Berkeley's Bison Brewing Celebrates Boston Tea Party with a Revolutionary Twist; Exchange a Plain Tea Bag for a Spirited Tea.Dining Editors/Food Writers BERKELEY, Calif.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Dec. 13, 2002 To overcome the tyranny of weak tea, Berkeley brewer Dan Del Grande has proclaimed a new way to celebrate the 229th anniversary of the Boston Tea Party Boston Tea Party, 1773. In the contest between British Parliament and the American colonists before the Revolution, Parliament, when repealing the Townshend Acts, had retained the tea tax, partly as a symbol of its right to tax the colonies, partly to aid the on December 16. "Until now, most patriotic Americans have only consumed weak tea. We understand their frustration, but they should not dump their tea into San Francisco Bay San Francisco Bay, 50 mi (80 km) long and from 3 to 13 mi (4.8–21 km) wide, W Calif.; entered through the Golden Gate, a strait between two peninsulas. since this is bad for water quality. There are better ways to join our struggle," said Bison Brewing Company owner Del Grande who is the self-proclaimed spokesperson for the newest tea revolution. Del Grande follows in the footsteps of famous Boston brewer and patriot Samuel Adams, one of the leaders of the original Boston Tea Party. To commemorate the Boston Tea Party, Del Grande invites anybody (21 year or older) to exchange one common tea bag for a glass of Bison Original Hard Ice Tea. This offer is valid at The TeaHouse at Bison Brewing Company on 2598 Telegraph Avenue Telegraph Avenue is a street that begins, at its southernmost point, in the midst of the historic downtown district of Oakland, California and ends, at its northernmost point, at the southern edge of the University of California, Berkeley campus in Berkeley, California. (near Parker) in Berkeley from December 13-December 21, 2002 (closed Sundays and Mondays). Bison Original Hard Ice Tea is the only commercially brewed sparkling alcoholic beverage in the United States combining whole tea leaves and variety of exotic natural ingredients. The drink is brewed in stainless steel stainless steel: see steel. stainless steel Any of a family of alloy steels usually containing 10–30% chromium. The presence of chromium, together with low carbon content, gives remarkable resistance to corrosion and heat. vats using a giant 2' x 9' tea bag that will appear in the next Guinness Book of World Records as the world's largest. Bison Original Hard Ice Tea, which contains 6% alcohol, has a third fewer calories and half the carbohydrates of most craft beers. It is available in both draft and bottled forms in more than 400 California stores, bars, and restaurants. In December 2002, Trader Joe's started carrying the drink at $5.99/six-pack in all its California stores. Bison is the only alternative adult refreshment made with all-natural ingredients. Jasmine Green contains jasmine flowers and green tea. Red Hibiscus hibiscus: see mallow. hibiscus Any of about 250 species of shrubs, trees, and herbaceous plants that make up the genus Hibiscus, in the mallow family, native to warm temperate and tropical regions. is a blend of rose hips, cranberry, peppermint peppermint: see mint. peppermint Strongly aromatic perennial herb (Mentha piperita, mint family), source of a widely used flavouring. Native to Europe and Asia, it has been naturalized in North America. , lemongrass lemongrass, n Latin name: Cymbopogon citratus; part used: leaves; uses: antitussive, antirheumatic, antiseptic, anxiolytic, antibacterial, antifungal, insomnia, vomiting, high blood pressure, fever; precautions: none known. , licorice licorice (lĭk`ərĭs, –rĭsh), name for a European plant (Glycyrrhiza glabra) of the family Leguminosae (pulse family) and for the sweet substance obtained from the root. root, and cinnamon. The newest tea to appear on store shelves is Peach Roobois, which combines dried peaches, rooibos rooibos Noun S African a kind of tea made from the leaves of a South African wild shrub Also called: (rooibos tea (bush tea) [Afrikaans rooi red + bos bush] Noun 1. (an African bush), chamomile chamomile or camomile (both: kăm`əmīl', –mēl') [Gr.,=ground apple], name for various related plants of the family Asteraceae (aster family), especially the perennial Anthemis nobilis, , rose hips, and hibiscus. Bison Original Hard Ice Tea was born in 1999 when restaurant consultant Geoffrey Deetz, 40, met Bison owner and brewer Dan Del Grande, 34, and had him sample some home-brewed alcoholic ice teas he had made in his own kitchen. "When I took the first sip, the proverbial light bulb went on overhead," said Del Grande. Consumers have embraced the new drink. Case sales of Bison Original Hard Ice Tea have steadily climbed from zero in July 2001 to 2,000 six-packs/month in December 2002. Critical acclaim has come at the same time. In the prestigious 2002 World Beer Cup, Bison's Red Hibiscus Hard Ice Tea won a bronze medal in the "Alternative Malt Beverage" Category. Del Grande hired Deetz, who founded several Bay Area eateries over 20 years, to create a restaurant that would feature cuisine to highlight the flavors and originality of the teas. In October 2001, Del Grande and Deetz opened the doors of the remodeled Berkeley brewery to introduce The Teahouse at Bison Brewing, featuring spirited California cuisine with vibrant international influences. Following his recent launch in Trader Joe's throughout California, Del Grande is looking to build Bison Original Hard Ice Tea into a successful nationwide brand. "I dream of the day when all Americans will have the opportunity to experience the newest revolution in tea," Del Grande enthused. |
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