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| EDITORIALS & LETTERS
1996 » BACK
TO EDITORIALS & LETTERS INDEX |
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| LETTERS
TO THE EDITOR (Dec 1996/Jan 1997) Dear
Celebrator:
The recent negative advertising campaign mounted
by A-B against Jim Koch and the Boston Beer Company
should bring dispair to every lover of craft beer.
It seems distinctly mean-spirited. By smearing
a leader in craft brewing, in effect, all of us
are soiled. I am no great fan of Jim Koch's marketing
tactics, but in some primal way, he is a brother
in brewing. Attack my family and you attack me.
One thing is certain — no community should
tolerate a bully in their midst.
John Hickenlooper
Denver, CO. |
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| LETTERS
TO THE EDITOR (Oct/Nov 1996) Dear
Editor:
I am disappointed and distressed to see you persist
in dedicating space to the promotion of these
noxious stink-sticks. Any beer buff worthy of
the name knows that smoking dulls the palate —
one of its milder faults — and that pubs
and restaurants across the continent are trying
to comply with new health regulations that aspire
to promote clean air. Why adulterate the Celebrator
and jeopardize its hard-won credibility with these
articles? Sure, each to his own... but why don't
cigar smokers start their own magazine? I suspect
the editorial board must have been smoking something
else when they OK'd this topic.
Phil Atkinson
Victoria, BC
Dear Phil:
The prevalence
of cigar-oriented beer events is not to be denied.
We are simply reporting on the activity. By the
way, cigar smokers do have several magazines of
their own. We hope they mention beer. If the editorial
board WAS smoking something else, they weren't
sharing!— Ed.
Dear Editor:
We have just finished reading your August/September
1996 issue and as usual found it both informative
and entertaining.
There is one article, "Consumer Reports
Looks at Beer" by Bill Ward about which we
would like to comment. First off, we admit to
some bias. Full Sail Amber was listed as one of
the top three craft brewers and one of only three
with no off-flavors. Mr. Wald makes the point,
"Unfortunately, the taste test used samples
that were apparently purchased indiscriminately
at retail." He goes on to say that this protocol
"does not serve the public interest"
and can hurt the industry.
It is not unfortunate that the samples were purchased
indiscriminately. That is really the point. We
brew beer for our customers, not for a tasting
event. It is how our customer gets the beer that
matters. Everything that we do at our brewery:
our quality control program, our extended aging
on all our beers, distributor management with
tight code policies, legible code dating and limited
geographic distribution are all part of our commitment
that the customer gets the best beer possible
at all times.
We have received numerous awards in our nine
year history. We can assure you that there is
none that we are as proud of as this "indiscriminate
tasting" that shows we are doing a good job
of getting the best beer possible out to our customer
— the most important and discriminating
judge we know.
Irene M. Firmat
James L. Emmerson
Full Sail Brewery
Hood River, OR.
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August/September
1996
Support Your Local Micro Retailer
Tom
Dalldorf |
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Safeway has instituted
a program based on a certain amount of sales per week
to maintain inclusion in its "set." Consequently,
only the most popular and heavily advertised brands
will maintain a position with the chain. Unique "niche"
brewers are simply being left out — including
classics like Chimay! Even local breweries are claiming
exclusion from their local chain stores if they are
not within a limited geographical distance of the store.
This seems an odd response to an industry that has
shown tremendous growth in both consumer interest and
dollar volume. Lucky Stores, under the enlightened guidance
of chain buyer Don Brown, have given local beverage
managers more flexibility in buying to reflect local
demand. In the Pacific Northwest, Fred Meyers Stores
have seemingly miles of shelf space dedicated to micro
beers. Portland's Burlingame Grocery has a mind-boggling
collection of beer. The Liquor Mart in Boulder, CO,
has a huge refrigerated walk-in to keep all the beers
displayed cold.
Steve Boone, who learned his trade with Safeway, the
late Liquor Barn, and Cost Plus, has applied his considerable
marketing skills to his start up Beverages, & More!
which now has eight stores in California. Its beer set
(and superb cigar selection) is pre-eminent in its region.
Local liquor stores with enlightened management are
beginning to develop micro selections to reflect local
clientele. You will occasionally pay a little more with
the "little guy," but by developing a personal
relationship with your neighborhood retailer, you can
be assured of having the products you're most interested
in buying. You will also know when fresh products arrive
and usually be able to special order items that others
might never carry.
Safeway is a business and its mission is to maximize
profits. You, the consumer, will ultimately determine
who is doing the job by voting with your dollars. Support
your local retailer! |
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| LETTERS
TO THE EDITOR (Aug/Sep 1996) Dear
Editor:
Attached a small comment correcting a small error
in the June/July issue of Celebrator.
It is not true that in Britain breweries own the
vast majority of outlets for their beers. This
was the case 50 years ago, but over the years,
brewers have generally shed pubs to individuals
or to non-brewing groups — most recently
following pressure from the anti-trust authorities.
Brewers do dominate distribution and there are
relatively few powerful independent distributors.
And we would be the last to deny the market power
of the largest companies. But all brewery-owned
pubs together only amount to 24% of beer sales.
Even if you add together brewer-owned pubs and
those owned by non-brewing pub chains, they are
still responsible for 45% of beer sales in bars.
It's a weird set-up, but not totally without its
advantages.
Yours sincerely,
Steve Cox
CAMRA Campaigns Manager
St. Albans, Herts., England
Dear Steve:
Thanks for setting
us straight. Our "big guys" dominate
distribution also which is becoming a real problem
for the continued growth of the "craft beer"
segment. — Ed.
Dear Beer Dudes:
I think one of us messed up. Either I lost the
subscription slip or you never sent it, but I'm
pretty sure it's about time to renew. So rather
than take a chance of missing the next issue (I
just received the latest), I'm taking the bull
by the horns and enclosing my check for $14.95
for one more flavor and action-packed year of
the United States' best beer publication.
Cheers,
David Pearson
Carle Place, NY
Dear David:
Wow! Thanks for the endorsement. You'll find
it a bit easier to read the paper if you let go
of the bull. — Ed.
Dear Editor:
I just wanted to inform you of a mistake in Bill
Abernathy's column, Oregon Trail, in regard to
Nor'Wester's new 2-barrel research brewery at
Oregon State University. And that is just it...
Corvallis, OR., is the home of the Beavers and
Oregon State University, NOT University of Oregon
like mentioned in the Oregon Trail column. I am
the quality control/quality assurance manager
and brewing chemist of Nor'Wester AND a graduate
of the Food Science and Technology department
of Oregon State University, so I view this as
a serious faux pas. So please let all of your
readers know of this mistake and please correct
it.
P.S. I take it Mr. Abernathy has not lived in
Oregon long.
Micah Nasarow
Nor'Wester Brewing
Dear Micah:
Thanks for giving Mr. Abernathy a good slap.
He needs it! What do you expect from a graduate
of Reed? By the way, you misspelled "fox
pass." — Ed.
Dear Editor:
Would it be possible to obtain a larger and better
quality copy of the photo on page 41 of the June/July
issue of Celebrator Beer News? Bob Hettmansberger,
the assistant brewer at Heartland in NYC, shown
in the picture, is a former student/employee of
the Applied Research Lab at Penn State. We're
interested in the careers of our former students.
P.S. During a recent trip to Seattle, I had the
pleasure of experiencing Hale's Ales Special Bitter,
which uses a nitrogen charged tap. It was truly
excellent, similar to the authentic, hand-pumped
British pub product.
Jon Eaton
Penn State University
Dear Jon:
Your photo has been sent. Glad we could help
and that you feel one of your graduates becoming
a brewer is a good thing! — Ed.
Dear Celebrator:
Sign me up. I run four to five marathons in California
plus Boston every year, so after a fun 26.2 miles
I desperately need to replenish vital bodily fluids
with good beer and ale. Since you guys are the
authorities on beer, I always check your magazine
for the best places for post-race R&R. The
San Francisco Marathon is coming up soon, so please
send your current issue as soon as possible. I
don't want to be left dying of thirst after all
those hills.
Steve Marques
Los Angeles, CA
Dear Steve:
With all that
running, would you consider taking an arm-load
of Celebrators for distribution? — Ed. |
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June/July
2007
This Bud (Distributor) is NOT For You
Tom Dalldorf |
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| Few craft beer lovers give
much thought as to how the beer actually gets from the
brewery to the retail shops where they go to purchase
their favorite brews. Beer distributors are the middle
"tier" in the sacred "three-tier system"
that prevents breweries from controlling either distribution
or retail. Federal law maintains that you can either produce,
distribute or retail beer. In England the major breweries
control p roduction and distribution AND own a vast majority
of the pubs that sell the products. "Free houses"
are the few independent pubs that can choose which beers
they want to serve. The rest are "tied houses"
that serve only the products from the breweries that own
them. Our system prohibits "tied houses"
and encourages a free marketplace for distribution and
retailing. Anheuser-Busch has developed a network of
Budweiser distributors that are among the best in the
industry. By bestowing virtual "fiefdoms"
on worthy friends and employees in the form of distributorships,
A-B assures the lucky recipient of a vastly lucrative
business in exchange for brand loyalty.
In recent years, Bud distributors have been including
the new and increasingly popular micro, or "craft,"
beers in their product portfolios to augment the mainstream
Bud products that remain their stock-in-trade. Craft
beers have become, more and more, a significant part
of their profit center, considering the gross margins
provided by the exotic (and mo re expensive) brews.
Then Augie Busch III took a vacation in Hawaii. After
a visit to a local Bud house, they had to scrape old
Augie off the ceiling when he saw how much non-Bud beer
was being warehoused there. The word has gone out to
Bud distributors e verywhere: There will be zero tolerance
for "craft" beers not owned by A-B. This has
already cost some major craft brewers (e.g., Sierra
Nevada, Pyramid and Full Sail) distribution in certain
major markets.
Future distribution choices look bleak at best. Miller
and Coors warehouses provide good coverage but may have
priorities similar to A-B's. Wine distributors offer
good coverage but have extensive "books" of
non-beer products and usually require significant support
(money) from the breweries to promote their beers. Independent,
or "micro," distributors can be enthusiastic
about the craft category but often lack capital and/or
cold storage for the more fragile craft beer.
To add insult to injury, the Oregon Brewers Guild was
in lock-step with Anheuser-Busch and Redhook in its
appeal to the BATF for new labeling rules that would
require contract brewers to divulge the brewery and
location where their beers are made. (That was the rule
several years ago until A-B petitioned for the current
non-disclosure.)
It is becoming obvious that "craft brewers"
(the all-malt "real beer" dudes) have more
in common with each other than with the "800-pound
gorilla" that pretty much does what it wants for
its own benefit. A-B has in effect said to its distributors,
"You want craft beer? We'll make our own or buy
them for you." With retail stores cutting back
on micro sets and distributors dropping labels on orders
from St. Louis, the formerly rosy future of the rapidly
growing craft beer industry is starting to look grim.
Ours has always been an industry built on the demand
for quality brewing by an educated and enthusiastic
consumer. We must continue to do our part to demand
quality and variety from the craft beer industry. The
supply side will hopefully persevere in meeting our
demand.
The moral: When you get in bed with an 800-pound gorilla,
be careful he don't roll over. |
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April/May
1996
NBWA vs. BOMs vs. ATF vs. U & Me
Tom Dalldorf |
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The National Beer Wholesalers
Association's legislative priorities for 1996 include
the elimination of beer-of-the-month clubs in the U.S.
The reason? They say only 14 s tates consider the practice
legal, most state governments never collect excise or
sales tax on the transactions, the "three-tier
system" is violated, and there are no safeguards
to keep shipments from underage consumers. Poppycock!
Not only do 14 states have reciprocity agreements making
the process very legal; most other states can't be bothered
with the tiny trade in what amounts to "promotional
samples" to introduce people to microbrewed beer.
A few states (like Texas, Virginia, Kentucky and Florida)
have chosen to take a hard line on the interstate shipment
of beer and wine through "clubs." Kentucky
is proposing to make the shipper subject to a felony
with up to five years in jail and a fine of $20,000!
Naturally, since the Kentucky legislators don't want
to offend their constituents, it' s only a crime to
ship it, not to order it or receive it!
Just whose ox is being gored here? These laws are clearly
anti-consumer and pro-big brewer and beer wholesaler.
With the possible exception of Beer Across America,
the "Budweiser" of beer clubs, which often
ships contract-brewed "virtual reality" microbrews,
the amount of beer shipped point-to-point is minuscule
compared to the millions of gallons handled by the beer
wholesalers annually. Excise taxes are paid by the producer,
and sales taxes are to be collected as per normal interstate
transactions. And the idea that underage thrill-seekers
would pay beer-of-the-month-club prices for two six-packs
of microbrews that get delivered weeks later is ludicrous.
Our friends at the NBWA have a great amount of real
work to do this legislative session, confronting potential
federal excise tax increases, dealing with attempts
at "equalization" and many other noble issues
in the industry's and consumer's interest. Putting beer-of-the-month
clubs out of business will add little to the wholesaler's
coffers and be a tremendous disservice to beer lovers
everywhere. |
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| LETTERS
TO THE EDITOR (Apr/May 1996) Dear
Tom:
What a terrific format! As always, the Celebrator
is way ahead of the pack. Congratulations to you
and all at the Celebrator for such an
awesome publication. And, Happy Eighth!
A Celebrator fan forever,
Marcia Schirmer, Director
Great American Beer Festival
Boulder, CO
Dear Marcia:
OK, OK, you got the job, sheez! — Ed.
Dear Editor:
I guess I have to admit that this past weekend
I finally had an opportunity to get through my
stacks of important beer-related reading materials,
and I'm writing to congratulate you on the "new"
ten-year-old Celebrator Beer News. You
know that your publication has been getting better
and better with each issue, and now the new format
makes it even easier to read. There is so much
great new information to absorb, and with the
new format I can sneak it into boring meetings
with the bankers and read every word. Keep up
the great work!!
Best regards,
Tom Leavitt, President
Merchant du Vin
Seattle, WA
Dear Tom:
Isn't "boring meetings with the bankers"
redundant? — Ed.
Dear Mr. D:
Not to belabor a point, but one thing has come
of your error in placing the Alcatraz Brewing
Co. erroneously in Ohio. We have found out, from
all corners, how well your rag is distributed
and read.
Cheers!
Michael Merriman, Corporate Beverage Manager
California Cafe Restaurants & Alcatraz Brewing
Co.
Corte Madera, CA
Dear Mr. M:
What's black and white and read all over?
A convict escaping from Alcatraz with a Celebrator
in his hand. — Ed.
Dear Editor:
Congratulations on the eighth anniversary of Celebrator
Beer News. (Where does the time go?) I was
especially delighted to see an article by the
one and only Bret Nickels, the first person around
to link beer and news together in a timely, well-written
periodical. Bret' s efforts were instrumental
in tying the California beer geeks (sorry, enthusiasts)
into a community and raising everyone' s consciousness
about the product we all love. I hope to see more
from Bret in future issues. Best wishes for many
more years of beer news and views.
Jerry Burke
Castro Valley, CA
Dear Jerry:
Bret is just finishing up a Master's program
in Canada, and we hope to get more regular contributions
from him when he's not having a stroke. —
Ed.
Dear Tom:
I recently tucked a copy of your latest issue
under my arm and traipsed around the Pacific Northwest
for a holiday beer cruise. What good fortune to
find myself in Eugene, OR, with a copy of James
Shea' s article on the Eugene Scene. With the
article and your Hop Spots page, I managed to
visit all the brewpubs and a few good bars. I
also found a new bar that deserves mention in
the Celebrator. Sam Bond' s Garage, Pub
& Cafe serves only craft beers (Mad River,
Grant's, Anchor, Deschutes, Widmer, etc.) and
other drinks to its patrons while they enjoy live
music and entertainment as well as food.
Salud,
Bill Metzger
Southwest Brewing News
Great Lakes Brewing News
Dear Bill:
Thanks for the tip on Sam Bond's Garage. Since
you're only editing and publishing TWO brewspapers,
you might as well start contributing to this one
as well! — Ed.
Dear Celebrator:
Many thanks for the February/March issue. And
a most hearty congratulations on your 8th anniversary.
I very much like the "new look." The
West Virginia Brewing Company brewpub has been
an outstanding addition to these thirsty hills.
Their various ales, and a phine Pilsener to boot,
rival many of the Bay Area's best brews sampled
during my doctoral days at Berkeley.
Cheers!
Stephan Weiler
Assistant Professor
West Virginia University
Dear Stephan:
Thanks for the good words and the tip on WVBC.
What kind of beers do they have? Appalachian Spring
Bock? Dueling Banjos Pale? Coal Miner's Daughter
Dark? — Ed.
Dear Tom:
CONGRATS on your 8th Anniversary issue. Looks
good, reads better. Looking forward to at least
8 more years of the Celebrator!!
Cheers,
Terry Solomon
Ale & Lager Examiner
White Plains, NY
Dear Terry:
So we gotta do this for eight more
years? — Ed. |
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| LETTERS
TO THE EDITOR (Feb/Mar 1996) Dear
Mr. Dalldorf:
In your August/September edition of the Celebrator,
you mentioned in the "Spent Grains"
section that Full Sail recently came out with
a new concept of using a seasonal six-pack. We
just wanted to point out that Otter Creek has
been using this technique of one six-pack with
different seasonals since the summer of 1993.
It has been great for us, and we wish Full Sail
the best.
P.S. Keep up the good work. I love the Celebrator.
Thanks again,
Andy Morse
Dear Andy:
We hope we didn't imply that Full Sail invented
the concept -- only that they are popularizing
it on the West Coast. By the way, we have enjoyed
other innovations from your brewery over the years,
most especially your "smoked" brews.
You really Otter brew more! I suppose it would
be too much to hope for you to make an Otter Creek
Kriek? — Ed.
Dear Editor:
Please see my check and address as attached for
a two-year subscription to the Celebrator
Beer News. I' m an engineer for Boeing, a
novice homebrewer and a micro (or pico) beer enthusiast.
I need to get involved on the next level... whatever
that might be...? Maybe reading your publication
will help...
Jon Courtright
Seattle, WA
Dear Jon:
(Yeow! My first "Dear Jon" letter!)
We're not quite sure what the "next level"
might be either. But as a Celebratorsubscriber,
you'll be among the first to know. (Or, if you
find out, be sure to let us know!) — Ed.
Dear Celebrator Folks:
Hi. I am looking forward to reading the next issue
of your phine phrothy publication. Many thanks
for your interesting brewspaper, which at least
keeps some of the Western spirit in this displaced
Bay Area native.
Cheers!
Stephan Weiler
Assistant Professor
West Virginia University
Morgantown, WV
Dear Stephan:
Glad the Celebrator could "phind"
its way to Morgantown. Keep that "Western
spirit" intact, and if you can't find any
good local brew, brew some of your own! —
Ed. |
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| Tom Dalldorf is publisher
and editor of the Celebrator Beer News. |
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