Leave 'green' to the breweries, not the beer.

I've seen the future of this nation, dear friends... and it is not red, white and blue. This searingly bright, blazing ember of hope is not silvery hot or glaringly yellow. This future of our great American landscape... is green.

Yes, I am talking about that ubiquitous colorful adjective used to describe environmental and conservational affairs in this time of energy crisis. And no, I am definitely not talking about green beer, that crazy faux-Irish tradition which sneaks into the bars every March. But neither am I referring to walking to work or bringing those reusable burlap sacks to the grocery store. While those are nice thoughts, and I'm sure they make us all feel all warm and fuzzy, like we're doing our part, I'm really talking about the corporation, that oft-despised entity in this country, grabbing the reins of the green movement and making a significant difference. And yes, we've all seen the Subaru ads... and I'm sure they're doing a great job... but I'm more concerned with my personal industry of choice...

The American Craft Beer Brewery.

Yes, we now have the green brewery... a vast improvement over the green beer of the 20th Century... and I think they're here to stay. Here are just a few that are making an effort to keep their communities a little bit cleaner:

Sierra Nevada Brewing Co.  - Chico, CA
Powered by fuel cells using waste-water methane and recycle 98% of total waste material.

New Belgium Brewing Co. - Fort Collins, CO
First brewery in U.S. powered by wind power, and employees voted unanimously to pay for it.

Great Lakes Brewing Co. - Cleveland, OH
Uses recycled material for nearly all packaging, and natural wind cooling in the winter.

Brooklyn Brewery - Brooklyn, NY
Another 100% wind-powered brewery, and in New York, that's not just a bunch of hot air...

So I'm not asking you to wear green on the 4th instead of draping yourself in the Stars 'n Stripes... this isn't St. Patrick's Day, after all.  But if you happen to see any of the tasty beers from these All-American breweries (especially the delicious Fat Tire by New Belgium) around on that most American of days, grab one (or a few) and feel like a true patriot. I know I will...

Mark Burlet
Drunken Intellectual

However, this is not a confession, nor a revelation of some horrible condition I feel I should hide from polite society. No... there is no shame in this admission. I say this because there are many people out there who might disparage my lifestyle. But they should realize...

There is much worse out there.

That's right. I'm talking about liars. Deceivers. Cheaters, even. I'm not even talking about the New England Patriots, but rather those most despised of villains... those who would overcharge for beer. The scurrilous few who would attempt to dupe the drinking public for a profit.

This is a tale of such people.

Not the falsies you were expecting?

The tale begins with a pair of intrepid beer drinkers in the San Francisco area. Upon being delivered two frosty "pints" of suds at a national chain eatery, they noticed that the glass bottom was thicker on one... and, upon comparison, they discovered that one held less liquid than the other. Apparently, the bar had replaced their normal 16 ounce pint glasses with 14 ounce glasses the same height and width, simply by purchasing glasses with a thicker base. These newfangled glasses, referred to as "falsies" by some, are a recent trend started by bar owners to save a little money on beer. Now, I know we're all having to switch things up a bit to make ends meet, so if you want to raise prices on beer, I understand. Just don't tell me 14 ounces is a pint... and don't attempt some tomfoolery by serving it to me in a doctored glass.

I have started to hear more news about this lately... as this story from the Baltimore Sun demonstrates... but it does not deter me from shouting it further on my own. So keep your eyes open, fellow beer lovers, and let us all know if and when you come across this scourge of serving in our fair city. I, for one, will not stand for it...

Keep the faith, my friends! 

Mark Burlet
Drunken Intellectual

Beer on the beach? So crazy it just might work... 

Your favorite person in the world (that's me) has returned from a week-long exile at one of the nation's largest gatherings of geek-hood, held this year in Orlando. While I won't go into details about my time down there (to spare you from boredom... not because anything "What happens in Vegas"-like occurred down there), I did happen to notice a strange phenomenon...

It was H-O-T!

And looking at the Weather Channel's website, I noticed it wasn't only in the South. Seeing that Baltimore and Orlando each fired up to 99 degrees on the same day was enough for me to (briefly) think myself lucky for being stuck in the air-conditioned expanse of the Orange County Convention Center for 12 hours a day. This combination of over-working and ridiculous heat got me to thinking... or rather to drinking... about good summer beers. So in those rare moments I wasn't working, or attending work-related events, I managed to sample the occasional Blue Moon or Leinenkugel's Sunset Wheat. These are two of many lighter, crisper beverages that help slake the estival thirst. What my parents would refer to... back on those steamy New Orleans Saturdays, standing in front of the family homebrew supply store, brewing up a hoppy golden lager for the customers... as a "lawnmower beer", i.e. a beer you'd enjoy drinking to cool off after (or while) mowing the lawn on a sunny day, in case you didn't make that connection.

But I was thirsting, quite literally, for something more. Something different. So when Men's Style Examiner, Stile E. Coyote, approached several fellow Examiners about posting a list of the finest summer brews, I was intrigued. His choices definitely make for a tasty collection of refreshing beers. And with his mouthwatering descriptions and the running commentary from National Beer Examiner and homebrewing celebrity Charlie Papazian, you can definitely get an idea of what you're drinking ahead of time. In response, I have concocted this selection of some of my personal faves. Feel free to rant and rave about those you hate, or complain loudly that your favorite was omitted. But if you haven't tried any of these, make an effort to do so... you may just be pleasantly surprised, and refreshed. Here we go...

The Drunken Intellectual's Summer Beer Recommendations

Heavy Seas Loose Cannon: A local favorite, made by the guys at Clipper City here in Baltimore, this is a great hoppy brew with a big, crisp, citrusy taste that really cools you off without boring the palate. Great in the bottle, but if you can find it on tap... never leave that bar.

Hoegaarden: This is a typical thirst-quenching witbier in the Belgian style, made by some good folks in Belgium, no less. Not as hoppy as it could be, but definitely a light, refreshing beer.  A great "first beer", for coming out of the sun, that won't overpower the senses as you gulp it down.

Dogfish Head 60 Minute IPA: This is one of an outstanding line of IPA's from the Dogfish Head brewery in nearby Delaware. I find there are hops-a-plenty in this one, but you hop-heads give the 90 Minute and 120 Minute (and the harder to find 75 Minute) IPA's a shot. Dangerous.

Blue Moon: Not my absolute favorite, but it's always a good summer default. Brewed (surreptitiously) by Coors, it is easy to find, even at the least craft-beer-friendly bars. Use a slice of orange to enhance the orange flavor (and color) that pervades this light wheat brew.

Saison de Brooklyn: Definitely my favorite of the many quality brews offered by the Brooklyn Brewery. Has that honey-banana-clove thing going on that many Belgian-style brews tend to overdo, but this one gets just right... Hard to find these days, so if you get your hands on some, let me know!

Abita Amber: I wouldn't be a good New Orleans boy if I didn't include an Abita on my list. That said, others may question my choice of a Märzen-style brew for the summer, instead preferring the Purple Haze, but this one is good anytime. And unlike my favorite winter Abita, Turbodog, it has a light mouthfeel (for the style) that belies its caramel coloring. Always have a few in my fridge.

Otter Creek ESB: I'm always up for a good pint of English bitters, even if it comes from Vermont. And I especially love them on tap in the summer months. Bottles are fine, but the flavor really seems to come out in the pour with a tall, fat glass. Some nice hops and a balanced bitterness makes this one Extra Special. (Sorry!)

Tröegs Hopback Amber Ale: This is another darker choice, but still with a clean, crisp texture and a nice hoppy bite at the finish. Definitely a smooth-drinking brew perfect for those with an aversion to the lighter beers. Whatever your preference, Tröegs just always seems to get it right...

Brewer's Art Ozzy Ale: So this is definitely a shout out to my Baltimore peeps. Not sure if this is available anywhere other than on tap at the Brewer's Art pub, but it's definitely a more summer-friendly brew than the more popular and widely available, yet still ridiculously good, Resurrection. With a smooth, dry feel, this beautiful golden beer goes down a bit too easily... although the Belgian Strong Ale characteristics (namely, the 7.25% abv) advise one to drink slowly.

Magic Hat Odd Notion: A well-known brewery, but not a very well-known beer, sadly. Discovered on tap at one of my favorite bars (JD's Smokehouse), it quickly became my pre- (and post-) softball favorite. As I do prefer a little darker beer at times, this reddish-brown ale is no surprise, but it definitely lives up to the name, not really fitting perfectly into any one category. It may be a little sweet for some, but the hoppiness balances it well in my mind... and more importantly, my mouth.

So thats where I'll draw the line for now.  There are surely more "traditional" summer ales, like the Sam Adams or Sierra Nevada offerings, that aren't on this list, but I like a little variety in my drinking, no matter the season. I can even pull off a Guinness every now and then on a cool-ish summer evening. But no matter if I'm drinking in a breezy palapa bar on the coast of Mexico or at a resort on the beach in 95 degree weather, I'll still be staying away from the Corona...

Thank you very much!

Mark Burlet
Drunken Intellectual

OK, take a deep breath. Relax. Pick yourself off the floor and join me back here in a minute when you have collected yourself.

Alright, so now that your initial euphoria has passed, let me tell you exactly what this is all about. This Hall of Fame will not only feature the drunkest intellectuals (and the most intellectual drunks) in history, but will also highlight the finest beverages, drinking establishments, and alcoholically relevant cultural phenomena our world has ever known. It will serve to introduce the aspiring Drunken Intellectual to the greatest resources this movement has to offer... hopefully leading the drinker to discover the finer points of the arts, and reveal to the artist the lighter side of the drink. Not a bad day's work if you ask me...

Of course, there's no way for me to display the entirety of the Hall's contents here, so I will start with a brief introduction to some of the initial entrants into its soon-to-be-storied vaults. So here we go... the stars of the very first group of inductees into the Drunken Intellectual Hall of Fame:

PEOPLE

Ernest Hemingway: Probably the easiest choice for a human representative in this inaugural class, Ernest Hemingway was perhaps the ultimate Drunken Intellectual. His incredible writing, though some say chauvinistic, gave a distinctly American accent to literature in the first half of the 20th century. Plus he thoroughly espoused the hard-drinking, fast-living lifestyle he portrayed in his characters. Might I suggest A Clean, Well-Lighted Place as a brief introduction to Hemingway's style and attitudes toward drinking?  I think I shall...

Other Inductees: Charles Bukowski, Tennessee Williams, Edgar Allen Poe

DRINKS

Guinness: What better initial selection could there be in this category than the elixir-of-choice of the greatest drinking civilization in the modern world? The dark, brilliantly creamy goodness of this fine Irish beer is a complement to any meal... or is a meal by itself on the right evening. This being summer, my personal Guinness consumption will be declining, but it still ranks up there with the most famed of beverages world-wide. Give me a pint and a good live band and I'll be happy any day of the week.

Other Booze: Jack Daniels, the Bloody Mary, the Martini, Heineken

PLACES

Pat O'Brien's Bar: Again, this one is a no-brainer. This world famous watering hole in the midst of the drinking-est city in the nation (that would be New Orleans, of course) claims to sell more alcohol per customer than any other bar in the U.S. Having been there on many an occasion and witnessed (and often participated in) the amazing display of imbibery that occurs around that flaming fountain in the courtyard, I believe it. A couple Hurricanes later and you'll be a convert as well. See you there in three weeks!

Other Locations: Whisky a Go Go, Harry's New York Bar in Paris, Dublin

So there we are. An inaugural class worthy of Drunken Intellectual celebration. Obviously, there are many more people, places and drinks that will be enshrined in these hallowed halls before I retire. Do you have any suggestions for me? A favorite alcoholic writer or a great work of drunken art perhaps? Let me know what you think, and I will let you know when I have created my Hall of Fame website for all to visit. Until that day...

Keep it real.

Mark Burlet
Drunken Intellectual

Therefore, I find myself sitting at home on a Friday evening, wondering how I can follow this up without a repeat performance of the mind-erasing festivities of the previous weekend. And this does not include a viewing of the Sex and the City movie... I'd rather not be trampled this weekend, especially with all the ladies sure to be sporting their pointiest Manolo Blahniks or Jimmy Choos. No, this guy will attempt to retain his man-bundle and pursue a little more casual entertainment. And despite the threat, yet again, of rain tomorrow, I'm encouraged by the overall trend toward a warmer, drier season in the near future. So what does this non-holiday, normal-length weekend have in store for us?  Let's take a look...

• Charles Village Festival (Sat, 10am-8:30pm and Sun, 10am-6pm) - Good music, including Lafayette Gilchrist and The Junkyard Saints, good food, BEER and even a 5K road race show that Charles Village can offer more than Hopkins and the BMA. If the rain holds off, it should be a fun-filled time at the Wyman Park Dell.
• Polish Festival (Sat and Sun, noon-10pm) - What's not to like about Poland? Polka music, kielbasa, folk dancing and fine Polish lagers take over Patterson Park this weekend. And don't miss the screen-door submarine display on the pond! It's breath-taking...
• Baltimore Orioles vs. Boston Red Sox (Sat, 7:05pm and Sun, 1:35pm) - Yes, the Red Sox are in town, which means actual crowds at Camden Yards. A little annoying, you bet, but worth a shot, considering the struggles the Sox are going through right now (losing 5 of their last 6). Besides, there's always the beer to drown your sorrows if the O's lose.
• Body Worlds 2 (Sat, 9am-8pm and Sun, 9am-6pm) - The Maryland Science Center is offering this somewhat gruesome but completely intriguing look at the human form and the intricate details of our bodies in motion through September 1st. And yes, I know you can't buy booze at the exhibit, but you'll probably need a drink afterwards, so just think of it as a pre-game warmup. And hey, even the Drunken Intellectual needs to move the balance back to the Intellectual sometimes... especially after last weekend.

So there. Plenty to keep us all occupied during this weekend without (necessarily) resulting in late night shenanigans and early morning hangovers. Daytime drinking gets that all out of the way before midnight... Plus you get those great half-tans that all the kids are sporting these days. So don't wait until it's dark to start your night out this weekend. Amateurs! Instead, join me on the grass and enjoy a few frosty beverages to fight the heat. Assuming it's hot, you know.

Enjoy the weekend!

Mark Burlet
Drunken Intellectual

However, this weekend offers some additional challenges to the gas addict. Three-days off work. If you're a recovering addict, or simply a family looking to visit relatives, there is no greater opportunity for a relapse than the long weekend. And considering that Memorial Day Weekend and Labor Day Weekend are two of the most driver-full times of the year, it may be tough to resist the temptation... Everyone else is doing it.  Why can't I? But with the high price of go juice these days, there's got to be a better way to enjoy the time off without taking out a second mortgage or selling your roommate's new plasma TV. This is where I come in...

Here are just a few options for those willing to shake that monkey off their back and stay in town for the holiday weekend. It helps that there is alcohol involved. They say that when trying to kick an addiction, just replace it with another one! And this one is legal and taxable, so not only do you run little risk of incarceration (unless you mix the two), but you're contributing valuable tax dollars to the slowly failing economy. So get out there and spend those "stimulus package" dollars, people!  DO IT FOR AMERICA!

• Brew at the Zoo and Wine Too! (Saturday 5/24, 1:00-6:00pm) - Let me get this straight. The Maryland Zoo is inviting people in to consume alcoholic beverages (all you can sample, no less!) in the vicinity of large, wild animals. I don't see how anything could go wrong! With live music, dozens of regional microbrewers and wineries, and a brand new baby elephant, this is a great way to stay local and support your zoo without breaking the bank on trip to Busch Gardens or something ridiculous like that.
• Glitterama! at the Creative Alliance (Saturday 5/24, shows at 7:00 and 10:00pm) - Burlesque! Punk rock! Belly dancing! Hula hooping! Clowns! Puppets! Leave it to the Creative Alliance to showcase this eclectic collection of performers, all wrapped up in the variety show packaging of Greggy Glitterati. Definitely something different, and wildly entertaining, for the more adventurous crowd. And at only $12 per head, a great value for a Saturday night out!
• Bike Jam Baltimore (Saturday 5/24, 8:00am-5:00pm) - Now this event truly screams out in protest against the gasoline addict in all of us. Whether you're a mountain biker, a road racer, or just enjoy spectating a few bike tricks, there's something for everyone here... including beer and live music! Patterson Park hosts, so there will be plenty of room for everybody.
• SoWeBo Arts Festival (Sunday 5/25, Noon-5:00pm) - The SouthWest Baltimore Arts Festival opens up three stages of whoop-ass on the arts and music community down at the historic Hollins Market between Lombard and Baltimore Streets on the west side of town. With plenty of arts and crafts for the family, this celebration should keep you occupied for hours. Make your Sunday a little more festive and join the crowd!

So that's just a sampling of this weekend's fun and games. As you can see, there's plenty to keep your butts in town and off the sauce, at least until that summer vacation at the beach. But don't blame me if the temptation becomes too strong to visit Aunt Lydia down in Norfolk. I know... I can't resist her boysenberry pies either...

Hope to see you in town this weekend!  Be strong.

Mark Burlet
Drunken Intellectual

I don't know if you've heard, but there's a little horse race tomorrow somewhere around Baltimore. Yeah, I didn't know either, but apparently it's supposed to be a big deal to all those horse-racy folks. I'm thinking of heading down there sometime bright and early in the morning, if I manage to remember. We'll see if anyone else makes it... but I'm sure once I mention it, the word will get out. Let me know if you want any details, because they're hard to come by. I have a friend who knows a guy though, so I've got directions and everything. Should be a nice and relaxing day...

If this is you, it's not too late... we can get you help. There are support groups, really. But just being aware of the Preakness Stakes doesn't mean you're itching to wallow for 12 hours, covered in mud and other unmentionable materials, just to watch your friends puke in buckets or get their faces busted by drunken non-intellectuals. And maybe you're not exactly thrilled about spending a couple hundred bucks to sit idly in the stands and be constantly assaulted by giant multi-colored hat brims, whilst waiting patiently for the next 2 minutes of equine excitement. However, there is hope. Strangely enough, there are things to do in this city that don't revolve around the center of the universe... I mean, Preakness.

Let's take a look at a few, shall we?

1. Washington Nationals at Baltimore Orioles (7:05 PM, Camden Yards)
It is quite the benefit of interleague play in the major leagues that allows nearby potential rivals to display their utter disdain for each other in person, rather than relying on each other's fans to do all the smacktalking.  And with the possibility of a rainless day tomorrow, not a bad way to spend a Saturday evening!

I hear they might even win...

2. American Craft Beer Fest (11:00 AM til..., Max's on Broadway)
Now this is more like it. While Preakness allows you to bring your own beverages, this usually means can after can of lackluster American beer. I can deal with American, let's just make it tasty and in a glass! Good brews for all.

3. Sitting At Home Wondering Why You Didn't Go To Preakness (All Day, The Couch)
When you realize everyone else you know is there and there's nobody to hang with, you'll realize you should have just gone. Just because you went once and swore that was enough, doesn't mean it wouldn't have been different this time. How sad is that?

Anyway, what I'm saying here is... just go to the Preakness and forget about it. Or go to that Preakness party at your friends place.  Why spend all this time fighting the powers that be. I give up...

Have a happy Preakness Day!

The Drunken Intellectual

Boys and girls, I've never been good at favorites.  Ask me my favorite song, and I'll list a dozen different artists, each with a dozen songs that can fit the bill, depending on my mood and whichever one I heard most recently.  I refuse to choose a favorite movie, but I can list a Top 10, which will probably change slightly every time I do so.  However, if you ask my favorite food... well, I'll still be indecisive and start talking about the numerous New Orleans dishes I can't wait to consume again.  BUT... if we're talking about a favorite food EVENT, I will state quickly and definitively... THE CRAWFISH BOIL.

See... for those of you who may have never experienced a true, Louisiana-style crawfish boil, there really is no greater, more social gathering in the name of over-consumption in the land of Cajun food.  Here in Maryland, you have the crab feast, which is a similar entity, but the festivities just don't seem to have that New Orleans flavor.  The basic principle is the same, though... bring a bunch of people together outside, in front of tables covered with newspaper, to drink beer, eat crustaceans and generally have a damned good time.  So when a couple of my fellow New Orleans expatriate friends announced they were hosting a crawfish boil, I was ecstatic.  Their plan... go to Jazz Fest, return Wednesday afternoon with over 80 pounds of live crawfish in their checked luggage, and bring them home to make sweet, Cajun magic happen in the middle of Baltimore City.  I was all in.

Of course, no good crawfish boil can become a GREAT crawfish boil unless you have the right beer.  In my opinion, with apologies to Highlander, there can be only one.  Or rather, one brewer... Abita.  With a variety of crawfish-friendly products, this growing brewery located 30 miles north of New Orleans, right across Lake Pontchartrain, provides the perfect beer for each and every attendee at your crawfish boil.  We certainly had a healthy variety at our little Baltimore boil Wednesday night.  Let's go through the options, shall we?

Amber - This is the flagship brew of the Abita family.  A nice, caramel flavor and a crowd-pleasing, lightly-hopped finish make this beverage the most popular and widely distributed member of the bunch.  If you're not sure about new beers, give this one a shot... you'll be pleased.

Turbodog - Oh yeah, baby!  If it weren't for the fact that the taste backs up the ballsy-ness of the name, I might make fun of it.  However, this happens to be my personal favorite.  A dark brown ale with a smooth feel and a surprisingly canine BITE in the finish, this one was actually voted best beer made in America in 2005 by Stuff Magazine.  It's not for everyone, but in my mind... it's just that good.

Purple Haze - This is probably the most popular Abita with the ladies.  Don't come whining to me that guys like it too... there's always a few in the bunch... but a raspberry wheat beer is just not my thing.  That having been said, Purple Haze is an exceptional example of the style.  Light and refreshing with a fruity finish, it's a great choice for the summer, if you're not me.

Golden - And here we have the lightest, summeriest of the Abita brews.  The golden hued beverage, with its crisp, clean flavor and cooling properties, makes one believe, if only for a moment, that there exists a magical world in which light American lagers actually taste delicious.  But we all know the truth, don't we?

Wow, Mark!  Reading this has made me thirsty for some Abita beer.  But where am I to find such a thing so far from the mythical land of Louisiana, where alligators dance with leprechauns and giant, edible King Cakes present themselves at your door?  Well, friend, here are a few places in the Baltimore area where I have found the blessed nectar you seek:

• Chesapeake Wine Company - 2400 Boston St. in Canton
• Loading Dock Discount Liquors - 2101 Fleet St. at Boston
• Well's Discount Liquors - 6310 York Rd. near Towson
• Max's on Broadway - 735 S. Broadway in Fells Point
• Mahaffey's Pub - 2706 Dillon St. in Canton

Now I'm sure there are other places to find Abita in the area, but I can't name them all off the top of my head.  So if you know a place where it can be found, feel free to let us all know in a comment.  I, for one, would love to know... even if there are no additional crawfish boils in my near future.  Until then, I'll have to drink them solo.  Meaning one at a time.  Usually.

So as I bow out, this early Friday morning, I want to thank my gracious hosts, John and Danielle, and everyone at the 1st Annual Jazz Fest Boil for putting crawfish in my mouth, an Abita in my hand and that big goofy smile on my face.

 That's me, on the right.

Mark Burlet
Drunken Intellectual

Anyway, here are three great events this weekend that offer food, drinking, live music and more!

1. City Paper's 12th Annual Brew Fest (Saturday, Fells Point)
How can you go wrong here? One of Baltimore's best walkin'-and-drinkin' neighborhoods is the centerpiece for this event. The square on Broadway and Thames is closed off, many a microbrew will be sold, and live music will be playing... all within view of the water and that crazy-good hot dog and lemonade stand. The event is from 1:00-5:00pm, so if you plan on sleeping all day, skip it. I, for one, will be there... Give me a shout out if you're going! 

2. Maryland Beer and Foodfest (Saturday and Sunday, Aberdeen)
This event is truly impressive. So big that it could only be held at Ripken Stadium, home of the Ironbirds. There will be hundreds of different beers and wines, a ridiculous variety of foodstuffs (including a farmers' market!), and some great area bands to keep you entertained. In fact, there's so much going on, they had to make it two days long! If I'm sufficiently recovered from the Brew Fest on Saturday, I might have to make the trip on Sunday. And don't worry, if it's raining, there's plenty of indoor space for your continued enjoyment of their many offerings. Just remember to designate a driver for the return trip! 

3. Johns Hopkins Spring Fair (Friday through Sunday, JHU Homewood Campus)
Here's one for the young at heart. But you don't have to be a Hopkins student to appreciate great live music, artsy-craftsy vendors, fine foods and a beer garden (for those of us over 21). And don't miss the big concert tonight at 7:00... Bone Thugs-n-Harmony and Reel Big Fish. I don't think there's ever been a more natural combination of artists, honestly. Plus it's going on all weekend, so drop in anytime. Higher education never tasted so sweet... 

So there we have plenty to keep us occupied this weekend. But don't blame me if it rains and you're stuck sitting under an awning somewhere, praying the water doesn't drip into your beer. We've all got burdens to bear...

Have a great weekend!
Mark Burlet,
Drunken Intellectual

Earth Day is a day of awareness. Of acceptance of your fellow man and reverence for our Mother Earth. It is a day to celebrate and promote environmentalism, energy efficiency and sustainable agriculture. Basically it's a tree-hugger's wet dream.

That's not to say I'm not an environmentalist myself. I walk to work (and most everywhere else), shop at Whole Foods, contribute to the Sierra Club and even use those squiggly light bulbs. I understand the benefits of responsible farming and the threat of disappearing wetlands. But I'm not some holier-than-thou, bumper-sticker-flaunting activist. I feel there is a place and a time for beating people over the head with your beliefs, and it is not here and now.

Having gotten that out of the way, there is something to be said for supporting the Earth Day movement. My day job held a few Earth Day awareness activities on Tuesday (which were, unsurprisingly, not very well attended) and did a pretty good job of showing how things could be "greener". (And did I mention that I was the only one in the company who got all five Earth Day trivia questions right? I didn't mention that? How did that slip my mind?) One thing that didn't come up, sadly, was the latest trend in brewing... organic beer. You heard me right, but I'll say it again a little louder... organic beer! Examples of this have been around for a while now, but it's starting to sprout up (pun intended) right here in our backyard.
On April 9th, Clipper City... Hugh Sisson's Baltimore-based craft brewery... announced the launch of the all-organic line of beer under the banner of "Oxford Organic Ales". I have yet to locate said phantom brew, but I'd be more than happy to give either the Amber of Raspberry Wheat a healthy quaff. But don't take my word for it, here is the press release from Clipper City, which explains the "organic" label and their reasons for heading in that direction.

Enjoy... and stay green!

CLIPPER CITY BREWING COMPANY GOES ORGANIC

Baltimore Based Brewery Announces New Line – “Oxford Organic Ales”

Baltimore, MD - Clipper City Brewing Company, the Maryland-based brewer of quality craft beers, today announced the release of their new “Oxford Organic Ales” line of beers. Starting with two new beers - Oxford Class Organic Amber Ale and Oxford Organic Raspberry Wheat Beer – the products will become available at the beginning of April.

“There is a natural connection between craft brewers and organic farmers,” said Hugh Sisson, Clipper City’s managing partner. “We both make all natural products, in small batches by hand, to the highest possible quality standards. This new product line is our way of partnering with those farmers who are committed to the organic, sustainable production of natural foods.”

The Oxford Class Organic Amber Ale is a classic amber ale with biscuit and caramel malt flavors, and just enough hops for a crisp finish. The Oxford Organic Raspberry Wheat Beer is an organic wheat beer flavored with real raspberries. An American version of a Belgian classic.

“The Maryland Department of Agriculture is accredited by the USDA's National Organic Program to certify producers of organic products,” said Deanna Baldwin, program manager of Food Quality Assurance for the Maryland Department of Agriculture. “Prior to certification, operations must submit an organic system plan that is reviewed and inspected by MDA to ensure products are produced in compliance with the National Organic Program. Clipper City Brewing has met these requirements and is certified by MDA to produce organic beer.”

In order for a product to be labeled “organic” it must contain at least 95% certified organic raw materials. The balance can be non-certified if the ingredient is not commercially available in organic form. Anything under 95% and above 70% organic raw materials can be labeled “made with organic ingredients.”

Clipper City Brewing Company was founded in 1995 by Baltimore brewing pioneer, Hugh Sisson. The brewery is named for the famous Baltimore Clipper ship, a symbol that embodies Baltimore’s maritime heritage and a commitment to craftsmanship of the highest caliber. In addition to the “Oxford Organic Ales” line of beers, Clipper City’s portfolio of products includes the “Clipper City” and “Heavy Seas” brands. Clipper City has been in operation for more than a decade and markets fine beers in 18 states, as well as the District of Columbia.

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