Here are the latest articles from the Beer and Brewing site at BellaOnline.com.

Ask the Beer Fox - What Are Noble Hops ?
Ask the Beer Fox: What are Noble Hops? Why are they such a prized component in some styles of beer?
http://www.bellaonline.com/articles/art52210.asp

Vidalia MarketPlace - PA Beer Sales in a Grocery Store Setting
Vidalia MarketPlace in Lansdale, PA, USA sells the amber liquid in a way that respects beer as the reverent life-form it is. At the same time, it strongly appeals to the emotional shopping styles of both women and men.
http://www.bellaonline.com/articles/art52166.asp

Secrets of the Brewers Reserve
Her eyes, salacious yet innocent, whispered secrets of a cloaked rendezvous, and I wondered what style of Brewers’ Reserve she would choose.
http://www.bellaonline.com/articles/art52036.asp

Summer of Weisse at Iron Hill Brewery
It seems like "European Summer Madness." A seasonal sassiness, set in motion by the heat and sunshine - one that exhilarates the body and sets the mood for a bit of summer vice...or, is that Weisse?
http://www.bellaonline.com/articles/art51961.asp

Tribute to a White Knight
White Beer Travels always reminded me that beer was, in its most basic form, a complex drink, yet fun and refreshing. Just perusing the website would allow you to play with your cursor, where glasses of beer and miniature bottles of Duvel or Orval would follow you around like a band of wild cats.
http://www.bellaonline.com/articles/art51886.asp

Gluten Free Beer - Belgian Style from Green's
Belgium has long had a reputation for launching beers that step outside the circle of traditional German Pilseners and Altbiers. Now Belgian Beer has gone one step beyond...into the realm of Gluten Free Beer.
http://www.bellaonline.com/articles/art51360.asp

Beer Fox Tip of the Week:

This weekend, August 3 and 4, 2007, Mammoth Brewing Company sponsors the 12th Annual Mammoth Festival of Beers and Bluesapalooza at Mammoth Lakes, California. More than fifty of the country's best microbreweries will participate, with bluesy music in the background throughout the two day event.

Our beloved Rolling Boil Blues Band kicks off Saturday morning at 11:30 a.m., featuring Celebrator Beer News Publisher Tom Dalldorf and the most beer-lovin' music on the planet. Shane Dwight Blues Band follows with their high rolling Rock & Blues. Also appearing are Earl Thomas; James Harman Band with special guest Junior Watson;Charlie Mussel White; and The Fabulous Thunderbirds.

For info:
http://www.mammothbluesbrewsfest.com/index.html

Beer Fox Laugh of the Week:

(Now at Camp Pendleton, San Diego, Marine Corps Recruit Training)

Dear Ma and Pa:

I am well. Hope you are too. Tell Brother Walt and Brother Elmer that the Marine Corps beats working for old man Minch by a mile. Tell them to join up quick before all of the places are filled.

I was restless at first because you got to stay in bed till nearly 6 a.m., but I am getting so I like to sleep late. Tell Walt and Elmer all you do before breakfast is smooth your cot and shine some things. No hogs to slop, feed to pitch, mash to mix, wood to split, fire to lay... practically nothing. Men got to shave but it's not so bad... there's warm water. Breakfast is strong on trimmings like fruit juice, cereal, eggs, bacon, etc., but kind of weak on chops, potatoes, ham, steak, fried eggplant, pie, and other regular food, but tell Walt and Elmer you can always sit by the two city boys that live on coffee. Their food plus yours holds you 'til noon when you get fed again. It's no wonder these city boys can't walk much.

We go on "route marches," which the platoon sergeant says are long walks to harden us. If he thinks so, it's not my place to tell him different. A "route march" is about as far as to our mailbox at home. Then the city guys get sore feet and we all ride back in trucks.

The country is nice but awful flat. The sergeant is like a school teacher. He nags a lot. The captain is like the school board. Majors and colonels just ride around and frown. They don't bother you none.

This next will kill Walt and Elmer with laughing. I keep getting medals for shooting. I don't know why. The bulls-eye is near as big as a chipmunk head and don't move, and it ain't shooting at you like the Higgett boys at home. All you got to do is lie there all comfortable and hit it. You don't even load your own cartridges. They come in boxes.

Then we have what they call hand-to-hand combat training. You get to wrestle with them city boys. I have to be real careful though, they break real easy. It ain't like fighting with that ole bull at home. I'm about the best they got in this except for that Tug Jordan from over in Silver Lake. I only beat him once. He joined up the same time as me, but I'm only 5'6" and 130 pounds and he's 6'8" and near 300 pounds dry.

Be sure to tell Walt and Elmer to hurry and join up before other fellers get onto this setup and come stampeding on in.

Your loving daughter,
Alice

Beer News:

On Thursday, August 2, 2007, Boston Beer Co., makers of Samuel Adams beers, announced plans to purchase the old Schaefer Brewery in Pennsylvania, located at Interstate 78 and Route 100 in Upper Macungie Township for $55 million. Formerly the home of Schaefer ("the one beer to have when you're having more than one") since 1972, it was acquired by Stroh's in 1981 for the production of Pabst Blue Ribbon. Diageo purchased the red brick and glass plant in 2001 from Pabst, and focused on its product, Smirnoff Ice, a citrusy-flavored "malternative" - one of a fad group of beverages that had caught the spotlight with younger drinkers. Sales peaked in 2002, but have endured a steady decline as craft beer has taken the baton to the winner's circle.

Sales of Samuel Adams have exploded by 16% in 2006. With such growth, Boston Beer Co. is ever searching for greater capacity. In addition to the Upper Macungie plant, they have entered talks with City Brewing of Wisconsin, with an eye on the old Rolling Rock brewery in Latrobe, Pennsylvania.
Craft Beer of the Week Award

Green's Endeavour Dubbel Ale - Green's Gluten Free Beers, Shipley, West Yorkshire, England (Imported by Merchant du Vin, Tukwila, Washington, USA)

Style: Gluten Free Belgian Dubbel

The seductive aroma of sweet dark berries and plums merges with vanilla-cappuccino notes as this beauty pours dark chocolate brown into the glass, showing-off with a thick, voluminous, persistent head of tight bubbles. On the tongue, flavors of dark cherries and molasses join a balanced bitterness. As it warms, sorghum graininess arises, adding to the rich flavors. Made with millet, rice, buckwheat and sorghum, this is seduction in a bottle. It is hard to believe that such a pleasurable, tantalizing brew could be "celiac safe"!

Pair this lover up with a juicy, grilled steak, pulled pork, or dark meats. Then, continue the pleasure, poured over vanilla ice cream and berries. Superb!

Cheers!

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Carolyn Smagalski, Beer and Brewing Editor
http://Beer.bellaonline.com

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