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5 Questions With…Creature Comfort’s Director of Community & Culture, Matt Stevens

June 18, 2019 |

A brewer’s influence can expand well beyond the beer you buy in a taproom or the cans you see on shelves. Craft brewers today realize that their presence in their local communities can inspire positive change and network effects that help their neighbors and taproom regulars alike. Athens, GA-based Creature Comforts Brewing Co. is one of the breweries defining what it means for a brewer to be authentically connected to their community. In early 2018, Creature Comforts hired Matt Stevens to be their Community and Culture Director; his job description includes running their Get Comfortable and Get Artistic charity initiatives.

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2019 WeldWerks Invitational Announces Saturday’s Pour List

June 17, 2019 |

One of the country’s most prolific new beer festivals returns this Saturday in the 2019 WeldWerks Invitational, and we now know exactly what to expect. The Greeley, CO-based brewery has … Read More

Westbound & Down Brewing Company | Acid Jazz Vol. 2

June 14, 2019 |

After the great success of their collaboration last year, Westbound & Down Brewing Company teamed up with Goed Zuur, Denver’s premier sour/wild-focused beer bar, once again to create a unique blend for the Five Points Jazz Fest. Today, the two collaborators are releasing Acid Jazz Vol. 2 with a special opening taking place at Westbound and Down’s The Cultural Center today, June 14, from 3-7 p.m.

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A Beer By the Fortress | Observations from Salzburg’s Historic Craft Beer Scene

June 12, 2019 | 2

I spent four days in Austria. The majority of that time was spent exploring Vienna, but I also ventured to Salzburg for a full-day experience and I’m very thankful I did. Taking the 2.5 hour train through the scenic Austrian countryside made the trip fly by. Snow peaks and shimmering lakes whirred by from the comfy view of the cabin seat. Then, the Untersberg appeared, a northern peak of the Alps, rising high above; below the mountain sits Salzburg, a historical city home to 150,000 inhabitants and a timeless beer tradition.

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Debunking the Misconceptions Behind Craft Lagers

June 7, 2019 | 2

When I lead beer tastings and classes, I often hear people express a common misconception: lagers are inferior to ales. This idea is starting to change as craft lagers become more popular, but there is still plenty of confusion out there about lagers, and for good reason—with so many styles, craft beer can be confusing! Fortunately, misconceptions about lagers are pretty simple to clear up.

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DONUT PANIC | Beer + Donut Pairings

June 7, 2019 |

If you donut know, National Donut Day is today! For all you beer lovers out there who indulge in a donut every now and then (perhaps with an emphasis on the “now”), here’s a pairing that will make your taste buds dance in joy.

There’s always some fun in pairing various foods, sweets, desserts, etc. with various different types of beer. This particular pairing puts an emphasis on the sweet. The dough-y fried/baked goodness that is a donut is such a sweet treat to enjoy on all occasions. So, in preparation for #NationalDonutDay, we hit up Voodoo Doughnuts and raided the beer fridge to create this perfect pairing.

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A Look at the Young but Ambitious Craft Beer Scene in Vienna

June 6, 2019 | 1

Amidst stunning architecture and a scenic landscape filled with rolling hills, snowy mountain caps, and rushing rivers, lies a long-standing brewing tradition primed for new growth. Austria is home to over 300 brewers now who made 9.8 million hectoliters (there are roughly 0.85 bbls/hectoliter) of beer last year; its people drink more than 110 liters of beer per year – only behind the Czech Republic and Germany for most Europe. Vienna, Austria’s capital, is a fitting image of the current state of the country’s beer scene. Many bars only have taps from storied breweries like Ottakringer or Trumer available. Zwickel, Helles and Pils reign supreme. IPAs are little more than a passing rumor with beers over 6% routinely raising eyebrows. It’s a city fixed between consistency and curiosity. All of these market factors were on display when I visited the Wiener Bierfest recently, just steps from the historic St. Stephen’s Cathedral.

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Eff Milwaukee: A Minnesotan’s Impression of the First, Funkiest & Favorite Breweries

June 4, 2019 |

It’s been a few weeks now since we made a quick beercation to Chicago and Milwaukee.

We thought about compiling all 17 breweries we visited into a single post but decided that wouldn’t be any fun to write or for you to read. We considered highlighting our top five favorite breweries in each city, but thought that would be too cliche. Instead, in a moment of clever wit, we decided to feature three breweries: the first brewery we visited, the funkiest brewery and our favorite brewery in each city. We hope you enjoy “Eff” Milwaukee!

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2019 Firestone Walker Invitational Pour List | Event Preview

May 30, 2019 |

Among the long list of beer festivals each year, there are a handful that stand out as can’t miss events. There are even fewer select events that are “beer lovers bucket list” type events. The Firestone Walker Invitational is one such event.

For a decade, the Firestone Walker Invitational has been putting together a festival that brings together world class craft beer, food from the best chefs in California’s Central Coast, and some amazing music all in a setting that allows for beer enthusiasts to engage with the people who make the beer.

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Beer Lines and What They Say About the Culture of Craft Beer

May 21, 2019 | 1

A few weeks ago as I walked into my office, I noticed a massive line stretching around the block. It was just after 7 a.m. in the middle of the week; clearly, these people had been waiting either overnight or since very early in the morning. It wasn’t freezing out, but it wasn’t warm. I later found out they were waiting for the BTS, the Korean music group, pop-up store to open up. I thought they were all crazy.

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Beer Honoring Historic Apollo 11 Mission, Lands at St. Louis’s Schalfly

May 15, 2019 |

Lager, the beer that made St. Louis famous, is quickly making its return to my beer of summer. And being that this is my 50th summer on earth, I’m thrilled … Read More

Wibby Brewing | RIPL Series: Sir Citra-ness

May 15, 2019 |

Sir Citra-ness was the first of a limited-release series, RIPL, from Longmont’s Wibby Brewing. RIPL stands for Rotating India Pale Lager, meaning that the brewery will produce small quantities of an IPL every few months. This allows for Wibby to showcase different beers and give their fans a taste of something new; all the while experimenting with their brews.

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What Does the Boston Beer & Dogfish Head Merger Mean for Craft Beer?

May 10, 2019 |

While most of craft beer’s largest watershed moments have involved Anheuser-Busch InBev’s (ABI) acquisition of an iconic, previously independent craft brewery, yesterday’s merger between Boston Beer Company and Dogfish Head Brewery marked an equally resonant moment for the industry, that didn’t directly involve its biggest player.

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The Best Beers to Pair with the Umami Burger

May 6, 2019 |

Las Vegas is the definition of excess. From swanky pool parties to bougie night clubs and incredible hotels, Sin City is never one to lack in any type of entertainment. I recently took my inaugural trip to Vegas and came back with more than a few stories—with one in particular I’m keen to share.

Vegas has a world-renowned dining scene that offers cuisine that appeals to every palate. Every hotel on the strip boasts a bevy of great fine dining options but tend to lack in their craft beer offerings. While many house robust wine lists that you can’t find anywhere else, the beer pairings are typically not up to par. So, when I checked into my hotel for the trip, the SLS Las Vegas, I pinpointed one dining and beer experience that I was excited to try: The Umami Burger, Beer Garden—and Sports Book (it’s Vegas after all).

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5 Questions with Deschutes Brewery’s Director of Product Development, Veronica Vega

May 2, 2019 | 1

Consistency is hard to replicate in any industry; it’s especially difficult in the craft beer market. Churning out a consistently excellent product that resonates with consumers and drives a positive bottom line is no small feat; even for the most established brewers, like Oregon’s Deschutes Brewery.

Amidst the sustained success of their hallmark IPA, Fresh Squeezed, Deschutes has brought new beers and new branding into the fold to better compete with a slew of newcomers and new beer styles. Amidst all of this market churn, it’s important to have a consistent element; which is where Veronica Vega, Deschutes’ Director of Product Development comes in.

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Here’s How Thor Ended Up Drinking Creature Comforts in Avengers Endgame

May 2, 2019 |

In an alternate timeline of the Marvel comics, Thor, the God of Thunder, could have become the God of Craft Beer. Craft beer nerds who’ve also seen Avengers Endgame, might have noticed several cameo appearances by one of craft beer’s fastest rising brands, Athens, GA’s Creature Comforts Brewing, and now we know how that all came to be.

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We’ve Got Your Bock | The Basics of Bock Styles

May 1, 2019 | 1

Germans love their beer, and they love to drink a lot of it, which means most German styles need to be crisp and fairly low in alcohol to support extended drinking sessions in those gorgeous beer gardens you keep drooling over on Instagram. When I say the words “German beer,” you most likely picture a glass of pale, brilliantly clear Pilsner, or perhaps a stein of amber-colored Märzen (Oktoberfest). Maybe you think of a curvy vase of cloudy Hefeweizen that’s the color of a wheat field. All of those refreshing styles can make a sunny day even better, but it gets pretty cold in Germany during the winter months, and one family of German lager styles—Bocks—have the strength to stand up to the season’s cruelest weather. Read More

Revolution Brewing Finds Sustained Success, Growth in Their Hero IPA Series

April 30, 2019 |

Sometimes you take the best things in life for granted. Chicago’s craft beer foundation is built on excellent ales like Anti-Hero and Daisy Cutter, but they no longer generate the lines and Untappd check-ins of past years. It’s not their fault—Chicago drinkers have so many great craft beer options at their disposal that it often becomes overwhelming. So how do you consistently churn out excellent flagships while appealing to the “newness” decree of today’s craft beer drinker?

One valid option is Revolution Brewing’s Hero series. With taproom-only releases, unique 6-pack offerings and comic-inspired variety packs, the Hero line has helped the city’s largest independent brewer stand out from the fray and consistently provide something new to the masses. Each new offering allows Head Brewer Jim Cibak a chance to flex his brewing muscles in new and exciting ways. His latest notable creation is Cryo-Hero. I spoke to Jim and the Revolution team about the new Hero variant, the complexities of that brewing process and what other exciting beers they have planned for the coming months.

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Book Review & Interview | Marika Josephson on Farmhouse Beer

April 25, 2019 |

A new chapbook by Scratch Brewing co-founder and brewer Marika Josephson lays out a blueprint for what it means to run a true farmhouse brewery in the 21st century.

“There is an ironic disconnect in craft beer in which drinkers care a lot about beer being made locally but don’t know or don’t care about where the ingredients themselves are from,” said Josephson when I interviewed her for a story for Civil Eats in November 2017.

The quote could serve as a thesis statement for her new chapbook Keeping the “Farm” in “Farmhouse Beer”, published by Good Beer Hunting in 2018.

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The PorchCast Ep 59 | Peter Bouckaert & Dick Cantwell

April 25, 2019 |

In episode 59 of The PorchCast recorded during the Craft Brewers Conference, we were honored to welcome two legends who literally wrote the book on barrel-aged beers.

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