Home > Liquid > Archives > 2010 > March > 01 > Entry
Scene report: Beer Connoisseur party at Independence
The folks from Atlanta came to town to roll out the second issue of the way slick Beer Connoisseur magazine, which fancies itself as the Cigar Aficionado of malted beverages and largely succeeds in that ambition. The party was Saturday at Rob and Amy Cartwright’s Independence Brewing, with beer from Indy as well as North By Northwest.
The current issue of the magazine, a quarterly for now, features an interview with Brooklyn’s Garrett Oliver, a piece on the San Diego brewing scene reviews of 20-some beers and more.
“We’ve been amazed at the reception,” said managing editor Nick Kaye, who worked for years at The New York Times. “There really seems to be a niche for a more sophisticated approach.”
Indeed there is. There’s no shortage of beer publications out there, but too many of them try to make up in enthusiasm what they lack in editorial flair. The voices in the second issue of the magazine are authoratative, well-traveled, enthusiasts but not cheerleaders. And the tasting judges having actual judging bona fides. They’re not just schmoes.
While I was chatting with founder and publisher Lynn Davis, somebody from Independence came over and said to us, “You don’t have a beer. And you don’t have a beer.”
Davis said, “Actually, I’m in recovery.”
Ha, ha, you made a funny…Uh, no, seriously, he is. The top guy at a fancy new beer magazine is a three years’ recovering alcoholic. And good for him.
There are more Sam Malones in the beer business than you would think. They’ve had their time for boozing it up; now they’re all business.
Comments
Austinites love to be heard, and we're giving you a bullhorn. We just ask that you keep things civil. Leave out the personal attacks. Do not use profanity, ethnic or racial slurs, or take shots at anyone's sexual orientation or religion. If you can't be nice, we reserve the right to remove your material and ban users who violate our Visitor's agreement. Click here to report comment abuse.