Attention Hipsters: You are Doing It Wrong

So, you are a hipster. Good for you. You show your disdain for society by wearing your vans, your tight jeans, your white belt, your unkempt hair, and your general better than thou attitude.

Back when I lived in Alaska, every summer there would be a bunch of trust fund kids who would get off the airplane, with their huge backpacks, and start to trek across the state. They had their ideals, they thought they would save the world, hugging one tree at a time. They are anti-corporation, anti-government, anti-big business.

Modern hipsters are now known for their taste in beer. Specifically, hipsters drink Pabst Blue Ribbon. (Do a google search for hipster pbr and there are 585,000 results; including "Why do hipsters drink Pabst Blue Ribbon?")

Most of the time, it's said that hipsters drink PBR because "its ironic". Exactly how it's irony, I don't know. Perhaps they think they are sticking it to the man, and avoiding BudMillerCoors (which is a good practice). Sadly, drinking PBR doesn't help the little guy. PBR is made by the Pabst Brewing Company.

The Pabst Brewing Company started in 1844. PBC has won more than 120 medals at the Great American Beer Festival, twice they were selected as Large Brewery of the Year. That category again, Large Brewery of the Year.

How did Pabst get to be a large brewery? That's a long story... It's pretty much the story of four brewing companies.

Pabst

In 1848, they (then Best's brewery) only produced 300 barrels. By 1872, they were making 100,000 barrels. In 1889 the name was changed to Pabst Brewing Company. In 1946 Pabst bought the Hoffman Beverage Company in Newark. In 1948, Pabst bought the Los Angeles Brewing Company. By 1977, 18 million barrels were being sold a year.

Schlitz

Schlitz started in 1849 brewing 300 barrels. In 1867 they made 5,578 barrels. In 1879, 139,154 barrels. After the great Chicago fire n 1871, Schlitz supplied beer to Chicago with the tagline "The beer that made Milwaukee famous". In 1950 Schlitz sold 5 million barrels, in 1952, 6.35 million. In 1955, Schlitz and Anheuser-Busch were battling for the #1 spot. In 1963, Schlitz purchases Burgermeister Beer. In 1973 Schlitz hd 21.3 million barrels of sales. Things went downhill in 1967 with a different brewing process. In 1982, Schlitz was purchased by Stroh Brewing Co.

G. Heileman Brewing Co.

Gottleib Heileman started the City Brewery in LaCrosse, Wisconsin in 1858. In 1902 City Golden Leaf Beer was relaunched as Heileman's Old Style Lager. From 1950 on Heileman's goes on a purchasing spree. 1959 Kingsbury, 1962 Fox Head, 1963 Independent Brewing, 1964 Duluth Brewing, 1964 Gluek Brewery, 1967 Weidemann Brewery, 1967 Oertel Brewing, 1969 Blatz, 1972 Associated Brewing (Schmidt), 1976 Grain Belt Brewery, 1976 Rainier Brewing, 1978 Falls City, 1979 Carling (Colt 45, Natty Bo).

In 1979, Heileman had 34 brands and 9 breweries; they were the 4th largest brewer in the country. In 1982 they bought Lone Star. In 1990 Heileman declared bankruptcy. They were sold to Hicks Muse Tate in 1993, and to Stroh in 1996.

Stroh Brewery Co.

Bernhard Stroh started the Lion's Head Brewery in Detroit. In the 1890's Stroh's uses fire-brewing technique, instead of steam to heat the kettles. In 1956, Stroh's sales were 2.7 million barrels. In 1964, purchases Goebel Brewing Company. In 1973 sold 4 million barrels. 1978, purchases Schaefer Brewing, sells 6.4 million barrels. 1982, buys Schlitz becomes third largest brewer. 1996, purchases Heileman for 290 million. 1999, acquired by Pabst Brewing Company.

So that's how Jacob Best's 18 barrel system in 1848 wound up owning most of the regional breweries in the United States.

What's Ironic about PBR is that the hipsters drink it. They may think they are sticking it to the man, by avoiding Budweiser, Miller, and Coors. But instead, they are purchasing a beer from a brewery that has gobbled up every possible little man in an effort to increase market share.

Were all of these acquisitions hostile takeovers? Probably not. I'm sure many of them were just regional brewers that got in over their head. They created a good product that the locals enjoyed, and then tried to expand. As these small breweries increased their size, they probably became incorporated, and were forced to attempt to expand even more. This probably led them to near financial ruin. During that time, the companies that still had money (Stroh's, Heileman, Schlitz, and Pabst) came in and bought up the brewery.

So, this beer that is loved by the counter-culture hipsters is made by a company that owns this:

Schaefer Brewing Company; G. Heileman Brewing Company; Jos. Schlitz Brewing Company; Lone Star Brewing Company; McSorley's Ale House; Narragansett Brewing Company; Pabst Brewing Company; Pearl Brewing Company; Piel Brothers; Primo Brewing and Maalting Company; Rainier Brewing Company; Southampton bottling, LLC; Specialty Brewing Company; St. Ides Brewing Company; and Stroh Brewery Company.

Instead of drinking an alternative beer; you are buying a mainstream, corporate, white collar, boardroom, hostile takeover and dismantle the little guy beverage.

How can you sleep at night?

V

Gettin Your Halloween Drink On in CU

Beer lists for the weekend of October 31.

7 Saints

Their current two rotating taps are:

Southern Tier Back Burner Barley Wine
Bells Rye Stout

That's right, Bells Rye Stout. When was the last time you had a Bells Rye Stout? When was the last time Bells MADE their Rye Stout? I had one last night, and it was AWESOME!

Radio Maria

The beer list as of 10/24, according to their website. It's probably not very accurate.

1. Ename Belgian Trippel $6
2. Brasserie Blanche de Bruxelles $5
3. Two Brothers Red Eye Coffee Porter $5
4. Two Brothers Heavy Handed IPA $4
5. Three Floyd's Robert the Bruce $4
6. Moylan Moylander Imperial IPA $6
7. Founders Breakfast Stout $5
8. Victory Prima Pils $5
9. Two Brothers Moaten Flemish Red Ale $6
10.Eggenburg Samiclaus Helles $5
11.Pizza Port Hop 15 IPA $5.5
12.Green Flash Hop Head Red $5
13.Southern Tier Big Red $6
14.Dogfish Head Indian Brown Ale $5
15.Allagash White $4
16.Guinness $4
17.Wychwood Hobgoblin $4
18.Southern Tier Hop*Sun $3.5
19.Old Bruin Brown $6.5
20.Lagunitas A Little Sumpin Extra $5
21.Big Sky Moose Drool $4
22.Capital Wild Rice $3
23.Arcadia Jaw Jacker $4
24.Dark Horse Perkulator Dopplebock $5.5
25.Coney Island Freaktoberfest $6.5
26.Kapuziner Weissbier $5
27.PBR $2.25

I will try to get it updated as soon as I can.

Friday Happy Hour from 4:30-5:30, beer special is $5 of Two Brothers Moaten.
Saturday is Halloween costume contest. Signup by 11:45, competition at midnight. $5 cover, it still is salsa night.
Sunday is NOT the B. United beer dinner, postponed due to World Series.

Blind Pig

Bells Amber Kalamazoo, Michigan, Amber Ale, 6% abv
Dark Horse Perkulator Marhsall,Michigan, Dopplebock, 7.5% abv
Arcadia ESB Battle Creek, Michigan, Extra Special Bitter, 5.5% abv
Original Sin Hard Cider New York, New York, Cider, 6% abv
Celis Grand Cru Webberville, Michigan, Belgian Strong Ale, 8% abv
Unibroue La Terrible Canada, Belgian Strong Ale, 10.5%
Eugene City 200 Meter Eugene, Oregon, India Pale Ale% abv
Rogue Hazelnut Brown Newport, Oregon, Brown Ale, 6.22% abv
Fullers London Pride England, Premium Bitter, 4.7% abv
Delirium Tremens Belgium, Belgian Strong Ale, 8.5% abv
Blue Moon Golden, Colorado, Belgian White, 5.4% abv
Victory Prima Pils Downington, Pennsylvania, Pilsener, 5.3% abv
Stella Artois Belgium, Pale Lager, 5.2% abv
Pabst Blue Ribbon San Antonio, Texas, Pale Lager, 5% abv
Celis Raspberry Webberville, Michigan, Fruit Beer, 3.9%
Breckenridge Lucky U Denver, Colorado, India Pale Ale, 6.2% abv
Three Floyds Robert The Bruce Munster, Indiana, Scottish Ale, 7.2%
Lagunitas IPA Petaluma, California, India Pale Ale, 5.7% abv
Duchesse De Bourgogne Belgium, Sour Ale, 6.2% abv
Tucher Helles Hefe Weizen Germany, German Hefeweizen, 5.3% abv
Lindemans Pomme Belgium, Lambic, 3.5% abv
Goose Island Matilda Chicago, IL, Belgian Strong Ale, 7% abv
Youngs Double Chocolate Stout England, Stout, 5.2%
Guinness Dublin, Ireland, Dry Stout, 4.1% abv

Saturday is $1 off all Pumpkin Beer.
Sunday is Trivia from 7-9. You can win $50 Blind Pig Gift Cards.

The Brewery (Piglet)

Schlafly Pumpkin Maplewood, Missouri, Spice Ale, 8% abv
Veltins Pilsener Germany, Classic German Pilsener, 4.8% abv
Arcadia Roggen Berry Battle Creek, Michigan, Fruit Beer% abv
Port Brewing Wipeout IPA San Marcos, California, India Pale Ale, 7% abv
New Holland Dragon’s Milk Holland, Michigan, English Strong Ale, 9% abv
Three Floyds Robert The Bruce Munster, Indiana, Scottish Ale, 7.2% abv
Heileman's Old Style Milwaukee, Wisconsin, Pale Lager, 5% abv
Great Divide Hades Denver, Colorado, Belgian Ale, 7.3% abv
König Ludwig Weiss Germany, German Hefeweizen, 5.5% abv
Guinness Ireland, Dry Stout, 4.1% abv

Crane Alley

Victory Prima Pils 5.4%
Three Floyds Robert The Bruce 7.0%
Arcadia Nut Brown Ale 5.6%
Great Divide Hades 7.3%
Great Divide St Bridgets Porter 5.9%
Van Diest Fruli Strawberry 4.0%
Founders Breakfast Stout 8.3%
Hoegaarden Belgian Wit 5.4%
Guinness 4.2%
Three Floyds Alpha King Pale Ale 6.0%
St Bernardus Abt 12 Quadruple 10.0%
Bells Amber Ale 5.8%
Pabst Blue Ribbon 4.7%
Harviestoun Old Engine Oil 6.0%
Two Brothers Heavy Handed Ipa 5.6%
Dogfish Head 90 Min Ipa 9.0%

Coming Soon

Schneider Weiss 5.4%
Piraat 10.5%
Erdinger Octoberfest Weizen
Gulden Draak 10.5%
Founders Harvest Ale 6.5%
Veltins Pilsener 4.9%
Lindemans Pomme 4.0%


Pretty much every bar in town will have people in costumes this weekend. That includes Hooters, who has Sam Adams Winter on tap.

Cowboy Monkey

(nothing too special on the beer menu)

Friday, DJ Kosmo (free) 10 p.m.
Saturday Dubstep Halloween ($5) 10 p.m. Costumes encouraged.

Highdive

Friday, Mason Jennings
Saturday, Brat Pack, (doors 8:30 show 9:30/12)
Sunday, The Big Beat

Canopy Club

Saturday, Canopy Halloween Bash with Cornmeal, the Bridge, and Zmick.
Sunday, The Disco Biscuits
Nov 9, Ace Frehley ($20 in advance) show at 7 p.m.


V

*edit: updated Radio Maria information*
*edit: added Canopy Club, Highdive, and Cowboy Monkey*

Beer Review, Shiner Cheer

It's been a while since I've had a beer at the house; so I figured I'll have one tonight before Beer Class.

I picked out a Shiner Cheer. I got this on Tuesday night when Smart@ss and I went to tucks on a beer run. I'm not normally a fan of Shiner's (Spoetzl Brewery) usual offerings (the bock for example) but their holiday cheer beer pleasantly surprised me last year.

It pours a pecan color from the bottle. That's good, because it's made with pecans. It has a decent head, that's got some yellow in it. The label is somewhat disappointing, as it says "Ale brewed with peaches and pecans and with natural flavor and caramel color", so the deep woody color doesn't come from the malt but it faked.

The nose is definitely peachy. There's some other sugary sweetness to it, but it's peach. It's slightly effervescent (bubbly) and a bit thin (thinner than milk, thicker than water). It doesn't leave much on the front of the palate, but does linger a bit in the back.

It tastes, of peaches. There is some malt and sweet after you get over the initial bombardment of peaches. There's practically no hops bitterness whatsoever. It may have some tartness from the peaches, but there's no bitter. Any that might be present seems to be more of a nutty bitter than a hoppy bitter.

Apparently, this is a dunkelweizen. It's a Bavarian-style dark wheat. That's good I guess, since beer class tonight is whet beers. I don't get any soft of dunkelweizen out of this.

When I had this last year, it didn't seem very remarkable at the beginning of the season. The last time I had it was in March or April, and it had mellowed out very nicely. If you pick up a six pack of this, go ahead and have a couple now, but put one or two away to see how you like it later. I liked it more after it had some months on it, but that's just me. Some people think aging beers goes against what the brewer was trying to do. I say, it's your mouth, put in it what you want to put in it. If you like something a little bit different than what was intended, do what makes you happiest. (That's why there's salt/pepper/ketchup/mustard on tables at restaurants; so you can eat things the way you want to eat them). Once you buy it, it's your beer, if you like it better with a couple months on it, more power to you.

Diatribe over...

As the beer warms, there's some more flavors that pop out. It's starting to get a cherry note to it. Also, the pecan is becoming more noticeable. It's still not showing itself to be a dunkelweizen. It seems like almost any beer style could serve as the base for this. Well, not just ANY, a wheat, strong, stout, plain old "ale" or "lager" would hold up fine. The peaches flavor would hold up to any "basic" beer and turn it into something special.

I'd recommend drinking this beer at a temp slightly warmer than your fridge. Chill it, then give it at least 20 minutes before drinking. It's good cold, but as is the case with most good beers, it's better warm. Here's a tip from me to you... if you don't like the beer that you are drinking when it's warm, then it's probably not a good beer.

I like this beer. I will like it more in a couple of months.

CU Beer Weekend of Oct 23

Lets see how much useful beer information, I can put together for your drinking needs for this coming week.

Radio Maria:

Friday, free appetizers from 4:30 to 5:30. Saturday, Salsa night at 10. Sunday, $1 PBR.
As of 10/20 their draft beer list was:

1. Ename Belgian Trippel $6
2. Brasserie Blanche de Bruxelles $5
3. Two Brothers Red Eye Coffee Porter $5.5
4. Two Brothers Heavy Handed IPA $4
5. Sinebrychoff Porter $6
6. Moylan Moylander Imperial IPA $6
7. Founders Breakfast Stout $5
8. Victory Prima Pils $5
9. Two Brothers Moaten Flemish Red Ale $6
10.Eggenburg Samiclaus Helles $5
11.Pizza Port Hop 15 IPA $5.5
12.Green Flash Hop Head Red $5
13.Southern Tier Big Red $6
14.Dogfish Head Indian Brown Ale $5
15.Allagash White $4
16.Guinness 250 $5
17.Wychwood Hobgoblin $4
18.Southern Tier Hop*Sun $3.5
19.Old Bruin Brown $6
20.Lagunitas A Little Sumpin Extra $5
21.Big Sky Moose Drool $4
22.Two Brothers Ebel's Weisse $5
23.Arcadia Jaw Jacker $4
24.Dark Horse Perkulator Dopplebock $5.5
25.Coney Island Freaktoberfest $6.5
26.Kapuziner Weissbier $5
27.PBR $2.25

According to their website, they have Bells Hopslam in bottles.

Blind Pig:

Sunday, Trivia from 7-9. $3 Guinness draught.

Tap List (as of Wed):
Sand Creek Cranberry
Dark Horse Perkulator
Arcadia ESB
Original Sin Hard Cider
Chimay White
Unibroue Chambly Noire
Ballast Point Sculpin
Rogue Juniper Pale
Fullers London Pride
Delerium Tremens
Blue Moon
Left Hand Polestar Pilsner
Stella Artois
PBR
Celis Raspberry
Breckenridge Lucky U
Three Floyds Pride & Joy
Lagunitas IPA
Duchesse De Bourgogne
Tucher Helles Hefe Weizen
Lindemans Pomme
Goose Island Matilda
Youngs Double Chocolate Stout
Guinness

The Brewery (Piglet) has
Schlafly Pumpkin
Bitburder Premium Pils
Arcadia Roggen Berry
Arcadia Hop Rocket
Left Hand Milk Stout
Three Floyds Robert the Bruce
Old Style
North Coast Le Merle
Konig Ludwig Weiss
Guinness

Seven Saints:

Was there last night, on tap was:

Southern Tier Oat
Southern Tier Unearthly IPA (I believe)
Southern Tier Pumpking

Crane Alley:

Website lists:

Victory Prima Pils
Arcadia Nut Brown
Rogue Cap'n Sig's India Red Ale
Great Divide Hades
Great Divide St. Bridgets Porter
Three Floyds Drunk Monk Hefe Weizen
Founders Breakfast Stout
Hoegaarden Belgian Wit
Guinness
Three Floyds Alpha King Pale Ale
Chimay Cinq Cents Trappist Tripel
Bells Amber
PBR
Harviestoun Old Engine Oil
Three Floyds Broo Doo Harvest Ale
Dogfish Head 90 Min IPA

I think that's about it for the places that I know of that have changing beer lists. Mike n Molly's doesn't have a site, neither does Bentley's. If anyone wants to know their lists, let me know and I'll try to get them for future reference.

Other upcoming events are:
November 1, Radio Maria Beer Dinner with B. United
November 3, CU Beer Club Happy Hour, at Mike and Molly's at 6 p.m.

Have a good weekend.

V

Bars in CU with NFL Sunday Ticket

There seem to be a lot of searches that wind up here for Bars in Champaign (Urbana) with NFL Sunday ticket.

So, to provide the service... here's some that I know of (along with their pros and cons).

Hooters.

I go to Hooters on Sunday for football. Hooters (and bud) have a promotion now, that if you show up on days that there is pro or college football on, you will get a punch in a card. The 5th punch winds up getting you stuff. The fifth punch is a bud coozie; 10th is 10 wings; 15 is $10 gift card. It goes up to 35 (I believe, don't have mine on me) and then you get a wing parts (something like 100 wings). It's a good value.

Additionally, since I held a fantasy football draft there, I got a coupon pack, that each week has different coupons. Last week was 50 free wings, this week is 20% off food and merchandise. Hooters also has wi-fi, so you can bring in your laptop and watch your fantasy football team lose.

The drawback to Hooters is... there are only 5 directv receivers, so that means only 5 games on. That doesn't make a difference for the afternoon games, but it can limit the noon games. The beer selection isn't that great, but they do have a couple good beers, including freshly tapped Sam Adams winter. The scenery at Hooters isn't bad either.

Billy Barooz.

If we weren't going to Hooters, I'd be going to Billy Barooz. It's on the southwest side of town, in the crossing area. I'm not sure the number of tv's and receivers, but there are several. If you sit at the bar, you can probably talk the bartender into putting your favorite team on. Additionally, in the Sunday morning News Gazette, in the sports section, they are putting coupons in.

Barooz has a better beer selection, and has some of the best nachos that I've ever had. You can order it at the start of the first game, and still take some home at the end of the late game. I believe that BB has wi-fi.

The drawback to BB is lack of tv's. And if you are gonna compare the scenery, Megan beats Aaron.

Buffalo Wild Wings.

BW has NFL sunday ticket. BW has good wings. BW doesn't have great beer. BW has huge tvs and lots of receivers. BW probably has the biggest crowd. I'm unsure of BW's wi-fi.

Others

I believe Tumble Inn has it, but I'm not exactly sure.

According to Abelink Fat City has it.

I don't know about any on campus that have it... but then, I don't go to campus.

Another possibility is Old Chicago. They have a lot of beer, but not a lot of great beer. I guess the pizza is good too. *edit*

Old Chicago

Old Chicago has NFL Sunday Ticket. According to their front door, they also have wi-fi. They also have the best beer selection of any bar in town (110 beers according to the sign over the door) that has the package. They probably have more tv's too.

Bars that DEFINITELY don't have it.

Radio Maria, no tvs.

Blind Pig, no tvs.

7 Saints, has cable.

Crane Alley, has cable.

Blind Pig Brewery, no tvs.

I don't think either of the Jupiters has it, nor High Dive, Cowboy Monkey, or Guidos (I could be wrong about Guidos).

Well, I hope you find a place that has it. If you know of any others, let me know, and I can add to the list.

V