Session #19: Deutsches Bier

Beer-O-Vision puts a twist on this month’s session, German beer, by comparing the Schneider-Brooklyner and Brooklyner-Schneider hopfenweisse. Theoretically these are almost identical twists on the traditional German style, and we look to see how much of a difference the dry hopping variable makes.

Session #18: Gale's Millennium Brew

Beer-O-Vision is back on the Session bandwagon! This month’s is #18, Happy Anniversary. I was looking for a suitable beer while walking through the shelves at Premiere when I came across Gale’s Millennium Brew, which was brewed in 1997 to celebrate the new millennium. An 11 year old beer created to celebrate something that happens every thousand years? That sounds like an anniversary beer to me!

This Session is also BOV Guerrilla Video #2, following our cinema vérité style (or at least that’s our excuse). We knew that either way, this beer would leave a strong impression and it certainly did not disappoint.

A quick historical note: at the end, Ethan comments that the beer was also brewed to celebrate George Gale & Co’s 150 year anniversary. After recording we realized that in 2005, Gale’s was bought by Fuller’s Brewery and, despite CAMRA’s best efforts, their brewery was closed in 2006. Production of their beers continues at Fuller’s Griffin brewery.

Keg conditioning

We here at BOV have been working tirelessly behind the scenes to bring you the first installment of a ‘guerrilla video’ series: a little less deft of a hand filming, a little more harsh in the editing, providing a much more real look into the world of beer. Or it’s done because it was using the equipment I had on hand, one of the two.

Journey with us as Ethan takes a corney keg that he picked up and conditions it for use in his kegging setup. It’s a tad on the longer side, as far as BOV videos go, but in this case we feel it’s justified due to the instructional nature of the content.

Any comments or suggestions are, as always, welcome!

International Brewers Day Today

Well, have you hugged a brewer today? If not, why not shuffle on down to Flying Bison and hug Tim Herzog: he’s been making beer locally since 2000!

Re-posted for your enjoyment, a Beer-O-Vision segment from last summer–you know, when we were all making video’s and shit–featuring Flying Bison. They’ll hook you up with 5-gallon corney keg fills, growlers, full- and half-kegs, bottles you might not find available elsewhere, and you name it… and of course, they’re also available at many fine retailers and bars.

So make it a twofer: Shop local AND hug your favorite brewer today!

New Video: Buffalo Stout, from Belgium (review)

[youtube]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=260-nFiVAD0[/youtube]

I decided to check out the beer knowing really, honestly, nothing about it. Which, really, is a great way to approach a beer. Not long afterwards, BOV’s crafty video editor, Marc, found this link and info:

BUFFALO from Brouwerij Van Den Bossche is dark, almost black, top fermented Belgian style stout. In 1907 “Buffalo Bill’s” Circus from the US played on the town square of Sint-Lievens-Esse. The brewery workers arranged for a young apprentice to watch over the brew kettels. He did, but he forgot to stir and Buffalo was born. The New Buffalo was created to commemorate 100th Anniversary of that event.

A cute story, indeed, from their website. What makes a stout “Belgian-style,” you ask? Roll the tape!

How to pour that heffewiezen!

It’s happened to me, it’s happened to you: You have a perfectly good bottle of Franziskaner, perhaps a classic like Schneider Weisse, or even a good domestic example like, oh, let’s say Circus Boy. You take it out of the fridge ahead of time, to let it come a little closer to the correct serving temperature (for a weisse, I’d shoot for the low 40’s). You pop the top, and it immediately starts to foam over- but you have a glass handy, because you know beer is better from a glass than a bottle (You do know that, right? Sure you do!) So, you pour… a glass filled with foam. and wait. and pour. and wait. and pour, and finally just glug the last from the bottle while you wait for the beer in the glass to settle.

It doesn’t have to be like that. Beer-O-Vision is proud to present a quick guide to pouring a heffeweizen. I present two techniques- the first of which is really only a matter of common sense, but the second is very stylish (well, when you do it right anyway; I’m not claiming to be a pro myself) and will impress your friends and neighbors. Or neighbours, if you live across the Niagara river. Of course, for the ultimate pour, you can always build and then program your very own robotic arm, assuming you’ve got the mad skillz!

Simple as that!

Beer-O-Vision Friday Double Feature!

That’s right, folks… I know the pace has been somewhat glacial, but what better way to start off a weekend than with this lovely twin cinema extravaganza! You were on the verge of being treated to some variant of the ‘Friday Roundup,’ featuring (old) news re. now-local mega-brewer Labatt; How sex sells homebrewing; and the strange tale of how one English brewpub has handled the nation-wide smoking ban by brewing–that’s right—a beer with nicotine in it called Puffing Billy. Oh, see– looks like you get the roundup after all, lucky you!

These last two segments mean we’re only short one to assemble the entirety of Episode Three– very exciting! Astute readers will undoubtedly conclude that some sock-puppetry must soon be afoot, and that is indeed the final piece of the Episode Three puzzle. In the meanwhile, our first feature today is a segment which is really the companion piece to this post from a few weeks back now, about the geeky-as-all-hell Sam Adams pint glasses. You might notice that the still in that prior post seems to be from a different shoot; all I can say is: backups really rock, when you have them. Re-shoots, however, if you get to drink a beer at Colter Bay, don’t suck much at all, so I’m not really complaining. (If you must know, that is an Avery brown ale I’m having) Do I like the new Sam Adams glasses? Yes, I think they’re effective & slick- and, they’re nearly all stolen by now as well at any bar that had ‘em, so you might as well just click on over to the Sam Adams site and buy your own now. (Though rumor has it that a pair were sent to, at least some, AHA members.)

Today’s second segment is a fantastic interview we had with Paul of Southern Tier brewing. We talk a little bit about packaging trends in the industry (especially the now ubiquitous 22 oz. ‘bombers’), the role of ‘introductory’ craft beer styles (such as fruity wheat beers), regionalism, and what’s coming up soon at the brewery, of course. Paul was a natural interviewee after introducing the beers for the club all night and since he now owes me some glassware, we’ll be bringin’ the Beer-O-Vision cameras down to the shores of Lake Chautauqua sometime soon indeed. Enjoy the segment!

Beer-O-Vision Episode 3, Segment 2: Beer Cake

If you watched the introductory segment of Episode Three, you were probably wondering about this whole “cooking with beer” thing. Well, here you go- Cherry Beer Upside-down Cake. And yes, it really was awfully good.

(if this embedded player isn’t workin for ya, try going here)
(or you can view it on YouTube)

Show Notes:
Though ever so slightly modified, the recipe came from this About.com site, and is attributed to Peggy Trowbridge Filippone. Thanks!
I’m not sure now how I got it into my head that the cake would take 11-14 min to bake, but in any case, as you see in the video, in a 350-degree convection oven, ~23 min; always use a toothpick to check!

Beer-O-Vision, Episode 3, Segment 1

The first segment of the new episode is up! We start out at Goodbar, talking with Bobby about the night’s selections and then pitch over to the Flying Bison brewery for a chat with owner Tim Herzog. In contrast to myriad brewery interviews, we chat mainly about issues related to the industry itself, especially licensing and sustainable business practices (rather than the process of brewing). Check it out!

We’ll be turning out other segments as the week progresses, so stay tuned to Beer-O-Vision!

Episode Three progress report

Beer-O-Vision progress has been on the slow side, due in large part to the convergence of Bass Pros & Cons, the Italian experience in Riverside/BlackRock documentary, and now of course Old Home Week. That said, we were down at Flying Bison on Thursday for a segment with Tim Herzog, and also shot a segment down at the Beer-O-Vision Test Kitchen on Friday, so things are moving along. I advise you now: Episode Three is not for you if you dislike bikini girls with machine guns, or sock puppets. ‘Nuff said.

On top of that, we’re sensitive to the limits of bandwidth, time, and attention-span that affect viewers, and so we’ve made a decision to start releasing segments individually, and only assembling the entire show on a monthly basis- which will ultimately be downloadable, but will also be broadcast. This seems like the best of both worlds. Segments take a lot less time than the whole show (coming in anywhere from 2-6 mins), which is more easily digested- er, probably I should say imbibed.

So, look for the first segment from Episode Three—aforementioned Flying Bison interview, in fact—to hit the intertubes (here and always at YouTube) in short order, as well as other segments to follow.

And of course, we’ll be back at the GoodBeer Club on Wed, 11th July at 7:30- looking forward to seeing you all there. The full Episode Three will be assembled by then, quite sure.

Cheers!