Craft Beer

Articles, commentary, and reviews on homebrewing and craft beer.

Amazon And Alcohol: Good News, Or Potential Trouble?

Flickr Image Amazon is the beast that just keeps getting bigger. It’s become a solid part of many Western countries, and none more so than America. To gain some idea of how important this e commerce company have become, consider that 64% of U.S. households now have Amazon Prime. On top of which, four of every $10 spent online is spent on Amazon. In case you hadn’t realized, it’s kind of a big deal. And, to keep interest high, Amazon forever surprises us with new benefits. Most recently, we’ve seen an explosion of popularity for Amazon’s ‘Alexa,’ an intelligent personal assistant who is changing the way we live. Thanks to her, Amazon is at the forefront of ‘the internet of everything,’ and cementing themselves well…
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Busting 5 More Persistent Beer Myths

yesterday, I pulled out my trusty bow and quiver and, after accidentally killing my pet cat and a small family of nearby chipmunks*, took aim at some pernicious beer myths. It’s time to take aim at a few more, because there is no better feeling than lording some pointless piece of knowledge over someone in an effort to make yourself feel a little better about your small, sad little life. This selection is perhaps a touch more subjective than the last, but I have the benefit of being right, so I’m not too worried about any subjectivity here. Here are 5 beer myths you should totally stop believing: Contract Brewing is Bad Photo courtesy of CraftCan on Photobucket CraftCans Contract brewing is something of a dirty…
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Busting 5 Persistent Beer Myths

Beer = serious business. It would be an outrage to let misinformation float around beer circles, just an OUTRAGE, so rather than risk hordes of beer nerds taking to the streets or me having a small conniption or panic attack or something after hearing someone get something wrong about beer (see also), I’m going to debunk a few common beer myths that get passed around even in today’s Beer! Beer! Beer! world. Because the only thing better than sharing your love for something like beer, hopefully with some good friends, is getting a chance to play “I told you so” and know-it-all for faceless Internet people. (I might be exaggerating. Maybe.) Beer In A Hot Car Will Skunk This one goes back to just about…
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Crafting Authenticity, Why Dry Cider Is Making A Comeback In America

Contributed Post American cider has always been hit, and miss with the general public and Irish and English ciders have taken precedent. The traditions of cider brewing have long since been passed down from generation to generation in the island of Ireland. Irish ciders have been a prominent favorite with consumers because the brewing techniques have been able to create smooth, punchy and bittersweet alcoholic beverages without a cheap aftertaste. English ciders have been giving the Irish a run for their money as Somerset brewed ciders like Thatchers Gold is becoming widely acclaimed for making vintage ciders. However, the American market is not used to high volume percentages and likes something a little flatter; which is where dry cider comes into the fray. Although hard…
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SUNDAY SIPS: 5 Luscious Lagers from Pennsylvania

After a brief break — there was just too much other stuff going on that I had to do — Sunday Sips returns, slightly behind schedule but still focused on good brews you should try. This week, it’s lagers, an underrated style in the craft world. Specifically, lagers from the sort of okay state of Pennsylvania. Cheers! Neshaminy Creek Churchville Lager In a craft beer world obsessed with barrel aging and being hoppier than thou, the lowly lager doesn’t get much love. That’s too bad, because few classes of beer are as well suited to anytime, anywhere drinking. Other styles can be mood-dependant, but a lager always hits the spot. Thankfully, those who appreciate this more subtle style have some great options that are brewed locally. For…
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