Hugh Sisson
Host, Cellar NotesAs General Partner of Clipper City Brewing Company, L.P., Hugh J. Sisson is among Baltimore's premier authorities on craft brewing and a former manager of the state's first pub brewery, Sissons, located in Federal Hill. A fifth generation Baltimorean, Hugh has been involved in all aspects of craft brewing.
In the mid-eighties, Hugh Sisson saw the potential for a small brewery in Baltimore, an historically "big beer" town. After researching the industry at its heart - in Germany, England, and the U.S. west coast - Hugh, with the help of Senator George W. Della, Jr., successfully lobbied the Maryland General Assembly to pass legislation required to open a brew pub in Maryland.
After the inception of craft brew in Baltimore, Hugh immersed himself in the development and market recognition of both Sisson's and its beers. He is a member of the Master Brewers Association of America, the Institute for Fermentation and Brewing Studies, and sits on the Executive Committee for the Brewers Association of Maryland. He has served as President of the Cross Street Irregulars Home Brew Club and along with Al Spoler, he has been co-hosting Cellar Notes since 1992.
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One of Sonoma’s older wineries, Marietta has been putting great wine in bottles at a very fair price for decades now. Hugh looks at some recent offerings. -
Once a source of cheap jug wine, Lodi is now gaining respect for the quality of its zinfandels, a long-time favorite of Al. -
Beaujolais the classic easy going, easy drinking wine, and quite easy to understand. -
There are times when big heavy reds just don’t seem quite right, so that’s when you turn to lighter red wines for refreshment and pleasure. Al takes a look at several. -
Oregon continues to make solid strides in wine quality as it sends more and more labels into the market.This week we take a look at Pinot Gris, that very popular white wine that offers a great alternative to Chardonnay. -
It’s one of the Loire Valley’s most attractive whites.Vouvray is something of a chameleon, changing its character and flavor profiles easily. Hugh looks at this alluring wine and has some recommendations. -
Last week it was strange reds, this week it’s strange whites. Al takes a deep dive into some overlooked wine regions and their treasures. -
It’s a big wine world out there, and nothing is more fun than exploring new places and new bottles. Al starts off with a few reds that should pique your curiosity. -
It’s time for those lovely pink wines to take center stage. Summer evenings and rosé wine seem to be made for each other, and Hugh has a few first rate suggestions. -
Most of Italy’s most famous reds have a “second wine” associated with them that comes close to the senior bottling in flavor, but not at all in price. Al takes a look.
