Jeff Alworth
@beervana.bsky.social
Director of Paragraph Operations, Beervana Worldwide Industries. (Also: the Beer Bible, Secrets of Master Brewers, etc.)
www.beervanablog.com
www.beervanablog.com
Ticket sales for Fort George’s Festival of Dark Arts is coming up, and they have this wonderful notice on their website. We can still have nice things.
November 19, 2025 at 3:51 PM
Ticket sales for Fort George’s Festival of Dark Arts is coming up, and they have this wonderful notice on their website. We can still have nice things.
3. In particular, he called out the various conflicts of interests that stymie business because of it.
November 18, 2025 at 4:33 PM
3. In particular, he called out the various conflicts of interests that stymie business because of it.
2. Except for one, the answers were all pretty vague and generic. That one? Tom Wark, ED of the National Assoc of Wine Retailers. He broke alcohol’s fourth wall and actually described the very problematic structure of the three-tier system.
November 18, 2025 at 4:33 PM
2. Except for one, the answers were all pretty vague and generic. That one? Tom Wark, ED of the National Assoc of Wine Retailers. He broke alcohol’s fourth wall and actually described the very problematic structure of the three-tier system.
Sometimes I like to fancy myself a night owl, and the fact that it gets dark at six helps advance this illusion. Here’s a late night shot (c. 7:30 pm) from the establishment at which I had my first pumpkin ale of the year.
October 29, 2025 at 3:43 PM
Sometimes I like to fancy myself a night owl, and the fact that it gets dark at six helps advance this illusion. Here’s a late night shot (c. 7:30 pm) from the establishment at which I had my first pumpkin ale of the year.
I have a politics account and a beer account, and half the time when I pull up the beer account, I think it’s politics. Here’s a tonic to our malaise.
October 9, 2025 at 1:40 PM
I have a politics account and a beer account, and half the time when I pull up the beer account, I think it’s politics. Here’s a tonic to our malaise.
I tried to capture it!
October 7, 2025 at 4:33 AM
I tried to capture it!
A nearly-live shot from war-ravaged Portland.
October 7, 2025 at 4:33 AM
A nearly-live shot from war-ravaged Portland.
I’m sorry to hear this—I know you admired him. He was a brewer from another time, and Kout’s beer was like liquid time travel. When you took us on that tour 11 years ago, it instantly became one of my most memorable brewery tours. Here’s another one from that day.
September 3, 2025 at 2:20 PM
I’m sorry to hear this—I know you admired him. He was a brewer from another time, and Kout’s beer was like liquid time travel. When you took us on that tour 11 years ago, it instantly became one of my most memorable brewery tours. Here’s another one from that day.
4. Again, here the idea that food surplus only comes from agriculture is flatly wrong as a rule. *sometimes* it’s true. But some environments support food surplus without agriculture.
September 1, 2025 at 3:17 PM
4. Again, here the idea that food surplus only comes from agriculture is flatly wrong as a rule. *sometimes* it’s true. But some environments support food surplus without agriculture.
2. I’m not an archaeologist (though neither are the authors), but the data here seems abundant and clear. On the first highlighted quote, people made beer *millennia* before agriculture. On the second one, man, what a sweeping judgment. Let’s take the NW Coastal natives, where I live.
September 1, 2025 at 3:17 PM
2. I’m not an archaeologist (though neither are the authors), but the data here seems abundant and clear. On the first highlighted quote, people made beer *millennia* before agriculture. On the second one, man, what a sweeping judgment. Let’s take the NW Coastal natives, where I live.
Missed fresh hops by one day at Baerlic. Fortunately, there’s this sexy little number to console me.
August 26, 2025 at 11:07 PM
Missed fresh hops by one day at Baerlic. Fortunately, there’s this sexy little number to console me.
I am a perverse customer. Here at Brujos, I chose the Grodziskie. Even the bartender was mystified.
August 20, 2025 at 10:35 PM
I am a perverse customer. Here at Brujos, I chose the Grodziskie. Even the bartender was mystified.
I love this—I would visit often. Giant statues are the best. Here’s a nice one from Hungary’s Communist era.
August 20, 2025 at 2:28 PM
I love this—I would visit often. Giant statues are the best. Here’s a nice one from Hungary’s Communist era.
Everything in the last decade having to do with Ballast Point has been deeply weird. Via @brewbound.com
August 14, 2025 at 5:38 PM
Everything in the last decade having to do with Ballast Point has been deeply weird. Via @brewbound.com
I have not made a complete survey of Bavarian festbiers, but I seem to keep finding ones with a deep honey color. This isn’t old-school amber, but it’s not helles-pale, either. Another curiosity: *tons* of isoamyl acetate (banana).
August 7, 2025 at 2:02 PM
I have not made a complete survey of Bavarian festbiers, but I seem to keep finding ones with a deep honey color. This isn’t old-school amber, but it’s not helles-pale, either. Another curiosity: *tons* of isoamyl acetate (banana).
Those heavy rings on the side evoke the brew pots in Norway, where brewers suspend the cauldron over open fires.
August 2, 2025 at 1:33 PM
Those heavy rings on the side evoke the brew pots in Norway, where brewers suspend the cauldron over open fires.
2. ChatGPT continues.
July 19, 2025 at 6:49 PM
2. ChatGPT continues.
1. Here are a couple posts with a query to ChatGPT followed by a link to a story about how AI companies are trying to fight off authors because “the company trained its models on works not to replicate them but to ‘turn a hard corner and create something different.’” Which is—term of art—total BS.
July 19, 2025 at 6:49 PM
1. Here are a couple posts with a query to ChatGPT followed by a link to a story about how AI companies are trying to fight off authors because “the company trained its models on works not to replicate them but to ‘turn a hard corner and create something different.’” Which is—term of art—total BS.
“Boyar”—pulling out the obscure reference! That was a new one to me.
July 18, 2025 at 2:18 PM
“Boyar”—pulling out the obscure reference! That was a new one to me.
In the mornings, I prune my inbox of the usual scammy come-ons, usually involving using my website as a vehicle to secretly pitch products to my readers.
Today’s was similar to those, but not identical. See if you can spot the differences.
Today’s was similar to those, but not identical. See if you can spot the differences.
July 15, 2025 at 2:46 PM
In the mornings, I prune my inbox of the usual scammy come-ons, usually involving using my website as a vehicle to secretly pitch products to my readers.
Today’s was similar to those, but not identical. See if you can spot the differences.
Today’s was similar to those, but not identical. See if you can spot the differences.
6. I assumed this was a nod to Chico and Sierra Nevada Celebration, which by no stretch is in the Bay Area, but then I couldn’t imagine any other reason to have the Bay Area listed. Oh no!—it’s another romantic fact, and a massive whopper. White is referring to Liberty Ale.
June 30, 2025 at 2:45 PM
6. I assumed this was a nod to Chico and Sierra Nevada Celebration, which by no stretch is in the Bay Area, but then I couldn’t imagine any other reason to have the Bay Area listed. Oh no!—it’s another romantic fact, and a massive whopper. White is referring to Liberty Ale.
2. Here’s the map. As an amuse-bouche, let’s take three of the European entries. First, writer Olivia White has identified witbier as hailing from Leuven. Most folks would argue Hoegaarden thanks to recent developments, but white beers were a category and Leuven was famous for them. 👍
June 30, 2025 at 2:28 PM
2. Here’s the map. As an amuse-bouche, let’s take three of the European entries. First, writer Olivia White has identified witbier as hailing from Leuven. Most folks would argue Hoegaarden thanks to recent developments, but white beers were a category and Leuven was famous for them. 👍