Category: Beer News

Maddie Fritz’s camera went dark during a virtual meeting for the Brewers Association’s Mentorship Program. Most would assume, in the age of Zoom meetings, that she might be eating or her internet connection had gotten shaky. Instead, Fritz couldn’t believe what she heard would happen after the mentorship program ended.

She was crying. Not from sadness, but jubilation.

Fritz, who works in marketing and sales for Potosi Brewery in Potosi, Wis., had just wrapped up the 12-week mentorship program when Brewers Association DEI project coordinator Alana Koenig-Busey explained how there would be funds after the program ended—to continue education in a brewing or related program, pursue level one and two of the Cicerone Certification Program, attend the Craft Brewers Conference with travel reimbursement, or build a resource library of Brewers Publications and Brewers Association resources.… Read the rest “Pursuing a Passion: Mentorship Program Fuels Participants”

In a few short years, Zahra Tabatabai has turned a series of homebrewing trials into a brand garnering rave reviews, awards, and national media coverage. The beer industry, restaurant industry, and greater community of beer drinkers seemingly can’t get enough of Back Home Beer’s deftly brewed, complex yet easy-drinking offerings, embracing Middle Eastern flavors and ingredients.

Since launching in the fall of 2021 in Brooklyn, N.Y., the brand’s presence has blossomed all over New York City as well as Washington D.C., but for now, remains a one-person operation.… Read the rest “Transporting Beer Drinkers ‘Back Home’ with Middle Eastern Flair”

Hops Once Destined for Beer Have Found a New Role in Other Drinks

Since the 8th century, hops and beer have been as intertwined as grapes and wine. Benedictine monks at a Bavarian Abbey were first to form this happy union when they realized that hops presented a singular way to replace the bouquet of herbs and spices, as well as the bitterness they’d been seeking in their gruit ales.

In 1516, hops became a codified part of what defined beer, through the advent of the Reinheitsgebot, the German Beer Purity Law.… Read the rest “New Hope For Hops”

As breweries increasingly consider craft beer’s environmental impact, many are turning toward more sustainable ingredients to reduce their footprint. They’ve found that focusing on the earliest steps in beer making has a positive outcome potentially dozens of times greater than in-house efforts like solar or recycling.

Two of beer’s primary ingredients, hops and barley, offer the best possibilities for sustainable production. Barley in particular can be farmed in ways that support water conservation, soil preservation, and carbon reduction. Meanwhile, low-water hop varieties like Neomexicanus, a hop native to the American Southwest, also reduce a brew’s impact.… Read the rest “Treading Lightly: Breweries Reduce Environmental Impact”

When the entire country seems entrenched in the warmest days of the year, many beer enthusiasts run for something lighter and more refreshing to quench their thirst. Just because the weather is warmer does not mean that beer lovers must sacrifice flavor for a lighter and more refreshing beer.

Here are a few styles to wet the whistle and examples of where to find them from local and regional brewers.

Berliner Weisse: Berliner weisse is the lightest of all wheat beers, originating in Berlin and enjoyed by the likes of Napoleon Bonaparte, who called it “The Champagne of the North.”… Read the rest “Beer Styles for Summer Sipping”

The traditional camping season might be winding down, but many of us will no doubt still be hitting the trails, pitching tents, and sitting around campfires well into the fall months. When I was a kid, camping meant buying and eating way too much candy while reading comic books. Now it means enjoying a great beer around the campfire (I can neither confirm nor deny whether it still involves candy and comic books). Any beer can be a camping beer, of course, but here are some suggestions for cooling down after a hike or warming up around the firepit.… Read the rest “The Great Outdoors: Beers to Enjoy while Camping”

Have you ever noticed how climbing bines of emerald hops resemble pea plants? Like hops, peas are botanically fruit, but that doesn’t stop many people from regarding them as green vegetables. Just as peas are eaten in spring salads and exalted as summer produce, hops play an important role in supporting farmers market fare, bolstering beers with lighter grain builds to better pair with bitter greens and brassica.

Chefs such as Josh Niernberg at Bin 707 Foodbar in Colorado are finding ways to marry their local flavors and tap lines. Bin 707 is in Grand Junction, just 25 miles east of the Utah border, in the fertile region known as the state’s wine country.… Read the rest “A Great Beer for Greens”

Visiting Denver for the Great American Beer Festival (GABF) tops the bucket list of many beer lovers around the world. This annual celebration of American craft beer, innovation, and passion happens in late September/early October and boasts a one-of-a-kind experience for all those who enjoy craft beer. The year 2022 saw 40,000 beer lovers descend on the Mile High City to sample nearly 2,000 beers from 500 of America’s craft brewers. Why does this festival top the “must-do” lists of so many beer lovers? What exactly can a beer enthusiast expect from the festival?… Read the rest “10 Reasons to Attend the Great American Beer Festival”