More Brewing | Henna S’MoRE (Batch 3)

Rarely do I geek out over a specific beer. There’s a lot of great beer out there and getting to live in Chicago, we get the next “must-have” beer more often than not. But when I had More Brewing’s Henna Batch 3, I had a beer that I knew was truly special.

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Christian Moerlein Brewing | Over-the-Rhine (OTR) Ale

Just north of downtown Cincinnati sits the Over-the-Rhine neighborhood. The enclave got its name because of the high German population that settled this part of the city in the 19th century. Crossing the former Miami-Erie Canal into this neighborhood was said to be like crossing the Rhine River into Germany.

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Chicago Chefs Talk Pairing Food with Craft Beer

Will you serve food? It’s a question every brewery that’s getting ready to open a taproom will be asked.

In Chicago, there are a lot of taprooms. Food is a necessity when drinking, and taprooms handle this issue in all different ways. While some have a full menu, others work with food trucks to stop by on a regular schedule and others are simply BYOF (bring your own food).

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Mitten Beer Quest | Michigan Woman Visits All 323 Michigan Breweries in 2017

As beer enthusiasts, we’ve all thought about it. Some of us may have even looked into the logistics of trying it, but very few of us could ever truly find the time, the money or the energy to visit every brewery in our home state over the course of one year. But that’s exactly what Emily Bennett accomplished in 2017 when she embarked on the Mitten Beer Quest, visiting every brewery in her home state of Michigan. Read More

Surly Brewing Co. | 2017 Barrel Aged Darkness

While barrel-aged season peaks in November, there are still great barrel-aged beers being released into early 2018. Surly Brewing is known for a variety of beers, but their stout series, Darkness, is one of the best known beers the Minneapolis brewery releases. The barrel-aged version of Darkness hit shelves recently, so naturally we cut through the wax and poured a glass to see how this year’s version came out.

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Marz Community Brewing Officially Opens a Taproom in Chicago

Just minutes before Marz Community Brewing Company was set to open for the first time this past Saturday, a line stretched from the door and around the corner with craft beer fans ready to welcome the long-awaited taproom to the Chicago beer scene.

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Revolution Brewing Created a New IPA to Celebrate International Women’s Day

Craft beer has a diversity problem. While there’s no easy fix to an issue that is prevalent throughout most industries in America, several craft brewers are making their presence felt by promoting diversity and inclusion from within their ranks. One of those breweries is Chicago’s Revolution Brewing, who employs 68 female employees throughout their expanding operation. To celebrate International Women’s Day, the women of Revolution came together to brew a special beer: Spirit of Revolt IPA.

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Christian Moerlein Brewing | Power Stoutage

In an industry that’s often obsessed with the latest brewery to open, we must not look past beer from the breweries that have been around for more than a few years. Christian Moerlein is a brewery that fits that statement well. They’ve been making beer for years, and they recently released a limited edition beer called Power Stoutage.
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Surly Brewing Releases New Hop Shifter Gluten-Reduced IPA

Crack open two Surly Brewing Hop Shifter IPAs and they might taste different from one another. No, nothing is wrong with either can, the taste difference is by design.

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Book Review & Interview: 50 Must-Try Craft Beers of Ohio

50 Must-Try Craft Beers of Ohio by Rick Armon (Ohio University Press, 2017)

I sincerely believe Ohio is among the most exciting beer states in the country right now, though I am undoubtedly biased. I’ve lived in the Buckeye state for all fifteen years of my legal drinking life, and I’ve watched Ohio’s craft scene explode along with the rest of the country’s. While many of our breweries have gained national recognition, many more truly excellent breweries remain largely unheralded outside of our state borders. To be honest, it’s one of the things I love about our beer scene here; visitors don’t expect the incredible Belgian beers of Rockmill Brewery, or the farmhouse prowess of Little Fish, or the world-class lambics of Rivertown, or the all-around brilliance of Jackie O’s.

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Stem Ciders Celebrates One Year in Chicago, Looks Ahead to 2018

At the 2017 Cider Summit in Chicago, Denver’s Stem Ciders was officially introduced into the Chicago market. One year later, they’ve carved out a nice foothold in the growing cider offerings throughout the city and have been able to stand out in a very crowded space.

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Streetside Brewery | #blessed NE IPA

When you think of Ohio craft beer, much of the time you might think of the brewers up north in Cleveland — where Great Lakes, Fat Head’s, Platform and Thirsty Dog have cemented strong regional footholds. As industry in Ohio has exploded over the last couple of years, it’s the cities a few hours south that are truly beginning to make a statement in the beer scene. Few have ascended quite as quickly as The Queen City of Cincinnati. While big-name Rhinegeist has risen to notoriety more recently, a new crop of up-and-comers are emerging with a variety of great offerings. No brewery has embodied this growth more than Streetside Brewery.
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Event Preview | 2018 Chicago Cider Summit

While we may enjoy a quality craft beer at PorchDrinking from time to time, we also appreciate a good cider, and the craft cider business is booming. If you’re a cider fan, beer fan or anything in between, I highly recommend you check out the ongoing Chicago Cider Week, which offers a week-long list of events and parties aimed at fostering new interest with the increasingly popular realm of artisanal cider. The big event of the week, the 2018 Chicago Cider Summit, takes place on Saturday February 17^th. Featuring over 150 different local, regional and international craft ciders from the likes of Colorado-favorite Stem Ciders to local upstart 2 Fools, this all-day cider fest is sure to please every taste bud. Here are the details you need to know.

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Schlafly Beer | Pale Ale

It saddens me a bit that back in 1992 when I tried my first craft beer — a Schlafly Beer Pale Ale; I did not have the foresight to realize I was tipping back something special. I didn’t know that it would not only mean something to me 27 years later but inspire me to write about it.

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Event Preview | Scratch Brewing Company’s Fifth Anniversary Party

Over the past five years Scratch Brewing Company has done some remarkable things with not only beer, but food and botanicals as well. On March 3 and 4 the brewery will celebrate their fifth anniversary with a big celebration that will include a lot of Scratch beer, of course, but also food and local art as well.

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Wooden Bear Brewing | Barrel-Aged Midnight Mauler

One night shortly after my mother-in-law moved to the small town of Greenfield, Indiana, I found myself itching to explore the area. I wasn’t expecting a whole lot in the way of craft beer, but I was pleasantly surprised.

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Midwest Drinking 2018 | Center Ice Brewery News

As we finish up another year of beer, it’s time to look ahead to what we’ll be pouring, sipping and loving in 2018. I’ve reached out to a few of the Midwest’s best brewers to see what we can expect from them in the next Year of Beer.
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Cigar City Set to Begin Chicago Distribution

Chicago beer drinkers, whose only hope of grabbing a Cigar City Jai Alai IPA involved a flight to Florida, can now save themselves a trip when the brewery begins Chicago distribution February 19.

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The Founders Factor | How All Day IPA Became a National Hit

Founders Brewing has been around for more than 20 years, but they didn’t find their staple beer until 2012. Since its introduction, Founders’ easy-to-drink All Day IPA has been a smash hit. The beer hit a nerve for many people across the U.S. due to its outright drinkability and convenient packaging formats, making it a beer that could be consumed on land, on water, and anywhere in between—and sales have reflected that. Five years since it was released nationwide, All Day IPA just had its most successful year ever, growing an incredible 50.3% in 2017. All Day is now the 3^rd best-selling IPA in the nation, an incredible feat for any beer over such a small period of time. The crazy sales numbers of its stalwart beer have lifted Founders to new heights, with volume sales up 51%, but if you ask co-founder Mike Stevens about All Day, he’ll say that the session ale has only begun to reach its potential.

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A Look at What Minnesota Craft Brewers are Doing for Super Bowl 52

Next Sunday, the champions of the NFC and AFC will convene on Minnesota’s U.S. Bank field for Super Bowl 52. And while the Eagles and Patriots are sure to provide a lot of on-field entertainment, the trip to Minneapolis will also offer both fervent fan bases a chance to experience Minneapolis’ dynamic craft beer scene. Whether you’re a football fan or just a lover of craft beer, a variety of downtown breweries will be rolling out the red carpet to impress this sudden surge of visitors. Here’s a quick look at what to expect.

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