Craft brewing started as a rejection of highly engineered, soulless industrial beer. Tradition was the early watchword for a newborn movement. Funny then to see what has become of craft beer.
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Think about what plots have been hatched over those pints, what loves nurtured or mourned, what sonnets penned. Then think of that old way of making beer, which Georgian brewers employed centuries ago. And finally, have another drink of London Pride and tell me you can’t taste something special.
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In a world that valorizes “innovation” above all else, these beers should fit right in—but also illustrate how most of that innovation isn’t really very original.
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“I will argue that these publications have played a major role in building and shaping the internationally-known Oregon craft brewing scene. Put another way, the fantastic uniqueness of Oregon craft brewing has been enormously enhanced by those who love to write about it.”
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Climate change is going to result in hotter, drier summers, and that will affect crop yields and alpha acid content. But new research out of Germany demonstrates that some aroma varieties will do better in the heat on what we might call the “juicy matrix.”
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Craft Brew Alliance just released its 2018 annual report, and things don’t look so good for the brand I just wrote a book about.
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Portland’s Great Notion Brewing, famous for their hazy IPAs and pastry beers, has opened a new production facility and taproom. But they’ve also expanded their brewing ambitions, and this is the most exciting news.
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Wynkoop Brewing founder John Hickenlooper went on to become a popular two-term mayor of Denver and governor of Colorado, and today he announced his candidacy for the presidency. How likely is he to become president? Well….
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Americans are serial appropriators. A latte with a croissant for breakfast, pad Thai for lunch, and perhaps some chicken mole and a märzen for dinner. It doesn’t occur to us that maybe we shouldn’t be so quick to use the names of these traditional treats when we make them stateside.
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The OLCC has put out final figures for Oregon beer sales, and they reveal less horrors than you might have expected. As a matter of fact, there’s quite a bit of good news here.
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Who knew a book promotion could be so thrilling?
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With apologies to Tolstoy, successful breweries are all alike, but each failing brewery fails in its own way.
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Last week, I prepared a guide to Portland’s Best Breweries for 2019. I hope visitors to the city will find it useful. But breweries alone don't paint the whole picture. There's a reason Portlanders immodestly call their town "Beervana," and this will help you understand why.
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I get emails, dozens of them every year, from people coming to Portland. They want to know one thing: which breweries should I go to? Here's your answer, updated for 2019.
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The news is shocking, but it isn’t terribly surprising. BridgePort has lost over three-quarters of its Oregon volume since 2010, and hasn’t adapted to the modern market.
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Barrel-aged stouts have gotten so excessive I now tend to cringe when I see one. But Ecliptic was founded by the man who created Black Butte Porter, and has spent a brewing life perfecting the art of making dark ales.
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Now that drinkers want variety and novelty, having a flagship can become a liability as fashions change and sales drop. Who wants to be stuck with a fruit IPA flagship that accounts for 10% of the volume and tastes like 2015?
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On February 6th, Portland learned that decade-old Burnside Brewing was apparently no more.
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Bud Light spent the Super Bowl sending a pointed message about the ingredients of domestic light beers. It might not have been the best way to elevate their brand.
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Sometimes it takes an outsider to make you see how insular your world has become.
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