Sometimes I reflect back on the early days of my journey into the life of a beer geek (my journey into the brew, you might say) and I miss the revelatory experiences. Everything was so new and … [Read more...] about Adventures in Lambic Land
Finding the Hoppier Side Of Belgian Blondes
Balance is an important concept in every beer style, though it is found in various and sometimes surprising ways. A brewer always has to consider how the various ingredients and techniques used to … [Read more...] about Finding the Hoppier Side Of Belgian Blondes
The Curious Evolution of “India Pale Ale”
Language is in a constant state of flux. Words are created and forgotten asthe inevitable march of time tramples those that lose their necessity, while simultaneously constructing new combinations of … [Read more...] about The Curious Evolution of “India Pale Ale”
Style Matters
In the beginning, there were no beer styles, there was only beer. Traveling here or there about the ancient world, you would have encountered unique beverages based on local ingredients and … [Read more...] about Style Matters
Into the Brew: There Will Be Hops
I'm not the biggest fan of hop puns. The incredible proliferation of hoppy beer-producing small breweries over the past several years has led to a flood of me-too beer names all clamoring to … [Read more...] about Into the Brew: There Will Be Hops
Into The Brew: Nano Diego
Take a look at the recently-released Brewers Association Top Craft Brewers list and you'll see several local names pushing the limits of beer produced locally in San Diego. Green Flash is even … [Read more...] about Into The Brew: Nano Diego
Best Glass Ever? Glass Geek Tests Spiegelau’s New Product
Not all beer glasses are created equal, or at least that's what the folks at Spiegelau, Sierra Nevada and Dogfish Head have proclaimed with the recent release of a style-specific IPA glass. The … [Read more...] about Best Glass Ever? Glass Geek Tests Spiegelau’s New Product
Hops Rule: New Book on Hops Builds on Author’s Past Successes
I was first introduced to the work of Stan Hieronymus about five years ago when I got a hold of a copy of his seminal tome on Belgian brewing, Brew Like a Monk. Published in 2005, Brew Like a Monk … [Read more...] about Hops Rule: New Book on Hops Builds on Author’s Past Successes
Oktoberfest: History of the Style
Oktoberfest ends this Sunday at Munich's Theresienweise. Roughly 6 million people will have consumed about 6.5 million liter-mugs (masskrüg) during the festival. If you're a beer fan, you haver … [Read more...] about Oktoberfest: History of the Style
Into the Brew: Glass Adds Class
This column appears on pages 16 and 17 of the July 2012 print issue, which you can download or view here. Beer is best enjoyed from a container that doesn't leak. Bottles or cans, red cups, pint … [Read more...] about Into the Brew: Glass Adds Class