Your 2010 MBA and PHD Lists

This is how we say "Happy Holidays!" at Elevator Brewing Company...

2010 Masters of Beer Appreciation

January: Barrel-Aged Porter III
February: Mocha Plum Stout
March: Imperial Witbier
April: Barrel-Aged Barleywine
May: Verano Mexico Cerveza
June: Blackberry Wheat
July: Icebox Eisbock
August: Over & Back Double IPA
September: Oktoberfest
October: Pumpkinweizen
November: Winter Warmer
December: Vic's Barleywine No. 5

2010 Professor of Hearty Drinking

January: Belgian Strong Dark Ale
February: Chocolate Cherry Wheat
March: Irish Red
April: Milk Stout
May: Poor Richard II Ale
June: Mark's Hard Cranberry
July: Homebrew Winner
August: Frosh with Honey Ale
September: Smoked Porter
October: Abbey Dubbel
November: Oud Bruin Ale
December: Wheat Wine

Professor of Hearty Drinking

Consider Elevator Brewing Company a school of higher learning – when it comes to beer, at least.

It’s only fitting that the brewery responsible for the Masters of Beer Appreciation (MBA) program would develop a level of advanced brew education. Introducing Elevator’s Professor of Hearty Drinking (PHD) curriculum, new for 2010.

With 10 beers on tap year-round and 12 monthly specialty selections, Elevator already offers the boldest beer menu in Columbus. But this year, Masterbrewer Vic Schiltz and Brewer Mark Beery are pulling out all of the stops and utilizing the full capacity of Elevator’s brewing capabilities. Schiltz will continue to hone the list of 12 MBA beers at the brewery, while Beery will concoct the 12 magic potions comprising the PHD list on a 3.5-hectoliter brewing system at the nearby Elevator Restaurant.

That adds up to 24 small batch offerings in addition to the 10 beers always on tap.

“Let’s push the envelope a bit,” explained Dick Stevens, Elevator owner, with a twinkle in his eye.

The PHD list has been in secret development for months. With two gifted brewers and two brewing locations, Stevens figured, why not offer more selection to the beer drinkers of Columbus? The one and only downside: The PHD beers in particular will be limited single-batch releases.

“When it runs out, it’s out,” Beery said.

In the first years of the MBA program, Elevator provided a cheap cap and gown for members who sampled the entire list of 12 beers during the calendar year. Today, MBA members receive a diploma for that accomplishment. The Elevator crew is currently considering additional prizes to reward beer aficionados who tackle both the MBA and PHD lists – perhaps a special t-shirt or mug.

Coming soon: The official MBA and PHD lists for 2010.

Elevate Your Degree

How much beer can you handle in a year?

Elevator Brewing Company already offers the most extensive handcrafted beer menu in Columbus, with 10 year-round selections complemented by multiple seasonal brews. Elevator is also home of the Masters of Beer Appreciation (MBA) program, featuring a unique limited beer release each month.

But seasons and months are simply no match for the creativity of Vic Schiltz and Mark Beery.

Schiltz, Elevator masterbrewer, and Beery, Elevator brewer, started kicking around a fresh idea earlier this year: What if they brewed a small single batch every couple of weeks?

“We make a single batch; when it’s out, it’s out. Sorry about your luck,” Schiltz said during an impromptu brainstorming session in November. If you’re doing the math at home, that adds up to 20+ distinctive brews in addition to the 10 always on tap at Elevator. Schiltz and Beery reasoned that with brewing capabilities at both the brewery and the nearby Elevator restaurant, where eight of the 12 MBA beers are created, why not cut loose and try some new recipes?

Dick Stevens, Elevator owner, didn’t need much convincing that this idea could fly. Not that he could protest; Schiltz and Beery were practically salivating at the prospect. Stevens proposed coining the program PHD, an advanced version of the MBA.

“I’m willing to try it,” he said. “It’s bold and in-your-face.”

So what did the boys decide? Check back and see…

Procrastinators Homebrew Competition II

Calling all homebrewers!

Elevator Brewing Company has announced the Procrastinators Homebrew Competition II, a chance for craft beer wizards to showcase their creations. The entry deadline is Thursday, Jan. 14. Entries may be submitted to the Elevator Restaurant at 161 N. High St. in downtown Columbus, or to the Elevator Brewery at 165 N. Fourth St.

Competitors pay a $5 entry fee per recipe, and judges need three unmarked 12-ounce bottles of each beer. Every entry requires a completed recipe form identifying the category of beer; these forms can be found at http://www.bjcp.org/compcenter.php.

Beers will be judged by category, and the top three “Best of Show” will receive prizes.

First Place: $75 gift certificate to the Elevator Draught Haus. Additionally, the top beer will be brewed on Brew Pubs Brewing system and served at Elevator. The winner will also receive one free entry to the National Homebrew Competition, as well as publication in Zymurgy magazine.

Second Place: $50 gift certificate to Gentile’s Wine and Homebrew Supplies.

Third Place: One-year subscription to American Homebrewers Association.

Awards will be handed out on Saturday, Jan. 16 at 6 p.m.

Vic's Barleywine No. 4

Brace yourself.

Vic's Barleywine No. 4 has arrived.

Born of the mad mind of Masterbrewer Vic Schiltz, the fourth varietal of this specialty beer is, in a word, strong.

"Very strong," Schiltz emphasized. "Very malty, very sweet. When I say malty, people think sweet. This is very sweet."

Vic's Barleywine No. 4 was aged for six months before its release. Stop by the Elevator Restaurant and get your tongue on it, for a limited time only.

On Tap and In Bottles!

Make room in the fridge.

Winter Warmer is available in bottles beginning Monday, Nov. 16. Check your local beverage provider for this delectable seasonal brew, a brown ale crafted with ginger and nutmeg -- just the right amount of spice to warm the belly as winter arrives in Columbus.

For all you pint fans, Winter Warmer is already on tap at the Elevator Restaurant.

Master Brewers Association of the Americas

Envision a board meeting. Trapped in an undersized conference room, zoning in and out of consciousness through a criminally boring PowerPoint presentation, sifting through a thick packet of documents destined for the shredder…

The Master Brewers Association of the Americas does things a little differently.

At the Oct. 26 quarterly meeting of the MBAA District Cincinnati, held at Columbus’ own Elevator Brewing Company, rival brewers dragged kegs and cases of their prized beers to share. Elevator Restaurant provided classy hors d’oeuvres, and the guest speaker was the brilliant Charlie Bamforth, professor of brewing and malting science at the University of California-Davis (best job ever).

Dick Stevens, owner of Elevator Brewing Company, said he lobbied hard to host the fall meeting.

“We love it,” he said. “Any time we can get people down here, we’re proud to show how we do things.”

The session brought out representatives from multiple organizations, including Columbus Brewing Company, Anheuser Busch/InBev, Fat Head, Gordon Biersch, Miller and Samuel Adams. One might imagine such a meeting between rivals to be fraught with competitive tension, but on the contrary; the fraternity between brewers was palpable from the get-go. The meeting opened with a toast to a brewer who had recently celebrated the birth of a child.

Above: Guest speaker Charlie Bamforth

But the man of the hour was unquestionably Mr. Bamforth, who delivered a rousing speech based on a simple principle: You can have reverence for beer.

Much of Bamforth’s discussion revolved around the rivalry between beer and wine.

“There’s a dreadful statement that really pisses me off: ‘It takes a lot of beer to make good wine,’” he said disdainfully, displaying a slide photograph of grapes. “What if I stomped on these a bunch and let them rot in a barrel?”

The brewers in attendance erupted in laughter and cheers.

Bamforth went on to contrast the imagery of wineries with that of breweries – rolling hills and green vineyards versus blue-collar brick. His point: Look beyond the stereotypes. For example, he compared a wide-ranging list of wines to a similarly broad spectrum of beer flavors. Bamforth also mocked the clichéd images of wine and beer drinkers themselves.

“Wine drinkers buy lettuce leaves and exercise,” he said. “Beer drinkers eat sausages and watch ball games!” It’s a common misconception that only wine provides health benefits, Bamforth noted.

“All alcoholic drinks in moderation lower the risk of coronary heart disease,” he said, then added with a twinkle in his eye, “It’s OK to drink beer every day, in moderation. You define moderation. No missing a day!” In fact, the world’s oldest woman – age 114 – has acknowledged drinking a seven-ounce beer with every meal.

“If she drank 12-ounce beers, she’d be 150 by now!” Bamforth said.

He also discussed recent efforts by brewers to reduce their carbon footprints, such as zero malting beer to cut down on waste. Bamforth tried one such product.

“It made me appreciate very good beer,” he said. “Taste is most important among drinkers, and it’s not right to make beer with a chemistry set. “We need not B.S., but champion what we have here. People are not impressed by brewers attacking one another. We need to stick together as an industry.”

Judging by the camaraderie at the MBAA gathering, the beer industry is only getting stronger. Stevens had no qualms paying compliments to the “big boys” in attendance at his brewery, and vice versa.

“We had a plant manager from Anheuser Busch down here, enjoying our Dark Horse Lager,” he said. “If we go up to their brewery, we’re awed by the immensity. When they come down here, they’re in awe of us for being hands-on.”

Above: A peek at some forthcoming Elevator beer label designs

Not for the Faint of Tastebud

You’ve heard of cult movies and cult bands – the kind of stuff so extraordinary, only a proud few truly “get it.”

Elevator Brewing Company would like to introduce you to cult beer.

To celebrate 10 years of hand-crafted brewing, Elevator has unleashed Horus. This limited edition release is named for the Egyptian falcon god, and it is not for the faint of tastebud. A bold, imperial red ale, Horus assaults the senses with an intense hop bitterness, assertive caramel malt character and a deep amber hue. The strong hop bouquet is balanced with complex vinous flavors and moderate fruity esters.

You can’t get it on tap. Horus is only available in 750 mL bottles, and at 10 percent alcohol by volume, it packs a punch.

Horus bottles are sold at the following retail locations: Brews (Granville), Beverage Source, Blacklick Carryout, Corners (Gahanna), Gentile’s, Grapes of Mirth, Huffman’s Market, Palmer’s, Viking and Weiland’s. A limited supply is also in stock at the Elevator Brewhaus and Restaurant, located at 161 N. High St in Downtown Columbus.

Here’s to 10 years of elevating your taste!

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Mogabi: Welcome to the Family!

Imagine a pint of wheat beer. Unfiltered and cloudy, right? Non-hopped, tart, perhaps garnished with fruit wedges to sweeten and soften the edge?

Not always.

Elevator Brewing Company is pleased to introduce Mogabi, the newest addition to Elevator’s already stellar fleet of brews. Mogabi is a hoppy American wheat with bite, handcrafted from Masterbrewer Vic Shiltz’s own recipe.

The moniker? It’s actually Schiltz’s nickname.

Mogabi, brewed with Amarillo hops, has been in production for the past six months. It is now a regular beer available on tap at Elevator Brewing Company, replacing Coal Porter on the regular tap rotation.

Dick Stevens, Elevator owner and operator, accredits Mogabi’s bold flavor to “the spirit of experimentation” shared by Shiltz and Brewer Mark Beery, who have been working together for two years.

“With Mark, Vic has a counterpart,” Stevens said. “I try to give them the freedom to do things they wouldn’t have done before.”

With that freedom comes creativity – and innovation.

“This type of wheat beer is a purely American invention,” Stevens said. “We really live in Beer Nirvana. Can you think of another country that has this selection of beers?”

Your Elevator Brewery Tour Guide

Above: Mark Beery of Elevator Brewing Company

It’s only fitting that the brewery responsible for creating the Master’s of Beer Appreciation degree would also offer introductory courses in Beer 101.

Elevator Brewing Company, a downtown Columbus mainstay, will host monthly brewery tours open to the public. The next tour is scheduled for Friday, Oct. 16 at 6 p.m. Minimum party size is six people. The $20 cost per guest includes a commemorative t-shirt, souvenir pint glass, and oh yes, a pint of tasty Elevator brew.

Elevator Brewing Company features 12 handcrafted beers year-round, including one specialty selection each month. Born of the inspired recipes of Masterbrewer Vic Shiltz, each magic potion is crafted with care by Shiltz and Brewer Mark Beery (Yes, that’s his real name – clearly born for the job). Beery will serve not only as the tour guide, but also as the t-shirt model (see photo).

“I plan to gear the tour toward people interested in the science and art of brewing,” he said. “You’ll drink beer, get a t-shirt with my ugly mug on it, and learn about beer.”

The brewery tour is the brainchild of Dick Stevens, owner of Elevator Brewing Company – or “Elevator Operator,” as he’s fond of referring to himself. Stevens also plans on guiding future tours.

“Brewery tours are interesting, and many breweries don’t do it,” he explained. “We want to elevate the taste of our customers. I’ll do my best to educate people about beer, and make them more committed to good beer.”

Tours will last approximately one hour, then attendees will be guided to the Elevator Draught Haus Restaurant to sample brews. Parking is available in surface lots near the brewery, as well as across the street from the restaurant. The brewery is located at 165 N. Fourth St. in downtown Columbus, two blocks east of the Elevator Draught Haus Restaurant at 161 N. High St. Look for the brick building with beer fermentation tanks painted out front.

Reservations are required at least one week prior to the tour; call Margie at 614-499-7828 to make a reservation or for more information.

After the Oct. 16 gathering, all future tours will be held on the third Saturday of each month at 4 p.m. The next tour is slated for Nov. 21.

Above: Elevator Brewery, 165 N. Fourth St. in Columbus.