Commentary
As a fan and player of DnD (“Dungeons and Dragons” for the uninitiated), I got into a heated discussion one night to create this graphic. While drunkenly filling up post-it notes, a fellow beer- and table-top enthusiast egged me on regarding the placement of brewing microbes within an Alignment Chart. If you are not familiar,…
Read MoreUPDATE: Breckenridge Brewing from Colorado just sold to ABInBev. Here is their “change” quote: “We’ve been in this creative and dynamic industry for over 25 years, loving everything about it. That won’t change. The passion for quality and culture that got us where we are today isn’t going anywhere.” “Nothing has changed.” Perhaps…
Read More
It’s time that the brewing industry recognizes the physical and mental strains brewers endure in order to produce a delicious product. Specifically, those not in the brewhouse, cellar, or production floor, need to be aware of the wide range of skills required to brew. A brewer wears many hats. Most people envision a brewery job…
Read MoreMy professional background is heavily spotted with education and outreach. I’ve always believed that there’s no point to research and science if the average person doesn’t understand or can’t apply that science to their daily lives. I recognize that this is altruistic, but perhaps that’s why I volunteer so much of my time to science…
Read Moreale·wife ♦ ˈālwīf/ ♦ noun A female who brews beer. syn: brewster, brewess Women and beer. What a tangled mess. Currently, women are less then a quarter of the craft beer work force. Macrobreweries don’t know how to advertise to women, craft breweries tend to stereotype “women beers” as light and fruity. For decades women’s bodies sold beer. And…
Read MoreClear. Growlers. Why do they exist and why do they upset me? If we look into the history of beer bottles we see that since the 16th century brewers have been struggling to find affordable and effective methods of distributing single servings of beer. While there is limited historical information about how each individual brewery…
Read MoreAccording to the Brewer’s Association, active breweries in the United States hit a new high of 3,040 facilities in 2014. This record-setting number encompasses brewpubs, nano-, micro-, and macro-breweries. That’s an increase of over 200 new breweries in one year. Below is an area graph that represents all of the Breweries in the US per…
Read More
We all saw that horrific Budweiser Superbowl ad which proudly denounced craft brewing in favor of “brewing the hard way” in a macrobrewery. And we all saw the various responses to it which range from defending the beer giant to general head shaking to all-out rage. I just have one question. What is so…
Read More
Global Pouring Traditions: A Toast to Diversity in our Pouring Methods
In the world of beverages, pouring traditions go beyond the simple act of filling a cup; they are embedded in cultures, histories, and rituals that add richness to the drinking experience. Here’s a journey through some unique pouring traditions around the globe. Tea: The Art of Ceremony In some Chinese tea ceremonies, the pouring of…
Read More