Musings, observations, odds and ends
Musings, observations, odds and ends
Note: This newsletter is supported by Donnelly’s Public House, a wonderful canal-side establishment in the village of Fairport.
Hi, it’s me again. Long time, no chat. (Really, it has only been two weeks.)
Life is settling down. Fatherhood is a trip. The new career has provided a welcome challenge.
I’ve spent most of this month enjoying as many Oktoberfest-style lagers as possible. As I pointed out a few weeks back, I think this is the best time of the year to be a craft beer fan. The market is inundated with fresh lagers, including a ton of great local and regional examples.
I’ve been thoroughly heartened and impressed to see more and more local breweries tackling lagers. (Heck, even Mortalis has a dedicated lager line now.)
Here’s a true notebook — a recap of some recent events and favorites.
Awards honor best in beer journalism
Again, I was honored to judge the North American Guild of Beer Writers awards. The annual competition highlights the best in beer journalism and criticism, while seeking to uplift new voices and elevate new perspectives.
This year featured 250 entries across 14 different categories. It garnered entries from around the world.
Advertisement: Looking for a legit Oktoberfest celebration? Look no further than Fairport’s Faircraft Brauhaus, one of the best lager producers in this region.
I was paired with three other wonderful writers and helped to pick the winners in the best national/international reporting category. We selected Tinu Diver’s incredible “‘A Black Woman Made This Beer’ — How Historically Black Colleges and Universities Shaped a Generation of Black Women Brewers” for Good Beer Hunting as our top choice. I suggest you give it a read, as well as the other award-winners in this category.
I was struck by the quality and diversity of writing in this category. I was even more impressed with the manner in which so many of these writers were able to establish a unique sense of place. It’s a good reminder to support journalism.
You can find all the honorees here: https://reportersnotebook.org/2022/09/25/nagbw-announces-2022-awards-in-beer-journalism/.
Recent favorites
Beers I’ve enjoyed recently here!
Prison City DDH Riot in Vermont IPA and Oktoberfest: Prison City head brewer Ben Maeso just announced and then left this Auburn brewery. (Stay tuned to this space for more details on his future plans.) Maeso was the original brewpub brewer at PCB and helped it garner national attention for its IPAs and the multiple medals he earned at the Great American Beer Fest. Brewing operations are clearly in good hands right now, even with Maeso’s departure. Since signing with a statewide distributor, we’ve seen a steady supply of PCB here. I grabbed the DDH Riot in Vermont IPA and Oktoberfest recently and was blown away. With more availability, there’s no doubt Prison City will be a fridge staple moving forward.
Fifth Frame Hold the Kiwi Pilsner: St. Paul Street’s Fifth Frame Brewing makes some of my favorite lagers in our region. And I’m not normally a huge fan of traditional styles with new school hops. I want my Pilsners to be crisp and to feature the expected Noble hop-driven bitterness (depending on the school of Pils). So I didn’t expect to love the brewery’s New Zealand-style Pilsner, which is dry-hopped with Nelson Sauvin hops. The sharp white grape character of the Nelson hops plays beautifully with the crisp finish. Hard to find a more satisfying mug of lager locally.
Guinness 0: I’ve been exploring the world of non-alcoholic beers more and more recently. And I really enjoyed Guinness’ N/A spin on its iconic dry Irish stout. Guinness Zero features the same creamy body as the original. Highly recommended.
Jack’s Abby Pre Pro Pils: This Massachusetts has long produced some of the best (and most readily available) lagers. I really loved its recent release of a pre-Prohibition Pilsner. The corn used in the body adds a touch of sweetness that really works well.
Voodoo Ranger family of beers: This New Belgium-produced family of IPAs have been wildly successful and have become the quintessential grocery store beers. Whenever I shop, I grab one. There’s usually a new release available and they’re seemingly always fresh. Plus, it’s a great value (and I’m convinced craft beers taste better in a 19.2-ounce stovepipe can).
Long-ish read of the week
Every time John Holl publishes an article, it is worth your time. Holl is one of my favorite writers, beer or otherwise. His latest article for All About Beer, “Rain, Smoke, and Worry: One Day at Hop Harvest,” explores the annual hop harvest in the Pacific Northwest and the environmental issues impacting the process. Well worth your time.
Consider me intrigued
There’s a new Genny beer coming, possibly as early as next week. The brewery cryptically shared a video of the new beer being packaged this week. I haven’t heard definitively what’s coming.
But the brewery did respond to me and say, “16oz cans of something new. We'll divulge more in a day or two, but this new series is intended to show off our brewing team's immense talents and some styles that stray from the norm.”
I’ve long advocated for the return of the Genny Northern German Pilsner or the Dundee Pale Bock. I’m guessing this latest release isn’t one of those. But hopefully it’s the start of a new series, one that showcases the capabilities of Genny’s modern German brewhouse and also highlights how many talented brewers work there.
In the interim, I’m still campaigning for the brewery to release its seasonals in 24-ounce or 19.2-ounce stovepipe cans. I can’t think of anything more awesome than 24 ounces of Bock or RRK.
Will report back as soon I have some news to share. I’ll also have some news to share next week about the newsletter’s new sponsor. Super honored and excited to welcome a new partner aboard.
Title sponsor: Donnelly’s Public House
This work is made possible through support from Donnelly’s Public House, 1 Water St. in Fairport. So make sure to get out to Fairport and support one of the best establishments in our area.
I remain open to sponsorships, sponsored content, and advertisements, especially if it’ll keep the newsletter free for readers. And if you have information about upcoming releases, events, or happenings, don’t hesitate to reach out. For more information, feel free to drop me a line at clevelandprost@gmail.com.
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