Another Miller Lite Incident; The Wine Called "Evolution"

i-a265b06a55443c55f29d89448b1ecb2f-EvolutionWine.jpgI just keep, er, distinguishing myself after talks. First it was with Prof. Steve Steve. Now, my DC neighbor, fellow science-writing English major, and fellow speaker in Chicago Jennifer Ouellette reports another infraction that took place following our recent event:

Chris' manly image suffered a serious blow, however, when he bellied up to the bar after the reading. The event was held at The Hopleaf Bar, touted as one of the best beer bars in the country, with a "beer menu" that runs many pages and features fine fermentables from all over the world. So the bartender might be forgiven for showing some urban-hipster attitude when Chris asked for... a Miller Lite. "We don't have Miller Lite," the bartender sneered. Chris took the disdain in stride and asked for whatever beer was closest to it. "We don't serve lite beers at all," the barkeep huffed. We have no idea what kind of brew Chris ended up with, but he's lucky the barkeep didn't spit into his mug, so deeply ran his contempt.

I'll keep the ultimate brew type quiet....but in the meantime, since we're discussing "the intersection" between science journalism and alcohol, let me notify folks about a wine that I've really been enjoying: "Evolution," from Oregon's Sokol (not Sokal) Blosser Winery. Yeah, it's got something a tad hokey on the label about "Luck" versus "Intention," but it's really good stuff. I recommend heavily. PZ, Carl, John, Jason, Tara, Ed, every other ScienceBlogger, and all you Panda's Thumb folks....you should order crates and crates of it.

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We have a local brewery here called Rogue Ale, the associated brewpub had a bell that the bartender would ring whenever someone ordered a Bud, then everyone in the bar would yell "Near Beer". I always tell people that I don't drink beer I drink Bud. Damn beer nazis....

By Eric Juve (not verified) on 01 Mar 2007 #permalink

I love "Evolution". I had it for the first time in St. Johns, but almost always have a bottle in the fridge. Hopleaf actually has a amazing wine list with some very hard to find wines for those who don't go for the non-light beers. I must go back there when I'm not pregnant.

The Hop Leaf is fantastic.

I always tell people that I don't drink beer I drink Bud. Damn beer nazis....

That's more accurate than you think. Bud is not beer. Just like Wonderbread is not bread (It's a steam-puffed bread product spraypainted brown to look baked). Bud is a beer-like product, not a beer.

I always tell people that I don't drink beer I drink Bud. Damn beer nazis....

A golde rule is that anything containing rice is not beer.

Anyway, it's just recerntly I realized that the 'lite' part of lite beers refers not to the alcohol content. If you buy a light beer (most?) other places, you'll get a low alcohol beer.

quitter, You're ringing the bell

By Eric Juve (not verified) on 01 Mar 2007 #permalink

Don't worry, I'm not commenting on taste or personal preferences, I'm just pointing out that Bud is not beer. It's not brewed like beer, it's not made from things that beer is made of, and it doesn't really taste like anything. It's a product that resembles beer, just like wonderbread resembles bread. Same goes for Coors, I understand they tranport a concentrate and then dilute it down at local bottling plants. Colorado mountain springs my ass.

Beer is made from barley malt, hops, yeast and water. Nothing else.

Beer has taste.

When your country has so many wonderful microbrews that stay true to this, why even consider drinking those bland liquids that have unjustly given American beer a worldwide reputation of being just like making love in a canoe...?

Thinker,

Only barley malt, hops, yeast and water?! What of the weizens and lambics? Back to beer snob school for you.

Gosh, perhaps people just like it. I know that would be the last time I went there (not that they'd mind). Life is too short to put up with commercial establishments that sneer at customers.

Do I get kicked out if I admit I can't stand beer? I'm a vodka girl. :)

Chris,

You ought to replace those icky links to Amazon in your profile description (and everywhere else they appear) with sexy links to Barnes & Noble...or anyone else.

Cheers.

Do I get kicked out if I admit I can't stand beer? I'm a vodka girl.

Well, depends on what vodka you drink. Quality vodka (like Grey Goose) is ok.

I've gotten hooked on Raspberry cider, myself. Anchor Steam beer is a favorite, along with a lot of dark beers.

There's also an Evolution Ale from a brewery in Utah - I've had their Polygamy Porter and its pretty good.

I'll have to find and try out the Evolution Wine.

For the "beer is only XX" folks, you can use other grains such as wheat, rice, and corn, and you can change out the hops for hemp. You could also go away from grains and use a different source of sugars, like say, honey.

When I get more honey from my bees this year I'm making mead.

Life is too short to drink bud.

There's a New York finger lakes region wine called "Devonian". Haven't tried it yet, but the label is cute.

I thought I hated beer entirely, until I discovered Guinness. Now I just sneer at the pales.

I don't drink beer of any kind, I'm afraid. I rarely drink anything other than wine (with a meal). The only downside to this is that my behavior is unquestionably my own fault.

Frankly, asking for a Miller (or Coors, Bud or any other mass-produced American beers) in a place like that is a bit like going to a French patisserie and asking for a Twinkie...

The Hopleaf seems to have an excellent range (Sierra Nevada porter on draught is unfortunately something we wont get to taste here in the UK, but if its as good as their Pale Ale, then send some bottles over at least), and its a shame that so many prefer the bland rubbish which gets sold worldwide as American beer, rather than the good stuff that is around.
In the UK we have CAMRA, and you have these guys http://beeradvocate.com/ - support them, rather than Miller & Bud - just look at Buy Blue http://www.buyblue.org/directory/58.
BTW - its not just the US that puts up with rubbish beers, we in the UK have large amounts of people buying 'British' lager, which is about as close to having sex in a canoe as its possible to get.

By Mike Bunter (not verified) on 02 Mar 2007 #permalink

Mike, I gotta second that. I learned to drink beer in Germany, in the early 80's (courtesy of Uncle Sam). Coming back was a bit rought, because it was before microbrews had hit the midwest. Now, I can't drink (real) beer, due to medical reasons. We've got great beers now -enjoy!

Tara, I have no problem with vodka wimmin. Would you like to come up and see my vodka bottle etchings? :)

Hey I was just next to one of the finger lakes in NY when I visited Cornell U. I bought a nice raspberry wine to surprise my partner (she doesn't read this blog so it should be ok), due to arrive tomorrow. I forget the winery, though.