ThenameDoubleDiamondissaidtooriginatefromthetwointerlockingdiamondshapedsymbolsthatwouldhavebeenusedtomarkcaskbarrelsatthetime.Andthroughoutthe1950sallthewaythroughtothe1970s,DoubleDiamondwasoneofthebestsellingbeersintheUK.“Theriseandfallof[DoubleDiamond’s]popularitywouldtrackthefortunesofthecompany,”wroteIanWebsterinhisbookIndCoope&SamuelAllsoppBreweries:TheHistoryofTheHand.“DoubleDiamondwastheleadinglight,theheadlineact,theA-liststar.Itisn’tanoverstatementtosaythatthehistoryofDoubleDiamondwasalsothehistoryofthecompany.”Quitetheresponsibilitytolayonasinglebeer,isitnot
There’salsoastrandofdepressivemelancholia:accountsofderailedcreativecareers,repetitiveshifts,andthepressuretoperformcosycheerinessonloopeverysingleday.Evenwhenwe’renotbeingutterdicks,wecustomersareawearyinglot.Inonecartoon,byCearaColman,abaristaisslowlygrounddownbyonecustomerafteranothercallingthemhun,babe,love…
ThefactthathazyIPAsmayhavelostsomeoftheirculturalpowerismerelyashadowofthefarmoresignificantfactthattheyhaveremainedsopopularforsolong.Rather,astheypreparetoenterdecadetwooflife,haziesappeartohavefoundequilibrium.Theirearlysuccesswasinflatedbyoversupplyatthesmall-brewerylevel,andundersupplynationally,adynamicthatiscomingintobalance.Theirstrengthremainsstronginsomeregionsbutlesssoinothers.Andtheynolongergeneratethelevelofexcitementthatforcespeopletowaitinlonglinesfortheprivilegeofbuyinganewrelease.
Backto“peakofcraft.”WhatdoesthatmeanIsthatpeaksalesPeakqualityPeakchoicePeakculturalswayAndifthepeakhascomeandgone,howdoespost-peakbeercomparetopost-industrial,postmodern,andpost-FordistbeerCan’twaituntilThursdaytoseeifMcLeodhasanswersatAGoodBeerBlog.
Time’slessonscanbringusacertainequanimityaboutwhatisimportantandwhatmerelyseemsimportant.Onexamplethathasbeenrisinginmymindalotlatelyisthisone:Idon’tneedtogetworkedupaboutwhatotherpeoplelikeand,infact,Icantakerealpleasureinpeoplewhodon’tlikethethingsIlike.Thisseemslikeabanalenoughobservation—like,really,whocareswhatbeeryoudrinkorcaryoudriveorbrandofshoesyouwear
Mydestination:thecheeseworldchampionship,whereIamtocommentonbeer/cheesecombinations.(Iwonderifthismightreallybenationalonly,though.)So,upthereI’msupposedtocommentonfivecheesesandthreebeersandhowtheymatch.Nevertastedanyofthembefore.Noideahowthiswillworkout.Iguessthatworkedprettywell.Weallofusbasicallyhadtojustwingit.Soyoutastethecombinationandjustsaywhatevercomesfirsttomind.
Inothernews,Tokyo’sShibuyadistricthasbannedpublicdrinking,hiring300privatesecurityguardsandurginglocalstorestostopsellingalcoholtowardoffrevelersthisHalloween.
California-foundedStone’sfailureinEuropeissymbolicofawiderissue.CraftbeerhasmadeahugesplashacrosstheAtlantic,butAmericanbreweries,forthemostpart,havenotprosperedastheymighthaveexpected—andthingsdon’tappeartobegettingbetter.ExtrapolatingfromBrewersAssociation(BA)figurespublishedbytheorganizationandinForbes,theoverallcraftbeervolumeexportedtoEuropedeclinedfrom78,994barrelsin2021to63,755in2022.Thereasonsforthisarecomplex,buttheygettotheheartofEurope’sbeermarketandthelimitationsofAmericancraftbreweriesinaplacewheretheireconomicpowerhasrarelymatchedtheirculturalcachet.
“Iwastalkingtoabrewerrecentlyandhesaid:‘It’salljustbeernow.’Theproblemwithcraftisit’salwaysbeenill-defined.DoesitmeansmallscaleDoesitmeanindependentDoesitmeanflavoursome”Withoutthatcleardefinition,theterritorywasripeformajorbeercompaniestostepinto–andallthebigbrewerieshavedoneexactlythat.“YounowhaveLionwiththeirMac’sbrand,DBwithMonteith’sandAsahiwithBoundaryRoad.Thosearethethreemainonesinthatarea,andwhatthey’redoingisjustpumpinguptheflavourinthosebrands.They’remakinggreatbeeratamoreaffordableprice.”
“Intoday’smarket,importsarestrugglingagainstthelocavoremovement,”saysMichael,notingtheplethoraoflocaloptions.“Wehave97breweriesinthecitylimits[ofChicago].”SaraLevin,thepackagebeerbuyerforTheBarrelHouse,abelovedbeerbarandbottleshopinDayton,Ohio,hasbeenaprofessionalbeerbuyerforclosetoadecadeandsaysthecurrentattitudetowardBelgianbeeramongmanyAmericancraftdevoteeshadalreadybeguntotakeshapewhenshestartedintheindustryin2014.“Beforemeitwasalittledifferent,butinmytimeIfeellikeBelgianbeerhasalwaysbeentheoldmoneycraftbeer,”Sarasays.“It’sbeentheOGbeergeekswhoreallyrespecttheoldschoolstyles.”
Lessthanone-halfofitisdrunkinperfection,oratitsbestcondition,thelargerpercentagebecomingmoreorlessflat,hard[tart],andunpalatable,orevensourbeforeitisconsumed.Fromthedayofthetappingofthecask,withthegradualentranceofatmosphericair,theliqourundergoesprogressivedeterioration,firstbecomingflatandunpalatable,fromthelossofitscarbonicacid,andthensourfromhavingitsspiritconvertedinaceticacidbytheabsorptionofoxygen.Infact,daybyday,asthepalateunplesantlydetects,itmaybesaidtoadvanceonestepfurtherontheroadtovinegar.
Thatisinteresting.Factfilledandinteresting.Andscary.
Enough!!!Ileaveyouthereforthisweek.Asperalwaysandforever,youcancheckoutthemanywaystofindgoodreadingaboutbeerandsimilarstuffviaanynumberofsocialmediaandotherformsofcommsconnections.Ihaveyetanotherupdateontherankings.TweXisnowreallystartingtodropinthestandings.Iamdeletingfollowstheremoreandmoreinfavourofmirroringaccountssetupbyfavouritevoiceselsewhere.Now,formeFacebookisclearlyfirst(givenespeciallyasitisfocusedonmy300closestfriendsandfamily)thenwehaveBlueSky(74)risinguptositinatiewithMastodon(899)thentheseeminglydoomedtrashyTwex(4,344)hoveringsomewhereaboveoraroundInstagram(167)withThreads(41)andSubstackNotes(1)reallydragging–andthatdeservedlydormantPatreonpresenceofminejustsittingthere.Sevenappsplusthismyblog!Thatmakessense.ImaybemultiandlegionandallthatbutIdohaveprioritiesandseemtobekeepingtheminaproperrow.Allinall,Istillamrootingforthevoicesontheelephant-likeMastodon,liketheseonesjustbelowdiscussingbeer,eventhoughitis#GardeningMastodonthatreallywins:
Iamallforanythingthatdrawsattentiontowhatglobalwarmingisdoingtotheplanet,although,quitehonestly,therearemoreandlargerdisastersloomingthanthedemiseofcertainhopvarieties.EventheonesIlove.ButIdowishtheauthorshadacknowledgedtherearemoreagronomicallyvigorouscultivarsavailable.Andthattherearenewonesontheway.Nowisthetimeforbrewerstoconsiderusingthem.MoreofmythoughtsinthemostrecentHopQueries.
Theseforeignpostsdon’tgetalotofviewsbecausea)No-oneelsehasbeenthereandb)No-oneelseintendstogothere.Oddly,it’stheunsungtownsthatgetthemostviews.ButinthelastweekI’vereferredtothreepostsfromRon,DuncanandtheEuropeanBarGuidefolkandI’msureifIlivelongenoughmypostsonCubanpubswillbeusefultosomeone,thoughpossiblynottheniceAmericanladywemetlastweekwho’svisitingeverycountryintheworld(exceptCuba,obvs).WedideventuallyfindthemoreornatebitsofBelgrade,butMrsRMwasmoreinterestedinphotosofthetrams.
Aswewereguestsatthehotel,thepintsdidn’tneedtostopatclosingtime.WhenIwasyoung,opportunitiesforpintsafter11PMwereasrareasflamingosinLeeds.Ineverpassedthemup.Whichisaproblemwhenyou’vepacedyourselftoendat“normal”closingtime.Iwasn’tfeelinggreatwhenIroseafterfartoofewhours’sleep.ButIwasn’tgoingtoletthatstopmeeatingthefullEnglishthatI’dpaidfor.OnthewaybacktoNewark,westoppedataKimberleypubforafewpints.Iwasabitoverenthusiastic,asIrarelygottodrinktheirbeer.Iwasalreadyfeelingabitunwellwhenwepickedupthehitchhiker.About10minuteslaterIreallyneededtospew.Beingconsiderate,Ipushedpastthehitcher,openedthereardoorandpukedontheroad.WhataheroIwas.
Duringthethirdquarter,beveragecompaniessold10.4millionlitreslessbeerthaninQ32022.Thefederationbasedthefiguresonsalesdatafromitsmembers:Hartwall,MBHBreweries,MomentinGroup,Olvi,RedBullandSinebrychoff.Year-on-year,Q3salesofallalcoholiclibationssoldbyitsmembersfellby2.4percent,whilesalesofalcohol-freedrinkswerealsodown,by6.8percent.
Whiletheothershelpwiththeadministrationandpublicityofthepub,Jamesistheonethatgetshishandsdirtyandprovidesthegraft—hebuiltthebarwithafriendcalledPeteLyonsandcreatedthebeerboards.Healsoprovidesthe(slightlydeadpan)personality.AtthebarisanotebookcalledJames’sBookofSayingswhichincludeshisrecurringrequestsforcustomerstoslidethetoiletdoorclosed,lookattheboardstoseewhat’sonoffer—thekegbadgesarenoteasilyviewed—andforBennottocrowdhiscellarwithtoomuchbeer.
CaskbeerwriteupinheavymetalmagazinebyCourtneyIsemanYeah,it’sbeenkindaaweirdyearforcaskbeer.Upsanddowns.Thisoneisabigup.Loveit.
ThesheernumberofbeerhallsandrestaurantsmadetheareaaroundUnterdenLinden/Friedrichstrae/LeipzigerStraethe“entertainmentquarter”ofoldBerlin.Theyevengotnicknames:“UnterdenLinden”was“Laufstrae”(walkingstreet),LeipzigerStraewas“Kaufstrae”(shoppingstreet),whileFriedrichstraewas“Saufstrae”(boozingstreet).
FYI:“Brazilian-Germansheldslaves(afactthathasbeenclearlydemonstrated)but…Germanophoneauthors…presentedauniformimageofGermansasmasters,onethatrenderedslaveryanaspectofthecivilizingnarrativeofGermansettlementinBrazil.”
Asperalwaysandforever,youcancheckoutthemanywaystofindgoodreadingaboutbeerandsimilarstuffviaanynumberofsocialmediaandotherformsofcommsconnections.Ihaveyetanotherupdateontherankings.TweXisnowreallystartingtodropinthestandings.Iamdeletingfollowstheremoreandmoreinfavourofmirroringaccountssetupbyfavouritevoiceselsewhere.Now,formeFacebookisclearlyfirst(givenespeciallyasitisfocusedonmyfriendsandfamily)thenwehaveBlueSkyrisinguptositinatiewithMastodonthentheseeminglydoomedtrashyTwex**hoveringsomewhereaboveoraroundInstagramwithThreadsandSubstackNotesreallydragging–andthatdeservedlydormantPatreonpresencejustsittingthere.Sevenappsplusthismyblog!ImaybemultiandlegionandallthatbutIdohaveprioritiesandseemtobekeepingtheminaproperrow.Allinall,Istillamrootingforthevoicesontheelephant-likeMastodon,liketheseonesjustbelowdiscussingbeer,eventhoughitis#GardeningMastodonthatreallywins:
“Unlikeprotein,carbohydratesandfats,alcoholcannotbestoredintheliver,”saysEliBrecher,aregisterednutritionist.“Drinkinglargequantitiesresultsinyourbodyprioritisingthebreakingdownofalcoholoveritsotherdutiessuchasburningcaloriesandtheresultisthatyourmetabolismslowsandcalorie-burningislessefficient.”
In2023,BernsteinchosetoincludebreweryworkerslikesensoryscientistRachelMcKinneyatFremontBrewingandpackagingmanagerMarcusCrabtreeatKingsCountyBrewingCollective.“Ireallywanttogiveavoicetothesepeoplethatareintheindustryandshowpeoplethatbeerismorethanjustonesingleperson,thatbreweriesareminiaturefactoriesandeverybodyhasdifferentroles,andgettingthatbeerintoyourhandrequiresalotofhardeffortandalotof[teamwork],”hesaidtoIseman.WhatdoesthatmeanfortheexaltedfewTodandCilurzoareintheindexofthelatestedition;MaierandCalagionearenot(althoughDogfishHeadmakesmultipleappearances).Callitcoincidence.PhotospostedonInstagramfromTheBrewersRetreatthisweekprove,plentyoffansarestillwillingtopaytohangoutwiththeirbrewingheroes.
That’sit!That’senoughfromme.Asper,youcancheckoutthemanywaystoconnectincludingthesevoicesonMastodon,thenewonesnotedinbold:
Lesson#1:thingsarelookingupevenifthingsarenotlookingupwhereyouare.Lesson#2:folkelsewheremaybedeflectingtherealities.
Craftbeerusedtoleanheavilyintocorporateethics.Thiswaspartlyarebuketobigbreweries,laser-focusedonthebottomline,andalsoslightlyself-serving(lookathowgreenweare!),butinthemainitrepresentedanauthenticcommitmenttocommunity.Lately,notsomuch.Manybreweriesstilltrytoleadethicallives,buttheyaren’tshowyaboutit,andwithsomenotableexceptionsthetrendoverallhastailedoff.
Whatthelong-termimpactofoneoftheU.K.’smostinfluentialbreweriesgoingintoanationalretailerwillberemainsupfordebate.
“ImustsayIdofinditdistastefulthatit’sTesco,”saysHayward.“ManypubgoerswillfindatriptotheirlocalnowatriptoaTescoExpressstore.”
Muchcriticismofcraftbrewersrevolvesaroundthemsupposedlybeingjustinitforthemoneyandnotpractisingwhattheypreach.Thesamechargeisoftenlevelledatclimatecampaigners.But,inbothcases,surelythesenseofunshakeablemoralcertaintyisequallyworthyofsatire.Withincraftbeertherearestrongelementsofwantingtochangetheworldandstickittotheman,andself-congratulatorymantrassuchas“beerpeoplearegoodpeople”whicharefranklyinvitingridicule.Ifitwasjustacaseofabunchofgeekswholikedweirdbeersbutkeptthemselvestothemselvesnobodywouldbebothered.Youcan’treallysatirisebellringersormetaldetectorists.
Helookedatmeonceonthatsametour.Thenhelookedaway.
TheshipmentsincludedcommongoodssuchastheconsumerproductsmadeinChinaalongwiththeequivalentsofmorethan11,00020-footcontainers,haulingwastepaperfromtheU.S.toIndia,morethan1,600boxesholdingautomotivepartsheadingfromGermanytoChinaand641containerspackedwithbeerfromtheNetherlands—thebrandsunnamed—ontheirwaytoChina.
JackStraw,afterwhothepubwasnamed,isaratherenigmaticfigure.GeneralconsensusappearstobethathewasoneoftheleadersofthePeasantsRevoltin1381,howeverdependentonwhichbookorInternetsourceisused,hecouldeitherhaveledtherebelsfromEssex,orbeenpartoftheKentrebellion.JackStrawmayhavebeenanothernameforWatTylerandsomesourcesevenquestionhisexistence.AnyconnectionwithHampsteadHeathandthesiteofJackStraw’sCastleseemequallytenuous–hemayhaveassembledhisrebelshere,madeaspeechtotherebelsbeforetheymarchedonLondon,orescapedhereafterwards.
Thepandemicispropellinganunexpectedboominalcohol-freebeerthathasAsahiGroupHoldingsforecastinga20%jumpinrevenuefornonandlowalcoholicbeerthisyearafterflatsalesin2020.Asahiisalsodebutinganew“Beery”labelandhasplanstoexpanditsline-up.MainrivalKirinHoldings,whichhadaheadstartinthecategory,expectsitssalesvolumesinthesegmenttojump23%thisyearaftera10%risein2020andrecentlyrevampedoneofitsmainnon-alcoholicbeers.
Potentialsourcesofviableresilienceandresource-useefficiencytraitsarelandraceslocaltoareasofmarginalland,suchastheScotsBerefromtheHighlandsandIslandsofScotland.Berebarleyisadeeplyhistoricallyrootedlandraceofbarleythathasbeengrownonpredominatelymarginallandforthelasthalfmillennia.Thelandraceyieldswellintheseconditions.Theprojectaimwastoassessandgeneticallycharacterisetraitsassociatedwithenhancedresistance/tolerance,andtoidentifycontributinggenomicregions.
WehadmoveduptothebaratKaldi,andthelow-hangingbulbsmadethecopperbartopandourbartender’sshavedheadshineinthedimlight.IhadjustorderedtheBorgGarúnIcelandicStoutNr.19,an11.5%behemoth.Ifyouhaven’theard,beerandfoodareprettyexpensiveIceland.Pintsofbasiccraftstyleswere$12-$15(￡9-￡12)everywhere,andthehigherinalcoholpourswere$20-$30(￡15-￡23).
Tobeclear,BudLightisnotbrewedwithcornsyrup,andMillerLiteandCoorsLightare.
OnJanuary30,1881,wellbeforeA-Btookaimonbeersbrewedwithcorn,theauthorofafull-pagearticleintheChicagoDailyTribunechosethesideofriceinthericeversuscorndebate.Theauthorstated,“CornbeerisnotadrinkforAmericansorGermans.ItisgoodenoughfortheSpaniards,Greasers,Indians,andthemongrelbreedsofSouthAmerica.”Insteadtheauthorlaudedtheexceptionalcrisptastethatresultedwithrice,andadded,“foryearsthe‘blonde,’orlightcoloredbeershavebeenfashionableandgrownintopublicfavorinAmerica.”TheauthoralsosuggestedmostbreweriesinChicagousedrice,whileMilwaukeebrewersusedcorn.
Thankyou@Will_Hawkesithasbeenastrangeweekwithsomanyuncertaintiesforsomecolleaguesbutmygreatteam@FullersHenry@FullersHayley@FullersGuyalongwiththeEngineers,Techservices,Qualityetalarelookingforwardtothenextchapterfriends
RateBeerisaquality-focusedorganization,andourvaluetothecommunityhasalwaysdependedonourintegrity,andwillingnesstoputingreaterefforttoproducemoremeaningfulscoresandinformation.I’mverygratefulforhavingtheopportunitytoserveyouall.It’sbeenagreatpleasuremeetingsomanyofyouinperson,andthroughthismorefullyunderstandingourimportantroleinindustry,andthejoy,prideandresponsibilityfeltbysomanyoutthereinRateBeeria.
AGoodBeerBlogistheplaygroundofAlanMcLeod,clearlyCanada'sfavoriteandsurelyunparalleledbeerculturecritic.Authoroffivebooksonbeerincluding2025’sEmpireBeer,ahistoryofbrewinginthegreatstateofNewYorkpublishedbySUNYPress.Notaconsultantontheside.Shunsjunkets.Beercommunitydenier.Spits.WantsaDoubleDouble.Unpopularglobally.
WhatfolkhavesaidaboutAlanMcLeodandhisbeerwriting:
"...anOntariolawyerwhoreviewsbeersonhisblog,whichhecallsAGoodBeerBlog"-NewYorkTimes,13June2005.
"Whatpeopleneededwasagoodbeerblog,whichisexactlywhattheygot.AlanMcLeodfoundedAGoodBeerBloginOctober2004.Whileitwasn'tthefirstofitskind,thesitehaslastedthelongestthankstoMcLeod'sconsistent-andconsistentlyenlightening-updates..."OtisHart,APwirestory,2006.
"Ilikethebeerblog....it'sverygood...."RoyBonisteelofCBC'sManAlive,2007.
"...full-timelawyeranddadandproprietorofAGoodBeerBlogsince2003...AGoodBeerBlogisnumberoneonGoogleforthesearchterm'beerblog.'"eventmarketer,January28,2010
"BeerbloggerAlanMcLeodhascataloguedalistoferrors.Butthenumberofflawedordisputedentriesissmall..."GregKitsock,WashingtonPost,31October2011.
"Howtheymustwishtheyhadbeenaroundinthe1930swhenbook-burningwasinvogue.(Martyn)CornellexpresseshisthankstoaCanadianblogger,AlanMcLeod,whohas“startedarepositoryforerrors”intheOxfordCompanion.Whatsadpeople..."RogerProtz,MorningAdvertiser,20November2011.Removed23November2011.
"Thoughhemay,attimes,leancurmudgeon(whichisn’tforeveryone),AlanMcLeodisoneofthefewbeerbloggersaroundthatcallsitlikeheseesitwithoutfearofrecourse..."BeerPulse,May2012.
"OneneedonlylooktoAlanMcLeodtoseesomeofcraftbeer'sexcessesandhaughtinesscalledout...."CommunityBeerWorks,Buffalo,April2014.
"Anexpansivemanandanall-roundfoodanddrinkenthusiast,hepossessesoneofthefinestBorisJohnsonhairdosonthissideoftheAtlantic..."IanCoutts,ThePerfectKeg,2014.
"...beerwriting’sperennialcurmudgeon-in-residence..."BenJohnson,Ben'sBeerBlog,April2016.
"Payattention;noteveryoneofhisreasoningwillapplytoyou—butAlanhasagreatwayofunvarnishingthetruthaboutsuchthings":JonAbernathy,TheBeerSite,2018.
"Ithinkofyoumoreasabeerpersonalitythanablogger":RonPattinson,Twitter,13February2019.
"Iappreciateyourexistenceasoneofthefewcontrariansinthebeerworld,andavoicelikeyoursisanecessarycounter-weighttomuchthatgoeson:"FamousBeerWriter,privatemessage,probablydeniable,11March2020.
"...anoccasionallyintimidatingonlinepresencebutsomeonewe’velongwantedtomeet...":BoakandBailey,newsletter,22November2020.
"...ajoytoread!"EdWray,theBeerFather,5August2021.
"...You’reacrankyjoy.I’dhatetoloseyou..."MaureenOgle,Twitter,6September2022.