Scorched Earth Brewing | Hickster

ABV: 4.8% | IBU: 14

After pinballing through Chicago Craft Beer Week, my liver was in need of some time off. I obliged for about a week before the amazing weather we’ve been having eroded my willpower. However, I compromised, and vowed to drink only beers that were less than 5% ABV. It’s more fitting for 80 degree weather anyway and, frankly, I’m a little worn out on 7%+ IPAs. Thankfully, CCBW reintroduced all the beer styles I haven’t visited in awhile, which granted me plenty of options. One of these stuck out, and I’m pretty sure it will be a consistent 6-pack in my fridge this summer — Scorched Earth’s Hickster.

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Great Lakes Brewing Company | Steady Rollin’ Session IPA

Image courtesy of Great Lakes Brewing Company. Label artwork by Darren Booth.

I fell in love with a beer last summer. It was during Burning River Fest; Great Lakes Brewing Company had just released a new brew to the attendees of the festival. I enjoyed that beer immensely back then, and I waited patiently for it to make its inevitable return the following year. That following year is now, and make a return that beer did: Steady Rollin’ Session IPA has now been on the market this spring in sampler packs and hopefully can sneak into your cooler for retreats out on the water or at the park this summer.

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Bier Factory | XXA IPA

ABV: 6.7% | EBU: 65

I took four years of French in high school. I was an AP student, as in Advanced Placement. Oh yeah, really serious about it. So serious that 15 years later, I remember how to say hello, goodbye and count to 10. The fact that I’m living in the French-speaking part of Switzerland is in fact clearing out some deeply recessed cobwebs of learning in my brain. But judging by the label text, this tasty XXA IPA from Bier Factory is brewed in the GERMAN-speaking side of Switzerland. Damn. Read More

Black Raven Brewing Co. | Raven de Garde

Belgian Style Pale Ale 2014 and 2015 Vintages 7.4% ABV

In spite of, or maybe because of, the number of great beers available in Washington, I usually don’t know until … Read More

Yards Brewing Co. | Brawler Ale

Photo courtesy of cornerpubsports.com

ABV: 4.2% | IBU: 20

With the NBA finals and Stanley Cup playoffs owning serious air time this week, I’d like to introduce a companion craft beer to keep up your competitive spirit and take you through those clock-stopping, breathtaking moments.

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Dry County Brewing | Namesake Blonde Ale

Pick your cliché: Rock. Dart. Dead Cat… throw any one of those items around Atlanta and chances are good you’ll hit an up-and-coming brewery. After all, nearly 30 have popped up around the state since 2010. Now you can add Dry County Brewing Company, based in Kennesaw, Georgia, to that list. Although they went online in November of 2015 with a five barrel system, expansion plans are in the works. Their future is bright. They’re all wearing sunglasses.

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“Hamilton” Beer & “Hamilton” Trivia with Gun Hill Brewing’s Dave Lopez

Every sentient being on the planet says it: If you’re in New York, you just HAVE to go see “Hamilton,” the musical currently taking Broadway by storm. (And it’s ridiculously difficult to see if you don’t purchase tickets way in advance.) It’s life-changing, they claim. It manages to make Americans talk enthusiastically about two things that have NEVER been so universally beloved: history and musical theater.

I did see “Hamilton” last month in New York, and all the hype is true. It’s fantastic. Lin-Manuel Miranda (the star/writer/composer) and the cast are extraordinary performers, and the way the show is staged tells a story worth hearing in a bold way unlike anything I’d seen before. I’m one of those people now. “Hamilton” is like veganism – you’ll know a friend of yours has seen it because they insist on telling you all about it. After seeing the show, I immediately followed some of the cast on Twitter, including Miranda’s alternate Javier Muñoz, who played Alexander Hamilton on the night on which I saw the show. And I was intrigued to see Muñoz talk about his involvement in a group creating a craft brew based on the show.

That’s right. There’s “Hamilton” beer.

Gun Hill Brewing in The Bronx has created “Rise Up Rye,” a limited rye beer (4.8% ABV) inspired by “Hamilton.” And just like I immediately went on the hunt for “Hamilton” tickets when I first heard the soundtrack, the revelation that a “Hamilton” beer existed sent me on a quest. And while “Rise Up Rye” isn’t available to me in LA (yet), I wanted to know more. This is where Dave Lopez enters.

Lopez is a co-managing partner at Gun Hill Brewing Co, which has had a Colonial-America look and feel about it since it opened in February 2014. Everything from the website layout to the labeling on their bottles looks like what you would’ve seen in the 1700s. And when you consider that the biggest thing in pop culture right now is the story of young, scrappy, and hungry New York revolutionaries with a vision, it’s easy to see how Rise Up Rye was a natural fit for Gun Hill.

Lopez generously agreed to talk to me about how Rise Up Rye came to be. And then… I put him to the test with a pop (culture) quiz to find out just how well he knows “Hamilton.”

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Oskar Blues Brewery | Chubna Imperial Scotch IPA

ABV 12.6%

With a new “it” brewery seemingly opening every week, it’s easy to overlook the quintessential breweries whose tap handles already dominate Colorado’s ever-growing craft beer scene. But it’s not just small, nimble breweries canning and bottling experimental beers that cross style and ingredient guidelines. Read More

Pollyanna Brewing | Summerly Raspberry Wheat

Pollyanna Brewing’s rapid success is almost unfathomable until you try the beer — and then it makes perfect sense. Just shy of two years old, Pollyanna Brewing is already expanding its production, selling its beer at Cellular Field (home of the White Sox), and the taproom is frequently packed. It took Pollyanna only a year to create a beer that exceeded the popularity of its original, and already popular, creations — Summerly, a raspberry wheat beer. The refreshing summer treat is not only delicious, it speaks volumes about Pollyanna.
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Melvin Brewing | Hubert MPA

ABV: 6% | IBU: 66.6

So, you know when a Magician does a magic trick and you have no idea how it happened? Well, that’s the kind of hocus-pocus that goes into each and every one of Melvin Brewing’s exceptional beers. With over 50+ years of experience in all corners of the Melvin Clan, there’s some true mad science behind it all. Like most good beers, the magic is in the hops. Melvin Brewing breaks the rules in all hop-science. Now you see it, now you don’t. And to think that some of the best IPA’s in the world are being churned out of Wyoming may be quite a surprise to most; our Colorado PorchDrinkers have recently become the believers in all things Melvin and all that they are doing up in the North as they have increased distribution through our friends over at Crooked Stave Artisans!

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Southern Pines Brewing Company | Blanche de Pines

ABV: 4.9% | IBU: 13

Co-owned by three Army Special Forces vets, Southern Pines Brewing Company officially opened its doors two years ago this month. Since then, they have garnered a loyal following and high ratings (as of this writing 4.5/5 on Yelp and 4.9/5 on Google). Commitment to the community, a pleasant taproom environment, and clean, accessible flavors will do that. Read More

New Province Brewing Company | Philosopher IPA

I’m a very lucky man. There’s no doubt about that. So much so, that even though my wife doesn’t enjoy beer nearly as much as I do, she is always game to accompany me to whatever new brewery is opening. She’ll even suggest places for “date night”, dinners that she knows have an extensive craft beer menu so that I don’t just have to exercise my craft beer cravings with my equally as beer-geeky buds… I know right? I definitely came out on top in this arrangement. It’s because of my wonderful wife that I ended up at New Province Brewing Company.

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Almanac Beer Co. | Apricot De Brettaville

ABV: 6.5%

Almanac Beer Co. makes “Farm to Barrel” seasonal beers, inspired by the culinary tradition began by Bay Area celebrity chef Alice Waters. Founded in 2010 by then-homebrewers, Jesse … Read More

Kokopelli Beer Company | Hop Slugger IPA

ABV: 6.8% | IBU: 70

Baseball and beer — two of America’s favorite pastimes, amirite?

Rick and Christine, head brewer and owner of Kokopelli Beer Company, respectively, started brewing Hop Slugger way back in their home brewing days — when the idea of opening a brewery was just that: an idea. However, they’ve continued to brew this same recipe over the years because it’s always been such a hit with their friends, family, and now customers. The Hop Slugger IPA has won two gold medals at state-wide competitions… it’s easy to see why this beer is such a home run.

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Saint Somewhere Brewing Co. | Anne

It really wasn’t that long ago, that the beer scene in the Southeast was… well… sad. Sure there were a few islands of beer awesome such as Asheville, and some long running southeast breweries like SweetWater Brewing Company which has been going strong since 1997, but the craft beer market and availability was truly few and far between. Read More

Vernal Brewing Co. | Not Your Mama’s Milk

ABV 8.5%

The city of Vernal is located in northeast Utah and just a short 20 miles west of the Colorado border. Vernal Brewing Company is located comfortably in downtown Vernal. … Read More

4 Noses Brewing Co. | Bout Damn Time IPA

ABV: 7.1% | IBU: 65

If you’re like me, the very first thing that comes to mind with Bout Damn Time is, “Why the name?” So, I asked 4 Noses Brewing Co. this very question. And it turns out, the answer is pretty simple. Read More

Tired Hands Brewing Co. | Pineal

Header image courtesy of Brew Brokeh

Style: American IPA | ABV: 6.0%

These past few months, my fiancé and I have been traveling to Allentown to finish planning for our wedding … Read More

Saugatuck Brewing Company | Oval Beach Blonde Ale

Tulips and Blonde Beer. The first two things that come to mind when I think about spring in full swing. For Mother’s Day weekend, the family and I took a lovely trip to Holland, MI to attend the Tulip Time. Michigan in general has some of the most exciting craft beer on the market, so naturally I wanted take advantage of our adventure and drink as the locals drink.
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Bronx Brewery B-Sides | Say Hey Saison

ABV: 7.2% | IBU: 30

BREWING: May – June

When you’re searching for the perfect saison, but finding that too much earthiness lingers on your palate, look no further this month than the Bronx Brewery B-Sides Say Hey Saison.

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