LIBME’s Drinking Well

I’m working on finalizing the club calendar for the month of July. Our next Beer Style Apreciation Group meeting is currently scheduled for the 9th of July (a Thursday). The style will be pale ales and IPAs. At the last brew clinic there was some interest in moving the BSAGs to Friday since a few more people might be able to attend. Is that a good idea? Should we do that?

Our Pub Socials are getting to be quite popular. The one at The Lark last Thursday was well attended and all reports were good. We’ll be doing the next Pub Social at Waterzooi in Garden City sometime in the middle of July.

We should also do another Home Pub Night soon. Any volunteers to host that? We do those on Friday nights.

 Despite the constant and dreary late Spring rains forming new ponds for wayward ducks every week where none had existed before, I am looking forward to this Summer as The Long Island Beer and Malt Enthusiasts will be working together on a variety of projects aimed making our organization run better and have more events in different places. With upcoming shows, demonstrations, and social events, I hope every member will have a chance to participate.

One great example of the things we are working on is our presentation at beer festivals and related events. In the past, it was a rush to get everything done before a show with phone calls and scattered emails along the lines of “Who has beer?”and how long I could sit around Kinkos or with my Macintosh creating advertising copy and handouts in different colors. Future shows will be different with clearly known brewing assignments to take the guess work out of things and standardized handouts that can be downloaded off our site at beermalt.org. The first line of brewers for the esteemed North Fork Craft Beer Festival in August are already in place and there maybe more space available in the near future for new people to fit into right away.

As I had mentioned in my past commentary at recent events, the time has come for the LIBME to institute an annual dues element for the partial support of the group’s functions. The Executive group of the LIBME has been discussing this at length and looking into viable ways to add value to a membership with us on an annual basis. Other established clubs or groups have dues and get discounts in beer related stores, which we may investigate in the future, but we want our membership to boldly signify a higher placement than just a discount in a friendly beer store. Our eventual listing in the American Home Brewing Association (AHA), as well as our continued support for other clubs on LI, will give us all the discounts anyone might need.

While we will be instituting a dues supplement to our program, I want it to be known that we will not be displacing anyone who has been with us, as I know there are many who simply like to read our copy and are entertained, though they themselves cannot participate. For instance, we have friendly municipal night court judge of a nearby city who likes to read our blog entries and discussions, but she doesn’t participate in our events because of the distance and family. She emails suggestions to me on occasion and registers that she likes Dogfish Head ales far better than PBR, but wishes that her identity not be present in our listings (we respect that). She will be one of many that will continue with us and anyone else that wishes to come in and see what we’re about as the dues will be akin to taking a step up.

Our program will be announced in the next week or so and I hope that you join us in the name of promoting greater craft beer awareness, education, and culture on Long Island.

Cheers,

Rich

It has been an exciting build up to this week with many little events happening or being planned in the name of good beer that will work constructively to make our cause universally known. With tastings and beer-paired dinners abounding in our local area of Long Island, NY, I noted I might need a spreadsheet or a scorecard to keep pace with all of the events.

I think it started for me with the viewing of the movie “Beer Wars”, which illuminated a dated and predictable David versus Goliath-type of struggle with craft brewers in the shadows of the brewing giants. The running commentary about the overly hyped movie was supplanted by a cheerful and moving video in “I Am A Craft Brewer” that captured the craft brewer’s message of quality over compromise. I believe that the video was the kind of anthem of the moment that the craft brewing movement needed to hear much in the same way the ragged crowd at Woodstock heard Jimi Hendrix play a howling and distorted “Star Bangled Banner” nearly 40 years ago.

After another successful LI Beer & Malt Enthusiasts’ Style Tasting (Brown Ales this month, according to BJCP guidelines) at Donavan Hall’s fictional pub, affectionately known as “The Angler” and replete with fishing gear, I marveled at the our little path into the idea of the coming American Craft Beer Week. We were actively doing our part, however small or large, to affect a change in attitude one beer drinker at a time so that we may not need a special week in the future: It can be all the time and another enhanced quality of life we can enjoy while working on other issues.

Thinking of quality, I must be dreaming in overdrive lately about the possibility of the growing ranks of the LIBME making a splash in August at The North Fork Craft Beer Festival not only with a super line up of ales and beers for the tasting, but the conceptual input of every member in our organization who wants to help. With an abundance of great brewers and those just starting their first kettles in our midst, I hope that we can put every one of them on the map at the same time under the deep blue skies and radiant sunshine of Martha Clara Vineyards in August. With full pints and an open door to all, I know we will be working for that kind of future.

Cheers,

Rich

At the appointed hour of 1pm, I arrived at the sparkling new, but empty, Rattle ‘n’ Hum bar in the shadow of the Empire State building. As I was greeted warmly by the young bartender, I settled into the dark paneled bar to see who among my beer group would show up for a revised beer tour of Manhattan and Brooklyn. It was smaller in scope than the name implied as we hoped to capture the best elements of our tour that we collectively had not seen as a group.

Instead of simply limiting ourselves to one round in each place, we decided to do the opposite and attempt to settle in at a given place and live in its moment as if that place was the only place we were to visit that day or night. When Donavan and Yuri darkened the door of Rattle ‘n’ Hum, I was thinking it was a start and then Donavan related to the cute bartender that he had invited 50 people…..and we were only 3 to start. Undaunted, we decided to eat heartily there and sample the 4 casks on hand, plus a few half-pints of some deliriously good North Coast La Merle Saison.

On our way to the #4 subway stop at 33rd street,  I noted what great Spring day it was and could see why we were very few in our tour. As our subway train missed our stop, we surfaced into a big street fair near Astor Place and headed East to the fabled Jimmy’s 43 on East 7th Street. Dimly lit, the small bar had a cluster of people speaking in whispers without music in the background in an almost library setting. Jimmy himself greeted us warmly and said there was a Nogne tasting going on and that we could join in for a nominal $10 each. To our delight, we not only sampled the whole Norwegian-brewed Nogne line in superb tranquility and full glasses, but we met two of the brew-masters, Dan Shelton of Shelton Bros Importers, and the area Union Distributor Rob Reeves. As soon I as I made it known I was “industry” in the Q&A session, Jimmy made the introductions personally with a certain flare. We all had a good time with the Nogne brewers as they were very pleased to be with people who were enjoying their ales. I made notes to pick-up the Nogne Saison, IPA, and Pale Ale for Bellport Beer as I was very impressed.

Walter joined our tour at Jimmy’s 43 and indulged with us as we then pushed on to Zum Schnieder on Avenue C in the East Village of NYC. Flowing blue Hofbrau beer flags and numerous outdoor umbrellas told us before we arrived to see the crowds that it was going to a be a long wait to get a 1-liter beer stein and waiting to us could be better time spent walking to either DBA on 2nd Ave or to the next subway stop. It was mildly disappointing to miss Zum Schnieder, but the Spring Day brought out the tourists in force.

After a long walk to find the next subway line, we surfaced again in Brooklyn and walked some more to the Brazen Head. I suppose this low key and crowded bar serves its community well, but it was hard-pressed to be amazing. It did have good service and a cask selection, but the crowd seemed to be trying too hard with their cheap retro beer selections of PBR and Schaefer . Strangely enough, the bar was having a special on Blue Point beers…

As we exited the the bar and took a long look down the boulevard to the landmark junction of Atlantic Ave and Flatbush Ave, I assured our group we were not going to walk all the way to the bottom of Prospect Park as some may have suggested. The subway took us to the illustrious beer geek heaven known as the Beer Table.

Set up with three long community tables, the owners served up a unusual array of ales I had not seen before ranging from IPA to Lambic to cask. I was floored by the height of personal attention we were given as well as the generous servings we received. It was as if we were visiting cousins on holiday, except we were paying for it. Not only did the beer list have an eclectic food selection on the back, but the owner was happy to see what he had stashed away in various areas that was not on the list. One of those was the 2006 Abbaye de Bon Chien, which took us all by surprise as it had elements of dubbel, lambic, and a host of others I couldn’t name.

As we parted ways with the last of the bars and made our way back to Penn Station via a crazy subway that was going on the wrong tracks, we were still blown away by the experience of the Beer Table, and probably a little bit gone after a solid day of great beers.

I would like to thank the faithful volunteers who came out as well as the fun people we met along the way for making the tour a success and we hope that we can do it again in the future.

With helpful input from others in the group, plus a little beer
mapping too, it came to my attention that the distance between stops
in Brooklyn maybe worthy of a Olympic runner, but not one of us after
a few rounds. We would be crawling, literally, a few blocks after The
Gate.
Bearing in mind that I’m not trying out for the NY Marathon this year,
I propose a change in the line up of places to visit that brings in
the best of the previously mentioned NYC list and the Brooklyn list,
aided by subway #4 and F at various points. Hopefully, nobody is
afraid of the subway like my crazy mailman who can’t handle highway
overpasses….
One sad note to the line up I wanted everyone to see was the Belgian
Room, which was next to the infamous Hop Devil that (to me) looked
like an Applebee’s crossed with TKE-frat house. The Belgian Room has
been incorporated into the overall scheme of the revamped/remodeled
Hop Devil, so I am interested to see what has become of the red-lit
room.
Time to meet: 1:00-1:30PM at:
1. Rattle N Hum, 14 East 33rd Street, btwn 5th & Madison Aves (about 4
long blocks from Penn Station).
Walk 2 blocks to Lexington Ave-#4 subway at 33rd Street, go Downtown
to Astor Square. Walk 2 blocks southeast to Jimmy’s 43.
2. Jimmy’s 43, 43 East 7th Street, between 2nd & 3rd Aves (it’s
underground).
Walk 2 blocks East to Hop Devil
3. Hop Devil, 129 St. Marks Place (optional) or 2 blocks more to…
4. Zum Schneider on 106 Avenue C
Walk 3 -4 blocks South to F train on Essex Street, take to Brooklyn at
7th Avenue
Walk 2-3 blocks to
5. The Beer Table 427 B 7th Ave
Extra Credit: Take Subway one stop back and visit Brooklyn’s Union
Hall with it’s bocci court.
How’s that?

While my proposed adventure is late in surfacing, I would like to start at the last LIRR stop in Brooklyn,
known as the Atlantic Ave junction with Flatbush Ave. Meeting out on the South side at approximately 1-1:30pm we would walk South to:

1. Pacific Standard
2. The Cherry Bar or 4th Street Pub
3. Union Hall
4. The Gate
5. The Commonwealth
6. The Beer Table

The F subway is nearby the last stop and it can take everyone back to
the starting point or into Manhattan. The last bar does not open until
5 pm and it is the best rated of the list. The only one that is
unknown is the Commonwealth, which could be skipped in favor of the
last selection.

The April Newsletter is available online if you want the full story. Here are some highlights:

A group of us will be going to see Beer Wars LIVE. Dave at Bellport Beer has a block of tickets that he is subsidizing. Contact him if you’d like to cash in on the discount price.

631-286-0760
web: bellportbeer.com
email: info (at) bellportbeer.com

Beer Wars LIVE, 2 hrs. 10 min. (NR)

Showtime & Date:
8:00pm, the evening of
Thu, Apr. 16th

Where:
ISLAND 16: cinema de lux
185 Morris Avenue
L.I.E. Exit 61 (E) or Exit 62 (W) and Route 97
Holtsville, NY 11742
(631) 758-4300

We are currently discussing related drinking opportunities that nice. Stay tuned.

Rich Thatcher is currently organizing our next Pub Crawl. The group elected to head into Brooklyn. The date is Saturday April 18th. Details will be forthcoming. Again, stay tuned, but mark your calendar.

Technorati Tags: announcement

I would like to extend a round of applause to the brewers and volunteers of the LI Beer & Malt Enthusiasts as they put on a superb showing at the Spring Craft Festival in the Nassau Coliseum on Saturday March 28th. With a super cask and a multiple styles available, the crowds were humbled by the greatness in their mere 4 ounce glassware.

For those visiting us for the first time, this is a prime example of the activities we help create and participate in to help bring a greater appreciation and understanding of craft beer on Long Island, NY.

We encourage those newly arrived and duly welcomed to check out the Long Island Beer Scene here to participate with our growing group. Coming from a Google Groups platform, which is still active as the LI Beer and Malt Enthusiasts, we are seeking greater use of the LI Beer Scene and its multiple applications to further extend our group’s coverage of events and activities.

Cheers,

With the month of March dribbling rapidly down the court of time and looking for a basket to score, as the stellar NCAA college teams are doing now, there are some notes we must take on current events having to do with this organization.

In the Lifestyle Section of Newsday for Sunday March 15, there was a good article about homebrewing and some of the people involved with it on an organized level. Most notably, Mike & Donavan, Paul, and our friends in the Brewer’s East End Revival were interviewed for the story.

With another year passing, we almost forgot to stage our annual elections of leading officers. While there are not any pressing issues or pyramids to be constructed, the group of the officers do get together and discuss what events we would like to participate in and how we would like function as a group. Since our group’s founding almost three years ago on a brewery tour of Sixpoint and Brooklyn, we have moved cautiously and in a unhurried manner to keep the spirit of democracy vibrant in the group.

Our upcoming elections will start with a couple of weeks to allow for all nominations to be noted for the following posts: President, Vice-President, Treasurer, and Secretary(ies).

On Saturday March 28th, The Spring Craft Festival will take place in Nassau Coliseum and the LIBME have been invited to have a table there. We are building the information to be dispensed and looking for our “Mad-brewing Sherpa” ( last newsletter at the Blue Point Cask Festival in January) to bring us good favor with the crowds there.

There were not enough black cats to cross my short path to Bellport Cold Beer & Soda on this Friday the 13th to keep me from thinking of the fun tomorrow will bring when the vaunted Dogfish Head Brewing Company lands in my store at 2pm on Saturday March 14th. With the full product line of the famed brewery on display, I think the moment of full awareness will return me to the child like wonder (multiplied by five) and a broad smile upon my face (it’s not all mine…yet!). I am looking forward to seeing  my friends and faithfull customers who are also going to be smiling like the fabled Cheshire Cat of Alice in Wonderland at the prospects of fun the Dogfish Head visit will bring.

Then there will be “Randall The Enamel Animal” who will be there to help process the hop-laden 60 Minute IPA into something surreal for the crowd’s tasting delight. Like robotic filter filled with fresh hops, Randall is going to make a splash with those favoring the sparkle and spice of hops in their beers as well as becoming a sight in itself at one of pioneers of craft beer on LI. For more strange info on Randall see the following story: http://www.dogfish.com/company/tangents/randall-the-enamel-animal.htm

I hope all who can attend will do so tomorrow at Bellport Cold Beer &  Soda on 417 Station Road in Bellport, NY, which is 1 mile South of Sunrise Highway (exit 56).