Somebody did an article a few years ago about microbrews with a railroad theme. It might be interesting to work with your local brewery on a themed beer relating to your organization or equipment, even better to expand it into an event such as are being described in this thread.

Now, what about a beer brewed using steam generated from your locomotive's boiler?

dave

I will most happily refer you to the book Brewery Railways by Ian P. Peaty (David & Charles, 1985) which recounts fourteen other breweries and/or malthouses in England with their own railway systems and/or locomotives, including but not limited to Bass, Allsopp, Benskins Watford, Oakhill of Somerset, Wrexham Lager, and Mitchell & Butler. In addition, Burton-on-Trent was such a mess of breweries that an additional ten breweries were heavily served by a joint railway system that included some of the above breweries. And I will point out that Coors has its own in-plant railroad in Golden, Colorado; Anheuser-Busch owned and operated the Manufacturers Railway in St. Louis that shut down just weeks ago; Yuengling is served by the Reading & Northern; and even North Coast Brewing of Fort Bragg, Ca. is sending beer to its New Jersey distributor via refrigerated box cars these days.



Railfan & Railroad Magazine, two separate installments a couple years apart. Gee, I wonder who that guest columnist for Jim Porterfield was? [whistles not-so-innocently]



There are already several: Old No. 38 Stout from North Coast Brewing in Fort Bragg was originally named "Old No. 45" for the California Western #45 across the street, but lawyers were afraid of Colt 45 filing a lawsuit: http://www.northcoastbrewing.com/beer-38.htm There's also Steam Engine Lager from Steamworks Brewing in Durango: http://www.steamworksbrewing.com/main/d ... gine_Lager



Not gonna happen. The water would taste awful. At best, you could use such steam to heat the water used to boil the wort........ but it would be a royal pain, even for a one-off beer.

Sandy, Coors may have a railroad but I wouldn't call their product beer. Bear in mind all the sewer treatment plants in Clear Creek County are upstream of the plant.

dave

Dave, those of us who call Colorado home do not appreciate your smart-ass comment. PS. I volunteer at the Colorado Railroad Museum, right across the road from the Coors plant in Golden, and Coors has been of invaluable support to us over the years.

Mike

They must be doing it by a reload at Lombard - the NWP has been embargoed for years.

It is about ready to reopen to Windsor (near Santa Rosa), but the connection (at Willits) to Fort Bragg is still years in the future, alas.

I lived in Colorado and Clear Creek County for many years, Mike. I know of what I write, I assure you. Your area is rife with real beer, not dirty water, if you are just willing to spend a bit more for quality and from local brewers as well. Nothing but respect for good Colorado brews.

dave

I'll take some New Belgium Ranger please.

Alexander,

What a great story- thanks for posting the photos and links. Man, that would be pretty much my dream vacation.


That certainly seems to be the case with many American craft brews. Thankfully they're not all that way- speaking of which, I'm kind of thirsty right now...

New Belgium's first brewery was in the former UP Fort Collins, Co. depot, as I recall; it's now a restaurant......