How can we make the United States fall in love with soccer? Buy your friends a beer and watch as a lifelong love affair with the beautiful game begins.
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Planting the Seed of Soccer Across America: Danny Beerseed - 0 comments
Emerald City Supporters members, Seattle Sounders player Roger Levesque, and Sounders announcer Ross Fletcher taste test Redhook Brewing Company's No Equal" Amber Lager (made for the Emerald City Supporters SG)) and Widmer Brother's Brewing Company's "Green & Gold" Kolsch (made for the Timbers Army SG).
Think they might have been a little biased?
Now we've tried both "No Equal" and "Green & Gold" and while the Sounders are having fun and games with propping up te ECS beer and burning of the TA beer they're both very well-crafted brews.
Beer Advocate and Rate Beer both give solid ratings for ECS' amber while the TA kolsch doesn't have enough ratings to aggregate a score yet on either BA or RB they early reviews are just as positive as their Cascadia competitor.
We've always stressed at the Free Beer Movement that its completely fine to hate your opponent for those 90 minutes on the field just as long as you can share a brew before or after the match.
Both "No Equal" and "Green & Gold" should be brews that either a Sounders fan or Timbers fan can share, and appreciate, when their beer is in the others' glass
Planting the Seed of Soccer Across America: Danny Beerseed - 0 comments
We don't get to do this often enough, but when a soccer-specific beer lands at FBM HQ we can't help but bust out the ol' camera and snap a few pictures. A brewery that's interested in supporting local soccer deserves a photo essay to honor their commitment to the American game.
Planting the Seed of Soccer Across America: Danny Beerseed - 0 comments
How do you know that craft beer and American soccer are kindred spirits? When breweries start naming them after players. Meet Unsacred Brewing, a new craft brewery in Salt Lake City, Utah. Just last month the opened their doors with a quartet of brews including a wit beer named after Real Salt Lake's goalkeeper Nick Rimando.
FBM spoke with David Cole one of Unsacred's co-owners about their new brewery's mission, their beers, and, of course, Rimando's Wit.
FBM: Tell us about Unsacred Brewing. Where did the name come from? What's your experience in craft beer brewing? There definitely seems to be a "statement" being made about church and state and Utah beer laws, can you explain what you're trying to do? How does Unsacred fit into the Utah craft beer scene?
You bet it is a statement! We are trying to be as offensive as possible, in a playful way, until Utah legalizes real, full strength beer on draft. We hate that Utah law prevents the sale of beers true to style on draft just because they exceed 4.0% ABV. We are lifetime full strength beer drinkers who “grew up” outside of the constraints of Utah’s laws, and as the owners and brewers of Unsacred we wish to remain somewhat anonymous considering what a shameful act we believe this to be. However, we acknowledge that our foray into 3.2% beer goes against everything that we initially set out to accomplish in the brewing industry. Utah regulations prevent the selling of full strength beers in grocery stores or on tap, and have forced us to set aside our principals and succumb to Utah’s antiquated laws as a necessary evil. The day the law changes will be the day this Unsacred act stops.
FBM: What beers and styles are you brewing? Tells us a little about each.
Priesthood Pale Ale is a traditional pale ale with a nice spicy hop profile. The Vision Lager is a light, sessionable, American-style lager with a clean, crisp, pilsner malt finish, and Unfaithful IPA is a hoppy India pale ale.
Unsacred Brewing's starting line up. From left to right: Vision Lager, Rimando's Wit, Priesthood Pale, and Unfaithful IPA
FBM: Why name a beer after Nick Rimando? Why the wit style? Are you worried that you didn't do the RSL keeper justice since the beer can only be 3.2% ABV?
We have always been fans of Nick Rimando and he is a fan of Wit-style brews, we know that because he loves a beer from Epic Brewing, their Exponential Wit Beer. Most locations in Utah require 4.0% ABV so we hope to have it in the stadium he plays in someday soon so all his fans can drink it and watch him making those saves.
"You OK?" "No... get me a Rimando's Wit."
FBM: You're obviously soccer fans by choosing to name a beer after Rimando. What is it about soccer and craft beer that makes them seem like such a good pairing?
Soccer fans are some of the most fanatic in the world, and the same could be said about craft beer fans as well! Who wouldn’t love watching their favorite soccer team with a delicious craft brew in their hand?!
FBM: Any plans to name other, future beers after RSL players or coaches? Or any other soccer-themed beers? Maybe a Jason Kreis Kolsch?
If Jason is down for it we would do it. We would need his permission, as we have with Nick, but wouldn’t that be cool? Or how about Beckerman Bock?
FBM: Have you tried to make contact with RSL or Rimando at all? If so, what was their/his response? RSL's Twitter account expressed interest in getting Rimando's Wit on tap at Rio Tinto. Would that be in the works?
We contacted Nick Rimando prior to the naming of the brew and he was on board and excited about having the Wit named after him. We are hoping to have the Wit on tap at Rio Tinto for the upcoming season!
Planting the Seed of Soccer Across America: Danny Beerseed - 0 comments
Photo Credit: BeerPulse.com
There are over 2,700 craft breweries and craft brew pubs in the United States according to the latest numbers from the Brewers Association. Each year that number grows by leaps and bounds as new brewers and breweries share their wealth of knowledge and delicious innovations with the public. We're starting this new series, "Through the Drinking Glass", to profile brewers and breweries across the country.
Meet Sierra Nevada Brewing Co. of Chico, California. Although if you're into craft beer you've probably met them many times. SA is one of the oldest and most successful craft breweries in the United States. For 32 years they've been putting out great "gateway" beers that have probably brought millions into the craft beer fold.
Their flagship beer, Sierra Nevada Pale Ale, is hoppy, but not so intense to turn off any potential newbies. SA has also been an industry leader in sustainable brewing.
Check out their story and as they put it... their "pioneering spirit", which we can attest to, is still alive and well.
Planting the Seed of Soccer Across America: Danny Beerseed - 0 comments
Photo Credit: Founders Brewing Co.
There are over 2,000 craft breweries and craft brew pubs in the United States according to the latest numbers from the Brewers Association. Each year that number grows by leaps and bounds as new brewers and breweries share their wealth of knowledge and delicious innovations with the public. We're starting this new series, "Through the Drinking Glass", to profile brewers and breweries across the country.
Two quotes that really stood out for us in this amazingly produced video about Founders' story.
"The craft beer culture keeps on getting stronger and stronger. The best thing you can do for somebody is introduce them to craft beer. It will, literally, open up a whole new world."
Just substitute the word "soccer" for "craft beer" in the quote and you've got our core beliefs. That being said the parallels between craft beer and soccer continue astound us and that's why we've paired them together in the FBM.
And:
"Beer brings people together. "
Yup. So why not throw a soccer game on on the TV and do a little educating?
Planting the Seed of Soccer Across America: Danny Beerseed - 0 comments
1BBC "Storefront" (Photo Credit: FBM)
There are over 2,000 craft breweries and craft brew pubs in the United States according to the latest numbers from the Brewers Association. Each year that number grows by leaps and bounds as new brewers and breweries share their wealth of knowledge and delicious innovations with the public. We're starting this new series, "Through the Drinking Glass", to profile brewers and breweries across the country. On our many FBM road trips we're always hunting down new places to enjoy a great beer and, if they'll give us the time, talk up the owners and brew masters that are leading the craft beer revolution in America.
One Barrel Brewing Company (Madison, Wisconsin) opened in June of 2012. Owner and head brewer Peter Gentry was an awarding winning home brewer before he decided to open the area's first nano-brewery. Gentry is also an avid fan of soccer... which is nice.
1BBC owner and brewmaster Peter Gentry (Photo Credit: CRAIG SCHREINER, Wisconsin State Journal)
Free Beer Movement: When did you get the itch to start brewing?
Peter Gentry: Maybe eight years ago I bought a home brew kit for Father's Day, something to do with my dad. We brewed there for a year doing abstract brew then when I went to all-grain I moved it to my house and have been brewing ever since. There have been years when I've brewed a hundred batches and there have been years that I've brewed ten batches. But I won a few awards along the way and I kind of felt like this (opening a brewery) was something I could do so I researched it a lot and decided that this was the niche I was going for; the nano-brewery idea. I think that it's up-and-coming and that's why I'm here now.
FBM: Where did the name of the brewery come from?
PG: It morphed. We were originally going to call it Monona Brewing Company, but people got confused because there's a city here (named after the lake that's near Madison) that's called Monona and we're, obviously, not located in that city. I got together with the brain trust and everyone agreed to change it. So the Monona Brewing logo is actually in the shape of the barrel you see now and it morphed because it fit and I was brewing one barrel at a time.
FBM: What's the philosophy and thinking behind brewing one barrel at a time?
PG: Money is the main thing. (laughs) First it was ten )barrels), then it was seven, then it was three. Then I decided this (one barrel) was the model I wanted to follow. Part of that is because I want to showcase how easy brewing can be; how small scale it can be. That's why I have my brewery set up the way it is; so you can see. Any "Joe Shmoe" can come in and see it's just three big ass kettles. With trial and error you can figure it out. The idea is to make it (brewing) approachable. Small batches. Experimental batches. So people can come in and have varieties and see the simplicity in which that variety can be made.
FBM: What's the importance of making craft beer? And having people consume craft beer?
PG: They say that 'variety is the spice of life and people are finding that out more and more. Our society is tied down with the need to make more money and drive bigger cars. We're trying to push away from that. To have some variety, to have these experiential expenditures. People are willing to try different chocolates, different friends, different beers things like that. That's why I think this whole thing has boomed here.
We're trying to expose people to the simplicity of making and the simplicity of drinking it.
Brew kettles for all the world to see. (Photo Credit: FBM)
FBM: What are the future plans for 1BBC?
PG: For styles of beer anything and everything. We're thinking about doing any number of things. People are throwing ideas at us. We're thinking about trying to do a gluten-free beer, stein beers where we throw hot rocks in there, chai tea beers. We've got a hibiscus beer on tap right now; we'd like to do something like that.
In terms of future plans I always intended to open a second one of these depending how the model works out. It seems to be working pretty well. Taking my knowledge from opening this one and opening a west side one.
FBM: Tell us your soccer story.
PG: I've played soccer since I was about five. I was pretty good in high school and invited to walk on at Wisconsin, but that cut me after a day so I wasn't that good apparently. I've been playing the men's league in town for years. I sorted retired and started this so I really haven't played in a year or so.
But we do want to kind of make this a soccer place. We watched the Euro Finals here before it was even open. All my friends play soccer. We've got a lot of 56ers players (the local NPSL team) that come in here. That's something we're really going to push.
I wasn't going to get a TV in here except for the (Green Bay) Packer and soccer games!
FBM: Soccer and beer. What is the magic of putting those two thing together?
PG: We'll you get a little bit drunker. (laughs). You're able to cheer a little bit louder. I've been to three World Cups now and it's just a part of it. You go to Berlin, Germany and order a beer and you get to experience their culture. I've had Estrella beer and that holds a special place in my heart because when we were in France for the World Cup we went down to Barcelona and drank many, many of those.
It brings people together. It's a community. You bring a lot of people into one place for a shared goal.
It brings different cultures together. You don't even have to speak the same language if you get drunk enough.
FBM: Tell us about Unsacred Brewing. Where did the name come from? What's your experience in craft beer brewing? There definitely seems to be a "statement" being made about church and state and Utah beer laws, can you explain what you're trying to do? How does Unsacred fit into the Utah craft beer scene?
FBM: Where did the name of the brewery come from?
