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March 2008
Hello to all beer fans and CIBAS, Central Indiana Beer Appreciation Society, members.
Beer Goggles" Effect
Explained
Scientists believe they have worked out a formula to calculate how "beer
goggles" affect a drinker's vision, BBC reports. The drink-fuelled phenomenon is
said to transform supposedly "ugly" people into beauties - until the morning
after.
Researchers at Manchester University say while beauty is in the eye of the
beer-holder, the amount of alcohol consumed is not the only factor. Additional
factors include the level of light in the pub or club, the drinker's own
eyesight and the room's smokiness.
The distance between two people is also a factor.
They all add up to make the aesthetically-challenged more attractive, according
to the formula:
An = number of units of alcohol consumed
S = smokiness of the room (graded from 0-10, where 0 clear air; 10 extremely
smoky)
L = luminance of 'person of interest' (candelas per square metre; typically 1
pitch black; 150 as seen in normal room lighting)
Vo = Snellen visual acuity (6/6 normal; 6/12 just meets driving standard)
d = distance from 'person of interest' (metres; 0.5 to 3 metres)
The formula can work out a final score, ranging from less than one - where there
is no beer goggle effect - to more than 100. Nathan Efron, Professor of Clinical
Optometry at the University of Manchester, said: "The beer goggles effect isn't
solely dependent on how much alcohol a person consumes, there are other
influencing factors at play too.
"For example, someone with normal vision, who has consumed five pints of beer
and views a person 1.5 metres away in a fairly smoky and poorly lit room, will
score 55, which means they would suffer from a moderate beer goggle effect." The
research was commissioned by eyecare firm Bausch & Lomb PureVision. A poll
showed that 68% of people had regretted giving their phone number to someone to
whom they later realised they were not attracted. A formula rating of less than
one means no effect. Between one and 50 the person you would normally find
unattractive appears less "visually offensive".
Non-appealing people become suddenly attractive between 51 and 100. At more than
100, someone not considered attractive looks like a super model.
Ed-note – An alcohol unit is 10ml or 8 grams of pure alcohol. The number of units in a drink depends on what you're drinking - how strong it is and how much there is. You may have seen examples of drinks that contain one unit, but these examples are often out of date, for instance: Half a pint of 3.5% beer/lager is one unit BUT many continental lagers are closer to 5% while extra strong lagers can be as strong as 9%! One small (125 ml) glass of wine at 9% is one unit BUT who uses small glasses? Certainly not pubs and probably not at home either. Plus most wines are now about 11-13%.
Factoids:
-On the basis of volume, Beer accounts for 87% of all alcoholic beverages consumed in the United States. Wine accounts for 8% and distilled spirits for 5%.
Reminders:
Gravity Head at Rich O's New Albany
1 Night of the Living Ales, Chicago. The Chicago Beer Society cask ale event. 6:30-10:30 P.M. details at www.chibeer.org or 847-905-ALES
6 Fire Chief Ale release party. Both Rock Bottoms in Indy. 6pm
8 AleFest Indy, 2-6pm The Murat Centre, 502 N. New Jersey - over 150 craft beers available!
Statewide and other Local Updates –
Costco looking at selling own line of beer
Costco Wholesale Corp. has applied to sell its own brand of beer, according to Bloomberg News.The Kirkland Signature label applications for pale ale, amber ale, hefeweizen and a lager were approved last week by the Alcohol and Tobacco Tax and Trade Bureau. Bloomberg reported Costco already offers Kirkland Signature wines and is one of the top sellers of wine in the U.S.
Brugge Brasserie is expanding to the upstairs as Netheads has moved out. They hope to have the place renovated and open in April. Cool!
-Daily Updates! – Best found at www.indianabeer.com
-Indiana Tap lists best found at www.brewersofindianaguild.com/ontap.html
Domestic Stuff:
(Denver,
Colorado)
– Matt Venzke, an avid beer lover from
Yorktown, Virginia, has
been crowned the winner of Wynkoop Brewing Company’s 2008 Beerdrinker of the
Year contest.
Venzke, an
aircraft maintenance manager, won the title in the hotly contested National
Finals on Saturday, February 23, at
Wynkoop Brewing Company. This was his fourth time at entering
the contest, he was a semifinalist last year. “For four years,” Venzke said,
“it’s been a dream of mine to win the Beerdrinker of the Year title. It’s great
to now be recognized by the judges and previous winners. I’m proud to be among
this very select group of beer lovers.” “I feel like I’ve been given a flag to
carry,” Venzke adds, “for all of the great things beer has to offer.” Venzke’s
home beer bar is The
Taphouse on Queensway
in
Hampton, Virginia.
He is the second straight Virginia resident to win the competition. (Diane
Catanzaro of Norfolk, Virginia was the 2007 Beerdrinker of the Year.) Venzke
beat out finalists J Mark Angelus
(of Nehalem, Oregon) and Richard
Pedretti-Allen
(McKinney, Texas). He landed the title with a combination of impressive beer
drinking experiences, humor and beer ambassadorship. Venzke’s resume boasted of
many beer drinking experiences. Venzke has visited
454 breweries in
16 nations and
39 states. Over the past five
years, he has recorded tasting notes on over
3200 different beers in
69 different styles.
He logged 3,000 miles
in 2007 while traveling to breweries across North America. While stationed in
alcohol-free Kuwait on a military deployment a few years ago, Venzke conducted a
tasting of 17 non-alcohol beers. As the 2008 Beerdrinker of the Year, Venzke
wins free beer for life at Wynkoop
Brewing Company, a
$250 beer tab at the
Taphouse on Queensway, and the opportunity to
brew a special beer with
Larsen for next year’s Beerdrinker of the Year event. He also won clothing
proclaiming him the 2008 Beerdrinker of the Year, a place on Wynkoop’s
Beerdrinker of the Year trophy, and the glory that comes with the lofty title of
Beerdrinker of the Year. For interviews with Venzke and more information on
Beerdrinker of the Year,
beerdrinker@wynkoop.com
BeerAdvocate.com Becomes the Largest Beer Community in the World
Boston, MA, February 11, 2008 --(PR.com)-- BeerAdvocate.com celebrated over 150,000 website members last month, making the grassroots network of beer enthusiasts and industry professionals the largest of its kind in the world. "We're honored to be surrounded by such a large group of people who appreciate beer as much as we do," said Todd Alström, co-founder of BeerAdvocate. "This is a major milestone for beer," added brother and co-founder, Jason Alström. "When we started over 11 years ago, few people were using the Internet for beer, let alone using our website. Today, we're a powerful voice for beer consumers, thanks to the dedication, passion, and support of our users. Cheers to them!" BeerAdvocate.com offers its users an invaluable resource, including the ability to: discuss beer-related topics, search and review beers & places, find beer events, create local BeerAdvocate member gatherings, learn about beer styles and how to serve them, read the latest beer news, and become part of like-minded community who share a passion for learning more about beer. Membership is free. Nearly 90% of its users hail from the United States, 3.2% from Canada, 1.3% from the United Kingdom, 1% from Australia, and the remainder from 188 different countries. Current page impressions exceed 5 million each month. Throughout 2008, the Alström Bros are preparing to launch several viral marketing campaigns to raise awareness for beer. "We can always do more for the industry and its image," explained Todd Alström, "and that's what being a BeerAdvocate is all about."
About BeerAdvocate
BeerAdvocate is a global, grassroots network, powered by an independent
community of beer enthusiasts and industry professionals who are dedicated to
supporting and promoting beer. BeerAdvocate.com was founded in 1996 by brothers
Jason & Todd Alström, who now host 3 beer festivals a year in Boston and last
year launched the nation's only monthly beer magazine dedicated to advocating
beer through a unique exploration of beer style, culture, and respect.
Miller, Coors May Base Venture in Chicago
Chicago
would be a leading candidate for the headquarters of a joint venture between the
Miller and Coors beer brands, say sources and analysts, though a decision
appears far from being made. Molson Coors Brewing Co. and SABMiller PLC in
October unveiled a joint venture for their US operations, a bid to better
challenge beer industry titan Anheuser-Busch. Miller is the No. 2 US brewer,
Coors No. 3. Molson Coors is based in Denver, while London-based SABMiller has
its US headquarters in Milwaukee. The Rocky Mountain News, quoting a top Molson
Coors executive, reported Wednesday that the joint venture wouldn't likely be
based in Denver or Milwaukee. Two sources close to the matter told the
Tribune that Chicago would be a prime choice for the headquarters.
Kabira Hatland, a spokeswoman for Molson Coors, said the joint venture has yet
to decide which corporate functions would be located at headquarters and that a
review of possible sites won't begin until the joint venture is approved by the
US Department of Justice. That action isn't expected until midyear. Molson Coors
vice chairman Peter Coors told the Rocky Mountain News, "My hope is
we'll have a very small headquarters." He said he expected the joint venture
would continue to have a "huge presence" in Colorado and Milwaukee. Chicago is
also a hub for beer marketing. DraftFCB in Chicago is Coors' lead ad agency.
Starcom in Chicago is Miller's media buyer, while Y&R's Chicago office handles
the Miller Genuine Draft account.
Craft Brewer Sales Continue to Soar
In what has
become a true American success story, the craft beer market again grew by double
digits in 2007, leading all other segments in the beer category. The Brewers
Association reports estimated sales by independent craft brewers up 12 percent
by volume and 16 percent in dollars for 2007. Craft brewers' share of the beer
category is 3.8 percent of production and 5.9 percent of retail sales. The
Brewers Association annually polls the country's craft brewers to estimate the
total volume of beer sold by brewpubs, microbreweries and regional craft
breweries in the United States, and uses scan data to estimate sales. Results
show that the U.S. had 1,449 total breweries in operation in the U.S. during
2007, including 1,406 small, independent and traditional craft brewers. Nearly
70 percent of craft breweries are brewpubs that sell most or all of their beer
on-premises. "Since 2004, dollar sales by craft brewers have increased 58
percent," said Paul Gatza, director of the Brewers Association. "The strength of
this correlates with the American trend of buying local products and a
preference for more flavorful foods The Brewers Association estimates the actual
dollar sales figures from craft brewers at more than $5.74 billion, up from
$4.95 billion in 2006. Sales in barrels equaled 8,011,141 (one barrel is 31 U.S.
gallons) up from 7,147,050 barrels in 2006. The 2007 increase totals 864,091
barrels, which is the equivalent of 11.9 million cases or 285 million 12-ounce
bottles of beer.
Utah license requirements for
homebrew beer might be cut
Brewing your own beer at home might not require a license in the future. A bill
making its way through the Legislature would repeal the licensing requirement
for small-time home brewers. It currently costs hundreds of dollars in license
and application fees to legally homebrew beer, although few people pay those
fees like they're supposed to.
House Bill 425 would allow homebrewers to brew 100 gallons of beer a year
without needing a license. It passed in the House Wednesday 55 to 13. It will
now be considered in the Senate.
Note – 14 states have some written restrictions for homebrewing that differs from the National. Indiana does not.
-----Note-I occasionally add Dixie news to this newsletter. It’s a personal thing. I once lived across the street from the Brewery in N.O. 30 years ago, I saw their beer discontinued and then revived again through the offerings of free beer in parking lots and on the streets. I’m sentimental (mental). Dixie Blackened Voodoo is the perfect example of an American Dark Lager
Dixie Beer Finds a Temporary Home in Wisconsin
Dixie beer has seen hard times since it was born in the
land of cotton. But, thanks to a Wisconsin brewery, it won't be forgotten. Even
though its New Orleans brewery remains out of commission because of Hurricane
Katrina, Dixie beer is again being sold in a growing number of states. That
revival is made possible by Minhas Craft Brewery, formerly Huber Brewing, in the
southern Wisconsin community of Monroe, which has been hired by Dixie to brew
and package its beer. Dixie Brewing Co. owners Joe and Kendra Bruno picked the
Monroe brewery in part because its central location within the United States
makes it a good place from which to ship Dixie beer throughout the country. The
flooding that occurred after Hurricane Katrina struck in 2005 left much of the
brewery under 7 to 9 feet of water, Bruno said. After the floodwater receded,
the looters struck. They ripped out the brew kettles and other copper fixtures
to sell for scrap, he said. Also, the flood wiped out all of Dixie's business
records, which has affected the company's recovery, Kendra Bruno said. The
Brunos also said they were impressed with both the Minhas facility and the
spirit of the brewery's employees. "The heartbeat of Huber was the heartbeat we
were looking for," said Joe Bruno, referring to the historic name of the
brewery, whose Wisconsin roots reach back over 160 years. Dixie itself has a
long history, and in October celebrated its 100th anniversary. The Brunos plan
to reopen the New Orleans brewery within two years. They also plan to build a
rooftop beer garden in hopes of drawing some of the millions of visitors
attracted to the Big Easy each year.
Minhas Craft Brewery earlier this year began brewing and packaging three Dixie
Brewing brands: the flagship Dixie Lager, Jazz Amber Light and Blackened Voodoo
Lager. Dixie's brewmaster, Kevin Stuart, has flown to Monroe to oversee the
production according to the recipes for the beers. The latest batch of Dixie was
packaged on Nov. 12, said Gary Olson, Minhas Craft Brewery president. The next
batch is scheduled for January, he said. The Dixie brands are not now available
in Indiana but should be soon in February In the New Orleans area, where Dixie
is a longtime local favorite, drinkers have been snapping up six-packs since its
return, said Peter Zuppardo, who operates Zuppardo's Economical Super Market in
Metairie, La. "They have a very loyal following down here," Zuppardo said.
Dixie's return is a story of survival.
"Kate the Great" Portsmouth Brewery's Beer Named Best In U.S.
'Kate The Great' Named Best Beer In U.S. By Beer Advocate - America's Best Beer in 2007, according to Beer Advocate Magazine. The results of Beer Advocate Magazine's annual readers' beer ratings ranked Portsmouth Brewery's Imperial Stout -- "Kate the Great" -- in first place of 2007's Best Beers in America list. The winning New Hampshire-brewed beer was announced in the December edition of the magazine. The Imperial Stout came in third place for the Beer Advocate's 25 Best Beers on Planet Earth list. The rankings are based on tens of thousands of individual beer ratings submitted by Beer Advocate members. According to its Web site, Beer Advocate is a global, grassroots network with over 100,000 beer enthusiasts and industry professionals who are dedicated to supporting and promoting beer. "Kate the Great" is the brewery's well known and loved imperial Russian Stout.
Boston Beer Makes It Official: No New Brewery
Boston Beer Co. has made it official that it will not build a new brewery in Free Town, Mass. The brewer of Samuel Adams beers sent a letter to officially end its relationship with Freetown, eight months after the brewer accepted tax incentives from the town and announced plans to invest about $200 million to build the brewery. Instead of building a new facility in Freetown, Boston Beer bought Diageo North America, an existing brewery in Lehigh Valley Pennsylvania for $55 million. The brewer plans to spend another $50 million to renovate the plant, and will start operations there in the summer.
Flying Dog Closes Colorado Brewery
Flying Dog Brewery has closed its Denver brewery and moved all production to Maryland, where it has operated a brewery since 2006. Eric Warner, president and CEO of Flying Dog, announced that the company is concentrating its brewing operations at the state-of-the-art facility in Frederick that it acquired from Frederick Brewing. Warner also announced that the company recently raised $3 million in capital to fund continued development of its brands. The company will maintain its corporate headquarters in Lower Downtown Denver, and Flying Dog's 13 craft beers will continue to be distributed throughout Colorado.
Import Important
Budvar Boosts U.S. Export Thanks to A-B Deal
PRAGUE, Czech Republic: The Czech state-owned brewery
Budejovicky Budvar NP, which has been fighting a long legal battle with
Anheuser-Busch over the Budweiser brand, said Tuesday it boosted its exports to
the United States by 37 percent last year due to a distribution deal with its
U.S. archrival. Budvar exported a total of some 11,000 hectoliters (289,500
gallons) of beer to the United States in 2007, compared with some 8,000
hectoliters (210,500 gallons) the previous year, the brewer said in a statement.
In a deal announced in January last year, Anheuser-Busch agreed to distribute
Budvar's Czechvar lager in the United States, giving the Czech company access to
its U.S. competitor's unrivaled network of 600 independent wholesalers. Although
Budvar considers itself the maker of the original Budweiser, it has exported its
lager to the U.S. under the name Czechvar since 2001 due to trademark issues.
Budvar has fought with U.S.-based beer giant Anheuser-Busch Companies, Inc. in a
number of countries over use of the famous Budweiser brand, to which both
companies claim a historical right.
Guinness Has Launched A Campaign To Have St Patrick's Day Officially
Recognised As A Holiday In The US.
The campaign is centred around a petition, which it hopes one million people will sign or endorse by midnight on Sunday 16 March. It will then be presented to Congress the following day, which of course any Irish man, woman, child or indeed self-respecting plastic paddy will of course know is St Patrick's Day. The petition can be signed in bars and off-licences - excuse my American 'liquor stores' - across the US as well as online. However, despite millions of Americans claiming to have at least a little bit of Irish in them, the chances of St Patrick's Day being a national holiday in the US are thought to be low. It would, cultural analysts say, open the flood gates for people of every nationality - actual and adopted - to call for their particular holidays 'back home' to be recognised with a holiday. For further information about Guinness' campaign to have St Patrick's Day officially recognised as a hoilday in the US, go to http://www.Proposition317.com
Carlsberg, Heineken Buy Scottish & Newcastle for $15.3B
LONDON: Brewers Carlsberg and Heineken will buy beer maker Scottish & Newcastle for $15.3 billion, the companies said Friday. Scottish & Newcastle PLC, which rejected two earlier bids, agreed to an all-cash offer of 800 pence ($15.68) per share. The offer values the existing share capital of S&N at 7.6 billion pounds ($14.9 billion), and the bidders said they plan to issue another 200 million pounds worth of shares. The price is a premium of 50.7 percent over the closing share price on March 28, the day before speculation arose about a possible bid for S&N. If the deal goes through, Copenhagen-based Carlsberg A/S would gain sole ownership of Baltic Beverages and S&N's French, Greek and Chinese operations, while Amsterdam-based Heineken NV would take control of its British, American, Indian and other markets. Baltic Beverages operates 19 breweries, holding the top position in the Russian, Baltic and Kazakh beer markets, and ranks third in Ukraine. Its brands include Baltika, Arsenalnoe, Slavutich and Alma-Ata. Sam Hart, analyst at Charles Stanley & Co., predicted that there would be no difficulty in gaining regulatory approval in the US, European Union, Russia and Ukraine. "The emergence of counter-bidders looks very unlikely, given the level of the offer and unattractive growth prospects in S&N's core Western European markets," Hart added. "We now have full control of our destiny in Russia and other BBH territories and I am truly excited about the new opportunities this will present to us," said Jorgen Buhl Rasmussen, president and CEO of Carlsberg. Jean-Francois van Boxmeer, chairman and CEO of Heineken, said the deal made his company the leading brewer in Europe and created "significant opportunities in profitable markets to grow the premium Heineken brand." Part of Heineken's interest in S&N was getting into the U.K. cider market, which is growing nearly 20 percent per year, the company said. Iain MacLean, national officer of the Unite union, said he was concerned about the possibility of cuts in Scottish & Newcastle's work force of 3,300. "We have a meeting with Scottish and Newcastle next week and we will be looking for Carlsberg Heineken to guarantee the security of our members' jobs," MacLean said. Scottish & Newcastle shares rose 2 percent at $15.31 on the London Stock Exchange. Carlsberg shares gained 1.1 percent to $110.97 in Copenhagen. Heineken shares advanced 2.8 percent to $60.68 in Amsterdam
Carlsberg Will Sell $400 Beer, World's Most Expensive
Jan. 25 (Bloomberg) -- Carlsberg A/S ads say it's ``probably the best beer in the world.'' At $400 a bottle, it's now the most expensive. The brewer, Scandinavia's biggest, introduced a beer today that costs 2,008 Danish kroner ($396.47), the price being based on the year of its introduction. The Vintage No. 1 brew will be sold at three Copenhagen restaurants, including Noma, a holder of two Michelin stars and the world's 15th-best restaurant in 2007, according to S.Pellegrino. The product, costing 357 times more than Carlsberg's main Danish lager brand, has been developed to challenge luxury wines in the gourmet restaurant market and capitalize on rising individual wealth. Denmark, a country of 5.4 million, has 16 dollar billionaires, according to a list published this month by Berlingske Nyhedsmagasin magazine. The number of billionaires worldwide rose 21 percent last year to 946, Forbes magazine said. `We can feel that there's an increasing market for this type of product, as some of our customers order extremely expensive wines without blinking an eye,'' Lau Richter, restaurant chief at the Noma restaurant, said today by phone. ``Ten years ago, it was a rare event selling a 1,000 kroner bottle of wine at a Danish restaurant, now we do it every day.'' Carlsberg has produced 600 bottles of the 10.5 percent proof beer, each of 37.5 centiliters (0.8 pint). Another version costing 2,009 kroner will be introduced next year and one for 2,010 kroner the year after, the company said today in an e-mail. The number of Danish breweries has increased ten-fold since 2000 with the opening of about 90 microbreweries and brewpubs specializing in gourmet beer. Carlsberg, whose Danish market share has declined from a peak 81 percent in 1971 to 63 percent last year, in 2005 opened the Jacobsen microbrewery in Copenhagen to tap increasing demand for specialty brews. ``We're trying to raise the bar for what a beer can be,'' Jens Eiken, the brew master at Jacobsen who developed the product, said today by phone. The beverage is ``cheap'' considering the amount of time the brewery spent developing it, he said. Eiken wouldn't disclose how long Vintage No. 1 took to develop, saying only that the amount of time spent on it was such that the company doesn't expect the project to be profitable. The beer contains hints of prune, caramel, vanilla and oak tree from the French and Swedish wooden casks in which it is stored, Eiken said. It has a chestnut brown color, little foam and goes well with cheeses and desserts, he said. Noma will have ``no problem'' selling the ``small amount'' of Vintage No. 1 it ordered, Richter said. ``We expect they will all move,'' he said, declining to specify the restaurant's order. Carlsberg, which sells more than 150 different beer brands in as many countries around the world, has no plans yet to export Vintage No. 1. Some bottles will be offered for sale next week on the brewer's Web site. ``There are people at restaurants paying 20,000 kroner for a bottle of wine or port, and why wouldn't they pay the same for a beer of exceptional quality,'' Eiken said. Vintage No. 1 will be the world's most expensive beer, according to Eiken. That title is currently held by Boston Beer Co.'s Utopia, which costs about $100 for a 72 centiliter bottle, according to the Web site Most-expensive.net. Bierodrome, a London bar, sells Belgian beer Vielle Bon Secours for 635 pounds ($1,260) per 15 liter bottle, which is 12 times less than the liter price of Vintage No. 1.
Beer and Health
Moderate Beer Consumption For Your Health
There are undeniable indications for a beneficial effect of alcohol on health,
in the form of a J. Low to moderate alcohol consumption (1 per day for women, 1
to 2 for men) is good for coronary heart diseases, diabetes, high blood
pressure, risk of stroke, mortality, etc. Higher consumption is harmful. The
cardiovascular protection is mainly caused by improvement of the insulin
sensitivity and by the high-density (HDL) cholesterol . According to American
researchers it is the ethanol itself, and not all manner of other constituents
of alcoholic drinks, that form the cause of the beneficial effects. Besides the
increased insulin sensitivity and the increased HDL cholesterol, improvement of
the inflammation parameters and the abdominal fat formation likewise have a
certain role in the protecting effect. One or two drinks a day also brings about
a moderate decrease (7% to 10%) of the triglycerides. Above this consumption
level the amount of triglycerides increases proportionately with the amount of
alcohol. Moderate alcohol consumption leads to less abdominal fat than among
non-drinkers, but this changes after more than 2 drinks a day, again in relation
to the amount of alcohol consumed. Intra-abdominal fat is closely connected with
a low HDL level, with insulin resistance and with inflammation.
Given its beneficial effects alcohol may be especially useful for persons with
an abnormal glucose metabolism and/or glucose resistance. Light to moderate
alcohol consumption is associated with reduction of diabetes. An extensive study
that followed more than 370 000 individuals for 12 years established a 30%
decrease of new cases of diabetes among persons drinking one to two units of
alcohol per day. Recent studies have also shown that a moderate daily intake of
alcohol is better than a less frequent consumption. This can be explained by the
limited duration of the beneficial effects of alcohol. Despite these beneficial
effects of moderate alcohol consumption doctors will recommend drinking only in
highly exceptional cases, because not everyone is able to keep to the limit of
one or two glasses a day, and there is the danger of being tempted to drink more
to the point of dependence. Alcohol addiction is still a serious social evil,
responsible for a high number of diseases and death.
Source: Beer&Health
Cancer-Fighting Agent Found in Beer
January 2008 MUNICH, Germany: A key ingredient of beer may contain a cancer-fighting substance, a German study indicated. Studies indicated xanthohumol, found in hops, inhibits a family of enzymes that can trigger the cancer process, as well as help the body detoxify carcinogens, science newswire Ivanhoe reported Monday. Preliminary studies at Oregon State University show that xanthohumol can kill breast, colon, ovarian and prostate cancers. "It's very healthy. I think the ingredients in the beer are very good," Werner Back of Brewing Technology at the Technical University of Munich. Xanthohumol contains more powerful antioxidants than vitamin E and some studies indicate it helps reduce oxidation of bad cholesterol, the newswire reported. "Xanthohumol has been shown to be a very active substance against cancer," said Markus Herrmann , also in Munich. "It comes in small sticky beads, which you find within the hops." But don't frost that mug just yet. It would take 60 regular beers to equal the amount of xanthohumol German researchers are able to brew in their one super beer.
A drink a day for a longer life: study By Michael Kahn
Drinking is healthy, exercise is healthy, and doing a little of both is even healthier, Danish researchers reported on Wednesday. People who neither drink nor exercise have a 30 to 49 percent higher risk of heart disease than people who do one or both of the activities, the researchers said in the European Heart Journal. "The main finding is there seems to be an additional beneficial effect of drinking one to two drinks per day and doing at least moderate physical activity," said Morten Gronbaek of the University of Southern Denmark, who led the study. Several major studies have found that light to moderate drinking -- up to two drinks a day on a regular basis -- is associated with a lower risk of heart disease, and some have also found this leads to a lower risk of some cancers. But the Danish study, one of the largest of its kind to examine the combined effect of drinking and exercise, found there were additional protective effects gained from doing both. The researchers collected information on the drinking and exercise habits of nearly 12,000 men and women aged 20 years or older between 1981 and 1983. Over the next 20 years, some 1,200 of the participants died from heart disease and about 5,900 died from other causes. Non-drinkers had a 30 percent to 31 percent higher risk of heart disease compared to moderate drinkers, no matter the amount of physical activity they undertook. Moderate consumption was defined as between 1 to 14 drinks per week. But teetotalers who exercised at least moderately were able to reduce their risk of heart disease, an important finding for people who abstain because of religious beliefs or other health issues such as pregnancy, the researchers said. People who had the lowest risk of dying from any cause were physically active, moderate drinkers while those at highest risk were the physically inactive, heavy drinkers, the study found. (Reporting by Michael Kahn, Editing by Maggie Fox and Robert Woodward)
Cheers! How a Daily Tipple Is a Tonic for the Over-65s
PLYMOUTH, ENGLAND: For those of mature years who
have raised a few glasses over the festive period, here is a welcome tonic. It
seems that regular moderate drinking is actually good for the elderly. Alcohol
can boost the functioning of the brain, banish depression and provide a sense of
well being to the over-65s, say doctors. They concluded that two drinks a day
did no harm to the elderly and in some cases it was more beneficial than
abstinence. Now scientists say pensioners should not be bullied into abstaining
from alcohol by the belief that drinking is more harmful to them than to the
young or middle-aged. According to the report from the Peninsula Medical School,
men and women who drink moderately see a "beneficial effect on cognitive and
general health." Author of the report, Dr Iain Lang, said: "We are not
advocating that elderly people should go out and get ridiculously drunk. What we
are saying is that current guidelines on drinking for the elderly are too
conservative. "A couple of drinks a day will do no harm and will have a more
beneficial effect on cognitive and general health than abstinence." Researchers
from the school, which is part of the Universities of Exeter and Plymouth,
assessed the drinking levels of more than 13,000 people in England and the U.S.
aged 65 and over, looking at the effects on physical disability, mortality,
cognitive function, depresthose 'Be sensible about it' for the death or
disability among British drinkers compared to Americans. T he worst health
results were among those who did not drink at all and heavy drinkers The
research on British pensioners showed that 28.6 per cent of the men and 10.3 per
cent of the women had more than one drink a day. In the U.S., 10.8 per cent of
men and 2.9 per cent of women consumed the same level. The studies found a lower
risk of the over-having just one drink. Scientists have long said that a couple
of glasses a day of red wine is good for the heart. But there has been some
debate about the beneficial effects of alcohol. The report, published in the
American Geriatrics Society and in Age and Ageing, concluded that there was no
evidence to support the assumption that drinking at moderate levels is harmful
and it said alcohol guidelines were too strict. Dr. Lang added: "Alcohol Concern
recommends that older people 'cut down' their alcohol consumption and that
moderate consumption 'might be too much for some older people'. These
recommendations are based on assumptions about what happens to the body as it
ages, and that it becomes less tolerant of over-65s alcohol. Our findings show
that this isn't supported. "There is no evidence to suggest drinking at moderate
levels is harmful to older people. It can provide health benefits. There is no
reason why older people should not enjoy a tipple, as long as they are sensible
about it."
'Previous research has shown that middle-aged people can benefit from moderate
drinking. These findings show the same applies to the over-65s.' The number of
British men over 65 consuming more than the guideline limit of 21 units a week
rose by almost a third between 1988-2000, according to Alcohol Concern, while
the number of women the same age drinking more than 14 units shot up by 75 per
cent.
Beer Good For You?
Recent studies say that beer, yes beer, can help protect you against
osteoporosis, heart disease and strokes; also beer can be considered a source of
energy. According to Lisa Dorfman, MS, RD, CSSD, LMHC, a certified Sports
Nutrition Expert and Sports Nutritionist at the University of Miami (FLA) "Beer
is sort of like a food drink because it's so filling. It's like bread because
it's starchy and high in carbohydrates. Drinking 12 ounces of beer is the
equivalent of eating two slices of bread, and the carbohydrates in beer, like
those in bread, are used as an energy source for the brain, the blood and the
muscles." Beer can be considered a "food drink" because of the ingredients in
it. Water makes up around 90 percent of beer. Barley is another component. It is
a basic cereal grain which is malted. Malted means that a grain is brought to
its highest point of possible soluble starch content by allowing it to
germinate. Hops are an important ingredient. Hops come from the flowering hop
vine and are used as a preservative. They are also used for their essential oils
that add flavor (bittering hops) and aroma (aroma hops) to balance the sweetness
of the malt. Finally, there is the yeast. This is the most essential part of
beer because the yeast turns the sugars into alcohol. These grains in beer can
help protect you against osteoporosis and heart disease. Drinking a pint of beer
can be substituted for a glass of milk. This is a boon for those who are lactose
intolerant as they've found an alternative source of their milk vitamins as the
ingredients in beer can help strengthen bones.
A study at Tufts University in 2004 concluded that the grains in beer provide
the body with an absorbable form of silicon, which allows the body to deposit
calcium and other vital minerals into the bone tissue. The grains also make up a
rich amount of vitamin B, which may lower the amino acids in the blood that
increase the risk of heart diseases, according to the American Dietetic
Association. In a study conducted by Dr. Jerome L. Abramson of Emory University,
he found that, of 2,235 men and women with an average age of 74, when compared
to non-drinkers, those in the group who drank at least 1.5 drinks a day had a
20-50 percent less chance to develop heart failure.
For beer to be healthy for you, you need to do it in moderation. Moderation is
defined as 12 ounces a day for women and 24 ounces a day for men. Beer is a
great energizer and very refreshing, but only in moderation.
Moderate consumption, how much is it?
The British government is concerned about the insidious manner in which drink
consumption is increasing: both the size of glasses and the alcohol content of
the drink have increased in recent years. When the first studies on drink
consumption were conducted in the 1970s, it was assumed that a glass of table
wine, a measure of spirits and a glass of beer was equivalent to one unit. The
British ‘Office for National Statistics’ has since revised its method to take
account of the use of larger glasses and higher alcoholic strength of alcoholic
beverages. The alcoholic strength of wine has increased most particularly, from
11.5 to 13.5 percent alcohol by volume. This increase also concerns a number of
beers. The average size of a wine glass in the pubs and bars is now 169 ml,
compared with the earlier 125 ml. With the new calculating unit the average
consumption for women (in 2005) was set at 9.4 units per week, or an increase of
45% on the earlier 6.5 units per week. For men the new figure is 19.9 units per
week, or an increase of 26% on the earlier 15.8 units per week. As a result of
these findings the British government is preparing an information campaign on
the contents of a unit of alcohol. If account is not taken of the new data the
drinker greatly underestimates the amount of alcohol he/she is consuming.
The new figures published by the ‘Office for National Statistics are as follows:
Volume Strength Units
Normal beer/lager/cider
half pint 284ml 4,00% 1
large can/bottle 440ml 4,50% 2
Biere/biere lager/cidre fort 284ml 6,50% 2
Strong beer/lager/cider 440ml 6,50% 3
Table wine
small glass 125ml 12,50% 1,5
medium glass 175ml 12,50% 2
large glass 250ml 12,50% 3
bottle 750ml 12,50% 9
Spirits
Single shot 25ml 40,00% 1
Bottle 750ml 40,00% 30
For men it is recommended not to exceed 21 units per week per individual; the
limit for women is 14 units.
Source: Beer&Health
Beer and Sports
Drinking Makes Heart Grow More Sorrowful, Study Finds
TOKYO (AFP) - The age-old belief goes that alcohol helps people drown their sorrows, but in truth the bottle only makes bad memories linger, a Japanese study said Friday. Researchers at the University of Tokyo concluded that ethanol -- an intoxicating agent in alcohol -- does not cause memory to decrease, as widely believed, but instead locks it in place. The researchers, led by pharmacology professor Norio Matsuki, gave mild shocks to lab rats to condition them to fear. As a result, the rats would freeze in terror and curl up the moment they were put in their cages. Researchers then immediately injected the rats with ethanol or saline. The researchers found that rats with alcohol in their veins froze up for longer, with the fear on average lasting two weeks, compared with rats that did not receive injections. "If we apply this study to humans, the memories they are trying to get rid of will remain strongly, even if they drink alcohol to try to forget an event they dislike and be in a merry mood for the moment," the study said. "The following day, they won't remember the merriness that they felt," it said. Matsuki said the findings offered lessons for people living with bad memories. "To forget something you dislike, it's best to overwrite the negative memory with a positive memory at an early stage and leave out drinking alcohol," Matsuki advised. The study was published in the US academic journal Neuropsychopharmacology.
More Beer Stuff
Finds The More Successful You Are, the More You Drink
Research Chief executives of big companies and public sector organizations are
coping with their stressful positions by drinking the equivalent of almost three
bottles of wine a week, new research shows. Men holding the highest positions
drink an average of almost 23 units a week—more than 11 medium (175ml) glasses
of wine. Their consumption exceeds the total recommended weekly limit for
alcohol of 21 units and suggests many businessmen and managers may suffer ill
health as a result. Doctors, lawyers, accountants and other professional men are
also knocking back above average amounts of alcohol—20 units a week—according to
figures from the Office of National Statistics (ONS) released yesterday.
Overall, they show that across all social classes about 10 million people are
drinking more than the recommended weekly maximum of 21 units for a man and 14
for a woman. Men are likely to drink twice as much as women. The ONS said it had
previously underestimated the amount people were drinking and the real amount
was 32 percent higher. Men were drinking 18.7 units a week and a women nine
units, compared with previous estimates of 14.8 and 6.2. Previous studies have
pointed to waning total alcohol consumption, but the researchers became
concerned that they had not taken into account the trend for stronger beer and
the serving of wine in larger glasses. People may also be under-reporting or
under-estimating consumption. The Government advises women to drink no more than
two units a day and men three units a day. Four in 10 men and a third of women
exceeded the limits at least once a week. The English drink more than the Scots
or Welsh, according to the two ONS reports, Smoking and Drinking Among Adults
2006 and Drinking: Adults Behaviour and Knowledge 2007. Almost a quarter of
Britain's 42 million adults exceed the weekly limits. About 60 percent of the
population, 25 million adults, are low or moderate drinkers. Almost 6 million
people drink no alcohol and their inclusion in the drinking averages means that
those who do drink alcohol drink even more than the figures suggest.
Eileen Goddard, the principal researcher, said that although statistics from the
alcohol industry based on Customs data indicated that overall alcohol
consumption had fallen by 5 percent between 2004 and 2006, it was possible that
the total had actually gone up
Frank Soodeen, of Alcohol Concern, said: "Over the last 20 years middle-class
families particularly have moved alcohol from the fringe of their lives to the
centre."
Beer-loving’ elephants create panic (AGAIN!! – where is Paris!)
Jorhat: Lured by the smell of rice beer, a herd of over 150 wild elephants has been on the rampage in the world’s largest inhabited river island of Majuli, damaging houses, granaries and vegetation. The elephant had come from the Dibru-Saikhowa National Park after being lured by the smell of rice beer, which is consumed by villagers at this time of the year, officials said here on Tuesday. They damaged over 55 houses, 19 granaries and more than 100 acres of vegetable growing fields. Over 50 forest personnel have been posted in the area since Monday, the officials said. — PTI
Beer mats for drinking campaign – (collect them all!)
Beer mats featuring photographs of drunken teenagers are being used in a campaign to encourage off-licenses not to sell alcohol to under-18s. The mats are being distributed across Leominster, Herefordshire, to help try to cut down on alcohol-fuelled anti-social behavior in the town. Council leaders said one of the biggest problems was shopkeepers selling the alcohol to teenagers. The move comes after West Mercia Police's Christmas Presence campaign. Geoff Hughes, chairman of Herefordshire Community Safety and Drugs Partnership, said: "Underage drinking is a problem that can have serious consequences for people in our communities. "Underage drinkers can face serious health issues, as well as putting themselves and others at risk of accidents and injuries."
Editors note – willing to trade beer stuff for a few of these.
Just Raising the Prices Enhances a Wine Sales !!!
WASHINGTON: Apparently, raising the price really does make the wine taste
better. At least that seems to be the result of a taste test. The part of the
brain that reacts to a pleasant experience responded more strongly to pricey
wines than cheap ones - even when tasters were given the same vintage in
disguise. Antonio Rangel and colleagues at California Institute of Technology
thought the perception that higher price means higher quality could influence
people, so they decided to test the idea. They asked 20 people to sample wine
while undergoing functional MRIs of their brain activity. The subjects were told
they were tasting five different Cabernet Sauvignons sold at different prices.
However, there were actually only three wines sampled, two being offered twice,
marked with different prices. A $90 wine was provided marked with its real price
and again marked $10, while another was presented at its real price of $5 and
also marked $45. The testers' brains showed more pleasure at the higher price
than the lower one, even for the same wine, Rangel reports in this week's online
edition of Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences. In other words,
changes in the price of the wine changed the actual pleasure experienced by the
drinkers, the researchers reported. On the other hand, when tasters didn't know
any price comparisons, they rated the $5 wine as better than any of the others
sampled. "We were shocked," Rangel said in a telephone interview. "I think it
was because the flavor was stronger and our subjects were not very experienced."
He added that wine professionals would probably be able to differentiate the
better wine - "one would hope." "Our results suggest that the brain might
compute experienced pleasantness in a much more sophisticated manner that
involves integrating the actual sensory properties of the substance being
consumed with the expectations about how good it should be," the researchers
reported.
Note- Cartman said “God Damn it”. Kyle said “Those Bastards”
Cool Beer Stuff
The Unwise Microwave Experiment guy shows how to melt a beer bottle in a microwave oven. You have to prep the bottle by using a blowtorch to make a red hot spot on the bottle.
http://blog.wired.com/gadgets/2008/02/video-micowave.html
Don’t Do This
Few Taste Difference Between Light, Regular Beer
A research center in Canada reports most of the drinkers it polled couldn't tell the difference between low and-regular strength beers, and has recommended that the British Columbia government make lower alcohol content beers cheaper to encourage their consumption. The University of Victoria Center for Addictions Research found most of the 34 participants equally enjoyed the two ales, the fun they had drinking it with friends and the perceived buzz they got from the beer.
Don’t Do This Either
A-B Takes Clamato-Blended Brews Nationwide
ST. LOUIS: Anheuser-Busch is expanding the rollout of its Latin-inspired Clamato-blended versions of Bud and Bud Light, after what it says were strong debuts in California, Texas, Arizona, and other Western US markets. Budweiser & Clamato Chelada and Bud Light & Clamato Chelada will arrive in convenience stores, supermarkets and grocery stores nationwide today. Latinos, specifically those of Mexican descent, have been mixing beer with Clamato for decades. Budweiser & Clamato Chelada and Bud Light & Clamato Chelada honor that tradition by combining Anheuser-Busch's classic American- style lagers with the spicy, invigorating taste of Clamato Tomato Cocktail, made by Cadbury Schweppes Americas Beverages (CSAB). "This is a recipe that combines cultures and flavors," said Ana Vitrano, product manager, Anheuser-Busch, Inc. "Budweiser, Bud Light and Clamato are all highly respected brands that, when combined, produce the authentic-tasting recipe many Latinos love. It's la combinacion perfecta!" An estimated 60 percent of all Clamato is purchased with the intention of using it as a mixer, the companies say. "The combination of Clamato with Budweiser and Bud Light provides a refreshing beverage -- one that Clamato fans have been mixing themselves for ages," said Andrew Springate, vice president, marketing, CSAB. "This is a convenient way for consumers to enjoy the flavorful and authentic recipe they've come to crave." The launch of Budweiser & Clamato Chelada and Bud Light & Clamato Chelada marks the first time Anheuser-Busch and CSAB have worked together. The agreement between the two companies specifies that CSAB will supply Clamato to Anheuser-Busch for use in mixing the Budweiser and Bud Light Chelada, and that Anheuser-Busch will produce, package and distribute the beers through its network of wholesalers. The name Chelada is a shortened form of the Spanish word michelada which loosely translates to 'my cold beer.' Brewed at Anheuser-Busch's St. Louis brewery, Budweiser Chelada contains 5 percent alcohol by volume (ABV) and Bud Light Chelada contains 4.2 percent ABV and is available in 24-ounce single-serve cans and 16-ounce, four-pack cans.
Beer Review – I hate to dis a beer so I copied the review from someone named “Al”
Yuck. yuck. yuck. Over-ripened tomatoes, clam juice, and lime. Sickeningly smell. I'm afraid to find out what it tastes like. l I could taste was the clamato, tomato & clam juice, which just overpowered what little beer-like qualities were contained in the Bud Light itslef. In all seriousness, the flavors and strong acidity in this caused it to taste like I regurgitated and then swallowed.
Try This Fun Stuff-
Wisconsin State Journal
Fri, 01
Feb 2008 2:45 PM PST
This started as one of those "what if" things — as in, "What if there were no
words on a beer label? Would you still know the beer?" Some of
them, we figured, yeah, we'd know 'em. Pabst Blue Ribbon, that's easy.
Budweiser? No problem. But what of other beers, those not big enough to be
well-recognized? Well, we couldn't resist. With the help of our crack ...
http://www.madison.com/wsj/media/beerquiz/index.html
and
http://www.schiesshouse.com/alcoholoscopes.htm
Seasonal Beer Cookery –
Anderson Valley Anadama Beer Bread Recipe
from the
Beer Fox “ A blend of cornmeal, molasses and the golden sparkle of wheat
touch heaven with this hearty bread.”
-Recommended Brew: High Rollers Wheat Ale, Anderson Valley Brewing Company,
Boonville, California USA (Style: Wheat Ale – Light, Golden sparkle of
color – The aroma of oranges and caramel malt, with the added tang of grapefruit
hops, bring out the complexity of this medium bodied ale. Finish is quenching
and crisp)
1 C. cornmeal
1 C. boiling water
2 teaspoons salt
¼ C. butter
½ C. molasses
2 packages quick-rising active dry yeast
1 C. High Rollers Wheat Ale, room temperature
5 to 5-1/2 C. bread flour
In large bowl, combine cornmeal with boiling water. Add salt, butter and
molasses, using electric mixer to blend. Cool to very warm, about 130 degrees.
Dissolve yeast in High Rollers Wheat Ale. Add to cornmeal mixture
with 1-1/2 cups bread flour. Beat with electric mixer for 2 minutes.
Stir in remaining 3-1/2 to 4 cups bread flour. Knead on a well floured surface
until elastic and no longer sticky, about 10 minutes.
Place in bowl that has been generously greased with butter. Grease top of dough.
Cover with a linen towel, and let rise in a warm place until doubled in size,
about 1 hour.
Punch down dough. Cut in half. Form into two loaves, placing into well greased
9” x 5” loaf pans. Cover. Let rise in a warm place until doubled in size - about
45 minutes. Bake in 375 degree oven for 35 to 40 minutes, until golden. Brush
top with butter while still warm. Remove from pans and cool on wire rack.
Humor and Beer Fun
Booze – Bar Rules
#-24. After your sixth drink, do not look at yourself in the mirror. It will shake your confidence.
#-54. Never lie in a bar. You may, however, grossly exaggerate and lean.
#-75. Beer makes you mellow, champagne makes you silly, and wine makes you dramatic, tequila makes you felonious.
#-80. Anyone with three or more drinks in his hands has the right of way.
From 86 rules for drinking
click here.--Frank Kelly Rich
http://www.moderndrunkardmagazine.com/issues/01-02/01_02_booze_rules.htm
Quote of the Month –
" Beer is a wholesome liquor…..it abounds with nourishment" –Dr. Benjamin Rush.
More beer related jokes and humor at http://www.schiesshouse.com/beer_quotations_and_humor.htm
-That's all for now. Have another beer - Mark S.,
CIBAS (promoting beer and its responsible consumption)
CIBAS Website at:
http://www.schiesshouse.com/cibas.htm
If you have any comments, information, announcements, postings etc for CIBAS,
please feel free to contact me directly at:
CIBAS@earthlink.net
Cheers!
