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If you've found yourself here on purpose then I thank you for your support.  This site will no longer be updated beyond this post, but still remain intact for archiving purposes and other mysterious reasons. If you've found yourself here on accident then I thank you for your accidental and/or begrudging support. Feel free to browse through my musings of suspect quality then meander on over to the all new Me Drink Beer.

You should know that while I'm serious about beer, I never take myself too seriously.  If you enjoy reading about, talking about, or just simply drinking quality beer then please visit Me Drink Beer frequently. I ask this of you not because I genuinely want to quench your thirst for beer-centric fodder.  Instead, I ask this of you because it's time for someone else besides myself and some dude that always finds my blog by Googling "Drink Beer Company" to pad my Google Analytics stats.

Me Drink Beer.

American Craft Beer Week 2011

American Craft Beer Week is upon us yet once again.  Monday May 16th kicked off a week long celebration of craft beer all across the nation, while places like Chicago, Seattle, San Antonio, Minnesota, Nevada, and Long Island celebrate their own regional beer weeks.

Why is American Craft Beer Week important? Well, because it celebrates an industry whose economic impact often goes overlooked.  In an industry completely dominated by a few corporate breweries, craft beer has seen steady growth while overall beer sales have been in decline.  Production volume grew 11% since last year while overall retail sales grew 12%.  This speaks volumes for a small and independent sector that makes up less than 10% of the overall beer industry in the United States.  Besides sales and production growth, the industry is constantly expanding with an 8% increase in operating breweries since last year, adding to the 100,000+ existing jobs.

American Craft Beer Week exists to highlight an industry that not only produces a fresh, high-quality, and locally-made product, but an industry that gives back to their communities and neighborhoods, values innovation and tradition at the same time, helps promote the idea of quality over quantity, and has helped cultivate the United States into the best place on Earth to drink damn good beer.

So in honor of all the craft brewers out there making sure you have excellent beer to consume, head out to your local brewpub and grab a pint or growler to show your support, tip a few back at a local restaurant or bar, and pick up a nice bottle or two at your local retail shop. I know I will.

Learn more about American Craft Beer Week at Craft Beer Dot Com.

Celebrate American Craft Beer Week at these local spots:

Rockford, Illinois isn't the largest city, but it does have a local brewpub, a solid local restaurant scene, some great spots to grab a pint of quality beer, and a small, but dedicated group of craft beer geeks, home brewers, and general beer lovers. If you live in or around Rockford, IL, here's what's going on this week as part of American Craft Beer Week:

Kryptonite Bar will be celebrating all week with Craft Beer Bingo with some pint glasses and tshirts to give away to participants.  Sign the Declaration of Beer Independence.  On Tuesday get $2 off any craft beer on the menu.  Plus, the staff will be putting their favorites on special every day. Check out this for any additional features and specials.  Kryptonite features a well-tailored selection of craft bottles with draft lines coming this summer.

Kryptonite Bar is located in downtown Rockford at the intersection of State and Main.

Artale Wine Co. will be offering free craft beer tastings Monday through Thursday and Saturday from 6 to 7:30 PM.  Each day will feature a different selection of 8-10 craft beers. The name says "wine", but they have one of the most respectable beer selections in town.

Artale Wine Co. is located at 6876 Springcreek Rd. near Perryville in Rockford.

 The Olympic Tavern will be offering a different $4 craft beer pint all week long from the likes of New Belgium, Clown Shoes, Sierra Nevada, and Flying Dog. Check out more details here. Olympic has a substantial beer selection and constantly changing taps with a tap expansion on its way.

The Olympic Tavern is located at 2327 N Main St in Rockford.

 Carlyle Brewing Co. is Rockford's only locally-owned brewpub.  Stop in for the freshest beer in the area and get a jalapeno cheese-stuffed pretzel. You won't be disappointed.  Popular brews include their Stout and Vanilla Cream Ale.  Their selection rotates consistently and there's almost always something new every few weeks.  My personal favorite is the American Strong Ale (when it's on the menu).

Carlyle Brewing Co. is located at 215 E. State St in Rockford just east of the River.


If any of the three people that read this know of other events going on around town for ACBW, don't hesitate to let us know.

Cheers, and happy American Craft Beer Week!


Me Drink Beer

Goose Trap

As most who follow beer industry news, word is spreading like hot fire about an announcement this morning of Anheuser-Busch's purchase of Chicago institution Goose Island Beer Company - and the controversy surrounding the matter is just as hot.

My attempt to keep this short and rant-less can not be guaranteed.

According the press release on Goose Island's website, A-B will purchase a controlling stake in Goose Island's production branch.  Both GI brewpubs on Clybourn and Clark will remain unaffected and will, allegedly, continue to operate as it always had - offering a constantly rotating selection of incredibly fresh and creative brews.  Per the agreement, Goose's Brewmaster of nearly 16 years, Greg Hall, will be stepping down and will be replaced by Goose's current Head Brewer Brett Porter.  Reasons for Greg's move have not been explained other than it was part of the agreement.  The press release states he will continue on as a consultant for the company.  Other sources indicate Greg will announce his future plans in the upcoming weeks.

The interests at hand claim that this move was made to specifically broaden Goose's distribution network, secure extra capital, and meet this their ever-increasing demand.  Whether a Goose Island fan, craft beer supporter, or beer drinker in general, many have hit the web with their opinions.  Obviously this comes as a disgrace to many who feel Goose has sold out, while others remain rather underwhelmed and feel it was only a matter of time, and some beer-drinkers living outside of the Midwest are happy that they will be able to find more Goose products at their local stores and bars.  On the most fundamental level, this is a no-brainer for A-B.  As general beer sales are declining, and craft beer sales on the rise, A-B is cashing in on the craft momentum yet again. 

Just a move to expand their distribution network or is there something more to this?  I  like Goose Island - they're a Chicago institution.  Not only have they got Chicagoans drinking quality, local beer but they've helped inspire Chicago's current revitalization in local, craft brewing with the likes of Half Acre, Metropolitan, Revolution, and a few other up-and-comers.  It is, however, very disappointing to see a cornerstone of Chicago brewing break from its roots. 

I will take this with a grain of salt and try to keep an open mind for now, but aligning with such a corporation undoubtedly sends a certain message (no matter the degree of that alignment), especially for a corporation that has a track record of questionable practices - government lobbying to limit small brewers, enabling aggressive pay-to-play distribution practices in various markets (coughChicagocough), a business model built on quantity over quality and fueled by greed, sexist marketing initiatives that objectify women... you get the point.

Over-analyzing the situation? Possibly.  The point is that corporate brewers represent a certain idea, and that idea opposes what small, independent brewers strive to be.  Goose's brewpubs will remain independent, which is amazing, but it's no secret that greater mass production can potentially compromise the quality of their other products.  Recently, Goose Island announced that they will start brewing at a facility on the east coast; with A-B in control of production, that could mean brewing in several more different facilities outside of Chicago - perhaps the west coast?  Stretching that production will have interesting effects. Plus, with a controlling stake in production don't be surprised that A-B might tweak a recipe here or there to make it just that much more cost effective to brew so they can increase their margin - I mean, that's their goal right? Have you heard of A-B scaling back production to focus on the quality of their product?

Let me pump the breaks on this rant.

It will be interesting to find out why Greg Hall actually stepped down as Brewmaster and what his plans are next.  Was it because he did not agree with the purchase? Was it to take on a more administrative role to ensure the integrity of Goose Island's brand? Time will tell.

Are we making too much of a big deal over this? If we are who cares.  There's nothing wrong with being passionate about wanting to retain locally and independently owned businesses.

As for now, for the three people that will read this in the next week, please share your opinion.  I would love to hear your view.  And tell me your favorite beer of 2011 so far.

Me Drink Beer