The Mussel Inn - Captain Cooker on tap in Nelson

(updated on the 28th March 06)

NEWS FLASH FOR NELSONIANS - There's CAPTAIN COOKER now on tap at HOPGOOD'S on Trafalgar Street - get it while you can!!

Why Brewers Celebrate April 7

While the full repeal of Prohibition came on December 5, 1933, an amendment to Prohibition legalized beer with 3.2 percent alcohol by weight (4.0 percent by volume) starting on April 7 of that year. In fact, the first public delivery of beer went to the White House to honor Franklin Delano Roosevelt who had won the presidency in part because he favored repeal. From April 7 on, the country’s brewers were back in business and Americans enjoyed legal beer for eight months before wine and spirits were once again legitimate.

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Craft Beer Industry Enjoys Resurgence

US production of craft beer those specialty brews typically made in small regional or local breweries grew by 9 percent last year, the biggest jump since 1996, when the microbrewery fad of the '90s was still going full tilt. Mainstream beer sales, meanwhile, fell slightly.

Craft beer accounts for just 3.5 percent of U.S. beer sales, and imports make up 12.5 percent, said Eric Shepard, executive editor of Beer Marketer's Insights. But those numbers are going up, while the market share of mainstream beers is declining.

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Energy drinks don't reduce effects of alcohol drinking

Drinking a cocktail of alcohol and energy drinks makes you feel better, but the better feeling comes with a risk, suggests a new Brazilian study appearing in the April issue of Alcoholism: Clinical & Experimental Research.

The mix of alcohol and energy drink may make a drunk person feel like he is not drunk. As a result, drinkers may drink more alcohol than they can tolerate, potentially causing problems to himself and others, according to the study.

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Picking the winner from 969 beers!

A record number of beers from around the world are vying for top honors in the 2006 Australian International Beer Awards.

A total of 969 beers from 31 countries will come under the judges’ scrutiny next month.

Press Release

ABOUT: Plastic Beer Bottles

The principal obstacle to the introduction of a PET container for beer is that PET is a bit of a gas ‘sieve’ when it comes to the permeation of oxygen and carbon dioxide. The shelf life of a beer depends on how long it keeps its flavour, which is limited by exposure to oxygen, particularly for light beers with subtle flavour characteristics.

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Speight's on tap in Australia

Air New Zealand officially opened its first New Zealand ‘bach’ in Melbourne today marking a revolutionary new take on the traditional airline lounge.

“They can choose to sit in the sports area to watch the rugby with a glass of Speights tap beer, take a seat at our long kitchen table and enjoy a snack, glass of wine and chat with friends, lie down on our plush couch with their favorite magazine or just grab a rattan chair on the verandah and watch the world go by.”

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DB diversifies from beer with bourbon RTD

The just launched Barrel 51 - a bourbon and dry cola mix - is the first of a series of products DB plans to introduce this year to tackle RTD leader Independent Liquor, as well as Lion and Fosters, said DB managing director Brian Blake.

Barrel 51 was aimed at existing bourbon and cola drinkers, "a market that's growing very rapidly". Research showed they were interested in a dryer, less sweet drink, Blake said. "That was the key difference that we saw that we could actually build into this product."

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Official Press Release

Hop Harvest BeerFest - 8th April

The Band is a 9-piece Bavarian Umpah band with song sheets for sing alongs. There will be Bavarian Bier fest food available all day including sausages, pork knuckles and soft pretzels

We have brewed a Traditional Bavarian Kellerbier for the Festival. The Kellerbier is a very interesting style; it is a 5.2 German Amber Lager that is served un-filtered directly from the cask on the bar.

It pours with a big, creamy, long-lasting, head; has a golden-bronze colour; a wonderfully fresh, perfumy hop aroma; a remarkably smooth, almost oily, malty palate; very fresh flavours; and a spritzy finish. It is beautifully balanced, but leans to the dry side. This is a delicious, appetising beer and a true salute to Germany's fast-vanishing artisanal tradition.

Hallertau
1171 Coatesville Riverhead Hwy
Riverhead
Ph. 09 412 5555
Mob. 021 412592

Brewer Wanted - Australia

Grand Ridge Brewery outside of Melbourne is looking for a brewer

Details

Kegs become target for thieves as metal prices soar

A global boom in the market price for commodities, including steel and aluminum, has sent scrap-metal prices soaring. And that has created a tempting target for criminals world-wide in everyday objects that contain metals - from light poles along highways to lowly beer kegs.

With beer kegs, the crime spree began in the United Kingdom, where more than 250,000 wobbled out of circulation last year, according to the British Beer and Pub Association. Last fall, thieves scaled a chain-link fence and made off with 430 kegs in a single night from a storage yard belonging to Empire Distributors Inc. in Charlotte, N.C. The empty kegs had contained Sam Adams, Sierra Nevada and Pyramid brand beers. "I don't know why they didn't just ram the fence down," says Hank Bauer, Empire's sales manager. Empire is now locking its kegs in a warehouse to keep them safe.

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Glass With Bottle Opener

If you’re always misplacing your bottle opener, perhaps you should save yourself the effort of searching over and over again and just buy a few of these nifty glasses with bottle openers in their bottoms. You can get your choice of blue, yellow or orange openers.

Buy from Gizmodo

Happy St Patricks Day

The Great Mussel Inn Beer Tasting Competition

Win $100 worth of beer!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

(And other prizes)

All you have to do is correctly identify as many beers as you can in a blind tasting. The highest score wins. In the event of a tie, blended samples will be issued until a winner is established.

1st prize: $100 worth of beer (or cider) from any of the Mussel Inn beer taps

2nd prize: A mussel Inn T shirt

3rd prize: Your very own hand made Mussel Inn branded beer mug

When: At 2pm on Sunday the 30th April

Where: At the Mussel Inn of course

Entry fee: $10 (tasting samples are included free)

Full Details

Glass recyclers facing massive crisis

New Zealand’s glass recyclers are facing their biggest crisis in a decade, according to Wastebusters general manager Sheryl Stivens, as the growing tide of cheap imported bottles undermines the local glass recycling industry.

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Company on the hop

Aotea Breweries is a family enterprise which defnitely has locals hopping and has also sparked the interest of several Bay of Plenty restaurants, pubs and clubs.

Tammy Viitakangas and partner Jaysen Magar, together with Tammy’s parents Jouni and Gloria Viitakangas, are the force behind the project which saw brewing begin in October last year with the first batch of Mata handcrafted premium beers ready for consumption five weeks later.

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Brewery may have to rethink sponsorship deal with NZ cricket

DB Breweries says it may have to rethink its sponsorship of the New Zealand one day cricket team if grounds continue to restrict beer sales.

DB's marketing manager, Mark Davidson, says he thinks the ground made a wrong decision and fans stayed home as a result.

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Lion Nathan changes tactics

Brewer Lion Nathan said it would not extend its A$420 million ($481 million) bid for unlisted Coopers Brewery but would continue legal action that could allow it to make another offer later.

The company was also continuing to look at opportunities to expand by entering the dark spirit, ready-to-drink (RTD) market in Australia, where bourbon, rum and whisky-based drinks are among the most popular retail liquor types.

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Foster's looking to sell overseas breweries

Australia's biggest beer and wine maker Foster's Group Ltd is seeking to sell its overseas breweries for up to A$200 million ($234 million), sources close to the situation said today.

Foster's, whose amber nectar is one of Australia's most heavily promoted overseas brands, is looking to focus on its domestic beer business and its expansion into wine.

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Hops by hand for a special brew

These hops, the first to be harvested this season, will be brewed fresh to conserve their flavour and aroma in Cascade Brewery's First Harvest Ale. This is the fifth year First Harvest Ale has been brewed -- using hops so fresh and green, they arrive at the Hobart brewery only two hours after being picked.

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Cascade Brewery Website

The Brewjolais run is underway…

Brewing with green hops is a pastime for the brazenly over-confident. Yet Colin was determined to wrangle this 5.5% “Kiwi Pale Ale” into something unique, something that will enhance Mac's reputation for innovation and for infuriating the kind of people who deserve to be infuriated. He's even given it a name to convey the appropriate sense of urgency – Mac’s Brewjolais.

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UK company 'in talks' with Independent Distillers

In an official statement Halewood said both it and Independent Liquor NZ: “are in advanced discussions regarding the future manufacture and representation of Independent Liquor’s portfolio of brands in the UK, Europe and other selected markets”.

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Tui enters the Dark side

Just when you thought it was safe to assume the playful team at Tui would only ever produce their iconic East India Pale Ale. The Tui girls have been beavering away after dark to produce a new style of beer; a hearty West Indian Pale Ale, aptly known as Mangatainoka Dark.

Full Release

Cock & Bull Newmarket - New Beer Release

Cock & Bull Newmarket - 5-8pm Wednesday 15th March
Free Beer Tasting - come and taste the new release

Emerson's Taieri George Released

The much anticipated annual release of Emerson's excellent 'Taieri George' ale has occured.

The ale is a popular Belgian-style spiced ale often described as 'liquid hot cross buns", with a 6.8% alcohol content and spicy, nutmeg and cinnamon flavours.

'Taieri George' is one of the few beers that require bottle age to come together, and this release, brewed in May last year, has just come ready now. The beer has a proven ability to age as well, and can last 5 years with ease, integrating and improving all that time.

Named after brewer Richard Emerson's late father George, who was a passionate supporter of the Taieri Gorge Railway, and released on the anniversary of hisbirthday, 6th May.

A very special beer. 500 ml bottles.

Glass Tip - Those fine fellows at Regional Wines and Spirits

From the "That could only happen in Norway" Files

OSLO (Reuters) - A woman thought she was in heaven when beer instead of water flowed from the taps in her apartment in west Norway.

"I turned on the tap to clean some knives and forks and beer came out," Haldis Gundersen told Reutersfrom her home in Kristiansund, west Norway.

"We thought we were in heaven." Beer in Norway is among the most expensive in the world with a 0.4 litre (0.7pint) costing about 50 crowns (4.3 pounds or 12 dollars) in a bar.

Gundersen said she tried the beer but that it tasted a bit odd and was not fizzy.

It turned out that a worker in a bar two floors below had mixed up the pipes on Saturday evening, wrongly connecting a new barrel to a water pipe leading to Gundersen's flat. The bar got water in its beer taps.

"If it happens again I'm going to order Baileys," she said.

Glass Tip - Clint Heine (partaker of many fine European beers and far too many horrible snakebites)

The Mill launches no-frills liquor store

In a bid to fend off competition from department stores and grocery chains, independent liquor retailer The Mill Liquorsave is set to open what it says is the country's first no frills-style alcohol outlet.

Opening tomorrow, the store in Manukau City will boast discounts of up to 20 per cent on top-selling beer, wine, spirits and pre-mixed cocktails. The trial store could be the first of many around the country.

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NEVER EMPTY BEER MUG

This is the perfect beer glass for every beer drinker in the world!

Now you will never run out of beer again!

NEVER EMPTY BEER GLASS will repeat this three phases:

"Your beer is running dangerously low"
"Refill immediately – danger of sobering up" (with warning siren)
"Cheers!'"

Link

World's Most Expensive Vodka Filtered with Actual Cut Diamonds

[Sorry that this post isn't beer related. I had to laugh when I read it.]

The new company's first product launch through its TransBorder Spirits USA subsidiary will be vodka imported from Poland which utilizes an industry first patented diamond filtration process. The process utilizes nearly one hundred diamonds of up to one carat in size, and results in a Vodka with unsurpassed clarity and smoothness.

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Czech pub food eating experiment resulted in lost weight

On February 8, the same day Super Size Me opened in Prague, a Czech film company's volunteer known as Karel Gustav Bozan began a 1 month diet of Czech pub food and beer in a Czech version called "Super Spek Me"; which translates loosely as "Super Flab Me".

Karel ate typical Czech pub food for an entire month with three rules: no vegetables or fresh fruit (unless they came with a meal) no exercise, and lots of beer.

Yesterday the results were announced; Karel lost six kilos, his cholesterol went down and so did his liver enzymes, triglyceride and uric acid levels. His blood pressure did not change. At his interview with Radio Prague he said: "I feel good, great! The food was varied and there were even enough greens in the garnish. As for beer, I tried to alternate brands but I always settled it with Pilsner.

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Erceg lieutenant leaves Independent

Independent Distillers - the company founded by Michael Erceg - has lost Roger Smith, the executive who had been running the business since Erceg's death last year.

Smith's departure may be evidence the company is being readied for a sale to a corporate liquor company.

Australian brewer Lion Nathan has been one of many companies said to be interested in Independent's sub-premium beer and pre-mixed cocktail business. Independent has about 65 per cent market share of the country's ready-to-drink market and 8 per cent of beer market.

Full Story - NZ Herald

Study: Beer is healthier than pop

Some prominent nutrition experts put out new guidelines Wednesday urging Americans to cut back on calorie-rich sodas while allowing more leeway for alcohol and lots of room for tea and coffee - up to 40 ounces a day.

In fact, the scientists say men can drink as much as 24 ounces of beer a day - more than the 16 ounces of low-fat milk or soy drinks they suggest, and three times their recommended limit for fruit juice.

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Hops good for heart

Extracts from beer reduce inflammatory markers, according to a study by Austrian scientists. Hops may play a particularly important role.

"On the basis of our new findings, beer must be added to the list of beverages with potentially anti-inflammatory components, but our findings must not be understood as an encouragement to drink alcohol," said lead researcher Professor Dietmar Fuchs from Innsbruck Medical University.

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Kirin Brewery comments boost Lion Nathan shares

Kirin Brewery, Japan's second-biggest brewer by volume, said yesterday it wants to raise its stake in Australia's second-largest brewer, Lion Nathan, from the current 46 per cent.

Lion Nathan has been a profit driver for Kirin, which faces intensifying competition with rivals Asahi Breweries and Sapporo Holdings in a shrinking domestic market.

The Australian company accounted for 23 per cent of Kirin's consolidated operating profit in 2005, up from 21 per cent in 2004.

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Brewery For Sale - 2500 litre

2500 litre brew length. The original Cock & Bull brewery, where the double Supreme Champion beer of New Zealand was brewed. Brewery can be viewed in place by appointment.

Images and full list of plant and equipment

Whiskey makers brewing up a storm

New Zealand's only whiskey distillery, the Timaru-based Southern Distilling Company, is expanding production and is about to release two new lines – including the usually illegal Irish moonshine Poitin.

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Tui Girls

Tui, in keeping with their massive advertising campaign, actually do employ female brewers. Though I don't remember spoting Kylie at BrewNZ, last year.

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Guinness video

"Good things come to those who wait" - cool Guinness video

View video here

Beer Guts Save Lives

Beer-guzzling bubbas everywhere will be happy to know that spare tire might just spare your life — if you happen to be a man in a car accident.

New research suggests that guys with a little more to love around the middle are more likely to survive a serious car crash than those who maintain a slender bod, HealthDay News reports.

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Good for your Guinness

FIRST came the widget, and now an ultra-sonic gadget is being launched to help Guinness fans perfect their pint.

The electric-powered device is said to activate the gases in the canned beer to make it seem similar to the draught version.

Called a "surger", it sends an ultra-sonic pulse through the pint glass which sits on top of it.

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Beer Can with Lip Wrapper

Grupo Cerveza Alhambra is advertising its new beer can design featuring this "lip wrapper" made of tin.

I've never seen one of these things, though I suppose they may have been around in Spain where Alhambra is brewed. The brewer says this is supposed to keep the lip clean, so that you can enjoy both alcohol and good health.

So what is this thing supposed to be called? Lip Wrapper? Can Cover?

From Strange New Products

Beer fights heart disease: official

More good news for those of you who like a swift pint or two: beer doesn't just fight cancer and make you clever but also blocks "interferon-gamma-induced chemical processes".

This is a good thing, trust us, because what the Innsbruck Medical University team behind this revelation has shown - in layman's terms - is that beer offers a resultant anti-inflammatory effect which may have a "beneficial impact on coronary heart diseases"

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Beer TV

For some time now the Food Channel on SkyTV have been running short ads for a series of 30 minute programmes on beer called Beer TV. Given the ad specifically mentions lambics, it sounds quite promising.

Geoff Griggs has tracked down the details - it will be showing Thursday nights (Channel 38 at10pm) and is repeated on Fridays at 6am which isn't exactly prime time.

He also found the following synopsis of the series.

Brewjolais

Hot of the hop vines, via Geoff Griggs' beer news at Regional Wines (and, as yet, still bringing back zero results from Google!), comes a new seasonal beer from Mac's Nelson brewery. Celebrating the hop harvest, Mac's Brewjolais will be an aromatic, American-styled, pale ale that contains an enormous amount of fresh Styrian Goldings hops (140kg in 11,000L of beer).

Styrian Goldings are actually a continental descendant of English Fuggles, rather than Goldings, and are generally noted to have a spicy addition to the Fuggles earthy and woody characteristics. They are often found in Belgian-style witbier and strong ales, as well as most English ale styles.

The use of highly aromatic fresh hops, rather than the traditional kilned version, has become popular in the USA since the beginning of the micro-brewery revolution. Due to the fact that they should be used so soon after the harvest, this usage is generally limited to breweries that are located close to the hop fields. Mac's have certainly made good use of their natural competitive advantage here. Readers here can make use of their RealBeer advantage by keeping an eye out for this limited ale in the next few weeks.

According to Geoff, the Brewjolais should be available, on tap at selected outlets, from the third week of March. Perfect timing to welcome the new "brewery assistant" into my family...

Slainte mhath
Stu

Taste for beer in flagons dries up

Unlike earlier times, when young drinkers were less demanding about their wholesale suds, as long as they did the job, today's younger set wants to be seen consuming the right stuff.

"Certainly fewer and fewer young drinkers use it ... younger drinkers like to be seen drinking what's fashionable," Campbell says.

Super Liquor franchise manager Sue Lewis agrees: "The 20-year-olds would never go and buy a flagon of beer."

Problems with ageing and storage of the beer for dispensing into flagons means breweries are not keen on the product, but in stores where they are still popular - suburban and (more likely) rural areas - breweries are happy to maintain supply.

Full Story - NZ Herald

We're only here for the beer

Conery, 23, is among a record number of masters students at Heriot-Watt University's International Centre for Brewing and Distilling on the western edge of the Scottish capital.

"It will look good on my resume," Conery said. "It has a better reputation and the professors have more of a finger on the pulse. They know everyone."

The centre traces its roots back to 1903, when Edinburgh had 35 breweries. That number has shrunk to just one as companies such as Scottish & Newcastle, Britain's largest brewer, moved to cheaper locations, leaving Heriot-Watt alumni to maintain the city's stamp on the beer world.

Full Story - NZ Herald

42 Below's shot at the big time

And last year it diverted from a 2003 plan in its prospectus to focus on the premium end of the market when it launched a cheaper vodka called Stil. This shift continued this week with the launch of pre-mixed cocktails - a direct attack on the late multimillionaire Michael Erceg's Independent Distillers.

Full Story - NZ Herald

DB quits discounting battle

Brian Blake, DB managing director, said yesterday the Singapore-owned brewer would put an end to the deepest discounts of its beers, even if it meant losing market share.

"Over the past nine months the whole beer market's been very aggressive," he said.

He said Heineken, DB's premium beer, which usually retailed at $23.45 per dozen, had sold in supermarkets for as little as $16.95.

"In terms of the image of a premium brand we don't want to be at those prices."

Full Story - NZ Herald

RealBeer.co.nz Forum Enabled

The forum is now live again with a few upgrades, and changes, and with all the SPAM removed.

Unfortunately the only way you can make a post/reply now is my creating an account. This account will be activated by admin before anything can be posted by it.

These changes should resolve any major issues with SPAM.

Cheers
Luke