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On Saturday, November 22nd I'll be speaking about the history of brewing and the current beer scene in the Northeast at the Walter E. Washington Convention Center in Washington, DC. Copies of my book will be for sale at a discount following a brief Q&A. This ticketed event is open to the public and includes beer samples from as many as 75 breweries. Food from a variety of vendors will also be available for purchase.
Following my talk at both sessions will be Michael Tonsmeire, author of American Sour Beers: Innovative Techniques for Mixed Fermentations. Although Michael and I haven't met, I've been a fan of his homebrewing blog, The Mad Fermentationist, for a long time. Follow this link for a little preview of what we'll each be talking about and stop by the Craft Concierge Center if you want to geek out about Gose, Gueuze or Gruit (you can't drink sours all the time). To purchase tickets to the DC Craft Beer Festival, visit the event's website.
On Sunday, August 10th at 2:00 pm I'll be speaking about brewery tourism, the Northeast beer scene, and my new book at Shmaltz Brewing Company in Clifton Park, New York. Part of their summer-long Books on Tap series, this ticketed event is open
to the public and includes food samples from The Ruck in nearby Troy. For
more information call (518) 406-5430 or visit the Eventbrite website.
Jeremy Cowan, founder and owner of Shmaltz, will serve as moderator and will also lead tours following our conversation. Although we've crossed paths at various festivals, I haven't had the chance to sit down and talk with him since I led a panel on beer tourism at the New York Travel Festival last April. It will be my first visit to his brewery and I'm looking forward to the event. If you live in the Capital Region, or are planning to be in the area during the second weekend of August, grab a ticket now for a fun beer tasting, discussion, and book signing.
On Friday, April 25th at 6:00 pm I'll be speaking about brewery tourism, the Northeast beer scene, and my new book at the Lewiston Public Library in Lewiston, Maine. Part of the library's Pages & Pints book talk and beer tasting series, this free event is open to the public and will take place in the library’s Callahan Hall. For more information call (207) 513-3135 or visit their website.
After my talk, things will move to Baxter Brewing Company on Mill Street for a reception and beer tasting with cheese pairings provided by Forage Market. Copies of the book will be available for purchase and signing at both the library and the brewery. Plus, if you purchase two or more copies of The Great Northeast Brewery Tour on Friday, I'll throw in a copy of The Homebrew Journal.
And, if you live on the Portland Peninsula, you can also catch a ride to and from the event with me courtesy of the Maine Brew Bus. Round trip transportation courtesy of Lenny (or Mabel, their other brew bus) is $15 and leaves from the Rising Tide Brewing Company at 5:15pm sharp.
Nearly a month has passed since Voyageur Press published The Great Northeast Brewery Tour. The reception has been positive so far, and I've kept busy with appearances at bookstores and breweries and interviews with reporters in Connecticut, Maryland, and New York City. Snowstorms and the "Polar Vortex" teamed up to challenge my promotional efforts, but even extreme winter weather couldn't keep people away. (I'm guessing that thermal underwear convinced those on the fence to venture out in spite of the low temperatures.)
Well, in defiance of the cold and Punxsutawney Phil's pessimistic prediction, I'm hitting the road again at the end of February. This time I'm traveling as far north as Maine, and I'll also be returning to Philadelphia to the south. And while I will have copies with me, I'm more than happy to sign books that you've already purchased. I've listed the confirmed events below, but more information can be found on the book's Facebook page. Keep track of news and reviews by following me on Twitter, and stop by any of these places to say hello:
- Saturday, February 22, 2014 - Rising Tide Brewing Company (Portland, ME)
- Sunday, February 23, 2014 - Cape Ann Brewing Company (Gloucester, MA)
- Sunday, February 23, 2014 - Portsmouth Book & Bar (Portsmouth, NH)
- Wednesday, February 26, 2014 - Greenlight Bookstore (Brooklyn, NY)
- Thursday, February 27, 2014 - Lucky's Last Chance (Philadelphia, PA)
- Friday, February 28, 2014 - The Hop (Beacon, NY)
- Friday, February 28, 2014 - Crossroads Brewing Company (Athens, NY)
- Saturday, March 1, 2014 - The Green Toad Bookstore (Oneonta, NY)
- Saturday, March 1, 2014 - Hopshire Farm and Brewery (Freeville, NY)
Not all New Year's resolutions are created equal. Some of us aim high, setting ambitious goals that focus on self improvement: I'm finally going to train for that marathon this year. We like to challenge ourselves to be better, or do more, knowing all along that it will take a fair amount of effort. Others, knowing their limitations, prefer to pick a resolution that's easier to achieve: Maybe this is the year I remember to put the toilet seat down?
Personally, I'm of the opinion that a worthwhile resolution ought to involve a certain amount of fun, or, at the very least, a series of small rewards. Surely we've all learned by now that a little encouragement can go a long way. So with that in mind, I'd like to offer a recommendation. Instead of (or, better yet, in addition to) getting in shape to run a race or remembering to be more courteous in the bathroom, why not make visiting a brewery part of your 2014 game plan?
According to the Brewers Association, a professional organization founded "to promote and protect small and independent American brewers," the U.S. currently contains more than 2,500 breweries. And while Vermont, Oregon, Montana, Alaska, and Colorado have the most per capita, no state is devoid of locally-brewed beer. In fact, there's a good chance you have one or two in your proverbial backyard—probably no more than a 20 or 30 minute drive. If you need suggestions and live somewhere between Washington, D.C. and Maine, just pick up a copy of my new book, The Great Northeast Brewery Tour. But if that's not enough to convince you to go, here are my five reasons to visit a brewery in 2014.
It's been a long time coming, but after almost two years of work, my third book is finally on its way to retailers. I know this because last week an advance copy turned up here at home. The rather self explanatory title is The Great Northeast Brewery Tour. Suffice it to say I put more effort into this project than just about anything else I've worked on in my professional career and I'm proud of how it turned out. What makes me happier still is the fact that it includes a foreword by author and brewer extraordinaire Garrett Oliver as well as images by my talented photographer friend Bethany Bandera.
With the official release date rapidly approaching, I've put together a string of winter events to help promote the book. I'm eager to return to some of the breweries and brewpubs Bethany and I visited so many months ago and look forward to meeting fellow readers, beer drinkers, and road trippers. If you live near one of the places below, please save the date and bring a friend. For details about times and locations, check out The Great Northeast Brewery Tour on Facebook or follow me on Twitter.
- Saturday, January 18, 2014 - Twin Lakes Brewing Company (Greenville, DE)
- Monday, January 20, 2014 - Meridian Pint (Washington, DC)
- Tuesday, January 21, 2014 - Atomic Books (Baltimore, MD)
- Thursday, January 23, 2014 - Trident Booksellers and Cafe (Boston, MA)
- Friday, January 24, 2014 - Relic Brewing Company (Plainville, CT)
- Saturday, January 25, 2014 - Weyerbacher Brewing Company (Easton, PA)
- Saturday, January 25, 2014 - Turkey Hill Brewing Company (Bloomsburg, PA)
- Sunday, January 26, 2014 - Dock Street Brewing Company (Philadelphia, PA)
- Monday, January 27, 2014 - Jimmy's No. 43 (New York, NY) *dinner*
- Tuesday, January 28, 2014 - Curious Iguana Books (Frederick, MD)
- Tuesday, January 28, 2014 - Roy-Pitz Brewing Company (Chambersburg, PA)
- Wednesday, January 29, 2014 - Dogfish Head Craft Brewed Ales (Milton, DE)
- Wednesday, January 29, 2014 - Evolution Craft Brewing Company (Salisbury, MD)
- Thursday, January 30, 2014 - Flying Fish Brewing Company (Somderdale, NJ)
- Friday, January 31, 2014 - Cape May Brewing Company (Rio Grande, NJ)
- Saturday, February 1, 2014 - Troegs Brewing Company (Hershey, PA)
- Saturday, February 1, 2014 - [words] Bookstore (Maplewood, NJ)
- Sunday, February 2, 2014 - Sweet Grass Grill (Tarrytown, NY) *brunch*
- Sunday, February 2, 2014 - Two Roads Brewing Company (Stratford, CT)
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