EveryJoe » Kelly Phillips Erb

Signing Off

Kelly Phillips Erb — Tue, 30 Sep 2008 09:33:09 +0000

All good things must come to an end… and so it is with sadness that Chris and I announce that this is our last day at Brew Ha-Ha. We’ve enjoyed your readership and your conversation! I’m sure that we’ll see you around the blogosphere. Post from: EveryJoe Signing Off

Post from: EveryJoe

Signing Off

Beer Trivia: Groaning Ale

Kelly Phillips Erb — Sun, 28 Sep 2008 11:55:39 +0000

Q: What is groaning ale?

Answer after the jump….

Believe it or not, groaning ale is beer that was made specially for pregnant women. In Colonial America, a special brew was made while a woman was pregnant. When the woman went into labor, everyone, pregnant woman included, had a sip… and the baby was washed in the beer afterwards. I kid you not.

Post from: EveryJoe

Beer Trivia: Groaning Ale

Oktoberfest Continues to Welcome Visitors

Kelly Phillips Erb — Sat, 27 Sep 2008 17:48:31 +0000

It’s day 7 of the official Oktoberfest in Munich, the world’s largest beer party!

At Oktoberfest, the beer is supplied by breweries known as the Big Six: Spaten, Löwenbräu, Augustiner, Hofbräu, Paulaner and Hacker-Pschorr. Each brewery has its own tent, holding thousands of festival-goers. The price of beer varies from tent to tent, but ranges between 7.80 and 8.30 Euros per liter – or about $12 US.

Estimates are that 6.2 million visitors will consume a mind-boggling 6,940,600 litres of beer. Do the math. That’s about $84 million US on beer alone – no wonder the German government seems to love Oktoberfest!

More amazing images after the jump.

The Augustiner beer tent:

The Paulaner Braeu Winzerer Faehnd’l beer tent:

The traditional rifleman’s parade:

And some folks who might just have had a bit too much fun:

Post from: EveryJoe

Oktoberfest Continues to Welcome Visitors

St. Pauli Girl 2008

Kelly Phillips Erb — Sat, 27 Sep 2008 17:30:50 +0000

No, that’s not a dirndl she’s wearing…

But, yes, it’s true. The newest face of St. Pauli beer used to be a Playboy Playmate (Miss January 2001). Irina Voronina was named 2008 St. Pauli girl in a worldwide competition last year.

In addition to her “modeling” experience with Playboy, here are some other facts about Irina Voronina, courtesy of St. Pauli:

But of course. Because everyone knows that when you sell remarkable beer, the only way to sell it is with a former Playmate… Unless the beer really isn’t quite so remarkable…

Post from: EveryJoe

St. Pauli Girl 2008

Forget About the Debates: Which Candidate Would You Rather Share a Beer With?

Kelly Phillips Erb — Sat, 27 Sep 2008 03:19:06 +0000

Vice Presidential candidate Sarah Palin made news when she decided to make an appearance at a Philadelphia bar just before tonight’s presidential debate. The bar she chose? The Irish Pub, located off of posh Rittenhouse Square. In Philly, you’d probably know the bar – as we do – as a hang out for grad students. Interesting choice, if you ask me.

But the point was not so much the actual venue as the idea of the venue: a bar. Much like the attempts made by prior presidential hopefuls Hillary Clinton and Mike Huckabee, showing up at a bar is somehow supposed to make you feel like a candidate is “one of us.” But does it work? Of course it does. In the last presidential election, George W. Bush consistently topped the polls over John Kerry when asked, “Who would you rather have a beer with?”

Why does it matter? While it’s true that you may not want your drinking buddy to run the country, many voters do vote on personality, not issues. We want a “common man” (or woman) – someone that we can feel comfortable with. The question is then, who will that be? Which candidate would you rather have a beer with?

(Author’s note: The inclusion of Obama, above, was not meant to imply an endorsement. I was unable to find a single, legal image of McCain drinking, or in proximity to, a beer.)

Post from: EveryJoe

Forget About the Debates: Which Candidate Would You Rather Share a Beer With?

Ein Prosit in Germany During Oktoberfest

Kelly Phillips Erb — Sat, 27 Sep 2008 03:08:42 +0000

In Germany, even the politicians get into the act during Oktoberfest. The official Oktoberfest celebration is held in Munich, Germany, located in Bavaria. Here, Bavaria’s state governor Guenther Beckstein attends the BILD Wiesn event at Hippodrom beer tent September 25, 2008. You can read more about what’s going on at the Hippodrom here.

Post from: EveryJoe

Ein Prosit in Germany During Oktoberfest

Beer Pong Goes Mainstream

Kelly Phillips Erb — Sat, 27 Sep 2008 03:00:02 +0000

If you’re like me, you just can’t get over the idea of beer pong as anything more than a frat party game. But apparently, it’s going mainstream.

Recently, more than 100 folks showed up at the San Bernardino World Series of Beer Pong Satellite Tournament to jockey for a paid spot at the World Series of Beer Pong IV in Vegas. Yep, World Series of Beer Pong IV – apparently, three others snuck by unnoticed.

Despite the party atmosphere, the World Series is fairly well organized. And get this: you can win $50,000.

The name is a wee bit deceptive, though. In the World Series, they don’t use beer. “We play with water in the cups,” says one of the California organizer, Peter Rusch. “Using beer is too much of a legal liability to get into, but some people take the competition really seriously and drink after every cup.”

Post from: EveryJoe

Beer Pong Goes Mainstream

Trashy “Celebs” Apparently Beer Drinking Draw

Kelly Phillips Erb — Thu, 25 Sep 2008 18:13:36 +0000

Apparently what the beer drinking industry has really been holding out for are… trashy “celebs.” First comes the news that Jessica Simpson is the new face – and part owner – of Stampede Beer. Now, Brew Ha-Ha has learned that Drinks Americas Holdings Ltd. is collaborating with rock star Kid Rock to develop and market a domestic beer.

J. Patrick Kenny, CEO for Drinks Americas, said about the partnership:

Kid Rock is a reflection of great American rock and roll music and the American spirit, and we think we can create a beer in that same image. Having Kid Rock as a Drinks Americas partner is an exciting and big addition to our portfolio of icon brands. There is no question in our mind that people will try a beer that Kid Rock will stand by and when they like it, a great and incredibly valuable trademark will be created with his support.

And um, that’s about it. Really. There’s no product yet. No brewery has been selected. Just a big marketing announcement. Are you as excited as I am? (please read with proper amount of sarcasm)

For those of you who haven’t been subjected to Kid Rock and his antics, here’s the quick skinny: Kid’s real name is Robert James Ritchie and he’s a few years shy of 40. He became popular about 10 years ago when he released the oh-so-cleverly titled Devil Without a Cause; it was his most successful album. Kid is mostly known for his off stage behavior including his strange relationship with former Playmate Pamela Anderson. He’s been arrested and cited for various criminal behaviors, usually assault related, including a fight at the MTV awards over Pamela Anderson with her ex, Tommy Lee.

In short, clearly a beer culture icon, no?

Post from: EveryJoe

Trashy “Celebs” Apparently Beer Drinking Draw

220,000

Kelly Phillips Erb — Thu, 25 Sep 2008 17:55:12 +0000

What’s in a number? 220,000 is the number of beer mugs that were stolen and recovered at the official Oktoberfest last year. Almost a quarter of a million? Insanity. Makes you wonder how many were simply stolen…

For more on Oktoberfest, check out our prior post.

Post from: EveryJoe

220,000

BBC Reports on Oktoberfest

Kelly Phillips Erb — Wed, 24 Sep 2008 21:03:06 +0000

This is a great video by BBC News on the Munich Oktoberfest… A little history combined with some modern footage. The embed has been disabled but you can still view it by going here.

Post from: EveryJoe

BBC Reports on Oktoberfest