Month: January 2017

The Topic: The Death of Brewpubs

By Ken Carman

 Years ago I wrote a column with the topic, “What Kills a Brewpub?” The example used was a brewpub in Covington, Kentucky where the brewer, who became a friend years later, had been the brewmaster. Let’s just say the conclusion was not the usual. During a time when brewpubs (90s) were the new “hot” item to open, I usually found brewpubs kacked because; trying to capitalize on the new trend, they came in and built a giant facility with more bells as whistles than one can imagine… then location, location got the best of them.
 The example I use a lot was Main Street Brewing in Worcester, MA, where they came into downtown, put in at least a 3 level brewery with a huge brew operation behind a giant horseshoe bar, second floor a concert hall for older rock groups needing a full stage like Chicago, the Association, 3rd floor a lot of regulation pools tables. There may have been a fourth level, but I don’t remember what was up there. Problem is they went into downtown Worcester, pretty much one of the deeper economic pits in mid-Mass at the time.
 Instead, in Tim’s case, the guilty party was “management, management.” OK, “horrid, horrid, horrid management.”
 A lot has changed since those days. Continue reading “Brew Biz: Werts and All”

Written by Tom Becham

The argument over the superiority of wine or beer has been around for decades, centuries, possibly millennia. But the line between the two beverages has not always been a clear one. Dogfish Head Brewing makes a brew called Midas Touch, based on ingredients found in a 2700 year-old drinking vessel excavated in Asia Minor. The beverage is made with barley, honey and grapes. It is, essentially a hybrid of beer, wine and mead. Continue reading “Tom Becham Reviews Green Flash Cellar 3: Oculus Sauvage with Red and Black Currants and Brett”