We’ve been talking for years about the craft beer bubble, asking whether or not we’re already past the golden age of craft brewing, a time when the industry is young and creative, and the future’s so bright, you gotta wear shades (which also help with hangovers, BTW). Will things continue to get bigger and better, […]

I came across something interesting while perusing the local bottle shop on my lunch hour – a box containing an unknown assortment of craft beers. All it said on the side was “Craft Beer Variety Pack” with no description of what may lie within. A craft beer mystery pack, hmmm?  Intriguing…

Okay, so this might look like an SAT question, but it’s actually pretty simple, and it’s about beer (BONUS: and bacon!). Stay with me here. I’ve been thinking about how the quality of a craft beer and who owns the brewery that made it affect my purchase-making decisions.  It’s easy for me to say “no” […]

Beyond TODAY is an extension of our weekly column for the TODAY Show food blog. Over there, I talk about my hunt for the much-hyped Pliny the Elder on a recent trip to California. Over here, we’re sharing one from the archives about how hype can effect your perception and enjoyment of a beer.  Click […]

Beyond TODAY is an extension of our weekly column for the TODAY Show food blog. Over there, I talk about how an off flavor ruined my last chance with a very highly regarded beer. Over here, we’re looking at other flavors that make a good beer taste bad (at least to me).   Click here to […]

My lovely wife surprised me last night with a growler full of beer from a well-loved regional brewery that’s near her work.  I don’t want to name names, but it was from Captain Lawrence’s new taproom at 444 Saw Mill River Rd  Elmsford, NY 10523.  Oops – guess I didn’t handle that very well! The reason […]

Beyond TODAY is an extension of our weekly column for the TODAY Show food blog. Here we’ll look at the same subject from another angle, which will likely be far geekier. This edition is from the archives, all about the nutritional goodness in craft beer.  Click here to see our latest TODAY Show post. About […]

Beyond TODAY is an extension of our weekly column for the TODAY Show food blog. Here we’ll look at the same subject from another angle, which will likely be far geekier.  Click here to see our latest TODAY Show post. I know it’s a stereotype, but* women really do go crazy for chocolate.  It’s innate.  […]

I’m very curious to see how the Big Boy Breweries are planning to infiltrate the craft beer world, and on Monday we got to see another piece of the puzzle. MillerCoors’ craft beer division Tenth and Blake just acquired Crispin Cider Company, a Minneapolis-based brewer of cider.  I’ll be honest – I didn’t know that […]

Let me start off by admitting that I love good branding.  I appreciate products that project a fully realized vision, from the packaging to the nuts and bolts inside.  The easiest (and these days the most clichéd) example here is Apple, which creates a lovely and cohesive brand experience from the store where you shop […]

I’ve recently been asked by the folks over at the Today Show to do some beer posts for their website. My first thought was to write a manifesto about why craft beer is the World’s Greatest Beverage – I figured it’d be a good tone setter.  They figured differently, and instead suggested I do a […]

As some of you may know, I’ve spent the past week taking care of our mom and helping her move from Wisconsin to Michigan.  She needs hip surgery and is to the point where she can’t really walk, stand or do anything on her own, so I had to stay sharp day and night and […]

I’ve recently read a lot of predictions for the coming year and I keep asking myself “how the hell do THEY know what’s going to happen?” I certainly don’t, so instead of predicting the good and the bad that 2012 will bring to the craft beer world, I’ve decided to share six things I hope […]

Let me begin this post by saying I am in no way complaining!  I had an absolutely wonderful Christmas this year, which was hard to believe given all the current challenges my family currently faces.  It was great.  We opened gifts, truly enjoyed each other’s company and with the exception of an overdone beef roast […]

I recently had the pleasure of sampling a very rare, very highly regarded beer, and it was pretty good, but not as good as I thought it would be.  The problem?  High expectations, or hype. It’s like a nasty ester that spoils the brew, an off flavor that casts a pall on an otherwise good […]