Beer enthusiasts frequently say that part of the enjoyment they derive from today’s better beer culture is the social aspect of having a beer with someone they like or find interesting. Socializing over a pint or three is, and has always been, the best part of a beer drinker’s day.
As an alcohol beverage attorney, I enjoy the rare privilege of working in a field that is both my hobby and my obsession. Anyone who knows me will tell you that I openly confess my love for beer―that delightful frothy beverage that permeates every aspect of my life. In fact, I owe some of my... View Article
It was customary among Chicago Irish Catholics in the 1950s to use children as beer caddies. Take my wife, Bernadette: when her grandfather’s love for storytelling left his throat dry, he sent her out for more beer. She’d step out her back door, walk down an alleyway to the local tavern, and show the bartender... View Article
Incredible as it seems to me now, I didn’t always like beer. I mean, when I was a kid. Once I got into my early teens it wasn’t for lack of trying, and—while a certain amount of discretion is advisable in this era of hyper-correctness—I may as well observe that the landscape of American beer... View Article
Chico, CA. Hello Mother, Hello Father, I’m writing this postcard from Beer Camp Chico at Sierra Nevada Brewing Co. As you both know, I have visited many breweries before, but this place is far and away the most magical. There are tank farms stretching to the heavens everywhere we turn. They remind me of the... View Article
Many people have a defining moment when life takes an unexpected step forward or when something happens that changes the future in a significant way. Can you have a defining moment with beer? I say yes, because I’ve had one.
I am a geek. There, I said it. Looking back, I always was. My wife is one, too. Geeks tend to pair up, in my experience. We prefer reading, craft beer, watching documentaries, science fiction and other unpopular pursuits. Our home is filled with books, music, art and three refrigerators. Our kids will most likely... View Article
We are in the midst of a Year of Eating and Drinking Local. If it were going to result in a book—though it won’t—we might call it “If it’s a blueberry ale, this must be Maine” or “If it tastes sour and salty, this must be Leipzig.”
Last year, myself and fellow author Tom Sandham spent two months visiting every brewery, beer bar and brewpub on the West Coast researching Good Beer Guide West Coast USA. These are some of the things we discovered. America is very big, very big indeed… America is currently the most ambitious brewing nation in the world…... View Article
