The Tide in the Glass
Why beer trends come and go, and why the old styles keep judging us.
- Beer history
- style trends
- and the role of restraint in craft brewing
Shelf
Brewing
Exploring the science, history, craft, and philosophy of brewing — from lager yeast to the patience required by fermentation.
Essays — 6
The Marriage of Strangers
How Barley Met Hops—and Beer Became Beer
- Beer history
- material culture
- and the commerce of taste
The Map Inside the Pint
How hop varieties carried beer from Saaz to Citra—and how the home brewer can learn to taste the difference
- Hop varieties
- brewing history
- and homebrewer perception
Beer With a Thousand Faces
A light heroic history of civilization's oldest companion
- Beer history
- mythology
- phenomenology
Why Lager Yeast Went Cold
The practical constraints that shaped a brewing tradition — and why they matter less today.
- History
- brewing science
- and practical homebrewing
Fermentation as Patience
What fermentation teaches us about the virtue of not interfering.
- Philosophy
- microbiology
- and the discipline of waiting
Seeds — 8
Seed
Beer With a Thousand Faces
A playful Campbellian essay treating beer as civilization's humble companion rather than a conqueror: separation, initiation, return to the table. Cover ancient brewing, monastic complexity, Reinheitsgebot, industrial porter, pilsner, prohibition, craft resurrection, and hospitality — with historical grounding and gentle humor.
Lens: Beer history, mythology, phenomenology, and hospitality
Seed
Fermentation as Patience
Treat fermentation as a practical and philosophical study in delayed transformation. Connect brewing practice, microbial life, temperature control, and the human habit of wanting to interfere too early.
Lens: Philosophy, microbiology, and the discipline of waiting
Seed
The Map Inside the Pint
Let’s write another for the Shelf. Let’s now explore hops specifically. Let’s try to locate an angle or perspective for this article that makes it not only interesting, but helpful for the home brewer. Perhaps we can isolate and expand on varieties of hops that are used in extremely popular and well known beers as well as lesser known hops. I think going into a history of hops, how it relates to their region, is a good way to pave the way to the modern hop varieties. Keep in mind our previous article ‘Beer and Hops History,’ so we do not overlap in anyway that wouldn’t make sense.
Lens: Hop varieties, brewing history, and homebrewer perception
Seed
The Marriage of Strangers
I am really interested about the history of how beer, something that is completely possible without hops, became “married” to hops. I do not know too many recipes outside of beer that use barley, and I know absolutely no other recipes that use hops. Let’s explore a fun article on this topic.
Lens: Beer history, material culture, and the commerce of taste
Seed
The Meaning of Head Retention
Explore beer foam as chemistry, craft signal, visual pleasure, and drinking experience. Explain proteins, carbonation, glassware, hops, and serving ritual.
Lens: Science, aesthetics, and ritual
Seed
The Return of Restraint
Beer styles move in waves. Modern IPAs can be expressive and forgiving, while clean lagers and pilsners reveal flaws. Timeless styles may function as brewing pillars.
Lens: Beer history, style trends, and the role of restraint in craft brewing
Seed
Water Chemistry Without Myth
Explain brewing water from a beginner-friendly perspective. Distinguish what matters immediately from what can become obsessive. Favor practical understanding over dogma.
Lens: Practical education and demystification
Seed
Why Lager Yeast Went Cold
Explore why lager fermentation became historically associated with cold temperatures, what practical constraints shaped the tradition, and why modern homebrewers are revisiting warmer fermentation for strains like 34/70. Include brewing science, historical context, and practical caveats.
Lens: History, brewing science, and practical homebrewing