Tour de Fat Austin, 2012: October 20

Ft. Collins, CO, September 28, 2012 – Hold on tight, Austin, we’re headed back to finish up another fantastic season in your backyard! New Belgium Brewing’s cycling circus, Tour de Fat, is returning to town for one day on Saturday, October 20 at the West End of Fiesta Garden. Tour de Fat rookies and veterans alike are encouraged to grab a bike and join us for a whimsical day of entertainment and two-wheeled revelry, all while raising money for Austin Cycling Association and Austin Ridge Riders.

For those who haven’t experienced Tour de Fat, it is a thrilling rite of passage that includes an unparalleled costumed bicycle parade, New Belgium beer, eccentric entertainment, local food, unusual bike contests and much more.

The free event, which raises money for local nonprofits through beer and merchandise purchases, has exceeded the $2 million mark for total funds raised since its inception 13 years ago. Last year’s Austin Tour de Fat festival raised nearly $13,400 and had about 2,000 attendees.

The pinnacle of Tour de Fat is the ceremonious car-for-bike swap. In each of the 15 cities, one person will become the center of the show as he or she gets up on stage, hands over their car keys, and pledges to live one year car-free. Tour de Fat is now seeking volunteers in the Austin area to accept the swapper challenge. Each car-for-bike swapper will choose a local bike shop to help turn a $2,250 budget into an ultimate car-replacement commuter bike. Vehicles for Charity will auction the car, with proceeds benefitting local cycling organizations.

To submit a swapper application, go to the New Belgium Tour de Fat Facebook page (https://www.facebook.com/TourDeFat), click on events and your city of choice, and upload a video. Applicants may also submit letters about why New Belgium should select them by emailing: trademycarforabike@newbelgium.com.

“As if riding in the most colorful bike parade known to mankind isn’t enough, our entertainment this year will make your heads pop off like dandelions,” said Matt Kowal, Tour De Fat Impresario. “So put together a snazzy costume, hop on your bike and enjoy a day in the park. You won’t be disappointed!”
 

Date:                                               

Saturday, October 20

Parade Registration:                       
9:00 a.m.

Ride Times:                                   
10:00 a.m. - 11:00 a.m.

Entertainment:                        11:00 a.m. - 4:00 p.m.

Location:                                    
West End of Fiesta Garden

Benefitting:                                    Austin Cycling Association – https://www.austincycling.org

Austin Ridge Riders – http://www.austinridgeriders.com
 

Sustainability Support By:

Ecology Action of Texas – http://www.ecology-action.org

Performances By:

Karl Denson’s Tiny Universe – http://karldenson.us

Sean Hayes – http://www.seanhayesmusic.com

Yo-Yo People – http://www.yoyoshow.com

Sssnakenstein – http://www.snakenstein.com 

Price:

Admission – Free

Parade – Suggested donation of $5 or more

Beer – $5 for a 16 oz. pour
In celebration of Austin Craft Beer week, special tappings will also be available for $5 for a 12 oz. pour at 11:30 a.m., 12:30 p.m., 1:30 p.m. and 2:30 p.m., to highlight New Belgium’s Lips of Faith series. 

A few tidbits about Tour de Fat:

• Start sewing, collecting and dreaming up something to wear as Tour de Fat encourages embracing your inner costume-loving self. Come dressed up to help put on the most colorful, respectful and creative bike parade ever witnessed.

• Tour de Fat seeks to leave as small an environmental imprint as possible and composts and recycles waste. Bring only what you need and watch for proper receptacles. We’ll do the rest! 

• All performers grab your attention from alternatively empowered stages decked out in recycled materials; trucks and transport use biofuel sourced from recycled waste oils; and all vendors operate off the grid.
  
• This is a pro-bike celebration, not an anti-car rally. Non-cyclists are more than welcome to join the festivities.

In 2011, Tour de Fat traveled to 13 cities, attracting a total of 69,550 festival attendees and 41,150 parade cyclists.  It also raised $401,563 and boasted an impressive 90 percent diversion of waste from landfills. 

See https://www.facebook.com/TourDeFat for the Tour de Fat credo, schedules, videos and to submit your entry to swap your gas guzzler for a fancy new bike. 

About New Belgium Brewing Company
New Belgium Brewing Company, makers of Fat Tire Amber Ale and a host of Belgian-inspired beers, began operations in a tiny Fort Collins basement in 1991. Today, the third largest craft brewer in the U.S., New Belgium produces nine year-round beers; Fat Tire Amber Ale, Ranger IPA, Belgo IPA, Sunshine Wheat, Shift Pale Lager, Blue Paddle Pilsner, 1554 Black Ale, Abbey and Trippel, as well as a host of seasonal releases.  In addition to producing world-class beers, New Belgium takes pride in being a responsible corporate role model with progressive programs such as employee ownership, open book management and a commitment to environmental stewardship.  For more information, visit www.newbelgium.com.

Hops & Grain One-Year Anniversary Oct. 7

Need something to help you get over your hangover from the Texas Craft Brewers Festival? On October 7 (the day after the TCBF), Hops & Grain will celebrate its one-year anniversary. Press release from H&G:

HOPS & GRAIN BREWERY TURNS ONEA Celebration is in Order for H&G’s One Year Anniversary WHO:                           The crew at Hops & Grain.
 WHAT:                        Taking place one year to the day from when the first batch of Hops & Grain beer was brewed, is the anniversary fiesta at the East Austin brewery with flowing beer, food via the Backstage Grill and live music. Twelve beers will be featured, eight of which have never been available before and were brewed exclusively for the anniversary, including several Volumes of Oak selections, and the debut of the O-Fest, a crisp, timely Oktoberfest lager. The Hops & Grain team will also host a beer mile competition at 3PM (a drinking game combining running and speed drinking—oh yes!) with H&G founders, Josh and Meg Hare facing off in the final race. It has been quite the first year for the brewery—bringing home gold from the Great American Beer Festival last October, developing over 25 styles of beer and tripling production for next year—and the crew at Hops & Grain can’t wait to celebrate with all of their loyal fans.
 WHEN:                         Sunday, October 7
                                      12 – 5PM
 WHERE:                      Hops & Grain Brewery
                                      507 Calles, Suite 101
                                      Austin, TX 78702
                                             
WHY:                           Because everything (including breweries) deserves a one-year birthday party thrown in their honor that they quite possibly will forget.
  TICKETS: $35 (Includes a limited edition anniversary pint glass, free food, live music and access to the brewery. All attendees over 21 will be able to enjoy free samples of all of the H&G beers.)
                                    *Tickets can be purchased in the H&G tap room, http://www.hopsandgrain.com/tours-taproom/, as well as online at http://hopsandgrain.eventbrite.com
ABOUT:                       Specializing in craft beer and sustainability, Hops & Grain Brewery is located in East Austin (literally at the end of Sixth Street) at 507 Calles, Austin, TX 78702. Hops & Grain Tap Room is open every Friday from 2 – 6PM, and every Saturday from 12 – 4PM with tours of the brewery given on Saturdays at 1 and 3PM. Tours are approximately 45 minutes and include special samples not available in the tap room. For further information please visit www.hopsandgrain.com or call 512.914.2467. ‘Like’ us on Facebook at Facebook.com/hopsandgrain and follow us on Twitter @HopsandGrain.

The Future of This Blog

(Warning: This is being written while consuming a 1 pint 6 oz bottle of Divine Reserve #12 all by myself, a severe miscalculation. I thought #12 was just a double IPA, and not a 10% ABV old ale. Yeesh. Sorry for any typos or rambling.)

As you may have noticed, this blog has become a bit derelict over the past couple of years. While I once strove for some interesting writing, I Love Beer has devolved mostly into cut-and-paste press release reprints.

There's a reason for that, and no, I don't think it's laziness on my part. The real culprit is just life.

First off, I got pretty crazy busy as a staff writer for The Austin Chronicle, majoring in political journalism and minoring in beer writing. Then I got laid off from the Chronicle in late August 2011, a victim of the imploding print journalism industry. Which was actually pretty good for the beer writing/blogging: I notice, looking back in my archives, that I suddenly became a very prolific blogger in September and October of last year, and I had some good beer features in the Chron (I continued as their beer writer on a freelance basis).

But then I became employed again, landing a good job as communications director for Leticia Van de Putte, a great (and beer-friendly) state senator from San Antonio, back in December. I love the job, but it keeps me pretty busy. And when I get home from the Capitol, I really don't feel like writing about beer, just drinking it. I'm getting up at 5:30am to get my kids to school and squeeze in a workout (gotta work off that beer gut), and after work I'm often coaching my kids in soccer or doing something else with my family.

And it's only going to get worse. The Texas Legislature meets for regular sessions only on odd-numbered years, for 140 days beginning in mid-January. For a big giant state like Texas with a lot of needs, that's not very much. So the regular sessions are really, really hectic. I know from covering them as a reporter that they are intense, and I realize that as an actual Lege staffer, I will have pretty much zero time for extracurricular activities.

So, there are two things I'm getting at here:

1) Don't expect much in the way of interesting blogging, if any blogging at all.

2) I am no longer the beer writer for the Chronicle. I told them that, unless they were willing to go all the way from winter to summer of 2013 with no beer articles, they would need to find another beer writer. Of course, that's not something that a great publication like the Chron would be willing to do, so I've relinquished those duties.

Now, that doesn't mean I'm giving up the blog. Because really, there's no reason to. This was started in 2006 on a lark, not as a business enterprise, and I'll continue to run it as such. I don't really owe anyone anything, this is just my hobby, so I'll post when I can and I won't when I can't. I still appreciate any freebies thrown my way, but I can't guarantee I'll follow up with reviews or posts. Send me a press release and I may post it, or I may not, depending on how busy my life is.

My passion for craft beer has not diminished, just my ability to write about it.

One thing that will definitely disappear: Posts about craft-beer legislation here in Texas. While I took great pride in becoming a go-to source of reporting on the beer bills in the 2009 and 2011 Lege sessions, obviously my current job as a legislative insider compromises my ability to objectively cover such bills going forward.

So, what is the future of this blog? I don't really know. For now, I guess it will drift along, sometimes good, sometimes lame. In any case, I hope you'll keep me in your feed reader and enjoy it during the good periods. And when it is good, please raise your glass in a toast to it.

Oktoberfest Dinner at League Kitchen with Live Oak.

Never heard of this place. Apparently it's out at Avery Ranch (correction: Lakeway). But glad to see them working with a local brewer:

On Tuesday, October 2nd at 7pm, The League Kitchen & Tavern is hosting a four-course chef-inspired beer dinner featuring pairings with Austin's Live Oak Brewing. In true Oktoberfest fashion, The League is bringing beer maids and a polka band as part of the festivities. It's $65 per person. Reservations are required. Tickets are also sold at: http://theleaguekitchenandtavern.eventbrite.com/.

Chip McElroy, Founder of Live Oak, and Executive Chef Devan Gernert, will be walking dinner guests through each course and the beer pairing. 

Menu and pairings below:

1st Course
Soft Pretzels and Bacon Wrapped Bratwurst Bites
Guinness Beer Cheese . Stone Ground Mustard . Sauerkraut
Live Oak Pilz

2nd Course
Creamy Roasted Parsnip Soup
Jumbo Lump Crab . Crispy Parsnips . Vanilla Bean Crema
Live Oak's Hefeweizen

3rd Course
Beer Braised and Grilled Rabbit Sausage
Brown Butter Spatzel . Currant Jelly . Red Wine Gravy . Apple Slaw
Live Oak's Ale

4th Course
Crispy Slow Orange-Beer Braised Pork Shoulder
Potato Apple Cakes . Braised Red Cabbage . Blood Orange Sweet and Sour
Live Oak's Oaktoberfest

Texas Craft Brewers Festival Oct. 6

Breaking News: There's a big craft brewers festival coming to Austin on Saturday, October 6.

Yes, I'm being facetious - every beer lover in Austin knows this thing is coming, and I'm way late in reporting it, because I've let this blog turn into an abandoned amusement park (I'll be making a post soon on the future of this blog and my place in the Austin beer media universe).

But, just in case you've been living under a rock, and because I need to justify my place in that universe (brewniverse?), here's a link to the festival website. Last year's event was great, and I bet this one will be even better. (And no, this festival is in no way affiliated with the one this past spring that became an infamous debacle.)

http://texascraftbrewersfestival.org/

Austin Beer Guide New Issue Party Thursday

Press release from our city's leading beer publication. Actually, I think they're our city's only beer publication, unless you count blogs. :-)

Austin Beer Guide Fall Issue Release and Party at Hopfields on September 27th

AUSTIN, TX SEPTEMBER 27, 2012 - Austin Beer Guide- swarthy, uncouth, obnoxiously arrogant yet always lovable, are proud to announce the release of the 2012 fall issue- the "political issue."

Just when you thought the mudslinging and lazy fact checking couldn't get any worse, Austin Beer Guide return with even juicer #brewmors, more half-assed news bites, out of context quotes, un-substantiated overtly subjective content and general malarky enough to drive you running back to the cable news talking heads.

Inside the Fall issue the ABG crack reporting team set out to find Austin's perfect "Gateway Beer," introduce readers to the men and women behind our city's rich homebrew culture, compose a tidy list of the plethora of area fall beer events, chase the perfect TGIF Beer and Loathing adventure, poll area brewers for opinions on porters, get inside the noodle of Pint House Pizza's brewer, and stop and chat with the brewing team behind Whip In's Namaste Brewing.

The Fall issue will be released on Thursday, September 27th, 6PM at Hopfields' patio with several new and rare beers to celebrate. 

Tickets for beer sales will go on sale Thursday at 11AM with additional parking available at the parking garage on 31st and Guadalupe. 

Established in spring of 2011, Austin Beer Guide is a quarterly publication focused on the exciting growth and community of Austin's craft beer scene. Fall 2012 fill have a circulation of 7,500 copies and will be distributed at breweries, bars, restaurants, coffee shops, and grocers in Austin and the surrounding area throughout the fall season.

World of Beer Coming to San Antonio

Sounds like a Flying Saucer kind of chain. I'm sure Ryan and Sarah Loyd will be happy to have another mega beer emporium in their neck of the woods:

http://www.bizjournals.com/sanantonio/blog/2012/09/world-of-beer-to-open-in-san-antonio.html?surround=etf&ana=e_article