Events

Kalamazoo thirsty to win ‘Beer City USA 2013’

Posted on May 6, 2013 by kalamazoobeerweek

Community support, votes needed May 6-10: Visit VoteKalamazoo.com

Kalamazoo, Mich. – Thanks to more than 2,000 people’s overflowing love for Kalamazoo’s craft beer scene, Kalamazoo is now in the running to be crowned the next “Beer City USA.”

Kalamazoo swept the April 2013 nomination poll for the title of Beer City USA, garnering 2,008 (61 percent) of the nomination votes. However, the journey isn’t over yet.

Now, the community’s support in needed to help pull off the win.

From 2 p.m. Monday, May 6 through 1:59 a.m. Saturday, May 11, Kalamazoo will face off against nearly two-dozen other beer-haven contenders in an online poll on the National Beer Examiner’s website. To vote, visit www.VoteKalamazoo.com.

Many local businesses and individuals have banded together to ask Kalamazoo residents and fans to rally and vote in the spirit of community pride.

“While we need the support of the whole community for this title, this contest isn’t just about winning Beer City USA,” Discover Kalamazoo president and CEO Greg Ayers said. “This is about harnessing the passion and pride that our residents have for our community.

“This is about uplifting our friends and neighbors, sharing our local history and coming together to tell the world about our love for Kalamazoo and its rapidly expanding craft beer scene,” he continued.

The community is invited to a voting kick-off celebration from 5 to 7:30 p.m. Monday, May 6 at Bell’s Eccentric Café in downtown Kalamazoo. Organizers are asking attendees to bring their friends, smart phones, tablets and laptops to cast their ballots for Kalamazoo as Beer City USA.

If you would like to show your pride for Kalamazoo on your Facebook, visit http://www.discoverkalamazoo.com/BeerCity/ for “Vote Kalamazoo for Beer City USA” digital graphics, including a Facebook cover photo, profile picture and poster.

Facebook page: www.Facebook.com/Beer4Kzoo; Twitter handle: @Beer4Kzoo; Hashtag: #Beer4Kzoo; Pinterest: http://pinterest.com/discoverkzoo/beer4kzoo/.

In order to be placed in the running for “Beer City USA 2013,” cities needed at least 400 nomination votes. Cities that received more than 400 votes in the 2012 poll automatically are in the running for this year’s Beer City USA title and were not on the nomination ballot.

Bell’s Third Annual Homebrew Competition beer tapped Jan. 26

Posted on January 22, 2013 by kalamazoobeerweek

Kalamazoo, Mich. – The winner of Bell’s Third Annual Homebrew Competition will be tapped at 3 p.m. Saturday, Jan. 26 at the Eccentric Café in downtown Kalamazoo.

Nick Rodammer’s, Manden Med Leen (Danish for grim reaper), is a black IPA brewed with Belgian yeast, barley from the Bell’s Farm in Shepherd, Mich. and a blend of other U.S. and European malts.

It was dry hopped three separate times with Amarillo, Galaxy and Zeus hops. These same hops were also used in the kettle along with Michigan-grown Chinook hops.

The first things people should notice is a lot of hop aroma and flavor, Rodammer said.

The beer has a rich tropical fruit aroma with a subtle dark malt character and an ABV of 6.95%.

“I wanted to brew something a little outside the box for this competition,” Rodammer said.

After putting together a few different ideas he settled on merging three IPA styles: black, rye and Belgian.

“I wanted it to be black in color but not roasty, for the rye and Belgian character to really be background notes and I wanted to make sure there was a good malt backbone to it as well,” he said. “With so much going on I didn’t want to overshadow the hops, but I think it really melded together quite well.”

The Grand Rapids resident has been homebrewing for about a year. His first two batches were pre-packaged kits. He went all grain after those and has designed all of his recipes since then.

“I hope this shows that you don’t have to have been homebrewing for years to make good beer,” Rodammer said. “Anyone who is passionate about brewing and takes the time to learn about the art and science of the craft can apply what they learn and brew beer they are proud to share with others.”

ABOUT BELL’S BREWERY, INC.
Bell’s Brewery, Inc. began in 1985 with a quest for better beer and a 15 gallon soup kettle. Since then, we’ve grown into a regional craft brewery that employs more than 200 people over an 18 state area, in addition to Puerto Rico and Washington DC. The dedication to brewing flavorful, unfiltered, quality craft beers that started in 1985 is still with us today. We currently brew over 20 beers for distribution as well as many other small batch beers that are served at our pub in Kalamazoo, the Eccentric Cafe. Our ongoing goal is to brew thoughtfully, creatively and artistically. We strive to bring an authentic and pleasant experience to all of our customers through our unique ales and beers. For more information, please visit bellsbeer.com.

Growing up in the beer industry

Posted on January 4, 2013 by kalamazoobeerweek

By: Dean Caplan
Bacchus Wine and Spirits

Kalamazoo, Mich. — I have what I think is a fairly unique history with beer — one that’s unable to be separated from Bacchus Wine and Spirits (a wine, beer and specialty-foods shop in Kalamazoo).

Dean Caplan of Bacchus Wine and Spirits in Kalamazoo.

One of my first jobs when my dad bought Bacchus in 1998 was to stock the beer cooler. This was long before I could drink — and way before I knew the difference between a stout and an IPA. As I toiled in the cold, I would look at all the labels and the interesting names and wonder, “Why would anyone need hundreds of choices for something to drink?” It seemed crazy to me. I began to ask the staff, “What does this thing on a label mean?” “Do all India Pale Ales come from India?” “What is hefewizen?” “What ribbon did Pabst win?” The employees — who in their early 20s seemed very “old” at the time — were gracious and helpful, and soon I was able to discuss beer with some knowledge without ever having a drop.

As I turned 21, I was eager to give all these things I had learned so much about a try and see if the “facts” I had stated with such authority were true. It turns out I didn’t really enjoy IPAs; instead, I preferred the sweet, malty notes of porters. I continued to try new beers finding treasures and trying to share with my friends that the limited selection of light beer was only the tip of the iceberg.

After leaving college and returning to Bacchus, I was able to use all the time spent in the beer cooler years with my practical knowledge to help decide what we carried. I began to sample beers with a new focus: not only to find my favorites but also find new items that would sell well.

This has continued to be a hobby of mine, and because of that I will rarely have a beer more than once. I try the newest thing and see how it compares. That’s not to say I don’t have favorites — I love Brewery Vivant Farmhouse Ale, Lagunitas WTF and Anchor Christmas Ale. But I’m always looking for what might be a new favorite for a customer or me.

In 2013, Bacchus hopes to expand its selection dramatically, and I will continue to try and find the next beer for us all to enjoy.

Kalamazoo Beer Week ‘hops’ into town Jan. 12-18, 2013

Posted on January 3, 2013 by kalamazoobeerweek

Contact: 
Anne Drummond, Marketing and PR Manager  Imperial Beverage
adrummond@imperialbeverage.com ; 269.382.4200

Kalamazoo, Mich. — In its third year, Kalamazoo’s craft-beer centered week of events, called Kalamazoo Beer Week (or KBW for “short”), packs a mighty punch.

With upwards of 80 events already slated, the week of Jan. 12-18, 2013 will host brewers, brewery representatives and more in independently-owned-and-operated restaurants and retail locations throughout downtown Kalamazoo and the surrounding community.

All events – which comprise beer dinners, free tastings, tap takeovers, bottle signings and more – are posted at www.kalamazoobeerweek.com, and updates can be found on Facebook and Twitter. (Event goers are encouraged to share photos of events and KBW activities online through these social media outlets, using hashtag #KBW2013.) A blog, featuring posts by area brewers and craft beer appreciators can also be found online.

The week’s events launch on Saturday morning, Jan. 12, 2013 with a breakfast featuring Founder’s Brewing Co. of Grand Rapids, and the official kickoff to beer week comes that night with the Pub Crawl, sponsored by Samuel Adams. The events conclude the night of Friday, Jan. 18.

Initiating sponsors Discover Kalamazoo and Imperial Beverage work closely to plan and publicize the KBW events, along with event planners from restaurants, retailers, local breweries and distributors. New this year, QR Codes will be available on all beer week print media, allowing participants to access taxi service phone numbers using their smartphone technology.

Imperial Beverage Marketing and PR Manager Anne Drummond said, “After all, Kalamazoo Beer Week is about the appreciation of craft beer, not its abuse.”

History:
On the heels of being awarded Craft Beer Distributor of the Year during fall 2010, Imperial Beverage wanted to initiate a fun, beer-centric event. Joe Cekola, Imperial Beverage President and Owner, said, “We had just been recognized in this very public way for our efforts related to the craft beer market segment. We wanted to find a way to share our excitement with our hometown of Kalamazoo.” So, in January 2011, KBW was born, and with 16 events, planners were pleased. “Little did we know that in year two, we’d grow to nearly 110 events,” Drummond said. “Our fledgling event grew up, and we couldn’t have been more excited.” In year two, area breweries, retail and restaurant managers, and other distributors joined the planning to help this event become even more community minded. “We knew we needed to invite others to the table to create something truly successful,” Drummond said.

Imperial Beverage of Kalamazoo distributes beer and wine and employs 200 people in Michigan.

Arcadia Ales’ ‘Cocoa-Loco’: The beer that almost wasn’t

Posted on January 2, 2013 by kalamazoobeerweek

By: Tim Suprise
Founder and president of Arcadia Ales

Battle Creek, Mich. — I wish there was a definitive guide to making a great new beer…particularly a style that already exists.

Now, I realize that there are thoughtfully-considered, tried-and-proven methods and philosophies within the research and development spectrum for developing new and exciting craft beers…hell, we (Arcadia Ales) actually employ them from time to time. But, every once in a while, I believe you have to say, “What the …” and just start with a beer you want to enjoy and start brewing it on your pilot system with reckless abandon.

Such was the case with one of our Arcadia Ales, “Cocoa-Loco,” a triple chocolate stout. I’d been a big fan of Young’s Double Chocolate Stout from England for years, and since every once in a while I realize that there actually are pretty cool perks that come with owning a brewery, I decided that Arcadia would make a Triple Chocolate Stout. How hard could that be? Arcadia had been making British-inspired ales for almost 10 years at the time (2006)! We had a pretty good record for developing a number of products for the Arcadia stable over the years, and I thought we would continue that trend and brew two to three batches on our pilot system…tweak the recipe once or twice to make sure we had it right, and we’d be off and running.

Tim Suprise, founder and president of Battle Creek-based Arcadia Ales (Arcadia Brewing Co.), shares his ups and downs in creating his Triple Chocolate Stout that was aptly named “Coco-Loco.”

Brother, was I mistaken. Three pilot brews into the effort to craft a smooth, complex and super-flavorful chocolate stout resulted in not one being anything close to our goal — and arguably all undrinkable. We struggled with the right mix of chocolate malts, cocoa nibs and bittersweet chocolate. How do we add the nibs? Where and when? How about the 20 pounds of bittersweet chocolate? How do we get rid of the butterfat from it that destroyed the lacing and head retention on the first four pilot batches? And then there was the mouthfeel and flavor that we knew needed to be just right…on pilot batch six, our confidence level was non-existent that we could produce a Triple Chocolate Stout worthy of joining the Arcadia Stable.

It was at the point, three months and now nine pilot brews into the process with very underwhelming results that I was reminded of what it took to elevate another product that also gave us development fits…Arcadia Whitsun. In the spring of 1997 and wanting/needing a fine spring and summer ale for Michigan, we had to get a bit extreme when trying to nail down the Whitsun recipe. Coriander and Orange Zest are common components to a Belgian Wit style, but that wasn’t quite enough with our British twist and yeast strain to give us that signature and easy drinking quality that we were after. Out came the 125 pounds of Michigan honey into the recipe and the rest is history. We needed some of that kind of mojo for this Triple Chocolate Stout or we would have to kick this idea to the curb.

So, on pilot batch No. 10, we were going extreme, and if this didn’t work we were done with Triple Chocolate Stouts. We would continue to use three different chocolate malts in the grain bill (together with a number of other premium two-row malted barley’s), we kept the cacao nibs in the boil, but we added a small amount of lactose (milk sugar) for mouth feel, and melted the 20 pounds of Sharfenburger 62% bittersweet chocolate in advance so that we could remove the layer of butterfat that rose to the top and keep our shot at head retention. Lastly, we added a healthy amount of Br’r Rabbit Blackstrap Molasses to the boil and then waited for 10 days to taste what we finally felt we achieved: a well-balanced, complex, rich, creamy chocolate stout that brings to mind a Chocolate Malt with just the right amount of sweet, roasty and creamy characteristics. What a struggle…..but the end result was worth the agony along the way.

It was that agony that inspired the name Cocoa-Loco, and when you see those four-packs on the shelf, or find it on tap at your favorite better beer purveyor during the cooler months of the year (October-February), perhaps you’ll savor the flavor and enjoy that fine stout knowing that you’re drinking a beer that almost wasn’t.

The Third Annual Kalamazoo Beer Week is Jan. 12-18, 2013! Click here for more info about things to do in Kalamazoo! Cheers!

A porter to help Santa’s helpers with ‘assembly required’ gifts

Posted on November 26, 2012 by kalamazoobeerweek

By: Brian Steele

Co-Brewer and Owner of Boatyard Brewing Company

KALAMAZOO, MICH — One of the first things you figure out as a brewer is that commercial brewing is all about the numbers. I have always been a left-brained person, so this stark fact gave me great comfort.

My left hemisphere was always happy thinking about strike temperatures, attenuation curves, IBUs, and oxygen concentrations. Keep the numbers where the numbers should be and the Boatyard Brewing Co. (BBC) brewing world would be great. Then, as I found consistency in the production of our ales, something happened. The right side of my brain woke up and started knocking on my daily thoughts. I would hear a little voice say, “Get out there, use those creative juices and let’s make something grand.”

At some point those voices made their point, and I began to view our brewing more as a form of art and less as a expression of scientific practicality. Brewing had become a way to express myself in a collaboration of wort and yeast. The question was now, “Do I have anything worthy to express?” I began this creative quest by digging out an old recipe that I had been working on for a few years. It was to be a unique porter that I originally started crafting at the Saugatuck Brewing Company (SBC) with Barry Johnson. The idea was to create a porter that was poured and consumed on Christmas Eve. A porter that would help celebrate the friendship and family bonds that made Christmas special in my family.

While working on the recipe at the SBC, my first thought was vanilla. It seemed that everything in our house had vanilla in it, as my parents created cookies, cakes, and fudge. So with our first try we added just enough vanilla to fill the nose, but not enough to overwhelm the palate. It was a nice porter, but not worthy enough for Christmas Eve.

The development of my special porter was stalled as we began the preparation for Christmas in December of 2010. We had the big family Christmas at our house and I was still whining about the vanilla porter I made for Christmas Eve. In the middle of one of my whines my father said, “Son, you should make a shoo-fly beer for Christmas.” For those of you who didn’t grow up in central Pennsylvania, shoo-fly usually refers to a pie made from black-strap molasses. My first reaction was a hardy chuckle, but my father’s comment set into motion a series of ideas that energized my artistic flair. I set off on a journey to use all of the flavors of my Christmases past infused into that vanilla porter. I laid in bed that night and thought of the Christmas Eves I had been lucky enough to enjoy. I thought of the food and drink that had been fussed over by four generations of my family. The food and drink that brought joy to those beautiful nights.

I took that same vanilla infused porter recipe from a few years earlier and began some pretty unique tweaking. First I needed that lovely molasses. You just can’t celebrate Christmas in Pennsylvania without molasses. I think it is even a state law that you must consume a few ounces every December or they will cancel Groundhog’s Day. So I tossed out a little of the base malt and replaced the sugars with a wee bit of molasses. For those who have never used molasses, it is heavenly in dark beer, but a little goes a long way.

I also remembered the smell of rum and raisins each Christmas as rum cakes baked in the kitchen. To capture those flavors in the beer, I caramelized plump raisins in the oven and then deglazed the pan with a generous portion of dark rum. That pan sat all night, melding the flavors from the dried fruit and rum. I added that mixture towards the end of the boil and let the magic begin. When sampling the wort, I knew this brew was really close to what I wanted. An amazing vanilla extract from Chicago was added after fermentation and our Christmas Eve Porter was born. Last Christmas Eve, we enjoyed this porter for the first time and created a tradition we hope to carry on. On Christmas Eve, Dan and I took our bottles and delivered them to friends and family. No note or card, just a little gift left by the front door from friends who wanted the flavors of Christmases past to come alive again. A porter that would help all of Santa’s helpers with those “some assembly required” gifts.

Bell’s Comstock Brewery tours begin Oct. 6; museum hours begin Oct. 9

Posted on October 5, 2012 by kalamazoobeerweek

COMSTOCK, MICH. – Bell’s Brewery, Inc.’s new 200-barrel brewhouse will officially open to the public this weekend.

Free guided tours will be offered at the Comstock brewery located at 8938 Krum Ave. on Saturdays at 12:30 p.m., 2 p.m. and 3:30 p.m.

Self-guided tours will also be offered beginning Oct. 9. Everyone is welcome to visit the brewing gallery from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Tuesdays through Fridays. Tour coordinator Clay Karz will be available to answer questions.

The brewhouse was part of our most recent expansion that broke ground in April 2011 and was completed in May 2012.

That expansion also included additional fermentation space, expanded grain handling facilities and more.

For more information about the brewhouse, including photos, please visit bellsbeer.com.

For more information about brewery tours in both Comstock and Kalamazoo, please visit bellsbeer.com/visit/tours.

Click for more information on what to do in Kalamazoo!

ABOUT BELL’S BREWERY, INC.:

Bell’s Brewery, Inc. began in 1985 with a quest for better beer and a 15-gallon soup kettle. Since then, its grown into a regional craft brewery that employs more than 180 people over an 18-state area, in addition to Puerto Rico and Washington, D.C. The dedication to brewing flavorful, unfiltered, quality craft beers that started in 1985 is still with the brewery today. Bell’s currently brews more than 20 beers for distribution as well as many other small batch beers that are served at its pub in Kalamazoo, Bell’s Eccentric Cafe. Its ongoing goal is to brew thoughtfully, creatively and artistically. Bell’s strives to bring an authentic and pleasant experience to all of its customers through unique ales and beers. For more information, visit bellsbeer.com.

Bell’s Pale Ale gets a new name, label; ‘Midwestern Pale Ale’ begins shipping in October

Posted on September 24, 2012 by kalamazoobeerweek

COMSTOCK, MICH. – Bell’s Pale Ale is getting a facelift.

While the label and the name are changing, the recipe will remain basically the same except for one small, yet very significant change.

Midwestern Pale Ale will now be brewed with a small portion of barley from the Bell’s Farm in Shepherd, Mich. and will begin shipping in mid-October.

“This is a relatively minor change to the recipe and people won’t notice anything different, however its part of a much larger picture,” said Laura Bell, marketing director for Bell’s Brewery, Inc.

According to Bell, the change gives the beer a deeper connection to the land, to Michigan and its agricultural heritage and to the Midwest.

Barley from the Bell’s Farm is also used to brew two other beers – Christmas Ale and Harvest Ale (also made with Michigan-grown hops).

The new label features an original painting of the Bell’s Farm by Kalamazoo artist Conrad Kaufman.

ABOUT BELL’S BREWERY, INC.:

Early spring weather affects Bell’s Cherry Stout production for 2012

Posted on September 21, 2012 by kalamazoobeerweek

COMSTOCK, MICH. – Since it was first released in 1988, Bell’s Cherry Stout has always been brewed with 100 percent Montmorency cherry juice made from cherries grown in northern Michigan’s Traverse City region.

Bell’s is extremely proud of this deep connection to our home state.

This seasonal beer is released annually in October along with other stouts in the Bell’s portfolio – Java Stout, Expedition Stout, Special Double Cream Stout and others. Unfortunately, that tradition will have to be put on hold this year.

Warm temperatures followed by multiple frosts earlier this year severely affected Michigan’s tart cherry crop to such an extent that unfortunately, there will be no new batches of Cherry Stout in 2012.

A small number of Cherry Stout kegs from 2011 will be released on a limited basis however.

While Bell’s hopes that a bountiful harvest will allow them to bring this beer back to the fall stout line-up next year, more importantly, Bell’s is hopeful that it will allow Michigan’s fruit growers to recover as well.

ABOUT BELL’S BREWERY, INC.:

Third Annual Kalamazoo Beer Week is Jan. 12-18, 2013

Posted on August 8, 2012 by kalamazoobeerweek

KALAMAZOO, MICH. — Love craft beer? This is one for your calendar.

The Third Annual Kalamazoo Beer Week is Jan. 12-18, 2013, and it will bring lots of beer-related fun.

Kalamazoo Beer Week organizers are busy brainstorming ways to create additional special events for attendees, including offering tastings featuring beers that aren’t usually available to the general public and, in some cases, aren’t normally bottled at all. There will also be chances for people to sample different vintages of the same product.

Started in 2011 by Imperial Beverage, the first Kalamazoo Beer Week had less than 20 events. The 2012 event saw more than 100 events. Previous Kalamazoo Beer Weeks brought a pub crawl, tap takeovers, beer-paired dinners, special tastings, meet-the-brewer events, beer trivia games, and more.

Save the date(s). And we’ll see you there!

Help spread the love:
• Twitter: @KzooBeerWeek with event hashtag #KBW2013
• Facebook: www.facebook.com/KalamazooBeerWeek
• Website: www.kalamazoobeerweek.com

Kalamazoo Beer Week is Jan. 12-18, 2013. Watch www.kalamazoobeerweek.com for the 2013 calendar. Cheers!