I’ll be attending the Saturday evening session of the festival, so if you’re going to be there, be sure and say hello. If you would like to be there but haven’t gotten your ticket yet, you’d better hurry – it will sell out before “the door”. Tickets still remain for this evening’s session and tomorrow afternoon, however.

If you can’t make it to Burlington for the weekend but would still like to keep tabs on the goings on, please follow me on Twitter (@livingstonmedia). I will be Tweeting from Vermont all weekend using the Hashtag #vtbeer, so you can easily track the conversation. Others who are planning on attending the festival, please feel free to use the same tag so we can really get a conversation going! See you there!

One such accoutrement has popped up out of the deep south, of all places. Based in Atlanta, Georgia,

The Beer Connoisseur™ Magazine… is a high-end consumer magazine similar to publications focusing on cigars and wine. The editorial is nationally focused, with plans to include regional inserts and a local insert for Georgia readers.

The Beer Connoisseur™ recognizes the growing beer trend and will provide informative issues that quench every aspect of the beer lover’s thirst for knowledge, style and sophistication. The reader can expect articles on Beer Icons, Fine Beer & Food, Beer Reviews, Restaurant & Brewery Reviews, Tasting Abroad, Education, Events, Sports, Entertainment and more. The Beer Connoisseur™ is the leading consumer educator of the changing and cutting-edge beer industry for both the novice and connoisseur alike.

While it certainly sounds like a good idea, it also sounds like one that’s been done (All About Beer and Draft come to mind first, but there are certainly more) and there’s no real word on how The Beer Connoisseur plans to differentiate themselves. And do that many people still subscribe to magazines? Or enough to keep the already crowded niche afloat?

However, the best part of The Beer Connoisseur™ is definitely their location. If they can really market themselves well in the South, they’ll bring a great deal of attention to a corner of the country starved for Better Beer expansion, attention & recognition (sometimes I forget how lucky I am to live in a part of the U.S. where Better Beer seems more like the norm rather than the exception!!).

While the magazine waits to hit news stands, be sure and check out beerconnoisseur.com — a website which is the prelude to the magazine, which opened to the public on June 29th, 2009 — and follow the magazine on Twitter. And go celebrate the launch with the gang from the publication SweetWater Brewing Company on Tuesday, July 21st from 7:00-10:00PM (see beerconnoisseur.com for more details).

And best of luck to ‘em!

(1) Don’t forget, next weekend is the Vermont Brewers Festival along the banks of pristine Lake Champlain in Burlington, VT. The festival features nearly 30 breweries from all over North America and is no doubt going to be one helluva time. But if you haven’t purchased your tickets yet, be sure and do so ahead of time. Early reports indicate that the entire festival will sell out! And if you’re going, be sure and wave (I’ll be wearing a BlogAboutBeer.com t-shirt)!

(2) If you happen to be reading this from the Left Coast and can’t make it out to Burlington, then be sure and head up to the other Portland (Oregon, that is) on July 24th when Pints for Prostates, along with founder Rick Lyke, will find its way to Rogue Distillery & Public in Portland, OR for a special fundraiser during the Oregon Brewers Festival. Clad in Doctor’s attire, Rogue pub staff will host a day of events including:

• 11:00am – special Pints for Prostates firkin tapping
• 12:00pm – starting at noon, a latex glove donning contest happens at the top of every hour for prizes
• 5:00pm – a toast from Pints for Prostates founder Rick Lyke
• 12:00pm to 6:00pm – proceeds from all pints purchased will be donated to Pints for Prostates

Pints for Prostates was created to raise the awareness of men about prostate cancer and the need for regular health check-ups. The campaign supports the efforts of Us TOO International Prostate Cancer Education and Support Network, a not for profit group founded and governed by prostate cancer survivors that works to support, educate and advocate for men with prostate cancer. For more information on the Pints for Prostates campaign, check out www.ustoo.org/pints.

(3) And last but certainly not least, I just discovered a new website which was produced by the Brewers’ Association: seasonalbeerandfood.org. The site, which is dedicated to seasonal craft beer releases, offers specific information on summer craft beers, including where to find them. And best of all, the site also has specific recommendations on what foods each summer seasonal beer pairs best with. Now that the sun is out (after the wettest June Maine has ever seen), Check it out!

All work and no Internet or Red Sox makes Luke a dull boy.

But fear not, I’ll be back with more sudsy goodness later this week. Thanks for sticking it out with me!

Cheers,
Luke

Similar in theme to the “Best Job In The World” craze which swept the world a few months ago, on July 1st four ocean-minded individuals will be chosen to maintain a healthier Pacific Ocean and coastline. From the official Alaskan Brewing press release,

With ideas as simple as cutting the plastic rings on a six-pack of soda, or as grand as inventing a biodegradable beverage bottle, the four individuals with the topmost suggestions will join the Coastal CODE in Yakutat this fall for the 2009 Alaskan Coastal Expedition.

The four chosen “CODE Keepers,” will embark on a week-long journey of Alaskan adventures including sustainable fishing and surfing, hosted by Alaskan Brewing Co., Alaska Airlines and Wend Magazine. They will learn about the impact of marine debris and how to make a difference for their own local coastlines, while helping preserve the shores of Alaska by leading a multi-day beach cleanup.

Simply put, winners will experience true outdoor adventures while learning how to help maintain healthy coastlines. The all expenses paid, week-long journey will include sustainable fishing, surfing, zip lining, and much more (including spending plenty of time at the brewery itself).

Applicants can submit ideas on the Coastal CODE Web site, Facebook or Twitter. All submissions are due by July 1, and chosen finalists will be asked to submit a formal application further explaining their ideas. The 2009 Alaskan Coastal Expedition will head to Alaska on September 14 and culminate in the Coastal CODE’s home port of Juneau, Alaska with a fund raising concert and cleanup activities for International Coastal Cleanup Day on September 19.

Good luck, all!

The article highlights a few Colorado breweries — Ska Brewing Co. and Steamworks Brewing Co. — who have recently discovered the benefits of putting their beer in cans. According to the Durango Herald,

When Ska Brewing Co. debuted a beer in February, it released the ale in bottles and cans, hoping to capitalize on a growing trend in the brewing industry.

Five months later, cans of the Modus Hoperandi India Pale Ale are outselling the same beer in bottles by 2-to-1.

Ska is selling so many cans the company is struggling to brew enough beer to keep up. The Durango brewery recently added two, 2,790-gallon fermenting tanks to fulfill demand.

And how fitting is it that this year marks the 50th anniversary of beer in cans (Coors first canned beer in 1959 at its facility in Golden, CO). But Oskar Blues was the first craft brewery to really put its beers in cans — they first put Dale’s Pale Ale in cans in 2002 — and since then, growth in the segment has exploded. Today, forty North American craft brewers now can their beer, including seven in Colorado alone.

“The bottle inevitably falls short of the can,” said Gamble [beer manager at Star Liquors in Durango], citing fresher smells and sharper taste from cans. “It generally seems to be a little bit better product.”

Brewers touted the portability of beer cans that can be taken on the river, to the golf course or down the trail. Aluminum cans are also more easily recyclable and lighter to transport.

The article from the Durango Herald is a good read and one which helps to further taut the benefits of cans over bottles when it comes to better beer. What do you think? What’s your favorite canned beer?

Firstly, for you Mainers out there, be sure and pay a visit to Novare Res tomorrow (Tuesday June 23rd), as they’ll be visited by the folks at Marshall Wharf Brewing in Belfast (Maine, that is). The brewers and owners from Marshall Wharf will be on hand all day pouring 14 different beers, some of which they’ve concocted specifically for this event. If you’re within striking distance of Novare and have never experienced the fine ales of Marshall Wharf (or even if you have), it’s a definite don’t-miss!

Next, if you’re in need of something to do this Independence Day and are up for a little road trip, head on up to Kennebeck River Brewing Co. in The Forks, ME for their Red, White and BREW! weekend where you’ll be able to raft the river, enjoy a river-side bbq, and take part in a beer tasting and brewery tour. Plus there will be live music and all pints of their 6 house brews will be only $3 all weekend. But, I’ve got a free camping voucher for one lucky reader. First person to email me saying they want the voucher can camp free for one night (either Friday July 3rd or Saturday July 4th) at Northern Outdoors (reservations required). Shoot me and email and its yours!

And lastly, I wanted to wish a belated happy Father’s Day to all the dads out there! My Dad and I had a great beer-filled day yesterday, with lunch at Sebago Brewing Co. followed by the splitting of the bottle of Allagash Gargamel I had stored away for a special occasion. It was an incredible beer, one of the most interesting I have ever had. There aren’t any left at the brewery but if you can find someone with a bottle to trade on BeerAdvocate, I highly recommend you trade for it! What is Gargamel, you ask? According to Allagash, it’s:

a Belgian Style sour ale, is the first offering in our limited release 375 ml series. Our brewers used a blend of American 2-row barley Malt, Raw and Malted wheat and selected caramel malt to brew this 9.20 % ABV beer. After primary fermentation the beer was inoculated with our house Brettanomyces aged in French Oak wine barrels with a generous amount of local raspberries for over 18 months. Gargamel’s aroma is full of un-ripened raspberry, vanilla and citrus notes. This medium bodied beer has hints of biscuit and graham cracker with a clean, fruity and refreshingly tart finish.

With an overall rating of A+ on B.A., this is one you definitely need to track down. How did you and your Pop spend Father’s Day?

EDIT: The free night of camping voucher has been awarded. Congratulations to Josh Sites of Carmel, ME and thank you everyone for participating!

“The nanobrewery concept allows one or a few good craft brewers to spend a few weekends a month brewing batches of beer that can be sold to pubs in their communities,” Hall, a full-time physicist, told Newsday in March. “The model isn’t one that focuses on eventual growth. The nanobrewer isn’t going to quit his day job. They are brewing because they love the process and want to share the results with the people in their neighborhoods,”

The article goes on to explain how Nanobreweries are capitalizing on the new-found (or re-energized) DIY ethos in America and the breweries themselves, if you can call them that, are recalling a historical time way-back-when when people would brew for their households and communities on a very, very micro level.

The Nanobrewery concept reminds me a lot of CSAs for beer. I thought it was a neat example of, I guess, one step above homebrewing and really exemplifies the “craft” in craft beer. What the article didn’t explain was just how small you have to be to qualify as a “Nanobrewery” (are there any special requirements or are they all under the radar?). There are some pretty damn small breweries here in the Northeast but I hadn’t ever heard the term before. Do you have a favorite local Nanobrewery, or do you belong to one yourself?

The Twilight Ale is a great summer seasonal release because it’s light enough and “easy drinkin” enough to enjoy in a lawn chair after a hard summer day’s work — and at a modest 5% ABV, you could presumably enjoy a couple of them without much repercussion — but it’s still flavorful enough and full-bodied enough to keep the drinking session interesting. From the accompanying press release,

Twilight Ale is a straw-colored ale with a vigorous hop essence and a subtle, wafer-like body that complements the flavor of this special seasonal brew. It is a unique blend of four hops and malts: Cara-Pils and Carastan malts with the late addition of whole flower Cascade, Amarillo and Tettnang hops.

Brewer John Abraham said, “The malts of Twilight Ale are at once offset and complemented by citrus and floral aromas that come from the whole flower hops. The overall result is a crisp, effervescent, highly drinkable ale. I consider it the perfect hot weather quencher.”

Personally, I don’t know if I would call the hop presence “vigorous” but it was citrusy and smooth; a result, I’m guessing, of the dry hopping. I also wouldn’t call the malt-presence “subtle” either, as I got a lot of wafer and biscuit flavors out of the glass. Great white lacing, too. The little bit of malty sweetness picked up at the end is quite pleasant, too, and each sip leaves behind a nice-but-not-overpowering dryness. With an overall “B” rating on BeerAdvocate, it seems plenty of you out there agree: this is a great example of what a summer session beer should be like. I went through 2 of the 3 sample bottles which were sent to me pretty quickly but I think I’ll save the 3rd bottle for an especially warm, especially taxing summer weekend.

Note: If you represent a brewery and would like your beer reviewed here on BlogAboutBeer, please contact me.

So I was pretty excited to read in the May/June newsletter from Samuel Adams — which appeared this afternoon — a recipe for Grilled Summer Vegetables with Samuel Adams Summer Ale Vinaigrette (Recipe by Chef David Burke) and thought I would reprint it in case any readers out there face the same dilemmas I do about their beer recipes. And even if you’re a carnivore, the dish sounds delicious and I’m sure it would make for a great side dish, so don’t discount it. Anyway, enjoy:

For the Vegetables:
* 1 bunch asparagus
* 8-10 pc. Peeled baby carrots
* 1 red pepper
* 1 yellow pepper
* 1 medium zucchini cut in 1/3 inch slices
* 1 medium yellow squash cut in 1/3 inch slices
* 1 red onion cut in ½ inch slices
* 1 cup extra virgin olive oil
* sea salt & fresh ground pepper

For the Marinade:
* 1 tsp fresh thyme
* 1 tsp fresh oregano
* 1 tsp chopped fresh chive
* 1 tsp minced shallot
* 1 tsp Dijon mustard
* 1 tbsp white balsamic vinegar
* 1 cup canola oil

For the Summer Ale Vinaigrette:
* 2 cups extra virgin olive oil
* 2 tbsp Dijon mustard
* ½ cup white balsamic vinegar
* 2 tbsp Samuel Adams Summer Ale
* 2 tbsp chopped fresh herbs (chive, tarragon, parsley)
* Salt, pepper to taste

Instructions:
Separately blanch asparagus & carrots in boiling, salted water. Cut carrots in half lengthwise. Whisk together all ingredients for marinade and coat zucchini, yellow squash, and red onion. Lightly coat peppers in olive oil with salt & pepper and grill, turning frequently until pepper is charred all around. Wrap each pepper in paper towel and set aside. Season vegetables with salt & pepper and grill on both sides until warmed through. When peppers cool slightly, carefully remove stem & seeds. Using back of a paring knife, carefully remove skin. Whisk together all garnish ingredients and lightly dress vegetables.

[From SamuelAdams.com]