Paul R. Kan - The Beer Thrillers

The German Brewer Making French Beer in the Caribbean

paulrkan — Thu, 06 Mar 2025 14:35:53 +0000

The German Brewer Making French Beer in the Caribbean

Paul, Maxie, and Michel visited the Gwada Brewery in Guadalupe

We were wrong. Maxie, Michel and I thought we were going to a brewpub in the capital of Guadeloupe. As French language students, we probably misunderstood Gwada Beer’s website. I was expecting a craft brewery with French and Caribbean influences, so were Michel and Maxie. What we encountered was unexpected and delightful.

Paul in the Gwada Brew House

Gwada Beer is a brewery… just not a craft brewery. It’s the beer of the island; a sort of national beer, if Guadeloupe were a country and not a Caribbean territory of France. The only thing “craft” about the brewery was its small size. Troeg’s Brewery in Hershey, PA is larger, so is Ever Grain Brewing in Mechanicsburg, PA.

As the three of us entered the brewery, we saw a very small bar area and couple of glass door refrigerators. Pretty standard stuff. But it seemed the three of us were the only visitors. We greeted the tall guy behind the counter in French. He asked if we were German — Maxie and Michel said they were; I said I was American. He then said speaking German or English would be better for him. He said that he was from Germany. He then explained that we were not in a craft brewery — they weren’t serving beer and food. The place was strictly for producing Gwada Beer… sort of.

The three of us had accidentally met Stefan Fascher, the head brewer of Gwada Beer. We had caught him and his coworker in the middle of working on some fermentation tanks. “I just moved here a few months ago to take the position.” Stefan mentioned that Gwada Original — the popular lager seen all over the island—is currently made in France. The brewery in Guadeloupe had fallen on hard times and he was hired to raise its quality. “So, like a good German, the first thing I started doing was cleaning,” Stefan said with a laugh.

Stefan

From behind the bar, he poured us three glasses of a silky, golden beer. “Try these. This is Gwada Ice. It’s tough to find around Guadeloupe at the moment.” It was a delicious wheat beer. It tasted like a lager and didn’t have any grassy notes of a wheat. I’m not a big fan of wheat beer, but maybe it was the tropical heat because I loved it! He poured us another beer; this one was reddish and amber in color. “This is Gwada Magma with a higher ABV and tastes more like a pils.” It was also delicious. “It’s also rare to find around here,” he said.

Gwada Beer

Stefan then invited us to take a look at the brewery operations. “Come on back here. I can show you around a little.” The equipment was familiar—mash tun, boil kettle, fermentation tanks. As we paused by some of the equipment, I asked him if it bothered people on the island that Gwada Original wasn’t brewed locally anymore. “Well, to be honest, France is not a big beer culture. It’s more wine. And on the island, it’s more about rum. Beer is beer. Eventually, it’ll return to be brewed here.”

We walked back to the small bar area and chatted over more beer. Stefan has been the United States a few times. “My brother lives in Wisconsin. I’ve had a lot of good beer and great times there.” And, thanks to Stefan at Gwada Beer, Maxie, Michel and I had good beer and a great time in Guadeloupe.

More Information on Gwada Brewing and Beer

The following comes via Untappd.

The Gwada Brewery proper is known as Les Brasseurs De Guadeloupe and is located at Baie-Mahault, Guadeloupe France and is labeled a micro brewery. They have 12 unique beers and over 3,000 ratings for a global average rating of 2.87 (as of 3.6.25). Their Untappd description is left as blank, and there are no links to any social media platforms or websites (from Untappd).

Les Brasseurs De Guadeloupe – Untappd

However, this website does pop up when doing a Google search: Gwada Beer (Homepage).

Paul R. Kan

Paul R. Kan is the author of Hawai’i Beer: A History of Brewing in Paradise which was a North American Guild of Beer Writers’ award winner and a #1 new release on Amazon’s Books on Beer. He has written for Good Beer Hunting and is Editor-at-Large at The Beer Thrillers. Along with beer reviews, book reviews and interviews, he also writes about the interesting ways beer intersects with people and society. His current book project is Red, White and Brew: The Beers and Battles that Shaped America. He lives in Carlisle, Pennsylvania.

ʻOi kau ka lā, e hana i ola honua (While the sun yet shines, do all you can).

Paul R. Kan Articles

The following are articles that Paul R. Kan has written here for The Beer Thrillers:

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Three Questions and a Pint With Joel Gaier

paulrkan — Thu, 12 Dec 2024 17:27:56 +0000

Three Questions and a Pint With Joel Gaier

Joel is the author of the new book Flights Across America: A Brewery Lover’s Journey. As the host of the popular “Brewery Travels” podcast, he hit the road (and the sky) to visit nearly 1400 breweries across all 50 states, including 26 in PA. He began his travels
in 2017 and his book releases on December 17th . I caught up with him by phone to share a beer and a quick chat.

Flights Across America – Cover

Three Questions

Flights Across America – blurbs

1) What was the biggest takeaway from all the breweries you visited?

Not surprisingly, that they’re all different. Breweries are sort of like fingerprints—they’re unique. But in their uniqueness, they all have a story to tell. Sometimes it’s an owner’s story about how he or she got into the business. Other times, it’s the story about a particular beer they make and why people like it. And yet another story might be about how the location for the brewery was chosen. All in all, every brewery has a story to share with the community.

2) What would people be most surprised to know about your beer travels?

Oh, how much work I put into the project. From being a hobby to visit breweries in a state where I was with my family to becoming a true obsession of visiting them in every state. We would re-route trips in order to visit a brewery. It was pretty meticulous planning at times; it wasn’t willy-nilly. While it wasn’t a job, it was still a lot of work.

3) If someone wanted to plan a “beercation” to visit a bunch of breweries, what are few things they should know before they go?

I have a few sections in my book about beer tourism and how to plan your visits. The two big tips would be to make sure to double check a brewery’s hours. Sometimes they’re inconsistent and you don’t want to make a big plan and show up on say a Thursday when a brewery is closed, thinking its hours are like the weekend’s. Or, if it is closed for maintenance or some other reason. And two, might sound obvious, but find out what type of beer the place serves—if you don’t like a certain type of beer—like sours or IPA—but that’s the type of beer a brewery specializes in, you may want to skip it.

You can see Paul’s other ‘Three Questions and a Pint’ here:

Flights Across America – Promotional

The Pint

Joel was spending some time back at home with his kids while we were talking and wasn’t having a beer. I was enjoying a Sierra Nevada Narwhal as we talked. (Sierra Nevada Narwhal.)

You can follow Joel Gaier on his Instagram at — @brewery_travels.

You can purchase the book from Amazon here: Flights Across America: A Brewery Lover’s Journey

You can read more about it on GoodReads here: Flights Across America: A Brewery Lover’s Journey (GoodReads).

Paul R. Kan

ʻOi kau ka lā, e hana i ola honua (While the sun yet shines, do all you can).

Paul R. Kan Articles

The following are articles that Paul R. Kan has written here for The Beer Thrillers:

Thank You For Reading

If you like this article, please check out our other many articles, including news, beer reviews, travelogues, maps, and much much more. We greatly appreciate everyone visiting the site!

Cheers.

MAPS OF BREWERIES

You can check out our different directories here: Beer Reviews, Hike Reviews, Book Reviews, Brewery News, Brewery Openings, Brewer Interviews, and Travelogues.

The Beer Thrillers on LinkTree can be found here: The Beer Thrillers LinkTree.

The Beer Thrillers are a blog that prides itself on writing beer reviews, brewery reviews, travelogues, news (especially local to the Central PA brewery scene), as well as covering other topics of our interests – such as hiking, literature and books, board games, and video games which we sometimes stream with our friends over at Knights of Nostalgia. We are currently listed as #5 on FeedSpot’s “Top 100 Beer Blogs” and #9 on FeedSpot’s “Top 40 Pennsylvania Blogs”. (As of August 2024.) Thank you for reading our site today, please subscribe, follow, and bookmark. Please reach out to us if you are interested in working together. If you would like to donate to the blog you can here: Donate to The Beer Thrillers. Thank you!

If you would like to reach out to us for product reviews, beer reviews, press release writing, and other media – please contact us at thebeerthrillers@gmail.com. Thank you.

Beer Heists Stealing and Dealing Your Beer

paulrkan — Mon, 23 Sep 2024 13:24:20 +0000

Beer Heists

Stealing and Dealing Your Beer
by: Paul R. Kan

Fontana Police’s capture of a recent beer heist

Without knowing it, you may have been drinking a stolen beer at your last happy hour. Organized rings of beer thieves across the United States have been taking thousands of gallons of beer from trains, breweries and delivery trucks. Rather than Robin Hoods—stealing beer from the rich to give to the thirsty—these criminals sell the looted beer to bars and restaurants.

Beer heists are more than shoplifting a couple of six packs from the local liquor store.

$675,000 worth of beer was looted from a Houston warehouse.
Two hundred cases of beer were robbed from a warehouse and discovered in a van after a police pursuit in Fontana, California.
719 cases of Dos Equis beer were swiped from an Austin, Texas distributor.
Two refrigerator trailers containing 3,300 cases of beer were stolen from an Atlanta craft brewery.

But it was a ring of beer thieves busted last spring in the Northeast United States that perpetrated the widest ranging number of beer heists. For at least two years, the “Beer Theft Enterprise” stole hundreds of thousands of dollars of Corona and Modelo across four states. Often armed with guns, the group cut through fences, broke locks and hauled out beer from railyards and warehouses under the cover of night. According to the U.S. Department of Justice’s announcement of the gang’s indictment —and without realizing the pun—the criminal group had “left several beverage distribution and railroad companies ailing.”

How does looted beer get from railyard to bar? Understanding how beer makes its way to the black market—and potentially to your glass—it’s important to first learn why beer is targeted for heists.

The Felony in the Fridge

In many ways, beer is not an ideal product for a criminal gang to steal and deal. Unlike narcotics, criminals aren’t producing their own beer and selling it directly to consumers. Nor do they partner with illegal producers seeking to move their beer on the street. Beer thieves, instead, must rob businesses to procure the product. Breaking into a business heightens the risks of being caught, arrested and imprisoned. Not only do thieves have to burgle a location where beer is kept, but to be profitable, they have to take a lot of it. This makes clandestinely transporting and storing large quantities complicated.

Complicated, but not impossible. Despite the downsides, beer is an attractive target for organized thieves. Criminal gangs know there’s a demand among bar and restaurant owners for cut-rate beer. Criminals also know that stolen beer easily blends-in with the legitimately purchased stock. Glancing in a walk-in refrigerator, the difference between legally and illegally acquired beer inventory is nearly indistinguishable. The ease of concealing stolen beer is tempting enough for some business owners to risk paying criminals for some. All of this makes beer, unlike some goods from other robberies, easier for criminals to offload. No visits to shady pawnshops required.

Getting caught stealing and dealing beer also have lower legal penalties than trafficking illegal products like hard drugs. Police and prosecutors are often more focused on crimes that directly, and more severely, harm public safety. After all, it’s not cocaine; it’s just beer.

Beerfellas

Capture of stolen beer (photo courtesy of Fontana Police Department)

The relative ease of selling stolen beer, the lower criminal penalties and the potential of a high payoff can be seductive reasons for individuals to join a heist. In fact, the ringleader of the Beer Theft Enterprise openly recruited on Instagram for help with his robberies by promising lucrative paydays. One post read that participants “in the beer train method” would be guaranteed “100k+ in a month.” Another post included a picture of a railroad with the caption “Need workers who want to make [money bag emoji]” with a “Yes” or “No” vote button.

How many people hit the “yes” button for a heist isn’t publicly known. But the brazen recruitment on Instagram reveals how manpower is essential for a beer heist. Lookouts, drivers, and people with the ability to operate heavy machinery like forklifts are usually needed for a large-scale beer robbery. Someone willing to threaten or use violence to gain access to the targeted beer may also be included. A member of the Beer Theft Enterprise threatened railyard and warehouse employees at gunpoint for entry into railcars and warehouses.

To avoid the possibility of violence, criminal rings can include an employee where beer is stored to leave a door unlocked or an alarm unarmed. This insider may also be able to pre-position beer for accomplices to load more quickly. For example, an insider was intimately involved with the beer distribution warehouse robbery in Austin, Texas. On an agreed upon date and time, he moved cases of selected beers closer to the loading dock for easier removal by the beer thieves.

After the gang accesses the beer, it’s loaded in vehicles for transport to another location. There, the criminal gang inspects the beer for any damage. Broken bottles, burst cans or cracked kegs are worthless on the black market.

For the gang, selling the undamaged beer is the next step. In one instance, the Beer Theft Enterprise sold its looted beer to a middleman…and a middlewoman. According to a West Haven Police arrest warrant, one of the ring’s members admitted that after a heist the group unloaded “the stolen beer at a garage in the Bronx next to a bodega, where the receiver was ‘a Russian guy and a young girl.’” The pair paid the thieves in cash for the beer, which was likely destined for bars, restaurants and stores around New York City.

Over a Barrel

The beer industry is uniquely vulnerable to large-scale thefts by criminal rings. America’s three-tier liquor distribution system almost invites beer heists. Put in place after Prohibition, the system is comprised of producers who make alcohol to sell to distributors in the middle who collect alcohol tax when selling to retailers. The first and second tiers create the black market for criminals—by taking beer, criminals remove the costs of tax for retailers while pocketing the money for themselves.

The result is millions of dollars in lost revenue for brewers, distributors and communities. Because of their economic damage, these crimes deserve to be a higher priority for law enforcement. But it’s unknown how often beer heists occur. Neither the U.S. Department of Justice nor beer industry groups keep statistics on large-scale beer thefts. Beyond media reporting, there is little information about these crimes. This dearth of information is part of the
problem. Without knowing the scope and scale of this type of criminal activity, prioritization won’t happen, and effective solutions will be wanting.

Without a more comprehensive examination of beer heists along with serious efforts to combat them, your happy hour beer will always be a little suspicious….

Paul R. Kan

ʻOi kau ka lā, e hana i ola honua (While the sun yet shines, do all you can).

Paul R. Kan Articles

The following are articles that Paul R. Kan has written here for The Beer Thrillers:

Thank You For Reading

If you like this article, please check out our other many articles, including news, beer reviews, travelogues, maps, and much much more. We greatly appreciate everyone visiting the site!

Cheers.

MAPS OF BREWERIES

You can check out our different directories here: Beer Reviews, Hike Reviews, Book Reviews, Brewery News, Brewery Openings, Brewer Interviews, and Travelogues.

Please be sure to follow us on our social media accounts – Facebook, Facebook Group, Twitter, Instagram, YouTube, and Influence. As well as our brand new Tumblr page. Please be sure to also follow, like, subscribe to the blog here itself to keep updated. We love to hear from you guys, so be sure to leave a comment and let us know what you think!

The Beer Thrillers on LinkTree can be found here: The Beer Thrillers LinkTree.

The Beer Thrillers are a blog that prides itself on writing beer reviews, brewery reviews, travelogues, news (especially local to the Central PA brewery scene), as well as covering other topics of our interests – such as hiking, literature and books, board games, and video games which we sometimes stream with our friends over at Knights of Nostalgia. We are currently listed as #5 on FeedSpot’s “Top 100 Beer Blogs” and #9 on FeedSpot’s “Top 40 Pennsylvania Blogs”. (As of August 2024.) Thank you for reading our site today, please subscribe, follow, and bookmark. Please reach out to us if you are interested in working together. If you would like to donate to the blog you can here: Donate to The Beer Thrillers. Thank you!

If you would like to reach out to us for product reviews, beer reviews, press release writing, and other media – please contact us at thebeerthrillers@gmail.com. Thank you.

Book Review: Revenge of She – Punks (Vivien Goldman)

paulrkan — Tue, 06 Aug 2024 13:26:24 +0000

Revenge of She – Punks by Vivien Goldman

She Punks

Paul R. Kan is back today, giving us a review of ‘Revenge of She – Punks‘ by Vivien Goldman. We want to thank Paul for his book reviews, travel reviews, interviews, and other articles he writes for us. (If you want to find more articles written by Paul R. Kan, check out the bottom of this article.)

Book Review – Revenge of the She Punks

Trying to define she-punk, Vivien Goldman tell us, is like “walk[ing] on a rope bridge slung between melting icebergs in high wind.” But taking us across this bridge is what Goldman, the author of Revenge of the She-Punks, does skillfully. In a book where each chapter begins with a playlist that includes artists as varied as The Slits, Delta-5, Blondie, Chrissie Hynde and Grace Jones, we can see why understanding she-punk is a dizzying, exhilarating and, at times, terrifying journey.

Revenge of She Punks

Goldman avoids defining she-punk as sharing common acoustic notes, rhythmic beats or lyrical styles. Instead, she interviewed band members of over forty she-punk groups from the chapters’ playlists to find common themes in their struggles as women and as artists. Challenges of identity, money, love and protest form the core of she-punk and the heart of the book. Female musicians living day-to-day on the margins, then expressing them in music are what the author sees as distinctly “she-punk.”

She-punk songs can “slap as well as stroke.” Acoustics mirror abuse; beats mimic beatings; lyrics echo lust. For example, “The Boiler.” a song by Rhoda Dakar with the Special AKA, recounts a woman’s perspective of her sexual assault. It’s a song that you “have to hear and fear for yourself.”

Bands like The Clash, The Sex Pistols and Green Day couldn’t write—much less perform—she- punk songs like “The Boiler.” Because these bands’ members are men, their experiences were and are different. As Margaret Atwood, author The Handmaid’s Tale, put it: “A woman’s greatest fear is being killed by a man. A man’s greatest fear is being laughed at by a woman.” She-punks show how a man having his greatest fear realized can turn into a woman’s greatest fear.

Fear can be sparked, but moderated, by satire, sarcasm and snark. She-punk songs can work on the lighter side and still make a point. Tribe 8’s “Check Out Your Babe” about lesbian band members stealing men’s girlfriends at the band’s concert was made as much for laughs as protest. When it’s dangerous to be gay in many communities, in the United States and in other countries,
a satirical song about sexual relations is still political.

Fighting against political inequality, sexism and racism is part of the ethos of she-punk musicians. For Goldman, “these women all have their frontlines—global, national or domestic—and use punk as their weapon. Barrier-busting is their default mode; had they not created their own channels, in most cases, they would never have been heard.” Bursting through society’s frontlines and being heard are the goals of punk music in general. But for she-punk, the lyrics to Tanya Stephens “Welcome to the Rebelution” are a rhythmic reminder of what going
backwards looks like for women:

Came to past in the days of glorifying everything wrong
That the standard for girls became a bra and a thong
Wholesome values like curling up with a good book and a bong
Went out the window along with making a good song

The book is neither a manifesto nor filled with a series of scoldings. The author’s agenda is the same as the artists who she writes about—let women express their lives in their own ways. Read this book even if you don’t know, or like, punk music. You’ll be able to connect with the themes. If you like music of any kind, poetry or social history, this book will resonate with you as well. Reading this book is like walking across a rope bridge between two melting icebergs in high wind—you definitely won’t be bored.

Paul R. Kan

ʻOi kau ka lā, e hana i ola honua (While the sun yet shines, do all you can).

Paul R. Kan Articles

The following are articles that Paul R. Kan has written here for The Beer Thrillers:

Thank You For Reading

If you like this article, please check out our other many articles, including news, beer reviews, travelogues, maps, and much much more. We greatly appreciate everyone visiting the site!

Cheers.

MAPS OF BREWERIES

You can check out our different directories here: Beer Reviews, Hike Reviews, Book Reviews, Brewery News, Brewery Openings, Brewer Interviews, and Travelogues.

Please be sure to follow us on our social media accounts – Facebook, Facebook Group, Twitter, Instagram, YouTube, and Influence. As well as our brand new Tumblr page. Please be sure to also follow, like, subscribe to the blog here itself to keep updated. We love to hear from you guys, so be sure to leave a comment and let us know what you think!

The Beer Thrillers on LinkTree can be found here: The Beer Thrillers LinkTree.

The Beer Thrillers are a blog that prides itself on writing beer reviews, brewery reviews, travelogues, news (especially local to the Central PA brewery scene), as well as covering other topics of our interests – such as hiking, literature and books, board games, and video games which we sometimes stream with our friends over at Knights of Nostalgia. We are currently listed as #7 on FeedSpot’s “Top 100 Beer Blogs” and #8 on FeedSpot’s “Top 40 Pennsylvania Blogs”. (As of January 2023.) Thank you for reading our site today, please subscribe, follow, and bookmark. Please reach out to us if you are interested in working together. If you would like to donate to the blog you can here: Donate to The Beer Thrillers. Thank you!

If you would like to reach out to us for product reviews, beer reviews, press release writing, and other media – please contact us at thebeerthrillers@gmail.com. Thank you.

Visiting Four Breweries in Phoenix: Getting to Visit Tombstone Brewing Company, Wren House Brewing, PHX Beer Co, and OHSO Brewery and Distillery

paulrkan — Mon, 12 Feb 2024 13:29:16 +0000

A beautiful mural in Phoenix, Arizona

Four in Phoenix

Being in Phoenix last month was a nice break from a Pennsylvania winter and I also dodged an
Arizona summer. With temps in the mid-sixties during the day and under sunny skies, the
weather demanded that I find some beers to drink. I managed to hit four breweries that are
definitely worth a visit no matter the weather.

Tombstone Brewing Company – North

A flight at Tombstone Brewing Company – North.

Located in a small strip mall in the north of Phoenix, this brewery was a lot of fun. I sat at the
bar where a super-friendly bartender was happy to talk with me about the beer selection. I
also met the owner who told me how happy he was to take over what used to be a poolhall. It
was a great afternoon. I look forward to spending more time here during my next trip. Favorite
Beer: Dry Irish Stout 10% ABV packs a lot of toasted flavor without being overpowering or too
bitter.

Wren House Brewing Company

Beers at Wren House Brewery.

My friend Gina joined me for the next three brewery visits. Wren House was recommended by
Joel from The Brewery Travels Podcast. It was a great recommendation. Gina and I visited
Wren House that’s a small bungalow on a busy street. Stepping inside, the place is a welcoming
respite from the traffic outside. There are a lot of little nooks where you can find an intimate
spot and a large space near the bar if you want to be part of the taproom vibe. A small
courtyard is near the side of the bar for sitting outside. Gina and I had flights at the bar, but
unlike the four small pours that other breweries typically serve, Wren House only serves two at
time. It’s actually a great way to focus more intently on the tastes and flavors of the
beers…they also don’t get warm in the Phoenix heat. My favorite was the Jomax Oatmeal Stout
6.9% ABV made with Ethiopian coffee after fermentation, which gave the beer a drier finish and
a little pep as well. Gina liked the Spellbinder with Citra Hazy IPA 6.9% ABV that had a nice
citrus and peach flavor.

PHX Beer Co

A flight at PHX Brew Co.

Jumping into an Uber, Gina and I headed to PHX Beer Co. Unlike Wren House, PHX Beer Co.
was much more like a familiar craft brewery with cornhole, giant Jenga and board games in a
makeshift courtyard inside the building. Also like most craft breweries, flights with four small
pour were on the menu. My favorite was the Morenci Copper Ale 5.2% ABV with its malty and
caramel notes. Gina’s favorite was the bright and crisp Bird City Lager 4.4% ABV.

OHSO Brewery and Distillery

A flight at OHSO Brewery and Distillery.

Grabbing another Uber, off we went to OHSO Brewery and Distillery. When we pulled up to
OHSO, we noticed right away that a sizable portion of the bar was outside. We took two of
those seats in the softening afternoon sun. The bartender came right over and spent some
time helping us decide what to get for our final flights of the day. Gina and I both agreed that
we should probably eat something. It had already been a full day of beer drinking. The
artichoke dip and the steak and fries were just what we needed…and they were delicious! We
both thought the artichoke dip was one of the best we’d ever had. The beers were great, too.
My favorite was the malty and dry Big Rapid Imperial Red 9.5% ABV. Gina’s favorite was the
citrusy Boom Dynamite American IPA 6.4% ABV.

Phoenix

These four breweries are only a small snapshot of the craft beer scene in Phoenix. There are
dozens of breweries in and around the city, but Tombstone, Wren House, PHX and OHSO are a
good place to start!

A beautiful mural in Phoenix, Arizona

Paul R. Kan

ʻOi kau ka lā, e hana i ola honua (While the sun yet shines, do all you can).

Paul R. Kan Articles

The following are articles that Paul R. Kan has written here for The Beer Thrillers:

Book Review: Beer and Society: How We Make Beer and Beer Makes Us (Eli Revelle Yano Wilson and Asa B. Stone)
Book Review: A Woman’s Place is in the Brewhouse – A Forgotten History of Alewives, Brewsters, Witches, and CEOs (Tara Nurin)
From Central PA to the Pacific: A Beer Lover’s Hawaiian Journey An Interview with Alexander B. Gates
Book Review: The Greatest Beer Run Ever (John Chick Donohue and J.T. Molloy)
Twofer Brewfer Brewery Reviews: Gearhouse Brewing Co. and Liquid Art Brewing
Tapping into Heritage and Hope on Maui
Book Review: Brewed in Japan (Jeffrey Alexander)
Three Questions and a Pint: with Josh Dourte
Three Questions and a Pint: with Noah Reighard
Visiting Four Breweries in Phoenix: Getting to Visit Tombstone Brewing Company, Wren House Brewing, PHX Beer Co, and OHSO Brewery and Distillery

Thank You For Reading

If you like this article, please check out our other many articles, including news, beer reviews, travelogues, maps, and much much more. We greatly appreciate everyone visiting the site!

Cheers.

MAPS OF BREWERIES

You can check out our different directories here: Beer Reviews, Hike Reviews, Book Reviews, Brewery News, Brewery Openings, Brewer Interviews, and Travelogues.

Please be sure to follow us on our social media accounts – Facebook, Facebook Group, Twitter, Instagram, YouTube, and Influence. As well as our brand new Tumblr page. Please be sure to also follow, like, subscribe to the blog here itself to keep updated. We love to hear from you guys, so be sure to leave a comment and let us know what you think!

The Beer Thrillers on LinkTree can be found here: The Beer Thrillers LinkTree.

The Beer Thrillers are a blog that prides itself on writing beer reviews, brewery reviews, travelogues, news (especially local to the Central PA brewery scene), as well as covering other topics of our interests – such as hiking, literature and books, board games, and video games which we sometimes stream with our friends over at Knights of Nostalgia. We are currently listed as #7 on FeedSpot’s “Top 100 Beer Blogs” and #8 on FeedSpot’s “Top 40 Pennsylvania Blogs”. (As of January 2023.) Thank you for reading our site today, please subscribe, follow, and bookmark. Please reach out to us if you are interested in working together. If you would like to donate to the blog you can here: Donate to The Beer Thrillers. Thank you!

If you would like to reach out to us for product reviews, beer reviews, press release writing, and other media – please contact us at thebeerthrillers@gmail.com. Thank you.

Three Questions and a Pint: Noah Reighard

paulrkan — Mon, 04 Dec 2023 13:41:57 +0000

Noah Reighard – marathoner

Three Questions and a Pint

Everyone has a story and sometimes it’s best when shared over a beer. Three Questions and a Pint is a brief interview featuring someone with an interesting story I’ve met at a brewery, along with their review of the beer they were drinking during our conversation.

Noah Reighard

Noah Reighard is a Boiling Springs, PA native who now lives and works in D.C. He started running as a kid at the encouragement of his mom who ran 5ks. “She would tell my friend and me to run before doing our homework. I used to pretend I was finishing the Boston Marathon.” He came full circle when he eventually ran the Boston Marathon in 2019. I caught up with him at Red Bear Brewing Co. in D.C. just before he ran the Marine Corps Marathon. He would come in 5th place out of over 19,000 runners with a time of 2:33:54.

Three Questions

What the hell do you think about when you’re running for hours?

I’m mostly doing math in my head; I’m thinking about my times and splits. Also every few minutes, I do a check-in diagnostic—how does my body feel; am I hydrated; how’s my running posture and form? At the beginning of a race, sometimes I’m talking to other runners in the pack. I’m also thinking about the people who came out to support me. I try to think very little about much of the run is left.

What’s a stereotype that most people have about marathon runners that’s kinda unfair?

That we’re neurotic. [laughs] I guess we are a little. I keep track of my running times when I train and I can geek out with other runners about shoes and on running apps. But the stereotype that running is selfish or solitary is a little misplaced. Many runners cheer for other runners; I usually say “good job” when I pass someone or stay at the finish line for a little while to cheer for the other finishers.

What’s your advice to someone who’s thinking about running a marathon?

Oh, to find your “why,” your reason to run such a long distance. What’s the intrinsic reason you want to run a marathon? It could be for the challenge or for a charity or a cause. Definitely find something that is going to keep you motivated to train for it and then to run it.

The Pint

Beer Review: Because he wasn’t drinking the day before the big race, here’s my review of Red
Bear’s DC Dirt that I had. It’s a smooth porter with roasty flavors with an ABV of 5.6%.

Three Questions and a Pint Series

Three Questions and a Pint: Josh Dourte
Three Questions and a Pint: Noah Reighard

Paul R. Kan

Paul R. Kan is the author of Hawai’i Beer: A History of Brewing in Paradise which was a North American Guild of Beer Writers’ award winner and a #1 new release on Amazon’s Books on Beer. He has written for Good Beer Hunting and is a regular contributor at The Beer Thrillers. His current book project is Red, White and Brew: The Beers and Battles that Shaped America.

Paul R. Kan Articles

The following are articles that Paul R. Kan has written here for The Beer Thrillers:

Thank You For Reading

If you like this article, please check out our other many articles, including news, beer reviews, travelogues, maps, and much much more. We greatly appreciate everyone visiting the site!

Cheers.

MAPS OF BREWERIES

You can check out our different directories here: Beer Reviews, Hike Reviews, Book Reviews, Brewery News, Brewery Openings, Brewer Interviews, and Travelogues.

Please be sure to follow us on our social media accounts – Facebook, Facebook Group, Twitter, Instagram, YouTube, and Influence. As well as our brand new Tumblr page. Please be sure to also follow, like, subscribe to the blog here itself to keep updated. We love to hear from you guys, so be sure to leave a comment and let us know what you think!

The Beer Thrillers on LinkTree can be found here: The Beer Thrillers LinkTree.

The Beer Thrillers are a blog that prides itself on writing beer reviews, brewery reviews, travelogues, news (especially local to the Central PA brewery scene), as well as covering other topics of our interests – such as hiking, literature and books, board games, and video games which we sometimes stream with our friends over at Knights of Nostalgia. We are currently listed as #7 on FeedSpot’s “Top 100 Beer Blogs” and #8 on FeedSpot’s “Top 40 Pennsylvania Blogs”. (As of January 2023.) Thank you for reading our site today, please subscribe, follow, and bookmark. Please reach out to us if you are interested in working together. If you would like to donate to the blog you can here: Donate to The Beer Thrillers. Thank you!

If you would like to reach out to us for product reviews, beer reviews, press release writing, and other media – please contact us at thebeerthrillers@gmail.com. Thank you.

Three Questions and a Pint: with Josh Dourte

paulrkan — Wed, 08 Nov 2023 14:37:55 +0000

Three Questions and a Pint

Everyone has a story and sometimes it’s best when shared over a beer. Three Questions and a
Pint is a brief interview featuring someone with an interesting story I’ve met at a brewery,
along with their review of the beer they were drinking during our conversation.

Josh Dourte

Josh Dourte is an architect in Carlisle who owns Roost Architecture. He is also the coordinator
of the local Green Drinks meetups at Ever Grain Brewing Company in Mechanicsburg, PA.
Green Drinks is an international, informal gathering of people from a variety of backgrounds
and with differing experiences interested in sharing ideas about environmental sustainability.
Green Drinks meets at 5:30pm on the first Wednesday of each month at Ever Grain and is open
to everyone.

Three Questions

What has surprised you most about Green Drinks?

The biggest surprise was when we first started the group. Quite a few people came to the meetups thinking we were about marijuana. [laughs]. But, hey, we welcome everyone but eventually they stopped coming when they found out that we’re about something else.

Is there anyone famous, or infamous, you’d like to show up at a Green Drinks meetup?

I’d love a visit from Matt Risinger from the Build Show. He’s a builder that really geeks out on
building science.

What’s a good news story about sustainability and the environment?

I think the good news is the growing awareness that climate change is real and having immediate effects. Also, we’re developing the technology and the means to, not only manage the impacts, but to help build a future that is much better for our children.

The Pint

Beer Review: Josh was drinking a pint of the Astro Cat which has a 7% ABV. He said: “It’s a Hazy IPA with a nicely balanced, subtly fruity hop profile. It’s a really easy sipper.”

Paul R. Kan

Donate to Maui wildfire relief; get a free book. Paul is offering to send a free copy of his book, Hawai’i Beer: A History of Brewing in Paradise, to anyone who makes a donation of any amount to help Maui relief. It’s on the honor system, and people can e-mail Paul at paulrkan@gmail.com, after they’ve made a donation to provide their address. If you’re looking for a beer-related way to support, Maui Brewing has a relief fund that is soliciting donations.

(Please also read Paul R. Kan’s other article about Hawaii and beer here: From Central PA to the Pacific: A Beer Lover’s Hawaiian Journey An Interview with Alexander B. Gates.)

Paul grew up in Hawai’i and knows its unique culture, traditions, and history. He is the author of Hawai’i Beer: A History of Brewing in Paradise, which the North American Guild of Beer Writers awarded second place for Best New Book of 2021. He currently lives in Carlisle, Pennsylvania.

Paul R. Kan Articles

The following are articles that Paul R. Kan has written here for The Beer Thrillers:

Thank You For Reading

If you like this article, please check out our other many articles, including news, beer reviews, travelogues, maps, and much much more. We greatly appreciate everyone visiting the site!

Cheers.

MAPS OF BREWERIES

You can check out our different directories here: Beer Reviews, Hike Reviews, Book Reviews, Brewery News, Brewery Openings, Brewer Interviews, and Travelogues.

Please be sure to follow us on our social media accounts – Facebook, Facebook Group, Twitter, Instagram, YouTube, and Influence. As well as our brand new Tumblr page. Please be sure to also follow, like, subscribe to the blog here itself to keep updated. We love to hear from you guys, so be sure to leave a comment and let us know what you think!

The Beer Thrillers on LinkTree can be found here: The Beer Thrillers LinkTree.

The Beer Thrillers are a blog that prides itself on writing beer reviews, brewery reviews, travelogues, news (especially local to the Central PA brewery scene), as well as covering other topics of our interests – such as hiking, literature and books, board games, and video games which we sometimes stream with our friends over at Knights of Nostalgia. We are currently listed as #7 on FeedSpot’s “Top 100 Beer Blogs” and #8 on FeedSpot’s “Top 40 Pennsylvania Blogs”. (As of January 2023.) Thank you for reading our site today, please subscribe, follow, and bookmark. Please reach out to us if you are interested in working together. If you would like to donate to the blog you can here: Donate to The Beer Thrillers. Thank you!

If you would like to reach out to us for product reviews, beer reviews, press release writing, and other media – please contact us at thebeerthrillers@gmail.com. Thank you.

Book Review: Brewed in Japan (Jeffrey Alexander)

paulrkan — Mon, 16 Oct 2023 13:31:40 +0000

Brewed in Japan by Jeffrey Alexander

Of the many cool things that Japan has—anime, cars, Godzilla—beer vending machines should be included on the list as well. They’re easy to use and are almost everywhere, from rural communities to large cities. The machines are everywhere, from train stations to alleys, offering all brands and types of Japanese made beers.

It was a long road for Japan to have beer as easily available as a sports drink. In fact, there was nothing inevitable about beer being made in Japan at all. Brewing was how tea, sake and soy sauce were made. Beer did not come to Japan until very late in its history, during the 1800s. Once it arrived, beer slowly became enmeshed in Japanese society and culture with brands that are now recognized around the world.

Before Kirin, Asahi and Sapporo became global brands, beer was what the resident foreigners in Japan drank. As Jeffrey Alexander writes in his book, Brewed in Japan, Europeans and Americans imported and brewed small batches to remind themselves of their home countries. But the first reaction of the Japanese to beer’s taste was…harsh. A high-level official in the Japanese emperor’s court named the drink “bitter horse-piss wine.”

Despite the strong reaction of some Japanese consumers, beer as an imported drink became fashionable as an exotic Western item when the nation opened itself to trade from the rest of the world. Germans were key to Japan’s embrace of beer, but only after the Dutch and the Americans had made crucial inroads. The Dutch were the first to bring beer to Japan and made it available to the Japanese when playing newly fashionable games of billiards and badminton. Japanese soon began to buy beer to drink after meals, viewing it as an aid to digestion. Drinking beer as a refreshment grew quickly among the Japanese consumer with the establishment of domestic brewing in Japan. An American, William Copeland, (a Norwegian immigrant who was born Johan Martinius Thoresen) helped lay the foundation for brewing beer in Japan during the 1870s. His Spring Valley Brewery adhered very closely to the reinheitsgebot of German brewing traditions and would eventually become Kirin Brewery.

Charting these beginnings and moving through to today, the author uses his Japanese language skills to plow through company records from Japan’s breweries and documents from governmental archives to reveal how beer, primarily lagers, steadily displaced sake as the preferred Japanese drink. The development of a uniquely Japanese “dry” style of lager is also covered and how it launched Japan as a powerhouse beer exporter. The book also includes some rare examples of printed vintage Japanese beer advertisements; the artwork on the cover of the book comes from a 1920 Sapporo beer poster. This level of in-depth research makes the book an exceptionally valuable resource.

Although it is an academic book, it is largely an accessible read with many fascinating parts. The sections on the early Japanese dependence on German brewing traditions and ingredients as well as the American occupation of Japan after World War II are especially absorbing. An updated edition of the book might include more about Japan’s craft beer industry. With over 600 craft breweries, the Japanese desire for beer styles other than lager has been slowly cutting into the market share of the historically dominant, larger domestic breweries.

Japanese craft beer is available in many parts of the United States, but it is hard to find, while Japanese rice lager was a brief trend among some American craft breweries. As the history of beer in Japan has shown, there are few barriers for Japan to continue to create new beers and bring them to the world.

Paul R. Kan

Paul R. Kan

(Please also read Paul R. Kan’s other article about Hawaii and beer here: From Central PA to the Pacific: A Beer Lover’s Hawaiian Journey An Interview with Alexander B. Gates.)

Paul R. Kan Articles

The following are articles that Paul R. Kan has written here for The Beer Thrillers:

Thank You For Reading

If you like this article, please check out our other many articles, including news, beer reviews, travelogues, maps, and much much more. We greatly appreciate everyone visiting the site!

Cheers.

MAPS OF BREWERIES

You can check out our different directories here: Beer Reviews, Hike Reviews, Book Reviews, Brewery News, Brewery Openings, Brewer Interviews, and Travelogues.

Please be sure to follow us on our social media accounts – Facebook, Facebook Group, Twitter, Instagram, YouTube, and Influence. As well as our brand new Tumblr page. Please be sure to also follow, like, subscribe to the blog here itself to keep updated. We love to hear from you guys, so be sure to leave a comment and let us know what you think!

The Beer Thrillers on LinkTree can be found here: The Beer Thrillers LinkTree.

The Beer Thrillers are a blog that prides itself on writing beer reviews, brewery reviews, travelogues, news (especially local to the Central PA brewery scene), as well as covering other topics of our interests – such as hiking, literature and books, board games, and video games which we sometimes stream with our friends over at Knights of Nostalgia. We are currently listed as #7 on FeedSpot’s “Top 100 Beer Blogs” and #8 on FeedSpot’s “Top 40 Pennsylvania Blogs”. (As of January 2023.) Thank you for reading our site today, please subscribe, follow, and bookmark. Please reach out to us if you are interested in working together. If you would like to donate to the blog you can here: Donate to The Beer Thrillers. Thank you!

If you would like to reach out to us for product reviews, beer reviews, press release writing, and other media – please contact us at thebeerthrillers@gmail.com. Thank you.

Tapping into Heritage and Hope on Maui

paulrkan — Tue, 22 Aug 2023 01:22:50 +0000

Lahaina – Royal Capital of the Hawaiian Kingdom

“Our Lahaina!”

“Our Lahaina!” My sister’s text hit me like a shovel to the back of my head. The town was gone. Just gone. Although my sister and I grew up on the island of Oahu, home to Honolulu and Waikiki, we had walked down Front Street of Lāhainā just before the onset of the pandemic. It was my final evening in my home state after visiting every brewery on four different islands as part of my book, Hawai’I Beer: A History of Brewing in Paradise.

We strolled down the streets of the first capital of the Kingdom of Hawaiʻi under the shade of a 150 year old Banyan tree the length of a street block, eventually making it to the stonewall as the waves of the Pacific lapped against it. The fire has wiped out the shops where we browsed and the restaurant where we ate dinner. The Banyan tree might survive; the stonewall is now remembered for where people leapt over it to seek refuge in the ocean from the firestorm.

Hundreds of people are still unaccounted for, meaning the death toll will climb above the current number of 114. Over 2000 buildings no longer exist. Those were homes, churches, museums and businesses. Among the businesses that have been lost are breweries.

The beautiful and peaceful view from Maui

“Maui deserved good beer” is what Garrett Marrero, the president and CEO of Maui Brewing Company, said during the interview for my book when I asked why Maui was a good place to start his brewery. He has been one of the strongest community members leading the recovery efforts. His brewery locations all survived. The same cannot be said of Waikiki Brewing Company’s Lāhainā location. Kohola Brewing Company was also completely destroyed. I remember its taproom vividly—the small bar near big warehouse doors is where I chatted with two tourists from Wisconsin about the travels for my book. A cool driftwood coffee table was off to the side. The photos Kohola posted on Instagram of their ruined brewery make me queasy. I can’t bear to remember it that way. And, as a one-time brewery owner, I can empathize with how much of the hard work and love of Kohola’s owners and staff put in to create a special place.

View from Maui Brewing’s patio

Kohola

Kohola Brewing Company

“Kohola” is the Hawaiian word for humpback whale and whales dive deep then inhale as they resurface. I have no doubt that Kohola and Maui as a whole will breathe and resurface.

We can help. For Kohola Brewing Company, they have a link on their Instagram page to support their staff. Maui Brewing Company has started a national, international “Kōkua” brew, a beer with a recipe that Maui Brewing designed and supplied. “Kōkua” is Hawaiian for “extending support and cooperation.” Any brewery can participate. Encouraging your local brewery to participate would be great. Buying the beer when it’s released will likewise help; 100% of the proceeds will go to charities.

For me, I kōkua by supporting the Maui Humane Society and Art Supplies for Lāhainā. As Maui resurfaces, animals and art can help it breathe again. I hope you’ll find some way to kōkua Maui, too. Mahalo nui loa (Thank you very much).

Paul R. Kan

(Please also read Paul R. Kan’s other article about Hawaii and beer here: From Central PA to the Pacific: A Beer Lover’s Hawaiian Journey An Interview with Alexander B. Gates.)

Paul R. Kan Articles

The following are articles that Paul R. Kan has written here for The Beer Thrillers:

Thank You For Reading

If you like this article, please check out our other many articles, including news, beer reviews, travelogues, maps, and much much more. We greatly appreciate everyone visiting the site!

Cheers.

MAPS OF BREWERIES

You can check out our different directories here: Beer Reviews, Hike Reviews, Book Reviews, Brewery News, Brewery Openings, Brewer Interviews, and Travelogues.

Please be sure to follow us on our social media accounts – Facebook, Facebook Group, Twitter, Instagram, YouTube, and Influence. As well as our brand new Tumblr page. Please be sure to also follow, like, subscribe to the blog here itself to keep updated. We love to hear from you guys, so be sure to leave a comment and let us know what you think!

The Beer Thrillers on LinkTree can be found here: The Beer Thrillers LinkTree.

The Beer Thrillers are a blog that prides itself on writing beer reviews, brewery reviews, travelogues, news (especially local to the Central PA brewery scene), as well as covering other topics of our interests – such as hiking, literature and books, board games, and video games which we sometimes stream with our friends over at Knights of Nostalgia. We are currently listed as #7 on FeedSpot’s “Top 100 Beer Blogs” and #8 on FeedSpot’s “Top 40 Pennsylvania Blogs”. (As of January 2023.) Thank you for reading our site today, please subscribe, follow, and bookmark. Please reach out to us if you are interested in working together. If you would like to donate to the blog you can here: Donate to The Beer Thrillers. Thank you!

If you would like to reach out to us for product reviews, beer reviews, press release writing, and other media – please contact us at thebeerthrillers@gmail.com. Thank you.

If you would like to help keep the blog running soundly and smoothly, you may donate to us to help us keep the costs of the blog to a minimum. We greatly appreciate it. Thank you. (Clicking this link will take you to the page to make a donation. Thank you very much for helping us stay afloat!)

Twofer Brewfer Brewery Reviews: Gearhouse Brewing Co. and Liquid Art Brewing

paulrkan — Wed, 17 May 2023 15:36:19 +0000

Twofer Brewfer

The “Twofer Brewfer” is a new series of articles written by Paul R. Kan and Jacob Sailer. Two friends from Central PA who enjoy going out and trying breweries (both new and old). The premise is pretty straight forward, the two of them visit two breweries and give a brewery review of each. Breaking down its food, beer, atmosphere, service staff, etc.

Their tagline for the series is:

Celebrating the great brewing of the Central PA region, two local beer lovers visit two local breweries and pick a couple of their favorite beers.

Gearhouse Brewing Co.

Chambersburg is a town that’s almost three hundred years old, and towns with long histories always hold secrets. The two breweries we visited aren’t exactly secrets, but they are outside of the downtown area in a section of town where trains have historically been sent for repairs and storage. You can almost smell the coal in the air and hear echoes of rumbling locomotives from decades ago. Gearhouse Brewing Company and Liquid Art Brewing Company stand in the shadows of red brick trainyard warehouses erected generations ago. We kicked off at Gearhouse.

Atmosphere and Space

Piano at Gearhouse Brewing

Walking into Gearhouse Brewing Company we immediately felt comfortable. The space has lots of natural light and the warmth of hardwood all around. The interior blends with the brewery’s location; old photos of the area and some cool antique furniture pieces are thoughtfully placed throughout the taproom. In the room near the brewery tanks, there is an old stand-up piano and a sign with some good advice. There is plenty of space throughout the building and a deck area to enjoy cold beer on warm days.

Service and Hospitality

We hit the bar and the bartender came right over. He was engaging and explained the beer and food menus. He also filled us in a little about the history of the area, pointing out what remains Chambersburg’s massive railway roundhouse, situated directly by the brewery. It was Good Friday and he invited us to stay for the free Easter Egg Hunt with prizes. Jacob won a coupon for a free pint in his egg! Meanwhile, Paul got… two pieces of candy.

Food

We both agreed that the appetizers we had were some of the best food we’ve eaten in our twofer brewfer visits. We shared the fried brussel sprouts and the Korean chicken bites. The sprouts were cooked perfectly, which crispy leaves and soft interior, balanced with a tangy sesame ginger dressing. Tossed with golden raisins, crisp garlic, and cashews for a wonderful textural experience and to give brussels just the right amount of sweetness. The Korean chicken had a delightfully airy coating which a satisfying crunch. Complimenting it all was the sauce which perfectly balanced sweet and spicy.

Best Beer

(A Belgian Dubbel and a flight from Gearhouse Brewing.)

It rarely happens, but we both ended up agreeing on the choice for our favorite beer: The Belgian Dubbel at 8.5% ABV. With notes of raisin, orange peel, cardamom and stone fruit, the beer was wonderful. Because the two of us agreed on the Dubbel, each of us decided to pick a runner-up. Paul chose the “Angelic Red”, an Irish red ale with nice caramel notes and hints of citrus. Jacob chose “These Sheep are Making Me Thirsty,” a heller bock at 6.3% ABV with a light, sweet finish.

Liquid Art Brewing

Mural at Liquid Art Brewing

Next up for us was Liquid Art Brewing, which was previously Roy Pitz Brewing. It’s within walking distance of Gearhouse and made for a great second stop. On one side of the building is a massive mural of a phoenix, which is a great symbol for an area of town rising from its past as a rail yard.

Atmosphere and Space

(Interior pictures of Liquid Art Brewing Co.)

Our first impression as we walked in was how large the space is. There are quite a few rooms inside to sit and a couple of bars to sidle up to and grab a seat. Each room also has its own little vibe. We sat in the smaller bar area that felt like a pub.

Service and Hospitality

The bartender came to the table as soon as we sat down. She explained the menu and then gave us a few minutes to look over our options. She was very friendly and more than willing to chat about the beers on tap. We also talked about the tasting notes of each beer when we were drinking them.

Food

The menu is filled with pub-style favorites prepared with care. Paul had a good-sized serving of the fish and chips, beer battered with Liquid Art’s Best Blonde and served with their house made remolade. Jacob eagerly devoured Bavarian ham sandwich, pit smoked ham sliced thin and stacked high on a pretzel roll with their IPA mustard.

Best Beer

A flight from Liquid Art Brewing Co. (formerly Roy – Pitz Brewing)

Paul’s favorite beer was the Irish Red! (are you sensing a pattern to his tastes?) With some light toffee notes and a clean, bitter finish, it was a standout. With a color that was a nice, dark ruby red, it fit right with the pub atmosphere. Jacob liked the Honeysucker IPA which had a light honey taste and clean, easy drinking body. A real surprising stand out was their craft root beer. After learning it was made in house Jacob couldn’t resist ordering it, drinking two full mugs by the end! For a non-alcoholic option, it was a real winner.

Wrap Up

If you’re looking to uncover some secrets of the past and do some beer drinking, head out to these two Chambersburg breweries!

Jacob Sailer Biography

Jacob Sailer is a jack of all trades for the hospitality industry. Having studied culinary arts at HACC, Jacob sees food and drink as a way to experience the cultures and history of the world, and to bridge divisions between people. Currently he resides in Carlisle Pennsylvania, after having fallen in love with the town’s rich history and vibrant craft beer scene.

Paul R. Kan Biography

Paul R. Kan Articles

The following are articles that Paul R. Kan has written here for The Beer Thrillers:

Some Other Articles to Check Out

Looking for more articles to read? Check these out:

Thank You For Reading

Ok, Ben jumping on here. I want to give a big thanks to Paul R. Kan and Jacob Sailer for the article. Paul messaged me and e – mailed me the article on Monday, but unfortunately we had a really busy day and I wasn’t home to get it up right away. Amy got her drain pulled Monday morning, and I had a job interview Monday evening, and then we had errands in the Carlisle area.

Yesterday, I had a few errands, and had to vote. I had a horrible head cold all day yesterday, I think from the Hummelstown Hunger Run 5K that was in the rain on Saturday. So with watching Scarlet and everything, I was pretty wiped out.

So I apologize for the lateness on getting this article up.

This was also gonna go up about an hour or so earlier today, but had a furnace guy at the house, so been a bit busy with that as well.

Anyway, moving on, once again, thanks to Paul and Jacob for the article. Hope you all enjoy. Cheers!

Also, we just started our Discord server. Be sure to find that here: Discord Server here: The Beer Thrillers (Discord Server), come in and hang out with us.

Like I always say at the end of these articles — thanks for reading. We appreciate all the views and visitors! Let us know what you think of the site and the blog, and how we could improve it!

You can check out our different directories here: Beer Reviews, Hike Reviews, Book Reviews, Brewery News, Brewery Openings, Brewer Interviews, and Travelogues.

Please be sure to follow us on our social media accounts – Facebook, Facebook Group, Twitter, Instagram, YouTube, and Influence. As well as our brand new Tumblr page. Please be sure to also follow, like, subscribe to the blog here itself to keep updated. We love to hear from you guys, so be sure to leave a comment and let us know what you think!

The Beer Thrillers on LinkTree can be found here: The Beer Thrillers LinkTree.

The Beer Thrillers are a blog that prides itself on writing beer reviews, brewery reviews, travelogues, news (especially local to the Central PA brewery scene), as well as covering other topics of our interests – such as hiking, literature and books, board games, and video games which we sometimes stream with our friends over at Knights of Nostalgia. We are currently listed as #7 on FeedSpot’s “Top 100 Beer Blogs” and #8 on FeedSpot’s “Top 40 Pennsylvania Blogs”. (As of January 2023.) Thank you for reading our site today, please subscribe, follow, and bookmark. Please reach out to us if you are interested in working together. If you would like to donate to the blog you can here: Donate to The Beer Thrillers. Thank you!

If you would like to reach out to us for product reviews, beer reviews, press release writing, and other media – please contact us at thebeerthrillers@gmail.com. Thank you.

Paul R. Kan - The Beer Thrillers

The German Brewer Making French Beer in the Caribbean

The German Brewer Making French Beer in the Caribbean

More Information on Gwada Brewing and Beer

Paul R. Kan

Paul R. Kan Articles

Thank You For Reading

Three Questions and a Pint With Joel Gaier

Three Questions and a Pint With Joel Gaier

Three Questions

1) What was the biggest takeaway from all the breweries you visited?

2) What would people be most surprised to know about your beer travels?

3) If someone wanted to plan a “beercation” to visit a bunch of breweries, what are few things they should know before they go?

The Pint

Paul R. Kan

Paul R. Kan Articles

Thank You For Reading

Beer Heists Stealing and Dealing Your Beer

Beer Heists

Stealing and Dealing Your Beer by: Paul R. Kan

The Felony in the Fridge

Beerfellas

Over a Barrel

Paul R. Kan

Paul R. Kan Articles

Thank You For Reading

Book Review: Revenge of She – Punks (Vivien Goldman)

She Punks

Book Review – Revenge of the She Punks

Paul R. Kan

Paul R. Kan Articles

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Visiting Four Breweries in Phoenix: Getting to Visit Tombstone Brewing Company, Wren House Brewing, PHX Beer Co, and OHSO Brewery and Distillery

Four in Phoenix

Tombstone Brewing Company – North

Wren House Brewing Company

PHX Beer Co

OHSO Brewery and Distillery

Phoenix

Paul R. Kan

Paul R. Kan Articles

Thank You For Reading

Three Questions and a Pint: Noah Reighard

Three Questions and a Pint

Noah Reighard

Three Questions

What the hell do you think about when you’re running for hours?

What’s a stereotype that most people have about marathon runners that’s kinda unfair?

What’s your advice to someone who’s thinking about running a marathon?

The Pint

Three Questions and a Pint Series

Paul R. Kan

Paul R. Kan Articles

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Three Questions and a Pint: with Josh Dourte

Three Questions and a Pint

Josh Dourte

Three Questions

What has surprised you most about Green Drinks?

Is there anyone famous, or infamous, you’d like to show up at a Green Drinks meetup?

What’s a good news story about sustainability and the environment?

The Pint

Paul R. Kan

Paul R. Kan Articles

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Book Review: Brewed in Japan (Jeffrey Alexander)

Brewed in Japan by Jeffrey Alexander

Paul R. Kan

Paul R. Kan Articles

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Tapping into Heritage and Hope on Maui

“Our Lahaina!”

Kohola

Paul R. Kan

Paul R. Kan Articles

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Twofer Brewfer Brewery Reviews: Gearhouse Brewing Co. and Liquid Art Brewing

Twofer Brewfer

Gearhouse Brewing Co.

Atmosphere and Space

Stealing and Dealing Your Beer
by: Paul R. Kan