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Post by Dwayne_Delaney » Sun Jul 02, 2006 9:55 am

World's first beer spa offers the ultimate health Czech
MURDO MACLEOD

THEY brew some of the best beer in the world and now they have - arguably - put it to better use.
The Czech town of Chodova Plana has opened the world's first beer spa, with the drink being marketed as the cure for a range of ailments.
More than 1,000 "patients" have made the pilgrimage in the three months since the Pivovar Chovar clinic opened.
A typical weekend session costs about
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Post by Dwayne_Delaney » Sun Jul 02, 2006 9:56 am

Man Carries Wife 250 Meters, Wins Her Weight in Beer

July 1, 2006 3:14 p.m. EST

Nicole King - All Headline News Staff Writer

Sonkajarvi, Finland (AHN) - Could you carry your wife 250 meters on your back through an obstacle course? That's what one husband from Estonia did to win his wife's weight in beer, and even set a world record doing it.

Sandra Kullas and Margo Uusorg won the race Saturday with a winning time of 56.9 seconds. They were among 40 couples who competed in the annual race.

The course included pools and hurdles. The men could run or walk while carrying the women on their backs. The championship was being held for the 11th time and evokes the legend of robber Rosvo-Ronkainen who made prospective gang members carry heavy sacks while running through the forest before he would let them join his gang.

Kullas clung to Uusorg's back upside down with her legs around his neck. This is Uusorg's fifth world championship. The couple received laptop computers and 49 kg of beer.
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Post by Dwayne_Delaney » Sat Aug 12, 2006 10:59 am

Joe Sixpack | Hybrid-hop Simcoe is hot
Its popularity comes from citrus aroma, strong but pleasurable bitterness

FORGET cascades hops. The newest beer craze is Simcoe.

Cascades, of course, is the classic West Coast hop, the small, vine-grown bud that gives beer its aroma, its bitterness, its spice. For 20 years, the fresh, aromatic, grapefruit-like Cascades virtually defined American-made craft beer, and it still reigns as one of the biggest sellers.

But six years ago, agriculture scientists in Washington State introduced a hybrid called Simcoe, and brewers have been boiling it big time ever since.

Yards Brewing, in Kensington, used it in its reformulated Philly Pale Ale recipe, and watched sales rocket. Troegs Brewing, in Harrisburg, adds it to Nugget Nectar Ale. In Delaware, Dogfish Head Brewing's Sam Calagione said his brewers were using Simcoe before it even had a name, when it was known only as "Experimental Hop No. 555." Today, he said, Dogfish Head tosses a "load" of it into 90 Minute IPA.

Even savvy homebrewers are onto Simcoe. "There's a latent buzz around it," said Jason Harris, of Keystone Homebrew Supply in Montgomeryville. "Simcoe's made a huge impact."

Simcoe is so hot, Weyerbacher Brewing in Easton just named its newest beer after the plant: Simcoe Double IPA.

What attracts brewers - and drinkers - to the variety is a distinctive citrus aroma combined with a high alpha-acid content that imparts a strong but pleasurable bitterness.

Because of those qualities, it's an especially popular ingredient in the new wave of extra-hoppy ales known as Imperial India Pale Ales. It provides a nice kick without a harsh slap to the palate.

"It probably got the most fire going with it three or four years ago when it showed up in some of the lively hop monsters from the West Coast," said Jim Boyd, general manager of the craft-brewing program at Yakima Chief, the Washington-based hops conglomerate that distributes Simcoe. "Almost every single one of them is using Simcoe."

Indeed, you'd think that Simcoe was created especially for these hop-happy ales. But in fact it's the big, bland lagers that drove its development.

The factory breweries that produce these beers don't much care about the variety of hops they use. Sean McGree, vice president of the hop division at Brewers Supply, another hops producer in Yakima, Wash., said: "To them, hops aren't flowers, they're a commodity. They use computers to dose hop extract into brewing kettles. So they're really just buying kilos of alpha acid... Often, the types of hops they use is a decision made by accountants, not brewers."

The goal, then, was to develop a hop variety with high alpha-acid content to reduce the acreage needed to grow the fast-spreading vines. The problem, though, was that once they're boiled in the beer-making process, high-alpha hops often produce harsh flavors.

Scientists at Select Botanicals, the Washington firm that propagated Simcoe, solved that problem by developing a variety with lower cohumulone, the acid responsible for the astringency of hops.

Jason Perrault, the company's vice president of research and development, said it took 10 years of pollination, crop development, harvesting and analysis till Simcoe was ready to be released in 2000.

Perrault said the company is still waiting for interest to grow among the big brewers. But he's heartened by the early acceptance by small brewers. "We've found that craft brewers are so much more willing to try something new, to give it a shot, to be a trend-setter," he said.

Mostly, brewers use Simcoe in combination with other hop varieties.

Dan Weirback, of Weyerbacher Brewing, said he first used Simcoe when his brewery sought to reformulate its Hop Infusion Ale, a beer with seven different hops.

"Simcoe had this wonderful flavor of West Coast hops. It's almost like a Cascades hop on steroids - it totally blew us away when we used it," Weirback said. "We thought, 'Man, wouldn't it be great to make a beer that would be dominated by Simcoe?' "

That was the start of Simcoe Double IPA.

Naming it after the hop variety was a no-brainer, said Weirback, because Simcoe is already recognizable among savvy craft-beer drinkers.

And it may just be the start of a new trend. After all, winemakers commonly label wines with their grape variety (e.g., Chardonnay, Merlot). So why shouldn't a brewer name his beer after its hops variety?

Especially when it's something as flavorful as Simcoe hops.

A sampling of Simcoe

Want a taste of Simcoe hops? Here's a sixpack of other beers that feature the distinctive flavor:

Philly Pale Ale, Yards Brewing, Philadelphia.

Pliny the Elder, Russian River Brewing, California.

Big Fish Barleywine, Flying Fish, New Jersey.

Dreadnaught, Three Floyds Brewing, Indiana.

The Maharaja, Avery Brewing, Colorado.

Titan IPA, Great Divide Brewing, Colorao.

"Joe Sixpack" by Don Russell appears weekly in Big Fat Friday. For more info, see www.joesixpack.net. Send e-mail to joesixpack@phillynews.com.
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Post by Chris Norrick » Fri Sep 01, 2006 9:43 am

Old story from NASA on brewing in space: http://science.nasa.gov/headlines/y2001/ast21sep_1.htm
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Post by Dwayne_Delaney » Tue Oct 24, 2006 5:00 am

Exploding Beer Keg Kills 1, Injures 7

NEW MILFORD, CT, United States (UPI) -- A 22-year-old New Milford, Conn., man was killed and seven others injured after a beer keg thrown into a fire barrel exploded at an outdoor party.

The blast at 3:13 a.m. Sunday was powerful enough to shake windows a mile away from the field where between 50 and 100 people in their 20s were attending an annual pig roast, the Danbury (Conn.) News-Times reported Monday.

Sean Caselli, 22, was killed by a jagged piece of shrapnel to the neck, while seven others were hit by shrapnel or burned, New Milford police said.

Investigators would not reveal who had thrown the barrel into the fire barrel, the newspaper said.

'Nothing I have been apprised of to this point in the investigation ... indicates a deliberate act on anyone`s part,' New Milford Police Chief Colin McCormack told reporters.

By late Sunday, all of the injured had been treated and released from two area hospitals, McCormack said.

Monday, the incident was under investigation by local police, state and local fire marshals, and the state police Major Crime Squad, the newspaper said.

Copyright 2006 by United Press International
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Red Guinness?

Post by Dwayne_Delaney » Sat Oct 28, 2006 8:07 pm

Guinness Brewers Seeing Red

By BEN O'DRISCOLL
October 26, 2006

GUINNESS last night revealed plans to launch a new brew . . . which is RED.
The drink will be made from lightly roasted barley and will go on trial at pubs in the UK over the next few months.
But the firm
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Post by Dwayne_Delaney » Sat Nov 11, 2006 11:26 am

From the London Free Press.............

Beer's healthy side worth poring over
Sat, November 11, 2006
By W. GIFFORD-JONES

What's in a bottle of beer? About 99.9 per cent of my beer-drinking friends didn't realize beer contains health benefits.

A Canadian brewer agreed that distributing information about the contents of this popular drink would be beneficial. He also agreed it must be stressed that excessive alcohol consumption causes serious health problems. But he soon learned the government forbids beer companies to claim health benefits of any kind.

It's an asinine law. The government allows food companies to promote all sorts of junk foods that trigger a variety of degenerative diseases. It does nothing to stop pharmaceutical companies from advertising medications that are often not needed and can kill.

I agree excessive alcohol can destroy lives. But so can driving a car at excessive speeds. Does the government ban cars or curtail advertising them? This is another example of political hypocrisy and double standards.

Moderate beer-drinking is not an unhealthy habit. Consider the millions of people killed over the centuries by drinking contaminated water. Beer is 93 per cent water, but 100 per cent safe to drink.

Beer, unlike many foods, does not contribute to heart disease, the nation's No. 1 killer. It contains no fat, cholesterol or triglycerides. Its moderate alcohol content increases the good cholesterol that removes excess bad cholesterol from the blood.

The alcohol in beer helps to lubricate the blood circulation by decreasing the level of fibrinogen, part of the blood-clotting mechanism. The less fibrinogen, the less chance of heart attack. Beer also greases platelets, making them less likely to stick together to form a fatal blood clot.

Beer contains no sugar, a huge benefit to people in our sweets-loving society. Today, excessive calories are causing an epidemic of obesity resulting in needless disease and stress on our health-care system. Conversely, packaged foods and soft drinks are loaded with sugar.

Hypertension is another major health problem often due to excessive intake of sodium. But beer contains only 25 milligrams of sodium. Compare this to the 900 mg in a can of soup, 1,100 mg in a quarter-pound hamburger with cheese, 1,420 mg in a chicken pot pie and 3,270 mg in a Reuben sandwich. In addition, most packaged foods are loaded with salt. All we need is 1,500 mg of sodium daily, but most people consume 4,000 mg.

Important minerals are present in beer. Magnesium regulates the heart's beat and relaxes coronary arteries. Potassium fights high blood pressure and calcium fortifies bone.

There are a number of essential vitamins in beer, such as folic acid, niacin and vitamins B3, B2 and B6. And let's not forget the relaxing effect of beer on both the mind and blood vessels.

A study by the American Cancer Society of 500,000 Americans showed that one alcoholic drink a day in middle life decreased the risk of premature death by 20 per cent. Other studies show that moderate drinking reduces the risk of macular degeneration, the most common cause of blindness in those over 65 years of age.

Aristotle was right generations ago when he praised the virtues of moderation. Today, the best way to save our health-care system is for everyone to act moderately in drinking and eating. This, along with exercise, will help fight the epidemic of obesity that triggers diabetes, heart attack, hypertension and other degenerative diseases.

To prohibit this health message in beer cases is nonsensical and a Puritan reaction that refuses to accept 20 world studies that show moderate drinkers outlive teetotalers and excessive drinkers.

This health message would be an additional way to reach women who drink excessively during pregnancy. The result? Brain-damaged children who become wards of the state at huge expense.

Will the truth about beer ever be allowed in beer cartons? I doubt the Department of Health will ever overcome its horror of the word alcohol. But it should remove its blinkers and compare the content of beer with any number of popular soft drinks and prepared foods, readily available in every corner store.
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Post by Dwayne_Delaney » Sat Dec 02, 2006 8:23 pm

State says, No No No to beer's Santa label
Associated Press
Portland, Maine
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Post by Dwayne_Delaney » Sun Dec 10, 2006 9:02 pm

Beer from 1869 that can be guzzled
DAVID DERBYSHIRE

London, Dec. 10: It was brewed in the year that the Suez Canal opened, Charles Dickens embarked on one of his last literary tours and the Cutty Sark was launched in Scotland.

But the recently-discovered cache of 1869 ale should have been undrinkable, given the conventional brewing wisdom that even the best beers are supposed to last no more than a couple of decades. Beer experts, however, say the 137-year-old brew tastes
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Lucky Portuguese

Post by Dwayne_Delaney » Sat Jan 13, 2007 1:32 pm

Lucky Portuguese......

European Court Rules Anheuser-Busch Cannot Sell 'Budweiser' Beer in Portugal
By
The Associated Press
01-12-2007

American brewer Anheuser-Busch cannot sell beer under the brand name Budweiser in Portugal, the highest chamber of Europe's human rights court ruled Thursday, in the latest round of a global legal battle between the U.S. beer giant and Czech brewery Budejovicky Budvar.

The U.S. brewery lost its fight against a 2001 decision by Portugal's Supreme Court, which ruled that Budejovicky Budvar had the right to use the brand name under a 1986 treaty between the Czech Republic and Portugal.

Anheuser-Busch had argued that the decision violated its rights to the "peaceful enjoyment" of the trademark. It said the Portuguese ruling infringed on Article 1 of the European Convention on Human Rights, which guarantees individuals and companies protection of property.

A lower chamber of the Strasbourg-based court had dismissed the company's complaint in 2005, and the court's Grand Chamber of 17 judges upheld that verdict Thursday.

"This is good news for us. We expect our exports to Portugal to grow," Budvar spokesman Petr Samec told The Associated Press.

Anheuser-Busch first applied to register Budweiser as a trademark in 1981. After a protracted legal battle -- during which Portuguese courts first granted the use of the Budweiser name to the American company then to the Czechs -- the case went to Strasbourg in June 2001.

The two companies have been battling for a century over Budweiser and other trade names, such as Budvar. Currently, they are involved in some 40 lawsuits worldwide.

Budejovicky Budvar was founded in 1895 in Ceske Budejovice -- called Budweis by the German-speaking people that populated the area at the time. Beer has been brewed there since 1265.

The founders of Anheuser-Busch used the name Budweiser for their product because it was well-known in their German homeland. A brewery in St. Louis began producing Budweiser, America's first national beer brand, in 1876.

Since 2001, Budvar has been exporting lager to the U.S. under the name Czechvar.
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Anheuser-Busch and Czech Brewer Budejovicky Budvar

Post by jefrey3 » Sun Jan 14, 2007 11:01 pm

Anheuser-Busch and Czech Brewer Budejovicky Budvar Form Historic Alliance in U.S. Market
Czechvar Beer to Gain Access to Anheuser-Busch's Marketing, Sales Resources and Wholesaler Network


ST. LOUIS and CESKE BUDEJOVICE, Czech Republic, Jan. 8

After nearly a century of disagreements in certain parts of the world over rights to the Budweiser name for their beers, Anheuser-Busch (NYSE: BUD) and Czech brewer Budejovicky Budvar (BBNP) have formed a historic alliance in which Anheuser-Busch will become the U.S. importer of Czechvar Premium Czech Lager, the two brewers jointly announced today.

The agreement gives Czechvar, currently sold in 30 states, access to Anheuser-Busch's marketing and sales expertise and wide-reaching U.S. distribution network. It gives Anheuser-Busch another European import as part of an aggressive push into high-end beer categories that has led to alliances with Grolsch, Tiger, Kirin and most recently InBev, which added Stella Artois, Beck's, Bass Pale Ale and other beers to its import portfolio.

The agreement does not impact existing litigation or trademark disputes between the two brewers in other countries, and they have agreed the partnership cannot be used to support either side in any trademark cases.

"After years of differences, this is a meaningful step for two great brewers to form a relationship that is good for both of our businesses," said August A. Busch IV, president and chief executive officer of Anheuser-Busch Companies, Inc. "For Anheuser-Busch, it also represents an opportunity to enhance our import portfolio with a super-premium Czech import. Working with our family of wholesalers, we look forward to introducing Czechvar to a new audience of beer lovers."

The imported Czechvar beer will continue to be brewed at the BBNP brewery in Ceske Budejovice, Czech Republic.

"Our business agreement will particularly please all connoisseurs of imported beers in the USA. Experience of many brewers' generations, who have brewed beer in our town for more than 700 years, lies behind our premium lager," said BBNP's CEO, Jiri Bocek.

"At the same time, the agreement represents a historical turning point between our companies. We have managed to move away from discussions between lawyers and towards a practical dialogue, which is going to be beneficial to both sides. Our corporation has therefore gained the best importer in the USA," added Bocek.

Czechvar is a super-premium light lager. A 90-day maturing period and use of only top-quality ingredients, including Saaz hops, assorted Moravian malt barley and pure spring water gives this beer its characteristics. Czechvar features a thick head, distinctly golden color and full aroma.

The brand is available in individual 330 milliliter bottles, in six- and 12-packs of 330 milliliter bottles, in a 500 milliliter bottle and on draught.

The agreement will broaden Czechvar's U.S. distribution by giving the Czech brewer access to the Anheuser-Busch network of nearly 600 independent wholesalers. The European import is an important addition for Anheuser-Busch wholesalers as imported beer is one of the fastest-growing segments of the U.S. beer industry. The U.S. import segment grew 7 percent in 2005 and 10 percent through the third quarter in 2006.

The agreement was effective Jan. 5. Terms were not disclosed.

BBNP brewery, based in Ceske Budejovice, Czech Republic, has long been one of the most successful Czech companies in the food and drink industry. Thanks to its gradual and goal-oriented expansion into foreign markets and the strengthening of sales on the domestic market, BBNP managed to achieve a significant position in the beer market both in the Czech Republic and abroad. Based on the volume of exported beer, the original Czech premium lager brewed by BBNP is one of the best-selling Czech beers abroad. This beer has earned numerous medals and diplomas from domestic and foreign quality competitions. Today BBNP exports nearly half of its output to more than 50 countries on five continents. For more information, visit http://www.czechvar.com/ .

Based in St. Louis, Anheuser-Busch is the leading American brewer, holding a 48.8 percent share of U.S. beer sales. The company brews the world's largest-selling beers, Budweiser and Bud Light. Anheuser-Busch also owns a 50 percent share in Grupo Modelo, Mexico's leading brewer, and a 27 percent share in China brewer Tsingtao. Anheuser-Busch ranked No. 1 among beverage companies in FORTUNE Magazine's Most Admired U.S. and Global Companies lists in 2006. Anheuser-Busch is one of the largest theme park operators in the United States, is a major manufacturer of aluminum cans and one of the world's largest recyclers of aluminum cans. For more information, visit http://www.anheuser-busch.com/ .

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Post by Dwayne_Delaney » Thu Feb 08, 2007 5:35 pm

From the Anheuser-Busch Website:

Michelob Taps Heritage
February 08, 2007

Classic Lager Returns to Iconic Teardrop Bottle and All-Malt Flavor

ST. LOUIS (Feb. 8, 2007)
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Milk beer called

Post by Chris Norrick » Thu Feb 15, 2007 8:41 am

Milk beer called
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Vintage Beer

Post by Dwayne_Delaney » Fri Feb 16, 2007 9:45 pm

Now on Tap: Vintage Beer
Forget 'born-on dates.' Vintage suds are becoming a popular pour at fine dining joints. But is any bottle of beer really worth $23? We swallowed hard and took the plunge.
WEB EXCLUSIVE
By Andrew Romano
Newsweek
Updated: 3:17 p.m. CT Feb 16, 2007

Feb. 16, 2007 - I
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Beer or Biofuels????

Post by Dwayne_Delaney » Sun Feb 25, 2007 8:32 pm

This really, really sucks.......

Blow for beer as biofuels clean out barley

By Kevin Morrison in London

Published: February 25 2007 20:56 | Last updated: February 25 2007 20:56

The rapid expansion of biofuel production may be welcome news for environmentalists but for the world
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