Throughout its history the World Beer Festival has provided beer lovers with opportunities to expand their palates, appreciation and horizons of the great fermented beverage. Our festivals began in the early 1990s with a collection of specialty beer all under one tent. By gathering these pioneering and historic breweries together, the early attendees were able... View Article
Recently I had a chance to sit down with the new company president, Chris Rice, and our beer wrangler, Adam Harold, over three different vintages of Alaskan Smoked Porter. Just to add to the pleasure, I brought out some Alaskan salmon and some smoked salmon. The beer reviews will be published in the January issue... View Article
I recently spent a zany afternoon with Martin Dickie and James Watt, the two lads from BrewDog, the self-styled ‘”punk” Scottish brewery. They were in Durham, NC, to start filming the second season of their TV series “BREW DOGS.” This will open with a segment shot at Fullsteam Brewery, here in Durham—I should say our... View Article
Once a year the whole world of craft brewers, and I do mean the whole world, gathers together for four days of catching up, digesting new ideas, staying up way too late, and, of course, tasting beer in limitless varieties. We call it the Craft Brewers Conference, this year held in Washington, DC. The All... View Article
Dinners, tastings, festivals, seminars, gatherings of all sorts. It’s that time of year, folks, when every weekend and most weekdays there is an “event of beer” within driving distance of you. People coming together over beer. It’s why I like this job: people, beer and events. I go to bars with great draft systems, where... View Article
With apologizes to Star Trek fans and professional philosophers, herein lies my version of the One vs. the Many moral dilemma. Do I stick close to home with Old Faithful or do I prowl the ranks of the many trying out whatever, whomever, whenever? Every day after the labors of work, family, relationships and recreation... View Article
On my first trip to the British Isles, approximately 1 BB (that would be one year Before Beer), I set out to find an example of the legendary English pub. I’d grown up outside of Boston and had a romantic notion of a good public house, something not found at that time in my home state... View Article
After nearly four decades of leading the craft brewing industry, Fritz Maytag of Anchor Brewery is stepping off the stage. Far from the end of an era, this sale of Anchor feels more like the next chapter, with a couple of industry talents stepping in with plans for a “Center of Excellence” to further support... View Article
I found myself scrolling through a blog based on the goal of drinking 100 different beers in a month, an odd variation of the theme behind Julie and Julia. Put me in mind of the old drinking song:
