Again this year, we asked the blogger behind irreverent DontDrinkBeer.com (DDB) and the Malt Couture podcast to take a break from his typical satirical approach and share his thoughts on all that’s good in beer.
Apologies in advance for some European bias. These picks span a year of travel and a trans-Atlantic move back to the States, where I now gawk like a yokel at the weird and wonderful American beer scene.
Bow & Arrow Brewing moved the needle in a positive direction when it opened, giving locals a chance to see beer as modern and sleek while also experiencing Native American flavors. The result is a brewery unlike the others.
From recipe design to blending, packaging, and pasteurizing, Dozark shares his experience and dispels myths surrounding the dark art of barrel-aging imperial stouts.
Like those Shamrock Shakes? So do the brewers at Hop Butcher for the World in Chicago. Here is their recipe for a milkshake double IPA inspired by those green, minty concoctions.
Cory King, founder and brewer at Side Project, discusses water treatment and managing your mash pH when brewing imperial stouts.
Given that some hop varieties share aroma and flavor characteristics with mint, combining the two in a mint IPA just makes sense.
The style allows for creativity, which means that you can choose to dress up whichever part of the profile you prefer, making the beer sweeter, more bitter, less roasty, or more “oaty,” as you like it.
Creating sour and funky beers with depth involves many factors. But according to Phil Joyce, those factors aren't what you may think. Malt? Don't sweat it. Hops? Maybe. Water profile? Definitely. Yeast? Obviously.