It was an amazing run, that of Pretty Things Beer & Ale Project. With their whimsical imagery, and spot on beer quality, as well as their creative bent, Dann and Martha Holley-Paquette took the Boston beer scene on a wild ride for seven lovely years. Dann was a Boston area brewing mainstay for over 20 […]
CBC Holiday Beer Pairings
The holidays are such a busy time for so many of us, and they are also known as a time of indulgence. From big holiday meals, to endless cookie swaps and cheese plates. Speaking of cheese plates…. If you want a no-fail, easy-to-put-together cheese plate, try for three cheeses; a blue cheese (or a […]
The CBC Beer Book Gift Guide
Happy Holidays, Beer Geek! Yes, you, your fun family member, significant other, and your friend who just got into beer….especially if they’re a bibliophile. If you’re not buying them beer (or a gift card!)- grab ‘em one of these books! FOR SERIOUS BEER GEEKS The Brewing Elements Series from the Brewer’s Association: […]
Serve Warm Beer This Holiday Season
You may have heard of Glühwein, aka Mulled Wine, before. Christkindlmarkts & Weihnachtsmarkts serve it up steaming in boot-shaped mugs (except in Chicago, we no longer have boot mugs – womp womp). But have you ever heard of Glübier? Glühwein is typically prepared from red wine, and spiced with warming spices like cinnamon sticks, […]
Planes, Trains, and Automobiles
I got to ride in all three this weekend. I had the privilege of flying West for a surprise birthday party for a mentor, friend, and all around incredible human. Everyday, we are surrounded by complete strangers, many of whom we’ll never see again, as so much of life is “in passing”. There is […]
Beer & Cheese Pairing- 12 Days of Cheese
We know you love beer, and it is the holiday season- time for seeing friends and family. How do you wow your guests or bring over something simple that is also amazing? Easy- serve cheese and beer. We figured we’d help save you some time by giving you beer pairings to go with the 12 days […]
Drinking in Good Company 003: The Stranger at the Bar
These days, it’s hard to find someone in a social beer drinking setting who does NOT have their face stuffed in not only their beer, but their cell phone. Selfie this, check-in that, and scroll, scroll, scroll. I am guilty, too. The very definition of “social”, as it relates to being a part of society, […]
A Window To The World
You usually see the “three-tier system”, created after Prohibition, described as “Brewer, Distributor, Retailer”. However, that first tier also includes Importers, which is how foreign producers get their beer into the country. Importers face many of the same logistical challenges that Distributors do, but exacerbated by geography and border customs. B. United International is a […]
Betting on Small Pack
I’m not a large person. I don’t eat a lot (even when I want to). And yes, I’m in my thirties (slower metabolism, blah blah blah). I recently stopped in a yogurt shop and was chastised by the owner about how little I got from the self-serve machine. “Are you on a diet?” she asked. […]
December Style of the Month – High Gravity Beers
“High-gravity” refers to brewing a beer with high original gravity (OG).Typically, above 1.075 OG is considered high. OG is a measure of the fermentable and un-fermentable sugars in the wort before fermentation. A gravity reading taken just prior to yeast being added, is referred to as the original gravity (OG). The OG will provide the brewer with a […]