Interesting post at Washington Beer Blog about a visit by Congressman Rick Larsen to Bellingham's Chuckanut Brewery and Kitchen. Aside from tidbits about the business and political side of microbreweries, I was most fascinated by the revelation that there is a bipartisan House Small Brewers Caucus comprised of Larsen, Peter DeFazio of Oregon, and ( Read more... )

Finally made it down to Fremont Brewing with my neighbor. It's just a couple blocks from the house, in what was previously a duckboat barn. This is one of a new breed of small breweries that has taken advantage of new laws to set up a small beer garden in the front area near one of the big doors. Very informal, just one guy pouring beer, a bunch of ( Read more... )

I wrote recently in passing about how the Belgian practice of using local wild yeast and microflora in the brewing process has begun to spread to the US. Jeff Alworth at the Portland beer blog Beervana has now written an interesting and informative post about American Lambics in which he talks about the history of the spontaneous fermentation ( Read more... )

Took Christina and Doug to Brouwers last night for one final outing before they head to the Bay Area this morning. This was the one chance they had to see John D. Berry, who had been out of town over the weekend. carl also joined us, bringing a CD he wanted to pass along to Doug, who is also a fan of rare and strange music. John had a "fanzine" ( Read more... )

Sour Beer Is Risky Business, Starting With the Name

A pretty good article that includes some things I didn't know. For example, Allagash (a brewer in Portland, Maine) is also experimenting with exposing its wort to wild yeasts and bacteria. Three of the brewers they talked to for the article made beers that I wrote about recently: Vinnie Cilurzo ( Read more... )

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It may be taken as read -- and indeed as an essential aspect of Eastercon heritage -- that the real beer runs out, to be replaced by hastily negotiated and progressively less real substitutes. England, my England.

-- Dave Langford, "Six Day Warp," from Attitude #11, July 1997 ( Read more... )

I think I'm done in the garden until spring. Yesterday I transplanted a lavender bush and two clumps of day lilies, and I raked pretty much the last of the leaves from the trees on our property and the neighbor's. Might still get some leaves from the big maple across the street, but other than that, I've done everything that was on my autumn ( Read more... )

Via Craig Smith I have learned of a no doubt short-lived ad campaign in Australia for Jamieson's Raspberry Ale. The ad company, The Foundry, has pitched this beverage with an image of Ho White and the Seven Dwarfs depicted in apparently post-coital bliss. We are counting the seconds until Disney's lawyers launch Predator drones. However, the best ( Read more... )