Featured contributor to the Malt Advocate and Ale Street News and author of Pennsylvania Breweries guide, Lew enthralled the class with his stories about his active participation in the nation’s beer culture. He related how when he first finished his book, Pennsylvania Breweries, he vowed he would never write another book like it again. Now in its third printing, Pennsylvania Breweries has been joined by Lew’s successful books, Virginia, Maryland and Delaware Breweries and New York Breweries. (Secret fact—Lew thinks that the quality of a brewery’s restrooms should be considered when rating the brewery experience, but his editors nixed the idea. “It really is important,” he explained earnestly.)
Lew told the class that there is nothing wrong with tasting malt in your beer. “It’s not only the hops that make a good beer,” he said as he hosted a tasting of his most recent local favorite, Stegmaier Brewhouse Bock “Der Bockbier mit Tritt” (roughly translated: the Bock with kick). Lew then walked the class through a tasting of local pilsners including Sly Fox’s Pikeland Pils (in cans thanks to Matt Guyer, owner of The Beer Yard) and Victory’s Prima Pils. Keep up with Lew at his website. Beer Appreciation hopes he will join us again for a future class.
