Lew Has Left The Building

I regret to say that four months after resigning my position as managing editor, I will no longer be writing a column or whiskey reviews for Whisky Advocate. After more than 20 years of being part of the voice of the magazine, I was told on Monday that because the magazine was "going in a different direction," my services in those capacities were no longer needed.

I was afforded an incredible opportunity, and I'm grateful for that, however it ended. It has also been a complete pleasure to work with this loosely-knit team of the best whisky writers in the world. Every three months, fascinating writing would arrive in my inbox, affording me a fantastic whisky education.

It has been an equal pleasure to work with representatives from all parts of the industry, to watch that grow from a solid core of long-term veterans in the mid-1990s to a small army of exciting new personalities as the industry entered another boom phase, and then to welcome the small producers of the craft distilling category. I very much look forward to continuing that association.

I've certainly also enjoyed the readers of the magazine: their excitement, their loyalty, their engagement, and their eager interest in the brown spirit that's entranced us all. It's been fantastic to meet you at the events over the years, and I hope to see all of you in the future.

Of course, I'm not leaving whiskey! There's a new book project to work on, I've returned to writing this blog (really, I have, and I know I owe you some whiskey reviews), and several magazines have welcomed me back as a freelancer (with more projects in the works). I'm also back to writing about beer, which I missed terribly, and that will now expand as well. I may even expand my writing into new areas; I have a couple projects percolating.

Onward and outward!

One door closes, and many more open. What do the different directions of the future hold for me? Nothing's sure, but I hope it holds more opportunities to see each of you, and more chances to work with you, in some capacity or another. I'm certain it will hold more chances to share a drink and some laughs.

My very best regards,

Lew Bryson

Do most craft whiskeys suck?

Great guest post at John Hansell's What Does John Know? blog (John's on vacation, and brought in guest bloggers to fill the gap, and they've been doing a great job!) by Steve Ury of the SKU's Recent Eats blog. Steve contends that most craft whiskeys suck, and -- as you might expect -- the comments go wild. Go read it, comment, and you beer guys, come on back here and let's have a discussion on how the early craft distilling industry is similar and different compared to the early craft brewing industry. I think they're apples and oranges; what do you think?

Congratulations, Parker Beam!

I'm currently in Louisville, on a beautiful fall day. I'm out here with John Hansell, Gary Regan, and other whiskey writers to help celebrate Parker Beam's 50 years of working at Heaven Hill.

We went down to Bardstown last night in a limo -- nine of us, passing around a bottle of Parker's Golden Anniversary, and it was fun, and Larry Kass told some great stories, and we all agreed that what gets said in the limo stays in the limo (and believe me, that's for the best!) -- and toasted Parker with a bunch of Heaven Hill folks, other distillers (at one point I was drinking with Jim Rutledge (Four Roses), Greg Davis (Tom Moore), and Craig Beam (Parker's son and co-master distiller), and Bardstown friends. Parker was called "a Rembrandt," "a genius," "brilliant," and I have to say, he was honest enough to simply smile and nod. Lots of laughs, and lots and lots of great bourbon. That's Bourbon Heritage Center director Lynne Grant with the cake, BTW...really, that's the cake. It even has the stencil on the head. Awesome.

Tonight is more Parkermania: the launch of this year's Evan Williams Single Barrel Vintage. I just had a bottle delivered to my room, and I'm not opening it. I'm waiting till the official launch. That's how it's done.

And because that's how it's done: I am Heaven Hill's guest on this trip. Because you should know that.

Down on the Ground in Bourbon Town

After a delayed flight from Philly (panic coming in to Cinci, I'll have to run to make my connection to Lexington! ...which was about 30 yds. from my arriving gate. Sometimes things just work out), I picked up my rental car, got a quick lunch (felt like Mex, felt like BBQ, went Mex and lucked into a brisket burrito: bonus!), and then hit Liquor Barn. Hansell and I figgered we'd have all kinds of bourbon and rye available, but no one at these things ever has the beers we want, so we made our own plans. I got a styro cooler, ice, and a sixer each of Bell's Two-Hearted and Great Lakes Ed Fitz Porter and Dortmunder, and a bottle of Stone XIII Anniversary just for fun. All set.

Drove up to Frankfort to the motel, I'm set and into the Ed Fitz. John grabbed a Woodford at the Louisville Airport (had to catch up!), and he's on his way here. Dinner with the other writers -- Chuck Cowdery, Paul Pacult, Jim Murray -- is tonight, the birthday party, and some experimental whiskey samplings, is tomorrow. I'll tell you what I remember...