DRAFT Magazine

By Mariah Beckman

This June, a new beer will effectively revolutionize the way your mouth feels about the Jersey Shore. Newcomer to the craft brewing industry East Coast Brewing Co. plans to unveil its flagship brew, Beach Haus Classic American Pilsner.

This All-American Pilsner is made from all-American ingredients, and will eventually be available all over America. John Merklin, partner and co-owner of East Coast Brewing, explains, “At this very moment we have distribution partners in two-thirds of [New Jersey]. We absolutely want to distribute out of state. Our hopes are that the folks visiting the Jersey Shore enjoy our product so much (and the good times at the Shore enjoying it) that they will seek our product back at home.” Beach Haus will be available in 12 oz. six-packs and 1/6 bbl kegs initially, but as demand increases, so will the bottling options.

This state-representative beer craze is all the rage, and while many brewers have chosen to create a session or specialty beer to rep their state, Merklin and Brian Ciriaco are going a different route. While the pair was trying to decide on what kind of taste would capture that iconic Jersey Shore, they decided to bring homebrewing legend Tom Przyborowski to the table.

The process of choosing which beer would best rep the Shore was a democratic one: “An interesting fact about Beach Haus is that it is the first Pilsner any of us have ever brewed,” says Merklin, who began homebrewing around the ripe age of 21. “That includes Tom, Brian, and myself. Naturally we are looking to move into more familiar brewing territory, so nobody should be shocked if our next product is some style of ale.” The businessmen have also tossed around the idea for a dark lager, but whatever they ultimately vote on, one thing’s certain: It will be reflective of the brew’s Jersey roots.

“We want to make product that is very meaningful to the local population, but equally appealing to others as well,” Merklin says. “New Jersey is rich in history, full of local traditions and celebrations that are significant in our local identity. There is so much to work with the trouble becomes in deciding exactly what we do work with.”

While the team has approached homebrewers both locally and internationally to assist with the development of their Jersey suds, all of the product recipes were inspired by and developed at the Jersey Shore. Most of the brews will be named for local events, parks or bodies of water in the Jersey area.

New Jersey is not an industry-leader when it comes to beer companies per capita, and this is something that East Coast Brewing intends to change.

“Back in 2007, the New Jersey Brewery map was not very populated, especially along the Jersey Shore” Merklin says. “We really believe that there is a strong consumer appetite for this and the locals want something of their own more than anyone else.”

While the company’s brewery is still in the planning phases of construction, their office is currently located right on Point Pleasant Beach. The team hopes to keep its brewery as green as possible, in keeping with the recent movement to make ale production more environmentally conscious.

So just what makes these guys think they have what it takes to rep the Garden State when MTV seems to be doing a helluva job? History.

“We started the company and idea for the beer way before the release of the TV show,” Merklin says. ”Jersey Shore has an iconic status — a testament to this is the number of times it is referred to in books, songs and yes, even TV shows” — case in point, the popular show of the same name.

They know the Shore better than The Situation, Snookie, and the rest of the gang ever will. And they’re brewing up the beer to prove their point.

Mariah Beckman is a freelance writer and former DRAFTMag.com editorial intern.

By Chris Gigley

Drivers heading south on I-85 encounter a strange image as they speed through Gaffney, S.C., a town a few miles past the North Carolina border. A water tower shaped like a gigantic peach (or a certain part of the human anatomy, depending who you ask) moons passersby on their way toward Atlanta.

If the miles of squat, leafy peach trees along I-85 aren’t obvious clues that South Carolina is a major peach-producing state, the water tower certainly is.

“South Carolina grows more peaches than Georgia does,” says Mark Johnsen, owner and brewer at RJ Rockers in Spartanburg. “We’re really the peach state.”

Last year, when a local newspaper reporter came to Johnsen with the idea of brewing an ale with local peaches, he couldn’t believe he hadn’t thought of it first. RJ Rockers had been serving the locals handcrafted ales since 1997, when it became Spartanburg’s first craft brewery.

“I thought it’d make a great summer beer,” says Johnsen, who brewed his first batch of Son of a Peach wheat ale in April 2009. “But it was so popular it became our warm-weather seasonal beer. Now, it’s available to distributors from mid-February right up to about October 1.”

Johnsen started with fresh frozen peaches from California. But last June, he bought bushels of fruit from Strawberry Hill U.S.A. farm in nearby Chesnee, S.C.

“The fresh frozen peaches we buy are good peaches, but they’re not sweet at all,” he says. “They alm

ost appear to be like cling peaches in heavy syrup. When we use the fresh ones, we cut them, pit them, and grind them up skin and all into a puree.”

The brewers at Bells Brewery, Inc., up in Michigan could have told him local fruit was a good idea. The brewers at Bell’s have been doing it since 1988, when they launched a cherry stout using the juice of tart cherries grown in the northern part of the state.

“As a company, we try to support local businesses and products,” says Laura Bell, marketing director at Bell’s. “Michigan is known for its cherries. Why would we buy lower quality frozen juice from larger suppliers when we can get fresh, locally grown cherries just a few hours away?”

Rich Tucciarone, brewmaster and vice president of brewery operations at Kona Brewing Co. in Hawaii, couldn’t agree more. He first went local about a decade ago, when he brewed an imperial stout using kona beans.

“We used this killer coffee from a grower right down the street from the brewery, and it added depth and complexity to the beer,” he says.

Tucciarone then hooked up with another grower to secure beans for a new porter. Right away, he saw the benefits of being nearby.

“I watched the first couple of roasts,” he recalls “I wanted a deep roast, but not so over the top to get the astringency. We more or less use a roast similar to a french-type roast.”

The rich coffee flavor comes through beautifully in Kona’s Pipeline Porter, which debuted in 2006. Tucciarone went local again when he created the summer seasonal Wailua Wheat, which uses passion fruit puree. This time, however, he ran into limitations plaguing most brewers who use local produce.

“There’s not enough passion fruit here to meet our needs,” he says. “I need about 50,000 pounds of passion fruit puree annually. We can only get a small fraction of that here.”

Bell’s uses a broker to get enough cherries for its stout, which is available from early November through March. And in order to stretch production to meet the growing demand for Son of a Peach, Johnsen continues to use frozen peaches when the local supply runs out in early September.

Is there a difference in taste? Not really, he says. Either way, his brew tastes great and belongs in a state that greets travelers with a giant peach water tower.

Chris Gigley is a freelance writer.

In DRAFT’s May/June 2010 issue, we serve up our guide to all things oyster, and suggest a few places to try one of the greatest beer-food pairings known to man. One spot, though, mastered the art of beer and oysters before most: Raleigh, N.C.’s landmark 42nd St. Oyster Bar dedicated itself to the duo back in the early ’30s. Now, beverage director Ryan Tyson manages the restaurant’s 130-plus craft beers that include the likes of Big Boss Angry Angel and Victory Golden Monkey. We caught up with Tyson while he was sourcing summer seasonals; below, his thoughts on the restaurant’s beer, oysters, and marrying the two.

42nd St. Oyster bar is no stranger to good beer, but now that North Carolina’s making huge waves in the industry, how has your beer list changed?

We started in 1931 as a hole-in-the-wall on the same property we’re on today, and when Prohibition ended in 1933, we were the first establishment in Raleigh to serve beer in frosty mug again. Then, we were the first place to purchase a keg from Carolina Brewing Co. when they started in 1995, and we continue to carry their products; their Carolina Pale Ale is our No. 1-selling draft to this day. So, beer’s part of our history. Now, there are so many great up-and-coming breweries in North Carolina; 10 years ago, we had a few local beers on tap that were sort of popular, but now, they’re what everyone asks for. That’s what led us to make the decision to focus on local beer.

What beers are you ordering for summer?

We have 12 taps and 120 bottles; we have a core bottle selection with a few spots for seasonals, and we focus our taps on local breweries. There’s a newer brewery in Eastern North Carolina called Mother Earth Brewing Co.; they’re a green company using a lot of sustainable practices. We’re awaiting their Weeping Willow Wit, and really looking forward to getting that on draft. We have a Belgian tripel from Aviator Brewing that’s done well, too. For our bottled seasonals, we’re getting Bell’s Oberon; from Terrapin out of Atlanta, their Sun Ray Wheat; and from Highland in Asheville, their Cattail Peak Wheat.

What are your favorite oyster varieties?

The past couple years we focused heavily on oysters from the Gulf area, but we’ve started focusing on half-shell varieties from all over the country. Now, my favorites from the East Coast are Island Creeks from Maryland and Blue Points from Connecticut. From the West Coast, I like Hootenanny and Naked Roy’s Beach oysters from the Washington/Vancouver region.

Any general rules for pairing beer and oysters?

A lot of people feel that stronger beers — porters, stouts, IPAs — tend to go better with oysters, probably because those are winter beers and people generally associate oysters with colder weather. But we’ve found that oysters and beer go hand-in-hand, period. People just like to pair the two; they drink what they like when eating them. I like a milk stout or a winter porter, but this season’s golden ales, pilsners, and witbiers pair just as well.

What’s the one beer-oyster pairing everyone should try at the restaurant?

Right now, we’re getting some oysters from Virginia, so I’d pair a Virginia oyster and Highland’s Seven Sisters abbey style ale. It’s a Belgian dubbel with a really strong flavor.

(In honor of the NHL playoffs, we’re re-running this piece that was originally published in January.)
By Chris Gigley

Toronto is ruled by giants. Just ask any brewing company not named Molson, Labatt, or Sleeman. Or, better yet, ask any hockey team not named the Toronto Maple Leafs. The little guys have an uphill battle convincing the people of greater Toronto that there’s more to both beer and hockey.

But they’re trying. The city’s craft brewing community is a small and determined band of beer enthusiasts, each putting their own unique spin on beer to attract fans. The one making the most noise is Steam Whistle Brewing Co., based in a historic roundhouse in the shadow of CN Tower. Thanks to its location near Rogers Center and the home of the Leafs, Air Canada Center, its bar and brewery tours have become pre-game staples for the locals. The beer has become a draw, too.

“Our thing from the beginning has been to do one thing really well,” says Sybil Taylor, marketing communications manager for Steam Whistle.

That one thing is Czech-style pilsners. Steam Whistle doesn’t produce anything else. It has a new custom-built Czech brewhouse and a Czech brewmaster, Marek Mikunda, who honed his skills at the Pilsner Urquell Brewery in the Czech Republic. The result is a bright, smooth, and thirst-quenching beer that rivals the pilsners from the old country.

Steam Whistle is the only craft beer hockey fans can buy at a hockey game — any hockey game — in the area. The brewery supplies the Toronto Marlies, the Leafs’ top minor league affiliate. The Marlies play five minutes down the road in Ricoh Coliseum, an imposing concrete building reminiscent of the grand-old NHL hockey arenas. That includes Maple Leaf Gardens, which still stands dormant north of the city center.

“There really isn’t a bad seat in [Ricoh Coliseum],” says Chris Goddard, Steam Whistle’s marketing director and resident hockey afficionado. “But the Marlies just haven’t been able to draw. If people don’t have Leafs tickets, they’d just rather watch them on television than go out for a Marlies game.”

What they miss is great hockey in a great, old arena for a fraction of what it costs to see a Leafs game. Great Lakes Brewery’s John Bowden is just as perplexed as Goddard by Toronto hockey fans’ fixation on the Maple Leafs. He should know. He is one. Bowden has never been to a Marlies game, and he offers no explanation for it.

Launched in 1987, Great Lakes is the first craft brewer in Toronto. Today, the brewery has a storefront and brewhouse just west of downtown that’s visible from the Gardiner Expressway, the main artery leading to and from Toronto. Bowden often leads tours of the brew house, which is more typical of Ontario craft brewers — small. While Steam Whistle produces more than 12,000 gallons of beer each day, Great Lakes’ daily output is about 1,320.

Great Lakes produces seven beers, three of them seasonals. Soon, says Bowden, there will be more. Seasonal beers are Great Lakes’ strongest performers, and beer lovers who visit the city right now are in luck. Its winter ale, which features generous amounts of cinnamon, honey, ginger, and orange peel, is easily the brewery’s most popular seasonal brew.

“I think there’s been a huge shift toward more flavorful beers in Toronto,” says Bowden. “But it’s sort of a chicken-and-egg thing. Until people find beers like ours and try them, they won’t start asking for them at bars. But the ball has started rolling for sure.”

A sign of that are two other small breweries that have opened in the neighborhood. Cool Brewing Co., with a three-beer lineup that includes a unique hemp-based red lager, is about four miles north. Black Oak Brewing Co., which brews an award-winning nut brown ale, is less than two miles to the east.

The local hockey team for Great Lakes Brewing is the Mississauga St. Michael’s Majors, part of the Ontario Hockey League. The OHL, one of three major junior hockey leagues in Canada and the U.S., is similar to NCAA basketball. Most of the good pros have come through the league, including the legendary Bobby Orr, Wayne Gretzky and last year’s overall first-round pick, John Tavares. Even though the Majors play in Hershey Center, a gorgeous new hockey arena with even better sightlines than Ricoh Coliseum, the building is rarely full.

The gravitational pull of the Leafs doesn’t ease until visitors get about an hour away from the city, where OHL towns are staunch supporters of their own teams, even when the Leafs are on television. The best example is in Kitchener, where the Rangers play in one of the oldest arenas left in the league, Kitchener Auditorium, which opened in 1951. Attendance is always at or near capacity, the fans are loud and knowledgeable, and the cozy confines of the building produce a hockey atmosphere that is about as authentic as it gets.

The Sleeman Center in nearby Guelph is another great OHL rink. The home of the Storm is set downtown and adjoins a quaint indoor shopping mall, making the intermissions a little more bearable. Unfortunately, the arena is ruled by local brewing giant Sleeman. That’s fine during the game, but beer lovers should check out Guelph’s Wellington Brewery, Canada’s oldest independent microbrewery.

After experiencing greater Toronto’s array of OHL teams and craft brewers, the answer will be as clear as a Steam Whistle pilsner. When it comes to beer and hockey, smaller is better.

– Chris Gigley favourite thing about Canada is Tim Horton’s, where the combo meals don’t include fries. They include donuts. He suggests the Canadian Maple.

In case you didn’t know — and, let’s face it, you didn’t — May happens to be National Tavern Month. Here at DRAFTMag.com, we’re not ones to miss an important celebration so in honor of the festivities, we picked our favorite taverns across this great land. Check them out and let us know yours in the comments.

Erika Rietz, editor-in-chief: Back Room 102 Norfolk St., New York, New York
To drink in a little piece of history at the Back Room, you’ll have to traverse the same path our thirsty ancestors did during Prohibition: wander through a dark back alley to an unmarked entrance and find this resurrected speakeasy that fronts as a closed toy shop. It’s a time-stopped, dimly lit haunt with creeky wood floors and 192os-inspired dressing like velvet couches, red and gold paisley wallpaper, tin ceilings and a sliding bookcase that opens to a second bar. Cocktails are served in teacups, keeping with this “shhhhh, we’re drinking” motif: Though, having landed on numerous “best of” lists, this place is hardly a secret.

Jessica Daynor, managing editor: State Street Brats, Madison, Wisconsin
Let me walk you through my logic here: To me — and it’s different for everybody — the best taverns manage to combine beer by the pitcher, fried food, college football (or Bears vs. Packers games), a homey atmosphere and a clientele ranging from college kids to cougars to seniors. (A crowd with Chicago or Wisconsin accents is a bonus, but not a requirement.) I’ve found this combination at a few gems across the country, but the best example (and therefore, my favorite tavern) is State Street Brats*. Pitchers? Check — plus, there’s Flip Night on Tuesdays, on which you get 75 percent off your drink order if you correctly guess the outcome of a coin toss. Fried food? Yes, in the form of honest-to-goodness cheese curds. Football? Obviously, evident by the gargantuan projection TV and hordes of cardinal-clad Badger fans. Atmosphere? Jeez, just look at the place. And the clientele? Definitely a nice mix of students, alums, parents and random weirdos, plus Bratman, the bar’s smiley mascot. If a walking, huggable sausage doesn’t seal State Street Brats’ fate as one of the country’s top taverns, I don’t know what does.

*To clarify for any friends who will totally call me out on my choice, I think “bar” is different from “tavern” (’cause everyone knows my favorite “bar” is Madison’s Kollege Klub) and “favorite” is different from “most memorable” (which would be a slew of other bars I won’t mention so as to not incriminate myself).

Christopher Staten, beer editor: Josiah Chowning’s Tavern, Colonial Williamsburg, Virginia
Sure, we may be nerds, but if beer is the drink of history there’s no better place to imbibe than Josiah Chowning’s Tavern in Colonial Williamsburg, Virginia. Think of this 18th century watering hole as part bar, part restaurant, and part living museum. After a hot, sticky summer day of touring Colonial Williamsburg’s many attractions — we recommend a full walk-through of the Governor’s Palace — kick back with a pint of Josiah’s Ale, Mr. Chowning’s Tavern Ale or St. George Porter alongside a helping of Brunswick Stew. Where else can you get a few pints in you, then walk outside to discuss Maritime Trade in the 1700s? Or exchange a volley of wit with the village wench? As an added bonus, don’t miss out on Colonial Williamsburg’s seasonal program “The Arts and Mysteries of Brewing,” which shows how brewmasters in the colonies whipped up drinks for the emerging nation. After you’ve soaked up the spirit of the olden-days, return to Chowning’s for Gambols, a nightly entertainment showcase of balladeers and colonial games that pairs extremely well with a pint of ale.

Noah Davis, Web editor: The Blue Goose, Lewiston, Maine
Every college town worth a pint has one: the locals bar where students are accepted but only if they behave. The Blue Goose has played this role for Bates College since the 1930s. The tiny, dark space doesn’t do frills and the surly bartenders will (rightly) throw you out if you act up, but there’s no better place to go enjoy a brew or two. If you converse quietly and tip well, you’ll eventually break down the icy exterior of the regular crowd and hear some of the wildest stories you could ever imagine. The Goose isn’t a place for the faint of heart, but it’s a damn good tavern.

By Adam Tokarz

To the casual observer, Mexico’s Cinco de Mayo holiday signifies little more than an excuse to down a few ice-cold cervezas, dance awkwardly to mariachi music, and wake up the following morning with a headache and a touch of Montezuma’s revenge. Ay, Dios mio!

Sadly, its historical significance is all but lost on the majority of Americans. In fact, in a terribly unscientific poll conducted by this freelance writer, 80 percent of survey participants wrongly identified Cinco de Mayo as Mexico’s Independence Day. (In fact, Mexico’s Independence Day is September 16th.)

So how did we turn a patriotic holiday celebrating the Mexican army’s improbable victory over a superior French force at the Battle of Puebla on May 5th, 1862 into an American drinking holiday?

In the same way St. Patrick’s Day morphed from being a day to attend mass and honor the missionary who’s credited with converting Ireland to Christianity in the 5th century to a booze-fueled spectacle fraught with green beer, Lucky Charm leprechauns, and more green beer: commercialization.

Here at DRAFTMag.com, we believe the best kind of imbiber is an informed one. As such, we’re tossing on our tweed jackets (elbow patches optional), stroking our imaginary beards (not optional), and snapping out the pointers to give you a brief history lesson on Cinco de Mayo, ethnic festivals in America, and beer.

*****

Cinco de Mayo celebrates the courage and bravery of the Mexican peasant soldiers who gallantly drove back a much larger, more disciplined French contingent on May 5th, 1862.

Here’s the snapshot synopsis of how it all went down: French Emperor Napoleon III decided to expand his French territories in the Americas under the pretense of collecting an unfulfilled debt. He sent his infantry to Mexico to break up the current administration and insert his own puppet figurehead. But as the French troops marched towards Mexico City to topple the existing government, they were met with unexpected resistance from the Mexican militia in the city of Puebla. Out-gunned and out-manned by a two-to-one ratio, the Mexicans managed to stave off France’s forceful surge, displaying gumption and heart.

And while Mexicans today celebrate the victory in the state of Puebla and the surrounding Mexico City area with traditional music (think more mariachi, less Ricky Martin’s Menudo medlies), dance, and food, the holiday is not nationally recognized throughout all of Mexico.

Conversely, Cinco de Mayo enjoys widespread appeal in the US, from Mexican-Americans in Santa Fe to drunken frat boys in Tallahassee. In the US, Cinco de Mayo celebrations started popping up in the southwestern states in the latter half of the 19th century, as Mexican-Americans sought to embrace their new bicultural identity. It wasn’t long before corporations saw this ethnic festival as a unique opportunity to reach out to a growing Hispanic marketshare.

José M. Alamillo, professor at the Chicano Studies Research Center at UCLA, wrote an article detailing the Cinco de Mayo festivals and the political/cultural climate of Cornona, California in the 1930s through 1950. In his piece, Alamillo observes local authorities leveraging the Cinco de Mayo festivals to help integrate the Mexican-American citizens into the community while also generating tourism dollars through corporate event sponsorships. Alamillo writes, “By tapping into the cultural traditions and nationalist ideologies of Cinco de Mayo, corporations attempt[ed] to enter the largely untapped… Hispanic market.”

This movement of segmented ethnic marketing was picked up quickly in the beer world, where corporate breweries climbed aboard the Mexican cultural bandwagon, using traditional Mexican icons and popular ethnic imagery in their marketing campaigns. In 1983, Coors Brewing Company bought billboards naming Coors ”the beer of the Decade of the Hispanic.” (At press time, the Goonies cast could not be reached for comment.)

The most popular beer by far was Groupo Modelo’s Corona, which entered the United States in the late 1970s. After disappointing initial sales, Corona substituted brown bottles for clear longnecks, the brand’s now-signature look and a staple for Mexican beers. When they reintroduced their brand to the southwest, sales skyrocketed and Groupo Modelo pressed onward, widening their appeal to a national audience. Sales rose nearly 700 percent from 1984 to 1986, when 12 million cases of Corona moved quicker than Salma Hayek in Desperado. (The Mexican-born actress had a mean draw but a lovely figure.)

And while some have found fault with beer conglomerates, claiming they trivialize the ethnic heritage of the Mexican festival and promote alcohol abuse and excessive drinking, like Tecate’s “Let’s Party” theme or Corona’s infamous campaign with the sombrero-adorned parrot and the slogan, “Drinko with Cinco,” others are encouraged by America’s acceptance and integration of foreign cultures into the mainstream.

St. Patrick’s Day celebrations in the U.S. have fallen under the same scrutiny. Guinness was taken to task by The Marin Group, an alcohol watchdog faction, over one of their St. Patrick’s Day marketing campaigns depicting two adults running downstairs on Christmas morning to find wrapped cases of Guinness. According to the group, this “appears to condone irresponsible drinking, in this case large quantities of beer in the morning. It also defies still another provision that says Diageo [Guinness’ parent company] ads will not use any image or symbol that appeals to underage youth. One can hardly imagine an image with more appeal to youth than the excitement of Christmas morning.”

And it’s not just The Marin Group railing against beer conglomerates. Groups like Cinco de Mayo con Orgullo Coalition (“Cinco de Mayo with pride”) have formed to “reclaim cultural celebrations — such as Cinco de Mayo — and cultural symbols from the alcohol industry.” The group organizes popular alcohol and tobacco-free celebrations with traditional dancing and food, much like the traditional, low-key Cinco de Mayo celebrations found in Mexico.

And, to steal a line from comedian Jerry Seinfeld, “Not that there’s anything wrong with that.”

Still, we here at DRAFTMag.com — while completely respecting the integrity and position of the coalition — feel that you can have it both ways: a respect and cultural appreciation for ethnic festivals like Cinco de Mayo, while celebrating and enjoying responsible cerverza consumption.

As our great grandfather always said, “Everything in moderation.” (Except when it comes to Salma Hayek, of course; it’s an implied caveat to the rule.)

No matter which side of the discussion you ultimately come down on, we hope we’ve provided you with some cultural food for thought. And to wash down those tasty historic tidbits and in remembrance of the true meaning of Cinco de Mayo, we’re raising our glass to Mexican General Ignacio Zaragoza Seguín for his brave and stunning upset of the French in 1862. Salud!

Adam Tokarz is a Boston freelance writer who will not apologize for enjoying Pabst Blue Ribbon, bad reality television, and white pants in October (he blends into the snow that way). He can be reached at adam.tokarz(at)gmail.com.

By Emily Haile

Portland-based master brewer Teri Fahrendorf has been making craft beer for more than 20 years. After experimenting with fermenting beer at home, she left her job as a software programmer to become the second woman brewmaster at a microbrewery in the nation. Why? She’s got a passion for yeast. “To me, it’s related to alchemy. It’s taking nature’s goodness and turning it into liquid gold,” says Fahrendorf.

Today, she works as an account manager at Great Western Malting, but for years she was the only woman at the table at company meetings. Luckily, she fit in just fine with the boys — three of her recipes won gold at the Great American Beer Festival — but she keenly felt the need to connect with other women brewers. In 2007, she embarked on a five-month road trip to visit more than 70 breweries and distilleries across the nation. Along the way, she met with dozens of women brewers and founded the Pink Boots Society, a compilation of all the professional female brewers worldwide.

“A lot of the younger women had never met other women brewers,” says Fahrendorf, 50. By her estimation, less than one percent of craft brewers are women. The Pink Boots Society is still in its fledgling stages, but if it has a mission, says Fahrendorf, it’s to support and encourage young women to become brewers and stay in the field. Here are a few of her favorite beers that women have a hand in brewing.

Lammin Sahti: A traditional Finnish beer made with rye malt and filtered through juniper branches. The yeast contributes a banana-spice-clove character to this strong and cloudy 1000-year-old beer style that’s traditionally enjoyed during Finland’s long summer days to celebrate weddings and anniversaries. Brewed by Sirpa Kääriäinen at Lammin Sahti Oy Brewery in Lammi, Finland. Available on draft in Helsinki and in Lammi, Finland.

Allagash White: An American-style Belgian with wonderful aromas of orange and spice. Cloudiness gives this style of beer its name, Wit or White. Brewed by Dee Dee Germain at Allagash Brewing Company in Portland, Maine.

Urthel Samaranth 12 Quadrium Ale: This Deep, amber-red ale has a thick head of foam and a malty-caramel sweetness. It’s thick on the tongue with raisin, honey, vanilla and toasted nuttiness, followed by a slightly bitter balance. Brewed by Hildegard van Ostaden at The Leyerth Brewery in Ruiselede, Belgium.

Bend Hop-head IPA: An Imperial-style American IPA with a big fruity hop aroma. This copper-colored ale has a deep caramel malt body to balance its bitterness. Brewed by Tonya Cornett at Bend Brewing Company in Bend, Oregon.

Stone Smoked Porter: A beer with a smooth espresso character, this porter has distinctive smoky peat and caramel malt flavors. Brewed by Laura Ulrich at Stone Brewing Company in Escondido, California.

Victory Golden Monkey: An American-style Belgian Tripel with a thick white head and vanilla, banana, and clove aromas. It’s surprisingly dry with an almost bitter aftertaste, says Fahrendorf. “Not too heavy.” Brewed by Whitney Thompson at Victory Brewing Company in Downington, Penn.

Basil T’s Maxwell’s Dry Stout: A Guinness-style Irish stout made with coffee. It’s medium bodied with a rich chocolate and toffee flavor. Well balanced. Brewed by Gretchen Schmidhausler at Basil T’s Brewery and Italian Grill in Red Bank, New Jersey.

Smuttynose Wheat Wine: Wheat wine is an American offshoot of the British Barley wine family. It is a wine-strength ale brewed with at least 50 percent wheat malt. This deep gold strong ale gives a slightly fruity aroma followed by full-bodied wheat and raisins flavor. Brewed by Judi Clark at Smuttynose Brewing Company in Portsmouth, New Hampshire.

Snoqualmie Wildcat IPA: Well-balanced Pacific Northwest-style India Pale Ale. Grapefruit and pine aromas dominate with an excellent malt backbone and a lingering bitter aftertaste. Brewed by Janelle Pritchard at Snoqualmie Falls Brewing Company in Snoqualmie, Washington.

Moylan’s Dragoons Dry Irish Stout: One of the smoothest dark beers. Lower alcohol than many on the list. It’s dry in the Guinness-style, but with a citrus hop character in the West Coast style. Brewed by Denise Jones at Moylan’s Brewery & Restaurant in Novato, California.

Emily Haile is a freelance writer.

Earth Day 2010 takes place on Thursday (expect rain), but what’s that have to do with beer, you ask? Lots, actually. Small brewers around the country dedicate themselves to pursuing green practices that make both economic and ecological sense. From Goose Island’s uber-sustainable Green Line Pale Ale to Half Acre Brewing Co.’s reusable can holders, craft breweries are leading the way forward as we band together to save the world before its too late. The DRAFT staff gathered some of our favorite initiatives that are helping the environment as well as the bottom line. Feel free to add your own in the comments.

Pike Brewing
The Seattle favorite has a delicious little cycle going on: River Valley Ranch cows dine on the brewery’s spent grain, then cheesemakers use their milk and Pike’s organic Naughty Nellie golden ale to make the super-creamy River Valley Naughty Nellie cheese sold at the farm and brewery. And the cheese is just the beginning: Pike’s gargantuan brewery-restaurant overlooking Seattle’s Elliott Bay serves a pub menu that’s a magnet for locavores and beer lovers alike — take, for example, the bratwurst made with links from the famous Pike Place Market just steps away and the brewery’s Kilt Lifter, and served with XXXXX Extra Stout mustard. For Earth Day, the brewery’s hosting a three-course prix-fixe menu celebrating regional cuisine (think Bristol Bay salmon with Washington asparagus and Chukar cherries, and Pike Ale-infused truffles) for $30, which is green-minded in an entirely different way.

Alaskan Brewing Co.
Surrounded by lush, wild land, Alaskan Brewing may have a unique perspective on eco-sustainability; at the very least, the staff’s day-to-day experience is a constant interaction with what’s at stake. Thus, it seems only logical that environmentally sound practices have been a core belief since the brewery opened in 1986 in Juneau, Alaska. In 1998, Alaskan became the first craft brewery in the country to install a CO2 recovery system. By capturing greenhouse gas produced during the fermentation process, cleaning and deodorizing it, the brewery’s able to redistribute it to other on-site operations. Because of this system, each year roughly 780,000 pounds of CO2 are saved from being released into the atmosphere. Add to this a grain dryer, which stabilizes spent grain for its journey to farmers and ranchers in the Pacific Northwest; a mash filter press, which raises brewing efficiency (one-million fewer gallons of water and six-percent less malt is needed to make the same amount and quality of beer each year); and the fact that the brewery recycles 18 different materials from the operation, and it’s clear Alaskan’s not lost in the wilderness when it comes to protecting its environment.

Wynkoop Brewing Co.
You know what creates a tremendous amount of greenhouse gases? Driving beer from the packing facility to retail stores. You know what doesn’t? Horses. On April 16, the Denver brewery, which celebrated its 20th anniversary by donating 25 percent of all proceeds from its Silverback Smoked Porter to the Moutain Gorilla Conservation Fund, delivered its brew to local establishments via horse-drawn carriage. The practice is a throwback to days of yore — before we opened up that hole in the ozone layer and started melting the ice caps — one that dominated the beer world 100 years ago but fell out of favor with the advent of cars. The brewery plans to use horses every Friday. “It’s a great way for us to shrink our carbon footprint while expanding our hoof print,” Marty Jones says.

By Chris Galvin

Smack dab in the middle of San Francisco’s picturesque Noe Valley neighborhood is the Elizabeth Street Brewery. This isn’t just any ol’ brewery, this is a neighborhood public house located in a man’s garage. Yep, a super man-cave.

Since 2003, Richard Brewer-Hay (Yes, his last name is Brewer-Hay) has opened his “man- cave” to countless craft-beer enthusiasts, family, and friends to share his award-winning home brews for free. But, this souped-up man-cave isn’t just open to any person, you have to wait patiently for access to his garagepub via his secret Twitter beer signals.

Just before the 2010 Craft Brew Convention in Chicago we caught up with Brewer-Hay at his ESB pub and talked shop.

How did Elizabeth Street Brewery and your ultimate man-cave all come about?
My wife and I moved into this house in January of 2002. Originally this room was used for garbage and when I saw the room for the first time, I immediately knew that it had great potential to be a man-cave. We painted the walls red and the ceiling white, and at first it was a room for my buddies and I to play poker. I’ve had a dream of opening a brewery, but with the way the economy has been there wasn’t a chance of us opening a pub anytime soon. So I just decided to come up with a name for a brewery. We live on Elizabeth Street and ESB is a typical English-style beer and I liked the play on words. So, we just called ourselves the Elisabeth Street Brewery. And then in 2005, after a couple years of being married, my wife wrote in to the Discovery Channel’s T.V. show “While You Were Out”. They came out while I was out of town and when I came back my wife and the whole crew had updated the room to be a pub. And it was unbelievable.

When did you start to brewing beer?
[Before we got married] all my friends were saying that you’re marrying your best friend, and you have to come up with some sort of [hobby] that doesn’t have anything to do with your job or with your wife. My family is from the North of England and a good friend of my aunt and uncle lived next door to a pub that was making their own beer. They had beer piping out from the garden and into the pub. I tasted the beer and the beer was great. I saw how the pub owners were making the beer in their kitchen just on the stove and entering it into home brew competitions in England. I figured out I could do that too. So, in 2003, my wife and I were on our honeymoon in Bali when I came up with the idea to start brewing beer.

The first batch of beer I made was in October 2003 and I poured it in December of 2003. We had some friends over for that first beer. My wife had pulled them all aside and said that if it was not good just let me know and I’ll pour it out. Everyone was really shocked because it turned out to be really good and I’ve been brewing every since.

How do you come up with your recipes?
I do session beers with simple recipes with premium ingredients, back to basics. I think any one would be hard pressed to argue that American beers are not some of the most adventurous and complex beers in the world right now — very hoppy, strong, and double-digit ABV, and I love these beers and have a ‘fridge full of them, but I think there’s also a need to scale back and offer more session beers. I’m all about session beers and I like to keep them at no more than 5 percent ABV. Every so often I’ll make a big beer, but it’s out of necessity that I make session beers because when I’m brewing I don’t want to be getting buzzed. For me it’s about having a few pints and social drinking. I think it makes people feel good and there’s a market for it.

Back in January 2010 you did a collaboration beer called the Imperial Jack with Shaun O’Sullivan of 21st Amendment Brewpub for San Francisco’s Strong Beer Month. How did that come about?
I used to work for a tech company that was right next door to the 21st Amendment and used to go in there all the time after work. And I got to know everyone working there. Then, back in 07, my father and I went to the Craft Brewers Convention in Austin, TX. and we ran into Shaun there. There was an instant connection and we hit it off well and we’ve been best friends ever since.

Last year Shaun and 21st Amendment were making the rounds with tasting home brews and Shaun approached me and said they would like to brew the Elizabeth Street Bitter for the Pro Am at the 2009 Great American Beer Festival. We made the batch, but I think there was too much gypsum and it didn’t turn out as I liked. Then, this year, he called me in January and said that we should try to make that same beer again, but make it for Strong Beer month. I said, I would really love to do that. So we doubled the grain bill and lowered the gypsum and dialed it into where we wanted it to be and it turned out to be really good. We entered it into this year’s World Beer Cup. If we win, that would be amazing. [Editor's note: Imperial Jack won a Gold Medal at the Craft Brewers Convention’s World Cup of Beers.]

[Brewer-Hay pulls a growler of 21st Amendment’s Bitter American out of his Kegarator and pours us a glass]

I get just as much passion out of making a good beer and drinking it as I do with talking to people. There are a number of reasons why I do it. I love to meet people and I love to make them smile. It’s all about community. Recently, the local NBC affiliate voted us the best secret spot in San Francisco. We’re reviewed on Yelp. And the Pub has kind of evolved. Every Monday a few friends and I, who are in the brewing business, work on a business plan to open up a family-style brewpub right here in Noe Valley.

I have a day job and I have all the perks of running a brewery and none of the headaches of running a brewery. I have the customers, good beer and nothing but great feedback, but I’m kidding myself that this is how it’s going to be when we open the family-style brewpub. Right now there’s no money involved because we don’t pay any salaries or make more than 100 gallons a year. I think what we’re doing right now is as good as it is going to get. Even when we are distributing beers all around the world, it’s never going to be as good as it was when we were in this room.

– Chris Galvin is a freelance beer, music and culture writer living in San Francisco.

By Adam Tokarz

Whether you’re a serious golf fan that’s major-ly excited for this week’s action at Augusta, or you’re simply enthralled with the salacious tabloid storyline associated with one Mr. Tiger Woods, the upcoming Masters tournament provides the pitch-perfect opportunity for everyone to sink into an arm chair, grab an ice cold brew, and watch the magic unfold.

Here at DRAFTMag.com, we’ve taken time out of our busy schedule (those Pokemon cards won’t count themselves!) to compile a “top of the leaderboard” craft brew list that you can enjoy from the comfort of your Laz-E-Boy.

Samuel Smith Organic Ale: A “green” craft beer, this USDA-approved organic ale represents the prize jacket awarded each year to the Master’s champion, the perfectly clipped Augustan greens, and the seething envy emenating from the runner-up.

Magic Hat’s Fat Angel: Although this craft brew with citrusy hops is currently enjoying retirement (most likely, playing shuffleboard while drinking Maalox and mint juleps in Boca Raton), the comparison to 2009 Masters’ winner Angel Cabrera is too perfect to pass up. A ruddy-faced Argentinian with a Roseanne rotundness, Cabrera may be playing with more dimples than a sleeve of Callaway CB1 Reds, but he’s earned the right. The man’s donned the coveted green jacket, so he’s allowed to idulge in a craft beer or… 18.

Pabst Blue Ribbon: Fraught with its own history (selected as America’s Best in 1893), this hipster-trendy drink of choice pairs perfectly with the prime rib served at The Champions dinner, a Tuesday night tradition inaugurated by Ben Hogan and reserved for past champions and chosen board members of the Augusta National Golf Club only. Rumor has it that before Phil Mickelson’s victory in 2005, Lefty was continually sneaking into the soiree disguised as a waiter, but his poor decision-making in crunch time (did Olazabal order the meat or the fish?!) made him stand out worse than John Daly at a vegan buffet.

Sixpoint Sweet Action: Nothing’s sweeter than the taste of victory, but this American blonde ale is a fitting tribute to “Golden Bear” Jack Nicklaus, who won six times at Augusta from 1963 to 1986, the highest win total in Masters’ history.

DRAFTMagazine.com has also included a “Tiger’s Tail of the Tap” section, because we’re morally and contractually obligated to mention the four-time winner in association with the Masters (and we’re pushovers when it comes to poking fun at a falling star).

Owyhee Amber Ale: “Owyhee” is what Tiger yelled when Elin went all Albert Pujols on his face, breaking two teeth (allegedly), splitting his lip, and shattering his will (along with the windows of his Escalade) to live (and by live, we mean, well, read the tabloids).

Seeyoulator: We predict Elin will channel this cedar-aged Dopplebock after Tiger finishes T-10 at The Masters by filing for divorce, collecting a sizeable separation settlement, packing up the children in Louis Vouitton vintage trunks, and whisking them away to Sweden, where she’ll settle down on her $2 million Steve Zissou island and marry a foreign hotelier.

Freeminer Deep Shaft Stout: Does this 6.2 percent ABV seasonal stout even need a joke? According to several mistresses, Tiger’s prowess “extended” well beyond the manicured bounds of Augusta National, popping up in between the sheets at destination hotels throughout the country (with select “g’day” appearances in Australia as well). Rumor has it that Tiger carried quite the driver in the bedroom (and his short game was nothing to sneeze at, either).

Bitch Creek: Tiger’s got 99 problems, including (but not limited to): 16 scorned ex-lovers, a broken family, a 45-day sex rehab stint, lost endorsement deals, hush money cover-ups, and a receding hairline. Did $750 million ever sound so unattractive? But, to be fair, Tiger said during a recent press conference that he’s now turning to his Buddhist upbringing to rediscover “the righteous path.” And by “righteous path,” of course he means Joselyn James’ landing strip. A tiger can’t be expected to change his stripes, can he?

Arrogant Bastard Ale: While watching the Masters, take a sip of this amber ale with a pleasant beige head whenever Tiger answers a question with, “It’s personal. I’d like you to respect the privacy of my family.” Oh, really? Maybe you should have thought about your family before you started sticking your breakfast sausage in a Perkins waitress at 5:30 a.m. in a church parking lot.

Old Knucklehead: Tiger’s eventual nickname when he joins the Champion’s tour in 2030. The term of endearment will be given to him by Golf Channel‘s Charlie Rymer (between sniffles, of course) when Woods takes a 50-year-old female clubhouse attendant into the trees off 15 for a racuous romp, then birdies out to win his 12^th Masters.

– Adam Tokarz is a Boston-based freelance writer who thinks the legal drinking age for root beer should be raised to 21. He can be reached at adam.tokarz(at)gmail.com.