Scholarship table
http://www.mainstreet.com/article/lifestyle/food-drink/10-best-beer-states-2011?page=5Open for business.
That list is bogus for one reason, doesn't include Michigan which has a much better craft brewers than almost any state, including Wisconsin. Hell, Michigan has 3 breweries which are far superior to any Wisconsin brewery in Founders, Short's and Bells.
We took a close look at stats provided by the Brewers Association and Beer Institute and, based on four key criteria -- production, consumption, breweries and breweries per capita -- came up with the 10 top beer states in America.
Wow, I'm very concerned for Benny. Being able to mimic Myron Medcalf's writing so closely implies an oncoming case of dementia.
I would counter that the fine northern Wisconsin establishment, Thirsty Pagan, is more "superior" than anything Michigan has to offer.
I will have to try and find some time to get one of their beers. Always looking for a good WI Craft Brewer that isn't built on hype *cough - New Glarus - cough*.
Have you ever been to the New Glarus brewery? Beyond spectacular. And how is New Glarus build on hype? Between bells, founders (my favorite brewery), and new glarus, NG is by far the least hyped. Did you pay any attention to the CBS release?I won't say their stuff is perfect, but everything they make is at least solid, and sometimes incredible. Dancing Man, Gueuze, IIPA, Golden Ale, Moon Man, Iced Barleywine, Enigma, Yokel, Alt, Abt, and Olde Enlgish Porter are all top notch, and I'm sure I'm missing some of my favorites.
Moon Man is weak....and doesn't compare to any strong IPA. And I know they were going for a No Coast but still, come on. The DIPA is WAY WAY WAY WAY WAY too sweet. The two I tried last year, one bottle and one on draft at Roman's, I didn't even finish. They were disgusting. I do like Alt and I like Dancing Man - quality beers. Their best beer, and in fact is my favorite Oktoberfest, is Staghorn. That beer is perfect for it's style. By being built on hype I speak of the Spotted Cow (vomit), Chubby Squirrel, etc. And yes, I am very aware of the CBS hype. But what do you expect from a beer that is only going bottled once every 3 years? But that is just one of their beers. The KBS, regular BS, Devil Dancer, IPA, Backwoods Bastard...oh man - just awesome.....And yes, many beers don't live to the hype. I mean is FFF DL worth the time, not really. But the trip to DLD every April is a blast and half the fun. Is driving up to MN in October for Darkness worth it - probably not, but the beer is damn good and then you pick some Surley up just to have. Hell, I contemplate driving to StL just to get some Schlafly every once in a while, so there is always hype. It's just the NG is built on Spotted Bovine.
Is driving up to MN in October for Darkness worth it - probably not, but the beer is damn good and then you pick some Surley up just to have.
Drinking a Surly Darkness right now and I am in heaven.....will be getting it at my bar on Oct 29th and my customers cannot wait.
Your bar? What the dilly... you talkin Alary's or elsewhere? If I drank, I'd love to try a Surly Darkness. You don't know of any bars in the Twin Cities that cater to Michigan or Michigan State fans do you?
A successful craft brewery is always built on hype. You can have the best beer in the world, but without any hype, you'd be lucky to sell 10 bbls a year. If it weren't for hype, most of us would have never heard of Shorts, New Glarus, Surley, etc.You can push a bad beer with hype, but the results will be temporary (see: Red Dog c. 1995). For a craft brewery to having staying power, it needs to be a quality beer as much as it needs to be hyped.
Really? Marketing works? You're kidding...there are some breweries built on hype alone...that is the point....hell, look at horny goat in mke, quite possibly the worst beer ever produced but they market the crap out of it and make money hand over fist at their brew pub. i personally put NG in here. i think their beers for the most part are average at best but people in wisconsin put them on this pedestal that they belong in the pantheon of great american craft breweries - where they do not belong.
A successful craft brewery is always built on hype. You can have the best beer in the world, but without any hype, you'd be lucky to sell 10 bbls a year. If it weren't for hype, most of us would have never heard of Shorts, New Glarus, Surley, etc.
A micro brewery might be so "successful" that they are unable to meet demand or that they would be unable to consistently distribute their product because they only have a limited supply.
that sounds like it fits brewers like Dogfish Head and several of the Founders beers...
I'd think it has more to do with home-town pride and regional preferences than it does a belief that NG belongs in the Pantheon. I'm sure people in the NW would say the same thing about how people from Michigan put Bells and Shorts on a pedestal. Heck... have you ever tried some of the "beer" made in former Soviet states? Most of it tastes like manure run-off, but tell that to a Ukrainian, and he'll sick his 7'2" aunt from Chernobyl on you.
the thing i have NG being local is that I can drive from Bay View to Three Floyds quicker than I can to NG, so what is local? I try and stick to great lakes and midwest beers, but until a WI brewer can make a beer with the hop profile of a Racer 5, Gumball Head, etc - I am not going to be impressed.
Some of the "hype" feelings about NG comes from stuff like reading about Spotted Cow in Peter King's Monday Morning Quarterback column as a brew he must try from Wisconsin. Put me squarely in the "I cannot drink Spotted Cow" camp. Not a big fan of the fruit beers that NG makes either. I do appreciate Uff-da, and plan on trying the Staghorn tomorrow, based on JimmyB's article.