Think Drink Local

Year: 2013

  • What is “session beer”?

    The subject of session beer is hotting up in the USA, so I am providing this handy guide to people on both sides of the Pond as to why “session beer” is critical to define. But before we go any further… Note for U.S. beer nerds British Session Beers pack an awesome punch of flavor…

  • The end of the Golden Era of National Craft beer

    I am laying out a bold thesis here: that we are at the end of the golden age of national craft beer brands. I’m not saying that we will never again see the likes of Anchor et al, but that we will see their likes much more rarely going forward. National craft beer brands are,…

  • Calories in beer

    With the recent announcement from the regulating authorities that brewers may, if they wish, provide calorie information, how will that affect craft breweries when consumers see the calorie count? These figures are calculated by Beersmith, and are subject to natural variations in ingredients, but let’s take a look at a standard 12 oz serving, shall…

  • Magic City Brewfest – a celebration of craft beer

    The annual Magic City Brewfest is fast approaching, featuring more Alabama breweries than ever before – 15 at last count. Just look at all the local brews (marked with *) on the beer list! And just today, the Alabama Brewers’ Guild welcomed two more breweries into their fold, bringing us up to 21 breweries in…

  • Why do I drink craft beer?

    This is a comment that happens way too often. “Why do you drink that frou-frou stuff? Why can’t you drink normal beer?”  Well, because I don’t like the taste of corn in my beer for a start. Historically beer contained 3 ingredients: water, malt, hops. It was very simple, and naturally fermented. Now we add…

  • Brewery tour: Back40 in Gadsden

    Where: Back Forty Beer C0, 200 North 6th Street, Gadsden, AL, (256) 467-4912. How to find them: if your GPS gets confused like mine did, head to Blackstone Pub and Eatery on Broad Street, turn right onto 6th St and as you head towards the train tracks you will see Back Forty right in front of…

  • Curry and beer

    Although many people find it strange to pair anything other than a traditional lager/pilsner with a curry, there are many different options available to the more adventurous. Just remember: making the wrong choice won’t lead to disaster! (They lead to a subpar pairing, which is just as bad.) If you get the pairing wrong, just…

  • Straight to Ale Intimidator Doppelbock

    9% ABV Poured from: bomber Appearance: cloudy brown with deep ruby highlights, thin effervescent head. A very attractive pour. Aroma: A light sweetness underlies a gentle hop aroma.  It wouldn’t surprise me if STA used Noble Hops in their recipe, as it has some of the dark, almost earthy/grassy aromatics associated with Noble Hops like…

  • Video review: Beer Engineers Peanut Butter Porter

    Video review of BE Peanut Butter Porter Changing things up a bit by doing a thoroughly irreverent video review with my buddy Joseph Baker wherein we touch on a little of the BS that breweries go through to get their beer onto the shelves. In post-review conversation we kicked around food pairings and decided that…

  • Pairing beer and cheese

    I love being asked unexpected questions about pairing beer and food, so when I got a request from a distributor to put together some pairings for a segment on a local TV station (ABC 33/40) I jumped at the challenge: The request Cheese pairings for Straight to Ale Lily Flagg (milk stout) Straight to Ale…