by Ruth Berman, Ceo Of Bon Beer Voyage Tours For Belgian & Craft Beer Enthusia
This month we'd like to share with you some of the benefits of drinking beer. That's right, beer has health benenfits! And this is something that's been known for years. In fact, a recent study by researchers at Emory University in Atlanta indicated that beer was the source of antibiotics for patients 2000 years ago. The researcher had set out to study oteoporosis in ancient African mummies and ended up finding a huge amount of teracycline in the bones. Interesting, considering Tetracycline wasn't patented until around 1950. The scientists traced the origin of the drug back to the fermented grain used by these people to make beer. Another study, this time from Tufts University, says that drinking beer helps protect bone mineral density. Apparantlly beer (especially dark beer) conta...
by Ruth Berman, Ceo Of Bon Beer Voyage Tours For Belgian & Craft Beer Enthusia
In a country known for its beer and breweries, surprisingly enough, Gruut is Ghent's only working brewery. It opened in April 2009 and is run by a woman brewer, Annick De Splenter. Annick is incredibly dedicated and diligent in her work. Wanting to recreate the medieval recipe for Grutt, she spent years going back to school and researching before she opened her brewery. She also paid her dues working for other companies. Now she has perfected her craft and we get to reap the benefits of her hard work every time we visit Ghent and her amazing Brewery, Gruut.Gruut, or gruit or grut, depending on who is spelling it, is pronounced Groot (among many other variations depending on where you happen to be in Belgium). It was the mix of spices and plants used in medieval times to flavor and somewh...
by Ruth Berman, Ceo Of Bon Beer Voyage Tours For Belgian & Craft Beer Enthusia
We toured 2 breweries and 1 brewpub during Bon Beer Voyage's Tampa Beer Safari Weekend this past February. Lucky us! We had the chance to chat with Joey Redner, owner of the wildly popular Cigar City Brewing in Tampa, Florida. For owning such a popular and successful business, Joey is a very down to earth guy and is very into promoting craft beer. BBV: What made you decide to open a brewery?JR: Love. Love of craft beer. Love for my city- there wasn't anyone doing the beers I wanted to drink locally. I considered going to a market where it would be more financially viable, somewhere where the laws work, but I love my city and I decided to overcome whatever it would take to do it here. BBV: What has been the best part of the experience for you to date?JR: Seeing the reaction to the...
by Ron Kapon
In late winter I was invited to spend 6 days at the 3rd International Wine Convention in Puglia, Italy (Apulia in English). There were 65 guests including members of the press (14), tour operators (8) and buyers (43) present. Each group had their own program and schedule while we got together for many meals and several meetings. I will concentrate on my group of journalists from Denmark, Netherlands, Czeck Republic, Australia, Italy, Great Britain, Norway, China and the USA.My home for 5 nights was Masseria Torre Coccaro, which with its neighboring Masserie Torre Maizza (same ownership) was fully booked by the Wine Convention. Torre Coccaro is a masseria (Apulian farm) a few steps from the sea, dating back to the 16th century and surrounded by olive, almond and carob trees. This tower, onc...
by Henry Weingarten
There is much discussion these days regarding wine labeling. In general we are in the camp that "more is better". Truth in labeling is historically important. But something too often overlooked is THE PURPOSE OF WINE. Should not the purpose of wine also be written on its label?While reading THE PHILOSOPHY OF WINE by Roger Scruton: “The Ancient Egyptians, incidentally, while they often labeled wines with the place of their production and would trade with all the best supplier around the Mediterranean, would classify wines by their social function. Archaeologists have recovered amphorae labeled as “wine for first-class celebrations”, “wine for tax collection day”, “wine for dancing”, and so on.”I had an AHA moment: Wine writers usually discuss WHY buy a particular wine. The f...
by Paul W. Jameson
When you visit a winery these days (at least in the United States), you are more likely than not to be charged for tasting their wines. You are also likely to discover that they have a wine club, and are given the opportunity to sign up on the spot. Should you join?While details vary, wine clubs tend to offer members free tastings when they come to the winery, and discounts of 15 to 20 percent or more off your wine purchases. In return, you agree to buy two or three bottles every two to three months, for at least a year (at the discounted price).First of all, obviously, you should only join a club if you like their wines. But if you really like their wines, and would buy them on a regular basis anyways, there are great advantages to wine clubs. I recently made a day trip to Santa Barb...
by James O'connell
IN LOVE AND TEQUILA: A TRUE LOVE STORYA Couple Finds Love, Reunites With Family, and Shares a Legacy with Señor Rio TequilaPhoenix, AZ – March 15, 2011 – They never could have anticipated the journey that lay in front of them - an adventure which would include falling in love, traveling to Mexico to reunite with an estranged father of 30 years and sharing a family’s generations-old passion for tequila with the world.The story began in Arizona in 2005, when former real estate agent Debbie Medina unassumingly knocked on the door of her newest client, Jonathan Gach, a former accountant originally from New York. Their relationship quickly grew into a friendship, and eventually romance.Later that year, Medina, a native of Chicago, was contacted by her father whom she hadn’t seen in 30...
by Uncorked And Decanted Wine Events, Frank & Maria Bramwell
In Search of Great Wine and Great Value California’s Central Coast Delivers California wine country is a phrase that, for most wine enthusiasts, clicks on one image—Napa Valley. True, there’s no place like warm, sunny Napa for the mighty Cabernet Sauvignon and oaky Chardonnay. But there are other great grapes and exciting growing regions in the state; and among the more interesting, less congested and less pricey, the Central Coast stands out as a force with which to be reckoned. With a trusty GPS and a sense of adventure, we recently set out on a week-plus tour of the Central Coast wine country. And we came back with a clearer picture and appreciation of the region’s wines, as well as quite a few cases. In fact, we found quality and value in good fo...
by Stefanie Phillips
Before you begin finalizing your wine cellar plans, it’s important to calculate the probable size of your wine collection. Figure out how large or small you would like your collection to be and the number of bottles you are currently storing. This will help you estimate the cost, size and materials needed to construct your wine cellar. A large-scale wine storage area isn’t necessary if you are planning on storing a few bottles in your home.For smaller collections, there are a few options. Consider smaller storage options or wine racks to store your wine in an existing space in your home. Wine should be stored away from heat sources and vibration if possible. Wine cubes also work well for smaller wine collections and can easily be incorporated into the décor of any room. Consider a lar...
by Bernard Kenner
“The Waiting Game: Age-worthy Brunello di Montalcino, ChiantiClassico and Vino Nobile di Montepulciano” Kevin Zraly hosted a very well attended seminar at the Hilton New York, on February 8, as part of the 2011 Italian Wine Masters. The annual event brings many great Tuscan producers, along with DOCG Prosecco to New York. This year Zraly was on hand to present two seminars: the morning focused on the Tuscan wines, and a later one on bubbly from the Veneto.He is a well known wine educator, with instant name recognition. I thought it would be a great opportunity to see him in action and experience some mature Tuscan powerhouses. I’d been waitlisted for the seminar, so I arrived early to make sure I got a seat if there were no shows, and my anticipation was great. From what I...
