America’s Craft Breweries, Artisan Distilleries, and Boutique Wineries: A Modest Manifesto

It’s a question that won’t go away: How do we define what is or is not a “craft brewery”? This post Continue reading →

Budweiser Vs. The Craft Beer Culture: The Long, Slow Decline of The King of Beers

Slate.com, which has been doing a really admirable job of chronicling the evolution of the craft beer business, recently published Continue reading →

Durant Vineyards and The Pinot Thang: How Oregon Tastes

Those who read The Pour  Fool regularly already know about my deep and abiding ambivalence towards Pinot Noir. I like Continue reading →

Zarabanda! Deschutes, Spain, and Getting Outside the Box

This past spring, a young home brewer pal of mine messaged me and asked if I’d suggest a recipe for Continue reading →

Deschutes “Hop Trip” and “Chasin’ Freshies”: Wet-Hopped Wonderation!

Fresh hopped beer. Wet-hopped beer. Call it anything you like, it’s one of my true passions and this time of Continue reading →

America’s Top Twenty-Five Beers: The Fool-Frontal “Must Haves”

Years ago, while working as a newspaper writer and reviewer in North Carolina, I was asked by a friend with Continue reading →

The Short Life and Ugly Death of 10 Barrel Brewing

It was like a punch in the face, today… I was out all day and away from the computer. I Continue reading →

Hillrock Estate Distillery: The New York State of Whiskey

About six weeks ago, this box showed up at my door. Inside were four perfume bottles. I was flummoxed. I’ve Continue reading →