Hi. My name is Lauren Lerch, and I am an addict. It started with just a few books. First it was Tasting Beer by Randy Mosher. Then it was How to Brew by John Palmer. And well, now I’ve got books I don’t even remember buying. I sometimes dote on one or two. Like a […]
Gluten – The Soul of Malt
If malt is the soul of beer, then gluten is the soul of malt. It provides elasticity to bread dough, and a fluffy chewiness when baked. It gives beer a texture of fullness and a pillowy foam. Without gluten, bread is flat and beer is thin. A world without gluten is deflated and found […]
Beer – It’s What’s For Breakfast
Toast. Eggs. Bacon. Beer – It’s what’s for breakfast. Beer is also for dinner and lunch, but first things first. And that means breakfast! The other crafty beer girl has been preaching prudence when it comes to alcohol consumption, and she’s absolutely correct in her methods of moderation. So don’t listen to me. My words […]
Beers Worth Celebrating
The holidays are an excellent excuse to get holly jolly with friends and loved ones. As much as I love a good reason to raise a glass full of the frothy stuff, there are some beers that give cause for a holiday all their own. Some of these are seasonally appropriate, and some of these […]
Eggnog For Your Noggin
Eggnog is a Yuletide treat I first encountered as a little girl. My Dad would bring home a carton full of this yellowish, thick looking stuff that smelled kind of funny and tasted even stranger. A few sips was about all I could handle before passing the glass off onto my Dad, who surely swigged […]
The Argument For 4% Beer In Utah
The state of Utah is one of a dwindling handful of states left clinging to Prohibition era ideals concerning the control of alcohol. Through three short years of Salt Lake City residence, I’ve had more than enough experience as a producer, retailer, and consumer of alcohol to sort out the dos and don’ts of getting […]