Archive | May, 2010

Newcastle Geordie Schooner

31 May

WTF is a Geordie Schooner? That was my first thought when a package from Newcastle arrived with a CD, glass, and a bottle of Newcastle. It turns out the Geordie is the glass. From the press release:

Originally called the Wellington glass, it became so popular in the city of Newcastle that it was renamed the Geordie Schooner – a tribute to the local residents nicknamed “Geordies.” The city of Newcastle’s bartenders continue to serve Newcastle Brown Ale in the same glass, and now beer drinkers stateside can appreciate the tradition.

The Geordie Schooner’s style is designed to enhance the draught beer experience, creating a unique pour that highlights the beer’s incredibly smooth flavor. The robust glass shape is as functional as it is good looking. The wide rim traps the rich, caramel aromas, thereby enhancing the flavor. The Schooner’s nucleated bottom features an etched star that allows CO2 bubbles to escape out of the ale, retaining the creamy foam head to create a refreshing and lively taste until you reach the bottom of the glass.

Mine must have gone through the Ace Ventura treatment because it arrived a bit broken:

Newcastle Geordie Schooner

That didn’t stop me from pouring a chilled Newcastle in it though:

Newcastle Geordie Schooner

According to the release, this glass will show up in select bars and restaurants in the US (not sure about other countries) in a 16 and 20 ounce version.

In case you’re wondering what a “nucleated bottom” looks like, here’s the star etched in the bottom:

Newcastle Geordie Schooner

Has anyone seen this in the wild anywhere yet?

Beer Newb's 5 Things You Can Do to Celebrate American Craft Beer Week

23 May

As you can tell from my posting frequency, I haven’t been keeping up very well with the world of beer. As such, I hadn’t seen Beer Newb yet. It was brought to my attention by my friend Sean who took the photo they are using in their article 5 Things You Can Do to Celebrate American Craft Beer Week. That’s me, second from the left :-)