Walk through The Front Door in Galway and the ear-splitting volume of the music and the size of the fashionable crowd spilling between the first and second floors might deceive you into thinking that you have stumbled into a nightclub in Manhattan.
The first problem with butchering pigs is transportation—that is, assuming you don’t live on an actual pig farm, which, admittedly, would be nice.
“Ludvig Mack wanted to start the brewery so people would have something else to drink—all that was available was wine and hard liquor,” says Pederson about this brewery founded in 1877. “Back then it was not normal to get beer that tasted good. It was sour when you got it from Hansa in Bergen or... View Article
Canada is a culturally diverse nation. While the United States is more of a melting pot, Canada celebrates its cultural diversity. With less than 33 million people spread over almost 4 million square miles, to say that there are great expanses between Canada’s major centers would be a mild understatement. But this geographic separation has... View Article
This Flemish area of Belgium, nicknamed “Hoppeland,” is nestled against the French border and, in a country known for more than 800 beers, has the distinctive honor of being called the “brewers’ corner of Belgium.” There, five breweries are located less than a 10-minute drive from downtown Poperinge: the reclusive Trappist brewery of St. Sixtus,... View Article
(Editor. December 2005: While most of us are busy preparing for the holidays, a band of hearty brew-loving souls is packing its bags and preparing for a journey. The mission: to rediscover one of beer culture’s most cherished places. This Bavarian expedition is being undertaken by 15 noted figures from the world of beer, including... View Article
Prague is a beautiful city. One of the most beautiful in Europe. The architecture spans the history of the continent with magnificent buildings ranging in style from the Romanesque, Gothic and Baroque to the most contemporary European designs. Cathedrals, gold-tipped towers and church domes dominate the vista when viewed from the hill on the eastern... View Article
As part of its silver anniversary celebration, All About Beer Magazine asked me to name my 25 favorite American beer cities. Lists like these invite controversy, which isn’t a bad thing. Differences of opinion make for good discussion and are amicably resolved over a pint or two.
The Pocket Guide to Beer, Seventh Edition, by Michael Jackson, Running Press, $12.95—Stands alone as the best compact guide to the world’s beers and breweries. Good Beer Guide to Belgium & Holland by Tim Webb, 2002 edition, $16.95—a comprehensive, witty and detailed investigation of this important region, with information and travel tips on beer styles,... View Article
