MaltBlog

Marketing Nationalism

A beer producer in Laos is using nationalism to market itself with excellent results. Apparently Beerlao has the highest brand recognition in that country, thanks to its 56-cent pricetag and the interest of backpackers and other tourists.

Alcohol and your bones

This article on a study linking alcohol consumption to bone loss caught my attention. I am familiar with the work of the Osteoporosis Education Project and how body chemistry and diet can affect bone health. Make sure you are taking care of your bones and not overindulging in our favorite drinks!

Iron City Brewery Files for Bankruptcy

The Iron City Brewery has filed for bankruptcy protection but will continue operating. I still have my Steelers and Pirates factory-sealed Iron City Beer cans from the 70's! I was a can-collecting geek for a couple of years but I never got to the really serious level. By the time I knew how to spell "brewerania", I had discovered computers, then girls... and so now my cans sit in a time-capsule of a Hefty bag above my Dad's garage.

Entry 100 for Maltblog!

My blogging goes in cycles. Lately I've been spending much more time on my local community blog, the Cazenovia Pilot. But with winter getting closer every day - and the weather to prove it - good beer is again on my mind.

I had the pleasure the other night of a Middle Ages Kilt Tilter. This Scottish 90 shilling ale is exactly the kind of beer that got me interested in drinking real ales in the first place. It's sweet without being syrupy or cloying, well balanced with a really roasty nose and a dry finish. This is the perfect beer to enjoy after a hard round of shoveling snow or just a fun day of sledding or skating.

Benromach

I recently had the chance to try Benromach's 15-year-old and thoroughly enjoyed it. I recommend this single malt Scotch whisky to anyone that likes a slightly sweeter dram. It's got an almost ruby-red tint to it that comes from the sherry casks in which it's finished, and the flavor is sweet - fruity and nutty. Michael Jackson's tasting notes are on the site and he describes the body as "very creamy". For a scotch, I'd say that's true. It's almost a dessert Scotch.

Springbank 100 Proof

Springbank 100 Proof from MacKinnon Liquors in Cazenovia. Excellent stuff for a day like today, with the wind blowing hard and the icy snow lashing your skin. It's lighter in color and body than some other Springbanks I've had (including an "Against the Grain" bottling I got in 1996 that was spectacular). At any rate, Springbank is always a winner in my book, it's a flavorful but very accessible whiskey that I would recommend to anyone from a neophyte to a connoisseur.