One of my first experiences with beer came when I was very young. Growing up in Newcastle Upon Tyne, England, on the weekend I used to go on regular excursions with my Mom to Newcastle City centre. Back then, the Newcastle Brown Ale brewery used to operate in the city. When we would walk down the high street I could smell this aroma, and it always struck me. It wasn’t that it was pleasant, or pungent, it just smelled.
One day I plucked up the courage to ask my Mom what that smell was. She replied “Oh, it’s nothing. You’ll find out when you’re older..”
And that’s how my foray into beer began, and that smell of course, was hops.
Growing up in Newcastle I’ve had more than my fair share of Newcastle Brown Ale as well of lagers of different varieties. I also discovered a love affair with Guinness when I was 20 and haven’t looked back (ask me about the amazing Premium Tour me and my wife Gretchen took to the Guinness Brewhouse in 2016).
After moving to the U.S in 2000 and having lived here for the past 23 years, I believe that the growth of the local craft brewery is representative of it’s city. I’m fortunate enough to live in a city where breweries are on the rise. Nashville’s beer scene is emerging from the Honky Tonk noise of Broadway and creating it’s own vibe. It’s through this site that I hope to tell the story not only of Nashville’s craft beer scene, but of craft beer across the world.
Be sure to follow my craft beer journey on Instagram and Twitter!