Dr. Beer, if it’s all the same to you

Or: Taking the misogyny out of beer through osmosis I’ve interviewed a lot of homebrewers. Some who have turned pro and others who are content to make what they please when they please. The common thread is the Mr. Beer kit which is something between a joke and a rite of passage for many of […]

Packaging, the final frontier

I’m going to come right out and say it: I’m a beer conservative. Fast growth makes me wary. Like most conservatives I have what I consider a rational fear of change and worry whether new wrinkles are ill- or well-conceived and if they will force me to make changes in my life I rather would […]

The myth of women brewers

Lori Clough holding a beer

I have some personal biases I’d like to share. I’m the father of four daughters and, maybe as a result (but also possibly because of my normal disposition), I wanted to make a huge deal out of March as Women’s History month. Particularly, I wanted to make a big deal out of the successes of […]

Craft Beer Women and Gender-free Beer

OK It’s been a lot longer than I wanted it to be since I checked in, but I had what I thought (until recently) was an excellent reason: women. I have some personal biases I’d like to share. I’m the father of four daughters and, maybe as a result (but also possibly because of my […]

BAM! Banging the Maryland Beer Drum

Kevin Atticks has been in the drink local business for quite some time, pressing (not literally) Maryland Wine issues in Annapolis as well as locally. Last year he accepted the challenge to run the Brewer’s Association of Maryland (BAM) as the state’s breweries continue to bump up against the intersection of regulation, legislation and promotion. […]

The Evolution of a craft beer artist

AmericanCraftBeer.com, March 11, 2015, by Anthony Towey “The brewing industry thrives on passion and needs passionate people at all levels” –Sam Gibson You certainly appreciate the passion it takes to craft your favorite brews, but have you considered who makes all those quirky labels that make them stand out on the shelf? Sam Gibson is […]

Can I get a witness? Beer evangelism

NOTE: Before I get started, it is important to be explicit that in what follows I’m not talking about religious practices or their values. This is about structure and belief but not about faith. Ed Rossiter, Jr. and Ed Rossiter III were hanging around at Xtreme Brewing in Laurel, Del. having a tasting and waiting […]

The tenacity of beer

It is cold in Crisfield. Cold and gray and lonely. When asked about the Saturday afternoon crowds, Carolyn Marquis, who owns Chesapeake Brewing Company with her husband David, shrugs. Crisfield is deathly quiet in the off-season; in fact the Blue Crab Cafe, where the brewery is housed, is apparently the only year round restaurant. Carolyn’s […]

Chesapeake Brewing and the tenacity of beer

It is cold in Crisfield. Cold and gray and lonely. When asked about the Saturday afternoon crowds, Carolyn Marquis, who owns Chesapeake Brewing Company with her husband David, shrugs. Crisfield is deathly quiet in the off-season; in fact the Blue Crab Cafe, where the brewery is housed, is apparently the only year round restaurant. Carolyn’s […]

The drive for good beer

OceanCity.com, February 13, 2015, Tony Russo Richard Pennington decided to act on his business impulse, for a change. It wasn’t unusual that he had a solid business idea, but he hadn’t before acted on one like this before. Standing at the crossroads of demand and opportunity, Pennington decided to launch Eastern Shore Brewz Krooz (the […]

The craft beer demographic at Mispillion River

Sometimes we get so caught up in celebrating the quality and variety of the beers to which we have access, it is easy to forget that craft beer is not just about the beer. Spend enough time in the brewery tap rooms, however, and you easily can be reminded how much craft beer enthusiasts rely […]

Can I get a witness? Beer evangelism school

NOTE: Before I get started, it is important to be explicit that in what follows I’m not talking about religious practices or their values. This is about structure and belief but not about faith. Ed Rossiter, Jr. and Ed Rossiter III were hanging around at Xtreme Brewing in Laurel, Del. having a tasting and waiting […]