Il Vicino has removing all of its brewing equipment from its Colorado Springs location. The brewing has been out sourced to Bristol Brewing Company, which is located only 16 block away on the same street.

This situation is good and bad. Il Vicino's brewer is now selling real-estate, which is a bummer. But, Bristol knows how to handling contract brewing and they make a consistent product.

I have always enjoyed Il Vicino's beers. The variety has declined over the years. At one time, I had heard that Il Vicino only had part-time brewer until this recent one.

A new era for Il Vicino.

Karen and I headed over to the release of this year's Winter Warlock from Bristol Brewing Company.

Winter Warlock is an oatmeal stout that tastes great.  It is only available during the winter months so you should stock up, now.

Karen and I had a blast at the release.  The tap room was packed, but we had seats at the bar.  Russell Noel was working the taps and keeping everyone happy.  A good spread of food was for the taking.

Joy Johnson of Gordon Biersch Brewery dropped me a line the other day to let me know that they had selected a date for these year's festival.

They have moved the festival back to the Saturday prior to the Labor Day weekend. The festival falls on August 26th, 2006.

Last year, the festival had been move down to the edge of the Tennessee River at Ross's Landing Park. Joy indicated that they are going to use the same location this year.

I made it to Bristol Brewing's “Nothing But Stout” Night and had a blast. The evening started out with a cab ride with Yellow Cab so that I could keep the evening safe.

They ran out of sampling glasses, but the guys working the door saved me one of the sampling glasses for me. They felt that since I was the first person to sign up for the tasting that I should get one of the glasses.

Here are the stouts that were on tap:

Artic Brewing's Imperial Milk Stout
Breckenridge Brewing's Oatmeal Stout
Bristol Brewing's Winter Warlock Oatmeal Stout
Carver Brewing's Imperial Stout
Great Divide Brewing's Oak Aged Yeti Stout
Il Vicino Brewing's Chocolate Rye Stout
Phantom Canyon Brewing Co.'s Raisen Stout
Rock Bottom Brewing's Bourbon Stout
Rockyard Brewing's Bourbon Stout
Ska Brewing's Steel Toe Stout

My favorite stout was Il Vicino Brewing's Chocolate Rye Stout

Our first tasting in Huntsville was great! We had over 100 people tasting even more beer.

Don Alan Hankins of Olde Towne Brewery was wonderful to host the tasting at his brewery. He even provided his Hefeweizen and Pale Ale for sampling. A few of us got to sample his Bock beer which is due out around the end of February.

The Rocket City Brewers is the Huntsville area homebrewer club and they had a good showing at the tasting. They brought a big sample of their homebrew, too.

A large number of the Birmingham members of Free The Hops made the trip for tasting, too.

Only bummer of the night was that I didn't have my camera, but others took pictures and I hope to get some to post here soon.

Update: We have pictures over on Flickr. Thanks svana!!

My friends at Free The Hops have their bill introduced in both houses of the Alabama State Legislature.  Here is the anouncement from Free The Hops site:

The Gourmet Beer Bill has been introduced to both the Alabama Senate and House. This bill would raise the alcohol by volume limit on beer in Alabama to that of wine, making legal the sale of literally thousands of gourmet and specialty beers already legal in 46 other states and around the world. FTH asks that you contact your Senator and Representative today to ask them to Vote Yes for SB390 and HB530.

Here is the specific part of the Alabama Code that we are trying to change:

BEER, or MALT OR BREWED BEVERAGES. Any beer, lager beer, ale, porter, malt or brewed beverage, or similar fermented malt liquor containing one-half of one percent or more of alcohol by volume and not in excess of five percent alcohol by weight and six fourteen and nine-tenths percent by volume, by whatever name the same may be called.

Both versions are identical and you can read them here:

House Version: HB530

Senate Version: SB390