Lew Bryson

It is said, in bittersweet fun, that God gave the Irish whiskey so they wouldn’t take over the world.  Theologians will have to take another look at the whole omniscience concept, though: the way Irish whiskey sales have been growing, the plan might just backfire. How much has Irish whiskey... Read More

My brother-in-law Curt is a chef, and I love hanging out around the table with him.  He’s nuts about truffles, hates factory-farm chicken, loves fresh-picked fruit.  He’s fearless about what he’ll try, but he’s just as fearless in stating what he doesn’t like. One of the things he doesn’t like... Read More

While one brand of blended Scotch sells more than all single malt brands put together, and the category is dwarfed by vodka sales, single malts have led the way on ‘premiumization’, the marketing realization that consumers will pay more for a product with a better flavor, a better package, a... Read More

They haunt the bars, they haunt the brewpubs, they haunt your store, sometimes as early as late June, hoping that somehow their favorite fall seasonal has arrived early. The Oktoberfest hunters, with their tubas and lederhosen, have nothing on these people for blind need. “We released ours in mid-July,” said... Read More

Hot and relaxed sunning on the Cape enjoying the brisk breeze and a cold, cold beer.Wish that kid next door would shut up. Just me and my beer and the deep blue sky, reflecting the deep blue ocean,rolling in all the way from Europe.Wonder if those clouds are going to... Read More

. . . smoked beers are more than likely,every bit as old as smoky whiskey, and were once much more widespread. The first time I had Victory Brewing’s St. Victorious doublebock, I noticed a difference from other doublebocks I’d had. It had an extra dimension to it, a richness that... Read More

What’s hot in beer? A better question this year is what’s the hot buzz overall and that’s easy: everyone is talking about the economy and how it’s affecting their business. There’s plenty of conventional wisdom floating around. They say that when someone you know loses their job, it’s a recession,... Read More

I was at a whiskey and spirits show and it took me 45 minutes to get to the Jameson table, where I was just in time to get the very last drops they had of the awesome Rarest Vintage Reserve . . . that’s the kind of luck that makes... Read More

I was leaving on a trip to Europe not long ago and stopped in the Jet Rock bar at Philadelphia International to while away the time I’d wasted by being at security the advised two hours before my departure. I dropped anchor perused the taps, and made my decision. I... Read More

Those words top J. Howard Miller’s iconic World War II poster featuring a serious “Rosie the Riveter” rolling up her sleeves to get to work on war production. The poster originally done for Westinghouse in early 1942 and then reproduced across the country, captured what was needed to win the... Read More