Capitalism & Beer Marketing Tricks Today

Remember the good old days, like 2 years ago, when beer was served in bottles and you could get a 12 pack for $9.99? Now beer is trendy and manufacturers have taken to following the coffee business model. If Starfunkx can pay less than $50 a ‘Free Trade’ ton of un-roasted beans and then charge $3 a cup for coffee then so will the gas station. Sadly, the Dude of Food has noticed the same thing is happening in the beer business. Some craft beer makers decided to charge a bunch of extra dough for some aged beer and now even the cheap lagers are expensive. This same trickle down for profit theory has gone into packaging too.

In the 1970’s aluminum cans caused Alzheimer’s disease. These days it’s cheaper to can beer than it is to bottle it so we are told and sold that cans are OK now.

Next let’s look at packaging.

As you can see from the image comparison above, the buyer is paying the same for a package containing 8 less ounces per purchase and put in a potentially health riskier but cheaper to produce package. The only bonus about cans is they don’t break when dropped and are lighter to recycle, but then again in California we pay for CRV to recycle but there is nowhere to take your recycling except to the trash so the state gets it back anyways but subsidizes itself by charging a pre-paid recycling fee. The fee was established by the California Beverage Container Recycling and Litter Reduction Act of 1986 and since 2010 the program has been administered by the Cal/EPA California Department of Resources Recycling and Recovery (CalRecycle) (previously administered by California Department of Conservation – Recycling Division)

In February 2016 RePlanet, the largest recycling center in California, closed 191 recycling centers and terminated nearly 300 employees in small communities across the state due to increases in operational costs. By August 2019 RePlanet announced the closing of its remaining 284 centers and termination of it’s last 750 employees. It began the process of liquidating assets to pay creditors which had backed up due to continued reduction in state fees, the depressed pricing of recycled aluminum, plastic and cardboard, the minimum wage increases and the rise in operating costs.

Write to your elected California senators, local newspapers and media services to ask more questions as to why nothing logical is getting done in California.

Lakemaid beer drone goes flat.

Brewery’s Drone Delivery Plan Grounded

The Federal Aviation Administration has used its authority to shut down technology that helps people live better. The increased quality of life in small towns has been thwarted by ‘the system’ as the FAA grounds the Lakemaid Beer drone delivery program. Does this move say that capitalism is not for everyone?

You can see the drone in action in the following Youtube video. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qmHwXf8JUOw

You can read all about the perceived issues the FAA has but in reality it seems that Lakemaid Beer has a great idea and this program would be a good beta test for Amazon delivery development. Or maybe Amazon has something to do with the demise of the program? Some things to think about as the hands of the clock get closer to happy hour. Prost.

Sour beers are delicious.

The famous beer author Pete Brown describes Lambic and Gueueze style beers, sometimes commonly called sours, in the following way – ‘Instead of adding laboratory-cultured yeasts to start the fermentation of sugar into alcohol, lambic brewers rely on the natural yeasts in the air around them.’ Pete would know. I love reading his books and he knows beer.

Making beer this way was is an old school way of fermenting your brew. Back in the early brewing day taste was partially dependent on what bacteria fell into your beer. That would start the fermentation process and affect the taste of your wort or alcohol stew. The luckiest brewers came up with something different and delicious.

Below are three brewers the Dude of Food recommends you should begin your sour beer journey by investigating first. Feel free to write to me at facebook.com/dudeoffood about your discoveries. Prost.

The Dude of Food discovers California’s Best Sushi

http://www.hanajapanese.com

If you love sushi then all you need to know is the above web address. This will lead you to a place called Hana Japanese Restaurant and the Best Sushi in California!! I have never heard of black throated mackerel and normally don’t like mackerel unless it’s aji, but this black throated mackerel is great. The blue fin tuna belly was so good I had seconds. Same with the black throated mackerel.

The special thing in a spoon was really good. It was all good. The bill was $100. for lunch and the Dude of Food could have easily gone bigger but it was awesome tasting and well worth the splurge.

If you are ever near Santa Rosa or in Rohnert Park, CA, go to this place and see for yourself what quality sushi is supposed to be like.

When in Florence the Dude of Food loves Bar Porta Al Prato.

Seen from the street, Bar Porta Al Prato looks like this corner building. Sitting quietly, this recently opened culinary beauty awaits your entrance, offering everything one could desire once you make your way through the doors and into the soul of this gem.

Bar Porta Al Prato in Firenze offers both a great indoor environment or a huge patio out back to enjoy. The staff here are awesome, extremely helpful, talented, generous and fun besides offering many delicious and thoughtfully prepared Tuscan dishes. Their menu offers everything from pizza and gelato to pasta and fine wine and everything in between. What a great way to spend quality time dining with your family, friends or team.

The delicious wine comes from local vineyards that produce some excellent flavors. The homemade gelato is delicious and kid approved.

Thank you Bar Porta Al Prato for everything. The Dude of Food thinks you guys are doing a great job. Keep up the awesome hospitality and great food.

They can also be found on Facebook by searching Bar Samus Porta.

Johnny’s OFF LICENSE Liquor Store, Rome

Located at Via Veio, 4 , near the San Giovanni metro station in Rome, Italy is the greatest beer and wine store around. The staff at Johnny’s OFF LICENSE are super knowing about the processes and tastes of their products and offer an awesome selection, especially beers.

You can drink on the streets in Rome, so you go in and buy yourself a coldie and simply enjoy it out front while talking with other beer professors. Much local knowledge can be learned from respectable folks at these street meetings, i.e. restaurant recommendations, train and bus info, etc.

These guys at Johnny’s OFF LICENSE are a hospitable bunch and even gave me a beer book to read while traveling. (3 Sheets to the Wind, Pete Brown)
This place is a must if you are tired of feeling like a tourist at the hotel. Tell them the Dude of Food sent ya.

The Dude of Food does the LA Michelada test.

There was a long time that the Dude of Food would not ruin a beer with tomato juice. Then I grew up and learned something. After a trip to San Miguel de Allende, Mexico a few September’s ago my mind was forever changed. It was the time of the annual Revolution Fiesta and San Miguel is where it began.

The place goes nuts.

To make a long story short I love a homemade michelada and it appears that many others do as well since the big brand brewers are beginning to see the light. These 2 were chosen because they were both brewed in Mexico and imported to the US.

The Dude of Food decided to compare the Tecate Michelada DIABLO to the Modelo CHELADA. I have had a few of these Modelo CHELADA’s and they are OK. When compared to the Tecate DIABLO though, a world of difference unveils itself.

The DIABLO is softer with a more subtle tomatoey and mildly spicy finish. Compared to the Modelo CHELADA which hits the tongue a bit cleaner and crisper, albeit less tomatoey and the finish falls of quickly.

After tasting separately, what the Dude of Food ended up doing was to mix the 2 equally and drink them that way. The crisp beginning and the tomatoey spice finish were a great combination.

Any responses should be submitted to the Dude of Food – weallgottaeat(at)gmail

The Dude of Food recommends Morandell Imports.

Carl Morandell being interviewed on KABC Talk Radio 790 in Los Angeles

http://morandell.us/

Quality knows no boundries. Morandell Imports has the expertise and experience to share these product options with you.

If you are having a party, opening an eatery or just want options for stock, then go to this web page and see their line of beverages available or ask me, the Dude of Food, how you can order any of the fine products that the good folks at Morandell Imports can provide.

Prost.

The Dude of Food shares Micheladas

The first photo shows how they serve Micheladas in the streets of San Miguel de Allende.

A liter styrofoam cup filled with all the fixings of a great refreshing drink for 50 pesos.

They have this stick in them that has some red picante stuff stuck to it that you use to mix your drink.

The second photo shows the ingredients.

For best results use fresh limes and skip the bottled lime juice.

I use Red Rooster or Pete’s hot sauce and not put too much ice.

Make-a-Michelada

the Dude of Food recommends – Micheladas at La Cabana

www.lacabanavenice.com

If you don’t know about this spot then you probably shouldn’t, but I have to tell you that after my last trip to Mexico I have become a big fan of the michelada.

Tag: beer