It is a confounding occurrence when people are genuinely humble and speak openly about their mistakes.  Sure, I like self-deprecating humor as much as anyone, but I don’t know that I’d always call it humble (or being humbled or posting that I’ve been humbled is more like it).  But life is full of humbling experiences. [...]

Sometimes I feel like all this talk that rings of “I’m not beer snob, I’m just a beer geek, is a subtly constructed comfort lie meant to ease the conscience of the typical beer enthusiast.  Seriously…I felt like I had to explain myself recently when, while out with some beer geek friends I ordered a [...]

So I admit that the title is a tad lengthy, but the book, like the delicious chili sauce, is just right.  Fifty recipes that utilize something so complexly spicy, tangy, and (you guessed it) fermentedly magical seems very much apropos.  It is no easy feat to create an arsenal of recipes that use such a [...]

Ahhh the library…shrine of knowledge and source of free erudition whether it be in book or video form.  A few nights ago my lovely wife checked out “The American Brew” from our local library.  I have come to discover that not all books and films/videos are created equally.  In fact, like a few ill made [...]

I’ve come to terms with it and duly admit that in terms of depth, variety, and creativity, American beer is possibly the best in the world.  You can have whatever you want.  However, I do believe that most American breweries do have a deficiency is classic styles, which seems to be why our categorical distinctions [...]

However rare, and contrary to the song, it’s been raining (and will continue to) in Southern California.  I’m not used to it and now consider myself spoiled on account of the fact that I’m from Indiana, a place that gets plenty of rain.  But it was too late, and I was too committed about my [...]

Mike’s recent articles chronicling his adventures in drinking through some of his cellared beer led me down the contemplative path that considers what makes a brewery good at what they do. Mike noted that the beers that did not stand the test of time were flawed from the beginning, as time in the bottle allowed [...]

From the onset, let’s establish that unwanted lactobacillus can leave a bad tastes in one’s mouth.  The unexpected sour and pucker of an accidentally infected beer is a real punch in the mouth, especially when the style is not particularly conducive to the beer.  That being said, let’s address the merit of the organism itself [...]

Well, that makes two beers in a short amount of time that had an infection.  I’m not going to continue defaming (not that I really have already) breweries, but it seems to me that I’ve figured something out about cellaring beer. Most of my cellared beers are a series of great/world class brews that will stand [...]

I’ve made no secret of my future brewery aspirations.  My goal is to be brewing commercially in a little over a year from now.  If you read this site, you know this and my friends know this as well.  So, Christmas came and we were going to be out of town.  My awesome friends hung [...]