The Beer Thread

[Swirls]

Mini Rant - Christmas Ales. I understand there will be seasonality to beer -but it seems to be going overboard. Personally I don't have the money, time, and liver to mess with them and I sense they are crowding out some of the good beers from the beer aisles.

I find that it's really hit or miss with those. I like the Schlafly one quite a bit. But most are generic and similar and unimaginative.

The best Christmas seasonal brew that I've found is Boulevard's Nutcracker Ale.

[lukethedrifter]

Urban Chestnut is now open. I need to get down there ASAP.

[doe_boy]

This is really quite good. They've already started selling it up here in 'sconsin.

http://www.bizjournals.com/milwaukee/ne ... eturn.html

First brewed in 1986, the beer became a year-round offering in 1990 and later was renamed Northwoods Lager. Production of the beer stopped in 2000, although it was offered for a short time in 2008.

[Freed Roger]

Cheers for Schlafly Brewery-STL -Sales have risen from $7 mill to $13 mill in the last 5 years. 99% of sales within this region.

Playing armchair CEO here - now (or within a few years) is the time for regional craft brewers to be careful in how they grow there business. There is still ample room growth via conversion of InBev, Coors, Miller clients in StL. But the expansion to far flung markets is getting more crowded -every region has their own version of Schlafly's, complimented by the assorted midsizers - New Belgium, Founders, Sierra Nevada.

Schlafly is shopping the brewery for new investors. I guess that is what has me concerned- prospects of overextending themselves with overhead costs and weaker product.

On the beer-drinking front - had a lot of good new ones over the holidays, especially of the more stout/potent variety. Thus I have trouble recalling what they were.

[Popeye_Card]

I don't believe Schlafly intends to expand nationally any time soon. I think they want to control the bottle/draft market in StL and the vicinity. There is a reasonably good amount of money there, without being greedy and overextending.

[Radbird]

I like the concept of staying regional. It gives me something to look forward to when traveling.

[lukethedrifter]

If you guys havent been to Urban Chestnut yet you need to do so posthaste.

Great discussion on KWMU with Dan Kopman and Florian Kupfent this morning.

[Swirls]

Last week I had a dessert beer from a local microbrew - it was absolutely [expletive] amazing. Ithaca Nut Brown - it's a dark beer, but doesn't have the thickness you tend to see in most stouts or porters. But it's pretty heavy in terms of carbs and filling you up.

Dunno if it's available regionally outside of NY, but I highly recommend it.

[G. Keenan]

Illinois peeps, take a look.

http://chicagoist.com/2011/02/23/join_s ... _small.php

[doe_boy]

Like the can, love the beer. And, it's cheap.

http://www.homebrewtalk.com/f5/genesee-bock-171822/

Had this for the first time over the weekend. I'm not saying the beer blew me away by any means, but I am saying that it is by far the BEST beer I've ever had in a can that cost 6 bucks for a 12 pack.