The Hobby Drinker

At some point in the middle decades of the 20th century, Americans started to wonder about the wisdom of relying on factory-made everything.  Assembly line goods might be all just as good as each other, but what if that means none of them are great ?  Self-sufficiency and back-to-the-land movements took shape, carrying on from the communal hippies of the ‘60s, although in many cases these new converts were interested in their personal welfare, or perhaps their family’s, before the world’s.  How does this get us to craft beer and the collaborative, creative movement we have today?  Through many steps, that’s how. Drink along? A homebrew if you can get/make it, or an early style - Boston Lager, steam ale, American IPA. En algún momento en medio del siglo XX, algunos americanos empezaron a preguntarse si era sabio depender de las fábricas para todos los bienes.  Todos los productos de la línea pueden ser tan buenos los unos con otros, pero qué pasa si eso significa...

After the getting rid of Prohibition, and having American industrial power well and truly consolidated, it was time for Big Beer.  Now, in the craft beer renaissance, we might look down our noses at those regular, undifferentiated brews, as dull and soulless.  But you can’t say that they weren’t popular.  Nor was it a simple matter of those beers being the only available ones; plenty of small, local brews tried their luck when the 18th Amendment was repealed, but for the most part they didn’t have a long life into the 20th century.  What were the secrets of Big Beer’s success?  Did they actually have any, or were they just able to take advantage of the coincidentally favorable circumstances?  How did the image of the beer drinker compare to the pitiable lush of Prohibition pushers and the humble, deserving new American of the century before? Drink along?  Any macro will do! Después de salir de la jaula de la Ley Seca y tener su control sobre el poder i...

It’s one of the most iconic moments in US history, a colorful mix of ingenuity, criminality, ethics, and parties.  It’s easy to think of the 18th Amendment as something that was imposed on the people by an overly protective nanny state, but those of us who pay attention know that that is rarely how things actually work.  So, what were the factors that caused Prohibition to come into being?  Was there really a component of concern for the health and welfare of Americans, or was it just about money, as so many things are?  How did breweries manage to survive a closure of more than a decade, when we fear business can’t survive two weeks without constant massaging now?  What finally caused Congress to reverse course and strike down the ban on recreational alcohol, and what was the landscape like for the breweries that were ready and raring to get back into their beers? Drink along?  Non-alcoholic beer for authenticity, or super sweet cocktails.  If you’re ...

Lots of things happened in the 19th century, in the US, in the beer industry, everywhere and in everything. We’ll see what the major influences were that created the booming beer industry of the 19th century, that reflected the dynamic and desperately self-defining society it nourished and flourished in.  The advances in machinery and technology are of note, as well as transportation.  Not to mention demographics!  Oh, demographics have so much to tell us.  The social upheaval of the era couldn’t put out the flame of beer loving, so could it in fact be part of the reason the beer industry grew as it did? Drink along?  Find a good lager or pilsner! Pasaron muchas cosas en el siglo XIX - en USA, en la industria de cervecería, en todas partes y en todos los aspectos.  Veremos cuales eran grandes influencias que crearon el exitoso sector de cerveza del siglo XIX, un sector que reflejaba la sociedad dinámica y ansiosamente auto-definida que alimentaba y en que f...

There is a bit of confusion in our vision of colonists in North America and their general view on life.  As far as alcohol is concerned, they were damn happy for it.  Not only beer, although that was one of the most drunk beverages, but cider, rum, wine, and mixed drinks were quite popular.  Certainly not everybody could drink the fanciest drinks every day, but they were definitely drinking a lot more and a lot more variety than most of us in the 21st century.  Let’s check out tastes, attitudes, and social changes from the time before the US existed. Drink along?  English style ale, porter, or small beer (session ales can substitute).  The daring might try spruce beer, ginger beer or real pumpkin ale.  For something different try a cider. Existe un poco de confusión en nuestra imagen de los colonos en Norteamérica y su visión general de la vida.  En cuanto al alcohol, en realidad estaban bastante agradecidos de tenerlo.  Y no solo la cerveza,...

It’s important to define terms, so that’s what the first section of Beers To You does.  Craft is the term that is thrown around without a whole lot of attention to what it means, technically or legally, and both of those realms are different in different places.  Let’s see what exactly “craft beer” means in the US, as well as what you should call those other beers that you like to use the word for.  We’ll compare with other major players in the beer world, like the UK and (gasp) China. Drink along?  It’s your choice for this one, but try to find a craft beer.  We’ll see if you know what you’re doing! Lo más importante es tener los términos claros, por eso lo hacemos en la primera sesión de Beers To You. La palabra artesana  aparece en muchos contextos, y en muchos casos se presta poca atención a su definición técnica o legal, y estas definiciones son diferentes en distintos lugares además.  Veremos qué significa exactamente “cerveza artesana” en USA, t...

Another edition of Beers To You?  That deserves a drink!