Champagne and Company

As the holiday season is upon us I would like to dedicate a moment to Sparkling wine. For some this is a wine that is only enjoyed on a holiday or special occasion and for others it is the drink of choice on a more regular basis. There is one thing for sure; it is always a good choice. The term Champagne is loosely used for all sparkling wine when in reality Champagne is a wine growing region in France, and to use this term accurately, the wine must be produced from grapes there. Sparkling wines not from the Champagne Region are simply just considered Sparkling wine from whatever region they may be from. For example Cava is a term to describe a specific Sparkling wine from Spain; Italy has Prosecco and so on. There is a lot to know about Champagne and its production but there are a few basics that help to understand the complex world of fine Sparkling Wine.

History- The Romans planted grapes around the city of Reims during the 5th century. French kings were originally anointed there and the wine from Champagne became the ceremonial wine. In 1662 methode Champenoise was officially created although there are records of Monks producing sparkling wine up to 100 years prior to 1662. Champagne originally was a lot sweeter than it is today and it wasn’t until Perrier Jouet did not sweeten his 1846 vintage than the Modern Brut was born.

Grapes- In Champagne the traditional varietals used are Chardonnay, Pinot Noir and Pinot Meunier. Other grapes are allowed but are rarely ever used and those are Arbanne, Petit Meslier, Pinot Blanc and Pinot Gris.

Styles-
Prestige Cuvee- This is usually a proprietary blend and considered to be the top wine of the certain producer. For example, Moet Chandon makes Dom Perignon, or Roederer makes Cristal and so on. Best of the Best!
Blanc de Blancs- Translated to white of whites. This wine is comprised of 100% Chardonnay and very rarely a little Pinot Blanc.
Blanc de Noir- Translated to white of blacks. This is wine made exclusively from red grapes. Because all grape juice runs clear, with minimal skin contact this wine made from red grapes stays a yellowish silver color.
Rose- This is another style of Sparkling wine were the producer will let the red grape skins macerate for a small amount of time leaving a pinkish hue on the wine.

Sweetness- So within each style the final wine also falls into a sweetness category. The ripeness level and the amount of sugar added in the dosage during secondary fermentation will affect the sweetness level.
The levels of sweetness, Dry to sweet are as follows (grams of residual sugar per liter):
Brut Zero- Less than 3 grams
Extra Brut- Less than 6 grams
Brut- (most common) Less than 12 grams
Extra Dry- between 12 and 17 grams
Sec- between 17 and 32 grams
Demi Sec- between 32 and 50 grams
Doux- 50 and above

Methods of Production-

Methode Champenoise- This is the traditional method in which Champagne is produced. Although there are many other methods of producing Champagne, this is the classic and most respected route. The wine undergoes a primary fermentation and before it is fully finished the wine is bottled. Secondary fermentation is then induced by adding a dosage of yeast and rock sugar. The Appellation dOrigine Controlee of Champagne then requires a minimum of 1 ½ years of bottle ageing. The bottle then goes through a remuage process where the lees (wine byproduct essentially) settle in the bottle of the neck. The bottles are adjusted slightly over a period of time to accumulate all the lees in the neck. When ready the bottle is then chilled so the lees in the neck freeze. After that, they pop out the frozen lees and a final amount of sugar depending on the desired sweetness level and then corked to finish.

Vintage vs. Non Vintage- Usually Champagne produces will use just from multiple years to create consistency amongst the flavor profile, but on really good growing years Produces will create a Millesime and the wine will be produced exclusively from a particular vintage.

Producers- Although there are many different producers in Champagne, I will just focus on two different groups of Producers.

Negociant Manipulant- These are the big companies that we all are familier with; (Moet Chandon, Louis Roederer, Clicquot and so on) they buy grapes through contracts with growers and produce and market the wine.

Recoltant Maninpulant- Also known as grower Champagne, this is a growing market and really unique Champagnes. These producers essentially grow their own grapes for their production although they are allowed to purchase up to 5% of their product. This increases your chances for more site specific wines creating more individuality in the wines.

Now that we are all experts on Champagne, we need to try a couple. Here are a few Champagnes and a Premium California Sparkling Wine available;

Veuve Clicquot N.V. Brut (59.99)- One of the most iconic Sparkling wines from Champagne. These grapes are pulled from over 50 growing areas throughout Champagne. The wine is generally comprised of 50% Pinot Noir, 30% Chardonnay and 20% Pinot Meunier although this blend can change slightly. This is just a classic N.V. Brut style champagne that has a toasty, citrus touch of vanilla flavor profile. A classic.

Pierre Peters Grand Cru Blanc de Blancs (59.99)- This is an example of a Grower Champagne. This wine is a blend of over 15 years of harvest all from Grand Cru villages in Cote des Blancs. Made from 100% Chardonnay, this Brut (6-7grams per liter) is a steal at $59.99. It has a pale color with a faint greenness which is common in Sparkling comprised entirely of Chardonnay. The flavor has a really bright citrus component complimented by fresh bread and finishing with a strong sense of mineral. A really complete wine that shows what Blanc de Blancs should be.

Schramsberg 2010 Blance de Blancs (39.99)- This is the first wine that Schramsberg produced in 1965. Small lots of Malolactic and barrel produced wines are blended in to enhance complexity. The wine is aged on its lees for about 2 years before disgorgement. This is a very vibrant; more fruit forward blanc de blancs yet maintains a high level of crispness and acidity. This is a real treat and definitely a great domestic option if Champagne maybe a little out of reach.

Digestif Liqueurs (continued)

My last blog was an overview of some types of digestifs to enjoy after dinner, and discussed late harvest and fortified wines, brandies and liqueurs. Since there are so many different liqueurs out there, I thought it appropriate to cover a few more in depth. So here goes...


GALLIANO:
Is a sweet herbal liquor created by Arturo Vaccari of Livorno in Tuscany, Italy in 1896. It is named after Gusieppe Galliano, an Italian war hero. It is comprised of a number of ingredients, including vanilla, star anise, ginger, citrus, juniper, musk yarrow and lavender. These ingredients (sans vanilla) are pressed and infused into neutral alcohol and then distilled. The vanilla is then infused, and finally distilled water, refined sugar and neutral alcohol are blended in. Galliano is made to either 60 or 84.6 proof. (We carry the 84.6 proof version.) The final product has a vanilla/anise taste with herbal notes, and it is the vanilla that distinguishes it from other anise infused liqueurs. The brand was purchased by the distiller Lucas Bols of Holland, and is currently made there. It comes in the distinctive tall thin bottle, reminiscent of a Roman column. It is often consumed as an after meal digestif, or used as an ingredient in cocktails, the most well known being the Harvey Wallbanger. The recipe for a Harvey Wallbanger is to mix 6 parts orange juice with 3 parts vodka and ice in a tall glass, and float 1 part Galliano on top…garnish with an orange slice.
$22.99 for a 375ml bottle.

PIMM'S #1 CUP:
Pimm's #1 Cup is the original and most popular offering in what became a series of liqueurs known as fruit cups from the British based distiller. Pimm's #1 is gin based, with a secret mixture of herbs and liqueurs, and was created by James Pimm in 1823 to serve at his London oyster bar. It began large scale production in 1851, and by 1887 there was a chain of Pimm's oyster bars. Several other Pimm's cups were created over the years using different liquors as a base, but Pimm's #1 remains the most popular. The brand fell on hard times in the 1970's and 80's, and some of the other cups were phased out, but Pimm's #3 (brandy based and now known as Pimm's Winter Cup) and #6 (Vodka based) are still available. The brand changed hands several times over the years, and is now owned Diageo.
Pimm's #1 was originally produced to aid digestion after a meal as a digestif. It is dark reddish in color, and has a slight spice and citrus taste. It is still very popular today, mostly as a summer drink in England. It can be served on the rocks, or mixed with British style lemonade, (which is clear and carbonated) and even various chopped fruits.
$28.99 for a 750ml bottle. 50 proof.

CHARTREUSE:
Chartreuse is made according to a centuries old, secret formula of 130 herbs, plants and flowers mixed into a distilled alcohol base. It has a very strong taste, and is sweet with pungent spice and vegetal notes. It can be served straight, either chilled or at room temperature. It is also used in cocktails and is popular with hot chocolate at French ski resorts.
This liqueur has been made by the Carthusian monks of France since 1737. It is said that the original recipe was given to the order in Paris in 1605 by the French marshal Francois Hannibal d'Estrees, who called it the "elixir of long life." The recipe eventually made it to the order's headquarters at the Grand Chartreuse monastery in Voiron, France, where the monks began to produce chartreuse as a medicine. The recipe was enhanced in 1764 to what is now called Green Chartreuse, at 110 proof, which became very popular at the time. A second recipe was developed by the monks in 1838 for a Yellow Chartreuse, a sweeter saffron colored version at a lower proof of 80. The monks were expelled from France in 1903, and their distillery was confiscated by the government. The monks took refuge in Tarragona, Spain, bringing their secret recipe with them. They produced chartreuse there with a new label noting its Spanish production. Meanwhile, a corporation back in Voiron took over the distillery and began making their version of chartreuse, without the secret recipe. Their attempt failed, and when they faced bankruptcy in 1927, a group of local businessmen in Voiron bought them out and gave the business back to the monks as a gift. The monks were given tacit approval by the French government to produce again, and their expulsion was fully lifted after World War II, giving them full legal authority to produce again. Chartreuse is still made in Voiron today. The secret recipe is known only by 2 monks at any given time. These monks prepare the secret ingredients for the product that we carry today. We carry the green version at 110 proof. $39.99 for a 375ml bottle.

SAMBUCA:
Sambuca is an anise flavored Italian liqueur that comes in either a clear, red or black version. It is created by taking the essential oils from anise, star anise, licorice, elderflowers and other spices and adding them to a neutral alcohol base, along with a concentrated sugar solution. It is usually bottled at 42% alcohol by volume, or 84 proof. The first commercial version was produced by Luigi Manzi in Civitavecchia, Italy around the end of the 1800's. Angelo Molinari popularized the liqueur after World War II with his version, Sambuca Extra Molinari. It can be consumed warm or chilled, and is traditionally served with three coffee beans. We carry Sambuca Romana: $17.99 for a 375ml bottle.

Some of these you may know, and others may be new to you. Stop on in and let us help you find the right after dinner digestif for you!

Chip Bartsch
West Vail Liquor

Digestifs

Just as an aperitif is an alcoholic beverage served before a meal in order to stimulate the appetite, a digestif is an alcoholic beverage served after a meal in order to aid digestion. While an aperitif is generally lighter in alcohol and tends to be more dry and herbal, a digestif is often stronger in alcohol and can tend to be more on the sweet side, although some can be quite bitter. Americans are probably more familiar with digestifs than aperitifs, as they seem to be more common here. There are a wide variety of digestifs, including fortified and late harvest wines, such as sherry, port and icewines; distilled grape products, such as brandy, Cognac, Armagnac and grappa; and a whole host of liqueurs with complex and often closely guarded recipes. As with aperitifs, a good portion of digestifs come from Europe.

Fortified and late harvest wines include port, sherry and dessert wine and ice wine. Sherry is a fortified wine made from white grapes in the area around Jerez de la Frontera, Spain. Sherry's are generally dry, and are fortified with grape spirits to bring the alcohol level up to about 16%. Ports are fortified wines made generally with red grapes exclusively in the Douro Valley of Portugal, and are often sweet in taste. Ports have many different classifications, such as single vintage and single harvest. Ruby ports are aged in concrete or steel containers, giving them a bright red color. Tawny ports are aged in wooden barrels and allowed to oxidize, giving them a golden brown color and a nutty flavor as they age. Tawny ports are classified by age: 10, 20, 30 and over 40 years. Late harvest, or dessert wines are made from grapes that are left on the vine longer than usual. These grapes develop a mold called botrytis (noble rot), and the resulting wines are very sweet. Ice wines are made from grapes that are allowed to freeze on the wine. When these grapes are pressed the ice crystals are removed leaving highly concentrated sugar behind.

Distilled grape products include brandy, Cognac and Armagnac. Although there are some fruit brandies, most brandy is made from distilled grapes. Brandies are often barrel aged, imparting a carmel color. Brandies that are not aged have caramel color added. As a digestif, brandy is often consumed straight, but it can be used to make cocktails, such as a brandy manhatten. Cognac is a grape based brandy that is made in the Cognac region of France. Armagnac is a grape based brandy from the Armagnac region of France, and has been made for over 700 years. Calvados is an apple brandy that comes from the Lower Normandy region of France. Grappa is an Italian brandy that is made from the skins, stems, pulp and seeds of the grape (also known as pumace.) Kirsch (cherry) and Slivovitz (plum) are other fruit brandies.

Brandy is classified as follows:
- A.C.: aged two years in wood.
- V.S.: "Very Special" or 3-Star, aged at least three years in wood.
- V.S.O.P.: "Very Superior Old Pale" or 5-Star, aged at least five years in wood.
- X.O.: "Extra Old" aged at least six years in wood.
- Vintage: Stored in the cask until the time it is bottled with the label showing the vintage date.

Liqueurs are distilled spirits that are blended with any variety of fruit, cream, nuts, herbs, spices or flowers, and range from bitter to very sweet. They are sometimes also called cordials or schnapps, but in Britain, cordials can also mean a non-alcoholic fruit flavored syrup, and schnapps is traditionally a form of brandy in Germany, as is aquavit in Scandinavia. It seems that most countries, especially in Europe have a traditional liqueur, and there are many on the market. They can be categorized by type:
Berry Liqueurs include Chambord (raspberry), Creme de Cassis (black current) and Sloe Gin (sloe berry).
Coffee Liqueurs include Kahlua, Kamora and Tia Maria.
Cream Liqueurs are actually made with cream, and include Bailey's Irish Cream, Advocaat, Amarula, Rumchata and Tequila Rose.
Creme Liqueurs are not made with cream, but have a high amount of added sugar which gives them a syrupy consistency. Examples are Creme de Cacao and Creme de Menthe.
Flower Liqueurs are made with flowers, such as St. Germain (elderberry flowers).
Fruit Liqueurs include Amarula (amarula fruit), Cointreau, Gran Marnier & Triple Sec (orange), Curacao (bitter orange), Limoncello (lemon), Midori (melon), Pama (pomegranate) and Pucker (apple).
Herbal Liqueurs can be divided into two categories, those with or without anice.
Anice based herbal liqueurs include Anisette, Pernod Ricard and Sambuca.
Other herbal liqueurs include Benedictine, Canton, Chartreuse, Fernet, Galliano, Goldschlager and Jagermeister.
Honey based liqueurs include Barenjager and Drambuie.
Nut based liqueurs include Amaretto and Frangelico.
There are also quite a few whiskey based liqueurs such as Fireball cinnamon whiskey and Irish Mist.

The range of digestifs is vast, ranging from sweet to bitter. There is a flavor out there for virtually anyone. The next time you are enjoying a special meal, consider adding a digestif for afterwards. Experiment with some new flavors to see what suits your taste, or let our staff guide you.

Chip Bartsch
West Vail Liquor

Thanksgiving Features!

There are so many wines to consider during the holiday season. Traditionally Burgundy; Cru Beaujolais (Pinot Noir,Gamay) dominate the red varietals and Noble Alsacian varietals such as Riesling and Pinot Gris dominate the whites. The food associated with Thanksgiving has always been in some form or another Turkey, Potatoes and Stuffing; the wines have been Pinot Noir and Riesling. I have always been a fan of tradition, but feel that there are also many other wine options to make your Thanksgiving meal wonderful. Here are a few wines we will feature for the Thanksgiving holiday; some classic picks and some less common choices as well.

Allendorf Kabinett Riesling- (Sale Price $9.99!) The Allendorf family has lived and produced wine in the Rheingau for over 700 years! Although the family works with a lot of single vineyard site specific Rieslings and Pinot Noirs (Spatburgunder in German), this is just a nice entry level Riesling with great fruit components and mineral flavors. This is a well balanced wine that is sure to be a hit with the Turkey.

Ferrari Carano Fume Blanc- (Sale Price 14.99!) This wine is comprised of 100% Sauvignon Blanc 60% of which sees time in Stainless Steel tanks and 35% in used French Oak Barrels. This wine has great tropical fruit notes and good acidity which adds a crisp freshness. The little bit of oak add a bit of complexity on the finish. This is a very versatile food wine that will pair with simple and complex dishes (Will hold up to spice if that is on your menu)

Erath Pinot Noir- (Sale Price 17.99!) Erath has been making wine for over 40 years in the Dundee Hills of Oregon; longer than anyone else there. Dick Erath really was one of Oregon’s wine pioneers. This pinot is a blend of different vineyard sites compiled to produce a ready to drink, fruit forward Pinot. I always believed Oregon Pinot with its cooler growing season to have a bit more acidity than other new world Pinot Noirs. This gives the wine a great balance and makes it arguably more food friendly. This wine does see a small fraction of new French Oak to enhance the complexity. All in all, this is a great Pinot for the price.

Dehesa La Granja- (Sale Price 19.99!) This is an old winery that was refurbished and now the wine is made by the iconic Alejandro Fernandez. This wine comes from the Spanish province of Zamora and is comprised of the Tempranillo grape. The must goes through Malolactic fermentation in new oak barrels. It then goes through a decanting system which essentially is a clarification process. The result is a beautiful, elegant wine that shows great fruit and finesse. 2005 being the current vintage, this wine would be a real treat for the table.

APERITIFS

One section of our store that often gets overlooked is our selection of liqueurs. This collection of strange and exotic potions hails mainly from Europe. While many are not well known here in the states, these beverages have been enjoyed for generations in their native lands, and have recipes that are closely guarded secrets. Unlike the grab and go mentality that seems to prevail in the U.S., Europeans are known to take a little extra time to enjoy their meals, and in doing so, often include these liqueurs in their daily repasts. Some are fashioned to stimulate the appetite, and are known as aperitifs, a word that comes from the latin word aperire, or "to open."

It is not uncommon for Europeans to sit and relax over a drink prior to a meal, and while we Americans often do the same, we tend to steer more toward a glass of wine or a cocktail. The aperitifs that come from Europe tend to bit a bit more unusual. Most often they are dry and have an herbal quality that can help spark the appetite. They are relatively low in alcohol (15%-25%), so as not to overwhelm the palate. While many of these drinks are famous overseas, they are relatively unknown here in the states. But they are well worth a try.

Here are some suggestions from our selection:

Campari: Made in Italy, this deep red aperitif was created by Gaspare Campari around 1860. Its recipe is a closely guarded secret even today. It became famous during 1920's and 30's when Gaspare's son Davide began a campaign using famous artists to create posters to promote the beverage. Campari is very bitter, with a distinct herbal quality. However, it does have a subtle sweetness to it, and tends to open up when adding a splash of soda or ginger ale. It is best served chilled, and I like it over a couple of cubes of ice.
$31.99 for a 750 ml bottle. 24% alcohol by volume (ABV).

Dubonnet: Originating in France around 150 years ago, Dubonnet is wine based, and is now made in the U.S. under permission from the French producer. There are red and white versions, the white being more dry and herbal, while the red is sweeter and spicier. It is fortified with a small amount of brandy, and has a syrupy quality to it. We carry the red version in a 750 ml bottle for $14.99. 19% ABV.

Lillet: Another wine based aperitif that has been produced in the village of Podensac, France, just south of Bordeaux, since 1887. It also comes in red and white versions, and contains carefully selected wines blended with herbs and fruits. Its recipe is also a closely guarded secret, and the result is quite decadent indeed. It can be enjoyed chilled or on the rocks with a twist of orange or lime, and can also be mixed with soda as a spritzer or in cocktails. James Bond was known to like it in his martinis.
White: $29.99 for 750ml, 17% ABV. Red: $24.99 for 750ml, 17% ABV.

Vermouth: While most Americans consider vermouth to be an ingredient in a manhatten or martini, it is not unusual for Europeans to drink it straight. It originated in 1757 in Turin, Italy as a medicinal libation, but later became famous as a cocktail ingredient. It also comes in red and white versions, and is wine based, with alcohol and other botanicals added. Red vermouth is also known as sweet vermouth, while the white version is dry. It can be enjoyed chilled or on the rocks prior to a meal, and is also used in cooking. We have several varieties here at West Vail Liquor, including Noilly Pratt, a favorite of Europeans. $7.99 for 375 mls. 16% ABV for the red and 18% ABV for the white.

Pernod: Created by Henri-Louis Pernod in 1805 in Paris, Pernod is anice based and has a distinct licorice flavor. Its recipe is also a well guarded secret mix of star anice and other botanicals and herbs. It is best served chilled, and can be added to cocktails, although I prefer it on the rocks. It has a bright yellow, almost toxic look to it, and is very potent at 40% ABV. The higher alcohol volume and strong licorice quality may make it a bit overwhelming as an aperitif, and it may be better served as a digestive, a category of after dinner drinks that will be discussed in a later blog.
$32.99 for 750ml.

While these are classic examples of aperitifs, we have many others that I plan to discuss in future blogs. In the mean time, come on in and give these a try!

Chip Bartsch
West Vail Liquor

Ridge Winery

Off the beaten path in regards to California wine country; sits the Ridge Winery high up in the hills just outside of San Jose. This winery in the Santa Cruz Mountains has a long and distinguished history in California winemaking. The winery itself dates back to 1885 when a man by the name of Osea Perrone bought 180 acres on top of the “Monte Bello” ridge in the Santa Cruz Mountains south of San Francisco. His first vintage under the “Monte Bello” label was produced in 1892. The winery was later abandoned in 1920 due to prohibition, same as a lot of other wineries in California at that time, and did not really get going again until a group of Stanford Research Institute engineers started making wine in the mid 1960’s. They were making small amounts of wine but the wine itself was considered to be some of the best being produced in this time. Then in 1969 a man by the name of Paul Draper joined the team and with minimal experience they moved forward with a really “old world” or traditional method of winemaking. Today with Draper still in charge, Ridge is producing mostly Cabernet and Zinfandel and this estate continues to use this very minimal, all single vineyard approach to their winemaking. They also purchased a property in Lytton Springs; a vineyard site in Sonoma County. These are definitely some of my favorite wines produced domestically. By the way, this winery was involved in the “Judgment of Paris” wine tasting in 1976. Ridge came in fifth among the other California and French wines. When they had the 30th anniversary of the tasting in 2006, the 1971 and 2001 vintages of Monte Bello Cabernets came in first place in the original and new vintage categories.
Ridge uses the term “Pre-industrial winemaking” to describe their method of making wine. They have a great website that explains in depth what this term means, but in short it is just a very minimal, hands’ off approach to winemaking. They are essentially old school methods of hand harvesting site specific wines using native yeasts and minimal intervention in the winemaking process. The final product allows for great intensity and very different tasting wines although they may be the same varietals.
As far as the wines are concerned; their Great! The Monte Bello is such an iconic wine as far as domestic wine is concerned and it still delivers. Some of the best Cabernet I have tasted. I have to admit I am not usually a big California Zinfandel fan, but the options from Ridge are so different from typical Zinfandel and quite good to be honest. The different sites really offer great variety in flavor and the wines are really well balanced, not over the top,
This was a really great visit and believe me the wines are amazing. We do carry a number of Ridge wines here at the store and our selection tends to vary depending on availability.

Enjoy as always,

Nick
Wine Buyer, West Vail Liquor Mart

MEAD

Nectar of the gods, drink of poets, drink of love. These are all terms that have been used to describe mead, the world's first fermented beverage.
Mead is an alcoholic beverage that, in its simplest form, is made by fermenting a mixture of honey and water. It may also be made by adding a grain mash to the honey/water mixture, which is then strained. Meads can contain a wide variety of spices, fruits and hops, depending on tradition, culture and recipe. The alcohol content of mead ranges from 8% to 18%. It can be still, carbonated or naturally sparkling, and can be sweet, semi-sweet or dry. Mead differs from honey-wine, which is wine sweetened with honey.

Mead is considered the world's first fermented beverage, with evidence of its production dating back to around 2000 BC. Mead was a common beverage in Ancient Greece, and Aristotle and Pliny the Elder each included it in their writings. From the Greeks and Romans to the Norse, Beowulf to Shakespeare, mead was celebrated and commonly used in celebrations. Mead followed the expansion of civilization, and was common throughout all of Europe, as well as east into Russia and the Baltics, and south into Africa. Mead became especially common in areas that grapes would not grow.

Each culture had its own name for the beverage, and each culture's mead was unique to the area it was produced, depending on the source of the honey, the quality of the water, the type of yeast used, the aging procedure and the various adjuncts (fruits, spices, etc.) that were used. Originally, mead was fermented by the wild yeasts that came from the honey itself, or from the skins of the fruits that were added. Over time these yeasts were isolated, and today mead is made from strains of yeast that are similar to those that are used for making beer and wine.

Mead's decline in popularity began in the late 14th century, and by the 17th century it was only popular in a few areas of the world, overtaken in most areas by beer and wine. A honey shortage in Europe, advances in wine and beer making and shipping all played a role. When the Normans of France conquered Northern Europe, bringing with them their love of wine, mead's popularity was about finished. It has remained popular in Africa, Poland and the Baltics. It has been making a small resurgence, driven in part by the craft beverage movement and advances in chemistry and technology. There are about 60 meaderies in the U.S. and Canada today.

Sangiovese!

Probably the most under the radar recognized Italian grapes. Chianti, Brunello di Montalcino and many other famous wines are composed of primarily Sangiovese or its relatives; Sangiovese Grosso and Sangiovese piccolo. There are so many different clones and variations of Sangiovese that it is hard to nail down a certain clone or area and say this is the real Sangiovese. It has many names depending on where you are in Italy; like most grapes in Italy. For example; Vino Nobile di Montepulciano is called Prugnolo; Morellino di Scansano is called Morellino. It is planted pretty much all over Italy and done with varying degrees of success. It has a natural high acidity and tannin which is not always the case with red grapes. This allows for Sangiovese to produce light fruity wines and also big, dark, tannic wines depending on where and how it was cultivated. They seem to age well overall and love the company of oak ageing. Overall this is a very versatile and important grape that has many different faces; chances are you will find a variation that is pleasant to you. I have listed a few wines below that are available at the West Vail Liquor Mart.

Montalcino
Just south of Chianti is Montalcino. One of Italy’s most famous wines, Brunello di Montalcino is produced in this region. Brunello is a DOCG region. DOCG mean Donomintation of Controlled and Guaranteed Origin. It is basically the governing body of Italian wine guaranteeing that a particular wine meets the standards that the particular region requires. Brunello is required to be 100% Sangiovese according to the DOCG requirements. They are using Sangiovese Grosso to make Brunello and the lighter declassified “Rosso di Montalcino.”

Banfi Rosso Di Montalcino (24.99)
Chianti Classico
In the hills south of Florence is Chianti and its sub zones, one of which being Chianti Classico. This is a DOCG region that requires the blend to be at least 85% Sangiovese. Chianti kind of developed a bad reputation over the years as being a very budget table wine. During the 1980’s through a series of wine consultants, really changed the idea of Chianti; especially Chianti Classico. The wines have gone from thin, astringent table wines to denser, darker more ageworthy wines. The wines are still very elegant and graceful.

Castello di Meleto Chianti Classico (16.99)
Molise
Molise is a wine growing region in the eastern center part of Italy, close to the region of Abbruzzo. It was not effectively its own region until 1970 making it Italy’s newest wine growing DOC. They grow Greco, Fiano, Falangina as well as Aglianico and Sangiovese. Relatively unexplored for wine making this region has a lot of potential.

DiMajo Norante Sangiovese (12.99)
Enjoy,

Nick, Wine Buyer

Chilean Wine

You often hear the terms, new world and old world wine. This is just a reference to different wine regions throughout the world. Old world wines generally refer to European countries (France, Italy, Spain etc.) who have been wine producing countries for many centuries. New world wine is referring to those countries who have only been involved with wine production for the last 100 years or so (USA, Argentina, Chile, New Zealand, Australia, etc.). Most of these new world countries have had European immigrants and basically brought old world vines and techniques to their new homes and started making wine. Chile is one of these regions that have a lot of European influence and it shows through the varietals they have decided to plant there. Cabernet Sauvignon, Carmenere, Chardonnay and Sauvignon Blanc dominate the production coming from Chile, with Pinot Noir constantly on the rise. Although Chile is going through a Boutique movement currently, with a lot of small, independent wineries popping up; its’ winemaking history has been dominated by a few large scale producers within the country. For example, Los Vascos is a very popular and recognizable Chilean Brand. Los Vascos is a Rothschild project; which is a very renowned name in Bordeaux. Most of these Chilean wines got there start from a foreign organization coming in and starting the process. Along with the right climate and soil, this is what influenced the decision when planting these certain varietals. Chile offers great options at what I believe still to be very affordable prices. With the Malbec boom in Argentina and the Sauvignon Blanc boom in New Zealand, Chile is still trying to find there big breakthrough in the wine world. Chile is a lot like California. A long narrow profile all along the Pacific Coast to the west and the Andes Mountains to the east allow for ideal wine conditions pretty much all over the country, with a few exceptions. This allows so much versatility in what you can grow well here. Chile is still discovering what they do well, but has a lot of established great wines. Here are a few of my favorite wines amongst the before mentioned varietals from Chile….

Los Vascos Sauvignon Blanc (10.99) I mentioned before Los Vascos is one of the most recognizable estates in Chile. Managed by the Rothschild family, whos’ involvement began in the 1980’s, The Sauvignon Blanc is produced from the Casablanca and Curico Valley’s. These areas do have a lot of similarities to Bordeaux, where they produce oddly enough a lot of Sauvignon Blanc. It is a coastal cool climate that lends itself to Sauvignon Blanc and the more widely planted chardonnay. This is a very classic style Sauvignon Blanc with plenty of citrus tones and bright acidity. This wine is definitely a great option for the price.

Casa Lapostolle Chardonnay (12.99) Lapostolle is another heavy hitter in the Chilean wine game. Founded by the Marnier-Lapostolle families in 1994 this has grown to be one of the largest exported Chilean Brands. More French influence! This Chardonnay is from the Casablanca Valley as well. 100% Chardonnay that has just a touch of oak influence (16% mixed between new and experienced oak barrels, the rest in stainless steel) which makes this a classic version of Chardonnay with pear and apple flavors complimented by good, fresh acidity.


Santa Rita Reserva Carmenere (14.99) Carmenere is a lost Bordeaux varietal believed to be Merlot in Chile for a long time. It has now become kind of their namesake in the case that it is pretty much exclusively produced in Chile. It has the stereotype of being “green” which is a wine term to describe that sort of bitter, vegetal taste in the wine. Although some Carmenere and Cabernet in Chile definitely have this negative characteristic, some don’t. Santa Rita has 120 years of winemaking history making it one of the oldest wineries in Chile. This Carmenere is from the Rapel Valley which is just South of Santiago. This wine has great fruit and spice expression integrated with smooth but definitely present tannins. This is what I believe to be a classic example of Chile’s signature grape; Carmenere.

Santa Ema Reserve Cabernet Sauvignon (16.99) Although this winery began production in the 1950’s it did not start exporting wine until the 1980’s. The Reserve Cabernet is from the Maipo Valley which is just southwest of Santiago sandwiched between the Pacific and the Andes. (As are all the winegrowing Valleys in Chile, they generally run east to west along a river between the mountains and the ocean.) This wine sees 8-10 months in French oak creating a very complex wine for the price. It has notes of cherry, prune, tobacco and coffee. This is a great value for good Cabernet if California prices have offended you a little lately.

All in all I think there is still a lot of bang for your buck in Chile. I believe it sometimes gets looked over and forgotten in the wine world. With so many possibilities because of their climate and terrior, I am excited to see what comes out of Chile over the next couple of decades. That being said there are plenty of great wines already being produced and worth trying,

Enjoy,

Nick
Wine Buyer

Non-Alcoholic Beer

Non-alcoholic beer dates back to the dawn of prohibition in 1919, when breweries were trying to find ways to stay alive. Some turned to making soda or root beer, while others continued to make beer that had a very low alcoholic content, which was allowed by law to be less than .5% alcohol by volume. During prohibition, these beers were called "non-intoxicating". Over time the name evolved into "non-alcoholic", even though they do contain a small amount of alcohol. This differs from the term "alcohol free" which legally in the U.S. means there is no detectable alcohol at all. Once prohibition had ended, there remained a small market for non-alcoholic beers, and for good reason. Pregnant women, designated drivers, those on medication or those that have quit drinking but still like the taste of beer all make up the market for non-alcoholic brews.

There are several ways to make non-alcoholic beer. The most common is by brewing the beer as normal, and then removing the alcohol prior to bottling. One way to do this is to boil off the alcohol. Since alcohol has a much lower boiling point than water (about 173 degrees at sea level), the beer can be heated to slightly above that point until enough alcohol burns off to bring it below .5%. However, reheating the ingredients in the beer changes its flavor significantly. Some brewers get around this by using a vacuum to lower the boiling point of the alcohol, thus reducing the temperature needed to boil off the alcohol and minimizing the effect of heat on the remaining ingredients. Another way to remove alcohol from beer is to use reverse-osmosis by running the beer through a very fine micro-filter through which only alcohol and water can pass. The alcohol is then distilled from the water using conventional means, and the remaining liquid is added back to the ingredients that didn't fit through the filter. This method is more labor intensive and requires more equipment.

Other less common ways to reduce the alcohol in beer are to limit the malt/water ratio in the mash to lower the original gravity and thus the alcohol level, to ferment the "second runnings" from a stronger beer mash where the amount of fermentable sugars has been reduced, to use a cold contact method of fermentation by pitching the yeast at near freezing temperatures which limits the fermentation but still provides some flavor development, or by stopping the fermentation at a desired point by pasteurizing or crash cooling the batch.
We did a blind tasting of non-alcoholic beers with the staff here at West Vail Liquor Mart, and it was quite interesting. While all of the beers tasted quite light, and perhaps a little sweet, there was quite a bit of difference in the way they each tasted, and in how our staff rated them. The over all favorite was O'Doul's, which, despite being quite light, had enough going for it that everyone put it in their top five. The other beers that received a majority of votes were Buckler, which was considered to have some hop character for an N/A beer; Clausthaler Premium which was considered to be light and drinkable with just enough malt taste and Clausthaler Amber, which exhibited a good malt flavor, without tasting too sweet or having a weird aftertaste. Becks N/A and Erdinger N/A also were favored by a majority, with Becks being considered a little sweet and Erdinger a little malty. We generally keep Thomasbrau N/A in stock, but the distributor had been out of stock for several weeks prior to the tasting, so we weren't able to compare that one.

We generally keep 5 flavors of non-alcoholic beer in stock, and will rotate between those mentioned above. We encourage any requests and feedback that you, our customers, may have.

Cheers!
Chip
Beer Buyer

You can't get that beer here!

Beer distribution in the U.S.

One of the questions we get around here fairly often is whether we carry Yuengling beer. While Yuengling is the oldest operating brewery in the U.S., and a maker of quality beers, they do not distribute west of Tennessee. Since we are a tourist destination, we get asked a lot about beers that people drink back home, many of which are not available here. I recently took a trip back home to Wisconsin, and was eager to drink some beer from the New Glarus brewery, a brewery that is highly regarded, but who's beers are only sold in Wisconsin. I was also happy to try some beers from Bell's, Founders and Lakefront Brewery, none of which are available here in the Colorado high country. It got me to thinking about beer distribution here in the U.S.

The U.S. operates on a 3 tiered beer distribution system. This came about in 1933 when the 21st amendment was enacted to repeal prohibition. Section 3 of the 21st amendment specifies that the ability to regulate the sale of alcohol lies with the states. The 3 tier system was instituted as a way to regulate the way beer is distributed and sold in the U.S., and to prevent the excesses and abuses that led to prohibition 13 years earlier. The states were eager to implement a system in which they could tax alcohol.

The 3 tier system basically states that producers of alcohol are only allowed to sell to wholesalers, who then are allowed to sell to retailers. Only retailers are allowed to sell to consumers. In addition, retail stores are not allowed to charge fees to stock certain beers. Therefore, the wholesalers and retailers are independent businesses that make their own decisions on what beers to carry. Most states have laws that grant distributors exclusive rights to a producer's goods, thereby preventing more than one distributor from carrying the same product.

The system was set up to prevent the ownership of all three tiers (production, distribution and retail) by one entity, thus prohibiting monopolies. This differs from the way many countries around the world handle alcohol sales. For instance, in England, a brewery is allowed to own pubs. About 9000 pubs in England are owned by breweries, and it is the brewery that hires the pub employees and makes the decisions on which beers to sell at the pub. In the U.S., the independent wholesalers dictated by the 3 tier system are seen as a key factor in the resurgence of the craft beer industry. While laws regulating the sale of alcohol can differ widely from state to state, almost all states use the 3 tier system. Some states allow exceptions, such as that of a brewpub or small winery that is allowed to sell its products directly to the consumer, without using a distributor. In Colorado, a self distribution law allows breweries to have a wholesale license and sell directly to retail outlets as long as their yearly output is less than 300,000 gallons. Colorado also has a law that prevents a retailer from having more than one outlet, thus restricting chains. It is this law that prevents major supermarkets and convenience stores from selling full strength alcohol, limiting them to selling 3.2% beer only. Craft brewers in Colorado credit this law as a major reason for the burgeoning success of small breweries in the state.

The reality of beer distribution in the U.S. is that most breweries are simply not big enough to make enough beer to ship everywhere, and therefore concentrate on the region in their immediate area. Of course there are the mass marketed U.S. domestic breweries like Coors, Miller and Bud. And even the craft world has major producers like Sam Adams and Sierra Nevada, available almost everywhere. But there are now almost 2500 craft breweries in the U.S. There are so many beers out there that "you can't get here."

Back in the 70's, we'd collect beer cans that we'd find out in the woods, or get from our relatives (we were too young to buy beer at the time.) There were only about 42 breweries in the U.S. by the late 70's, and many of those beers were distributed widely throughout the U.S. But there was always a mystique about Coors. You could only get it in Colorado, so finding a Coors can was a major score! The game has changed greatly since then, and while many of today's craft beers are available in a wide range of states, there are still those mystical beers that you can only get in small areas around the country, such as Yuengling, Russian River, New Glarus or Three Floyds. And to me, that's what makes the current craft beer industry cool. Sure it's great to be able to buy lots of different beers at your local shop, and we'd probably get a little bored without all of the variety that is available to us these days. But it's those hard to find beers that are only available in certain areas that give the industry a little mystery, and a sense of the unknown. It's fun to travel, and to try new beers that are unavailable to you at home. And for those who travel here, it is fun for us to be able to offer that same experience!

Beers available only in Colorado that we carry: Backcountry, Bonfire, Colorado Native, Crooked Stave, Dry Dock, Eddyline, Funkwerks, Grand Lake, Grimm Brothers, Hall, Paradox, Steamworks (sold in a few parts of Texas), Trinity and Upslope.

Here are some Colorado Breweries that are carried in a wide variety of states (approximate numbers): Avery-20 states, Boulder-36 states, Breckenridge-35 states, Great Divide-25 states, Left Hand-29 states, New Belgium-30 states, Oskar Blues-25 states.
And a little more limited are: Odell-9 states, Ska-8 states.
Check out the great web site seekabrew.com for more information on where certain beers are available in the U.S.

Chip Bartsch
Beer Buyer

Is more expensive wine better?

This is a question that seems to come up all the time at our store. This question can bring up a myriad of answers, some say yes some say no and some say it depends. There are so many factors that go into pricing a wine. Cost of land, cost of farming, cost of potentially irrigating, physically making the wine, ageing (barrels), marketing, shipping, demand, etc. That is just the surface of what goes into producing a bottle of wine. I will try and do my best to help answer the question by dissecting what goes into the cost.

Property- This is fairly simple, property in the Napa Valley or Burgundy is a lot more expensive to purchase than land in Missouri. That being said, property is even hard to come by in these areas. A lot of wine that you drink probably isn’t estate fruit; meaning someone owns the land and the vines. A winery or winemaker will negotiates a contract with the grower for a certain amount of time and essentially buys the grapes from the farmer. Inexpensive and expensive wine goes through this process. Burgundy for example is built on Negociant’s. Although they may own a few parcels of land the majority of the grapes are purchased through contracts and then made in their facility (sometimes not even made in their facility). So does this make the wine more expensive? My answer: Its two people collecting money instead of one.

Farming- If you harvest your crop of grapes with a huge tractor which picks up everything, not just grapes you cut your harvest time and cost by a lot. If you pick each cluster by hand it takes a long time… If you use pesticides to keep away unwanted things you can save a lot of your crop… If you don’t use pesticides you have to find natural ways to keep disease and bad things away. This usually cost more money. Organic=expensive; in general.

Production/Ageing: New French oak barrels are going from 1000-1500 dollars a barrel. If you age a wine in 100% new French oak for 18 months, it cost a lot of money. If you age your wine in massive stainless steel tanks that can be reused it costs less. I think a general rule about making wine is that if you are doing more by hand the more it costs.

Marketing/Shipping/Demand: I will keep this simple. It costs money to advertise, chances are if you see a wine being advertised on National Television or in every magazine; somebody or some company with a lot of money is behind it. Shipping is simple; Wine from France generally costs more here because they ship it here. Demand is the same. The more people want it, the less there is available. Less available plus high demand = more money.

In summary; you can find great wine at a great price and you can definitely overpay for product. I always say “If you like it, then it is good wine.” I have recently been enjoying a lot of Spanish wine. I feel like this region is producing a lot of great value wines. I also love Burgundy and to be real it’s not cheap.

Drink what you like
Nick, Wine Buyer.

Sake

SAKE
(or SHU in Japanese)

Sake, sometimes called rice wine, is Japan's contribution to the beverage world. However sake is more like beer than wine in its fermentation process, in that the starches in the rice need to be converted to sugar before they can be fermented by the yeast. Unlike most common beers, sake is much higher in alcohol at around 15%. Sake's origins date back to around the 3rd century AD, and it was Japan's most common alcoholic beverage until the 1960's, when it was overtaken by beer. However, as the consumption of sake in Japan has declined, the quality has improved.

Sake is made from 3 ingredients: rice, water and koji mold. The rice used in making sake differs from food rice in that it is larger and stronger, and contains less lipids and protein. The starch is at the center of the grain of rice, while the outer portion of the rice grain contains proteins, amino acids and fats that adversely affect fermentation, and lead to off flavors in sake. So this outer portion is milled away, leaving the polished center where the starches lie. In general, the more the outer portion is milled away, the higher the quality of the sake. Water is used throughout the process of making sake, from washing the rice, to the fermentation process and finally to dilute the final product in order to reduce the amount of alcohol in the sake. In general, harder water produces a drier sake, while soft water will produce a sweeter sake. Finally, there is this strange thing called koji mold. This magical mold creates enzymes that break down the starch in the rice into sugars which can be fermented by yeast.

The brewing process starts by milling the rice. The rice is then washed and soaked. The soaking takes anywhere from minutes to overnight, and the more the rice is milled the less time it takes to absorb the water. The rice is then steamed, and after it is cooled, some of the rice is sprinkled with the koji mold and is kept at higher than normal humidity and mixed for 36-45 hours. A yeast starter, or seed mash is then created using the finished koji rice along with more of the steamed rice, water and pure yeast cells. After about 2 weeks this starter is moved to larger vats where more rice, koji and water are added in three successive batches over four days, each roughly doubling the amount of the batch. The main mash is then fermented for the next 18-32 days under carefully controlled temperatures and conditions. The mash is then pressed to separate the unfermented solids from the clear sake. After resting for a few days to let more solids settle, the sake is usually charcoal filtered to adjust flavor and color. Sake that is not filtered is called nigori, and remains cloudy from the settled solids. Finally the sake is pasteurized to kill off bacteria and deactivate the enzymes that may affect color and flavor later on. The sake is then aged about 6 months to round out the flavor. After aging it is mixed with more water to bring the alcohol level down from roughly 20% to around 15-16% alcohol.

Sometimes distilled alcohol is added to the batch in the final stages. The makers of cheap sake add quite a bit of distilled alcohol to increase the yield. Higher end sake can also have added alcohol, but in very small amounts. This is to help bring out more aromatic and flavorful compounds from the mash, which are soluble in alcohol.

Sake has a distinct naming system to distinguish between its various grades of quality, determined by the amount the rice is polished and whether or not distilled alcohol has been added. In this system, the word Junmai is used to indicate that the sake has not had any alcohol added. From the lowest to highest quality, they are:

Honjozo-shu: Similar to table wine. Made with rice, water, koji and a small amount of added alcohol. It is light, fragrant and easy to drink.

Junmai-shu: Made with rice, water and koji. The rice kernel is polished to at least 70% (meaning at least 30% of the outer portion of the rice kernel is milled away.) It has a full, solid flavor and is clean and well structured.

Ginjo-shu: Made with rice, water and koji, and a small amount of alcohol. The rice kernel is polished to at least 60%. It is generally fermented at colder temperatures for longer periods of time, and is light, aromatic, fruity and refined.

Junmai Ginjo-shu: Made with rice, water and koji. The rice kernel is polished to at least 60%. Also fermented at colder temperatures for longer periods of time. Light, fruity and refined.

Daiginjo-shu: The highest classification of quality. Made with rice, water and koji, with a small amount of added alcohol. The rice kernel is polished to at least 50%. It is generally light, complex and very fragrant.

Junmai Daiginjo-shu: Also in the highest classification, but without added alcohol. The rice kernel is polished to at least 50%, and is also light, complex and fragrant.

Any of these sakes can be Nigori, or unfiltered and cloudy.

Sake can be consumed hot, cold or at room temperature. Generally cheaper sakes are the ones that are served hot, and it is more common to drink hot sake during the winter time. Higher end sake is generally served cold.

Chip Bartsch
Buyer
West Vail Liquor Mart

Beaujolais; not Nouveau!

Beaujolais is a wine region just south of Burgundy; some may consider this part of Burgundy, technically it is its own AOC (Appellation d’Original Controlle). Though about 1% of the wine production here is white wine (Chardonnay and Aligote), Gamay is the grape that dominates the region. Gamay is thin skinned, low tannins, red grape. It tends to be very light and fruity with high amounts of acidity for red wine. This region actually produces more wine than all of Burgundy, Chablis and the Maconnais put together. Most of us are familiar with Beaujolais Nouveau, which is produced very quickly then sold and is said to be a decider of vintage. The grapes are harvested between late August and early September, fermented for a few days and released to the public on the third Thursday of November. This wine now makes up about a third of all the production in Beaujolais and is kind of what people only know about the region. There are really 4 levels of Beaujolais: Nouveau, AOC, Village and Cru. The first two are traditionally served chilled (actually they say that Americans in general drink their red wine too warm and their white wine too cold). Beaujolais is not just Nouveau, some of the village and cru wines are really spectacular and tend to get overlooked because of the Nouveau association. These are great food wines and a great summer red option.

Jadot Beaujolais Village (11.99) Village Beaujolais is made up of 39 communes (a northern part of the appellation) and is mainly Shist and Granite soil composition. These wines are meant to be consumed young. The Jadot Beajolais Village comes from mostly granite soils within the Regnie cru. It is meant to be drunk young but can age for up to 5 years. Mostly red fruits on the nose and palate with a touch of that pepper flavor on the finish. These are great food wines that are very versatile or simply to be drunk on their own.

Thivin Cote de Brouilly (29.99) there is 10 Cru regions within Beaujolais. Brouilly, Cote de Brouilly, Regnie, Chiroubles, Fleurie, Saint Amour, Chenas, Julienas, Morgon, and Moulin A Vent.Cote de Brouilly is different than Brouilly because it is grown on the hillside rather that below (Brouilly appellation) The soil is mostly comprised of Granite and Clay limestone. It is robust and elegant, more concentrated flavor than the wines at the bottom of the hill. Chateau Thivin Cote de Brouilly is made from 100% Gamay, hand harvested and whole cluster pressed and fermented for 8-12 days. It is then aged for six months in oak casks. This is a proper wine. It has notes of strawberry and blueberry integrated silky tannins with a long somewhat peppery finish. It has the ability to be aged and is a great pair with poultry or duck.

Nick Agnew,

Wine Buyer, West Vail Liquor Mart

The Other French Sparklers

The Other French Sparklers!

When you think of sparkling wine you think of champagne…. Not just French Sparkling wine but Sparkling wine in general. When talking about bubbles; most people just revert to calling it “Champagne”. As most of us know, Champagne is a wine producing region, crafting sparkling wine from Chardonnay, Pinot Noir and Pinot Meunier. People have obviously tried to imitate Champagne in various places around the world; using similar grape combinations and winemaking techniques. Some have been very successful and some are not so good to say the least. Yet nothing seems to really live up to the original and with prices so far out of reach in the modern era; Sparkling drinkers have limited options. I believe that although Champagne does have a rising price, some of the other Sparkling producing areas in France have a lot of quality at far more attractive prices. Two areas specifically are really producing some nice Sparkling wines; Alsace and the Loire Valley.

Alsace- This is a small winegrowing region on the eastern border of France neighboring Switzerland and Germany. The history of winemaking in Alsace has a strong Germanic influence known mostly for their drier style Rieslings and Gewurztraminer. They are also making some great sparkling wine

Allimant Laugner Cremant d’Alsace Rose- (27.99) This cremant rose is produce method champenoise with 100% pinot noir. It is aged 11 months before released. The domain was founded in 1724 and is in the south of the region near Bas-Rhin. It has really good minerality and good notes of strawberry. It is light, fresh creamy sparkler that is meant to be enjoyed young… a great summer sipper.

Loire Valley- This valley is just southwest of Paris and runs along the Loire river to the Atlantic. They are most famous for their Sauvignon Blancs from Sancerre and Pouilly-Fume. Yet they are producing a lot of Sparkling wine from this region; In fact the area around Saumur within the Loire is the third largest Sparkling wine region in France. Instead of traditional Champagne grapes, they make Sparkling wine mostly from Chenin Blanc and Cabernet Franc.

Moncontour Rose- (15.99) This winery can trace its roots back to the 13th century. This wine is 100% Cabernet Franc grown on primarily clay soils; what they call “Aubuis”. It is made Method Champenoise. It is a young, crisp wine with bright acidity and currant fruit flavor with a citrusy element. It’s a really good value.

Enjoy some other Sparklers…

Nick, Wine Buyer

New Breweries and Beers Now Available in the Valley

The competition for shelf space in the beer cooler has gotten considerably tighter over the past few months. While we all know that Colorado is a hot bed for craft breweries, it seems like most of the action is on the front range. The mountain communities have been a little bit like the red haired step-child of the state. We see the major brands, but often times their special releases and offerings from the smaller up and coming breweries do not make it up here. But things are beginning to change. Many of the larger breweries are hiring sales reps specifically for the mountain region, and we have seen an increase in the number of smaller breweries who are venturing west of the foothills with their distribution.
The award winning Dry Dock Brewery from Aurora began distributing up here a few months ago with a solid lineup of both 6 pack cans and bombers. Their Hefeweizen, IPA and Amber are all quality beers, but their Apricot Blonde has been the most popular flavor, and is poised to take off as one of our top warm weather sippers. Also check out their Vanilla Porter, Double IPA and new Tripel, currently in our bomber section.
Paradox Brewing Project out of Woodland Park, Colorado has begun distributing here in the mountains. Instead of mass producing packs of beer, Paradox focuses on one or two beers a month that come out in 750ml bottles with flip tops (great for re-use in home brewing!) The styles they brew run the gamut, but the common thread throughout is that their beers are barrel aged, mostly in wine barrels. So no matter what the style, you can be sure their will be some kind of wild twist to it. Each month brings a new offering!
Grimm Brothers Brewing, out of Loveland is also new to our area. Using the motto "fabled fermentation" the brewery focuses on styles from the area in Europe where the tales of the Grimm Brothers originated, mainly Germany. They offer a nice change of pace to the ubiquitous Ambers, IPAs and fruity summer wheat beers. Expect instead to find a traditional Alt Style, Dunkel, Gratzer and Hefeweizen, all with a nod toward good old American innovation. The beers come in 22oz bombers.
Hall Brewing Company, out of Parker, Colorado is also just beginning to expand distribution to our area. Based out of hand built farmhouse built with beetle killed pine, Hall is proud to offer hand built beers that are big and bold in a country farmhouse sort of way. Brewmaster Aubrey Hall takes traditional styles such as Pilsner, Saison, Stout and IPA, and lovingly hand crafts them with meticulous detail. These beers also come in 22oz bombers.
Trinity Brewing, out of Colorado Springs, is also rather new to our valley. The folks at Trinity fall into the "artisanal brewing" category. They generally don't brew straight up traditional styles. Instead, they offer a wide variety of beers that are 'tweaked' in one way or another, either through barrel aging, blending non-traditional ingredients or adding wild yeasts. They are also very environmentally conscious about the way they go about their business. Look for them in our bomber doors in 750ml bottles.
Tivoli Brewing. The Tivoli Brewery originally opened in Denver as Sigi's Brewery in 1864, and when John Good purchased the brewery and changed the name to Tivoli in 1900. It was able to stay open throughout prohibition by producing a very low alcohol "cereal" beer. By the 1950's it was one of the largest breweries in the country, distributing everywhere west of the Mississippi. John Good's descendents continued to operate the brewery until 1965, and the brewery was forced to close in 1969 when the new owners were set back by flooding. When it closed it was the 2nd oldest continually operating brewery in the U.S. (Yuengling was and is still the oldest.) The original brewery building is a historical landmark, and part of the Auraria campus. Some enterprising new brewers are now recreating the original recipe, and the beer will be available soon in the mountains.
Prost Brewing. Perhaps the most unusual of the new breweries to open recently in Denver, Prost Brewing is recreating traditional German beers. They brewery itself is an 80 barrel all copper system that was built in 1963. It was first used by Bucher Brau in Grafenau, Germany, and later by Brauerei Hummer in Breitenggussbach, Germany until 2011. The equipment, including the original German control panel with cool old knobs and buttons, was transported to Denver, and the Prost Brewery was born. Coming soon, look for traditional German beer, brewed with authentic German equipment!
Finally, while the Crooked Stave Artisan Beer Project is not brand new, nor do they distribute in the mountains, we are fortunate to be able to offer some of their beers here at the shop. Thanks to our associate Dean, we have brought in a couple of their flavors, and hope to be able to continue to do so as the commuting allows. Known for their amazing wild and sour beers, Crooked Stave is truly on the cutting edge. Look for the Hop Savant and Vieille Saison in our bomber doors in 375ml bottles.

Chip Bartsch
Beer Buyer

German Brewing History and Beer

Germany is well known as one of the major brewing cultures of the world. Archaeological evidence suggests that the tradition of brewing in Germany may date as far back as the bronze age, hundreds of years before the birth of Christ. While the original inhabitants of that part of Europe were tribesman with no written history, artifacts dating back to 800 BC have been found with traces of beer like residue. The first written evidence of brewing in the area that is now Germany comes from the Romans around 100 AD, referring to a fermented drink made from barley, which was considered inferior in comparison to Roman wine. However, as the Romans settled the area, it is believed that they took up the tradition of brewing due to the difficulty of shipping wine to the region. The remains of a Roman brewery were found near Regensberg, Bavaria in 1978 that had all of the facilities needed for 'modern' brewing, where barley was actually mashed instead of the ancient rudimentary practice of fermenting loaves of bread.
Irish monks, inspired by St. Patrick, began spreading to the continent in the 6th century, and gradually began expanding and developing brewing techniques. They are credited with the discovery of using hops as a bittering agent in beer. A Benedictine Abbey was founded in the year 724 in Weihenstephan, and obtained a brewing license in the year 1040. This is considered the oldest continually operating brewery in the world.
As the monastic breweries became successful and more powerful, secular interests began to notice and take up brewing. However these secular brewers were not at skilled as the monks, and as time went on, they began using non-traditional and strange ingredients such as "soot, oxen bile, tree bark, poisonous mushrooms, potent herbs and powerful spices" (Horst Dornbusch, in The Oxford Companion to Beer) to increase production and cover up off flavors in their brews. Monastery brews were known to be a healthy and nourishing alternative to the unclean waters of the middle ages, but the poorly brewed secular beers were more likely to make people sick.
Two different events occurred to improve the quality of Germanic beer. While the balance of power in the south was strongly influenced by the feudal culture coming out of the power center of Italy, the northern areas were more remote. Those in the north began to become powerful through shipping and trading. Cities like Hamburg, Cologne, Bremen and Hannover increased their influence by opening trade with the Baltics. This competition for trade led the northern cities to band together in the 13th century to form a protective trading association which became known as the Hanseatic League, free of trade barriers and tariffs. Soon beer became one of their most important commodities, and production of beer increased dramatically in port cities. By 1526, Hamburg boasted over 500 breweries, and about half of the workers in the city were involved in brewing. This competition for profit led to higher quality beer.
However, in the established feudal society of the south no such profit motive existed, and the breweries continued to use inferior ingredients and techniques. Eventually Duke Wilhelm IV decreed that beer could only be made with 3 ingredients: barley, hops and water. This decree occurred on April 23rd, 1516, and is know as the German Purity Law, or Reinheitsgebot. However, this in itself was not enough to clean up the beer. During the warmer summer months, airborne microbial infections would get into the open fermenters, often ruining the beer. As the science of the day did not correctly understand the cause of this, Wilhelm's successor Duke Albrecht V decreed a new law forbidding any brewing between April 23rd and September 21st. This resulted in Germany becoming mostly a lager beer culture, as only the bottom fermenting lager yeast could make beer during the colder winter months.
The Thirty Years War broke out in 1618, the first in a series of European wars that lasted roughly a century. During that time Europe lost about half of its population, and most economic activity, including grain farming was curtailed or halted. The Hanseatic League dissolved in 1669. Commercial brewing came to a halt. It took decades for Europe, and the brewing industry to recover, only to be set back again by the Napoleonic Wars in the early 1800's. However, during the peace that followed for the remainder of the 1800's, major advances in science, technology and industry brought corresponding advances in Germany's brewing techniques. New tools and equipment were invented, such as the thermometer, the hydrometer, indirect fired kilns for malting and copper brew kettles. Refrigeration, pasteurization and filtration all enhanced the quality of Germany's beer, and advances in microbiology enabled brewers to isolate pure yeast strains and reduce spoiling. New and expanding railroad networks served to transport the beer to places that were previously unreachable.
Many of Germany's classic beer styles were developed during the 1800's: Paulaner's Salvator Doppelbock came out in 1835, Schumacher's Altbier in 1838, Dreher Brewery's Vienna Lager in 1841, Spaten Brewery's Marzen in 1841, Pilsner Burgher Brewery's Bohemian Pilsner in 1842, Spaten Brewery's Oktoberfest in 1871, Spaten Brewery's Munich Helles of 1894 and the precursor to the modern Kolsch beer in Cologne during the 1890's.
Brewing in Germany prospered through the 20th century, despite two world wars. By the 1970's, Germany had become the second largest beer producer in the world (the U.S. was first) with about 2500 breweries. Germans had become the most prolific beer drinkers in the world, topping out at 151 liters per capita in 1976. Most of this beer not only came from within Germany, but was from local breweries serving local markets. Germany's beer industry was far more decentralized than in the U.S., where major corporate breweries dominated the scene. Germany's largest producer, the Radeberger Group, only produced about 15% of all beer nationally.
However, the last three decades have seen a major decline in Germany's beer production and per capita consumption. While the Bavarians of southern Germany still consume as much as 155 liters per capita, consumption in other areas has plummeted, with the wine growing regions only averaging about 69 liters per capita. Germany now ranks fifth worldwide in beer production, well behind top producing China; and even behind the fast growing markets in Brazil and Russia. The number of German breweries has fallen to around 1300. Some blame the decline on younger Germans who seem to have moved toward wine and cocktails. Others note that Germany's brewers have focused too much on pilsners, which, despite their high quality are difficult to distinguish from each other. Pilsners make up over half of the beer produced in Germany. Weissbiers are still popular in the south, but other German styles make up a very small portion of the beers produced. The German brewing tradition is in danger of fading into the modern corporate world of mass produced lagers. The craft beer revolution is only just beginning to hit Germany, and a recent wave of brewpubs and artisanal breweries offers hope that the German brewing industry can be revitalized.

German Beer Styles:

Altbier: A crisp, full bodied beer, usually around 4.8% ABV, with a copper-brown color, a malty or nutty flavor and a crown of laced white foam. It gets its name from the word Alt, meaning old, because it is brewed in a style older than the newer cold fermenting lagers. Instead, Altbiers use a specialty yeast that is fermented at temperatures that are warmer than lagers, but cooler than ales. The beers are then aged in lagering tanks for up to two months, giving them a mellow and clean taste. The style originated in the area around Dusseldorf.

Bock Beer: A high gravity (6.5% ABV and up) beer that originated in the northern German city of Einbeck. Most bock beers are bottom fermented lagers that tend to be full bodied with a slightly sweet and fruity malt characteristic.

Doppelbock: A strong (over 7% ABV) beer, originally introduced by Paulaner with their Salvator beer. These beers are bottom fermented lagers, and are usually reddish brown with a toffee or bready taste, with just enough hops to balance the sweeter finish.

German Pilsner: A crisp, light-bodied bottom fermented lager, golden in color with a distinct bitterness and exhibiting a floral hoppiness. While the style is credited to the Czech city of Pilsn, the brewer who introduced these pilsners was the German, Josef Groll, who was the first brewmaster at the Czech brewery. German breweries began brewing the style in the decades following its introduction in Pilsn.

Helles: Meaning "pale" in German, helles beers are straw colored, and less hoppy and bitter than pilsners. They exhibit a clean, bready malt flavor, and average around 5% ABV.

Kolsch: Originating in Cologne, Germany, Kolsch is a top fermenting ale that is bright yellow in color and has a pronounced hop bitterness. Brewers in Cologne came up with it in response to the pilsners that were coming out of southern Germany. The ABV is around 4.8%.

Marzen: Meaning "March". This style was developed in response to Duke Albrecht V's decree that no beer could be brewed during the summer months. This beer was brewed during the month of March, and stored (lagered) during the summer months for consumption in the fall. It is an amber colored lager with a full body and an ABV around 5-5.5%. It was originally introduced at Oktoberfest in 1841 by the Spaten Brewery in Munich.

Rouchbier: Or "smoke beer", can be made in any style, but is generally a medium strength lager that is brewed with smoked malt. The style originates from the area around Bamberg, Germany; a fantastic old medieval city. Many beers may have exhibited a smokiness prior to the advances in malting and kilning during the 1800's, but the folks in Bamberg are famous for continuing the smoky tradition.

Weissbier: Or "white beer". This is Bavaria's classic style and must be made with at least 50% malted wheat. These beers are usu'lly unfiltered and have a high degree of yeast sediment in them. Known outside of Germany as "Hefe-weizen" (German for "yeast wheat"), this beer is actually one of Germany's only top fermenting beers. The style is known for its phenolic attributes, which give the beer notes of clove, banana or even bubble gum. While many will add a slice of lemon to this beer, that practice does not come from Germany, where they find that the lemon overpowers the beer's delicate aroma and the lemon oil destroys the foamy head on the beer.

Most of the information presented comes from the utterly fantastic book: The Oxford Companion to Beer, edited by Garrett Oliver of the Brooklyn Brewery, copyright 2012.

Chip Bartsch
West Vail Liquor Mart

Spring Pairings

Pairing food and wine really brings out the best of both. A lot of wines and food can be accentuated with the right match. Spring is a time that always gets me outside enjoying the weather and coincidently matches up with Rose release time! A cheese and fruit platter is a great option for the spring. Here are a few classic pairings worth exploring.

Bieler Rose 11.99(dried fruits and nuts) Rose is so versatile. I have been drinking a lot of Rose lately and it really does compliment so many foods. Some classic pairings with Rose would be minimally prepared seafood, cheeses, dried fruits, grilled meats… really does well with a lot. The Bieler Rose is “Made in the traditional Provencal way. Direct to press within two hours of picking so very limited skin juice contact to emphasize freshness over density. We select from five hillside vineyards surrounding the city of Aix en Provence. Fermentation is in stainless steel and concrete tanks. Lees are stirred during and after fermentation to add some body. Five years ago when we started producing in Coteaux d’Aix the growers we were working with had very little cinsault planted, a grape that we think is important in a proper rosé blend. Finally some of those new vineyards have matured and the blend is now 15% cinsault. Over the last few years we have also been steering the winemaking and blending to maximize complexity over power” http://bielerpereetfils.com. I believe this wine is great with dried apricots, pistachios or any other fruit and nut mix. Great acidity and fresh fruit flavors marry brilliantly.

Nic Feuillatte Brut 39.99(Triple crème Brie) Champagne and Brie is a match made in heaven. The creaminess of the cheese is complimented by the toasty, bready flavors of the champagne. A real treat. The Brut is composed of 20% Chard, 40% Pinot Noir and 40% Pinot Meunier. “Delicate on the palate, characterized by finesse and elegance. Impressive aromatic breadth, creamy texture, appealing freshness, a fruit extravaganza.” http://www.nicolas-feuillatte.com/en/the-collection/the-must-have/brut I paired this wine with “Fromage d’Affinois.” This is milder triple crème brie. This pair is a really lovely combination.

Jolivet Sancerre 26.99 (Chevre) usually things from the exact same area go hand in hand. This wine and cheese are both from the Loire Valley and truly are one of the perfect pairings. The chalky minerality in this 100%Sauvignon Blanc combines perfectly with the goat cheese. “Boucheron” Loire France is a pungent goat cheese that really is a classic example of chevre. Not much to be said about this pairing… you just must try it.
Get out there and eat some cheese and drink some wine.
Nick, Wine Buyer

Rose

What makes wine pink? The most traditional and in my opinion the only way to add coloring to your wine is through skin contact. Initially all wines, even red grapes, produce juice that runs clear. There are three major ways to produce rosé wine: skin contact, saignée and blending. Skin contact is probably the most common and traditional. For rose, the skins are allowed contact typically for one to three days. They then press the must and get rid of the skins for the remainder of fermentation. Saignee, is a French term for essentially bleeding the wine. When a producer wants to intensify his or her red wine they will “bleed” some of the wine in the early stages of skin contact to concentrate the volume of juice for the red wine. The early pulled juice is fermented separately and boom; you got rose. Blending is not the most fashionable and desired method of producing rose. It is simply mixing red and white wine, already fermented, to get a pinkish hue.
Although they produce rose nearly everywhere they produce wine. I would like to discuss a few from what I believe to be the top rose producing regions currently; The South of France, Spain, and the United States. Three wines, three different produces and three different grape compositions all to produce the gateway to summer… rose.

France. Chateau D’Esclans “Whispering Angel” (24.99)
When talking about rose the Provence region of France is probably the most notable. The Chateau is located on elevated land outside of Marseille near the ancient Roman town of Frejus. The soil is a complex blend; lower elevations are comprised of gravel and sand. The higher elevations are a combination of chalk and clay. The wine is made from grenache, cinsault, mouvedre mostly. This is a very typical blend of grapes from this particular region. The wine is hand harvested and carefully de-stemmed and soft crushed at a cool temperature to avoid additional coloration. It’s fresh, clean and dry with great acidity. A real crowd pleaser, in my opinion; what rose should be.

Oregon. Van Duzer Rose (16.99)
This Rose is made from 100% pinot noir. This is considered a dry rose with a few tannins showing through, but plenty of acidity. The soils are primarily uplifted marine sedimentary loams and silts, with alluvial overlays and a base of uplifting basalt. Van Duzer sits in a unique location just south of Mcminnville and actually has an area called the “Van Duzer Corridor” named after them. This corridor pushes dry winds into the area from the coast helping cool the grapes because of its low elevation. Strawberry, watermelon and mineral flavors dominate this porch pounder.

Spain. Muga Rose (16.99)
Composed of 60% garnacha, 30% viura and 10% tempranillo this dry rose is allowed 12 hours of maceration with the skins. The soils in this part of Rioja are a calcareous clay and alluvial. The wine ferments for 25 days in 1000 liter wooden vats and then kept there for 2 months before it is bottled. Peach, pear and cherries slightly green (not ripe). Great acid, great wine…enjoy

Nick, Wine Buyer

The Cicerone Beer Certification Program

The Cicerone Certification Program is a course of beer study founded by Ray Daniels in 2007. Daniels is a beer author and judge, and is well respected in the beer community. He is a member of the Senior Faculty of the Siebel Institute of Technology, America's oldest brewing school, and author of Designing Great Beers (Brewers Publications, 1998) and Best of American Beer and Food (Brewers Publications, 1997)

The word cicerone was originally used to describe a person who conducts museum or sightseeing tours. Daniels has coined it to describe someone who leads others through the world of beer. In some ways it is the beer world's answer to the sommelier. While classically, sommeliers should possess good knowledge about all alcoholic beverages, the term has become increasingly associated with the wine world, and many trained sommeliers do not have a good knowledge of beer. The Cicerone Certification Program is trademarked, and is generally considered by those in the beer industry to be the standard certification program for beer knowledge.

The program is comprised of three levels of certification: Certified Beer Server, Certified Cicerone and Master Cicerone. The basic Certified Beer Server level can be completed over the internet, and is comprised of questions revolving around knowledge of beer styles, production, serving beer and proper storage. The Certified Cicerone level is much more intense, requiring knowledge of the history of beer, technical aspects of brewing, tap systems and their operation, a deeper knowledge of beer styles, beer flaws and off flavors, as well as tasting and pairing of beer with food. The Master Cicerone Certification delves even deeper into the brewing process and requires superior knowledge of all aspects of beer. The tests for these levels of certification must be taken in person, and are offered at various times and places around the country each year. These tests are comprised of written questions, essays and tasting skills.

How does this pertain to you? Well, if you have any interest in beer, or if you work at all in the beverage industry, the Cicerone program is a great place to learn. The website, cicerone.org, and its links to other related pages offer a wealth of beer knowledge that can aid someone with even a mild interest in beer. Topics covered range from how to properly wash a glass so that it is "beer clean" to the basics of malt and beer brewing. Learn how to properly store your beer, and find out what causes off flavors or a skunky taste in your beer. Learn about the myriad of hops available today, how to maintain and clean tap lines, find descriptions of beer styles from around the world or begin to explore the art of beer and food pairing. Even if you don't plan on becoming a Certified Cicerone there is much that can be learned from the site, and you can focus on the aspects of beer that interest you, without having to learn everything there is to know about beer. Try the 60 question Certified Beer Server test to see just how much you do know, and what areas you may want to learn more about. Whether you are just beginning to get into beer, or have been sipping the suds for decades, the Cicerone Program is a great place to round out your knowledge.

Brief U.S. Beer History & Current Scene

Original settlers in America used the native corn to make the first beers, which were all warm fermented ales. Brewing grew along the east coast as the population centers grew. Lagers were introduced to the American brewing scene in 1840 by John Wagner, who procured bottom fermenting lager yeast from Bavaria and began brewing in Philadelphia. During the middle of the 1800's millions of immigrants came to the U.S. Many came from Germany and Ireland, big beer drinking countries. The middle to late 1800's were a heyday for brewing in the U.S., and lager style beers made up the vast majority of the beer produced, and breweries began experimenting with adjuncts such as corn and rice to lighten the beers, and to hedge against any possible shortages of barley. While breweries in the east had the larger population centers and a solid head start, brewers in the Midwest eventually outpaced those in the east. In Milwaukee, men such as Frederick Pabst, Joseph Schlitz, Carl Best and Frederick Miller all became very influential in the brewing business. In St. Louis, Adolphus Busch married Eberhard Anheuser's daughter Lilly, and went into business with Anheuser; and, spurred on by friend Carl Conrad who had tasted the crisp lagers in the Czech town of Pilsn, began brewing Budweiser. The brewers in the Midwest are credited with a strong entrepreneurial spirit that advanced new technologies in brewing to help them ship their beers throughout the U.S. Midwestern brewers are credited with bringing such advances as artificial refrigeration, pasteurization, automated bottling lines and refrigerated rail cars to the U.S. brewing scene. They brought experienced European scientists into their state of the art labs to help advance brewing techniques. By 1910 there were 1498 breweries in the U.S.

However the late 1800's also saw a growing opposition to beer in the U.S. Starting around 1850, the temperance movement began in the United States when Maine passed a prohibition law. Within 5 years, 11 other states followed with their own prohibition laws. Over the next few decades various temperance organizations sprung up, and eventually coalesced into the Anti Saloon League (ASL) led by Wayne Wheeler. By 1902 the ASL had offices in 39 states and territories. The brewing industry did not take the movement seriously, and by 1909, 46 million Americans lived in dry territories. Unable, or unwilling to band together to fight the temperance movement, almost 500 breweries went out of business between 1909 and 1919. The U.S. Brewers Association finally reacted in 1913, sponsoring the National Association of Commerce and Labor, which was primarily made up of grain and hop farmers, glass and bottle cap manufacturers, wholesalers, retailers and saloon keepers. The organization turned to the National German-American Alliance, a group dedicated to preserving German culture, for help and support in fighting against the temperance movement. However, when the U.S. went to war against Germany in World War I, the association with this alliance actually hurt the Brewers Association.

Prohibition began in May of 1919. Some breweries were able to stay afloat by making things such as near beer, ice cream and other products. Organized crime began making alcoholic beverages, and a violent era ensued. Prohibition was repealed in 1932. By 1935 there were only 703 breweries in the U.S. Over the next 45 years beer consumption rose in the U.S., but the mass production of beer resulted in a consolidation of the number of breweries in America. By 1978 there were 89 breweries in the U.S., owned by less than 50 companies. The Midwestern breweries were able to take over the national market by mass producing beer cheaper than the smaller urban breweries. Mass advertising and television spread the word about such beers as Budweiser, Miller, Pabst and Schlitz, further entrenching them as top national producers, and leading to the reduction in the number of breweries overall. Light lager style beers ruled America.

Things began to change in the 1970's. Fritz Maytag bought the failing Anchor Brewery in San Francisco, and revived the traditional Anchor Steam Beer, a lager fermented in open vats at higher temperatures like an ale. Jack McAuliffe was intrigued by the beers he encountered in Scotland while in the Navy, and opened the New Albion Brewery in Sonoma, California upon his return to the U.S. in 1976. This is credited as being America's first "microbrewery." New Albion only lasted 4 years. Other early "microbrewers" were men such as William Newman, who opened the Newman Brewing Company in Albany, New York in 1979. Ken Grossman and Paul Camusi opened the Sierra Nevada Brewery in Chico, California 1982. On October 14th, 1978, Jimmy Carter repealed prohibition era legislation that outlawed the brewing of beer at home, and home brewing and subsequently the craft beer movement in the U.S. really began to take off.
According to the Huffington Post, as of December 13th, 2012, there were 2751 breweries operating in the U.S.

The Brewers Association was established by Charlie Papazian in 2005 through a merger of the Association of Brewers and the Brewer's Association of America. It is a not for profit trade group whose stated purpose is to "promote and protect small and independent American brewers, their craft beers and the community of brewing enthusiasts." The Brewers Association defines a craft brewery in 3 ways:
Small: Annual production is 6 million barrels or less.
Independent: Less than 25% of the brewery is owned or controlled by an alcoholic beverage industry member who is not themselves a craft brewer.
Traditional: A brewer who has either an all malt flagship (the beer which represents the greatest volume among that brewers brands) or has at least 50% of its volume in either all malt beers or in beers which use adjuncts to enhance rather than lighten flavor.

The Brewers Association is headquartered in Boulder, Colorado, and sponsors the Great American Beer Festival, considered by most to be the largest and most important festival featuring only American beer. The Brewers Association works toward distinguishing craft brewers from the large corporate breweries that are trying to gain market share by imitating the craft movement. The Brewers Association is currently supporting a bill in the House of Representatives called H.R. 494, the small brewers and expanding work force act:
Under current federal law, brewers making less than 2 million barrels annually pay $7 per barrel on the first 60,000 barrels they brew, and $18 per barrel on every barrel thereafter. The Small BREW Act would create a new rate structure that reflects the evolution of the craft brewing industry. The rate for the smallest brewers and brewpubs would be $3.50 on the first 60,000 barrels. For production between 60,001 and 2 million barrels the rate would be $16 per barrel. Any brewer that exceeds 2 million barrels (about 1 percent of the U.S. beer market) would begin paying the full $18 rate. Breweries with an annual production of 6 million barrels or less would qualify for these tax rates. (Source: Brewers Association press release of 2/7/2013).

On the other side of the beer business in America are the large domestic breweries, mostly now owned by corporations. Two major corporations now control well over half of the market share of beer sold in the U.S. They are Anheuser Busch/InBev, and Miller/Coors. According to Bloomberg Businessweek, ABI controls about 48% of the current U.S. beer market, while CNN reports that Miller/Coors controls another 29%.

ABI was created in 2008, when InBev, makers of European brands such as Becks, Bass and Stella Artois successfully completed a hostile takeover of Anheuser-Busch. The company is run by Brazilian born Carlos Brito, whose first order of business was to consolidate these worldwide breweries, and to cut corners wherever possible. Beck's and Bass are now brewed in the U.S. InBev has consolidated the buying of their ingredients such as hops and beechwood for aging, and many question whether the beers they currently produce taste the same as the original versions. Currently InBev is trying to buy out Mexico's Grupo Modelo, brewers of Modelo, Corona and Pacifico. The U.S. Justice Department has filed an anti-trust suit to prevent the sale, claiming that if it goes through, InBev and Miller Coors would control between 75% and 80% of the beer sold in the U.S. Many believe that InBev would next turn its sights on acquiring Miller/Coors.

The competition between the large brewers and the small craft brewers has led to a blurring of the lines between the two. Many breweries that began as small craft breweries, such as Leinenkugel, Goose Island and Kona are now owned by the corporate giants, and those beers are not necessarily brewed in their original hometown breweries anymore. The big breweries have also branched out by opening smaller brew houses that produce beers that imitate the smaller craft beers, in an effort to regain some of the market share that the craft brewers have been steadily chipping away at. Coors has A.C. Golden, which produces Blue Moon and Colorado Native. Anheuser Busch/Inbev produces Shocktop and has been coming out with newer craft style beers under the Budweiser label. This has led to a campaign by the Brewers Association to call attention to the trend, which they call Craft vs. Crafty.

But the surge of new breweries and beers continues to be driven by the small craft brewer and home brewers. At the other end of the spectrum of the large corporate breweries are the nanobreweries. These are basically one step up from home brewers, with very small production ability, usually around 10 gallon batches, brewed in garages and basements for the enjoyment of very few local neighbors. Of course these nanobrewers dream big, hoping to one day duplicate the success of the craft brewers before them. Did you know that Sam Calagione, founder of the highly successful Dogfish Head brewery started as a nanobrewer?

Chip Bartsch
Beer Buyer
West Vail Liquor Mart

Much of the information on the history of beer in the U.S. comes from the fantastic book, The Oxford Companion to Beer, edited by Garrett Oliver.
Other sources include:
The Brewer's Association web site: www.brewersassociation.org/
Bloomberg Businessweek - The Plot to Destroy America's Beer: www.businessweek.com/articles/2012-10-25/the-plot-to-destroy-americas-beer
CNN - Bud, Corona don't mix, Justice says: www.cnn.com/2013/01/31/us/justice-beer
Slate - How nanobreweries are revolutionizing the American beer industry: http://www.slate.com/articles/business/drink/2012/12/nanobrewing_how_tiny_beer_making_operations_are_changing_the_industry.html