Lovullopalooza!

Dennis Zenteck, co-founder of dba, passed away two weeks ago, leaving the NYC beer industry in a state of shock. We were still recovering from the sudden death of his partner, Ray Dieter, and now this happens. Our hearts go out to Dennis’s family and friends, as well as to the dba family he helped create. When Dennis and Ray opened dba twenty years ago, New York City didn’t have much of a beer scene. Their iconic beer bar, with its simple motto, “Drink Good Stuff,” kicked off a movement that continues today, and we all owe a lot to their vision. Next Weds, April 16th, at 4pm, there will be a Memorial service for Dennis at Marble Cemetery, around the corner from dba. Details are on their Facebook page.

This coming Weds (the 16th) also happens to be the Tiger’s annual celebration of Mike Lovullo’s birthday, an event known as Lovullopalooza. One of the more passionate people in the world of craft beer, Mike spends the entire year gathering an incredible list of 28 rare kegs, harassing his favorite brewers as only he can, until they send him what he wants. This is a chance to taste some amazing liquid, and watch one of our favorite people fall apart at the seams. Festivities begin at 3pm. If you want to wish Mike a happy birthday, I suggest you come on the early side – by 8pm he’ll be even more passionate and less intelligible than usual, until he finally reaches an ecstatic state rarely seen outside of evangelical churches.

This week, Katherine and I – along with Jen Schwertman – have been at the Craft Brewer’s Conference in Denver, celebrating another record year for our industry. While Bud and Miller/Coors are both down 10% over the last 5 years, craft beer has nearly doubled, and is up 18% this year alone. By 2015, we’ll have 3000 breweries in this country, with another 1800 in planning. This kind of explosive growth is happening because passionate people like Dennis Zenteck and Mike Lovullo have put their hearts and souls into the simple idea that we should all be drinking good stuff – a motto that began in the East Village, and is now embraced by millions.

Thanks Dennis, we’ll miss you dearly. And Mike – let me be the first to wish you a very happy birthday.

-Dave

The List:

Maine Beer Company Zoe
Maine Beer Company Mean Old Tom
Maine Beer Company Weez
Maine Beer Company Another One
Maine Beer Company Dinner
Maine Beer Company Red Wheelbarrow
llagash Jumeau
Allagash Avance
Firestone Walker 14th Anniversary
Firestone Walker 15th Anniversary
Midnight Sun Arctic Devil
Bruery Sour in the Rye
Alvinne Melchior in Calvados
BFM Procrastinator Batch #2
Hitachino Dai Dai
Dieu du Ciel Équinoxe du Printemps
De Molen/Tired Hands Black IPA w/ Brett
Grimm Double Negative
508 Way of the Sam-’o-Rye
Sierra Single Hop Experiment
Peekskill Amazeballs
Carton Coma Black Pepper Saison
Smuttynose 2010 Wheat Wine
Single Cut Nitro ESB
Victory White Monkey
Ommegang Fire & Blood
Jolly Pumpkin Y Saison

Cask:

Barrier Ruckus w/ Mangos
Carton Don’t Panic ESB
Flying Dog Mint Chocolate Stout (Gravity)

Upcoming Events:

Tuesday, 4/29 at 3pm: Raising the Bar
Wednesday, 4/30 at 3pm: Brooklyn Brewery