You know the old stage saying from magicians: Nothing in my hat, nothing up my sleeve, and whoosh—out of the empty hat pops a rabbit, or a flapping pigeon or whistling mini-locomotive. The startled faces in the audience are the kinds of faces most people would make when told that Air Co. is making vodka out of air and water. No grain, no yeast.

Bruges is a Belgian town rich in beer history, and De Halve Maan Brewery is its oldest.

The beauty of the craft beer world is the unbridled enthusiasm to brew something that’s never been tasted before. However, creating a beer with a familiar taste can be an almost greater challenge.

Slingshot master Joerg Sprave is known chiefly for his rubber band-based weapons, but that’s by no means his only area of expertise.