America's Oldest Bars

Pleasantly surprised is how I would gauge my reaction to the list of America's oldest bars. I had no idea that at least one pre-1700 drinking establishments had somehow survived the ravages of wars, Prohibition and the ongoing pressures of capitalism. There are actually multiple such lists on the net, but this one seems to me to be the best researched and most comprehensive.

The list comes from the Brookston Beer Bulletin and its author known simply as J. I salute J for putting this together and can only imagine how much time it took to do the research and vetting. J's original posting can be seen here: http://www.brookstonbeerbulletin.com/americas-oldest-bars/.

Any such list of American bars would need to account for the fact that none could legally serve during the Prohibition years, so for those pedantic types, I would view this list as being inclusive of establishments that were originated as taverns, bars or saloons and are still in existence today serving some type of alcoholic beverage, preferably beer!

The list follows and I would greatly welcome any updates or comments on these, or other establishments, that may qualify. I'd like to expand this list from forty one to fifty, to - if for no other reason - round things out:

1. White Horse Tavern; Newport, RI (1673)
2. Jessop’s Tavern; New Castle, DE (1724)
3. Red Fox Inn; Middleburg, VA (1728)
4. General Lafayette Inn & Brewery; Lafayette Hill, PA (1732)
5. Fraunces Tavern, New York, NY (1762)
6. Jean Lafittes Blacksmith Shop; New Orleans, LA (1775)
7. Horse You Came In On; Baltimore, MD (1775)
8. Griswold Inn; Essex, CT (1776)
9. The Tavern; Abingdon, VA (1779)
10. The Union Hotel (a.k.a. The Allentown Hotel, now DiMattias Restaurant & Lounge);
    Allentown, NJ (1779)
11. The Warren Tavern; Charlestown, MA (1780)
12. Gadsby’s Tavern; Alexandria, VA (1785)
13. Wiggins Tavern; Northampton, MA (1786)
    [tavern moved from Hopkinton, New Hampshire]
14. Bell In Hand; Boston, MA (1795)
15. Old Absinthe House; New Orleans, LA (1815, possibly 1807)
16. Broadway Hotel & Tavern; Madison, IN (1834)
17. Knickerbocker Saloon; Lafayette, IN (1835)
18. The Old Tavern; Niles, MI (1835)
19. Spread Eagle Tavern & Inn; Hanoverton, OH (1837)
20. Ye Olde Trail Tavern; Yellow Springs, OH (1848)
21. The Slippery Noodle; Indianapolis, IN (1850) [Wikipedia]
22. Deer Park Tavern; Newark, DE (1851)
    [occupying the same spot as St. Patrick’s Inn, founded in 1747, but burned down in 1848]
23. Breitbach’s Country Dining; Balltown, IA (1852)
24. Genoa Bar & Saloon; Genoa, NV (1853) [new]
25. McSorley’s Old Ale House; New York, NY (1854)
26. Anvil Restaurant & Saloon; Ste. Genevieve, MO (1855)
27. Old Ebbitt Grill; Washington, DC (1856)
28. Tujague’s; New Orleans, LA (1856)
29. McGillin’s Olde Ale House; Philadelphia, PA (1860)
30. Arnold’s Bar and Grill; Cincinnati, OH (1861)
31. The Saloon; San Francisco, CA (1861)
32. Waterfront Hotel; Baltimore, MD (1861; building built in 1771)
33. The Little Shamrock; San Francisco, CA (1863)
34. Pete’s Tavern; New York, NY (1864)
35. Schloz Garten; Austin, TX (1866)
36. The Original Oyster House; Pittsburgh, PA (1870)
    [Bear Tavern also opened on same site in 1827]
37. Ulrich’s Tavern; Buffalo, NY (1870)
38. Ear Inn; New York, NY (1874)
39. Shooting Star Saloon; Hunstsville, UT (1879)
40. White Horse Tavern; New York, NY (1880)
41. P.J. Clarke’s; New York, NY (1884)

Prosit!
the Bier Kaiser

Oops - I stand corrected!

Dick Stevens, owner of the the Elevator Brewery & Draught Haus in Columbus Ohio has pulled his line of t-shirts, for sale on premises, that bear a quote or, to be more precise, a misquote concerning beer widely attributed to that printer, scientist, author and Founding Father - Benjamin Franklin. Stevens' inspiration comes from the research and work of brewing historian Bob Skilnik that provides convincing proof that Franklin was writing not about beer or ale, but about rain and its nourishing affect on grapes, and therefore - ultimately - on wine.

In a previous posting, I had cited this Franklin quote - "Beer is living proof that God loves us and wants us to be happy" - as part of my attempt to provide a near inclusive listing of all beer and drinking quotes. In the pursuit of accuracy, I will therefore follow Stevens' lead and amend my previous posting for this particular quote. It is still a drinking quote, but certainly not a beer or ale quote. Kudos to Dick Stevens for taking this stand (and monetary loss) in the name of historical accuracy!

Stevens summarizes his actions by saying,

We do everything we can to serve up the best tasting beers at the Elevator (and we are) always striving to brew them true to style. To then sell or give away t-shirts that quote a historical untruth is simply not our style. I hope that we can set the record straight about this little white lie that has been repeated for years. I have no doubt that ole Ben enjoyed a tankard or two of beer with friends and associates, but this beer quote, while well-meaning, is inaccurate.

But Stevens doesn't stop there, he adds,

To all our customers who have purchased the erroneously quoted Ben Franklin t-shirts, we do apologize and ask that they return the t-shirts to the Elevator where we will immediately exchange it for a new t-shirt, free of charge. Let me emphasize that this recall will entail absolutely no cost to our loyal customers, and help them save face.

So what in fact did Franklin say? The historian, Bob Skilnik was able to locate a letter from Franklin to the French economist André Morellet, circa 1779, wherein Franklin reveals his unique perspective on biblical history and wine's role therein. This is a fascinating quote and reveals much about Franklin's religious views and his near devotion to the role of wine in human society, he writes:

FROM THE ABBE FRANKLIN TO THE ABBE MORELLET

You have often enlivened me, my dear friend, by your excellent drinking-songs; in return, i beg to edify you by some Christian, moral, and philosophical reflections upon the same subject.

In vino veritas, says the wise man, --"Truth is in wine." Before the days of Noah, then, men having nothing but water to drink, could not discover the truth. Thus they went astray, became abominably wicked, and were justly exterminated by "water", which they loved to drink.

The good man Noah, seeing that through this pernicious beverage all his contemporaries had perished, took it in aversion; and to quench his thirst God created the vine, and revealed to him the means of converting its fruit into wine. By means of this liquor he discovered numberless important truths; so that ever since this time the word to "divine" has been in common use, signifying originally, "to discover by means of" WINE (VIN). Thus the patriarch Joseph took upon himself to "divine" by means of a cup or glass of wine, a liquor which obtained this name to show that it was not of human but "divine" invention (another proof of the "antiquity" of the French language, in opposition to M. Geebelin); nay, since that time, all things of peculiar excellence, even the Deities themselves, have been called "Divine" or Di"vin"ities.

We hear of the conversion of water into wine at the marriage of Cana [sic] as of a miracle. But this conversion is, through the goodness of God, made every day before our eyes. Behold the rain which descends from heaven upon our vineyards; there it enters the roots of the vines, to be changed into wine; a constant proof that God loves us, and loves to see us happy. The miracle in question was only performed to hasten the operations, under circumstances of present necessity, which required it.

It is true that God has also instructed man to reduce wine into water. But into what sort of water? -- "Water of Life." ("Eaude Vie.") And this, than man may be able upon occasion to perform the miracle of Cana [sic], and convert common water into that excellent species of wine which we call "punch." My Christian brother, be kind and benevolent like God, and do not spoil this good drink.

He made wine to gladden the hear of man; do not, therefore when at table you see your neighbor pour wine into his glass, be eager to mingle water with it. Why should you drown "truth"? It is probable that your neighbor knows better than you what suits him. perhaps he does no like water; perhaps he would only put in a few drops for fashion's sake; perhaps he does not wish any one to observe how little he puts in his glass. Do not, then offer water, except to children; it is a mistaken piece of politeness, and often very inconvenient. I give you this hint as a man of the world; and I will finish as I began, like a good Christian, in making a religious observation of high importance, taken from the Holy Scriptures. I mean that the apostle counselled [sic] Timothy very seriously to put wine into his water for the sake of his health; but that no one of the apostles or holy fathers ever recommended "putting water to wine."

P.S. To confirm still more your piety and gratitude to Divine Providence, reflect upon the situation which it has given to the "elbow". You see (Figures 1 and 2) in animals, who are intended to drink the waters that flow upon the earth, that if they have long legs, they have also a long neck, so that they can get at their drink without kneeling down. But man, who was destined to drink wine, must be able to raise the glass to his mouth. If the elbow had been placed nearer the hand (as in Figure 3), the part in advance would have been too short to bring the glass up to the mouth; and if it had been placed nearer the shoulder, (as in Figure 4) that part would have been so long that it would have carried the wine far beyond the mouth. But the actual situation, (represented in Figure 5), we are enabled to drink at our ease, the glass going exactly to the mouth. Let us, then, with the glass in hand, adore this benevolent wisdom; -- let us adore and drink!

Prosit!
the Beer Kaiser

Tasty Alternative to Microbrewed Ales


The Columbus Brewing Company (CBC) located in the Brewery District of Columbus, Ohio has been serving a solid variety of ale and lagers for almost a decade. The head brewer, Eric Bean, honed his brewing skills at Gordon Biersch and brought to CBC some fresh ideas in terms of beer styles and beer-food pairings. The results, of late, have been nothing short of spectacular. Eric's pilgrimage, this last Spring, to the Lager Mecca of the world - Bamberg Germany - has provided the inspiration, and brewing techniques, to produce a truly superior Bavarian Lager, or Kellerbier (cellar beer).

A Kellerbier derives its name from its original brewing process. Prior to refrigeration, lagers were fermented in underground cellars in order to keep them cool enough to promote fermentation. Indeed 'Lager' is the German word for refrigeration or cold storage. Lager yeast does its thing best at a range of 45-50 F. At temperatures above 60-65 F, these same yeasts tend to produce esters that are not characteristic to style. So lagering literally means the (relatively) cold storage of beer during fermentation.

Eric tapped this beer something shy of three weeks ago and it seems to be altering the fundamentals of my living routine. Are these the first signs of an addiction? Having just made my fourth sojourn down to the CBC, a 25 mile round trip, last night; I can validate that the CBC's Kellerbier is not only faithful to the Bavarian Lager style, more importantly it is a beer that just doesn't stop giving drinking pleasure. Every sip is a reward. True to style, it is unfiltered and lightly carbonated. Malty without being heavy, the secret to this beer is the balance.

Thank God for growlers and thank-you Eric Bean for bringing a truly remarkable brew here to the heart of the Midwest. Those bloody Belgian bastards may have wrested Anheuser-Busch away from us, but if they mess with CBC, I'll go to war!

Take a virtual tour of the CBC at: http://www.columbusbrewingco.com/


Prosit!
the Bier Kaiser

Brewers Association - 2008 Beer Style Guidelines

In February of this year, the Brewers Association (BA) published their updated guidelines which provide an "official" taxonomy covering all beer styles. As of the 2008 update, 139 separate beer styles are recognized by this governing body. The association has been publishing this inventory annually since 1979 with Charlie Papazian, Brewers Association president, managing the effort since 1993.

This list does for zymurgy (or zymology) what Linneaus did for biology. Linneaus devised the initial taxonomy of all living things when he published his scientific classification of organisms in 1795. As you may recall from high school science, Linneaus, and his successors, came up with the top level classification, termed 'Kingdoms' which defined plants, animals, and somewhat later with the help of the microscope, bacteria as the major groupings of living organisms. Similarly the BA has defined Ales, Lagers and Hybrids as their highest level classification of beers.

The dispersion of beers under these three 'Kingdoms' reflects the history of brewing. Ales, the oldest beer style account for more than half of all beers styles. Next comes, Lagers and then Hybrids with each accounting for around twenty percent of total beer styles. The numerical break-out is as follows:
> Ales - 75
> Lagers - 34
> Hybrids - 30

Looking at how these beer styles from a geographic perspective, based on place of origin, one is reminded that the BA is, after all, an American organization. Approximately one-fourth of BA's beer styles are categorized as American or North American. Next comes Germany which accounts for about one-fifth of the beer styles. The numerical break-out is as follows:
> North American - 37
> Germanic - 31
> UK/Irish - 27
> Belgian/French - 15

New for 2008 are eleven styles which give greater representation to the craft brewing segment of the industry. As part of this effort, five styles of barrel-aged beers were added to BA's style guidelines. This emphasis on greater recognition of craft brewing was explained by BA president Charlie Papazian, "These guidelines help to illustrate the growth of craft brewers in the United States and also offer insight and a foundation for helping appreciate the hundreds of beer types brewed for the beer lover'"

BA Style Guideline updates for 2008:

(1) Fresh Hop Ale: ales which are hopped exclusively with fresh and un-dried ("wet") hops.

(2) American-Belgo Styles Ales: these beers portray the unique characters imparted by yeasts typically used in fruity and big Belgian-style ales.

(3) Leipzig-Style Göse: the original versions of this style of beer were spontaneously fermented German ales, similarly to Belgian-style gueuze or lambic beers.

(4) Belgian-Style Blonde Ale: Belgian-style blonde ales are characterized by low yet evident hop bitterness, flavor and sometimes aroma.

(5) Australasian-Style Pale Ale: this style is a mild, pale, light-bodied ale with a color varying from light to amber. Hop bitterness and flavor range from very low to low.

(6) Out of Category-Traditionally Brewed Beers: there are many excellent and popular beers that are brewed with traditional ingredients and processes, yet their character may vary from styles currently defined or included in these guidelines.

(7) Wood- and Barrel-Aged Beer: a wood- or barrel-aged beer is any lager, ale or hybrid, either a traditional style or a unique experimental beer that has been aged for a period of time in a wooden barrel or in contact with wood.

(8) Wood- and Barrel-Aged Pale to Amber Beer: any classic style or unique experimental beer that has been aged for a period of time in a wooden barrel or in contact with wood.

(9) Wood- and Barrel-Aged Dark Beer: any classic style or unique experimental style of dark beer beer can be wood or barrel-aged for a period of time in a wooden barrel or in contact with wood.

(10) Wood- and Barrel-Aged Strong Beer: any strong classic style or unique, experimental style of beer can bee wood or barrel-aged for a period of time in a wooden barrel or in contact with wood.

(11) Wood- and Barrel-Aged Sour Beer: a wood- or barrel- aged beer is any lager, ale, or hybrid beer, either a traditional style or a unique experimental beer that has been aged for a period of time in a wooden barrel or in contact with wood and has developed a bacterial induced natural acidity.

The full version of the 2008 Brewers Association Beer Styles Guidelines is available at: http://www.beertown.org/education/ ... e_2008.pdf


Prosit!
the Bier Kaiser

At Least He Died Happy: Archeologists Unearth Skeleton Clutching a PINT OF BEER:

Reprint from The Daily Mail, 17 March 2008

A 4,000-year-old skeleton has been unearthed by experts working on building Britain's biggest ever greenhouse - clutching a pint of beer.

The Bronze Age man's body was dug up by archaeologists who were called in after a team of builders working on the construction of the giant Thanet Earth project in Monkton, Kent, uncovered the skeleton last week.

According to experts the skeleton - that of a high status male - was found in shallow grave holding a "type of beer mug".

Marion Green, of the Canterbury Archaeological Trust, said that the find last week was one of the best preserved Bronze Age skeletons she had ever seen.

She added: "It is a beautifully decorated pot which could have been used as a type of beer mug."

Tests on beer mugs from other sites show that Bronze Age man was an ale lover - making the booze from grain.

Thanet Earth spokeswoman Judy Whittaker said: "There have been several interesting finds, but this is the most exciting.

"The man will eventually go on display at a museum."

The giant Thanet Earth greenhouse - the size of 70 football pitches - will be used to grow peppers, cucumbers and tomatoes for supermarket shoppers.

A team of 30 archaeologists from the Canterbury Archaeological Trust have been working on areas of the 200-acre site.

The first part of the giant project is due to be built in three weeks.


Prosit!
the Bier Kaiser

Mostly memorable quotations concerning beer and drinking from the famous,:near-famous, soon-to-be famous and completely unknown...:

Irish Drinking Quotes
"An Irishman is the only man in the world who will step over the bodies of a dozen naked women to get to a bottle of stout."
--unknown

"May the roof above us never fall in, and may we friends gathered below never fall out."
--Old Irish Blessing

"May your glass be ever full. May the roof over your head be always strong. And may you be in heaven half an hour before the devil knows you're dead."
--Old Irish Toast

“What whiskey will not cure, there is no cure for.”
--Irish proverb

“I have a total irreverence for anything connected with society, except that which makes the road safer, the beer stronger, old men and women warmer in the winter, and happier in the summer.”
--Brendan Behan, Irish novelist

“When money's tight and hard to get
And your horse is also ran,
When all you have is a heap of debt,
A pint of plain is your only man.”
--Old Irish toast

“When I die, I want to decompose in a barrel of porter and have it served in all the pubs in Dublin. I wonder would they know it was me?”
--J.P. Donleavy, from The Ginger Man


Teutonic Drinking Quotes
“Ale it is called among men, and among gods, beer.”
--Old Norse Alvisimal, first recorded use of 'ale', 950 A.D.

“Praise not the day until evening has come; a woman until she is burnt; a sword until it is tried; a maiden until she is married; ice until it has been crossed; beer until it has been drunk.”
--Viking Proverb

"It takes beer to make thirst worth while."
--old German proverb

“Beer isn't just beer... beer needs a home.”
--Die Welt, German news magazine, 1976

"A good beer is the host's honor, a full glass is the guest's enjoyment."
--German beer stein inscription

"If you drink you'll die, if you don't you'll also die. Therefore drink!"
--German beer stein inscription

"A fine beer may be judged with only one sip, but it's better to be thoroughly sure."
--Bohemian proverb

'Tributes' to American beer
“Put it back in the horse!”
--H. Allen Smith, humorist on tasting his first American beer

"All other nations are drinking Ray Charles beer and we are drinking Barry Manilow."
--Dave Barry

“Why is American beer served cold? So you can tell it from urine.”
--David Moulton

“American beer is like sex in a canoe - f***ing close to water!”
--Eric Idle, of Monty Python





The Rat Pack
"The problem with the world is that everyone is a few drinks behind."
--Humphrey Bogart

"I never should have switched from Scotch to Martinis."
--Humphrey Bogart, last words

"You're not drunk if you can lie on the floor without holding on."
--Dean Martin

“If you drink, don't drive. Don't even putt.”
--Dean Martin

“I once shook hands with Pat Boone and my whole right side sobered up.”
--Dean Martin

"Alcohol gives you infinite patience for stupidity."
--Sammy Davis, Jr.

"Sober up, and you see and hear everything you'd been able to avoid hearing before."
--Sammy Davis, Jr.

"Alcohol may be man's worst enemy, but the bible says love your enemy."
--Frank Sinatra

"I feel sorry for people who don't drink. When they wake up in the morning, that's as good as they're going to feel all day."
--Frank Sinatra


Monarchs & World Leaders
"And thou shalt give to me health, life, long existence, and prolonged reign, endurance to my every member, sight to my eyes, hearing to my ears, pleasure to my heart daily. And thou shalt give me beer until I am drunk. And thou shalt establish my issue as kings forever and ever."
--Pharaoh Ramses IV, Prayer to Osiris, 1200 BC

"I am a firm believer in the people. If given the truth, they can be depended upon to meet any national crisis. The great point is to bring them the real facts and beer."
--Abraham Lincoln

"Always remember that I have taken more out of alcohol than alcohol has taken out of me."
--Winston Churchill

"Make sure that the beer - four pints a week - goes to the troops under fire before any of the parties in the rear get a drop."
--Winston Churchill

"Sir, if you were my husband, I would poison your drink."
--Lady Astor to Winston Churchill
"Madam, if you were my wife, I would drink it."
--Churchill's reply

"My rule of life prescribed as an absolutely sacred rite smoking cigars and also the drinking of alcohol before, after and if need be during all meals and in the intervals between them."
--Winston Churchill

“Nothing makes the future look so rosy as to contemplate it through a glass of Champagne.”
--Napoleon Bonaparte

"Give me a woman who loves beer and I will conquer the world."
--Kaiser Wilhelm II

"Give my people plenty of beer, good beer and cheap beer and you will have no revolution."
--Queen Victoria


Actors and Thespians
"I have to think hard to name an interesting man who does not drink."
--Richard Burton

"I rather like my reputation, actually, that of a spoiled genius from the Welsh gutter, a drunk, a womanizer; it's rather an attractive image."
--Richard Burton

"I have two ambitions in life: one is to drink every pub dry, the other is to sleep with every woman on earth."
--Oliver Reed

"I like to give my inhibitions a bath now and then."
--Oliver Reed

"Hell, I used to take two-week lunch hours!"
--Spencer Tracy

"I formed a new group called Alcoholics-Unanimous. If you don't feel like a drink, you ring another member and he comes over to persuade you."
--Richard Harris

"I often sit back and think, I wish I’d done that and find out later that I already have."
--Richard Harris, musing on the affects of drinking

"Tequila. Straight. There's a real polite drink. You keep drinking until you finally take one more and it just won't go down. Then you know you've reached your limit."
--Lee Marvin

"I began drinking alcohol at the age of thirteen and gave it up in my fifty sixth year; it was like going straight from puberty to a mid-life crisis."
--George Montgomery

"Gimme a whiskey, ginger ale on the side. And don't be stingy, baby."
--Greta Garbo, as Anna Christie in Anna Christie (1930).

“You can't be as old as I am without waking up with a surprised look on your face every morning: 'Holy Christ, whaddya know - I'm still around!' It's absolutely amazing that I survived all the booze and smoking and the cars and the career.”
--Paul Newman

"Beer, it's the best damn drink in the world.”
--Jack Nicholson

“People who speak in metaphors should shampoo my crotch.”
--Jack Nicholson, obviously not a beer quote, but so good it's here anyway!


Writers & Authors
"The problem with some people is that when they aren't drunk, they're sober."
--William Butler Yeats

"Abstainer: a weak person who yields to the temptation of denying himself a pleasure."
--Ambrose Bierce

"Our national drug is alcohol. We tend to regard the use any other drug with special horror."
--William S. Burroughs

"I drink to make other people interesting."
--George Jean Nathan

"Alcohol is like love. The first kiss is magic, the second is intimate, the third is routine. After that you take the girl's clothes off."
--Raymond Chandler

"Always do sober what you said you'd do drunk. That will teach you to keep your mouth shut."
--Ernest Hemingway

"An intelligent man is sometimes forced to be drunk to spend time with his fools."
--Ernest Hemingway from For Whom the Bell Tolls

"One day I decided to stop drinking with creeps. I decided to drink only with friends. I've lost 30 pounds as a result."
--Ernest Hemingway

“This beer is good for you. This is draft beer. Stick with the beer. Let's go and beat this guy up and come back and drink some more beer.”
--Ernest Hemingway

"Work is the curse of the drinking class."
--Oscar Wilde

“I work until beer o'clock.”
--Stephen King

"Alcohol is the anesthesia by which we endure the operation of life."
--George Bernard Shaw

“Alcohol is a very necessary article. It enables Parliament to do things at eleven at night that no sane person would do at eleven in the morning.”
--George Bernard Shaw

"Fill with mingled cream and amber, I will drain that glass again. Such hilarious visions clamber through the chambers of my brain. Quaintest thoughts--queerest fancies, come to life and fade away. What care I how time advances? I am drinking ale today."
--Edgar Allan Poe

“There is no such thing as bad whiskey. Some whiskeys just happen to be better than others. But a man shouldn't fool with booze until he's fifty; then he's a damn fool if he doesn't.”
--William Faulkner

“I hate to advocate drugs, alcohol, violence, or insanity to anyone, but they've always worked for me.”
--Hunter S. Thompson

“There is an ancient Celtic axiom that says 'Good people drink good beer.' Which is true, then as now. Just look around you in any public barroom and you will quickly see: Bad people drink bad beer. Think about it.”
--Hunter S. Thompson

“I know I'm drinking myself to a slow death, but then I'm in no hurry.”
--Robert Benchley

"One martini is alright, two is too many, three is not enough."
--James Thurber

“I would give all of my fame for a pot of ale and safety.”
--William Shakespeare, from King Henry V


Athletes & Sportsmen
“The best way to die is sit under a tree, eat lots of bologna and salami, drink a case of beer, then blow up.”
--Art Donovan, all-Pro Baltimore Colts lineman of the '50s and '60s

“We're in such a slump that even the ones that are drinkin' aren't hittin'.”
--Casey Stengel

"Ninety percent I'll spend on good times, women and Irish whiskey. The other ten percent I'll probably waste."
--Tug McGraw, commenting on his salary increase

"I'll promise to go easier on drinking and to get to bed earlier, but not for you, fifty thousand dollars, or two-hundred and fifty thousand dollars will I give up women. They're too much fun."
--George Herman "Babe" Ruth


Philosophers & Deep Thinkers
"Two great European narcotics, alcohol and Christianity."
--Friedrich Nietzsche

"Be careful to trust a person who does not like wine."
--Karl Marx

"He was a wise man who invented beer."
--Plato

"Worthless people live only to eat and drink; people of worth eat and drink only to live."
--Socrates

"Marriage is based on the theory that when a man discovers a particular brand of beer
exactly to his taste he should at once throw up his job and go to work in a brewery."
--H. L. Mencken

"We are here to drink beer ... and live our lives so well that Death will tremble to take us."
--Charles Bukowski


Brewers & Beer Industry Leaders
“A 'good' beer is one that sells! You may think it sucks, but if the market embraces it, so be it. Now a 'great' beer or world-class beer is another matter...”
--Jim Busch

"I never met a pub I didn't like."
--Pete Slosberg, founder of Pete's Brewing Company

"Whoever makes a poor beer is transferred to the dung-hill.
--Edict, City of Danzig (now Gdansk), 11th Century

"Drink Good Beer - Be Kind - Tell the Truth"
--motto at Flatlander's Brewery

"Beer: So much more than just a breakfast drink."
--Whitstran Brewery sign

"Hoppiness is Happiness"
--label of Victory's Hop Wallop

"We brewers don't make beer, we just get all the ingredients together and the beer makes itself."
--Fritz Maytag, President Anchor Brewing

"Let no man thirst for lack of Real Ale."
--Commonwealth Brewing Co., Boston, Massachusetts

"People who drink light "beer" don't like the taste of beer; they just like to pee a lot.
--Capital Brewery - Middleton, WI


Comedians & Humorists
“It only takes one drink to get me drunk, but I can't remember if it's the thirteenth or fourteenth.”
--George Burns

"A woman drove me to drink and I didn't even have the decency to thank her."
--W.C. Fields

"Everybody has to believe in something.....I believe I'll have another drink."
--W.C. Fields

"I never drink anything stronger than gin before breakfast."
--W.C. Fields

"I drink, therefore I am."
--W.C. Fields

“Back in my rummy days, I would tremble and shake for hours upon arising. It was the only exercise I got.”
--W.C. Fields

I drink with impunity ... or anyone else who invites me.
--W.C. Fields

“I've been asked if I ever get the DTs. I don't know. It's hard to tell where Hollywood ends and the DTs begin.”
--W.C. Fields

“How well I remember my first encounter with The Devil's Brew. I happened to stumble across a case of bourbon - and went right on stumbling for several days thereafter."
--W.C. Fields

"I always keep a supply of liquor handy in case I see a snake - which I also keep handy."
--W.C. Fields

"My illness is due to my doctor's insistence that I drink milk, a whitish fluid they force down helpless babies."
--W.C. Fields

"If I had to live my life over, I'd live over a saloon."
--W.C. Fields

"What contemptible scoundrel has stolen the cork to my lunch?"
--W.C. Fields

"Drinking removes warts and pimples. Not from me. But from those I look at."
--Jackie Gleason

"I'm no alcoholic. I'm a drunkard. There's a difference. A drunkard doesn't like to go to meetings."
--Jackie Gleason

“I distrust camels and anyone else who can go a week without a drink.”
--Joe E. Lewis

“I went on a diet, swore off eating and heavy drinking, and in fourteen days I lost two weeks.”
--Joe E. Lewis

“I drink to forget I drink.”
--Joe E. Lewis

"I'd rather have a bottle in front of me, than a frontal lobotomy."
--Tom Waits

"Life is a waste of time, time is a waste of life, so get wasted all of the time and have the time of your life."
--Tom Waits

"In more than 20 years of opening beers with guys, I have NEVER seen the Swedish Bikini Team show up. Almost always, the teams that show up in beer drinking situations consist of guys who have been playing league softball and smell like bus seats."
--Dave Barry

"Without question, the greatest invention in the history of mankind is beer. Oh, I grant you that the wheel was also a fine invention, but the wheel does not go nearly as well with pizza."
--Dave Barry

"When I read about the evils of drinking, I gave up reading."
--Henny Youngman

“When we drink, we get drunk. When we get drunk, we fall asleep. When we fall asleep, we commit no sin. When we commit no sin, we go to heaven. Sooooo, let's all get drunk and go to heaven!”
--Brian O'Rourke

"After all, what is your host's purpose in having a party? Surely not for you to enjoy yourself; if that were their sole purpose, they'd have simply sent champagne and women over to your place by taxi."
--P.J. O'Rourke


Founding Fathers & U.S. Presidents
“There can't be good living where there is not good drinking.”
--Benjamin Franklin

"Beer is proof that God loves us and wants us to be happy."
--Benjamin Franklin (NOTE: quote under review, see more recent posting)

"Beer, if drank with moderation, softens the temper, cheers the spirit and promotes health."
--Thomas Jefferson

"We have already been too long subject to British prejudices. I use no porter or cheese in my family, but such as is made in America; both these articles may now be purchased of an excellent quality."
--George Washington

"I am a firm believer in the people. If given the truth, they can be depended upon to meet any national crisis. The great point is to bring them the real facts, and beer."
--Abraham Lincoln

“I believe, if we take habitual drunkards as a class, their heads and their hearts will bear an advantageous comparison with those of any other class. There seems ever to have been a proneness in the brilliant and warm-blooded to fall into this vice.”
--Abraham Lincoln

"I believe this would be a good time for a beer."
-- Franklin Delano Roosevelt upon signing the 21st amendment


The Simpsons
"All right, brain, I don't like you and you don't like me - so let's just do this and I'll get back to killing you with beer."
--Homer Simpson

"You put the beer in the coconut and drink it all up. You put the beer in the coconut and throw the can away."
--Homer Simpson

"He makes Martinis just the way I like them....full of alcohol."
--Homer Simpson

"I'm mild-mannered Homer Simpson."
-- Homer Simpson
You're not mild-mannered. You're often liquored-up, and rude."
--Lisa Simpson

"To alcohol! The cause of, and solution to, all of life's problems."
--Homer Simpson

"Beer is the nectar of the Nitwits."
--Comic Book Guy

"I'm a People Person.....that drinks."
--Homer Simpson

“'Do-Re-Mi - Drink'
Dough, the stuff, that buys me beer
Ray, the guy that sells me beer
Me, the one, who drinks the beer
Far, a long run to get beer
So, I'll have another beer
La, I'll have another beer
Tea, no thanks I'm drinking beer
That will bring us back to... (looking into his now empty glass) D'OH!”
--Homer Simpson beer song


Miscellaneous & Anonymous
"Remember "I" before "E", except in Budweiser."
--anonymous

"There are more old drunks than old doctors."
--anonymous

"Give a man a fish and he will eat for a day. Teach him how to fish, and he will sit in a boat and drink beer all day."
--anonymous

"The last swallow of lager is the worst and the last swallow of an ale is the best."
--anonymous

"You mean, I can do this for a living?"
-- Jason Faulconer, aspiring brew master, after making his first batch of beer

"To some it's a six-pack, to me it's a Support Group. Salvation in a can!
--Dave Howell, aka The Edge

"Hey, as long as your up...would you get me another?"
--Dr Mark Bernsdorf, dentist, entrepreneur, big game hunter, chain saw aficionado

"Im going to finish this beer.....then I'm going to have one more."
--Rick Evans, Midwest bon vivant, raconteur and musician

“If the hangover preceded the binge, alcoholism would be considered a virtue and not a vice.”
--Gregory Bateson, British anthropologist, social scientist, linguist

"Every night is ladies night a-a-at Johnny's!"
--John Brush, purveyor of the Triple B Brewery, aka Beer Bunker

“I don't have to drink to have fun, but I do.”
--Randy Reese, MIA Chicago

"Let's have just one more."
--John Petraitis, the Oracle of Akron Ohio

"Give a man a beer and watch his enjoyment for an hour, teach a man to brew and watch his enjoyment for a lifetime."
--Jim McCurdy, the Harlinator

"Well, if ya ain't sayz, we'll have us a rounder - it'll kinda ro-o-ound things out - if'ns ya kno'z what I mean."
--Dave Rudolph, Oregon exile

“Bock beer and Glühwein – DANGEROUS combination!”
--Michael Vogel, the real Bier Kaiser

"Time is never wasted when you're wasted all the time."
--Catherine Zandonella

"You can't be a real country unless you have a beer and an airline - it helps if you have some kind of a football team, or some nuclear weapons, but at the very least you need a beer."
--Frank Zappa



Cheers
"How would a beer feel, Mr. Peterson?"
"Pretty nervous if I was in the room.

"Can I draw you a beer, Norm ?"
"No, I know what they look like. Just pour me one."

"What's shaking, Norm?"
"All four cheeks and a couple of chins."

"What'll it be, Normie?"
"Just the usual Coach. I'll have a froth of beer and a snorkel."

"What would you say to a beer, Norm?"
"Hiya, sailor. New in town?"

(Coming in from the rain)
"Evening everybody."
Everybody: "Norm!"
"Still pouring, Norm?"
"That's funny, I was about to ask you the same thing."

"Whaddya say, Norm?"
"Well, I never met a beer I didn't drink."

"Hey Norm, how's the world been treating you?"
"Like a baby treats a diaper."

"Would you like a beer Mr.. Peterson?"
"No, I'd like a dead cat in a glass."

"How's life treating you?"
"It's not, Sammy, but you can."

"What's going on, Mr. Peterson?"
"Another layer for the winter, Woody."

"Whatcha up to, Norm?"
"My ideal weight if I were eleven feet tall."

"How's it going Mr. Peterson?"
"Poor."
"I'm sorry to hear that."
"No, I mean pour."

"How's life treating you, Norm?"
"Like it caught me sleeping with its wife."

"Women. Can't live with 'em ... pass the beer nuts."

"What's going down, Normie?"
"My butt cheeks on that bar stool."

"Pour you a beer, Mr. Peterson?"
"Alright, but stop me at one....make that one-thirty."

"What's the story, Norm?"
"Boy meets beer. Boy drinks beer. Boy meets another beer."

"How's about a beer, Norm?"
"That's that amber sudsy stuff, right? I've heard good things about it!"

"Can I pour you a beer, Mr. Peterson?"
"A little early isn't it, Woody?"
"For a beer?" "No, for stupid questions."

"How's a beer sound, Norm?"
"I dunno. I usually finish them before they get a word in."

"What would you say to a nice beer, Normie?"
"Going Down?"

"What's new, Normie?"
"Terrorists, Sam. They've taken over my stomach and they're demanding beer."

"What would you say to a beer, Normie?"
"Daddy wuvs you."

"What'd you like, Normie?"
"A reason to live. Give me another beer."

"What'll you have, Normie?"
"Well, I'm in a gambling mood Sammy. I'll take a glass of whatever comes out of that tap."
"Looks like beer, Norm."
"Call me Mister Lucky."

"What'd you say, Norm?"
"Any cheap, tawdry thing that will get me a beer."

"What's the story, Mr. Peterson?"
"The Bobbsey twins go to the brewery. Let's cut to the happy ending."

"Hey Mr. Peterson, there's a cold one waiting for you."
"I know, if she calls, I'm not here."

"Beer, Norm?"
"Have I gotten that predictable? Good."

"What's going on, Mr. Peterson?"
"A flashing sign in my gut that says, 'Insert beer here.'"

"Hey Mr. Peterson, Jack Frost nipping at your nose?"
"Yep, now let's get Joe Beer nipping at my liver, ehh?"

"How's it going Mr. Peterson?"
"It's a dog eat dog world, Woody and I'm wearing Milk Bone underwear.

"What's going on, Mr. Peterson?"
"The question is, `what's going 'in' Mr. Peterson?" A beer, please, Woody."

And saving the best for last, as explained by our favorite USPS employee, Cliff Clavin, of Cheers. One afternoon at the bar, Cliff was explaining the Buffalo Theory to his old friend Normie, as follows:

"Well ya see, Norm, it's like this... A herd of buffalo can only move as fast as the slowest buffalo. And when the herd is hunted, it is the slowest and weakest ones at the back that are killed first. This natural selection is good for the herd as a whole, because the general speed and health of the whole group keeps improving by the regular killing of the weakest members. In much the same way, the human brain can only operate as fast as the slowest brain cells. Excessive intake of alcohol, as we know, kills brain cells. But naturally, it attacks the slowest and weakest brain cells first. In this way, regular consumption of beer eliminates the weaker brain cells, making the brain a faster and more efficient machine. That's why you always feel smarter after a few beers."


Prosit!
the Bier Kaiser

What's in a Name...so, just whose Bud (or Burger) is this anyway?:

Many of us are familiar with the decades long legal smack-down going on globally between the American brewing giant Budweiser and its smaller Czech competitor Budvar. At the heart of this battle, is the fact that A-B (Anheuser-Bush) and Budvar share the brand name related to the same small town known today as České Budějovice and formerly known as Budweis.

Now comes along, to the U.S. market at least, a beer with the moniker B.B. Bürgerbräu which also gives prominent reference to Budweis(er) in its branding and labeling. Confused? Today, simply ordering a Budweiser, from a well stocked purveyor, has become a form of 'lager-roulette'. For the non-discriminating beer drinker this is not a problem, for, as Lewis Carroll said, "If you don't know where you are going, any road will take you there".

For the rest of us, getting the 'right' Budweiser is a bit more challenging. Especially considering that both Budvar, known in North American beer markets as Czechvar, and Bürgerbräu are truly great beers, excellent beers in fact. Throw in that one of the three Budweisers is a product of Anheuser-Busch, the largest brewer in the world, and this becomes a knot worth untangling.

So why so much confusion? Part of it is historical in the sense of Central Europe's shifting boundaries, ethnicities and languages that are a result of the twentieth century's two world wars and their aftermath. Part of it is the utilization of the same term to designate a place name, a beer style, and a brand name. And lastly, is a marketing-driven desire to establish sole ownership over brand nomenclature considered to evoke the historical roots and rich history of a beer-related name – Budweiser - which has a surfeit of both.

So, let's start with some history and geography. Budweiser is a German term so let's start there. Germany is a relatively young country in that did not coalesce as a single nation state until after the American Civil War. Prior to this time, central Europe was a patchwork of small and medium sized states, city-states and principalities. Through the countless alliances, wars, and leadership changes, the underlying culture and language of the inhabitants within this part of the world stayed relatively stable As a result, geographic areas like Bohemia, Franconia, Schwabia, Moravia, and the Tyrol, etc. exist today across the countries of Austria, the Czech Republic, Germany, Italy and Slovakia, but do not have the status of a legal entity. These distinct regions persist as recognized geograhic entities however because they have retained unique cultures as evidenced by their architecture, dress, language or dialect as well as food and drink (beer) preferences.

Now for the beer aficionado, the result of this regional diversity, and its survival to the present day, has been a Godsend. Where would we be if we didn't have, for example, the unique taste of a Munich Lager as distinct from that of a Bohemian Lager and both being quite different from a Pilsner (Pils in German) or most certainly a Franconian Rauchbier? Differing water, the unique characteristics of the local barley and hops, regionally specific brewing styles and technologies as well as a measure of serendipity created a veritable Galapagos Island level of diversity in beer styles and tastes emanating from this particular part of the world.

The town today known as České Budějovice lies about 100 miles (160 km) due south of Prague in the Czech Republic. This area is considered to be part of Bohemia and prior to the forced expulsion and ethnic cleansing of Germans following WWII, had been something of a historical boundary zone between the German and Czech languages, culture and peoples. Bohemia has alternated between Teutonic and Slovakian spheres of influence throughout the last several hundred years. Prior to the creation of the nation of Czechoslovakia as a result of the settlement of national boundaries post WWI, the town was known by its German name of Budweis and was part of the German-speaking portion of the Austro-Hungarian Empire.

The brand name Budweiser reflects the addition of an 'er' to the place name of Budweis. German grammar utilizes this technique to, in this case, communicate that Budweiser designates someone or something originating in or from Budweis – hence Budweiser is a beer from Budweis. The post-1918 name of České Budějovice is the Czech equivalent of Budweis with a leading České thrown in to firmly designate the town as being part of the then new nation of Czechoslovakia.

By whatever name, this particular town has a rich and deep historical relationship to beer. Like its sister town of Plzen (known prior to 1918 by its German name of Pils), Budweis or České Budějovice gave birth to a unique brewing style and beer type. Where the city of Plzen is famous for developing the Pilsner style of beer, Budweis is famous for giving birth to the style known as Bohemian Lager.

However, Budweiser as a term also came into usage as a style-name alternative for Bohemian Lager just as Pilsner is a style name for the crisp lager developed originally in the town now known as Plzen. Such was the popularity of the Bohemian Lagers brewed by the brewers located in the city of Budweis, that it became common parlance to refer to this beer generically as a Budweiser-style beer of more simply just Budweiser.

This is equivalent to what one may experience in many parts of rural Texas where a cola of any brand is referred to simply as a Coke. Recently, and as a by-product of the Czech Republic's admission to the European Community, this location-specific designation has been formalized by the EU and Budejovicke Pivo (beer of Budějovice) is an official EU-protected geographical indication.

České Budějovice was and is home to multiple breweries and this further contributes to brand and name confusion. The largest and most famous brewery in town is Budweiser Budvar, National Corporation. This is the state-owned brewer of Budvar/Czechvar which has been in a near century long global legal battle with Anheuser-Busch over the rights to the name Budweiser. Interestingly, and as an aside, while this legal battle goes on, the two breweries have come to terms on a joint distribution deal for the North American market. Good news for the American beer drinker in that access to these beers is not affected by petty squabbling over naming rights! The legal battles over the name continue, but generally speaking, Czechvar is used by the Czech brewer in North America and Bud is used by the American brewer in many European markets. Everywhere else, both brewers prefer to brand their product as Budweiser.

České Budějovice other brewery is also its original and this brewery is known today as Budejovicky Mestansky Pivovar. Say that three times fast (drink the Budweiser of your choice and then do it again)! 'Pivo' is the Slavic term for beer so a 'Pivovar' is a brewery. Since 1990, it has emerged from the fog of communist control and has re-introduced its flagship brand which is a Budweiser (or Bohemian Lager) style of beer. The genesis of this beer goes back to 1795 when a brewing cooperative of the city's Czech and German brewers established the Burgerliches Brauhaus Budweis for the purposes of volume production and distribution first within Bohemia, then central Europe and later pre-Prohibition North America.

This brand has recently been re-introduced into the U.S. market under the brand B.B. Bürgerbräu and is commonly referred to as Bürgerbräu Budweiser. So now we are dealing with three beers that can be, and frequently are, called Budweiser. From a brand name perspective, things begin to get a bit hairy! Coincidentally and confusingly, like Budweiser, the Bürgerbräu brand has also been utilized by more than one brewery in Germany and North America. In fact, the two words making up the moniker Bürgerbräu Budweiser overlap with the branding of at least a half-dozen other breweries around the world. As we have just discussed the breweries utilizing the term Budweiser, let's now take a close look at those sharing Bürgerbräu as a brand name. "A rose by any other name..."

But first, a bit more vocabulary, starting with a translation of Bürgerbräu from German. A Bürger is a citizen. So, think of it this way, Bürgerbräu is to beer as Volkswagen is to car. As VW literally means, “the peoples' car”, Bürgerbräu literally means “the peoples' (or citizens') beer”. It is important to note however, that Bürgerbräu represents far, far more than just a brand name. Historically , it represented an entirely new way to manage the production and distribution of beer and was, in its own way, quite revolutionary for its time. The purpose of the Burgerliches Brauhaus Budweis (Citizen's Brewhouse of Budweis), formed in 1795, was to assemble the necessary production capacity and business assets to make a beer on a sufficient scale for the masses – the Burgers.

Keep in mind that this was a time when large scale production was a novel business concept. Production was generally controlled locally by guilds or religious orders and at a national level by the sovereign of the realm. The net effect of this multi-level system of controls was that production volumes were typically limited as a price protection to the guild or order and to ensure tax collection by the sovereign. As witness, Bavarian beer law during this era stipulated that brewing could only be done under royal license. And even with a license, brewers were further limited in terms of production capacity. For example, one set of Bavarian laws forbade brewers from shipping product over a distance longer than a horse-pulled beer wagon could cover in three days.

The Burgerliches Brauhaus Budweis venture amounted to a paradigm shift in terms of the brewing practices of the day. It sought to create a beer with mass appeal and, by pooling resources and capital, to gain the efficiency and scale to reduce production costs and therefore price. Stated simply – make a great beer and do so efficiently so that it can be sold less expensively than its competitors...this beer was a smash hit! So much of a hit that the concept of a quality, volume-brewed “citizens' beer” was widely adopted across central-Europe. The historical evidence of this is that, even today, there are multiple beer makers retaining the use of the Bürgerbräu brand, including:
> Berliner Bürgerbräu GmbH–Berlin Germany
> Privatbrauerei Bürgerbräu–Bad Reichenhall Germany
> Wolznacher Bürgerbräu, AG–Wolznach Germany

Historically, additional breweries utilzied this brand: Munich had its own Bürgerbräu brewery and beer hall which was destroyed in a bomb blast intended to assassinate Adolph Hitler. Munich's sister city of Cincinnati Ohio, coincidentally, was also home to brewery with a familiar sounding name - Burger Beer (an Americanization of Bürgerbräu). Burger was brewed in the Queen City until 1973. The brand was bought by Hudepohl, also of Cincinnati, which in turn merged with another Cincinnati brewer Schoenling in 1986. The merged brewery clung to life until sold to the Boston Beer Company in 1997 when production of all non-Sam Adams brands was discontinued.

So, what's in a name? In this case quite a lot. Geographic location, the history of changing borders within central Europe, a unique brewing style and even a revolution in the economics of beer production and distribution are all intertwined within the terms Budweiser and Bürgerbräu. All that we, the beer drinkers, are asked to do is to provide an additional increment of precision in our beer orders especially in those markets where the branding of Budweiser has not been entirely sorted out.

And sometimes this is not even enough. For the American in Europe, ordering a Budweiser, even when the Anheuser Busch product is clearly designated as Bud, will more times than not, have the server returning to your table with a Bud when what you really wanted was that delicious malted beverage from České Budějovice.

Many European servers, more often the wait staff than the bar staff, will see an American and immediately assume a preference for Anheuser Bush products. My only counsel, and request, is to avoid playing the part of the ugly American, smile grimly and drink the Bud but make it gently, yet abundantly, clear to the waiter that the next Budweiser must be from Budweis!


Prosit!
the Bier Kaiser

Dream Trips - Munich : Kelheim : Bamberg:

Franconia is an utterly charming corner of central Europe, tucked between Bavaria and Bohemia in the southeast quadrant of Germany, this part of the world includes great towns like Bamberg - a World Heritage site - as well as Regensburg and Passau. What makes it notable, to the beer aficionado, is the relative density of small, family-owned breweries. In a Germany which has witnessed the demise of literally thousands of breweries over the last two decades, Franconia is a throwback to an earlier time when each town and village boasted at least one local brewery.

The downward spiral of the US dollar has made foreign travel almost insanely expensive, but not yet impossible! With a stash of frequent flyer miles, a willingness to lodge in smaller, non-chain hotels and frequent use of mass transit, it is still possible to enjoy Europe without taking out a second mortgage.

What follows is a tested itinerary designed for a 'mixed' traveling party (mixed here designates the inclusion of both beer people and lesser mortals), which seeks to provide roughly equal portions of European culture, significant architecture and tasty brews to slake the thirst of your inner beer geek.

Three cities are targeted: Munich, Kelheim and Bamberg. All are great beer towns and both Munich and Bamberg provide ample museums, cathedrals and castles to satisfy even the most avid reader of the DK travel book series. Munich is the hub and its airport located to the north of the city can be accessed, for the return trip, in a few autobahn hours from Kelheim. With this basic geography in mind, then an eight day travel schedule might break down as three days in Munich, three days in Bamberg and two days in Kelheim. If you have more time to spend, I'd suggest adding a couple of days to the Munich portion of the schedule.

Figure out your ground transportation strategy beforehand. A car is not necessary for travel within these three cities. Kelheim and Bamberg are best navigated by foot. Munich has an excellent commuter rail and subway system. Travel between cities can also be accomplished by rail (and bus). The alternative is to pick-up a car when departing Munich and drop it back off when returning to the airport for departure. Googling the city of Munich and the the German Rail Service as well as car rentals like AutoEurope will provide an answer which best suits your needs and pocket book. In fact all of the place names herein have been tested with Google and details can be found with a quick search.

A lodging strategy is equally important. A successful approach we have employed is to stay at centrally located, family-run hotels that - whenever possible - are associated with a brewery. In Munich, the Blauer Bock , is an ideal combination of location, value and comfort. It is located just beyond the Marienplatz and is in walking distance of everything worth seeing in the central part of the city. Don't forget the complimentary breakfast, it is a standard offering for hotels in southern Germany and a great way to start the day.

For the beer connoisseur, must see sites in Munich include all of the major brewery beer halls, including Augistiner Bräuhaus, Lowenbrau Keller, Weisses Bräuhaus (Schneider), Paulaner Bräuhaus, Spaten Hof, Ayinger Speis und Trunk and of course the Hofbräuhaus. The first time visitor is often overwhelmed by the size, noise level and crowding in these establishments. It is best not to enter hungry, tired and and anxious for a beer. With a bit of planning, you can work these beer halls into your overall site seeing plan. Try to get inside a bit early and be open to sharing a table with other guests.

If you are looking for a great beer hall likely not to be crowded and offering a pervasive sense of calm, the Altes Hackerhaus is a strong recommendation. Located just doors from the Asamkirche (the Asam or St. Johann-Nepomuk church), this beer hall has a back room which serves as something of an indoor beer garden and is totally isolated from the hustle and bustle of Munich street life. If you choose to "hit" the Marineplatz in the morning, you can then make a short walk down to the Asam church - a true gem of Bavarian baroque architecture - and then relax over a long lunch at the Altes Hackerhaus.

North to Bamberg - my vote as the most beautiful city in Germany. Lodging in Bamberg can be found in several of the cities eight breweries. Why so many breweries in such a small town? You've left Bavaria and now are squarely in Franconia! Bamberg, besides being a World Heritage site, is also known as 'Bierstadt' or beer city. A solid lodging recommendation is Brauerei Fässla which offers a complimentary breakfast, has great beers as well as clean and tidy rooms. The brewery dates from 1649 and the current building is several hundred years old. Remember that when you are lugging your suitcases up steep winding stairs to your room and be sure to reward yourself with a brewery fresh beer when you come back down!

Rauchbier is the hallmark of the local beer craft. 'Rauch' is the German word for 'smoke' and this beer is made by smoking the malt as part of the brewing process and is applied to both lagers and wheat beers. The smoke houses used for making Rauchbiers must be the same as for sausage as the beer is imparted with a smoked ham flavor. My favorite is a Rauchweiss , or smoked wheat beer, as it combines the lightness of a good wheat with the heavier tones coming from the smoking process. A Rauchbier, or rauch beer, is great with meals, especially with a Haxen which is a roasted pork shoulder that is to die for!

The Bamberg breweries should not be missed and, for the most part, are conveniently, located as to be included in a walking tour of the city. Be prepared to take a lot of pictures of this town. The tour books can fill you in, but you have to see it to truly appreciate it. One suggestion is to utilize the early mornings or late evenings, when the tour buses are gone, to focus on 'shooting' the town. You'll compete with a lot fewer tourists and the light is often better during these times of the day.

All that walking and shutter snapping tends to build a thirst, let's get down to the essentials. Here's a quick overview of the breweries I have visited. There is more detailed information on the net, I would strongly suggest The Online Beer Guide to Franconia and Bamberg. Before diving into a review of these establishments, a quick level set is probably in order, the quality of these beers is simply at a different level, you'll understand that when you taste them, but between now and then, you'll have to excuse what may seem to be hyperbole or excessive rhetoric, there simply are not the proper words to describe how mind-boggling good these beers truly are:
> Maisel - try their tap room at Bamberger Weissbierhaus, fantastic beers;
> Greifenklau - invest in a hike up the hill to this small brewery, its well worth it and you'll be rewarded by great beers and an easy downhill return trip;
> Spezial - my favorite source of Rauch beer in Bamberg (which means any place);
> Mahrs - my vote for co-winner of the best beer in Bamberg;
> Keesmann - my other vote for co-winner of the best beer in Bamberg;
> Braerei Heller - home of Schlenkerla the most famous of Bamberg's rauch beers;
> Klosterbräu Bamberg - a veritable time machine, a beer in their ancient stone courtyard transports one several centuries backward into the time of legends.

A couple of final days in Kelheim can be a great way to wind down a tour of Franconia. Located on the Main-Danube canal junction, Kelheim is either a large village or a very small town. Either way, it has as couple of great things going for it. One is that it is the home of the Georg Schneider brewery which makes truly outstanding line of wheat beers. The second is that Kelheim offers easy access, via Danube river boat, to the Weltenberg brewery-monastery. The concept of a brewery-monastery has always fascinated me, what a great idea, why doesn't the Catholic church utilize this concept in other parts of the world (besides southern Germany and Belgium)? Talk about a recruiting tool..."son we ask you to give up all worldly possessions and to lead a life of celibacy and, oh by the way, did I mention that you get to help make and drink some of the best beer in the world as well." Padre - sign me up!

Lodging may be found in Kelheim's other brewery (unfortunately a third brewery closed in the middle 90's). The Hotel Aukofer Brau sits firmly in the center of the value, cleanliness, great breakfast triad that I seek in every hotel in this part of the world. The town is easy to navigate due to its size. Of note, the foot bridge over the Main-Donau Kanal is interesting only if to admire the thoughtful planning and engineering that went into the canal's construction. For all intents and purposes it looks like a naturally formed river. This waterway enables traffic to transverse Europe from Holland on the Atlantic coast to the Caspian sea, entirely on rivers and canals. As you are standing there you are likely to witness one or more river freighters ply the waters beneath you.

I will admit, but not recommend, that it is possible to do Kelheim in a single day. One may take the ferry boat from the Danube wharf up to the Weltenberg monastery at mid-morning and return in the early afternoon. The evening could then be reserved for a dinner at the Schneiderbräu beer garden. And I would suggest that you have your hotel manager make those reservations for you.

However, these are two landmark eating and drinking events and my suggestion is to devote a single day to each one. If memory serves the ferry trip from Kelheim to Weltenberg lasts less than an hour each way. The times are marked at the ticket booth and getting there a bit early will ensure booking passage. The monastery facility includes another gem of a Bavarian baroque church as well as hiking trails. But the reason people go there is the beer garden and the beer. Hike the trails, climb the hills and then sit down for an extended, sumptuous lunch, under the canopy of immense linden trees, with great food and better beer. And don't forget the desserts!

The Scheiderbräu beer garden is the other must-do eating and drinking event. Reserve a couple of hours for it as both the food and beer are of an excellent quality. The surroundings are especially pleasant, it is an older beer garden with mature trees and is located next to a small stream. The ambiance, especially on a bright, clear day is punctuated by the pleasant sounds of flowing water and the bird life which abounds in the canopy overhead. I'll repeat my previous advice to book a reservation through your hotel staff. This is a German custom that may seem an annoyance to Americans but is a great habit to get into - especially for dinners - if you know where you want to eat. The Haxen here is especially good, you'll have the rest of your lifetime to work off this meal - go for it!

Prosit!
the Beer Kaiser

Jim Koch - a toast to a real class act!:

The following announcement was made by Jim Koch of the Boston Beer Company to help small and medium-sized brewers combat the recent hop shortage. This shortage is seen as an attempt by the brewing juggernauts including Anheuser Bush, Miller's parent company SAB and the Molson Coors conglomerate to pressure smaller brewers and potentially drive them out of business. Jim Koch and the Boston Beer Company are to be congratulated for taking a stand and making a real difference to the North American brewing market.


From: Jim Koch/Hop Sharing
[mailto:Hop.Sharing@bostonbeer.com]
Sent: Thursday, February 14, 2008 9:22 AM
Subject: Boston Beer Hop Sharing

For a couple of months now, we've all been facing the unprecedented hops shortage and it's affected all craft brewers in various ways. The impact is even worse on the small craft brewers--openings delayed, recipes changed, astronomical hops prices being paid and brewers who couldn't make beer.

So we looked at our own hops supplies at Boston Beer and decided we could share some of our hops with other craft brewers who are struggling to get hops this year. We're offering 20,000 pounds at our cost to brewers who need them.

Specifically, we are able to spare 10,000 pounds of East Kent Goldings from Tony Redsell, a top English grower featured by Michael Jackson in Michael Jackson's Beer Companion (page 75 has a picture) and 10,000 pounds of the German Noble hop Tettnang Tettnanger from small farms in the Tettnang region in Germany. These are both type 90 pellets from the 2007 crop and are the exact same hops we brew our own beers with. We're not looking to make money on this so we're selling them at our cost of $5.72 a pound plus $.75 a pound to cover shipping and handling for the Goldings and $5.42 per pound plus $.75 a pound to cover shipping and handling for the Tetts.

They're packed in 22# foil bags, boxed four bags to a box in 88 lb. boxes and will be shipped from cold storage.The purpose of doing this is to get some hops to the brewers who really need them. So if you don't really need them, please don't order them. And don't order them just because we're making them available at a price way below market. Order them because you need these hops to make your beer. We're not asking questions, so let your conscience be your guide.A few mechanics--until we know how much need there is, we've put a maximum out there of 6 boxes per brewer, which is 528 pounds. You can order less in 88 pound increments. You pay shipping.

If we get more orders than the 20,000 pounds, we'll have a lottery. We will be putting the basic information to order, some faqs and the actual offer on our website http://www.samueladams.com/ in the next day or so, probably no later than Tuesday. Look for "Hop-Sharing Program" on the front page of the site.We hope this will make brewing a little easier for those hardest hit by the hop shortage."

Jim Koch, Boston Beer Company



Prosit!
the Bier Kaiser