The Naming of the Beer (Vol. 1)
By Linda | August 1, 2011
Introductory Guidelines
and How to Name Your IPA
Since someone pointed out to me that Drake’s Brewing recently named a barrel-aged beer Amy Beer-In-Wine House (which, btw, I find to be TOO SOON…but also I tried it and it is delicious!), I’ve been thinking about all the crazy names of craft brews. At first, it seems like beer names are chaotic and whimsical, with no rhyme or reason to be found. But on closer inspection, I have hit upon some clear patterns in beer naming, which I will share with you such that you can create your own awesome names for your homebrews or pretend craft brews. After reading through volume 1 of this guide, you should be familiar with the general beer naming guidelines, as well as the specific methods to name India Pale Ales (IPAs) and double India Pale Ales (DIPAs).
First rule of beer naming:
The pun is the Peachy King
I’m pretty sure most craft brewers are über science nerds, and we all know that über science nerds never met a pun they didn’t love. Are you sure? I’m positive! Therefore, puns are simply the best-and-first choice when it comes to thinking up an awesome name for your unique craft beer. And remember, a tortured pun is better than no pun at all!
If you can’t think of an awesome pun that isn’t too derivative of another craft brewer’s pun, or for some reason you eschew puns (in which case, I’m not sure the beer naming business is for you) then you may have to dig deeper into the craft brew naming bag of tricks. Please check to be sure you include one of these “essential elements” in the name of your beer (these are listed in order of most preferred to least).
Beer Names: The Essential Elements
- A pun on the name of your brewery
- A pun on one of the ingredients found in your beer
- A pun on the style of your beer
- A pun that is also a pop culture reference
- Any other kind of pun about anything whatsoever
- A reference to how wasted people will be after drinking your beer Read the rest of this entry »
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Classics from Carcassonne
By Carolyn | July 24, 2011
Topics: Get in the Game | No Comments »
Into the Drink: Some Firsts at Drake’s
By Linda | July 18, 2011
Oakland has been getting some good press lately for emerging as “California’s new epicenter of artisan cool packed with ultrahip restaurants and a burgeoning craft brew scene.” While that may be a little of an overstatement for now, beer havens like The Trappist and Beer Revolution have all but eliminated my desire to cross the bridge for good happy hour. When it comes to beer and food, lately Oakland seems to be trending in a delicious direction.
Drake’s Brewing is technically located in San Leandro, and in fact is right across from a huge Walmart. (I guess all Walmart’s are pretty huge, so perhaps just a regular sized Walmart.) But Drake’s, a self-proclaimed “gritty, urban craft brewery,” is moving beyond producing a solid IPA to making a splash on the local scene. So I say our little cousin suburb should definitely be embraced as part of the East Bay beer renaissance! Read the rest of this entry »
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In pursuit of inexpensive Chardonnay: Sea Ridge
By Linda | July 1, 2011
Sea Ridge Chardonnay (2009)
Retail price: $4.99
Sale price: $2.99
The Sea Ridge experience: Admittedly this was a bit of a long shot. But for a mere three dollars, was there really a downside? As it turns out, yes, yes there was. The downside is depressing yourself by wasting your work-day quota of alcoholic beverages on a subpar experience. That’s a big downside for me!
There are really no notes in this wine whatsoever; it’s just white-wine-flavored alcohol. It’s kind of like if you lived in a post-apocalyptic world where all the vineyards had been destroyed and nanobots now replicated all the wine-like beverages and you ordered a WWABV11c from your robot waiter. No matter how cold you serve this, it tastes like it should have been chilled for longer. Maybe you could use it as a base for sangria?
Topics: Chardonnay Quest, Into the Drink | 2 Comments »
Red, White and Beer! 4th of July Tasting Challenge
By Carolyn | June 28, 2011
The 4th of July is just around the corner and it’s time to start planning for the festivities! Last year I created a red, white and beer tasting game to divert and challenge my guests. It was a slightly classier diversion than our usual drinking game of chugging beer every time a lyric includes “America(n)” or “U.S.A.” during our patriotic playlist. And also less likely to cause people to pass out after the second chorus of Tom Petty’s American Girl!
Red
For the red section, I purchased red wines of the same varietal and challenged my guests to blind taste them and then rank them according to price. All of the red wines were Napa Valley cabernets, in an attempt to limit the variance to quality only – assuming price actually correlates to quality, of course! I bought the cheapest cabernet at Safeway, which was a Searidge “California” cabernet on sale for $2.50 from its normal $5 price. This was the only wine that wasn’t technically from Napa Valley, but I’m pretty sure Napa is much too fancy-pants to offer the cheapest wine in a grocery store! Next I looked for the most expensive wine and found a Grgich Hills Napa Valley Cabernet for $71 dollars. Not surprising that the most expensive wine was a Napa Valley Cabernet! I filled in the middle price ranges with a $20 BV Coastal and a $36 Markham – both Napa wineries that I have enjoyed wines from before. Read the rest of this entry »
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