Rain Barrel Beer

In Atlanta, 5 Seasons offers natural, "real" food and beer brewed by brewmaster Crawford Moran. The brewery was already making green efforts in their production methods by reusing cooking oil from the kitchen to fire their kettles. 5 Seasons took it to the next level by using only the rainwater in their beer production, an act that fulfilled their "commitment to environmentally responsible production" and actually improved the taste of their beer.

Alas, the city shut production down because while the filtered rainwater was certainly "potable" before being put into beer production, but there are no statutes discussing rainwater for such use.

Thank you to Donna McLaughlin of Slow Food: Urban San Diego for sending this article to me. For the full article from Mother Nature Network click here.

Vegetarian Wine?

I was a vegetarian for years and I know that so many food items contain some sort of animal product (or bi-product). It's almost impossible to remain mainstream and still be true to a strictly vegetarian diet and don't even get me started on vegan diets! But wine? Really?

According to this article, you may be wrecking your veggie ways by drinking wine. Where will the madness end? Turns out that some charcoals used are made with animal bones. Yuck. Read the article from the Times Standard here and see if you look at your innocuous glass of wine the same way again!

Musical Chianti by Sting

It's really a message in a bottle when Sting grows and makes his own organic brand of Chianti and then donates a percentage of the proceeds to charities. He's produing 30,000 bottles of Chianti a year from his 300-hectare estate in Tuscany. Sting said that his concern for the environment, which initially took the form of a campaign to save the Amazon rainforest, had spread to the defence of rural Tuscany. "I always use traditional methods – no pesticides," he said. He bought the vineyards and woods adjoining his villa grounds in 2002, and employs 15 estate workers as well as seasonal labour.

A percentage of all profits from the sales goes to the environmental causes the couple support, such as the Soil Association, which promotes organic food and farming in Britain, and the Rainforest Foundation, which they helped to found in 1989.

Read more here at Times Online.

Music to Drink To

This is not about alcohol, unless you're a big proponent of unwinding at the end of the day, glass of wine in your hand, fire roaring, music wrapping you up in comfort and inspiration. If you're in the mood, James Hubler's music completely fits the bill with a beautiful acoustic style. Take a few minutes to listen in and you'll become a fan. Here's a quick link to James Hubler's music. Enjoy!

World's Biggest Pint

OK, a pint of beer is technically a measurement so it would be impossible to have one pint be larger than another. However, Timisoara, the second largest city in Romania, has snatched the world record for the largest pint of beer from Malaysia. The record was broken during August and the pint is currently on view in the city’s famous beer factory.

In European measurement standards, here are the stats (I'm not converting them for you - just know that it's big): "The world record-breaking ‘pint’ weighs in at almost 3 tonnes and cost over 35,000 Euros to produce, although half of this cost had been covered by generous sponsorship. The giant beer mug holds 11 thousand litres – that is almost 20 thousand pints of beer. The ‘pint’ is over 6 meters tall, double the size of the previous record, and the container is made of stainless steel."

For the rest of this article,please check out Strangford Lough Brewing Company's Fan page on Facebook here.

Opening Wine with a Shoe

Seriously - opening a wine bottle with a shoe... so worth posting. Thanks to @Vinocations for posting the link on Twitter!

Restaurant Wine Cellar to Save Business

It is one of Europe's oldest restaurants, a Paris landmark with a renowned wine cellar of nearly half a million bottles dating back centuries. Now, to clear space – and to raise €1m for renovation and investment – a selection from the cellar of La Tour D'Argent is going under the hammer for the first time. Brilliant? Yes! Note of interest is that this restaurant (and the critic who nearly ruined it) can be seen in the Disney film "Ratatouille".

This sale is accomplishing a few things in one fell swoop:
1. Press. Yep, I'm writing about the restaurant.
2. Money. In a market where luxury sales have declined it's going to generate cash for the business and for the remodel.
3. It's getting rid of some over purchases. 20 years ago French wine was all about Burgundy and Bordeaux. Now wine drinkers have expanded their tastes and the wine in the cellar needs to reflect this.

It's a wine collector's dream. David Ridgeway, the restuarant's chief sommelier, said. "Every one has come from our cellar, has only made one journey in its lifetime and has been handpicked." He goes on to mention his hopes that the bottles sold will be drunk – even the 1788 cognac. "That's what it is there for," he said. "I would rather people enjoyed it, rather than collecting wine for the sake of it." I'm all for that!

Read the full article from The Guardian here.

Entrepreneur Recognizes Beer

Craft beer is on the rise and Entrepreneur magazine recognizes it. They're a little late to the party since we've seen craft beers taking over for some time. So ingrained in our culture now, the large breweries have started to emulate the small ones, with new products that sound more unique and advertising that emphasizes the brewmaster and creative making of fine beer. Most of us are not fooled, but the general public does actually want better beer. There has been a 6% rise overall in the sale of premium craft beers this past year with the thoughts that it is an affordable luxury.

You can read the article from Entrepreneur Magazine here.

Castle Lite Vanilla Ice Commercial

I saw this on The Barley Blog here but I had to repost it because it just made me laugh. It's not newsworthy at all so you're just going to have to cut a girl a break!

Homeopathy and Grape Growing

What's the connection between natural healing techniques and growing grapes for wine making? This doctor found a great way to incorporate both in an explanation of what biodynamic farming really is and how it actually does make a difference in the wine you're drinking.

Twitter Wine

Yep, just in case most of our lives haven't been taken over by social networking, now Twitter is invading our wine cellars.

Starting today, you can reserve your Twitter-branded bottle of wine for $20, $5 of which goes toward Room to Read (the rest pays for production costs). Every case sold will buy 60 local language books in support of an organization that, to date, has established more than 700 schools and over 7,000 bilingual libraries with five million books.

O.K. so it's for a good cause and I can't fault them for doing something that benefits literacy but I need to know - are you really going to buy wine from Twitter? Read the full article from San Francisco Weekly here.

San Diego No1 Beer Town

That's right, when it comes to beer San Diego has it going on! According to an article on the top 5 beer towns in the U.S. in Men's Journal Magazine, Southern California is making a name for itself in the craft brew arena. I'll post the parts on San Diego here but to find out who else is on the list and why, check out the full article here.

San Diego isn’t just surfing and LaDainian Tomlinson anymore — it’s the new beer capital of the U.S. Stone (maker of our number one ale) exemplifies the local approach, with aggressively hopped but completely drinkable brews. The variety of beers across the city is the most eclectic in the country.

Where to Drink: Thirtieth Street in North and South Parks is easily the nation’s best beer boulevard. Start with any of former firefighter Pat McIlhenney’s range of tap-only ales at the laid-back Hamilton’s Tavern (which taps special casks every Friday), then head to the beer-focused Linkery restaurant, which has frequent beer-pairing dinners. For your after party, hit the Toronado. The beer lists at all three are deep, stacked with the freshest local beers and exotic imports.

Beer Culture: The sheer number of breweries (33) blows us away. (It has crept past Portland, which has 29.) Visit almost any of them and you’ll find the brewmaster on hand, happy to chat over a pint.

Best Brews: Alpine Ale, Lost Abbey Duck-Duck-Gooze

Cheap Wine

OK - I'm a big fan of not spending a lot on my wine... it enables me to drink more. I am a sucker for Cost Plus wines, but they don't have online shopping (for the wines yet at least)... so here's where I go. Enjoy!

Wine and Yoga

What does yoga have to do with drinking? They both are very communal. After a yoga class, most people’s defenses are down. You feel very balanced and a little more open, and it’s a calm place where people have time for each other.

To many, wine country evokes Bacchanalian images of eating and drinking, followed by spa treatments involving hot stones or mud wraps. But now that paradigm has shifted: Visitors who once wanted to be wined, dined, and pampered are instead seeking a pastime that requires a bit more sweat. Yoga venues that promise to de-stress city folk in a spectacular setting—often with a side of gourmet sips and bites—are popping up all over, including Yoga in the Vineyard and Napa Valley Yoga Retreats. Then there’s Ubuntu, a vegetarian restaurant and yoga studio, and Ubuntu Annex, a retail space peddling yoga gear plus specialty items from the restaurant, both owned by vintner Sandy Lawrence. While the restaurant has become a culinary phenomenon, Lawrence—a former Miami businesswoman­ who is also the proprietor of organic winery Lion’s Run—has emerged as a leading advocate of what might be called “sustainability, the lifestyle.”

Read the full article with links to where you can go here.

Temecula Wine in China

Exporting to China? Seems counter-intuitive, but the wine business is booming there. For the last several years I've been reading quite a few articles about the rising popularity of wine in the East, as well as the declining purchase of Saki (matched with an increased export of saki...).

Why not capitalize? A group of Temecula winery owners is joining Riverside County Supervisor Jeff Stone on a six-day November trade mission to Hong Kong in hopes of one day cashing in on a growing Chinese thirst for wine.

The group will attend an international wine and spirits fair and network with government officials and others in an attempt to get a foothold in the Chinese wine market, where sales jumped 20 percent to $2.8 billion last year, according to the county Office of Foreign Trade.

Read the full article here at the Press Enterprise. In China at least, wine makers won't have to endure the wrinkling of noses from the Napa blokes...

San Diego Beer Week

WooHooo!!! An entire week devoted to one of my favorite subjects, beer! San Diego Beer Week promotes San Diego's thriving craft beer culture by sponsoring a ten-day countywide festival that attracts beer tourism, fosters knowledge of our regional brewing heritage, and serves as a showcase for San Diego's breweries, restaurants, pubs, and other businesses with ties to the craft beer community.

Home to more than 33 brew houses, San Diego County is fast becoming one of the country’s premier craft beer destinations. With so much good beer flowing, it’s time for San Diego to host its own Beer Week. Running from November 6th through the 15th, San Diego Beer Week is a ten-day celebration of San Diego’s thriving brewing culture, inspiring people to drink local craft beer.

Whatever... I'm just excited that there's a drinking schedule and everything!! Check it out here at SDBW.org

Bad Wine Pairings

I admit, I don't really invest much time into figuring out food and wine pairings if only because I like to drink my wine and eat my food but invariably if done together it wrecks them both. I'm a purist. Some people though are master chemists - forever looking for the strangest combination of food and alcohol just to see if they can.

The author of this article is reading a new book "Food Pairings for 24,000 Wines of the World”. I couldn't find it anywhere on the internet... Google failed me. The author's complaint though was that "It neglected to inform wine lovers of the worst wine and food pairings."

From Cake and Champagne to Chocolate and red wine... read the full article from the Napa Valley Register here.

Japanese Beer Guide

Did you know that Japanese beer does not just include Soporo? I know that as a Sushi enthusiast that's about as far as my beer-from-Japan knowledge goes. Japan beer's are not your average kind of beers they have literally dozens (DOZENS - gasp) of brands to choose from.

If you are going to Japan or heading to a gourmet or specialty supermarket and are looking for a different kind of beer, read this article from Associated Content here.

Win Your Wife's Weight in Beer

Yep. Women rejoice in this ancient and noble sport as "real" athletes sling their wives over the shoulders and race through a land and water obstacle course. The winner receives their wife's weight in beer. Yep. Thank you Finland for this cultural awakening. Check out YouTube for versions from across the world...

Martha Stewart Wine

Cost Plus World Market is one of my favorite stores to buy wine. Their selection is funky and inexpensive and I get great wines here, better than even my local BevMo! But this email kinda startled me... where have I been that I missed the release of Martha Stewart's own wine?

So the marketing line is, "If there's one person who knows how to entertain, it's Martha Stewart. And she's serving up great taste once again with her new line of vintage wines. Crafted by a premium Sonoma winery, these afforable sips please the palate and the pocketbook.... host a wine-tasting party Martha style!"

The wine geek in me asks why not an East Coast vineyard where some great wines are being released since that's where she hails from? Then I realize the economy of scale and there are simply larger vineyards out here.

The wine snob in me (yes, the one who Loves great French wines that I pick up for $5) says really? Martha Stewart wine? Does celebrity wine do well? Paul Newman has one on the shelves too but it doesn't out sell his dressings. I do like Martha Stewart a lot and respect her culinary skills so perhaps it has a chance?

The cheapskate in me loves the sale price of $4. Tempting enough to try a bottle? Possibly. And I love that a woman has her own label. Something still is holding me back though... are you going to buy some?

Biodynamic Wine

As we move towards an age where "green", "organic" and "biodynamic" are becoming the norm rather than the exception I find it refreshing to see articles that don't just get in line with the trends. Biodynamic wine making and organic wine growing is highly controversial. Wine growers have a singular crop so there is a higher chance of contaminants, pests and diseases to settle on the "farm" so to speak. Successful organics rotate their crops around to diversify the soil and minimize exactly the types of things that come with a one-crop growth. There are also certain wines that are just simply made with certain chemicals that start the chemical reaction that creates wine.

Case in point, even here in the Temecula Valley, we have one wine grower who has turned their farm organic. Several years ago we had a nice little bug raze through and destroy our grapes. The entire valley worked to rebuild and eradicate the threat. Guess who has invited it back? Yep, the organic guy. Now the valley is being threatened again. Perhaps there is a happy medium that wine makers and growers need to aim for with exceptions to every rule.

I have had some truly spectacular biodynamic wines and I am a big fan of organic farming. Please take a few minutes to read a great article at Vinography and make sure you scroll down to read the comments as well - they are enlightening indeed. Thank you again Alder for your intelligent post on a controversial topic. To my readers, his blog is one I would highly recommend subscribing to.

Current Economics of Wine

I'm so tired of reading about the current state of the economy and the gloom and doom of it all - aren't you? However I must admit that when it comes to wine and alcohol, there is a rather amazing dichotomy happening. Sales are up but profits are down worldwide. Weird?

Here's the thing, in a down market, alcohol sales always go up. I have read article after article about how alcohol sales in restaurants are at an all time high (see Food and Wine). The funny thing is, the industry is still complaining.

Case in point, The Press Democrat published an article about tourism being down in Napa Valley and yet they barely mention that sales have gone up because more people are "day tripping" to the area.

New World Wine has a great article on the wine industry in India (I recommend reading it) but the underlying message is that indeed wine prices there have dropped 50% and many places include a buy one get one free bottles of wine (which alone is a reason to travel there).

A Passionate Foodie states that Sake exports from Japan have doubled!

But the best two most telling articles are about New Zealand's wine exports. NewstalkZB states "Wine exports increased 24 percent to $992 million with the number of wineries lifting 58 to 643. Domestic sales of New Zealand wine grew 29 percent to 60 million litres... However, Stuart Smith, chairman of New Zealand Winegrowers, says the industry faces lower profits this year". Decanter.com goes on to say "Some unmistakeable warning signs emerged this year. Despite sales volumes benefitting from increased supplies from the 2008 vintage, those increased supplies also delivered increased competition and downward price pressure."

In a nut shell, we're drinking more but expect bulk discounts. I like this trend a lot!

National Rum Day!

I can't believe I missed National Rum Day August 16!!! So what else is a girl to do but make up for it this weekend and drink a Captain and Diet, my drink of choice most of the time. That said, I'm sending you to two sites today.

The first site is The Passionate Foodie, a favorite blog of mine where National Rum day is better described. You'll find a lot of great articles there in general but there is a rum recipe worth noting.

The second site is TheBar.com. It's one of my favorite sites ever and has all kinds of drink recipes, including a Captain Morgan Long Island Ice Tea... yum.

Real Women Drink Coffee: Starbucks Looses Taste Test

That's right - I sort of saw it coming but didn't really expect to have confirmation: Starbucks just lost in a taste test against, gasp, McDonald's and Dunkin' Donuts. The taste wasn't blind but they did compare the taste, consistency, presentation and process (how it was brewed) and rated the drinks on a scale of 1-60. 60 being the best.

You'll be glad to note that non of the coffees rated more than about 34 which means that either the rating system needs revision or the judges are just stingy. Either way they tasted black coffee and a cappuccino from each of the three competitors. Here is how they all rated:

Starbucks Black Coffee = 19.6
McDonald's Black Coffee = 19.6
Dunkin' Donuts Black Coffee = 23.8

Starbucks Cappuccino = 32.6
McDonald's Cappuccino = 33.5
Dunkin' Donuts Cappuccino = 31.3

I admit it, I don't necessarily go to Starbucks for the coffee. I meet friends and conduct work meetings there. It's like a daytime bar - somewhere to meet and greet. And I must not give a toot that the coffee at the gas station probably rates higher than all three of the places reviewed because there's not much on this earth that would prompt me to order a cappuccino at McDonald's or Dunkin' Donuts. Sorry. I just can't do it.

Read the judges full opinions at Slate.com here.

Real Women Drink Beer: 45 Million Year Old Yeast

I have a lot of random articles come across my screen but this one made me stop and read. It seems that the 1980's did bring some useful information that we can use today - namely instead of using the yeast found in ancient amber for let's say, cloning dinosaurs, we're now using it to make beer! Way better experiment!

The full story about the yeast process (for those inclined to know) can be found at Switched.com here. Or to go straight to the source, Fossil Fuels Brewing Co here. The only problem is I have no idea if it is actually being sold or not but I am interested in giving it a taste. If you've tried it I'd love to hear your comments.

Real Women Drink Beer: Woman Converts to Beer

I say it all the time to women who claim to not like beer, "You just haven't had good beer". Any woman who things the best beer is Corona and the worst is Guinness hasn't had some lovely chocolaty goodness of a beer. That said, women who drink wine should really appreciate it all the more.

Example: Enter Zoe Strimple. She writes personally what most women think about beer, "Beer has never struck me as nice. It is tinny, fumey, heavy and a sorry last resort when the wine’s run out. It is the drink of choice for football fans and old men with beer bellies and dubious attitudes towards work and women. And, admittedly, pretty much ever bloke I know, from gentleman to hooligan. Where on earth would I – a female food-loving wine drinker and a snob to boot – fit into the world of beer? Nowhere."

However, in an effort to expand her palette, she delves into the world of beer, "In fact, beer is every bit a woman’s drink, and has been for centuries. The surname Brewster means female brewer – in medieval times brewers were exclusively women. And, since women have the lion’s share of the world’s top noses and palates, there are a good number of women high up in the brewing world – the head brewers at Marston’s and Harviestoun are women, as is the head of quality control at Fuller’s.

But I knew nothing except that I hate Stella, Fosters and Carling and prefer Corona. Cole’s first question feels like a lifeline: what kind of wine do I like?"

And she has been converted. Please take a moment to read about how one wine drinking snob has a new take on beer at The City AM here.

Real Women Drink Beer: Mini Kegs from Miller

Miller beer is coming out with what they call a "home draft", which is nothing more than a recyclable keg for your fridge. It's more expensive than bottled beer but is designed for the drinker who prefers the fresh from the tap taste. I can't say I'm all that interested. Are you?

Read the full article at Dowd's Brew Notebook here.

Real Women Drink Wine: The Death of Oak

Long live the death of Oak in California!!! Or at least I can only hope for the characteristic oak bombs so long identified with many California wines are on the decline. Can I actually buy a California Chardonnay without fear that it will be like chewing on a log?

Ok a little harsh and some of my wine friends really love the woodsy flavor that oak imparts. It's just not my first palette choice. Or my second. I prefer it over a corked wine for sure.

Asiminov, guru wine writer, is predicting the demise not because it's no longer fashionable but because of financial reasons - new oak barrels don't come cheap. Even wineries feel the financial strains of the economy and are looking for new ways to cut back. Buying new barrels and putting a spin on their marketing (like labeling their bottles as "Naked") and using bottles that are lighter to economize on the price of the glass and shipping (and calling it more green) are two of the major trends we're seeing California wines cut back.

It's not a bad thing right way in my mind and I'm sure there will still be plenty of oak bombs left for those who prefer them, it will just be nice to have more than one flavor profile to choose from. Thank you economy...

Read the full article at Decanter here.

Real Women Drink Beer: 64 Calories of Yuck

I try a lot of different types of beer but I try not to give bad reviews. I will just move on to something I like better - keep the karma clear right? I really need to make an exception here though.

My husband and I usually keep a 12 pack of cheap beer in the fridge for sipping on at the end of a hot day. I figured when I was in the store I would pick up some MGD, a good standby beer that quenches just fine. I picked up by accident their new MGD 64 - their new low cal beer with the great commercials. Honestly , I'm not that concerned with my caloric intake from beer. Most of the average American lagers are a little above 100 calories a bottle (Bud Light is 110 calories), less than a soda and better for you :) The good rich beers that I love I don't drink every day so it's like having an occasional desert after dinner, a treat.

I am however concerned with taste.

This sad excuse for a beer wasn't worth even the 64 calories it added to my waist. I was actually cursing the wasted calories every time I took a sip. It tastes like seltzer water that someone soaked some hops in.

If you're watching your weight and figure this is a great "diet" beer just stop the madness. Eat a few less pretzels and drink a beer that tastes good and leave MGD64 at the store.

Real Women Drink Wine: New Gen of Liquor Store Hold Ups

So there is a new generation of liquor store hold ups. No longer the kerchief over the face with a gun asking for cash and cigarettes, thieves are getting smart. Or are they? Fully unarmed and unmasked, three individuals walk into a wine shop, steal a $24,000 bottle of wine (which by the way was NOT locked up - duh) and walk out. Really?

The best part of the article is when the shop owned suggests that most likely the thieves won't appreciate the bottle but will sell it on ebay. I'm pretty sure that walking in for 4 specific bottles of wine was planned out and researched, not something someone without wine knowledge would randomly do. The idea of selling it on ebay though is classic. Talk about wine and technology!

Read the full article on SkyNews here.

Real Women Drink Beer: Great American Beer Festival

There are moments of clarity in life and as I flipped through my news feed today this popped out at me. This festival is one of those dream trips to me. Perhaps not quite as high as many more exotic locations, but I really want to go. The thing is, I'm not sure I can justify the expense. So here's where my moment of clarity came: I'm looking for sponsors.

There are some great beer bloggers out there - ones I love to read and respect (loosely). Not many are women. That's where I come in. Send a woman beer blogger to this festival!!!!

I'll wear the shirts, social media the heck out of the event - Twitter and Facebook and about 50 other social media sites, plus blog and put ads on this site. That's right, I'm pimping myself out for the opportunity to go to Denver and write about the beer I drink there.

Any takers?

Real Women Drink Wine: Social Media Boost Portugal but Kills Spain

In the world of wine and wine tasting there is much controversy about how to show the world your wine is quality. The old fashioned way of snobbery and contests only goes so far yet many wineries, especially those in Spain cling to the tradition that great wine sells itself. By using social media, some obscure wineries and wine regions like Portugal realize that it's the dawn of a new day and are marketing themselves, well, more personally.

"Spanish wineries need to stop thinking they are the best wine producing country in the world. Here’s a very true statement that might help you out: “There is no perfect wine”. You are one among many, and that is what I like about wine. Help me to get to know you, your wines, all while discovering other wines in the process. Trust me, we the consumers will reward you for it."

Read the rest of this great article at CataVino here.