MaltBlog

Sri Lanka Brewery Produces Bottled Water For Tsunami Relief

This CNN story describes how the Lion brewery in Sri Lanka has decided to produce bottled water instead of beer to assist with the devastation caused by the tsunami this week.

The scale of devastation and loss of human life is staggering. Can any small gesture even be meaningful in the face of such horror? Relief agencies are asking for cash donations to allow them to make the most appropriate purchases quickly. Doctors Without Borders is an organization that I believe does a good job; their site -- with updates on the disaster relief effort and links to donate -- is http://www.doctorswithoutborders.org/.

Burkina Faso?!

Check out this way cool pot from Burkina Faso, made hundreds of years ago for brewing beer:

The pot is for sale at Chameleon Gallery in Cazenovia!!

Whiskey is Back!!

Well, you don't have to tell me that whiskey can be enjoyed, but apparently it is getting mass-market exposure and driving sales growth at beverage companies. This article from CBS Marketwatch describes the new (and effective) push to market "brown" liquors. Here's a quote:

Fresh off luring consumers into the new world of fancy vodka, the liquor business has reached back into the past to come up with the next big tipple. Scotch or bourbon, Canadian or Irish, small-batch or mass-produced, spirits companies are looking to previously dormant "brown goods" to help drive growth.

And, by rolling out new products or dusting off old ones - and spending freely to tout them all -- they are getting it.

Wailing Wench, Now In Bottles

Middle Ages' Wailing Wench (imperial IPA) now comes in 22 oz. bottles, available at Party Source on Erie Boulevard in Dewitt. I have heard through the grapevine (hopvine?) that Middle Ages got new bottling equipment so they could bottle some of their stronger beers in the larger single-bottle packages.

Caol Ila - Try it!

Yet another terrific Islay malt has made its way to US shelves. I had a cask strength bottle of this about eight years ago and loved it; the new version is ten years old and "regular" strength (43% alc.). It's got lots of peat and smoke but it's not as overwhelming as some of the really out-there Islays.

I can't find an official site, but here's a good description of the whisky and its history: http://www.scotchwhisky.net/malt/caol_ila.htm.

I picked it up at the amazing MacKinnon's Liquors in Cazenovia, NY.