Proving that one man's beard is another man's beer garden, bristled brewer of Rogue Brewery in Portland has managed to grow yeast upon the hairs on his chinny chin chin. Wanting to find a personalised yeast for his hops and barley, and disappointed by the failure to scout any around the brewery, John Maier did what any sensible person would do. He looked beardwards.
A sample of 9 disciple hairs pilgrimaged to the lab where the white coats spotted both Pacman and wild brewing yeast. The profound connection between man and beard combined with it's ability to make beer no doubt then created an unprecedented bond. Maier last shaved his beard in 1978 and is most probably never to part with it again. Hope his wife likes it.
You're beard looks like it's got stuff growing in it. Oh, it literally has.
To not drown that all important yeasty hum, Rogue Brewery will be “using lighter hop profiles and playing with different golden ales". This is all very well and good, but is trespassing into human hair to add pizzazz to your craft brew a worrying and slightly irritating sign of competitive gimmickry to come? What other body parts will fervent brewers start tapping in the name of misguided micro-brewing?
With 'a Foster's please mate' inducing withering glances from beery bystanders staring into amber pints, the demand for craft beer is fast closing in on farmer's ability to grow hops. What's more, due to craft beer's boom, big beer bastards have either launched or bought up a boutique beer. Who knew that Coors looms behind Blue Moon? Perhaps growing yeast on your own face is a drastic yet beautifully simple way of reconnecting with the human element of micro-brewing. And a rather ingenuous way of putting those now somewhat passée Hemingway beards to good use.
