Beer Basics David Nilsen Beer Basics David Nilsen

All About Hops

What are hops, how are they used in brewing beer, and what tastes, flavors, and aromas do they contribute? Advanced Cicerone David Nilsen explains the basics of hops.

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Beer Basics David Nilsen Beer Basics David Nilsen

The Basics of Bock Beer Styles

When we think of German Lagers, we tend to think of easy-drinking beers like German Pilsner or Munich Helles. Bocks are a stronger family of German Lagers that showcase considerable flavor complexity while still being highly drinkable. Here are the basics of Bock.

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Chocolate & Cacao Beer David Nilsen Chocolate & Cacao Beer David Nilsen

Coffee, Cacao & Boundless Creativity: Hi-Wire’s 10W-40 Imperial Stouts

Hi-Wire Brewing in Asheville, North Carolina, brews a wide range of classic styles ranging from Lagers to IPAs to barrel-aged sours. Their 10W-40 lineup of Imperial Stouts brewed with French Broad cacao nibs have allowed them to play with high concept flavor combinations on a familiar Stout foundation, pushing flavor boundaries while staying true to the beer’s classic base style.

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Chocolate Profile David Nilsen Chocolate Profile David Nilsen

Peru to Montreal: Qantu’s Maple & Maras Fleur de Sel Bar Tells a Story of Love in Two Lands

The climates and terrains of Cusco, Peru, and Montreal, Quebec, are about as different from each other as can be, but a bean to bar chocolate company has brought these two places together in poignant and delicious ways. The love story between Maxime Simard and Elfi Maldonado of Qantu Chocolat is like something from a heartwarming romantic comedy. The two fell in love with each other and then with bean to bar chocolate. Qantu Chocolat was born, and brings together the flavors of each partner’s homeland.

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Beer Profile David Nilsen Beer Profile David Nilsen

Family Trees: Sandy Springs Brewing Brews with Maple from the Family Farm

Andy Conrad is the fifth generation to tap his family’s maple trees near the small town of Minerva in eastern Ohio. He and wife Amanda own Sandy Springs Brewing Company, a charming brewery in downtown Minerva with its own on-site Airbnbs, and each spring they brew Happy Sappy Imperial Amber Ale with maple sap from his family’s grove, maple syrup, cinnamon, and clove. The connection to these Conrad family trees runs deep.

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