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Per the latest update from Jason Malone, his big order of growlers will arrive on July 10th, at which time he’ll post some pick-up times that folks can come by the brewery and get them. He’ll also be at the J. Clyde some that week, dates TBA, so you’ll have a chance to get yours after work if that’s better for you.
Hopefully most can be distributed that week, but if you are unable to get yours at one of the pre-ordained times, something else can be worked out.
The first beer dinner I have ever planned is coming up on Saturday, June 27th at 6pm at the J. Clyde. This will feature all high gravity beers to celebrate the Freeing of the Hops. It will, in fact, be the first all high gravity beer dinner ever in Alabama. Exciting stuff.
Jerry suggested the idea of doing smoked ribs to celebrate the 4th of July coming up, and he mentioned his desire to do a mac and brie dish, then I pretty much took it from there. Of course his folks will be the ones who make the food some of the best you’ll ever have at any restaurant in Birmingham. I just picked the outline and the beers.
Here is the menu:
A massive five course meal with some of the finest beers in Alabama, and the cost is $44 per person, plus tax and tip. I was shocked when I saw that price, as I expected it to be ten or fifteen dollars higher. He’s practically giving it away, people. Click here for details on how to buy your ticket in advance, which I recommend as seating is limited and it’s going to be the best meal you’ve ever had. Don’t bother questioning my assertion.
Would you like to share a few pints of Birmingham’s local Good People Brewing Co.’s beer at home with friends? Perhaps some of the new Snake Handler Double IPA or Fatso Imperial Stout?
An unusual opportunity for doing just that is on the horizon.
You may not be familiar with the term “growler” as beer sales in growlers are illegal throughout most of Alabama. That’s actually one of the laws that Free The Hops would like to address at some point — legalizing growler sales. A growler is glass jug (typically 1/2 gallon) which is filled from a tap of draught beer, to be consumed at home.
While this form of beer sale is illegal in most places in Alabama, it was once legal and a handful of establishments were “grandfathered” in under the old law. Those places can still legally sell draught beer to go in half gallon and gallon containers. One such place is Dee’s Package Store on Greensprings Hwy in Birmingham. And Dee’s has jumped head first into craft beer in the wake of FTH’s success with the ABV bill this year.
Dee’s has started selling some high gravity beer by the half gallon, such as North Coast Old Rasputin. And they’re ready to sell Good People if we’re ready to buy it. At long last, our chance to enjoy Good People beer at home.
To really do it up right, Good People are going to order a bunch of half gallon growlers with their logo on them to sell to you and me for our beer to go. And to make sure they don’t sink a lot of money into ordering more than they can sell, they are doing pre-sales right now. Here is Jason Malone’s explanation:
Ok, I got my quote back and put the growler “pre-sale” up on the GPBC store:
http://www.shop.goodpeoplebrewing.com
$5 per growler. I’ll shut down the orders on the 25th, order them, and then work out distributing (meet at the brewery or Clyde).
Note that when you order your growler you may get a confirmation email telling you it will be shipped to your house. That is not true; it’s a generic email intended for other merch sales on their site. Shipping these puppies would be cost prohibitive. If you buy one, you’ll need to pick it up either at the brewery or at some pre-arranged meetup which will be announced on this blog.
I’ve ordered mine.
The folks at the McWane Science Center have put together something for adults that they are calling “Autobots, Beer, and Barbecue” next Thursday, June 25 starting at 6pm. For $20 an individual gets admission to the museum, two beer tickets, BBQ, and a ticket to the movie Transformers: Revenge of the Fallen: The IMAX Experience that will be shown at 8:15pm.
The beers that guests will be able to choose from will be provided by Terrapin, Yazoo, Lazy Magnolia, Highland, and Boulevard. Guests must be 21 & up.
Tickets can be bought online at www.mcwane.org or call (205) 714-8414.
I personally think this sort of thing is a fantastic idea. It’s a great way to integrate craft beer in a special event where the beer is not the main focus of the event. That means people coming out just for the IMAX movie who would normally drink a Miller Lite are going to end up having a craft beer. Great for beer culture in Birmingham.
Thanks to Supreme Beverage for pitching the good brews for this.
Free at last. Huntsville’s own Olde Towne has brewed their answer to the recent success of Free the Hops – Emancipation Double IPA. At 9.5% ABV it’s said to have a solid malt body balanced with a generous dose of citrus cascade hops. Only a limited amount was brewed and it is initial release is tonight at The Nook on Bob Wallace Avenue. Pouring starts at 5:00 pm. Hope to see you there.
Big night for beer lovers in Birmingham. The official release party for Rogue’s XS Imperial beer series is happening tonight at 8:30 at the J. Clyde. This will be an excellent pre-party leading up to the Brewfest tomorrow and Saturday. Here is the email from David Chappell, Rogue’s Recreation Coordinator (it’s a tough job, but someone’s gotta do it). David’s been a big FTH supporter for years and you may have seen his comments to posts on this very blog.
Guys,
Thanks to your valiant efforts, the day has finally come that Rogue’s XS Imperial beers will fill the mugs of worthy connoisseurs in Birmingham!
Details:
Rogue XSperience at the J.Clyde!
Thursday, June 4th at 8:30pm
We will have a swearing in of the Rogue Nation by President Big Al. (via DVD- best we can do!) It’s a lot of fun!
Folks will have the opportunity to join the Rogue Nation and get their own official RN card, plus score some cool Rogue stuff!
Most importantly, 6 XS Imperial beers on tap!!
- XS Old Crustacean Barleywine
- XS I2PA
- XS Morimoto Imperial Pilsner
- XS Imperial Porter
- XS Imperial Stout
- XS Imperial Red
Rogue will be honored if Free The Hops will do us the honor of saying a few words before the first XS beers are poured tomorrow night. Proudly stand on the bar and declare a victory for the Craft Revolution! Rogue has been a leader of the Revolution for 21 years and we stand proudly behind your efforts. Please thank our fellow Revolutionaries of Alabama– DARE, RISK, DREAM!!!
Once again, thank you for all your hard work and dedication. The fight aint over yet!!!
As requested, Stuart and I will be there saying a few words in honor of the moment, and ceremoniously receiving the first pours.
We’ve worked hard for this moment, and Rogue has been an active supporter along the way. Let’s toast to them and their very fine beers tonight.
First, there have been many updates to the Magic City Brewfest website. The finalized beer list is up, along with a venue map, and information such as the fact that Tier Two “food & beer” tickets are completely sold out. You can still get beer only tickets at TicketMaster or at the Sloss Museum Store.
Poke around on the site and see what there is to see. Note that there will be a limited number of printed beer list/venue maps available at the event, but if you want to be certain to have a printed copy of your own, we recommend you print them out and bring them with you. Also note that the beer list cannot be perfect. There will undoubtedly be some late-breaking additions and subtractions, but it will be very close to what you’ll see at the event.
Also, if you were on the fence about driving into Birmingham for the event from somewhere a little ways out of town, you might want to go ahead and take the plunge because Howard Johnson is offering a really, really low rate of $54 a night for Brewfest attendees.
A final note for now. Many of you are aware that we had advertised free Primavera coffee again for designated drivers like we had last year. I regret to inform you that I personally messed that up and didn’t coordinate the details with Primavera in time for them to arrange staff to work their booth — it was a detail that got overlooked in the extensive planning for such a huge event.
So Primavera won’t make the Brewfest this year. But before you start rioting in the streets, please realize that DDs will be getting FREE FOOD for the first time ever, which I think more than makes up for it. DDs will be allowed to roam the food court and enjoy the offerings of our restaurant partners listed on the Food page. And we’ll be sure to have plenty of non-alcoholic beverages pouring for both DDs and all patrons.
I can’t wait for Friday and Saturday. See you there.
We’ve just added this as a new page to the Brewfest website (under “Tips”) but this is such useful information I think it’s worth highlighting on the blog to make sure more people see it. Please forward this to everyone you know going to the MCBF as it will make sure everything goes smoothly for everyone. Thanks.
…
Buy your tickets early.
The Magic City Brewfest is likely to sell out so buy your tickets early to ensure that you can attend.
Eat.
Drinking on an empty stomach is a recipe for disaster. You should eat before and during the fest. A large carbohydrate-filled meal works best. Eating slows down the absorption of alcohol by your system and will help you avoid inebriation.
Designate a driver.
With so many beers to taste and so little time, make sure you have a safe option for getting home. Bring a non-drinking friend to do the driving or plan on taking a taxi or other public transportation.
Drink responsibly.
There’s a reason the Magic City Brewfest requires all participants to use a small sampling glass provided at entry: so that attendees can enjoy a number of samples of a variety of styles of beer responsibly. Don’t try to sample every beer at the festival, but rather pick some you’re interested in or have never tried before that you’d like to taste. The Magic City Brewfest encourages responsible drinking and will refuse alcohol to individuals who are obviously intoxicated. For the safety of yourself and others, know your limit and refrain from overindulging.
Respect the two ounce pour rule.
Samples at the Magic City Brewfest are given in two ounce pours and only in the tasting glass provided at entry. This is a festival and ABC board policy. Do not ask for more than two ounces per sample and do not ask for a beer sample in any container other than the official Magic City Brewfest tasting glass.
Drink lots of Water.
Drinking alcohol dehydrates your body which can make you feel pretty bad. Drink lots of water to help detoxify and keep you hydrated. The Magic City Brewfest will have water on hand, but it’s not a bad idea to bring your own refillable (non-glass) water container (this also cuts down on the amount of plastic going into our landfills).
Appreciate the beer you’re drinking.
Take time to really taste each beer. Note the color, smell, and taste. Try to pick out the individual flavors in the beer. You might taste grapefruitty bitterness or chocolatey sweetness or any number of other flavors. Notice how one style differs from another. You might even want to write down the name of the beer and make notes so you’ll remember to buy it later. Appreciating craft beer is what beer festivals are all about.
Know your ABVs.
With the signing into law of Free The Hops’ Gourmet Beer Bill, beers with an alcohol by volume (ABV) of greater than 6% are now legal in Alabama and will be available at the Magic City Brewfest. Beers with a higher alcohol content should be consumed at a slower pace than those that have lower alcohol content. Be sure you know the ABV of the beers you’re drinking so that you can take your time with them. If you’re not sure of a beer’s ABV, ask the pourer.
Be patient.
Beer festivals can get crowded. You will likely have to wait in lines to get some beers. Be patient and have fun.
Dress accordingly.
Beer festivals are pretty causal events. You’ll want to wear comfortable clothing. Check the weather in advance and wear sunscreen and/or rain gear if the forecast calls for it.
Thank a volunteer.
These folks work hard to help make the festival a good time for everyone. Show them your appreciation.
Bring cash for accessories.
You’ll want to buy a festival t-shirt, cap, or one of the many other items for sale. Bring cash as plastic probably won’t be accepted.
Educate yourself.
One of the best ways to have fun at a beer festival is learn in advance about the beers and beer styles you will be sampling. Learn the difference between an American Pale Ale and a Russian Imperial Stout or a Belgian Tripel and a German Rauchbier. Know what colors, smells, and tastes to expect (and not expect). Whether you’re a novice or a card-carrying member of Free The Hops, there’s always more to learn about beer.
First item of note, the Sloss Museum Store is almost sold out of MCBF tix. If you were planning on buying your tix there, better do it quick and call before you go to make sure they still have some: 205-324-1911. I don’t have a recent update on where TicketMaster sales stand as our partner in the event handles that aspect of it, but it seems obvious we are facing a sellout in the wake of the passage of our bill this year legalizing beer up to 13.9% ABV. So if you want to try a wide variety of new beers legalized by FTH’s efforts, better get your tickets ASAP. http://www.magiccitybrewfest.com
On that note, local brewery Good People Brewing Co. is going to have a lot of cool beer there.
1) They have brewed a special beer just for the Brewfest, a Rye IPA.
2) They brewed just 10 gallons for a first run of their Imperial Stout, Fatso. While you’ll eventually see Fatso on draught around Birmingham after the MCBF, it will be availalable on cask in a very limited quantity on Friday night. It is the first over 6% ABV beer ever commercially brewed in Alabama. I will be ceremoniously tapping the cask and then we’ll be selling 4 oz pours for $4. The only reason we’re selling pours is that there is such an extremely limited quantity we want to make sure the people who are most interested in the one-of-a-kind historical event get a glass of this beer. 10 gallons won’t go very far among the 2500 attendees Friday night. Good People want the money raised from this special event to go towards Free The Hops’ future efforts to reform Alabama beer laws which will help their business as they grow and expand.
3) They also started brewing Alabama’s first Double IPA after Governor Riley signed HB373 into law. They aren’t sure the full batch will be completely finished and ready to drink by the Brewfest, but at the very least they will have the five gallon pilot batch there. Goes by the name “Snake Handler.” Worst case scenario, Snake Handler will be served up on Saturday to balance out the limited availability of Fatso on Friday. Best case scenario, the full batch will be finished before the Brewfest and there will be plenty for everyone to enjoy in both sessions.
4) They’re also going to have five gallons of their Cow Tipper Cream Ale on Saturday. There is no big batch of this, so this will definitely only be available on Saturday, to balance out having Fatso only on Friday.
And not only will Good People have all this great beer there, but a BRAND NEW Alabama beer company is going to serve a new beer you’ve never seen before: Back Forty Naked Pig Pale Ale. They are just getting off the ground and launching their first beer at MCBF. Very exciting. Expect to see a lot more of them in the coming months.
ALSO, lots of new high gravity beers are going to be at MCBF. The exact list is still in flux and unofficial, but we expect Belgians like Duvel, Orval, Delerium Tremens, and La Chouffe, as well as high gravity offerings from many American breweries already distributing here, like North Coast, Mendocino, and Atlanta Brewing. You could say it’s going to be insane. I have it on good authority that we’re even going to see Great Divide Yeti and Hercules. It boggles the mind.
So. To sum up. Tons of good beer you’ve never seen before. Almost sold out. Hurry and buy your tickets now before you hate yourself for missing it.
It seems grossly unfair to single out anyone for thanks, as passing our bill was such a huge collaborative effort, but I felt that certain people were deserving of being singled out.
* Birmingham Beverage have been 100% behind us since we were founded. Even in the dark days of the 6% limit, they sought out the best beer they could legally supply, and they brought it into the state.
* The J Clyde in Birmingham and The Nook Tavern in Huntsville have been focused on improving Alabama’s beer culture, and have become the places to be when you want to drink good beer. I have no doubt they will reap huge benefits from their dedication to the cause of beer culture.
* Representative Craig Ford of Gadsden, who defended our bill magnificently in the House Committee meeting, and Senator Bobby Singleton whose adroit use of the rules of the Senate allowed our bill to get to Governor Riley’s desk.
* Governor Riley, without whose signature we would not be enjoying our craft beers!
* All of Alabama’s beer wholesalers, who rallied behind our bill this year and gave us a significant boost, especially Elliott Maisel of Gulf Distributing who gave us a final push with the Governor there at the end.
* Saving the best till last…. I want to thank you, our individual supporters. You called and emailed your house representatives, your state senators, and Governor Riley. The Governor’s office let us know that your phone calls in particular tipped the balance in his deciding to sign our bill. As you sample some of the fine, newly legal craft beers, raise your glass to yourself, and say “I did this!” and feel proud of what you achieved!
And finally, thanks to you, our supporters, we will all be able to sample even more of these wonderful beers at this year’s Magic City Brewfest. See you there!
