All About Beer Magazine

Phil Farrell, a commercial pilot from Cumming, GA, has won the title of Wynkoop Brewing Company‘s Beerdrinker of the Year.

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First Place

by Matt Robinson

What cask should an American Brew?

But nothing less than around 55 I-Be-Yous!

I would add subtle flavor with East Kents

Perhaps more for hop compliment

Throw in some fuggles and American C’s

Many will say it’s the knees of bees!

Powerful flavor will be most divine

Even with a gravity around one-thousand nine

The grain bill is full of Golden Promise Malt

This great American session cask has no fault

The hydrometer reading will need to state

Around 3.55% alcohol by weight

This may sound like an English creation

With bold American style is my summation

Lovibond sounds nice somewhere near ten

Many hours with our cask we will all spend!

Wyeast numbered Nineteen Forty-Five

Will make our cask come alive!

Gravity-fed like our English brethren

Cask beer please take hold for American beer drinking heaven

Deep in the south in town called Atlanta

Our cask brings so much joy we call it Santa!

All the people will come and stand

To sing play us a song you’re the piano man!

Second Place

by Steve Forbes

Recently, I was drinking Bell’s Expedition Stout, my favorite beer at the moment. I decided I needed to try some of my favorite foods with it. A hamburger didn’t work. Neither did a steak… but then I tried a Reese’s peanut butter cup.

It was AMAZING!

Imagine the 1812 London Beer Flood Explosion all happening IN YOUR MOUTH! The only thing that could be better than this incredible combination would be an ale that married the two together perfectly. Thus I would brew a Peanut Butter & Chocolate imperial stout.

There are many brewers that have attempted a porter or stout with peanut butter. But has peanut butter ever been married with the king of beer styles? AND inside a cask? Oh my goodness… it would be out of control!

Close your eyes.

Wait never mind, then you won’t be able to read this. Just pretend you are closing your eyes.

OK… now taste the smooth, creamy texture of a naturally-fermented cask ale and how it perfectly compliments the roasty, chocolate and peanut buttery flavors of this magnificent ale. If brewed properly and the peanut butter oils are controlled, this ale could easily win the Best Cask Ale award and bring in grand prizes and acclaim to the amazing All About Beer Magazine.

Third Place

by Michael Iris

In the summer of 2010, in the midst of one of my frequent brewery pilgrimages in the lush evergreen and cascade hoppy breweries of the Pacific Northwest, I was walking my beer hound in an alpine lake area near Birdsview Brewery when my beer hound suddenly catapulted toward a marmot eating berries in a bush. I mean my beer hound was fired up almost like that marmot was taking his favorite hoppy draught and believe me you wouldn’t want to attempt that. But when my beer hound sped past the bush chasing the marmot, he suddenly wheeled around and just started chowing down on berries. Now the only creature in the whole world that adores hops as much as me is my trusty beer hound; so when he gave up the marmot for berries I knew he was on to something. So I tasted one and was blown away by how the flavor resembled the citrusy bitterlove and floral aroma of Cascade hops. It turns out these delicacies were sun-ripened juniper berries! Now I know this particular NW variety which is common in gin but somewhat rare in beer would make an amazing and tantalizing cask brew. So when my loyal beer hound, with the extra sensitive hop palate, is looking at me with those puppy dog eyes, I know he is really saying please, woof, please, go to Atlanta and a make a juniper cask brew!

ps. If this entry is chosen (please, woof, please) can you send a companion canine an airline ticket?

The Brewers Association of Canada lobbied against a new law on the books in their country requiring allergen food labeling on their products.

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Miles Lavers started Cornish Stingers nettle beer two years ago.

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