By "abroad", I mean other blogs are picking up the Theme Week baton, and of course, I will tongue-in-cheekingly take credit for inspiring the trend (though of course I didn't).

The Geistbear Brewing Blog has been running an "Italian Beer Week" after discovering a source of Italian craft beer. I've been hearing bits and pieces of the brewing renaissance emerging in Italy, but I have yet to see any such craft beers. Should they arrive, however, I'm totally stealing Italian Beer Week and running it here.

And then today Dave over on Champagne of Blogs announces that it's Bacon Week all next week. Not directly beer related, no, but it is a beer blog and it's a themed week, so I'm good with it.

And then here on the Brew Site, September 15th (the third Monday of the month) starts Oktoberfest Week. (You had to see that coming, right?) Most posts that week will be Oktoberfest-themed, and the Week will end on the 20th—the actual starting day of Oktoberfest. I like how that works out.

It's the first Friday for September (already!) so that means it's time for The Session, the monthly beer blogging event that pulls in bloggers from all over the web to write on a common topic.

This month's topic comes from the lootcorp 3.0 blog: Deutsches Bier:

In honor of the start of Oktoberfest, I’ve decided to make September’s topic Deutsches Bier - German beer. I want you all to focus on the wonderful contributions our German neighbors have made to the beer world. You can write about a particular German style you really enjoy, a facet of German beer culture which tickles your fancy, or any other way in which Germany and beer have become intertwined in your life. Bonus points for Bavarian-themed posts.

When I think of "German beer" in the context of (world) beer culture, one of the first things that come to mind is the Reinheitsgebot. I won't go into great detail—I really couldn't do it justice (see Wikipedia instead)—but you all know the drill: the German Beer Purity Law went into effect in 1516 and stipulated that beer could only be made from four ingredients: barley, hops, water, and yeast. (Yeast was in fact added later.)

Almost nothing says more about culture and influence in beer like the Reinheitsgebot. I mean, every beer aficianado and homebrewer today is familiar with it—and I've even had people who drink nothing but light American macro lagers tell me about it!

All the more remarkable, then, that Germany developed so many of the world's defining styles, and some of the best beer in the world is German. This in spite of—or perhaps because of—the Reinheitsgebot.

...I didn't really have a beer to drink and review this month, so as a bonus, I'm pointing to past reviews of German beers that have appeared here:

• Aventinus Weizenbock
• Weihenstephaner Hefeweissbier Dunkel
• Uerige Alt
• Aecht Schlenkerla Rauchbier Märzen
• Spaten Oktoberfest
• Paulaner Oktoberfest-Märzen
• Celebrator Doppelbock

It's September, kids are back in school, and the cooler weather we've been having here lately all seem to be angling toward "Fall", so this evening I opened up the bottle of Late Harvest Autumn Ale I received from Redhook (press release).

This is definitely hearty enough to be an "Autumn Ale", and comes in at 5.9% alcohol.

Appearance: Amber-orange in color with a light tan head that looks nice.

Smell: Richly malty with caramel and a hint buttery, I think. Reminds me of an Oktoberfest, but that's not surprising since that's on my mind...

Taste: My nose didn't lie—it's rich and malty with roasted malt notes (no burnt/astringent) and a warming essence. Hops are earthy and spicy and a nice, underpowering complement to the malt backbone.

Mouthfeel: Nice, full-feeling—a chewy medium-bodied feel. A warming sensation in the aftertaste, and finishes clean.

Overall: I like it; it's my favorite of the Redhooks. It definitely fits the bill for a Fall beer, with an Oktoberfest vibe going on. In fact, it reminds me of Widmer Okto, which I really like as well.

On BeerAdvocate, it scores an overall grade of B-. On RateBeer, it scores 3.04 out of 5 and is in their 46th percentile.

Flying Dog Brewery hosts annual throwdown with beer, music and purposeful, provocative irreverance

Flying Dog Brewery announces GonzoFest 2008 to occur on September 13 at the Flying Dog Brewery in Frederick, Maryland from 3:00 p.m. to 9:00 p.m.

The annual throwdown will feature live music and host the Hard Times Café Chili Cook-Off for the Maryland State Chili Cook-Off Championship. In addition to the eclectic sounds of four different bands and the taste of competition caliber chili, attendees can enjoy a variety of Flying Dog beer and tours of the Flying Dog brewery. A complementary souvenir mug and beer samples are included in the price of admission.

“GonzoFest is really a representation of Flying Dog's core values which are "purposeful, provocative irreverence," explains Neal Stewart, director of marketing for Flying Dog.” This year’s event will definitely be provocatively irreverent with tons of live music and samples of our award-winning beers. But it will also be purposeful with a portion of the proceeds going to the Heartly House which serves Frederick County residents who have been impacted by domestic violence, sexual assault, and child abuse."

Admission to GonzoFest is $12 in advance and $15 at the door. For more information, visit www.flyingdogales.com or call 301-694-7899.

Click through to view event poster

I actually didn't know Beck's made an Oktoberfest beer, so this was educational for me. Warning: their website tries to resize your browser window and asks for age verification. I don't like either of those behaviors.

Authentic German Brew Now Available for a Limited Time;
Perfect for Fall Entertaining; Pairs Well With Brats, Stews

Celebrate the arrival of Autumn and Oktoberfest season with Beck's Oktoberfest - an authentic German Oktoberfest import beer brewed especially for this time of year and now available nationwide in bars, restaurants and grocery stores.

Caramel in color with a rich, full head, Beck's Oktoberfest perfectly complements traditional German foods such as sausage and bratwurst, or other fall favorites such as stews or hearty chili. It can also be used for marinades or sauces, and to add extra flavor to stews.

Read full press release

We had family come into town this weekend for the holiday and ended up spending a fair amount of time visiting the breweries; here are some observations and notes.

We didn't make it out to Sisters for Three Creeks Brewing or over to Cascade Lakes Brewing (based in Redmond but with a strong Bend presence on the westside). On the other hand, we did visit every other one in town; for those counting, that's Deschutes, Bend Brewing, McMenamins, Silver Moon, and Wildfire (at their main JC's Bar & Grill outlet/location downtown).

The Dissident is on tap at Deschutes—has been on tap since Saturday. I don't know if it's truly showing up elsewhere yet, but you bet it was the first beer I had on arrival on Saturday. Now, I hate to say it but my experience with Oud Bruins (Flemish sour browns) is very limited, but by my estimation, this is a good beer. Lots of nuances here, especially in the cherries. I look forward to seeing more reviews (and officially reviewing it myself).

I also had the Rooster Cream Ale on tap at the Deschutes Pub. It's quite good, too (and more of a session ale at 5% alcohol).

Over at Bend Brewing, they're experimenting again with stout: this time, it was a Nitro Ginger Stout. A smooth, creamy, dry stout with lots of interesting notes from the ginger.

Silver Moon currently has the most session-able of session beers on tap: 70-Shilling Scottish Ale, which comes in at only 3.6% alcohol by volume(!). I had several pints of this, it's very good and flavorful with a nice body—you wouldn't even guess that it's so low in alcohol.

Also, Silver Moon is going to be brewing up a pumpkin ale for an October seasonal! I'm just about beside myself; I think they may be the first local brewery to produce one. Apparently they made it last year, too, and used 100 pounds of roasted pumpkin in the mash. Awesome, I can't wait.

Finally, the best beer deals at the breweries are to be found at Silver Moon and JC's (Wildfire): Monday night at Silver Moon is Locals Night where the pints are $2.50 (and the pool and foosball is always free), and Monday through Friday at JC's, happy hour is from 3 to 6pm and all Wildfire brews are $2. Yes, only two dollars, you read that right. That might be the best beer deal anywhere in town for micros.

Today (after a late start for me) is Fermentation Friday, a group blogging effort for which beer bloggers write on a given homebrewing topic. This month's topic comes from The Panhandle Beer Snob and Redneck Brewery:

What, in the opinion of others, is the best beer you have ever made and why? It may be the beer that friends always want, the one that has done well in competition, or the one your significant other demands. Hopefully, for many, it will be a difficult choice since I’m sure everyone makes damn fine beer.

I have two answers.

First, my best beer is my pumpkin ale; in these days of rare homebrewing for me, that's the one I consistently make each year and therefore is the biggest hit of my homebrewing efforts. It's a tasty beer, too, if I do say so myself.

My second answer is a pilsner I made many years ago—10 or 11 years ago, actually. Not having proper lagering methods enacted when I brewed it, I was worried that it wouldn't turn out, but instead I had my friend and brother (both avid beer drinkers) enjoy it and tell me it was a good beer—enough so that it still stands out in my head today.

And if memory serves me, I do think it was one of the best beers I had brewed—before and since. I still don't quite know how it turned out so well.

Chronicling a couple of the recent PR packages I've received, one which actually came two weeks ago while we were in Florida and one that came yesterday.

First up is the Michelob beers... which, for some reason, I didn't take a picture of. Two bottles: Michelob Pale Ale and Michelob Dunkel Weisse. I've reviewed their Pale Ale in the past, but I'll definitely pass along further impressions on this one. The Dunkel Weisse is new, though, and I'm interested in trying it.

Yesterday's package was a couple of Redhook beers: their new Late Harvest Autumn Ale (press release). Here's a picture:

Yes, packaged with "leaves changing color"... I do get a kick out of clever gimmicks like that.

I'm looking forward to trying this beer, because it sounds like it's got an Oktoberfest vibe going for it, and I loves me some Oktoberfest.

Speaking of Deschutes (right on the heels of the previous post press release), they twittered last night—and have an update on their home page—that The Dissident is bottled, waxed, and will be available on September 2nd:

After much anticipation, Deschutes Brewery is proud to introduce its wildest brew yet – The Dissident. Arguing for more time in the cellar, this Reserve Series beer is anything but conventional. Fermented for more than 18 months in isolation from the rest of the beers, The Dissident is a distinctive Oud Bruin, Flanders-style brown ale, with a fruity aroma and flavor, the first wild yeast beer made by Oregon's Deschutes Brewery.

A very limited amount of The Dissident will be available September 2nd as part of the brewery’s Reserve Series in hand-waxed 22-ounce bottles and on draft at select establishments.

September 2nd! That's only six days away! You can bet I'll be looking to squirrel away some bottles.

It's hard to believe it's nearly that time of year already...

Now with Salmon-Safe Certified Fresh Hops

Deschutes Brewery’s fresh hop pale ale, Hop Trip, returns to the Bond Street Series line-up this October for its fourth season. This is a much-awaited return for the Deschutes team, as the arrival of the just-picked fresh hops brings a strikingly intense aroma to the brewery that only comes once a year when the brewers are able to utilize the bounty of hops from Oregon’s Willamette Valley.

A perennial favorite, this year’s release marks a milestone in the history of Hop Trip. The fresh Crystal hops the brewery has used since the first batch of Hop Trip are now certified Salmon-Safe! The hop farm the brewery sources from for Hop Trip has gone the extra mile this year to gain official Salmon-Safe recognition, declaring that healthy practices were carried out to keep the Pacific Northwest rivers clean for native salmon to spawn and thrive.

“Healthy rivers are very important to us at Deschutes, especially since it’s one of the main sources we tap into to make great beer. If we didn’t have clean rivers, our beer and the craft beer industry in Oregon wouldn’t be where it is today,” says Gary Fish, Founder of Deschutes Brewery.

The abundance of hops in Hop Trip makes it versatile enough to pair with a variety of foods, anything from a traditional burger to seafood scampi and Bolognese based pastas.

Deschutes Brewery’s Hop Trip will be available October 1st, in 22-ounce bottles and on draft as part of the popular Bond Street Series. Be sure to check out the film documenting the brewery’s 2006 hop trip at www.deschutesbrewery.com.

5.5% Alcohol by Volume
38 International Bitterness Units

Redhook Fall Seasonal Beer Now Available Nationwide, Debuts New Packaging

Looking ahead to cooler weather and falling leaves, Redhook Ale Brewery will soon release its Late Harvest Autumn Ale, set to be on store shelves across the country August through October. With new packaging this year that continues to feature classic fall iconography including an owl and a full moon, Late Harvest will be available for the first time throughout the West Coast.

“Redhook seasonal craft beers are carefully blended to tie a robust, full flavor with a particular time of year. Late Harvest pairs perfectly with the crispness of autumn thanks to its rich complexity of specialty malts,” said Doug MacNair, brew master for Redhook Ale Brewery. “With our expanded distribution on the West Coast, craft beer fans across the country can look forward to this seasonal beer every year.”

With a roasted malt aroma, this chestnut colored brew will warm up any chilly evening. Distinct flavors cater to the craft beer lover, with two varieties of hops and four carefully selected grains, great for toasting the season alongside a grilled burger or other tailgate cuisine. Late Harvest is available in 12 oz. bottles and on draft nationwide.

So you all have probably noticed that I just ran two press releases, and I have at least two more to run (tomorrow). I'm still going through a backlog of email that accumulated while I was gone a week and more stuff seems to keep coming in.

I know the press releases don't make as exciting reading as my own original content, but on the other hand I think it's an interesting glimpse into the world of beer marketing. Plus, it's networking and building PR contacts.

I'll try to keep it lively, too.

Batemans Good Honest Ales® Return to U.S. After 10-Year Absence
Arrival Scheduled for September 2008

Batemans Brewery of Wainfleet, Lincolnshire, England and SBS-Imports of Seattle, Washington are pleased to announce the return of Batemans Ales to United States after a ten-year absence. Batemans flagship Triple XB (XXXB) Classic Pale Ale and Batemans Combined Harvest Multigrain Beer will arrive in late September.

Read full press release

St Austell Brewery are delighted to announce they have won two “Gold Awards” for their bottled ale Proper Job and Admirals Ale in the prestigious Taste of the West Awards.

The two brews could not be more different in flavour and style. Proper Job is a 5.5% abv traditional IPA brewed using lashings of hops to create a golden bitter ale packed full of citrus overtones. Admirals Ale is 5% abv and is a much fuller and slightly darker beer, being spicy and sweeter, almost the Christmas pudding of ales. Both beers are bottled conditioned.

It’s not quite the Olympics, but the awards are still much prized and sought after by producers in the South West. St Austell Brewery’s Head Brewer Roger Ryman is the creator of both beers and was understandably delighted with the success.

Roger said, “We are very pleased to have won these awards. It demonstrates the versatility of our brewery, showing that we can brew two very different ales of award winning standard and get recognised for this.”

John Sheaves, Chief Executive of Taste of the West said, "The passion, enthusiasm and sheer quality of south west food and drink products have shone through once again – we are delighted with this year’s winners."

The Taste of the West Awards are designed to highlight the best produce in the South West and recognise excellence from its members. The awards recognise successful and high quality businesses across food and drink production, hospitality and food retail.

Also: See St. Austell's Facebook group.

There's been a number of people waiting to hear my review/verdict on the new Budweiser American Ale—Anheuser-Busch's first foray into ale brewing under the Budweiser label. So here we go.

At the risk of ruining the surprise, I'll come right out of the gate confirming that this is a straight-up American Amber style of ale (Jeff called it in his ruminations on that very subject). Personally, the American Amber is one of my favorite styles of beer, and I have a particular "benchmark" in mind when I talk about the style (as you'll see as I lay it out in my notes, below).

The other spoiler—I like it. I think they've crafted a winner here, despite the cynical remarks that inevitably occur of a now-Belgian-owned company producing an "American" beer. (Among other things.)

It's 5.3% alcohol by volume and will be available generally after mid-September.

Appearance: Amber in color, very clever, with a nice, substantial off-white head.

Smell: Very clean, caramel and floral nose—sweet and delicately hoppy. Crystal and brown malts in there, too.

Taste: Pretty classic example of what I like to think of as the "American Amber"—malty and sweet with rich brown malt notes (but not astringent or burnt) with hoppy notes but not too hoppy (not like the current trend in American pales). It's lighter than my "prototypical" American Amber, but still—it tastes good.

Mouthfeel: Very clean, fairly crisp, nicely medium-bodied with a sweet malt backbone.

Overall: I like this, it's not revolutionary for the craft beer scene but it is for Anheuser-Busch, and this is a solid, well-crafted ale.

On BeerAdvocate, naturally enough there are 13 reviews already, scoring a grade of B. On RateBeer, it scores 2.9 out of 5 with 17 ratings, and is in their 35th percentile.

(I'm mostly overlooking the irony of ratings being available despite the availability of this beer not being for another month.)