Snob Vs. Geek

I have a friend with whom I occasionally have the opportunity to have a beer and discuss the state of beer in southeast Wisconsin. Terry is a member of the Belle City Home Brewers and Vintners and and the Milwaukee Beer Barons. He recently wrote an article for the Beer Barons newsletter, which I think is worth sharing with you.


PILSNER URQUELL RATES ONLY C+ BY BEER ADVOCATE

C+! It got a C+! When I saw it I thought I was going to explode. Maybe it was still Packer loss hangover, or just the general malaise from “the winter that would not end”. But there it was in black and white a C+ for the beer that changed the world. Maybe a little background is needed. My name is Terry and I am a beer geek! I love beer, not just the taste but the aroma, the texture and the even the way it looks. I will stare at my nitro poured Boddingtons like a bug in a jar. My wardrobe is 90% beer logoed, family vacations have brewpub stops filtered in, I love beer! I love the signs, the steins, the tap handles, the STUFF! I love beer, the process, the breweries and especially the history. I am a beer geek, but I am not a beer snob!

This is why when I read BeerAdvocates rating of Pilsner Urquel of a C+ I got mad. But wait, maybe something went wrong, maybe they got a skunky bottle, or god forbid is there an Urquel Lite? Curse you Miller! I quickly read the review. Then I saw “Even without a recipe change”. What!? Lacing and head retention is described as “quite amazing”. “Clean”, “very smooth”, “crisp”, are other adjectives used to describe this beer. Then there it is at the end, “globalization, growth, and popularity” Three words that beer snobs hate but stockholders and people who actually pay the bills love. Bottom line, Pilsner Urquell, one of the world’s greatest beers is now a C+ not based on aroma, flavor and mouth feel but based on the fact now it is available to more people!

This is snobbery, and in my opinion what is gone wrong in today’s beer culture. Last month this same magazine listed there top 25 beers on the planet, 6 out of the top 10 were Russian Imperial Stouts. Not since Catherine the Great has this style received such props. Out of 25 beers there was only one lager! This of course was some obscure beer only a few people ever heard of. And goodness knows if the monks of Saint-Sixtusabdj van Westvleteren actually marketed their beer to make money to do the Lord’s work, their precious #8 and # 12’s ratings would drop like a rock “even without a recipe change”. No, it’s time for me to give up BeerAdvocate. Recently while at Barnes and Noble I saw a new beer Magazine. I think it was called Beer. It had a lot of shiny pictures with a lot of well-endowed beerchicks and not much substance. But it was not preachy, pretentious, or snobby, it was just about beer. Maybe I’ll give it a shot. Cheers

Days of Cheese and Beer Redux

Well the Dairyland Cheese and Beer festival was a qualified success. Qualified in that it did not meet all the expectations, however everyone seemed to enjoy themselves. Turn out was not as high as the festival coordinator was hoping. This was not necessarily a bad thing. The crowd was energetic and large enough to provide a positive vibe. It was not so large that you felt crowded or packed. I believe that this can be a good thing for a first year event. It usually means that those in attendance will have a great experience, not having to stand in too many long lines.

The cheeses that were available were very nice, especially those from Carr Valley and Edelweiss Creamery. I really would have enjoyed a larger selection, however the cheesemakers didn't seem to jump on the band wagon. I believe they really missed out on promoting their products to a market segment that appreciates good flavorful products. I hope that the cheesemakers and the Wisconsin Dairy Producers will embrace this festival in the future and will introduce the attendees to the many world class cheeses being made in Wisconsin. I hear about a lot of wonderful cheese events through out other parts of the state, I can only hope that next year Kenosha will be included in that list.

The Days of Beer and Cheese

I am looking forward to the new beer and cheese festival scheduled for Kenosha this weekend. I think it is a natual combination. When the Kenosha Bidal Society has its beer dinners, we always try to include a cheese course, often trying to highlight local award winning Wisconsin cheeses. Beer and cheese; both have many varieties, ensurning numerous tasty combinations. I recently purchased Lucy Saunder's new book "The Best of American Beer and Food". After reading he first chapter of this book, which is devoted to the pairing of beer and cheese, I am excited by the possibilites.

Sugar Maple

Last night several friends and I drove up to Milwaukee's south side (Bay View actually) to visit the newest beer bar in the area. 'Sugar Maple' is the latest endeavor of Bruno Johnson, owner of the 'Palm Tavern'. We have visited the 'Palm' numerous times over the past several years, so we had some preconceived ideas on what to expect from 'Sugar Maple'.

The first thing I noticed upon entering was the smell of fresh paint. While that normally wouldn't be the best thing for a beer bar, it is to be expected when visiting a place that has been completely remodeled. More importantly, it made it more obvious that 'Sugar Maple' is a non-smoking establishment. Thank you Bruno! 'Sugar Maple' offers the opportunity to enjoy some fantastic craft brewed beers without the overwhelming odor of cigarette smoke.

Heading up to the bar, it is easy to be amazed by the 60 tap handles, each with it own unique character, representing many of the finest mid-west and American microbreweries. Similar to the 'Palm', the bartender quickly handed over a menu, listing the various breweries represented and the specific brews on tap. What a selection, from hoppy IPAs to rich dark Imperial Stouts, from Belgium inspired ales to those brewed with juniper berries, there is most certainly a beer here for everyone.

'Sugar Maple' has a clean, modern feeling. Low coffee tables, surrounded by chairs, lead to the feeling of being in a friends living room rather than a bar. The arrangement provides the opportunity to enjoy conversation enhanced by a great beer. There are no TVs, which are neither needed nor missed.

'Sugar Maple' is located at 441 E. Lincoln Avenue in Bay View. They open at 4pm on Monday - Friday, and at Noon on Saturday and Sunday.