Let’s ask that question again: What is altbier? According to Hausbrauerie Zum Schlüssel Braumeister Dirk Rouenhoff, who was born in the Lower Rhine Region and grew up drinking this style, “Altbier is a brown, top-fermented beer with BU between twenty-five and forty; it is a local specialty with a wide range of different characters.” Wayfinder […] The post What Exactly Is an Altbier? We Asked the Experts appeared first on Hop Culture ..read more

Munich. September 25, 2010. I made my way from my forest campsite on the fringes of Munich to the campgrounds in the heart of the city, completing the final step of my pilgrimage to the 200th anniversary of Oktoberfest. As a twenty-year-old Germanophile (unable to drink in my home country) and a lover of German-style […] The post The History of the World’s Most Iconic Beer Glass, Bierstiefel appeared first on Hop Culture ..read more

At Gold Ochsen in the tiny Franconian town of Spielbach, I sat at a communal table where a retired farmer seemed intent on explaining the history of the brewer’s star, an age-old six-sided symbol often found in brewery logos. The only problem? He seemed to know maybe a hundred English words–about twice as many words […] The post Everything You Need to Know About Visiting Franconia’s Rich Beer Scene appeared first on Hop Culture ..read more

In the 1800s, American brewers created a beer style that baffled drinkers past, present, and future: the cream ale. Despite its name, the beer does not contain cream, and compared to many other styles, it isn’t exceptionally creamy. So, what is a cream ale? This beer style almost defies definition. Somewhere between an ale and […] The post What Exactly is a Cream Ale? appeared first on Hop Culture ..read more

Some American beer styles are challenging to categorize. For instance, modern IPAs blur the lines between styles, leaving even the most competent brewers scratching their heads. But even older styles give brewers trouble: The cream ale can be brewed with either ale or lager yeast and has less restrictive brewing parameters with hops and malts. […] The post The Cult of Genesee Cream Ale appeared first on Hop Culture ..read more

Beer Project. Not Brewing Co. Not Brewery. At Tenma Beer Project, one of our “Best New Breweries of 2023,” co-founders Dana Martindale and Brennan Perry emphasize that they want their beers to evolve constantly. They can’t guarantee their Great American Beer Festival award-winning German-style pilsner, Don’t Fear the Answer, will always be on tap. They […] The post Tenma Beer Project: Not a Brewery. Not a Brewing Company. A Beer Project appeared first on Hop Culture ..read more

West Coast IPA vs. hazy, higher ABV vs. no ABV, and aluminum cans vs. glass bottles—just some of the most significant debates in craft beer over the last ten years. The latter, in particular, really stands out on the shelf. Seriously, craft beer cans have become the darling of packaging, but let’s not forget that […] The post Why Left Hand Believes Its New Nitro Release Will Drink Best in Glass appeared first on Hop Culture ..read more

If March showers bring the proverbial April flowers than this month definitely rained beer down on us. We had so much good stuff to drink these thirty-one days, that we’ve put together our biggest version of this monthly series ever! The team took a trip to three incredible local breweries—Tenma (one of our “Best Breweries […] The post The Top Fifteen Beers We Drank in March 2024 appeared first on Hop Culture ..read more

The chef sprinkled tiny pinches of cracked pepper into the barely boiling broth. As Dogfish Head Co-Founder Sam Calagione watched on a TV in his nascent brewpub in Milton, DE, in late 1998 (or early 1999; Sam isn’t quite sure), he said the chef on the show said something significant as he continually seasoned the […] The post 7 Things You Didn’t Know About Dogfish Head 90 Minute IPA appeared first on Hop Culture ..read more

Craft beer has entered the 21st century. Now, breweries have their own apps to help you restock their favorite beers or catch new drops. And beer fans rate and review their favorite beers on sites like Untappd and BeerAdvocate. Drinkers can even comfortably buy beer online from across the country and have it delivered right […] The post The Best Places to Buy Beer Online appeared first on Hop Culture ..read more