Magic Hat- Vermont part 5

This was a quick GIF image I made of the factory floor at the one, the only, Magic Hat Brewing Company! More pictures and comments to follow- this was a must-see!

Brewer Collaborations

After seeing the news from Dogfish last week about their 2 new collaboration brews with Sierra Nevada, it got me thinking about brewer collaborations. It seems that collaborations are all the craze recently in the world of craft brewing. Just peruse the new releases board on BeerAdvocate and you'll see more than a few announcements for new creative brews constructed by 2 or even 3 breweries. This is truly a business practice unique to the craft brewing industry.

Can you imagine Anheuser-Busch and Miller collaborating on a new light (or lite) beer that had both "drinkability" and was "triple hops brewed"? With their recipes combined it would be ... indistinguishable from their current light beer offerings. But rest assured there would be a $500 million marketing campaign behind it. Enough bashing from high atop my soapbox.

Why the sudden increase in brewer collaborations though? Similarly to how Eddie Van Halen explains his virtuosity, "It's all in the fingers," well for brewers its all in the tongue. I think craft brewers respect other breweries that make good tasting and creative beers. And furthermore these brewermasters learn a lot working with there peers from across the nation or even across the globe.

I suspect there are also economic motivations as well. Now people get jumpy when you start to mention profits as motivation when talking brewing. What the heck is wrong with making money? The people who own and work at these breweries have mouths to feed and bills to pay. I suspect there are some economies of scale when working within two distributor networks. Also, these collab beers are usually very unique and they don't necessarily compete with the brewers' year round offerings. Generally speaking brewers don't collaborate and brew a session brown ale. It's usually some style defying high gravity brew. Last, from a marketing standpoint the very idea of a collaboration is exciting for consumers and it organically generates its own demand for the product.

Below is a listing of collaborations that I familiar with. Please feel free to comment and add to the list.


Avery and Russian River - Collaboration Not Litigation Ale

Stone and Nogne O and Jolly Pumpkin - Special Holiday Ale

Stone and Ken Schmidt (a homebrewer) and Maui - Kona Coffee. Macadamia. Coconut Porter

Stone and BrewDog and Cambridge - Juxtaposition Black Pilsner

Stone and Mikkeller and AleSmith - Belgian Style Triple Ale

Nogne O and Mikkeller - Tyttebaer Ale

Ska and Avery - Wheel Sucker Wheat

Left Hand and Terrapin - Terra-rye'zd Black Rye Lager


Try a collaboration brew and experience the warm fuzzy feeling,

HolzBrew

Otter Creek Brewing Company: Vermont Series Part 4

Whilst in Vermont, soaking up the rays on the shores of Lake Champlain, Ashton, Scott, and I took a respite from our lounging and planned a brewery tour day for ourselves at the some of the finest (and closest!) breweries in Vermont. This is part One of the Vermont Brewery Tour day, and Part 4 in the Vermont Series. Needless to say, Otter Creek was simply our first stop, but what a great place to start!

Home to Otter Creek and Wolaver's Organic beers, this hidden gem is tucked in a small industrial area of Middlebury, Vermont, directly next to the Cabot dairy! We were lucky enough to get a tour right away, with only 2 other guests. Steve was our extremely hospitable and knowledgeable guide on this semi-private tour through the facility, which you can follow below. Also be sure to check out their site for upcoming events, history of the brewery, directions, hours, and beer information!


We're heeeeeeeere! Where's the beeeeeeeeeer?


I have no idea what a "firkin" is, but if it involves free beer samples then sign me up as an enthusiastic participant!


View of the brewery- beer lies within.


Glimpses of the working floor from the lobby.


First sight in the actual brewing area.


Scott and Ashton are PUMPED ON BEER. As are we all.


From the viewing platform, you can see the entire working floor, vats, hoses, storage, assembly, etc.


Here's my cup, where's yours?


This holds 1,200 gallons of delicious substance that will soon be tickling my tastebuds in delight!


Ashton approves of the hop sample.


After taking us through the working assembly area, we re-enter the lobby with Steve to view the final stages of bottling, packaging, and shipping.


A one-of-a-kind automated assembly machine. Great stuff for a small but delicious brewery, run by beer connoisseurs and enthusiasts alike!


I'd only ever had Golden Ales, which were a little hoppy for my taste, but their Copper Ale was just scrumptious. The consensus was "Tastes like pennies, but in a good way".


$1 per beer for a delicious microbrew straight from the plant? Yes please!


Read it carefully... you will be both tickled pink at their whimsy and respectful of their space!


How to decide what to take home?? The only answer is one of each. Actually, make it two...


It was the IPA special day, but they also had one of the first kegs of Octoberfest of the season on draft! Needless to say, I was ecstatic and very receptive to this early-season surprise.


Great stuff coming up, so if you have the chance to stop by be sure to catch what's going on!


The "sample" bar was a great place to mingle and talk beer.


I don't look as pleased as I actually am... beer blogging is serious business.

Otter Creek Brewing
793 Exchange St
Middlebury, VT 05753
(802) 388-0727

HolzBrew Breakfast Stout

I just recently kegged a breakfast stout, brewed about six weeks ago. The reason for deeming this the breakfast stout is because I used oats, maple syrup, and organic espresso in the recipe. The oats were steeped prior to the boil in order to add a fuller velvety mouthfeel. The maple syrup was added during secondary in hopes of imparting some maple notes. I knew I wanted to add espresso to this brew, but I wasn't sure how to go about it. After research various methods (cold extraction, steeping, etc.) I decided to add 3 oz. of cracked espresso beans to the secondary fermentation just 24 hours before kegging.

I brought some of this new libation into the office this week to get feedback from a group of folks that like their coffee. To my delight I think it was pretty well received. Everyone commented on the big fresh upfront espresso flavor. The one element of the brew that I don't think shines through is the maple. I only used 24 oz. and I have read that amounts up to a gallon are frequently needed in order to shine in a dark grain beverage such as a stout. The great thing about this brew is that despite the size of my average brew this one weighs in at a fairly modest 5.3% ABV, which should make it a good option for the upcoming tailgate season.

-HolzBrew

Del Mar Beer Fest

Beer Fests are the most glorious fests of all, in my opinion. Del Mar has taken it a step further where their "Beer Fest" is actually plural, and happens Saturdays at the Del Mar racetrack! This week, you can sample a variety of beer from Ballast Point, Coronado, Firestone, Full Sail, Green Flash, Left Coast, Lagunitas, Gordon Biersch and more, while watching the wacky and wild Flaming Lips. All of this is just $6, which is the standard Stretch Run admission price to the track, so you get beer, rock, AND place a few bets! $15 gets you a wristband for 5 sample beers, so don't miss this all day party.

The Del Mar Concert Series has more info about the weekly events and offerings, so be sure to check out the schedule. See you at the track!

Vermont Volume 3: Snacks!!!

When we weren't sitting down to a full spread breakfast or 5 course dinner, we supplemented our starvation with many snack breaks to ward off weakness and fill our shrinking bellies. Let me just say that sitting in a screened-in gazebo with an unfettered view of Lake Champlain in the summertime surrounded by friends is a great place to be. Add snacks to the equation and you've got a damn near perfect day. Take down the ingredients to make your own perfect summer snack afternoon!


Wonderful summer spread- butter pretzels, Dakin Farm horseradish cheddar spread, fresh kalamata olives, thinly (and not-so-thinly) sliced Cob Smoked Vermont Cheddar (also from Dakin Farm) and local brews from Otter Creek!


Otter Creek Summer '09 disguised within these frozen antique Bud mugs.


Contemplating jumping in... and obviously being too lazy and full.


Pleased with the spread.. and quizzical as to why I was wasting time snapping a photo rather than diving in headfirst into snack heaven.


We migrated to the dock... and that is in no way depressing. Bottoms up!

Life and Death of a Northern Pike

Scott caught this guy on his 2nd cast. What a show off.


Scott and Ashton brutalizing the poor fish.


Would NOT want those chompers clamped onto my fingers!


You ready?


After the really manly attempt with a rusty knife, a sharp one was found for the actual decapitation process.


Semi-scaled de-boning process begins.


GRAPHIC.


It wasn't the actual beheading that was gross, it was when it twitched so hard it jumped off the plank of wood afterwards.


Surprisingly colorful guts! Is it weird I find it kind of pretty?


This is a big reason why I love this man.


Scott is getting some nice fillets out of this puppy.


He is pleased.


Scott is such a provider!


Northern fillets, breaded, fresh lemon juice, olive oil, some herbs, and...


Voila! Dinner!