The Weekly Buzz | September 15 – 21

Today is the first day of fall, although you wouldn’t know it. It’s supposed to be in the 80s again in Pennsylvania. Ridiculous. Oktoberfest beers are releasing, and I’m stuck here wondering how exactly I’m supposed to enjoy a ridiculously oversized Märzen in that kind of heat? I guess I will just have to suck it up and muddle through. Finish off those summer seasonals that you’ve been hoarding and get ready for The Weekly Buzz!
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Tröegs Independent Brewing | Hop Knife Harvest Ale

Tröegs Independent Brewing holds a special place in my heart. I had enjoyed trying new beers since I studied abroad in Germany around the turn of the century, but a visit to the Tröegs production brewery in Hershey, Pennsylvania is at the epicenter of my ever-blossoming beer geekery.  In the five years since that visit, I’ve enjoyed watching their beer lineup change and evolve. With roots in Tröegs’ Scratch program and a new home in the Hop Cycle Seasonal lineup, Hop Knife Harvest Ale is a beer that I’ve been enjoying since its first wide release.
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The Weekly Buzz | September 8 – 14

This week was a bummer in a lot of ways. Houston is still reeling from Harvey, Florida got beat up by Irma and we remembered the anniversary of a devastating terrorist attack. You know what, though? We got through it. We’ll continue to get through it. Even though at times it may seem like we are kicking ourselves in the ass, we’ll find a way to make it right. Until that day, we will have America’s greatest coping mechanism at our disposal–beer. Crack open a fresh one, and get ready for The Weekly Buzz.
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What We’re Drinking | September 8, 2017

Labor Day has come and gone, and summer has gone with it. We now find ourselves taking our kids to school, choosing hot coffee over iced and watching terrified as another hurricane hurtles towards us. This hasn’t completely dampened our spirits, though, because we have something wonderful and uplifting. We have something that will lift us up and keep morale from plummeting too far. Don’t tell anyone, but our secret is beer. This is What We’re Drinking.
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The Weekly Buzz | September 1 – 7

We have one devastating hurricane behind us and another on the way. This September is turning out to be brutal for a lot of people. Lots of breweries have been pitching in to help, and that is truly amazing. We’ll take a look at this – and lots of other stuff – right here in this edition of The Weekly Buzz!
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Craft Beer Guide to Oktoberfest Celebrations in Pennsylvania

Summer has come and gone at least anecdotally—but we’re not ready to cede fridge space to pumpkin beers just yet. Give us a mug of that malty, amber Märzen, and … Read More

What We’re Drinking | August 31, 2017

Summer may be wrapping up, but the steady flow of delicious beers to our faces is not slowing down. We’re still going to beer gardens, ball games and, yes, our beloved porches. One of our writers even toasted the arrival of his very first adorable, 7-pound homebrewing apprentice! The craft beer excitement is still very real for us at PorchDrinking, so I hope you are ready to find out What We’re Drinking!

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The Weekly Buzz | August 25 – 31

This week was terrible in so many ways, almost all of which were related to a bastard named Harvey. It’s disasters like these that help renew my faith in people. … Read More

PorchDrinking Playlist | Free Will Brewing Company

Located in Perkasie, Pennsylvania, Free Will Brewing Company has been brewing delicious, high-quality beer since 2012. With two locations in southeastern PA, Free Will has garnered lots of attention for their sour beer and barrel-aging programs. So, why don’t you go grab some headphones (I’ll wait), and get ready to listen your way through a tasty beer portfolio.
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The Weekly Buzz | August 18 – 24

Did any of you know that parents of a kindergartner must endure no less than four events at the school? Four. That is all before school starts. There are meet-and-greets with teachers, self-guided tours and practice school bus rides. The real kicker is that none of these events serves beer. I’m running for PTA to undo this travesty. In the meantime, here are a bunch of beer things that I found on Twitter and Instagram. This is The Weekly Buzz.

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Brewers of Pennsylvania To Host 2017 Mid-Atlantic Brewers’ Symposium in State College, PA

Pennsylvania’s state brewers guild, the Brewers of Pennsylvania (BOP), will be hosting the third annual Mid-Atlantic Brewers’ Symposium in State College, PA. This two-day event will include a welcome reception on the evening of Thursday, September 7, which will be followed by the Brewers’ Symposium itself on Friday, September 8. The Symposium also happens to take place one day before the infamous intrastate rivalry between Penn State and Pitt plays out on the gridiron.

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What We’re Drinking | August 18, 2017

It would appear that the PorchDrinkers had a slow week. Personally, I found that I was getting too fat. This fatness led to a regimented, but not necessarily strict, diet and a week of “detox.” Not to make excuses, but I wouldn’t be surprised if other members of the PorchDrinking staff are finding themselves in the same boat. Sometimes you just need a short break from beer. Luckily, we always have a few die-hards to keep us afloat! This is What We’re Drinking.

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The Weekly Buzz | August 11 – 17

Compared to last week, this week was relatively quiet. The news that the sun is going to go dark and leave us in a lawless scenario (a la “The Purge”) is a little unsettling, but I have craft beer and a deadbolt. I’ll be fine. Safely locked in my highly secure bunker, I will not rest until I’ve brought you the finest tweets on the internet! The end may be nigh, but that doesn’t stop you from sitting back, relaxing and enjoying this week’s edition of The Weekly Buzz!

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Stillwater Artisanal | Insetto

I was strolling through my local Whole Foods’ beer department when my eye was drawn to something beautiful. It was a repeating pattern. Appearing almost like dark purple single-celled organisms with brighter violet nuclei, this pattern seemed to self-replicate across the face of the can, creating white insect shapes in the negative space. Once I read the description of the contents, I knew that Stillwater Artisanal’s Insetto would be coming home with me that night. Yes. The whole thing was exactly as creepily seductive as it sounds.

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Starr Hill Brewery | Resinate Imperial Red IPA

If you have ever had Reviver from Starr Hill Brewery, then you already know that they know their way around a Red IPA. The latest addition to Starr Hill’s limited-run All Access Series is like Reviver dialed up to 11. This beer was brewed to be a sort of big brother to Reviver—a role model, if you will. I got my hands on a few bottles of Starr Hill’s Resinate, and I have to say that I enjoyed it.
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Tröegs Adds 8,000 Barrels of Fermentation Capacity

Tröegs Independent Brewing has been a staple of Pennsylvania’s craft beer scene for over 20 years, and last week they got even bigger. Eight new 1,000-barrel fermenters were installed at the Hershey, PA brewery. Once online, these will greatly increase the brewery’s production capacity. By moving the flagship and more popular seasonal beers into these larger fermentation vessels, smaller tanks will now be freed up for small batch offerings.
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The Weekly Buzz | August 4 – 10

This was a crazy week in craft beer! It all started with International Beer Day on Friday. The week hit a critical mass of insanity when Funky Buddha (R.I.P.) was purchased by Constellation Brands and Magnolia Brewing was acquired by New Belgium (and partners). Also, let us not forget that I personally drank upwards of 12 beers. Slipping between the cracks of the more earth-shattering developments were plenty of event announcements, a few brewery anniversaries and a handful of job openings. Grab a beer and get ready to work on The Weekly Buzz.
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What We’re Drinking | August 4, 2017

It’s been a ridiculously great week of PorchDrinking. Our staff cracked into some truly great beers, which should make you VERY jealous. Whether you’re in the mood for beers that are black as the night, sour as a lemon or hoppy like… well… a hop, we have a beer for you. This is What We’re Drinking!
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The Weekly Buzz | July 28 – August 3

It’s been another long, hot week. Not only that, but it was a busy week in the world of craft beer. GABF tickets went on sale, we celebrated National IPA Day and one of this country’s oldest craft breweries was bought by Sapporo. As the weekend creeps towards us, we all need to sit back, take a deep breath and enjoy a delicious beer. While you do that, feel free to peruse this week’s edition of The Weekly Buzz.
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PA State Representative Mehaffie Becomes Brewer For a Day

On July 17, the Brewers of Pennsylvania hosted Pennsylvania State Representative Tom Mehaffie for their latest Brewer For A Day event at Tröegs Independent Brewing in Hershey, PA. This was the eighth event in a series that is intended to give state legislators a hands-on, insider’s perspective on the brewing process, as well as further educating them on the economic impact of craft brewing in the Commonwealth.
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