Steven J. Koonce - Idaho Beer: From Grain to Glass in the Gem State

Published by American Palate

A Division of The History Press

Charleston, SC 29403

www.historypress.net

Copyright 2014 by Steven J. Koonce

All rights reserved

Cover photo by Carol M. Highsmith, courtesy of the Library of Congress Carol M. Highsmith Archive.

Images courtesy of author unless otherwise noted.

First published 2014

e-book edition 2014

ISBN 978.1.62584.907.6

Library of Congress Cataloging-in-Publication Data

Koonce, Steven J., author.

Idaho beer : from grain to glass in the Gem State / Steve J. Koonce.

pages cm

print edition ISBN 978-1-62619-379-6 (paperback)

1. Brewing--Idaho. 2. Beer--Idaho. I. Title.

TP573.U5K66 2014

338.476634209796--dc23

2014011084

Notice: The information in this book is true and complete to the best of our knowledge. It is offered without guarantee on the part of the author or The History Press. The author and The History Press disclaim all liability in connection with the use of this book.

All rights reserved. No part of this book may be reproduced or transmitted in any form whatsoever without prior written permission from the publisher except in the case of brief quotations embodied in critical articles and reviews.

This book is dedicated to the creative men and women in Americas craft beer industry, as well as to my lovely bride-to-be, Valerie, without whom there would be no book.

CONTENTS

FOREWORD

Beer: Mundane. Magical. Boring. Bold. Simple. Sublime. Meh. Satisfying. Vacuous. Intense. International. Regional. Commodity. Artisanal. Take your pick; theyre all out there.

The generations that have grown up knowing no other world than the one in which computers and iPhones are ever at their fingertips are known as digital natives. I didnt get my first Mac, a MacPlus, until I graduated from college in 1987. In my day, you had to go to this thing called a library (which, admittedly, I rarely did) or the video game arcade (or the entry area at the small-town grocery store, as I did, where I dropped many a quarter pounding the Fire button and jamming the joystick, and my wrists, playing Galaga). You kids these days dont know how easy youve got it with all of your search engines and game consoles and such.

Also in 1987, I had my very first real beer. It was an Anchor Steam. I knew only one place to get it on tap. A little dive punk artists bar called Als Bar in downtown Los Angeles. That was it. I never saw it in the stores. The most interesting thing I could find was a big German import brand (that I later learned wasnt even available in Germany, as it was brewed specifically for the gullible American market) with the word Dark appended to it, courtesy of the marketing department and some brewing tricks to add color without the bothersome encumbrance of the flavor associated with actually using roasted malts.

If youve matriculated to drinking age anytime in the last twenty years, but especially in the last ten, youre craft beer natives. You kids these days dont know how easy youve got it with your multi-tap craft beer bars and countless hundreds of lineal feet of beer selection at your local markets and bottle shops. Show some respect or get offa mah lawn!

Actually, its quite a beautiful thing to be a craft beer native. Id be lying if some part of me didnt feel just a wee bit jealous. Fortunately, you dont need to worry about me. Not that you were. And you dont need to worry about your own choices. Not that it would occur to you to do so.

Choice. Its that magic word that we often think we have when we actually dont. Particularly when you put the word free in front of it. It can be elusive and often quite misunderstood. Take, for instance, the person at the store whom you witness picking up the sixer of the fake craft wit beer thats actually made by the large industrial brewer. Is she utilizing free choice? Only, perhaps, the sort thats found on the other end of highly engineered focus groups, somewhat deceptive marketing and advertising campaigns and wholesaler and retailer incentives. If you were able to see it from the inside, you might find it quite insidious. I have, and I do.

Fortunately, however, my dear friends, you have real choice in the great state of Idahonot just the stuff of marketing departments, but the liquid goodness of the craft brewers, within your very own state.

Now, Im well known for being a bit of a cantankerously outspoken craft beer zealot. Ever since I discovered that there was such an actual thing as real beer, I havent looked back. And Ive also been that guy next to countless people whove had the great misfortune to sit next to me on a barstool and order up something that demonstrated that they were only employing the illusion of free choice rather than actual real free choice. Yes, a simple beer decision can indeed offer up such insights. True, today some folks find it a delight to learn who this guy is next to them on the barstool, but thats only in more recent years. I still have more years when people thought I was nothing more than an over-opinionated crank. Actually, just this last week, I encountered someone who felt that way. Or perhaps more accurately, he encountered me.

No matter. The point I was so roundaboutly making waswell, I forgot actually. Such is the risk of going off on a tangent while sitting on a barstool. Or anywhere, pretty much, when the half-drained but quite nicely laced second pint is in hand.

Ah yes. I remember. I was talking about how you kids these days have it so great, but all the while the marketing departments at big corps are still successfully creating obfuscating brands that fool kind folk into making what they think is a choice of free will, as well as that in the beautiful state of Idaho, there are actual, real, honest-to-goodness, full-of-awesomeness choices for you that are produced by passionate artisanal brewers who are quite deserving of your attention. I might not have fully made that last point before trailing off previously, but I have now. And Ill stick by it.

Greg Koch, co-founder and CEO of Stone Brewing Company. Courtesy Stone Brewing Company.

Make no mistake: I love the fact that my beer is one of the quality choices you have to choose from in your local purveyor of finer libations. However, this is a book about Idaho craft beer, not some zealotry-driven cantankerous get-offa-mah-lawn craft brewer from San Diego. (The last part is a bit of a joke, however, as I dont really have a lawn, seeing as how San Diego is pretty much a desert climate and I prefer to save my water for drinking, making beer and, I suppose, the occasional Sunday bath.)

So, dear friends, Id like to close by pointing out that free choice is most easily made with the help of friends. Friends, and even the cantankerous zealot whom you may find you had the good fortune to sit next to at the bar, can help us to make informed, quality decisions. This here book in your hands is just such a friend. The more time you spend with it, the more you have the opportunity to soak up its wisdom and maybe, just maybe, go down your own road of joyful, informed and passionate zealotry.

And speaking of the zealot, next time youre bellied up to your favorite bar, look into the mirror on the back bar, and you might even find one day that hes sitting on your barstool. I hope I get a chance to sit next to you someday. Honestly, I think zealots, especially craft beer zealots, can be quite fun to while away a pint with.