Archive for 'Musings'

South Carolina To Allow Beer Tastings at Breweries & Retailers

(Author’s note: I hope I’m not jinxing this, since this bill is technically not law as of today, June 3. It was ratified by the South Carolina senate on June 1 and the final step is to be signed by the governor. If Good Governor Sanford does not veto the bill, which is unlikely, it [...]

Beer Style Guidelines – Friend or Foe?

Ever since I was in college, I’ve always wanted to get a tattoo. Only problem is, I can’t think of anything I want to put on my body that I someday can’t easily take off. So, I’ve never gotten a tattoo.
What does that have to do with beer and BJCP (Beer Judge Certification Program) style [...]

Acquiring a Taste For Beer (or anything, for that matter)

If you were anything like me, you didn’t always like beer. The first few times I tried beer, I was repulsed. Granted, it was probably a Bud Light or Olde English 800, so that might explain it. However, I can say the same thing about coffee, asparagus and The Beatles.
How is it that things we [...]

Seasonal Beers Pull On Your Heart Strings

In the most recent issue of Beer Advocate Magazine, Andy Crouch wrote an article titled “Drinking Imperial Stout in Summer.” Andy’s point was that with today’s readily available ingredients and refrigeration, there really is no need for seasonal beers. If you want a marzen in June, you should be able to have one. Why are [...]

Gifts for the Beer Geek: The Good, the Bad and the Ugly

It’s hard to buy good gifts for people. I understand. I’ve been friends/dating/engaged/married to my wife Nicole since 1996. After fourteen years of birthdays, Christmases, and random occasions, I am pretty much out of creative gift ideas. When all else fails, the default reaction is to fall back on her favorite hobbies: music and gnomes.
I’m [...]

The Perilous Journey of Beer

I’m sure you’ve had one at one time or another: a buttery, cardboard-flavored, skunky beer that smelled like a Band-Aid. You either took it back to the bartender and demanded a different beer or angrily sipped it while cursing the brewer of such a foul beverage.
Odds are you haven’t tried this beer since. The beer [...]