All About Beer: BrewDog’s Tactical Nuclear Penguin

A bottle of this beer showed up at the office of All About Beer Magazine in an ubiquitous brown bag with a penguin stamped on it. BrewDog claims this is the strongest beer ever brewed weighing in at 32 percent ABV. Detractors claim that this brew is not beer but rather a spirit that is distilled. We got a single bottle from “Batch 2″ which was labeled “Best Before 2020.” The staff all sat around and sampled two ounce pours of this much-talked-about beer. It poured a soupy burgundy and had absolutely no head. It was bitter and biting and had a serious alcohol burn. It tasted like the cough syrup of my youth. I blurted out, “This is the Jägermeister of beer!”

As the resident punk rocker here at the magazine, I think one needs to consider this beer in the context of BrewDog’s portfolio of beers and not as a stand-alone beer much like you wouldn’t (or shouldn’t) judge a band on one release. The Penguin is clearly made with contempt for the mainstream brewing industry and the alcohol police. Do not let this scare you away from the stellar beers from BrewDog like their Hardcore IPA, Riptide stout or the aged stout Paradox. Just like a jazz aficionado shouldn’t judge saxophonist John Zorn solely on his group Naked"">[www.youtube.com] City, one should not judge BrewDog on this beer alone. Naked City is not everyman jazz and Tactical Nuclear Penguin is not everyman beer. It is beer brewed by a company for the simple fact to prove that they can, and that warms my punk heart.

Hop Talk: Great Arizona Beer Festival

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Let’s see. Over two feet of snow four days ago, and now in the midst of getting between 10 and 20 more inches today and tomorrow. I was assured that this type of thing doesn’t happen around D.C.

I would definitely like to be somewhere warm, and soon. A beer festival in Tempe, Arizona sounds ideal.

Press release:

22nd ANNUAL GREAT ARIZONA BEER FESTIVAL TO FEATURE ARIZONA’S LARGEST FESTIVAL SELECTION OF SPECIALTY AND MICRO-BREWED OFFERINGS

TEMPE, Ariz. – (Jan. 15, 2010) – Thousands of beer lovers from throughout the region are expected to flock to Tempe Beach Park the weekend of March 6-7, 2010 for the 22nd Annual Great Arizona Beer Festival. The annual festival is the primary fund raising event for Sun Sounds of Arizona, a reading service for people who are blind or whose disability prevents them from reading printed material, such as newspapers, magazines and best-selling books.

Presented by azcentral.com, the festival is dedicated to the enjoyment of fine craft brews. More than 7,000 beer aficionados, Arizonans and guests attend this weekend-long festival each year to celebrate and sample more than 200 specialty and micro-brewed beers – more than any other festival in the state – from all over the Southwest and beyond. The festival also features live music, games, a variety of great food, and fun for people age 21 and over. This year’s live entertainment will be provided by local bands Big Nick and The Gila Monsters (Saturday, March 6) and Major Lingo (Sunday, March 7).

Additional event sponsors include 944 magazine, which is the presenting sponsor of the VIP Experience. Casino Arizona is the Safe Ride Home Sponsor, KDKB is the official FM Radio sponsor, and Yelp.com is also a featured sponsor.

This year’s event will include several exciting new components, such as:

• For the first time in the history of the festival, select beers will be judged by a panel of representatives from azcentral.com, 944 magazine and DRAFT magazine.
• The VIP Experience, presented by 944 magazine, will feature casino-style gaming including blackjack, Texas Hold ‘Em poker, roulette and craps, with opportunities to win and bid on raffle and live auction prizes with casino “winnings.” All proceeds benefit Sun Sounds of Arizona. The VIP area will also feature a variety of other games and catered food.
• Guests can try their luck in the virtual paintball laser shooting gallery, a new attraction that offers a realistic paintball experience without the mess of traditional paintball presented by Tempe Paintball. A perfect score qualifies guests for a prize drawing.
• Also, returning this year, the popular beanbag game Cornhole will be hosted by tournament organizers Cornhole Arizona.
• The Designated Driver pavilion area will feature free massages provided by Arizona School of Massage Therapy, a variety of non-alcoholic drinks provided by The Pop Shop, and designated parking.
• Leading up to the event, the GAZBF will host a variety of online contests and promotions through azcentral.com, 944.com and their fan pages on social media sites Facebook and Twitter.

“I think this year’s event is going to be a great one! In addition to great beer and vendors, we have a lot of new ideas to entertain the crowd,” says Sue DesParte, chair of the 2010 event. “I’m also looking forward to raising as much money as possible, since every nickel we earn goes directly to Sun Sounds of Arizona.”

Tickets are $40 in advance and $50 at the gate for general admission, including up to 24 different beer samples, or $80 in advance/$90 at the gate for VIP admission. In addition to catered food, shade, VIP entertainment and games, separate restrooms, and other amenities, VIPs may also enter an hour before the festival starts and will receive a free event T-shirt and gift bag. Designated drivers receive general admission entry to the festival for only $20 and VIP entry for $30.

The Great Arizona Beer Festival will be held on Saturday, March 6 and Sunday, March 7 from 2 to 6 p.m. Tickets are available at www.azbeer.com and at participating pubs and retail outlets. Visit www.azbeer.com or call 480-774-8300 for details.

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Monday Night Brewery : Atlanta, GA: Beer growlers are the new black

The New York Times (maybe you’ve heard of it) recently ran an article on the renewed interest in growlers as a means of purchasing beer. This is a concept that might be foreign to many Georgians, so let me break it down. A growler is a refillable 64-oz glass jug that you can take to a place with taps (such as a brewery or a Piggly Wiggly) and pay to have it filled up with beer. It’s cheaper than buying bottles because you’re not paying for the packaging. And you also have access to beers you wouldn’t normally be able to consume in your own home, such as cask ales. It’s usually a safe bet that the beer you purchase in growlers is fresher, especially if you’re purchasing from a brewery. The largest downside is that you have to drink the beer soon after opening. THE HORROR!

Interviewed in the Times story were the owners of Bierkraft in Brooklyn, NY. I was actually at Bierkraft in late January. And while I didn’t purchase a growler (I didn’t think Delta would like me trying to sneak back 64 oz of beer), I was impressed with their selection. Three cask ales to choose from and a bevy of other hard-to-find, delicious options.

The moral of the story? There’s a reason why growlers are gaining in popularity. They’re cheaper and more eco-friendly. And sometimes I shed a single tear when I think about Georgia’s lack of them.

Let’s all join hands and do a Growler dance. Hat tip to infrequent commenter West for the link.

Image source: mariachen

Great Canadian Pubs and Beer: Garrison Homebrew Challenge 2010: Ultimate Brew-Off

Draft Magazine Feed: We’re buying a beer for.. the Jersey Shore kids

Can someone please explain this phenomenon to us? We’ve spent a fair amount of time watching MTV reality shows in our day — even writing occasional articles on the subject — but we can’t understand the appeal of your show (or your interview skills for that matter).

Now you’re all going to South Beach for season 2. What exciting things will occur? Fights? Drama? New slang? Oh my.

Are you people even old enough to drink? We have no idea. But if you are, enjoy them far away from our televisions. Isn’t there an episode of Simple Life on somewhere?