Beer Review: Saugatuck Brewing ESB Amber

The Saugatuck Brewing Company is located on the shores of Lake Michigan in Saugatuck, Michigan. The label on this bottle is very cute and mid-west. What looks to be a close family is sitting together along a fence with signs that say “Saugatuck” and “I love Amber.” The tagline reads: A British style Extra Special Bitter with an even balance of malt and hops.

I got this bottle at my local Oade’s Big Ten in a mixed six-pack.

The first taste is very bitter hops. But, since it’s an Extra Special Bitter (ESB), that is expected. And true to its word, it’s a very balanced flavor. Yes it’s bitter, but the malt is definitely there and then there is a subtly sweet aftertaste. At the end of the day, this is quite a nice hops flavor, too. It’s not harsh, and it certainly isn’t too mellow; it’s like your best friend, just right.

The amber comes out in its rich color and the sweetness of the malt. And like a lot of other ambers, this ale is only lightly carbonated - not overly fizzy like many hop-centric beers can be.

I’m not usually a fan of hoppy beers, but SBC got this right – very right. Definitely worth a try, and worth your money.

-Sandy

Beer Brewery: America's first brewery co-op

Something for our fans in Texas:
The Black Star Co-op Pub and Brewery in Austin, TX is something quite unique.

"With a special focus on local producers, the basic mission and principles of the Black Star Co-op is to foster an environment in which member-owners, as well as the general public, may realize the principles of co-operative ownership, worker self-management, education and community action through the responsible enjoyment great beer and food.
As the first enterprise of this type, we seek to realize an alternative business model for brewpubs and to help expand the co-operative movement into new and innovative areas — both in Austin and around the world."

Beer News: Women in the Craft Beer Business

Head on over and check out one of the Craft Beer Muses from www.craftbeer.com .


http://www.craftbeer.com/pages/stories/craft-beer-muses/show?title=women-craft-beer-and-centerfolds

Here are a few of the highlights from the post:

Women in Brewing

Sebbie Buhler - Rogue Ales
Deb Carey - New Glarus Brewing Company
Meghan O'Leary Parisi - Cambridge Brewing Co.
Gwen Conley - Flying Dog Brewery
Tonya Cornett - Bend Brewing Company
Teri Fahrendorf - Pink Boots Society
Kim Jordan - New Belgium Brewing Company
Jamie Martin - Moosejaw
Penny Pink - Portneuf Valley Brewing
Lauren Salazar - New Belgium Brewing Company
Carol Stoudt -Stoudt’s Brewing Company
Jen Tally - Squatters Pub Brewery
Leslie Henderson - Lazy Magnolia
and SO many more!

Women and Beer Statistics

• In July 2010, Gallup poll stated the percentage of women who said they prefer beer over wine or liquor is 27%. That's up 6% from their 2009 poll.
• In April 2010, Nielsen Beverage Company said growth drivers for craft beer include 25-34 year olds, females, household income under $45,000 and above $100,000.
• Nielson also reminds us that the majority of purchases in supermarkets are made by, guess who... women. Huge opportunity for the small breweries to get that we are the ones often purchasing the beer!
• An interesting statistic from 2006: A Morgan Stanley report stated 37% of weekly ‘craft beer’ drinkers are women whereas only 31% of weekly ‘beer’ drinkers are women.

Beer News: Michigan Brewers Guild Receives Grant for Hops

Story via MLive and the Kalamazoo Gazette

LANSING — The Michigan Brewers Guild will receive $74,000 in federal dollars to help promote Michigan-grown hops.

Guild president Scott Graham said he learned Thursday his organization, which represents more than 60 breweries around the state, would get the funding. The MBG is one of 21 projects selected by the Michigan Department of Agriculture to share $1.4 million in grants to create, enhance or expand agriculture development ventures across the state.

"It could grow into something that's cool, distinctive and regional," Graham said during a phone interview Friday.

Graham said the timing of the grant is perfect, as Michigan hop growers are beginning to emerge. Hop prices skyrocketed a couple years ago causing more farmers to explore growing the crop, Graham said. But farmers and brewers rarely communicated with each other, Graham said.

"What we're trying to do is bring the two groups together, so they can understand what each others needs are," he said.

The state's biggest hop player, Two Peninsula Hops, started in 2007 by a group of four Traverse City area farmers who grow hops on the Old Mission and Leelanau peninsulas, harvested its first substantial crop in late August/early September.

Two Peninsula Hops also has the ability to pelletize hops, which will make the Michigan-made hops easier for the state's brewers to use as they will be able to be stored for long periods of time. Fresh hops need to be used soon after harvesting.

Graham said the MBG plans to foster more communication between hop growers and brewers at two upcoming industry events — the Michigan Restaurant Association's annual trade show in Novi Oct. 19-20 and the guild's annual winter conference in Kalamazoo in January.

Graham said he also hopes to speak with restaurant and bar owners around the state about supporting local hop growers and brewers in the future.

Beer Photos: Royal Oak Brewery