Pacific
Q&A with Elysian Brewing’s Head Brewer Josh Waldman
July 25, 2017 | Constance Del Rio
This month I had the opportunity to interview Elysian Brewing Head Brewer Josh Waldman to reflect on the state of Elysian brewing as well as some of the new additions to their canned lineup. These canned vessels possess the advantage of being super portable, light weight and literally crushable!
We were also given the chance to sample new cans of Day Glow IPA 16 oz cans possessing the same recognizable logo, and that familiar sweet hop forward profile. Find out more on what’s happening at Elysian Brewing from Josh Waldman.
Modern Times Founder Jacob McKean Talks ESOP, Big Beer & Growth
July 24, 2017 | Tristan Chan
Modern Times Beer, one of the country’s top five fastest growing breweries made a splash two weeks ago, when it announced that it would begin reacquiring shares from investors to gift back to their employees. We caught up with Modern Times founder Jacob McKean to discuss his decision to implement an employee ownership program, the growing threat of Big Beer, as well as what’s next on the horizon for the San Diego-based brewery.
Event Preview | DTLA Breweries United ’17
July 13, 2017 | Drew Troller
This week, it became official that Los Angeles will be the host city for the Summer Olympics in either 2024 or 2028. We’ll just have to figure out whether Paris or LA goes first; one way or another, the Olympics are coming to Southern California in the next 11 years. As we look ahead to people from all over the world coming together in LA to compete and peacefully celebrate unity, it’s a perfect week for LA’s brewers to unite at the second annual DTLA Breweries United festival (and it’s all for a good cause).
Modern Times Beer Further Cements Independence with Employee Ownership Program
July 7, 2017 | Tristan Chan
Over the past four years, Modern Times Beer has exploded on to the craft beer scene in a major way, growing from a production of 2000 barrels in their first year of existence, to over 40,000 barrels this past year. While many breweries who exhibit such a drastic growth pattern have eventually turned to outside funding to help further their endeavors, the San Diego-based brewery has chosen to go the route of employee ownership. Earlier today, Modern Times Beer announced that it has repurchased shares held by its initial investors and that 30% of shares will now be held in an employee stock ownership program (ESOP).
Brewing News Roundup | Several New Beers Are On The Way
July 5, 2017 | PorchDrinking.com Staff
While we can’t pretend to list every new beer release, here are several tasty tidbits that have come across the PorchDrinking.com desk from around the nation. New beers, new packaging, new collaborations and so much more.
Jump to the beer release(s) from the following breweries:
Avery Brewing | Bear Republic | Bell’s Brewery | Brewery Ommegang | Firestone Walker | Forbidden Root | Fremont Brewing | Green Flash | Great Divide Brewing | Modern Times Beer | Moody Tongue | New Belgium Brewing | Reformation Brewery | Rogue Ales & Spirits | SweetWater Brewing | Terrapin Beer Co. | Hopstix
Brewers Describe the Value of Brewing Independence
July 3, 2017 | Mathew Powers
The United States started as nothing more than an idea, a dream and a determination to overcome perceived empire-driven injustices. For the overwhelming majority of breweries, those values presented by our Founding Fathers echo the idea of independent brewing. Sure, there are brewing empires that could lure one to the economic promised land, but the pursuit of “hoppiness” for independent breweries is best served through self-determination rather than corporate funding. As the nation moves toward celebrating its independence, we at PorchDrinking.com wanted to discuss brewing independence with a few breweries who have thumbed their proverbial noses at the King Georges of the world and exercise their freedom to brew.
Port Brewing Co. | Mongo Double IPA
July 3, 2017 | Justin Carter
Remember the coastal rap rivalry of the 90s? Well, Tupac and Biggie’s beef is being resurrected. Instead of fresh beats and dope lyrics, craft beer lovers are squabbling over fresh hops and hazy juices. If you’ve been on social media recently, you’ve undoubtedly seen that a line has been drawn. Hop heads still prefer the dank resinous West Coast style IPAs well known for their outrageous IBUs; However, the New England IPA is a little more complex, yet subtler, then to be expected. Most of these “juice bombs” sport intense fruit flavors, soft mouth feel and a much sweeter finishing flavor. You could say that West Coast is the rougher, bitter, more “gangsta” of the two, whereas the New England style is the softer, easier drinking, almost hip-hop of the two.
Beer & Book Club | The Wild Trees & Modern Times Oneida
June 22, 2017 | Constance Del Rio
Welcome to the 5th installment of the Beer & Book Club series. This time of year always makes me yearn to be outside communing with nature but can’t always take the time to do so. This book transported me to the Pacific Northwest. So grab your day pack, throw this book & cans of Oneida inside and hit the trails!
(More: Check out the previous installments of Book & Beer Club)
Modern Times Beer | Blazing World
June 20, 2017 | David Thompson
ABV: 6.8% | IBU: 85
Seeing that the times are what they are, you know with politics, fake news, real news, climate change, brewery buy outs, you may think that Modern Time’s hoppy amber Blazing World was named after… modern times. Not exactly. “Yeah, we definitely never intended it to be that timely of a name,” said Modern Times communication coordinator Dan Reed.
Despite how depressingly timely the name may be, the “hoppy, dank, amber” is truly an uplifting beer. “The stickiest of the icky,” as Reed described. “It’s a luxuriously hoppy amber loaded up with intemperate quantities of Nelson, Mosaic and Simcoe hops, which are some of the fruitiest, dankest hops sweet, sweet money can buy,” Reed added. Read More
Brewery Showcase | SLO Brew
June 15, 2017 | Krisstin Sibley
Right before you reach the San Luis Obispo County Regional Airport, there is an industrial area packed with offices. Tucked off to the side is SLO Brew‘s The Rock, the second brewery location that opened earlier this year. Son of Dr. Stanley Hoffman, one of the pioneers who established the Paso Robles wine region, Mike Hoffman founded SLO Brew in 1988 with Kathy Ireland. It was the first brewpub on the Central Coast since prohibition. The current owner, Hamish Marshall, a beer loving Aussie who fell in love with SLO, took over as owner in 2010.
Anchor Brewing | Blood Orange Blonde Ale
June 14, 2017 | Mathew Powers
Image Source: Anchor Brewing
Anchor Brewing is a brewery for which most ardent craft beer fans pay reverence, for if not for Fritz Maytag betting a good portion of his inheritance and defying all logic in the late 1960s, well, who knows? Maytag had a vision, and that vision has manifested itself in a terrific brewery that was integral in awakening a nation from its brewing doldrums. In 2017, the brewery isn’t sitting around resting on its laurels, demonstrated by the new Anchor Brewing Blood Orange Blonde Ale. How can something be both blonde and blood orange? Leave it to Anchor Brewing to solve this colorful conundrum.
Event Recap | Firestone Walker Invitational
June 12, 2017 | David Thompson
The first time I heard about the Firestone Walker Invitational, I wasn’t quite sure I understood the gravity associated with it. It peaked my interest for sure—a festival with food and music, hosted by a brewery with the reputation like Firestone Walker. It’s exciting but really there are plenty of beer festivals happening all the time. Then I saw who was participating, and the weight of the event started to gain clarity. Read More
Event Preview | Firestone Walker Invitational
June 2, 2017 | David Thompson
Part of being an adult is understanding what your priorities are in life. That is exactly why my wife and I are heading down to Paso Robles, California for the Firestone Walker Invitational one day after closing on our house. Yes we could spend the weekend moving out from the in-laws and settling into our first house, but we can do that anytime. And this is the Firestone Walker Invitational, a beer festival described as “An epic yet intimate gathering of 50+ leading brewers from around the nation & world celebrating craft beer in our hometown of Paso Robles.”
AleSmith and Around the Bend Collaboration, Chicago Craft Beer Week
May 18, 2017 | Mathew Powers
The annual Beer Under Glass (B.U.G.) at Garfield Park Conservatory serves as the formal opening to Chicago Craft Beer Week (#CCBW), and brewers are more than happy to provide special offerings for the unique event. One such brew exemplifies the true meaning of craft beer — industry first, beer first, a collaboration between two “competing” breweries, Alesmith Brewing Company and Chicago’s Around the Bend Beer Co. This special brew will enjoy its first pouring at B.U.G, and then during select events (and sold in stores) thereafter.
Beer & Book Club | #GIRLBOSS
May 2, 2017 | Constance Del Rio
Welcome to the third installment of the Beer & Book Club series! I love the idea that each month a new individual can highlight a great read and a delicious brew to go along with it. When one pictures the craft beer world a few common themes repeat: beards, barrel-aged and hops (lots of hops). That is why for my first Beer & Book report I wanted to highlight some serious girl power. Read More
PorchDrinking Playlist | Mraz Brewing Company
April 11, 2017 | Chris & Sylvia Hollands
Featured photo courtesy of Mraz Brewing Company.
For this PorchDrinking Playlist we reached out to one of our favorite California natives, Mike Mraz, owner and head brewer for Mraz Brewing Company in El Dorado Hills, CA. We had the pleasure to meet Mike a few years back during the Great American Beer Festival in Denver, CO. It was a wonderful experience to walk the great halls of the Colorado Convention Center with such a knowledgeable master of beer. An expert craftsman showing us the way was both thrilling and a tad bit intimidating. Mike welcomed us into his crew for the weekend, resulting in an adventurous time. The following year we hung out again, inspiring a portion of our Are You GABF Experienced? playlist. Read More
Almanac Beer Co. | White Label
March 28, 2017 | Cecelia Kathleen
Featured photo credit: Almanac Beer Co.
ABV: 7.5%
A Tale of Two Blancs
San Francisco-based Almanac Beer Company emphasizes sustainable farming practices through using locally-grown grains, fruits and herbs from some of the agricultural hubs of Northern California. The brewery’s Farm to Barrel series speaks to Almanac’s specialization in beers brewed with local terroir from neighboring California farms. What is surely a tribute to this practice, Almanac’s fruit-forward beers consistently burst with depth and flavor. This showcase profiles one of Almanac’s most recent award-winning beers. Read More
21st Amendment Brewery | Brew Free! Or Die Blood Orange IPA
March 16, 2017 | Mathew Powers
Photo courtesy of 21st Amendment Brewery
The new, ultra-refreshing spin on the original Brew Free! or Die IPA has arrived this March like a full-flavored lion pouncing on its beer-drinking prey. The brewery that made watermelon beer famous has gone the citrusy IPA route with its new year-round offering — real blood oranges and plenty of hops.
The Best of San Francisco Beer Week 2017
March 14, 2017 | Simon
Sadly, San Francisco beer week is over. It was another incredible week, full of amazing events and new and innovative beers. Pounds were gained, work was neglected, but it was all worth it. From the Opening Gala to the last day, Beer Week was loaded more than any prior year. Each day had more events for any one person to handle, but that is the beauty of Beer Week.
Fremont Brewing to Begin Southern California Distribution
March 3, 2017 | Hannah Carlson
Photo courtesy of Fremont Brewing
Californians, we have good news. No — great news. Hold onto your hats, because Fremont Brewing has announced that their brews are now being distributed throughout Southern California.
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