Every Friday night from the time I could remember anything until I was about five or six years old I got my NASCAR fix on CBS. I watched a super-modified, orange Dodge Charger drive circles around the local authorities that were desperately trying to stop the good old boys from delivering moonshine whiskey. They happened [...]

I am not a Native Marylander. I first encountered my adopted state’s illustrious nickname like many of us do, on a “Keep the Free State Free of Litter” sign. I assumed it had something to do with either Revolutionary or Civil War history and kept on driving. Not long ago, I discovered that the appelation [...]

Elephants in captivity have been known to gather apples given to them by keepers and hide them. After a while, these apples ferment and the elephants eat them to get drunk. What this says about the mammalian urge to get wasted is impressive enough but it also points to the general wisdom of elephants. After [...]

At the recent request of my cousin, I brewed a blackberry wheat beer. Not a big deal. Wheat beers are very easy to brew. I use a recipe that has two ingredients: A can of pre-hopped liquid malt extract, and three pounds of dried malt extract. Half an hour’s boil later and I have 5 [...]

“So Yeah, dude, I brew my own beer…” I say. “Oh yeah? Do you put a pound of hops in every brew, dude?” says the guy I’ve struck up conversation with on the train. I shake my head a little bit and try to explain to the dude that it all depends on the beer [...]

(Editor’s Note: this is the first installment of “So Yeah, Dood…”, a bi-weekly column by Baltimore writer/homebrewer Ryan Boddy.) So Yeah, D00d… Tomorrow morning I will br00 approximately 50 gallons of an all Fuggles, American style pale ale. This is act two in my first venture into bulk br00ing and it comes about 3 years [...]