Tales of ales from the heart of Ohio to the ends of the Earth
The 5th iteration of the King of Ohio contest is now in the books. The King of Ohio contest comes around once per year, and this year we chose the broadest, most American category you can imagine, IPAs. Close to 100 breweries entered, roughly 1/3 of the craft breweries in the Buckeye state. We divided... Continue Reading →
When I first visited Ill Mannered Brewing back in January 2016 the hours were limited because all four owners were still working day jobs, and the taproom seating capacity was slightly smaller than the waiting room at my dentist's office. Despite its diminutive footprint, I was won over by the tasty beer, warm hospitality, and passion... Continue Reading →
Despite the ubiquity of IPAs on the American craft beer market, craft lagers are ascendant in a way that would have seemed improbable a few years ago. In this episode, which contains previously unreleased material from the spring of 2018, Mark, Hans and I take you on a journey back to the source of all... Continue Reading →
The fifth iteration of the King of Ohio competition is just under a month away. Each year the competition, organized by Ohio-based beer bloggers and writers, focuses on a broad stylistically related family of beers and seeks to identify the best commercially brewed beer in the Buckeye state of that type. This year we return... Continue Reading →
In this episode we welcome back Canadian ex-pat Chris Mercerhill who does his best to educate the rest of the cast on beer from north of the border. Our meandering discussion touches on topics ranging from distribution laws to the Canadian music scene to motherhood while enjoying beers from from Ontario heavy hitters Flying Monkees,... Continue Reading →
In the 21st century a wealth of brewing tips, techniques, and recipes are accessible to anyone with access to the internet. Bohemian pilsner malts, New Zealand hops, Belgian yeast strains are available to brewers from Texas to Tokyo. Water chemistry can be bent to the brewers will. Geographic differences in beer styles that were once... Continue Reading →
Corvallis, Oregon is one of America’s quintessential college towns. It’s bounded by the Willamette River to the east and the highest peak in the Coastal Mountain range to the west. The Pacific Coast, the Cascade Mountains and Portland are all within two hours driving distance. It has the kind of natural beauty and geographic diversity... Continue Reading →
The taproom is a central focus of most craft breweries these days. The beer is fresher, the connections to the local community stronger, and perhaps most importantly the margins are higher. Ohio has nearly 300 breweries, but the number without a taproom is small enough to count on your fingers. The only two that call... Continue Reading →
These days mixed fermentation beers are all the rage, but the monks at Orval have been making a mixed fermentation Brett saison for 80+ years. In this episode Hans Gorsuch and Chris Mercerhill join Mark and I for an in-depth look at one of the world's truly iconic beers. Throw in some thoughts on home brewing... Continue Reading →
