The craftsmanship that goes into creating beer has many levels, and Em Sauter, an award-winning cartoonist, author, and public speaker, has been educating people on the beverage for over a decade through her informative illustrations and is bringing her knowledge to Hamden.
“Reviewing beer is so local now. So, I’m reviewing beer that a lot of people can’t get to, and I wanted to teach people about beer,” Sauter said. “I realized that my art could be a really good way to teach them about it.”
Originally from Darien, Connecticut, Sauter studied at the Center for Cartoon Studies in White River Junction, Vermont. She created Pints and Panels in 2010, an online platform specializing in visual beer education through playful and colorful infographics. When she graduated in 2011, she began hosting panels on beer reviews. Later she would go on to receive the third highest level of beer tasting certification; Advanced Cicerone making her a beer expert.
“I’ve been doing it for 12 years now and at first it was just a beer review site,” Sauter said. “Then I switched to visual beer education in 2019 and that’s when Pints and Panels really took off. It’s been really exciting to see.”
Sauter has amassed over 75,000 cumulative followers across Facebook, Twitter and Instagram who learn through her illustrations about the various types of beers, their origins, and beer making process. All year round, Sauter travels the globe to give lectures and offer classes to share her expertise. On Oct. 18, Sauter will be speaking at Hamden Public Library’s “Around the World in 80 Beers” event.
“They reached out to me, and I was ecstatic,” Sauter said. “I love talking at local libraries. It’s always a really captivated audience. They come with a lot of questions, a lot of stories. They know they want to be there and want to learn about beer. It’s been really fun to do and I’m excited to speak in Hamden.”
The event is organized by the Hamden Public Library in collaboration with Hamden’s Best Video Film & Cultural Center on Oct.18, at 6:30 p.m. Patrons interested can register on the library’s website.
The Fox Farm Brewery in Salem, Connecticut, will be providing beer samples for attendees. Sauter shared that the event is intended to expose people to the different types of beers around the world.
“Around the World in 80 Beers is to really showcase that there’s great beer everywhere,” Sauter said. “There’s American styles, and there’s a lot of European styles. I do touch on African indigenous styles, South American, and Japanese. I mean, beer is brewed pretty much everywhere, and there’s lots of differences.”
Sauter is also an International Beer Judge and frequently joins competitive judging panels. Earlier this year, Sauter judged a competition in Mexico and shared her excitement when meeting other judges. She said that as much as it is a judging component, it’s a learning and teaching experience as well.
Phil Pappas, the executive director of the Connecticut Brewers Guild, told the Connecticut Examiner in 2020, that over the past 10 years, the number of breweries in Connecticut has increased dramatically. Yet, Sauter said competitors are not out to deter people from attending other breweries.
“I don’t know another industry that has such a good camaraderie between facilities,” Sauter said. “Like, ‘Hey, if you like beer, you should go here, here and here.’ So, it’s really nice to see that level of friendship between breweries.”
The fall ushers in different activities ranging from apple and pumpkin picking to Oktoberfest, which is an annual festival celebrated in Munich, Germany dating back to 1810 and is held over a two-week period starting in September. This celebration is a prime time for beer lovers and Sauter encourages people to find out what they like. She said she thinks there’s a beer out there for everyone.
“I tell people who say they don’t like beer, that ‘no you like it. There’s so many different flavors and styles of beer. I mean there’s beer that tastes like chocolate,’” Sauter said. “Go to a brewery and get a flight. See what you like and what you don’t like. I guarantee that you can at least try a beer that you’ll like.”
One reply on “Hamden Library has beer education on tap”
For beer lovers everywhere this is a really great article. It is informative especially for someone who’s wants to learn more about beer., and the visual infographics helps you do that. I’m amazed at the various types of beers that are available. I think the Oct. 18th event at the Hamden Public Library, that Sauter will be speaking at will be really fun and interesting to attend. She seems to be very excited to do this, which should make everybody who attends feel the same way.