VTHopHead.com » Beer Blog Article

From the Hop Press: Back to the Future of Organic Beer

VTHopHead — Sat, 09 Jan 2010 16:10:00 +0000

My latest featured article for RateBeer’s The Hop Press… posted on Saturday, January 9th.

There are in today’s marketplace many examples of beer being sold as “organic”. Today we will look at what it means to be organic, examine a brief history of the organic beer movement and a look at how this type of beer may be fairing among beer drinkers.

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From The Hop Press: 2010 Resolutions and Beer

VTHopHead — Sat, 02 Jan 2010 16:40:12 +0000

My latest featured article for RateBeer’s The Hop Press… first one of 2010… posted on Saturday, January 2nd.

We are at that time of the year when nearly everyone makes some sort of a resolution, pledge or promise for the New Year. These typically are changes that we want or need to make going into the New Year. If you are like me, then some of these resolutions tend to repeat from year to year and, generally, I am not all that successful at keeping these sometimes hastily made affirmations. In this article, I will not be bearing my soul to share all of the resolutions that I have made for 2010, but instead will take a brief look at the history of resolutions and the New Year celebration and then talk more about how your choice of beer can significantly affect one of the more commonly held resolutions.

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From The Hop Press: Hangovers 101

VTHopHead — Sat, 26 Dec 2009 14:52:59 +0000

My latest featured article for RateBeer’s Hop Press… posted on Saturday, December 26th.

With Thanksgiving over and now Christmas past, everyone’s attention turns to planning for their New Year’s celebration. I don’t really have a regular plan for the New Year’s Eve. Some years it is out with friends to party it up and other years it is a quiet affair at home. This year is probably going to be the latter. Regardless of what the plan for the evening might be, something that has played a part in a few too many of my New Year Day’s rituals has been dealing with a hangover. As stated succinctly on the MayoClinic.com Web site, “Hangovers are caused by drinking too much alcohol”. Yep, I got it… the root cause of the problem has never really been in doubt, but let’s look a little closer at this “dreaded” phenomenon.

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From The Hop Press: Beer Style: India Pale Ales and Double IPAs

VTHopHead — Sat, 19 Dec 2009 17:03:37 +0000

My latest featured article for RateBeer’s Hop Press… posted on Saturday, December 19th.

For someone that calls themselves “The Vermont Hop Head”, you had to figure that it would only be a matter of time before I waxed poetically about some hoppy beer and I have managed to contain myself long enough. While I would willingly tell you that I enjoy many types of beer, it is the hoppy ones that have my keen interest. Sitting near the top of the highly hopped beer world are the beers of the beer style called “India Pale Ale” as well as its more potent derivative, the Double or Imperial IPA.

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From The Hop Press: 2009 in a Nutshell

VTHopHead — Sat, 12 Dec 2009 21:06:55 +0000

My latest featured article for RateBeer’s Hop Press… posted on Saturday, December 12th.

As 2009 winds down in a big holiday rush, I thought that I would take a look back at a few of the things that were important to me during my 54^th year. Perhaps this last year could best be described using the Charles Dickens’ saying, “It was the best of times and it was the worst of times”, for it was a very eventful year.

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A VTHopHead Thanksgiving

VTHopHead — Fri, 20 Nov 2009 02:07:23 +0000

Thanksgiving at the VTHopHead house is all about family, close friends, great food, football and, of course, good beer. While most people are focused on the turkey n’ stuffing, cranberries and pumpkin pie (I like these too) for my son Jamie and I it is also a time to pull out a “special” beer (or few) to add to the holiday cheer. This year he has scored an excellent Unibroue selection, including their abbey tripel La Fin Du Monde, and what will be my first beer from Nova Scotia, Alexander Keith’s Premium White. I also will have a slightly chilled bottle of Allagash Musette, one of their bourbon-barrel aged brews, on “standby”, just in case. This is shaping up to be a really great Thanksgiving!

Hmmm… I can hardly wait for Christmas!!

Featured Writer at The Hop Press

VTHopHead — Tue, 17 Nov 2009 01:13:31 +0000

I have joined a small group of beer writers/bloggers on a new RateBeer.com endeavor called “The Hop Press” that can be found at www.hoppress.com. I am really happy to be a part of this select group. As one of their featured writers, my column will appear on Saturday each week on the Hop Press site. I will probably write more articles than just the one that is featured each week and all of my Hop Press articles can be viewed at koenemann.hoppress.com. I hope that you choose to visit this new site regularly and that you enjoy not only my posts, but the posts of these other talented beer bloggers.

Rock Art Wins “Monster” Battle!

VTHopHead — Thu, 22 Oct 2009 10:54:31 +0000

Late in the day on Wednesday Rock Art Brewery, makers of “The Vermonster” beer, and Hansen Beverage Company, makers of Monster energy drinks, reached an agreement that will allow Rock Art to continue to use the name “Vermonster” for its beer, so long as it stays out of the energy drink market.

Matt Nadeau, Rock Art owner, is ecstatic, but is still adamant that there needs to be additional trademark reform that would prevent similar situations (big corporation bullies abusing the small business owners) from happening in the future.

The month-long battle was fought on two fronts… Rock Art and the lawyers fighting the legal battle against Hansen in the courts and the very public battle waged on-line and in the media by craft brewers and other concerned individuals. Hansen had their hands full on both fronts. It quickly became evident, to many, that Hansen’s legal pursuit of the Vermontster name was probably not going to hold up in court and, perhaps more significantly, Hansen’s reputation as a beverage manufacturer began to take a real beating in the marketplace as beverage retailers, distributors and tens of thousands of everyday consumers rallied against Hansen’s efforts against Rock Art.

Stay tuned for an official statement from Rock Art at their Web site… http://www.rockartbrewery.com/

It’s nice to see the little guy win for a change… and justifiably so! Thanks everyone for your help in winning this epic battle against “evil”!!

SKoenemann HopPress Blog is alive!

VTHopHead — Mon, 12 Oct 2009 17:38:00 +0000

I have been fortunate enough to be selected, along with a short list of other beer bloggers, to blog for the RateBeer Web site (www.ratebeer.com). RateBeer is one of the leading authorities on all things “beer” and I am very excited about this opportunity.

RateBeer has created a special site, called The HopPress, for all of these bloggers to post to. My personal HopPress blog can be found at koenemann.hoppress.com. Occasionally, links to selected posts from these beer bloggers will appear on the RateBeer home page.

Check it out!

Clipper City Heavy Seas – The Great Pumpkin Imperial Ale

VTHopHead — Sun, 11 Oct 2009 02:29:52 +0000

Pours a nice “pumpkin” amber in color with a very small whitish head that fades to almost nothing… low carbonation. Aroma is slightly sweet and almost all pumpkin spice (clove, nutmeg, cinnamon,etc.) and nothing else. Flavor is a bit more complex. Some pumpkin, spices ( as noted) and a bit of harsh, unpleasant alcohol character. Slightly bitter and astringent at the end. Lingering bitterness with little else.

Heavy Seas Imperial Pumpkin Ale