For this month's Session, Alistair Reece at Fuggled has chosen a topic he calls Sepia Tones, basically a look back at what makes your Beer Story. Without further ado, here's mine, albeit a bit late. (And by the way, Mr. Reece, many thanks for jumping in to host at the last minute.) My Beer Story started as a child in the San Francisco Bay Area. Dad would tell me to … [Read more...] about The Session — My Beer Story
How to Home-Brew — from Someone Who’s Never Done It
[EDITOR’S NOTE: The following was written for a freelance job that fizzled. Since I have the Mount Rushmore of writer’s blocks right now, I’m repurposing it here. BTW, if anyone has any flashes of insight about something that hasn’t been covered (no, the world does NOT need another hazy/glitter beer piece), it’d be cool if you sent it my way. I could use a thunderbolt at … [Read more...] about How to Home-Brew — from Someone Who’s Never Done It
SF Beer Week ’18: SF, SD, and the Woods of Oakland
I have two main criteria for selecting which of the hundreds of Beer Week events to attend: Hit a place I haven't visited yet, preferably BART-able, and Avoid the crowds, so I can relax and enjoy my experience without feeling too rushed. The first goal isn’t that difficult here in the Bay Area, although that says as much about how little I get out as it does for how … [Read more...] about SF Beer Week ’18: SF, SD, and the Woods of Oakland
Seismic Brewing: It’s the Water, and a Whole Lot More
As we settle in to what may be another year of below-average rainfall here in California, brewers need to be concerned about how far they stretch their local water supplies. Not only for their own bottom-lines, but for the good of the planet. Brewing takes a LOT of water. The average water-to-beer ratio is 7:1 — that is, every barrel of beer requires SEVEN barrels of water … [Read more...] about Seismic Brewing: It’s the Water, and a Whole Lot More
Masters of the Beerverse: Natalie Cilurzo
The biggest interview of my life, and I nearly blew it. I’m still anonymous enough in this industry that if Natalie Cilurzo, co-owner of one of the most famous craft breweries on the planet, grants me time for an interview, well, that’s like interviewing the President for your podcast. Hyperbole? Maybe a little. But still, people from around the world line up for hours … [Read more...] about Masters of the Beerverse: Natalie Cilurzo