Beer Wars Movie

BUY IT NOW ON DVD!

If you can see this message, you are likely using an outdated browser to view this website. We highly recommend you update your browser to either Internet Explorer 7 from Microsoft or Firefox, which will enable you to enjoy safer web browsing and allow you to better view the contents of this website. Please contact us for any additional information.

Nov
11

Sticks and Stones

When you make a film, you steel yourself for reviews. You know intellectually that not everyone will be a fan. Like real life, most documentaries are flawed. Your characters aren’t make believe. There’s no script for them to follow. You can’t just make shit up.

And indeed, as expected there have been 2 kinds of reviews – love and hate. Luckily, for my emotional well-being, the positive reviews run at 75%. I’m happy with that. Especially when they come from film critics whose opinions I respect.
Read the rest of this entry »

FILED UNDER: Reviews

Oct
14

The Latest David and Goliath Saga in the Beer Wars

I just got off the phone with Matt Nadeau of Vermont’s Rock Art Brewery. I’ve been following the story of Matt’s fight to keep the rights to his Vermonster beer. For those of you that don’t know the story, it’s one that is unfortunately becoming all too familiar. Big corporation (in this case, Hansen Beverage Company, makers of Monster energy drink) going after a small entrepreneur (Rock Art) over the right to trademark a name (Vermonster). Read and watch more about this ludicrous story:
Read the rest of this entry »

FILED UNDER: News

Sep
4

2 Thumbs Up

I like the company we’re keeping… My turn to see Inglourious Basterds this weekend.

From today’s USA Today “Pop Candy”:

Best movie I watched: The last couple weeks have been a wonderful blur because of my vacation, but I thought Inglourious Basterds was just fantastic. I also saw Beer Wars, the documentary about independent breweries. I’ve always been pretty picky about what I drink, but this film really makes you think about the industry.

FILED UNDER: General

Aug
27

Aug
5

Craft Beer on TV

On Friday I met with yet another craft beer enthusiast who wants his own craft beer show on TV. Since I starting making the film, I’ve been approached by at least a dozen folks who want to do the same. What surprises me isn’t that everyone has the same idea (a TV show about travels to breweries and bars in search of great beers) or that no one has any TV experience but that there is no forethought about why a TV network would be interested. Read the rest of this entry »

FILED UNDER: General

Jul
31

What I learned from the White House Beer Summit

The mainstream media knows absolutely nothing about who makes what beer.
The same media didn’t understand why craft brewers were upset over the beer choices, especially Bud Light (see #1).
Most Americans didn’t care about the beers themselves.
Some Americans did care about who made the beers.
Many of the small brewers who made media appearances used it as an opportunity to promote their own breweries as opposed to the community.
There wasn’t much opposition to the idea of the BEER Summit from the anti-alcohol folks.
The story was played out as soon as the beer choices were revealed.
It was a one-note story that didn’t lead to a bigger conversation. Yawn.

FILED UNDER: General, News

Jun
26

Does Size Matter?

I just read this comment about the trailer on YouTube : “This is such propaganda! Why is Jim Koch talking about his products when everyone knows that most of the Sam Adams line is contract brewed by Miller. In addition, he is one of the largest brewers in the country. I personally like a lot of different styles of beer, and I think it is up to the consumer as to what they drink. You can’t sit here and tell me that every micro brew out there would not like to sell more of their product! The elitist attitudes will destroy the craft beer movement.”

Wow. This guy is certainly passionate. And some of his comments were echoed by people I met at screenings and panels over the past few weeks.

One thing is certain. There is no singular craft beer enthusiast. And perceptions vary widely.
Read the rest of this entry »

FILED UNDER: Community, Events, General

Jun
16

Beer Gift Ideas for Father’s Day

Need a last minute gift for dad? How about something beer related? Sure, you can buy him a six-pack at the store but if you want to get more creative, here are some ideas…

Gift baskets like the “Drinky Stinky Cigars & Brews” or the “Golf & Beer Gift Basket” or the perfectly named “Arrogant Bastard Beer Gift”
A membership in the Beer of the Month Club. You can customize this from 2-12 months. 12 microbrews arrive each month. This is the gift that keeps on giving.
If your dad is the DIY type, how about an entry-level homebrewing kit?
If dad’s a “foodie” then he may enjoy Garrett Oliver’s The Brewmaster’s Table : Discovering the Pleasures of Real Beer with Real Food
If dad’s a history buff, I recommend Maureen Ogle’s Ambitious Brew: The Story of American Beer
If dad is into lists, 300 Beers to Try Before You Die! by Roger Protz
For the craft beer fanatic, how about a subscription to BeerAdvocate Magazine?
Even macho men may appreciate Dogfish Head Shampoo Bar or Dogfish Head Lip Balm Festina Peche
While I have no affiliation with any of the above, I can’t help but recommend the newly released Beer Wars DVD.

And feel free to suggest your own. Just add a comment.

FILED UNDER: DVD, Just for Fun

Jun
12

DVD Release

I couldn’t sleep last night. From excitement and anticipation. And fear. While I’ve had a long and eclectic career, I’ve never created a physical product before. And now, I’m about to see my first Beer Wars DVD all packaged up and ready to ship.

And being the eternal optimist, I have 10,000 of them! But please, don’t ask me for freebies. This has been a long road. What many people don’t realize is that I financed Beer Wars with my “house money” and my passion.

So for me, it is and always will be about broadening the conversation we have to include not only the beer industry but also the future of the American Dream and entrepreneurship. But I have to say that I also see this as a time to replenish the bank account and finally get paid for all the hard work I put into making this film.

Thanks for your support. And please, help spread the word. I can’t emphasize enough how I can’t do this alone.

FILED UNDER: DVD

Jun
10

Taking the Show on the Road

I’m excited to take Beer Wars out to Texas this weekend and Boston the next. This will be my first opportunity to interact directly with theater audiences which is a great opportunity to actually have a conversation.

I’m looking forward to joining Greg Koch (Stone) in Austin, Claus Hagelman (Dogfish Head) in Houston, and to finally meeting Brock Wagner (St. Arnold) in San Antonio, all at the Alamo Drafthouse who have been waiting patiently for the film’s release for quite a while. I’m expecting the Q&A to be quite lively and I look forward to hearing what’s on people’s minds and sharing my experiences and perspective on the issues. Read the rest of this entry »

FILED UNDER: Community, Events, News