CoMo Beer: CBE Announces Three New Tastings

July 12, 2012 By Leave a Comment

The Columbia Beer Enthusiasts (CBE) have come out of hiding to schedule three upcoming tastings. As always, participants are asked to show up with a beer or two that fit the tasting’s theme to share. Typically, two 12 oz. bottles or one bomber (22 oz. or 750 mL) do the trick. If you don’t have beer to share, you can join in by paying $5, but where’s the fun in that?

The three tastings are as follows…

On Sunday, July 22nd at Sycamore, the CBE will hold an “Off the Vine” tasting. Beer enthusiasts are to bring lambics, sours, and fruit beers to share. A nice list of lambicscan be found on Beer Advocate’s site. Technically, lambics fall under the category of sour ales, but sour beers include many more styles such as Berliner Weisse, Flanders red and brown ales, and gueuze. Of course, one could also peruse BA’s list of fruit beers for more choices.

The Best of Summer tasting on August 25th will celebrate the beers of summer. This event will happen at 4PM on 1839 Taphouse’s patio. What defines a “summer beer” is left up to interpretation, but the club suggests summer seasonals, cream ales, golden ales, and blondes as possible styles to enjoy.

Finally, 44 Stone is hosting the “Aged to Perfection” tasting. For this tasting, participants are asked to unearth beers they have been saving for a year or more. Verticals where several vintages of the same beer are tasted in chronological order are encouraged. The tasting will start around 3PM. Then, hang around for dinner afterward. If you don’t have any beers that are over a year old, you can always search local shelves and coolers for older vintages or beers that we can use in a vertical tasting.

For more on these events and all-things-beer-related in CoMo, join the Columbia Beer Enthusiasts on Facebook. Also, be sure to RSVP to these events and participate in the discussion so that members can coordinate beers to share. Also, homebrews are welcome. There’s no better place to get feedback on your homemade brew than a CBE meeting.

 

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CoMo Beer: Top Ten Reasons to Attend the CBE Summer Picnic

June 12, 2012 By Leave a Comment

A Maharaja vertical at a past CBE picnic. What will people share this year?

The Columbia Beer Enthusiasts are holding their annual summer picnic this Saturday at Albert-Oakland Park, off of Blue Ridge Road. Everyone is welcome, even if you have never been to a CBE event before. Spouses, friends, children, and dogs are all welcome. (However, anyone expecting to consume beer should be 21+, of course.)

The picnic will take place in Shelter #3, located near a playground, restrooms and an aquatic facility. Here’s the map. There is a Family Aquatic Center with a children’s play area which costs $3.75 for adults and $2.50 for kids.

The picnic starts at noon, but all are welcome to come any time throughout the afternoon. The CBE provides burgers and dogs, but please bring a side or dessert and beers to share.

This is a great opportunity to come meet and greet fellow beer enthusiasts and provide input about the kind of craft and homebrew beer events you’d like to have.

In case you’re still debating whether or not to come, CBE president Jade Elwess provided the following top-ten reasons to attend this weekend’s picnic:

10. Swimming – As mentioned above, the family aquatics center provides families a chance to cool off…or to sober up.

9. Food – The CBE provides burgers and hotdogs, but many CBE members like to bring foods that pair well with various beers. Of course, for many of us, beer is just liquid bread.

8. Games (washers, frisbee golf, volleyball…) – Depending on what equipment people bring with them, friendly games have been known to break out during the picnic. They’re even more challenging after a beer or two.

7. Free to attend – There are few things one can do for free in CoMo. The CBE picnic is one of those things.

6. Hopefully good weather, no monsoons/heat waves in June – We’ve had this picnic in a rain storm as well as 100-degree  weather. Luckily, there’s a shelter and cold beer to keep you dry and cool.

5. Be an active voice in planning future events, tastings, give us feedback – We’d like to hear from you all as to what kinds of events you’d like to see in the future. This is a great opportunity to get your voice heard. Who knows? Maybe you’ll decide to be an officer…

4. See the latest in Cabana wear, Hawaiian shirts, plaid shorts, etc. worn by CBE members – There are hints at a mankini, but I’ll believe it when I see it.

3. Families are welcome – Just because it’s a beer event doesn’t mean kids and spouses can’t come. Besides, you may need someone to drive you home.

2. People–come mix and mingle with the CBE and get to know us – Stop lurking online. Come, meet, and talk to real human beings.

1. Beer, beer, beer. –  There is always a great mix of all kinds of beer. Bring any kind. CBE members often bring homebrews, that special bottle in the back of their cellar, or just a tried and true favorite from the store. Just don’t forget to drink water, too.

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CoMo Beer: Socially Networking Craft Beer

May 8, 2012 By 1 Comment

Craft beer has been booming for the last decade+, but as with many things, such movements take time reaching the former Soviet Union and Mid-Missouri. Thankfully, craft beer is booming in Columbia and throughout Missouri. No place is this more evident than on social networks.

One CoMo establishment that has been leading the way in this area is 44 Stone Public House, located on Peachtree Drive. Of all the best spots for beer in this town, 44 Stone puts forth a consistent effort to keep its clientele abreast of their ever-evolving tap list through Twitter and Facebook. Plus, one can always find 44 Stone owner Dave Faron frequenting the Facebook wall of the Columbia Beer Enthusiasts with beer dinner announcements and tap list updates. Dave even announced the bar’s “tap cams” which are cameras focused on the two chalk boards featuring the offerings from their twelve taps. Plus, the food is pretty good…

Another fine place to find tap lists is COMO Tap, a Google spreadsheet I set up for restaurant and bar owners to update. Some establishments are better than others at updating their tap lists, but it still beats having to call ahead or simply hope your favorite beer is on tap. To view the list, go here. Send this link to your favorite establishment if you want them to participate.

Of course, the best way to get beer information in this town is to find the people in the know. A one-stop location for the best beer knowledge in mid-MO can be found in the Facebook group established by the Columbia Beer Enthusiasts. There is also a blog and Twitter feed the CBE maintain. A few members (founding, lapsed, and everything in between) even engage beer discussions on Twitter:

  • @catbacker77 – Seth T regularly reports his Beer Advocate reviews.
  • @ScottMRowson – Tribune food columnist and Show-Me Eats blogger also knows a thing or two about beer.
  • @columbiabeer – If you could see this man’s cellar and or brewing system, you would understand why he’s mentioned here.
  • @josh_rein – Josh brews down at Broadway and is pretty connected in the local beer scene.

A few establishments work hard to get the work out concerning their tap lists and beer shipments out there. Be sure to follow these businesses on Twitter and Facebook.

Of course, there are always the breweries here in CoMo. All three have Facebook and Twitter feeds to watch for releases and deals. Give them all a follow then give them your money.

If you’re into craft beer, you need to follow the people and organizations listed above. If you sell craft beer and aren’t mentioned above, what are you waiting for? Make your case in the comments and engage the growing craft beer community in CoMo!

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CoMo Beer: Rock Bridge Brewing

April 12, 2012 By 1 Comment

Last night, Rock Bridge Brewing Company cut a symbolic ribbon outside of Shakespeare’s Pizza, the first CoMo restaurant/bar to host the newest craft beer addition in Missouri. Shakespeare’s served three of the new brewery’s beers: Sif’s Blonde, Farmer’s Daughter Peppered Rye Saison, and Cysquatch IPA. I had the opportunity to try two of the three brews and the results were promising.

Sif’s Blonde is a style I don’t normally go for. It’s sort of gateway into craft beer. However, Broadway Brewery brewer Josh Rein suggested I try it first. I was not disappointed. Although not a style known for bitterness, this beer featured a sharp, hoppy bite. That was followed with a pleasantly dry finish. Too many blonde ales feature a bit of sweetness at the end. Sif’s finish comes correct. It’s one of the better blonde ales I’ve had. If you’re not into heavy beers, this is probably the place to start. I’d even recommend the beer to die-hard hop heads, scared of something malty.

I had time for a second beer, choosing between the Saison and IPA, probably my two favorite styles. Again, Josh suggested that the IPA was in a cask. How could I turn down cask beer?

Because it came from the cask, Cysquatch IPA came out a murky brown with lots of floaties. Despite all the yeast (and most likely a healthy dose of additional hops in the cask), it was a balanced beer, more bitter than sweet. It was a heavy drinker, just how I’ve grown to love IPA’s. It will be interesting to try this beer again from a regular keg or eventually bottles.

Cyclops + Sasquatch = Cysquatch

As of now, Rock Bridge beers can be had at Shakespeare’s downtown location. In the near future, they are set to be served at Bengals Bar & Grill, Shiloh Bar & Grill, Bleu Restaurant & Wine Bar, 44 Stone Public House and 1839 Taphouse. As CoMo’s first wholesale brewery, expect to see them around town, eventually finding space on retail shelves.

This event marks what has been a busy year in Missouri craft beer expansion. Just last week, St. Louis’ Perennial Artisan Ales arrived with a release party extending between several local bars and retailers. Before that, 2nd Shift Brewing, also of St. Louis, entered the CoMo market. Additionally, Four Hands Brewing has made a splash in St. Louis with their impressive opening lineup of beers, hopefully headed to Mid-MO soon. With established Missouri breweries like Saint Louis (Schlafly), Boulevard, and O’Fallon, among others, already in the fold, it’s a great time to be a beer enthusiast in Columbia – or even a Columbia Beer Enthusiast.

That said, it’s a big step for CoMo to add our own production brewery in Rock Bridge. With established brewpubs like Flat Branch and Broadway brewing their own beers, no longer do we have to pine for new breweries to distribute here. Yes, it’s been a big deal to get the likes of Firestone Walker, Founders, Stone, among others, but the growth of our own beer culture is dependent on homegrown brews. Rock Bridge Brewing Company is welcome step forward for craft beer in Columbia.

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National Homebrew Day/Missouri Beer Festival

May 9, 2011 By Leave a Comment

Can you believe how busy the Columbia Beer Enthusiasts are these days? CBE Presidendt Jade Elwess give you the beery details from the weekend that was. – Zac

May 7th is National Homebrew Day, and as it turned out, there were a lot of beer-related events going on, all on the same day. I stopped by Phil’s, where he was doing a brewing demo with a saison. Phil has a great set up in his garage, plus a nice bar with homebrews always on tap, so it’s always a nice place to hang out. He had a rye beer and a pale ale with calypso hops–very refreshing. Alas, I had a beer festival to attend, so I couldn’t keep it up.

The first Annual Missouri Beer Festival was sponsored by Missouri Life Magazine.

Broadway Brewery booth

This was the first year of the Missouri Beer Festival at the Stoney Creek Inn. Unfortunately, it was too gorgeous of a day to be indoors, but with Missouri weather it was a safe choice.  I met Kate there and made our way around the room. Prison Brews was right in the middle, so we started there. They only had two choices: Gone A-Rye Pale Ale and Prison Town Brown. I have eaten lunch there, since I work in Jefferson City, but not had a beer there. I should go there and get the sampler since I wanted to try more. The rye was pretty good, but Phil’s tasted like an actual piece of rye bread, so that’s hard to beat.

Next was Public House from Rolla. They had a stout and a mild. I admit, mild is not my favorite style, so I’m not the best judge. I like my stouts* a little more robust, too. I really did their tree logo and was tempted to buy a tulip glass from them. But, more power to them for organizing AHA events. I see from their website they are hosting a screening of Beer Wars, which is a cool idea. They aren’t a brewpub at this point, just a brewery.

I think my favorite beer of the day was Schlafly’s AIPA. Man, this was a delicious beer. Others I sampled were Tallgrass Halcyon Wheat, Tin Mill Amber, Crown Valley Amber, Broadway Brewery’s APA, 1839 Taphouse’s own Taphouse Ale (and pizza with beer in the crust). Boulevard didn’t offer anything different but I still had a Two Jokers and advocated for producing the new hoppy wheat.

There were some stranger elements in the mix, like the Harley Davidson tent with motorcycles and a country whiskey bar that had “Vegas Bombs.” As I told everyone, I am way too old to do anything with “bomb” in the title in the middle of the day. Or anytime, actually.

All in all, I’d say it was successful for this first-time event. Hopefully the CBE can work with them next time on having a booth or something.  They could use some help with marketing to the beer geeks. Some suggestions I would make include providing a tasting glass and list of the vendors for note-taking.

Now off to the final event of the night, a blowout with Hellbender Brewing!

*Update: The Public House guys brought their stout and mild in kegs to Hellbender’s party. Getting to take my time and sample the stout again, I really enjoyed it. Hellbender had their Concession Black IPA, pepper beer, cask ale, and Gary from Schlafly brought a sixer of AIPA, and also the Hop Toddy. That was a treat. I think the bottles are limited in the area, but Sycamore has promised a keg waiting in the wings. The honey and lemon really come through. I wanted to let it get warm but I couldn’t put it down long enough.

Public House from Rolla

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The CBE’s KC Roadtrip/Parkville Microfest

May 2, 2011 By Leave a Comment

Jade Elwess is the current president of the Columbia Beer Enthusiasts. Saturday, the group took a field trip of sorts to the Kansas City area for…well…beer. Here’s her rundown of the day’s events. If you would like to learn more about the CBE, check out their Facebook group and join them for monthly tastings.

On Saturday, two cars full of members of the Columbia Beer Enthusiasts headed down I-70 towards downtown Kansas City. We had a reservation at 11 for a tour of the Boulevard Brewery. The tour is definitely worthwhile and the newer building is really impressive. We saw the barrel room where many of the Smokestack beers are aged, the fermentation tanks, the filtration system, the packaging room (not running that day), and then the gift shop and tasting room. They have a nice space to rent for meetings and parties with an outdoor patio that overlooks downtown KC. The options at the tasting room were the Singlewide, the stout, porter, Tank 7, pilsner, wheat, pale ale, the amber, and a new hoppy wheat that was delicious. We got a secret sample of a dubbel aged in cedar they are working on, too.

From there, we headed down to Westport and had lunch at the Beer Kitchen. Their beer menu had a lot of big beers and Belgians and I finally just settled on a McCoy’s Hog Pound Brown. Most everyone else had New Belgium’s Le Terroir. I had the Kobe hamburger with truffle fries, and everything tasted great. I don’t think anyone had any complaints. By the time we got out of there and headed to Parkville, I think it was after 2:00.

We heard grumblings from people leaving Microfest that it was already sold out. We got up to the tent and found out it was. I don’t think any of us expected that! One member hadn’t bought a ticket online, but we got that sorted out and got him in as a guest. We more or less started going down the line of the breweries we hadn’t had or weren’t familiar with. The lines were long, but the timing worked out so that you drank your sample in line for the next one and were ready to fill up by the time you got up to the next one.

Here is my rundown:
Upstream Brewing (Omaha): I really wanted the Children of the Peppercorn Saison, but it was out and I had the stout instead. I tried someone else’s rye, which was very gingery. According to the description, it is based on the cocktail called Horse Feathers, with ginger beer and rye.
Empyrean Brewery (Lincoln): Bourbon Barrel Oatmeal Stout, a “sessionable” bourbon barrel
Spilker Ales (Cortland, NE): Hopluia was all that they had, but it was good.
Modern Monks (Lincoln): Espresso Porter was too much for most people, but right on for me.
Lucky Bucket (Elkhorn, NE): Had the Lucky Bucket IPA, which was very floral if I remember correctly.
Nebraska Brewing Company (Papillion, NE): Infinite Wit was very citrusy and refreshing.
Stone: Can’t get enough, so we stood in the longest line to say hi to Nate. I had the Cali-Belgique.
Broadway Brewery: We’re there all the time, so we left it up to others to consume. It seemed to be popular and I’ve already read positive comments. They are also pouring at next weekend’s Missouri Beer Festival in Columbia.

Blind Tiger’s Backpack Beer
Out of Beer! These signs started to crop up as the day went on.
For dinner we hit All Star Pizza in Parkville. This place had a good selection of taps with lots of Stone left. I had Firestone Walker Double Jack. The Thai Pie pizza was good, too. Got some laughs at seeing other folks obviously coming from the Microfest, having trouble using car door handles and walking straight. Luckily none of them were driving. We headed back, with nobody getting drunk, sick, injured, dehydrated, or dropping their tasting glass. Winners!
If I left anything out to recommend, please leave it in the comments. I ran out of time to try everything.

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The Columbia Beer Enthusiasts

April 25, 2011 By Leave a Comment

The Columbia Beer Enthusiasts are the local beer connoisseur and homebrew club. They tend to meet once a month officially for beer tastings and multiple other times for pub crawls, beer release events, homebrew meetings, etc. Officially, the CBE describe themselves this way:

The Columbia Beer Enthusiasts are a diverse group of individuals from central Missouri who enjoy tasting, sharing, and making beer. The Columbia Beer Enthusiasts meet on a monthly basis to sample a variety of beers, with different styles of beer featured each month from a variety of sources including: large and local breweries, craft brewers, and home brewers. The Columbia Beer Enthusiasts are an organization whose primary objective is to bring more beer-awareness to central Missouri not only through future tastings, but also beer-related events, such as festivals, home brewing demonstrations, and/or educational seminars, that give back to the community.

Membership is open to anyone who wants to join. There is a $30 yearly membership fee that grants permission to attend any CBE event. For those just looking to try out a beer tasting, the CBE also offers a one-time $5 fee if you bring beer to share or $10 if you come empty-handed.

On the CBE blog, several events for the coming months have been posted. Check out below what they have in-store and be sure to join their Facebook group for more details…

Right before the Stone festivities kicked off Saturday night, the CBE officers met up to plan the next few months of events. Below is what we have so far. Suggestions are always welcome.

  • The Kansas City/Parkville field trip roster is set, but you are more than welcome to join us this Saturday, April 29. We plan to leave Saturday morning at 8:30 from the Schnuck’s parking lot. You’ll have to come up with your own transportation at this point, but you can carpool with us to Boulevard where we have a tour scheduled. There’s more information concerning the Parkville Microfest here.
  • National Homebrew Day is Saturday, May 7. Several folks are planning to host demos and/or brewing sessions on this day. An official event will be has been posted on Facebook, but if anyone is interested in participating or hosting a brew event on the 7th, leave a comment here or on the Facebook group.
  • After the brewing is done, Hellbender is planning to host its latest party. Stay tuned to their blog and/or Facebook page for details and start times. Typically, the boys at Hellbender limit their party to friends and CBE members, but if you’re new, befriend them now and sneak in.
  • On a Monday in May, we will hold a Rye/Black IPA tasting at Sycamore. So, round up your favorite rye beers and/or Cascadian Dark Ales/Black IPA’s for this official CBE tasting. All regular fees apply. $30 will get you a year’s membership. $5 will get you in if you bring beer, $10 without beer.
  • In June, we’re looking at cheese and beer pairing at a location to be determined. Unlike the last time, at this tasting we will be asking for folks to bring cheese. The CBE will purchase 4-5 styles of beer for the pairing. There will be no membership fees due at this event. More details to come.
  • The official CBE event for June will be a “Wild Night” hosted by the Elwess household. We will allow folks to decide just what “wild” means. Does it have to do with fermentation? Strange ingredients? High ABV? You decide.
  • July (which is a long way off) will feature two events. There will be the annual picnic which is an open event for anyone interested in meeting other beer nerds and homebrewers. We only ask that folks bring some beer to share and a covered dish. A date and location will be announced as soon as we have more information to share.
  • The other July event will be a West Coast tasting. So, any beer brewed in California, Oregon, Washington, or Alaska is welcomed. This will be an official CBE tasting where all applicable fees apply.
  • Last, but certainly not least, we are planning to bring back the Members Only Tasting. This was a popular event last year and we don’t want to not have one again this year. The Members Only tasting will happen in August. Before we can plan any further, there will be a survey put out that will help us identify the beers you’d like to try. Again, this tasting will have the applicable fees attached.
So, that’s one official CBE tasting a month for the next four that you should attend. Also, feel free to join us for any of the other events or invite non-members so that we may infect them with our “illness.” Watch the Facebook page, the website, and this blog for details on all the events described above.

 

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