Author Archives: Abel Tavarez

Beer is often looked down upon as the poor man’s drink, but the emergence of craft brewing, which brings into consciousness a myriad of flavors, techniques, and trends, is dispelling that notion. At an event held by the New York Public Library, Steve Hindy, co-Founder of the Brooklyn Brewery, not only plugged his new book, “The Craft Beer Revolution: How a Brand of Microbrewers is Transforming the World’s Greatest Drink,” but spoke at length about his start in Brewing. Also in attendance were New Belgium Brewing Company CEO Kim Jordan, and founder of the American Homebrewer’s Association Charlie Papazian (Hindy and Jordan are on the board).

When asked by Paul Holdengräber as to the implications of using the word “revolution” in regards to beer, Hindi and Jordan gave succinct yet poignant replies. “Yes, it’s a revolution of taste,” says Hindy. “A revolution is something that happens quickly,” added Jordan. Holdengräber then focused the discussion on whether the beer world was experiencing a revolution, or a revelation. No matter how much we disagree about how to interpret the history of craft brewing, we can agree that there is a significant change happening in the volume of beer barrels being produced by craft brewers and how the taste of beer is evaluated differently across a broad spectrum of brewing styles.

Going to these events, it is difficult not to feel a sense of intimidation and appreciation for complexities and factors that craft brewers keep in mind while at work. Wine and beer may be two different beasts as far as taste and production, but not with reference to the skill required to make flavors that truly arrest the taste buds in terms of richness, bitterness, acidity, and fruitiness. Many of those in attendance are also wine-lovers and it’s difficult not to get a sense that the worlds between wine and beer need not be mutually exclusive.

At an event held by Joanna Carpenter’s Braving The Brew, brewers and beer-lovers met for a few rounds of various brews made by Rich Castagna of Bridge and Tunnel Brewery. Coffee Cream Ale and Hazelnut Brown Ale were some of the more popular ones.

Bridge and Tunnel Brewery’s Steve Castagna laments the loss of local, spoken history and attempts to preserve it with a name.