Beer Review: Urban Artifact Hippodrome

I have three rules I like to try to follow when selecting beer: 1) go local, 2) go independent and 3) go anything else after 1 and 2 can’t be met. But being that I like to pick up individuals for beer reviews that can sometimes be hard for #1, however not this time as I was able to secure a local one where I can do just that.

Hippodrome is a Wild Double IPA from one our local Cincinnati breweries, Urban Artifact. The brewery itself is also worth a visit if you come to the area as it was constructed in an old church which now seems to be more of a growing trend in parts of the country, and I can give an amen to that. The beer itself comes in with an alcohol content of 9.1% along with an IBU level of 70. And because of the wild yeast used, a sort of funkiness can be expected. I am looking forward to checking it out here, so if you have some time then click my video below to see what I find with this local brew. And if you have a beer as well then pop the top, so you can enjoy it with me and “Get Your Beer On!”

Beer Review: Samuel Adams Tropic of Yuzu

Check out my video here to see my look at the Samuel Adams Tropic of Yuzu American Pale Wheat Ale. This beer is noted as getting a citrusy punch from yuzu which is a Japanese fruit with the goal of adding its juicy hints to the beer which highlight notes of Mandarin orange and grapefruit. The beer itself carries an alcohol content of 6% ABV and an IBU level of 20. I have started to really enjoy the pale wheat ale style which adds a nice touch of hoppiness. This is a seasonal beer and was highlighted this year as part of their American Summer Variety Pack.

As far as ingredients, the beer uses Grains of Paradise and Yuzu juice concentrate along with Samuel Adams two-row pale malt blend and White Wheat. Hops used are Hallertau and Spalt-Spalter Noble. But enough talk about what makes it, let’s see how it all comes together. Join me and watch my video below as I take a deeper look at this beer.

Press Release: Ohio Brewers Bring Home Gold From GABF

Seven breweries earn nine medals at annual competition.

DENVER – Ohio craft brewers celebrated another year of impressive results at the 2017 Great American Beer Festival, held Oct. 5-7.  The Ohio delegation won a total of nine awards at the nation’s most prestigious brewing competition.

The Fat Head’s breweries in Middleburg Heights and North Olmsted combined for two medals, with Alpenglow winning the gold for German-Style Wheat Ale for the second straight year and Midnight Moonlight earning bronze, the third consecutive medal for American-Style Black Ale. This marks the ninth consecutive year that Fat Head’s has taken home a medal. They have won a total of 21 awards over that span.

The BottleHouse Brewery and Meadery in Cleveland won bronze medals in the Historical Beer and Aged Beer categories. This was the first year The BottleHouse entered the Great American Beer Festival (GABF) competition.

Three Cincinnati breweries won their first gold medals at the GABF this year. Fifty West Brewing Company took top honors in the Old Ale or Strong Ale category with 10&2 Barleywine. Brink Brewing’s Hold The Reins earned them their first ever GABF medal atop the English-Style Mild Ale category. Taft’s Ale House struck gold with Gustav in the Vienna-Style Lager category.

Two Ohio breweries earned their first honors at this year’s competition. BrewDog Brewing Co. in Canal Winchester earned a bronze medal in the American-Style Fruit Beer category. Cleveland’s Masthead Brewing won the Double Red Ale bronze medal.

“The results of this year’s competition prove that Ohio continues to grow in reputation as a great craft beer state,” said Mary MacDonald, executive director of the Ohio Craft Brewers Association. “Our breweries are a tremendous point of pride for Ohioans, and these nine medals show that our world-class beers can stand toe-to-toe with the best in the country.”

Since 2009, 22 Ohio craft breweries have combined to win 52 medals—17 gold—at the Great American Beer Festival.


2017 medal-winning Ohio craft beers:

Fat Head’s Brewery:
• AlpenGlow – Gold medal, German-Style Wheat Ale
• Midnight Moonlight – Bronze medal, American-Style Black Ale

The BottleHouse Brewery & Meadery:
• Spring Gruit – Bronze medal, Historical Beer
• There Is No Quad – Bronze medal, Aged Beer

Brink Brewing Co.:
• Hold The Reins – Gold medal, English-Style Mild Ale

Fifty West:
• 10&2 Barleywine – Gold medal, Old Ale or Strong Ale

Taft’s Ale House:
• Gustav – Gold medal, Vienna-Style Lager

BrewDog Brewing Co.:
• Elvis Juice – Bronze medal, American-Style Fruit Beer

Masthead Brewing Co:
• Midwest Red IPA – Bronze medal, Double Red Ale

Founded in 2007, the Ohio Craft Brewers Association is a nonprofit guild that exists to promote and preserve Ohio’s unified craft brewing industry. We aspire to be recognized as the industry leader at both state and national levels for preserving the art of making high-quality, unique craft beer; to serve as the unified voice for craft brewers across the state; to advocate on behalf of the Ohio Craft beer industry; to contribute to systemic, local community development by driving economic and job growth, while creating experiences that bring people together; and to serve as a beacon for local production and manufacturing through craft beer, resulting in diverse choices for consumers

VinePair: The Ideal Wine For Every Kind Of Beer Lover

While beer is usually a first choice for me as an alcoholic drink of choice, often beer may not be available or the choices may be a little underwhelming. However, what may be available is that of wine and here is a handy dandy guide to seek out those wines that may be the equal for what fits your palate when beer may not on the menu that evening. Check out these comparisons and alternate choices as compiled by VinePair.







The Ideal Wine For Every Kind Of Beer Lover | VinePair

NPR: Craft Breweries Pour New Life Into Small Towns

From NPR comes this piece that discussed how craft breweries are revitalizing small towns. Well worth a read, as the growth of the craft beer movement continues to hit key strides.

Bolo Beer Company head brewer Chris Hernstrom traded the hopped Northwest for the relatively quiet Great Plains, looking for a new challenge.Kirk Siegler/NPR

Tapping Rural America: Craft Breweries Pour New Life Into Small Towns : NPR

Blank Slate Brewing Company, A Cautionary Tale For A Brewery Lost

Blank Slate Brewing Company was one of our local breweries here in Cincinnati. For five years they were able to produce solid well-crafted beers and then one day, poof! They were gone. How does this happen? A brewery that makes well tasting and solid beers is one that many would think would be around for a long time. There are many breweries that make beer that is only half decent at best, and yet they have been around for decades. How could this happen? Well the simple answer may just be that we often take good beer for granted.

Currently across America, we have over 5,300 breweries that are now in operation and I believe the true number may be closer to now being about 5,500. Think about that number…5,500. This includes Brewpubs, Microbreweries, Regional Breweries and of course, the big boy macros. In 1981, there were 40 breweries operating…across the country. That is some massive growth my friends and at some point, some of the smaller ones are almost in a spot to inevitably face an uphill battle due to the large amount of choice now across the beer landscape.

When Blank Slate closed its doors, so many couldn’t believe it that its owner, Scott LaFollette, even released a statement to end any speculation which had begun to swirl. His response was very simple, yet telling.

“The reason for our closure is pretty simple. We ran out of money. There is no big conspiracy, no secret takeover, no legal troubles or personal issues. We simply don’t have enough cash to keep going.”

Simple and effective, to the point and addresses what may be one of the biggest obstacles for smaller breweries to face, cash flow. Without this, breweries cannot do all that is needed to keep things sustained for some. This is just basic economics, so how do we avoid this for the breweries that we love and appreciate? Here are a few of my thoughts:

·         Show and Maintain Support – We have to show up for these breweries and keep on showing up, we can never assume they are good enough to just make it.

·     Respect The Breweries – We need to be conscious to do the things that respect the brewery and avoid those that don’t. For example, not taking beer glasses that cost the breweries to replenish their stock. There is nothing wrong from buying them and they will appreciate it.

·         Spread The Word – Get others excited about the breweries by sharing their story and encouraging others to check the brewery out. One of the great things about the craft beer community has been a sense of just that, community. We can always do more of this. Also, ask stores if they are carrying the beer of breweries that you like. The more they hear it then the higher the chance of the brewery being distributed if they are set up to do so.

      Craft beer has become a highly competitive marketplace and not paying attention to one of your favorite breweries may lead to them possibly disappearing, so make sure you wave that flag of the brewery you love. Not doing so and being silent may end with you being compliant in their disappearance.  Now go Get Your Beer On and show that brewery some love!

      Cheers!

Did I miss anything? Let me know your thoughts by dropping some comments in the comment section. Feedback is always appreciated, as well as sharing with others!