The Love of Beer

Breaking the stereotypes for equality (and for ancient tradition) The Love of Beer documents the rising return of females to the brew pot.

"When someone thinks of a brewer, they probably don't picture a petite woman with red pigtails. But with Tonya Cornett's amazing beers and growing collection of medals, things may change. From farm to consumption, women are fighting their way to become some of the most influential people in the craft beer world. Based in the Pacific NW, this documentary follows these inspirational women as they struggle to end stereotypes, handle their rising fame, and raise families in a 21 and over lifestyle. They're not doing it for feminism or equality-they're doing it for The Love of Beer."

http://youtu.be/Tm89wzL9yE8

Nitch has been called a beer feminist and can only nod and agree. I am a beer feminist, a black panter of the pint and I strive to educate the world in the beauty and magic of the culture of beer. Historically, throughout the world, women were the brewers. As soon as I tell women about this and other long lost norms of the beer world (like the female goddess of beer Ninkasi), women's ears perk up and they put their foot in the constantly closing door of male dominated beer drinking society. "Um. Hi. We were here first. Yeah.. thanks." Call it feminism if you life, but empowering women to take up a even position in something that was traditionally theirs is like deciding between a male and a female pregnancy doctor.

Midwives of brewing are returning to their post- as spokesmen, artistis, pub owners and more.

Times are turning back to a natural balance with the earth, society and ourselves- best place to start is with the things we consume. For the love of beer, let us consume and understand that around us. One pint at a time!

XOXO

Beer Culture Hopumentary

http://youtu.be/x1bGPqBjtHM

This hour long flick runs us through the beer culture of the North American state of Colorado. Featuring great music, well handled camera shots, beautiful editing and some in dept conversation about the craft beer society in Colorado. Show casing Upslope brewery, New Belgium, Equinox, Avery, Left hand, Oskar Blues and Wynkoop (the guys who made good on their April Fools joke).

[caption id="attachment_633" align="alignright" width="290"] Charlie Papazian, King of Craft Beer[/caption]

You learn some fun facts and see some familiar faces, Charlie Papazian being the required beer ambassador to any hopumentary.

Most are hunky dory with success stories, jokes on how stupid yet determined they were on fledgeling micro brewery start ups and how through all odds they were able to pull together their love of community with a few bubbly brews.

The down sloping aspect of the film was the Upslope guys. Call it my yeasty sense but I didn't give a hoot about the guy backing the brewery because I felt like he was one of those people who had seen beer culture pop up and figured it was a sure thing investment. After his wife looked him in the eye, pen to the paper of their second mortgage and told him that he had better make this thing work, the guy seems to have lost all connection to the joy of the brew. His Argintian brewer looks like a dedicated, honest bloke with the American Dream stamped on his back, while the backer was just that- the money and the idea on back of another's dream dust.

[caption id="attachment_635" align="alignleft" width="300"] Manly or Boring?[/caption]

Two things that closed the door to Nitch's love of Upslope: the labeling of the beer (on cans, because that is the cool thing to do now) which was reminiscent of the silver bullet advertising from Coors and an odd joke about alien immigrants. When setting up their new China made fermenter the owner joked about there being a Chinese person stashed away in the delivery truck. Does beer culture need to be part of comedy about how horrible the work conditions are in a country that people would hide themselves in the manufactured items simply to escape? Perhaps it is one of those "need to be there to get it" kinda things or my dislike for all things made in china got in the way. Can one buy a new fermenter made in America? Upslope seems like a business that takes cues from it's competitors and cuts moral corners to make ends meet.

Equinox had the right of way with talking almost entirely on how they use local products as much as possible. Not all the time, but to the best possible degree. Beer culture is more then just money and beer. This concept of keeping it local was driven home by the finalizing debate over the Colorado liquor store changes.

"The consumer thinks beer is beer. We think beer is beer," Jason Hopfer in an attempt to lobby for the equal right of chain markets to sell higher alcohol.

[caption id="attachment_634" align="alignleft" width="300"] New Belgium Brewery[/caption]

Beer Culture isn't beer is beer or boring as plain. It displays the passion involved in the beer society surrounding Colorado and the diversity of the time. As with all these films, I await future installments to determine rather or not craft beer bubble burst, breweries get stucked into Macro world or if dopple gangers saturate the once blissful world of brotherly beer love. Time will tell.

XOXO

Hopumentary

The craft bere scene has been steadily upward rising since it's seeds of interest were sown on the west coast of America in the mid 70's. This 15 minute Hopumentary focuses on the San Francisco craft beer scene and people who make the backbone of the culture. Nothing can beat a hopumentary that has an interviewer throw in a fuck word within the first five minutes. Honest, inspiring and very well filmed, this short, while your eating breakfast hopumentary is full of beautiful scenes and comical people. There were moments were I laughed out loud, not just lol'd, I mean threw a thunder bolt of noise through the silent morning kitchen. Light and true but packed with nuggets of golden knowledge like hearing that bars now have about 16 beers on tap that are the constant favorite. 16! From what I remember in Oregon and California it is correct that the average craft beer consumer would know about 16 beers that are must have and the rest are newly becoming favorites or topics for snobbery talk.

Community support is always a ringing bell with these films, which is the reason why craft beer is 7% of the brewing industry but employes 50% of the total brewing staff. We surround ourselves with the things and people we love instead of machines and money. Educational, insightful and short dip into what makes the beer culture, THE culture. Let the good things grow!

http://youtu.be/ETnlrYq7btE

The culture of craft beer is why Nitch got obsessed with the brew scene and watching snippets of life across the world like this give more definition to it all. You don't see this kind of spirited individuality in France where the cheapest thing to drink is the only thing that is ordered. The people that make up the craft beer culture are the best, most open minded yet intelligent people on the planet. If the end of the world comes, lets hope that heavy consumption of malt and hops is the antidote to the zombie disease.

Zombies vs Craft beer world- I give humanity a 80% chance of survival. 

XOXO