I was in Stockholm, Sweden a few weeks ago. I wrote about my visit in my last entry. It was a great trip that allowed me to sample some fine Swedish craft beers. The Swedish craft beer industry is growing steadily. New breweries are opening up every year and one in particular had peaked my interest – Nya Carnegie Bryggeriet (New Carnegie Brewery). The brewery is a joint venture between New York’s Brooklyn Brewery and Danish brewing giant Carlsberg. Continue reading Nya Carnegie Bryggeriet
Taking Stock of the Swedish Beer Scene
I was in Stockholm, Sweden last week. I was there attending a meeting of the Regional Science Academy. The Academy meetings only lasted for two days but due to the vagaries of airfares I was able to save over a thousand dollars on my plane ticket by arriving three days before the meetings started. This of course could have meant two extra nights in a hotel but my good friend Hans Westlund came to my rescue on that score. Hans has an apartment in Stockholm’s Gamla Stan (Old Town) and as he was not going to be there during the first three days of my visit he generously gave me the keys to his place. This proved to be an excellent base from which to explore Stockholm’s beer scene.
Beer and Bagpipes
My local brewpub, The Black Cloister, had a couple of bagpipers entertain patrons last Tuesday evening. These weren’t your run-of-the-mill bagpipers (if indeed there is such a thing). Andrew Bova and Dan Nevins are World Champion bagpipers – both members of the Shotts and Dykehead Caledonia Pipeband who were crowned the Grade 1 World Champions at the 2015 World Pipeband Championships. Continue reading Beer and Bagpipes
School Days
Beer and college tend to go together. Those of us who attended an institution of higher learning, in all likelihood, consumed huge volumes of beer while pursuing our studies. I know I did. But then again I was in college for ten years straight while amassing an undergraduate and two graduate degrees. So between 1981 and 1991 I had plenty of time to drink beer. And like most college students on a tight budget it was Continue reading School Days
Community Space
Community space. Lots of craft breweries have this – a space where members of the local community can come together for the purposes of hosting or attending some kind of event. At my own local craft brewery, The Black Cloister, this space comprises a room. It is called the Wittenberg Room. You see, the CEO and Founder of The Black Cloister Brewing Continue reading Community Space
Around The World in 800 Beers
Last week I got a visit from two fellow Geographers – Mark Patterson and Nancy Hoalst Pullen. Mark and Nancy are faculty members at Kennesaw State University which is located about twenty miles north of Atlanta, GA. I first met Mark and Nancy in New York City in 2012 at the annual conference of the Association of American Geographers. I was Continue reading Around The World in 800 Beers
1873 and all that
November 2015 was an auspicious month for the American beer industry. According to data provided by the Brewers Association the number of breweries in the United States reached 4,144. At no other time in our country’s history has America had so many breweries. The previous high was 4,131 in 1873. The current number of breweries in the Continue reading 1873 and all that
A Question of Beer
Last week I was the after-dinner speaker at the annual meeting of the Maumee Valley Growers Association (MVGA). MVGA is a non-profit organization that works to strengthen the economic vitality of the northwest Ohio greenhouse industry. I was on familiar ground attending this event. I knew many of the growers very well. With funding Continue reading A Question of Beer
Cheers and Thanks
Thanksgiving has been a national holiday in the United States since President Abraham Lincoln proclaimed it as such in 1863. Of course Thanksgiving celebrations pre-date Lincoln’s proclamation. It all started in 1621 when, following a bountiful harvest, the first Pilgrims sat down with native Americans to celebrate with a meal of Thanksgiving. During Continue reading Cheers and Thanks
Portland: City of Beer and Roses
I visited Portland, Oregon earlier this month. I was there attending yet another academic conference – this time the 62nd North American Meetings of the Regional Science Association International. And yes, I talked about beer at the conference – about the large regional craft Continue reading Portland: City of Beer and Roses