This content was originally published by The Hop Review, a digital magazine that joined the Hop Culture family in March 2020.
This piece was written by Tom White.
In this week’s Hoplinks, problems are becoming a trend at one Illinois brewery, a 90’s icon is back, independent brewers get an official seal of approval, a whole lot of saisons are ranked, and the problem of knowing when beer is fresh is highlighted.
DeKALB, IL — You may remember Genoa’s Cademon Brewing that successfully decided to crowdsource their way out of a tax issue last year. Now the brewery has hit yet another snag, this time in their attempted relocation to DeKalb, as the owner failed to submit a filing fee to the city to gain approval for the move. Perhaps someone should get these guys a lawyer? [Daily Chronicle]
CHICAGO — Ah the 90’s… a time of mostly terrible beer, questionable fashion choices, and… Zima. One of those three has made a comeback as MillerCoors announced the return of Zima, the citrus malt beverage that became something of an icon of the era. If you haven’t had the honor of tasting it yet, it reminds us of 5% ABV La Croix. Sound appealing? Find it today at your local liquor store. [Beer Street Journal]
USA — Ever wondered if that beer you’re drinking is owned by a “Big Beer” third party? That shouldn’t be a problem moving forward, as the Brewer’s Association just released a new seal touting independent craft brewers. The seal will be available for free to any of the more than 5,300 breweries that meet the BA’s definition of craft, have a valid TTB Brewer’s Notice, and sign a license agreement. Expect to see the seal on an increasing number of store shelves over the coming months. [Brewers Association]
BEER — Paste Magazine is back at the tasting table again, this time to rank 116 of the best saisons available. A lot of the usual culprits are represented as well as quite a few we aren’t lucky enough to get our hands on in the Chicago market. Who’s up for a trade? [Paste Magazine]
BEER — We’re big proponents of fresh beer. Heck, we even made an entire event around the concept of Ultra Fresh beer. But why do some breweries (cough… Lagunitas…) make it so difficult to check if their beer is fresh? The Washington Post examines several brewery’s strategies around messaging package and enjoy by dates on their product. [Washington Post]
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Photo of rows of fresh beer from one of our earliest interviews at Northcenter’s Bottles & Cans, one of Chicago’s finest bottle shops — by Jack Muldowney.