Beer has been an integral part of my life for over three decades—a somewhat auspicious statement for a slightly past 40-year-old man. Being born and raised in L.A. (Lower Arkansas), I was afforded the opportunity to explore malted beverages at an age that less refined cultures may find unacceptable.
If you look deep enough into every beer lover’s history, you will find a single beer that led to a lifetime of love and dedication to grain, hops and yeast. I’m not talking about that first sip of Coors Light stolen from a father’s temporarily abandoned can or bottle. Rather, I’m referring to that one beer that turned the head, opened the mind and cracked a world of doubts, stereotypes and suspicions about the assumedly crude character of beer. Read More…
According to the American Dialect Society, “tweet” was the word of the year in 2009. It beat other luminaries, such as “botox,” “shovel-ready” and “hike the Appalachian Trail,” for the top spot in the list of most important words and phrases to become prominent or notable during the year.
As it happens, I have been standing “ankle deep” in beer for most of my adult life. I started in the pub business in 1980 and then began brewing in 1989, a career I have followed ever since. You could say that beer changed my life―and I could not be happier!
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 most memorable and interesting experiences to beer. Read More…
Tue May 15th, 2012
On Counting Beer
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...
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