By Harley Zipori. Now that the Longshot competition is over my life can be about other things. Of course some of those things will have to do with beer. Others, like seeing the latest Harry Potter movie, are not related to beer an any way.
The competition and festival was a fantastic experience. All told I gave a lot of people a chance to taste my beer and me a chance to see their reactions. Its always fun seeing people who’s who beer experience runs the gamut from Carlsberg to Goldstar taste a smooth, rich porter or a nicely balanced, malty steam beer. I’m not sure how many converts we made to the ways of quality craft beers but hey, its a start.
I did have conversations with a couple of people who are out there selling locally brewed boutique beer to pubs, restaurants and stores. It is NOT an easy task. There are now a number of very fine European beers imported, but these are mostly by a few big players who know all about locking in a pub or restaurant to their brands. It is an uphill battle. I wish them all success.
My one disappointment was that I didn’t have a chance to taste many of the other brewers beers. I was so focused on my booth and the people visiting that I just didn’t have any time. Thursday was very busy with a large crowd and even though I had help from my daughter, she felt a bit ill at ease being left alone and having to explain the 4 beers I was offering to the people visiting the booth.
A couple little incidents are worth sharing. On Wednesday night, a guy shows up at my booth asking if I speak English. This was Dave, an American who recently started a stint working in Israel. He asked if I had an IPA. As it was I did have an IPA, or at least my version of one. Dave loved it and was happy. He came back for more later and also he brought friends the next day. If you are reading this Dave, read on. I have more to say about IPA later.
Another times this cute little blond girl comes up and I asked her what kind of beer she likes. She said a pale beer (baheer in Hebrew). Well that is the code word for a Pilsner style lager like Carlsberg for the uninitiated. I said I have just the thing and started pouring her a tasting of my well balanced German hopped Steam Beer. When she saw the characteristic amber color, I could almost see her turn pale. I gave her the glass and just took a leap of faith and told her to taste it, if she didn’t like it, she didn’t have to give me a coupon. When she tasted it her whole face lit up. She gave me the coupon and walked away happy.
I am very glad I participated and having learnt a few valuable lessons, am all ready to start planning for next year.
IPA, IPA and more IPA
Shahar Hertz’s Beer and Beyond is planning an IPA Day this Thursday, August 4 at Mivshelet Ha’am in Even Yehuda. The event starts at 8 PM. They are planning a whole range of IPA’s both local and imported. If you are interested in going and want directions or more information (yes, that means you Dave) please email me at maof.beer@gmail.com.
Jerusalem, Ir Habira
Just a little Hebrew pun there. For those not conversant in the subtleties, depending on the emphasis on the last word in the phrase Jerusalem, Ir Habira, it could mean Jerusalem the Capital or Jerusalem the city of beer.
In this case I guess they mean the latter because this is the big, annual Jersalem Beer Festival.
This year is it rather late in the season, Aug. 31 and Sept. 1. It gives you enough tijme to figure out how to get there, taste all the beers worth tasting and still arrive safely home. This is a young people’s festival with loud music and lots of teens getting drinking more beer than they should. But still its a major event and the local boutique brewers should be well represented. Especially since I have not found any mention of a Tel Aviv festival this summer.
See the website at: http://www.jerusalembeer.com/
As usual you can reach me at my Maor mail, maof.beer@gmail.com.
