Author Archives: Brian

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About Brian

I like beer.

How I Celebrated My 6th Brewing Anniversary

Posted on January 7, 2013 by Brian

Today is the sixth anniversary of my brewing obsession. On January 7, 2007, I brewed my first batch of beer, an extract Red Ale kit I bought from Bet-Mar Liquid Hobby Shop in Columbia, SC. It wasn’t a great beer, … Continue reading →

Posted in Homebrew | Tagged | Leave a comment

You’ll Always Remember Your First (Marathon)

Posted on December 27, 2012 by Brian

Setting the stage. My training for the 2012 Kiawah Island Marathon began in August of 2006. While most people need 16 to 20 weeks to train for a marathon, I needed six years and four months. Back in 2006, I … Continue reading →

Posted in Motivation, Non-beer | Tagged , | 4 Comments

The Community Tap Craft Beer Festival Tickets On Sale

Posted on December 18, 2012 by Brian

Tickets for The Community Tap Craft Beer Festival on April 13, 2013 are now on sale. This is going to be a small, intimate festival with only 400 tickets available. There are sure to be rarities, seasonals and the best … Continue reading →

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Belgian Vertical Tasting with Chimay Blue & Unibroue

Posted on November 20, 2012 by Brian

If you’ve got the money, honey, I’ve got the time. — Willie Nelson I did my first-ever vertical beer tasting at the Charleston Beer Exchange with Sierra Nevada Bigfoot Barleywine in January 2009. After a beer dinner at Ted’s Butcherblock, we … Continue reading →

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Greenville gets a taste of rare beer with two upcoming festivals in 2013

Posted on October 27, 2012 by Brian

Yo Greenville, check your stats: One production brewery, two more on the way One Brewpub Five specialty craft beer stores Two outstanding craft beer bars Three craft beer festivals If you’re keeping score at home, you might be scratching your … Continue reading →

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Homebrewers Star at the Charlotte Oktoberfest

Posted on October 9, 2012 by Brian

I’ve had the opportunity to pour beer for Thomas Creek and Mother Earth at a beer festival before, and I always tell people it’s much more fun to be behind the bar than the one attending. You’re basically a rock star … Continue reading →

Posted in Beer events, Homebrew | Tagged , , | 1 Comment

Panel Discussion at Euphoria Beer Garden on September 22

Posted on September 1, 2012 by Brian

Euphoria is a four-day food, drink and music event stretching from Thursday, September 20 to Sunday, September 23. I hesitate to call it a “festival” because it’s more a series of tastings, meals and sessions, rather than a traditional festival … Continue reading →

Posted in Beer events | Tagged , , | 1 Comment

A Perennial Favorite: Samuel Adams Octoberfest

Posted on August 16, 2012 by Brian

This past Sunday, I walked into Publix on a mission for tortilla chips to go with a quick guacamole that I whipped up while Nicole was brewing her batch of stout she’s going to bring to the Charlotte Octoberfest. I … Continue reading →

Posted in Beer, Beer events | Tagged , , , | 5 Comments

5 tips for creating all-grain homebrew recipes

Posted on July 16, 2012 by Brian

I’ve been homebrewing now for over five years. My beer has come a long way since the days of pouring extract syrup into a 2.5 gallon stock pot that was way too small and always boiled over. One of my … Continue reading →

Posted in Homebrew | Tagged , | 5 Comments

An Epic Meal of Simplicity: Meat, Cheese and Beer

Posted on July 1, 2012 by Brian

Beer and cheese is a vastly underrated pairing. Wine is the classic choice to pair with cheese, but beer may actually be a better match. The carbonation in beer in effect washes the fat and oils of the cheese off … Continue reading →

Posted in Beer, Beer & Food | 1 Comment