Click here for more information about the beer we will be sampling, or click here to view a trailer for the movie.

Thanks!

• Great Divide: Denver Pale Ale, Hades
• Global Imports: Piraat, Gulden Draak
• Gordon Biersch:  Marzen, Pilsner
• Avery: White Rascal, IPA
• Tommyknocker: Pick Axe Pale Ale, Imperial Nut Brown
• Yazoo: Dos Perros, Pale Ale
• Hook & Ladder: Golden, Lighter
• Atlanta Brewing Co.: Red Brick Ale, Red Brick Blonde
• St Bernardus: Wit, Tripel
• Michelob:  Shock Top, Dunkel Weisse
• Magic Hat: #9, Vinyl (Spring Seasonal)
• Abita: Jockamo, Restoration, Strawberry Harvest Lager
• Bells: Two-Hearted, Amber, Java Stout, Third Coast Ale
• Terrapin: Rye Pale Ale, Sun Ray Wheat, Hop Karma IBA (you might remember this one as the former Indian Brown), Hopsecutioner (the most recent year-round addition to their lineup; I’ve yet to see it in stores)
• Rogue: Dead Guy, American Amber, Mocha Porter, Brutal Bitter
• Sam Adams: Imperial White, Imperial Stout, Double Bock
• Lazy Magnolia: Southern Pecan, Indian Summer
• Sweetwater: 420, Blue, IPA
• NOLA: Blonde, Hopitoulas, (maybe) Brown
• Chimay: Premier (Red), Cinq Cents (White), Grand Reserve (Blue)

Note: NOLA, Avery and Yazoo are all breweries that are, or will soon be, new to the area. NOLA, which stands for New Orleans Lagers and Ales, started out only on draft and only in New Orleans, but they’re working their way over to us. Hopitoulas is a tasty example of a Southern APA — not overwhelmingly hopped like some of its cousins in the Northwest, but wonderfully bitter just the same — and the blonde is one that I recommend to anyone looking to step out of the Light Beer Bubble without overwhelming the senses. Bummer: Until they start bottling (which may happen as early as this year), these beers will only be on draft in Alabama. If you really like it, you can drive to Louisiana for a “Draft Pack,” which sits in your fridge and holds the equivalent to a case of beer, but you won’t find them in Alabama until Free The Hops manages to change the law or NOLA starts bottling.

Avery, out of Colorado, makes some really great beers and recently announced they will soon be canning their brews, which will be perfect for Mardi Gras. Yazoo is out of Nashville, Tenn., and will be another great Southern addition to an ever-expanding list of great beer in south Alabama.

From the event’s Web site:

This event will highlight the fine craft breweries of the south. The fest will feature Lazy Magnolia Brewing Co. from Kiln MS., Terrapin Beer Co. from Athens GA., Sweetwater Brewery from Atlanta GA., Good People Brewing Co. from Birmingham AL., Back Forty Beer Co. from Birmingham AL., Olde Towne Brewing Co.from Huntsville  AL., Abita Brewing Co. from Abit Springs LA. and Yazoo Brewing Co. from Nashville TN. Each brewery will have a table set up with reps to explain what makes the south rival any other beer region in the world. All proceeds will benefit Free the Hops to help in the fight to continue modernizing Alabama’s beer laws. The cost of the event is $10.00 and will cover unlimited samples, a 3oz sample glass and special discount on Southern Beers at the after party. The fest runs from 4pm to 6pm. We want everyone to have a good time designated drivers will be let in free of charge and Taxis will be on standby.

Tickets are still available, but, the last I heard, they were down to just a few left, so I wouldn’t dilly dally if you plan on going.

Tickets to the event are now available at Gourmet Galley, the Mellow Mushroom, Buck’s Pizza, Hopjack’s, Momma Goldberg’s and Spring Hill Spirits.

The March 20th event is sponsored by two local distributors — Budweiser and Gulf — and proceeds will benefit Mobile Baykeeper. Information about the beers and breweries is a little hard to come by right now, but tickets are available for $25 at the event Web site. Mark your calendars, because it looks to be a great event.

What’s up with the Brewery Modernization Act?

From Dan Roberts, Legislative Director of FTH:

By Dan Roberts | Published: February 24, 2010

After we passed the appropriate Senate and House committees, the Brewery Modernization Act was put on an unofficial temporary hold. A representative of the Alcoholic Beverage Control Board informed us that they wanted some language in our bill to be clarified before it progressed further.

Our people are talking to their people and all that stuff to get the details worked out, but the gist of the matter seems to be taxation. They want to make sure it’s clear that beer sales at the brewery pay all appropriate taxes. Actually, free samples are taxable as well. As I understand it, none of their concerns are anything we would have a problem with – the current version just isn’t clear on a few subjects. We certainly don’t want to promote ambiguous legislation.

Homebrew legislation passes the Senate, needs your help

From the Brewers Association:

March 1, 2010

Dear American Homebrewers Association, Brewers Association & Support Your Local Brewery Members in Alabama,

Thanks to all of your calls, SB 153 passed the Senate, though it was a close call as the bill was initially rejected before being amended to limit transport of homebrew to 20 gallons at a time, after which it was approved. The bill has now moved on to the House.

SB 153 is scheduled for a hearing before the House Tourism and Travel Committee on Wednesday, March 3.

We ask that you please contact each of the 14 members of the House Tourism and Travel Committee and politely ask that they vote for SB153, which would legalize homebrewing in Alabama, when it is heard on Wednesday. Calling is easy and will only take about a minute per call. If your time is short, be sure to at least call the Tourism and Travel Committee Officers: Johnny Mack Morrow, Chair; James Thomas, Vice Chair; and Mac Gipson, Ranking Minority Member. Contact information for the Tourism and Travel Committee is listed below.

It is also time to call your own representative to urge him/her to support
SB 153. If you do not know who your representative is, click here to find out. We may not have any advanced warning about when SB 153 will reach the House floor, so we need to prepare all representatives to vote in favor of legalizing homebrewing.

Thank you for your support of Alabama’s homebrewers!

A new voice for beer in Mobile

This probably isn’t news to those of you that read Lagniappe, Mobile’s alternative newspaper, but columnist Pete Teske is about four issues into a new local beer column, called Beer Goggles. Teske’s an admitted newcomer to the beer scene, but he uses that to his advantage, encouraging Mobile’s uninitiated beer-drinkers to learn alongside him as he ventures into the world of beer. It’s been a fun ride since the hops were freed, and it’s nice to have a new voice along for it.

From al.com: Alabama bill aims to help brewpubs through deregulation

The Abita Brew Pub was where I first tried an Abita Select Witte.

I can remember clearly when Purple Haze, Amber and, on occasion, Turbo Dog were the only offerings from Abita that could be found anywhere in Mobile. Those days called for ridiculous road trips to the swamps of Louisiana for a case of Strawberry Harvest Lager or a taste of whatever was brewing for the select taps at the Abita Brew Pub.

Thanks to the success of Free The Hops and the addition of Hopjacks to the downtown bar scene, Abita’s seasonal offerings, as well as their “Select” series, have made their way to south Alabama.

We recently stopped in at Hopjacks for a taste of Abita’s newest “select” offering, an imperial stout. This style, perfect for cold and rainy winter nights, is a bit of a departure for Abita, whose core line of beers are mostly session lagers brewed in the German style.

According to the brewery’s Brewmaster blog, this ale is brewed with British pale, caramel, chocolate and roasted malts, as well as oats to give the beer a fuller and sweeter taste. These malts certainly overpower any hop presence, giving it both the smell and taste of chocolate, coffee and toffee. Calling it an imperial stout may be a bit of a stretch, however, as this version doesn’t carry the heft of other imperial stouts, such as Old Rasputin, Brooklyn Chocolate Stout and Terrapin’s Coffee Oatmeal Stout. That’s not to say you can sit down and slug a dozen of ‘em in a sitting — at 8.5% ABV, this is no Guinness. Perhaps imperial porter would be a more apt description? Either way, the beer is delicious and a welcome addition to the tap selection along the Gulf Coast.

If you’re hoping to take some home with you, you’re out of luck; “select” offerings from the brewery are only available on draught.

Thanks for your patience.

Update: I just found this info from Shari at Gourmet Galley:

When: Friday January 22nd
Time: 6 – 8 P.M.
Where: Gourmet Galley
6808 Airport Blvd
251-343-3555

COST: $10 per person ($5 each for club members)

What: A wide selection of high gravity beer to sample,
and catering provided by Camille’s Sidewalk Cafe.

Call to reserve your spot today.

P.S. Recent arrivals, with more on the way for the tasting…..
Tommyknocker – Cocoa Porter – Winter Warmer
Tommyknocker – Alpine Glacier Lager
Durango – Dark Lager
Bell’s – Double Cream Stout
Flying Dog – Double Dog – Double Pale Ale

Dan