12 Days of Christmas | Anchor Brewing | Christmas Ale

ABV 6.5%

Welcome to the time of year when families gather to spend quality time in the same room staring at their phones. With all kidding aside, sometimes it is nice to take a step back to reflect on the good old holiday traditions of the past, with a good old Christmas Ale.

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12 Beers of Christmas | Snipes Mountain Brewery | Terror

ABV: 10%

For me, Christmas time is synonymous with getting my hands on the darkest beers that I can find. And though I can be easily satisfied with a stout with a hint of peppermint, or a porter with a hint of pecan, there is one style in particular that I crave once Christmas tunes start playing and once the tree is decorated: The coveted barrel aged stout. Read More

12 Beers of Christmas | Schloss Eggenberg | Samichlaus Classic 2015

ABV: 14%

To represent Switzerland as one of PorchDrinking’s 12 Beers of Christmas, I’m not sure there is a more perfect fit than Samichlaus Classic from Schloss Eggenberg. I was told of this brew by a friend back in the States. Upon learning I was going to become a pretend Swiss resident, he told me about Samichlaus. Not the fat guy in a red jumpsuit – more on that later – but the beer. He said something about it being released once a year and having several years’ worth sitting in his cellar awaiting a vertical tasting. Seeing it on the shelf at the local beer store, I wasted no time buying it. But then wasted lots of time staring at it wondering when I should drink this fabled brew. Along came the 12 Days of Christmas article and my problem – when to drink a beer – was solved.

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Prairie Artisan Ales | Birthday BOMB!

ABV: 13%

In a few short weeks, Christmas will be here followed by New Year’s. Before I celebrate those two holidays, I have one more special occasion to celebrate–my birthday! … Read More

Denver Beer Co. | Drama Queen Saison Aged in Wine Barrels

ABV: 8.3%

I don’t mean to be dramatic, but I think they’ve named this beer wrong. With a name like, “Drama Queen”, you’d expect this 8.3% barrel-aged saison to be too boozy, quick to fly off the handle with overly pronounced flavors. No, she is far too balanced to be called a drama queen.

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Two Brothers Artisan Brewing | In the Flesh: Blueberry

Two Brothers Artisan Brewing has released the newest beer in the In the Flesh series. Started earlier this year, the series is a line of American sours and each beer highlights a different fruit used in the brewing process. The latest beer is re-fermented with real blueberries and is available in stores now.

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Holy Mountain Brewing Company | Witchfinder

ABV: 6.1%

It’s not easy to stand out in Seattle’s booming craft beer scene, but Holy Mountain Brewing Company has made a name for themselves with their focus on mixed-fermentation ales. Though they brew a wide variety of styles, Holy Mountain’s farmhouse ales have quickly earned the brewery a cult following. The tasting room is regularly packed and Holy Mountain’s well-known saisons and barrel-aged brews have become favorites at bottle shares around the country. In honor of their success, I’d like to introduce you to the beer they describe as “possibly our most traditional saison to date,” Witchfinder.

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Hi-Wire Brewing | Twice as Nice Doppelbock

Thanks to winter and its falling temperatures, I find myself indoors more than out. I’m sure those of you in the cold-prone states are no different. And what do we want while we’re stuck inside? Comfort and entertainment, that’s what. Fortunately for those of us in North Carolina, we can venture to the beer store and take home an entire circus in the form of beer.
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Evil Twin Brewing | Modern IPA

ABV: 6%

The modern India Pale Ale is a much different beverage than the one that was shipped to the British colonies in India 200 years ago. That change accelerated greatly … Read More

Begyle Brewing | Begyle Blonde

ABV: 5.4% | IBU: 20

If you’re like me and not ready to put summer behind you yet, try a lighter beer that would be a good transition from summer to fall. The Begyle Blonde, a deep gold colored American Blonde Ale, is a perfect beer for the transition of the seasons.
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Harlem Brewing Company | Renaissance Wit

ABV: 5.8% | IBU: 12

The mere utterance of Harlem likely evokes a myriad of imagery; it’s a section of New York City that’s oozing with history. The name and label artwork adorning a bottle of Harlem Brewing Company Renaissance Wit speaks to that wealth of history – beer history, music history, cultural history, and everything in between. But, when reviewing a beer, one must refrain from being swayed by the story attached to a beer or brewery. Instead, the beer must be judged on its own merits, and that is what this showcase aims to do. Nevertheless, there’s no reason history and culture can’t be included in the discussion. Craft has always been more than just about beer, and this wheat beer personifies that concept.

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Style Profile | Brown Ale

Every other month PorchDrinking will be tackling a style profile. The idea being to get the word out and identify beers you can use to calibrate your senses to better enjoy the beer you consume. Beer can be a complex topic but worry not because PorchDrinking is here to show you the ropes – like an older brother or sister, only less abuse and more information.

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Arcadia Ales | Jaw-Jacker

Photo courtesy of Arcadia Ales.

To quote a past professor: I reserve the right to be wrong.

In sixth grade I only once cleaned up after a friend’s Tamagotchi Giga Pet. I belonged to a school district around a farming community and found it was not uncommon for students to walk through cow or horse or pig manure in the morning before school. We knew what sticks were for and this egg-looking pixilated-dog toy had no use-stick button. I had cast aside my childhood then and welcomed cynicism. Since then, I have not succumbed to fads: my first cell phone was out of necessity at twenty, as apartment landlines became expensive and impracticable and employers immediately threw away applications without a phone number; I still have a flip phone, find the constant use of smart phones offensive; I avoided Twitter for eight years; I still don’t exactly understand Tinder or Reddit or what a millennial is or what their duties are or why one young man felt the need to tell me not to whistle while doing laundry because I was appropriating unpaid-labor culture; only now do I think a Tickle-me-Elmo would be fun (however, Gak was great, though I never owned any). And as of recently, I had no desire to fill the void in my life with anything pumpkin-spiced.

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Mother Road Brewing Co. | Tower Station IPA

ABV: 7.3% | IBU: 70

I am stepping out of my usual domain a bit here, but a recent trip to Arizona required I write about an Arizona beer. In the week we spent between Scottsdale, Sedona and Flagstaff I was extremely surprised to see how much the beer scene had grown. Scottsdale and the entire Phoenix area had a tom of new breweries. Arizona Wilderness stood out and is worthy of its own article, however I was even more surprised to see what was brewing in Flagstaff. My favorite brewery in town was Mother Road Brewing Co.

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Boojum Brewing Company | Graveyard Fields Blueberry Coffee Porter

ABV: 5% | IBU: 22

When I first stumbled across Graveyard Fields by Boojum Brewing Co. over the summer, one particular quote from a friend stuck with me: “That’s some Willy Wonka $h!t right there!”
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Platform Beer Co. | Yammy Yammy

ABV: 7.7%

Pair with: Friendsgiving gatherings. Thanksgiving leftovers.

‘Tis the season to embrace all things fall. If you’re burnt out on pumpkin-spiced everything, Yammy Yammy by Platform Brewing Co. features another … Read More

Revolution Brewing | Deep Wood Series: Ryeway to Heaven

ABV: 14.5% | IBU: 20

Revolution Brewing explains its Deep Wood Series Ryeway to Heaven as perhaps a “doorway to an existential awakening, or maybe it’s just a damned fine beer.” One could argue it’s a little bit of both. This rye ale aged in rye barrels serves as the quintessential example of how the art and science of barrel-aged brewing can result in elevated deliciousness – and it’s a perfect treat for Thanksgiving and holiday festivities.

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Great Lakes Brewing Company | Barrel Aged Christmas Ale

It is Christmas ale season: a festive time of year many people anticipate with a frothy fervor! However, it may be that you would rather hide away from the hubbub of ginger and cinnamon and all things Christmas. I enjoy a little bit of holiday cheer in my beer from time to time, and the weather has finally become chilly enough around these parts to warrant a few Christmas ales in my tummy. This year, Great Lakes Brewing Company is not simply rolling out their most popular beverage for all the good little boys and girls. They are also bottling their barrel-aged Christmas ale right after Thanksgiving for everyone to sip around the mistletoe. I received a nice 22-ounce bottle to try in advance of the bottle release later this week, and I am here to give you the details about the beer and what will take place very soon.

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Bale Breaker Brewing Company | Field 41 Pale Ale

ABV: 4.5% | IBU: 38

Recently, at a north Seattle neighborhood taproom, I overheard a patron declare her aversion to “hoppy beers.” Puzzled, I wondered if it was the hop aroma, … Read More

Rhinegeist | Hugh Hefeweizen

Let’s talk about a beer that any bunny can appreciate — Hugh Hefeweizen, from Rhinegeist. Hugh likes the finer things in life: Silk lederhosen, pretty junge Fraus, and sitting by the pool in a palatial Bavarian castle — where else would you find a noble hop? One sip of Hugh Hefeweizen and beer drinkers will immediately realize what Hugh is all about — pleasure.
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