where in the beer world?

It’s Monday and these are neither beer links nor authorized Golden Pints

December 30, 2024

I suggested last Monday that there would be no post today. In fact, there are (almost) no links. However, Sunday Boak & Bailey posted their Golden Pints, and on Bluesky Alan McLeod “firmly suggested” that others should as well. Although I’ve already done something similar for Craft Beer & Brewing, I value staying in McLeod’s good graces. (Another) although B&B and McLeod offer templates I’ve chosen to follow my own path, with a minimum of words and a maximum of images (stick around for the tap handles).

Best live music in a brewhouse

Chris Cuzme (the guy with the sax) leads a Wednesday evening jam at Fifth Hammer Brewing in Long Island City.

Regular Wednesday “Brewside Lounge” jam at Fifth Hammer Brewing in Long Island City, N.Y.

Best pub

Foxy John's, a bar and hardware store in Dingle, Ireland

Foxy John’s in Dingle, Ireland, a bar and a hardware store, which is on my Best in 2024 list

Best brewery taproom bathroom trash bin

Bathroom at Dageraad Brewing in Burnaby, BC

The taproom bathroom at Dageraad Brewing in Burnaby, British Columbia

Best afterparty

National Black Brewers Association GABF afterparty at Spangalang Brewery Denver

National Black Brewers Association shindig at Spangalang Brewery in Denver after the Great American Beer Festival Thursday session

Best beer festival

Colorado Collab Fest glass

Colorado Collab Fest (and not only because of the great glassware)

Most modest beer name

“Silver Medal Worthy” from Launch Pad Brewery in Aurora, Colorado, which won Gold at the Great American Beer Festival

Best brewery shadow

A shadow, as seen at Pinthouse Brewing in Austin, Texas

Pinthouse Brewing in Austin, Texas

Best brewhouse entry

Atlantucky Brewing, Atlanta, Georgia

Atlantucky Brewing, Atlanta, Georgia

Best ‘I’ll be home after I stop at the library’ brewpub

Little Library at Colorado Boy in Montrose, Colorado

Little Library at Colorado Boy Pizzeria and Brewing in Montrose, Colorado

Best tap handles

Tap handles at Structures Brewing in Bellingham, Washington

Structures Brewing in Bellingham, Washington

I am not a rock star, but I will play one for a few hours at GABF

September 5, 2024

Troubadour Pevec, about to help make a tripel to be served at AHA Headquarters at GABF I promise you, I am properly embarrassed.

I will be among the “homebrew rockstars” pouring beer Oct. 11 at the Great American Beer Festival. Pouring a tripel that American Homebrewers Association director Julia Herz and I brewed in the festival hall will be fun. The part that makes me blush is being called a rock star.

Perhaps I should explain. Homebrew Headquarters for AHA Members takes the place, so to speak, of the annual homebrewers convention (also known at Homebrew Con). John Holl talked to Herz about the hiatus for an All About Beer podcast. It is fair to admit the decision was not universally positive. There are many things about a three-day conference that homebrewers truly enjoy.

I understand, but for a homebrewer there will be worse places to be Oct. 9-12 than Denver. Here’s the full lineup of AHA events, starting with Club Night Oct. 9. And there is way too much new at the festival itself to try to describe here.

The photo at the top is from the day we brewed the tripel at her house. That’s a bag of Pevec from Troubadour Maltings in Fort Collins, Colo. So there is more to explain. When Julia asked me to participate in HQ at AHA I suggested we brew a tripel in collaboration. I wrote the recipe in 2005, not long after I visited Belgium’s six (at the time) monastery breweries, plus a few others, while doing the research for “Brew Like a Monk.”