Having a flashback?

Do our eyes deceive us?

We acquired this convenient thirty-pack of refreshing Genesee Cream Ale, not in 1978, but earlier today!  Either our local retailer was not rotating his stock in a timely manner, or Upstate's leading brewery had rolled out a very retro look.  It turns out our purchase is indeed fresh.

According to Janine Schoos, brand manager for the Genesee Family of Beers, Genesee Cream Ale is experiencing a resurgence. The beer is taking off in cities like Brooklyn, Atlanta and Seattle. Better availability, along with growing interest in beers with heritage, have helped Genesee Cream Ale gain relevance among consumers.

The new packaging mirrors a move made last year with Genesee Beer. “The response to Genesee Beer’s vintage packaging, along with the release of a collection of heritage beers, has been overwhelmingly positive,” said Schoos. “We’re getting back to our roots and reintroducing the packaging that people knew and loved. And beer drinkers are responding – Genesee is rapidly growing.

Much as we admired GCA's gorgeous "new" logo, we always loved the simplicity of the former, and now current, look.  And we can't help but be pleased to learn that the swells in Brooklyn, Atlanta and Seattle are catching up with us.

Back to the future

Schumer pops a cold one

Schumer with his former intern

With a no end for our national depression in sight, a real unemployment rate around 16%, our yet-unborn grandchildren facing a life of crippling debt, and the Middle East being overrun with US taxpayer-supported Islamist regimes, what's on New York's senior senator's to-do list?  Beer.

Sen. Chuck Schumer wants his constituents to drink more beer this holiday season — as long as it's brewed in New York.

Schumer unveiled a campaign on Wednesday to sell more New York beers in restaurants, bars and convenience stores throughout the state. He said the initiative will boost the growing micro-brew industry in New York, which supported nearly 60,000 jobs and produced more than a million barrels of beer last year.

New York already produces some classic brews - we're enjoying one as we write this.  In our experience, Upstaters are actually capable of producing and consuming beer without federal assistance.  None the less, every minute this putz spends bothering brewers is another minute he's not driving our country further down the road to serfdom.

Auburn's historic Genesee sign lights up tonight

1950s

Darkened during the Carter Energy Crisis, Auburn's landmark Genny sign will be back on tonight.

On Saturday, as part of Auburn’s annual Founders Day celebration, the renovated sign will be lit up for the first time since the mid-1970s. State-of-the-art LED lights have been installed to replace the original neon tubes.

Genesee Brewing's rent for the sign's location included sending a case of Cream Ale to the building's owner every month.  More in the Post-Standard.

Now