text:
58% of German Banks Charge Negative Interest Rates
Germany's central bank, the Deutsche Bundesbank, has conducted a survey of banks charging negative interest rates on customer deposits. Some are charging retail customers as well as corporate clients. An independent price comparison portal shows which banks are currently charging for deposits and how much they are charging.
A growing number of German banks are passing on the burden of negative interest rates to their customers as the European Central Bank (ECB) continues to maintain a negative interest rate policy (NIRP). The current ECB deposit rate is -0.5%, the lowest on record.
"Many banks in Germany have introduced negative rates on deposits," the Deutsche Bundesbank wrote in its November monthly report after conducting a survey of 220 banks at the end of September regarding their negative interest rate policies. The central bank believes that the surveyed banks constitute a representative sample of the overall sector, thereby allowing it to make qualified statements concerning the spread of negative interest rates on customer deposits in the German banking sector. The Financial Times summarized:
58% of the banks said they were levying negative rates on some corporate deposits and 23% said they were doing the same for retail depositors.
Even the country's largest banks have started charging their customers for deposits. Deutsche Bank CFO James von Moltke told analysts last month that his bank had stepped up its attempts to pass on the negative rate burden to corporate clients. "This is more difficult in the private bank business than in corporate or institutional deposits and we don't see an ability to adjust legal terms and conditions of our accounts on a broad-based basis," the CFO was quoted as saying. He added that his bank had also approached some retail clients with large deposits on the matter.
Similarly, Commerzbank CFO Stephan Engels revealed earlier this month that his bank had already been approaching wealthy retail customers holding deposits of more than 1 million euros ($1.11 million).
Which Banks Charge Negative Interest Rates
While the central bank did not provide a list of banks that are charging negative interest rates, German consumer price comparison platform Verivox has published several lists of banks that fall into this category. The platform claims to have examined the policies of over 800 German banks.
According to its current database, at least 21 banks have published their negative rate policies online and seven others are charging fees for money market accounts which are usually free. Further, the platform lists 20 other banks that the media have reported as charging for deposits but they have not published the information on their websites.
Verivox's list of 21 banks currently charging negative interest rates on customer deposits.
News.Bitcoin.com was able to verify that a number of banks on the Verivox list do charge negative interest rates including Berliner Volksbank, Ethikbank, Skatbank, Sparda-Bank Berlin, Sparkasse Harburg-Buxtehude, Volksbank Eisenberg, and Volksbank Fürstenfeldbruck. Berliner Volksbank, one of the largest German cooperative banks, started charging -0.5% on accounts with at least 100,000 euros on Oct. 1, as news.Bitcoin.com previously reported.
Following the move by the ECB to lower the key interest rate to -0.5% in September, Skatbank announced its negative interest rate policy, emphasizing:
We can no longer economically accept responsibility for maintaining the ECB negative interest rate in full. So far, negative interest rates were only incurred for large-scale depositors. As a result of its actions, the ECB leaves us no other choice than to further restrict our deposit business.
Another German price comparison website, Biallo, claims to have found more than 150 German financial institutions that are charging negative interest rates. Founder Horst Biallo wrote, "A biallo.de survey of just over 1,300 banks and savings banks shows that a good 150 financial institutions are now charging negative interest, 52 of which are private sector institutions." However, his list is not publicly available.
First Bank to Charge Small Savers Negative Rate
Among the 21 banks on Verivox's list is Volksbank Fürstenfeldbruck, a cooperative bank located west of Munich. The bank has recently been in the news for being the first German bank to pass on the cost of negative interest rates to even small savers.
The bank explained that it will collect a custody fee of -0.5% on instant access savings accounts, the Financial Times detailed. "New clients who also do other business with the bank, such as real estate financing or pension planning, will be exempt from the charges." The bank's website shows that accounts opened on Oct. 1 or later with deposits of 0.01 euro or more will be charged the fee. Inundated with inquiries about its new policy following media reports, the bank put up an explanation on its website, emphasizing that only new clients are affected. Verivox CEO Oliver Maier was quoted by the Financial Times on Tuesday as saying:
Negative interest rates have now reached the average saver.
What do you think of a growing number of German banks passing on the burden of negative interest rates to their customers? Let us know in the comments section below.
Bitcoin Cash Community Funds Eatbch Trip to Ghana
This week members of the Bitcoin Cash (BCH) community donated funds to Eatbch South Sudan volunteer Thiong Deng so he could spread the word about the benefits of BCH at the Young African Leaders Summit. According to Deng, his journey to Uganda and Ghana has been fully funded which includes flight, hotel, visa costs, and a ticket to the event.
Eatbch South Sudan Volunteer Heads to the Young African Leaders Summit
Eatbch is easily recognized as the Bitcoin Cash community's most favorite charity because the nonprofit organization has been using BCH to help people throughout Venezuela and South Sudan. People can follow Eatbch on Twitter and see how the "peer-to-peer electronic cash-to-food system" feeds families and children in need regularly. Just recently, the nonprofit published a new website called eatbch.org that shows the tremendous work being done in South Sudan and Venezuela. Moreover, the website's visitors can donate bitcoin cash directly to the effort so people can help others experiencing economic hardships and difficult times.
Last September, news.Bitcoin.com reported on Eatbch South Sudan leader Emmanuel Lobijo, who was invited to attend the UN Secretary-General's Climate Action Summit. Lobijo joined Greta Thunberg and many other activists at the UN's event in New York. The Eatbch South Sudan leader explained how BCH can "bridge access to the world" and how the charitable organization is using bitcoin cash to fight water wars, drought, and famine in the African country.
This week members of the BCH community funded Eatbch South Sudan volunteer Thiong Micheal Deng's trip so he could attend the Young African Leaders Summit in Ghana. On November 13 and 14, BCH proponents on Twitter and Reddit asked the community to help fund Deng's trip. "Can we get Thiong, an Eatbch South Sudan representative to the Young African Leaders Summit? He still needs $800 dollars of funding," one Reddit post asked. Deng disclosed all the anticipated expenses for the trip to the Young African Leaders Summit and thanked the community for the "generous donations" but he still had $835 left to raise.
BCH Community Funds Travel Expenses to Ghana
On Twitter, software engineer Josh Ellithorpe (who designed the eatbch.org website) also asked BCH supporters to help fund Deng's travels. "This is the last day to get Thiong (an Eatbch South Sudan representative) to the Young African Leaders Summit," Ellithorpe tweeted. "Let's support him in spreading the word about Bitcoin Cash and the excellent work of Eatbch."
After a few BCH proponents made requests to the community, Deng managed to get the funds needed to embark on the trip. "Thanks, Bitcoin cash community," Deng said. "[You] have set up my journey to Uganda — 18-hour bus drive — then flight to Ghana for the conference. BCH you made it happen — thanks for the love." The BCH community members who helped fund the trip and the work being done by Eatbch at large demonstrates how passionate BCH proponents are about peer-to-peer cash. The work Eatbch does each and every day showcases how decentralized, borderless cryptocurrencies can truly revolutionize the global economy.
Royal Bank of Canada Patents Point to Crypto Exchange Launch
The largest bank in Canada by market capitalization, Royal Bank of Canada (RBC), is reportedly opening a cryptocurrency exchange. Patents have been discovered that reveal some of the technology the RBC may implement, which could be used to bring digital currency trading to the bank's 16 million clients.
The Royal Bank of Canada May Launch a Crypto Exchange
A report stemming from the publication The Logic claims that the RBC is currently exploring the construction of a digital currency trading platform. Columnist Zane Schwartz wrote on November 11 that the bank will give customers the ability to invest and trade cryptocurrencies like BTC and ETH. The report reveals RBC is interested in creating funds with a basket of digital currencies as well. "The bank is also looking into letting customers open bank accounts containing cryptocurrency," Schwartz wrote. If the crypto trading platform comes to fruition then the Canadian bank will be the first financial institution in the country to offer such services.
At the last World Economic Forum in Davos, the Royal Bank of Canada's CEO, David McKay, told the public that the financial institution aims to leverage distributed ledger technology. "We're experimenting with taking an asset and breaking it into smaller pieces and registering that in a decentralised register called blockchain. You can take an asset or even a company and create a unit on a decentralised blockchain and then sell that into the marketplace," McKay said during a panel discussion.
Speaking with Schwartz, RBC spokesperson Jean Francois Thibault explained that the Canadian financial institution "like many other organizations, files patent applications to ensure proprietary ideas and concepts are protected." Thibault would not confirm to Schwartz whether or not the RBC would be constructing a new trading platform for cryptocurrencies.
A while back, RBC's wealth management service published a report outlining the benefits and risks tethered to digital currencies.
As early as 2015, the RBC expressed interest in blockchain and McKay explained that the technology was a "quantum innovation." "It is a brand-new technology, and what do we really know about it? How cyber-secure is it? We are going to learn a lot more about it," McKay told the publication American Banker. "Given what is at stake, it is not something you can rush to market with and fix as you go. You want it to work."
Royal Bank of Canada patent CA 3038757: A system and method for handling crypto-asset transactions.
Alongside this, RBC's wealth management arm also published a report called "Bitcoin and beyond: Five things to know about cryptocurrency." The RBC study notes there are plenty of risks associated with decentralized blockchain assets, but in the long run "the possibilities of cryptocurrencies are undeniable."
International Law Enforcement Conference Addresses Crypto and the 'Criminal Economy'
The 2019 National Proceeds of Crime Conference (NPOCC) held in Brisbane, Australia from November 13-15 addressed "Globalisation and Digitisation of the Criminal Economy," and featured 200+ delegates hearing from representatives of organizations such as the Australian Federal Police, Singapore and New Zealand police, United States Department of Justice, and the Australian Criminal Intelligence Commission. The conference set out to address how to better seize criminal profits and face challenges to law enforcement presented by the darknet and cryptocurrencies like bitcoin.
Addressing Crypto Crime
Justine Gough, Acting Assistant Commissioner for the Australian Federal Police (AFP), stated that "Advances in technology, like cryptocurrency and encrypted communications have changed the way criminals acquire and hide their assets" and that "Seizing and removing the profits of crime is one of the most effective capabilities we have in impacting organised criminal networks."
The international conference, which aimed to address such topics as "the Darknet, trends in money laundering, collaboration in investigations; evidence collection in an age of cloud-based data and the monetisation of cybercrime" focused on how relevant organizations respond to crime in an age where cryptography and digital assets like bitcoin have enabled greater efficiency in skirting law enforcement. The push echoes recent sentiment from the U.S. Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) whose director Christopher Wray claimed problems presented by such technologies are getting "bigger and bigger."
Money Laundering and the Darknet
Since the takedown of infamous darknet marketplace Silk Road in 2013, bitcoin and crypto have been in the mainstream media spotlight, and in the sights of law enforcement and financial regulators worldwide when it comes to money laundering and illegal activities. U.S. Treasury Secretary Steven Mnuchin has claimed that bitcoin and crypto are a "risk to the financial system" while pushing back against the idea that the world reserve U.S. dollar is used comparably. "I don't think it's been successfully done with cash. I'll push back on that. We're going to make sure that bitcoin doesn't become the equivalent of Swiss-numbered bank accounts," Mnuchin stated in July.
AFP Acting Assistant Commissioner Gough says of the NPOCC:
We are honoured to have representatives from law enforcement, government departments and private enterprise … share their insights and to collaborate on how we respond to emerging technologies like cryptocurrency.
The response has already been swift and formidable. From numerous arrests of those transacting and trading in crypto — both criminal and non-criminal elements alike — to powerful tax agencies like the IRS issuing thousands of warning letters to potential crypto non-filers and money launderers, it's clear law enforcement worldwide means business. The question of what kind of similar enterprise in trafficking, money laundering and tax evasion is being done with the almighty USD remains noticeably off the table, however.
Worldwide Enforcement Efforts
It will be interesting to hear the conclusions of this week's Brisbane conference, and to see what developments proceed from the talks on monetization of cybercrime via crypto. Already global policymakers and joint enforcement initiatives such as the Financial Action Task Force (FATF) and the Joint Chiefs of Global Tax Enforcement (J5) are working to broaden the intelligence and enforcement dragnet for targeting unauthorized and permissionless financial activity worldwide. As the NPOCC's problematic "Digitisation of the Criminal Economy" continues, the crypto space can expect even more scrutiny and heightened KYC/AML compliance measures in 2020.
58% of German Banks Charge Negative Interest Rates...
Royal Bank of Canada Patents Point to Crypto Excha...
International Law Enforcement Conference Addresses...


I doubt that Goa needs an introduction at all. Chilled out silken beaches, every genre of live music, dancing, festivals, parties, flea markets that one can dream up of, and crumbling relics of its Colonial-past. It is a different cocktail – Goa, and incidentally – you will find pretty much every cocktail from around the world here.
Quench your thirst for coconut water, laid back beach fun, water sports, a trip to historical monuments, waterfalls, or go lie in your hammock for a breezy, lazy pineapple shelled beach drink.
Agonda (South Goa) is an untouched beach (10 km from the slightly busier Palolem) with turquoise water and white sand.
There is always something happening at Palolem, be it groups of tourists swimming, surfing or Kayaking in the water, or local women roaming the sandy beach selling ripe pineapples.
Goa has so many options: choose your style, your vibe!


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Q: Updating records with their subordinates via CTE or subquery Let's say I have a table with the following columns:
Employees Table
employeeID int
employeeName varchar(50)
managerID int
totalOrganization int

managerID is referential to employeeID.  totalOrganization is currently 0 for all records.
I'd like to update totalOrganization on each row to the total number of employees under them.
So with the following records:
employeeID     employeeName     managerID     totalOrganization
1              John Cruz        NULL          0
2              Mark Russell     1             0
3              Alice Johnson    1             0
4              Juan Valdez      3             0

The query should update the totalOrganizations to:
employeeID     employeeName     managerID     totalOrganization
1              John Cruz        NULL          3
2              Mark Russell     1             0
3              Alice Johnson    1             1
4              Juan Valdez      3             0

I know I can get somewhat of an org. chart using the following CTE:
WITH OrgChart (employeeID, employeeName,managerID,level)
AS (
    SELECT employeeID,employeeName,0 as managerID,0 AS Level
    FROM Employees
    WHERE managerID IS NULL
    UNION ALL
    SELECT Employees.employeeID,Employees.employeeName,Employees.managerID,Level + 1
    FROM Employees INNER JOIN
    OrgChart ON Employees.managerID = OrgChart.employeeID
   )
SELECT employeeID,employeeName,managerID, level
FROM OrgChart;

Is there any way to update the Employees table using a stored procedure rather than building some routine outside of SQL to parse through the data?

A: You can add another CTE to determine the count of employees and then use that in an Update statement:
WITH OrgChart (employeeID, employeeName,managerID,level)
AS (
    SELECT employeeID,employeeName,0 as managerID,0 AS Level
    FROM Employees
    WHERE managerID IS NULL
    UNION ALL
    SELECT Employees.employeeID,Employees.employeeName,Employees.managerID,Level + 1
    FROM Employees
        INNER JOIN OrgChart
            ON Employees.managerID = OrgChart.employeeID
   )
   , SubordinateCount As
   (
   Select ManagerId, Count(*) As Total
   From OrgChart
   Group By ManagerId
   )
Update Employees
Set TotalOrganization = SubordinateCount.Total
FROM SubordinateCount
    Join Employees As E
        On E.employeeId = SubordinateCount.ManagerId

ADDITION
The change in spec is that you want a count of all subordinate employees. The trick to that is to create a path of the employee to each of their managers. So, first here is my test data:
Insert Employees(EmployeeId, Name, ManagerId) Values(1, 'Alice', Null)
Insert Employees(EmployeeId, Name, ManagerId) Values(2, 'Bob', 1)
Insert Employees(EmployeeId, Name, ManagerId) Values(3, 'Charlie', 1)
Insert Employees(EmployeeId, Name, ManagerId) Values(4, 'Dan', 3)
Insert Employees(EmployeeId, Name, ManagerId) Values(5, 'Ellen', 3)
Insert Employees(EmployeeId, Name, ManagerId) Values(6, 'Fred', 5)
Insert Employees(EmployeeId, Name, ManagerId) Values(7, 'Gale', 6)
Insert Employees(EmployeeId, Name, ManagerId) Values(8, 'Harry', 6)

So, first we write a query that gives us a path to their manager:
With
    OrgChart As
    (
    Select E.EmployeeId, E.Name, Null As ManagerId, 0 AS Level
        , Cast( '/' + Cast(E.EmployeeId As varchar(10)) + '/' As varchar(100) ) As Path
    From dbo.Employees As E
    Where E.ManagerId Is Null
    Union All
    Select E.EmployeeID, E.Name, E.ManagerID, Level + 1
        , Cast( OrgChart.Path + Cast(E.EmployeeId As varchar(10)) + '/' As varchar(100))
    From dbo.Employees As E
        Join OrgChart
            On OrgChart.EmployeeId = E.ManagerID
   )
Select *
From OrgChart

That produces:

    EmployeeId  Name    ManagerId   Level   Path
    1           Alice       NULL        0       /1/
    2           Bob         1           1       /1/2/
    3           Charlie     1           1       /1/3/
    4           Dan         3           2       /1/3/4/
    5           Ellen       3           2       /1/3/5/
    6           Fred        5           3       /1/3/5/6/
    7           Gale        6           4       /1/3/5/6/7/
    8           Harry       6           4       /1/3/5/6/8/

Now we simply need to count instances where the given employee exists in someone's path:
With
    OrgChart As
    (
    Select E.EmployeeId, E.Name, Null As ManagerId, 0 AS Level
        , Cast( '/' + Cast(E.EmployeeId As varchar(10)) + '/' As varchar(100) ) As Path
    From dbo.Employees As E
    Where E.ManagerId Is Null
    Union All
    Select E.EmployeeID, E.Name, E.ManagerID, Level + 1
        , Cast( OrgChart.Path + Cast(E.EmployeeId As varchar(10)) + '/' As varchar(100))
    From dbo.Employees As E
        Join OrgChart
            On OrgChart.EmployeeId = E.ManagerID
   )
    , OrgCounts As
    (
    Select O.EmployeeId, O.Name, O.ManagerId, O.Level, O.Path
        , (Select Count(*)
            From OrgChart As O1
            Where O1.Path Like '%/' + Cast(E.EmployeeId As varchar(10)) + '/%') - 1 As SubordinateTotal
    From Employees As E
        Join OrgChart As O
            On O.EmployeeId = E.EmployeeId
    )
Select O.EmployeeId, O.Name, O.ManagerId, O.Level, O.Path, O.SubordinateTotal
From OrgCounts

I subtract one from the total to exclude the current employee. Now that we've found a query to provide the proper results, we can easily use that to do an update:
With
    OrgChart As
    (
    Select E.EmployeeId, E.Name, Null As ManagerId, 0 AS Level
        , Cast( '/' + Cast(E.EmployeeId As varchar(10)) + '/' As varchar(100) ) As Path
    From dbo.Employees As E
    Where E.ManagerId Is Null
    Union All
    Select E.EmployeeID, E.Name, E.ManagerID, Level + 1
        , Cast( OrgChart.Path + Cast(E.EmployeeId As varchar(10)) + '/' As varchar(100))
    From dbo.Employees As E
        Join OrgChart
            On OrgChart.EmployeeId = E.ManagerID
   )
    , OrgCounts As
    (
    Select O.EmployeeId, O.Name, O.ManagerId, O.Level, O.Path
        , (Select Count(*)
            From OrgChart As O1
            Where O1.Path Like '%/' + Cast(E.EmployeeId As varchar(10)) + '/%') - 1 As SubordinateTotal
    From Employees As E
        Join OrgChart As O
            On O.EmployeeId = E.EmployeeId
    )
Update Employees
Set TotalOrganization = O.SubordinateTotal
From OrgCounts As O
    Join dbo.Employees As E
        On E.EmployeeId = O.EmployeeId

A: After a few hours of experimentation I came up with the following.   It gives the desired results.  Anyone see a way to improve it?
CREATE TABLE #totalOrganization (employeeID int,managerID int,level int);
CREATE TABLE #countedOrganization (employeeID int,managerID int,orgCount int,level int);

WITH OrgChart (employeeID,managerID,level)
AS (
    SELECT employeeID,0 as managerID,0 AS Level
    FROM Emp
    WHERE managerID IS NULL
    UNION ALL
    SELECT Emp.employeeID,Emp.managerID,Level + 1
    FROM Emp
        INNER JOIN OrgChart
            ON Emp.managerID = OrgChart.employeeID
   )
INSERT INTO
    #totalOrganization
    SELECT
        employeeID,managerID,level
    FROM
        OrgChart;

DECLARE @maxLevel int
SELECT
    @maxLevel = MAX(level)
FROM
    #totalOrganization;

WHILE (@maxLevel > -1)
    BEGIN
        INSERT INTO
            #countedOrganization
            SELECT
                upline.employeeID,upline.managerID,SUM(CONVERT(INT,CASE WHEN downline.orgCount IS NULL THEN 0 ELSE downline.orgCount END)) + CONVERT(INT,CASE WHEN COUNT(downline.employeeID) IS NULL THEN 0 ELSE COUNT(downline.employeeID) END),upline.level
            FROM
                #totalOrganization AS upline LEFT OUTER JOIN
                #countedOrganization AS downline ON downline.managerID=upline.employeeID
            WHERE
                upline.level = @maxLevel
            GROUP BY
                upline.employeeID,upline.managerID,upline.level

        SET @maxLevel = @maxLevel - 1
    END

UPDATE
    Emp
SET
    totalOrg= CONVERT(INT,CASE WHEN orgCount IS NULL THEN 0 ELSE orgCount END)
FROM
    #countedOrganization INNER JOIN
    Emp ON #countedOrganization.employeeID=Emp.employeeID

A: This can (of course) be done within a stored procedure. However, it looks very much like it cannot be done with a single (CTE) statement, as you cannot sum a given employee's subordinates + all of their subordinates (i.e. tally all descendants underneath a given item in the hierarchy), as per this error message:
GROUP BY, HAVING, or aggregate functions are not allowed in the recursive part of a recursive common table expression 'Subordinates'.

So that routine you'd write outside of SQL (start at the lowest "level" of the hierarchy, count all those employees subordinates, repeat as you iterate up the hierarchy) would have to be written within SQL.

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaStackExchange


text:
Ohanaeze, Yoruba youth councils back CBN cashless policy
Ohanaeze Ndigbo Youth Council Worldwide and the Yoruba Youth council said introducing the new cash policies by the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) will instill discipline and curb corruption in the lives of Nigerians.
The CBN had last week announced some cash withdrawal limit policies, a development that has generated mixed reactions among Nigerians.
While some Nigerians are against the policy that it would affect the economy of the country, others strongly believe that it is a way of checkmating the use of money by politicians to buy votes and do other things that are causing inflation in the country and thereby putting the lives of many Nigerians in danger.
The youth councils in separate statements issued by the National President of Ohanaeze Ndigbo Youth Council Worldwide, Mazi Okwu Nnabuike and his Yoruba counterpart, Comrade Eric Oluwole, stated that the youths were in support of the decision of the apex bank that is meant towards stabilising the country's economy and restore sanity in the expenses of Nigerians both the rich and the poor.
The youth council leadership blasted members of the National Assembly for kicking against the policy, saying that corruption was fighting back the good policy of the apex bank in adding value to the country's currency, lamenting that they care less about the wellbeing of Nigerians that voted them into power.
The statement believed that the new cash policy would definitely check corruption and other abnormalities by corrupt politicians thereby inculcating the culture of contentment of using a little amount, a departure of the flamboyant way of life Nigerians are forcing themselves into resulting in corrupt behaviour.
According Mazi Onabuike, "At a time the economy is bleeding, Nigerians should support any measure aimed at stabilizing the Naira. The cash withdrawal limit is an effective monetary policy."
The group said it is firmly in support of the policy as it would aid in fighting corruption that has been entrenched in the Nigeria system, stressing that they have no doubt that it will help in the stabilisation of the exchange rate and reduce inflation that is fast going up in the country and making many Nigerians live from hands to mouth..
Besides, the group added that it is also a bad market for all vote buyers. As Nigerians prepare for the 2023 election, saying that all those who have stashed money waiting to buy voters must be living in regrets now as it is aimed to ensure corrupt candidates find their in the helm of affairs of piloting the direction the country goes.
It explained that there were other far reaching benefits that would help secure the future of the children and youths, urging the National Assembly to stop further opposition to the policies as the masses would reap the benefits in the long run for their development as citizens of the country.
Comrade Oluwole, on behalf of the Yoruba youth Council, which is the umbrella body for all Yoruba youth organisations, said that the redesign would accelerate Nigeria's migration into a cashless economy as happening in many countries across the globe that are fast growing in all ramifications.
He said the advantages of the policy include effective monetary policy, fighting corruption and helping in the stabilisation of the galloping exchange rate in Nigeria that has put many Nigerians into serious hardship.
Besides, Oluwole said that the cashless policy and redesigning would help to drastically reduce inflation, and engender free and fair elections among other benefits that are far reaching that will help secure the future of our children and youths.
Comrade Oluwole however urged the CBN to orientate Nigerians about this development, adding that the people need to know the advantages of the policy in order not to cause confusion that will be to their detriment.
"The statement observed that the cashless policy being fully implemented by CBN is not new, as required steps in that direction were taken in 2012 with Lagos State as a pilot scheme and Abuja and some other six states in 2013."
Obiora resumes as new CBN Deputy Governor
Exchange rate: As Emefiele moves to salvage currency with E-Naira, experts raise concerns
"Cryptocurrencies Should Be Regulated, Not Prohibited In Nigeria" – Osinbajo Tells CBN
Deposit Bad Naira Notes In Bank Before Monday – CBN Tells Nigerians
Buhari has dragged Nigeria below its 1999 status – Obasanjo
Buhari Govt Is Most Corrupt In Nigeria's History – Utomi
Nigeria's Akinwunmi Adesina Re-Elected As AfDB Boss
BREAKING: Nigeria Labour Congress Rejects N27,000 Minimum Wage
I've defeated those who tried to stop introduction of NIM – Pantami
FG commences distribution of seeds to cotton farmers ahead of planting season
Breaking: We'll implement new minimum wage soon, says Buhari
With Farmlands All Over Nigeria, There's No Greener Pasture Elsewhere – AGF, Abubakar Malami
Posted in BUSINESS
2023: 'Why it's stressful for Yorubas to support Peter Obi' – Isaac Fayose
2023: Tinubu storms Ibadan, meets South West Muslims

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaCommonCrawl


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Local Welfare Assistance is funded by Mid Devon District Council to help residents who are facing exceptional financial difficulty. We are one of the few Local Authorities in Devon to offer a Local Welfare Assistance Scheme.
The service is delivered by Wiser£Money; an independent money advice service. Wiser£Money is a partnership between Wessex Resolutions CIC and Encompass Southwest that delivers free, confidential and impartial advice and support services across Devon and Somerset.
We may be able to help you access support from the Local Welfare Assistance scheme if your needs meet the criteria for help. If you are eligible, you will be referred to the Wiser£Money team and other local services or agencies that can help with your crisis or emergency situation. The services are free, impartial, confidential and tailored to meet individual need.
If you're eligible what support is available?
*Please note, WE DO NOT MAKE CASH PAYMENTS. Food, essential furniture and electrical items are provided through vouchers to local organisations.
in person, see Contact details and opening hours. Please note the Local Welfare office is available for contact on Mondays, Wednesdays and Fridays only from 9.30am to 12.30pm, messages can be left outside of these hours.
We'll advise you about what happens next once you've completed your application.
There's a limit to the amount of times you can apply for help from the Local Welfare Assistance Fund depending on your circumstances. Generally, the limit is one application per 12-month period for emergency or crisis assistance and one application per 24-month period for household items.


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Pickens, South Carolina florists can provide delivery of fresh flowers and even silk flower arrangements for any type of event. Larger spaces like hotels can often be changed entirely when decorated with dramatic flower bouquets and gel lighting, while outdoor venues may only require small centerpieces and votives.
If you have a guest of honor or need flowers for weddings, personal flowers like boutonnieres and corsages can also be arranged through a florist around Pickens. Regardless of the scale of your event and the amount of floral needs you have, you can find a range of flower shops in your area.
Renee Burroughs Design captures your personal vision for the wedding you've always dreamed of. Going beyond your greatest expectation to create a welcoming environment for your guests to celebrate w...Read moreRenee Burroughs Design captures your personal vision for the wedding you've always dreamed of. Going beyond your greatest expectation to create a welcoming environment for your guests to celebrate with you, a never-to-be-forgotten day. Having a design team with a passion for your ideas, you can be assured this day will not be like any other wedding your guests will have attended this year. We are here to make your wedding uniquely your own. For the most discerning Bride and Groom. Wedding Flowers and Decor.
Bloom is a floral design and wedding planning business located in the mountains of Western North Carolina. We strive to create distinctive floral designs using the highest quality, imported or locally ...Read moreBloom is a floral design and wedding planning business located in the mountains of Western North Carolina. We strive to create distinctive floral designs using the highest quality, imported or locally grown flowers. As a mother/daughter team we approach floral design from two complimentary places allowing us to bring you innovative and unusual as well as traditional and elegant floristry.


The weekend of February 1-2 we had another fantastic permaculture workshop led by Saviana Parodi, (who is giving 5 or 6 this year, up to March) and two other people: Ismael Caballero, a Spanish engineer, expert in ecology and totally in love with water, and Salva Gilabert, an experienced architect currently in charge of the Dzamling Gar Project, project director at the EMBT Studio and Foundation with some eco houses in his curriculum.
We planned to talk about themes that are now happening at Dzamling Gar: the swimming pool and houses, with the aim of finding the most sustainable and eco-friendly solutions before their definitive construction.
The day we arrived we had a very productive meeting about the Dzamling Gar swimming pool during which our experts (Saviana, Ismael, Salva and myself) tried to find ways to have a swimming pool with naturally purified water.
Local experts explained that regulations in the Canaries do not permit such a natural purification system in a swimming pool used by more than one family (even though we are one family … but a very numerous one in the eyes of the Canarian authorities!).
After very passionate discussions we were able to find a good compromise with a purification system based on salt but combined with a beautiful water vegetation basin that will further oxygenate the water of our swimming pool. And probably in the future we will be able to convince the Canary authorities to make it function by entirely natural means.
It seems clear now that at Dzamling Gar we will soon see a beautiful swimming pool with a basin of water plants naturally oxygenating the water where we will swim, a useful and decorative solution at the same time and hopefully ready in April/May.
The next day we had some wonderfully inspiring lessons on permaculture and water. Both Saviana and Ismael explained, through their experiences, how important it is to live in a structure that is able to breathe, as we do.
Salva focused on the principles of a healthy house, giving his presentation in one of the Dzamling Gar houses so that we could all immediately apply his words in the house we were in. We understood the beauty and the defects of the houses as they exist now at Dzamling Gar and we all started to give possible suggestions on how to transform them into healthier and more comfortable places.
This seminar will have a very important impact on the project, so that we will be able to transform what already exists at Dzamling Gar into a healthier environment without destroying it, but transforming and making the houses breathe in a better way.
We will have rain water tanks in every house for irrigation or other needs and greywater from showers and kitchens will be recycled for gardening.
Saviana will soon create a sample of how to cover the house with a rendering made from local white volcanic stone and lime. If this proves to be possible on top of the existing exterior house walls we will provide a protective climatic coat that will have a natural colour and will make it possible to avoid external painting.
Saviana will also provide a sample for interior rendering made of clay, all of these materials found on site. In this experiment we will also include the underground space, next to the tent, trying to transform it into a comfortable environment. Ventilation will be provided by openings in the roof and natural pergolas will be built to create a better internal climate.
All of this theory was immediately transformed into a project and soon into practice.
Every learning day was celebrated with a meal all together cooked in the experimental house in Saviana's "Rocket kitchen", a very important way to build a closer relationship with each other. It was more than delicious and if you want to know how it tastes we are waiting for you to come and participate in the next workshops!


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Strategic Relationships
Portfolio Map
J. William Blackham
Mr. Blackham joined the Company and became Chief Executive Officer on March 3, 2015. Mr. Blackham is a former Founder of Proximo Investments & Advisory, LLC, and Trinity Investment Partners, LLC, where he was involved in hotels, real estate, restaurants and entertainment venues. Previously, he was President and CEO of Eagle Hospitality, a publicly held hotel REIT, from October 2004 to September 2007 and led the Company's growth from IPO through the sale of the Company. Preceding Eagle Hospitality Properties Trust, Inc., Mr. Blackham was Executive Vice President and Executive Board Member of Corporex Companies, Inc., a privately held hospitality and real estate development and ownership Company, as well as Executive Vice President and Chief Financial Officer of Tambone Corporation, a privately owned and operated real estate development business.
Mr. Blackham has been actively involved in various professional organizations, including The Urban Land Institute, the Pension Fund Real Estate Association, the National Association of Real Estate Investment Trusts and the National Association of Office and Industrial Parks. He also served as Honorary Consular for Brazil for five years in Cincinnati, Ohio. Mr. Blackham holds an MBA from The Wharton School-The University of Pennsylvania and a BS from The Carroll School of Management-Boston College. He was appointed to the Condor board of directors.
Condor Hospitality Trust, Inc.
4800 Montgomery Lane, Suite 220, Bethesda, MD 20814


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Book review on The interesting narrative and other writings revised edition by olaudah Equiano
Equiano details situations throughout the book, which were common to those who were kept as slaves. The essence of the book is really a journey which Equiano takes his readers on, which details a specific account of real events which to this day are a shameful scar on world History.Equiano is a very significant individual in history, as he was paramount to the British debate which served to abolish slavery. The events which account for Equiano's personal story, are entrenched in injustice and inhumanity. When first bought as a slave, Equiano was forced to surrender his name in exchange for the one his master chose. Equiano was first dubbed Gustav Vassa. At first, Equiano refused to allow his name to be changed. He suffered dearly for his refusal to submit but eventually had to choice but to agree on the name his master had selected.Equiano goes on in his narrative to explain some of the horrors which slaves were forced to endure. One of the most inhumane acts commited by slave holders was the enforcement of what was called and 'iron muzzle'. This was meant to keep slaves from speaking and on a larger scale. this device took away the slaves' voice or ability to take part in the human right to speak. Equiano One of the elements however, which made Equiano's experiences of slavery so unique, is that he was able to attend school to some degree since his master was a naval officer and the captain's sister taught reading and writing. Equiano's tale invites his readers to step into the shoes of blacks centuries ago, who suffered through the treachery of slavery.Equiano's native land was country which we now know as Nigeria. Sadly, Equiano did not reside there for long. He was essentially kidnapped one day when his parents were not with him, and was then sold into slavery. Equiano was only ten when this took place and this event dictated all of the events


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ABOUT UTC
About UTCW
LIFE AT UTCW
UTC Minibus Travel
Non University
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Progress & Performance
At UTC Warrington, we understand students need support and guidance to help them become successful young adults and to identify the next steps in their career. Meetings with families before starting with us is an integral part of ensuring that we get to know our students as individuals.
All staff pride themselves on their abilities to build positive relationships with students. This ensures that their time at UTC is a positive and valuable experience.
With a clear focus on preparing students for outstanding STEM careers, careers guidance is central to their development. The focus on employability and personal development skills, as well as academic skills, ensures that students are well-equipped with the skills needed to thrive once they leave the UTC. Our partners, including Sellafield Ltd, Wood PLC, Cavendish Nuclear and Manchester Metropolitan University are committed to the growth and development of the UTC and to sustain a skilled and knowledgeable workforce for the STEM industry in the North West of England.
Keeping Students Safe
Alongside education and guidance, safeguarding and child protection are our primary concern. We work closely with families and local authorities to ensure that our students feel safe and well supported. This includes working alongside dedicated organisations who can offer specialised additional support for those issues not necessarily related to college or school life.
We are committed to improving access to learning and provide a wide range of support. Our Special Educational Needs Co-ordinator (SENCO) supports students' additional learning needs, through 1:1 intervention and group work. This is delivered to focus on academic support, social development and confidence building.
We are aware that Year 11 can be a challenging time for our students, as they develop themselves and prepare for their GCSE examinations. At UTCW, we are committed to supporting you and your son/daughter during this important year.
Our parents evenings are a vital part of the communication link between teachers, students, and parents. Our staff will discuss the progress and performance of your son/daughter and identify areas of focus ahead of examinations.
We have put together a document that identifies the key areas of support during Year 11. Please click here to view it.
We encourage our students to become involved in decision-making and taking an active role in the development of their college. The opinions of our students matter hugely to us and their feedback is valuable for us in growing the UTC.
Our student leadership team work with our senior staff leaders to challenge us, build on ideas, and create opportunities for other students at the UTC. Their voice represents the many other students at the UTC who feedback on the curriculum and day-to-day life. Through regular meetings as a leadership team, and with the support of the UTC staff team, the Student Leadership Team are a powerful voice for the college.
As a student, you can become part of the student leadership team. Meetings are handled and led by the student leaders and being a part of the team is a great way to build experience for your CV. Please ask a member of staff about joining the team and they can point you in the direction of the Head Boy and Head Girl.
About UTCs
UTCW
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Email: info@utcw.co.uk
© 2020 UTC Warrington. University Technical College Warrington is a registered charity and a company limited by guarantee registered at the above address in England and Wales. Registered Charity No EW66360 · Registered Company No 8714780 A paper copy of all the information on our website can be provided on request.


A healthcare provider in Cheshire has committed to prescribing reading, dancing and other forms of cultural engagement to people in the local area.
NHS Halton Clinical Commissioning Group (CCG), responsible for planning NHS services for more than 125,000 people, says its "more than medicine" approach will promote individual and community wellbeing in ways that other methods cannot.
"By working collaboratively with experts across culture, the environment and sports sector, and harnessing social value agendas, we will drive forward a 21st century approach to healthcare in Halton which others could follow," the CCG says in a new manifesto.
Dr Cliff Richards, former Chair of Halton CCG, told AP that Halton CCG's commitment takes place against a backdrop of an aging population and rising healthcare costs, which make continuing as normal "unsustainable".
"What is required is for health services to create health, rather than fix ill health. It is entirely appropriate to invest in non-traditional healthcare," he said.
The manifesto is the result of two years of conversations with professionals and members of the public about the impact of such healthcare, and is intended as a call to action to agencies, local authorities and commissioning groups.
Embrace museums and galleries to increase community engagement and social justice "through the better articulation of shared heritage".
The manifesto includes three other key "activity domains" for the CCG – environmental, sporting and social – which combine to support and maintain wellbeing.
"We need to work with colleagues outside of health and care, to break down policy silos, to join up policy agendas so we can be clear about the benefits of working together," it says.
"The arts are usually seen as fluff," he told AP. "There's enough evidence around to say cultural interventions are useful, but I think medical folk, looking at this from a scientific point of view, believe the research evidence isn't as strong as it should be.
The manifesto will be formally launched on 18 May at the national social prescribing conference at the Kings Fund.
Speaking about the manifesto, Jessica Harris, Cultural Commissioning Programme Manager at the National Council for Voluntary Organisations, said: "I'm delighted to see the publication of this cultural manifesto by Halton CCG – we are seeing more and more examples across the country of partnerships between health and arts and cultural organisations.
I am living in Northwich and would like to get involved with the wellbeing initiative. I am a musician and am learning to dance and really appreciate the value of both. I am also involved with musical theatre. Do you have any paid or voluntary opportunities?
Hi Pianogirl. Thanks for commenting, and it's great to hear you're interested in working with arts and health. It'd be best to ask Halton CCG directly though - we've just covered the story as news, so don't know the answer to your questions.


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Coast Guard Rescues Crew From Disabled Canadian Schooner
BOSTON - The Coast Guard says nine crew members have been safely evacuated from a Canadian charter schooner that lost power off the New England coast while on route to the Caribbean.
Petty Officer Ross Ruddell said the Liana's Ransom was still adrift and unmanned Tuesday afternoon about 34 miles east of Portland, Maine. He said there was no immediate plan to tow it.
Two Massachusetts-based Coast Guard boats weren't able to tow the vessel early Monday because of rough seas. The schooner had reported trouble at about 12:35 a.m.
Ruddell said one crew member flown to a Boston hospital with a possible head injury was treated and released. Eight others returned on the boats.
The Halifax-based schooner's Facebook page says it left Friday for St. Maarten. It says the 85-foot, steel-hulled vessel was launched in Texas in 2002.
MaineLiana's Ransom


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No. 17 Arkansas, No. 21 Auburn meet again after 4-OT battle
JOHN ZENOR, AP Sports Writer
1of5 Show MoreShow Less
FILE - In this Saturday, Oct. 8, 2016, file photo, Auburn head coach Gus Malzahn looks on against Mississippi State during an NCAA college football game at Davis Wade Stadium at Scott Field in Starkville, Miss. Auburn takes on Arkansas on Saturday. (James Pugh/The Laurel Chronicle, via AP, File)
AUBURN, Ala. (AP) — The Auburn Tigers are rested from an open date while Arkansas has reached the midpoint of a grueling stretch against ranked teams.
A win in their matchup Saturday would elevate either team's mood and, perhaps, their season.
The 21st-ranked Tigers (4-2, 2-1 Southeastern Conference) hope to have a healthy Kerryon Johnson back running the ball with the extra week following a dominating win over Mississippi State. The 17th-ranked Razorbacks (5-2, 1-2) are fresh from their first league victory, 34-30 over No. 23 Mississippi.
They're also on Round 3 of a five-week stretch against ranked SEC teams.
"To play in the SEC West, it's just a way of life," Arkansas coach Bret Bielema said.
As close as they come historically, this rivalry had mostly produced fairly one-sided games in recent years before the Razorbacks' 54-46 win in four overtimes last season.
Auburn holds a 6-5-1 record in meetings at Jordan-Hare Stadium and has overall outscored Arkansas just 633-629 in 25 previous games.
The Tigers this season have had one of the SEC's better defenses while Arkansas managed to score 34 points on the Rebels and 30 in a loss to No. 1 Alabama two weeks ago.
"Our offense is really starting to hum the last couple of games," Bielema said.
Auburn's offense has been humming pretty well lately, too. Much of that on both counts has to do with the league's two most efficient passers, the Tigers' Sean White and the Razorbacks' Austin Allen.
A still-inexperienced White helped bring Auburn back on the road last season and further cemented the trust of his coaches and teammates.
"We were still learning about Sean at the time," Tigers coach Gus Malzahn said. "We learned a lot about him that day. We saw the way he handled pressure and getting hit. He showed a lot of toughness that game."
Some other things to watch for when Auburn hosts Arkansas:
AUBURN'S BACKS: Johnson injured his right ankle early in the Mississippi State game, and has practiced this week, though Malzahn hasn't disclosed much about his status beyond that. Kamryn Pettway wound up rushing 39 times for 169 yards and three touchdowns in that game for a team that's third in the SEC in rushing.
RUSHING WILLIAMS: Arkansas running back Rawleigh Williams took over as the SEC's leader in rushing yards following his career-best 180-yard rushing performance against Mississippi. The sophomore had his neck broken in the game against the Tigers last year, missing the final six games of the season, but he's returned to top form this year — having gained 785 yards on the ground through the first seven games.
RAZORBACKS VS. RANKED: Saturday will be Bielema's 46th game as the coach of the Razorbacks, and it will be his 23rd against a ranked opponent. Five of those have come this season, with Saturday's game against the Tigers marking Arkansas' third straight game against a ranked member of the SEC. Next up: No. 15 Florida and No. 25 LSU.
MAD MALZAHN: Malzahn tries not to dwell on last year's game against his home state Razorbacks, but it appeared to be a turning point in the season. After that, Auburn struggled down the stretch until the bowl game. "When I think about it, it still makes me mad, but that's last year," Malzahn said. "That's history. There's nothing I can do about it."
EFFICIENT QBS: White is the league's highest rated passer with a 157.2 rating and a 69.7-percent completion rate. Allen is the second-most efficient thrower (156.0) and also leads the SEC with 18 touchdown passes.
AP Sports Writer Kurt Voigt contributed to this report.
AP college football web site: www.collegefootball.ap.org
JOHN ZENOR


The purpose of the Senior Medicare Fraud Patrol Project is to reduce Medicare waste and abuse by increasing public awareness through educational programs and by assisting the beneficiary in reading and understanding Medicare documents and how to report suspicious claims.
To educate the Medicare beneficiary how to protect her health care benefits.
To educate the Medicare beneficiary what she can do to help fight fraud, waste and abuse.
To educate the Medicare beneficiary why she should report suspected fraud, waste and abuse and to assist the beneficiary in reporting the alleged fraud, waste and abuse.
The Tennessee Commission on Aging and Disability through a contract with the Upper Cumberland Area Agency on Agency provides the East Tennessee Human Resource Agency with the funds to recruit, train, certify and assign volunteer educators/advocates to serve in the Medicare Fraud Patrol.
The volunteer educator travels throughout her assigned county meeting and speaking with Medicare beneficiaries at Senior Adult Centers, Nutrition Program Sites, Church Senior Groups, AARP Units, Retired Workers Associations, and other sites that cater to elders.
The volunteer advocate assists Medicare beneficiaries with the reading and interpretation of Medicare forms at the centers listed in the preceding paragraph. The Medicare beneficiary makes an appointment to meet with the volunteer advocate at a mutually arranged time and place in the county.
The Medicare Fraud Patrol Project receives technical assistance from the national Center for Medicare/Medicaid System and distributes pamphlets and other educational materials provided by CMS to Medicare beneficiaries. The Medicare Fraud Patrol Project works closely with CMS, Riverbend Government Benefits Administrator, Palmetto Government Benefits Administrator, Social Security Administration, and Mid-South Foundation for Medical Care.
The Medicare Fraud Patrol Project serves all Medicare beneficiaries in sixteen (16) counties of East Tennessee. There are approximately 190,000 persons aged 65 and above in East Tennessee. These are our clients.
Anderson, Blount, Campbell, Claiborne, Cocke, Grainger, Hamblen, Jefferson, Knox, Loudon, Morgan, Monroe, Roane, Scott, Sevier and Union.
For More Information Please Contact: (865) 691-2551 ext. 4308 or by E-mail at ETNSHIP@ethra.org.


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What I'll miss
It was my final official event as a representative for the Clipper City Brewing Company last evening: a cask tapping at Fireworks, a pizzeria in Leesburg, Va.
Several friends stopped by:
Kim Ross and Chef Mark Marrocco of Magnolias at the Mill; Dean Lake, brewmaster for Sweetwater Tavern in Sterling, Va.; Shawn Malone of Tuscarora Mill; Ron Lindenbusch of Lagunitas Brewery, who was on vacation with his family, and in fact was the guest of honor at a Lagunitas beer dinner later in the evening next door at Tuscarora; and many more cask ale fans, and customers of Fireworks.
I'd be remiss if I didn't offer props to Clipper City Brewing's cellarman, Stephen Marsh. It has been his skill in preparing the brewery's cask ales that has allowed me to present the cask ales to great acclaim.
Go here for more about the event, and here for photos.
Labels: beer tasting, cask, mid-Atlantic, real ale
2008 Craft Beer shipments up 6.8% over 2007
During the first six months of 2008, American craft beer sales rose 6.8% in terms of volume (to 4 million barrels) and 11% in terms of dollars, according to figures released by the Brewers Association.
Price increases due to increased ingredient costs were probably the greatest factors causing dollar sales to increase at almost twice the rate for sales volumes. That being said, a significant portion of those ingredient and energy costs were not passed on by the breweries, thus reducing the breweries' profit margins.
A 6.8% increase of volume, though smaller than last year at the half-point, is still a significant increase. And indeed refutes my earlier gloomy predictions!
I was alerted to this story by the Brookston Beer Bulletin.
Labels: beer business, craft beer business
A Tale of Two Books called Drink
Jonathan Yardley, a Washington Post columnist and book reviewer, wrote today on Drink: A Cultural History of Alcohol by British writer Iain Gately.
Yardley quoted from Gately's opening paragraph:
Alcohol is a fundamental part of Western culture. It is the most controversial part of our diet, simultaneously nourishing and intoxicating the human frame. Its equivocal influence over civilization can be equated to the polar characters of Dr. Jeckyll and Mr. Hyde. At times its philanthropic side has appeared to be in the ascendant, at others the psychopath has been at large. <...> In both ancient Greece, and the present millennium, it has been credited with the powers of inspiration and destruction.
In 1999, fellow British writer Andrew Barr published his book, also entitled Drink.
His subject matter, however, was specific to the history of alcoholic beverages in the USA. The title after the colon continued: A Social History of America. Barr took more of an active stance in favor of the salubrious aspects of good beverages and against American alcoholic prudery (his view, not altogether untrue).
I was alerted to Barr's Drink several years ago by Baltimore beer blogger Alexander D. Mitchell IV, who in fact gave me a copy.
Labels: beer press
The Re-Judgment of Paris, and Leuven
Somewhat overlooked in the press on the Belgian InBev brewing company purchase of the US Anheuser-Busch brewery, was the news of a European purchase of an iconic American winery.
Chateau Montelena, the historic Napa Valley estate that took first place for its 1973 chardonnay in the Judgment of Paris tasting in 1976 and later became best known for its structured, focused cabernet sauvignons, has been sold to Cos d'Estournel, a leading Bordeaux producer in St.-Estèphe, the two producers announced today. <...>
Last summer Stag's Leap Wine Cellars, which took first place among red wines in the 1976 Paris tasting for its 1973 cabernet sauvignon, was sold to a partnership of Ste. Michelle Wine Estates of Washington State and Marchesi Antinori of Tuscany.
French Winemaker Buys Judgment of Paris Winner
Eric Asimov
The original Judgment of Paris was the mythological cause of the Trojan war. What was the 1976 Judgment of Paris? Let's ask beer guy Lew Bryson:
[In 1976] a few big producers dominated U.S. winemaking with cheap, well-made, and unexciting jug wines. Imported wines that were similar to domestic products sold strongly as well: Lancers, Mateus, Riunite. Wine was perceived as a drink for snobs or dipsomaniacs. (Drunks used to be called winos, remember?) Then came the shock of the Judgment of Paris, the 1976 wine-tasting event where, for the first time, wines from small American producers publicly trumped those from Old World makers.
As to what might be the wine/beer connection in this, Lew writes: "You don't need to read tarot cards to see into beer's future. Just look at wine's past."
Two different drinks, two different markets, similar enough to be intriguing. If beer follows the path that wine did, what developments might we see in the next 20 years? <...>
The best thing about this trend is that it will change beer's image. In a widely quoted 2005 interview in the Wall Street Journal, Miller Brewing C.E.O. Tom Long, then the company's chief marketing officer, said, "People will tell you that beer is not sophisticated enough or stylish enough to compete with wine and spirits. Why do they think that? Well, I believe it's because we told them to." <...>
That was the key to the wine revolution, and it's crucial to the nascent beer revolution: people enjoying the drink based on its flavor and character, rather than its effectiveness as an alcohol-delivery device, a party accessory.
A Blueprint for Beer
Lew Bryson
Conde Nast Portfolio.com
On this topic of the craft beer business mirroring boutique wine, Hugh Sisson, a beer and wine guy, offered a similar analysis at his blog: Diary of a Brewer:
Both product categories were dominated by a few large players (and really still are) focused on making rather generic products sold mostly on price point rather than quality. <...> In many respects America's small brewers embarked on a similar approach beginning in the late 80's. People who once thought all beer was pale yellow and very light now understand the difference between Pale Ale, Stout, and Weizen.
An entire media industry has grown up around the growing interest in wine, both assisting in consumer education and sustaining consumer interest – The Wine Advocate and Wine Spectator just to mention two examples. Craft beer has also developed a large number of publications
One of the results of increased consumer education is consumer awareness of wine and beer as foods to accompany other foods. <...> Even some die hard wine buffs have to admit there are certain foods that go better with beer than wine! [Emphasis mine.]
Hugh Sisson
www.ccbeer.com
Following on the success of the movie Sideways (putatively about American pinot noir), another wine-themed movie will be commercially released in early August 2008. The plot of Bottle Shock revolves about the success of Chateau Montelena's chardonnay at the 1976 Judgment of Paris tasting.
Labels: beer business, wine
a Dominion departure
Confirmed by two sources: Scott Zetterstrom, Vice-President of Brewing Operations for Coastal/Dominion Brewing of Annapolis Md/Ashburn, Va. has left that position. He'll stay in the area, however, working at another mid-Atlantic brewery.
Zetterstrom began with Dominion Brewing in the early 1990s, hired by John Mallett, one of the original brewers there. Scott eventually rose to head the brewing staff. His background was mechanical engineering; he brought that expertise to the brewery and to other local breweries as a much sought after consultant.
With Scott's departure, those brewers and employees from the original ownership of Dominion number only a few.
John Mallett has been the Production Manager for Bells Brewery of Michigan now for several years.
Labels: mid-Atlantic, word on the street
a bonanza of Belgian beer photos
This is Baltimore, Md. (only just moved from Richmond, Va.) beer writer Chuck Cook's profile, which he's posted at his Flickr page:
Since 1994, I have visited Belgium 16 times, and toured 60 Belgian breweries. I have written for such publications as Ale Street News, All About Beer magazine, Beers of the World magazine, Beeradvocate magazine, CAMRA What's Brewing, Celebrator Beer News, Delta Sky, The Gotham Imbiber, and Great Lakes Brewing News, as well as the Beeradvocate and Ratebeer websites. I have also contributed to Tim Webb's "The Good Beer Guide to Belgium."
Now, check out some of the photos he's uploaded to Flickr. Thorough stuff!
Labels: beer press, Belgium
My Final Port of Call with Clipper City
When I joined the Clipper City Brewing Company in August of 2004, I wrote this:
I have accepted an opportunity to work with Hugh Sisson, a pioneer of Maryland craft beer, as a representative of his Clipper City Brewing Company .
I have great respect for what Sisson, lead brewer Scott Dietrich, and the entire team of the Clipper City Brewing Company have accomplished.
Specifically ...
1. There's the quality control evident throughout the portfolio.
2. There's the design of the brand extensions -- Clipper City, McHenry, Oxford Raspberry.
3. Finally, there's the introduction of the flavor-driven Heavy Seas line.
Together, these things became a coalescence irresistible to me.
As Territory Manager for Clipper City Brewing Company, I plan to continue to expand the reach of its brands throughout the District, Montgomery County, and Northern Virginia.
Since that point, my sales territory has increased dramatically to include all of Virginia, and then North Carolina, Georgia, and South Carolina as each of those states allowed beers of greater than 5.9% alcohol to be imported.
Since that point, Clipper City has itself changed. Some of its beers are now organic. Some of its beers are paradigms for new craft styles. Its roster of brands has grown from nine to sixteen, its basket of brewing medals brimming. And the cask ale! Ahh!
In 2004, Clipper City was a dynamic Baltimore, Maryland brewery. Today, Clipper City is truly an East Coast brewery, its beers sold and respected in 20 states along the East Coast and into the Midwest.
It has been an incredible voyage. I've met so many fascinating and beery folk: brewers, salespeople, wholesalers, beer shop owners and managers, beer lovers, and, in fact fascinating people of all sorts throughout the South.
That I have been part of that voyage has been my privilege. It has been exciting; it has been frustrating; but it has never been boring.
Thomas Cizauskas (l), Hugh Sisson (r) discuss beer in 2006.
I sincerely thank Hugh Sisson, Brewmaster Ernesto Igot, Sales Manager Pat Helsel, and everyone, then and now, at the Clipper City Brewing Company for having included me in their wonderful voyage of good beer.
But now, I sail forth. As of 1 August 2008, I will leave the employ of Clipper City Brewing Company.
This blog --YoursForGood Fermentables.com-- will continue, and with honest effort, improve, and even gain new perspectives. Look for more features on fermented fruit and distilled spirits. To all my readers, to those who have offered praise, and to those who have pointed out my factual errors: I thank you.
Beer, gentlefolk: beer is our business. And that is why the voyage continues.
Labels: JOURNAL
Hops with your pie: pizza, cask ale, & Leesburg
In Leesburg, Va., Fireworks is the pizza-restaurant adjunct to the town's long-established Tuscarora Mill Restaurant.
Like it's older sister, Fireworks features an extended selection of good beers on draft and has a smaller, yet still interesting, list of bottled beers.
In a recent issue of Mid-Atlantic Brewing News, Shawn Malone, the General Manager of both restaurants, announced plans to introduce regular cask ale service to Firework's draft lineup. [Photo was taken at recent Magnolias at the Mill Beer Festival.]
In the meantime, he has invited Clipper City Brewing Company to bring the restaurant its first cask ever: Loose Cannon Hop3 Ale. We'll be tapping it at 6PM sharp, Wednesday, 30 July.
[UPDATE: Photos from the tapping.]
Labels: beer tasting, cask, mid-Atlantic
Just say no ... to lawnmower beer
The Session is a monthly web powwow, in which various beer bloggers post on a common theme. Session # 17 - July -
could be summed up thusly: Drinking anti-seasonally. <...> Beer and weather, perhaps? More like beer despite the weather, I guess. Cracking open a Guinness on the beach. <...>For a summary of the Sessions thus far, check out Brookston's handy guide.
As Lady MacBeth might have said to a swill-drinking husband, 'screw your lawnmower beers to the sticking place'.
I missed The Session submission deadline, but here are two photos, illustrative of that theme.
On a hot July day 2008, Maxs TapHouse in Baltimore Md. was offering pours from two different vintages of aged wooden casks of J.W. Lees Harvest Ale (11.5% abv) via handpump.
Pictured, on the left: 2004 Lagavulin whisky-aged. On the right: a non-spirit cask, but from 1999!
I was amazed to find two such rarities on cask at the same time. And I applauded the aplomb of Casey Hard, beer manager at Max's, to feature these full-bodied treats in the midst of summer. (In fact the weather is even more oppressive than usual. Tropical Storm Cristobal is churning off the Carolinas, pushing tropical weather into the mid-Atlantic region.)
We passed the samples around to several bar patrons, who sipped and appreciated these barleywines (and even in cold weather, these are beers to be savored not gulped). Dark fruit, deep depth, sticky mouthfeel, alcoholic heat, and in the case of the Lagavulin casked iteration - smoke and peat.
Yesterday, at an outdoor beer festival at Magnolias in Purcellville, Va. —with temps in the 90s (that's 35 °C for our non-American friends) and humidity in the 70% range— patrons were enjoying Clipper City Brewing's Hang Ten, a weizen dopplebock of 10% alcohol by volume. Out of all the festival-goers, only two returned their samples and asked for something lighter.
If you needed hydration —something light— there was plenty of ice-cold bottled water available.
Labels: beer culture, beer festival, cask, mid-Atlantic
InBev's effect on independent wholesalers
I've had many different responses from folk about the InBev purchase of Anheuser-Busch. These from three industry members who might be directly and indirectly affected stand out:
from a brewer whose brewery is partly owned by A-B at present, and thus soon may be owned by Anheuser-Busch InBev: "I don't know. I'm concentrating on making and selling my beer."
from an observer of the beer scene: "InBev is not going to concern itself with its craft holdings, at least at first. The capital invested in them is so small compared to the $52 billion dollars of debt accrued by the purchase that a sell-off would do very little to help."
an importer rep: "The sale won't make any difference to me or my high-end imports."
I'm not so sanguine.
I think that the combined power of the behemoths could be stultifying to the business. Even (or especially) the large indepedent wholeasalers, such as Reyes (which in the D.C./Va./Md. area is known as Premium), may suffer consequences.
From Progressive Grocer:
The consolidation inherent in an InBev takeover of Anheuser-Busch Cos., which the latter brewer's board agreed to yesterday, will affect wholesalers much more profoundly than retailers, Nick Lake, v.p., client service, Beverage Alcohol, the Nielsen Co., told Progressive Grocer. <..>
"The merger is likely to be neutral for retailers, as Anheuser-Busch already markets Inbev's European brands, including Stella Artois and Becks in the U.S.," Lake told Progressive Grocer. "The biggest changes will be at the wholesaler level, as more and more consolidation will likely happen [since] the combination of MillerCoors and AB Inbev represents over 80 percent of the category volume," he explained. "It may become more difficult for some imports and independent craft brands to maintain shelf space, as both MillerCoors and AB Inbev bring cross-segment portfolios to the retailer."
Labels: beer business, big boys
The 13th Fermenter
While presenting cask ale over several occasions last week, I was asked: So, why isn't this firkin made of wood?
First: what's a firkin? A firkin is simply a specific size of English beer cask, one which contains 9 Imperial gallons. That approximately translates to 10.8 US gallons, or 86.4 US pints (16 ounces).
As are kegs, most (but not all) firkins today are constructed of stainless steel.
Prior to the 1930s, although wood may have been the material of the vessel, wood was not necessarily wanted as a flavoring agent. Normal practice would be for brewers and coopers to line their casks with pitch or other substances to prevent the beer from coming into contact with the wood. Wood could be a source of microbiological infection.
Beers today that are deliberately infused with wood flavor might be tasty, but they are not necessarily historically accurate in that practice.
So what is the point of cask ale, the advantage of serving beer from a firkin?
Imagine a firkin cask as a small fermenter. Beer is transferred, still fermenting, from large brewery vats to this smaller 10.8 gallon brewery 'vat'.
Cask-conditioned ale —real ale— is beer in its ideal state, literally fresh from the fermenter, still alive. Rather than a drinker traveling to a brewery, the brewery has figuratively and literally come to the drinker. The very opposite of an aged wine cask, a firkin is indeed the 13th fermenter. Brewery fresh.
And what does 'fresh beer' taste like? What does fresh bread taste like, straight out of the oven?
It's an ineffable quintessence of flavor.
Go here for a handy comparison of serving sizes and containers.
Go here for more on one brewery's wooden casks.
Labels: cask, cellarmanship
Meet the Ozzys
Local beer makes good ... again ... and again.
Never been to the The Brewer's Art brewpub and restaurant in Baltimore? It's a Belgian-themed brewpub "set in a grand Mt. Vernon townhouse" with a "seasonally-influenced menu of European-style country fare."
The pub opened in 1996. It remained draft-only until mid-2007 when Volker Stewart and his crew began bottling their beers using the facilities at the Sly Fox in Pennsylvania.
In 750-ml champagne-corked bottles, the initial release was Green Peppercorn Tripel, then Le Canard, and now, Ozzy. From the website:
Our answer to the Belgian «devil» beers (i.e.Lucifer, Duvel, etc.). Both rich and dry, this beer is all too easy to consume in large quantities. Hopped with Styrian Goldings. 7.25% abv
The bottles are distributed only in the DC and Maryland area. If you're that close, why not visit the brewpub itself?
[UPDATE: 2008.08.03 tasting notes]
The beer pours with a gorgeous white spumous head and tastes similar to the draft at the pub: hints of spice, hay, pear fruit, and and with an off-dry finish. The pub's draft also has a slight sulfury edge (a tasty thing) but this is not present in the bottle.
For fun, I often peek at BeerAdvocate.com after I write up my impressions. One reviewer said this: " Drinkability is good, but it seems a little 'rich' to be a true sessioner." Well, Ozzy is 7.3% alcohol by volume, after all!
Appropriate to the name of the beer, and befitting the zeitgeist of the pub, "A portion of the proceeds will benefit bat conservation programs."
Alerted to the beer's release by the Beer Sage.
Labels: beer review, brewpub, mid-Atlantic
Thinking Globally, Drinking Locally
From WAMU-FM's website:
Wednesday 16 July 2008, 1:06PM
In the world of beer, Anheuser-Busch has long been an American icon and a dominant global player. So when the St. Louis-based corporation accepted a $52 billion takeover by Belgium-based brewer InBev, the move raised eyebrows in boardrooms and bars across the country. We explore how the increasingly global beverage industry is affecting local consumers.
Hugh Sisson, General Partner, Clipper City Brewing Company (Baltimore, MD)
Tom Standage, Business Editor, The Economist; author, "A History of the World in 6 Glasses" (Pub: Walker & Company)
The Kojo Nnamdi Show airs on WAMU weekdays, noon to 2 pm. The live two-hour magazine program highlights news, political issues and social trends of the day.
Nnamdi, a native of Guyana, lends a global perspective to front page headlines and explores emerging stories before they are news.
At 88.5 FM in the Washington, DC. Streamed at www.WAMU.org.
A History of the World in 6 Glasses is a concise look at the influence of six beverages on world history, industry, and commerce: beer, wine, distilled spirits, coffee, tea, and cola.
[UPDATE: Some interesting comments.]
TS: Beer is a a genuinely global drink. Beer arose spontaneously all over the world thousands of years ago.
HS: [Will In Bev 'improve' the recipe of Budweiser?] We might argue with what A-B has produced from a personal stylistic preference standpoint, but clearly the numbers sustain it. No, the downside could be catastrophic.
TS: Drink and food serve as a lightning rod for discontent. It's a way of expressing oneself.
HS: [Will the Inbev purchase affect the craft brewers?] Inbev will control nearly 30% of the world's market of beer. It's a whole different league.
Labels: beer business, beer press, big boys, radio
Long live the new King of American Beer!
In the 1890s, there were over 4,300 2,300 breweries in the United States.
In 1978, just before the re-birth of craft beer, there were 41.
Now, in 2008, there's a continuing return to brewing glory with the count of active breweries at more than 1,400.
But this past Sunday morning only five breweries remained from that 1890s roster: Yuengling, F.X. Matt, Anchor Brewing, August Schell, Anheuser-Busch. [Read the comments for 5 more survivors, including High Falls, formerly known as Genesee, and Straub's.]
That list will soon be four since Anheuser-Busch has agreed to be purchased by Belgian-Brazilian conglomerate InBev.
And where are Coors, Miller, and Pabst? Coors is owned by MolsonCoors of Canada; Miller is owned by SABMiller of England; Pabst brews none of its own beers.
Anheuser-Busch, as it is now, accounts for 48% of the beers sold in the US.
Anheuser-Busch: 48%
Miller: 18%
Coors: 11%
Crown Imports (Corona, St. Pauli Girl): 5%
Heineken USA: 4%
Craft beers: 3.8%
The top ten beers sold in the US are:
Bud Light: 19.2%
Budweiser: 11.3%
Miller Lite: 8.4%
Coors Light: 7.9%
Natural Light: 4.2%
Corona Extra: 3.8%
Busch light: 2.9%
Busch: 2.8%
Heineken: 2.4%
Miller High Life: 2.3%
[Source Beer Marketer's Insights as cited by the Washington Post: Bud's Belgian Buyout.]
But ... the number one American-owned brewery, the new King of American Beer is...
Well, here's how Jay Brookston of Brookston Beer Bulletin put it:
Once the merger of the two companies is finalized, Anheuser-Busch InBev, will be a Belgian company. MillerCoors consists of MolsonCoors, managed from Canada, and SABMiller, which is either a South African or London-based company, depending on your point of view. That leaves Pabst, the fourth largest beermaker by volume, but they do not own a brewery, instead contracting to have all their beer made at Miller's breweries. So in terms of actual brewers (that is companies that own and operate a brewery) and who are U.S. owned, the biggest one remaining will be Boston Beer, making Samuel Adams as the undisputed biggest American brewer. Way to go, Jim. It also means Yuengling, America's oldest brewery, becomes number two and Sierra Nevada comes in third.
In 2007, Boston Beer produced (combining its own production and beers produced for it by other brewers) over 1.8 million barrels of beer. Yuengling produced (all at its own plants) 1.2 million barrels. A barrel, at 31 US gallons, yields about 13.7 cases of beer (24 12- ounce bottles). [Source: The Brewers Association.]
Interested in Anheuser-Busch InBev's plans for Budweiser? Jay Brookston has that inside scoop as well.
Labels: beer business, big boys, large craft brewery, zymurgy
Watch what I drink, not what I say
There's a deliciously ironic moment noted in the Washington Post today (Bud's Belgian Buyout):
"It's messed up," St. Louis native James Metz said at the bar in Afterwords Cafe at Kramerbooks in Dupont Circle [Washington, D.C.]. The St. Louis community, he said, depends on Anheuser-Busch for jobs and philanthropy.
"If there was a Budweiser here now, I'd drink it," said Metz, hoisting a Stella. Kramerbooks doesn't sell Bud.
Emphasis mine. Stella is, of course, brewed by the "messed up" InBev.
And, an American irony:
At the Post Pub downtown [Washington, D.C.] yesterday evening, network engineer Monty Ottwell was ending his workday by knocking back a Jack Daniels with a Bud chaser.
"I'm a big fan of Belgian beers. I'm not a fan of Bud selling out," Ottwell said. "It's an American beer. Red, white and blue."
Fiducuiary duty, maximizing profit, capitalism, free enterprise. Wouldn't that be the American way?
And, in the 'that's-why-they-make-the-big-bucks' department:
"InBev needs the Anheuser-Busch brand culture," Credit Suisse analysts Carlos Laboy and Anthony J. Bucalo wrote in a research note yesterday. "InBev is weak in marketing processes, particularly in developing consumer insight for optimal occasion-based marketing."
Never let clarity stand in the way of obfuscation.
Labels: beer business, obfuscation
'Anheuser-Busch InBev' is the world's largest brewery
It's done. Anheuser-Busch has been sold.
From Reuters on Sunday evening just before 9PM:
U.S. brewer Anheuser-Busch Cos Inc agreed to be acquired by Belgium-based InBev NV for $70 per share, a source familiar with the situation said on Sunday.
Anheuser would have representatives on the board of the combined company, which was slated to be called Anheuser-Busch InBev, the source said. An announcement was expected on Sunday night.
At $52 billion dollars, it's the biggest purely cash business purchase ever.
Now, let the games begin: distribution networks, brands, employees, those craft breweries partially owned by Anheuser-Busch, the Department of Justice, etc.
A man walks into a bar. Do you have any Belgian beers, he asks? The bartender replies: Sure do. How about a nice cold Bud Light?
Previous, related posts:
Bye, Bye Bud? [13 July 2008]
And so it may go, for Bud [6July 2008]
MillerCoors (and BevBud?) [02 July 2008]
Don't Cry For Me, Saint Louis. [29 June 2008]
A-B vs. Interbrew: The battle is joined. [26 June 2008]
Will InBev's Bud hurt craft brewers? [15 June 2008]
It's now a matter of dollars and euros at Anheuser-Busch [12 June 2008]
SaveBudweiser.com?
A-B deathwatch: 1 June
Bud to be sold? part3
Budweiser for sale?
InBev now world's largest brewer (over A-B) [2007]
Bye, Bye Bud?
From Friday's Wall Street Journal:
Anheuser Chief Executive August Busch IV began discussions with InBev CEO Carlos Brito in recent days after InBev sweetened its original offer of $65 a share, or $46.35 billion, a person familiar with the matter said. Board approval is likely this weekend, but the talks could still fall apart, this person cautioned.
The companies are ironing out such details as a name for the combined company. Key to the talks for Anheuser is protecting the interests of its employees and distributors, people familiar with the matter said.
On the road for a week, I wasn't paying close attention to the potential sale (probably a good thing) except to note that Anheuser-Busch's stock had risen on Friday to its highest point in a year: $65.55. I was alerted to the story at Stonch's Beer Blog.
The stinkier, the better
As a representative for the Clipper City Brewing Company, I was invited to conduct a tasting of organic cheeses and organic beers at My Organic Market (MOM's) in Alexandria, Virginia on Saturday, 12 July.
One of the cheeses was Grayson.
Grayson, one of my favorite East Coast cheeses, is from the Meadow Creek Dairy of southwestern Virginia in the town of Galax, Virginia, just a few miles north of the border with North Carolina.
Grayson is unpasteurized, or in foodie parlance, a raw cow's-milk cheese. It also is a washed-rind cheese. From the American Cheese Society's website:
"Washed rind" is used to describe those cheeses that are surface-ripened by washing the cheese throughout the ripening/aging process with brine, beer, wine, brandy, or a mixture of ingredients, which encourages the growth of bacteria. The exterior rind of washed rind cheeses may vary from bright orange to brown, with flavor and aroma profiles that are quite pungent, yet the interior of these cheeses is most often semi-soft and, sometimes, very creamy. Washed rind cheeses may be made from both pasteurized and raw milk, depending on the style of the cheese and the cheesemaker producing them. Cheeses in this category include some tomme-style cheeses, triple-crème, and semi-soft cheeses, similar to Epoisses, Livarot and Taleggio.
Grayson is very pungent. If this weren't polite company, we might label it a stinky cheese. The entire area surrounding my table at MOM's was indeed redolent of the cheese. Think barnyard, stinky socks. You'll either love it or hate it. And that in fact was the case with the folks who tasted the cheeses and beers on Saturday.
Loose Cannon Hop3 Ale was paired with the Grayson (as it was recently at SAVOR -- the national beer with food event recently held in Washington, D.C.). The American hop bounty of this India Pale Ale (I.P.A.) provided an pungent aromatic complement to the cheese.
Loose Cannon is not an organic beer but the other two Clipper City beers poured on Saturday are.
Oxford Organic Ale Raspberry Wheat was served with an organic brie. Subtly redolent of fruit, the beer finishes tangy and wine-like, characters that cut through the gentle butterfat of the brie.
Oxford Organic Amber Ale was served with a Gruyere cheese (not organic). The nut-brown character of the beer's toasted malts paired well with the nutty flavor of the cheese.
As a beer and cheese fan mentioned at the table, organic is important, but 'beer-miles' matter as well. If a food, such as beer, is created from organic ingredients, but shipped thousands of miles, environmental harm from carbon fuel emission may outweigh the original good.
In other words, drink locally. As Charlie Papazian, president of the Brewers Association put it on his blog, Beer Examiner:
The average American lives within 10 miles of a brewery. Taking the effort to locate the brewery that's beyond the glass at the end of your arm is an accessible endeavor.
Labels: beer tasting, cheese, environment, southeastern US, sustainability
Pink elephants in Asheville
In North Carolina for a few days, I stopped in last evening at the Thirsty Monk in Asheville.
The managing director of Brouwerij Huyghe was the bar's special guest.
Huyghe, family-owned and independent, is best known for its strong Belgian golden ale, Delerium Tremens, and for the beer's label featuring pink elephants.
Standing on a chair to be heard over the din of the appreciative crowd, Alain De Laet delivered a simultaneously informative and gracious mini-lecture on the good fortune of Huyghe and the state of good beer itself.
Rather than damning international light lagers such as Stella or Bavik (as many of us often do), he pointed out that these beers can be gateways to better beer. Discovering a new, slightly fuller-flavored beer may lead an inquisitive drinker to look for another... and another.
And the world of full-flavored Belgian beers suddenly will become evident.
American craft brewers have long sought inspiration and instruction from Belgian brewers, he said. Now, De Lait added, many Belgian brewers are asking American craft brewers about the Americans' creative use of hops.
Among others, I met up with Julie and Jason Atallah, owners of Bruisin' Ales (where I had just finished an in-store tasting of Clipper City beers), and with James, aka Kilgore Trout, of the Asheville Beer Blog.
Thirsty Monk is itself only a few months old. It exclusively serves Belgian beers on draft and a mixture of Belgian bottles and Belgian-styled American beer bottles. A few days ago, the pub opened an upstairs room, named the Pintroom, pouring only American craft beers on draft.
Over a snifter of Delerium Tremens, I asked Alain how to pronounce "Huyghe". There were inflected gutturals --something like "Hu(rt) gh(ch)uh-- that I couldn't quite duplicate. Maybe a few more Deliriums would have helped.
Thirsty Monk's owner Barry Bialik has invited Clipper City Brewing to bring the first firkin ever to be served at the Pintroom. So, I return this evening to tap a cask of Loose Cannon Hop3 Ale, our India Pale Ale (I.P.A.), which I had hand-delivered on Monday. [UPDATE: Photos here.]
Labels: beer tasting, Belgium, southeastern US
Beer and civilization
George F. Will --that's correct, George F. Will-- wrote an oped piece today about beer, and in a refreshingly positive manner.
Published at the Washington Post, it begins with the story of the potential sale of Anheuser-Busch to InBev.
Mr. Will goes from there to address how human civilization began because of beer (really). And how beer functioned as an evolutionary gene-pool-strengthener (really!). And that beer is a health food (again, really!).
Without commenting on the accuracy of the above comments, I should point out that there were two was one definite factual error(s):
InBev is the world's largest brewer, not number two as Will erroneously states (that position is held by SABMiller, Anheuser-Busch being merely the third largest in the world).
I should check my facts first. Will is correct. SABMiller moved ahead in early 2008, with Heineken at #3 and A-B at #4. But if the InBev purchase of A-B does go through, then InBev will be #1, by far. (Figures, by sales volume, from Reuters.)
Benjamin Franklin did NOT say that "Beer is proof that God wants us to be happy." (He did say something like that, but in reference to wine.)
Will recovers though, concluding with a deliciously felicitous turn-of-phrase:
Or, less judgmentally, and for secular people who favor a wall of separation between church and tavern, beer is evidence that nature wants us to be.
Survival of the Sudsiest
By George F. Will
Thursday, July 10, 2008; Page A15
Labels: beer culture, beer history, beer press
My Toyota Corolla-- she's been a stalwart courier of good beer. And she's still going strong.
Photo taken just outside of Woodstock, Virginia along I-81, with three firkins in the back seat ... behaving well.
[UPDATE] Captain Hops at Beer Haiku Daily has penned a poem for the occasion:
Rugged Chariot
Stalwart courier of beer
Roll on down the road
I, and my Corolla, thank you!
16 May 2010: The end of the road.
Labels: cask, JOURNAL, poetry
And so it may go, for Bud
Here's Maureen Ogle, author of Ambitious Brew: The Story of American Beer, on the brewing chickens coming home to roost for Anheuser-Busch ... maybe.
... our Budweiser, a beer as American as baseball and barbecue -- is about to become Belgian (and Brazilian too). "No!" I wail, tears splashing into my beer, when I hear that Carlos Brito, chief executive of InBev, the Belgian-Brazilian corporate behemoth headquartered in Leuven, Belgium, wants to acquire Budweiser.
<...> Anheuser-Busch is the target of an aggressor's hostile takeover bid, but usually, it plays the role of the bad guy.
In 2006, Anheuser-Busch snapped up the Rolling Rock brand brewed at Latrobe Brewing Company of Latrobe, Pa. A travesty, many declared. How dare that nasty corporate giant destroy a Latrobe tradition and move the brewing process to (ugh) Newark? The people of Latrobe (population 9,000; the brewery was a major employer) begged the company not to shut down its plant. The St. Louis brewing titan shrugged, and that was that. It's worth noting, however, that Anheuser-Busch purchased Latrobe from . . . InBev.
The commentary was printed in the Outlook section of Sunday's Washington Post. Ogle concludes:
Besides, the Brazilianization of Bud doesn't mean the end of American beer. That same story of little guys creating something from nothing is unfolding right now in more than 1,400 breweries around the country. In 1978, there were only a few dozen brewing companies in the United States. In the intervening 30 years, the industry has exploded in size, and today the United States boasts the most dynamic, creative brewing culture in the world.
The Latrobe brewery is active again, by the way, having been purchased by City Brewing Company of LaCrosse, Wisconsin, itself the remains of the former brewing giant G. Heilemann. A significant amount of Sam Adams beer is brewed there under contract.
Labels: beer business, Belgium, big boys
First Pitch
Clipper City Golds
Originally uploaded by cizauskas
A photo of Clipper City Gold Ales, served on draft at Camden Yards in Baltimore, Md.
Much of the Clipper City Brewing staff was at the ballpark on Wednesday 2 July to watch as Hugh Sisson, owner of Clipper City, threw out the ceremonial first pitch for the Baltimore Orioles in their game against the Kansas City Royals.
Baltimore Orioles pitcher Daniel Cabrera may have taken a cue from Hugh. Cabrera pitched a complete game as the the Orioles defeated Kansas City 5-2.
KC's only two runs occurred in the 1st inning: a home run which landed a few feet from where we sat.
In the photo, it's Clipper City's QA director, Lynne Sigler. More photos at Flickr.
Labels: baseball, craft brewery
East Coast Fat Tire
Word on the street had New Belgium Brewing Company's President Kim Jordan recently in North Carolina pre-selling Fat Tire Amber Ale.
That's right. In a long-anticipated and long-desired move, New Belgium's beers may finally come to the East Coast ... in 2009.
New Belgium, based in Fort Collins, Colorado, is the third largest-producing craft brewery, after Boston Beer and Sierra Nevada, and the 8th largest US brewery overall. (Statistics from Brewers Association.) It is well-regarded for its Belgian-styled beers.
There's no information yet on what states other than NC (and Tennessee, where the beers have only just arrived). Or as to which beers other than Fat Tire.
La Folie, please!
UPDATE 2009.02.03. New Belgium has announced that Fat Tire, Mothership Wit, and dark lager 1554 will be available in selected markets in North Carolina, beginning in March 2009. More at BeerAdvocate.
Labels: large craft brewery, southwestern US, word on the street
MillerCoors (and BevBud?)
I received an email yesterday afternoon from a Process Quality Specialist at Coors Brewing.
Strange: I don't believe I know this gentleman. Stranger yet: he was announcing that his email domain had changed from coors.com to MillerCoors.com.
Coors (owned by MolsonCoors of Canada) and Miller (owned by SABMiller of South Africa the United Kingdom) have merged their US operations into one company. Their respective corporations and international operations remain separate ... for now.
Peter Coors, vice chairman of Molson Coors Brewing Company, becomes chairman of MillerCoors. Graham Mackay, CEO of SABMiller, becomes vice chairman of MillerCoors.
The new company believes that it will achieve half a billion dollars in savings by streamlining across its 8 US breweries and combining distribution networks (which have already been merged in many areas).
Here's more from BrewBlog ("a daily look at Beer Industry News brought to you by MillerCoors").
Greg Kitsock at the Washington Post writes today about the proposed merger between Belgian/Brazilian conglomerate InBev with the last remaining American brewing giant Anheuser-Busch.
Kitsock puts a face, a brand-name face, on InBev, which produces beers such as Stella Artois, Labatt, Franziskaner, Hoegaarden, and many more, but no 'InBev' brand per se. (There's a fairly complete list of InBev's brands at NowPublic.com.)
Kitsock asked the Brewers Association (the advocacy group for small US breweries) if the potential merger would be bad for craft beer in the US. Director Paul Gatza answered yes, and then no.
[Gatza] said a larger player would be able to dominate the market even more, grabbing taps and shelf space from the little guys. "I see no real upside for craft brewers," he said
On the other hand, Gatza said his member breweries are not too concerned, at least not yet. "If InBev sees craft brands can be done profitably, they'll support craft beer getting into the marketplace," he said.
Meet the Stranger You Already Know
Greg Kitsock
p. F5
The IPA myth,and other beery fairy tales
The history of beer is often delivered wrapped in the mists of fairy tales.
The Zythophile, aka Martyn Cornell, is one blogger who has taken aim at several of these cherished shibboleths. And when he does so, Cornell lists his original source material, as opposed to Wikipedia and others, who do not.
Take for example, his recent re-examination of India Pale Ale (IPA):
there was NO real difficulty exporting beer to the East: contemporary evidence shows everything from small beer to porter surviving the journey.
the Indian market was tiny, at 9,000 barrels a year in 1800.
There is NO evidence George Hodgson, a small-time porter brewer, actually invented IPA
the East Indiamen ships did NOT travel "along the coast of Africa" on their way to India, they went via Madeira, Rio de Janeiro in Brazil and St Helena to get round the Cape, and then up through the Mozambique Channel.
What is true, The Zythophile states, is that:
IPA developed out of the strong, well-hopped stock ales, designed to last a year or two in cask before being drunk, that British brewers were already making [emphasis mine] before entrepreneurial ship's captains decided to make a few bob taking beer out to sell in India. The stock ale went through a speeded-up maturation on the journey, and arrived out East in prime condition.
And what of those oft-repeated tales about the origin of the beer-style porter? The three-threads thread, and the Robert Harwood story? Try The Zythophile again.
More myth-busting: Benjamin Franklin's non-quote on God and beer, and the pilgrims and beer.
Labels: beer history, beer press


Composer & Performer Application Deadline = February 1st, 2019!
We are excited to announce special guest, composer/ improvisor George Lewis for our 15th season in 2019! Click here for more information on his residency and performances.
soundSCAPE facilitates the flowering of new music and the exchange of ideas and culture between musicians of tomorrow's generation. We attract composers and performers from around the world for two weeks of concerts, lectures, master classes and workshops. The essence of the festival is one of process and collaboration – giving rise to new music initiatives that have flourished long beyond the festival, all around the globe. We approach all music with open ears and a passion for making your voice heard… please join us for a celebration of new music!