Wisconsin at the 2010 World Beer Cup

Fox River Brewing's 2010 Silver

Wisconsin did all right Saturday night at the 2010 World Beer Cup in Chicago. Five Wisconsin breweries won a total of 7 awards. That two of those awards went to Miller Brewing for beers that have more to do with delivering alcohol than flavor isn’t anything to get excited about, but so what. The Grumpy Troll in Mount Horeb had a great year and our own Fox River Brewing surprised a lot of people by bringing home a Silver in the Kӧlsch division. Here’s the Wisconsin rundown at this year’s World Cup.

Category 1: American-Style Cream Ale or Lager, 17 entries
Gold: Red Dog, Miller Brewing Co., Milwaukee, WI

Category 3: American-Style Wheat Beer with Yeast, 24 entries
Gold: Point Horizon Wheat, Stevens Point Brewery, Stevens Point, WI

Category 4: Rye Beer, 22 entries
Silver: Rye Bob, The Grumpy Troll Brewery, Restaurant & Pizzeria, Mount Horeb, WI

Category 35: American-Style Specialty Lager, 19 entries
Silver: Mickey’s Malt Liquor, Miller Brewing Co., Milwaukee, WI

Category 36: American-Style Amber Lager, 24 entries
Bronze: Riverwest Stein, Lakefront Brewery, Milwaukee, WI

Category 69: German-Style Kӧlsch/Kӧln-Style Kӧlsch, 23 entries
Silver: Fox Light, Fox River Brewing Company, Oshkosh, WI

Category 78: Foreign-Style Stout, 21 entries
Bronze: Spetsnaz Stout, The Grumpy Troll Brewery, Restaurant & Pizzeria, Mount Horeb, WI

Riding the Tavern Beer Trail With Frankie Mengeling and Her Friends

Beer Trail Riders

Ever wonder what the women’s bathroom at the Packer Pub in Oshkosh smells like? Me neither, but now I know. And I have Frankie Mengeling to thank for it. Frankie’s blog, Riding the Tavern Beer Trail, is an ongoing travelogue of the Oshkosh bar scene. Sounds like typical fodder for a local blog, until you start reading and realize that this tour is being undertaken by a most unlikely group of pub-crawlers. Frankie and her friends are all retirees and for almost a year now they’ve been dropping in on some of Oshkosh’s most unassuming bars and reporting what they find. It’s always amusing and usually surprising.

Each entry of the blog concerns itself with a single Oshkosh bar. Often they’re hitting the older spots in town such as Jerry’s, Oblio’s or Witzke’s. But these are hardly your typical bar flies and they’re seeing the old places with fresh eyes. That’s good. There’s so much local history and culture tied up in these bars and it’s largely taken for granted. Frankie often passes along a brief history of the bar they’re visiting, but the real beauty of Riding the Tavern Beer Trail is that it presents these places as still vital and full of interesting stories.

Frankie at Work

Frankie, who taught writing and literature at Lourdes for 18 years, does all the writing for the blog and she does it wonderfully. She has a light touch and that’s a nice contrast to some of the hard cases she runs up against. When she meets a rude bartender who tells her “usually I flip off old people,” it doesn’t ruffle her at all. It’s added to the mix as just another part of the scene. My favorite aspect of Frankie’s pieces tends to be her odd, little asides. Like finding a dead skunk in a purse after visiting Jerry’s Bar or the small, burping woman at the B & E Lounge. It’s informative and absurd all at the same time.

Oh, and that smell coming from the women’s bathroom at the Packer Pub. Tavern Trail Rider Elaine says it’s a strong sweet scent.

Check out Riding the Tavern Beer Trail HERE.

Fox River Brewing Wins Silver at World Beer Cup

Last night in Chicago, Oshkosh’s Fox River Brewing took a silver for their Fox Light in the German-Style Kölsch/Köln-Style Kölsch category. Congratulations to Head Brewer Kevin Bowen and Assistant Brewer Joe Walts. Today would be a great day to drop by Fratellos and try out this excellent brew.

The full list of winners can be seen HERE.

Making Nice With Peoples Beer

Peoples Brewing Ad From Late 1940s

Here’s another piece of incredible Oshkosh memorabilia from Paul Esslinger’s collection. This is from the late 1940s and it’s somewhat typical of the way beer was being promoted at that time. When Prohibition came to an end, brewers attempted to distance themselves from the seedy, beer hall image that the anti-fun crowd had preyed upon. They began promoting beer drinking as a family friendly, cheerful endeavor, suitable for both men and women. That approach sometimes resulted in ads like this one, which is so completely innocuous and absurdly innocent that it’s hard to figure out what exactly they’re trying to sell.

And what are they trying to sell here? If ever there was a beer ad crying out for deconstruction this is it. Take a look at that dog on the left. The one who’s keeping his tongue to himself. There’s something sinister playing about his eyes. And what about that woman. Can you really trust a person who is that happy? I wouldn’t. In fact, the entire ad stands in conflict to the product it’s attempting to promote. If picking up a couple terriers and clutching them to your breast was all that was required to reach this level of manic bliss, there never would have been a need for the beverage we’ve all come to cherish. Have a “nice” weekend.

Taking the Beer Cure at Barley & Hops

The “beer cure” is an old German remedy for staving-off the winter blues that tend to set in towards the end of the season. The beer those Germans used to cure themselves was Bock, a rich, malty brew that was traditionally ready for drinking in late April and early May. My late-winter blues haven’t been too bad this year, but I haven’t been taking any chances, either. I’ve been drinking plenty of Bock. And Tuesday night at Barley & Hops I had one that was so good, it caught me off guard.

Lakefront Brewery’s Bock Beer is a traditional Bock that is dead-on style wise. Amber hued with a deep, malty aroma the beer is smooth and rich and just slightly sweet. Still, it finishes clean and isn’t the least bit cloying. It’s a full, satisfying beer that’s incredibly easy to drink. I’ve had this Bock from the bottle before and it hadn’t made much of an impression on me. Wednesday was the first time I'd tried it on draught and the beer came across much better. Maybe it was the right beer at the right time.  Or perhaps this is an exceptional batch. I know I’ll be back for more. After all, going the German route and taking the “beer cure” seems like an absolutely reasonable prescription; especially on a day like this in Oshkosh when winter seems unwilling to go into remission.

New Beer’s Day

From Oshkosh Daily Northwestern April 1933

On this day in 1933 it became legal to, once again, sell beer in the city of Oshkosh. Well, sort of. This wasn’t real beer as we know it today. What became legal was beer that contained no more than 3.2 percent alcohol. Prohibition had yet to be repealed but the recently passed Cullen-Harrison Act allowed for the manufacture and sale of low-alcohol beer and wine in states that were legally considered wet. Wisconsin, which didn’t have state laws prohibiting the sale of alcohol, was wet as wet could be.

In the days leading up to Friday, April 7, Oshkosh was rocking with anticipation. A vote held four days earlier on whether Wisconsin should ratify a Constitutional amendment to repeal Prohibition resulted in a record turnout in the city. The Oshkosh “wets” won by an overwhelming margin of 8 to 1. Reading through the Oshkosh Daily Northwestern of that week, it’s impossible to miss the palpable sense of excitement that was building around the prospect of legal beer. Every section of the paper contains articles related to its return. There are stories about bartenders and tavern owners flooding City Hall for permits and whether or not beer was going to be served in the White House. Some of the articles amount to little more than prattle spiced with the word beer. A story that landed on the sports page is really about nothing, but it does mention that it will be more enjoyable to watch baseball now that you can have a beer in hand while doing it. Best of all are the ads and notices dotting the paper that herald beer’s return. A notice posted by the Eagles encourages its members to get together on Friday night and “have one of our OLD TIME Meetings. It’s Time to Smile Again.”

From Oshkosh Daily Northwestern April 1933

The Editors of the Northwestern may have realized they were all getting a little carried away. On April 6th the paper printed a grouchy editorial calling for restraint, warning that “If a lot of “rough stuff” is pulled after 12:01 o’clock tomorrow morning it will be a thing to be deeply regretted later.”

It doesn’t look like the 3.2 beer inspired much rough stuff. The headline the following morning has a chaste tone, stating that beer was back “Like a Prodigal Son.” That’s tagged with a subhead explaining that poor beer had been away “Consorting With Low Characters.” Sounds kind of meek. But then this was meek beer. Much of it had been rushed into production and most of it probably tasted watery and unsatisfying. To legally get the real stuff you’d still have to wait a few months. Prohibition was finally abolished on December 5, 1933. That’s when the real fun began.

Ghost Signs of Oshkosh

Ghost signs are those faded, painted advertisements – often for a discontinued product or an obsolete trademark – that you see on the exterior walls of old buildings. Oshkosh has a number of ghost signs including the enormous Quaker Oats sign on the side of Murray's Irish Pub at 103 Algoma. Another good example is the blanched, towering sign for Castle-Pierce Printing at 103 High.

But, as always, we’re here for the beer so let’s head south to 1329 Oregon Street. Here you can see a classic example of a ghost sign. It’s an advertisement for Chief Oshkosh Beer fading away on the north wall of the Acee Deucee Lounge. This is a fitting place for such a sign. The building  dates from 1876 and might be the oldest tavern structure in Oshkosh. The original saloon was run by John Koplitz; it was also his home and a grocery store. Herbert Pollnow bought the bar in 1944 and the tavern has been in the Pollnow family ever since.

Now to the East Side and 709 Otter where Tony’s Deluxe features a sign that appears lost in time. Tony’s sign for Chief Oshkosh Beer may not qualify as a true ghost sign, as it has been maintained over the years and remains in pretty good shape. In fact, it’s a little startling to see an antiquated sign in this condition. By the looks of it, you’d think you could walk into the bar and order a “Chief” any day of the week. Like Acee Deucee, Tony’s has a good story. Prior to prohibition, there was a saloon at the location and when prohibition kicked-in the tavern began listing itself as a retailer of “soft drinks”. Although it’s difficult to verify, the place was almost certainly a speakeasy. Anton Lux bought the business in 1928, naming it Tony’s Deluxe. In 1933, the year prohibition finally collapsed, Lux went back to selling beer and then liquor - legally, that is.

If you have a ghost sign to share leave a comment with a location and a brief description.

And if you’d like to learn more about the Acee Deucee, check out this LINK to the great Oshkosh blog, Riding the Tavern Beer Trail.

Meet The Fuggles

If you ordered hop rhizomes from Homebrew Market in Appleton this year, you probably received the call last week that your plants had arrived. I picked-up my two roots of Fuggles on Friday. They’ll be hitting the dirt within the next day or two. Wisconsin soils and temperatures aren't known for being especially hospitable to Fuggles, but I’ve had some fairly good luck with hops in my yard so I thought I’d take a chance. They’re looking healthy and ready to grow.

I heard from two local hop growers last week who said their hops are off to a quick start and well ahead of where their plants were at this time last year. My hops are going crazy. On Thursday the largest shoot on my Nugget plant grew four inches in 12 hours (that’s the Nugget in the foreground).

If you’re growing hops in or around Oshkosh, get in touch. I’d love to post more pictures of hop plants as the growing season progresses.

Belgian Taps at O’Marro’s

Seems we’re on a beer tasting binge around here so let’s round out the week with three Belgian style brews currently pouring at O’Marro’s. Two of them are pretty damned good. The last one.... well....

Rare Vos from Brewery Ommegang

There are a lot of decent Belgian Ambers being brewed these days, but this one is especially good. It’s a cloudy, almost murky, beer that presents a dense wash of flavor, yet it’s light on the palate and so drinkable that it’s easy to down pint after pint of it. Lot’s of herbal and ripe fruit notes up front that give way to a pleasing, bready malt character. The beer is highly carbonated, but not in a harsh way. It turns buttery towards the end with a hop bitterness that sneaks up after it finishes. If Belgian ales are your thing, this one shouldn’t be missed.

Stone Soup from New Glarus
Here’s a crisp, Belgian Pale Ale with a surprisingly complex flavor profile. The Belgian yeast character presents itself right away with hints of banana, clove and pepper, none of which are overt. That earthiness doesn’t linger as the beer finishes tart and slightly dry with the lightest touch of hop bitterness. At 5.3% this isn’t quite a session beer, but it certainly drinks that way. A nice beer for Spring.

Wittekerke Rosé From Brouwerij Bavik

Beer geek reverence for Belgian ales too often translates into the misguided notion that if it’s from Belgium, it’s just gotta be good. Here’s the antidote to that strain of bullshit. Wittekerke Rosé is a Belgian made fruit beer that has all the flavor interest of children’s cough syrup with none of the kick. Pink and poofy this brew tastes like it was stirred up in a half-empty drum of raspberry sherbet about 3 minutes before it was served. Actually, it might be the perfect Easter beer. Pair it with a fistful of grape jelly beans, a dozen yellow Peeps and slip gently into sugar shock. My wife said it tastes like a kid’s beer. Maybe it’s good we don’t have kids.

English Mild at Fratellos

Here’s what's most important about the English Mild currently on tap at Fratellos in Oshkosh: It’s a great beer.

Now for a little context. Mild Ale is a low-alcohol, subdued, yet flavorful beer that’s made for quaffing. Once the largest selling style of ale in England, its popularity began to wane by mid-century as lagers and bitters came to dominate. There’s been something of a Mild revival in England, but as this is a beer that's at its best when it's fresh, the English brews rarely make their way here. In America, Mild was mostly absent until craft brewers began to take notice of it. Unfortunately, few American brewers have an affinity for this sort of ale. This is a beer that requires restraint (at least on the brewing side). That’s never been our strong suit. Often American Milds come off as either too chewy and full or, worse yet, watery.

The English Mild at Fratellos gets it just right. The beer pours with a deep ruby hue followed by the inviting aroma of toasted malt. The mouth feel of this beer is perfect. It’s light and silky with enough body to keep it from being aqueous, yet it has none of the syrupy thickness that often plagues this style. The flavors are subdued, but there’s a wonderful complexity to the brew. There’s a hint of roasted malt at the start followed by notes of chocolate, light caramel, a little licorice and even some tobacco. The beer finishes with an easy dryness that urges you to drink more. And at 3.6% you really can drink this beer all night long. One caveat, however, is that this beer performs much better after you've let a growler of it warm and rest for a good half-hour before drinking. At Fratellos the beer is being served at the brewpub's standard temperature and carbonation levels, which mask how flavorful this ale really is.

A final note for the geeks: At our Fratellos page you can get a glimpse into Assistant Brewer Joe Walts' recipe formulation for this beer. There, too, you’ll find Head Brewer Kevin Bowen’s excellent notes on this and the other beers currently on tap at Fratellos.