Features
Wiley Roots Brewing Finds Growth in Pandemic Expands Distribution
June 24, 2020 | Tristan Chan
At the end of 2019, the craft beer industry was celebrating a banner year. While beer sales nationally saw a 2% decline, the craft beer segment grew by 4%, and … Read More
New Belgium Brewing Company | Voodoo Ranger 1985 IPA
June 24, 2020 | Jaclyn Menendez
By any measure, 1985 was a great year. Madonna’s “Like A Virgin” was blasting on every boombox, Back To The Future was blowing everyone’s minds in theaters, and yours truly was being born in the middle of Hurricane Gloria at a small hospital in Red Bank, New Jersey. Basically, the only cool thing that didn’t exist in 1985 was Hazy IPAs. New Belgium Brewing Company decided to pull a classic Marty McFly and rewrite history with their latest summer offering: Voodoo Ranger 1985 IPA.
Canadian Brewery Turns 6-Pack Box into Father’s Day Greeting Card
June 19, 2020 | Tristan Chan
While many dads will likely receive beer from their adult-aged children this weekend in celebration of Father’s Day, one Calgary-based brewery is taking the concept of dad-beers to the next … Read More
Chicago Breweries Reopen for Onsite Consumption
June 17, 2020 | Abby Schmeling
Chicago Mayor Lori Lightfoot announced on Monday, June 15, that city bars and breweries would be able to serve customers outdoors starting Wednesday, June 17. The announcement came nearly two weeks after restaurants and bars and breweries serving food were able to open for outdoor dining—and drinking. While not all establishments may have existing permits—let alone patios—new applications are being expedited to allow all interested businesses to begin outdoor service.
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Ultimate 6er | Father’s Day 2020
June 17, 2020 | Danielle Engel
Father, Dad, Pops, whatever you call your fatherly paternal figure in your life, means you will probably be planning gifts or plans for this Sunday the 21st. This year will be the 110th iteration of the holiday that started in 1910 in Spokane, Washington, and it’s going just as strong as ever. For the craft beer crowd, there can be no better gift than sharing the beers you have fallen in love with. Here are some specially picked our for the father figure in your life.
Brewery Showcase | Barquentine Brewing Company
June 17, 2020 | Korey David 2
Nestled in the new Edgewater Marketplace at 5505 W 20th Ave Suite 178 in Edgewater, CO, Barquentine (bar-kin-teen) Brewing Company is Belgian inspired with an American twist. Its namesake is an ode to the large ships that are common to international merchant ports like Antwerp, Belgium. Owner Kyle Knudson is hoping to recreate the feel of sailors from around the globe exchanging stories and a laugh over a local beer in Barquentine’s new taproom.
Station 26 Brewing Co. | Hell Bear Whiskey Barrel-Aged Imperial Stout
June 17, 2020 | Chris Wallner
With summer fast approaching, session beers and all sorts of IPAs will flood taprooms and patios as breweries begin to reopen. Station 26 Brewing Co., of Denver, Colorado, has an ever-evolving tap list to please these palates. Fan favorites such as Tangerine Cream, 303 Lager and Juicy Banger IPA can typically be found year-round in both the taproom and as cans to go. While the menu changes, the folks at Station 26 thought it might be a great time for people to savor a barrel-aged Imperial Stout. Read More
Where to Find Colorado Strong Ale Collaboration Releases Across the State
June 12, 2020 | Tristan Chan
While the past three months have been a taxing time for the craft beer industry, one of the brightest aspects to emerge has been the consistent theme of breweries banding … Read More
Ultimate 6er | Board Games to Combat Boredom
June 10, 2020 | Karl Kalinkewicz
Year 2020 A.D: Society has found itself desperately in search of new forms of “entertainment.” Stuck in our living spaces with little variety in scenery or human contact, we’ve completed push-up challenges, donned our finest pillow-dresses and allowed ourselves to be entertained by a mulleted tiger murderer, all in desperate attempts to relieve our boredom. While I’ve plundered the depths of Netflix as a good quarantiner should, I’ve also managed to find both mental stimulation and escape through the world of board games.
Barrel House Uses Petty Humor for Serious Good
June 9, 2020 | David Nilsen
Ohio ordered all bars to close for on-premise consumption on March 15, 2020 to prevent the spread of COVID-19. The Barrel House, a beer bar and bottle shop in downtown Dayton, chose to close completely to protect customers and staff. When they announced they were reopening for carryout on May 1, they showcased their irreverent sense of humor with the very first item on their list of customer guidelines: “Everyone wears a mask or fucks off.”
“Some folks didn’t think that was as funny as we did,” said Gus Stathes, who co-owns the bar with his wife, Sara Stathes.
Ultimate 6er | Sub-6% ABV Chicago Beers Built for Summer
June 3, 2020 | Taylor Laabs
The passing of Memorial Day signals the start of yet another summer and another period of delicious seasonal craft beer offerings. While canned lagers, mostly in the Macro-format, still reign supreme in any cooler or patio session for many, craft breweries across the nation continue to churn out a bevy of light, easy-drinking and flavor-forward sessionable offerings that appeal to any summertime day-drinking session. Chicago’s passion for beer is equally matched by its passion to get the most out of the few warm summer months that make the onslaught of freezing temperatures and cold worthwhile. As the city cautiously reopens its parks and outdoor spaces in the coming days, here are six Chicago sippers available in cans that you can comfortably drink from your home or from an appropriate social distance outside on a nice summer’s day.
Suburban Chicago Breweries Adjust to Operating During a Pandemic
June 2, 2020 | Mathew Powers
On Friday, May 29, the full COVID-19 lockdown came to an end for numerous breweries across suburban Chicago, as long as they could offer outdoor seating and follow social distancing protocols (The city proper would have to wait a little longer). The questions were: How would breweries adjust to operating during a pandemic and would beer drinkers comply and behave?
Ultimate 6er | Make Your Own Pizza Paired with Beer
May 27, 2020 | Paul Lewis 1
For those of us still living in many major U.S. cities, we’re still in a state of near-complete lockdown. While we can finally start breathing a cautious sigh of relief here in Chicago soon, the experience of dining out, eating pizza and drinking a cold one at one of Chicago’s famous pizza joints may never look the same. However, a similar, all-day experience can still be had in the comfort and safety of your own home in the form of pizza making.
Ultimate 6er | Bon Appetit Chefs Paired with Beers
May 27, 2020 | Emma Wargolet
There is one universal truth in this world: the Bon Appetit YouTube channel is perfect. From Claire Saffitz attempting to recreate your favorite snack foods to Brad Leone’s chaotic fermentation process, the chefs at Bon Appetit have become minor celebrities. What better way to honor the hours spent in quarantine binging their videos than to pair each chef with a beer? So, next time you press play on Chris Morocco recreating Guy Fieri’s trash can nachos, make sure you have the perfect beer in hand.
Maibock | The Official Beer for Life After Quarantine
May 26, 2020 | Korey David
Maibock, also known as Helles Bock, might be the perfect representation of a beer for life after quarantine. This medium-bodied pale lager is conditioned over the winter then released in the spring, specifically May (Mai). That long lagering time makes for a clean flavor and smooth mouthfeel.
Similar to German Oktoberfest beers, Maibock is brewed to celebrate the end of a long, cold hibernation. As the world thaws, coming to life again, this strong but welcoming style is there waiting to be enjoyed. In many ways, this quarantine feels like a long hibernation. While “stay in place” orders aren’t exactly lagering, we can all appreciate the idea of getting back to enjoying life after patiently waiting for quite some time. Fortunately for folks in Colorado, we have a handful of great Maibocks right in our own backyard.
Ultimate 6er | Beers to Pair with Your Memorial Day Cookout
May 20, 2020 | Emma Wargolet
A large Memorial Day cookout may not be an option this year, but that doesn’t mean you can’t enjoy the delicious foods that come with the barbecue. For those who are social distancing together, you can still put together a fun, albeit small, Memorial Day event. While PorchDrinking can’t do the cooking for you, we can give you the perfect pairings for those classic cookout foods! Read More
The Last Beer Festival
May 18, 2020 | Tyler Malone
We miss beer as it was, how we drank beer as we did, and how we hoped the community and
culture could grow into something more along the way. To do that, especially distanced from
one another, the future comes down to how we grow now, alone with ourselves, living in the
shadow of the last beer festival. While PorchDrinking.com typically publishes non-fiction news, features and long-form stories, this is a creative fiction piece from author, Tyler Malone.
Could Colorado Hop Terpenes Be the Latest in Brewing Innovation?
May 14, 2020 | Tristan Chan
While it may sound more like genetic engineering than advancements in beer, what if you could isolate and amplify only the flavor and aroma compounds in hops and distill it down to liquid form? What’s being described is what is already being applied through hop terpene extraction, and it may be the next major leap in how hops are used in beer.
When you think of new hop varietals, hopping techniques, and innovation in hop usage, it’s easy to assume that the work being done is coming from the Pacific Northwest. But with the resinous plant being so closely related genetically to cannabis and sharing a class of organic compounds called terpenes, it should come as no surprise that research from the cannabis industry here in Colorado has inspired innovation in hop usage as well.
Ultimate 6er | Netflix & Quarantine?
May 13, 2020 | Dave Drury
With many states still closed and stay-at-home orders extended through at least the end of May, most people have a lot of time on their hands. What better way to spend that free time than drinking beers and re-binge watching all your old favorite shows. These six beers are the ones you’ll be wanting to pair with some of the most popular series on Netflix. Read More
Three Leading Spontaneous Ale Producers Host Virtual Roundtable Today
May 7, 2020 | Korey David
Today at 4 pm EST, three of arguably the most respected wild and spontaneous ale producers in the world will be in one place for an open discussion with you! … Read More
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