Local beer festivals (Part 1) ► Ramat Gan & Kfar Saba

 My more veteran readers may remember that there was a time I tried to report on every little local beer festival that was taking place around the country.  Drove me a little crazy so I stopped.  

Last summer, because of the coronavirus, there were no beer festivals in Israel but they're back this year.  I'm not about to go chasing after every little announcement of a "beer festival," but if I hear about them in time, I'll let you know the dates.  They are basically organized anyway by the same two or three companies, with the beer provided by one of the two or three agencies which distribute their portfolio of local and foreign beers.

They all have much the same components, so if I mention them once you can assume your local festival will have the same.

        ● Free entry (18 or older)

        ● Dozens of different local and foreign beers for sale.

        ● Food stands and food trucks.

        ● Live music in most cases.

        ● Places to sit and eat.

        ● Always a good idea to get there early and use public transportation.  

Ramat Gan Beer Festival

Wednesday, June 30 (6:00 - 11:00 p.m.) and Thursday, July 1 (6:00 p.m. - 1:00 a.m.)

Shnitzer Compound (near the Borsa)

Facebook link: https://www.facebook.com/events/341792270817611 

Kfar Saba Beer Festival

Wednesday, July 21 and Thursday, July 22 (opening each night at 6:00 p.m.)  

Facebook link:  https://www.facebook.com/events/523859309028818?acontext=%7B%22event_action_history%22%3A[%7B%22mechanism%22%3A%22search_results%22%2C%22surface%22%3A%22search%22%7D]%2C%22ref_notif_type%22%3Anull%7D

Corroborating the collaborations: Kabir and Beral'e

Israeli craft breweries, while more collegial than competitive, have not done many collaboration beers.  That's when two or more breweries bring together their ideas and talents, abilities and facilities, to produce a jointly made beer.

In the greater world of micro-breweries, beyond the borders of Israel, collab beers are very popular, a sub-category which attracts the attention and affection of many craft beer lovers.  The collab beers themselves are not always better than the products of the individual breweries, but they always have a story which inspires the imagination and intrigues the taste buds.  

A few Israeli breweries have collaborated with their foreign counterparts to make collab beers, beginning with Herzl Brewery in 2016, with a German craft brewery.  Then there was Dancing Camel with another German brewery or two, and Alexander with Mikkeller.  

If we can collaborate with foreigners, why can't we among ourselves?

Kabir, the collaboration brew between 
The Hero and The Super-Heroes,
has an Israeli super-hero on the label,
along with an armored car used in the 
War of Independence.

Well, we are.  It was with some fanfare that not one, but two Israeli collaboration beers have been brewed recently.

The first is Kabir, a Czech-style Pilsner, introduced for Israel Independence Day -- a joint venture of Six-Pack Brewing (Super-Heroes Beer) and HaGibor ("The Hero").  What do you get when the Hero and the Super-Heroes combine their powers?  A heroic beer!

Kabir means "great" in Hebrew and Arabic and was the name of a brewery opened in 1942 in Bat Yam.  Although Pilsner is not a very usual choice for craft breweries, it was the style most preferred by British and Australian soldiers during the Mandate period.   The brewery site later became a post used by the Hagana (Jewish forces) during the War of Independence -- explaining why the beer was introduced for Independence Day.

Symbol of the Hagana,
the pre-independence
Jewish forces.

Eyal Noam, a brother/partner in Six-Pack Brewing, explained that they, "wanted to make a collab beer to recall the unity in difficult times, when Israel was struggling to establish a state.  We found the ideal partners with HaGibor owner Eran Grunwald and Brewmaster Omri Zilberman, and together we developed the beer." 

Any beer being called a Czech Pilsner (the "original" Pilsner) should be well balanced with bready, biscuity malts and spicy hops.  The finish should be clean and crisp.

Kabir measures up.  A slightly hazy, golden-yellow color, it's topped with a thin head that leaves decorative lacing on the glass.  My drinking partner Moshe and I got fresh smells of yeasty bread and grass, along with some citrus.  The taste was malty, punctuated with lemongrass and pepper spice.  Moshe found some peach flavor in there as well.  The body is on the light side, good for a Pilsner, and the alcohol by volume is also a moderate 4.8% -- just right when having more than one.  

Kabir is a well-made and balanced Pilsner lager.  Whether you're familiar with the style or not, here's your chance to try an excellent Israeli-made version.  I hope that the Hero and the Super-Heroes can continue their collaborative efforts to give us more such fine beers.

The visage of Berl Katznelson, one of the 
founders of Labor Zionism, is on the label of
Beral'e, a collaboration beer from
HaDubim Brewery and Chalutz Chadash. 

The other collab beer is called Beral'e, a Brown IPA, a joint effort between HaDubim Brewery ("The Bears") and Chalutz Chadash ("New Pioneer"), the specialty beers made by Gilad Ne-Eman of Beersheva.  Beral'e is brewed at the BeerBazaar Brewery in Kiryat Gat.

Beral'e was the nickname of Berl Katznelson (1887-1944), farmer, journalist, editor and one of the intellectual founders of Labor Zionism.  His portrait gazes out from the label.  

Brown IPA is a recognized beer style, but I believe this is the first brewed in Israel.  Four hops were used in this beer: Hallertau Magnum, Amarillo, Citra and Simcoe.  The brewing guidelines say we should expect the bitter hoppiness of an American IPA, combined with malt flavors associated with American Brown Ale: Caramel, chocolate, toffee and/or dark fruit.  

Beral'e pours out a dark amber to brown color, slightly hazy, very bubbly with a fast dissipating head.  Pine, citrus and roasted malt were in the aromas, but in a sweet way.  The taste was very bitter (according to the label, 35 IBUs -- International Bitterness Units), and the flavors were redolent with grapefruit, some bread and chocolate.  The mouthfeel is pretty thick, astringent, with the carbonation exceeding the creaminess.  Alcohol is 6.1%.      

As far as I'm concerned, Beral'e pulls off the IPA-Brown Ale hybrid in an excellent fashion.  You get both sides, and you get them distinct and clear and delicious.

So, if Kabir and Beral'e are what we can expect from inter-Israeli collaboration beers, bring 'em on!       

In industry first, Tempo purchases Shapiro craft beer brewery

Tempo execs on the left; Shapiro family on the right:
Negotiating an industry first in Israel. 

Tempo Beer Industries in Netanya has purchased the Shapiro Brewery in Beit Shemesh, a family-owned business and one of the leading Israeli craft breweries since 2011.  Tempo is the larger of Israel's two industrial breweries, with brands including Goldstar, Maccabee, Nesher and Heineken, plus wines, soft drinks and many imported beverages.  

This acquisition marks the first time that an Israeli craft brewery has been purchased by a major industrial brewer.  Tempo obtained a 51% share of the Shapiro Brewery.  

Itzik Shapiro, president of the brewery and one of the three brothers and one sister involved in the administration, announced that the brewery "will continue to do what we have until now, but we are now able to realize our plans and our new projects sooner than we could have imagined."

Two-thirds of the Shapiro siblings:
(from left) Avi, Itzik, Tamar, Dani.

It's understood that the merger will benefit Tempo by adding a respected and quality craft beer to their portfolio, and will give Shapiro access to Tempo's vast distribution network of over 11,000 points of sale in Israel.  Tempo will also be making undisclosed investments in the Shapiro Brewery, aimed at growing the production and fostering new projects.

The possibility of export sales was also hinted at by Dani Shapiro, VP of the Shapiro Brewery, when he noted that the Tempo-Shapiro mutual vision now includes making Shapiro, "a leading craft brewer in our region."

Dani Shapiro added that the purchase was a "mutual initiative."  The brewery, he revealed, "was interested for years in how Tempo was going to respond to the craft industry, and I'm sure Tempo themselves had their eyes open to what was going on here.  Both sides showed a keen interest, and I assume the industry reached a point which made this relationship possible." 

Shapiro Brewery President Itzik Shapiro
mans the taps at the Jerusalem Beer Festival.

In North America and Europe, such acquisitions in the past have sometimes led to the complete absorption of the craft brewery into the industrial giant.  In these cases, the craft management and brewers were eventually pensioned off, and even the production of the beer, or most of it, was moved to the parent brewery.  All that was left of the craft beer was the brand name.  

Dani stressed that this would not be the case in the Tempo-Shapiro deal.  Shapiro's management and brewing team, he said, will not be changed because of this acquisition, and "all production will remain at the Shapiro Brewery both immediately and long-term.

"Both sides have a deep understanding," he continued, "that we complement each other's strengths.  Tempo excels in producing and distributing beer on a high volume, commercial level, and we excel in producing craft beers.  We will continue to do what we're best at, and Tempo will be there to enhance and expedite our capabilities as a craft brewery."

Shapiro beers, both the core brews and the seasonal ones, are highly esteemed by Israeli beer lovers of all ages.  Their consistent quality attests to the professionalism of the management and the very talented brewing team.  We hope that this continues -- and even improves -- as Shapiro begins this new phase in the brewery's growth and development.         

With Herzl Brewery's move to larger facilities, Hatch takes over in Talpiot

Ephraim Greenblatt (center), owner of the
Hatch Brewery in Jerusalem, poses with
brewers Yisrael Atlow (right) and Mendel Shneider.
(Photo: Mike Horton)

Hatch Brewery, owned and directed by the indefatigable Ephraim Greenblatt, has taken a major commercial step by renting the location that housed the original Herzl Brewery in Jerusalem, located in the Talpiot Industrial Zone.  The facilities have been upgraded with larger and more modern equipment, including an instantaneous water heater and reverse osmosis water filter. 

[The original article about Ephraim and Hatch can be read here.] 

Ephraim, 32, was eager to talk with me about his ambitious plans for the brewery.  "We have two core values," he declares.  "The first is a commitment to beer of the highest quality, and our new equipment demonstrates this."  

A general view of the Hatch Brewery in
Jerusalem's Talpiot Industrial Zone.
(Photo: Mike Horton)

When I visited the brewery with photographer Mike Horton, Ephraim and his staff were taste-testing two different versions of an IPA they had recently brewed.  Even though the beers were very similar, the tasters reached a consensus on which was better.  This choice would become Hatch's regular IPA.

"These sessions are very valuable," Ephraim told me.  "We are constantly improving our beers.  'Tomorrow's beer,' we say, 'will be better than today's.'"        

"The second value is to create an experience for Hatch beer customers to feel connected to:

Stairway to the beer:
The old blogger joins
Yisrael Atlow (left) and 
Ephraim Greenblatt at the 
Hatch Brewery in Jerusalem. 
(Photo: Mike Horton)

1) Our place -- the Hatch Brewery.

2) Our people -- the brewers.

3) Our values -- our efforts to give them the finest beer they can buy."

Research has shown that one of the main attractions and selling points of craft beer is the bond that micro-breweries form with their customers. Beer drinkers enjoy feeling that "♪ This brand is my beer!♫"  They get to know the back story of the brewery -- its brand personality -- the lives of the brewers, and the details of each beer.  

"This is the relationship we are trying to build with our customers," Ephraim explains.

Hatch beers are now sold at the two Jerusalem restaurants owned by Ephraim (Hatch in the Machane Yehuda market and Shmaltz in Ramat Eshkol), as well as the major beer specialty stores: Birateinu in Jerusalem, Beer & Beyond in Tel Aviv, Biguns in Karkur, and Beer House in Beersheva.  Hatch is also designing a website for direct orders so people from all over Israel can buy their beers.

"We also do contract brewing for other brewers," Ephraim adds.  "Further down the road, we would like to use the area around the brewery as a tap room and restaurant on Thursday nights and Fridays.

Even the water can be formulated as needed
for the different styles of beer:
The new reverse osmosis water filter at the 
Hatch Brewery in Jerusalem.
(Photo: Mike Horton)

"Though there haven't been any beer festivals in Israel for more than a year, we would like to take part in as many 'quality' festivals as we can as soon as they begin.  This is very important for us to reach a wide pubic.

"In fact, I don't rule out organizing our own beer festival with other brewers invited."  

The day-to-day brewing at Hatch is overseen by Yisrael Atlow, 27, an Israeli brewer with experience in Australia, and assisted by Mendel Shneider.  26-year-old Mendel immigrated to Israel recently with a Brooklyn yeshiva education.  Ephraim hired him and trained him as a brewer -- providing him with the tools for a promising career.

"We are currently brewing six core beers," Yisrael said, "plus some limited and seasonal issues."    

In no particular order, these are the Hatch beers which are available as of this writing:

Core beers:

Some, not all, of the Hatch beers
available in the beer specialty stores.
(Photo: Mike Horton)

Pacific Ale -- A pale ale which Yisrael says is his homage to the beach in Melbourne, Australia.  It is indeed suitable for the beach: Crisp and refreshing, mid-bitter, with subdued tropical and citrus fruit flavors.  5.2% alcohol by volume.

Beerless Beer -- So named because it's made without hops.  Technically a Berliner Weiss, on the spectrum of sour beers, but actually not very sour.  Some bread and caramel in the taste, and very smooth drinking.  4.1% ABV. 

Billow -- A wheat ale (Hefeweizen), aromas of bread and yeast, with moderate wheat beer spice tastes.  Dry, bitter finish.  4.9% ABV.  

IPA -- The Hatch interpretation of an American IPA.  Hoppy and bitter, citrus aromas and tastes, with orange up front.

Balance -- An American Amber Ale, 5.6% ABV, dark amber color, defined by chocolate and malt flavors.

Fanatical Stout -- A dry stout with a smooth, full body.  Chocolate and roasted malt are the dominant tastes here, with some coffee and brown sugar.     

No one has beer on the brain more than
Ephraim Greenblatt, owner of the Hatch Brewery 
and restaurants in Jerusalem.
(Photo: Mike Horton)  

Seasonal brews:

Bikurim -- A Barley Wine, one of the strongest beer styles, 11.4% ABV.  Made from pure malted barley.  It is very boozy, with sweet malt predominating, a full body and alcoholic warmth in the mouthfeel   

Nuweibaa -- A Beduin chai beer, brewed with sage, lemongrass and black tea.  Inspired by Yisrael's visit to a Beduin tent.  The aroma of sage is strong, followed by the taste of tea.  

Twisted -- A gose-style beer (pronounced go-seh), brewed with pretzels and salt.  Slightly sour with some salt water in the background.    

The beers from Hatch cover a wide range of styles -- and a range of quality.  Being the only commercial brewery located in Jerusalem, it is a real asset to the city.  Jerusalemites can happily feel that, "This is our beer."              

[After selling the equipment to Hatch, Herzl Beer moved its brewing activities to the Malka Brewery in the Tefen Industrial Zone in northern Israel.  Herzl gained a much larger production capacity and the enhanced distribution resources of Hacarem Spirits Ltd., which is a partner in the Malka Brewery.  Maor Helfman, the founder and brewer of Herzl, was appointed the Beer Brands Manager of Hacarem.  Read the full story here.] 

 [               [A similar version of this article appears in In Jerusalem, 

                     the local weekly newspaper of The Jerusalem Post.]                     

Negev's Fata Morgana: Not a mirage

Fata Morgana:
A Negev Hoppy Sloppy Lager
from the Malka Brewery.

Negev Beers have not been brewed in the Negev for many years.  Most recently, they are being made in the Malka Brewery in the Tefen Industrial Area in the far north -- about as far as you can get from the Negev Desert.

Negev is also not known for coming out with new beers very frequently.  They have brewed the same three core beers for as long as I can remember (Amber Ale, Porter Alon and Oasis), plus adding an IPA several years ago.    

So it was with some fanfare that Negev introduced Fata Morgana, called a Hoppy Sloppy Lager.

Maor Helfman, Beer Brands Manager for Hacarem Spirits Ltd., a partner in the Malka Brewery, told me that Fata Morgana is a basic lager beer, dry-hopped with Citra hops.  It's called a fata morgana (a mirage in the desert) because it blurs the lines between lager beers and hoppy ales.

A fata morgana in the desert:
Is it really there?

Fata Morgana pours out a slightly hazy brown-gold color, with a small head but active carbonation.  There were light malt and hoppy aromas -- both citrus and tropical fruits, but I wasn't able to hone in any further.  There was also citrus in the taste -- bitter grapefruit -- as well as butterscotch.  The body is fuller than medium, and the finish is bitter as it should be.  Alcohol by volume is 4.9%.

Fata Morgana is a welcome addition to the Negev beer repertoire.  As a hoppy lager, it brings together the hop aromatics of a pale ale and the refreshing crispness of a lager.  But it's really there; not a mirage.