The history of beermaking is a story of invention, dedication and pride. Though winemaking is a very old art – perhaps beginning with the Phoenicians 2,600 years ago – beermaking is older than farming. As far back as 8000 BC, women gathered wild grain and used it to make beer, depending on spontaneous, air-borne yeast [...]

The health benefits of moderate red wine drinking have been extensively studied. But several recent studies on beer suggest that it may be as, or even more, healthy if consumed in moderation. At base, of course, both contain alcohol and there is abundant evidence that it can have a variety of beneficial effects. Alcohol consumption [...]

Beer tasting professionals have developed practices over decades that can easily be used by anyone wanting to maximize their tasting experience. Begin with a fresh brew. Beer older than a few months, with some notable exceptions, are less than ideal candidates. Use a clean, air-dried glass. Cotton and paper particles can introduce unwanted character, can [...]

Sometimes a problem is cleverly turned into an advantage. The world is indeed fortunate that barley is good for little more than making beer. But for that, it is excellently suited. Barley is a cereal grain, similar to wheat or oats, that doesn’t mill well into flour for bread. But crushed and dried in a [...]

Wine clubs have been around longer than the Internet, but they blossomed there. Providing full-color catalogs via mail-order is slow and expensive and expanding your customer base is more difficult. The web made possible daily changes to product, potentially instant error correction and price changes and the possibility of reaching a worldwide audience cheaply. Less [...]

So much beer, so little time. The phrase is a common complaint among beer aficionados, and for good reason. Today the variety available at restaurants, pubs, specialty stores and online is staggering. Even the most dedicated beer drinker could sample only a small fraction of the total. So, here’s a small fraction of the total, [...]

Found a 50-year old Budweiser can in your grandfather’s garage? Don’t throw it out – it might be worth $300 or more on eBay. Got a 1943 Schlitz bottle, with the label intact? If it has a ‘Buy War Bonds’ stamp you might be looking at a $500 ‘antique’. Even tin bottle tops can fetch [...]

Water might be the most varied chemical compound on the planet. Plain old H2O is the same anywhere, of course. But brewing with pure water is not only expensive, but leads to poor beer – flat, stale and downright incorrect. That’s because the dozen or more elements or compounds found in natural sources contribute greatly [...]

Mouthfeel Beer is generally carbonated and often served at lower than room temperature. The character of the malts, hops and the brewing process in total contribute to the feel of the brew in the mouth. Carbon dioxide bubbles interact with receptors on the tongue and influence whether the brew feels thick or light, creamy or [...]

Tasting is about the last thing in the world most beer drinkers would think they need advice on. But to get the most out of the experience, emulate professional winetasters and strike out into new territory. Learn what the pros know… Start with a clean, dry glass for each brew being considered. Some argue that [...]