Midwest
Ravinia Brewing Company | Wizard Van Apricot Sour IPA
November 3, 2020 | Rachel Morrison
It’s that time of year in Chicago where none of us are quite sure what season it is. Our 8 A.M. outfit is often inappropriate by noon. ‘BYOB’ now means ‘bring your own blanket’. Our Instagram feeds are either flooded with complaints about snow or praise for a random stint of sunshine. Should you still grasp onto the very few remaining Oktoberfest beers floating around the city, the often-polarizing pumpkin offerings, or go full-on stout season? There’s no wrong answer. However, may I offer a recommendation? Apricot Sour IPA.
Primary Colors Releases First Set of Blended Beers to Market
November 2, 2020 | Mike Zoller 5
Even as COVID restrictions continue to hamper businesses across the country, Chicago’s brewery scene has added another brewery to the always growing roster as Primary Colors Brewing has packaged their first mixed six-pack of eight-ounce beers.
Tired Hands I VOTED TODAY Beer Encourages Craft Beer Drinkers to Vote
November 2, 2020 | Kindsey Bernhard
It is no secret that the 2020 Presidential Campaign is an unprecedented one. There has never been such an emphasis on people exercising their right and democratic duty to vote. Everyone from athletes, to singers and actors, to craft breweries are encouraging the public to vote this election season.
To encourage craft beer drinkers around the country to vote, Tired Hands Brewing in Ardmore, PA created the I VOTED TODAY nationwide voter awareness beer initiative.
Great Lakes Brewing Co. Spices Up Christmas Ale Release with New Cans, Artwork
October 29, 2020 | Taylor Laabs
One thing that has remained consistent this year in the world of craft beer is the tried and true cadence of much-anticipated seasonal beer releases. While spring, summer and fall releases might be more frequent, a few special beers are released in the build up leading up to Christmas. Great Lakes Brewing Co‘s Christmas Ale, from the OG out of Cleveland, is one of those beers.
Phase Three Brewing to Deliver Halloween Beer Bag to Limited Areas
October 27, 2020 | Alex Sertic
If this year’s Halloween has you bummed, Phase Three Brewery in Lake Zurich, IL is here to cheer you up! This year to spread Halloween cheer, Phase Three is making local deliveries to limited Chicagoland zip codes in the form of Trick or Treat beer bags. This might be beer fans’ last chance to get Phase Three’s popular Bushel of Apples. Order yours before it’s gone! Read More
Founders Brewing Brings Back KBS Espresso
October 27, 2020 | Jessica Spengler
Following its popularity as a member of Founders Brewing Company 2019’s Barrel-aged Series, Founders has seen fit to widely release a 2020 version of KBS Espresso.
A variant of the brewery’s wildly popular Kentucky Breakfast Stout, and an already fine example of how to use coffee in beer, KBS Espresso gets an extra shot of coffee flavor thanks to being aged on espresso beans after being removed from the barrel.
Blackstack Brewing | Patent Pending
October 26, 2020 | Jason Ehrreich
Innovation is all around us, and there is so much innovation that goes into making great craft beer. Innovation can be the equipment at each brewery, or the hand-selected ingredients by the brewers, or those trendy new labels on each can. You find yourself wondering, how the heck did they do that, or what made them think of that? Doing a Google search for “beer patents” returns 603 patents just in the brewing process alone. If you keep digging down that rabbit hole, you will start to find other patents related to craft beer, items as genius as the Beerbrella. The beauty of craft beer, it will always innovate.
Phase Three Brewing and Affy Tapple Collaboration Beer | A Bushel of Apples
October 23, 2020 | Alex Sertic
Phase Three Brewing, located northwest suburbs of Chicago (Lake Zurich), is arguably one of the hottest breweries in the nation. Some of their beers lean to the obscure and experimental side (Crème Series, Nectar Series), but they also produce well-executed classics (Helles Lager, Märzen, Pils). that largely receive high grades among beer geeks and professionals alike. The brewery recently garnered attention for its collaboration with Affy Tapple: A Bushel of Apples. We talked with Phase Three about their brewery, the pandemic and the sweet, Halloween-treat beer release.
Halloween Beer Treat | Spiteful Brewing Mrs. O’Leary’s Chocolate Stout
October 23, 2020 | Mathew Powers
The famous Chicago Fire began on October 8, 1871, in a barn owned by Catherine and Patrick O’Leary. The city went ablaze for 36 hours, destroying 18,000 buildings and leaving 100,000 Chicagoans homeless. A frightful October story, to say the least! But, Spiteful Brewing has taken that story, mixed it with some cow-blaming folklore and turned into a sweet Halloween treat: Mrs. O’Leary’s Chocolate Stout.
GABF 2020 | Lock 27 Brings Medal Home to the Gem City
October 22, 2020 | David Nilsen
Last week, Lock 27 Brewing in Dayton, Ohio, won their first ever medal from the Great American Beer Festival for their Wolk (pronounced “Volk”) Witbier. But that wasn’t really the plan. They’d submitted the refreshing wheat beer and a handful of others mostly to get constructive feedback from the world-class beer experts who judge at GABF. Soon enough, an opportunity for growth turned into a chance to celebrate.
Wolf’s Ridge Brewing Wins Big at GABF
October 21, 2020 | David Nilsen
Wolf’s Ridge Brewing head brewer Chris Davison found out his brewery had won two medals at the Great American Beer Festival in the most 2020 way possible: over Zoom while getting his daughter ready for bed. The Columbus, Ohio, brewery’s team had a company Zoom call going while the awards were announced virtually from Denver. Chris had bedtime duties, and parenting supersedes brewing.
Deth’s Tar, Maple Deth Shine in Revolution’s Second Deep Wood Release
October 20, 2020 | Mike Zoller
As the temperatures dip and the days get shorter, barrel-aged season in Chicago continues to ramp up. This weekend, Revolution Brewing will host the second of four releases in their Deep Wood series. A trio of beers highlights this release with two familiar names and a new one to the series.
Halloween Beer Treat | 450 North Brewing Cotton Candy Watermelon Piña Colada Slushy XL
October 20, 2020 | Karen Mills
Cotton candy is one of those sweet treats that’s fitting for so many occasions: carnivals, backyard BBQs, birthday parties and, of course, the packaged version of this treat that you receive while trick-or-treating. 450 North Brewing Co. in Columbus, IN created this “adult” version of a favorite treat with an extra fruity profile of watermelon piña colada. It’s certainly a Halloween beer treat that is fun, light and refreshing to enjoy.
Chicagoland’s The Open Bottle Expanding to Lockport, Illinois
October 19, 2020 | Mathew Powers
The Open Bottle craft beer shop and taproom in Tinley Park, Illinois, has not only endured the challenges presented by the COVID-19 outbreak but proved successful enough to advance its pre-pandemic plans for opening a second location. This November, work will begin on its second location (a retail-ready store) in Lockport, Illinois, located near the intersection of I-355 and 159th Street.
BREAKING | Great Lakes Brewing Co. Launches New Canning Line, Warehouse Facility
October 15, 2020 | Kevin Risner
Three years ago, Great Lakes Brewing Company (GLBC) made the leap and began canning various beers, including seasonal favorite Rally Drum Red Ale and an earlier offering, Turntable Pils. Starting in 2020, the brewery moved their flagship beer, Dortmunder Gold Lager, to cans, as well as their Great Lakes IPA. Another year-round superstar, Hazecraft IPA, soon found its way into the lineup as well. And just this week, GLBC shared more exciting news: a new canning line and warehouse facility recently opened in Strongsville, Ohio, a Cleveland suburb. GLBC now has the ability to can its beer closer to home, and offer a larger variety of brands starting in 2021.
What We’re Cooking | Pilsner-Simmered Kielbasa
October 15, 2020 | PorchDrinking.com Staff
Beer and sausage are a happy pair any time of the year, but it seems that fall is when they really shine as a duo. Oktoberfest is an obvious occasion to head to the meat market and peruse the links hanging behind the counter. This recipe from our very own Ana Pelfka swaps a traditional German bratwurst or knockwurst for Polish smoked kielbasa, simmered in Revolution Brewing’s Rev Pils and served with caramelized onions and apples.
Ultimate 6er | Autumn Brews and Views in Wisconsin
October 14, 2020 | Paul Lewis 1
There are only a few short weeks left until the beauty of the fall has faded away and the realization that a Midwest winter is on the horizon. While many states in the Midwest still struggle with high cases of COVID-19 outbreaks, that doesn’t mean there aren’t opportunities to safely enjoy Wisconsin’s autumn brews and views before brisk fall weather and and its beauty gives way to winter’s chill.
Hopewell Brewing Co. | Cold Brew Lemonade
October 13, 2020 | Mike Zoller
Sometimes you see a beer; read the description and have no idea what to expect but you know you want to try that beer. That was the case with Hopewell Brewing Company’s Cold Brew Lemonade beer that recently hit the market.
Goodwood Brewing | Sting Like a Beer
October 12, 2020 | Jereme Zimmerman
Kentucky’s Goodwood Brewing has a habit of brewing beers that are touched with wood at some point during the process. Sting Like a Beer spends quite a bit of time lingering in a brandy barrel before we get a chance to taste it. And boy is it worth the wait.
First Street Brewing Company | Popular Blonde
October 9, 2020 | Lori Kitzing
First Street Brewing Company of Hastings, Nebraska opened its doors in 2016. One of their most popular beers is named, rightfully so, “Popular Blonde.” Brewer and Owner Nathan wanted to make a beer to be served at his friend’s coffee shop. The Art Bar is located a couple blocks from the First Street taproom.
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