Features
Tasting Ghost Whales
by Patrick DawsonThey called it the Ghost Whale tasting. A gathering of the world’s foremost beer hunters. It was to be the tasting to end all tastings, the one that all others are judged against. Big words, big statements, but these guys had what it took to put it together: deep pockets, strong connections and an almost […]
Born Again in Berlin
by Evan RailThe laboratory door was shut tight, but the people who weren’t supposed to be there took the precaution of disguising themselves anyway. They had pulled on long white coats just like regular lab employees, despite the late hour, in case they were spotted by security guards. Inside, they flipped on fluorescent lights and started looking […]
Great Beers in the Great Outdoors
An India pale ale and a sunset over the Pacific Ocean. A doppelbock and awe-inspiring Alpine peaks. A cask ale and shimmering skyline lights. Sometimes beer pairs best with a view and a breath of fresh air. That’s why we scoured the globe to find breweries, bars and restaurants with magnificent scenery and outdoor seating. […]
Columns
Difficult But Necessary Words
Jim (not his real name) was the very first employee I was forced to let go. He had shipped a box of beers out for Christmas to his family. There is nothing wrong with that except, of course, they were some of our rarest offerings and he hadn’t paid for them. That’s a pretty simple […]
Scented Memories
by Melissa ColeHave you ever had that moment when you smell the perfume or cologne of a long-lost love and you smile, just a little bit, to yourself as long-buried memories bubble to the surface? I think we’ve all experienced something like that because it’s a powerful thing is smell. Not only is it a primal link […]
On Hitting a Wall
byFor decades, the new breweries of the past 30 years have been driving industry growth and reviving the classic image of beer as a local product anchored in the identity of the owner. As such entities, the breweries have been sensitive to the desires of their patrons. Hundreds of breweries have opened up and millions […]
Everything Seems and Tastes Better on a Sunny Day
by John HollRemember the old adage that everyone talks about the weather, but no one does anything about it? It would seem that for most people in the country, this past winter was one we wish we could have changed. Bitter cold and snowfall records, followed by more bitter cold. All we could do was wait for spring. […]
Departments
The Near-Perfect Belgian Dubbel
Belgian brews were once considered mysterious and idiosyncratic, but have become mainstream and far from unusual. Now, it is more the sentiment of tradition that makes them so engaging. Belgian brewers are famous for wild and woolly lambics and sours, rustic farmhouse and wheat brews and spicy, savory abbey and monastic beers. Monastic brews made […]
Sister Cities: Berlin and Los Angeles
I was born in Los Angeles, but unless you polled only my mom, my absence is hardly felt. Nearly 4 million people call it home, and if you include the suburbs that make up the Greater Los Angeles Metro—and some say that all of LA is just an unceasing smattering of suburbs even though they’re wrong—then […]
The Yin and Yang of Yoga and Beer
by Heather VandenengelA beer tent at the finish line of a 5K is not an uncommon sight, but the latest fitness pairing—yoga and beer—is bringing the workout inside the brewery. Yoga instructors are partnering with breweries across the country, from Hoppy Yoga at San Diego’s Green Flash Brewing Co. to OM Brew Yoga at Florida’s Funky Buddha […]
Drinking Beer in Amish Country
by Woody ChandlerWhen thinking of Lancaster County, what comes to most people’s minds, and with good reason, is the world of the Amish. However, with a recent boom in brewery construction along with some established stalwarts, there’s now a new reason to visit this scenic and laid-back area west of Philadelphia. Here are a selection of some […]
Homebrew Beyond the Basics: All-Grain Brewing and Other Next Steps
Homebrewing is no different from any other hobby. It is undertaken out of curiosity, as a means of self-expression or perhaps even as the foundation for a career. Nearly all of us start from the same place: rudimentary brewing involving extract, specialty grains, a hop addition or two and dried yeast. At some point, though, […]
The Home Brewer’s Guide to Vintage Beer
If American brewers are trying to resurrect pre-Prohibition lagers, their counterparts in Britain are also trying to resurrect lost brewing styles. Leading this effort in Britain is Ron Pattinson, who says in his introduction to The Home Brewer’s Guide to Vintage Beer (Quarry Books, Spiral-bound, $24.99, 151 pp) that his research in old brewers’ logbooks […]
Hop Growers of Michigan Unite
by Heather VandenengelMichigan’s hop farmers have united under a new nonprofit network that plans to improve and promote Michigan-grown hops. The Hop Growers of Michigan is following the lead of brewing industry guilds, like the Michigan Brewers Guild, and the craft beer industry’s attitude of camaraderie over competition, says Jeff Steinman, board chair of the Hop Growers of […]
Pull Up A Stool with Jared Rouben
Jared Rouben was first interviewed in this magazine in September 2005 when, as a beginning student at the Culinary Institute of America (CIA), he restarted the school’s Brew Club to bring beer education to CIA students. Later, after working in many top restaurants, he trained as a brewer himself and is now opening a brewery […]
A Different Kind of Bubble
by Christopher ShepardToo many breweries? I’ve heard enough convincing arguments to believe that’s a regional issue at most. Sure, keep an eye out for excess capacity and less than high quality beer. But let’s think about another kind of bubble for a minute. In college, we would sometimes refer to the small liberal arts school I went […]
2013 Brewers Growth Numbers Announced
by Heather VandenengelThe craft beer industry is chugging along at a steady incline, according to 2013 growth figures released by the Brewers Association (BA), the trade group that represents America’s small and independent craft brewers. In 2013, craft brewers, as defined by the BA, reached 7.8 percent volume of the total U.S. beer market, up from 6.5 […]
Want to open a brewery? There’s an app for that.
by Heather VandenengelFor less than the cost of a pint, a new game called Fiz: The Brewery Management Game lets beer lovers, homebrewers and gamers open and operate a brewery on a smartphone or a tablet. Designer Sean Sanders thought up the idea while attending the Sasquatch Brew Fest in Eugene, OR. Although he was happy at […]
The Homebrewer Who Doesn’t Drink
At first it might seem like a joke, or a headline you’d find in a satire-based magazine. However, spend enough time in certain homebrewing circles and the name Michael Crane comes up. He’s the gold-medal-winning homebrewer who seldom drank beer, or any alcoholic beverages for that matter, before he began making beer at home. Perhaps […]
Beer Talk
Stone Go To IPA
Stone Brewing Co. Escondido, CA To create Stone Go To IPA, Stone Brewing used hop bursting, a technique where a large amount of hops is added during the final phase of the brewing process to coax out extreme flavors and aromas while also imparting a burst of bitterness. ABV: 4.5 ABW: 3.58 COLOR: NA BITTERNESS: […]
Dream Machine
Magic Hat Brewing Co. South Burlington, VT Dream Machine is a melding of varied visions of an India pale ale and an amber lager. ABV: 5.7 ABW: 4.54 COLOR: 12 BITTERNESS: 50 ORIGINAL GRAVITY: 1058 AVAILABLE: AL, AZ, CA, CO, CT, DE, FL, GA, IL, IN, KY, LA, ME, MD, MA, MI, MN, MS, MO, […]
Maple Bacon Coffee Porter
Funky Buddha Brewery Oakland Park, FL Founded in 2010 in Boca Raton, Funky Buddha Brewery opened a production brewery in 2013. ABV: 6.4 ABW: 5.12 COLOR: 35 BITTERNESS: 38 ORIGINAL GRAVITY: 1071 AVAILABLE: FL
Fresh Squeezed IPA
Deschutes Brewery Bend, OR Now available year-round in six-packs, Fresh Squeezed IPA is brewed with Pale, Crystal and Munich malts and hopped with Citra, Mosaic and Nugget hops. ABV: 6.4 ABW: 5.09 COLOR: 24.98 BITTERNESS: 60 ORIGINAL GRAVITY: 1066 AVAILABLE: AB, AK, AZ, BC, CA, CO, HI, ID, IL, IA, KS, KY, MN, MO, MT, […]
Dark Island Reserve
The Orkney Brewery Orkney, Scotland A stronger version of Dark Island Ale is the base for this beer, which is matured in aged Orkney malt whisky casks for three months. ABV: 10 ABW: 7.96 COLOR: 60.46 BITTERNESS: 45 ORIGINAL GRAVITY: 1094 AVAILABLE: CA, CT, DE, FL, HI, IA, MA, ME, MI, NY, OR, OK, UK
The Crisp
Sixpoint Brewery Brooklyn, NY Brewed with noble hops, The Crisp is one of five year-round beers available on draft and in cans from Sixpoint. ABV: 5.4 ABW: 4.3 COLOR: 5.9 BITTERNESS: 42 ORIGINAL GRAVITY: NA AVAILABLE: CT, DE, FL, IL, IN, KY, MA, MD, ME, NH, NJ, NY, OH, PA, RI, TX, UK, VA, VT, […]
Elgood’s Coolship
Elgood’s Brewery Wisbech, Cambridgeshire, UK Imported by Artisanal Imports; Austin, TX The only remaining Georgian brewery in England, run by the Elgood family for generations in the market town of Wisbech. ABV: 6.7 ABW: 5.33 COLOR: 13.2 BITTERNESS: NA ORIGINAL GRAVITY: 1060 AVAILABLE: UK; Draft only in IL, IN, KS, KY, MA, NC, NE, NJ, […]
Bellerose Bière Blonde Extra
Brasserie des Sources St.-Amand-les-Eaux, France Imported by Iron Horse Beverage; Melville, NY The brewery was started thanks to a group of actors from the movie “Germinal,” which was filmed in northern France. ABV: 6.5 ABW: 5.17 COLOR: 5.15 BITTERNESS: 33 ORIGINAL GRAVITY: 1064 AVAILABLE: Australia, AZ, CA, China, CO, Denmark, DC, FL, IA, IL, IN, […]
Lemongrass American Wheat
West Sixth Brewing Co. Lexington, KY Lemongrass American Wheat is brewed with fresh lemongrass and wheat, Two-Row and Dextrin malts and is hopped with Sorachi Ace hops. ABV: 5.7 ABW: 4.54 COLOR: 5 BITTERNESS: 35 ORIGINAL GRAVITY: 1055 AVAILABLE: KY, OH
Hefeweizen
Real Ale Brewing Co. Blanco, TX This is a new seasonal beer from the Texas brewery, which opened in 1996. ABV: 5.2 ABW: 4.14 COLOR: NA BITTERNESS: 8 ORIGINAL GRAVITY: 1050 AVAILABLE: TX
Dixie Blackened Voodo Lager
Dixie Brewing Co. New Orleans Blackened Voodoo is brewed with Cascade and Mount Hood hops. ABV: 5.0 ABW: 3.98 COLOR: 30 BITTERNESS: 22 ORIGINAL GRAVITY: 1052 AVAILABLE: AL, AZ, CA, CO, CT, DE, FL, GA, IA, IL, IN, KS, KY, LA, MA, MD, ME, MI, MN, MO, NC, NE, NJ, NV, NY, OH, OK, OR, […]
Bunyan Badger Brown
Badger State Brewing Co. Green Bay, WI Developed as one of three flagship ales, Bunyan Badger Brown is the highest-gravity and darkest ale currently in year-round production at Badger State Brewing Co. ABV: 5.8 ABW: 4.6 COLOR: 19 BITTERNESS: 29 ORIGINAL GRAVITY: 1056 AVAILABLE: WI
BLAKKR
Surly Brewing Co., Three Floyds Brewing, Real Ale Brewing BLAKKR (an old Norse word for dark or black) is an imperial black ale brewed with Warrior, Simcoe and Centennial hops. ABV: 9.9 ABW: 7.88 COLOR: NA BITTERNESS: 85 ORIGINAL GRAVITY: 1088 AVAILABLE: IL, IN, MN, TX
Spencer Trappist Ale
Spencer Brewery Spencer, MA Brewed by the monks of St. Joseph’s Abbey, Spencer Trappist Ale is the first and only certified Trappist ale brewed in the United States. ABV: 6.5 ABW: 5.17 COLOR: 9 BITTERNESS: 25 ORIGINAL GRAVITY: 1053 AVAILABLE: MA
White Ale
Saint Archer Brewing Co. San Diego White Ale is the fourth year-round beer from Saint Archer, which opened in 2013. ABV: 5 ABW: 3.98 COLOR: 4 BITTERNESS: 15 ORIGINAL GRAVITY: 1048 AVAILABLE: CA
Greenhouse IPA
Hops & Grain Brewing Austin, TX The hop profile changes each month in this limited-release IPA. For February, Greenhouse IPA was dry hopped with Falconer’s Flight, Chinook and Centennial hops. ABV: 7.69 ABW: 6.15 COLOR: 10.4 BITTERNESS: 71.9 ORIGINAL GRAVITY: 1070 AVAILABLE: TX