Matthew Shapiro
Join me to learn about your palate and the colorful and diverse world of beer and brewing.
Beer should be approachable and fun! This is the adage I follow when crafting experiences for both beer newcomers and seasoned aficionados. I’m an Advanced Cicerone (like a sommelier for beer) and there’s nothing I enjoy more than exploring different beer cultures and chatting about my favorite bubbly beverage.
I fell in love with beer as a university student when I discovered homebrewing- after my first batch came out carbonated and flavorful, I was hooked! I was also lucky enough to turn 21 in Eugene, Oregon where I had access to some of the best and freshest beers in the United States. Since then, I’ve travelled across the country and Europe to discover different beers in their natural habitat.
What are bottle dregs?
Before on-demand CO2, beer was packaged using yeast in the bottle to create a mini fermentation that produces carbonation naturally. This process, called bottle conditioning, is still practiced by some breweries today. The tiny bits of yeast and sediment left at the bottom of bottle conditioned beer are bottle dregs.