Sorry about this folks, but this is going to be short and sweet because I’m a busy man. I got lucky that it’s kind of a quiet week.

Stuff from around the web

• Bill does the world a favor and shows you how to cellar beer at stlbites.
• For those of you who like lime in your Bud Light, AB has saved you a step.

Beer Releases and News

• Andrew from Bon Vivant Wines informs me to some new beers he has in his stock:
  • Victory Brewing - Old Horizontal Barleywine
  • Victory Brewing - Hop Wallop
  • Avery - New World Porter
  • Two Brothers - Cane & Ebel
• Paul at The Wine and Cheese Place in Clayton alerts me to some new beers he has in stock:
  • Odell Brewing Company - ODell Imperial Stout Single Batch Series
  • Odell Brewing Company - ODell IPA
  • Fuller Smith & Turner - Fullers Vintage Ale 2007
  • Avery - White Rascal Belgian Wheat

Here’s a list of upcoming beer events:

• Feb 23 - Beer Lovers Anonymous
• Feb 29 - New Belgium Beer Dinner at Whole Foods
• Mar 5 - Imperial Beer Tasting at Whole Foods

Last May, Bill had planned a trip to Michigan to run a marathon so he could qualify for the 2008 Boston Marathon. While there, he decided to take a trip to visit Bell’s Eccentric Cafe in Kalamazoo. When he came back, he brought along some beer with him. One of these beers was the Consecrator Doppelbock. I remember it being this wonderfully malty, clean bock with a slight bit of sweetness. It was a really wonderful beer.

Well, I was just made aware that the Doppelbock has reached St. Louis and is now in stock at the Wine and Cheese Shop in Clayton and Rock Hill. Make sure to pick this one up and try it out for yourself. If it was a wonderful beer in May, it’ll be even better in February.

Someone suggested this idea a while back and I thought it was a great idea. So thanks to Bill we’ve now got our own forums to discuss beer matters and whatnot in St. Louis. If you have any suggestions or things you’d like to see just give me a heads up. So what are you waiting for? Sign up!

Edit: Let me quickly add that I’m not going to start posting information or news in the forum that I wouldn’t post on the blog.  I realize some people aren’t interested in posting on a forum and are only interested in the news I post.  So that’s not going to change.  I just thought people would like a relaxed atmosphere to discussed beer related stuff going on in St. Louis.  Like I said in the comments here, if the forum doesn’t fly and people aren’t interested that’s not a big deal.  I didn’t put that much time into it.

In my quest for trying to find as many of my homebrewing ingredients as humanly possible I’m reaching out to all of my blog readers to help me find a pumpkin. I was talking to Sauce’s own Mr. Burge yesterday and he recommended that I purchase a pumpkin now instead of in August, because in his words, “the early ones aren’t as sweet, the colder it gets, the flavors are more concentrated.”

So on his recommendation, I’m going to purchase a pumpkin now, roast it, puree it and freeze it for next August. I’d prefer finding a pumpkin from one of the local farmers, but I have a feeling that pickings may be light. Any help?

Are you a homebrewer? Have you entered the Happy Holiday Homebrew Competition yet? If you haven’t you still have a sliver of time to enter. It’s really simple, you just register your beer here, print out the confirmation, and then drop off the beer, entry fee and confirmation at either The Tap Room, St. Louis Wine and Beermaking or Worm’s Way. Who knows, you could come away a winner? Here’s this week’s Round Up:

Stuff from around the web

• The Brew Site did a review of O’Fallon’s Pumpkin Ale
• Anheuser-Busch tells us that the beer market is strong, but then warns about beer prices going up.
• Bill let’s us know about a new brewery/restaurant in Granite City Creve Couer (thanks Bill), with an unusual way of making beer
• St. Louis native Neal Stewart lets us know what his fantasy beer dinner would entail.
• AB moves into the vodka biz.

Beer Releases and News

• Andy from Whole Foods let’s us know about some new beers he has in his stock (and remember if you don’t see it on the shelf, be sure to ask for it):
  • St. Louis Brewery - Schlafly Pumpkin
  • Anchor Brewing - 2006 Our Special Ale Magnum
  • Anchor Brewing - 2007 Our Special Ale Magnum
• Paul at The Wine and Cheese Place in Clayton alerts me to some new beers he has in stock:
  • Brouwerij Van Honsebrouck - Brigand Belgian Ale
  • Brouwerij St. Bernardus NV - St. Bernadus Mixed 6 Pack
  • Shmaltz Brewing Company - He’Brew Jewbelation Eleven
  • Coors Brewing Company - Blue Moon Full Moon Winter Ale
• Paul also informed me that they’ll be tasting Blue Moon Full Moon Winter, Anchor Christmas, Harveys Christmas Ale, Delirium Noel, Sam Smiths Winter Welcome, He’Brew Jewbelation and Gouden Carolus Noel on Saturday between 11AM and 3PM.
• Chris at Randall’s Wine & Spirits in St. Louis alerts me to some new beers sets he has in stock, just in time for the holiday season:
  • Mendocino Brewing Company - Mendocino Imperial IPA Winter Seasonal
  • Arcadia Brewing Company - Arcadia Imperial Stout (4 Pack)
  • Arcadia Brewing Company - Arcadia Shipwreck Barrel Aged Porter (22oz Bomber)
  • Arcadia Brewing Company - Arcadia Cereal Killer Barleywine (220z Bomber)
  • Barons Brewing Company - Barons Extra Special Bitter
  • Barons Brewing Company - Black Wattle Superior Wattle Seed Ale
  • Tooheys Brewing - Tooheys New
  • Anheuser-Busch - Brewmasters Private Reserve 2007
  • Anheuser-Busch - Michelob Celebrate Series
• Chris is also has these beers in today at the Fairview Heights Randall’s:
  • Left Hand Brewing Company - Snowbound (6 packs)
  • Left Hand Brewing Company - Warrior IPA (Bombers)
  • August Schell Brewing Co - Snowstorm (6 Packs)
  • Boulder Beer - Never Summer Ale (6 Pack)
  • Breckenridge Brewery - Christmas Ale (6 Packs)
  • Sprecher Brewing Company - Winter Brew (4 Packs)
  • Sprecher Brewing Company - Dopple Bock (4 Packs)
  • Wychwood Brewery Company - Bah Humbug

Here’s a list of upcoming beer events:

• Dec 3 - St. Louis Brews Homebrew Club Meeting
• Dec 8 - Happy Holiday Homebrew Competition
• Dec 26 - Schlafly 16th Anniversary Party

If you weren’t aware, tomorrow is Teach a Friend to Homebrew Day. It’s a chance for us homebrewers to teach someone else how their beer is made and how they could do it themselves. I plan on teaching my friend Bill Burge the ins and outs of homebrewing, we’re going to make a Scottish 80 Schilling.

So if you’re a homebrewer, bring a friend (or a couple of them) over and make an event of it. At worst, you can all sit around and enjoy some homebrew! Here are some of the particulars from the American Homebrewing Association:

What is Teach a Friend to Homebrew Day?

The American Homebrewers Association (AHA) Teach a Friend to Homebrew Day is an international event to introduce people to the homebrewing hobby and establish relationships with local homebrew supply shops.

Each year on the first Saturday in November, homebrewers around the world are encouraged to invite non-brewing and brewing friends and family to celebrate Teach a Friend to Homebrew Day and brew a batch of beer together.

Before the event, participants that have Teach a Friend to Homebrew Day events register their site on this web page. These registered sites help the American Homebrewers Association track how many participants celebrated the event. 2006 event results will be posted on this page a few weeks after November 4.

I finally got to attend my first St. Louis Brews meeting last night and had a fantastic time. Got to try some excellent homebrews and meet some extremely knowledgeable homebrewers. I want to thank them all for making me feel very welcome.

• Stephen from Schlafly informs me that the Biere de Garde served at the 2007 Hop in the City festival was bottled into 750ml bottles this week and will be on shelves within the next two weeks.
• Augusta Brewing Company is going to begin bottling and selling their Farmhouse/Belgian Ales in 750ml bottles. They’re holding a survey/contest to decide on the labels for these bottles. The winner of the contest will enjoy two bottles of the initial release as well as two Belgian glasses as well.
• Dan George of the St. Louis Brews is holding two class at Forest Park Community College that provide an Intro to Homebrewing. If you’re looking to start or just want to know more about the craft of brewing, please be sure to sign up. Here’s a link to the class info.
• Andrew at Bon Vivant Wines let’s me know they just received these seasonals and specials:

Here’s a list of upcoming beer events:

• Oct 6 - Augusta Bottoms Beer Festival 2007
• Oct 10 - O’Fallon Brewery Beer Tasting
• Oct 11 - Schlafly and Wild Oats - Learn to Pair Beer with Food
• Oct 13 - Washington Beer Festival
• Oct 14 - Granite City Craft Beer Festival

Bill and I (with our significant counterparts) will be attending the Augusta Bottoms Beer Festival tomorrow, I encourage you to go too. If you’re unable to attend I plan on taking plenty of pictures and trying to get as much info back to you as possible about this event., it should be a great time. If you do happen to attend, if you a fat guy with glasses with an asian girl make sure to come up and say hi.