I contributed to the Beer Advocate Class of 2018 – the 50 best new breweries.

Here’s my blurb, on Philadelphia’s Fermentery Form, which opened in June of 2017.

“Eschewing the traditional brewery start-up methods, Philadelphia’s Fermentery Form leaves the brewing to a nearby compatriot, then ferments, ages, and blends on site. It’s just one of many idiosyncrasies: there’s no sign, hours are sporadic, and every beer is farmhouse or Lambic-inspired. “For being a relatively weird place—we’re down this dark alley, have a tiny, three-draft bar—people have been willing to come on the journey, and embrace our quirkiness,” owner Ethan Tripp admits. Of particular interest is the solera system, an aging method that blends beer fractionally over time. Though others have used the term loosely, Form’s solera is the real deal: a cascading system of barrels, as in the production of sherry. Consequently, these already funky, complex beers will evolve as the brewery ages, opening up endless blending possibilities.”

Read the full article here.