Florida Brewers Guild Beer Fest 2010

Beer festivals come in all shapes and sizes.  From the huge like the Great American Beer Festival in Denver to the niche market like the Organic Brewers Festival in Portland, craft beer festivals are generally about the same thing: celebrating and enjoying great beer.
Saturday’s Beer Fest put on by the Florida Brewers Guild was no [...]

The St. Petersburg Beer Scene, Part 2

Two weeks ago I introduced you to some of Downtown St. Petersburg’s best beer-friendly spots.  Today, we’ll venture to three more excellent restaurants with impressive beer lists.
Further down Central Avenue from the heart of Downtown is the St. Pete Arts District.  Small galleries and shops line both sides, and it is the home [...]

10th Annual Stogie and Stout – Dunedin Brewery

Darkness and haze descended on Dunedin, Florida, Saturday night… and it was grand. The Tenth Annual Stogie and Stout event at the Dunedin Brewery was a celebration of the darker side of beer and the sweet aroma of fine tobacco, and a good time was had by all.

The St. Petersburg Beer Scene, Part 1

Back in December, fellow Hop Press Gang member Jon Abernathy extolled the wonders of the beer scene in his home town of Bend, Oregon. In a truly remarkable five-part series he took us from the history of the town of Bend to the multitude of breweries, and then to the best beer bars. [...]

Beer is for Lovers

Yes, ladies and gentlemen, its that time of year again. The day of lovers. The day of romance. The oft-derided Hallmark holiday of Valentines Day. Time where many expect and receive sweets and flowers, champagne and lingerie, and other intimate gifts. It can also be a time for significant others [...]

Florida Shines in RateBeer Best 2010

As I have mentioned several times in the past, Florida is often looked upon by craft beer lovers as somewhat of a wasteland when it comes to the production and availability of good brews.  And this is not an entirely undeserved reputation.  But as I have noted on more than one occasion, things are changing [...]

Homebrewing and the Craft Beer Lover

Not surprisingly, many craft beer lovers are also homebrewers, and I am no exception. Conversely, nearly every home brewer is a craft beer lover… or else why would they do it? The logical progression is to go from being a lover of beer to being a brewer of beer as well. After [...]

Beer School: The Hop

Okay kids, grab your taste buds and your Walt Whitman. Carpe Diem!

As you have been learning in our educational series, there are four primary ingredients to beer: Water, Barley, Yeast, and Hops. It is my pleasure – and honor – to talk to you about my favorite ingredient: the hop.

Looking Ahead to 2010

2009 is approaching with ridiculous speed, and many people are putting together their dreams and hopes and predictions for the new year. 2010 will bring with it new surprises and gifts as well as obstacles and trials, both in the world of craft beer as well as the planet at large. The happenings [...]

‘Twas Two Nights Before Christmas

‘Twas two nights before Christmas, and I realized with shame
I’d forgotten to Hop Press; (it starts with my name).
The other gang members were writing with vim,
In hopes that St Arnold would recognize them.
The hopheads were nestled all snug in their beds,
With visions of simcoe and cascade still in their heads.
And RateBeer dot com was filled [...]