Tapping a keg of beer, Ginger Johnson sees an untapped market of consumers. "They haven't been invited into the conversation," Johnson says. "They haven't been asked what they want." If you go What: Women Enjoying Beer monthly meeting, pairing beer and cheese. Cost is $15 per person. When: 7 to 8:30 p.m. Thursday, May 13… Read more »

All last week, I heard so much about NFL Draft that it made me want to try a glass, but all the bars I called didn't have any for sale.   Do you know something else that isn't funny? Misconceptions about beer. OK, actually they can be funny, but I needed a way to work… Read more »

Just about every amateur brew master who has made a tub of beer in the garage has dreamed of going pro. But Los Angeles County firefighters Rob Nowaczyk and Ed Walker, who expanded from home brewing to founding the commercial Fireman's Brew Inc., had an edge over most would-be brewery owners. "Everyone likes firefighters," Nowaczyk… Read more »

“I declare the beer I choose to enjoy is not a commodity, but more importantly an artistic creation of living liquid history made from passionate innovators. The beer I drink furthers our culture and teaches us geography and helps to nurture a sense of community, and helps to make the world a better place, and,”  … Read more »

Mitchell Radlund has a taste for craft beer. Among his favorites: Modus Hoperandi, an IPA from Colorado; Surly Bender, a brown ale from Minnesota; and Fat Tire, an amber brew from Colorado.   But there's a twist: Radlund's suds of choice don't come from a bottle.   "Most of my favorite craft beers only come… Read more »

Fritz Maytag, the washing machine heir who launched the microbrewery movement, has sold Anchor Brewing Co. in San Francisco to a pair of Bay Area entrepreneurs who plan to preserve and expand the iconic brand. No terms were disclosed for the sale of the 70-person Mariposa Street brewery and distillery that traces its roots to… Read more »

The battle over shelf space in the beer industry is about to heat up with the entrance of a new brand to the refrigerators at 7-Eleven. And it's the nearly 6,000-strong convenience store chain that is making the private label brew, called "Game Day." While big brewers like Anheuser-Busch InBev can usually muscle their way… Read more »

What do you get when you cram 3,400 brewers, wannabe brewers, beer distributors, retailers, associated professionals and a Bavarian hop queen into a downtown Chicago hotel with unlimited refill privileges? You get one memorable party. The 2010 Craft Brewers Conference, which unfolded at the end of last week at the Sheraton Chicago Hotel & Towers, was… Read more »