About six weeks ago, Guinness launched their second brewery/pub, this time in Chicago. This continues a pub- and pint-first approach that other large breweries haven’t adopted. More than that, it acts as a lens on the larger beer world, and how much things have changed since they launched their first American brewery.
Read MoreJohn Harris posted a note this evening announcing he had sold the Ecliptic brand and that the brewery would close in ten days.
Read MoreIt was barely more than a decade ago that craft beer finally made it to Chicago in a real way, so it’s time to ask some penetrating questions about where it stands today. This one is all you, hive mind.
Read MoreCraft beer isn’t only about beer. Leave the brewery and you can find people crafting malt-adjacent objects like the prints Dave Selden makes at 33 Books. I visited his workshop to see our collaborative beer-glasses print go through a 1908 letterpress and was charmed by his steampunk operation.
Read MoreAre hazy IPAs the most transformational style in the craft era? A comment on Bluesky—yes Bluesky!—got me thinking, and whether the answer is yes or no, the choices for the title are few.
Read MoreI distinctly remember saying the words “people like what they like” and feeling something click. At the time, it was more in resignation: “People like what they like, so what can you do?” But having said it out loud, it became a challenge and then an affirmation. “People like what they like, and isn’t that fascinating?”
Read MoreDon’t fear the pumpkin. Find a local brewery making something that looks interesting and give it a try. Celebrate the season. Enjoy yourself.
Read MoreThe annual North American writing awards were announced yesterday, and I’d like to shine a spotlight on some of the brightest lights working in beery letters today. They don’t make much money, but they help us understand this beverage we love.
Read MoreIn a new study published yesterday, researchers assessed the effect of climate change on hops grown in Central Europe. The results were alarming—but the authors offer some hope for mitigating the worst effects.
Read MoreIs American craft beer liberal? Conservative? Neither? One of the curiosities of 2023 is that mass market beer has become an increasingly visible marker for political identity. That in turn may have made craft breweries seem more liberal, even as they took no special action to suggest so.
Read MoreThis week, the UK-based Wine & Spirit Education Trust (WSET) announced they were creating a professional certification for beer. But with the preexisting Cicerone Program, is there enough interest in beer education to support it?
Read MoreIf you see the phrase “Czech dark lager” on a taplist, you may wonder about the story behind the style. To find the source, you have to start at a brewpub that has been making beers for over five centuries at the center of Prague.
Read MoreWe’re three weeks into the NFL season and commercial breaks are notably thin on beer advertising. What’s going on and what does it say about beer, advertising, and this moment in US culture?
Read MoreStray facts don’t help us understand the world. Meaning comes when they are woven together with themes, personality, and drama. A recent biography has got me thinking about how we tell stories and understand the world.
Read MoreThe Brewers Association announced the winners of the annual Great American Brewers Fest this morning, and I have some of the big winners, the trends, and other interesting tidbits.
Read MoreFresh hop season is underway, and it has so far proven to be unusual—and enlightening. Here are a few early lessons I’m taking away from the selection I’ve found.
Read MoreI have a hot alternate take for you on this fine Wednesday before the GABF. Yes, it’s a decades-old competition, but its value isn’t static—and now it may be as valuable as it’s ever been.
Read MoreA morning of fresh hops, nitrogen, and the magic the two combined to create.
Read MoreIn case you can’t make it to the hop harvest this year, I’ve got you covered. Here are all the sights and sounds of a harvest—everything but the intoxicating aroma.
Read MoreAfter twelve years, Reverend Nat’s Hard Cider is ending its run. But founder Nat West isn’t sad about it and he doesn’t want his fans to be, either. Here’s the story, and the legacy the cidery leaves behind.
Read More
