Platform Beer Co. | Shanghai Noon Gose

ABV: 4.2% | IBU: 4.3

When people think of Cleveland beer, the first name that comes to mind is Great Lakes Brewing Company – and rightly so. However, as the craft beer market in Cleveland has flourished, other names are coming to the forefront.

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Birra Amarcord | Mora Imperial Coffee Porter

ABV: 9%

Many years ago I was fortunate to participate in a group study exchange to Italy, where five Americans sent overseas for a month to see how our Italian counterparts live. Each of us were housed separately, with families, to allow for real immersion into the culture. On the whole, we were stuffed with homemade pasta, preservative-free (read: hangover-free) wine and an incredible amount of warmth and big smiles. While I did not indulge in any brews from Birra Amarcord, the bottle of Mora I recently consumed brought me back in a flash thanks to it being an Imperial COFFEE Porter.

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Almanac Beer Co. | White Label

Featured photo credit: Almanac Beer Co.

ABV: 7.5%

A Tale of Two Blancs

San Francisco-based Almanac Beer Company emphasizes sustainable farming practices through using locally-grown grains, fruits and herbs from some of the agricultural hubs of Northern California. The brewery’s Farm to Barrel series speaks to Almanac’s specialization in beers brewed with local terroir from neighboring California farms. What is surely a tribute to this practice, Almanac’s fruit-forward beers consistently burst with depth and flavor. This showcase profiles one of Almanac’s most recent award-winning beers. Read More

Begyle Brewing | Lakeview

ABV: 4.3 | IBU: 40

New to the strong craft beer arsenal at Begyle Brewing is Lakeview, a dry yet drinkable American pale ale. Begyle is so much a part of the local community that they brewed Lakeview specifically to coincide with the Whole Foods store opening in the neighborhood.

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pfriem Family Brewers | Belgian Strong Dark

On a trip to Oregon back in June 2016 we were able to visit so many breweries with really amazingly consistent quality! Most of our time was spent in Portland, but we capped off our trip with a day in Hood River on a coffee barista’s recommendation. The one hour drive thru the Cascade Mountains is absolutely worth it for the views and beer. We spent the day watching kite sailing under a blue sky and visited pFriem Family Brewers for lunch. pFriem has specialized in lots of Belgians and sour varietals since opening in 2012 but offers a very eclectic and well-executed menu as a whole, including tasty pub-style food! Oh, and it’s pronounced “FREE-um,” as a waitress helpfully clarified for us.
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Fremont Brewing | Raspberry Silence

A few weeks back, Seattle beer drinkers gushed over the announcement of Fremont Brewing’s latest endeavor: The Black Heron Project. The introduction of the project was accompanied by releases of three brews, including the Raspberry Silence. It’s a brew that completely captures the creativity, innovation and beauty of Fremont Brewing and Black Heron Project.  

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Foolproof Brewing Co. | Shuckolate Chocolate Oyster Stout

ABV: 6%

Tucked way up the East Coast in Pawtucket, RI is Foolproof Brewing Company, an awesome group of brewers who recently released their 2017 limited edition of Shuckolate, a chocolate oyster stout!

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Fremont Brewing | The Sister Imperial IPA

ABV: 8.5% | IBU: MYOB

ICYMI, March 8 was International Women’s Day. This yearly event celebrates women’s contributions to society, from the political to social to cultural spheres. In the U.S., International Women’s Day serves as a kickoff to Women’s History Month, which spans the entire month of March. In honor of all the hardworking women in the craft beer industry and beyond, we’ve decided to devote this showcase to a beer that celebrates the influence of women: The Sister Imperial IPA from Fremont Brewing. Read More

17 Russian-Themed Russian Imperial Stouts

Start Putin away the IPAs and czarbucks, and start Russian to the store! You won’t believe your eyes or taste bolsheviks when you taste these Russian-themed Russian imperial stouts. Stop Stalin, and get to reading!

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Big Boss | Oak-Aged “Strange Cargo” Trio

We at PorchDrinking are no strangers to Big Boss. They’re one of Raleigh’s best and brightest breweries. But we are strangers to their new oak-aged “Strange Cargo” trio. At least we were, until now. Read More

Oskar Blues Brewery | Hotbox Coffee IPA

Featured photo courtesy of Oskar Blues Brewery

ABV: 7.2% | IBU: 70

Stouts and porters are most often the base styles for coffee beers and so my ears perked up when I heard about Oskar Blues‘, Hotbox Coffee IPA. The pairing of a hop heavy brew and coffee seem to be just the jolt I need out of a Spring Seasonal this year . Read More

21st Amendment Brewery | Brew Free! Or Die Blood Orange IPA

Photo courtesy of 21st Amendment Brewery

The new, ultra-refreshing spin on the original Brew Free! or Die IPA has arrived this March like a full-flavored lion pouncing on its beer-drinking prey. The brewery that made watermelon beer famous has gone the citrusy IPA route with its new year-round offering — real blood oranges and plenty of hops.

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No-Li Brewhouse | Big Juicy IPA

Photo courtesy of NoLiBrewhouse

ABV: 6.1% | IBU: 55

Featuring four distinct varieties of Washington-grown hops, No-Li’s Big Juicy lives up to its bold name: bright citrus and tropical fruit flavors burst from the refreshing, hop-forward West Coast-style IPA.

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Conshohocken Brewing Company | Tripel Deke Belgian-Style Tripel Ale

Featured photo credit: Conshohocken Brewing

ABV: 8.5%

Philadelphia suburban towns that fall along the Schuylkill River have seen quite a revitalization of both business and community in the past decade. Multi-use recreational trails are being created and communities are investing in the areas through the spawning of local businesses. With the beloved Schuylkill River Trail at their back door (literally, the trail is right through the backdoor), Conshohocken Brewing Company‘s slogan “Go where the path takes you” has been taken quite literally. The path seems to be leading people and well-garnered praise right to their front steps. Read More

Fiction Beer Co. | This is Not an Exit – Belgian Dark Strong Ale with Roasted Hatch Chilies

ABV: 9.5% | IBU: 25

Patrick Bateman was a 26-year-old, handsome man who worked on Wall Street. He was intelligent, wealthy and he attracted the finest of women. His charming and sophisticated nature makes an average man like myself jealous we don’t have the same qualities… except for the fact that he is also a psychopath. The other half of his life is spent strolling around during the night with ferocious psychopathic tendencies. Bateman is the protagonist in American Psycho by Bret Easton Ellis. Always looking for a great book to read, several years ago I had heard great things about Ellis so decided to read the book. Half way through, my literary appreciation was blown away both by the quality of writing and character depiction but also the shock value of a dark and bleak story.

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Half Acre Beer Co. | Topanga Gulch DIPA

Featured image courtesy of Half Acre Beer Co.

ABV: 8%

Half Acre Beer Co. is known across Chicago as a forward-thinking brewery that produces big flavor throughout all of their beers. Their newest release, Topanga Gulch DIPA, is the next iteration of this trend, delivering Citra hopped tastiness and fruity notes throughout every sip.

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Rogue Ales & Spirits | 6 Hop IPA

ABV: 6.66% | IBU: 87

If Hamm’s is the beer from the land of sky blue waters, Rogue is the beer from the land of hop green farms (and amber waves of grain). Any doubt about this notion is removed after taking one sip of Rogue 6 Hop IPA. The Rogue collaboration with Mother Nature incorporates a harvest’s worth of wheat, rye, yeast, hops and “free range coastal water,” for a beer that is super hoppy, but presents far more to drinkers than just existing as a “hoppy beer.”

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Funk Brewing Co. | Silent Disco IPA

Cover Credit: Funk Brewing Co.

ABV: 6.8% | IBU: 62

We all know that the craft beer trend is booming, but who would have guessed it was so hopping in the Lehigh Valley of Pennsylvania? Lehigh Valley recently played host to their 4th annual Lehigh Valley Beer Week in February. Events included beer and brunch with specialty firkins, a beer can derby, a 5k race, tap takeovers, Mario Kart tournament and the Krewe de Brew Mardi Crawl, along with tons of beer specials at both local breweries and bars. Read More

Lonerider Brewing | Sundance Grapefruit Saison

ABV: 6.0% | IBU: 34

Imagine you’ve just received an email from a local brewery notifying you of the imminent release of a new spring seasonal. Compelling, right? Who doesn’t love to see new beer on the scene? So, you keep reading. “If you would like a sample, please provide your mailing address…” How do you respond? If you’re me in that moment, you play it cool. Read More

Boulevard Brewing | Smokestack Series: Rye-On-Rye X – Sazerac

ABV: 11.8 | IBU: 29

Oh, how I love finding a big, bold, limited release beer from a large craft brewery with a great reputation. Behold my excitement when I reached into my dwindling stash of “cellar” beers and pulled out the Boulevard Brewing Rye-On-Rye X – Sazerac from their acclaimed Smokestack Series! Read More