Saint Arnold, the pious prior, is the patron saint of beer and brewers. And it is right and just, because monks and ale go together like…well, like hops and barley. It is a tradition that has lasted throughout the history of our Western civilization. Although they may not have invented beer, the monks of northern Europe take […]

The American Homebrewers’ Association 14th Annual “Best Beers in America” were recently announced in the July/August 2016 issue of Zymurgy, the AHA journal. The results were based on over 18,000 votes cast by the members of the AHA. These listings are eagerly awaited by AHA members, brewers, and craft beer lovers throughout the world. Beer lovers […]

This year I was privileged to give the opening talk at the annual meeting of the MBAA, the Master Brewers Association of the Americas. My charge was to discuss the health effects of beer. My audience: the premiere brewers’ organization in the US. Present a scientific talk about beer to a group of professional brewers who know as much […]

Gose (rhymes with “Rosa”) is a very old beer style that is starting to generate interest among craft brewers, if only because it is so challenging to brew. Summer is the best time to drink these unusual beers, but gose’s can be hard to find, and some can be downright unpleasant to drink. In order […]