Oktoberfest is an unavoidable tourist trap of a beer drinking holiday in much of the world, with perhaps no greater faux revelry than in the United States. With no ties to any continental or European history or tradition, bars simply stock up on some half-liters (often plastic, ugh), some white and blue checked flags, and [...]
Things have been very quiet over here in recent weeks and it’s likely to stay that way for at least another month. I’ve spent most of my time writing the book, a few articles, and taking some ill-timed vacations (including Las Vegas, Maine, and Germany). I still have a long road ahead with the book, [...]
Second only to its love of David Hasselhoff, the German affinity for its Reinheitsgebot boggles the minds of foreign visitors. Born as a cross between a taxation law and a means for protecting bakers’ ingredients, the Reinheitsgebot (literally translated as ‘purity regulation’ or ‘requirement’) has long been a dominating influence on the German beer scene. [...]
Give and Take…