Without intent, I have collected well over 1,000 beer bottles since the early 70s. When something finally had to be done about the cheap paneling in this old modular, I had a choice. Tear down the walls while, oh, so carefully, replacing the often rotted 1X3s. Or: cover them with The Bottle Collection.

Written by Ken Carman

We mentioned this brewer earlier, a few weeks ago. You remember: Cincy; brewed Jack Daniels Amber Lager. Hudepohl-Schoenling Brewing Co., now Christian Moerlein?

Cute little goat, green label. Probably a bit more Bock than Genessee or Miller: the Bocks I mentioned in another FBC. Not very hoppy at all but enough foam for most… which can be a problem with some Bocks. (Think surface tension vs. compelx malts/melanoidins/high abvs.) Once again I seem to remember it just kind of missed the mark and didn’t stand out at all. I think they were stuck in the rut that most American brewers qwere stuck in that lasted past the Depression and the late 1900s. They just couldn’t catch up with the trend back to something more tasty that fizz water. What they tried was always too moderated by those who thought America would go back to brewing hundreds of versions of the same beer as represented by Miller and AB.

I give them credit. But, to be honest, they needed to follow the Saranac product type of thinking rather than take baby steps and then step back when they found the brew water just a smidge too tasty.

Most of the American Bock beers disappeared for a while, and seem to be coming back. Even Genny is peaking it’s head out. Maybe Hudepohl is lucky. I’m not sure they’ll find the brew water as good sailing as they were when anyone like me was looking for something/anything.. (Apologies to Todd Rundgren, but it was the same era.) …other than the same old, same old, would buy a six and think, “Oh, at least that’s a bit different and more complex.”