Ian Cheesman

I think it was Week 246 of quarantine when Savagewood Brewing Company contacted me for help. Time has lost a lot of meaning of late. They, like so many other breweries, were launching an online store … [Read more...] about (Tasting) notes from the apocalypse: Savagewood Brewing

It wasn't that long ago that I was convinced brut IPAs were definitely going to be a thing. In a category increasingly awash with hazy and lactose-laden takes, it felt equal parts something new and a … [Read more...] about Brut Strength: A New Lost Abbey Venture

I remember the first time I heard the term “localvore.” More specifically, I remember how I laughed at it. Not that I have any specific bias against those that wish to support a regional economy or … [Read more...] about Vodka Calling: A Trip to 619 Spirits

In the pantheon of things that people once celebrated about professional boxer Mike Tyson, his gift for oratory was seldom among them. During his prime, most of his statements to the media revolved … [Read more...] about Oktoberfest: The School of Hard Knackwurst

The appeal of the Tiki lifestyle is hardly mysterious. In a world that incessantly flogs us for productivity, the embrace of Island Time and soothing pastels is a potent counterpoint. It’s easy to … [Read more...] about Say “aloha” to Kilowatt’s Forbidden Cove

The following column from the November 2018 issue of West Coaster won first place in the "Best Beer Review" category at the 7th annual North American Guild of Beer Writers competition, announced … [Read more...] about Beer Actually

After more than a decade of beer writing, and at least double that span of generally being insufferable about beer to all in earshot, I am finally going to visit one of the Wonders of the Ancient Beer … [Read more...] about Fest Fitness: Munich On My Mind

There is a concept in the business world of the “disruptive technology.” This can either refer to innovations that upend the way entire industries function, or robots that are programmed to issue … [Read more...] about Keeping up with kveik

Imagine, if you will, this scene: A brewer is toiling away on a rich, high gravity stout when suddenly inspiration strikes. She proceeds to dump absurd amounts of coffee beans into the mix, hoping to … [Read more...] about CCBA, SDBG, and Thee

Walking onto the Del Mar Fairgrounds in mid-April feels pretty peculiar if you’ve only experienced it during the San Diego County Fair. The thoroughfares, once stuffed with greasy foods and even … [Read more...] about Judge, Jury, and Beer Consumer