Earlier this month, the ALS Therapy Development Institute announced that 38 breweries across the country will be taking part in the Ales for ALS campaign.
The Ales for ALS campaign is designed to raise money for ALS, more commonly known as Lou Gehrig’s disease, research.
As part of the program, brewers received a special blend of “experimental hops” donated by B.T. Loftus Ranches and Hopunion. With the hops, brewers are to brew a beer and donate a portion to the ALS Therapy Development Institute.
Next week, the first of these beers, the Harpoon Session IPA, will debut at the Harpoon Beer Hall. For every pint sold, $1 will be donated.
Other participating breweries, and their states are:
California: Beachwood BBQ, Bear Republic Brewing, Brewery at Apigaile, Coronado Brewing Company, Drakes Brewing Company, Faction Brewing Company, Iron Springs Pub & Brewery, Pizza Port Brewing Company, Russian River Brewing Company, Sierra Nevada Brewing Company, Stone Brewing Company, Third Street Ale Works and Triple Rock Brewing Company.
Colorado: New Belgium Brewing Company and Odell Brewing Company.
Connecticut: Willimantic Brewing Company.
Delaware: Dogfish Head Brewing Company.
Georgia: 5 Seasons Brewing Company.
Massachusetts: Samuel Adams, Cambridge Brewing Company, Harpoon Brewery and Wormtown Brewery.
Missouri: Mother’s Brewing Company.
Nevada: Great Basin Brewing Company.
New Mexico: La Crumbe Brewing Company and Marble Brewery.
New York: Brooklyn Brewery, Captain Lawrence Brewing Company.
North Carolina: Front Street Brewery.
Ohio: Fat Head’s Brewing Company, Great Lakes Brewing Company.
Oregon: Deschutes Brewery Public house, Full Sail Brewing Company.
Utah: Unita Brewing Company.
Washington: Bale Breaker Brewing Company, E9 Brewing Company, Freemont Brewing Company and Two Beers Brewing Company.
I always stand behind beers brewed for a good cause, and I can’t wait to try some of these.
Looking for something to do on Friday? Come to the Canton Public Library, drink some beer, listen to be talk about beer and buy my book.
The library, 786 Washington St., is hosting a “Book & Brew” event to raise money for the library. Admission is $10.
There will be beer sampling form 7 p.m. to 8 p.m., and then I’ll talk at 8, and then there will be more sampling. I will also be signing copies of “Beer Lover’s New England.” 
There will be beers from Blue Hills Brewery, Cambridge Brewing Company, Cisco Brewing Company, Wachusett Brewing Company, Smuttynose Brewing Company, Allagash Brewing Company and Maine Beer Company.
So, come on out for some fun.
Foolproof Brewing Company of Rhode Island has officially launched in Massachusetts.
I wrote a column about this new brewery, and why I’m excited about them coming here, a few weeks ago. Click here to read it.
Here’s the info from Foolproof:
Foolproof Brewing Company Launches in Massachusetts
PAWTUCKET, Rhode Island, May 15, 2013 – Foolproof Brewing Company announced today that its beers will be available for sale in the Commonwealth of Massachusetts starting May 20. The Massachusetts Beverage Alliance (MBA) will distribute Foolproof’s beers statewide via Atlas Distributing Inc., Burke Distributing, Colonial Wholesale Beverage, Commercial Distributing Company, and Merrimack Valley Distributing Company.
“This is our first venture into a market outside of our home state of Rhode Island,” said Nick Garrison, Foolproof’s president and founder. “We look forward to entering Massachusetts and introducing our unique and flavorful brews to one of the fastest growing and most reputable beer markets in the country.” 
“The passion that Nick and his team bring to the business is tremendous,” said Brian Murphy, MBA’s director of sales and marketing. “The demand for local, high-quality craft beer in cans is high right now. This partnership allows us to take advantage of a great opportunity to offer our retailers something that their customer base is wanting more and more of.”
Year-Round and Specialty Beers
Foolproof’s three year-round beers, which are designed with a particular experience or activity in mind, will be available in draft and 12 oz. can format across Massachusetts. Foolproof’s year-round offerings include “Barstool,” an American golden ale dedicated to a night out at the bar; “Raincloud,” a robust porter for rainy days; and “Backyahd,” an IPA for barbecuing and other outdoor activities. The suggested retail price for Foolproof’s year-round beers is $9.49 per six-pack.
The brewery also produces a line of high-‐end specialty beers that rotate throughout the year and are available in kegs and 22 oz. bottle format. Foolproof’s newest specialty beer, La Ferme Urbaine farmhouse ale (suggested retail price of $6.49 per bottle), celebrates warm weather and was brewed in tribute to Pawtucket’s New Urban Farmers.
Summer is just about here, and that means the weekend calendars are packed with beer events nearly every single weekend.
Here’s a look at several upcoming events that all look like a lot of fun. I’m hoping to get to most, if not all of these.
First up is Julio’s Liquor’s 11th Annual Spring Beer Fest. The free festival will be on Sunday from 1 p.m. to 4 p.m. at the Rte. 9 liquor store.
The festival will feature 50 breweries, including Ballast Point, Bear Republic, City Steam, High & Mighty, Rising Tide, Victory and Wormtown.
Also, the latest Julio’s Liquors exclusive beer, brewed by Smuttynose, will debut on Sunday. The Fashionable Old Ale is brewed and bottled exclusively for Julio’s Liquors.
Next up is Jack’s Abby Brewing’s second annual Lager Cask Fundraiser at the Tavern on Irving Street in Framingham.
The fundraiser will feature 24 lager casks, and all the money will be donated to One Mission, which helps fund for research and treatment for children’s cancer patients.
Tickets are $10 a head of time, or $15 at the door, which gets you a souvenir glass. Beers will be $5 a pint or $2.50 for a six ounce pour.
The Lager Cask Fundraiser will be held on Friday, May 24 from 6:30 p.m. to 9 p.m. and Saturday, May 25 from 1:30 p.m. to 4 p.m. and 5:30 p.m. to 8 p.m.
Participating breweries include Jack’s Abby, Mahr’s, The Tap Brewing Company, Pretty Things, Berkshire Brewing Company, Left Hand Brewing Company, Notch Brewing, Watch City Brewing Company, John Harvard’s Brewery & Ale House, Blue Point Brewing, Martha’s Exchange, Thomas Hooker, Cape Cod Beer and the Harpoon Brewery.
Tickets are available by clicking here.
On May 31, the Sherborn Business Association will host its annual Summer Brewfest from 6:30 p.m. to 10:30 p.m. at the Sherborn Inn.
Proceeds will benefit the Sherborn Community Action Fund.
Tickets are $25 in advance and $30 at the door. Tickets are available at the Sherborn Inn, Rose’s Automotive, Sherborn Wine & Spirits, Sherborn Market and Walgeens.
Photo by Michael Johnson/Festpics.com
Beginning on the same day is the Beer Advocate’s American Craft Beer, held at the Seaport World Trade Center Boston.
Tickets are still available for the March 31 session, and the second June 1 session, beginning at 6 p.m.
The festival, the largest in New England, will feature more than 600 beers from more than 140 breweries.
The list looks fantastic, and features several breweries that I’ve never seen at the ACBF. For a list of breweries and beers, and to buy tickets, click here.
On June 14 and 15, the Sustainable Business Network of Massachusetts will be hosting its second annual Hyper-Local Craft Brewfest at The Armory in Somerville.
There are three sessions – session one is on June 14 from 6:30 p.m. to 9:30 p.m. and is the homebrew showcase night. The next two sessions are on Saturday from 3 p.m. to 6 p.m. and 7 p.m. to 10 p.m.
Participating breweries include Blue Hills, Cambridge Brewing Company, Idle Hands Craft Ales, Notch Brewing, Peak Organic Brewing and Rapscallion. Local meaderies participating are the Artisan Beverage Cooperative/Green River Ambrosia Meadery and Moonlight Meadery. Local cider maker Bantam Cider Co. will also be on hand.
Tickets are $35 and available by clicking here.
On June 26 at 7 p.m., Brewery Ommegang and SAVEUR Magazine are teaming up to host the culinary competition called Hop Chef.
The event challenges chefs to create the perfect beer and food pairing.
The winners from four regional competitions will travel to “Belgium Comes to Cooperstown” later this year to compete for the national Hop Chef winner.
Participating chefs include Joshua Smith of Franklin Cafe, Brian Young of the Citizen Public House, Andy Husbands of Tremont 647, Michael Lombardi Jr. of the Salty Pig and Josh Harrison of the Publick House.
Each chef prepares a dish to be paired with an Ommegang ale, and they will defend their dish to national and local food critics.
As well as the judges, the event will be open to 300 people, who will be able to taste all of the dishes.
Tickets are $60 each and are available by clicking here.
Finally, WBGH is hosting its first ever Craft Beer Fest on July 13 from 7 p.m. to 10 p.m. at its studies in Boston.
The event will feature beers from Baxter Brewing Company, Blue Hills Brewery, Boston Beer Works, Naukabout, Newburyport Brewing Company, Peak Organic, Pretty Things, Slumbrew and Smuttynose.
Tickets are available by clicking here.
I have a couple of friends who can’t have any wheat products.
Stella Artois has announced that it will be introducing its new European-style cider in the U.S. this month.
Described as a “crisp, distinctive European-style cider made with apples hand-picked from wine growing regions,” the cider will be available in four packs of 12-ounce bottles and 24-ounce single bottles.
“Stella Artios Cidre is designed to be savored and is very different from 
sweeter, domestic U.S. ciders,” said Adam Oakley, vice president of import, craft and specialty brands at Anheuser-Busch. “Stella Artois cider has the potential to change people’s perceptions of cider here, offering a refreshing alternative to white wine.”
I’m a huge fan of ciders, and I notice now that the weather is warming up that I’m starting to think about them more often.
I’m not the biggest fan of Stella Artois, but I will give the Stella Artois Cidre a try. Although it has its work cut out for it – there are so many amazing ciders available made in New England and beyond that it’ll have difficulty cutting into that market.
There are probably only a handful of breweries that I like every beer they brew, and now two of them have announced that they are releasing a collaboration beer.
I’ve been a fan of Boulevard Brewing Company since before they started distributing in Massachusetts, and I’m a constant drinker of the beers from Sierra Nevada and have been ever since I started drinking beer.
What does this mean? It means I’m excited as heck to try the new Terra Incognita when it makes its way to the East Coast.
Here are all the details about the beer:
I have mixed feelings about beer auctions.
For the most part, I’m against them. I look at them sometimes as beer hoarders taking advantage of other people, jacking up the price for beers for those who truly want to it to enjoy.
I advocate beer trading – that way both people benefit.
However, I have a somewhat different opinion when its a true auction house such as Skinner
, Inc., compared to eBay. For some reason it adds legitimacy to it.
Anyhow, Skinner has been doing wine auctions for years, and have recently added beer to auctions. Recently, they had their top sale ever for a beer, the Cantillon Don Quijote 2008, which fetched $1,600 in the Fine Wines auction on May 2.
That is an incredible amount, which makes sense for a beer where only 240 bottles were released.
I don’t know if any beer is worth $1,600, but I hope whoever buys it drinks it on a special occasion and truly loves it.
What do you think about beer auctions? Does it make a difference if its something like eBay or a real auction house?
The most hyped can in craft beer is finally here, the Samuel Adams can, or as it has become known, the Sam Can, is about to hit store shelves.
Samuel Adams spent billions of dollars (OK, reportedly $1 million) designing the new can, which is designed to “provide a drinking experience that is closer to the taste and comfort of drinking beer from a glass.”
The can’s special design is supposed to enhance the flavor in such ways as 
having an extended lip so the beer is placed at the front of the palate to “maximize enjoyment of the sweetness of the malt,” and a wider lid which allows more air flow, so you can take in the aroma.
On Monday, thanks to the wonderful people at Samuel Adams, I received a Sam Can of the Boston Lager, and a “regular” can of Boston Lager.
So, does the Sam Can really make that much of a difference? Not really.
The beer tasted just like Samuel Adams Boston Lager in both the Sam Can and the regular can. It’s a beer I’ve had hundreds, if not thousands, of times in my life, and I’ve always enjoyed it.
But, there were no real detectable difference to me. When Samuel Adams founder Jim Koch says he can tell the difference, I believe him. He drinks this beer every day, and it’s his baby. If there is any difference, he’ll notice it.
But for the average person, I don’t think it’ll be a big difference. Myself, can or bottle, I’ll pour it into a glass. But it’s still another great canned option for those who are in locations or situations were only cans are acceptable.
If you get a chance to try the Sam Can, tell me what you think.
I just want to say how much I have hated this April. It was awful even before what happened on April 15th, and then got worse from there.
Coming up in the next few weeks will be the Imperial Coconut Stout. I used about 4lbs of coconut, so we’ll see how that turns out. I wonder if Norm will want to try it one?
