Flying Dog’s Wild Dog Weizenbock Ale

ABV – 8%

Price – 15.80 (Pint)

In an increasingly competitive market, the ability for breweries to distinguish themselves is an almost insurmountable challenge. The Flying Dog Brewery has always taken a direct approach to this dilemma. The use of names like “Doggy Style” and the outlandish art on each bottle of beer prevents Flying Dog from fading into the shelves of competition. Mirroring this marketing style, the Flying Dog brewery claims its goal is “the pursuit of making bold, yet highly drinkable craft beers” (http://www.flyingdogales.com). Generally, the brewery meets this goal and produces some high quality beers with a unique taste that makes you want more. However, their special release weizenbock ale was less than satisfying.

As with all Flying Dog beers, the label immediately represents the brew; the self-anointed name “wild dog” from an already extreme brewery is perfectly descriptive. The color of the beer is a cloudy amber. The nose has a dominant apple (almost cider-like) aroma with a fresh bread yeast aroma. While producing a nice head upon pouring, little retention was demonstrated. Upon tasting, the beer felt flat and had few distinct stages of taste. The alcohol was hidden well among flavors of banana, apple, roasted malt, and subtle spices. Unfortunately, the flavors don’t work together well. Most notably, the banana seemed out of place.

At times, the effort to be distinct can be counter-productive. I found this beer too “wild”. Perhaps, this is what Flying Dog was striving for, but the flavors just don’t work well together. There is very little chance that I would ever drink this beer again. Maybe, I should have taken the warning from the rabid dog on the label and prepared myself for the unconventional taste, but even if I had, I still don’t think I would have been pleased. To be fair however, I must admit that my review differs from others I checked online. Those who reviewed the beer on beer advocate for example, generally liked the beer. Maybe they need rabies shots…

Boris Yeltsin and the Deadly Vodka Crisis

Former Russian President Boris Yeltsin died Monday. Boris Yeltsin will be remembered for orchestrating Russia’s transition from communism, but his fondness of vodka will forever be a part of his legacy. While Yeltsin’s admitted alcohol problems provided plenty of comedic opportunities, his impact on the Russian vodka industry has created a crisis in Russia that continues to cripple the country today. A crisis that started with Yeltsin selling the Russian soul to Pernod-Ricard, one of a few company that continue to collect independent spirit producers like Soviet paraphernalia. Yeltsin died of heart failure, but his elixir of choice continues to devastate the people of his country daily.

To begin, Yeltsin’s favorite vodka was reportedly Stolichnaya, but Yeltsin chose to share his prefered vodka and 42 other brands. In 1992, Yeltsin led a governmental effort which freed the vodka industry from state distribution restrictions. Unfortunately, this early act against communist ideology led to skyrocketing consumption because of the availability of numerous affordable vodkas. Amid decreased regulation, thousands of Russians died from inferior, formerly bootleg, vodkas, and the looming problem of alcoholism threatened the fragile economy.

Recognizing this problem, the Russian government was forced to begin regulating vodka production and importation. Unfortunately, the bootleg market emerged greater than ever, creating a wave of health risks that has poisoned the Russian populace since the mid-1990s. Last November, the Russian government was even forced to declare a state of emergency in several regions because of hospitals inability to handle the large waves of individuals consuming contaminated vodka. To quantify the problem, the Russian government estimates that 42,000 Russian die from inferior vodkas every year! This situation represents the greatest threat to Russia’s future at a time when the country is expected to lose nearly a third of its population by 2050. While part of this problem is related to the fact that abortions exceed births 13 to 10, the leading cause of death in Russia remains alcohol poisoning.

So why don’t Russians just stop drinking vodka right? Uhm…because they’re Russians.

Russians drink vodka like Italians drink wine. Even the Russian military is given a ration of two shots of vodka a day. Stopping the consumption of vodka simply isn’t a possibility; unfortunately, Russia cannot simply reverse the 1992 disaster of vodka deregulation. This unexpected development occurred because during the reforms, the Russian government sold Stoli along with over 40 other companies to SPI, a partner to the massive corporation Pernod-Ricard. The price was only $300,000, less than the combined cost that Stoli spent on its Blueberry Vodka ad campaign! Russia tried to stake claim to the companies, but has been unable to find any loopholes in the legal agreements. Instead, Stoli and other companies are allowed to distill their product in Russia, but internationally distributed bottles must bottle outside of the country (now Latvia), a sort of punishment for disloyalty.

Other companies have begun to produce vodka in Russia with government support, but they are focused on the international market, not domestic consumers. These companies include Russian Standard, who produces Imperia. Vodka companies that do focus on the Russian market can be found mostly in Ukraine, and these companies frequently confront poor cooperation from the Russian government and still do not represent a cost-effective alternative to the bootleg vodkas being consumed by the poorer citizens of Russia.

Normally, I would begin discussing some activist solution to help save the Russian people from these horrible vodkas, but to be honest, no solution appears in sight. Contaminated vodkas killed thousands of Russians during the period of deregulation and through bootlegging so potential government regulation shifts seem hopeless. We could blame Pernod-Ricard for taking the only affordable vodka sources from Russian, but $300,000 for Stoli and 42 other companies was a steal anybody would have taken. Additionally, the Russian government continues to disrupt any attempts made by these companies to return vodkas like Stoli to the everyday Russian.

Instead, the Russian government needs to promote cheap, domestic production to ensure the safety of its citizens. Russian governmental support has focused on companies like Russian Standard, but their focus on the international market does nothing for Russians. Assistance to Russian companies focused on international distribution and those that would be targeting a domestic consumer are not mutually exclusive, a fact that needs to be realized by the Russian government.

Reflecting on these issues, I feel almost compelled to purchase alternative vodkas with less deadly histories, but doing so would only further harm the Russian populace by adversely affecting Russian jobs at companies like Stoli. Remember, even though these companies no longer target the Russian populace as a customer base, the citizenry remains as a valuable source of employees. In a country with already low job potential, disrupting even the smallest sources for employment is anything but beneficial.

Mankind’s greatest tragedies are the most incomprehensible. The vodka epidemic devastating Russia is one of the saddest because of the complex oppositions between monetary pursuits and human life or culture and the risks of vodka consumption. In such situations, the most viable alternative for those of us fortunate enough to be outside of the crisis is to gather what lessons exist.

This situation serves as warning about the effects that large corporations can have on the alcohol industry. Pernod-Ricard could not have predicted the implications of its takeover, and future purchases are unlikely to have any remotely similar results. But, there is something to be said for supporting the smaller, independent company to avoid disrupting the demand and cultural practices of where our spirits come from. One needs to only look south of the border (or south in this blog if you want to read my article on the tequila industry) to find other examples of how corporate takeovers and American demand can have detrimental results.

Also, the next time you drink your Russian vodka, consider the privileged opportunity that rests in your glass. Unlike those focused on smoothness through repetitive distillation, Russia vodka has always carried a certain burn and harshness, which while providing a preferable, distinct flavor, now exhibits a symbolic memorial. Yeltsin always appreciated his.

Cocktail Causes: Better Tequila = Better Environment

According to myth, the Aztec goddess Mayahuel was inspired to create tequila after watching a mouse become intoxicated after consuming agave. By crafting the spirit, Mayahuel became known as the goddess of agave. However, this bit of tequila trivia ignores Mayahuel’s most prominent role in Aztec mythology; Mayahuel was also known as the goddess of fertility. Unfortunately, ignoring the relationship between tequila and fertility seems to be an ongoing problem.

The devastating fungus called fusarium, which swept through Jalisco nearly a decade ago damaging almost a third of agave plants at a time when demand for tequila was reaching unprecedented levels, remains an enormous threat to the industry. The crisis caused a shift in how tequila was produced. The financial strain made it difficult for independent distillers to continue to make tequila; instead, they were forced to sell their property to major corporations which often focused on quantity over quality. Recognizing increased demand for tequila amid shortages of blue agave, which can take up to 12 years to fully mature, many companies began purchasing other types of magueys, wild varieties of agave that grow in places such as Guerrero. The result was a decrease in biodiversity; whereby, these maguey plants became threatened by the consumption of the industry and shoot development became more common. Additionally, the practice of growing agave from shoots, not fertilization, created circumstances that increased agave’s vulnerability to fusarium.

These circumstances can be seen on the shelves of your local liquor store. The finest tequilas are made from 100% blue agave; however, most tequilas are “mixto”, meaning they may be made from only 51% agave. These tequilas frequently import other magueys to supplement blue agave, creating cheaper tequilas which are most cost effective for consumers and producers. Even the some most respected of tequilas, such as Jimador, have made the switch from 100% agave. While the number of available 100% agave brands has grown and mixto tequila brands have slightly decreased, the amount of mixto being produced by these companies is climbing every year. Sadly, the booming mixto market has increased the stress on agave production and created circumstances in which a repeat of the infamous shortage is very possible.

Fortunately, the increased environmental consciousness in which 65 percent of Americans report trying at least one organic product and 10 percent consume organics weekly has created a demand for organic products in unexpected industries. Recently, vodkas, such as Square One and Liquid Ice, have emerged to meet this demand, yet the amount of organic tequilas remains extremely limited. Nevertheless, alternatives do exist. 4 Copas produces a 100% blanco, reposado, and anejo tequila which is completely organic. Distirbution of this tequila is most widespread in California, but recent success at international competitions may encourage increased distribution.

If 4 Copas is not an option, minimally, consumers should try to purchase 100% agave tequilas over mixtos. These tequilas still commonly come from shoots, but purchasing these productss reduces threats to biodiversity from the practice of importing wild maguey plants. Additionally, these tequilas just taste better! Of these brands, Sauza and Herradura are investigating ways to turn waste products from production into bioplastics and alternative energy sources.

The connection between Mayahuel’s role as goddess of agave and fertility may seem to be an unusual relationship. However, the need to consider the role of biodiversity and organic production in the tequila industry cannot be underestimated. Advocating change for a better product and healthier environment must begin with consumers. The world of cocktail enthusiasts is aware of how to choose tequila for quality, but the everyday consumer generally chooses a popular or cheaper brand. Educating these individuals is the responsibility of those who are aware of these differences. By taking any opportunity to do so through blogging or by taking additional time to explain products to your customers at the bar, interpersonal interaction can help to improve what is quickly becoming the world’s next fine spirit.

Svedka: "Make Cocktails, not War!"

The risky decision to combine politics and cocktails has been avoided by any good bartender. We maintain a status of “armed neutrality” in our own alcoholic Switzerland. Tempted to intervene at times and set the record straight, veteran bartenders obstain, recognizing that patrons do not want a margarita garnished with a side of political jackassary. The rim is already salty enough!

The only exception is when a guest articulates a view so ridiculous that it must be corrected to maintain the sanctity of the bar. The political “expert” is usually drunk and unaware of his annoying behavior. The bartender enters into a specific social contract when intervening in the political conversation. We sacrifice our tip to win the political battle. The nature of this relationship demonstrates why bartenders usually maintain their neutral status. Engaging the enemy is bad for business.

Nevetheless, mixing cocktails and politics must, at times, occur, resulting in a taste more bitter than Campari. Svedka vodka appears to be engaging its own drunken counterpart: George W.Bush. However, instead of uttering a snide comment, the company offers a cocktail. The strategy is intriguing. Quelling a political rival with additional cocktails may incapacitate an individual’s political ramblings, but can cocktails stop war? We must remember the past experiences of our Commander in Chief; the President is no lightweight. This is going to take a large amount of vodka!

Perhaps, Svedka is suggesting a new battlefront tactic – provide cocktails to the insurgency. Instead of firing back, offer a Cosmopolitan. This would require some additional training however, as most drafted bartenders would simply make a glass of cranberry jucie with a touch triple sec, vodka, and Rose’s lime. Sadly, this has the potential to escalate the conflict. It is also important to remember the religious practices of the insurgency as well. This approach might have worked with the Germans, but this is a new age.

We can also safely assume that Svedka would like to use its own product in its cocktail military proposal; after all, defense contracts can be very profitable. Some rumors are already circulating about a new cocktail called the Halliburton. Minimally, Svedka would need to provide a product that could be mixed in a variety of forms to please varying tastes. Svedka vodka is nothing special. It mixes well like most vodkas. It’s not great or offensive; the Svedka cocktail might help resolve the conflict. God help us though if they use their flavored vodkas. The use of Svedka raspberry is likely to inspire any remaining Iraqi support to quickly shift sides. With such risks, the Svedka cocktail military plan looks too dangerous. But, hey, at least it was a plan – go figure!

I guess all hope for winning the war rests on Svedkas backup weapon – the seemingly friendly Svedka_grl. She may seem nice, but not only is she distracting in weird, mechanic way, the “_grl” packs quite a punch! It will be like iRobot all over again. Wait, does this imply Svedka’s image is a rip-off of another bad Will Smith movie? Sarcasm here? Never! While releasing an army of Svedka_grls is tempting and probably would be more effective than current approaches, the basic issue is not the war – it’s that a man named George W. Bush decided to stop drinking so he could become the President. A few more cocktails could have changed the course of history - remember that when you’re making your own!

Svedka might be on some weird path to peace, but what do I know? I’m just the bartender; I have no opinions on politics.