George Jetson Syndrome and the latest Beer Rage:  Mark Dallmeyer, Lenox, MA / USA:
 
Have you ever asked your Ale server to pour you a beer with a head?   Then you know the blank look and the hidden embarrassment that creates a reactionary rage in them.  No server wants to be embarrassed by not knowing something, but its the old "learning while doing" mentality that is destroying any hope of a beer culture at the taps in America.   On my return from the MBAA in Rhode Island where bottled Ale was the main stay, I didn't need to experience someone else pouring my free beer for a day or two.  Those were some of the best days, including the 6 bus trip to a 19 century boat cabin on the Providence Bay.  It seemed like this could be a little taste of Heaven.  One week later, I returned to a favorite micro pub in Lee, Massachusetts.  Once again I was confronted by that old blank look but this time, it was as if Road rage came in colors.  I encountered a stern comment with my request for a head from the owner sitting at a distance waiting to see me order.  He announced that I am the only one that ever asks for head.   It was clear, I would now need to debate the head or leave his people alone and go somewhere else.   He claimed that his system cannot deliver a full head of beer due to the carbonation or something.   His people were also not trained for this.   So I did what any passionate, beer loving, traveling meister would do,  I stuck around and ordered a nice Dale's in a can and poured it myself.   As for the barmaid, she was in hot water when I showed that any one of her ales could be poured to look like a beer from Pilsner.   The following week, I left for another place and realized that their beer source was located in the back basement with lines apparently wrapped around the hot water tank even when served in a chilled glass from their rusty freezer that was part of the original toilet structure of the bar.  
 
Back at my favorite pub with no head, the owner didn't want to know I was there reading the June issue of Automation World, with the headline "George Jetson Syndrome", the official term for operators of the future.  It's detail highlighted the following verse, "Operations improve when the operator (beer server), is able to solve complex problems, instead of having to filter through a tidal wave of data to get useful information."  My addition is that better trained servers are important for draft beer to survive, and, "Best practices are the best".   English Ale traditions such as tilting and fill to the top is not what beer is about.   Traditionally in America, we see that even Utica Club recommended slapping the bottom of the glass.   Now look at any experienced bartender in Germany and you will see this in action.  It doe not matter which carbonation system you have.   In America, we can even pour an English Ale like a beer.   I am not a complacent George Jetson, but rather, see the need to be engaged, alert at all times and able to make critical decisions like pouring the perfect beer.
 
Now that its Summer, I took my beer head to the TGIF near the Airport in Newark, NJ.   Wow, is Corona in a bottle always flat or did I just get a bad one?   Good that the bartender was OK with that because he offered to pour me a draft instead.   Again no fizz at all!   "That's OK", he said, as he charged me for both of them anyway.    I think I'm in a scene from the horror film about the Jetsons as I drove back to Massachusetts again, sad, but 4 hours away! 
 
Mark Earl Dallmeyer,
Market Expansion Director
Healthy Remnants LLC
24 Orchard Street
Lenox, Massachusetts 01240 USA
413-441-1697

A.)  Free Beer Training based upon Maxit Compliance:   This Staff system assures that the organizers track each level of training.   Specific Focus is based upon individual training of each employee through the free beer initiative.
i.e..:
1.)   Brewmaster:  confirmation of beer ingredients.   Follow using BA / MBAA guidelines.
2.)   Servers:  Must meet proper regional training and meet international pouring standards.
 
B.)  Equipment confirmation and Set Up:

1.)  Special Cup / Glass portions must indicate a fill line with curved proportions to allow beer volume control.   Individual portions should not exceed 10 ounces per container.
2.)   Product variables must be prepared in a booklet or information sheet to the customers.
The potential for changes in
 
C.)  Safety Action Guidelines:
 
1.)  Facility Guidelines must be met for the event.   Outside events must meet organizational guidelines from the MBAA regional chapter.
2.)  Staff training for start times, length of event and closing guidelines need proper documentation.
3.)  Prepare proper relief lines and keep security staff aware of guidelines.
4.)  Provide contact points for paid ride home option.
5.)  Provide proper health guidelines for beer consumption and recovery guidelines.
6.)  Provide paid options for food or snack offers and introduce food options.
 
D.)   Utilization of Cloud Coverage Expansion Detail:  (see attached also)
 
·      Free  Beer Cloud STRATEGY & ROADMAP: Analyze existing environment, make recommendations for business applications to move to the cloud and identify specific deployment strategies
·        * Free Beer CLOUD SECURITY & RISK: Analyze existing or planned cloud deployments and recommend controls to help mitigate risks

·        *  Free Beer  CLOUD IMPLEMENTATION MANAGEMENT: Manage the transition of existing service into the cloud, provide assistance with contractual negotiations and ensure functional and security testing as appropriate

 
*MAXIT (Learning Management System) training guidelines help prepare your staff for free beer events.   See www.maxit.com for training compliance based upon the above customized highlights.
 
Sincerely,
www.maxit.com
Healthy Remnants, LLC

On a recent trip back to see the Romeis Laboratory in Germany, the independent testing facilities for the Rheinheitsgebot,

I became a convert of Pilsner Beer again.   Just imaging, all the Beer being made in North America and all those people looking for

ways to come home and seriously claim that Beer is Good for you, need to make this trip to Germany immediately.

 

While there, Weihenstephan, the oldest active brewery in the world, made a license agreement with the one and only, Jim Koch

back in Boston, two days after my departure from that city.   At Romeis, we were only about 50 miles away from Weihenstephan, the

hometown of Freising, and thoughts of reasons why.   Is it for the marketing, is it distribution, or is it because of the Pope is from there?

 

It's not because of the coronation but the Carbonation!!   Yes, go ahead, your body can handle it.   Unfortunately, most micro brewers in America have

avoided carbonation and formed a tradition of Ales, some with more or less PYF, but the beer / Ale battle ensues in opposite directions.   

When someone asks me, I recommend a beer that has a handle on carbonation and where the Burpp becomes your friend.   Just make sure you

can handle what's going on and ry to save your shorts for another day.

 

In carbonation, we can avoid the beer geek questions of hops, barley, and yeast activities such as dreadded PYF and other funky stuff.  Let your gut

focus on the enjoyment of micro bubbles to square your pants.  Its FREE!   Why have Micro Brewers avoided the micro bubble issue for so long?

One aspect is that most brewers are focused on a flat Ale mentatlity that is making Beer extinct in America.  Not even in Mexico do they forget the power

of the bubble and the true enjoyment of Beer that comes through the smooth carbonation bubble. 

 

Precision influence such as known at Romeis, assures that nothing but beer will live through the process.   Our own concept of Beer vs. Ales depend upon these bubbles.

Additionally, bottled water in Germany knows the true health benefit of Carbonation.  However, Wine will lose its Whine edge over a truly carbonated beer in a moment.  For

this, we can claim a bubble or two that potentially makes it past the endzone depending upon the enjoyment of carbonation in our digestive system. 

 

I need to go back to my brewer and ask them to start making a Pils that understands carbonation.  We can always find Pils in Germany and even China that produces

a traditional beer, but what about my brewer in America?  Taste is important, hops important and so even yeast with its PYF issues.   The battle with these complex issues

continues to drive people to wine.  He needs to be reminded on what makes beer great.

 

My brewer says that he can't make a Pilsner that stands up to anything else.  By this he's limited to stay in the flat Ale catagory and never do beer "good".

He also wants to tell other brewers how great his ingredients and someday claim his own version of the Rheinheitsgebot than even the German version.  It is

in essense, a way to continue to cater to other brewers of Ale rather than attempt to make a Pils for us.   My brewer says he can't make a Pils that can handle

the cold preferences of the American drinker.  Is it? I ask.  Why not work with all the important factors and know your Carbonation options to produce beer with

all the right ingredients, even claiming the Rheinheitsgebot. 

 

I still enjoy all beers in time, however, we are missing the greatest beer experience and the success of beer by staying with Flat Ales in America.   Do we need

to lose everyone before my brewer finally says OK lets go for a Pils with a head.   We can do it.  Let's demand a revival in Beer and People get ready, Pils is the

best.   Let it flow and bring that good head up and up.   NO MORE FLAT ALES.

 

Best

Mark Earl Dallmeyer

Free Beer Buddy

Lenox, Massachusetts USA

413-441-1697

HARPOON OKTOBERFEST 2009

WINSOR, VERMONT BREWERY

BY: Mark Dallmeyer

It was a healthy autumn day in Vermont. Curving through the Green Mountains with the top down on our RV, beautiful leaves, views, and danger at every turn. Are we in Heaven or is this the drive to Harpoon’s yearly Beer event in the hills? When the Oktoberfest began over 10 years ago in Vermont, not many people were concerned about Bears at a beer fest, and today its not a big deal either, but the thought of Bears is more reason to offer free beer. The only people worried about bears within one hundred miles this day would be the people at the wine foliage fest in upstate New York. Beer was on everyone’s mind here. I have never seen a more gracious group of beer runners before and after a race. Free beer, a glass mug and a quick run near the woods meant a full day for everyone with a number tag and sneakers. White socks didn’t matter. I met my good buddy Rodwel on line at the race. Could it be, I asked Rodwel, if he had a plan with black socks, Munich Dark Beer, and a Medical Doctor’s degree from just up the road at Dartmouth? Rodwel was the leading medical student doctor on exchange from Zimbabwe, Africa with a focus on bringing babies into the world. Rodwel was with Joanne from southern Brazil and both represent two of the most unlikely regions to find common ground in Vermont through Harpoon providing the “love of beer” to everybody.

Next, the whole placed found an Oktoberfest mood and great autumn weather. Hundreds attended the event, listening to old German musik and wondering if their grandmothers were playing a joke on them. The chicken dance was like a bad hit of a deja vous dream, but the kids and their buzzed mom’s and dads loved it. Next year, my suggestion is to get a real rock and roll group from Germany for a modern Oktoberfest and see how the other half lives and loves beer.

The beer choices were interesting. A choice of IPA, Filtered / Unfiltered, Munich Dark, and Wheat beer was great. The lines were great unless you wanted food. I enjoy the IPA from Harpoon best and had a taste of a few extra specials in the brewery. They were giving tours and helped qualify them for free beer on a Sunday, the day of rest. I recommend Harpoon as one of the best buddies to hang out with when you come to Boston or go to the hills of Vermont. They really know how to bring people together.

The first stop was a table with IPA from the Pittsfield Brewery in the Berkshires. This time, I loved it again. I thought the IPA was real close to the Hop Devil that comes from Victory of all places. The hops snuck up on me and nothing else could compare. The others were good but the draught beer from Bill and Sue really hit the spot.
Now the food was truly proportional and matched as it took me a while to even think about food because the beer was so fun and I was feeling real Hoppy that evening. Hops can do that to you. As for the meatballs, I love Garllick and I think they were filled with 2 days of it. The Chicken Wings from The Fort were a variety of great choices. The artichoke/Spinach dip was warm and awesome. The Fish was gone in a heartbeat and everyone was talking about the great Salmon while it lasted.
For me the Dogfish in a bottle is always great but the draught is even better, especially the IPA and the special Amber style. A few beers were served from as far way as California and then there was Berkshire Brewery IPA that was very good. Also, as it turns out, the Dogfish brewer from the Delaware brewery was originally from Greenfield Massachusetts nearby.
With all of this action, my wife spotted a gentleman and his wife that looked just like George and Barbara Bush. As in most beer classes, we are told never to approach people that themselves do not have a beer. To make excuses, I asked the brave question, "did you ever consider politics?" At that, I got a smile rather than a frown. Good start and we discussed politics from a conservative viewpoint, something never expected in this neck of the woods.
As it turns out, Major George and Barbara have just returned to live in the Berkshires after accepting a job as managing director of a large bank in Boston moving from Morristown near Pennsylvania. Why mention these things? Well, George went to law school with Richard Doyle, founder of Harpoon Brewery. Rich later worked for George at Leeman Brothers in NY, and Major George was one of the first investors in Harpoon after Rich came back to the office with a jug of home brew and gave his resignation to start Harpoon with a
"marketing guy" in Boston. The rest, they say, is history.
Best,
Mark

At this point, the Dr. Ruth was asking "who has a problem with PYF?"  I had no idea so I asked the brewer next to me what PYF was, but he gave me a look that could kill. At that, I asked him if he was from Canada, eh? That set the tone for the next 2 hours of discussion until I finally learned what PYF is. PYF is Premature Yeast Flocculation!! a vital part of the reason I was at the Yeast conference to determine food / Beer pairing for a spot I was putting together for the www.FreeBeerBuddy.com Blog that deals with food pairing.

Premature Flocculation was the topic to address Vitality, Taste, and Viability. These are the true leaders of yeast discussions worldwide, until one brewer called the Yeast issue for what it is, Unpredictable. Plus, most brewers want to use and re-use Yeast as much as possible to save costs and look to maintain a consistant beer result. Another brewer just yelled out, why not just taste the stuff to find out if it lives? All groaned at that, no brewer wants to stay on the bus for 3 days from the results of tasting an abundance of Yeast samples.

I met Graeme Walker, BSc, PhD, FIBD Professor of Zymology from the Scotland biotechnical & Forensic Sciences, and asked what he thought about PYF and wondered if it was worth the trip from Scotland? He was encouraging and informative, nothing like the James Bond image I had grasped from his business card. He was happy to reveal his side of the Yeast equation as it relates to beer taste as I mentioned that Free Beer usually tastes best and he agreed.

Once the Workshop on how to improve your Yeast Vitality and Yeast Fermentation effects including Temperature, Consistency, and Down Time were Optimized, most brewers spent the afternoon looking at the bottom of the free beer in the lobby and then back in for a quick look at Yeast under the microscope. Yeast, Yeast and more Yeast, can make you thirsty for beer. The next 3 days proved this and hang on for the best free beer events in history that will never be matched again.

After the yeast event, we were all invited to the Harpoon Brewery for the first ever full open bar in the history of Harpoon and the founders Dan and Rich. We were touring the entire event with our glasses for beer and all kinds of food that matched. This was a historic Beer event that will not be back in Boston for a while but as for Tuesday, we were not feeling sad about this fact but now 2 weeks later, I am truly blessed to have been there.

On Wednesday, the seriousness of the event started to come together. Rows and rows of Vendors to the brewers were lined up at the World Trade Center in Boston. Beer was truly becoming a classical music that someone in the Sophisticated side of the business could relate to. The rock and rollers from the night before were all there in their bikers clothes and ready for knowledge. It wasn't long before the elegant lunch and beer events complemented the morning speakers. Some of the interesting people here were the fellows from the Bureau of Alcohol and Tabacco, and Tank manufacturers from Germany that didn't want to talk with the low ranking American Brewer unless they were ready to buy a well engineered system based upon the reputation of fine German craftsmanship. The trouble with this mentality from Europe is that it was obvious that some of our American Cowboy brewers were making some great beer that surpased the restrictions of the Rheinheitsgebot. Left Hand Brewery was a king now in the European Market and there are a lot to follow.

As I went to the computers to write a summary of the day, little did I know that the hotel computers were located near to the rest room. After so much free beer, everyone had to pass that way, including Jim Koch. Jim recognized me from the Beverage Forum where he was elected man of the year and also from his Boston Entrepreneur outreach last year. We were about to get on busses to the Sam Adams brewery and things were looking great. A little while later, Garrett Oliver, from the Brooklyn Brewery and a great food / beer advocate came by for an introduction. I met Michael Jackson at the Brooklyn brewery years ago and we drove to Virgil's in NY with Marcy at the wheel after that free beer event.

The free beer bus train stopped in Roxbury at the Sam Adams brewery where Jim was waiting with the full floor and Lobster dinner. This was the best FBB outreach in the history of Beer and one that we will never never forget. Tours and beer and food was fun and happy. Lobster, Corn, Chicken, Dessert, Beer. Jim recognized the Underberg and we discussed the benefits of Bitters after a huge meal and on the bus back to Boston, I sat next to a beer lobbyist based in Washington DC and was able to find out a lot about free beer events for the government. He tells me that beer is never denied an ear with our congressmen and senators. Free Beer Runs our government.

On Thursday, the day's events were similar to the day before but as I was preparing to return to the western part of the state, I read my package of information to discover that there was another event being held at the private upper floor Sam Adams bar on back Bay. Once there, on the 8th floor, it was another free beer presentation by Jim Koch and the top level owners and brewers in the industy, including Nick and Fred Matt from Saranac in Utica, NY, as well as Matt from Hebrews beer. Hebrews Beer is the greatest slogans such as "Christ, that's good beer", to "the Genesis of Beer". This beer is made in Saratoga, NY under contract.

Oh, that's not all, after leaving the Sam Adams Private Quarters, it was back to the Harpoon for casks of beer. I introduced myself to Opa Opa and introduced him to Magic Hat that belong to the MBAA in New England. The beer was presented in casks and was a jamin' Rock and roll event. Later days to classical beverages at this event that was sponsored in part by the White brothers that own White Laboratory in California, the leading American supplier of Yeast.

To summarize the week in Boston, we can look to Beer as the miracle of the economy. I sense that beer will be a contributor to revitalizing our economy on every level. Topics that make a difference includes the joining of yeast with hops, Health and Barley. American Beers have arrived and the world will never be the same. Canada, Europe and the open trade will never be the same. Women will notice and the mysteries of yeast will be revealed. Scotland Yard was here!



Mark Dallmeyer
Managerj
Healthy Remnants, LLC
Dallmeyer Industries, Inc.

It’s Friday, Thank God, for the working people of Boston after two late nights of Red Sox Nation and a week of early morning work schedules.   Beer Etiquette is King to these jubilant creatures and Red Sox victories to establish the greatest weekend in Baseball this summer.   On this early Friday evening, the 4 star hotel where I am staying, just north of Boston is having a quite meeting with the wait staff tasting wine and learning about the evening meal and how wine will be the main focus for their guests as usual.   At the same time, a large group of young business men and women are gathered in the club drinking what seems like gallons of beer in huge 20oz glass buckets as thick as my brother-in-law’s bottle bottom glasses.

I looked to see if the wait staff and managers noticed these beer drinking professionals and what they plan to do next.   Eat or drink more beer?   Could the bartender convince these jubilant beer drinkers to join them for a quiet Bottle of wine in the restaurant or would he show the manager what they are missing? To be sure, He needs to quickly establish a local Beer Society with some free beer. In the eyes of typical restaurant management, we assume that the money spent on high priced bottles of wine is a source of income that far outweighs the impact of a single glass of gallon brew that is consumed and served in a rather bold but not always proper manner. Management needs to understand the power of a free beer and know that with each glass of beer is a wealth of expenditure potential and loyal taste relationship to Summer Thirst that can drive Business up and up.

The perception of wine drinkers as money generators in the restaurant business is a poor assumption. The power of Beer is captured in a glass and a hoppy local beer in the best in the world. No glass of wine can quench the thirst in such a way that beer is historically and culturally designed to do.    The Wisdom to Bartenders is to know that the power is in the taste of Beer and the Joy of another Red Sox Win.   Let’s introduce more bartenders to www.freebeerbuddy.com and give them freedom to pour a beer with a Power Swing.