WVIZ (Channel 25) is turning its attention to beer.
Applause, an arts and culture program, will examine the history of beer making in Cleveland at 7:30 p.m. Thursday.
The show, hosted by Dee Perry, includes interviews with author and beer historian Robert Musson, Great Lakes Brewing Co. co-owner Pat Conway, and me. It explores the history of beer in the city and touches on the current rise of craft breweries. Another feature will focus on Cleveland’s Hermit Club, which will house the new Hofbrauhaus brewpub.
The program will repeat at 4 p.m. Saturday and 12:30 p.m. Sunday.
Winter Warmer tickets
Tickets are on sale now for the eighth annual Winter Warmer Fest, an annual fundraiser for the Ohio Craft Brewers Association.
The event is 2 to 6 p.m. March 1 at Windows on the River in Cleveland. The festival features winter and limited edition brews. The brewery and beer lineup will likely be released after the first of the year.
Tickets are $45 and include a souvenir glass, 20 tasting tickets for four-ounce samples, and entertainment by blues artist Austin Walkin’ Cane. Designated driver tickets are $12 and include a non-alcoholic beverage. Food trucks will also participate.
Tickets can be purchased at http://winterwarmerfest.brownpapertickets.com/.
New Belgium, old Belgium
McNulty’s Bier Markt, 1948 W. 25th St., Cleveland, will host a kickoff event for New Belgium Brewing at 4:30 p.m. Dec. 16.
The Belgian beer bar is billing the event as “New Belgium Meets Old Belgium.”
The Bier Markt will have Fat Tire, Ranger IPA and Accumulation White IPA on draft. It also will have large bottles from New Belgium’s Lips of Faith sour series.
New Belgium, of Fort Collins, Colo., is the third-largest craft brewer in the U.S. It is entering the Ohio market for the first time this month.
Hot water
Quebec brewery Le Corsaire finds itself in hot water with a women’s group over beer names such as The Hooker and La Tite Pute (the Little Slut).
If that weren’t enough, the label for The Parrot shows a naked woman in a birdcage.
“The name La Tite Pute disgusts me,” the head of Quebec’s Council on the Status of Women told CBC News.
Craft beer equals sales
A new study shows how important craft beer is to the restaurant industry.
More than half of consumers (56 percent) agree that it is important for a restaurant or bar to offer a wide variety of craft beers, and half (49 percent) say they will go to a particular establishment because of its craft beer selection, according to a recent survey done by Chicago-based Technomic.
Rick Armon can be reached at 330-996-3569 or rarmon@thebeaconjournal.com. Read his beer blog at www.ohio.com/beer. Follow him on Twitter at @armonrick.