We’ve been doing this show pretty much weekly for a little more than two years. Recently, there have been a lot of stories that are ending or at least back in the news that we have seen over time. It’s kind of fun. Also, it says a little something about institutional memory. Keeping up to date on these things is something we never get tired of, and hopefully you’re not exhausted by it either. If you haven’t given us an iTunes review yet, please consider it. If you haven’t subscribed year, also please consider it.
Homebrew quirks
I had such a great time last weekend visiting the homebrew competition. I didn’t stay long, but I didn’t have to to get the gist. It was cool to see all the volunteers pitching in to get tents secured when the wind picked up, but it was even neater to see how they communicated with one another while deciding to judge the beers.
…and the homebrew story of the week…
Japan gets in the game (like we knew it would)
We knew Kirin and Asahi were looking to get into the craft beer market. They needed new products and (more important) they needed a way to make sure they weren’t trapped as Budweiser expands to be the largest beer on the planet. I don’t know why this would be bad for anyone, but I guess we’ll find out.
A little on the nose?
Pairings aren’t necessarily matchings. To be clear, nothing is wrong with these examples, but there is an equal amount of fun in counterpoint tastes. Maybe a Mounds bar with a citrus-y IPA? Or, like, a Dove bar with an Amber? Hell, when it comes to candy and beer, I’m pretty much down to try anything. But when shopping for the trick or treaters, I want to get “stuck” with the right candy.
Waste not, want not.
We’ve talked about brewer ingenuity before and this is just another example of that. People who brew often also like to tinker. The most recent tinkering has led to the discovery that a fungus used to make batteries feeds well and happily on brewing wastewater.
Prevailing themes from GABF
More fruit beers, more coffee beers that aren’t stouts and more lagers. I’m perfectly happy with all of these. There are several things worth discussing, including that Shawn did a really nice coffee non-stout awhile ago that still is a hit at Xtreme. Also, I wonder if the popularity of particularly citrus fruits will have an effect on the up and coming hops. Adding a couple more variables gives infinite opportunities.
Style preview?
If lagers are getting more popular, it makes sense to start anticipating what will happen to them when they become common craft beers. In this article, they guess there will be more hop-forward lagers, which is perfectly acceptable to me.Do you have to be careful not to overdo it? Possible, but people probably won’t.
This week’s Recipe
We unfortunately already had made a huge batch of baba ganoush before I saw this article, but rest assured, I’ll get this made next time we’ve got eggplants to spare.
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Author: Tony Russo
Tony Russo has worked as a print and digital journalist for the better part of the 21st century, writing for and editing regional weeklies and dailies before joining the team that produces OceanCity.com and ShoreCraftBeer.com among other destination websites. In addition to having documented everything from zoning changes to art movements on the Delmarva Peninsula, Tony has written two books on beer for the History Press. Eastern Shore Beer was published in 2014 and Delaware Beer in 2016. He lives in Delmar, Md. with his wife Kelly and the only of his four daughters who hasn't moved out. Together they keep their two dogs comfortable.
