![German brewers demand moratorium on fracking.
Raw Story: The Association of German Breweries sent a letter this week to German Prime Minister Angela Merkel and six Cabinet Ministers demanding a moratorium on fracking until more research can be carried out to allay concerns of water contamination.
Germans have had strict standards for beer brewing since the 1516 implementation of the Bavarian “Reinheitsgebot,” or purity law, which allowed only malted barley, hops and water to be used in the brewing of beer. (Yeast was allowed later, after it was discovered.) But the strict nature of the law, which remains in effect today, means that no additives of any kind are allowed — especially contaminants in the drinking water.
The breweries association spokeperson, Marc-Oliver Huhnholz, told Bloomberg, “We are concerned that fracking endangers the brewing water that more than half of Germany’s breweries take from private wells.” He explained to The Telegraph, “The water has to be pure and more than half Germany’s brewers have their own wells which are situated outside areas that could be protected under the government’s current planned legislation on fracking.”
Merkel’s coalition in government, which includes Germany’s two mainstream conservative parties, reportedly plans to offer fracking legislation before the September 22, 2013 elections that would allow fracking in some areas but not in others. The main opposition party, the Social Democrats, support a moratorium and the Green Party prefers an outright ban on the practice. The head of the Green Party in parliament, Bärbel Höhn, told Das Bild in January, “Fracking with toxic chemicals is prohibited. But the government wants to allow it in 86 percent of the region. That makes more than just the brewers concerned.”
The Reinheitsgebot is one of the earliest consumer protection laws, preventing brewers from charging premium beer prices for crap. Contrary to the article, it doesn’t apply to all beers, just most Bavarian lagers — wheat beers like Paulaner’s are obviously legal. Still, unknown fracking chemicals in the water could be seen as violating the standards — you don’t want that crap in your Spaten.
What this story does is demonstrate how one industry impacts another. When you start carving out exceptions to law to benefit one industry, you often wind up injuring another. And, of course, fracking is a stupid idea anyway, since it risks earthquakes — in addition to the pollution that results in flammable tapwater.
[photo via Wikimedia Commons]](http://25.media.tumblr.com/f751bef6dab55bc02a1f6ad378f0f52c/tumblr_mnba6pbDvd1qfengno1_1280.jpg)
German brewers demand moratorium on fracking.
Raw Story: The Association of German Breweries sent a letter this week to German Prime Minister Angela Merkel and six Cabinet Ministers demanding a moratorium on fracking until more research can be carried out to allay concerns of water contamination.
Germans have had strict standards for beer brewing since the 1516 implementation of the Bavarian “Reinheitsgebot,” or purity law, which allowed only malted barley, hops and water to be used in the brewing of beer. (Yeast was allowed later, after it was discovered.) But the strict nature of the law, which remains in effect today, means that no additives of any kind are allowed — especially contaminants in the drinking water.
The breweries association spokeperson, Marc-Oliver Huhnholz, told Bloomberg, “We are concerned that fracking endangers the brewing water that more than half of Germany’s breweries take from private wells.” He explained to The Telegraph, “The water has to be pure and more than half Germany’s brewers have their own wells which are situated outside areas that could be protected under the government’s current planned legislation on fracking.”
Merkel’s coalition in government, which includes Germany’s two mainstream conservative parties, reportedly plans to offer fracking legislation before the September 22, 2013 elections that would allow fracking in some areas but not in others. The main opposition party, the Social Democrats, support a moratorium and the Green Party prefers an outright ban on the practice. The head of the Green Party in parliament, Bärbel Höhn, told Das Bild in January, “Fracking with toxic chemicals is prohibited. But the government wants to allow it in 86 percent of the region. That makes more than just the brewers concerned.”
The Reinheitsgebot is one of the earliest consumer protection laws, preventing brewers from charging premium beer prices for crap. Contrary to the article, it doesn’t apply to all beers, just most Bavarian lagers — wheat beers like Paulaner’s are obviously legal. Still, unknown fracking chemicals in the water could be seen as violating the standards — you don’t want that crap in your Spaten.
What this story does is demonstrate how one industry impacts another. When you start carving out exceptions to law to benefit one industry, you often wind up injuring another. And, of course, fracking is a stupid idea anyway, since it risks earthquakes — in addition to the pollution that results in flammable tapwater.
Madison is a town for serious drinkers and Brocach is a bar for the most serious among them. All exposed brick, dark wood and plush chairs, the place couldn’t be homier.
And the Wisconsin Capitol is literally right across the street, so the view is fantastic.
Physics and Green Beer Bottles
Interesting. What’s being talked about here is the “skunky” beer taste which, contrary to lying ad campaigns, is caused by light, not by age.
Instead of avoiding green bottle beer (or clear bottle beer, for that matter), just don’t take your sixer from the from the front of the case, pull two or three out and take one from behind, in the dark. If you’re lucky enough to go to a store where they still use incandescent bulbs instead of fluorescent, you probably don’t have to worry at all. Obviously, the same is true if the beer’s in a box, like a case.
At the bar, you probably don’t have to worry. Bottles move pretty quickly, so it’s likely nothing’s exposed to UV long enough to hurt anything. If in doubt, order tappers.
Disappearing water, pita, beer and bread.
HURRICANE SANDY COMETH.
Nice to see the Corona moving as slowly as it should be. As beers go, it makes a nice iced tea — but not a very good beer.
(via ilovecharts)
Mark Knoller reports the President dropped by a New Hampshire restaurant, bought a beer, and offered a toast: “To Voting. To America. Doesn’t matter which party.”
![Homebrewer files Freedom of Information Act request for White House beer recipe.
USA Today:
At least one home brewer has filed a Freedom of Information Act request, seeking the ingredients of White House Honey Ale (both light and dark versions).
“Disclosure of the requested information to me is in the public interest because it is likely to contribute significantly to public understanding of the operations or activities of the government and is not primarily in my commercial interest,” says the FOIA request, according to the website Government Executive.
The document also includes a puckish request: “Also, if you could send me a copy autographed by the president, you’d be the coolest FOIA officer in the federal government, and who could resist that title?”
If we get the recipe, I’m totally dusting off the homebrew equipment and making some.
[image source]](http://25.media.tumblr.com/tumblr_m948whrYTd1qfengno1_1280.jpg)
Homebrewer files Freedom of Information Act request for White House beer recipe.
At least one home brewer has filed a Freedom of Information Act request, seeking the ingredients of White House Honey Ale (both light and dark versions).
“Disclosure of the requested information to me is in the public interest because it is likely to contribute significantly to public understanding of the operations or activities of the government and is not primarily in my commercial interest,” says the FOIA request, according to the website Government Executive.
The document also includes a puckish request: “Also, if you could send me a copy autographed by the president, you’d be the coolest FOIA officer in the federal government, and who could resist that title?”
If we get the recipe, I’m totally dusting off the homebrew equipment and making some.
Obama Campaign Bus Comes Fully Stocked With White House-Brewed Beer
According to the Des Moines Register, Obama told a man at an Iowa coffee shop Tuesday that his bus was stocked with beer, brewed at the White House. He even offered the man a bottle of the home-brew, Obama campaign spokeswoman Jen Psaki said.
This story inevitably led to a number of questions for White House Spokesman Jay Carney regarding the specifics of the beer.
The Register reports that Carney revealed that the White House brews both “light” and “dark” variations of the beer.
The White House chefs have been experimenting with home-brewing for some time, and according to news reports have crafted a White House Honey Ale, which included honey from the First Lady’s beehive, as well as a White House Honey Blonde and Honey Porter. There was no word on Tuesday about the style of beer with which the Obama campaign bus is stocked now.
“It is superb,” Carney said Tuesday of the current brew. “It is quite good.”
Living in Belgium for a year I had the opportunity to try a variety of fruit beers including some dangerously good krieks. This beer however blows most of them out of the water. Gorgeous color and the perfect balance of sweet, this is a fruit beer for the ages. #lovemesomecherries
I can vouch for this one. Outstanding. Give it to someone who says they don’t like beer and watch a mind change before your very eyes.
