No one is to say for sure if these online petitions actually make an impact, but this is a law that would be nice to see changed. In many states, one can get nearly any size or type of growler or container filled with beer. It can be brewery specific or a $4.99 non-marked growler. In California, a weird law requires a brewery to only fill a growler that they sold and with their branding. That means the Russian River Brewing, Alpine Beer Co and FiftyFifty Brewing growlers that you paid $30 each for are only good at those establishments and when you’re not using them, they’re going to be taking up a lot of space sitting on the shelf.

But why? Why make people waste additional money on something they already have? Why waste more glass making someone purchase something they already have eight others of? It’s redundant and a waste of money and resources. Personally, I don’t buy growlers now that I’m in California because most breweries seem to sell expensive, branded growlers that cost $20-30 for the glass itself, not counting the $10-20+ beer you’re filling it with. Some people collect growlers, that’s awesome, but I don’t want a closet full of hundreds of dollars worth of growlers that aren’t being used but I need to keep in case I go back for a growler fills during my travels.

With the help of Governor Jerry Brown, California has been making some headway in frivolous laws pertaining to alcohol like the ban on infusing spirits and burdensome beer tasting room requirements and hopefully a change can be made here.

Currently in the State of California, if you buy a growler container it can only be filled with beer from the brewery that sold that growler. You can’t put Stone beer into a Sierra Nevada growler.

If you would like to travel from Truckee to Temecula and try great craft beer, then please sign my petition.

Click here to sign the petition.

Governor Jerry Brown has proclaimed September 2011 as California Wine Month, the seventh consecutive year the state has recognized the contributions of the state’s growers and vintners by proclamation. To celebrate, many of the Golden State’s wineries, winegrape growers and regional associations are hosting special consumer wine events.

“As an industry, California wine brings innumerable benefits to the state. Our scenic and historic wine-growing regions, a renowned cuisine based on food and wine pairings, and the opportunity to taste and purchase our world-famous wines bring an estimated 20.7 million tourists to our state each year,” said Governor Brown in the proclamation. “Our state’s wineries create jobs for 330,000 Californians and revenue from retail sales of $18.4 billion, including $1.14 billion in exports sales to 122 countries.” To view the complete proclamation, go here.

In September, tastings, tours and special events will happen across California as Californians celebrate their expansive wine culture. Some of these events include Sonoma Wine Country Weekend, Livermore’s 30th Annual Harvest Wine Celebration, CRUSH: Temecula Valley 2nd Annual Wine & Culinary Showcase, Madera Vintners Association’s California Wine Month Reception & Wine Tasting and Pinotfest Monterey. Others include CALIFORNIA WINE RUSH and Savor the Central Coast 2011.

Be sure to raise a glass of California wine during the month of September for the great vintages of the past and for the many great vintages to come.

Since 2009, The Bruery’s Black Tuesday has been one of the most talked about beers each year. This year, the monster 19-22% abv barrel aged imperial stout is back and it appears to be in much larger quantities as well, with The Bruery Reserve Society members being able to purchase 6 bottles in addition to the one bottle included with their membership, compared to the three you were allowed to buy in 2009 and in 2010.

See below for full detail of the 2011 release of The Bruery Black Tuesday:

It’s time again for another Reserve Society allocation. The following beer will be available for order between August 12th and September 2nd at society.thebruery.com

Black Tuesday:
Our infamous Black Tuesday is an imperial stout aged in bourbon barrels for over a year. Rich caramel, toasted malt, vanilla, burnt wood and anise are just a few of the many flavors in this rich, decadent imperial stout.

Learn more about Black Tuesday at here.

• As a Reserve Society member, one (1) bottle of Black Tuesday has already been allocated to you as part of your initial membership fee. You may purchase a maximum of six (6) more bottle allocations for yourself. Each allocation is $30 before your 15% discount. Bottles will be released on or around Tuesday, October 25th. Official release details will be made known closer to the date.

• We will be holding a small release party on October 25th. Information and tickets for the party will be released in September.

• Remaining bottles of Black Tuesday will be sold to the general public through an online sale on October 25th. Bottles will be limited and we can not guarantee that you will be able to purchase a bottle during the general release sale.”

California doesn’t seem to go out of their way very often to make things easier for craft breweries or those wanting to try new things in the beverage industry, but for once, they have eased the burden on many up-and-coming craft breweries.

With the signing of AB 1014 by California Governor Jerry Brown, breweries are now exempt from having to follow the unnecessary and burdensome building requirements designed for food facilities for their tasting rooms, where only beer will be poured. Previously, breweries wishing to have a tasting room at their brewery would be required to follow the same requirements which would often lead to tens of thousands dollars worth of improvements such as installing several industrial sinks and redoing electrical wiring and plumbing.

The Lost Abbey brewery in San Marcos, California ran into this very issue last year when the Health Department handed them a cease and desist order to stop tasting room operations. The Health Department told them they had been operating illegally for the previous four years without the required health permit, while the Alcohol Control Board said they were 100% in compliance with the license they were issued four year prior. Luckily for The Lost Abbey, the Health Department would either receive a lot of complaints about their targeting of the tasting room or realize they don’t know what they’re doing (or both) and dropped their cease and desist, just days before The Lost Abbey began cutting concrete and making the necessary changes to be in “compliance”.

Back to AB 1014, “This bill will relieve craft brewers from the unnecessary burden of installing restaurant grade equipment that simply isn’t needed to pour a taste of beer,” said Tom McCormick, Executive Director of the California Small Brewers Association. “This is a common sense law that garnered bipartisan support at the Capitol. Yet another example that good beer brings people together.”

The bill, authored by Assemblyman Nathan Fletcher, R-San Diego and Assemblyman Wes Chesbro, D-Arcata, passed both the Senate and Assembly floor votes unanimously.

“We are an industry the state can be proud of,” said McCormick. “Craft brewers by nature tend to have environmentally sound practices, we employ a lot of people and we give back to our communities in many ways.”

Many new to wine will hear “Napa” and perhaps say to themselves, “Maybe when I get a little more refined with my palate, that’s for the experts.” They may also balk at the prospect of a Napa mission because of the vast, expansive geographic reality that truly is Napa.  On Highway 29 alone, countless tasting rooms.  But, in the condensed, colorful, and cute downtown of the heralded Napa, visitors find relatable spots, inviting rooms, hosts, offerings.  And not to forget, the wine knowledge’s pervading persistence.  If you want to learn more about wine, “refine your palate,” these manageable streets, all illustrating their tasty cache, with approachable and Human surfaces, serve as more than an optimal starting point.  Shall we begin? … Did you bring your camera?

One spot I’d be remiss to pitch, Bounty Hunter Rare Wine & Provisions.  The wine selection, so plentiful it’s almost daunting.  Don’t even think about stressing within their walls, as the staff is not just patient and fun, but enviably astute with wine’s mysteries and knowns.  The cuisine, inviting a wine mate, and the hosts, hostesses, leap at the prospect of pairing suggestions, in addition to some oeno-culinary harmonies already stamped on the menu.  The atmosphere, emphatic and withheld, historic and modern.  Truly eclectic, not to mention artistically animated, with all efforts.  One often-preferred wine, the 2007 Ridge Runner Napa Valley Cab, paired with the pulled pork sandwich.  Supernal, paradisiacal.  This spot demands return, the regular.

Another, Carpe Diem Wine Bar.  Owner Steve Distler has made sure this flavorful fort forwards in balance, variety, tranquility.  A true wine location, with one of the most distinguished and focused wine selections, dishes for union, that you find in Napa’s center.  Around your table, you’re enveloped by eased elements, no frenzy, which is precisely what Mr. Distler intended when the doors were opened not that long ago.  Some of the favorites of those interviewed: the 2008 La Follette Sonoma Coast Pinot Noir and the 2009 Brown Napa Zinfandel.  Dishes, you’d be “delusional” to not order a flatbread, one tourist from Iowa told me.  The flavor profile of these scrumptious separatist pizzas co-mingle with almost any wine on Steve’s menu, especially the aforementioned bottles.  And, more than likely, Distler will pour you something he likes.

A Bistro con Sabor.  Bistro Sabor–catty-corner to Zins Valley Restaurant and Ristorante Allegria, two other wine beaconing eateries on 1st Street–offers not just whirling wines by Ceja Vineyards, but dauntingly delectable Latin cuisine.  Owner Ariel Ceja welcomes locals, tourists, even wine blogging Mutineers, to pass through the doors, place an order.  Every one of Ceja’s wines push with pristine palate presence.  Especially the Syrah, when paired with skirt steak tacos.  Family-lamented surroundings, smattered with positive energy, music motifs, genuinely pleasant homeliness.  Be sure to check out the night where salsa dancing controls the floor.  “Wine paired with music, salsa especially,” one local exclaimed, “How is that not awesome?”

There are more than a cluster of other corners that didn’t fit into this piece.  But all the more reason to just go visit, explore.  You don’t have to have an elevated wine, or cuisine, barometer about your person.  Just walked around, and stop to taste.  Especially the spots above cited.  And don’t forget to bring your camera.  You’ll want to hold on to such scenes.  Sip, sip …

It’s been quite a promising seven months for Untappd as they near their one millionth check-in on their web-based app. If you haven’t heard of Untappd, it’s similar to Foursquare but instead of checking into different venues, you “check-in” to the beers you are drinking, where you’re drinking and you can quickly rate them. Meanwhile, you can see what your friends are drinking and Untappd will make recommendations to what other beers you should try that are similar to the one in your hand and you can see what micro, macro and local beers are trending.

Today, Friday the 3rd, Untappd is having an east coast and a west coast Million Check-In Meet Up. For the east coasters out there, it will happen at Rattle N’ Hum in New York at 8:00 EST. For all my left coasters out there, it will happen at 6:00 PST at Libary Alehouse in Los Angeles. If you attend the events, be sure to check into the venue when you check-in to your first beer and you’ll unlock a promotion to receive half off of your next beer. Even if you aren’t attending the party, check-in to any beer today and you’ll earn yourself the Million Check-In Badge.

After successful Base Camp Weeks in San Francisco and Phoenix, Deschutes Brewery now moves onward to Los Angeles for five days of incredible beer, awesome people, the best beer bars LA has to offer and great food. If you’re in the LA area, be sure to check the schedule events for your chance to meet the brewers, try Deschutes’ rarest beers (like Lost Barrels of Mirror Mirror), pair it with some great food and hang out with Woody, Deschutes’ mobile bar.

• Spring Beer Bash at Rustic Canyon in Santa Monica (6-10pm)

The long-awaited Beer Bash is back at Rustic Canyon Winebar & Seasonal Kitchen. Hosted by Beer Sommelier and Author Christina Perozzi & Proprietor Josh Loeb and featuring a beer inspired menu from Chef Evan Funke & Pastry Chef Zoe Nathan, paired with craft beers from Oregon’s preeminent craft brewery, Deschutes Brewery. Brewer Tim Alexander will be present to talk about the featured award-winning, and hard to get specialty beers The Dissident ’10 and The Abyss ’10. View the complete menu and purchase your tickets, by clicking here.

• Beer Tasting at Verdugo Bar (5pm-close)

Our giant wooden barrel, affectionately known as Woody, and brewer Veronica Vega will be on site for this special Jubel 2010 & Black Butte XXII tasting at Verdugo Bar.

Wednesday April 13
• Specialty Beer Tasting at Surly Goat (5pm-close)

Our giant wooden barrel, affectionately known as Woody, and brewer Veronica Vega will be on site for this special Jubel 2010 & Lost Barrels of Mirror Mirror tasting at the Surly Goat.

• Bourbon-Barreled Beer Tasting at Seven Grand (6-8pm)

Pair your flights of The Abyss (’07 -’10) with hand-rolled cigars from Leon Cigars in downtown L.A. at Seven Grand with brewer Tim Alexander.

Thursday April 14
• Food & Beer Pairing Luncheon at Hot’s Kitchen (12-3pm)
• Deschutes Night at Congregation Ale House (4pm-close)

Our giant wooden barrel, affectionately known as Woody, and brewer Veronica Vega will be on site for this special tasting at Congregation Ale House. Try The Abyss 2008 in bottles as well as Black Butte Porter, Mirror Pond Pale Ale, Inversion IPA, Red Chair NWPA, Hop Henge Experimental IPA and Nitro Obsidian Stout on tap. Yummy!!

Friday April 15
• In-Store Deschutes Tasting at Hi-Time Wine Cellar (12-3pm)

Join us and our big wooden traveling barrel we call “Woody,” at Hi-Time Wine Cellar for an in-store Deschutes Beer tasting. Taste every Deschutes beer they carry along with a special tasting of The Abyss 2007! Get here early before it’s gone…

• Special Beer & Food Pairing at Side Door (5pm-close)

Join us and our big wooden traveling barrel we call “Woody,” at Side Door for an amazing menu that pairs perfectly with Deschutes Brewery beers. There will also be a special tasting of The Abyss Reserve Series Beer from 2008. Hope to see you here!

Saturday April 16
• Deschutes Night at Pizza Port in San Clemente (5pm-close)

Our giant wooden barrel, affectionately known as Woody, will be on site for this special tasting at Pizza Port in the beah town of San Clemente. Try The Abyss 2008 in bottles as well as Black Butte Porter, Mirror Pond Pale Ale, Inversion IPA, Red Chair NWPA, Hop Henge Experimental IPA and Nitro Obsidian Stout on tap. Yummy!!

February 18, 2011 – USA Ski Jumping (USASJ) and Lagunitas Brewing Co. have announced that the California-based brewery will become the official malt beverage of USA Ski Jumping, beginning immediately and continuing through the 2014 Olympic Winter Games in Sochi, Russia. The four-year, six figure agreement gives Lagunitas the rights to domestic event presence, co-branded apparel and product, and use of the USASJ logo in digital and social media outlets.

Lagunitas, a Sonoma County, CA brewery, is looking to expand into European markets in 2012 and will reach new territories with USASJ leveraging the widespread international popularity of ski jumping. In addition to event presence, Lagunitas will craft a limited supply of a USASJ licensed ale with a percentage of product sales going back to the organization to support the quest for top international results.

“Lagunitas understands that they are much more than a sponsor. They’re a partner in helping grow the ski jumping sport out of the margins and onto the front page,” said USASJ Executive Director Jeff Hastings. “We are thrilled to have them. They have a broad and growing market and a very loyal customer base we hope to engage.”

Lagunitas has always supported music festivals and other regional events; this will be Lagunitas’ first major sportssponsorship. With sustained growth since its founding in 1993, Lagunitas CFO Leon Sharyon saw the partnership with USASJ as an opportunity to help both organizations grow with little risk involved.

“We have always proudly supported our community and friends in need. It was clear that the USASJ needed a few new friends,” said Lagunitas CMO Ron Lindenbusch.“This sponsorship is right in line with our basic philosophy – we try to find ways to turn beer into money to help the cause and we always seem to make a few new friends of our own along the way.”

USASJ was formed in May of 2010 after the United States Ski and Snowboard Association acknowledged that it would not be able to fund a national team program. The new entity is looking to reestablish the sport of ski jumping in the United States. With over 900,000,000 TV viewers worldwide last year, the sport ranks among the most popular in Europe and Asia. USASJ and Lagunitas hope to bring a similar level of excitement back to the United States in the run up to the 2014 Winter Olympics.