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News
Ayinger Celebrator Doppelbock was the Best International Lager at the 2008 Calgary Beer Fest, April 25 & 26, 2008.
(In 2007, the Best Int'l Lager was Ayinger Jahrhundertbier.)
Congratulations to Westmalle Trappist Brewery for their bronze medal for Westmalle Tripel in the 2008 World Beer Cup. Westmalle originated the tripel style in the 1930s.
Orval is big in Japan: the April 12 '08 edition of Japan's Nikkei Plus One newspaper reviewed dozens of Belgian beers, and picked Orval as the top Belgian beer available in Japan. The full article (in Japanese) can be seen as a 168 KB .pdf right here.
The April '08 The Tasting Panel magazine features beers from Scotland in David Gadd's column, "Gadd's Sixpack." Traquair House Ale is featured, with a photo; the full article can be seen in .pdf right here.
The March/April '08 Draft magazine has arrived, and we spotted MdV beers throughout: Bruce Paton's "Sashimi and Beer" feature recommends Orval Trappist Ale with Ikura (salmon roe sushi) on p.56; Tim Cigelske's article on organic beers included Samuel Smith's Organic Lager and Organic Ale in the pp. 77 & 78 photos; Ayinger Celebrator, Lindemans Peche, Zatec Bright Lager, and Pinkus Organic Pils were all reviewed, with Celebrator & Peche earning "Exceptional" recommendations.
Beeradvocate Magazine Vol. II Issue II features an article by Don Russell on Oatmeal Stout, which includes Samuel Smith's Oatmeal Stout - see p. 14; (Past BA mag issues covering MdV beers: December '07 included Samuel Smith's Winter Welcome; Rochefort 10; Rochefort 8; Sam Smith's Imperial Stout, Oatmeal Stout, and Taddy Porter; Traquair House Ale, Traquair Jacobite Ale; Ayinger Celebrator and Ayinger Brau-Weissse. September '07: Westmalle Dubbel; Green's. And June '07 features a great article by Jay Brooks and Lew Bryson called "Nine Great Beer Towns You Didnt Know Were Great Beer Towns," featuring Innerleithen, Peeblesshire, Scotland (pop. about 2,500) which is walking distance from Traquair House.)
In March '08, many beer bloggers discussed organic beers. Here is a review of Samuel Smith's Organic Ale; here's one of Pinkus Organic Munster Alt.
Rochefort Trappist 8 ("Best Dark Malt"), Samuel Smith's Organic Ale, and Lindemans Framboise are all included in "Beer, With Benefits" from the March '08 Men's Health magazine, linked right here.
The Cleveland (OH) Scene reviewed a fine restaurant, Touch Supper Club, on March 12, '08. Their beer list includes great beer, and the photo accompanying the article depicts short ribs paired with Lindemans Peche. View the article right here.
Rochefort Trappist 8 is "Beer of the Week" in the Feb. 25, '08 Nation's Restaurant News, in Stephen Beaumont's column on page 36. (Mr. Beaumont's website is right here.)
The Vue Weekly (Edmonton, AB, Canada) tasted and recapped gluten-free beers in the Feb. 21, 2008 edition; they were pleased to discover Green's and discussed it in some detail. The article, with a photo, can be viewed right here.
On Feb. 15, 2008, Samuel Smith's Oatmeal Stout was mentioned in the Philadelphia Daily News, in the Joe Sixpack column on stouts by Don Russell. Read the full article right here.
The Feb. 14, '08 Grand Rapids (MI) Press ran a nice Valentine's Day feature that included Ayinger Celebrator Doppelbock in the photo and recommendations. Check out the article, called Beer + Chocolate = Love.
The Feb. 2008 Wine Enthusiast magazine ran a great feature on Winter Beer Cocktails, including Samuel Smith & Lindemans. It's linked as a 147 KB .pdf right here.
British drinks magazine Imbibe covered Czech beers in their Jan-Feb 2008 issue - they rated Zatec highly, and interviewed Mr. Martin Kec, Zatec Brewery Director. The full article is a .pdf of 4.5 MB right here.
Pinkus and Samuel Smith were both featured in an organic beer tasting at Sprig.com on Jan. 21, 2008; Pinkus Pils was top lager and Samuel Smith Organic Ale was the best of the darker ales. Watch the video right here.
The 3.8 million readers of Family Circle magazine saw Lindemans Cuvιe Renι depicted with the "Curried Nuts and Apricots," recipe, page 184 of the December '07 issue. The recipe recommended "sparkling wine or aperitif," and we agree that Cuvιe Renι would be a great pairing . . .
Samuel Smith's Organic Lager was in an article on organic beers in the Baltimore Sun on Jan. 9, 2008. Writer Rob Kasper found it "Clean, light on the tongue, yet malty."
Samuel Smith India Ale was featured in the Jan./Feb. 2008 Beer magazine, with photos on pp. 21 & 22 . . .
Samuel Smith Winter Welcome is Beverage-of-the-Week for Jan. 9 - 15, 2008 at Beverage Experts.com; also, Orval got a top 5-star rating on Jan. 23 as seen right here.
Wisconsin's Valley Scene newspaper had an article by Jim Lundstrom on raspberry beers, including Lindemans Framboise, in Jan. '08.
Sticks & Stones Outdoor Adventures magazine has fine taste in beer - the Dec. 2007 issue features Samuel Smith's Organic Lager as "Spirit of the Month." Here is the full article as a 259 KB .pdf.
The Dec. 15 '07 issue of Beverage World Magazine list "Hits" of 2007, one of which was gluten-free beer. Listed, with a nice photo, is Green's. See p. 38.
Patterson's The Tasting Panel magazine covered Westmalle Trappist Dubbel, with a nice photo, as well as Rochefort Trappist "6," in "Gadd's Six-Pack" of November 2007. The article can be viewed as a 572 KB .pdf right here. (They also featured Ayinger Jahrhundertbier in September 2007. That article can be viewed as a 605 KB .pdf right here.)
Samuel Smith's Winter Welcome was featured in the Baltimore (MD) Sun on Nov 28, '07 as one of the "Tasting Panel's Picks." The full article, "Winter Beers Warm Hearts of Suds Fans," can be seen right here.
We spotted a photo of Rochefort's brewer, Mr. Gumer Santos, on page 8 of the Dec '07/Jan '08 Celebrator Beer News in Chuck Cook's article on Beeradvocate's Belgian Beer Fest. (The Oct/Nov '07 Celebrator lists the Blind Tasting Panel's results for Marzen/Oktoberfest beers; Ayinger Oktober Fest-Marzen received 5 stars, "exceptionally great.")
The Atlanta (GA) Journal-Constitution of Nov. 19, '07, covers seasonal brews, listing Samuel Smith's Winter Welcome as "the classic example." Here is the full article, including a photo.
The Dec '07/Jan '08 Ale Street News lists Samuel Smith in "The ABC's of Holiday Beers," on page 13-A; also, Rochefort 10 is listed in Paul Sullivan's "Homebrew Corner," on Belgian Strong Dark ales on p. 21-B. (The August/September issue featured two articles on organic beer, one by Lew Bryson and one by Jack Curtin. Both articles mention organic beers from Samuel Smith and Pinkus . . . Ayinger Oktober Fest-Marzen was included in Brew News on p. 22-B . . . and Westmalle Dubbel is included in David Gilbert's "Beer Predator" article on the dubbel style, p. 21-B: "the quintessential Belgian Dubbel.")
The Stamford (CT) Times ran this article on holiday brews on Nov. 29, '07; it recommends Lindemans Kriek as a good choice for a dessert beer.
Samuel Smith's Oatmeal Stout was top-rated in Imbibe Magazine's Nov/Dec '07 "Oatmeal Stout Taste Test," seen right here as a 753 KB pdf.
In the Jan. '08 All About Beer magazine, Lindemans Cuvιe Renι was the top-rated gueuze lambic, with a gold-medal 93. (The November '07 issue featured a great article by Florian Klemp on Dubbels featuring Westmalle Trappist Dubbel, as well as Rochefort 6 (pp. 64 - 64); a nice review of Green's Discovery gluten-free amber ale in "Beer Talk," (p. 52); and in the Wheat Beer Buying Guide (pp 42 - 49) Ayinger placed first in both categories entered, Hefe-Weizen (Brau-Weisse, 97 points) and Dark Wheat (Ur-Weisse, 94 points). The 97 for Brau-Weisse was the highest award for all 62 beers reviewed. The September '07 edition ran Green's and Westmalle Trappist Dubbel 750 ml in the "New on Shelves" section (pp. 16-18); Zatec Bright Lager from the Czech Republic was reviewed in "Beer Talk" by noted beer writers Garrett Oliver and Roger Protz, who both praised it (p. 57); and Ayinger Altbairisch Dunkel appeared in Florian Klemp's article on Munich Dunkel: "There is no more perfect example of the style." (pp. 70-71) In the buyer's guide, Westmalle Trappist Tripel was tied for the highest rating of all 79 beers tasted, with 97 points. We also enjoyed the p. 24 photo of Washington DC's Dave Alexander, of the Brickskeller, as well: over his left shoulder, note the full lineup of Samuel Smith beers.)
Certified Organic beers from Samuel Smith's and from Pinkus are featured in the Nov. '07 issue of Natural Health Magazine; the full article is linked right here.
Lindemans Peche on HDTV: the Mojo channel's "After Hours" episode featuring Santa Monica's Father's Office ended with a delicious and appropriate toast: Daniel Boulud and his guests each raised a glass of Lindemans Peche.
The Fall '07 issue of Elegant Bride magazine suggests giving guests "a taste of far-off places by serving exotic beers." Included are Lindemans Framboise and Samuel Smith's Organic Lager. See p. 58.
The Street.com chose six "Scary Good Beers for Halloween," on October 23, '07, and they included Samuel Smith's Winter Welcome Ale as well as Ayinger Oktober Fest-Marzen. Read the article and view the video right here.
Orval is in the Oakland Tribune of Oct. 24, '07, in beer writer William Brand's column; a .pdf of Mr. Brand's newsletter (624 KB) is right here. (Orval article starts on page 3.)
MSN City Guides has picked "10 Great Fall Beers," for 2007 and they include Ayinger Oktober Fest-Marzen, right here.
The Northwest Brewing News featured a lager blind tasting in their Oct/Nov 2007 issue, and we were pleased to see Ayinger Celebrator Doppelbock, Ayinger Altbairisch Dunkel, Samuel Smith's Organic Lager, and Zatec Bright Lager in the top four places. See pp. 10 & 11.
The Atlanta (GA) Journal-Constitution of Oct. 11, '07, has a fine article on gluten-free beers by Bob Townsend, linked right here. There are tasting notes on several gluten-free beers; the tasting panel especially enjoyed Green's.
We've been saying it for years: beer goes with fine dining. A recent survey by a food-consulting firm says restaurant diners prefer beer & mixed drinks over wine; it's in the Oct. 24, '07 Boston Globe, right here.
Here is a review of Zatec Bright Lager from beer writer Lew Bryson's excellent blog . . .
William Brand, beer columnist from the Oakland Tribune, picked Zatec Bright Lager as "Beer of the Week," on Wednesday, Sept. 5, '07.
Men's Journal has listed their choices for "The World's Best Beers," in the October 2007 issue, and Ayinger Brau-Weisse - authentic Bavarian hefe-weizen - and Rochefort 10 Trappist Ale are both included. Ayinger Celebrator appears as one of the "best for . . ." beers. See pages 110- 113.
Jim Lundstrom, writing in Wisconsin's Valley Scene newspaper, has this article on gluten-free beers, including a review of Green's.
BPM Magazine - Music, Tech, Nightlife, Style - ran a thorough article on organic beers in August '07, including pictures and reviews of Samuel Smith Organic Ale and Pinkus. See p. 83 of issue 83/84.
From the September 2007 Beverage Media, page 86:
Here's a cool Ayinger Celebrator-and-dessert blog posting at Monday Night Brewery.
On August 22, '07, the New York Times ran a great article on Belgian pale ales. Although it's really unique, Orval Trappist Ale can go in this category and is included in the article: "Spicy, bitter and very dry with a lingering touch of orange zest and funk."
The Times Herald Record, in New York State, discusses gluten-free beers in their August 19, '07, edition, including Green's, in this article by Lisa Ramirez.
The Sept/Oct 2007 issue of Draft Magazine features Ayinger Oktober Fest-Mδrzen as one of the "Top 10 Oktoberfest Beers You Can Get in North America," and is one of only two distributed nationally. Ayinger Brau-Weisse is featured and pictured in the "TASTE" section (p. 60); Ayinger Celebrator Doppelbock is listed as an alternative under "Bratwurst & Sauerkraut," (p. 61); and Traquair Jacobite Ale got an "exceptional" rating of 93 points in the Scottish/Scotch ale rating section (p. 95). (The May/June 2007 issue of Draft had nice coverage of Merchant du Vin founder Charles Finkel in Don Russell's article "10 Innovators in Beer;" (p. 75). Samuel Smith's Old Brewery Pale Ale was the top-rated ESB, a "Draft Classic" with a 96 rating and "one of the better beers we tasted this issue." Ayinger Brau-Weisse, Lindemans Gueuze, Lindemans Framboise, Pinkus Hefe-Weizen, and Melbourn Strawberry were all featured as well.)
On Friday August 10, '07, the San Francisco Chronicle ran this article on organic beers, listing Pinkus Organic Hefe-Weizen as "a standout" and including Samuel Smith's Organic Lager in the tasting notes. (The article discusses how some American organic brews use non-organic hops . . . both Samuel Smith and Pinkus use only organic hops to produce their organic beers.)
Massachusetts' Metro West Daily News features Norman Miller's "Beer Nut" column, and on July 25, 2007, the column covered gluten-free beers. Green's got a detailed writeup, with a photo. . .
Samuel Smith and Lindemans on TV: On Wednesday, July 4, NBC's "Today Show" featured a short live clip called "Beer: The New Wine." Included in the 10 beers selected were Samuel Smith's Nut Brown Ale, and Lindemans Framboise.
The July 2007 issue of Beverage Industry Magazine listed both Green's and the new Westmalle Trappist Dubbel 750 ml package in "New Products" on p. 14.
Modern Brewery Age reviewed Ayinger Brau-Weisse and Pinkus Organic Hefe-Weizen in their July 2, '07, edition - they liked them both, but Ayinger was the top beer of the tasting: "superb . . . subtle . . . absolute quaffability." In their June 25, '07, edition they reviewed Zatec Bright Lager and gave it a top rating of five stars, "Superb in every respect," and among other quotes: "beautiful," "clean and crisp," and "great malt character."
Samuel Smith's Imperial Stout is featured in this June 28, 2007, article from Cigar Aficiando. Note the great photo on the second page, Imperial Stout paired with Panna Cotta.
On Wednesday, June 20, '07, he Roanoke (VA) Times ran this article by Gordon Kendall, entitled "IPA: A British Gift to Brewing." The article includes a succinct history of the style, and lists Samuel Smith's as one of "Gordon's Picks."
The June 15, 2007, issue of Beverage World magazine features Zatec Bright Lager in BevBeat, on p. 20. We like the photo in the UpClose article "Mastering the Craft," on p. 53 as well, with Lindemans and Sam Smith cases in the background. (Also, the June 15, '06 issue of Beverage World has an interesting article on consumers "trading up" to finer products, especially fine beer. Writer Jeff Cioletti recaps the portfolio and history of Merchant du Vin, with beer photos; the article is on pages 20-24 right here.)
The July/Aug '07 Zymurgy magazine - the journal of the American Homebrewers Assoc. - lists the results of their fifth annual readers' survey on the "best commercial beers available in the US." Orval, Ayinger Celebrator, and Rochefort 10 all made the listing, and among imports these three beers were all in the top seven. See pp. 18-25.
The June/July '07 Northwest Brewing News has a nice photo by Abram Goldman-Armstrong of the open-topped weissbier fermenters at Ayinger Brewery, on p. 5; Zatec Bright Lager is also announced on p. 9. Also, we learned from the Yankee Brewing News "Tasteless Panel" that Brazilian beer "Brahma," is better when mixed with Samuel Smith's Organic Ale.
Art Culinaire Magazine has a well-researched and interesting artical on porter in the Spring '07 edition, #84, that features Samuel Smith's Taddy Porter - see pp. 82-83. (If you haven't seen this hardcover food professionals' magazine, check it out - the food photos are among the most amazing we've ever seen.) Samuel Smith in Market Watch: the May/June '07 issue of this beverage specialty magazine features top bartender Artie Peterson from Atlanta's Vortex in "Last Call." Among his three beer selections? Samuel Smith's Imperial Stout.
Lindemans Cuvιe Renι Gueuze is featured in the May '07 issue of Esquire magazine as one of "the world's healthiest beers" - view the article right here.
Ayinger Celebrator Doppelbock is one of the top-rated bocks & doppelbocks in an April 18, '07, New York Times article by Mr. Eric Asimov; full article linked right here and interactive audio/video right here.
The Washington Post ran this accurate & interesting article on Trappist beers, by Greg Kitsock, on April 25, '07.
Chow has a nice dessert recipe for Black Forest Strata featuring Lindemans Kriek right here. (There is also a nice beer-and-food pairing feature, "Mocktoberfest," that lists Samuel Smith Imperial Stout and Lindemans Kriek among other fine beer choices: it's linked right here.)
Lindemans Framboise was featured in the Dallas News on Thursday, April 12, '07 with other fine beers. The article highlights how fine beer should be served with proper glassware & at correct temperature . . . which enhances the flavor variety, tradition, history, and excellent food-pairing opportunities of import & craft beer.
Lifestyle video magazine "Chic.tv" has posted a video report on NYC Belgian specialty restaurant "Markt." The video features lots of great looking food, and Lindemans Framboise.
The article appears to be aimed at folks who haven't discovered fine beer, which explains the title - "Do You Hate Beer?" It does list some fine beers as worth trying, including Rochefort 10 and Lindemans Framboise. Check it out yourself right here. From The Seattlest on April 10, '07.
Samuel Smith's Oatmeal Stout, Ayinger Brau-Weisse, and Orval Trappist Ale are in the April '07 issue of Pilot Challenge Magazine. The full article can be viewed right here.
Samuel Smith's India Ale was reviewed in the April 30 '07 issue of Patterson's Beverage Journal. The "herbaceous-floral nose, with its overtones of dark chocolate, orange peel and brown sugar is one of the crowning glories of beerdom." See "Gadd's Six-Pack," for the full article.
The Dallas Morning News of March 28, 2007, features this article on organic beers, including Samuel Smith's Organic Ale, with a nice review and photo.
The March/April 2007 New Brewer magazine - the journal of the Brewer's Association - has a detailed article by Mr. Horst Dornbusch on organic beers. The article discusses Pinkus Brewery, Munster, Germany - organic since 1980, the first brewery of the modern era to switch to full organic production.
New York magazine Healthy Living NYC features an article on organic beers, in Vol. III Issue 1. Samuel Smith's Organic Lager and Pinkus Organic Hefe-Weizen are both featured, with photos - see p. 20, or read the article online right here.
On January 24, 2007, New York Times ran a feature on Brown Ale, describing the history and characteristics of this subtle and refined beer style. Samuel Smith's Nut Brown Ale was included, according to author Eric Asimov it is "a classic of the northern English style. Smiths, a no-nonsense brew, has long been one of my favorites, offering earthy, dry flavors and a refreshing balance between malts and hops." Full article is right here.
The January 2007 issue of House and Garden Magazine recommends Samuel Smith's Oatmeal Stout as a key component to a hearty winter breakfast. See page 28 for Lora Zarubin's "Larder" column, including a nice Oatmeal Stout photo.
Orval Trappist Abbey on TV! The video appeared on "Three Sheets" on the INHD channel - you'll need to scroll to "Belgium - Trapis[st] Monks" but the video is linked right here.
Samuel Smith's brewery was featured recently on the
Aussie Wine Trail, a documentary on the HD cable TV channel INHD. Traditional British beer in a wine feature? Yes, they were talking about traditional fermentation methods . . . and what could be more traditional than an open-topped, stone Yorkshire Square fermenter?
Belgium has issued a new series of stamps that commemorate Belgian food and drink: waffles, chocolate, Belgian endive, mussels . . . and two of the ten items are beer! For the second time in 80 years, Orval is on an official Belgian postage stamp. (The first time was in 1928 . . . ) There are pictures on beer writer Jay Brooks' website, right here.
Gaming publication Player Magazine has a nice article in the September/October '06 issue on "small-batch beers with big flavors," by Stan Hieronymus, who writes at Appellation Beer. Included in the fine list is Ayinger Celebrator Doppelbock.
Each month, Maxim magazine is packed with the tastiest, hottest . . . beers, as can be seen right here in an article on winter beers, featuring Samuel Smith's Winter Welcome Ale.
Modern Brewery Age covered a recent visit to the US by Mr. Franηois de Harenne, Director of Orval Trappist Brewery, in their Oct. 30, '06, edition. He's pictured with his wife Astrid as well as Joe Lipa and Sarah Karlavage from Merchant du Vin right here. This issue also has a sidebar about Ayinger Oktober Fest-Marzen on page 8. (Also, the Fall 2006 print edition of Modern Brewery Age features an article called "The Rise of Organic Beers," by Gregg Glaser. Samuel Smith and Pinkus breweries are both included, as well as a quote from MdV's Craig Hartinger.)
Samuel Smith's Oatmeal Stout on TV! "Mr. Food" on CBS news in Miami, FL, gets very high marks for enthusiasm in his report on Oktoberfest & beer. As you view the video,
right here, note that Samuel Smith's Oatmeal Stout is depicted as he discusses stouts. (Aired Wednesday, Oct. 11, 2006.)
The September 2006 Market Watch magazine gives a nice update on organic beer in an article by Terri Allen. Samuel Smith and Pinkus Organics are mentioned; the article is a 592 k .pdf right here. (The April 2006 Market Watch magazine features a great article on beer glassware. It quotes some of our favorite beer folks, including our own Joe Lipa, and has a nice photo of some MdV glassware. That article is a 547k .pdf right here.)
On September 6, '06, the Cleveland Plain Dealer ran an article anyone interested in draft beer may want to view: a feature about the SmartStrip. This device, produced by Tony Hadala and his business partner, Merchant du Vin's own John Staunton, is an innovative tool that helps with draft beer dispensing. The full article, with photos, is a 790 k .pdf right here and the SmartStrip can be purchased at Micro Matic USA.
We think this article about pairing beer with food, by Stephen Beaumont in "Flavor and the Menu" magazine, is excellent. (We also enjoy seeing the photo of Lindemans Framboise . . . ) Mr. Beaumont's website is worth visiting, right here.
"Wild Brew" is a great beer festival held in Tulsa, OK; the eighth annual event was Saturday, August 12, '06. The Tulsa World newspaper was there, and photographed a beautiful tub of Ayinger beer, as seen in pdf right here.
The Chicago Tribune picked Ayinger Brau-Weisse as "Beer of the Month" on June 28, '06. Writer Jerald O'Kennard explains that Ayinger "obsessively and successfully pursues making the finest lager and wheat beers in the world," and gives a nice recap of this beautiful Bavarian wheat beer. A pdf of the article is right here.
Stuff Magazine features Lindemans Framboise . . . view the article online right here.
The June 2006 edition of Food & Wine magazine features a nice article on pairing fine beer with food, a trend that continues to grow in the US. The perfect match to dessert? Lindemans Framboise! The full article can be viewed as a 2 MB .pdf right here.
Here are some archived press releases from 2007:
September, '07: Almost two decades ago, Samuel Smith Winter Welcome arrived on US shores for the first time - the first imported winter ale in the US. The Winter Welcome 2007 - 2008 press release is a 403 KB .pdf is right here.
September, '07: Ayinger Oktober Fest-Mδrzen. A detailed press release as a 319 KB .pdf is right here.
June, '07: Green's gluten-free Belgian Ales are now being distributed in the United States. A press release as a 114 KB .pdf is right here.
May, '07: Zatec Bright Lager from the Czech Republic is in the US now. Detailed press release as a .pdf of 199 KB right here.
During the Craft Brewers Conference in Seattle, April 11-14, 2006, we were very pleased to host a number of beer-industry musicians on stage at the Pike Pub. You'll have to take our word that the music was great, but you can see pictures right here.
Seattle's Museum of Flight has added a Concorde to its world-class collection of significant aircraft, and British beers from Samuel Smith and Melbourn Bros. were poured at the VIP reception on Nov. 5, 2003. See the photos here.
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