Brix Beer Tasting

From their email...

It is "All Things Chocolate" this Saturday (Feb 12) at Brix with FREE tastings 1-4pm.  The beer department is getting in the mix too!  We will be sampling Rogue Chocolate Stout and a limited amount of Boulevard's Chocolate Ale!

For fun we'll also be pouring Lindemans Framboise which, when blended with Rogue Chocolate Stout, it is a match made in heaven.

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Juvenile Diabetes Fundraiser in Lincoln

Press Release

Empyrean Brewing Co. has partnered with K&Z Distributing for a special promotion during the month of February. For every case of Empyrean Ales sold at Lincoln area Hy-Vee stores, the brewery and distributor will donate $1 to JDRF (Juvenile Diabetes Research Foundation).

JDRF is the leading charitable funder and advocate of type 1 juvenile diabetes research worldwide. The mission of JDRF is to find a cure for diabetes and its complications through the support of research. Diabetes is an autoimmune disease in which the body's immune system attacks and destroys the insulin-producing cells of the pancreas. In children it strikes suddenly, makes them dependent on insulin shots for the rest of their life, and carries the constant threat of devastating complications. While insulin therapy treats the disease and prolongs life, it does not cure diabetes nor will it prevent the eventual devastating side-effects from having diabetes: kidney failure, blindness, nerve damage, amputations, heart attack, stroke and pregnancy complications.

More than 15,000 kids are diagnosed with diabetes in the U.S every year. That's equal to 40 children every day.  Empyrean Brewing Co.’s mother company, Lazlo’s Brewery & Grill has an established history of supporting JDRF through paper sneaker sales and participation in an annual awareness walk. So pick up a six-pack, or two, of Empyrean at Hy-Vee this month and feel good about working to find a cure.

Boulevard Chocolate Ale Tapping Party @ Derailleur Tap Room

Love is in the air (we love beer), and what more perfect way to kick off Valentine's weekend than with a chocolate beer. And no, it's not another chocolate stout (even though we love chocolate stouts). Boulevard has blessed us with a one-off limited release just in time for the season of romance.

Label copy:

“One of the brightest of Kansas City’s culinary stars, Christopher Elbow has earned a worldwide reputation for his handcrafted chocolate masterpieces. His sweets are distinguished by their use of unusual, sometimes surprising ingredients, and that adventurous spirit has left its print on this special ale. The aroma is given over to earthy, fruity cocoa, with just a hint of hops. Smooth layers of dark chocolate intertwine with threads of caramel, vanilla, and nutty malt as the flavor warms and rounds to a bittersweet finish.”

From The Wine and Cheese Place:

"In developing this beer, Elbow and Boulevard brewmaster Steven Pauwels sought to harmonize the interplay of chocolate and malt, with each supporting and enhancing, but not overwhelming, the other. Just the right chocolate was essential. Elbow recommend a rare variety from the Dominican Republic, prized for its robust flavor and aroma, and a personal favorite. more than a mere flavoring, the chocolate — in the form of nibs, or crushed, roasted beans — was incorporated into the brewing process itself.”

Iphone and Android Apps

I have been doing a little research and feel that it is about time to take our blog mobile.  I personally use an Ipod touch to surf often and websites that don't accomadate annoy me more and more.  I think it would be also very useful if out and about to get quick and easy access to our blog posts and events calendar in one easy location along with maybe some pictures and misc. other things. 

First of all, is this something that interests you the reader of the blog?  If it does, would you pay for it, no more then $.99?  Would an Apple app, or Android app make the most sense to start?

Thanks for your help on this.  I would ask one last favor of you readers out there, does anyone have an apple developer account that would be willing to help us get it to the app store?  At $99 for the developer account that makes it cost prohibitive for us, unless 100 of you sign up for it of course.  I am not sure what the Android platform entails but will need help with that as well. 

Look forward to seeing everyone that can make it to the Extreme Beer Festival this weekend.  I have heard of some great beers already and can't wait to try them.  Don't forget we will have swag there to purchase, glassware, shirts and maybe more.  We will also have ladies apparel so don't feel left out!

Crescent Moon (15th Anniversary Week) Thursday

Today's events/specials...

Thu, Feb 10

$1.50 Boulevard pints and a give-away of a trip to Kansas City courtesy of Boulevard Brewing Co.  This package includes one free night’s hotel room, VIP brewery tour with a $50 brewery gift shop credit, K.C. Royals tickets, and a $50 gift card to a K.C. restaurant.  The drawing will be at 9:00 p.m. and you must be present to win.  Enter anytime between now and then, one entry per person per visit.

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Lucky Bucket 2nd Anniversary happenings.

Lucky Bucket Brewing Company ~ Turns 2!! Come join us for a free tour on Thursday afternoon,  February 10th at 4:15, 5:15 or 6:15 or Saturday morning, February 12th at 10:15, 11:15 or 12:15. And as another "thank you"  we'd like to offer you a 25% discount on our Lucky Bucket gear after your tour on those same days. Courtesy of Lucky Bucket email newsletter.

Crescent Moon (15th Anniversary Week) Wednesday

Today's special...

Wed, Feb 9

$1.50 New Belgium pints and a give-away of a New Belgium Fat Tire Cruiser Bike.  The drawing will be at 9:00 p.m. and you must be present to win.  Enter anytime between now and then, one entry per person per visit.

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Wednesday Lips of Faith Tapping Party @ Derailleur Tap Room

This Wednesday will be a another great tapping party. New Belgium's latest in the Lips of Faith Series is Dunkel Weiss. A big ole dark wheat that weighs in at a warming 9% ABV.

Commercial Description:

Deep amber brown with a dense off-white head, Dunkelweiss 30° rediscovers Hefeweiss beers through a Belgian brewer’s lens. Envisioned by our own Matty “Smooth” Gilliland, this beer opens with sweet clove and banana notes that give way to a chocolaty warm finish with a peppery tingle across the palate. “I thought it would be fun to make a German wheat beer; we’ve explored the Belgian wheats pretty thoroughly,” said Gilliland. “Since this is Lips of Faith – and part of what makes that program fun is to make beers that are really unique and different – making a big, strong, dark Weiss beer sounded pretty folly-licious. It’ll still showcase all of the flavors that a Hefeweiss beer would have, but add in the burly body and extra punch. Think of it as a Grand Cru dunkelweiss.”

Crescent Moon (15th Anniversary Week) Tuesday

Today's special:

Tue, Feb 8

Boulevard Pint night with a Boulevard and Crescent Moon 15-year anniversary logo glass ($5.75 you keep the glass with $1.75 refills)

Crescent Moon 15th Anniversary Details

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Odd Nebraska Beer Birthday

I figure what the hell, it has been a good month of Nebraska beer birthdays, lets continue the trend with Nick Nolte of all people.  If there was ever a guy who liked to drink, he is it.  Happy Birthday Nick, a Nebraska beer legend apparently. 

I got this from Contact Music today.

Happy Birthday to NICK NOLTE - the Hollywood actor turns 70 today (08Feb11).
The two-time Oscar nominee rose to fame with a role in the hit 1970s miniseries Rich Man, Poor Man, while his 1980s buddy cop movie 48 Hrs. launched the big-screen career of his co-star Eddie Murphy.

An all-around renaissance man, Nolte has made a name for himself as an athlete, model and producer, and he's played a wide range of characters in more than 40 Hollywood movies.
To celebrate his big day, WENN has dug up 10 weird and wonderful facts about the star that may have passed you by:

- As a student at Eastern Arizona College, Nolte played on the basketball, football and baseball teams.
- One of his first jobs was working at the Falstaff Brewery in Omaha, Nebraska, which was once one of the largest breweries in America.
- In 1972, he bared his chest to pose in a campaign for a hair lightening product, sitting on a log alongside a blonde Sigourney Weaver.
- His Hollywood career nearly finished before it began when he was arrested for selling counterfeit documents and was given 45 years in jail. The sentence was later suspended.
- Nolte's conviction kept him from joining the military and serving in the Vietnam War, which he felt compelled to do as a young man.
- His first Academy Award nomination was in 1991 for his role in The Prince of Tides - but he lost to Anthony Hopkins for The Silence of the Lambs.
- The following year (92) he was given a boost when People Magazine named him their Sexiest Man Alive.
- His son Brawley Nolte is also an actor - he played Mel Gibson's kidnapped son in the 1996 thriller Ransom.
- He has been married and divorced three times, and been in high-profile relationships with actresses Vicki Lewis and Debra Winger.
- His 1998 drama Affliction garnered him his second Academy Award nod - but Italian actor Roberto Benigni scooped the prize for Life Is Beautiful.

Upstream Brewing (1936 Strong ESB) Release Party

 
When: Tue, Feb 8 from 5:00 p.m. to 6:00 p.m.
Where: Upstream Legacy, 17070 Wright Plaza, Omaha

This ale was originally brewed at the seaside Adnams brewery which has stood in the village of Southwold England since 1396. Casks of this beer were delivered by horse and dray until 2006. This delightful ESB enters with a creamy, tawny head perched on an amber beer with tints of orange. Your Upstream Brewers recreated this complex beer from its original 1936 recipe. It begins with an aroma of fruity/woody hops up front, balanced with toasted biscuit maltiness. The flavor is clean and dry with a pleasing balance of English hops and dry malt with subtle hints of melon and pear. It ends long, dry and hoppy.

7.2 ABV, 30.3 IBUs, OG 1.065

> Come to the first floor bar area
> Upstream’s brewers will be present to answer questions and talk about beer
> Ask your bartender or server for a ticket which is good for a complimentary pint of our newly released beer and enters you into the drawing

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We will be at Extreme Beer Fest

I hope all of you are fully aware that Extreme Beer Fest is this weekend in Omaha.  If you are not here is the information, I do believe it is sold out though.  For those of you lucky enough to get a ticket to this event you are in for a treat this year.  Besides all the great beer and breweries being represented you will have the opportunity to meet us.  I know, I know, what does that cost?  Will we sign autographs?  The good news is it will all be free as part of your admission into the event.  Man, this keeps getting better and better right??

Seriously it does, while I am kidding around about the opportunity to meet us, the main reason we will be there is to spread the Nebraska Beer Blog love as well as spread the Nebraska Craft Beer love.  Nick and I, along with some unknowing volunteers, will be selling swag from several breweries at the event.  We will have Nebraska Brewing Company, Empyrean Brewing Company, Thunderhead and Lucky Bucket Brewing Company swag to name a few.  Part of the proceeds go to help us with the site and get us to more events and report on more things.  The other cool thing is that besides selling other brewers swag we will also be selling some of our own.  We asked around and a few of you seemed interested in a shirt from the blog.  We greatly appreciate that, so we have got some shirts of our own for sale.

So bring along a few extra bills in your pockets and get some fine Nebraska Craft Beer swag all in one location and support the craft beer cause and blog along the way.  Thank you so much for all the support, we greatly appreciate it and looking forward to thanking you all in person!! 

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Crescent Moon 15th Anniversary Week

The Crescent Moon is sponsoring the Nebraska Beer Blog the month of February.  The ‘Moon’ is a place I hold dear to me.  It’s where I first really started to experience great craft beer outside of my home.

They opened their doors 15 years ago this month.  Since that time, they have added the Huber Haus (German beer hall in the lower level), Max & Joe’s (Belgian beer bar with a retro Omaha bar feel), and Beertopia (Omaha’s first full-selection craft beer package store).

They have many great events and festivals throughout the year.  There’s Oktoberfest (I believe the largest in the state), Holiday Beer Fest, Extreme Beer Fest (which is this Saturday…hope you got your tickets before they sold out), Bockfest (Similar to Oktoberfest, but the celebration of spring rather than fall), and Sunfest.  There is also talk of adding another one to the line-up this year.

If you have never been to the Moon, I highly recommend it as a one-stop shop for your craft beer fix.

Here is a listing of the activities going on this week:

Mon, Feb 7

15% off every purchase in Beertopia all day (excludes kegs and fest tickets)

Tue, Feb 8

Boulevard Pint night with a Boulevard and Crescent Moon 15-year anniversary logo glass ($5.75 you keep the glass with $1.75 refills)

Wed, Feb 9

$1.50 New Belgium pints and a give-away of a New Belgium Fat Tire Cruiser Bike.  The drawing will be at 9:00 p.m. and you must be present to win.  Enter anytime between now and then, one entry per person per visit.

Thu, Feb 10

$1.50 Boulevard pints and a give-away of a trip to Kansas City courtesy of Boulevard Brewing Co.  This package includes one free night’s hotel room, VIP brewery tour with a $50 brewery gift shop credit, K.C. Royals tickets, and a $50 gift card to a K.C. restaurant.  The drawing will be at 9:00 p.m. and you must be present to win.  Enter anytime between now and then, one entry per person per visit.

Fri, Feb 11

Extreme Beer Dinner with Great Divide (18 tickets left as of Mon, Feb 7 at 10:00 a.m.)

Sat, Feb 12

Extreme Beerfest (sold out)

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Happy Belated Birthday Jim

A nice stout birthday cake

We didn't forget you Jim, I was not near a PC yesterday to post but I didn't want you to miss out on all the fun.  That is right everyone, Jim Englebart from Empyrean Brewing Co. celebrated his birthday yesterday.  I tell you what, Feb. must be a good month for craft beer birthdays.

Jim has been wonderful to the homebrew community with Empyrean's Beer Quest.  Yes, I am buttering you up Jim so I can make the finals this year. 

Happy Birthday, hope you enjoyed it!!