Great Divide Brewing Company - Saint Brigid's Robust Porter

St. Brigid's Porter is a deep ruby colored, full-bodied porter with a smooth chocolate character and a slightly roasted finish. The name comes from Irish lore about Saint Brigid who reportedly transformed her bathwater into beer for thirsty clerics. As the brewery is sensitive about giving out specific information with regard to the types of malts and hops used to brew this beer, it will have to suffice to let you know that it's a true winner this year after winning the Gold medal in the robust porter category at both the 1996 World Beer Cup and the 1996 Great American Beer Festival.

Note a predominantly chocolate roasted malt nose with some sweet malt characteristics evident. Look for good head retention in this dark brown, filtered, medium-bodied ale. St. Brigid's has nice clean, dark roasted malt characteristics throughout its body and finish, indicative of a true robust porter. Overall, a clean, flavorful, and true-to-style robust porter well deserving of its recent Gold at GABF.

Hibernator Gorgonzola Cheese Soup

This month's selection was contributed by Great Divide's Co-Founder, Tara Dunn.

1 small red onion
3 medium cloves garlic
1 chipotle pepper
2 Tbsp. olive oil
1 pound gorgonzola cheese
16 oz. Hibernation Ale
1 quart heavy cream
1 gallon whole milk
Salt and pepper to taste

Puree onion, garlic and chipotle in food processor. Heat oil over medium heat in stock pot. Add onion mixture. With hands, crumble in gorgonzola. Heat just until cheese is halfway melted. Stir in beer. Bring to boiling point. Gradually add cream and milk. Heat just to boiling point. Do not boil or soup will scorch. Whisk occasionally. (Beer and cheese should incorporate on their own so do not overwhisk or soup will foam up). Add salt and pepper to taste. Serves 10-12 humans, 47 mice or 1 Green Bay Packer Fan.

BEER, THE MAGAZINE - France's Pecheur Brewery is betting on the bow-wows of approval with its new version of non-alcoholic beer for animals. Made from beer-making leftovers and enriched with vitamins and mineral salts, the concoction will be touted as a power drink for pets and is currently being test-marketed in Japan.

ON TAP (BREWER'S ASSOC. OF CANADA) - Almost 100 alcoholics were required to watch reruns of Dallas for a study conducted by the Addiction Research Foundation. Some patients watched the show with drinking scenes, others watched it with the drinking scenes cut out, and all patients viewed the program with either beer, non-alcoholic beverage or food commercials. Results indicated that the patients who watched both Dallas's drinking scenes and beer commercials were "more confident in their ability to resist the urge to drink heavily" than those who watched the drinking scenes with food commercials. The reports were published by the Journal Studies on Alcohol and contradict the assumption that beer commercials influence alcoholics to drink. Researchers are reported as feeling perplexed and should perhaps study the effects of food commercials.

ASIAN BUSINESS - Vending machines in Japan dispense an inspiring range of items: Beer, neckties, wine, flowers, whiskey, lingerie, batteries, socks, pornographic magazines, and canned coffee. The approximately 200,000 alcohol vending machines are proving to be most convenient to the under-age drinkers and have sparked petitioning for their ban from citizen groups. Districts in Tokyo have responded to the petitions and are keeping the machines in operation.

DAILY MIRROR - Cleanliness counts to barfly Brits. The British Brewer's Society reports that when it comes to choosing a pub, women's first priority is a clean toilet and men's is a clean bar. The sexes switched positions on the second order of priority, and both chose friendly staff for their third choice. Stocks of beer, by the way, came far down on the list after general comfort, value and speed of service. The report also found that pub-goers drink a pint almost two minutes faster on Saturday nights and that 86 percent of American prefer British pubs to their own back home.

S.F. EXAMINER - Pyramids built by beer drinkers. Egyptian excavations revealed that the workmen who built the Great Pyramids were beer-drinking, bread-and-garlic-eaters. Not unlike modern American, many died from cancer or industrial accidents. The mustachioed workers, whose tombs were discovered when a horse's leg went through the roof of one of the tombs, had learned to brew five types of beer and bake 12 varieties of bread, as evidenced by a menu on one tomb wall.

Dear Murl,

Not that I'm a profound fan of the stuff, but I'm kind of curious as to how Budweiser got its name. A buddy of mine told me that it's German in origin and I've got a bone to pick with that as I am of German decent and therefore take it as a personal slam! So I figured I'd ask for some divine canine intervention to settle the score as we now have a case of real beer on the line. So what's up homedog? Am I flyin' or buyin'? By the way, love your column babe. Good stuff. And Woof! to you!

Oliver Albret

San Rafael, CA

Yo Ollie,

The word, "Budweiser" needs to be broken down a bit in order to better understand its true meaning. "Bud" was actually an ancient Mesopotamian slang term used for the description of beer itself while "weiser" is a derivative of the German verb Weizant defined as: to stink or smell. Skunky. So, I guess you could say that Budweiser either had no idea what so ever what they were up to when naming their premier product or they knew exactly what they were doing and assumed it would remain an inside joke indefinitely. Kind of an ironic translation in the face of their recent campaign slamming micros as producers of contaminated brew that couldn't possibly compare to their fresh, "born on dated" beers. They may be fresh, but so's the oil spill in my garage and you won't see me drinkin' that either! Okay. Okay. Enough Bud-bashing for the next 10 ... well at least the next 3 minutes. Actually, during the days of the Austro-Hungarian Empire, the important Czech brewing city of Ceske Budojovice was known by the German name of Budweis, and beer from that city was known as Budweiser. Today Budweiser beer (locally called Budvar) is still brewed in Ceske Budojovice, but it has nothing to do with the beer of the same name brewed in the United States. So for the sake of your bet, one could argue in either direction, however, in light of your kind words towards my column, I am inclined to take the posture that the fact that the beer and city are in fact Czechoslovakian takes precedence of the mere German words used to describe them. Editorial note: Just send my 12 pack to the warehouse to my attention. Auf Wiedersehen Hier Oliver!

Woof!

Murl.