Noted beer expert joins local brew stars for panel and book event

I had the good fortune to drink a beer (or 50) alongside author John Holl a few years ago when he was an expert judge at the Inquirer's Brewvitational competition for local beer. Even then, as the editor of All About Beer Magazine, he was well attuned to Philadelphia's status as a beer powerhouse that is "too often overlooked" by the national beer scene. Holl, now editor of Craft Beer and Brewing Magazine, is taking care to heed his own advice now that he has a new book to promote, Drink Beer, Think Beer: Getting to the Bottom of Every Pint (Basic Books, $26). He'll be signing books at an event on Wednesday evening at Rittenhouse Square's new Shakespeare & Co., but he will also be joined by an all-star cast of local beer luminaries,  including Tom Peters of Monk's Cafe, Tom Kehoe of Yards Brewing Co., and Ethan Tripp of Fermentary Form, who will participate in a Q&A about Philadelphia's beer history, present and future. Come thirsty!

John Holl book panel and Q&A with guests, 6:30-8 p.m., Shakespeare & Co., 1632 Walnut St.; shakeandco.com. Event is free but registration is requested.