Author: Ken Carman

I have well over 2,000 beer bottles; a few cans, lining my walls, in boxes to be put up on the walls… Honestly! I didn’t intend to become a collector. When the only beers in beer world in America were pretty much Bud, Miller and Bud/Miller wannabes, I found an odd beer. Not even sure what it was. I saved the bottle.

A few years ago my crumbling; 70’s built, modular needed new paneling, but the 1x3s underneath would never have tolerated the tear down/put back up strain. So to spiff up the mess we covered them with bottles.

Hence the collection, and this column. In here you will find old brands and what I found out by floating the search engine foam on the net. So grab your palette and hold on, cause “surf’s up, ale or lager dude!”

This edition: Prior Double Dark

Continue reading “From the Bottle Collection”

I’ll probably be writing more than a few of these myself, but I didn’t write this one. This is a very long article with many pages, but worth every sentence in my opinion. The names Dogfish and Brooklyn Brewing have echoed across brew world for somewhat different reasons. Sam Calagione at Dogfish has brewed; and created recipes, for some of the most extreme beers I have ever had.

I met him once at about 10pm. Loved to say I interviewed him, but let’s just say that Sam really does love beer. A man with tastes I can appreciate.

Most people like the Dogfish 90 minute IPA, for example. I do too, but I prefer the 120. That’s because my buds always are looking for a good kick in the taste department.
Continue reading “Brewer’s Profile”

Reviewers Millie and Ken Carman

Blueberry Oatmeal Stout
Buffalo Bill’s Brewery
Haywood, CA

Usual alcohol %: 4.2-5.9% abv
This version: 7.5%
Continue reading “Beer Profile: Buffalo Bill’s Blueberry Oatmeal Stout”

Ken Carman is a BJCP judge; homebrewer since 1979, club member at Escambia Bay and Music City Homebrewers, who has been interviewing professional brewers all over the east coast for over 10 years. This edition of Brew Biz was originally published in The Score: a publication of Music City Brewers, two years ago. And republished here at PGA in 2009. It is a review of a fine brewpub in Connecticut.

Written by Ken Carman

Willimantic Brewing
967 Main Street
Willimantic, CT 06226
Phone: 860-423-6777

Brewer and co-owner: David Wollner

Going postal?

Hey, if Willimantic is “going postal” I’m all for stopping by this old post office started in 1909; surrounded by beers brewed to the extreme, and interesting menu entries identified by zip codes and outdated postal cliche’s. Besides, one person’s “outdated cliche…” …a little like saying “I’m repeating my repetition…” is another old man’s nostalgia. And I’m “old,” so it suits me fine.

Continue reading “The Brew Biz: Werts and All”