Tag Archives: beer wisdom

Fake Brews: Do You Believe in These Brewing Myths?

Debate & Commentary 2 Comments
Tom Ayres
Tom Ayres
Tom Ayres
Latest posts by Tom Ayres (see all)

As I look back on my earlier decade of brewing beer, it dawned on me that my brewing practices and beliefs have changed quite a bit from when I first began. My evolution as a brewer (well, I hope it’s been an evolution) has been fueled by equal parts research and hands-on experience. It’s my hope that sharing my brewing learnings may help others to sift out some prevalent myths from their brewing. Doing so has many benefits, including simplifying and shortening your brewing by…

Read More »

If I like a Beer, I Drink It!!

Debate & Commentary 2 Comments
Regis Schmerheim
Regis Schmerheim
Craft Beer Drinker, Padres, USC Trojans, Navy Midshipmen, & SDSU Aztecs Fan. I enjoy watching movies & sports, mostly at home. I typically do that with a beer in my hand.
Regis Schmerheim
Latest posts by Regis Schmerheim (see all)

Disclaimer: I am specifically personalizing this with no intention to persuade you (the reader) to agree with me or to do what I do. I am simply using myself as an example.   I’ve been pondering about how craft beer drinkers make decisions on which beers they drink and which beers they won’t. The reasons are likely more numerous to count so I thought I would talk about five reasons. These are based on Twitter interactions with hundreds of people who drink craft beer. I…

Read More »

Stress and Brewing Innovation

Debate & Commentary Leave a comment
DG Barrett
Follow me
DG Barrett
Co-founder at Sommbeer
Faith, Family and Beer always in that order.
"We don't take serious beer too seriously"
DG Barrett
Follow me
Latest posts by DG Barrett (see all)

Exploring just what makes some breweries innovate while others stagnate Winemakers for centuries have known that a “stressed vine makes good wine”.  Too much comfort (lots of water, good soil, moderate temperature) and the grape vine will focus on making big green leaves, long branches or extensive roots.  Grape plants need just a bit too much heat or limited water for the plant’s resources to be diverted to the grape. Simply put, it needs stress to make luscious wine producing grapes.  This concept has always…

Read More »

Busting Beer Myths

Debate & Commentary, Misc Leave a comment
Simon Whooley
Latest posts by Simon Whooley (see all)

The beer-drinking world seems to have gone mad for craft beers. India Pale this, Brett-soured that, Imperial whatever. I made that sound like a bad thing – but no, I love that craft beers are so popular. It’s great for a few reasons; firstly, those of us who enjoy craft beer are enjoying a product into which a lot of thought, innovation and artisanal consideration has been put. We are also not supporting ‘large, evil corporations’. However, with the growth of the craft beer scene,…

Read More »

Could you be a beer judge?

Debate & Commentary 1 Comment
Tom Ayres
Tom Ayres
Tom Ayres
Latest posts by Tom Ayres (see all)

Tom Ayres explores a day in the life of a Beer Judge. Have you ever wondered what it’s like to be a beer judge? I mean, how cool does it sound to drink beer all day, chat about it and fill out a short form? Seems pretty easy and fun, right? Well, being a beer judge isn’t really as simple as all of that. Read-on and I’ll tell you all about what its like to be a beer judge for a day. So Now I’m…

Read More »

Why a Miller Lite was the Best Beer I’ve Ever Had

Brew and View, Debate & Commentary 1 Comment
Keep up at
Andrew J. Pytel
Host at Something Old, Something New, Something Borrowed, Something Brewed
Andrew J. Pytel is a craft beer professional, podcast host, and comic. You can find his beer musings on Sommbeer.com and his bi-weekly music and beer review show (Something Old, Something New, Something Borrowed, Something Brewed) wherever you get your podcasts.
Keep up at
Latest posts by Andrew J. Pytel (see all)

Why a Miller Lite was the best beer I’ve ever had. I’ve worked in craft beer for nearly five years now. I’ve had the fortune to try some truly amazing brews: Pliny the Elder, Heady Topper, Bourbon Barrel Aged Expedition Stout. Supplication? I’ve got one in my mini-fridge. The reason I’m telling you this is because I want to frame my statements here properly. I’ve had good beer, trust me. The best beer I’ve ever had, though, was a Miller Lite. My father passed away…

Read More »

So You Want to Open Your Own Brewery?

Brewery Reviews, Debate & Commentary Leave a comment
Tom Ayres
Tom Ayres
Tom Ayres
Latest posts by Tom Ayres (see all)

Talk to just about any craft beer fan or homebrewer and they will likely tell you they fantasize about opening their own brewery some day. Well Dave Miller of Brewery 4 Two 4 in Holland, Michigan did just that. After years of working at successful 9 to 5 job, Dave and his wife Erin went “all in” with their personal finances and opened their own place. Only it wasn’t as easy as it sounds. Dave graciously sat down with me to tell me about living…

Read More »

Innovation in the Brewing Industry

Beer & Food, Beer Reviews, Debate & Commentary Leave a comment
Simon Whooley
Latest posts by Simon Whooley (see all)

My experience with the most creative and unusual beers out there Innovation is often defined as the introduction of something new, and goes hand-in-hand with creativity. In the brewing industry, innovation and creativity often refer to new blends of grains in the brewing process, or specially bred yeast cultures and/or hop plants. In some cases, innovation can be the use of fruits, vegetables or other flavoring compounds to enhance or provide a different style than one would typically expect. Sometimes, however, innovation is really out…

Read More »

Beer and I

Debate & Commentary Leave a comment
Simon Whooley
Latest posts by Simon Whooley (see all)

One man’s journey towards discovering craft beer About a year ago, Kate and I both began the move from Galway, Ireland to Massachusetts; from my birth-country to hers. This was a big move for us both – we quit our jobs, we left our apartment, we had most of our stuff shipped in a container and the rest (that which we didn’t leave with my family, anyway) we sold or donated. We fully upheaved our lives. So, since we were in a transitional period in our…

Read More »

Scott Sullivan from Greenbush – Describes Mental Health Issue in Craft Beer Industry as a Cancer

Debate & Commentary 13 Comments
DG Barrett
Follow me
DG Barrett
Co-founder at Sommbeer
Faith, Family and Beer always in that order.
"We don't take serious beer too seriously"
DG Barrett
Follow me
Latest posts by DG Barrett (see all)

Scott Sullivan from Greenbush Brewing discusses the mental health issue within the craft beer industry. Note: a follow-up article has been published by the team at “Better Drinking Culture“ Recently a brewery owner from Vermont was quoted in an article citing the mental health issues that exist in the brewing industry. It was a powerful and candid statement that brought the subject into focus and opened up debate.  In a subsequent post however, the brewer attempted to step back from the subject.  This was, in the opinion of…

Read More »