Ünnecessary Ümlaut

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A surplus of geekery by :: Fred Abercrombie

Shop: Beer Güt Shirt Makes Beer Guts Good

EXPERIENCE THE MAGICAL HEALING POWER

Umlauts. Who knew? They make bands rock harder. Restaurants feel more exotic. And on these tees they’ll transform your beer gut into something every passerby can nod approvingly on. ‘Cuz it’s not about the gut, it’s about the beer. And it is good.

Grab yours in the Shöppe »

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Beer Ad: Jean Claude Does Van Dammage in Pants for Coors Light UK

While this has nothing on the recent, epic Hahn SuperDry commercial, it does have Van Damme‘s mullet. And weird Mom Jeans. And for some reason, Antonio Banderas‘ accent. Enjoy. (Thanks, Matt!)

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Adv: Chocolate Website for Chocolate Beer, Sagres Preta Stout

To help promote Portugal brewery Sagres‘ new Preta Chocolate Stout, their digital agency Grand Union Portugal came up with what they thought was a fitting launchpad for a chocolate beer: a chocolate webpage. Duh.

So they hired the Artistic Director of the Óbidos International Chocolate Festival to lead the sculpting. Creating not just a flat “web page”, but going full boar creating all the buttons, number tiles for the loading screen (which only added to the heavy load time, IMO), sliding modules, and more. Then they shot it all and used it as the basis for the website.

Cool. And no doubt delicious. But a long climb up the mountain for a small sip of cocoa. Then again, I am sharing it. And you are reading this. So, guess it worked. A sia saide!

Check out the finished product:
sagres.pt/​sagrespretachocolate/​

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Beer Art: 7 Hilarious Hand-Drawn Taps at Church Key SF

Like the Wacky Packs of beer

It’s not often you find beers like Samichlaus on tap (the rare bottles are a Christmas tradition with me). Even more rare to find hand-doodled parodies gracing the pulls. Church Key in San Francisco‘s North Beach only has a few taps at a time but man does their artwork make up for their numbers. They put the hand in tap handles.

° °

About the artist

I had to pull teeth out of the bartender as he was, unfortunately, not the most talkative or friendly. This is how I got to what I sorta believe to be the guy’s name:

ÜÜ: Did you draw these? They’re awesome.
CK: No.

ÜÜ: Did someone else at Church Key draw them?
CK: No.

ÜÜ: Do you know who did?
CK: A local guy who comes in here.

ÜÜ: Happen to know his name?
CK: Sean.

ÜÜ: Sean … ?
CK: Sean Dick.

I couldn’t tell if that was the guy’s last name or the bartender just was being one. Making that my last beer at Church Key for the eve. However, I’ll go back and give ’em another chance. And bring a better camera. In the meantime enjoy these seven killer tap handles by Sean Dick(?) …

° °

See the rest »

Watch: Hahn Beer Commercial is Superbly Epic

Wow. Just, wow.

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Speaking of epic beer ads, Sam reminds us not to forget
this Carlton Draught BIG AD:

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New Beer: SF’s Almanac Beer Co. Finally Releasing Bottles

Farm to Barrel … to Bottles

One of my absolute favorite beers sampled at the 2011 SF Beer Week Opening Gala was Almanac Brewing Co.‘s Summer 2010 ale. I can still taste it. Like a big, juicy slice of the season squeezed right into your glass. And now it’s finally being bottled.

Word is they’re having a bottle release party on June 30 at City Beer Store. Watch here for details.

More info on their bottling »

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Beer x Tattoo: Lagunitas Gets Hanna Aitchison for “Zephyr” Chicago Collaboration Ale Art

Unfortunately, this artwork by Hannah Aitchison didn’t make it in time for the official  release of this new limited Lagunitas brew, Zephyr Ale. But it’ll no doubt show up somewhere.

Full story in my column at Bay Area Craft Beer »

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Beer: Orange Shush from Ale Industries

In the Bay Area craft beer bubble, everything’s brewing up oranges.

Moylan’s in Novato has Orange & Black (bombers). Speakeasy in SF has Agent Orange (draft). And now Concord’s Ale Industries is back with another release of Orange Shush in bombers. Whether it’s the Giants coming off a World Series win or the warming weather (however slowly), an orange beer just sounds perfectly refreshing right about now.

Like Lagunitas and their Censored Ale (formerly Kronik), Ale Industries was forced to change the name from Orange Kush due to an alleged drug reference.

Orange Shush pours hazy yellow with a velvety, crisp-white head. Smelling rich in orange, vanilla, and other citrus highlights. The chamomile brings a sweet flowery touch that gives me license to use the term “bouquet” without being a complete beer douche.

That said, this is not a “fruity” beer. Not like the über-sweet Apricot Ales or the likes you may typically shun. Shush is a wheat beer foremost, but with a grassy character and noticeably orange zest that’s just the right amount of sweetness. The coriander brings a wonderfully subtle spice to the juicy, flowery finish. So good.

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