A sad, sad day.

[Who is John Malt?]

http://www.cnn.com/2006/US/10/03/hops.fire.ap/index.html

A moment of silence is in order...

[GooberMcNutly]

I will go out this weekend and buy a big bagie to get me through the coming dry spell.

"pungent aroma" indeed!

[DannyW]

Many of us have made beer with smoked malt, maybe its time to try smoked hops?

[calpete]

Not that we really need more federal legislation, but shouldn't the safety of our national hop supply be considered a matter of urgent national security?! This tragedy demands a Congressional inquiry! (If nothing else, it might be rather amusing to watch our politcos awkwardly try to demonstrate their Beer IQ, or to see the guys from Stone give testimony on C-SPAN.)

[Kaiser]

Interesting to note that the writer doesn't consider ales a kind of beer:

"... used as flavoring in the brewing of beer and ale."

Kai

[Geistbier]

great catch Kai.

[Bugeater]

Not that we really need more federal legislation, but shouldn't the safety of our national hop supply be considered a matter of urgent national security?! This tragedy demands a Congressional inquiry! (If nothing else, it might be rather amusing to watch our politcos awkwardly try to demonstrate their Beer IQ, or to see the guys from Stone give testimony on C-SPAN.)

You aren't the first to come up with such an idea. Back about 1810 president James Madison was concerned about the shortage of domestic beer and our dependence upon imported beer (this sound sort of familiar?). Anyway, he appointed a commision, headed up by Thomas Jefferson, to look into the establishment of a National Brewery to ensure a constant supply of beer. However, the commisions work was interrupted by the War of 1812 and by the time the war was over enough domestic breweries had been established that the idea of a government run brewery was dropped.

Can you imagine how bad government beer would taste?

Wayne
Bugeater Brewing Company