NFL Football! It's Back Finally

All the travelling on Wine Trails, jogging on the beach, and sampling $50 Belgian beer while enjoying gourmet mussels and pomme frites (posts coming soon) is OVER!

It's football time in HOUSTON! Write it down. Houston Texans beat New England, last game of the regular season to secure a BYE in the playoffs while knocking New England out of contention. Brady, we're coming for you. Oh wait, you gotta come to us! And once again, it's ON!

Beering in Ontario: Waterloo

SEND HIM TO THE DUNGEON!!

So after I cross the border and try some very pleasant session lagers at Niagara Best, I called up my friend from college and let him know I was on the way to the 'Loo. But before I made it out to Waterloo, I made a detour to St. Catherine's.

You talking about a pleasant little city with some good bars. I stopped here specifically to make it to Merchant Ale House. And they were CLOSED!!!! Who the hell closes a brewpub in the middle of the day? Whatever happened to the late lunch, the early beering. Any way, I decided to walk the street of St. Cath for a while then got back in the car to hit Waterloo.

First off, the drive on Queen Elizabeth's Way is SWEEEEEEEEET! Nice scenery and I counted 25 wineries all along the way.

So I made to Waterloo but my fried still had to work, so I drove around this city and found my way to the LION!

Lion Brewery and Restaurant was a set in an old castle like hotel smackdab on King street in downtown Waterloo. At first I thought I was in the wrong place as there was some sort of a cafe on the ground floor. I later learned the brewpub itself was in the downstairs area in what was probably the Dungeon. Compared to the bright clear day of central Ontario, this place was almost as dark as Lovejoys in Austin. NOBODY was there and I felt a little exposed, but whatever. Up to the bar for the flight...

Lion Lager

(By the way, I can't see sh8t, so no real appearance notes). A touch of toast amber with a subtle hop presence. Not bad. Low 3 Stars.

Lion Light

Probably should have tried this one first. Light body with very subtle malt and hops. There is a hint of sourness on the back of the palette. Somehow I'm able to see the lacy head. 2 Stars.

Huether's Premium Lager

A little gritty on the tongue and sour. Light and crisp aftertaste with high carbonation. 2 Stars.

Ontario, can I see you over here?

What the heck is up with these Premium beers. I'm sorry man but it seems like it's a big misnomer. Pretty much your most boring beers are called Premium. What the hell is up with that? Moving on.

Wuerzburger Lager

Bubbles still coming up as I look at it. Slight dark hue. It's a little smoother than the others with moderate body. I don't know what style to put it in. Low 3 Stars.

Adlys Ale

These flights are starting to run together. All I wrote down was Low 3 Star for a thick red ale.

Wheat Beer

Medium body with low banana and some orange, but it could be from the orange zest the put in it. Not bad.

Honey Brown

(I can tell I was getting a little tired as my reviews got shorter)

Moderate body with some honey and toast aftertaste. Low 3 Stars.

English Ale

Very sour and puckering. Full bodied with a little roast and a funky hop AT. Low 2 Stars.

Black and Tan

A mellowed out version of the English Ale. More like a Brown and Tan.

Aaaaaaaaaaaaand we're done. The bartender was pretty nice and we chatted about the beer for a while. I must say that this spot was very different than many brewpubs I've been to before. I think under the right circumstances (and a Canadian/English palette), this place could be on point. Especially with the Honey Brown and the Lion Lager.

MSNBC Controversy Over?

James Dgullsoch has written an article in response to the online beating he took on the MSN Money website after saying all beer tastes the same and idiots like me just try different styles of beer for the experience. If he just substituted "beer" for "women" he would... um, moving on.

Anyway, here's his article professing his guilt and trying to drum up support for a beer business of sorts. He went from saying all beer tastes the same to saying that we're a bunch of broke chumps.


Join me for a beer stock summit
Posted Jul 31 2009, 04:21 PM by James Dlugosch
Rating:

Filed under: beverages, Molson Coors Brewing, James Dlugosch
OK, beer nation. You commented, and I read every word.

In my post earlier this week regarding the testing of "beer in a box," I offended many by stating that "all beer tastes the same." I could not have been more erroneous.

All beer does not taste the same. I repeat: All beer does not taste the same.

I would have been much better served making my point by specifying that the big-name beers made by the large brewers taste the same -- and they do, as far as I am concerned. My mistake was suggesting that microbrews and varietals taste the same.

They do not, and for those words I was wrong and rightly chastised by the MSN community. For my penance, I am now hosting my own "Beer Summit" in an attempt to win back the graces of beer nation.

Since this is an investing blog, I want my beer summit to take a look at the beer industry from a public market perspective. While it may be true that the microbrewers craft a wonderful-tasting product, it's not so certain that they make money.

In fact, the only microbrewer to really make it as a publicly traded company is Boston Beer Company (SAM). Credited with the renaissance in small breweries, Boston Beer, maker of the Samuel Adams brand, has had to fight hard for its 1% market share since its founding in 1984.
Since the birth of Sam Adams, a large number of local breweries across the country have gone defunct. Fierce competition and very low margins require breweries to sell lots of beer in order to survive.

That's why the landscape is now dominated by a few very large brewers that have managed to gain economies of scale. Fortunately for consumers, very small or micro-breweries have filled the vacuum by those brands that have departed the scene.

As many of you noted, we are all the better for it. Even the big breweries have gotten in on the action by attempting to deceive the market with their own supposed handcrafted offerings.

Yes, you were right. Not all beers taste the same. What I wonder is if the market can support those true handcrafted labels that many of you mentioned on anything but a local level. Specifically, can they make money, or are we forever destined to the very large and the very small?

From an investment perspective, I see no reason to be excited about the prospects of a Molson Coors (TAP), but I can see the merits of owning a SAM. Clearly there is room for an upstart to grab market share even if that upstart has now reached middle age.
We'll learn more about SAM when the company releases earnings next week.
With so many of you having opinions about microbrews, I'd like to see you all choose your favorite names and comment here with more of that witty repartee. I'll make sure I do the same with my selection over the weekend.

Cheers!

More MSNBC Comments from the Beer Community

James Duglosh either better write an entire article proclaiming his apology, or he'll need to give a pound of flesh.

Here's some more comments from the beer community in response to this dude saying all beer tastes the same an beer lovers just like the experience of microbrews:

"I believe you may need to print a retraction. You obviously made a complete ass of yourself. Judging from the comments I am not alone. Tuck your tail between your legs and tell everyone you have no idea what you are talking about."

"Sam Adams Utopias, Pearl Light, same difference.
Jackass"

"i'm thinking msn should un-affiliate themselves from this idiot. this article is just absolutely ignorant and could you please try and be a little more condescending next time. you know not of which you speak and you are a tool. try a dopplebock, a belgian wit and a double ipa and tell me all beer tastes the same...i'm done wasting time on this fool..."

"How do you have your own blog? To say that all beer taste pretty much the same and those who get microbrews are just doing it for the experience is one of the most idiotic statements I have heard in a long time, including the President's most recent blunder. You deserve to be punished for that statement and drink beer-in-a-box for the rest of your natural life."

"What a moron. Tell me that a Belgian Trippel tastes the same as a light lager? If I was within earshot of anyone saying something like "Yeah, I drank a Stone Oaked Arrogant Bastard, tastes pretty much the same as that PBR I had", I would walk right over, punch the guy in the face, then kick him while he is down. How in the hell does this dolt still have a job? Just further proof that the hardcore liberal mainstream media will make up "truths" "despite what microbrewers tell you" to suit their own means. What a lying sack of crap."

Beering in Ontario: Niagara

When we last left our hero, I was hanging around in Buffalo at my grandmother's place. Beautiful large house in Williamsville, NY which also happens to be home to a couple of great beer spots and an AWESOME grocery store with killer craft beer selection. I randomly picked up a good session beer that rarely goes wrong, an Amber Lager (Great Lakes).

I already had this trip through Ontario set up as I knew that I would be OD'ing on estrogen in Buffalo for too long. My grandmother, mother, sister, two female cousins, my daughter, and of course the women at the daycare center. Had I stayed there the whole week, I would have been so amped up on estrogen that as soon as I got back to Houston I would get a testosterone rush resulting in my buying a gun, smoked a box of cigars, and hit Richmond St. for some hard drinking and strip clubbing. Probably ending the night getting arrested in my own house while yelling RACISM!

So to guard against such risks, I got the heck out of there for a couple days to hang out with an old college buddy in Canadia. On the drive up to the border, I saw the beautiful Niagara Falls. Good thing it was great scenery b/c I was at the damn border crossing for damn near an hour. By the time I got to the border, the guard gave me the THIRD DEGREE with the questions. "What are you doing here? Did you make a reservation, what hotel? Where did you go to college? Why did you rent a truck?" And he was some swole lookin' white dude that's probably training for the UFC. I admit I was a little shook. Dude just caught me flat footed.

So after crossing the border with all casinos and whatnot, I set the GPS for Niagara's Best Brewery and Pub.

This place had a good kind of minimalist decor with little beer baskets of their brew for purchase. And Growlers. It was a little quiet as it was only 11:45AM. I sat outside and instantly realized that I did not bring a warm enough outfit. The area in Niagara, ON was nice and touristy. Everything just seemed cleaner than western New York. Imagine that. Ok, 10 beer flight.

Light Premium Lager

From what I know about Canadian beer, they love their lagers. Lemony and sour nose. Hazy old gold tint. Taste has a light bread and a hint of citrus hops. Moderate carbonation and drinkability. Not the worst light beer I've had. 2 Stars.

Logger Premium Lager

Funky malty smell comes after you give it a cocaine snorting sniff. Clear color. Taste has some toast and a bit more hops than the Light. Moderate body. It's not as crisp as the menu says but it has some icky hoppy aftertaste. High 2 Star.

Blonde Premium Ale

They love that "Premium" don't they. Clear gold color. Similar nose to the logger. The taste has a spiciness to it along with a decent grassy hop and light toast. Always love a good blonde (and the beer ain't bad either). 3 Stars.

Cascade Premium White Ale

Here I am thinking this will have some good ol' cascade hops and yet I get a spicy banana nose. Old gold cloudy colour. Beer has some random spice. As I keep sipping it, the spice turns more into a strong coriander and LOTS of orange peel. A little heavy on the spices, but it works though. 3 Stars.

I got the Mussels. Dammit I love mussels. And these one' are pretty salty. I actually like my mussels with a touch of sweetness to it. Of course some frites to round it out.

Drummond Dark Ale

Brown color with malty cinnamon nose. Lots of brown caramel malt in the flavor with *gasp* a touch of water on the second sip. It gets plainer the more I drink it. It could be the mussels, but 2 Stars.

Portage Premium Pale Ale

Malty/hop nose after hovers over the beer after some swirling. Amber color with a low white head. Moderate hops and malt. Very balanced beer but I've had stronger Blonde Pale Ales. Of course that usually means this is the English style pale ale. I guess the Queen does still hold some sway over Canada. Low 3 Stars.

Daredevil Red

Malty nose. Light malt and bread flavor. It's kinda plain again. It's a little boring, but red ale are always boring to me. I just don't see what the fuss is about Red ales. Maybe I just need to do a Red Ale tasting next time I'm at the Saucer. Wait a minute, the next time I'm at the Saucer is for the party for my PE License. Screw that. It's all Belgians. 2 Star for the balanced beer.

Pilsner Lager

Yeah I saved the pilsner until now. Turns out folk are putting a lot of strength in their pilsners these days and I was going in order of increasing IBUs. Malty and hoppy nose. Dark gold color. Strong-moderate hops and chewy mouthfeel that works well for me. Goes down smooth with lingering hop aftertaste. 3 Star.

Oatmeal Stout

Chocolate nose. Deep brown color. It has a burnt flavor to it. Maybe like overly cooked grains. Good coffee notes but no sweetness. Not bad but again just a little soft on what I like in my stouts. The oats must be giving it the full body. Low 3 Stars.

Bitter Ale

Bread/bitter nose. Copper hue. Nice bitterness just barely balanced by the malt. Last sip is a pleasant toastiness reminiscent of my beloved American ambers. 3 Stars.

Overall, this was a nice experience. The waitress seemed to really know her beer and she informed me they only opened two weeks prior. That's just fantastic. I look forward to getting with them again whenever I'm up this way. Turns out I may be back in Toronto next year. So I would love to see how they've progressed. Holla.

Have an Old Barackee Dark

For those of you who missed the clip when we posted it, Bill Mahr had a hilarious bit about the "Beer Summit" on the last Real Talk with Bill Mahr episode. YouTube has removed it because of copyright issues. Search Old Barackee on Google and you might just find it.

MSNBC, You're off the clock

The dude that wrote the article saying that "all beer tastes the same no matter what microbrewers tell you" just got put in this place. The beer community has converged and pimp slap James Duglosch for his blaspheming and he has since given up on his own comments. He now says he meant to say that big swill beer all tastes the same. DAMMIT! I didn't even get a chance to do my profane laden rants.

To date there are 69 pages worth of comments of people basically ripping this guy a new one.

What makes it so bad, this is probably the biggest amount of hits MSNBC has had online in a long time. There are more folk that read this blog than actually watch MSNBC. For fun, I'll just post some of the comments on this article: (These are so funny, I could read this all day)

"Dear James Dlugosch aka C.L.O.W.N.
Not all beer tastes the same. Next time you use your keyboard try not be drunk on strawberry wine. Thanks!
Sincerely,
Concerned Citizen"

""all beer is pretty much the same"?
Mr. Dlugosch is a dolt."

"I hope this guy's butthole doesn't hurt from all the pwnage rammed up it. What a doofus moron... all beer tastes the same... HAH! I wonder what his opinion of Little Caesar's pizza is... "hey well, it all tastes the same, a dur a durrrr *mouthbreathe*." What high school do I have to drop out of to write articles for this site?"

"This guy got PAID to write this trash!?!?!?..........I gotta find me a virtual job like this!!!!!!!!!!!!!!"

"Most of the beer in Nashville, for example, tastes the same. Although, even the south has come around in the last ten years or so. However, Portland or San Diego will blow your beer drinking mind. This guy is either on Coors payroll, or he wrote this to incite us. And wine in a box can be pretty decent. I buy Black Box cabernet and save my cash for Portland's world class beer."

"The Authors complete lack of knowledge on the subject is astounding! The sheer ignorance displayed here is truly flabbergasting. Does he think all wines taste the same? Or all food maybe? Does he know, I wonder, that beer has over 2000 flavor components, where wine has only 700? This is not an opinion, it is simply a fact.
That an author would write such an ill prepared and under researched article in a business section is staggering. He has totally lost all credibility, I simply wouldn't believe anything that he writes in the future. How embarrassing for him....
James, you should be ashamed, that was truly appalling work. "

" I agree with James. Roggenbier, India Pale Ale, Bitter, Barley Wine, Imperial Stout, Porter, Kriek, Gueuze, Dubbel, Tripel, Quadrupel, Saison, Biere de Garde, Weizenbock, Pilsner, Kolsch, Rauchbier, Sahti, Hefeweizen, Berliner Weisse, Gose, Dunkel, Scotch Ale, and California Common, among others, taste exactly the same.
Only the most perspicacious of individuals performing the most astounding of mental gymnastics could cut through the dense fog of microbrewery lies, exposing the fact that these styles merely denote the "experience" rather than flavor profiles. Kudos, dear sir!"

"i will stop reading msn news reports if idiotic statements like "all beers are the same" are promulgated by your "reporters". Please fire this reporter. He obviously cares little about the subject he reports upon."