All About Beer Magazine

Oregon Brewers Fest

Posted July 29, 2011 by brianyaeger 0 Comments | Post a Comment

Yesterday kicked off the 4-day wonderment known simply as OBF. Read More…

World Traveler With a Knack For Beer Pt. 3

Posted July 28, 2011 by brianyaeger 0 Comments | Post a Comment

All About Beer: Since Belgium is unique in the beer world, what beers stood out and who you enjoyed them with?

Henry Biernacki: Trappist beers have an element of bliss brewed in them as monks have their hands in not only making it, but also in its distribution.  Another Belgium beer I enjoy is Lambic and my favorite out of those are the Kriek (Mort Subite), which means sudden death.

It is the people with whom you share a drink and location that one remembers although some would argue the other way around—it is the drink that makes you remember the people and location. It was always easy to choose what I was going to order as Trappist beer is very smooth.

AAB: Where did you see this most take place? (Presumably not at all in the alcohol-free Muslim world, but if there was some privately, I’d love to hear about that).

Biernacki: People have invited me into their homes all over the world. They opened their homes to me like the skies opening up after a hard monsoon downpour. And do not let Muslims fool you! Some of them also enjoy the drink.

AAB: Now that you’re a pilot and it’s your job to visit foreign countries, does beer play a role in those visits? How, where, and which ones?

Biernacki: As a traveler, I rely on the help of unknown people to give me information and this is true about local customs, food, and drinks. I cross lands with the hope of getting some place, losing track where I want to go. Explore! I do not have a compass turning to a new destination but rather a limited vision to an open horizon. I am truly free as the needle of that compass spinning out of control. I want it to spin forever.

My choice of beer is great and expansive because of my travels. And while I will occasionally indulge in the local beers of a country, my main indulgence and preference is for Belgium beers.

World Traveler With a Knack For Beer Pt. 2

Posted July 27, 2011 by brianyaeger 1 Comment | Post a Comment

All About Beer: Are you a big beer drinker ordinarily? If so, what are some of your personal favorite beers at home?

Henry Biernacki: I very much enjoy Belgium beer, which makes me think of my travels and my days in Erie, PA. I only have a drink when I am away from home since I consider it a social gathering and brilliant over stimulating conversation. I enjoy Trappist beer for the fact monks have a hand in it as it is being made. Now that is pure class!

AAB: Exploring as you did on the cheap, how did you budget for food and drinks? What drink were you most likely to order if you were buying? If someone else was buying?

Biernacki: Again, Belgium beer is what I enjoy, and Trappist is my beer of choice. I only buy a beer when I am sitting with someone since this is the time to socialize and spend a little money. Buying a beer would be too costly to do everyday on the road so I make it count and savor each sip. If you are a traveler, each penny counts. Although drinking a beer with someone is not a waste, it does cut into your savings especially if you plan to travel for a lengthy period. After someone realizes you are a traveler, they want to hear your stories over several beers. I always buy a traveler a beer or two just as people have bought me beers.

However, if you are a tourist and merely “on vacation” for a week or two, then by all means spend away on the best beer in the world!

AAB: Was it common to have someone buy you beer in a cafe/bar or bring you beer in their home?

Biernacki: Of course, this is why a traveler is a true diplomat. We have the time to sit anywhere and visit. There is no rush to get anywhere except where you are to enjoy the moment. The people where I am are my monuments, and I make sure I share moments with them and more importantly conversations. But this is also one of my bad habits: staying in a place a bit too long because of conversations with strangers and these conversations must then be disrupted by moving on to a new city. I discovered it was not where I went, but who I was meeting along the way.

AAB: Did you develop a new appreciation for it as a social beverage? Any interesting drinking customs?

Biernacki: I found that drinking a beer was more than enjoyment of taste. It was a way to slow down the day and take in the company of other people who were strangers just moments before but who would soon become friends.

This is part 2 of a 3-part series. To be continued…

A World Traveler With a Knack For Beer Pt. 1

Posted July 26, 2011 by brianyaeger 0 Comments | Post a Comment

When we travel, some of us explore the ancient ruins of Greece, some eat our way across Italy, or seek tranquility in the Himalayas. Some of us are beer travelers, viewing the world through beer colored goggles. Read More…

Spiritual Enlightenment Two Or Three Pints At A Time

Posted July 19, 2011 by brianyaeger 0 Comments | Post a Comment

Brewers long ago, and I’m not talking in the early days of craft like Anchor’s Fritz Maytag and John Carpenter but hundreds of years prior, referred to the fermenting agent as “God is good.” Today we call it yeast, but the sentiment and sediment remain the same. Read More…

IPA Day

Posted July 12, 2011 by brianyaeger 1 Comment | Post a Comment

The latest needling betwixt the beer community isn’t a litigious feud concerning tap handles or an online flame war regarding label art. Read More…

BeerFests

Posted July 8, 2011 by brianyaeger 0 Comments | Post a Comment

Whether you go by Summer Solstice or Independence Day, either way, summer is here and that means it’s beer festival season. Read More…

Cellar?

Posted July 6, 2011 by brianyaeger 0 Comments | Post a Comment

To cellar or not? That is the question. Read More…