Tales of ales from the heart of Ohio to the ends of the Earth
Japan’s ancient capital, Kyoto, is rightfully on the itinerary of most foreigners who visit Japan. The city is steeped in history, religion, and traditional Japanese culture. It was the spiritual and sometimes political center of Japan from the 8th century, when Emperor Kammu moved the capital from Nara to Kyoto, until the 19th century when... Continue Reading →
With a population of 2.8 million, Osaka is Japan’s third largest city, behind Tokyo and Yokohama. A visit to Osaka affords you the opportunity to drink craft beer in a former public bath/onsen (Kamigata Beer), in a skyscraper 31 floors above ground level (Craft Beer House Molto!!), on a tugboat (Beer Stand Marca), and myriad... Continue Reading →
I’m currently in the middle of a 3 month stay in Japan. It’s an incredible opportunity, so I’ve doing my best to explore all that Japan has to offer. Naturally that includes checking out local breweries and other beery spots of interest when the opportunity presents itself. In my last post I made some general... Continue Reading →
If I asked you to describe Japanese beer what would your response be? Many people would mention something about crisp, dry lagers, as exemplified by beers like Asahi Super Dry. You wouldn’t be wrong, Asahi Super Dry is the most popular beer in Japan. It relies on the additions of rice and corn and a... Continue Reading →
In the last post we explored Strasbourg and the local beer style, Alsatian pilsner. Think of that as an appetizer, an opening act if you will, because our next destination is Bavaria, the land of lagers. Our first stop is Bamberg, a city in Upper Franconia best known for its smoky Rauchbier, but as I... Continue Reading →
There's no better season than summer for drinking wheat beers and perhaps no style of wheat beer is more refreshing than a well executed witbier. So, the arrival of hot weather and the announcement that Allagash and their flagship white ale is coming to Ohio make for a perfect opportunity to take a closer look... Continue Reading →
In a recent issue of Zymurgy Magazine (May/June 2025) there was a 9-page article about the past and present of pilsners made in Alsace. The timing was fortuitous as I was about to leave for a conference in Strasbourg, the capital of Alsace. What follows are my notes on beer culture in Alsace and the... Continue Reading →
On Friday, May 16, Hoster Brewing Company (653 N James Road) will be releasing a Lichtenhainer, a style of beer so unusual that it last appeared in Central Ohio more than eight years ago (Litany Against Fear a collaboration between Wolf’s Ridge and Little Fish) [1]. For most of you this opening sentence probably raises... Continue Reading →
In the pantheon of British beers, no beer style is more potent or decadent than a barleywine. While the tradition of brewing strong beers with the finest ingredients of the fall harvest goes back centuries, it was only toward the end of the 19th century that the term barleywine came into vogue, originally associated with... Continue Reading →
Once upon a time malted grains were either dried in the open air (wind malts) or with the heat from a fire. Malts kilned with the latter method possessed a smoky character from the wood used to fuel the fire. Starting in the 17th century maltsters invented techniques for smoke-free kilning and beers featuring smoked... Continue Reading →
Mary MacDonald and Justin Hemminger from the Ohio Craft Brewers Association join us to talk about some important behind the scenes issues affecting craft brewers and drinkers alike. We discuss laws that have an outsized impact on the way craft beer is distributed and sold in Ohio, including the outdated franchise law which governs the... Continue Reading →
In the world of craft beer, Barley's Brewing is a through line that runs from the present day all the way back to the days when you could count the number of Ohio craft breweries on your fingers. This coming Friday (November 8, 2024) they celebrate 32 years in the business with one of my... Continue Reading →
Artificial intelligence (AI) is seemingly everywhere these days, including in the brewing industry. To get a better idea of how it can be a tool for good in brewing we sit down with Beau Warren, the mastermind behind Species X Beer Project. Beau’s blend of interests in artificial intelligence and craft brewing is truly unparalleled.... Continue Reading →
In it's 5 year history Gemüt Biergarten has done much to distinguish itself from the pack. Their location in Columbus' Olde Town East neighborhood is a gorgeous, inviting location with sturdy communal tables, stained glass windows that tell the story of their core beers, and one of the city's best beer gardens. In a world... Continue Reading →
In this episode three repeat guests - Dan Eaton, Madeleine Bogard, and Chris Mercehill - compete in a game show based on bizarre beers. The show alternates between rounds of Wait Wait... Don’t Beer Me! and ReinheitsgeWHAT? In the former we share the origin stories of three beers featuring highly unusual ingredients, even by modern... Continue Reading →
As the craft beer industry matures, brewers are facing a number of economic challenges. In this episode we discuss those challenges with longtime Columbus Business First writer, Dan Eaton, who has covered the beer industry since the aughts as a reporter for Columbus Business First. After reviewing some of the stats that highlight the current... Continue Reading →
In this episode, loosely based on the format of the Great British Baking Show, seven homebrewers square off to see who can design and brew the best English, Irish or Scottish Ale. After we meet the brewers and hear about their beers, professional brewers Angelo Signorino (Barley's) and Ryan Torres (Brew Brothers) judge the entries.... Continue Reading →
There was a time when Belgian-style beers were widely brewed in America, but these days the yeast-forward, elegant beers of Belgium seem to be relegated to a small niche of the American market. You can still find Trappist ales in better beer stores, but try searching for American-brewed interpretations of those styles is a challenging... Continue Reading →
Nick Dekker has been writing about food, travel, and occasionally beer, for nearly two decades. His blog site, Breakfast with Nick, is a wealth of knowledge and the definitive guide to the best breakfast spots in Central Ohio. He is also a native of Grand Rapids, Michigan, home of Founders Brewing, so it comes as... Continue Reading →
We recently recorded our 50th episode, a feat that took just over 8 years. It seemed like a milestone worth celebrating, as getting to 100 episodes is by no means a sure thing. That idea led to a wonderful collaboration with Angelo Signorino of Barley's Brewing. The first task was to decide what style to... Continue Reading →
Pat's Pints 