Lew Bryson

Behold the Classic Bourbon Drinker (homo redlikkerus). He is white, middle-aged, Southern, and firmly clutches his large glass of bourbon and branch. He is simple and unadorned, much like his drink. His drink is whatever is on sale that month, pricelined to a razor-thin margin to move cases and beat... Read More

WHOA! Yes, we’re talking about barrel-aged beers, but this isn’t about oom-pah bands and whirling dirndls and whoopee. This is about brewers who are using wooden barrels to add new flavors and depths of complexity to beer, a truly innovative move that represents the best traditions of American brewing –... Read More

If you have any solid answers, there are some very large brewers who want to meet you. They have a problem that is defined by these questions. Two of the world’s largest brewers think they may have found some answers already: Heineken and Anheuser-Busch. They’re making major moves into the... Read More

These American-brewed beers are starting to find their way into the New England beer market. They’re similar to classic Belgian beers, they’re complex in flavor and aroma, they’re hot with the high-end beer customer, and they’ve got a margin like wine. Interested? You should be; the right shop can do... Read More

Like any other good thing that really gets rolling, Cinco de Mayo is getting complicated. First it was a memorial to Mexican pride, a battle won against the French invader. Then it was a touchstone for Chicano pride, something to encourage Mexican-Americans to be proud of the Mexican part of... Read More

Actually, chances are, you won’t. Because this bottle is made of aluminum, more than three times as thick as an aluminum can’s wall. “If you smack a full one against your desk, you’d put a dent in it,” said Ed Delia, who does PR for CCL Container, an Ontario-based firm... Read More

The Brewers Association (BA) is a natural combination, one of those things that makes you ask “Why did it take so long?” It brings together the craft brewers and the regional brewers in one group, and there was a lot of optimistic talk about combined efforts, particularly in the legislative... Read More

One thing’s for sure: this ain’t your daddy’s bourbon. But some of it is Pappy’s bourbon – Pappy Van Winkle, that is. And the bourbon that still bears his name is a good example of what’s going on in the bourbon business today. Pappy’s grandson, Julian Van Winkle III, has... Read More

How did that happen? Carlsberg is currently the fifth-largest brewing group in the world, and Carlsberg beer is sold in 154 countries. They are the brewers that put brewing on a true scientific basis, and who continue to contribute to brewing science on a high level. The rest of the... Read More

Imade a prediction that celebrity brewers would become a major attraction to beer aficionados, and named two local examples, Dann Paquette and Todd Mott. It seemed right to follow up with an interview with one of them, and I knew where to find Dann – The Tap, in Haverhill, MA.... Read More