SingleSpeed Brewing, the Cedar Falls, Iowa, nanobrewery Morgan founded in 2012, is on the brink of a major expansion, as SingleSpeed exits its nano-sized beta version for a state-of-the-art brewhouse opening late this year.
Far too many beer drinkers are obsessed with a handful of brewers who create hype. Don’t get sucked in, try this instead: Try something new or unfamiliar and then talk about it, because you’re definitely missing out otherwise.
From Reddit threads to in-person auctions, the increasing commodification of rare beer is something to celebrate and fear. The long heralded accessibility of beer remains one of its most favorable traits.
It’s our collective responsibility to create a better beer culture by challenging ourselves, having those hard discussions about our community, naming names and remaining open to constructive criticism.
Black market sales, while rare, are problematic for a variety of reasons. Illegal sales disadvantage some businesses and could put consumers at risk in the case of a recall or other safety issue.
Plenty of beer advocates out there are grateful to the retail Robin Hoods who risk their businesses and gamble their licenses by selling rare beers to loyal customers, or offering illegal beer to attract new beer geeks. But who stands to lose?
For as long as Beeradvocate.com has published a list of the world’s top beers there have been those who attempt to sample everything on it. Why? Because, like a mountain, it’s there. And because you know you’re trying the best beer in the world, as determined by a broad consensus of beer advocates.
In a 2008 Last Call column Tomme Arthur condemned eBay’s alcohol sales policy, which prohibits private sales of all alcohol—except beer. Efforts by Arthur have resulted in eBay removing several beers from auction, but not all of them.
A white whale is just beer, albeit a limited one. And while the hunt might sound like fun, many have argued that their existence and subsequent harpooning has harmed the beer industry.
Supplanted by seasonal brands, endangered by the race for the holy one-off grail, and lost in the hunt for more hops, these respected and balanced brands look increasingly out of place in the wider world of craft beer.
Many great breweries started on an extremely small scale, and there are many nanos that make quality beers. But as with many homebrews, there is no replacing professionally brewed beers.
While beer is a social beverage that is meant to be enjoyed in good company, it helps to occasionally step back and inspect the foundations of our beer knowledge and beliefs.
