U.S. Beer Consumption Increases - Rising Demand for Higher-Priced Offerings

The beer industry saw gains in both dollar and volume in 2012 after a three-year downturn. Well-marketed new products and slight improvements in the unemployment rate contributed to the beer industry's overall growth. Although the second half of the year didn't fare as well from an economic standpoint, the industry was still able to see an increase of 0.8% to 2.9 billion 2.25-gallon cases, according to the recently released Beverage Information Group's 2013 Beer Handbook.

Super-premium, Craft, Imported and Flavored Malt Beverages out-performed the industry overall, as there is increasing demand for higher-priced beer. Super-premium and Premium increased 1.6%, and Craft increased 13.7% to reach 185.2 million 2.25-gallon cases. This is the largest increase for Craft beer in more than a decade.

Imported beer also increased for a third year, even though major brands such as Bass, Beck's and Red Stripe were removed from the category because they are now domestically brewed. This 1% increase is largely due to consumer demand for a wider selection of products.

Innovations in the Light Beer category, such as the launch of Bud Light Platinum, were not enough to turn things around for the category. Light beer declined for the fourth year in a row. Popular and Malt Liquor also lost volume.

Although the beer industry saw positive changes in 2012, challenges still remain. According to the Beer Handbook, the beer industry will still see increases in the higher-priced categories such as Super-premium, Craft and Imported beer. It remains to be seen if these gains will help the beer industry maintain 2012's positive direction.

"Today's consumer no longer sees beer as their only drink option," says Adam Rogers, senior research analyst, Beverage Information Group, Norwalk, Conn. "Spirits and wine marketers have been savvy in targeting consumers with flavored vodkas, rums and whiskies, as well as sweeter wines which have continued to take share away from the beer industry."

The cost of the 2013 Beer Handbook is $790; handbook with companion CD is $990. Shipping and handling is $15 for U.S. orders; $25 for all other orders. The handbook and CD can be purchased at www.bevinfostore.com or by calling Cynthia Porter at (630) 762-8709.

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Jeffrey Dale Starr is a beer enthusiast, oil painter, and owner of mobile software company Purple Falcon.

Grist Brewing Company plans Grand Opening November 2nd in Highlands Ranch Colorado

Highlands Ranch, CO – Grist Brewing Company, located at 9150 Commerce Center Circle, just south of C-470 off Santa Fe, will be hosting its grand opening Saturday, November 2nd. Doors open at 12pm. Grist is the first craft brewery to open in Highlands Ranch and aims to be a favored destination for beer enthusiasts all over the Front Range.

Grist Brewing Company will have 8 beers available on tap. We will be serving our Kolsch, India Pale Ale, Hefeweizen, Brown, Stout, and Belgian Strong Ales. Taster sizes (4oz), half pints (8oz), pints (16oz), and growlers (32oz) will be available for purchase as well as Grist Brewing Company’s branded merchandise.

We are thrilled to be joined at our grand opening by El Toro the Tot, a fantastic Denver-based food truck. They will be on-site at 12pm serving lunch and early dinner, so come hungry. There are also multiple dining options within a block of the brewery.

The primary focus at Grist is to make ales and lagers that are of the highest quality, approachable, and true to style. We are also striving to create a comfortable atmosphere for our guests. Our tasting room has great views of the brewing area, fermentation vessels, and three 50” televisions provide additional entertainment. The bar is constructed of beetle kill wood sourced from our home state of Colorado.

Our goal is to make exceptional beer while being equally committed to becoming an integral part of the Highlands Ranch community. Like us on Facebook, follow us on Twitter, and come down and join us in celebrating our big day!

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Jeffrey Dale Starr is a beer enthusiast, oil painter, and owner of mobile software company Purple Falcon.

PicoBrew Zymatic To Ship With Award-Winning Beer Recipes

PicoBrew LLC announced today a collaboration with Annie Johnson to bring her award-winning recipes to the PicoBrew Zymatic™ automatic beer brewing appliance. Johnson, AHA's Homebrewer of the Year 2013 has won awards in competitions for her recipes across all major styles of beer, and plans to tailor her favorites for use on PicoBrew's products. PicoBrew LLC launched the Zymatic™, their flagship product, on the crowd-funding site KickStarter on September 30th and has taken over $570K in pre-orders. PicoBrew's Kickstarter campaign ends Wednesday morning, October 30th.

"We wanted to make sure PicoBrewers get off to a great start," said PicoBrew CEO Dr. Bill Mitchell, "so we've partnered with Annie to bring the best recipes in homebrewing to the Zymatic™." Well-known on the competitive circuit and active in beer judging and craft beer education, Johnson contacted PicoBrew when she heard about the Zymatic™. After brewing on the machine herself and tasting sample beers, she decided to collaborate with PicoBrew. "This machine can make award-winning beer," she pronounced. "We already have over two dozen proven recipes across the BJCP styles in the PicoBrew recipebank," said PicoBrew CEO Dr. Bill Mitchell, "and several of these have already won or placed in competition. With the addition of Annie's recipes PicoBrewers everywhere will have a great set of choices to get them started brewing really top-flight beer from day one." The PicoBrew community will also be able to craft new recipes, modify existing recipes to suit their unique tastes, and share these recipes with other PicoBrewers.

The PicoBrew Zymatic™ may be pre-ordered on Kickstarter now through 7:00am Oct 30th for $1599. The PicoBrew Zymatic™ automatic beer brewing appliance is capable of brewing 2.5 gallons of high quality finished beer across the range of craft beer styles from light lagers through IPAs, stouts and smoked ales. Hundreds of test batches were brewed during the product development process on prototype machines. PicoBrew's recipe creation software can accurately predict brewing outcomes based on recipe ingredients and process steps (e.g. mash time/temp) allowing precise, repeatable outcomes. Cleanup as well is greatly simplified: empty the step filter contents into a yard waste or trash receptacle, run a water rinse cycle on the Zymatic™, and place the step filter in the dishwasher.

Pre-orders of PicoBrew Zymatic™ units on Kickstarter help finance final production steps for the product. As the Zymatic™ creates an entirely new market for home brewing appliances, releasing the product to early adopters on Kickstarter at introductory prices that are a steep discount to final MSRP has been a campaign tenet. Since Sept 30 PicoBrew has raised over $570K.

See www.picobrew.com for more information.

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Jeffrey Dale Starr is a beer enthusiast, oil painter, and owner of mobile software company Purple Falcon.

Brewmeister Releases Snake Venom, World’s Strongest Beer at 67.5 Percent

Scotland – Brewmeister have today released the world’s strongest beer named Snake Venom at a whopping 67.5%. The new product beats their own record beer Armageddon at 65% which was released last year.

The beer contains special ingredients to achieve such a high volume of alcohol including smoked peat malt and two types of yeast: beer yeast and champagne yeast.

Unlike normal beers Snake Venom is freeze distilled, a process whereby the fermented beer is frozen and ice is removed to increase the concentration of beer.

Lewis Shand of Brewmeister said “Unlike Armageddon, Snake Venom is not designed to mask the taste of the alcohol. The alcohol is very strong but the beer still tastes like a beer rather than a spirit. It’s hoppy, malty and very pleasant”.

Snake Venom is so strong that Brewmeister has put a warning label on the neck of the bottle warning drinkers to beware.

Aberdeen University in collaboration with Brewmeister will be testing the beer to confirm the brewery results.

The beer is currently sold online for £50.

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Jeffrey Dale Starr is a beer enthusiast, oil painter, and owner of mobile software company Purple Falcon.

Stone Brewing Co. will Host Events for San Diego Beer Week 2013

Stone Brewing Co. will celebrate San Diego Beer Week November 1 through 10 with a slew of beer-centric events at both Stone Brewing World Bistro & Gardens locations. Here’s what the North County San Diego beer company has on tap:

Friday, November 1

Rare Beer Breakfast from 9 a.m. to 12 p.m.
Stone Brewing World Bistro & Gardens – Escondido, 1999 Citracado Parkway, Escondido, CA 92029 Stone Craft Beer Ambassador "Dr." Bill Sysak starts San Diego Beer Week early with a festival of off-the-hook rare beers and a delectable breakfast buffet.

Ticket price includes:

• 15 three-ounce tasters
• A commemorative glass
• Dozens of phenomenal rare beers
• Live Brazilian music on the patio by Sol e Mar
• Buffet of made-to-order omelets, beer battered Monte Cristos, Belgian waffles & fried chicken, Arrogant Bastard Ale donuts and more

Tickets may be purchased at Stone Company Store – Escondido for $65, or online for $68.27 (including service fee) at: www.brownpapertickets.com/event/475060. Designated driver tickets are $40 and will be sold at the door. Designated drivers tickets include breakfast buffet only.

Meet the Brewer with Ladyface Ale Companie at 5 p.m.
Stone Brewing World Bistro & Gardens – Liberty Station, 2816 Historic Decatur Road, #116, San Diego, CA 92106 Meet Brewmaster David Griffiths and Proprietor Cyrena Nouzille of Ladyface Ale Companie, Conejo Valley’s first microbrewery, and sample some of their award-winning ales. Beers on draft will include: La Blonde, La Grisette, Blind Ambition, Chesebro IPA, Hutash, Weizenbock, Reyes Adobe Red and Dark Horse.

Saturday, November 2

Redoubled Double Bastard Ale from 11 a.m. to 11 p.m.
Stone Brewing World Bistro & Gardens – Escondido, 1999 Citracado Parkway, Escondido, CA 92029 Stone Brewing World Bistro & Gardens – Liberty Station, 2816 Historic Decatur Road, #116, San Diego, CA 92106 Stop by and get a taste of this year's Double Bastard Ale before its public release! Guests will enjoy vintage editions and barrel-aged versions of this aggressively flavored beer. Check out the beer list here.

Sunday, November 3

Ultimate Beer & Chocolate from 12 to 2 p.m.
Stone Brewing World Bistro & Gardens – Escondido, 1999 Citracado Parkway, Escondido, CA 92029 Indulge in a veritable feast of decadent chocolate and beers paired by Stone Craft Beer Ambassador “Dr.” Bill Sysak. The menu features 15 sinfully delicious chocolate truffles created by Stone’s renowned pastry chef, Tony Martin, as well as creations by two of San Diego's finest chocolate makers, So Rich!!! Chocolates and Eclipse Chocolate, paired with 10 craft beers. Tickets may be purchased at Stone Company Store – Escondido for $45, or online for $47.57 (including service fee) at: www.brownpapertickets.com/event/482198.

Saison Sunday from 11 a.m. to 11 p.m.
Stone Brewing World Bistro & Gardens – Liberty Station, 2816 Historic Decatur Road, #116, San Diego, CA 92106 The bar will offer more than two dozen of the world’s best saisons all day long on draft and in bottles. Check out the beer list here.

Tuesday, November 5

Beer U: Craft Beer in San Diego from 7 to 9 p.m.
Stone Brewing World Bistro & Gardens – Liberty Station, 2816 Historic Decatur Road, #116, San Diego, CA 92106 Join Stone Minister of Evangelism and Indoctrination Ken Wright for the scoop on San Diego’s world-famous breweries and the industry’s upcoming stars. Taste what makes San Diego beers so amazing with samples of special and rare releases from local breweries. Tickets are available for $32 at Stone Company Store – Liberty Station or online for $34.11 (including service fee) at: www.brownpapertickets.com/event/498851.

Firestone Walker 17th Anniversary Release Party from 5 to 8 p.m.
Stone Brewing World Bistro & Gardens – Escondido, 1999 Citracado Parkway, Escondido, CA 92029 The folks from Firestone Walker Brewing Co. are celebrating their anniversary at Stone for the fifth year in a row! Join Barrel Works Director Jeffers Richardson at the outside bar for an awesome party commemorating 17 years of brewing world-class beers. We'll be the first in California to pour the much-anticipated Firestone Walker XVII outside of their brewery, so come on down for a taste, in addition to eight more tasty Firestone Walker beers. See the beer list here.

Wednesday, November 6

12 Brewers, 12 Casks, 12 Mallets from 5 to 7 p.m.
Stone Brewing World Bistro & Gardens – Escondido, 1999 Citracado Parkway, Escondido, CA 92029 Meet Stone's brewing team and try 12 casks of deliciously enhanced Stone brews! All 12 brewers will tap their unique casks simultaneously—with mallets.

Meet the Brewer with Kris Ketcham at 5 p.m.
Stone Brewing World Bistro & Gardens – Liberty Station, 2816 Historic Decatur Road, #116, San Diego, CA 92106 Meet Stone Brewing World Bistro & Gardens – Liberty Station Brewing Manager Kris Ketcham and sample some of the special, one-off beers he’s been brewing on-site. Featured beers include Great Bowman’s Beard (Scotch Ale), Cimmerian Portal (Foreign Stout), Ryeson (Rye Saison), Scarlet Madigan (Irish Red), Commander in the Crosshairs (English Pale Ale), Witty Moron (Black Witbier), Stone Delicious IPA and Crimson Gate Keeper (Oaked Cherry Porter).

Thursday, November 7

Master Pairing Beer Dinner with The Lost Abbey from 6:30 to 9 p.m.
Stone Brewing World Bistro & Gardens – Escondido, 1999 Citracado Parkway, Escondido, CA 92029 Join Stone Craft Beer Ambassador “Dr.” Bill Sysak for a spectacular six-course beer pairing meal featuring many rare and highly sought after Lost Abbey beers. Tickets may be purchased at Stone Company Store – Escondido for $79, or online for $82.76 (including service fee) at: www.brownpapertickets.com/event/482298.

Brewmasters Luncheon with Societe Brewing Company at 12 p.m.
Stone Brewing World Bistro & Gardens – Liberty Station, 2816 Historic Decatur Road, #116, San Diego, CA 92106 Indulge in an over-the-top lunch break with Societe Brewing Company’s co-founders Travis Smith and Doug Constantiner as well as and Stone’s Steve Wagner, Mitch Steele and “Dr.” Bill Sysak. Chef Tausha Lopez will cook four courses, and “Dr.” Bill Sysak will pair each dish with delicious craft beers. Tickets are available for $69 at Stone Company Store – Liberty Station or online for $72.41 (including service fee) at: www.brownpapertickets.com/event/498864.

Friday, November 8

Vertical of Stone Old Guardian Barley Wine from 11 a.m. to 11 p.m.
Stone Brewing World Bistro & Gardens – Liberty Station, 2816 Historic Decatur Road, #116, San Diego, CA 92106 Sample vintage editions and barrel-aged versions of this popular strong ale dating back to 2004. Check out the beer list here.

The San Diego Brewery Guide Book Signing from 4 to 7 p.m.
Stone Brewing World Bistro & Gardens – Liberty Station, 2816 Historic Decatur Road, #116, San Diego, CA 92106 Pick up a copy of The San Diego Brewery Guide at a special event discount and get it signed by author Bruce Glassman. The Guide features essential trip-planning advice, facts and tasting notes on more than 70 San Diego breweries.

Meet the Brewer – Crooked Stave Artisan Beer Project from 5:30 to 7:30 p.m.
Stone Brewing World Bistro & Gardens – Escondido, 1999 Citracado Parkway, Escondido, CA 92029 Meet Crooked Stave Artisan Beer Project Brewer Chad Yakobson and sample seven of the Colorado-based brewery’s highly acclaimed brews – three of which are not available anywhere else in California. Check out the full beer list here.

Saturday, November 9

Decadent Decade of Stone Imperial Russian Stouts from 11 a.m. to 11 p.m.
Stone Brewing World Bistro & Gardens – Escondido, 1999 Citracado Parkway, Escondido, CA 92029 Stone will tap a decade’s worth of rare and vintage editions of Stone Imperial Russian Stout. These brews will be served all day, or until the beers run out! Check out the full beer list here.

Sour Saturday from 11 a.m. to 11 p.m.
Stone Brewing World Bistro & Gardens – Liberty Station, 2816 Historic Decatur Road, #116, San Diego, CA 92106 More than a dozen of the world’s best sours will be on tap and in bottles all day long. Check out the beer list here.

For more information and a list of off-premise San Diego Beer Week events, please visit: stonebrewing.com/sdbw.

About Stone Brewing Co.

Known for its bold, flavorful and largely hop-centric beers, Stone Brewing Co. has been brewing in North County San Diego since 1996. Founded by Greg Koch and Steve Wagner, Stone is the 10th largest craft brewer in the United States—a position it achieved without paid advertising, discounting or compromised standards. In addition to brewing, Stone owns two eclectic farm-to-table restaurants—Stone Brewing World Bistro & Gardens – Escondido and Stone Brewing World Bistro & Gardens – Liberty Station—and Stone Farms, an organic farm located near the brewery which grows produce for the restaurants. Stone also operates an off-site events company, Stone Catering, as well as Stone Distributing Co., which distributes more than 30 craft beer brands throughout Southern California. For more information on Stone Brewing Co., please visit stonebrewing.com

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Jeffrey Dale Starr is a beer enthusiast, oil painter, and owner of mobile software company Purple Falcon.

Beer Lovers Now Have An iPhone App To Call Their Own

Dallas, Texas – Purple Falcon today is proud to announce the release of The Beer Log, its new food and drink app for iOS. Designed for beer connoisseurs, the app allows users to keep track of their beer tasting events- rating each brand, taking photos, noting the location of consumption and making comments. The mobile app also enables the user to share all this information with friends via a single button click.



Want to keep track of all of those wonderful, obscure beers? Want to easily share your photos and experiences with your fellow connoisseurs? Then The Beer Log is for you!

Keep track of the following:
* Beer
* Location
* Latitude / longitude
* Date and time
* Comments
* Photos
* Ratings

The Beer Log contains these features:
* Email all of the information regarding a beer tasting event to a friend (including photos) with the click of a button
* Filter your drinking history by beer, location or date
* Attach as many photos as you wish to an event
* Enter beers and locations only once. After they are entered, simply choose from the list
* Export all of your data to a CSV file
* Rate each beer with a 5-star system
* View a map of the location of your beer tasting event with the click of a button



After being ignored by the software development community for far too long, beer connoisseurs finally have an app to call their own!

Languages supported:
* English, French, Italian, Spanish, Russian, Japanese, Korean, Chinese – Simplified, Chinese – Traditional and German

Device Requirements:
* iPhone, iPad, and iPod touch
* Requires iOS 6.0 or later
* Optimized for iPhone 5
* 3.2 MB Hard Drive space

Pricing and Availability:

The Beer Log 1.1 is only $4.99 USD (or equivalent amount in other currencies) and available worldwide exclusively through the App Store in the Food & Drink category.

About Purple Falcon:

Located in Dallas, TX/USA, Purple Falcon Software was founded in 2003 by Jeffrey Dale Starr. After starting out as an enterprise web application and database company, in recent years the company has shifted its focus to mobile applications, particularly targeting iPhone and iPad. Purple Falcon’s main areas of app development pertain to Humor, Educational Apps for Children, Games, and Mobile Journals. All Material and Software (C) 2003-2013 Purple Falcon Software / All Rights Reserved. Apple, the Apple logo, iPhone, iPod and iPad are registered trademarks of Apple Inc. in the U.S. and/or other countries. Other trademarks and registered trademarks may be the property of their respective owners.

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Jeffrey Dale Starr is a beer enthusiast, oil painter, and owner of mobile software company Purple Falcon.

Cleveland Beer Week in Full Swing

Things got started on October 18th, but you still have time to enjoy some of the festivities during Beer Week in Cleveland.

Still to come:

On Friday, October 25, Heidelberg Distributing will host “Ales on Rails” from 7:15-10:15 p.m. on the Cuyahoga Valley Scenic Railroad. Departing from the Rockside Station (7900 Old Rockside Road, Independence 44131), this delightful ride includes a boxed supper and brews from some of the country's best craft breweries: Uinta Baba Black Lager, Thirsty Dog 12 Dogs of Christmas Ale, Anderson Valley Wild Turkey Bourbon Barrel Stout, Lager Heads High Five IPA, Mt. Carmel Nut Brown Ale, Penn Brewery Kaiser Pils, and Smuttynose Scotch Ale. Advance tickets are required with prices ranging from $47-80 based on train car selection. Ales on Rails is sponsored by Akron Beacon Journal.

On Saturday, October 26 from 6-10 p.m. at the Galleria at Erieview in downtown Cleveland (1301 East Ninth Street, Cleveland OH). BREWzilla will feature more than 80 breweries, a special “Ohio Brewery” area with various beers from local breweries, a Gnome Garden that features Belgian beers, and appetizers that pair well with craft brews. Advance tickets are required for all ticketing options. Brewer’s Circle tickets are $75 and include expedited VIP entrance, tastes of rare/exclusive brews, food pairings in the “Brewer’s Circle Lounge” open all evening, a commemorative Cleveland Beer Week t-shirt, 25 tasting tickets, 3 oz. tasting glass, and access to all general admission perks. General Admission tickets are $50 include 25 tasting tickets, a 3 oz. tasting glass, and complimentary appetizers. Purchase 10 or more General Admission tickets and save $5/ticket. Designated Driver tickets are also available at $15/person. Brewzilla is sponsored by Market District.

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Jeffrey Dale Starr is a beer enthusiast, oil painter, and owner of mobile software company Purple Falcon.

The 10 Greatest Comic Book Movies Of All Time Ever (at least for now)

I am a film buff.

I am a comic book nerd.

These are my opinions.

BEGIN!

10. The Dark Knight

Surely this is a mistake! Surely the writer meant to list this masterpiece at #1, not #10! Nope. It's a great movie, but overrated in my opinion. No doubt about it, Heath Ledger gives the greatest performance in a comic book movie period. But there are flaws in The Dark Knight. For one thing, Bale's ridiculous voice as Batman. I love him as Bruce Wayne, but that corny growl is way over the top. Another problem: too many characters and storylines. The whole Harvey Dent thing should have been another movie. And maybe it's just Maggie Gyllenhaal's performance, but I really didn't care what happened to her. But the scenes with Joker...pure genius. I know it sounds like I've just been slamming this movie, but I actually love it. I just get a little tired of the conventional wisdom that this is the greatest comic book movie ever. To me, it even places second in Nolan's trilogy.

9. X-Men: First Class

I rank this above all of the other X-Men films for one reason: watching it is like reading a comic book (which is what a comic-book movie should be, after all). Michael Fassbender and James McAvoy are brilliant, Kevin Bacon is surprisingly excellent as a villain, the pacing is perfect, the story is great, it's not weighed down with a sense of seriousness like the other X-Men movies. Can't wait to see the next one (which is something I don't think I ever said with the first batch).

8. The Rocketeer

Pure class. What's not to love? The movie looks great, Billy Campbell and Jennifer Connelly make a perfect couple, the set designs are spot on, Timothy Dalton is superb as Errol Flynn the Nazi, Alan Arkin is...well, Alan Arkin! As for the Rocketeer himself...strapping a rocket on his back and that awesome helmet - it seems legit. I really don't know why this movie wasn't a huge hit...I was hoping for 2 or 3 sequels.

7. Iron Man

The two sequels are just fine (Mickey Rourke is especially creepy, and Black Widow taking out those guys in the hallway is very cool), but it's hard to top the first one. And it's all because of Robert Downey Jr. He starts off as such an arrogant, amoral jerk that it's hard to believe that you'll ever end up rooting for him. But his transformation after being tortured and acquiring a conscience is just as riveting as the breathtaking action scenes. And any movie that can get me to like Gwyneth Paltrow deserves major credit.

6. The Incredibles

I know technically there is no comic book called "The Incredibles", but I'm counting this as the Fantastic Four movie that should have been. It's exciting, the dialogue is excellent, it's fun, and has deep messages underneath it all. Just like ol' Stan Lee woulda wrote. Excelsior!

5. Spider-Man 2

By far the best of the Sam Raimi movies. The story is tight and stays focused on the theme. The action scenes are all-time classics (especially the runaway train). Alfred Molina brings first-rate acting chops as Doc Ock. And the humor is the best of the series. Oh, if only they had turned "3" into two movies and saved Venom for the end.

4. Superman

I can't put my finger on it, but for some reason this is the only comic book movie that to me is like Star Wars: no matter how many times I've seen it, if I'm flipping the channels and it's on - I watch it. I never get tired of this movie. For one thing, Christopher Reeve is Superman. There's a reason why Alex Ross uses Reeve as the prototype for his Clark Kent...he is the epitome (same with Lynda Carter as Wonder Woman). Aside from the perfect casting of Reeve, you have the genius of Gene Hackman; the greatest actor of all time, Marlon Brando, playing Jor-El; Glenn Ford as Pa Kent, for crying out loud! Wait...I think I'm figuring out why I love this movie so much...

3. The Dark Knight Rises

Yes, oh shocked devotees of The Dark Knight, I think Rises is a superior film. For one thing, the story is much more focused. The siege on Gotham is masterful, and it ups the stress level frame by frame. The tension between Bruce and Alfred is real. The acting is top-notch throughout (not a weak performance in the bunch). Anne Hathaway is excellent as Catwoman. Marion Cotillard is perfect as Talia. And Tom Hardy as Bane is completely, unequivocally, 100% awesome. People keep comparing his performance to Ledger's as Joker, but that makes little sense. They are two completely different characters. What Hardy did is just as unique and riveting. When he lays the back of his hand on John Daggett's shoulder and says, "do you feel in charge?", I get chills every time.

2. Captain America: The First Avenger

It's tough for me to not rank this #1. This is a perfect movie. And not just a perfect comic book movie, this is a perfect movie period. It captures the feel of World War II so well that you feel like you're there. Stanley Tucci is great. Tommy Lee Jones is excellent as always. And Chris Evans - who would have guessed? He was so perfect as the shallow and brash Johnny Storm, that I was shocked when I heard he was cast. How could that obnoxious punk play the coolest guy in the Marvel universe, Steve Rogers? But he astounded me. He is Captain America.

1. The Avengers

Any list of great comic book movies that doesn't put The Avengers at #1 is a joke (or sour grapes from an indie hipster). It's got all the great characters, insane action, hilarious lines, Joss Whedon, Scarlett Johansson beating up four guys while tied to a chair. And Hulk pounding Loki. Yep...for now, this is the best.

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Jeffrey Dale Starr is a beer enthusiast, oil painter, and owner of mobile software company Purple Falcon.

Publik Draft House Launches Great Southern Craft Beer Competition

According to the American Homebrewers Association, nearly one million Americans brew beer at home at least once during the year. To support the fast-growing craft beer movement in Atlanta and in the southeast, Publik Draft House (P.D.H.), in partnership with Atlanta Magazine and Monday Night Brewing, announces the Great Southern Craft Beer Competition. The contest invites southeastern homebrewers to submit their original beers between January-March 2014 for a chance to win the grand prize of $1,000 and distribution at P.D.H. for one year.

"We serve a number of local, craft beers at P.D.H. and wanted to do more to support the booming craft beer movement and community in our region," says co-owner Eddie Johnson. "The Great Southern Craft Beer Competition is a wonderful opportunity for these amateur homebrewers to place their beers on the map."

The Great Southern Craft Beer Competition launches January 19th with a kickoff party at Monday Night Brewing featuring brewery tours and pours, P.D.H. food pairings, homebrew expert demonstrations, live entertainment and more. The event is open to all beer lovers, from expert homebrewers to connoisseurs to curious enthusiasts. In addition to Monday Night Brewing facility tours and tastings of their beers, including Fu Manbrew Belgian-Style Wit and Eye Patch Ale, attendees can taste beer-based food pairings from P.D.H. and enter to win other prizes, such as tickets to Atlanta Beer Tours, a special beer chef's table experience at Publik Draft House and more.
Tickets are available for $25.00 at www.greatsouthernbeercompetition.com.

How the Competition Works

The entry period for the Great Southern Craft Beer Competition begins January 19 and runs through March 15, 2014. Applicants must submit six bottles of their specialty home brew along with an entry fee of $10 per brew. There is no limit to the number of entries that may be submitted. The "Best in Show" winner will be selected by a panel of four judges and announced in April, winning the prize of distribution for one year in P.D.H. and $1,000.

Those interested in the Great Southern Craft Beer Competition celebration event or competition can visit www.greatsouthernbeercompetition.com or connect at www.twitter.com/BeerDownSouth.

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Jeffrey Dale Starr is a beer enthusiast, oil painter, and owner of mobile software company Purple Falcon.

Best In Role

Some literary and cinematic characters are so solid that they keep getting revisited time and again (with varying levels of success.)

Here is my list of what I consider to be the best portrayals of some of these iconic roles.

Sherlock Holmes Jeremy Brett This is by the far the toughest one. Benedict Cumberbatch, Johnny Lee Miller, Basil Rathbone, etc etc have all done masterful work as the world's greatest detective. But Brett embodies the most important element of Holmes: he's an antisocial weirdo. Brett's odd facial expressions, sudden outbursts and grouchy disposition suit the character beautifully. Side note: Martin Freeman is my favorite Watson.

Captain Bligh Charles Laughton Trevor Howard and Anthony Hopkins both did a great job with their own unique takes portraying the captain of The Bounty. But Laughton made the character unbearable. And his arrogance and defiance when set adrift in the lifeboat is perfection.

Bruce Wayne Christian Bale I don't know if Bale is the best Batman...not sure we've even seen that yet. But as Bruce Wayne, it's hard to top Bale. He really seems like a tortured, obsessed guy. And he played the vapid rich jerk part very well.

Superman Christopher Reeve No contest. Christopher Reeve was the living embodiment of Superman straight off the page.

Mr. Darcy Colin Firth Many wonderful actors have tackled this role, but no-one captured Fitzwilliam Darcy so naturally as Firth. And the 1995 miniseries is the definitive Pride and Prejudice.

Robin Hood Errol Flynn It was a tough decision between Flynn and Kevin Costner. Just kidding.

Jedi Ewan McGregor With deference to Liam Neeson, Alec Guinness and Samuel L. Jackson - McGregor embodies what I expect a Jedi to be. He's elegant, poised, daring, focused. And not a whiny teenager.

Kenneth Branagh Hamlet I don't know which role has been played by more characters...Sherlock Holmes or Hamlet (or The Doctor.) Sometimes Hamlet is portrayed in a hammy, over-the-top fashion. Sometimes it's a modern, abstract take. But Branagh's portrayal just seems real. And the movie itself is by far the best portrayal of the world's most famous play ever filmed.

Marlon Brando Fletcher Christian Being the greatest actor of all time, Brando's portrayal of (fill in the blank) is probably the best. But I especially like his take on Mr. Christian. In the beginning of the movie he's a bit of a selfish fop. But he starts to evolve as a person when he sees the mistreatment of his shipmates and fully blooms as a human being in Tahiti.

Musketeer Oliver Reed There have been numerous versions of The Three Musketeers and countless portrayals of each musketeer. But Reed's performance as Athos in the 1973 film is perfection. Oliver Reed was a force of nature - his performances in The Devils and as Bill Sikes in Oliver! are disturbing and unforgettable.

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Jeffrey Dale Starr is a beer enthusiast, oil painter, and owner of mobile software company Purple Falcon.

New and Established Breweries Claim Great American Beer Festival Medals

The 2013 Great American Beer Festival (GABF) competition awarded 252 medals to some of the best commercial breweries in the United States, including GABF Pro-Am medals. Presented by the Brewers Association, GABF is the largest commercial beer competition in the world and a symbol of brewing excellence. In its 27th year, the 2013 competition surpassed all previous participation records, setting the bar high.

To accommodate growth, this year's GABF competition saw its biggest panel of judges ever, with 201 beer experts from 11 countries evaluating 4,809 entries, with assistance from more than 130 competition volunteers.

Award-winning brewers received prestigious gold, silver and bronze medals in 84 beer categories covering 138 different beer styles (encompassing subcategories), establishing the best examples of each style in the U.S. Winners were chosen from 4,809 competition entries from 732* breweries, hailing from 49 states, plus Washington, D.C.

2013 Brewery and Brewer of the Year Awards

Very Small Brewing Company and Very Small Brewing Company Brewer of the Year
Baker City Brewing Company
Marks Lanham and Eli Dickison

Small Brewing Company and Small Brewing Company Brewer of the Year
Sponsored by Microstar Keg Management
Devils Backbone Brewing Company - Basecamp
Jason Oliver

Mid-Size Brewing Company and Mid-Size Brewing Company Brewer of the Year
Sponsored by Brewers Supply Group
Firestone Walker Brewing Company
Matt Brynildson

Large Brewing Company and Large Brewing Company Brewer of the Year
Sponsored by Beer Institute
Sandlot
John, Tom, Bill & Addison

Small Brewpub and Small Brewpub Brewer of the Year
Sponsored by Briess Malt & Ingredients Co.
Gella's Diner & Lb Brewing Company
Gerald Wyman

Mid-Size Brewpub of the Year
Beachwood BBQ & Brewing
Julian Shrago and Ian McCall

Large Brewpub and Large Brewpub Brewer of the Year
Sponsored by Brewers Supply Group
Pelican Brewing Company
Darron Welch and Steve Panos

Brewpub Group and Brewpub Group Brewer of the Year
Sponsored by Brewers Supply Group
Rock Bottom Brewery
Team Rock Bottom
Overall Competition Highlights


Reflecting craft brewing's increasing popularity nationwide, across state and regional borders, overall competition highlights include:

- Twenty-four first-time entering breweries won awards. During the registration process, 230 breweries self-identified as first-time entrants.
- There was a tie for most gold medals won, three each for Left Hand Brewing Co. (Longmont, Colo.) and for Firestone Walker Brewing Co. (Paso Robles, Calif.).
- New Jersey topped the list of ratio of medals to entries by state, with one medal won among seven entries, a 14.3% ratio. Delaware had a 13% winning ratio, with three medals won among 23 entries. California, the state with the highest number of beer entries—at 885—won 52 medals for a 5.9% ratio of medals to entries.

Style Categories

Since 2001, the most-entered category has been American-Style India Pale Ale (IPA), which saw 252 entries in 2013.

The top five entered categories were:

- American-Style India Pale Ale (252 entries)
- Imperial India Pale Ale (149 entries)
- Herb and Spice Beer (134 entries)
- American-Style Pale Ale (124 entries)
- American-Style Strong Pale Ale (120 entries)

The winners in the most-entered (that is, the most competitive) categories were:

American-Style India Pale Ale
Gold: Barley Brown's Brew Pub, Pallet Jack IPA
Silver: Firestone Walker Brewing Co., Union Jack
Bronze: La Cumbre Brewing Co., Project Dank: Operation Pharoah's Return


Imperial India Pale Ale
Gold: Fat Heads Brewery, Hop Juju
Silver: Three Floyds Brewing Co., Permanent Funeral
Bronze: Smartmouth Brewing Co., Notch 9 Double IPA


Herb and Spice Beer
Gold: Namaste Brewing at the Whip Inn, Bitterama
Silver: Yak & Yeti Restaurant & Brewpub, Chai Milk Stout
Bronze: Black Star Co-op Pub and Brewery, Elba


American-Style Pale Ale
Gold: Lumberyard Brewing Co., Lumberyard American Pale Ale
Silver: Cannonball Creek Brewing Co., Featherweight Pale
Bronze: Joseph James Brewing Co., Citra Rye Pale Ale


American-Style Strong Pale Ale
Gold: Monkey Paw Brewing Co., Bonobos
Silver: Four Peaks Brewing Co., Hop Knot
Bronze: Pizza Port Ocean Beach, Kung Fu Elvis


The 2013 GABF competition featured two new categories: Grodzisz, with seven entries, and Adambier (no entries). There were three categories in which one of the three possible medals was not awarded:

American-Style or International-Style Pilsener—No gold awarded
American-Style Amber/Red Ale—No silver awarded
Imperial Red Ale—No gold awarded


2013 Great American Beer Festival Pro-Am Competition
Sponsored by Briess Malt & Ingredients Co., Country Malt Group, Hopunion and White Labs


Gold, silver and bronze medals were also awarded in the GABF Pro-Am competition, which pairs amateur brewers with professional brewers, who scale up the award-winning homebrew recipes. The medal winners, including the winning professional brewers and American Homebrewers Association (AHA) member homebrewers are:

Gold: Poblano, Cigar City Brewing
Brewmaster: Wayne Wambles, Cigar City, and AHA member Jeff Gladish

Silver: Charlie's Brown, New Belgium Brewing Co.
Brewmaster: Peter Bouckaert/Grady Hull, New Belgium Brewing Co., and AHA member Mike Formisan

Bronze: Oatmeal Stout, Upslope Brewing Co.
Brewmaster: Alex Violette, Upslope Brewing Co., and AHA member Derek Ordway
Summary: 2013 Great American Beer Festival Statistics

624 breweries in the festival hall
More than 3,100 beers served at the festival
49,000 attendees
More than 2,800 volunteers
732* breweries in the competition from 49 states, plus Washington, D.C.
4,809 beers judged (includes 100 Pro-Am competition entries), a 12 percent increase over 2012
84 style categories judged, plus the Pro-Am competition
201 judges from 11 countries
Average number of competition beers entered in each category: 51
Category with highest number of entries: American-Style India Pale Ale: 252

2013 Great American Beer Festival Official Sponsors

Chillsner by Corkcicle
DRAFT Magazine
Microstar Keg Management
Snyder's of Hanover
Yard House Restaurants
KBCO 97.3
103.5 The FOX
AM 760
CraftBeer.com

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Jeffrey Dale Starr is a beer enthusiast, oil painter, and owner of mobile software company Purple Falcon.

Bell’s Beers Now Available in New York

COMSTOCK, Mich. – Bell’s beer has shipped to western and upstate New York. Fans can start looking for it now and celebrate with us in person Oct. 22-24.

Forty official launch parties have been scheduled in Saratoga Springs, Buffalo, Hudson, Albany, Rochester, Ithaca, Syracuse and many more. A welcome party is also scheduled for Oct. 17 in Troy. Full details are available on the Bell’s website.

All will feature core brands like Two Hearted, Kalamazoo Stout, Midwestern Pale Ale, Amber Ale and more. Seasonal offerings and quite a few specialty beers will also be tapped to help celebrate Bell’s arrival to the Empire State.

“We wanted to celebrate this launch in as many different markets as possible, knowing that there are some serious craft beer fans in each,” said Bell’s Vice President Laura Bell.

We are looking forward to meeting as many as we can and sharing who we are as a family-owned company when we visit later this month, she added.

Bell, along with many other representatives from Bell’s will also travel to New York to help kick of our arrival, get to know our new state and answer questions as well as talk about Bell’s history and future plans.

For the most up to date information about availability of Bell’s beer in specific areas, craft beer fans should contact their preferred local retailers, bars and restaurants.

ABOUT BELL’S BREWERY, INC.

Bell’s Brewery, Inc. began in 1985 with a quest for better beer and a 15 gallon soup kettle. Since then, we’ve grown into a regional craft brewery that employs more than 200 people over a 19 state area, in addition to Puerto Rico and Washington DC. The dedication to brewing flavorful, unfiltered, quality craft beers that started in 1985 is still with us today. We currently brew over 20 beers for distribution as well as many other small batch beers that are served at our pub in Kalamazoo, the Eccentric Cafe. Our ongoing goal is to brew thoughtfully, creatively and artistically. We strive to bring an authentic and pleasant experience to all of our customers through our unique ales and beers. For more information, please visit bellsbeer.com.

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Jeffrey Dale Starr is a beer enthusiast, oil painter, and owner of mobile software company Purple Falcon.

Sierra Nevada Highlights The Best of Beer Camp in Variety 12-Pack

Sierra Nevada Brewing Co. is highlighting the best of its 2012 Beer Camp sessions with a new variety 12-pack featuring three hop-forward brews. Beer Camp is two days of hands-on beer education, recipe formulation and brewing in Sierra Nevada’s 10- barrel pilot brewery at its Chico, Calif., location. From skilled homebrewers to everyday fans, the campers work in conjunction with Sierra Nevada brew masters to create top-notch beers that are hits in the Sierra Nevada taproom but rarely travel elsewhere. The Beer Camp variety pack is a tasty snapshot of the spirited fermentation powwows.

“Beer Campers bring a lot of enthusiasm and ambition to the brewery, and we love sharing some of the great beers beyond our pub,” said Ken Grossman, Sierra Nevada’s founder. “As a brewery, we like to draw big character from whole-cone hops, and the three Beer Camp beers this year made impressive use of arguably our favorite ingredient.”

The Beer Camp variety pack lands on shelves beginning in August 2013:

#93 IPA—This IPA sacrifices nothing for its drinkability, flexing big time flavor and complexity. The light color disguises the depth of the malt backbone, a pillar that balances the potent whole-cones of the piney-citrus Cascade and tropical fruit-like Citra hops.

#94 Belgian-style Black IPA—This beguiling black IPA takes a tropical detour with a dose of new world hops, featuring lemony Sorachi Ace and fruity Nelson Sauvin varieties. A Belgian yeast works with the exotic hop profile, emphasizing its complex and fruity flavors.

#95 Imperial Red Ale—Our aggressive Imperial Red Ale is a massive mix of smooth malts and West Coast hops that have no patience for the lupulin leery. This crimson beer starts with caramel-like malt flavor that can’t suppress the assertive, citrusy hop finale. Each year Sierra Nevada invites fans to submit videos for a chance to come to Beer Camp. The contest begins August 1 and runs through Labor Day, and the brewery encourages folks to bookmark www.sierrabeercamp.com and keep an eye on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram for Beer Camp news.

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Jeffrey Dale Starr is a beer enthusiast, oil painter, and owner of mobile software company Purple Falcon.

Learn To Homebrew Day on Tap for November 2

American Homebrewers Association Encourages Everyone to Try Their Hand at Homebrewing

Boulder, CO • October 16, 2013—On November 2, the American Homebrewers Association (AHA) celebrates the 14th annual Learn To Homebrew Day. The annual global event provides the opportunity for people to learn how to brew or teach others how to make beer.

Participating in Learn to Homebrew Day is as simple as finding a local event on the AHA website. There are more than 80 events taking place at homebrew shops, breweries and garages across the nation. Many local homebrew clubs, breweries and shops will have demonstrations and classes for beginners. Individuals can also organize an event, register it online, invite friends and brew at home.

"Learn to Homebrew Day shows people that homebrewing is an easy and fun hobby that anyone can pick up and enjoy," said Gary Glass, director, American Homebrewers Association. "The homebrewing community has added many new enthusiasts over the past decade-some of whom found their passion for making their own brews at a Learn to Homebrew Day event."

The AHA also offers a variety of tools to help start out novice homebrewers, including the following:

Get Schooled—Introductory information for beginners as well as knowledge for homebrewers wanting to move on to intermediate and advanced procedures.
Learn to Homebrew Video—This nine-part series of short videos walks you through homebrewing lessons that detail the entire brewing process.
Beer Recipe Blog—Find recipes for a variety of beer styles, or use the Homebrewopedia.
AHA Forum—An online community dedicated to all things homebrew, connecting users with other homebrewers for help and advice with all brewing questions.

Homebrewing is a growing hobby, with the AHA seeing membership grow from about 8,400 members in 2000 to more than 40,000 members today. It's estimated that more than 1 million people brew their own beers and wine at home. Homebrewing is now legal in all 50 states, after Mississippi and Alabama passed laws permitting it earlier this year, meaning Americans across the country can participate in homebrewing activities.

Contact: Megan McCourt, on behalf of the American Homebrewers Association, (646) 695-7045

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Jeffrey Dale Starr is a beer enthusiast, oil painter, and owner of mobile software company Purple Falcon.

Pilot Study at Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health Finds ER Patients Drinking High-Octane Beer

Study Shows Feasibility of Collecting Alcohol Brand Consumption Data in ER Departments

Five beer brands – Budweiser, Steel Reserve, Colt 45, Bud Ice and Bud Light – were consumed in the highest quantities by emergency room patients, according to a new pilot study from researchers at The Center on Alcohol Marketing and Youth (CAMY) at the Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health. Three of these are “malt liquors” with higher alcohol content than regular beer.

The pilot study, published by Substance Use and Misuse, is the first study of its kind to assess alcohol consumption by brand and type from patients reporting to the emergency department with injury.

“Recent studies reveal that nearly a third of injury visits to Level I trauma centers were alcohol-related and frequently a result of heavy drinking,” said lead study author David Jernigan, PhD, CAMY director. “Understanding the relationship between alcohol brands and their connection to injury may help guide policy makers in considering taxation and physical availability of different types of alcohol given the harms associated with them.”

The study was conducted in an urban medical center at the Johns Hopkins Hospital Emergency Department in East Baltimore on Friday and Saturday nights between April 2010 and June 2011. Of the 105 respondents who admitted to drinking alcohol before their injury, 73 (69%) were male, and 72 (69%) were African American, reflecting the demographic profile of the neighborhood in which the emergency department is located.

The research team also tracked the ER patients’ consumption of alcohol by type and compared it to national market share data from Impact Databank, a market research firm that tracks the U.S. market for alcoholic beverages by type and brand. The study found that the proportion of distilled spirits consumed by the ER sample was higher than the market share for distilled spirits in the U.S. More specifically, vodka, gin and brandy/cognac were over-represented compared to their market share in the national distilled spirits market. The same was true for ‘ready-to-drink’ beverages (RTDs). Women in the ER sample were more likely to report consuming higher quantities of RTDs.

Although beer was consumed at a lower proportion in the ER sample compared to the proportion of its consumption in the national market share for beer, men in the ER sample were more likely to report consuming higher quantities of beer or malt liquors, which has higher alcohol content than regular beer.

Four malt liquors - Steel Reserve, Colt 45, Bud Ice and King Cobra - accounted for almost 50 percent (46%) of the beer consumed by the sample. Yet these four beverages accounted for only 2.4 percent of beer consumption in the general population.

The next step, according to study authors, would be to pursue this type of research be further explored in a larger sample of emergency department admissions for injury, across multiple cities and hospitals. Policy implications of this kind of research could include requirements for clear labeling of alcohol content on malt beverage containers, including serving size labeling; limits on malt liquor availability and marketing; and graduated taxation of beer based on alcohol content to discourage consumption of higher-alcohol products.

This research was supported with funding from the Johns Hopkins Center for Injury Research and Policy, with funding from the National Center for Injury Prevention and Control, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Cooperative Agreement number 5R49CE001507, and conducted by the Center on Alcohol Marketing and Youth monitors the marketing practices of the alcohol industry to focus attention and action on industry practices that jeopardize the health and safety of America’s youth. CAMY was founded in 2002 at Georgetown University with funding from The Pew Charitable Trusts and the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation. The Center moved to the Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health in 2008 and is currently funded by the federal Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. For more information, visit www.camy.org.

Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health media contact: Tim Parsons at 410-955-7619 or tmparson@jhsph.edu.

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Jeffrey Dale Starr is a beer enthusiast, oil painter, and owner of mobile software company Purple Falcon.