Who Owns You?

     So I'm at a Black Keys concert at Bank One Arena in downtown Cincinnati. My first move as I enter the arena is to get in position at the beer line. Oh no!, "only Coors or Coors Light in this line, sir".  I waste another few minutes of the opening act performance, which I end up missing completely, to get into line again. Very large cans of Hudepohl is what I am after this time!  Never had it before, but everyone around me seemed to be in great anticipation. The can had magnificent lettering as it filled my plastic cup. The server threw the can away before I could obtain any real information about the contents however, so I met up with the gang at our seats and "prepared" ourselves for the show.
    I asked my friend Margo what she thought of the beer and she paused for a moment. Before she could answer I said "It's terrible, isn't it"?!  She full heartily agreed but it was too late for a replacement, The Black Keys were beginning what would be a great show.
     A few weeks later I was invited to a book signing/ beer tasting at Main Street Books and Martini's in Mansfield Ohio. Rick Armon was in town to talk beer and to promote his new book "Ohio Breweries". Along for the ride was Jared, assistant brewer at Mt. Carmel Brewing of Cincinnati. They each had very interesting information about the current state of craft brewing in Ohio. Rick spoke mainly about the four months on the road, visiting the 49 breweries in the state and Jared shared his experiences as a brewer in a popular start up brewery, which still maintains production at a family farm. I then drifted next door to Martini's with a new copy of Armon's book (Thank You Catherine!) and enjoyed some great samples from Thirsty Dog Brewing and Mt. Carmel Brewing.
   "Ohio Breweries" is definitely not a book about the history of craft beer in Ohio. It focuses more on the current active breweries in the state. Even the large breweries which produce millions of barrels of beer each year are described without bias.  I was reading about one these breweries, Boston Beer Company, when I noticed something strange.  Boston Beer Co., which produces Samuel Adams, has been brewing Hudepohl at it's Cincinnati location since 1997, when it bought out Schoenling/Hudepohl Brewing.  I guess you never really know who makes the product that you are consuming. Hudepohl is an iconic name in Cincy and I guess we should commend Boston Beer for keeping it on the store shelves.