Articles by Locke McKenzie

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Locke McKenzie likes to hitchhike, but for reasons you might not expect.

Brewer’s Corner: The Division of Belgium

Locke McKenzie travels to Belgium, home to some of the world’s most creative, complex breweries, and still manages to try a truly awful lager.

Brewer’s Corner: Beer On Demand, But Not in Germany

For nearly 500 years, the Reinheitsgebot — German Purity Laws — have established quality standards for beer, but does it hinder innovations in brewing? Locke McKenzie asks German beer makers and enthusiasts.

Brewer’s Corner: A Season for Change

In his new series about beer, Locke McKenzie, inspired by the Elysian Brewery’s Pumpkin Ale Festival, tries a few brews that challenge the traditional notion of what beer can be.

The Rambling American: The Curse of Subjectivity

Oktoberfest is often shunned by Germans as a kitschy, tourist-only event, but in the final installment of The Rambling American, Locke McKenzie finds himself embracing the Bavarian tradition.

The Rambling American: A Lost Generation in Berlin

Locke McKenzie confronts the idyllic concept of the “starving artist.”

The Rambling American: Shiver Me Timbers, We’re Pirates!

Locke McKenzie examines the legitimacy of modern piracy — both on the high seas and on the internet.

The Rambling American: Improvising Justice

Three men in their late 80s are on trial in Germany for war crimes committed 64 years ago. Locke McKenzie confronts the logic and purpose behind these trials.

The Rambling American: Tourist Terrorists

Locke McKenzie weighs the superficiality of tourism against the desire to experience new cultures.

The Rambling American: Reinheitsgebot

The 400-year-old German Purity Laws are a proud brewery tradition, but Locke McKenzie questions their legitimacy today.

The Rambling American: Fusion and Exclusion

Only in Germany would you find the Fusion Festival, a giant electronic music concert that’s motivated by political awareness. But Locke McKenzie discovers that festival-goers are less driven by ideals and more by an urge to party.

The Rambling American: Oh, The Places You’ll Go!

An ocean away from home in pursuit of personal goals, Locke McKenzie reflects on capitalism’s effects on community and geography.