Hoptober Fest

Here I am, finally posting to our blog. A good way to start I suppose is to evaluate a lovely hoppy beer - New Belgium's Hoptober Seasonal. As Matt posted below - many brewers are incorporating rye in the grain bill including this seasonal brew. This beer is a nice gloden, slighly copper color - perfect for autumn enjoyment. The label boasts a grain bill of pale malt, wheat malt and rye along with the use of five different varieties of hops including cascade, willamet, and centennial. The hop aroma is strong but not overpowering. Good cream color head that lasts. Upon first taste the hops continue to play center stage - a good strong citrus flavor to the beer. Slightly malty. Nicely carbonated which brings the hop aroma to the nose. A slight bitter aftertaste. Overall a good brew to enjoy on a crisp fall evening.

Rye…P.A.?

Interesting piece in the Washington Post about brewers incorporating rye into their IPA recipes to create "Rye P.A.s." Evidently the rye imparts a peppery flavor, described as adding "extra oomph to hoppy beers." Intrigued? I know I am! Give a shout if you've tried one of these (or better, if you've brewed one).

Olde Main Brewing Company

I went back to Ames, Iowa this weekend to enjoy a football game (we won!) and catch up with some old friends. I was especially pleased to see that a brewery and brew pub has been built in downtown Ames. I didn't have the opportunity to visit Olde Main Brewing Co. on this trip, but I did sample the Olde Main Scottish Ale over pizza at Welch Avenue Station, where a few varieties were on tap. And the Scottish was…well, it wasn't great. It was a Scottish, for sure—a hint of smoky flavor, but pretty thin and a bit sour (cleaner in the tap lines, I'd wager). Anyway, it was encouraging to see a genuine brewery in Ames. Kudos, Olde Main!

Huzzah! It's the Renaissance Fes—I mean, OKTOBERFEST!

The 176th annual Oktoberfest began yesterday, September 22, in Munich. Meanwhile, I was at home watching the season kick-off of CSI: Miami on DVR in suburban Kansas. Look at these pictures of healthy-looking German lasses hoisting mugs of Hofbrau and tell me who got the better deal.

250 Years Young

Here's a birthday celebration we can ALL get excited about: Guinness Stout celebrated its 250th birthday this year. First brewed in Dublin in 1759, Guinness has done as much as any beer to perpetuate the stereotype of Irishmen (like me) as drunken roustabouts. Let's celebrate with a Guinness–who's with me?

Mark Your Calendars

October 17 marks the 3rd annual Kansas City Beerfest, being held at the Legends. Have I ever been to Beerfest? Alas, no. But how bad can it be, since a. IT'S BEERFEST, and b. lots of fantastic breweries will be represented, including personal faves Odell, Schlafly and Great Divide. So I'm psyched—tix are $25 in advance and $30 at the door. Of course, M&B will be there to determine if it's in our interests to get a booth for next year, or just skip it and make arrangements for Denver in '10.

Welcome!

Now that our M&B Brewing site is up and running, we wanted to establish a forum for updates, news and feedback from our customers. Apparently this "blogging" is popular, so we're giving it a go. Founders Ben and Matt will weigh in on M&B beer, brewing, and beer-related issues in general. Bookmark us, and stop in often!