Topic: Brewing History
Crowing Glory: A brief history of crown caps
FREEResting securely on the tops of our bottles, holding in beer and carbonation, the crown cap is the perfect tool for the job. But have you ever wondered about its origins?
A Tale of Two Historic Porters
MEMBERS ONLYI have recently been a part of brewing two historic porters on a commercial scale. The first was a re-creation of a specific historical brew at Brewport Brewing Co. in Bridgeport, Connecticut. The second was a modern creation at Springdale, the ale department of Jack’s Abby Brewing in Framingham, Massachusetts that was along the lines of
The Rise of Brazilian Beer
MEMBERS ONLYI think most people know that I enjoy traveling for beer, whether I’m judging, teaching, brewing, consulting, giving judging exams, or just being a beer tourist. I have greatly enjoyed most of the places I’ve visited over the years, but Brazil will always have a special place in my heart. From my first trip there nearly
A Sip of Tradition
MEMBERS ONLYIf I asked you to picture a beer, most of your imagined pints would be similar: The beer would be translucent and bright, topped with half an inch or so of foam. Sure the colors might vary — to some, the beer would be golden, to others it would be copper-hued or borderline black. The
Traditional Norwegian Kveik
MEMBERS ONLYTo be honest with you, at first I didn’t have much interest in kveik, the strains of indigenous symbiotic yeast culture from Norway that seem to ferment at warp speed and at unusually high temperatures. From what little bit I’d heard about it, it seemed gimmicky, like a trend or fad that wouldn’t last long
Reviving Extinct German Beer Styles
MEMBERS ONLYLurking in the dark recesses of beer history are many formerly famous brews that are now all but forgotten. This is particularly true in countries with old beer cultures, such as Great Britain, Belgium, and especially Germany, where folks are known to have been brewing for almost three millennia, probably longer. The proof is a
A Very English Ale Revolution
MEMBERS ONLYNew laws, increased infrastructure, and changing views in the latter half of the 19th century had an impact on nearly every facet of British culture, including beer. We review how this time in British history helped shape the English beer styles as we know them today.
Pre-Prohibition Lager
MEMBERS ONLYCan you believe there was a time before Budweiser? It may be a ubiquitous presence in the US (and around the world) today, but Budweiser has a long history. In fact, the first Budweiser recipe was formulated by Carl Conrad and first brewed in 1876 at the Busch Brewery in St. Louis, Missouri. By 1880
The Mysteries of Dark Lagers
MEMBERS ONLYExplore the mysterious history of dark lagers; from when they were dark unintentionally to purposely, and the rise of bottom-fermented beers in Bavaria. Plus: 6 dark lager recipes.
Isle of Man
FREEWith just four breweries producing beer for 80,000 residents, Isle of Man in the North Sea is an offshoot in United Kingdom beer culture. It now finds itself at a point where new-age beers and historic styles live side-by-side. Learn about the brewing culture and techniques, plus 3 Isle of Man clone recipes.
Munich Dunkel: The original brown lager of Bavaria
FREEMunich dunkel captures historical Bavarian brewing in a glass: Munich malt, decoction mashing, and clean, smooth lager character.
Belgian Blond Ale: The best known Belgian Abbey beer
MEMBERS ONLYSome people have asked me how I choose the styles to write about in this column. At the start, it was easy — I just started writing about new styles in the 2015 BJCP Style Guidelines. But after I wrote about all of those, I now have a free hand to pick a style. Sometimes