| Organic Phenomenon Organic beers have become increasingly popular among consumers, with sales more than doubling since 2004, according to the Organic Trade Association. Sales of organic beer grew 40 percent in the past six months, which ties it with organic coffee as the fastest-growing organic beverage. Even Anheuser-Busch -- the nation's largest beer company and maker of Budweiser products -- recently started producing two brands of organic beers. "The interest level in the past year has grown so that we don't have to pound on doors to sell our product," says organic beer pioneer Scott Burchell, national sales manager of Butte Creek Brewing Co. in Chico, Calif. Though Anheuser-Busch's venture into organic brewing indicates that organic beers are marketable, some organic producers have raised concerns that the large corporation could put pressure on the USDA to lower the standards for organic products, which currently require 95 percent of a product's ingredients to be grown without chemicals or pesticides. Most fans of organic products however had nothing but praise for Anheuser-Busch. Ronnie Cummins, national director of the Organic Consumers Association, says A-B's entry into the organic market will allow a broader audience to experience organic products. It is interesting to note however, that A-B's two organic beers -- Wild Hop and Stone Mill -- will not bear the Budweiser name, but instead will be labeled as from the "Green Valley Brewing Co." and "Crooked Creek Brewing Co." |
| Beer is Back! Beer Tops Gallup Poll as America's Beverage of Choice Data posted on the Gallup Poll's Web site indicate that once again, beer is America's beverage of choice. Findings from Gallup's annual poll on Americans' alcohol and drinking habits demonstrate adult consumer consumption of wine has decreased, while consumption of beer has increased 5 percentage points from July 2005 to June 2006. Of those Americans who drink alcohol, 41 percent most often drink beer. Beer is the largest segment in the alcohol beverage category in both volume and dollar sales, and accounts for nearly 60 percent of all alcohol beverage servings. |
Feature News from beernexus.com
Grilling, Food, and Beer
"Craft beer is perfect for summer grilling. Some
types offers lots of caramel and roasted-grain flavors
that enhance the caramelized proteins of grilled
meats while others offer fruity tastes derrived from
yeasty esters that tend to offset the herbal flavors of
sauces and spices," according to grilling guru and
beer chef J.R. Attamante. "I also think the slightly
bitter edge of a well-hopped ale extends the heat
from chilies and hot spices."
Attamante recomends making beer-based
marinades which allow the meat to become infused
with the beer's flavors as it is being tenderized.
According to him, a good beer-based marinade
should incorporate some oil for moisture, beer for
flavor and acidity (for tenderization), a bit of
sweetener and aromatic and flavorful herbs and/or
fruit for flavor.
Vegetarians also can get in on the beer-and-grilling
act: Attamante touts asparagus, grilled in a light
marinade of olive oil and framboise as a perennial
favorite.
As for drinking beer to enhance the tastes of grilled
meats Attamante recommends beers with a touch of
smoked malt. Style wise, he suggests smoked
porters, German rauchbiers and steinbier or "stone
beer" (because the brewer throws hot rocks into the
liquid to heat it up) for your next cook out.
"You might also try some ambers and brown ales to
pick up some of the sweet, carmelized flavors of
grilled meats and vegetables" he added.
"The malty, hoppy notes in beer are natural partners
to the caramel and spicy flavors of lots of barbecued
and grilled foods," Attamante said. "The carbonation
in beer adds another level of enjoyment. It is
quenching and refreshes the palate for the next bite."
You can use beer to complement textures as well as
flavors: A slightly spicy witbier or a citrusy wheat
beer could be the perfect selection for a lightly
textured fillet of grilled fish while a silky-smooth stout
goes well with a grilled steak.
"Have fun with beer," he concluded. "The key is to
experiment different 'flavor combos' until you find the
ones that rings true for you. "
"Craft beer is perfect for summer grilling. Some
types offers lots of caramel and roasted-grain flavors
that enhance the caramelized proteins of grilled
meats while others offer fruity tastes derrived from
yeasty esters that tend to offset the herbal flavors of
sauces and spices," according to grilling guru and
beer chef J.R. Attamante. "I also think the slightly
bitter edge of a well-hopped ale extends the heat
from chilies and hot spices."
Attamante recomends making beer-based
marinades which allow the meat to become infused
with the beer's flavors as it is being tenderized.
According to him, a good beer-based marinade
should incorporate some oil for moisture, beer for
flavor and acidity (for tenderization), a bit of
sweetener and aromatic and flavorful herbs and/or
fruit for flavor.
Vegetarians also can get in on the beer-and-grilling
act: Attamante touts asparagus, grilled in a light
marinade of olive oil and framboise as a perennial
favorite.
As for drinking beer to enhance the tastes of grilled
meats Attamante recommends beers with a touch of
smoked malt. Style wise, he suggests smoked
porters, German rauchbiers and steinbier or "stone
beer" (because the brewer throws hot rocks into the
liquid to heat it up) for your next cook out.
"You might also try some ambers and brown ales to
pick up some of the sweet, carmelized flavors of
grilled meats and vegetables" he added.
"The malty, hoppy notes in beer are natural partners
to the caramel and spicy flavors of lots of barbecued
and grilled foods," Attamante said. "The carbonation
in beer adds another level of enjoyment. It is
quenching and refreshes the palate for the next bite."
You can use beer to complement textures as well as
flavors: A slightly spicy witbier or a citrusy wheat
beer could be the perfect selection for a lightly
textured fillet of grilled fish while a silky-smooth stout
goes well with a grilled steak.
"Have fun with beer," he concluded. "The key is to
experiment different 'flavor combos' until you find the
ones that rings true for you. "
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