Sign me up for this Father’s Day beer box, please!

Sign me up for this Father’s Day beer box, please!

Posted inCraft Beer
I've followed the craft beer world for a lot of years, as a former beer columnist for the Philadelphia Weekly, a writer for HomeBrew Talk, and just plain as an enthusiast for varied taste experiences. Over the years, I've encountered many beer gift boxes and/or monthly beer clubs. You know the ones I'm talking about. Seemingly random mix packs at your local beer shop, or Beer of the Month clubs that send you an array of beers in the mail each month. To be frank, most of the time these mix packs are kind of awful. The beers are often…

There’s a Reason So Many Beers Are Named After Myths, Gods and Monsters

Posted inCraft Beer, Works by Eric
Originally published in the Philadelphia Weekly, May. 30, 2012, but long since taken offline (though available on the Internet Archive). So here it is in full. Drinking beer: It’s an act that transcends mere enjoyment, isn’t it? Throughout history, we’ve had an almost spiritual connection with our beer, one that leans toward the most fierce, primal part of who we are as human beings. Whereas wine is seen as civilized, refined, and at times erotic, beer conjures up something quite different—something wild, something untamed. In ancient days, triumphant warriors returned home from a day of plunder to down their ale…
Busting 5 More Persistent Beer Myths

Busting 5 More Persistent Beer Myths

Posted inCraft Beer
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…
Busting 5 Persistent Beer Myths

Busting 5 Persistent Beer Myths

Posted inCraft Beer
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"…
SUNDAY SIPS: 5 Luscious Lagers from Pennsylvania

SUNDAY SIPS: 5 Luscious Lagers from Pennsylvania

Posted inCraft Beer
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…