Midwest
Sneak Peek: Pulpit Rock | Barrel-Aged $ticker $hock Imperial Stout
July 9, 2024 | Eric Griffin
It’s alarming at how quickly time has passed since highlighting Pulpit Rock Brewing Co.’s EIGHT Imperial Stout, one of a handful of beers released as part of its eighth anniversary celebration last August. Year nine for the small Iowa brewery has mirrored this fast pace, as it has continued to grow in popularity and also increased its barrel-aged production. On April 16, the brewery announced a save-the-date for its highly sought after $ticker $hock barrel-aged Imperial Stout. $ticker $hock hasn’t seen a new vintage since 2020, and we’ve collaborated with head brewer Justin Teff and the team in Decorah to provide PorchDrinking readers an exclusive sneak peek at the 2024 iteration ahead of its July 13 public release.
Hop Seasons | What Happens at a Small Hop Farm Throughout the Year
June 28, 2024 | David Nilsen
In the year-long agricultural cycle of beer’s main ingredients, hop harvest gets all the glory. Fresh hop and wet hop beers fill shelves and taplists every fall, a celebration of craft beer’s trendiest ingredient. Brewers flock to the Pacific Northwest (or their local hop yard) to evaluate the season’s best lots and choose hops for the coming year. Most of our “seasonal” beer styles today are nods to tradition rather than agricultural dictate, but these beers are different, a hold out from a time when brewing schedules and beer styles were guided by the growing calendar.
Lua Brewing | Lua’s Birthday Blend Barleywine
June 20, 2024 | Eric Griffin
A curious question that arises frequently at brewery bars is “How’d you decide on the name?” Sometimes there’s quirky, meaningful backstories, sometimes it’s a spin on the founder’s names, sometimes it’s inspired by their geographic location, or it’s one of a million other possibilities. For Lua Brewing, owners Scott and Whitney Selix found no better namesake for their passion project than their beloved pup. Lua turned 13 years old on March 14th of this year, and a month later the team in Iowa released a very special birthday blend in her honor.
Read More
Colorado’s Best Kölsch Blind Tasting Presented by On Tap Credit Union
May 24, 2024 | Brian Phipps
Warmer days are rolling in and one of the best beers to pair with the sunshine is a good ol’ Kölsch! Thus, it was the perfect time to conduct the latest blind tasting to find some of the best Kölsch style beers made by breweries in Colorado.
Event Preview | HOMES Nucleate Fest
May 17, 2024 | Alexis Dickie
HOMES Brewery hosts their annual Nucleate festival on Saturday June 8 in Ann Arbor, Michigan. The event features breweries from around the world and will benefit charity.
CLAG Brewing Company | You Wouldn’t Drink a Clear IPA
April 23, 2024 | Jason Murphy
One of the PorchDrinking team’s favorite things about craft beer journalism is the people you meet and the stories they share with us. People are what makes the craft brewing community interesting. Don’t get us wrong, we love trying beers and we get to sample some of the best in the country, but the people are what make it interesting and fun. So let’s meet the people behind the Sandusky, Ohio-based CLAG Brewing Company.
Collaborating for a Cause | For Alex
April 10, 2024 | Eric Griffin
At the end of May 2023, Wax Wings Brewing pledged their support for Alex Kidd with a dedicated bottle release. This series has always looked to highlight breweries and the benefits they’ve conducted to help support Alex and his family as he continues to fight for his life. As we approach 20 installments to this series from breweries and meaderies all over the country – and even Norway! – we find ourselves back in Michigan to take a deep dive into Wax Wing’s For Alex release.
Saint Errant Brewing | Skosh Barrel-Aged Stout
April 9, 2024 | Eric Griffin
In today’s craft beer industry, it’s becoming increasingly difficult to stand out. To this Saint Errant Brewing said “hold my beer,” throwing something entirely new into the barrel-aged stout game. On March 19, the Chicago brewery announced the release of Skosh. A whimsical idea morphed into a pragmatic reality, this oak-aged imperial stout was packaged in a bag. In a box. With a pour spout. There was no way that we weren’t going to showcase craft beer going full Franzia mode, so we asked Saint Errant co-owner Brent Banks to send a box our way to feature on PorchDrinking.
Chicago Brewery Events This April
April 3, 2024 | Rachel Morrison
Spring has sprung, and there’s no shortage of beer events happening across Chicago this month as we (hopefully) get more sunny days and patio weather. Beer Culture Center starts the month with an event at Siebel Institute of Technology, Industry Ales opens its doors, and you have options for celebrating 420. Here are Chicago brewery events this April!
Demo Brewing Opens Up in Chicago’s Malt Row
March 28, 2024 | Emma Wargolet
For any beer nerd that is visiting Chicago, the Ravenswood/Andersonville area is an obvious choice; you are within walking distance to Hop Butcher for the World, Dovetail, Half Acre and more. You would think that there are maybe enough breweries for us. That would not be the case. This area is always looking to add another locally owned business, and when it’s a brewery, everyone is even more excited. After the loss of both Empirical Brewery and Urban Brew Labs in 2022, Demo Brewing Company is a great addition to the community.
Sun King Brewing | RHINOMITE Double IPA
March 27, 2024 | Jason Murphy
Sun King Brewing is an independently owned brewery and distillery with operations in Indiana and Florida. Conceived by two professional brewers, Dave Colt and Clay Robinson, and started with the help of family and friends.
Casks & Camaraderie | Oak & Steel
March 25, 2024 | Eric Griffin
In an unintended continuation from the last installment, Casks & Camaraderie is again headed to Missouri. Previously exploring Cape Girardeau’s Cask Craft Spirits and Beer Lounge, we focused on their elevation of barrel picks to expand exclusively from whiskey distillers into the realm of private picks with local brewery barrel stocks. This iteration picks up in the same barrel room it left off in, with Cory King and Side Project Brewing. His newest collaboration in the Silent Barrel series was with Kyle Howard, owner of Oak & Steel craft drinkery out of Kansas City. We took a deeper dive into his experience, the barrel, and the impact it’s had on the ever-changing beer scene in northwestern MO.
Jackie O’s Brewery | 18th Anniversary Extravaganza
March 21, 2024 | Jason Murphy
Athens, OH-based Jackie O’s Brewery will be hosting their 18th Anniversary Extravaganza this weekend, March 22-24. Let’s dive in and take a look at what you can expect at their big bash!
Collaborating for a Cause | Strawberry Arabesque
March 14, 2024 | Eric Griffin
Like many of the other fundraising efforts conducted for Alex Kidd and his family following the announcement of his cancer diagnosis, this benefit from Phase Three Brewing took place during the summer of 2023. On June 22 the brewery announced their newest Ambassador-exclusive release, Strawberry Arabesque. However in an unexpected move, they also stated that they would be donating a portion of all the proceeds from bottle sales, draft pours and an in-person raffle to the GoFundMe set up for the Kidds.
Guinness Goes Big with First-Ever St. Patrick’s Day Celebration at Chicago Open Gate Brewery
March 13, 2024 | Taylor Laabs
“Bartender – Guinness please?” It’s an actionable phrase that Guinness brewery ambassador Ryan Wagner says will be uttered more than 13 million times on St. Patrick’s Day weekend this year around the globe. And while the spectacle and celebration concentrated at Guinness’ St. James Gate brewery in Dublin, Ireland is the stuff of legends, local Chicago beer drinkers should get ready for a similar celebration fit for a city that treats St. Patrick’s Day with particular fervor.
Phase Three Brewing | Arabesque & Minutiae Reserve 2024
March 6, 2024 | Eric Griffin
A few weeks ago, those who follow Phase Three Brewing were given a heads up to mark their calendars for a huge release to start out the month of March. Reserve Weekend 2024 celebrated a very special release of two of Phase Three’s most highly sought after beers: Arabesque and Minutiae. PorchDrinking is here to give you all some early insight into these exciting new reserve beers, including an exclusive review of each of these high-gravity beasts.
Collaborating for a Cause | Lua Brewing
February 15, 2024 | Eric Griffin
The outpouring of support for Alex Kidd and his family has been incredible over the last eight months. In particular, when backtracking to those first 30 days after he announced his Stage IV cancer diagnosis, it’s mind-blowing just how quickly so many breweries and individuals banded together to raise funds. Lua Brewing was no exception. Just four days after the unexpected announcement on Don’t Drink Beer’s social accounts, Lua organized a vintage sale offering full sets of their sought-after Destroyer Barleywine, with 100% earned going straight to the Kidd family. Read More
Kicking 2024 Off with Indeed Brewing
January 30, 2024 | Emma Wargolet
With a slew of closures in the craft beer world in 2023, it’s always great to watch a brewery flourish. Indeed Brewing Company, with taprooms in both Minneapolis and Milwaukee, had a huge 2023. Not only were its flagship beers, Flavorwave IPA and Pistachio Cream Ale, big hits in its market, but it donated over $50,000 to various nonprofit organizations in Minnesota and Wisconsin.
PorchDrinking chatted with chief business officer Ryan Bandy, who was appointed to the role in 2023 after over 10 years with the brewery, including as director of experiences.
Goldfinger Brewing Company | Vienna Lager
January 25, 2024 | Jason Murphy
In the words of a late, great hip-hop artist, “Lager Lager Lager can’t you see, sometimes your crisp just hypnotizes me.” He didn’t exactly say those words, but we like to think he would. As it turns out, it’s just us. We are the ones hypnotized by a wonderfully crafted Lager.
Collaborating for a Cause | Alex Reserve
January 23, 2024 | Eric Griffin
In this week’s installment of Collaborating for a Cause, we switch gears from beer to mead. On Nov. 14 of last year, Alyson Schramm of Schramm’s Mead announced an upcoming release to represent their participation in GivingTuesday 2023. In an amazing show of kindness and generosity toward a craft beer and industry icon, Schramm’s donated 100% of profits from its Nov. 28 webstore sales to the Kidd family GoFundMe to go toward medical expenses and future needs. Additionally, Schramm’s conducted a pre-order for custom-labeled bottles of Alex Reserve, its limited-batch apple mead.
recent comments