He’Brew backs up the shtick with taste

People always ask Shmaltz Brewing Co. founder Jeremy Cowan the same thing about He'Brew Genesis Ale: "Is this for real?”

It is.

The next most frequently asked question — “Is it any good?” — was answered at the most recent First Friday beer tasting.

It is.

So good in fact that the Avocadoville faithful rated He’Brew Genesis Ale their favorite beer of December 2008.

The crisp and smooth ale falls somewhere between pale and amber, with a malty sweetness and a hop finish.

The beer label reads like a Catskills comedian’s monologue:
* Exile Never Tasted So Good
* Don't Pass Out, Passover
* A microbrew with the chutzpah to call itself The Chosen Beer
* Dedicated to crafting delicious beer and delicious shtick

Even the Crow Bar in San Francisco has gotten in on the act, serving a Sammy Davis Jr. — a black-and-tan made with Guinness and He’Brew.

"They'll pick it up because it's funny and they'll take it home and realize I'm really serious about making good, quality beer," said Cowan, who envisions He’Brew as a hip Manischewitz.

Founded in 1996, the microbrew moved its production from the Anderson Valley Brewing Company in Boonville, California to the Mendocino Brewing Company in Saratoga Springs, New York in 2003.

He’Brew makes five other beers besides Genesis Ale:
> Messiah Bold (a dark nut brown ale)
> Bittersweet Lenny’s R.I.P.A. (an IPA tribute to comedian Lenny Bruce)
> Origin Pomegranate Ale (which sounds disgusting but just might be good)
> Rejewvenator (a seasonal holiday brew sold around Hanukah)
> Jewbelation 12 (in celebration of Shmaltz’ 12th anniversary)

Most He’Brew beers are available at Whole Foods, Beverages & More, Total Wine and Cost Plus.