In the bar’s dim light, it sparkled a molten gold. Clarion bright, as if to spite fans of haze. From it arose the scent of forest—shall we say spruce just to be interesting?

The growth of new breweries has happened unevenly across the country in recent years. The reason for this is obvious once you see where new breweries are opening the fastest.

We greet the new year with three depressing stories. If 2019 continues like this, we’re all going to be in trouble. 

A local-interest story in the Chicago Tribune about a small brewery serves as a perfect case to explain brewing in America in 2019.

The title says it all.

I will have written about 175 posts by the time 2018 is over. These are the best, and if you’re looking for something to read in front of the fire, have a look and see if you missed anything important. 

For the second time in twelve years, the Brewers Association has changed its definition to accommodate Boston Beer. The change ensures Sam Adams, which is increasingly the maker of flavored malt beverages and cider, may still be a “craft brewery” in good standing. 

Following a viral scandal that revealed Boston’s Trillium Brewing, one of the country’s hottest hazy IPA-makers, was cutting wages, I spoke with four current and former employees as well as co-founder/owner JC Tetreault to try to understand the story behind this story.

As the year-end reports come out, there seems to be lots of great news for breweries. Sales up! Brewery numbers up! Jobs up! But a closer look reveals some warning signs. 

The measurement for hop bitterness in beer, the international bitterness unit (IBU), has always been problematic, but hazy IPAs may have broken it for good.

Human experience requires constant recalibration, and mine occurred about halfway through my dry-hopped pilsner, Impersonator. I was focused on the overly American hop character and lack of assertive malt flavor when it hit me: I am in a brewpub in Norway, Maine.