Blog Posts — Under the Jenfluence

Because Who Doesn't Like Beer Bottle Infographics?

In news that will surprise no one, 74% of craft beer drinkers consult their phones before buying beer.

Jen BlairSeptember 19, 2016Adweek, infographic, beer bottle, mobile devices, UntappdComment

This has all been a textbook case of not appreciating what I have until I don’t have it anymore, something to which almost all of us can relate. Probably all of us, but the attorney in me can’t bring me to write that all of us can relate for fear the one person who always appreciates everything he has will speak up. Anyway, I encourage people who read this to reflect on what beers they know they love but neglect to buy because there is something newer or different to try. To reflect on what beers bring a feeling of nostalgia but that they haven’t had in awhile. After reflecting on those beers, pick some up the next time you’re at a store.

Jen BlairSeptember 17, 2016Comment

How I Incorporated Beer Into My Wedding Without Making the Wedding About Beer

Obviously, beer is a very big part of my life as well as my husband's life. Beer was thing we bonded over first - we're both kind of socially awkward but talking about beer came easily to both of us. When it came time to plan our wedding, it would have been hard not to incorporate it into our wedding. However, as even the most minimal Pinterest perusal will show you, incorporating beer into your wedding requires a delicate touch.

The New Crafty Beer: Enterprise Crowdfunding

Large corporations using crowdfunding platforms falls into the same category as crafty beer – maybe it doesn’t matter to some people, but it does matter to a lot of people who think they are supporting small businesses when instead they are giving money to some of the largest and most powerful companies in the world.

Jen BlairAugust 28, 2016Whirlpool, Indiegogo, Kickstarter, crowdfunding, Pipeworks, VessiComment

Time to Get Tyrannosaurus Wrecked: New Beer Made with Prehistoric Yeast

Fossil Fuels Brewing Company and their partner, Schubros, have perfected a recipe for a saison brewed from yeast found on a 45-million-year-old leaf that was found in a piece of amber.

Jen BlairAugust 25, 2016T-Rex, Indiegogo, Beer, Saison, Fossil Fuels Brewing CompanyComment

Under the Jenfluence Mystery Stories: Jen Goes Looking for Trouble Brewing

If you read my latest I Tried It about Walmart’s private label beer, then you’ll recall that Walmart’s beer is contract brewed by a company called Trouble Brewing. Contract brewing is when a company brews and packages its beer using equipment it does not own and comes in a few forms. In cases such as Walmart’s, finding out more about the contract brewery - Trouble Brewing, in this particular case - sometimes proves to be a Nancy Drew-level mystery.

Jen BlairAugust 22, 2016Beer, Walmart, contract brewing, Trouble Brewing, Red Flag, Genessee, North American Breweries, Trader Joe'sComment

Advanced Cicerone Exam, Here I Come!

In a little over six months, I’ll go to the Cicerone Certification Program offices in Chicago, where I’ll sit for the day-long exam. The Advanced Cicerone exam will cover a subset of the information within the Master Cicerone exam and will have the same sections tested on each Cicerone level exam: keeping and serving beer; beer styles; beer flavor and evaluation; beer ingredients and brewing processes; and pairing beer with food.

It's Their Party & They'll Cry If They Want To: Devil's Backbone Not Allowed to Participate in Its Own Festival

Each year since 2012, Devil's Backbone Brewing has hosted the Virginia Craft Brewers Fest at the Basecamp Brewpub in Roseland, Virginia. The differences this year? The Virginia Craft Beer Cup competition for Virginia craft brewers won't be announced there, Devil's Backbone (who won best of show in the first competition) is not eligible to participate in the competition, and this will be the last year Devil's Backbone will host the festival.

Jen BlairAugust 15, 2016Devil's Backbone, Virginia, Virginia Craft Brewers Fest, Anheuser-Busch, Brewers AssociationComment

For Fun: Thrillist's 19 Types of Beer Snobs

Like a lot of beer nerds, I fall partially into most of these types and have met all of these types. Confession: I have a bottle of 2014 Bourbon County Proprietor's that I keep in case I want to trade it but will probably never trade it because then I won't have it anymore.

I probably won't drink it either because I don't particularly care for the taste of it, which I know is probably sacrilege to the Mr. Groupthink's out there who say that 2014 Prop has a 100% rating on Beer Advocate and RateBeer.

Jen BlairAugust 7, 2016beer, beer snobs, brewery, Spiegelau, Dark Lord Day, KBS, FoBABComment

My First Ever Official For Reallies Beer and Food Pairing Dinner

This past weekend I had the opportunity to flex my beer muscles for my first-ever beer and food pairing at a dinner with Shawn, Jenny, and Nicole from The Naked Pig Meat Company of Oakboro, North Carolina. The Naked Pig Meat Company is owned by husband and wife team, Shawn and Jenny Hatley, and sells animal welfare approved meat that does not have added antibiotics, hormones, or artificial enhancements. The Naked Pig is planning to start selling local craft beer soon and wanted to explore some beers that will compliment their exceptional products.

Nutrition Labels & Low-Alcohol Beer: Should Craft Beer Care?

Here’s the thing: if you’re a regular craft beer drinker, you get it. You get that your beer choice can be high in calories but maybe choose not to think about it too much.

I’ve made my choice: I can be 15-20 pounds lighter or I can drink all the beer I want and generally eat well, but occasionally dip fried foods in ranch dressing and/or sometimes make totchos for dinner. Sometimes even dip said totchos in ranch dressing. Life is all about choices, people, and I choose to cover life in beer, melted cheese, and sometimes ranch dressing.

Jen BlairJuly 27, 2016beer, nutrition label, low alcohol, low calorie, Beer Institute, Millennials, ranch dressingComment

Imported Beers Show Growing Organic Sales

Are imports on track to be the next "thing" in beer? By the way, your "imported" beer may be brewed in the United States: Beck's, Foster's, and Red Stripe are all brewed here.

Jen BlairJuly 27, 2016Constellation Brands, Corona, Pacifico, Dos Equis, import, imported beerComment

Gluten-Free Barley is Now a Thing

Australia's Commonwealth Scientific and Industrial Research Organisation (CSIRO) has developed a hulled barley with ultra-low levels of gluten that has won the designation as the first World Health Organization (WHO)-approved "gluten-free" barley, known as Kebari barley.

Jen BlairJuly 24, 2016beer, gluten free, Kebari, barley, Reinheitsgebot, Pionier PilsenerComment

Filtering Through Brewtally Awful Beer Analogies for the Facts

The statistics don't necessarily tell the entire story and need to be sussed out a little. According to Nielsen data, craft beer sales have increased by 6% this year. Two years ago, craft beer sales increased by 19%. The market share of the top 10 craft brewers has slipped to 39%, from 50%.

But wait, the number of craft breweries in the U.S. increased 14% between 2014 and 2015. But if craft beer is declining, how are the number of craft breweries increasing?

Jen BlairJuly 16, 2016beer, craft beer, on fleek, jumped the shark, crafty beer, Sam Adams, Boston Beer, Blue Moon, Shock TopComment

Coming Soon: I Won't Be Able to Pretend Beer Has Zero Calories Anymore

The Beer Institute introduced its Brewers Voluntary Disclosure Initiative, which asks its 44 brewer and importer members to voluntarily include caloric and nutritional information, including ingredients, on its packaging as well as provide "born on" or "best by" dates.

American Corona Consumption Contributing to Drought in Mexico

The brewery that produces Corona, Negra Modelo, and Pacifico in the Mexican city of Zaragoza in Nava, Coahilua, is a large contributor to the drought the area is currently experiencing.

Jen BlairJuly 10, 2016Corona, Negra Modelo, Pacifico, Mexico, Constellation Brands, Zaragoza, drought, breweryComment

Five Sour Beers Ranked in GIFs

If you don't like the first or second or even third sour beer you drink, I encourage you to keep exploring different sour styles because there is such a variety out there.

A History of Beer in America - Rad New Book Alert

With great facts such as Harvard's benefactor, John Harvard, rumored to have learned how to brew from William Shakespeare, this book promises to be entertaining and educational. I already have it in my Audible queue and am now kind of excited to go to work so I can start listening to it.

Jen BlairJuly 5, 2016beer, brewery, Budweiser, American beer, beer history, Harvard, Dane Huckelbridge, The United States of Beer, Plymouth, pilgrimsComment

Have a Case of the Jim-Jams?

My favorite term for a hangover is the jim-jams. So let’s say you find yourself with the jim jams. What do you do? Like hiccups, most people have their own “cure” for a hangover. Here’s the deal: there is no cure or remedy for a hangover. The only remedy is time, i.e. your hangover is probably going to be your whole day. However, there are several things you can do to lessen the effects of your hangover.

Jen BlairJuly 4, 2016beer, wine, hangover, drunk, headache, vasalgia, the jim-jams, cure, remedy, cysteine, acetaldehyde, eggs, banana, potassium, salt, coconut water, water, hydrate, hydration, dehydrated, dehydrationComment

Missouri Beer Companies Able to Lease Coolers to Retailers in August

Jeff Shrag, President of the Missouri Small Brewers Association and co-owner of Mother's Brewing Company, summed it up perfectly: "This is about the slow annihilation of craft beer in America. They are going to do it by a thousand tiny cuts."

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