Programming notes: Travel in the next many weeks means Monday recaps of the beer week that was will be intermittent through early May, and probably brief when they do show up. This next weekend I’ll be at the Ohio Hop Conference. Wednesday the 22nd I’ll be talking, virtually, to members of the America Homebrewers Association about New Zealand hops and otherwise answering questions about all things hops. If your are a member, please stop by.
Upfront, Weed v wine: The aesthetics and terroir of cannabis presents this question: Is weed ready for the same connoisseurial approach as wine? Why not beer? Why not consider the fact that weed and hops share many of the same odor compounds. Why isn’t the word dank used even once in this story? Seriously, California is rolling out an appellation system for cannabis. As I prepare to post this, the domain name appellationweed.com remains available.
Cask beer
– Around the world, Part 1. Who drinks in pubs around the world serving cask beers? What kind of experiences are they looking for?
– Stateside. “There has been no noticeable shift in cask beer consumption. Maybe that’s a good thing. It’s not getting better, but it’s also not getting worse.”
No avoiding AI
– This might be AI week upcoming at Beervana. So be on the lookout, because I won’t be here next Monday to remind you.
– An AI created brewery taproom menu. Scroll down a bit. Personally, I want a bit more than a hint of hop character in a classic pilsner.
– A chat bot does drink reviews. “I paired this Pinot Noir with a home-cooked meal for my dog.” Oh, boy.
You might also enjoy
– An everyday beer. “I don’t really want to break it down into its constituent parts, and the sun shining through the window behind me is warm, and I am comfortable and in good company.”
– This one-woman brewery brings Middle Eastern flavor back to craft beer. “I thought I was a pretty good chef; brewing can’t be that hard.”
– Sustainability. A business in Yokohama in Japan has started upcycling brewers’ malt lees waste to produce “craft beer paper.”