Kicking Off the 2017 Beer Bloggers and Writers Conference

Milwaukee. The name is practically synonymous with beer. And to be honest, despite advertising promises, Milwaukee beer was not always the "best" beer. But here amidst the towering semi-ruins of past brewing grandeur, a new beer renaissance is taking shape, and thanks to the annual Beer Bloggers and Writers Conference (aka #BBC17) taking place in Laverne and Shirley's old stomping grounds, I'm here to conduct some research on this important subject.

My first Beer Bloggers Conference was in 2014 in San Diego, and I had a blast. This year I've brought Amy along with me, because she likes to conduct research as much as I do. The actual conference is taking place, appropriately enough, in the old Pabst building, now known as the Best Place. Today we'll be enjoying presentations from Julia Herz of the Brewers Association; John Kimes, head brewer at the Pabst Milwaukee Brewery; a panel of area folks on Milwaukee's beer past and present; Chicago beer guru Randy Mosher, and Susan Evans, who has the job every beer dork in the country coveted when it was first announced, director of the Smithsonian Food History Programs at the National Museum of American History.

Following the presentations, we'll be forced to drink beers from the conference's sponsors, including Brenner Brewing, Global Beer Network, Good City Brewing, Lakefront Brewery, Stone Brewing, Rogue Ales and Spirits, Third Space Brewing, Deschutes Brewery, and, of course, MillerCoors and Pabst.

After that, dinner at MillerCoors, and then we hope to get into some good local pub crawlin'. Follow our adventures on Twitter at @allthebrews. More to come...