Past Newsletters
Vol. 10 No. 3
| Brewery | Beers Featured |
| Great Divide Brewing Company | Whitewater Wheat |
| Great Divide Brewing Company | St. Brigid 's Porter |
| Clipper City Brewing Company | Oxford Raspberry Wheat |
| Clipper City Brewing Company | Clipper City Pale Ale |
Great Divide Brewing Company
The Great Divide Brewing Company, an award-winning microbrewery located in the heart of downtown Denver, Colorado, was founded in 1993 by avid homebrewer Brian Dunn. After completing his master's degree in environmental policy and being discouraged with his job search, Dunn decided to create his own job and fill a niche in the Denver beer market.
At the time, there were four brewpubs in Denver, but no microbreweries. Brian decided that opening Denver's first microbrewery might be the perfect way to turn his homebrews into craft-brewed reality. He began by conducting a marketing study, calling local bars, restaurants, and liquor stores. Next came the financial projections, business plan and the quest for funding. The only piece that was missing was where to house the brewery and that fell into place when he found a vacant building that housed a dairy in the 1930s, located just four blocks from Coors Field (home of the Colorado Rockies baseball team). With everything in place, Dunn could get down to doing to what he does best.
On May 30, 1994, the Great Divide Brewing was officially up and running and Brian and his wife, Tara, brewed their first batch of Arapahoe Amber. The hours were long for Brian and Tara back in those days, but now, with 10 full-time employees, things are a little easier.
In addition to growing their staff, Brian and Tara have increased their production. Over the years the brewery has grown from 900 barrels per year to a capacity of 12,000. The quick growth was no doubt helped by the fact that Great Divide has won so many awards; since 1994 they have won 5 medals at the Great American Beer Festival and three medals at the World Beer Cup. This brewery is one of the few that we've ever featured more than once in the 9 years we've operated the club and there's a reason for it - They Make Great Beer! Enjoy!
For more information about the brewery and scheduled tours, call (303) 296-9464 or check out their web site at www.greatdivide.com.
Serving Temperature: 40-45° F
Original Gravity: 11.0° Plato
Final Gravity: 2.5° Plato
Int'l Bittering Units: 17.0
Alcohol by Volume: 4.5%
When you think of whitewater and Colorado, you think of the Colorado river right? Well, not us, we think of the Whitewater Wheat beer. This wheat beer is unfiltered and has a cloudy, golden color. This is an American wheat beer brewed with Northwest 2-row and Caramel malts along with malted wheat and Hallertau hops. Look for a crisp aroma with a fresh wheat / grain character, a mild nutty yeastiness, and a slight hint of fruity esters. This is a very creamy and light beer that starts off with a mild, slightly sweet grain flavor, then works it way into a mild hop flavor and finishes off with a dry, mild bitterness. Drink this one all by itself or whilst barbequing.
Serving Temperature: 45-50° F
Original Gravity: 14.0° Plato
Final Gravity: 4.3° Plato
Int'l Bittering Units: 27.0
Alcohol by Volume: 5.9%
Two words. Great Porter. We really liked this porter! The beer itself is named after the Irish saint who is credited with a somewhat unorthodox miracle: In order to help slake the thirst of lepers in her care, she turned her bath water into beer. Unfortunately, a technique that wasn 't passed down from generation to generation. Historians did not record the lepers' reaction, but it was probably something like "Cool!". It took the Gold Medal at the World Beer Cup in 1996 and the Silver Medal at the World Beer Championships in the same year, and was named best porter by Westward Magazine in both 1995 and 1996. Note a definite roasted malt nose with little hops evident in this deep, ruby-colored, full-bodied ale. A "robust porter" by style, St. Brigid's doesn't let you down. You'll find the body full and offering notes of chocolate and a lingering roasted finish.
Clipper City Brewing Company
Clipper City owner Hugh Sisson is a true brewing pioneer. In 1983, as owner and founder of Sisson's, a restaurant and bar in Baltimore, he decided that he wanted to brew beer in his restaurant. Unfortunately, the laws in Maryland were not in his favor and his plan to open a brewpub was thwarted. A sufficient reason to relocate if you ask us. But not Hugh. In the true entrepreneurial spirit, he challenged the state to change the laws and anyone who's ever dealt with government agencies can tell you that this is no easy task. Go Hugh, Go! Perseverance prevailed in 1989 when Maryland changed their laws and Hugh opened the first brewpub in the state.
He stuck with it until 1994, when he had the itch to open a full-scale microbrewery. And guess who didn't want him to own both a brewery and brewpub? The State, you say? You got it. I'm trying to think of just what legal grounds were conjured up to prevent Hugh from doing both and can't come up with a thought on the matter. Regardless of why, Hugh got back on his horse, sharpened the sword and prepared to do battle with the State again. And wouldn't you know he won again! In early 1996 Clipper City Brewing officially opened their doors and brewing commenced. Since that time, Clipper City, named after Baltimore's nickname, has gained a fantastic reputation throughout Maryland among beer lovers.
They are now Baltimore's largest brewing facility that produces hand crafted draught and bottled beers.
For more information about the brewery and scheduled tours, call (410) 247-7822 or check out their web site at www.clippercitybeer.com.
Serving Temperature: 40-45° F
Original Gravity: 11.5° Plato
Final Gravity: 3.5° Plato
Int'l Bittering Units: 15.0
Alcohol by Volume: 5.3%
In nine years, we've only featured a couple of beers that fall into the fruit beer category. Why? Most domestic fruit beers are not well made. As real fruit is both expensive and adds a fair amount of complexity to the brewing process due to their natural sugars, most brewers brew their fruit ales with flavor extracts that make you feel like you're drinking a raspberry pie, not a beer. Clipper City uses real raspberries to flavor this wheat beer. It is medium-golden in color with rosy highlights. The nose is very typical of a wheat beer, but with a balanced aroma of raspberry. Look for a more pronounced raspberry flavor though, along with slight wheat and yeast notes. This is best enjoyed all by itself or as a desert beer.
Serving Temperature: 40-45° F
Original Gravity: 12.0° Plato
Final Gravity: 3.5° Plato
Int'l Bittering Units: 28.0
Alcohol by Volume: 5.1%
The Clipper City Pale Ale is the newest addition in their beer lineup and was the winner of the All Maryland Homebrew Pale Ale Competition in the fall of 2001. After one sip, you’ll know why. This pale ale pours a perfect cooper color with a firm, frothy, and tall head. Hugh uses both American and English hops to brew this pale, which gives it a spicy and sweet, yet notably English, hoppy aroma. The flavor is all American though, look for an aggressive bitter hop profile that lasts through to the finish. Match this one up with your favorite light pasta dish, chicken, or cheeses.
Ask Murl
Hey Murl,
I got a real Brian-bender for ya! Is it a coincidence that there are 24 beers in a case and 24 hours in a day? I’m not saying nothing I’m just saying Cause when I’ve got myself 24 beers, they pretty much ain 't making it to the next day if you get my meaning!
Fred Reubens
Birmingham, AL
Heeeeeey Fred!
When I first read your letter, I was hoping that your name would be Paul and that the smatter of random thoughts that followed was perhaps a part of your deeply warped sense of humor. But sadly, Fred, it is not and your brain-bender is not offering too much of a burden to my apparently advanced canine gray matter! You see, you’ve clearly demonstrated that it is in fact, no coincidence at all and the boyz in packaging at your favorite brewery did their homework well before rolling out the 24 bottle case of brew! They knew you 'd do the math and push the envelope just for the sheer braggin rights of saying you made it through the 24 hour Laverne and Shirley marathon without having to make a second trip to your local 7-11. We salute you Fred. For your astute powers of observation. For your dedication to the better good of beer consumption. And for providing some great material for my column!
Woof!
Murl.
Food For Thought...
Recipe Name
Oxford Raspberry Wheat Chicken
- 12 oz. Oxford Raspberry Wheat
- 1 Vidalia onion, peeled and minced
- Juice of one lime and grated zest of one lime
- 2 chicken breasts, split into four pieces
- Salt and black pepper to taste
- 3 tablespoons olive oil
- 2 cloves garlic minced
- 2 teaspoons fresh rosemary, stemmed and minced
- 2 tablespoons minced parsley
Mix 8 oz. raspberry wheat beer, onion, lime juice, and lime zest in a glass baking dish deep enough to cover chicken. Season the chicken with salt and pepper then add to the baking dish. Marinate for 2-3 hours. Remove chicken from marinade and discard marinade. Place 2 tablespoons of olive oil in a large nonstick skillet, and brown chicken, skin side down.
Cook, uncovered, for 5 to 6 minutes, turning chicken once. Add garlic and rosemary. Stir in remaining raspberry wheat beer, cover and braise on low heat for 15 minutes. Turn chicken and simmer uncovered, so pan juices reduce. When pan juices reach the thickness of a syrup, chicken should be cooked through to 160F. Serve with steamed rice and a sprinkling of parsley.
Norm's Corner...
As spoken by Cheers' Norm
Coach: Beer, Normie?
Norm: Uh, Coach, I dunno, I had one this week. Eh, why not,
I’m still young.
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Through our Customer Appreciation Program
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