Better Than Flowers

This is a good time to revisit this post.

The Wonderful Phenomenon of Aged Beer

This cold weather inspired me to drink something hearty, so I went into my closet and dug out a bottle of 2007 Fuller's Vintage Ale. As you can see from looked back through my old blog posts, I was lukewarm on this beer when I first drank it. But the brewer recommended aging it, so I got a second bottle and gave it a try. Those four-plus years in the dark of my closet did some amazing things. Now, it has this powerful, rich flavor with notes of cherry that clearly weren't there before. It's magnificent.

If you've never tried aging beer, I recommend it. It only works with certain high-alcohol beers, so don't go stashing away a sixer of Fireman's 4. Search around the web, and you should be able to find some articles explaining how to do it and what beers will work. But it's really pretty simple. I just get a fairly high-ABV beers, the darker ones seem to work best (barleywines, stouts, other heavy ales, but not IPAs), and stick them in the back of my closet and forget they're there. Try to keep them in an environment where the temperature won't fluctuate too much, and where light can't damage them. I think you'll be very pleased.

Happiness Is a Full Beer Fridge

I just had to share this awesome photo by my Kansas City friend (and former Daily Texan colleague) Trish. Good kitty.

Twisted X vs. XX

Since we Texans are apparently never going to hold primaries, Homefield Grill in Round Rock is giving beer drinkers something else to vote on (see image below). If Twisted X doesn't win, I'm going to be very disappointed in you people.

The Answer to Stupid Beer Ads

I've made it quite clear that I think anyone who requests their beer in a "vortex bottle" should be pummeled, or at least asked to leave the bar. And I slap my head every time Miller Lite makes a big deal about (allegedly) putting hops in their beer. If you're sick of really stupid beer ads aimed at people who would couldn't find a good beer if they got locked up overnight inside the Ginger Man, then check out Breckenridge's new ad campaign. Here's one of the ads below; click here for more.

Saint Arnold's 'Moveable Yeast' Returns!

Saint Arnold's "Moveable Yeast" series has already produced one major winner of a beer, Weedwacker (which quickly became my absolute favorite summer beer). Press release from StA announcing the next entry in the series:

Saint Arnold Brewing Co. Sets Release Date for Saint Arnold Bitter Belgian

Moveable Yeast series returns with alternate version of Saint Arnold Elissa IPA

HOUSTON, Feb. 7, 2012 – Saint Arnold Brewing Company (www.saintarnold.com), the oldest craft brewery in Texas, today announced plans to release the fourth brew of its popular “Movable Yeast” series: Saint Arnold Bitter Belgian. It is an alternate version of Saint Arnold Elissa IPA made with Belgian Trappist yeast. A limited supply of 60 barrels (approximately 20,000 12-ounce servings) of Saint Arnold Bitter Belgian will be released on Thursday, February 9, 2012. It will be available on tap at the brewery (for weekday tours only) as well as at select bars and restaurants throughout Texas.

The concept behind the Movable Yeast series is to focus on the flavor contribution of yeast. This release was created by brewing a regular batch of Saint Arnold Elissa IPA, which debuted in 2004, and splitting the wort (unfermented beer) into two 60 barrel fermenters. One fermenter was pitched with the usual Saint Arnold yeast to make Saint Arnold Elissa IPA and the second fermenter was pitched with Belgian Trappist yeast to create Saint Arnold Bitter Belgian.

“I encourage everyone to start by appreciating the aroma, which is full of cloves with a grapefruit undercurrent,” said Saint Arnold founder/brewer Brock Wagner who has used these same tasting techniques as a judge at the Great American Beer Festival. “When you put it up to your mouth it is basically an explosion of flavor, full of malt, spice and hops. The notes from the Belgian Trappist yeast work very well with the big Cascade flavor.”

As was the case with the other brews in the Moveable Yeast series, Wagner encourages craft beer enthusiasts to try Bitter Belgian side-by-side with Elissa IPA to get the full impact of the Belgian Trappist yeast.

The previous brews in the Moveable Yeast series were greeted with rave reviews and strong demand as craft beer enthusiasts enjoyed learning about the significant role yeast plays in influencing the aroma and flavor of craft beer. The reception for the first beer in the series, Saint Arnold Weedwacker, was so strong that the brewery added it its year-round lineup. However, production pressures at the brewery necessitated a one-year hiatus for the series.

Saint Arnold Bitter Belgian will not be bottled. It will start showing up on draft in select bars and restaurants throughout Texas at the end of next week, although some accounts may choose to hold off on tapping their kegs for special occasions. Supplies tend to last just a few weeks.

About Saint Arnold Brewing Company

Saint Arnold Brewing's ten brews are made and sold by the company’s staff of 38 dedicated employees. The brewery was listed by USA Today as one of the “10 great places to see what’s brewing in beer,” and Smart Meetings magazine named it among the “Top 5 breweries to host an event.” Saint Arnold is located at 2000 Lyons Avenue and its brewery tour and tasting is offered every weekday at 3:00 P.M. and Saturdays starting at 11 A.M. For more information on Saint Arnold's five year-round and five seasonal beers as well as root beer, log on to www.saintarnold.com.

CraftBeerCareers

Hey, this strikes me as a really useful resource. Is TapHunter the first to do something like this, or do other beer job-hunting resources like this already exist?

Tap Hunter Unveils CraftBeerCareers

Industry leader launches new online tool exclusively for posting and locating jobs within the craft beer community

SAN DIEGO – February 1, 2012 – Tap Hunter (www.TapHunter.com), a leading force within the craft beer movement today announced the launch of CraftBeerCareers, a new web-based tool exclusively for posting and locating jobs in the craft beer industry nationwide. With more than 1,100 nationally-available jobs already posted to the site, CraftBeerCareers is aiming to start off the New Year on a positive note for both job seekers and employers.

Craft brewers currently provide an estimated 100,000 jobs in the U.S. Further, there is currently a Federal Excise Tax bill in Congress, which if passed, will generate an additional 4,400 jobs in the first year, followed by an average of 300 jobs each following year (over five years). A booming industry that continues to attract top talent across the country, craft beer is more than deserving of new resources to help foster that growth.

Rather than having to rely on broad-scale, cross-market search engines to locate worthwhile job opportunities or high-quality candidates to fill them, Tap Hunter’s CraftBeerCareers offers a tightly-focused, exclusive and quick way for employers and candidates in the craft beer industry to connect.

Tap Hunter currently attracts tens of thousands of craft beer enthusiasts to its site each month, which will provide every job posting visibility among highly-skilled passive and active job seekers. Employers (breweries, pubs, restaurants, etc.) will now also have the ability to find better candidates and cut costs by leveraging the following unique features:

· Resume Bank – employers have a pay-per-view option, where they only pay to view the resumes of job seekers who are interested in their posted position(s).

· Pre-Screening – employers can set up custom pre-screening filters to deliver the most qualified candidates at first glance, saving time and energy of reading through resumes.

· Enhanced Listings – employers can include their company profile and logo with every posting.

· Cost Efficiency - priced much lower than most competing career platforms, it only costs $79 for a 60-day job posting with Tap Hunter.

For job seekers, Tap Hunter is making it possible to search and target by market, state or zip code to locate relevant jobs in their proximity. Candidates can search through listings in their desired job categories and set up an advanced “Job Alert” system to notify them of new opportunities that match their specific pre-selected criteria. Further, individuals can anonymously post their resume and job application, enabling them to stay connected to the employment market while maintaining full control over their confidential information.

To apply for jobs, candidates simply submit their resume and the corresponding brewery, pub or bar will receive an email and information that will be stored in their account profile to review at their leisure.

“Tap Hunter has already established itself as an engaging and influential community of beer gurus and enthusiasts, business owners, brewers and industry experts — so launching a craft beer careers site within our platform was a natural progression for us,” said Melani Gordon, CEO and co-founder of TapHunter.com. “This new offering allows us to enhance our value even further, by acting as a facilitator who can help build stronger companies and exciting career opportunities for people with a shared passion for craft beer.

About Tap Hunter

Tap Hunter is a leading force within the craft beer movement that connects craft beer fanatics with the beers they love, the brewers who brew them and the locations that pour them. By keeping track of what's on tap and where, Tap Hunter’s web and mobile technology platforms have the ability to direct millions of craft beer fans to the best beer-centric venues – from pubs and breweries, to special events and festivals – in 11 major cities across the US and Canada. For more information about Tap Hunter, please visit www.TapHunter.com.

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