wine tip

Are you tired of always having to go out to a bar for a couple of cold beers when you really just want to take it easy and relax a bit? Have you ever thought about how much money you spend when drinking out in public? For anyone who’s had to put off their car payment for another week just because of last Saturday night
the solution is simple; beer taps right in your own home!

Buying draft beer by the keg not only costs much less but the quality and experience goes up as well. A draft beer system is a fairly simple way to enjoy great beer without going anywhere. A draft system uses gas (usually CO2 or a blend of nitrogen and CO2) to push beer from the keg right out of the beer tap handles and into your glass. Beer must remain in between 38-40 degrees Fahrenheit for two reasons: for proper pouring and to maintain the freshness of the beer
as it is not pasteurized. It can be a bit more complicated with multiple beer taps
but the basics remain; consistent temperature and a proper pressure level of gas.

At home beer taps are fairly simple in design. A small tank of CO2 attaches to a regulator
which reduces the pressure down to 10-12 psi. A hose goes from the beer tap handles to the keg. There are a variety of beer tap handles that go along with certain kinds of beers. All beer tap handles have a screwing or keyed fitting that hooks up to the keg and another hose that runs to the faucet where the beer is poured out. Tap handles usually run anywhere from $15-$150
depending on what style and brand you choose.

Most of the domestic keg coolers are designed to hold a pony keg
or about ผ of a regular sized keg. Some larger coolers are made for restaurants that hold ฝ of a keg. There are also conversion kits where you can actually turn your old refrigerator into a keg cooler. It is a good idea to test out the size of the keg you’ll be using with the fridge before building it to completion. Local beer distributors will more than likely loan you one for a small deposit down. After that
it’s as simple as measuring a frame around the keg to make sure your cooler is big enough to hold the size keg you want.

A five-pound tank of gas is usually enough for about 5-7 half kegs and is relatively inexpensive (between $7-$12) to refill. Regular cleaning should be done to maintain proper flow through the system and to keep the taste of the beer great. This can be done by regularly running clean and hot water through the lines every couple of weeks or so. Whatever system you go with
there’s a lot to be said about being able to stay in your own home and still being able to enjoy your favorite draft beer just like at the bar.

Beer brewing has always been the core business of the Anheuser-Busch company. An industry leader since 1957
Anheuser-Busch currently owns over half of the domestic beer market.

The market share has grown so much that Anheuser- Busch now has a bigger portion of the market than the next four competitors
with the international sales being no different. Anheuser-Busch remains the leading exporter of beer from the United States
with sales in more than 60 countries.

Microbreweries
or microbrews for short
have been gaining a lot of attention in the past several years. Microbrews are best classified as breweries that produce less than 15
0
barrels in a given year.

The strength of microbrews is found in their philosophy that beer should be of the highest quality. Therefore
microbrews are only brewed with malted barley
hops
water
and yeast
which are the only four ingredients found in the purist German beers. Mass bottled beers normally add rice and corn to help lower costs.

The only drawback to microbrews is what they cost. The more expensive ingredients found in microbrews cost on average 60% higher than the mass bottled beers.

Beer isn't like wine
which tends to get better with age. Beer is instead a food that should be consumed as soon as possible after production. With this in mind
pubs or microbrews that produce beer on the premises are the hottest new trends
with four new pubs on average popping up each and every week.

Each year
sales of microbrews goes up an average of 40% each year. This figure is very impressive when you consider that the market is shrinking as a whole. Even with this amazing success
the microbrew sales represent around two percent of the entire beer market.

In their pursuit to continue dominating the entire beer market
Anheuser-Busch has tapped into the trend of microbrews. They recently purchased a stake in the Seattle based Red Hook Ale microbrewery. The new products they released into the beer market include Red Wolf
Elk Mountain Red
and Elk Mountain Amber Ale.

Microbrews are normally produced regionally
therefore Anheuser-Busch is developing regional manufacturers and distributors. By doing this
they must decide on the best possible way to handle their short term cash needs for purchasing inventory in these tiny plants.

With their recent transition into the world of microbrews
you can count on Anheuser-Busch to make quite the impact. They will be offering more microbrews in the future
which is great news for beer drinkers. If you like the wild taste of microbrews
Anheuser-Busch is more than worth your time and money.

The Alaskan brewing company is the oldest operating brewery in Alaska
with their amber beer being their most popular brand. They produce two other brands as well
pale ale and Alaskan frontier amber. If you enjoy fresh amber beer
Alaskan brewing is what you want.

As you may already know
brewing beer in Alaska is very hard to do. The coastal community of Juneau doesn't have road connections to the lower 48 states
so everything arrives and leaves by water or air
with weather always having the final say.

In 1986
the Alaskan brewing company became the 67th brewery to operate in the United States and the only one to operate in Alaska. Since that time
Alaskan brewery has received more than 30 major medals and awards
including the best beer in the nation award during the 1988 Great American Beer Festival.

The popularity of their beers has led to a great amount of efforts to keep up with the demand from consumers. They also hold the unnofficial record for the production on a 10 barrel brewing system
which produces an amazing 42 batches a week.

The Alaskan Brewery offers several different styles of brew as well
which are listed below:

1
Amber - This is the company's flagship beer
based on a turn of the century recipe that was used to quench the thirst of the miners during the Gold Rush era. It provides a smooth
malty
rich taste that goes well with meals - or friends.

2
Pale - Pale is fresh
crips
and inviting. Alaskan pale is great with crab
pawns
and salads. The floral aroma of the hops is derived from dry hopping the tanks during the entire fermentation process.

3
Stout - The oatmeal style beer of stout doesn't have the harshness of other stouts. Great with chocolate and hearty meals
stout is also ideal to enjoy while walking in the snow.

4
ESB - If you like hops
the infusion of hops in this delight will amaze your nose while the refreshing cascade hops will provide a wonderful crispness to both the flavor and the finish. This beer is great with spicy food
wild game
and other wintery food.

5
Smoked porter - Very exclusive
Alaskan smoked porter has a world class reputation for its excellence. Brewed in the fall
this beer is ideal for storing in the cellar for later enjoyment.

6
Winter ale - This tender brew of spruce trees has been used for brewing in Alaska since the late 1700s.

In the great world of commerce
new technologies are constantly being created to make life easier for us all. The enterprise of draft beer is no different. In the last few years
companies have made several advances that improve not only the quantity of draft beer but the quality as well. Self-cleaning beer taps systems have been developed as well as self-contained systems that are making life easier for the bartender as well as the consumer. This leads to increased profits for restaurant owners and a lower turnover rate for kegs of beer.

Probably the most important improvement has been the “quick-fill” systems that not only get colder brew into beer glasses but also cut down on waste
therefore reducing costs and improving profit margins. These improved beer taps fill the beer glasses from the bottom to the top
therefore getting more beer and less foam into the glass. These “quick-fill” systems can get up to and beyond a 98% yield out of a keg
where the industry standard is somewhere between 75-80%. This is especially relevant when it comes to a novice bartender. A beginning bartender can produce as much as 25-30% waste on a keg of beer in a busy night. Their lack of experience in pouring draft beer literally makes them pour all of the owner’s profit down the drain. There have also been small modifications to beer tap handles that have increased the success rate of the draft beer pour.

As consumer demands for draft beers goes up
so does the manufacturers urgency in creating a system that will deliver the product in the same quality as when it leaves the brewery. This is another one of the main problems with draft beer; it must remain at a constant temperature of between 38-42 degrees Fahrenheit. If the keg gets too warm
it will produce too much foam and make a lot more waste. If it is too cold
there will be no foam and there will be too much beer poured in the glass. Either way
it means lost profits to the restaurant or bar owner. Modern techniques in transporting product have increased as breweries strive to maintain a constant temperature to better preserve the taste of their beer right from the brewery. Recent inventions are not so much whole new systems as they are modifications to bar’s and restaurant’s already existing systems. With so many ways to pour a draft beer and so many different aspects of how the beer hits the beer glasses
companies are trying to take a lot of the guess-work out of the bartender’s job. New systems fill beer glasses from the bottom up
thus eliminating much of the usual 15% waste factor.

Representatives for these new beer taps say that while they still have a ways to go
things seem to be getting better for the most part. There has not been a perfect method developed yet
despite the efforts of the manufacturers. Improvements continue to be made and passed on to the consumer
giving the beer-drinking consumer something to smile about.

It is commonly known that beer has been around mankind for a long while. As beer itself changed
expanded
and improved
so did the way in which we actually got the beer to our mouths. Pottery
wood
stoneware
and even sewn up pieces of leather made up the earliest drinking vessels. As time went on
man witnessed small advancements in the quality of their beer receptacles. Early Europeans that lived during the time of the black plague saw the development of beer steins
which had a closed top on the steins to prevent flies from landing in the beer and making the person ill.

Today
the most important factor to influence modern beer glass making was the creation of glass. As consumers actually started to be able to look at what they were consuming from the glass they began to demand a beer with more flavor and a improved hue. Customers didn't want chunks in their drinks anymore so manufacturers began to filter their beers. With this new
improved wave of beer glasses
it appeared beer steins were on the way out.

A variety of glasses were created and produced for the various kinds of beers. The sixteen-ounce pint glass is the most in demand glass in the United States. It was originally used to fit the top of a Martini shaker
but barkeeps soon discovered that as the beer poured out of the beer tap handles the pint glass was the top receptacle because it let part of the carbonation to be released and let the aroma of the brew to be more obvious. The pint glass rapidly became popular with barkeeps who had to rinse each glass by itself because it can be put on top of each other and stored easily on the shelves.

An attempt to get consumers to get their kind of beer by breweries led to some unique and groundbreaking moves on the marketing and advertising front. Handing out glasses to consumers was a way that manufacturers found to promote their beers even though it was illegal. This led to the manufacturers creating glasses that were works of art unto themselves. The first were gaudy and costly; they would often have gold or silver embossed on the sides. Eventually
artists for the breweries began doing detailed carvings on either side of the beer glasses or steins and even developed a method of cooking enamel paint onto the glasses. These enameled glasses are still some of the most rare beer souvenirs
even though they were made more recently than the others. Nowadays avid collectors all over the earth continue to collect these tin signs and memorabilia that are sometimes worth thousands. Have you looked up in the top of Grandpappy's old drawer in a while?

It is commonly known that beer has been around mankind for a long time. The way we consumed beer developed as beer expanded
grew
and advanced. The earliest vessels humans used for drinking included stoneware
pottery
carved out wood
and even sewn-together bits of leather. As time proceeded
humans saw small improvements in the quality of their beer glasses. During the bubonic plague beer steins were essential because of their closed top to keep bugs from getting in the beer and getting them ill.

Nowadays
the most important thing to affect modern beer glass production was the development of glass. As glasses became more and more popular
customers could actually see what they were consuming and demanded a lighter and better color and taste. Drinkers didn't want chunks in their beer anymore so manufacturers started to filter their products. With this new
more aesthetically pleasing wave of beer glasses
it appeared beer steins were on the way out.

All kinds of beer glasses were created and produced for the different kinds of beverages. The most popular in the United States is the 16-ounce pint glass. It was originally used to cover a Martini shaker
but barkeeps soon found that as the beer flowed out of the beer tap handles the pint glass was the perfect vessel because it let some of the carbonation to be released and let the smell of the brew to be more obvious. The pint glass rapidly became popular with bartenders who had to rinse each glass individually because it can be stacked on top of each other and put easily on the shelves.

On the advertising and marketing front some extraordinary and groundbreaking moves were developed by early breweries to try and persuade people towards their products. Handing out beer glasses to people was one way that manufacturers found to promote their products even though it was prohibited. This led to the breweries creating beer glasses that were works of art unto themselves. Gold or silver embossing on either side of the glass was not uncommon for these first flashy and pricey glasses. Gradually
artisans for the breweries began doing detailed etchings on the sides of the glasses or steins and even developed a method of firing enamel paint onto the beer glasses. These painted glasses remain some of the most unique beer souvenirs
even though they were produced later than the others. Today fervent collectors all over the planet continue to collect these signs and collectables that are sometimes worth thousands. Have you been up in the top of Granddad's old drawer lately?

Enjoy some of the most spectacular views that Colorado has to offer while you sample gourmet food
sip on fine wines and chug microbrew. Everyone receives a commemorative wine glass or beer pilsner and unlimited samples of food and drink. Even though this should be enough to satisfy most anyone
there is a whole lot more going on at the Rocky Mountain Wine
Beer & Food Festival.

This famous event is held at the base of Winter Park Resort where you can find a 600 mile hiking and mountain biking trail system that spreads throughout the beautiful Fraser Valley. Winter Park is also home of the longest Alpine Slide in Colorado! A 3000 foot long slide
with a 600 foot drop winding through the wilderness. Take a chair lift to the top of Winter Park Mountain and you can find an 18 hole disc golf course
as well as 360 degree views of the Rocky Mountains. Back at the base there is also a miniature golf course that takes you through Fraser Valley history
a climbing wall
Rock N' Roll Gyro
Human Maze
Leaps & Bounds Bungee and a whole lot more.

Proceeds of this event will benefit the National Sports Center for the Disabled
which is one of the most important organizations found at Winter Park Resort.

When: Saturday
August 5
2006
12
Noon - 3pm.

Where: West Portal Station at Winter Park Resort

Admission: $40 in advance / $42 at the door

Stay just a five minute walk from the event: Slope View Bed and Breakfast offers views of the Continental Divide
unique amenities and a knowledgeable staff. 970-531-2386