PROFILES IN BREWING by Bobby Bush, author of "Beer & Loafing" Dave Miller - Blackstone Brewing Company / Nashville, Tennessee Dave Miller wrote the book on brewing. Well, actually he's written several books on homebrewing. A homebrewing kit, purchased at a wine-making shop by a friend, provided inspiration for what would eventually become a lifelong passion. Back in the prehistoric days of modern homebrewing, circa 1975, inspiration was just about all that could be found in the form of brewing instruction. Frustrated by the dearth of available information, the 30-year-old English teacher searched libraries and book stores, all the while perfecting his brewing technique. After winning 1981 AHA Homebrewer of the Year, Dave began writing what would become Homebrewing for Americans, the first domestic book to address advanced all-grain brewing techniques. His The Complete Handbook of Home Brewing was released in 1988. Three years later, the accomplished writer and brewer was invited to write Continental Pilsener, the second in a series of homebrewing beer style book published by Brewers Publications, a division of the Association of Brewers. In 1991, he jumped willingly into the professional ranks as brewer for The Tap Room, a St. Louis brewpub. Somehow in 1992, he found time to compile another homebrewing guide, Brewing the World's Great Beers, which, along with step-by-step fundamentals of the hobby, included recipes for practically every style of ale and lager. Three years later, Dave relocated his family to Tennessee to commission, on New Year's Eve 1994, Nashville's new Blackstone Brewing Company. Working with a 15 barrel brewhouse, he keeps four regular Blackstone selections, simple and delicious, on tap: Chaser Pale, a clear yellow, somewhat Americanized kolsch; Red Springs Ale, an "American Red," Nut Brown Ale, definitely all-English in style and robust St. Charles Porter. The brewpub's two seasonal offerings range from Pilsner to Oatmeal Stout. Cask-conditioned ales rotate on the authentic English hand pump. Blackstone's production totaled around 1,000 barrels in 1999 and 2000. Miller was 30 years old when he first tinkered with that homebrewing kit. Now a knowledgeable 50-something he still enjoys brewing and talking about beer. Destined to have the last word, Dave Miller's Homebrewing Guide, subtitled Everything you need to know to make great-tasting beer, was published in 1995. This work is a labor of love, a well organized - glossary, bibliography and recipes included - guide to all things homebrewing. Along with everything above, homebrewing cheerleader should be added to his resume. With joyous aplomb, the Introduction of that '95 book exclaims: "I ... hope that ... you, dear reader, will find my new book helpful in turn, as you pursue your quests for the perfect beer. May your mash never set, and may the dark shadow of pediococci never fall across your fermenters. May your ales be robust and your lagers smooth, and may you enjoy all the rewards this pursuit can bring to mind and spirit. Cheers!" Read more by nationally recognized beer writer Bobby Bush at: ===================================================================== Thanks to Fred Francis, Juan Lozano, Mark Weisner. Until next issue, cheers! The Beer South Beer Bwana |
CALENDAR Here's a round up of upcoming beer festivals. Additional details for most events may be found on the Beer South calendar. http://beersouth.homestead.com/Calendar.html Note: We have received a number of inquiries regarding the Florida International Beer Festival, which in the past was held at Orlando's Central Florida Fairgrounds during mid-September. We have attempted to contact the festival organizers by e-mail and phone and have yet to receive any reply. So, at this point, we must assume the event has been discontinued or is being held in secret. If any of our readers know details regarding the event, please let us know at beersouth@mindspring.com. Thanks. October 6 2nd Capitol City Oktoberfest - Arlington VA Noon - 7:00 p.m. Free Admission. Sampling requires mug and ticket purchase. October 6-9 60th Brewers Association of America conference - Chicago IL October 13 3rd Carolina BrewMasters Oktoberfest - Charlotte NC 1:00 - 7:00 p.m. Advance $12, Door $15, Designated Driver $5. Regional craft brewers and festive music and food highlight this seasonal celebration. October 19 8th Annual Charleston International Beer Festival - Omar's Shrine Temple, Mt. Pleasant SC 7:30 to 11:00 p.m. General Admission - $25, VIP - $35, Designated Driver - $5 100+ international & domestic beers, Hot & Spicy Food Court , 3 bands More info: (843) 689-3440 or October 20 The Great Decatur Beer Tasting Festival - Decatur GA Noon - 5:00 p.m. - $20 Several of Atlanta's craft brewers join a large presentation of domestic and international beers at the historic Decatur courthouse lawn.More info: (404) 371-8386 or http://www.decatur-ga.com/events/m_events.html#Beer November 10-11 3rd Orlando Beer Festival - Universal's Studios Riverwalk - Orlando FL Saturday 2:00 - 10 p.m., Sunday 2 - 8:00 p.m. Advance 1-day - $20, 2-day - $30, Door 1-day - $25.00, 2-day - $37.50 Large number of local craft brewers plus domestic and international beers. http://www.orlandobeerfestival.com |
RESOURCES We are in the midst of the festival season and have been burning up the two-lane taking pictures of several events. Recently posted event pictures include Roanoke's Microfestivus, The Great Southern Beer Festival in Memphis and the Great Smokies Brewgrass Festival in Asheville. In the coming weeks look for more pictures from the World Beer Festival in Durham, the Charlotte Oktoberfest, the Decatur Beer Tasting Festival and the Orlando Beer Festival. The photos are only a click away at: http://beersouthpix.homestead.com As an added bonus, we hope to have photos of the southern brewers taking part in this year's Great American Beer Festival. ----- Did you know that Beer South has it's own search engine? Just enter your subject into one of the Site Search boxes, located throughout the site, and you'll get a digest of references for that subject. If you can't find what you seek, please drop us a line at beersouth@mindspring.com |
BREWING CHANGES Openings NC / Aberdeen - Village of Pinehurst Brewery (MB) A new owner and name for the former space occupied by the Pinehurst Village Brewery. Expected to open October 1. NC / Asheville - Kind Ales (CB) The new brand developed by Ryan Kurflink of Blue Ridge Brewing in Greenville SC and brewed at Asheville's French Broad Brewery. Learn more at: http://www.thekindale.com NC / Kill Devil Hills - Outer Banks Brewing Station (BP) A newly constructed brewpub by the shores of the Atlantic Ocean. For more go to: http://www.obbrewing.com NC / Raleigh - Chesapeake Bay Brewing Company (MB) This is the group that bought the assests of Rock Creek Brewing. |
The material presented on this site is based on information believed to be correct, but is subject to change at anytime. If you have an update, correction, suggestion or any other contribution, please send it to us at: beersouth@mindspring.com. We welcome your input. (c) 1999 - 2002 by Beer South. All Rights Reserved. |
The material presented on this site is based on information believed to be correct, but is subject to change at anytime. If you have an update, correction, suggestion or any other contribution, please send it to us at: beersouth@mindspring.com. We welcome your input. (c) 1999 - 2002 by Beer South. All Rights Reserved. |
September 2001 Newsletter |
Greetings to all, Fall is officially here and for many it's their favorite time of year. Who could disagree? Just take a look at the beer festival schedule (below.) This is also the time of year when many brewpubs and micros offer special seasonal beers and holiday festivities loom large. So get out to your favorite brewpub or pick up that seasonal six-pack at your store and support the southern craft-brewing industry. |
NEWS The saga of Oldenberg Brewing appears to have come to rest. Oldenberg Brewing Company began in 1987 as small, local brewery in Ft. Mitchell, Kentucky. 1995, David Heidrich, one of the company's original employees, became president and embarked on an ambitious plan that parlayed the euphoria which occurred in the craft brewing industry during the era that also saw the initial public stock offerings of such notables as Sam Adams and Pete's Wicked Ales. The new Oldenberg facility, just a few miles south of Cincinnati, Ohio, was a grand place, complete with a state-of-the-art brewery, gift shop, restaurant, entertainment hall and a museum of breweriana. Oldenberg Beers became a regional brand available in many southern locales and the brewery's signature delivery vehicle, a replica of a 1930's beer truck, was seen at many beer festival's and public functions. Then came company expansion via the Holy Grail brewpubs, named after one of Oldenberg's brands, in Lexington KY and north Cincinnati. The brewery also took on additional brewing by handling the contract brewing for other brands, including Michael Sheas. In 1996, the company jumped onto the stock bandwagon by selling 800,000 shares of stock to the general public. The proceeds were used to pay down debt. During this period Oldenberg also made a name for itself by establish its Beer Camp, a twice-yearly 3-day gathering of self-proclaimed beer nerds that brought in notable beer writers and speakers, offered classes in beers and brewing, and took participants on tours and pub crawls of local brewing establishments and pubs, mostly in Cincinnati. Just when Oldenberg was at the pinnacle of its brewing prowess, things began to unravel. The national glow surrounding craft brewing and its stocks began to dim. Sales of Oldenberg's beer also began to slow, prompting the brands to be pulled from distant markets. Then the Lexington Holy Grail folded and the one in north Cincinnati was sold to new owners. And the famed Beer Camps were suspended. In 1999 Oldenberg Brewing Company declared bankruptcy and the brewery assets and brands were sold to Silver Creek Brewing of Sellersburg, Indiana, who had also bought Tucker Brewing Company earlier that year. The deal did not include the Oldenberg Grille & Brewery restaurant division, which was retained by the original ownership group. The founding group's plans called for dozens of brewpubs and got as far as locations in Oveido FL, Louisville KY and Columbus GA before the concept was terminated and the three locations were closed this past year. (The Columbus location at least may still see life as a brewery as Liberty Steakhouse and Brewery of South and North Carolina is currently renovating it for duty as a brewpub.) Although Silver Creek initially used the brewery to maintain production, all beer making eventually shifted to the Stevens Point Brewery in Stevens Point, Wisconsin, leaving the dazzling facility that once housed the Oldenberg brewery unused. It's now owned by the group that built the Kentucky Speedway. Plans for it are not known. This past May, the Oldenberg brands were purchased by the Underdog Brewing Holding Group, owned by Dayton, Ohio, entrepreneur Dale Magistrelli, founder of the Thirsty Dog brewpub chain. Earlier this year he bought the bankrupt Miami Trail Brewery of Xenia, Ohio. Now under the same umbrella are Oldenberg and the microbrew division of Thirsty Dog. All brewing is done at the Miami Trail brewery in a 60 barrel system. While the physical remnants of Oldenberg have moved out of the Beer South coverage area, the Oldenberg beers have been slightly "tweaked" and remain readily available throughout Kentucky, along with other northern areas. There is a possibility that some or all of Underdog's brands will expand further south. As for Oldenberg's hallowed Beer Camp, it too is alive. Tentative plans call for it to be held in 2002 at Indiana's Belterra Casino located between Cincinnati and Louisville. Perhaps the Oldenberg story has a few more twists and turns, but it's much like the tale of several other, now gone, brewing operations. For the moment at least it seems like the mortality rate of brewpubs and micros has subsided, and in some case, taken a turn for the better witness the growth in North Carolina detailed below. While we are sorry to see Oldenberg leave our area, we are glad it survives and hope it will prosper in the hands of its new caretakers. |
BREWING CHANGES Openings NC / Aberdeen - Village of Pinehurst Brewery (MB) A new owner and name for the former space occupied by the Pinehurst Village Brewery. Expected to open October 1. NC / Asheville - Kind Ales (CB) The new brand developed by Ryan Kurflink of Blue Ridge Brewing in Greenville SC and brewed at Asheville's French Broad Brewery. Learn more at: http://www.thekindale.com NC / Kill Devil Hills - Outer Banks Brewing Station (BP) A newly constructed brewpub by the shores of the Atlantic Ocean. For more go to: http://www.obbrewing.com NC / Raleigh - Chesapeake Bay Brewing Company (MB) This is the group that bought the assests of Rock Creek Brewing. |
RESOURCES We are in the midst of the festival season and have been burning up the two-lane taking pictures of several events. Recently posted event pictures include Roanoke's Microfestivus, The Great Southern Beer Festival in Memphis and the Great Smokies Brewgrass Festival in Asheville. In the coming weeks look for more pictures from the World Beer Festival in Durham, the Charlotte Oktoberfest, the Decatur Beer Tasting Festival and the Orlando Beer Festival. The photos are only a click away at: http://beersouthpix.homestead.com As an added bonus, we hope to have photos of the southern brewers taking part in this year's Great American Beer Festival. ----- Did you know that Beer South has it's own search engine? Just enter your subject into one of the Site Search boxes, located throughout the site, and you'll get a digest of references for that subject. If you can't find what you seek, please drop us a line at beersouth@mindspring.com |
CALENDAR Here's a round up of upcoming beer festivals. Additional details for most events may be found on the Beer South calendar. http://beersouth.homestead.com/Calendar.html Note: We have received a number of inquiries regarding the Florida International Beer Festival, which in the past was held at Orlando's Central Florida Fairgrounds during mid-September. We have attempted to contact the festival organizers by e-mail and phone and have yet to receive any reply. So, at this point, we must assume the event has been discontinued or is being held in secret. If any of our readers know details regarding the event, please let us know at beersouth@mindspring.com. Thanks. October 6 2nd Capitol City Oktoberfest - Arlington VA Noon - 7:00 p.m. Free Admission. Sampling requires mug and ticket purchase. October 6-9 60th Brewers Association of America conference - Chicago IL October 13 3rd Carolina BrewMasters Oktoberfest - Charlotte NC 1:00 - 7:00 p.m. Advance $12, Door $15, Designated Driver $5. Regional craft brewers and festive music and food highlight this seasonal celebration. October 19 8th Annual Charleston International Beer Festival - Omar's Shrine Temple, Mt. Pleasant SC 7:30 to 11:00 p.m. General Admission - $25, VIP - $35, Designated Driver - $5 100+ international & domestic beers, Hot & Spicy Food Court , 3 bands More info: (843) 689-3440 or October 20 The Great Decatur Beer Tasting Festival - Decatur GA Noon - 5:00 p.m. - $20 Several of Atlanta's craft brewers join a large presentation of domestic and international beers at the historic Decatur courthouse lawn.More info: (404) 371-8386 or http://www.decatur-ga.com/events/m_events.html#Beer November 10-11 3rd Orlando Beer Festival - Universal's Studios Riverwalk - Orlando FL Saturday 2:00 - 10 p.m., Sunday 2 - 8:00 p.m. Advance 1-day - $20, 2-day - $30, Door 1-day - $25.00, 2-day - $37.50 Large number of local craft brewers plus domestic and international beers. http://www.orlandobeerfestival.com |
PROFILES IN BREWING by Bobby Bush, author of "Beer & Loafing" Dave Miller - Blackstone Brewing Company / Nashville, Tennessee Dave Miller wrote the book on brewing. Well, actually he's written several books on homebrewing. A homebrewing kit, purchased at a wine-making shop by a friend, provided inspiration for what would eventually become a lifelong passion. Back in the prehistoric days of modern homebrewing, circa 1975, inspiration was just about all that could be found in the form of brewing instruction. Frustrated by the dearth of available information, the 30-year-old English teacher searched libraries and book stores, all the while perfecting his brewing technique. After winning 1981 AHA Homebrewer of the Year, Dave began writing what would become Homebrewing for Americans, the first domestic book to address advanced all-grain brewing techniques. His The Complete Handbook of Home Brewing was released in 1988. Three years later, the accomplished writer and brewer was invited to write Continental Pilsener, the second in a series of homebrewing beer style book published by Brewers Publications, a division of the Association of Brewers. In 1991, he jumped willingly into the professional ranks as brewer for The Tap Room, a St. Louis brewpub. Somehow in 1992, he found time to compile another homebrewing guide, Brewing the World's Great Beers, which, along with step-by-step fundamentals of the hobby, included recipes for practically every style of ale and lager. Three years later, Dave relocated his family to Tennessee to commission, on New Year's Eve 1994, Nashville's new Blackstone Brewing Company. Working with a 15 barrel brewhouse, he keeps four regular Blackstone selections, simple and delicious, on tap: Chaser Pale, a clear yellow, somewhat Americanized kolsch; Red Springs Ale, an "American Red," Nut Brown Ale, definitely all-English in style and robust St. Charles Porter. The brewpub's two seasonal offerings range from Pilsner to Oatmeal Stout. Cask-conditioned ales rotate on the authentic English hand pump. Blackstone's production totaled around 1,000 barrels in 1999 and 2000. Miller was 30 years old when he first tinkered with that homebrewing kit. Now a knowledgeable 50-something he still enjoys brewing and talking about beer. Destined to have the last word, Dave Miller's Homebrewing Guide, subtitled Everything you need to know to make great-tasting beer, was published in 1995. This work is a labor of love, a well organized - glossary, bibliography and recipes included - guide to all things homebrewing. Along with everything above, homebrewing cheerleader should be added to his resume. With joyous aplomb, the Introduction of that '95 book exclaims: "I ... hope that ... you, dear reader, will find my new book helpful in turn, as you pursue your quests for the perfect beer. May your mash never set, and may the dark shadow of pediococci never fall across your fermenters. May your ales be robust and your lagers smooth, and may you enjoy all the rewards this pursuit can bring to mind and spirit. Cheers!" Read more by nationally recognized beer writer Bobby Bush at: ===================================================================== Thanks to Fred Francis, Juan Lozano, Mark Weisner. Until next issue, cheers! The Beer South Beer Bwana |
