Mark Brewer stories

Craft beer drinkers from the region and beyond will lift a Guinness Stout (or two) in honor of St. Patrick’s Day. Two hundred years after the first Guinness beer from Dublin arrived in America, Guinness has built a brewery in the Baltimore area to focus on innovation. It allows the...

Black and Tan is the name given to a beer with the combination of a pale ale such as Bass, Boulevard or Sierra Nevada layered with a stout such as Guinness or Murphy’s. What’s really fun is that if you can’t decide between ordering a stout or a pale ale,...

How about a few, new brews to warm up these gloomy February days? The Pittsburgh Winter Beerfest is once again being presented by Fat Head’s Brewery and will be held at the David Lawrence Convention Center Feb. 28-29. Tickets are on sale now. Thousands of people will attend and proceeds...

An ancient Norwegian yeast is the new kid on the block for brewers. Kveik — which simply means “yeast” in western Norway — is derived from strains of brewing yeast that have been used in Norwegian farmhouse ales for generations. You may already have consumed a beer that was fermented...

The excitement continues with beer collaborations across the country and right here in Pennsylvania. Whether a brewery works with a band to invigorate its fan base, a local bakery to rouse your sweet tooth or a charity that is in desperate need of help, one thing is for certain —...

A new year and a fresh start are upon us. This is a time for self-reflection and celebrating beginnings however the outcome of 2019 was for you. We raise a glass with hopes that the new year will be filled with adventure, opportunities, love and peace. Typically, no celebration is...

There’s a chill in the air and the holiday season is in full swing. Pumpkin and Oktoberfest beers have been cleared off the shelves and out of the taps to make way for the seasonal varieties and Christmas ales we enjoy each year. Holiday brews, which are sometimes referred to...

Sometimes there’s nothing more satisfying than a slow sipper during the fall and winter months. Many of these boozy tasting beers have been barrel-aged, too. Leaving the beer in barrels for months can impart flavors of oak, vanilla and anything that was previously in the barrel. An abundant amount of...

We’ve been conditioned to accept that wine pairs well with food. Cooking with it adds another tasty flavor to our dish. Wine is romantic and used to complement the perfect meal, date or special occasion. Consequently, we’ve been conditioned that beer goes well with hot dogs, sports and popcorn. It’s...

The leaves are changing colors, and for many of us, so will the color of the craft beer we choose to drink. From brown ales to porters and Russian imperial stouts, darker beers are just suited to the colder months. Here are a few reasons why you might consider something...

The temperature has dropped and the leaves have started to turn. It’s time to break out the sweaters and light up a campfire on the cool nights. Now is the time to drink pumpkin beer if you haven’t already indulged. Pumpkin beers, along with harvest ales, continue to mark the...

Fall is here along with harvest ales for the season. Many seasoned craft beer consumers move away from drinking pale summer-like colored beers in exchange for beers that are darker and a little more robust in taste. Harvest ales are just that. On a cool night by the fire, they...

Beer is made up of four main ingredients including grain, water, hops and yeast. How much of each ingredient is used will change the taste. This gives brewers an unlimited palate from which to create. Grains are the foundation of beer! They lend color, flavor, aroma, mouthfeel, as well as...

Oktoberfest celebrates the traditions of Germany, in particular Munich, for the 219th time this year. It has only been canceled 24 times due to war and epidemics. The annual festival, which originated with the marriage of Prince Ludwig and Princess Teresa, begins Sept. 21 and lasts until Oct. 6. The...

There are still a lot of parties and social gatherings happening as we finish the summer of 2019. And where there are parties and gatherings, inevitably there is craft beer and food. You don’t have to be an expert on either subject to pair the two. With just a little...

As anyone who drinks craft beer can tell you, there’s no shortage of variety. In fact, it can be overwhelming trying to make a decision on which pack of beer(s) to purchase and whether or not we buy a case of something new to try or a variety pack, six-pack,...

Oftentimes someone will say with a funny look on their face, “I like pineapple and mango but I’m not crazy about it being in an IPA.” The truth is there’s no pineapple or mango juice added to most IPAs. Flavor and aroma notes are added to some menus to give...

In this part 2 of 2, let’s continue our look at some of the various types of IPAs. With so many being offered, how do we know which one to pick? They’re not all bitter nor are they all hazy, juicy, dank or fruity. Hopefully, this will provide some guidance...

In Part 1 of 2, let’s take a look at some of the various types of IPAs you don’t want to miss this summer. Whether an IPA (India Pale Ale) is super hopped, unfiltered or spiked with fruit juice to create a shandy, they are here to stay. Using hops...

Baseball and beer go hand in hand, but if you can’t get your dad out to a game this Father’s Day, consider the other part of that equation. Take your dad out for a beer! You still have a little over a week to plan something fun with Dad —...

Wheat is a grain that has been used for brewing for many years. In fact, we know the ancient Egyptians brewed with wheat and there’s a hieroglyphic to prove it. Let’s take a quick look at some of the various types of wheat beers and why they’re so refreshing to...

Mother’s Day is Sunday. If you’re someone who buys mom a gift each year, it can be challenging to find that special something unless you’re in the habit of getting her the same thing every year. For those of you who are looking for something unique, I have an idea!...

It wasn’t long ago when local craft breweries started collaborating to bring us special brews. Most of the time, these brews were created for a special event, but it was always exciting to try something new by two of our favorite breweries. Soon after, we started to see breweries from...

Interested in learning more about what beer tastes like? If so, you can start today with a flight or a couple of 5-ounce taster glasses next time you’re at a brewery. I’ve always enjoyed trying to detect the various flavors in a craft beer I’m drinking. Sometimes it’s obvious while...

We all know someone or are aware of a person who drinks beer but just won’t drink craft beer. They’ll say they are completely happy drinking the large commercial beers and just haven’t found the “right craft beer” yet. Is this you? I thought it might be a good idea...