Brewnotes

Can you afford Maryland’s proposed alcohol tax?

Ben Brouse — Wed, 10 Mar 2010 19:25:41 +0000

The following letter regarding the The Lorraine Sheehan Health and Community Services Act of 2010 was sent to the delegates who represent me. I’m looking forward to hearing their responses. I’ve posted before about this topic. In case you missed those posts, look here. Comments are welcome.

Delegates Malone & DeBoy,

I would like to understand your position on House Bill 832.   I am concerned that this is an easy target to raise taxes without looking at the source of Maryland’s budget woes.   While I am not opposed to raising taxes, I take great exception to the following passage of the bill:

"Comptroller shall distribute the remaining alcoholic beverage tax revenue to the General Fund of the State".

If this bill was intended to raise funds for health concerns, why would any funds at all make it into the general fund? Beyond this, the rate of increases for the different beverage areas are astronomical.   My intelligence is being mocked when I’m told its $0.10/beer. In actuality, the percentage increases are obnoxiously and ridiculously high:

MD proposed tax rates ($$/gal):

beer 1.16 (1,288% increase)

wine 2.96 (740% increase)

spirits 10.03 (668% increase)

If the tax increase passes, our state alcohol beverage taxes will be four times the
national average for beer (highest in the nation; 2nd place Alaska at $1.07/gal), over three-and-half times the national average for wine (highest in the nation; 2nd place Alaska at $2.50/gal), and just shy of 50% higher than the national average for spirits (eleventh-highest in the nation; 1st place Washington state at $26.45/gal) [Source: the Jernigan paper referred to in the House bill preamble]. Please take into consideration the true impact of such a bill. Any way you slice it, this bill is bad fiscal policy and doesn’t solve any aspect of the looming budget crisis.   The only true way to solve the budget crisis is to reduce spending.

Looking forward to your response,

Ben Brouse

Update: I added the link to the figures that were cited.

Irish Uprising

Ben Brouse — Wed, 10 Mar 2010 14:02:10 +0000

A malt-focused beer with an initial sweetness and a roasted dryness in the finish.

My first hoorah into the Irish Red style (BJCP 9D). Not really my favorite but I had to brew either this style or Scotch Ale for the CRABS March monthly competition. Calling this the “Irish Uprising” due to the yeast tricking me. Very slow to start due to some over chilling but once it got around 65F things really took off.

This recipe is originally taken from Jamil with a few minor tweaks.

Ingredients:

11.25#	2-row Maris Pale Malt
6 oz	Roasted Barley
6 oz	Crystal 40L
6 oz	Crystal 120L

Hops:

0.7 oz	Kent Goldings	5.0% AA	60 Min
0.5 oz	Fuggles	5.0% AA	60 Min

Yeast:

(2) WLP004 – Irish Red Ale ~@65F

Yield:

5 Gallons

Stats:

OG: 1.056

IBU: 25

SRM: 17

Maryland Wine Bill Fallout

Ben Brouse — Wed, 10 Mar 2010 01:58:57 +0000

Tom Wark writes the Fermentation blog. In it, he describes the absolute mockery of testifying before a committee that isn’t going to do anything regardless of the testimony. Yes, this is how democracy really works in Maryland. Too bad it was regarding the proposed Direct Wine Shipping bill (HB 716) that I’ve talked about so much before.

Victoria Gastro Pub

Ben Brouse — Wed, 10 Mar 2010 01:42:35 +0000

Stopped in here for a a casual Sunday afternoon lunch and a few beers. This isn’t the first time we’ve been here but I’ve never written about it before. Alex, the bar manager, keeps an incredible beer list. I really dig seeing something new every time I stop in. This trip, on draught, I encountered Allagash Hugh Malone and Troegs Nugget Nectar – both very tasty. My only complaint – all the beers are high octane! I would prefer a few few more session beverages.

Now to eating – I had a Mushroom and Swiss KOBE burger. Exceptional, full flavored burger; couple that with smoked paprika fries and I can’t imagine a better lunch. My wife had the roasted beet salad, with blue cheese and toasted nuts. She was very pleased with the salad and remarked that it was nice that it wasn’t dripping in dressing and it was a good value.

My take: definitely a place to check out. I like the bar better than the dining room. Some of the food can be a little over the top but the draught and bottle list is worth a stop alone. Other reviews here.

2010 Maryland Wine Bill is Dead

Ben Brouse — Mon, 08 Mar 2010 14:24:51 +0000

According to this article in the Baltimore Sun, it looks like the bill is dead. My older coverage is here:

(03/04/2010) Maryland Wine Bill Update
(02/18/2010) Sen. Joan Carter Conway Singlehandedly Kills MD Wine Bill
(02/08/2010) Maryland’s Wine Siege Continues
(09/20/2009) Maryland Direct Wine Shipment
(09/07/2009) Maryland Has Arcane Liquor Laws

I’m not really concerned with whether or not you agree with this legislation, but you can no longer argue the fact that Maryland’s legislature is run via back-room deals and special interest money. The fact that the majority of the committee supported the legislation, but the legislation was not allowed to come up for a vote overwhelmingly proves this.

The irony is that Maryland, still known as the “free state”, uses a moniker that was earned during the 1920’s during protests of the federally mandated prohibition of alcohol. Yes – I live in the “free state” unless I want to drink wine from that other country none as California.

Weyerbacher Hops Infusion IPA

Ben Brouse — Mon, 08 Mar 2010 13:55:50 +0000

Weyerbacher, a north-eastern Easton, PA brewery, seems to be turning out quite a bit of brews. I was able to taste the Hops Infusion IPA on cask last Thursday @ Metropolitan.

I was told there were 7 hops in this beer and was able to pull out 4 of them. I had never heard of Pilgrim prior to this tasting.

This beer offered an assertive hop profile that stuck with you long after you were finished with your pint. Tons of citrus notes and caramel malts. Overall – it was an extremely pleasant IPA and nicely executed example.

Current Beeradvocate Rating: B

Maryland Wine Bill Update

Ben Brouse — Thu, 04 Mar 2010 21:37:12 +0000

Hey folks, remember that tomorrow is the scheduled hearings for the direct wine shipping bills that I’ve previously discussed here.

Vinotrip is reporting this tasty nugget. “Marylanders for Better Beer and Wine Laws will be holding a press conference on Friday, March 5 at 12:15 PM on Lawyers’ Mall in Annapolis. The press release mentioned that there has been “an understanding reached with the alcohol industry concerning HB 716/SB 566.”

Now if we could just get Senator Joan Carter Conway to abandon her false claims that this bill would increase under-aged drinking we may just get there.

Maryland’s Proposed Alcohol Tax (HB 832)

Ben Brouse — Thu, 04 Mar 2010 21:16:46 +0000

Interesting chatter regarding The Lorraine Sheehan Health and Community Services Act of 2010. Further background here.

I had sent an email to all members of the House Ways and Means Committee and received this response from Delegate Frank S. Turner:

Thank you for contacting me concerning HB 832 – The Lorraine Sheehan Health and Community Services Act of 2010.

This bill is scheduled for a hearing on March 11, 2010 before the Ways and Means Committee. There is no chance any tax bill will pass in FY 2011.
I appreciate hearing from you regarding this issue.

Very truly yours,

Delegate Frank S. Turner
House Ways and Means Committee
Chairman, Finance Resources Subcommittee
District 13 – Howard County
410-841-3246/301-858-3246
Fax: 410-841-3986
E-mail: frank.turner@house.state.md.us
http://mlis.state.md.us/

Score one for the little people.

Resuscitation Pale Ale

Ben Brouse — Sun, 28 Feb 2010 18:09:39 +0000

After a long hiatus, the house beer makes a triumphant return. This batch will be a little higher in alcohol as compared to the last few as the efficiency seems to be around 75%. This is a straight forward American Pale Ale. A touch of caramel ending with citrus notes from the hops. Originally derived from Abita’s Restoration Ale. For those of you counting, this is batch #36 on the brew rig.

Brew session went well. Looking forward to having this on tap again!

Ingredients:

20#	2-row Maris Pale Malt
2#	Carapils
24 oz	Crystal 40L

Hops:

1.5 oz	Cascade	7.5% AA	60 Min
1.0 oz	Centennial	9.2% AA	15 Min
0.5 oz	Centennial	9.2% AA	0 Min

Yeast:

(2) US-05 Fermentis Safale – Fermentiing ~@65F

Yield:

10 Gallons

Stats:

OG: 1.064

IBU: 27

SRM: 9.1

Oliver Ale Biere de Garde

Ben Brouse — Sat, 27 Feb 2010 13:55:54 +0000

Had the pleasure on Thursday evening to head into the city. Hopes were running high as we wanted to try the latest trick on the beer engine from Stephen Jones, the brewer at Pratt St Ale House.

From Wikipedia – “Typically, beers of this style are of a copper colour but vary from golden to almost black, and as the name suggests the origins of this style lies in the tradition that it was matured/cellared for a period of time once bottled (and most sealed with a cork), to be consumed later in the year, akin to a Saison.”

This beer was delightful and something that grew on me the more I had. 5.5% ABV, dark amber color, a medium mouth-feel, pronounced maltiness and a little fruity character upon warming made this worth the trip!

As an added twist, it just happened to be the 100th firkin Thursday @ Metropolitan with several notable members of SPBW in attendance.

	beer	1.16 (1,288% increase)
	wine	2.96 (740% increase)
	spirits	10.03 (668% increase)