I still remember my first dive into the world of craft beer back in 2012, standing in a dimly lit taproom in Portland, Oregon, staring at a chalkboard menu that might as well have been written in hieroglyphics. IPA? Sure, I’d heard of that. But DIPA? NEIPA? And what the heck was an ESB? The […]
I still remember my first sip of an IPA at a local brewery, the hoppy bite hitting me like a friendly punch, followed by a citrusy wave that made me grin. It was a hot summer evening, and that cold, golden pint felt like a discovery. India Pale Ale, or IPA, is more than just
The first time I tried a sour beer, I was at a craft brewery in Asheville, North Carolina, surrounded by friends who swore it would “change my life.” The bartender slid a hazy, peach-colored glass my way, and I took a sip, expecting the crisp bite of a lager. Instead, my lips puckered like I’d
Picture this: It’s a sweltering July afternoon in rural Wallonia, Belgium, back in the 1800s. The sun beats down on fields of ripening wheat, and a crew of seasonal farmhands—saisonniers, as they’re called—pauses for a break. Their reward? A cool, effervescent ale pulled from a shaded barrel, crisp with citrus zing and a whisper of
I still remember my first real encounter with dark beers like it was yesterday. It was a chilly autumn evening in my early twenties, and I’d dragged a couple of buddies to a dimly lit pub in downtown Chicago. We were all light-lager guys back then—Bud Light or Coors, nothing fancy. But the bartender, spotting