Beer Me!

There is a certain level of magic behind beer, in the fermentation alone. Those little yeasty cells are working hard to convert sugar to alcohol and CO2, but what else? Disco parties?

Courtney Iseman, a Brookyn-based beer journalist, has recently published a zine: "Beer Tarot: Pulling Cards, Pouring Beer, & Discovering Self." She suggests adding a little mysticism, a little magic to the consumption side of beer; through Tarot.

In this episode of Beer Me, she explains that while the practice of Tarot has been around for centuries, it has become more popular in recent years. Tarot has risen since the pandemic, "not as much as sourdough" Iseman jokes. People seek more introspective moments and creative outlets, and tarot answers both needs.

To be clear, tarot is less about predicting the future and more about setting an intention, for example, "getting a vibe for the day", Iseman explains. (like bones or no bones, RIP Noodle).

In her zine, Iseman dives into the history of Tarot and where it's surfacing in beer. For example, EJ Nunns & Max Sherman at Trve Brewing in Denver have designed a custom tarot deck. (it's stunning).

What's in the cards? Maybe they suggest you try a new beer or branch out. Or they might suggest to stick to your favorite. Check out this zine for more details!

Shoutouts: Trve Brewing, Brasserie l'Ermitage, Joanne Love, Noodle and the No Bones Day

MUSIC CREDIT: The following music was used for this media project:

Music: Funky Intro 31 by TaigaSoundProd
Free download: https://filmmusic.io/song/9552-funky-intro-31
License (CC BY 4.0): https://filmmusic.io/standard-license

As the days get cooler in the DC area, we thought it would be fun to highlight the coolest beer (literally) style, Eisbock. While it isn’t trending, it is a style begging for a deep dive. Michael Stein, champion of all lagers, joins the show to explain how the style (possibly) came to be, why it’s so cool, and why it’s so challenging to make.

This week we are discussing the ins and outs of homebrewing, how to get started, tips for the seasoned pros, DC homebrewing events, and some homebrewing war stories.

Beer Me likes to get nerdy, about cask beer, hops...but this week we are taking a deep dive into safety. The landscape of the beer industry is changing and will continue to evolve to be more inclusive. With this change, spaces that beer inhabits need to be safe (taprooms, breweries, bars). Amie Ward, a hospitality veteran, and Safe Bars trainer joins the show to talk about how to intervene in an unsafe situation and why training, like Safe Bars, is vital in this industry.

Hear more about the beer industry confronting sexual harassment and discrimination:

Listen to the episode #notme with Brienne Allan.

Trigger Warning: we discuss instances of assault and unsafe situations in this episode.

Beer journalist, John Holl is in town for a beer panel at Solid State Books tonight! He stopped by the studio to talk about his new book, "Think Beer, Drink Beer." While sipping Sierra Nevada Pale Ale we manage to cover beer trends, nerds, the ever-changing beer world, and fit in a few rants.