“Taking an active role in learning about enjoying good food and good beer together is an attainable and rewarding way of celebrating life.”
Beer Seasons
Seasonals are a wonder to experience. It keeps life interesting that there are always a group of beers just waiting to be released. I keep telling any one that will listen, and some that don't, that this is a great time in history to be a beer drinker.
Read moreMax's Taphouse
I have read Short Course in Beer: An Introduction to Tasting and Talking about the World's Most Civilized Beverage more than once and a chapter I have studied is where the author lists some on the best beer places in the USA. Of course there is Monk's Cafe in Philadelphia and it also mentioned Max's Taphouse in Baltimore. It has been on the road trip short list ever since.
Read moreCicerone Me
The day finally arrived that I have been focusing on for months, the Certified Cicerone exam in Washington DC. For those that don't know, a cicerone is to beer what a sommelier is to wine.
Read moreBrew News
Growth of the craft brewing industry in 2012 was 15% by volume and 17% by dollars compared to growth in 2011 of 13% by volume and 15% by dollars.
Read moreFood and Beer
And this is what real beer can do: it can make every single decent meal you have an interesting and memorable flavor experience. It can be something that will light up your senses and make you actually want to pay attention to what’s happening on your palate.
Read moreHey, There's an Egg in My Beer
I love scrambled eggs in the morning (anytime really) and one morning was feeling a little playful. How would beer be in my eggs?
Read moreA Brewer's Harvest Evening
So the family has all gone their way for the evening and I'm contemplating what to do for the evening. Delaware punkin-chunkin, tall ships in Chestertown, quite evening at home or the Brewers Associtation's Brewers Harvest event in Baltimore. Guess which one got the nod?
I do a bit of research to see which brewers will be there, some of their beers and have somewhat of a game plan for the evening.
Read moreDrinking With Intention
Like anyone reading this, I like to have a good beer, well daily... at least.
Read morePlaying With My Beer #1
As part of the event I brought a bag of fresh Citra hops that I'd picked up at a local home-brew shop. As soon as I opened the bag, the room was full of the aroma.
Read moreDrinking vs Tasting
Sure, there are times when an uncritical approach is just the ticket. But there are many other situations in which a more focused and structured approach is called for.
Read moreThe Color of Beer
Maybe it has always been but today there is a name for everything - even for the color of beer.
Read moreThe Rise of Craft Beer
The New Yorker magazine has done an interesting treatment of the status of the craft beer industry, mapping the rise of craft beer...
Read moreWhat's a Cicerone
A good friend of mine, when I'd asked him gaining a great understanding of wine told me simply, drink more. Actually I've found no better substitute.
Read moreMountain State Brewing
During a recent business trip to Garrett County, Maryland, a new brew pub, Mountain State Brewing came highly recommended. So, needing a place to eat, I wanted to give it a try.
Read moreBelgian Style Yeti
Great Divide Brewing has become one of my favorite brewers. Anytime I see a new addition to the Yeti series of the shelves I immediately have to try it.
Read moreBeers of Summer
Like so many other things, when a good thing in beer comes out every brewery wants to have horse in the race. And so it is right now for summer seasonal beer. For craft beer drinkers this is a good thing of course.
Read moreSummer Love
It's summer time and we want beers that reflect the season and all the things we enjoy during this time. So when looking at sites such as RateBeer for some background on Summer Love by Victor Brewin I was surprized to find at least six beers wit the same name.
Read moreEfficient Beer Acquisition
Recently I've been on the road for business and of course wanted to try some of the local beer fare. While I knew i would have a limited amount of time available to sample new beer (I do have to work sometime) I want to try as many as possible.
Read moreBeer on the Road
I recently read an article Beer Tourism and actually contacted the authors about some of their thoughts. So while recently traveling to the Upper Peninsula of Michigan I decided to take this thought into practice. I would be spending four days in Marquette, a beautiful town on the banks of Lake Superior.
So doing a some pre-trip recon I learning there were three local breweries within walking distance of my hotel. Score!
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