Updated 8/24/2010

It's Great American Beer Festival time again.  From September 16th to 18th we McKenzie brewers will be in Denver pouring our beers along side the finest in this country.  It is always an amazing spectacle to see how big craft beer has become to our American lives.  As a kid I can remember knowing only that good beer came from somewhere in Europe.  Walking into the Colorado Convention center for the first time every year is always an awe inspiring feeling and somewhat overwhelming feeling.  It is hard not to feel like McKenzie beer is but a small drop in a huge and delicious bucket.

Our response it to bring out the big guns.  Our Saison Vautour has won two gold medals at the festival in the last three years.  Our Biere de Garde is coming of a first place finish at the Philadelphia Inquirer's recent Brew-vitational.  Rounded out the list of beers we will be pouring and submitting at the festival are three barrel age beauties.  Our Tristessa is a Belgian-esque IPA with the lip smacking acidity of our house funk.  We are introducing the world to our St.  Romain Strong, a Barleywine that spent a year and half in wine barrels and will be available in bottles this fall.  And finally, Oer Faulte is a huge sour ale with giant fruits and plenty of dark malty depth.  (Also available in bottles come the fall.)   Gerard and I both agree that win or lose we will be happy to be pouring these beers for the world.

Have no fear.  Gerard and I will will be back in time for our annual McKenzie-fest and we have big things planned.   I happen to be as German- American as German-  ,Americans come, but in the true spirit of what can be both German and American be are going to apologize respectively to my family and the the fine folks rooting for Germany beside me during World Cup time for our Anti- Reinheitsgebot (anti old fashion beer purity law) beer dinner.  The beers will include Oktoberfest, Pumpkinfest, Krugbier our wonderful Oer Faulte and the original La Faulte all brewed with a bit of the unusual and served with great German food under the stars at McKenzie Malvern.  It will be September 30, and you probably shouldn't  miss it.

Ryan Michaels

Head Brewer