Two weeks after their 800-pound canning line was stolen last summer, the brewers at Davenport’s Great River Brewery welcomed Charlene to their team. Hauled from Colorado on a rental truck, Charlene is the brewery’s new canning machine. While speaking over the phone with Great River brewer Paul Krutzfeldt last month, I could hear Charlene rumbling […]
The Hops
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The Hops: Two Lutherans, a Presbyterian, an Episcopalian and a Baptist walk into a bar
At first they seem like a group of old frat buddies meeting after work. Over pizzas and pints, they commiserate over troubles at the office. They discuss sports and the hard luck of favorite teams. They playfully argue, tell off-color jokes and laugh. And they even have a signature chant, which booms across the bar […]
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The Hops: What’s New for the Craft Beer Consumer?
For two years, a collaboration of brewers from the Boston Beer Company and Weihenstephan worked to develop a unique new beer. The result, the champagne-like Infinium, was brewed in accordance with the German Beer Purity Law of 1516 with a process that is still patent pending. On its webpage, the beer is praised as “groundbreaking” […]
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The Hops: Breakfast Stout by Founders Brewing Company – Grand Rapids, MI
My plan to recommend a tasty and potent weizenbock this month fell through, so I have decided to suggest a stout that is so good I drank it for breakfast while camping in September: Breakfast Stout, brewed by the Founders Brewing Company of Grand Rapids, Michigan. Though it may not provide the important nutrition to […]
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The Hops: Schlafly Pumpkin Ale by Saint Louis Brewery, St. Louis, MO
Though I love carving pumpkins for Halloween, and finishing Thanksgiving dinner with a slice of pumpkin pie, pumpkin-flavored beer never appealed to me; it seemed like a bad combination. However, it was something I knew I should try and I recently got the chance to sample 17 different pumpkin ales with my beer tasting group. […]
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The Hops: Educating the Masses
When golfing, Kent Ball will drink Miller Lite because it’s refreshing, watery and usually cheaper than bottled water. It is a beer, he said, that he does not have to think about on hot, sunny days; all he needs to do is crack open a can and drink. But when patronizing his favorite pub, Ball […]
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The Hops: Rayon Vert, by Green Flash Brewing Company, San Diego, CA
September is a time for football (oh, sacred game) and funk. Brettanomyces funk, that is. Affectionately known as Brett, Brettanomyces is a strain of yeast used in many Belgian beers. It imparts a dank funkiness commonly described as being similar to a barnyard or horse blanket. To me, it smells and tastes like an old, […]
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The Hops: Native Brew
Though it may look like any other fountain of sudsy goodness, the tap line behind the bar at Short’s Burger & Shine (18 South Clinton St.) is an icon. Its ever-changing cast of 10 Iowa-brewed beers symbolizes…
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The Hops: Brother Thelonious
Much like Iowa’s arctic freeze, the season for high gravity beer persists through January. An ideal time to polish off the remaining supply of festive winter warmers, this month is also perfect for sipping jet black imperial stout, barley wine and finely crafted Belgian strong dark ale like Brother Thelonious. Named in honor of jazz […]
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The Hops: Celebration Ale
Brewer: Sierra Nevada Brewing Company of Chico, California. Style: American IPA. Alcohol content: 6.8 percent ABV. Food pairings: Peppery cheeses (Monterey/Pepper Jack), sharp cheeses (Blue, Cheddar), pungent cheeses (Gorgonzola, Limburger), poultry and seafood (especially shellfish and salmon). Where to buy: John’s Grocery, all area Hy-Vee’s and the west side Fareway. Price: $3 per 24-ounce bottles, […]
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The Hops: Weizen Up
To me, November falls in a gap between seasonal beer styles. It does not fit as well within the autumn brewing tradition as October, and it’s too early for holiday/winter ales. However, colder weather brings the craving for dark beers full of roasted chocolate and coffee malts, so my November recommendation needed to be a balance between seasonal traits.
