November 2013
Repeal Day Press Conference Invitation
Thursday, December 5, 2013
11:00am
Location LOB Room 1D
December 5, 2013 marks 80 years since the end of prohibition that lead to the establishment of state-based regulations. In remembrance of this historic event, the Connecticut Beer Wholesalers Association (CBWA) is hosting a press event. We would be honored if you were able to attend. The press conference will begin at 11:00am at the Legislative Office Building. The purpose is to honor this time in our country's history; highlight the importance of Connecticut's regulatory system; hear personal stories from this generation's distributors about how their fathers and grandfathers began the first distributorships in Connecticut; learn about the importance of distributors in today's economy.
We hope that your schedule will allow you to join us on December 5th.
Brothers, Peter Gallo, Vice President of Star Distributors, Inc. (2008) and Rocky Gallo, Vice President of A. Gallo & Company (2013) took a moment during the busy days leading up to Thanksgiving to share their story as the third generation of Gallos serving the Connecticut Beer industry.
"Our father (Anthony J. Gallo, President of Star Distributors, Inc.) told us that the day we graduated high school was the day we could start working," shares Peter. "From that first day, through summers, school vacations, winter breaks and any free day we had, my brother and I worked every job in the plant. We had to become a jack-of-all-trades, earning respect, but more importantly... learning to respect the roles of each an every employee."
"We absolutely did," echoes Rocky. "My first paid day on the job I was 18-years old. It was 5:30 in the morning and my dad tossed me a hand truck with instructions to 'get to work.' That day, I delivered 600 cases of beer. As a result of those early years, I will never ask an employee to do anything I would not do myself."
Peter, Rocky and their dad, the iconic Tony Gallo, will be part of the many generations of beer wholesalers telling their story at the Repeal Day event taking place on December 5th in Hartford.
Michael Gallo, Sr. came to America from Italy when he was just nine years old. After graduating Bentley University he worked as a bookkeeper for a hat factory and moonlighted at the Rudy F. Baker Distributing Company in Danbury, CT. Michael eventually took over Baker's and, in 1937, A. Gallo Distributing Company formed. In 1981 Anthony Gallo purchased A. Gallo and with hard work and determination A. Gallo Distributing and Star Distributors merged in 1986.
"At the 50th anniversary of our founding...1986, David bought Goliath," shares Peter, referencing the A. Gallo's purchasing of Star Distributors. "As a result of this merger, our family-owned enterprise now serves 3 counties (Fairfield, New Haven and Litchfield) and provides good jobs for 275 residents."
"Our dad always tells us 'if you're not growing...you're probably dying," supports Rocky. "As a result of this well-instilled philosophy Peter and I have a passion for what we do and for our companies. Our family is going to be here...because we believe it's important to protect the jobs, the benefits and the many other families that count on us."
Join us in room 1D on December 5 at 11:00am to hear more of the Gallo story from all three generation as we mark the 80th anniversary of repeal day and celebrate the many contributions of the Connecticut Beer Industry.
Brewing a special beer for any holiday can enhance your enjoyment of it. With all the attention paid to the food at Thanksgiving, it's only natural to think about what kind of beer might go well with the turkey, stuffing, and other holiday favorites. You may wish to experiment and come up with an interesting beer especially for Thanksgiving. Coincidentally, several ingredients found in typical Thanksgiving dishes can be used for making beer. Let our recipe for pumpkin old ale grace your table this year.
Here is a recipe made with ingredients used in typical Thanksgiving dinners:
Pumpkin Beer Pumpkin Pie is a traditional Thanks-giving dessert. Pumpkins are the fruit of the pumpkin plant— their starches or sugars can provide extract for brewing. The best way to use pumpkins in brewing is to bake cubes of pumpkin flesh and stir them into your mash. To do this, cut the pumpkin open, scoop out the seeds and cut the pumpkin flesh into cubes.
Preheat your oven to 350 °F (177 °C) and spread the pumpkin cubes on a baking tray. Bake the cubes until they soften and their exteriors have browned. This will take between an hour to an hour and a half. Wait for the pumpkin cubes to cool to around mash temperature, and then stir them into your mash. Most pumpkin recipes are for ales and a single infusion mash works fine. Pumpkin fruit is about 90% water, but some of this is lost during baking making it somewhat confusing to figure out how to calculate how much water to add for a proper mash consistency. If you are an experienced all-grain brewer, the simplest way to "calculate" this is just to wing it. Other than perhaps stirring the mash a couple more times than you usually do, you don't need to do anything unusual once the baked pumpkin cubes are stirred into the mash. For brewers looking for a simpler option, canned pumpkin is also available (and that is the option used in the extract recipe). Read the label and use only cans containing 100% pumpkin. Baking the pumpkin develops the flavors of the pumpkin flesh, but what really makes people think of pumpkin pie are the spices. Pumpkin pie is typically spiced with cinnamon, ginger, allspice, and nutmeg. Most supermarkets carry premixed pumpkin pie spice, especially around Thanksgiving. A simple mix of 1 tsp cinnamon, 1/2 tsp ginger, 1/4 tsp nutmeg, and 1/4 tsp allspice works well in either pie or beer. Getting the right amount of spice in a beer can be tricky as the strength of spices varies. You can add the spice sometime during the boil, at knockout, or in secondary (either as raw spice or as an alcohol extract). In the recipe, the spices are added at knockout.
Keep in mind you can boost the amount in the keg (or bottling bucket), if you desire. Many pumpkin ales, including the commercial Buffalo Bill's Pumpkin Ale, are American pale ales with pumpkin and spices added. My recipe has pumpkin added to English old ale and is just a bit bigger and darker.
Rogo Distributors and Allan S. Goodman Support Foodshare’s 14th Annual “Turkey Tuesday”
East Harford, Connecticut - Rogo Distributors, a successful beer and beverage distributor in the Hartford area since 1976, is a division of Allan S. Goodman, Inc., a wine and spirits distributor doing business since 1933.
Rogo and Goodman are proud to announce their support for Foodshare's 14th annual "Turkey Tuesday". Foodshare supports the greater Hartford area in an effort to alleviate poverty and end hunger. "Turkey Tuesday" has become an integral part of Foodshare's Annual Turkey and Thirty Campaign where donors of turkeys are asked to give an additional gift of $30 to enable Foodshare to continue connecting local residents with the resources they need today to become more independent tomorrow.
Clem Sayers, Rogo Distributors, joined Brad Davis of WDRC-AM's Talk of Connecticut, on Tuesday to present Foodshare with a donation in the amount of $4,000. Rogo and Goodman each contributed $2,000 to this effort. The turkeys will be purchased from Miller Foods, a 50-year old Connecticut based, family owned and operated company.
Sayers stated, "On behalf of Rogo Distributors and Allan S. Goodman, we are honored to participate in "Turkey Tuesday" marking the second year that we have donated turkeys to support Connecticut families during the holiday season. So many of our neighbors are struggling. Many families are faced with very limited food budgets, and some are even going without. Foodshare makes a huge impact on the lives of families and seniors in our community to ensure that they enjoy a holiday meal."
Licensed Beverage Retailers Celebrate Independent Package Liquor Stores This November
American Beverage Licensees (ABL) and licensed beverage retailers throughout the country encourage their communities to celebrate the fourth annual Package Liquor Store Month this November. This growing tradition recognizes the contributions of the independently-owned neighborhood package liquor stores to the economy and their local communities.
"America's independent package stores provide an unparalleled variety of beer, wine and spirits products to consumers throughout the country," said John Bodnovich, ABL Executive Director. "Customers want to know more about not just what to buy, but where it comes from and how they can enjoy it in their homes and with friends. Package stores specialize in bringing brands' stories to life, whether they are part of the latest trend or a product that consumers know and love."
Despite the rising cost of small business ownership, from taxes to healthcare, package stores have a positive impact on their communities. As the economy continues to establish it's footing, off-premise beverage alcohol licensees are helping by annually creating over 465,000 jobs, more than $13 billion in wages and benefits, and $8 billion dollars in direct economic impact.
As the face of the beverage alcohol industry to the consumer, beverage retailers are invested in not only their businesses, but also their communities. It's estimated that of every dollar spent in a small business, over 52 cents of that is invested back in the local community, over three times the rate of local recirculation by a national chain.
"Locally-owned businesses are an essential part of the nation's economy," said Bodnovich. "They provide employment opportunities for local residents and reinvest in their communities. Supporting neighborhood businesses keeps our local economies diversified and healthier overall."
As "licensed" merchants, independent beverage retailers specialize in the proper sale of age-restricted products. Specially trained staff, accountability to regulators, and a focus on responsible retailing are fundamental examples of licensees' commitment to their communities.
As package liquor stores prepare for the busy holiday season, independent retailers encourage shoppers to choose to support local business. Consumers can help celebrate Package Liquor Store Month this November by visiting their neighborhood package store to find the perfect complement to their party, meal or home bar.
Did the Pilgrims land on Plymouth Rock because they ran out of beer?
When we were children, our parents and teachers would tell us all about the history and traditions of Thanksgiving that we celebrate today. Though the first football game was not actually played by the Pilgrims and Native Americans, the holiday tradition does extend back to a three-day feast in 1621 that commemorated the Pilgrims' first harvest on American soil. However, there are quite a few details that remain notoriously unmentioned, yet were integral parts of the Mayflower's journey and the crew's decision to land at Plymouth. Most significantly, the presence (and absence) of beer was much more important than we were ever led to believe.
Originally, the colonists' patent from the Virginia Company of London required them to establish a plantation between 38 and 41 degrees of latitude. Aiming for the northern boundary of that range, the original destination was the mouth of the Hudson River, roughly equivalent to the location of New York City today. However, due to a host of factors that had delayed the voyage, the Pilgrims decided to settle at the most promising location they could find immediately upon encountering the shoreline. In the words of William Bradford and Edward Winslow, as recounted in Mourt's Relation, "We could not now take time for further search or consideration, our victuals being much spent, especially our beer, and it being now the 19th of December." Finding a vacated spot of land which had been cleared a few years earlier by Native Americans was a welcome discovery; the settlement was called New Plymouth after the English town that the Mayflower had set sail from. The beer only lasted until Christmas, but its influence has a permanent spot in American history.
Is it true the Mayflower landed at Plymouth, Massachusetts in 1620 because the ship ran out of beer? Barrels of beer were the most voluminous and important item in the hold because water couldn't stay drinkable on a ship for that long.
