pilgrims

Halloween is coming, so don your masks and grab your bags and get ready for some old-fashioned trick-or-treating!  If you want a real treat, though, join us on one of our many craft beer or winery events, such as one of our guided walking tours through San Diego. There are many good reasons to learn about craft beer and local wine, not just because San Diego offers such an exciting array of both, but also because the more we learn about beer and wine, the more we appreciate them!   This month is particularly interesting, especially in light of the great pumpkin beer debates, because the history of Halloween in the United States is also wrapped up in its long tradition of pumpkin beer. You see, when the first pilgrims settled in the vast sweeps of what was now called…

Temperatures have dropped, the wind is blowing gustily, and San Diego has even seen a few chilly and rainy days. That means it's truly fall, the holidays are on their way, and it's time to start planning for the annual autumn feast, Thanksgiving.   While everybody knows the story of the beleaguered pilgrims seeking a more free way of life, the story of Thanksgiving would be remiss if we did not mention beer's role in it.  Beer, with its natural antimicrobial properties, was a dietary staple on ships in those days; as it was boiled, it was purer than most of the water that was available at the time, and because of its alcohol content it was not prone to going bad on long voyages. In fact, part of the reason the Mayflower established a colony at Plymouth Rock and…