99 Bottles of Beer coming to U.C. Berkeley Hearst Museum
I don’t usually associate museums with beer, but that’s exactly what’s going to happen next month at the Phoebe A. Hearst Museum of Anthropology on the U.C. Berkeley campus. All in the name of education, of course.
On October 10, the museum will be presenting 99 Bottles of Beer, Global Brewing Traditions 2500 B.C. — Present, the third installment of its annual series exploring the anthropology of food.
99 Bottles of Beer will include a moderated discussion on beer and brewing led by distinguished professors and renowned beer experts, including Fritz Maytag, President and Brewmaster of Anchor Steam Brewery. Held in the Pacific Film Archive Theater, the symposium’s topics include the history of beer and its rituals, the process of beer brewing and the traditions of beer consumption. Also, a workshop on how packaging affects beer flavor will be held by speakers from 21st Amendment Brewery in Kroeber Hall.
A beer tasting fair on the Hearst Museum’s patio and portico will be ongoing throughout the day. Beer vendors include Trumer Brauerei, 21st Amendment Brewery, Anchor Steam Brewery, Hoppy Brewing Co., Eel River Brewing Co., Butte Creek Brewing Co. and Triple Rock Brewery & Alehouse, among others. Food will be provided by Henry’s, featuring creations by Chef Eddie Blyden.
The event accompanies the new exhibition (free admission) on view in the museum gallery. Curated by Dr. Ira Jacknis, the Museum’s Research Anthropologist, the exhibition presents 130 beer-related objects from many eras and broad geography, in a breadth of media.
Tickets cost $30 for the full program (Symposium, Beer Fair and Workshop), or $20 for the Symposium only or Beer Fair and Workshop only. Museum members and UCB students receive discounts, and an additional $5 early-bird ticket discount is available to those purchasing tickets before September 12.
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Beer and beer brewing are a long standing and fairly important of the regional economy. Probably most people know this already but some might not that “steam beer” (as in “Anchor …”) was a brewing technique invented in the Bay Area in the 19th century to be able to brew something resembling a lager without needing ice.
Berkeley’s own “Triple Rock”, who will be represented at the tasting, describes itself as “America’s oldest brew-pub”. They are a tied-house on North Shattuck (two blocks up from University). They’re famous with the kids these days for “Monkey Head Thursdays” (Monkey Head being the one bottled beer – kind of knock-you-on-your-butt stuff.) They’re famous with Cal football-fan alumni and Greek Theater concert goers as the “before” destination. They are famous as a temporary sports bar for big soccer, football, or baseball matches. They usually have a tasty selection of house and guest brews. They also supply Bear’s Lair, Jupiter, and possibly some other places for all I know. The kitchen does pretty straightforward pub food but with a kind of Berkeley class to it – underrated I think. Service is blue-collar-style but usually good and only rarely terrible. If you aren’t there during a loud sporting event or Monkey Head Thursday night (the acoustics are harsh) it’s family friendly (e.g., little kids are often seen there, sometimes even getting a boost up to a bar stool to order a soda). You can see the tanks (and the brewers, if they’re working at the time) through a nice indoor window – the tank room is tastefully and colorfully lit, btw). Lots of crazy, vintage beer crap on the walls to take in (old ads and such). They’ve produced one generation of award winning brewers in my years there and are now working on the next generation. There’s (during certain hours) a rooftop patio available. Chef has accumulated a mighty impressive selection of bottled hot-sauces that are good on fries. Bike parking usually available in front and car parking usually available in metered spaces in front or around the corner in the lot across from the fire station. If you have a special event, they can sell you jugs, pony-kegs, or full kegs. It’s a pretty comfortable and nice place to hang out for a not-too-expensive night out. Or mid-day beer-break, when that’s what you need. Highly recommended, if you go with the right expectations (it ain’t “Five” or “Chez Pennies”
-t
(No affiliation other than being a sometimes-regular or, as I like to put it, an irregular.)
http://www.triplerock.com/pub.html