The 1808 Bistro in Delaware (Ohio) already has a really good draft list, with about 20 or so quality creft beers on tap at any given time. We're hearing rumors though that the owners are looking to dramatically expand that in the very near future, adding potentially 24 more taps. The bar could easily accomodate it and it would make the 1808 a true craft beer destination bar. Let's keep our fingers crossed.

Great beer isn't always just about the tasty liquid inside the bottle, but often the label and packaging are a big part of the product as well. For those of you who enjoy the graphic design aspect of the market as much as me, check out ohbeautifulbeer.com, which showcases some of the great packaging of beers around the world.

As a special note, our own Columbus Brewing Company is featured on page 3!

Just got an email from Buckeye Beverage Service that they are now open and serving central Ohio.  They appear to offer all sorts of kegging and draft beer supplies, and mentioned they have corny kegs available (I assume for sale).

More info on them here: http://www.buckeyebeverageservice.com

Per this blog post on their website, the 1808 American Bistro in Delaware now has growlers available. They regularly have 30 or so beers on tap, so it's a great way to take some craft beer home. Good news for Delaware craft beer drinkers!

http://www.1808americanbistro.com/2011/10/beer-gets-lonely-too.html

I enjoyed this article on beer's black market.  I've seen some of these crazy prices and agree with the article that the market shouldn't really support this.  If it were true craft beer fans selling to other true craft beer fans, then high prices or not, I might be ok with that.  But as with any high-demand, low-quantity item (i.e. concert tickets, autographs, etc), you get outsiders just trying to make a quick buck.  It's annoying and I wish it didn't happen.

http://www.washingtonpost.com/lifestyle/food/beers-black-market/2011/09/01/gIQAsL0D7J_story.html

What's the most you've paid for a "rare" bottle of beer?

Downtown Columbus' North Market is hosting their annual Microbrew Festival this coming weekend, Sept. 16 and 17.  I've been the past couple of years and it's been a really fun event.  The list of breweries seems down this year compared to last (or at least they haven't updated the list on the website in a while) but with C-Bus' top craft breweries there, it's a great way to sample all central Ohio has to offer.  Plus, your $20 admission gets you $5 in food so you can try some of the amazing food at the market.

More details here: http://www.northmarket.com/activities-and-events/2011-09-16/columbus-microbrew-festival

The Brewers Association's announcement last month that craft beer sales were up across the board is certainly good news for beer lovers.  Included in that report was the news that there are currently 1,790 breweries in the US and there are 725 new ones in the works.

I'm all for more beer and more variety, but I'm starting to wonder what the craft beer tipping point is in terms of how fast can the craft market share grow compared to the ever-growing number of people making beer.  There's already extreme competition for shelf space at retailers and if the amount of craft beer being produced is going to outgrow demand in the next few years, it means that a decent number of breweries aren't going to make it.  That'll be too bad as I'm sure all the beer being produced is quality product.

Of course I'd love for the market to just switch and say, "Oh, there's more craft beer, so forget macro-brew" and take over 30-40% of beer sales. But, it isn't likely to happen, and best case not in the next few years.

Best of luck to the new breweries, and I do hope there's enough room for all the great beer!

Check out this nice video review of the new Rockmill Brewery in Lancaster. They say the secret to great Belgian beers is in the water:

Watch the video here!

A while back I wrote about the opening of Barley Hopsters in downtown Delaware, Ohio with some mixed feelings. The article in the local paper didn't paint the promising store in the best light.

I'm happy to report that after several months in business, Barley Hopsters is a really good beer store and carries a really good offering of homebrew and home wine-making supplies as well. I've been in the store a few times now and found more than enough to keep me happy, which is great since it's so close to home.

The beer selection is primarily single bottles, arranged by style, in a wall of coolers. They are of course limited to the same selection anyone else can get through their distributors in Ohio, but Brian, the owner, seems to have a good feel for the mix between fast-movers and high-end specialties for the more experienced. I've seen many things here you won't find nearly anywhere else in Delaware county. More than that, the feel of the place is right - friendly, helpful, and priced about right. Every time I've been in, the place has a decent crowd.

My only issue is the lack of full six-packs that are cold.  As far as I can tell there are none (you can certainly buy anything in a sixer that's available, but at stock-room temperature - sorry for those with no patience!). Maybe that's coming down the road when space and money allow for more coolers.

If you're on the north end of Columbus, I can certainly recommend this place to pick up a great six-pack.

Barley Hopsters is located at 43 N. Sandusky Street in Delaware, Ohio. Current hours are Mon. - Thurs. from 11am to 7pm, Friday and Saturday from 11am to 8pm and Sundays 11am to 3pm.

Ohio legislators are looking to up the alcohol limit allowed in beer sold in Ohio.  The current limit of 12% limits some of the beers we can get here in Ohio, and the proposed increase to 18% would open the door to great beers like Goose Island's Bourbon County Stout and other higher-gravity beers.  

The article in the Columbus Dispatch has some good quotes and info and some really knuckle-headed comments, so don't bother reading through them all.  Since there's no difference in age or requirements to buy beer vs. hard liquor, why limit the alcohol content of only beer? It's silly really and just forces enthusiasts like myself to head out-of-state to get the beers we want to try.  And trust me, at the prices of these high-alcohol beers, no college kid is getting them for a party.

Dispatch Story here: http://www.dispatch.com/live/content/local_news/stories/2011/06/01/beer-buzz-would-get-a-big-boost-from-gop-bill.html?sid=101