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News
The March '10 Men's Journal recommends Samuel Smith's India Ale with chicken vindaloo and Lindemans Framboise with chocolate cheesecake in their "Pairing Beer with Food," article. Grab a copy and check out page 28.
Traquair House got a very nice recap on Feb. 23, '10, in this Seattle P-I blog writeup.
Pinkus Ur-Pils - USDA Certified Organic - was "Beer of the Week" on Feb. 8, '10 at golf & travel website "The A Position" - see the whole article, with photos, right here.
On Feb. 13, '10, Lindemans Framboise got a mention in Press of Atlantic City (NJ), recapping a Feb. 6 chocolate festival held at Bally's.
On Feb. 5, 2010, The Wine Enthusiast published this article on organic beer by writer Gregg Glaser - it features both Pinkus and Samuel Smith's organic beers, with a nice Pinkus photo.
The March '10 All About Beer magazine features Lindemans Cassis in the "Lambic" article by K. Florian Klemp; as usual, Ayinger beers placed top in their BTI Buyer's Guide categories: Jahrhundert-Bier, 93; Oktober Fest-Marzen, 93; Celebrator 98. Also, on Jan. 26, '10, Rochefort Trappist 8 was chosen as All About Beer's "Beer of the Week"
Here is a nice Traquair House recap, from a widely-read blog based on Alaska's Kenai Peninsula. (Note: on Feb. 28, '10, the author of this blog was chosen as Wynkoop Brewery's "Beerdrinker of the Year 2010." Here is the full article.)
The Jan/Feb '10 issue of DRAFT Magazine suggests Ayinger Brau-Weisse as a pairing for jalapeño poppers - see Sean Z. Paxton's article on p.58; also, Orval Trappist Ale and Westmalle Trappist Tripel were included in Draft's "Top 25 Beers of the Year 2009."
The Nov/Dec '09 issue of DRAFT Magazine features Westmalle Trappist Tripel ("this perfect, 100-point Belgian tripel defines the style . . . ") in the "ultimate holiday season mix-pack," (p. 20); Samuel Smith's Winter Welcome Ale in "A Dozen Holiday Beers," (p. 28); Lindemans Framboise in the "Get Razzed," recipe (p. 57); Rochefort Trappist 8 in "The 10 (Most Interesting Belgian) Beers of Christmas," (p. 73); and Samuel Smith's Oatmeal Stout with an "exceptional" rating and 90 points in Brew Reviews (p. 89).
Plus, there is this detailed article about the naming of Ayinger Celebrator doppelbock.
Ayinger Brau-Weisse was "Bob Townsend's Beer Pick" on Dec. 29, '09 in the Atlanta Journal-Constitution's Drink blog.
BevX chose Ayinger Weizen-Bock as "Beer of the Year" for 2009 in their 2009 Recap.
BevX just reviewed winter seasonal beers, and they loved Ayinger Weizen-Bock (Five Stars, "Spectacular") and Samuel Smith's Winter Welcome (Four Stars, ". . . great balance and style. A classic . . . "). Check out "Holiday Brews 2009".
Lindemans Peche is one of Bicycling.com's "top beers for fall and winter." Check the article online right here.
Rochefort Trappist 8 is one of Wine Enthusiast Magazine's "Top 25 beers of 2009." The article is in .pdf right here.
November 2009: Whether you are buying or selling holiday gifts, we can help with two excellent packages: the Samuel Smith's Selection Box, with three classic ales, coasters, and a brewery glass; and - new this year - the Lindemans Gift Box, with two bottles of Lindemans lambics and a brewery glass. There is a news release as a 236 KB .pdf right here; a 2 KB text-only .html version is right here.
Changsha, Hunan, China - October 2009: Merchant du Vin is pleased to announce the formation of MdV-Asia Ltd. - a beer importing company based in Hong Kong and selling throughout China. Here is the full news release as a .pdf of 877 KB; a 3 KB text-only .html version is right here; this page has more photos from the kickoff.
Samuel Smith's Winter Welcome Ale 2009-2010 vintage is arriving at a great beer spot near you now. This year marks the 20th vintage of this classic, rich winter ale. A press release with this year's label is a 193 KB .pdf right here; a 2 KB text-only .html version is right here.
Ayinger Weizen-Bock is here! This astonishing, strong wheat ale starting arriving in great beer spots in September 2009. A press release as a 112 KB .pdf is right here; a 2 KB text-only .html version is right here.
Samuel Smith's Winter Welcome Ale is featured in Fifteen Holiday Beers, in the Nov/Dec '09 issue of Draft Magazine.
Orval is in the October '09 issue of "O", the Oprah magazine! Check out the article right here.
In the Nov. 16, '09, issue of Nation's Restaurant News, Samuel Smith's Winter Welcome Ale is Stephen Beaumont's "Beer of the Week." He writes,"Rich with floral maltiness on the nose and replete with orangey, toffeeish malt balanced by a dry, almost minerally hoppiness, this is an ale with wide appeal."
The Cheeseburger Show is sort of a video adventure through the burgers of the Chicago area. As a recommended pairing to a turkey burger, Samuel Smith's Organic Lager was featured in October '09; watch at about 8:22 into the episode 10 video.
On Oct. 2, '09, CBS News.com ran a feature on Oktoberfest, with info and recommendations from brewer and writer Garrett Oliver. The article includes Ayinger Oktober Fest-Marzen, with food-pairing suggestions.
Ayinger Weizen-Bock was featured in the October '09 issue of Market Watch:
On Sept. 25, '09, National Public Radio's "The World" ran a feature on "The Beer Economy," and we noted mentions of Samuel Smith's Nut Brown Ale as well as Traquair House. You can listen right here.
Samuel Smith's Yorkshire Stingo was reviewed in the September '09 issue of Beer Advocate Magazine:
The Baltimore Sun of Sept. 23, '09, featured fall seasonal beers, and included the top-rated favorites of 35 varieties, tasted blind. Ayinger Oktober Fest-Märzen was included, "Golden, a crisp, smooth balanced brew with pleasing nutty flavor." Here is the full article.
MSN City Guides put Ayinger Oktober Fest-Mδrzen in their "10 Great Fall Beers" article in September '09 - check out the full article.
On Aug. 16, '09, NBC's "The Today Show," hosted Food & Wine Magazine editor Gail Simmons to discuss pairing food with fine beer. The selections included Samuel Smith's Nut Brown Ale as well as Lindemans Framboise lambic. View the video right here.
The Chicago Tribune of Sept. 9, '09, ran this detailed and glowing review of Samuel Smith's Organic Cider by Jerald O'Kennard. Highlight: "Golden amber color. Round dried apple and pear, caramel and nougat aromas. A round, rich entry leads to a dry-yet-fruity medium-full body of rich three-dimensional apple, pear skin and star fruitlike flavors. Finishes with a long, tangy, mouthwatering fade. A superb quenching style with lots of rich apple character and excellent balance."
German consumer magazine Φko-Test (site is in German) reviews many products; when they analyzed and tasted beers from 46 top German breweries in August 2009, they chose Ayinger Jahrhundertbier as the "top beer in Germany." If you read German, check out the full article right here.
Beer writer Chuck Cook has a detailed article in Lindemans Brewery at The Beer Connoisseur online; the full article is linked right here.
The July/Aug. '09 issue of Beverage Spectrum discussed how rising craft beer sales also include fine imports - including Merchant du Vin's fine beer portfolio. Here is the full article.
This Aug. 12, '09, article from newjerseynewsroom.com included Samuel Smith's Organic Fruit Ales in their summer beer recap.
On Sept. 9, '09, the Palm Beach FL Sun-Sentinel ran a feature on fine beer, and included Samuel Smith's Nut Brown Ale. Read the full article right here.
The Sept./Oct. '09 issue of Imbibe Magazine listed "100 of the best bottled beers in the world," and included Ayinger Celebrator Doppelbock as well as Samuel Smith's Oatmeal Stout. See p. 43.
On Aug. 7, '09, food & drink writer Tim Rutherford of Connect Savannah reviewed Samuel Smith's Organic Cider and the recently-released Samuel Smith's Organic Fruit Beers. The article is detailed and worth a read - it's linked right here.
James "Dr. Fermento" Roberts reviewed Samuel Smith's Yorkshire Stingo in the Anchorage Press of Wed. August 5, 2009; the article gives great info on Yorkshire Squares, barrel aging and limited-release beers.
Here is a detailed review of Lindemans fruit lambics from Alister & Paine Magazine.
We spotted a detailed article on gluten-free beers by Rick Lyke in the Sept. '09 All About Beer magazine, including a nice photo of Green's Endeavour Dubbel - see page 68.
When six very respected American craft brewers were recently asked to choose their "last beer on earth," only one beer was chosen by two of the six: Orval. The full recap is right here.
Here is a detailed and interesting BeerConnoisseur.com article by Carolyn Smagalski that explains Yorkshire Squares in some depth, and also discusses Pinkus Brewery, the Certified Organic Samuel Smith beers, Winter Welcome, and Stingo. (Carolyn also writes regularly at BellaOnline.)
Samuel Smith's Organic Strawberry Ale was the Gold Medal Fruit Beer at the 2009 U. S. Open Beer Championships, held in June 2009. Ayinger Celebrator won a silver medal, and Samuel Smith's Pale Ale and Lindemans Framboise each took bronze.
For the third year in a row, Ayinger was selected "Top Imported Lager" at the 2009 Calgary (AB) BeerFest: in May '09, Oktober Fest-Mδrzen won; it was Ayinger Celebrator in '08 and Jahrhundertbier in '07. It's a fairly large .pdf at 931 KB, but we put details right here.
We spotted Samuel Smith's Taddy Porter and Westmalle Trappist Triple in the "Taste Test" section of the May/June '09 Beer Magazine. They scored 93 and 97, third place and first place of all the beers reviewed in this issue.
There's a nice recap of Samuel Smith's Organic Fruit Beers in the "Import Report" column, by writer Don Cazentre, in the June/July '09 Great Lakes Brewing News, as well as a sidebar on Green's gluten-free beers. See p. 9.
We've determined that Kelly from Plano, TX, is a fan of Orval Trappist Ale:
The Orval logo, with the gold ring and trout, is based on the Legend of Matilda: In 1070 AD, Countess Matilda was passing through the forest when she and her retinue stopped at a clear spring. Matilda trailed her hand in the water, and her wedding ring accidently slipped off her finger and sank. Distraught, she prayed fervently for its return . . . and a trout swan to the surface with her ring in its mouth. Matilda declared this a "Valley of Gold" (In French, "or" means "gold") and gave the land to the church. "Matilda's Spring" can still be seen at Orval; here is a link to the Abbaye Notre Dame d'Orval website and here is our Orval page.
May 6, '09: The Anchorage Press thinks Samuel Smith's Organic Fruit Beers are "nothing short of incredible" - read the article by James "Dr. Fermento" Roberts right here.
The March/April '09 Draft Magazine has a feature on "Eggs and Beer" by noted chef and beer writer Sean Paxton. Recommended with traditional eggs benedict? Westmalle Trappist Tripel. The feature is on p. 56.
Orval Trappist Ale is a recommended "Summer Ale" in the current issue of Celebrated Living magazine, from American Airlines: "Pour gently, approach reverently, enjoy wholeheartedly." Read the feature and see the nice photo right here.
April 20, '09: The Chicago Tribune mentions Green's gluten-free ales (with a nice photo) in their coverage of the Thrive Allergy Expo, held April 18 & 19 at Chicago's McCormick Place. Read the full article right here.
The Philadelphia Daily News of March 13, '09, featured this photo:
Appearing in Don "Joe Sixpack" Russell's column, the photo was taken at a Philly Beer Week tasting event - the "Wheat Beer Breakfast of Champions" - hosted by beer writer Lew Bryson. The full article is on Joe Sixpack's website right here.
Westmalle Trappist Tripel got a four-star review in the April/May '09 Celebrator Beer News, " . . . sweet malt flavor, complex yeasty spiciness and a long, rich lingering finish."
On Monday, March 9, '09, Iowa's Waterloo-Cedar Falls Courier featured this article on Samuel Smith's Imperial Stout.
We spotted this article on Samuel Smith's Oatmeal Stout in the Appleton (WI) Post-Crescent and also in the Lafayette (LA) Times . . . Smith's Oatmeal Stout is "so good that if it had been around during Shakespeares time, he no doubt would have worked a mention of it into one of his plays."
The Jan/Feb '09 issue of DRAFT magazine gave Orval Trappist Ale a 98-point score, highest-rated of 32 beers sampled. A 285 KB .pdf is right here.
The March/April '09 issue of "Imbibe" magazine features an article on doppelbocks, and Ayinger Celebrator Doppelbock was top-rated. There's a 583 KB .pdf of the article right here.
Samuel Smith's Nut Brown Ale is mentioned in this March 4, '09, Providence (RI) Journal article, featuring a recipe for "Hunter's Chicken," paired with brown ale.
On Friday, Feb. 20, '09 Green's gluten-free beer was featured on Fox News in Washington, DC, as part of noted gluten-free chef Jules Shepard's recipe for gluten-free chocolate cake. You can view the video right here.
Samuel Smith's Nut Brown Ale was featured on ABC's "Good Morning America" on Friday, Jan. 30, '09 - a perfect pairing for Super Bowl wings. You can view the video right here.
Samuel Smith's Imperial Stout was featured - with a photo - in the Feb/March '09 issue of "Fine Cooking" magazine. Check it out as a 455 KB .pdf right here.
The original imported winter ale, Samuel Smith's Winter Welcome Ale, is at great beer spots now. This rich, rewarding ale is a reason to look forward to shorter days and cooler temperatures. Here's the Sept. 16 news release as a 379 KB .pdf.
On October 15, '08, the Baltimore Sun tasted apple beers, and writer Rob Kasper picked Lindemans Pomme as his favorite. The full article and a nice photo is right here.
On Jan 14,'09, Maryland's TheGazette.net ran a detailed article on porters that featured Samuel Smith's Taddy Porter - there's a photo too. The full article is linked right right right here.
Samuel Smith's Old Brewery Pale Ale shares the spotlight with Hilary Duff in the Jan. '09 Maxim magazine - it's one of "the best beers on earth." Check it out in .pdf right here.
BeerAdvocate magazine reviewed Pinkus Jubilate, organic dark lager, in Dec. '08: "Lovely stuff it is - put it on your must try list." Here is the full review.
The January '09 Men's Health magazine thoughtfully provided six items to help pass a snow day, and Ayinger Celebrator Doppelbock is there: "Drink Winter's Best Brew." Here is the article in .pdf.
On Jan. 12, 2009, Modern Brewery Age recapped the "Top 15 Import Beers" that they tasted in 2008, and three of them were from Merchant du Vin: Ayinger Brau-Weisse, Pinkus Organic Jubilate, and Ayinger Ur-Weisse. Check it out right here.
BeerAdvocate magazine published a list of the "All-Time Top Beers on Planet Earth" in Dec. '08; we were pleased to see that some beers imported by Merchant du Vin made the list. Here is the full listing in .pdf.
The Philadelphia Daily News recapped Winter Beers on Nov. 14, 2008, in beer writer Don "Joe Sixpack" Russell's column. Under "essentials" we noted Samuel Smith's Winter Welcome with a nice label photograph. The full article is linked right here.
Samuel Smith's Old Brewery Pale Ale is featured - with a photograph - in the Jan. '09 Men's Journal magazine, in an article on "the Perfect Shepherd's Pie." You can see the article in .pdf right here.
Samuel Smith's Winter Welcome was voted "Best Holiday Beer" at TheFullPint.com's "Best Holiday Beer" poll.
As published in the Nov. '08 All About Beer magazine "Buyers Guide for Beer Lovers," Ayinger again placed first in both categories entered, Hefe-Weizen (Brau-Weisse, "Platinum Medal," 97 points) and Dark Wheat (Ur-Weisse, "Gold Medal," 95 points) . . . In Jan. '08, Lindemans Cuvιe Renι was the top-rated gueuze lambic, with a gold-medal 93.
Epicurious.com's Top 5 Holiday Beers include Samuel Smith's Winter Welcome Ale; the article is by noted beer author & speaker Stephen Beaumont.
Modern Brewery Age gave Pinkus Jubilate Organic Dark Lager a five-star review and "best of the tasting" on October 27, '08; the review is a 247 KB .pdf right here.
Great beer on national TV! On Monday October 13, '08, The Today Show featured Food & Wine editor Ray Isle discussing & tasting fall beers - among the fine beers tasted were Ayinger Oktober Fest-Marzen and Lindemans Pomme lambic. Watch the video right here.
Draft magazine gave Lindemans Cuvιe Renι gueuze a 97-point review in the Nov/Dec '08 issue. The review is a 368 KB .pdf right here.
Beer writer David Gadd, writing in The Tasting Panel magazine, really liked Ayinger Celebrator Doppelbock and found some adjectives that are rarely seen in beer reviews. Check it out for yourself in .pdf right here.
We were pleased to see Samuel Smith's Organic Cider chosen as the Beverage Testing Insitute's "Beer of the Week," and featured on their front page. The full review is right here.
Ayinger Oktober Fest-Marzen is in the Sept. 17, '08, Seattle P-I, with a nice photo. The article by beer writer Geoff Kaiser is on fall beers and is linked right here.
It's in The Enquirer . . . Samuel Smith's Nut Brown Ale, that is. The Sept. 15, '08, issue of The National Enquirer has an article about Paul Newman, and mentions that he recently enjoyed one of his favorite beers, Nut Brown Ale, at a restaurant in Westport, CT. Here's a .pdf. (Mr. Newman died Friday, September 26, at age 83 - after this article was published.)
The September '08 issue of Delta Sky magazine has a nice review of Samuel Smith's Organic Cider. Noted drinks writer F. Paul Pacult calls it lovely & crisp, with a ". . . clean, yeasty flavor, apple-pastry aroma, saber-edged aftertaste . . . " See pp 57 - 59.
From Beeradvocate Magazine, Vol II / Iss 8 (Sept '08) on page 38:
This August 11, '08 Chicago Sun Times article features a nice photo of a happy beer lover with a glass of Ayinger Brau-Weisse, authentic Bavarian Hefe-weizen. The article appeared on page three of the print edition.
Paste Magazine, an excellent music publication, mentioned Rochefort Trappist 10 in this feature from the September '08 issue.
Orval Trappist Ale and Ayinger Celebrator Doppelbock, with other great beers, were on NBC TV in Philadelphia on Aug 19, 2008. Thanks to beer writer Jack Curtin, you can watch the video right here.
Rochefort 10 Trappist Ale got a nice photo in the July 27, 2008 issue of Boston Uncommon magazine (Boston Globe). The article is linked right here.
Boston's "Weekly Dig" magazine featured a nice review of Ayinger Oktober Fest-Marzen in August '08, written by brothers Jason & Todd Alstrφm. View the article online right here.
We spotted Samuel Smith's and Pinkus beers on the Oklahoma City TV news on July 23, 2008, in their "Summer in the City" feature. The beers are about 55 sec. in to this video clip.
Samuel Smith's Nut Brown Ale and Ayinger Brau-Weisse are listed as "Best Summer Beers," on p. 84 of the August 2008 Men's Health magazine; the review is in .pdf right here.
Samuel Smith's Organic Cider is featured in the July 2008 Nightclub & Bar magazine - here is a copy in .pdf.
The August 2008 Pilates Style magazine covers organic beers in some detail, including Samuel Smith's Organic Ale and Organic Lager, Pinkus Organic Hefe-Weizen, Organic Munster Alt, and Organic Ur-Pils. The full article is a 569 KB .pdf right here.
Samuel Smith's Organic Cider is in the July 2, 2008, Boston Herald, in writer Kerry Byrne's column. The complete article is linked right here.
Jules Shepard is a leading expert in gluten-free cooking, and she uses Green's gluten-free Belgian beer in her Chocolate Beer Cake. Her website is Nearly Normal Cooking, and here's the full recipe for the cake.
Ayinger Celebrator Doppelbock and Samuel Smith's Pure Brewed Lager are featured in Forbes Life magazine's article on lager beer, "Czech Mate," by Richard Nalley. The article, with a nice quote from Ayinger Brewery's Gertrud Hein-Eickhoff, is linked right here.
Samuel Smith's Organic Cider is featured in the NaturalFoodNet's weekly newsletter on June 23, 2008 - scroll to the first "This Week's Top Product Announcements" right here.
In the May/June '08 Draft magazine, we spotted Green's gluten-free beers twice (p. 61 and p. 112 - here is the p. 61 review in .pdf); a nice review of Samuel Smith's Nut Brown Ale (p. 101); an article on Trappist beers by Stan Hieronymous; and another tale of how Samuel Smith's helped an American brewer turn pro ("Women Who Brew," p. 84). As noted on the magazine's front cover, Draft gave a beer a 100-point rating for the first time. Their choice? Westmalle Trappist Tripel. The review is in .pdf right
here.
Zatec Czech lager was the "overall favourite" at a sushi-and-beer pairing event held at London's five-star Royal Garden Hotel. The full article from the May 30, '08, Newcastle Journal is linked right here.
Western Canada's beverage trade magazine Vendor liked Samuel Smith's Organic Lager, calling it ". . . medium in mouth-weight and complex on the palate, but clean in the long finish," in their most recent issue.
Samuel Smith's Old Brewery Pale Ale is a "Summer Beer Suggestion," right here at RealSimple.com.
This Washington Post article on organic beers by Greg Kitsock, published on May 7, 2008, features both Samuel Smith's Certified Organic beers and Pinkus. Merchant du Vin's Joe Lipa is quoted as well.
Samuel Smith Organic Lager and Pinkus Organic Munster Alt are both featured in "Great Organic Beers for Summer BBQs" right here at The DailyGreen.com.
Samuel Smith's Taddy Porter is featured in the brand new Winter 2008 issue of Beer & Brewer - Australia & New Zealand magazine - see page Mr. Derek Walsh's article on porter, beginning on p. 26; there's also a nice review of Nut Brown Ale on page 91. ("Winter 2008" in May? Yes, in the southern hemisphere . . . )
Green's gluten-free beers are featured, with a photo, in the June/July 2008 issue of Living Without magazine, a lifestyle guide for people with allergies and food sensitivities. See page 59.
Ayinger Celebrator Doppelbock was the Best International Lager at the 2008 Calgary Beer Fest, April 25 & 26, 2008.
(In 2007, the Best Int'l Lager was Ayinger Jahrhundertbier.)
Congratulations to Westmalle Trappist Brewery for their bronze medal for Westmalle Tripel in the 2008 World Beer Cup. Westmalle originated the tripel style in the 1930s.
Orval is big in Japan: the April 12 '08 edition of Japan's Nikkei Plus One newspaper reviewed dozens of Belgian beers, and picked Orval as the top Belgian beer available in Japan. The full article (in Japanese) can be seen as a 168 KB .pdf right here.
The April '08 The Tasting Panel magazine features beers from Scotland in David Gadd's column, "Gadd's Sixpack." Traquair House Ale is featured, with a photo; the full article can be seen in .pdf right here.
The March/April '08 Draft magazine has arrived, and we spotted MdV beers throughout: Bruce Paton's "Sashimi and Beer" feature recommends Orval Trappist Ale with Ikura (salmon roe sushi) on p.56; Tim Cigelske's article on organic beers included Samuel Smith's Organic Lager and Organic Ale in the pp. 77 & 78 photos; Ayinger Celebrator, Lindemans Peche, Zatec Bright Lager, and Pinkus Organic Pils were all reviewed, with Celebrator & Peche earning "Exceptional" recommendations.
Beeradvocate Magazine Vol. II Issue II features an article by Don Russell on Oatmeal Stout, which includes Samuel Smith's Oatmeal Stout - see p. 14; (Past BA mag issues covering MdV beers: December '07 included Samuel Smith's Winter Welcome; Rochefort 10; Rochefort 8; Sam Smith's Imperial Stout, Oatmeal Stout, and Taddy Porter; Traquair House Ale, Traquair Jacobite Ale; Ayinger Celebrator and Ayinger Brau-Weissse. September '07: Westmalle Dubbel; Green's. And June '07 features a great article by Jay Brooks and Lew Bryson called "Nine Great Beer Towns You Didnt Know Were Great Beer Towns," featuring Innerleithen, Peeblesshire, Scotland (pop. about 2,500) which is walking distance from Traquair House.)
In March '08, many beer bloggers discussed organic beers. Here is a review of Samuel Smith's Organic Ale; here's one of Pinkus Organic Munster Alt.
Rochefort Trappist 8 ("Best Dark Malt"), Samuel Smith's Organic Ale, and Lindemans Framboise are all included in "Beer, With Benefits" from the March '08 Men's Health magazine, linked right here.
Rochefort Trappist 8 is "Beer of the Week" in the Feb. 25, '08 Nation's Restaurant News, in Stephen Beaumont's column on page 36. (Mr. Beaumont's website is right here.)
The Vue Weekly (Edmonton, AB, Canada) tasted and recapped gluten-free beers in the Feb. 21, 2008 edition; they were pleased to discover Green's and discussed it in some detail. The article, with a photo, can be viewed right here.
The Feb. 14, '08 Grand Rapids (MI) Press ran a nice Valentine's Day feature that included Ayinger Celebrator Doppelbock in the photo and recommendations. Check out the article, called Beer + Chocolate = Love.
The Feb. 2008 Wine Enthusiast magazine ran a great feature on Winter Beer Cocktails, including Samuel Smith & Lindemans. It's linked as a 147 KB .pdf right here.
British drinks magazine Imbibe covered Czech beers in their Jan-Feb 2008 issue - they rated Zatec highly, and interviewed Mr. Martin Kec, Zatec Brewery Director. The full article is a .pdf of 4.5 MB right here.
Pinkus and Samuel Smith were both featured in an organic beer tasting at Sprig.com on Jan. 21, 2008; Pinkus Pils was top lager and Samuel Smith Organic Ale was the best of the darker ales. Watch the video right here.
The 3.8 million readers of Family Circle magazine saw Lindemans Cuvιe Renι depicted with the "Curried Nuts and Apricots," recipe, page 184 of the December '07 issue. The recipe recommended "sparkling wine or aperitif," and we agree that Cuvιe Renι would be a great pairing . . .
Samuel Smith's Organic Lager was in an article on organic beers in the Baltimore Sun on Jan. 9, 2008. Writer Rob Kasper found it "Clean, light on the tongue, yet malty."
Samuel Smith India Ale was featured in the Jan./Feb. 2008 Beer magazine, with photos on pp. 21 & 22 . . .
Wisconsin's Valley Scene newspaper had an article by Jim Lundstrom on raspberry beers, including Lindemans Framboise, in Jan. '08.
Sticks & Stones Outdoor Adventures magazine has fine taste in beer - the Dec. 2007 issue features Samuel Smith's Organic Lager as "Spirit of the Month." Here is the full article as a 259 KB .pdf.
The Dec. 15 '07 issue of Beverage World Magazine list "Hits" of 2007, one of which was gluten-free beer. Listed, with a nice photo, is Green's. See p. 38.
Patterson's The Tasting Panel magazine covered Westmalle Trappist Dubbel, with a nice photo, as well as Rochefort Trappist "6," in "Gadd's Six-Pack" of November 2007. The article can be viewed as a 572 KB .pdf right here. (They also featured Ayinger Jahrhundertbier in September 2007. That article can be viewed as a 605 KB .pdf right here.)
Samuel Smith's Winter Welcome was featured in the Baltimore (MD) Sun on Nov 28, '07 as one of the "Tasting Panel's Picks." The full article, "Winter Beers Warm Hearts of Suds Fans," can be seen right here.
We spotted a photo of Rochefort's brewer, Mr. Gumer Santos, on page 8 of the Dec '07/Jan '08 Celebrator Beer News in Chuck Cook's article on Beeradvocate's Belgian Beer Fest. (The Oct/Nov '07 Celebrator lists the Blind Tasting Panel's results for Marzen/Oktoberfest beers; Ayinger Oktober Fest-Marzen received 5 stars, "exceptionally great.")
The Atlanta (GA) Journal-Constitution of Nov. 19, '07, covers seasonal brews, listing Samuel Smith's Winter Welcome as "the classic example." Here is the full article, including a photo.
The Dec '07/Jan '08 Ale Street News lists Samuel Smith in "The ABC's of Holiday Beers," on page 13-A; also, Rochefort 10 is listed in Paul Sullivan's "Homebrew Corner," on Belgian Strong Dark ales on p. 21-B. (The August/September issue featured two articles on organic beer, one by Lew Bryson and one by Jack Curtin. Both articles mention organic beers from Samuel Smith and Pinkus . . . Ayinger Oktober Fest-Marzen was included in Brew News on p. 22-B . . . and Westmalle Dubbel is included in David Gilbert's "Beer Predator" article on the dubbel style, p. 21-B: "the quintessential Belgian Dubbel.")
Samuel Smith's Oatmeal Stout was top-rated in Imbibe Magazine's Nov/Dec '07 "Oatmeal Stout Taste Test," seen right here as a 753 KB pdf.
Lindemans Peche on HDTV: the Mojo channel's "After Hours" episode featuring Santa Monica's Father's Office ended with a delicious and appropriate toast: Daniel Boulud and his guests each raised a glass of Lindemans Peche.
The Fall '07 issue of Elegant Bride magazine suggests giving guests "a taste of far-off places by serving exotic beers." Included are Lindemans Framboise and Samuel Smith's Organic Lager. See p. 58.
The Street.com chose six "Scary Good Beers for Halloween," on October 23, '07, and they included Samuel Smith's Winter Welcome Ale as well as Ayinger Oktober Fest-Marzen. Read the article and view the video right here.
Orval is in the Oakland Tribune of Oct. 24, '07, in beer writer William Brand's column; a .pdf of Mr. Brand's newsletter (624 KB) is right here. (Orval article starts on page 3.)
MSN City Guides has picked "10 Great Fall Beers," for 2007 and they include Ayinger Oktober Fest-Marzen, right here.
The Northwest Brewing News featured a lager blind tasting in their Oct/Nov 2007 issue, and we were pleased to see Ayinger Celebrator Doppelbock, Ayinger Altbairisch Dunkel, Samuel Smith's Organic Lager, and Zatec Bright Lager in the top four places. See pp. 10 & 11.
The Atlanta (GA) Journal-Constitution of Oct. 11, '07, has a fine article on gluten-free beers by Bob Townsend, linked right here. There are tasting notes on several gluten-free beers; the tasting panel especially enjoyed Green's.
We've been saying it for years: beer goes with fine dining. A recent survey by a food-consulting firm says restaurant diners prefer beer & mixed drinks over wine; it's in the Oct. 24, '07 Boston Globe, right here.
Here is a review of Zatec Bright Lager from beer writer Lew Bryson's excellent blog . . .
William Brand, beer columnist from the Oakland Tribune, picked Zatec Bright Lager as "Beer of the Week," on Wednesday, Sept. 5, '07.
Men's Journal has listed their choices for "The World's Best Beers," in the October 2007 issue, and Ayinger Brau-Weisse - authentic Bavarian hefe-weizen - and Rochefort 10 Trappist Ale are both included. Ayinger Celebrator appears as one of the "best for . . ." beers. See pages 110- 113.
BPM Magazine - Music, Tech, Nightlife, Style - ran a thorough article on organic beers in August '07, including pictures and reviews of Samuel Smith Organic Ale and Pinkus. See p. 83 of issue 83/84.
From the September 2007 Beverage Media, page 86:
Here's a cool Ayinger Celebrator-and-dessert blog posting at Monday Night Brewery.
On August 22, '07, the New York Times ran a great article on Belgian pale ales. Although it's really unique, Orval Trappist Ale can go in this category and is included in the article: "Spicy, bitter and very dry with a lingering touch of orange zest and funk."
The Times Herald Record, in New York State, discusses gluten-free beers in their August 19, '07, edition, including Green's, in this article by Lisa Ramirez.
The Sept/Oct 2007 issue of Draft Magazine features Ayinger Oktober Fest-Mδrzen as one of the "Top 10 Oktoberfest Beers You Can Get in North America," and is one of only two distributed nationally. Ayinger Brau-Weisse is featured and pictured in the "TASTE" section (p. 60); Ayinger Celebrator Doppelbock is listed as an alternative under "Bratwurst & Sauerkraut," (p. 61); and Traquair Jacobite Ale got an "exceptional" rating of 93 points in the Scottish/Scotch ale rating section (p. 95). (The May/June 2007 issue of Draft had nice coverage of Merchant du Vin founder Charles Finkel in Don Russell's article "10 Innovators in Beer;" (p. 75). Samuel Smith's Old Brewery Pale Ale was the top-rated ESB, a "Draft Classic" with a 96 rating and "one of the better beers we tasted this issue," - here's that review in .pdf. (Ayinger Brau-Weisse, Lindemans Gueuze, Lindemans Framboise, Pinkus Hefe-Weizen, and Melbourn Strawberry were all featured as well.)
On Friday August 10, '07, the San Francisco Chronicle ran this article on organic beers, listing Pinkus Organic Hefe-Weizen as "a standout" and including Samuel Smith's Organic Lager in the tasting notes. (The article discusses how some American organic brews use non-organic hops . . . both Samuel Smith and Pinkus use only organic hops to produce their organic beers.)
Massachusetts' Metro West Daily News features Norman Miller's "Beer Nut" column, and on July 25, 2007, the column covered gluten-free beers. Green's got a detailed writeup, with a photo. . .
Samuel Smith and Lindemans on TV: On Wednesday, July 4, NBC's "Today Show" featured a short live clip called "Beer: The New Wine." Included in the 10 beers selected were Samuel Smith's Nut Brown Ale, and Lindemans Framboise.
The July 2007 issue of Beverage Industry Magazine listed both Green's and the new Westmalle Trappist Dubbel 750 ml package in "New Products" on p. 14.
Modern Brewery Age reviewed Ayinger Brau-Weisse and Pinkus Organic Hefe-Weizen in their July 2, '07, edition - they liked them both, but Ayinger was the top beer of the tasting: "superb . . . subtle . . . absolute quaffability." In their June 25, '07, edition they reviewed Zatec Bright Lager and gave it a top rating of five stars, "Superb in every respect," and among other quotes: "beautiful," "clean and crisp," and "great malt character."
Samuel Smith's Imperial Stout is featured in this June 28, 2007, article from Cigar Aficiando. Note the great photo on the second page, Imperial Stout paired with Panna Cotta.
On Wednesday, June 20, '07, he Roanoke (VA) Times ran this article by Gordon Kendall, entitled "IPA: A British Gift to Brewing." The article includes a succinct history of the style, and lists Samuel Smith's as one of "Gordon's Picks."
The June 15, 2007, issue of Beverage World magazine features Zatec Bright Lager in BevBeat, on p. 20. We like the photo in the UpClose article "Mastering the Craft," on p. 53 as well, with Lindemans and Sam Smith cases in the background. (Also, the June 15, '06 issue of Beverage World has an interesting article on consumers "trading up" to finer products, especially fine beer. Writer Jeff Cioletti recaps the portfolio and history of Merchant du Vin, with beer photos; the article is on pages 20-24 right here.)
The July/Aug '07 Zymurgy magazine - the journal of the American Homebrewers Assoc. - lists the results of their fifth annual readers' survey on the "best commercial beers available in the US." Orval, Ayinger Celebrator, and Rochefort 10 all made the listing, and among imports these three beers were all in the top seven. See pp. 18-25.
The June/July '07 Northwest Brewing News has a nice photo by Abram Goldman-Armstrong of the open-topped weissbier fermenters at Ayinger Brewery, on p. 5; Zatec Bright Lager is also announced on p. 9. Also, we learned from the Yankee Brewing News "Tasteless Panel" that Brazilian beer "Brahma," is better when mixed with Samuel Smith's Organic Ale.
Art Culinaire Magazine has a well-researched and interesting artical on porter in the Spring '07 edition, #84, that features Samuel Smith's Taddy Porter - see pp. 82-83. (If you haven't seen this hardcover food professionals' magazine, check it out - the food photos are among the most amazing we've ever seen.) Samuel Smith in Market Watch: the May/June '07 issue of this beverage specialty magazine features top bartender Artie Peterson from Atlanta's Vortex in "Last Call." Among his three beer selections? Samuel Smith's Imperial Stout.
Lindemans Cuvιe Renι Gueuze is featured in the May '07 issue of Esquire magazine as one of "the world's healthiest beers" - view the article right here.
Ayinger Celebrator Doppelbock is one of the top-rated bocks & doppelbocks in an April 18, '07, New York Times article by Mr. Eric Asimov; full article linked right here and interactive audio/video right here.
The Washington Post ran this accurate & interesting article on Trappist beers, by Greg Kitsock, on April 25, '07.
Chow has a nice dessert recipe for Black Forest Strata featuring Lindemans Kriek right here. (There is also a nice beer-and-food pairing feature, "Mocktoberfest," that lists Samuel Smith Imperial Stout and Lindemans Kriek among other fine beer choices: it's linked right here.)
Lindemans Framboise was featured in the Dallas News on Thursday, April 12, '07 with other fine beers. The article highlights how fine beer should be served with proper glassware & at correct temperature . . . which enhances the flavor variety, tradition, history, and excellent food-pairing opportunities of import & craft beer.
Lifestyle video magazine "Chic.tv" has posted a video report on NYC Belgian specialty restaurant "Markt." The video features lots of great looking food, and Lindemans Framboise.
The article appears to be aimed at folks who haven't discovered fine beer, which explains the title - "Do You Hate Beer?" It does list some fine beers as worth trying, including Rochefort Trappist 10 and Lindemans Framboise. Check it out yourself right here. From The Seattlest on April 10, '07.
Samuel Smith's India Ale was reviewed in the April 30 '07 issue of Patterson's Beverage Journal. The "herbaceous-floral nose, with its overtones of dark chocolate, orange peel and brown sugar is one of the crowning glories of beerdom." See "Gadd's Six-Pack," for the full article.
The Dallas Morning News of March 28, 2007, features this article on organic beers, including Samuel Smith's Organic Ale, with a nice review and photo.
The March/April 2007 New Brewer magazine - the journal of the Brewer's Association - has a detailed article by Mr. Horst Dornbusch on organic beers. The article discusses Pinkus Brewery, Munster, Germany - organic since 1980, the first brewery of the modern era to switch to full organic production.
New York magazine Healthy Living NYC features an article on organic beers, in Vol. III Issue 1. Samuel Smith's Organic Lager and Pinkus Organic Hefe-Weizen are both featured, with photos - see p. 20, or read the article online right here.
On January 24, 2007, New York Times ran a feature on Brown Ale, describing the history and characteristics of this subtle and refined beer style. Samuel Smith's Nut Brown Ale was included, according to author Eric Asimov it is "a classic of the northern English style. Smiths, a no-nonsense brew, has long been one of my favorites, offering earthy, dry flavors and a refreshing balance between malts and hops." Full article is right here.
In November 2006, Belgium issued a new series of stamps that commemorate Belgian food and drink: waffles, chocolate, Belgian endive, mussels . . . and two of the ten items are beer! For the second time in 80 years, Orval is on an official Belgian postage stamp. (The first time was in 1928 . . . ) There are pictures on beer writer Jay Brooks' website, right here.
Modern Brewery Age covered a recent visit to the US by Mr. Franηois de Harenne, Director of Orval Trappist Brewery, in their Oct. 30, '06, edition. He's pictured with his wife Astrid as well as Joe Lipa and Sarah Karlavage from Merchant du Vin right here. This issue also has a sidebar about Ayinger Oktober Fest-Marzen on page 8. (Also, the Fall 2006 print edition of Modern Brewery Age features an article called "The Rise of Organic Beers," by Gregg Glaser. Samuel Smith and Pinkus breweries are both included, as well as a quote from MdV's Craig Hartinger.)
The September 2006 Market Watch magazine gives a nice update on organic beer in an article by Terri Allen. Samuel Smith and Pinkus Organics are mentioned; the article is a 592 k .pdf right here. (The April 2006 Market Watch magazine features a great article on beer glassware. It quotes some of our favorite beer folks, including our own Joe Lipa, and has a nice photo of some MdV glassware. That article is a 547k .pdf right here.)
On September 6, '06, the Cleveland Plain Dealer ran an article anyone interested in draft beer may want to view: a feature about the SmartStrip. This device, produced by Tony Hadala and his business partner, Merchant du Vin's own John Staunton, is an innovative tool that helps with draft beer dispensing. The full article, with photos, is a 790 k .pdf right here and the SmartStrip can be purchased at Micro Matic USA.
"Wild Brew" is a great beer festival held in Tulsa, OK; the eighth annual event was Saturday, August 12, '06. The Tulsa World newspaper was there, and photographed a beautiful tub of Ayinger beer, as seen in pdf right here.
The Chicago Tribune picked Ayinger Brau-Weisse as "Beer of the Month" on June 28, '06. Writer Jerald O'Kennard explains that Ayinger "obsessively and successfully pursues making the finest lager and wheat beers in the world," and gives a nice recap of this beautiful Bavarian wheat beer. A pdf of the article is right here.
The June 2006 edition of Food & Wine magazine features a nice article on pairing fine beer with food, a trend that continues to grow in the US. The perfect match to dessert? Lindemans Framboise! The full article can be viewed as a 2 MB .pdf right here.
Here are some archived previous press releases:
January '10: The perfect beer for Valentine's Day? To provide maximum happiness for this cheerful holiday, we suggest Lindemans fruit lambics - here is a news release as a 174 KB .pdf; here is a 2 KB text-only .html version.
July '09: A very special, very rare beer is at American restaurants, bars, and stores now - aged in oak barrels; bottle-conditioned; exquisite: Samuel Smith's Yorkshire Stingo. A press release as a 440 KB .pdf is right here.
March '09: Merchant du Vin and Samuel Smith's Brewery are pleased to announce that Samuel Smith's Organic Fruit Beers are at your favorite beer spot now. There's a detailed press release as a 171 KB .pdf right here.
February '09: We suggest that there is a perfect beer for Valentine's Day (Sat Feb. 14, '09): Lindemans. We have more as a .pdf of 141 KB right here; we also posted a fun photo right here.
September '08: The original imported winter ale, Samuel Smith's Winter Welcome Ale, is at great beer spots now. This rich, rewarding ale is a reason to look forward to shorter days and cooler temperatures. Here's the news release as a 379 KB .pdf.
September '08: Merchant du Vin and Pinkus Brewery are very pleased to announce the arrival of Pinkus Jubilate, a Certified Organic dark lager, first brewed to celebrate the 150th anniversary of the Pinkus Brewery, in 1966, but never before available in the US. A news release as a 442 KB .pdf is right here; look for Jubilate to arrive at your local great beer spot soon if it isn't there already.
May '08: Merchant du Vin and Samuel Smith's Brewery are proud to announce that Samuel Smith's Organic Cider is now available at great stores, bars and restaurants across the US. A news release in .pdf can be found right here.
Samuel Smith's Organic Cider is a bright straw-gold with excellent clarity, presenting a light body with brilliant conditioning, a crisp clean flavor, and a dry finish. The bouquet offers fresh apples with a soft floral note.
Naturally gluten-free & high in antioxidants, cider also fits perfectly into American beer culture - in recent years, beer spots have noted strong growth in cider sales.
June, '07: Green's gluten-free Belgian Ales are now being distributed in the United States. A press release as a 114 KB .pdf is right here.
May, '07: Zatec Bright Lager from the Czech Republic is in the US now. Detailed press release as a .pdf of 199 KB right here.
During the Craft Brewers Conference in Seattle, April 11-14, 2006, we were very pleased to host a number of beer-industry musicians on stage at the Pike Pub. You'll have to take our word that the music was great, but you can see pictures right here.
Seattle's Museum of Flight has added a Concorde to its world-class collection of significant aircraft, and British beers from Samuel Smith and Melbourn Bros. were poured at the VIP reception on Nov. 5, 2003. See the photos here.
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