The big beer buzz today surrounds InBev’s offer to buy out Anheuser-Busch. This is big, global business. InBev, a Belgian holding, #2 in the world behind SAB Miller wants AB because of AB’s saturation in the global, but primarily US market. $65 bucks a share is what’s proposed and that comes out to a total $46 billion dollars for the brand. Everyone’s asking me what I think about it. Do you care? I really don’t. I don’t think it will have much effect on our craft beer loving palate in the long run. Certainly, the deal would strongly implicate the future of mass-produced brands but who cares? More interesting to me is Magic Hat’s buyout of Pyramid Brewing Company. This is an example of a smaller entity swallowing a bigger one. What does that mean for Magic Hat’s award-winning beers? It remains to be seen. Remember, when I say “think globally, buy locally,” I mean it. Now go back to drinking good, locally produced craft beers and quit fretting over the big guys.
The June, 2008 edition of Pizza Today ranked our darling Moose’s Tooth Pizzeria and Pub their “Independent of the Year.” Author Jeremy White cited the establishment’s success and pointed out what we already knew. The place, the pizza and the beer totally rocks. White pointed out that the Moose’s Tooth is the busiest single-unit pizzeria in the entire United States, which probably actually means the entire world when you think about it. Where else do they slam more pizza than in America? What was simply stunning to me was the alluding to the Tooth netting $5.5 million a year. Not bad for a couple of college guys looking for something to do with themselves. The article provides a nice expose of the Tooth and the guys with the vision to do it all: Rod Hancock and Matt Jones. All I can say is keep up the good work guys and keep opening more establishments around town. I’d like one in my neighborhood, by the way.
On Tuesday I was honored with the privilege of brewing the upcoming 12th Anniversary beer with head brewer Tyler Jones. Jones formulated a unique recipe for a Belgian-style saison. It’s fascinating spending an entire day in a commercial brewery and watching the process 
and the interaction between the folks that work there. Jones is a proficient brewer, first grabbing the paddle at Railway Brewing in 1998. When the Railway Brewing managers caused the train wreck that shut the brewpub down, Jones enjoyed another stint at the new defunct Borealis Brewing Company before wising up and getting on board with the Tooth. Jones’s brewing style is decisive and methodical. I found out that we had a lot in common because I’m sort of a process-oriented guy and look for efficiencies where I can. I certainly learned a whole bunch, but am a long way off from launching any kind of career as a commercial brewer. I still can’t even figure out how that tangle of pipes all works. Jones’s hands flew this way and that way, twisting valves and pulling levers. I couldn’t keep up with him.
The 12th Anniversary Ale will debut in July, slightly coinciding with my 11th anniversary as a writer at the Anchorage Press, and that’s what sort of tied the gig together for me. We (the Tooth staff and I) were supposed to brew together last year in conjunction with my 10th anniversary and 500 columns in the Press, but summer’s a busy time for the brewers and we never got the chance to get ‘er done. I’m glad to have had the opportunity to participate this year. Thanks guys, that was a blast! I’m genuinely excited to see how the beer turns out.
La Bodega has been a long supporter of local beer and local beer happenings. I get all of my updates concerning McGinley’s First Friday tastings directly from Pamela Hatzis, La Bodega’s owner. Hatzis has expanded her horizons and has talked Bernie’s Bungalow Lounge into hosting tastings and the first one will be on July 16th where European beers will be featured. Details are emergent, so stay tuned. Rumor has it that the tasting will be held upstairs in this reputedly haunted bungalow, so if you want a rare glimpse into the inner sanctum, here’s your chance. Also, with great excitement, Hatzis announced that starting in September beer tastings will become a regular feature at SubZero Microlounge adjacent to Humpy’s Great Alaska Alehouse.
I ducked into Cafe Amsterdam on Tuesday evening (08/17) to assist in the pre-planning of an upcoming Belgian picnic-style light beer tasting. The idea is that in the summer, you beer lovers are less interested in formal, big-beer sit-down events that you might be with something more casual. So, we conjured over light Belgian-inspired beers that quench rather than fill and a food pairing that would emulate what someone toiling through the day might enjoy. The first thing that came to my mind is the traditional Ploughman’s Platter, although it seems to be Irish in origin. Think cheese, fruit and pickled delicacies. These were foods that were brought to the field to satiate hard working hands that tilled the soil in a long day’s work. There are countless variations, and I’m sure the dedicated, creative staff at Café will put something together that will please palate and soul. Paired with a delicate, light farmhouse-style ale, the platter will be perfect on what we hope is a warm summer day.
At select times, and when the weather cooperates, Café tosses out some tables and chairs in front of the restaurant to take the pressure off the inside bar’s limited seating. Alas, licensing does not permit alcoholic beverage consumption outside, but perhaps in the near future, with some creative duct tape (??) or nylon flagging (??) and area might be designated for enjoyment of an aptly served summer session beer in the sunshine.
While at Café I got the wonderful experience of sampling Haines Brewing Company’s Spruce Tip Brown Ale. I’ve always been a bit anxious about spruce beer because it’s so easily overdone. Alaskan Brewing Company has dabbled in spruce additions in their winter ale and barley wines, and they’ve always done a great job, so I’m somewhat tamed, but I didn’t know what to expect in Haines’ example because 
undeniably, Haines is the spruce tip capital of Alaska. The staff goes to great length to harvest the freshest, finest spruce tips in the land, and they always do a good job. Haines’ Brown Ale was not even close to being overdone, and I even had to search around a bit in the nose to find the leafy substance. The aroma is sweetish overall, and yes, there is some alluring spruce essence, but it’s fun to find it in the background and not right in my face. I appreciate the beer’s incredible balance. Not quite disconcerting is the reference to a refined woman’s perfume in the nose and especially in the flavor. The hops do their job with balance, but take a holiday in deference to other swirling flavors in the beer. I also appreciate the fade in the end to a very clean, dry finish. It’s an alluring, easy sipping brew. Opt for the Franziskaner Wheat first to warm up your palate, then dive in to Haines’ noteworthy, style-defining spruce-zapped wonder.
Don’t miss a visit to Tap Root Café on the Southside during your busy wanderings this summer. Tap Root continues to feature predominantly local beers, local music and a homespun atmosphere when you need somewhere to duck in and imbibe and mix with the locals. I’m almost glad they’re out of the way and low-key because Tap Root offers a nice contrast to the more boisterous pubs around town. I’m still waiting for someone to bust the wide-open market in South Anchorage with a huge tap line and rowdy atmosphere, but until then, both Tap Root and Mo’s O’Brady’s suffice.
Get down to the Brown Jug store on 88th and Old Seward (in front of the Wall Mart adjacent to the Dimond Mall) for your share of the rare, and recently returning Leffe Blonde, an Abbey ale comes from a monastic brewery in Belgium that has history back to at least 1152. A somewhat mild 6.6 beer with Belgian spiciness awaits your palate. It’s a rarity. Only seven cases showed up here on the recent shipment, and although the stuff is spendy, it’s worthy of your disposable income because it’s top notch stuff. I could easily toss back a sixer of this stuff on a hot day, but might not be too productive afterwards, but it would be with the experience. It’s not necessarily lawnmower beer, but it’s quaffable enough to be dangerous because it has an intensity in flavor and mouthfeel that just can’t be missed.
Humpy’s Great Alaskan Alehouse is throwing a summer solstice party called the Midnight Summer’s Dream Party on June 21st. It all starts at 4:00 pm with music by Here 2 Play. At 7:00 pm, the Rabbit Creek Ramblers will kick it up followed by the Rebel Blues starting at 10:00 pm. If you’re a night owl, starting at 11:00 pm, take in the Fantasy of Models in Lingerie and Bikinis event. According to the MySpace blurb, dress is “Lingerie or Less” for this event. What about the beer? I guess it’s whatever’s on tap and pay as you go.
If you did it right, you could easily catch the Celestial Meads Open House event at the meadery extending between noon and 5:00 pm. Meadmaster Mike Kiker will showcase at least a dozen of his fine offerings, some of which will undoubtedly be new releases. The meadery is 
located at 700 W. 41st Ave, Unit H. Note that 41st Ave is on Arctic between 36th and Tudor, on the left headed soutbound. Call the meadery at (907) 250-8362 for details.
One of my field correspondents reports that things are hoppin’ down at St. Elias Brewing Company, Alaska’s newest brewpub in Soldotna. My correspondent sampled the tasty Dunkelweizen and reported that although quite good, it was a bit thin in body. He reported that many of the beers were sold out, which isn’t surprising given the unprecedented popularity of the establishment and the brewer’s toilsome, albeit insufficient efforts to keep up with demand. Reports are that the food at St. Elias is tasty and worth the stop with or without beer.
Dr Fermento Beer Calendar
06/21/08 Celestial Meads Open House/Tasting Extravaganza with Mike Kiker Noon – 5 PM Free
06/21/08 Humpy’s Great Alaska Alehouse Midnight Summer’s Dream Party 4:00 pm - ?? Pay As You Go
07/12/08 Silver Gulch Brewing Company E.T. Barnette Homebrew Judging 10:00 am Free
07/13/08 Café Amsterdam The Lighter Side of Belgium Picnic Style Tasting TBD TBD
07/26/08 GNBC/Humpy’s Golf Tournament Moose Run Golf Course 7:00 AM $350/Team
08/02/08 Ketchikan (420 Spruce Mill Way) 13th Annual Summer Beer Festival 6:30-8:30 pm $20.00
09/20/08 Zymurgist Borealis Septemberfest Chena Pump Campground (Fairbanks) Noon - ?? BYO/Potluck
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