us to email it to you.
If you want to unsubscribe, please go to the same address and follow the
instructions to activate the account connected with the address you received
this newsletter at. Then go to your newsletter preferences and make sure the
RBPMail box is unchecked.
************************************************
We share your concerns for confidentiality and respect your bandwidth. Be
assured that we will keep your email address in complete confidence and
strive to deliver substantial information in RBPMail.