Commentary
What to Eat with Pickle Beer: Tasty Pairing Ideas
Pickle beers are here, though sometimes hard to find, they are available for purchase wherever you find your rare beers or white whales. While “wildly popular” isn’t how I’d describe the existence of Pickle Beers, I’d rather muse that the Pickle Beer is probably the only beer style that started out as a meme and…
Read More
Global Pouring Traditions: A Toast to Diversity in our Pouring Methods
In the world of beverages, global pouring traditions go beyond the simple act of filling a cup because they are embedded in cultures, histories, and rituals. They add richness to the drinking experience. Here’s a journey through some unique pouring traditions around the globe. Tea: The Art of Ceremony In some Chinese tea ceremonies, the…
Read More“Nothing has Changed!”
UPDATE: Breckenridge Brewing from Colorado just sold to ABInBev. Here is their “change” quote: “We’ve been in this creative and dynamic industry for over 25 years, loving everything about it. That won’t change. The passion for quality and culture that got us where we are today isn’t going anywhere.” “Nothing has changed.” Perhaps…
Read MoreMarijuana and Beer
Earlier this year Oregonians rejoiced when recreational marijuana became legal to grow, buy, and use. Thanks to Measure 91 the people of Oregon are able to grow four plants per household, purchase medical and recreational ganja from state regulated stores, and possess 8oz of recreational pot at home and 1oz on their person. I’ll let…
Read More
It’s Time for a Brewer’s Union
It’s time that the brewing industry recognizes the physical and mental strains brewers endure in order to produce a delicious product. Specifically, those not in the brewhouse, cellar, or production floor, need to be aware of the wide range of skills required to brew. A brewer wears many hats. Most people envision a brewery job…
Read MoreWhy is Beer Science Important?
My professional background is heavily spotted with education and outreach. I’ve always believed that there’s no point to research and science if the average person doesn’t understand or can’t apply that science to their daily lives. I recognize that this is altruistic, but perhaps that’s why I volunteer so much of my time to science education.…
Read MoreOregon’s First Women Brewers [1879-1908]
ale·wife ♦ ˈālwīf/ ♦ noun A female who brews beer. syn: brewster, brewess, ladybrewer Oregon’s First Women Brewers Women and beer. What a tangled mess. Currently, women are less then a quarter of the craft beer work force. Macrobreweries don’t know how to advertise to women, craft breweries tend to stereotype “women beers” as light and fruity. For decades…
Read MoreCampaign against Clear Growlers
Clear. Growlers. Why do they exist and why do they upset me? If we look into the history of beer bottles we see that since the 16th century brewers have been struggling to find affordable and effective methods of distributing single servings of beer. While there is limited historical information about how each individual brewery…
Read MoreThe Real Cost of Poor Quality Brewing
According to the Brewer’s Association, active breweries in the United States hit a new high of 3,040 facilities in 2014. This record-setting number encompasses brewpubs, nano-, micro-, and macro-breweries. That’s an increase of over 200 new breweries in one year. Below is an area graph that represents all of the Breweries in the US per…
Read More
Brewing Microbes: Alignment Chart
Updated 11/21/2025 with a new chart and cute graphics! I love to check back in on this beer meme every so often because it changes every time! Now there’s two on the internet from Oregon BrewLab – which one resonates with you best? Brewing Microbes: Alignment Chart As a fan and player Dungeons and Dragons,…
Read More