Northeast
NYC Rising Breweries Reflect on 2016 and Look Ahead to 2017
January 12, 2017 | Carly Mento
Photo courtesy of Miguel Rivas
Similar to our recent post covering breweries country-wide, we have also connected with a handful of brewers from NYC to reflect on this past year and what 2017 has in store for their up-and-coming breweries, as well as the craft beer industry as a whole. Four top-notch rising breweries in Brooklyn have shared intimate insights and projections for what’s next: Threes Brewing, Interboro Spirit & Ales, Finback Brewery and Kings County Brewers Collective.
Free Will Brewing Company | The Kragle IPA
January 9, 2017 | Dan Bortz
ABV: 6.6% | IBU: 90
There is a beer that I walk past almost every day. Since it comes from a local brewery, I see it in bottle shops and grocery stores ALL the time. There is no particular reason that I had never tried it. I never read a bad review, heard bad word-of-mouth, or disliked a different beer from the same brewery. I just never reached out and grabbed one. When building a mixed six-pack today, I rectified that error. The last spot in my six-pack carrier was filled with The Kragle IPA from Free Will Brewing Company. Read More
Victory Brewing Company | Vital IPA
January 4, 2017 | Dan Bortz
ABV: 6.5%
As the second American IPA in Victory Brewing Company‘s year-round lineup, Vital IPA had to fight an uphill battle against the existing family favorite. This brew had to differentiate itself from Victory’s better-known Hop Devil IPA and prove that it could stand on its own. By being crisper, more subtle, and lighter-bodied than its predecessor, Vital IPA attracts an audience that Hop Devil may not: lager lovers.
PorchDrinking Playlist | City of Brotherly Love
January 3, 2017 | Dan Bortz
Philadelphia is the City of Brotherly Love. It’s a city of underdogs, fighters and (very) occasionally, champions. In the colonial days, it was home to Founding Father Benjamin Franklin, hosted … Read More
Ultimate 6er | Ain’t Nothing But a Hound Dog
December 19, 2016 | Stacey Goers
We’ve had a hound dog for years and, with a new home, decided it was time for a second furry family member. We decided on Max, a 70-pound German shepherd/hound mix. We were seemingly seasoned pet owners and confidently walked into this decision with delight. We forgot there’s a learning curve. This Ultimate 6er is for new pet owners and those who discover their pets have a burgeoning affinity for chewing the couch or those of us who just love their dogs.
Oskar Blues Releasing Rum Barrel-Aged Death By Coconut & Ten Fidy
December 13, 2016 | Tristan Chan
As craft beer continues to grow, some of its biggest breweries, brewers and even beers have begun garnering cult-status followings. 2016 has been an especially massive year for cult-ish following beers … Read More
Holiday Survival Guide | Podcast and Beer Pairings
December 6, 2016 | Dan Bortz
Congratulations! You survived Thanksgiving. That was the first test. You didn’t explode in rage at an older relative’s questionable social views or crack under the pressures of cross-country travel. Christmas, however, brings a whole new set of logistical and emotional challenges. If the gift shopping doesn’t make you crack, another family meal just might. Luckily, there are ways to minimize the stress and ensure your holiday survival!
Evil Twin Brewing | Modern IPA
December 2, 2016 | Dan Bortz
ABV: 6%
The modern India Pale Ale is a much different beverage than the one that was shipped to the British colonies in India 200 years ago. That change accelerated greatly … Read More
Harlem Brewing Company | Renaissance Wit
November 30, 2016 | Mathew Powers
ABV: 5.8% | IBU: 12
The mere utterance of Harlem likely evokes a myriad of imagery; it’s a section of New York City that’s oozing with history. The name and label artwork adorning a bottle of Harlem Brewing Company Renaissance Wit speaks to that wealth of history – beer history, music history, cultural history, and everything in between. But, when reviewing a beer, one must refrain from being swayed by the story attached to a beer or brewery. Instead, the beer must be judged on its own merits, and that is what this showcase aims to do. Nevertheless, there’s no reason history and culture can’t be included in the discussion. Craft has always been more than just about beer, and this wheat beer personifies that concept.
BREAKING | DC Brau Announces Brewery Expansion
November 18, 2016 | Stacey Goers
The 7-year-old beloved Washington, D.C. brewery, DC Brau, announced this week that they are setting up infrastructure to increase their production capabilities — by 360 percent over the next 8 to 10 years, according to a release on Friday.
Inside the Tank | Foolproof Brewing
November 14, 2016 | Carly Mento
Earlier this year, I had the pleasure of sharing a delicious five-course meal paired with Foolproof Brewing beer selections while sitting across from head brewer Steve Sharp. I fell in love with their craft creations, which are distributed to the Northeast, but unfortunately not in my city! Still — I believe in this brewery and am spreading the word through an insightful interview with Foolproof’s founder Nick Garrison. Cheers!
Devils Backbone Brewing Company | Ginger Brau
November 14, 2016 | Stacey Goers
ABV: 4.8% | IBU: 16
You know when you eat too much turkey at Thanksgiving and you regret it? Or you pour yourself a spicy pumpkin porter and realized it’s exhausting? This doesn’t happen with this beer. ?
Brewery Showcase | Hidden River Brewing Company
November 11, 2016 | Dan Bortz 1
There are many factors that can fuel the creativity of a brewer. One wellspring of creativity is an eagerness to learn. If a brewer begins to believe that they have learned all that they need to know, complacency may settle in, killing any sense of exploration or self-improvement. At Hidden River Brewing Company, the brewing philosophy is based on the idea that there is always room for improvement, and there are always new things to learn.
Virginia’s Heritage Brewing to Launch Brewpub & Coffee Roastery
November 9, 2016 | Stacey Goers
Heritage Brewing Company was started in 2013 via a Kickstarter campaign, so it’s fitting they looked to the same tool to help launch their next big move: An Arlington-based brewpub and coffee roastery, about 30 miles from their home location in Manassas, Virginia.
Brew Gentlemen | DoubleMex
November 8, 2016 | Gregory Acero
Style: Barrel Aged Imperial Stout | ABV: 9.9%
Brew Gentlemen’s bottle release of DoubleMex took place on Saturday, September 17, 2016. This was my first ever bottle release that I have attended so I made sure I did my research on the event. I followed BG on Instagram, Facebook, Twitter and even signed up for their newsletter (pssh stalk much?!) just so that I could stay current with the brewery.
Six Pennsylvania Beers for Yuengling Defectors
November 6, 2016 | Dan Bortz
Beer drinkers in 32 states may have never been exposed to D.G. Yuengling & Son, but the Brewers Association distinction of craft independent brewers, the North Eastern regional brewing legend (especially in Pennsylvania) is currently the country’s largest craft brewery. This family-owned brewing company’s Pottsville location began production in 1829 and is the oldest continuously operating brewery in America. Fifth-generation owner Dick Yuengling made waves recently by informally endorsing Donald Trump during Eric Trump’s visit to the brewery on Oct. 25, which led to a flood of Yuengling defectors, because you know… politics.
Pennsylvania Beer Law Reforms
November 3, 2016 | Dan Bortz
The last major liquor law reform in Pennsylvania came just after Prohibition. Suffice it to say, that purchasing beer, wine or liquor in the Commonwealth could be a confusing undertaking. If you wanted to purchase a case of beer, a 6-pack, and a bottle of wine, you would have to go to three separate stores. Three. Beer in volumes greater than 192 fluid ounces had to be purchased at distributors, while 6-packs and 12 packs were only sold in bars, restaurants, bottle shops and certain grocery stores. Liquor and wine are sold only at the state-owned “Fine Wines and Good Spirits” stores. The system was antiquated, inconvenient and confusing. Luckily, starting last year, a series of reforms began to update the Pennsylvania beer laws.
The Veil Brewing Company | Child Support
October 17, 2016 | Scott Johnson
ABV: 4.5% | IBU: 25
In my experience, there has been no brewery to grow faster from its amazing quality and devoted fanbase than The Veil Brewing Company. Thirsty audiences would flock across the state to Richmond every Tuesday to get their hands on The Veil’s collection of canned jewels. Those of us familiar with the East Coast trading scene would see The Veil’s collection of juicy, New England-style IPAs to give them a breakthrough of success on the level of Lawson’s Finest Liquids in Vermont or Tree House Brewing Company in Massachusetts.
Coney Island Brewing | Hard Root Beer
October 14, 2016 | Carly Mento
ABV: 5.8%
A nostalgic fave is coming back–hard. Root Beer is definitely one of those new craft beer-craze styles I’ve been hesitant to try. Mainly, I am not a huge soda drinker. However, I’v always loved a cold, rich, full-bodied birch beer whether it be on a hot, summer day or cool, autumn evening. So, if you fall into the “I’m new to craft beer” or “I like to try everything” or simply “I need a wow-factor for my taste-buds”, I’d suggest giving this one a go!
Vinyl and Beers | Beatles or Elvis?
October 13, 2016 | Caroline Thomas Karl Kalinkewicz
Once a month, the Vinyl and Beers crew will pose a musical question and, with all the inspiration a couple of good beers can provide, share our thoughts via pairings of records and brews. This month’s question comes from esteemed music-lover and director Quentin Tarantino: In a scene deleted from Pulp Fiction, Uma Thurman’s Mia posits that everyone can be classified as a Beatles person or an Elvis person, and all other musicians can be divided into one of those two categories. In theory, Beatles folks tend to appreciate the integrity of the musical creation process, while Elvis admirers are wooed by showmanship and the characters that create the music.
recent comments