Novel-T — News

Something Like Turning Water Into Wine: Sam Calagione Releases New Dogfish Head Beer/Wine Crossover "Noble Rot," Wears an Awesome T-Shirt

Posted by League Commissioner on February 01, 2012 0 Comments

So Novel-T is a big fan of books of course, but we've also been known to hoot and hollar about our favorite brewery, Dogfish Head.

Brewmaster Sam Calagione isn't exactly turning water into wine with his new "Noble Rot," but he may be doing something even better: turning wine into beer!

Check out the new video debuting this wonderful looking creation and find out what the "brewhaha" is all about. Haha.

Can't wait to try some ourselves!

PS: Oh yeah, look at those handsome threads the dude's sporting. Cheers, Sam!

Posted by League Commissioner on November 22, 2011 10 Comments

Yesterday we posted about sharing a page of New York magazine with Woody Harrelson and Marilyn Monroe, and picturing Vonnegut pulled up to the bar with Woody and Marilyn.

So what better topic to write about today than the wonderful kinship of beer and books?

We'll start with a poem called "Lines on Ale" by the third baseman for the American Canons, Edgar Allan Poe.

"Lines on Ale"

Fill with mingled cream and amber
    I will drain that glass again.
Such hilarious visions clamber
    Through the chamber of my brain -
Quaintest thoughts - queerest fancies
    Come to life and fade away;
What care I how time advances?
    I am drinking ale today.

But for a delve a little deeper into this keg of kinship, Dogfish Head's generous and ingenious brewmaster Sam Calagione has done us the solid of throwing together a wonderful list of great pairs of novels and bottles.

So pull up a stool and crack open a classic with these recommendations of Sam's:

Moby Dick – Leviathan Series Stout from Harpoon Brewery – deep, dark, and bold…call me Ishm-Ale.

The Encyclopedia of Herbs – Saison du Buff – a collaboration between Dogfish Head, Victory, and Stone breweries that is made with parsley, sage, rosemary, and thyme.

The Book of Genesis as illustrated by R. Crumb – A little more off-centered than the King James version – R. Crumb’s illustrations bring the good book to life – I recommend pairing this with a vintage Sierra Nevada Bigfoot barley – I like to think Jesus actually turned water into BARLEY wine.

Lolita – a Belgian White Beer or German hefe - something enjoyed really young and fresh by the half-gallon jug from your most local brewpub. “Oh Wheat beer, light of my life, fire of my loins.”

Brave New World – Sam Adams' Utopias

The Heart of Darkness - Heart of Darkness Stout, Bell’s Brewery.

The Call of the Wild – Cantillion Kriek – a Belgian ale made with cherries and spontaneously fermented with wild yeast.

And let's add one pairing of our own: Sam's own book Brewing Up a Business with his own 60 minute IPA. Quoth the poet, "What care I how time advances?/I am drinking ale today."

Thanks, Sam, and cheers!