Pacific
Kings & Convicts Brewing Co-Founder on Today’s Ballast Point Acquisition
December 3, 2019 | Mike Zoller
When Ballast Point was sold to Constellation Brands in 2015 for $1 billion it made big news. It made even bigger news this afternoon when tiny Chicagoland brewery, Kings & Convicts Brewing announced they had purchased the San Diego-based brewery.
BREAKING | Small Chicago Brewery Acquires Ballast Point Brewing
December 3, 2019 | Tristan Chan 1
Well it seems the billion-dollar Ballast Point experiment with Constellation Brands is over. The maker of Corona and Modelo which first purchased the California-based brewery in November 2015, announced today, … Read More
BareBottle Brewing | Secret City IPA
November 14, 2019 | Zach Clevenger
BareBottle Brewing Company has quickly risen to one of the trendiest breweries in Northern California. Opened by three friends that started as homebrewers, BareBottle pushes the limit with super popular hop combos and beer styles. One very unique aspect of BareBottle is that they give a nod to their homebrew experience by providing a 5-gallon recipe for all of their packaged beers directly on the bottle or can. That way you can take a shot at brewing any of the beers that you enjoy from them. Truly an ingenious idea!
Firestone Walker Brewing | Coconut Merlin and Molé Merkin Milk Stout
November 13, 2019 | Krisstin Sibley
The seasonal transition from summer to fall not only means a shift to shorter days and cooler weather but can also be seen by many of our beloved milk stouts hitting the shelves. This fall, Firestone Walker released two milk stouts created from the base of their seasonal Velvet Merlin Oatmeal Stout that yielded two very different and phenomenal beers.
Velvet Merlin Oatmeal Stout was originally created in 2004 under the name Velvet Merkin. The name was rebranded as Velvet Merlin years later when the beer was packaged for distribution. Velvet Merkin resurfaced in 2013 as the barrel-aged version of Velvet Merlin. In 2015, Velvet Merkin was tweaked again with the incorporation of milk stout.
HenHouse Brewing Co. | Best Life Extraordinary Everyday Beer Blond Ale
November 7, 2019 | Constance Del Rio
We all want to live our Best Life and HenHouse Brewing Company brewed a Blond Ale that embodies that exact state of being. The Chicken Gang is at it again brewing up some straight magical elixir to brighten your day and help you to accomplish all your goals. *Disclaimer: might not accomplish all your goals but doesn’t everything seem better if you do it with a beer in your hand?!
Resident & Moksa Brewing | Baby Sips Pastry Stout
October 31, 2019 | Jadon Flores
Baby Sips, a “pastry stout,” is a new Imperial Stout from Resident Brewing, in collaboration with Moksa Brewing and Mostra Coffee. This is a very limited release of only about 350 bottles. There will also be a release party on Friday, November 1st where the collaboration will be on tap for patrons to try out!
Event Preview | San Diego Beer Week
October 29, 2019 | Jadon Flores
There is nothing better for the local community of beer lovers in San Diego than San Diego Beer week! Although advertised as a “week,” this year it will take place over the course of 10 days, November 1-10, all throughout San Diego. For the most comprehensive list of events, pairings, beer releases and dinners, go to the SDBW website, but here we’re going to be talking about some of the cool events happening, where they will be and then you can decide which ones you are going to try and make! Be sure to check if events are ticketed, shown by 🎫 Read More
Beer Event | Collabapalooza Recap
October 22, 2019 | Jadon Flores
This past weekend was one of the most highly rated beer festivals in Southern California: Collabapalooza. The ethos of the beer festival is a sense of community within the beer industry–in most cases, all of the breweries involved were friends with each other and the brewers were all trying each other’s beer while talking shop. As we got to talk to several breweries in the preview article on the beers they were bringing, we got to experience the selection of a ridiculous tap list contributed by all the breweries. Here are some standouts.
Collabapalooza Beer Fest Returns to San Diego
October 14, 2019 | Jadon Flores
Collabapalooza is one of the top-rated beer festivals in southern California. On Saturday, October 19, more than 30 breweries will overtake the backlot of NorthPark Observatory to showcase a plethora … Read More
The PorchCast Ep 63 | Ken Grossman – Sierra Nevada Brewing
October 4, 2019 | Tristan Chan
In episode 63 of the PorchCast, the whole squad sat down with Ken Grossman, founder of Sierra Nevada Brewing, at the dawn of the Great American Beer Festival to talk about their 40th Anniversary.
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Modern Times Beer | Blanc On Blanc On Blanc On Blanc
September 13, 2019 | Justin Pennel
In a craft beer market that’s ever-growing and becoming harder and harder to stand out from the competition, Modern Times continues to find ways to push the envelope and garner massive interest. It definitely helps attract customers when you have creative, out-of-the-ordinary beer names and one-of-a-kind label/can art. Modern Times isn’t the only brewery out there that can come up with clever names and awesome art; however, not all of those breweries can back up those aspects with a high quality beer—over and over again. One of their beers that checks the box on all of those categories is Blanc On Blanc On Blanc On Blanc. Read More
New Glory Craft Brewery | Hopaway Beach
September 10, 2019 | Robert French
There are not many breweries in the Sacramento, CA area that have a better track record of brewing IPAs than New Glory Craft Brewery. When you check the “about us” section of their website, the first sentence reads: “We reject the mainstream concept of ‘flagship’ or core beers.” A quick look at their current tap list includes 24 beers; 15 of them are either a Pale Ale, IPA, Double IPA or Milkshake IPA. I’m not sure how many different IPAs and hop-forward beers they’ve turned out since 2014, but it’s safe to say they’ve worked every angle of the style.
Burning Barrel Brewing Co. | Oater Boat IPA with Strawberry
September 9, 2019 | Zach Clevenger
Burning Barrel Brewing Company has just recently celebrated their 1-year anniversary in the crowded Sacramento craft beer scene…and business is booming. Located in the Sacramento suburb of Rancho Cordova, just a quick drive from downtown Sacramento, Burning Barrel has made a name for themselves as specializing in fruit-forward sours and hoppy IPAs. It only made sense for them to eventually start adding fruit to some of their IPAs, and the results were terrific.
Karl Strauss Brewing Co. | Aurora Hoppyalis
September 5, 2019 | Seth Garland
Once in a while, some news story comes out talking about how the Northern Lights are visible from not-too-far away. This excites us sky geeks. For most of us in the U.S., unfortunately, the caveats are extreme (e.g. hiking three miles into un-mapped forest in the hopes that the sky is clear enough during the five-minute window when the Aurora Borealis can actually be seen). Finding a good location that’s dim enough to see this spectacle of nature is a challenge if you live in the lower 48.
On the other hand, if you live in a hot craft beer city like San Diego, it’s real easy to find quality beer. So save the skywatching for your bucket list vacation to Iceland, or if you have to lay low for a while and need to move to Alaska. We’re not here to judge; what you do in the privacy of your own back-alley gambling hall is your own business. Beer though…that’s our business. And business is booming, dammit.
Ultimate 6er | Easy-Drinking Beers for Football Season
September 4, 2019 | Karen Mills
Now that the last NFL pre-season game is in the books, it’s time to get serious. Week one starts this week, and it’s game on! The Packers take on the Bears for Thursday Night Football and wraps up with the Broncos playing the Raiders on Monday. Needless to say, the lineup in between will be awesome! As you’re completing your Fantasy Football drafts or simply reaching for a nice, cold craft beer to sip on as you’re cheering on your favorite team, here’s a few beers that will go great with the games as week one is set to begin.
Event Preview | Stone Brewing 23rd Anniversary Grand Celebration
August 17, 2019 | Drew Troller
Stone Brewing is turning 23! To celebrate, Stone is hosting the Stone Brewing 23rd Anniversary Grand Celebration this weekend! The event will be held on Sunday, August 18 from 3-6 p.m. More than 50 breweries will be pouring (including Stone, of course). Along with the complimentary tasting glass and a new pour list, there will be food, music and an amazing new venue. Here’s everything you need to know! Read More
Karl Strauss & Russian River Brewing | New California IPA
August 15, 2019 | Jadon Flores
It’s not often two giants in the beer industry get together to collaborate on a singularly fantastic beer, but that is exactly what Karl Strauss and Russian River Brewing did to make what they call the New California IPA. This beer has a piney and resinous front with hints of dank greens in the back. It has firm but not overwhelming bitterness and a palate cleansing kind of clean on the tongue. The IPA is complete with faint raspberries and rhubarb as it warms for a refreshing summer crispness. After talking with Matt Johnson, Brewmaster of Brewery Operations at Karl Strauss, and Vinnie Cilurzo, Co-Owner and Head Brewer at Russian River, I was able to get some insight into this wondrous amalgamation of talent and hops!
2 Days 2 Nights | Honolulu, Hawaii
July 23, 2019 | Karen Mills
Over the years, the craft beer scene on the island of Oahu, specifically in the Honolulu area, has grown tremendously. More and more local breweries are popping up to cater to the growing interest in independent beer. With many visitors and college students coming from areas that have a booming craft beer scene, it’s only natural that the trend continues to grow on the island.
Although you’ll probably be spending more than two days and two nights if you’re making the trip to the Aloha State, here’s a round up of some breweries to visit if you want to dedicate a couple days just to visiting the local breweries.
A Classic, Now Unfiltered: The Inspiration for Lagunitas’ Little Sumpin’ Hazy
July 18, 2019 | Taylor Laabs
Their IPA might be their most well-known and widely-distributed, but my favorite Lagunitas Brewing Company offering is a beer that blurs the lines of the drinking experience. A Little Sumpin’ Sumpin’ is a classic that can be enjoyed rain or shine, sun or snow. Its hearty ABV, unique wheat body, and complex flavor profile have made it a fan favorite for years. It’s also an employee favorite, says Lagunitas Brewmaster Jeremy Marshall. While the original has its perks, Lagunitas employees and brewers have had access to a version of A Little Sumpin’ Sumpin’ that has never graced retail shelves before now: an unfiltered-version designed to taste like you’re drinking it straight from the tank. That was the inspiration for their newest offering and Sumpin’ Sumpin’ sibling, Little Sumpin’ Hazy.
Local Brewing Company | Duboce IPA
July 8, 2019 | Danielle Engel
There are moments when we don’t appreciate the constants that exist in our lives. When we don’t stop to wonder in awe of electricity, the access to nonstop show binging, the simple and comforting knowledge that every California brewery is going to have a truly pine-sapping West Coast IPA on their tap list. But a haze has set over California, and not just Karl the Fog. It’s nice to see the West Coast IPA embraced again on taproom boards and specialty can drops.
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