Colorado Beer Beat | Bi-Weekly Beer Release Guide 4/20

Welcome to the Colorado Beer Beat, a bi-weekly roundup of all of the new can releases around the state. From Denver to Grand Junction and everywhere in between, we have you covered. Be sure to check back on Thursdays (usually!) to find out what’s new in the Colorado beer scene.

If you’ve got a hankering for some of the best gluten-free beer in the state or want to see all there is to see in the Colorado gluten-free food industry, look no further! Holidaily is bringing back its Gluten-Free Foodie Fest on May 6. The Gluten-Free Foodie Festival will take place at the Holidaily Golden taproom, including four food trucks, five food pop-ups, and 10+ Holidaily taps flowing that are 100% gluten-free.

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Fiction Beer Co. Opening Second Brewery & Taproom Location in Parker

Denver’s Fiction Beer Company (Fiction) is ready to write its next chapter by opening a second brewery and taproom location in Parker, CO.

The iconic book-themed brewery, which has gained notoriety over recent years for its proficiency in brewing Hazy IPAs, Lagers, and specialty barrel-aged beers, slush-styles, and seltzers, is primed to extend its reach by opening a second location at 19523 Hess Rd, Parker, CO. Fiction Beer Company’s Parker location, which is slated to open in May 2023, will once again feature the brand’s iconic signature book bar, a spacious taproom, and will eventually add an outdoor patio space as well.

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Event Recap | Dry Dock Brewing Can Bash

The crack of exploding cans and an intermittent mist of beer announced the return of Dry Dock Brewing Can Bash to its North Dock location last Saturday. Participants received cases of expired beer, golf clubs and permission to tee off, with messy results. Read More

The PorchCast Ep 104 | Sam Tierney & Brad Miles: Firestone Walker Innovation Team

In episode 104 of The PorchCast, our team had the chance to sit down with Sam Tierney, Propogator Brewery Manager, and Brad Miles, Innovations Manager for Firestone Walker Brewing. This dynamic duo heads up research and development for Firestone Walker and the two been essential in the creation of iconic brands like Mind Haze, Hopnosis, and the recently released Double Hopnosis West Coast Imperial IPA featuring Cryo Hops just to name a few.

We had the opportunity to catch up with Miles and Tierney to find out a bit more about how R&D works at Firestone Walker, how their small-batch collaborations come about, and what other exciting products they’ve been working on as well as so much more.

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Yazoo Brewing Co. | Sue Imperial Smoked Porter

Nashville’s Yazoo Brewing Company has a reputation for unique versions of classic styles. Its Imperial Smoked Porter, Sue, is no exception.

With a 2010 Great American Beer Festival silver medal and a description from BeerAdvocate of “Epic,” you should already want to give Sue a try, but let’s give you some more reasons.

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2023 Brewers Association Industry Award Winners

Yesterday, the Brewers Association announced its Industry Award recipients for 2023. The five recipients are Ret. Representative Peter DeFazio, Ben Edmunds, Jessica and Richard Fierro, and Julie Rhodes. All will be officially honored at a ceremony on May 8, 2023, at the Craft Brewers Conference. Starting in 1987, the Brewers Association presents the Industry Awards to individuals that “inspire, defend, and innovate within the craft brewing industry.”

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Forbidden Root | Peach Wit

There’s a new beer in Forbidden Root’s core lineup. Forbidden Root Peach Wit is a Wheat beer brewed with peach, rose, chamomile, jasmine, mahleb, arris root, osmanthus flowers, and sour orange. Along with this new introduction, all Forbidden Root beers will now be offered in sixteen-ounce cans. Trust me, you’ll want the extra ounces of this one. Peach Wit joins Strawberry Basil Hefeweizen in Forbidden Root’s core beer lineup, giving distribution partners some variety.

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Meet Me In California | 2023 California Craft Beer Summit Recap

The 2023 California Craft Beer Summit highlighted the industry’s achievements and current challenges. The Summit has changed some of its focus from past years. The educational sessions were geared 100% toward the industry. They had no general “beer lover” element, which meant no beer and donut pairings for the beer geeks. This year’s event also did not culminate with a beer festival.

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Lagunitas Reopens its Chicago Taproom

This week, Lagunitas reopens its Chicago taproom in Douglass Park. Before you keep reading, open Spotify, search “Pure Imagination” and press play. Ready? OK. The Lagunitas Taproom reopens to the public on Thursday, April 13. You’re immediately transported back in time when you open the doors of the 30,000-square-foot brewing facility. Right away, guests are greeted with the nostalgic tune from Charlie and the Chocolate Factory. Both Lagunitas and the filmare set in a vast and imaginative space. The same 32 taps line the bar in the upstairs taproom, and the kitchen is serving bar bites, sandwiches, mussels and more.

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AleBlazers Series | One Year Later with Funkytown Brewery

A brewery that has made a huge splash on the Chicago craft beer scene over the past year has been Funkytown Brewery, who brews at Pilot Project Brewing in both Chicago, IL and Milwaukee, WI. Owners Richard Bloomfield, Zachary Day and Gregory Williams chatted with PorchDrinking in February 2022 as a part of our AleBlazers series, so naturally we needed to catch up with them and see how the last year has been and where 2023 is taking them!

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LUKI Brewery | Hop Juggling Hazy

There’s something about the experience of drinking at a local brewery before distribution enters into the equation. In the best way, it’s a lot like how TV used to be pre-DVR, pre-streaming. There’s a greater appreciation of the current tap list, knowing that you may not always get to enjoy one of your favorites year-round.

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Colorado Beer Beat | Bi-Weekly Beer Release Guide 4/6

Welcome to the Colorado Beer Beat, a bi-weekly roundup of all of the new can releases around the state. From Denver to Grand Junction and everywhere in between, we have you covered. Be sure to check back on Thursdays (usually!) to find out what’s new in the Colorado beer scene.

While most areas around the country relate April to rain showers, we all know that’s not the case in Colorado where it’s still snow showers. But that’s part of what makes Colorado special! Another thing that makes Colorado special is our LOVE of craft beer. That love can be seen all around the state next week on Colorado Pint Day. Be sure to stop in at one of the 215 participating locations around the state to grab this year’s official pint day pint glass!

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No Big Deal: Why Craft Brewery M&A’s Have Lost Their Shock Value

Goose Island, Bluepoint, Boulevard, Sweetwater, Founders, Wicked Weed, Anchor, Oskar Blues, Lagunitas, Dogfish Head, Ballast Point, Cigar City, Modern Times, Stone, Bell’s, and most recently Avery Brewing – not a comprehensive list by any means, but just a sampling of formerly independent craft breweries that merged with or were acquired by larger parent companies over roughly the past decade. The difference between now and then is that craft brewery M&A’s are just not that big of a deal anymore. Back then, craft beer drinkers and superfans would be up in arms over a buyout or partnership deal of any size – suggesting boycotts, bashing brands online, and protesting festivals where “sellout” breweries would be pouring their liquid. Today, that’s not quite the case, with deals like the Bell’s and New Belgium merger or the acquisition of Avery Brewing by import giant Mahou San Miguel barely sparking a peep of controversy online. So what’s changed – the craft beer fan or the business of craft beer?

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2023 Colorado Pint Day Locations Includes Over 200 Participating Breweries

Colorado Pint Day returns for its eighth anniversary next week on April 12, 2023, and this year’s event will feature a record number of participating breweries. Hosted by the Colorado Brewers Guild (CBG), the statewide event gives craft beer lovers yet another reason to head to their favorite brewery to enjoy a beer and take home acommemorative glass.

Participating breweries will be selling 2023 commemorative pint glasses and with $1 from every glass benefitting the not for profit Colorado Brewers Guild. The event helps further the guild’s mission to support and strengthen craft beer in Colorado. Read More

Staff Picks for Best Beers of the Month | March 2023

April showers bring—wait, what the hell? It’s April? As in basically summer? Sheesh! At least the beer festival and baseball seasons are here. We’re back to focus and highlight some of the best beers from across the country that PorchDrinking.com staff has enjoyed over the last few weeks—and no, no April Fools’ jokes here. Regardless of your constant plans or practically full fridge, be sure to grab these beers if you’re out and about.
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Flora Brewing Set to Make Commercial Debut at Pilot Project Brewing

Pilot Project Brewing, a brewery incubator based in Chicago, with a second location in Milwaukee, WI, is a collaborative space where multiple breweries are able to enter the market without certain barriers that traditionally plague startup breweries. Their newest addition is Flora Brewing, Sarah Flora’s brewery that started contract brewing recently, though many know her from her homebrewing videos over the past six years. Flora Brewing will be launching four beers, with the release event set for Saturday, April 29.

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Firestone Walker Debuts Double Hopnosis Imperial Cold IPA in 19.2oz Cans

Firestone Walker is doubling down on its wildly popular Hopnosis brand by introducing a bigger, more hop-forward Imperial Cold IPA version appropriately dubbed Double Hopnosis.

Inspired by the robust blast … Read More

Crafting History | The Lost Abbey

Round two of Crafting History circles back into the familiar territory of Belgian-influenced beer. A mysterious hybrid concept rooted in monastic tradition, The Lost Abbey out of San Marcos, California found historical success through flavorful, imaginative beer with no boundaries. And here we find ourselves 17 years later, with Head Brewer/Co-founder & COO Tomme Arthur still holding tightly to those founding values, and creating a product that both retains its relevance as well as reminds consumers why this brewery has solidified itself a coveted spot in craft beer history. We had the privilege of speaking with Tomme, gaining first-hand insight into the brewery itself, their development over time, and some more history behind some of the bigger beers in their portfolio.

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2023 Collaboration Fest Showcases a Spectacular Return to Form

Throughout the years, Collaboration Fest has already cemented itself as one of the best festival concepts and experiences in Colorado. But even with its already high regard among beer fans, this year’s festival found ways to continue to impress. Despite concern about its move out to The Westin Westminster for the first time, this year’s venue proved to be a vast improvement over last year’s stint at The Fillmore. With a more spacious layout across two ballrooms and a greater overall ambiance, the 2023 Collaboration Fest felt like a true return to form.

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Nevertheless, We Persist: Eden and Anxo Cideries Launch 5th Collaboration WHM Ciders Benefiting Women’s Rights Charities

“She was warned. She was given an explanation. Nevertheless, she persisted.”

In February 2017, Mitch McConnell’s attempt to justify his silencing of Elizabeth Warren on the senate floor went viral, backfiring against the Republican party and transforming into a feminist rallying cry. His phrase sparked the hashtags #ShePersisted and #LetLizSpeak and became the theme for 2018’s Women’s History Month.

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