Why Beer Steins Have Lids

Not all beer steins have lids but centuries ago it was required by law in Germany for a beer stein to have a lid. The purpose was to prevent the plague. It was thought that fleas getting into the beer spread disease which was true. Hence, the lid of a stein was born. 

German beer steins are highly collectible. They have been popular for hundreds of years because of their craftsmanship and motifs. Read more about beer steins at What is the Purpose of a German Beer Stein.

Smuttynose Brewing Company, Portsmouth, New Hampshire

Smuttynose Craft Brewery is located in Portsmouth, New Hampshire and it is the state's largest craft brewing company. The brewery was founded in 1994 and beer is distributed along the East Coast and as far as Wisconsin. Tours are free and it is recommended that go to their website to make a tour reservation. Smuttynose Tours.

Now let us get to the good stuff: their beer. Smuttynose produces year round favorites, seasonals like their pumpkin and their "Big Series" which is big beer in big bottles.
One of my favorite year round productions in their Old Brown Dog Ale.

Old Brown Dog ale is 1989 silver medal winner at the Great American Beer Festival. It is a true classic. It has a strong body and strongly hopped.

VITAL STATISTICS

OG: 1060, TG: 1016 

Grain Bill: Pale Brewers, Munich, Crystal 60°L, Chocolate

Hops: Cascade, Willamette

IBU's: 15

Color/Number: Deep brown-amber, 25 

ABV  6.5%

Dogfish Head Craft Brewed Ales - Milton, Delaware

Dogfish Head Craft Brewed Ales has turned out some very popular and deliciously drinkable ales. They are the brewery known for over the top, extreme and oddly flavored ales. The funkier the better according to their website. Some of their beers are seasonal while others are offered year round. Their Dogfish Head 120 Minute IPA is an over the top hoppy 120 IBU rated ale that is offered every now and again. The Brewery calls it their "Holy Grail for hop heads"! If you are an IPA lover try their 60 minute IPA or the 90 Minute IPA for a little more bite. Like to know more about IBU rating? Read this: Defining an IBU.

The brewery has been able to get their product into 28 states so far. You can check their website to see if their products are available in your state. Try their Fish Finder Map.

Besides creating over the top hop IPA's, Dogfish Head offers delicious seasonal like their Punkin' Ale ans Aprihop which is an apricot fruited IPA. Year round brews include 60 Minute IPA, 90 Minute IPA, Indian Brown, Midas Touch- based on a recipe from the 2,700 year old tomb of King Midas, Palo Santo Marron- brewed in wooden vessels with caramel and vanilla complexities, Raison D'Etre- A Belgian style brown ale made with beet sugar, Shelter Pale Ale and Lawnmower- great for quenching thirst after being out in the hot sun "mowing the lawn".



Would you like to learn how to brew your own beer? You can if you have the Brew Beer Bible. You will be brewing beer in no time with this ultimate do-it-yourself guide.

What is the difference between a craft brewery and a micro brewery. Find out at The-Difference-Between-a-Craft-Beer-and-a-Micro-Brew-Beer

Oskar Blues Beer, Lyons, Colorado

Oskar Blues Brewery in Lyons, Colorado is the first craft brewer to put its beer in cans. In November of 2002, the brewery canned its Dale's Pale Ale and started what the brewery calls a "canned beer apocalypse." The beer retains its freshness better than in bottles since it is not affected by sunlight or oxygen. The lined cans are easier to recycle and highly portable since glass breakage is not an issue.

Are you thinking that a canned craft beer cannot possibly taste good? Hold that thought because Oskar Blues Brewery has received many accolades for their canned crafting. The New York Times rated Dale's Pale Ale a top American pale ale and G'Knight, an Imperial red ale, had a World Beer Cup medal bestowed upon it in 2008. The brewery also crafts Mama's Lil' Yella Pils, an all malt pilsiner with over 5% alcohol.

In the area? Check out the Oskar Blues Grill & Bar. The menu features Cajun, Creole and Southern style comfort food that is sure to please.

Would you like to learn how to brew your own beer? You can if you have the Brew Beer Bible. You will be brewing beer in no time with this ultimate do-it-yourself guide.

What is the difference between a craft brewery and a micro brewery. Find out at The-Difference-Between-a-Craft-Beer-and-a-Micro-Brew-Beer

Oskar Blues Grill & Brew
303 Main Street
Lyons, Colorado 80540
303-823-6685
Gift Certificates available via phone.
Hours of Operation:
Restaurant – Monday through Sunday 11:00 AM to 10:00 PM
Bar – Sunday through Thursday 11:00 AM to 12 Midnight
Friday and Saturday 11:00 AM to 2:00 AM

Boulevard Brewing Company, Kansas City, Missouri

Boulevard Brewing Company is the largest specialty brewer in the Midwest. They have been making beer since 1989 and distribute their products in 19 states. Look for them in Missouri, Kansas, Nebraska, Iowa, Oklahoma, Arkansas, North Dakota, South Dakota, Wyoming, Oregon, Washington, Alaska, and Massachusetts with partial distribution in Alabama, Colorado, Idaho, Illinois, Indiana, Minnesota, Texas, and Utah. They brew craft beers and use old and new brewing techniques.

You can tour their facility but reservations are required. Located at 2501 Southwest Boulevard
Kansas City, MO 64108 Sign up here: Boulevard Brewing Tours.

Their Unfiltered Wheat Beer is a Great International Beer Festival Gold Medal winner. Since it is an unfiltered beer it has a cloudy appearance. It has notes of citurs and is one of Boulevard Brewing's best selling beers.

The Boulevard Pale Ale is an amber ale with malty flavors and is slighlty fruity. This beer is a year round production and one of the first beers ever brewed by Boulevard Brewing Company. The hops add just enough bitterness to this mellow ale.

The Boulevard Brewing Company produces their Smokestack Series allows their brewers to experiment with the knowledge of their craft. The series is presented in corked and caged champagne bottles. Four beers of the Smokestack Series are offered year round. They are Tank 7 Farmhouse Ale, The Sixth Glass, Double Wide IPA, and Long Strange Tripel. Some are limited like their Bourbon Barrel Quad.

Tank 7 Farmhouse Ale is a result of the brewer's experimentation of a Belgian Ale. Born in their tank number 7 and so it remained named. It starts with fruity grapefruit like notes and finishes peppery and dry. Pair with pork and roasted chicken.

The Sixth Glass is a dark auburn quadruple ale. Full bodied and deceptively sweet. Rich sweet and mildly hoppy. Bronze medal 2008 Great American Beer Festival. Pair with smoked meats, cheddar, gouda, havarti and chocolate.

Double wide IPA a classic india Pale Ale. Flavors suggest toffe notes balance the bitterness of citrus, minty and pine like hops. 2010 Silver award at Austrailian International Beer Awards. Pair with lamb and smoked meats, cheeses and cheesecake. 71 IBU's.

Long Strange Tripel has a prominant sweet malt flavor accompianied by an amber color, hint of toffee, fruity banana aromas and a citrus hop bitterness. Try this beer with Thai food and fruited chutneys.

Would you like to learn how to brew your own beer? You can if you have the Brew Beer Bible. You will be brewing beer in no time with this ultimate do-it-yourself guide.

What is the difference between a craft brewery and a micro brewery. Find out at The-Difference-Between-a-Craft-Beer-and-a-Micro-Brew-Beer

Craft Brewery and Micro-Brewery are Not Interchangeable Terms

It is a common misconcepton that a micro-brewery is a craft brewery. A micro-brewery can be a craft brewery but a craft brewery isn't always a micro-brewery.
"Huh? What? Can you say that again?"
Instead of repeating myself, you can read this article that defines the differences between a craft and a micro-brewery as well as cleary showing what a craft beer is.
Read:
The Difference Between a Craft Beer and a Micro Brew Beer.







Would you like to learn how to brew your own beer? You can if you have the Brew Beer Bible. You will be brewing beer in no time with this ultimate do-it-yourself guide.

Pretty Things Beer and Ale Project, Somerville, MA

Pretty Things Beer and Ale Project is a tenant brewery located in Somerville, Massachustetts. A Tenant brewery is a brewery that rents the space to brew from another brewery. The host space bottles the beer for Pretty Things Beer and Ale Project. Even though the beer is bottled for the Pretty Things Project, Dann and Martha Paquette do everything else on their own. They brew the beer, create the labels and write poems about their beer, they are the marketing and distributing team.

Pretty Things Project (called a project since they are a beer without a home) has receive many accolades including a write up in Oprah Magazine. Besides Oprah, Pretty Things' praises are sung in the Boston Globe, The Boston Herald, GQ Magazine, New York Magazine and Yankee Magazine, to name a few. The Pretty Things Beer and Ale Project won Best of Boston for 2011.


The Project brews many different styles of beer but their Jack D'Or is the heart of the project. Jason and Todd Alstom, from Beer Avocate, state Unique is an understatement. Jack D’Or is a complex, balanced, drinkable and, yes … interesting as all hell beer. We enjoyed it so much we almost got lost.” Jack D'Or is an Saison Americain, however, the brewers refrain from labeling their beer and prefer to just have fun.

Other beers include:
St. Botolph's Town - a Yorkshire dark brown ale
Baby Tree - A garnet colored Quadruple

Fluffy White Rabbits - A Triple
Field Mouse's Farewell - A Farmhouse Ale
American Darling - A Strong Lager
Hedgerow Bitter - Special Bitter
Babayaga - Export Stout

The brewery offers special tasing events and even sells its own line of jewelry and tee-shirts. You can find Pretty Things Beer and Ale Project at prettythingsbeertoday.com


* Interested brewing beer at home? You'll need the Beer Brewer's Bible.

*Nothing goes better with beer than chili. Try the awesome recipes from Chili Cha Cha.