Even in a pretty miserable year—and let's not kid ourselves: this has been, by any measure, a pretty miserable year on the global scale—I've got a lot to be thankful for. Most of all, of course, there's my beautiful fiancée lady snow, to whom I became formally engaged this past
Commentist Beer Barrel
Commentist Beer Barrel: Land of the Rising Suds
Hi kids! It's your friendly neighborhood curate, Reverend Mayhem, subbing in for makeitsnow. He is currently...indisposed. So, let's get right down to it. Today, I am reviewing Hitachino Nest White Ale and Red Rice Ale from Japan. I've noticed this column trends a little heavily toward North American craft beers, with
Commentist Beer Barrel and Open Thread: Draught House Anniversary Party In Review
Commentist Beer Barrel: Damn Hippies
Austin's best annual beer event is happening again today. The Draught House Anniversary Party is the kind of shindig that only a decades-old pub and brewery, with a decades-old pub and brewery's connections, can throw. Every year they roll out a stacked beer list. Everything's a special release or something aged
Commentist Beer Barrel: Scotchy Scotch Scotch
Commentist Beer Barrel: One Mint Julep
Commentist Beer Barrel: Märzens and Milestones
Commentist Beer Barrel: Alternatives
This year's Oktoberfest opened in Bavaria just about two weeks ago. Most of Oktoberfest every year takes place in September, just like you'd expect, and it coincides nicely with the start of fall in most parts of the Northern Hemisphere that aren't the burning hellscape of Central Texas. Here, daily highs
Commentist Beer Barrel: Nora Brought Out The Brandy
To me, the best consequence of the saturation of the craft beer market over the last seven or so years with beers aged in whiskey barrels has been the saturation of the craft beer market with beers aged in whiskey barrels. Whiskey barrels—specifically American bourbon barrels—are, in my opinion, the best
Commentist Beer Barrel: Skål!
Denmark got a big Olympic win today, overcoming France for the gold medal in handball. I thought about burying the lede on this, in case any Commentists log onto the site while desperately avoiding Olympic handball spoilers, but... look, I just didn't think that was very likely, y'know? I'll apologize
Commentist Beer Barrel: It’s A Trappist!
On spring break, in 2007, in a hidden-away bar in Brussels, there was a college junior, sitting with a group of new friends, listening attentively to the server's descriptions of the classic Belgian beers on offer. He didn't especially understand the descriptions, so he did what any college junior with no
Commentist Beer Barrel: You Know Who I Like, Is That Pickle Stork
Pickles are a great, great food. On their own, they're a fantastic low-calorie snack, sharp and bright and zesty and satisfying. They're also a great ingredient, perfect in, say, yeah right's Cubano sandwich. I even once had them on a Cubano-inspired pizza, and why on earth are you talking about pickles in a