Without apologies, a link from what I wrote for All About Beer magazine in 2001.
The paragraph:
“People wanted to go to a place where they felt like they were with family,” said Daryl Woodson, who has been running the appropriately named The Sanctuary in Iowa City, Iowa, for 27 years. “They didn’t say that, but people who come in normally at 10 were in at 8.”
The paragraph:
Yes, I drank the ranch beer. And before I get into my thoughts, I need you to know: I. LOVE. RANCH. You know how some people put ketchup on everything? I’m the gal who puts ranch on everything. But I didn’t really know how that would translate here. Old Ranch Hand smells like onion, dill, and herbs—I’m pretty sure that’s mostly due to the ranch-seasoned rim, and not the beer itself. Assuming you get a bit of the seasoning on the rim as you sip, you’ll be rewarded with a mild ranch dressing flavor and creamy malt. It’s not tart, which it easily could have been as a “ranch beer,” and without the seasoned rim it’s basically just a cream ale. In fact… it might have been too mild for my tastes?
The paragraph:
The Inkpot actually delivers on the community’s need for convenience and camaraderie—a need that the conglomerates have failed to satisfy. Its interior feels more like someone’s living room than a local pub. This is a reason for its success: When people are skeptical of change, when they can’t trust corporations or politics, they can still trust themselves, and this can instill confidence. With its simple design and homely interior, The Inkpot encourages patrons not by showing them what they might want, but by reminding them of the value in what they already have.
The paragraph:
Bikers and hikers strolling down the SMART pathway that runs behind Lagunitas Brewing Co. in Petaluma this summer are noticing an unusual sight: Two 15,500-gallon stainless steel fermentation tanks that have crumpled like empty beer cans.
In another iteration of Monday links this would have been a lede of the week.
The paragraph:
“The philosophy is to be respectful of the history, tradition, and techniques of brewing saison, while also being aware of and responsive to advances in brewing technology, or flavor technology, or just the modern American palate, to make things that are simultaneously traditional and forward thinking,” says Mike Schallau, is/was co-founder and brewer.