Joe Stange
Pacific Northwest Hop Fields Sustain Storm Damage, Because It’s 2020By Joe StangeLabor Day windstorms damage up to 5 percent of Yakima Chief’s remaining crop in Washington and Idaho, with the response complicated by wildfires and apple harvest.
A Summer of Reopening, an Autumn of UnknownsBy Joe StangeTaprooms and bars across the country began to seat patrons again in May and June. There was no one-size-fits-all plan for doing it safely, but there was—and still is—plenty of detailed advice. With fall and winter uncertain, that advice still applies.
Case Study: Wild EastBy Joe StangeA rough, surreal year continues, and many breweries may have to shut for good by the time it's over. But what if yours were just getting ready to open when the pandemic struck—in the middle of the city most severely affected by the virus?
A Year without Festivals… But Not without MedalsBy Joe StangeGABF goes online this year—our pretzel necklaces will look fine on Zoom—while the competition will proceed with care. August 28 is the deadline to submit beers.
Garrett Oliver Launches Scholarship Fund for Minority BrewersBy Joe StangeThe Brooklyn brewmaster says the Michael Jackson Foundation for Brewing and Distilling will award scholarships for people of color to attend technical courses and become industry leaders.
Case Study: Scratch BrewingBy Joe StangePlan your detours: This tiny, made-from-scratch southern Illinois brewery has become a destination by specializing in highly drinkable beers made from seasonal ingredients—such as mushrooms, tree bark, or leaves—that its duo find or grow themselves.
“Healthier” Booze: It's a Lifestyle (Trend)By Joe StangeThe sales numbers don’t lie: Many drinkers are looking for what they see as healthier ways to imbibe. To meet that demand, do you need new equipment? Can you use what you already have? Here are some specific techniques (and gear) to consider.
Don't Quit Your Day JobBy Joe StangeIf you’re going to run a small brewery, there’s no rule that says you have to do it full-time. Here are the perspectives of two entrepreneurs who went pro without giving up their other careers.
Case Study: Wolves & PeopleBy Joe StangeChristian DeBenedetti once wrote about beer. Now he makes it—collecting wild yeast from bees and plums and using oak puncheons for primary fermentation. In Oregon’s Willamette Valley, the future of Wolves & People remains unwritten.
#IAmCraftBeer Has Momentum. Where to Next?By Joe StangeIt started as a tweet, in response to the sort of anonymous personal attack that has become all too common online. Then it struck a chord, and it snowballed. That ball is still rolling.
Case Study: Moody TongueBy Joe StangeIn this era of stripped-down industrial taprooms and food trucks, Moody Tongue’s classy new Dining Room in Chicago offers $155 pairing menus. Behind the scenes: a brewer who thinks like a chef, and a chef who drinks like a brewer.
Is Lager Really Having a Moment?By Joe StangeBe still, my beating heart: There are data to back up the oft-repeated (or is it oft-wished?) observation that lager may be the next big thing.