PorchDrinking Playlist | Ex Novo Brewing

In the heart of downtown Portland, Oregon there must be a Nickelback concert happening this very moment. It turns out to just not to be the case, however it may be the folks at Portland’s Ex Novo Brewing Company trying to break up a boring day. “One of our favorite pastimes at the brewery is to blast some super shitty music and see how long it takes before someone changes it,” said head brewer, Ryan Buxton. This seems to be a game they play to keep things from getting stale. The tradition keeps things fresh because it rarely lasts more than three songs at a time. And please do not worry, this is all done before the doors open to the public. Read More

Brewery Showcase | Schmohz Brewing Company

Schmohz Brewing Company is one of the lesser known breweries in Grand Rapids, Michigan. In a field of highly recognizable names, it’s not surprising, but it is unfortunate because the beers are stellar and the people are good fun. It is possible that part of the reason for their lack of publicity is that the atmosphere at 2600 Patterson SE, Grand Rapids, Michigan is a little different from what you might expect at a modern microbrewery. Read More

Mikerphone Brewing, Toppling Goliath Talk Beer Releases

Beer releases are a tricky thing. As more and more people take an interest in craft beer, the next release of a hazy NE-IPA, mix culture barrel-aged wild/sour, or big barrel-aged stout are getting more hyped, more complex and trickier for the brewery to manage. There is no such thing as a perfect release, however, breweries today are doing their best to figure out how to get their beer out to their customers.

Whether it’s a smaller/newer brewery like Mikerphone Brewing, or a more established one like Toppling Goliath, the logistics behind releasing highly sought-after beer are nothing simple.

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Tröegs Independent Brewing | Hop Knife Harvest Ale

Tröegs Independent Brewing holds a special place in my heart. I had enjoyed trying new beers since I studied abroad in Germany around the turn of the century, but a visit to the Tröegs production brewery in Hershey, Pennsylvania is at the epicenter of my ever-blossoming beer geekery.  In the five years since that visit, I’ve enjoyed watching their beer lineup change and evolve. With roots in Tröegs’ Scratch program and a new home in the Hop Cycle Seasonal lineup, Hop Knife Harvest Ale is a beer that I’ve been enjoying since its first wide release.
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Chicago Quick Sips | September 18

Quick Sips is our way of highlighting beer events, tap takeovers and other notable beer news around the city of Chicago. If you’d like to submit something to be included in the next Quick Sips, please email us at [email protected].

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2 Days, 2 Nights | A Complete Guide to Fort Collins, Colorado’s Craft Beer Scene

Situated on the Cache La Poudre River and about 65 miles north of Denver lies Fort Collins, home of the CSU Rams and where craft beer flows in abundance. Two years ago, I moved to Fort Collins from Denver and I was a bit apprehensive; Denver was home to me. There was always something to do — whether it was a Rockies game, art opening or new brewery to check out. And admittedly, as a proud Colorado Buffalo (#Skobuffs), Fort Collins felt a little like enemy territory.

But like one of those teachable Hallmark movie moments, Fort Collins proved me wrong. This college town is the fourth largest city in Colorado but it has plenty of local charm. Fort Collins is laid back like a lackadaisical Sunday afternoon. It’ll make you want to hop on your cruiser bike and ride over to the nearest brewery and watch the sun sink down across the foothills. Fort Collins has made me a tourist in my own state — which is really refreshing. And so, I present to you, the best spots to visit the next time you’re in Fort Collins — in my humble opinion, of course.

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Event Preview | Toppling Goliath GABF Tap Takeover at Tap and Handle

Toppling Goliath Brewing Company, a brewery that RateBeer has awarded several “best” categories including double IPA, strong stout and American amber or pale, will be making its Colorado debut during the week of the Great American Beer Festival. The esteemed Iowa brewery will have a special GABF tapping at Tap and Handle in Fort Collins, Colorado at 5 p.m. on Monday October 2 (the brewery will also make its way down to Denver on October 4 at LowDown Brewery). Read More

Dovetail | Bamberger Dunkel

Fans of Bavarian-style beers will want to check out Dovetail’s new beer, Bamberger Dunkel. It’s released just in time for Oktoberfest celebrations in the city of Chicago or just kicking off the fall season. This beer will make you feel warm with the windy city chill. It is medium bodied, so the drinker will not feel too full after a glass, thus leaving room for plenty of German sausage. If you forgot to BYOS (bring your own sausage) to Dovetail, don’t worry. They will have plenty of Landjäger for sale.

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Cellar West Artisan Ales | Sapience

I know, I know. We’re post-Labor Day, school has started and the pumpkin ales and warm toasty porters are hitting the shelves. But as I sit here in my kitchen with the windows thrown wide, trying to tempt the air to somehow drop below 80, I just can’t bring myself to go there yet.

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Event Preview | Telluride Blues & Brews Festival 2017

Music and Beer. Two of my favorite hobbies will be taking center stage at this weekend’s Telluride Blues and Blues. Notorious for being one of southern Colorado’s leading mountain town destinations, Telluride will be hosting its annual Blues and Brews Festival in the heart of the Rocky Mountains.
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Brew Gentlemen | Pure Powerplant

I worked the night shift for the last six years of my Medical Technology career, which included many negatives: living an opposite schedule from your family and friends, sleep is completely messed up and you constantly feel tired — and that’s just the start. However, my schedule also allowed me to visit craft breweries on release days and beat the crowds, which was the case with the release of Brew Gentlemen Pure Powerplant IPA.

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PorchDrinking’s Weekly Denver Beer Beat | September 13, 2017

The Denver Beer Beat sheds light on news of brewery openings, special tappings, firkins and one-off batches, bottle releases, dinners, pairings, etc.

It’s me, Cory Pellicle, on top of all things beer (see what I did there?) for this week here in the Denver area. I’m filling in for Jeremy while he is out on vacay. He is probably skulling coldies right now and hiking hills and doing all kinds of other ill shit. Well deserved, Jeremy, well deserved.

But don’t worry! Jeremy will be back next week and we will be continuing to flesh out the 2017 GABF calendar. We just put up a shipload of events. Go peep ’em out, beer nerds. And keep coming back for more GABF coverage on the site!

Go to the Calendar now

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PorchDrinking’s Weekly Atlanta Beer Beat | September 13, 2017

The Atlanta Beer Beat sheds light on news of brewery openings, special tappings, firkins and one-off batches, bottle releases, dinners, pairings and more!

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Funky Buddha Brewery | Fire in the Hole

While preparing for Hurricane Irma, I opened the fridge to find this interesting treat by Funky Buddha Brewery and realized it was the perfect beer for a time like this. An explosive beer, this rotates yearly in the Little Buddha Small Batch series. Fire in the Hole takes on a whole new level of spice. This red ale brewed with raspberries and habanero is too intriguing of a combination to pass up. Fire in the Hole was a drinkable distraction from all of the hurricane preparation. It is available throughout Florida in bottles and on tap for a limited time.

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Insider’s Guide to Special Beer Releases During GABF

As we’ve all come to know, the Great American Beer Festival has far greater implications for Colorado beer fans that extend beyond the four day festival itself. One of those external benefits is the growing practice of out-of-state breweries utilizing the week to make a special limited drop of beers either as a means to test the market or just to make a splash to help grow their brands. In previous years, breweries such as Fremont, Perennial, and Burial have all used GABF week as a launch pad toward regular, or in some cases semi-regular distribution to Colorado. In other scenarios such as last year’s short-lived Bell’s Brewing drop, these brief market flirtations can help stoke the hype for breweries that may eye a longer term distribution expansion in the future.

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Saint Errant Brewing | Strange Loops

Like many other new (or soon to be open) breweries, Brent Banks and Ryan Jacobs of Saint Errant Brewing started as homebrewers with full-time jobs. After repeated trips to Vermont … Read More

Chicago Quick Sips | September 11

Quick Sips is our way of highlighting beer events, tap takeovers and other notable beer news around the city of Chicago. If you’d like to submit something to be included … Read More

Event Recap | Odell Hidden Gems Shine at Mainline Ale House Beer Dinner

Whether you are a fan of beer, wine, spirits or a combination thereof, we can all agree on one thing: Pairing your drink of choice with a delicious plate of food is a wonderful experience. The culinary team at Mainline Ale House have taken it upon themselves to develop wonderful tasting menus that highlight the local beers of Fort Collins, Colorado.
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Scofflaw Brewing’s One Year Anniversary Pour List Preview

After gaining national attention for their amazingly approachable IPAs, preeminent pilsners and beloved stouts, Scofflaw Brewing is celebrating its One Year Anniversary Party on Saturday, September 16, from noon until 8 p.m. Staying true to the brewery’s independent attitude and sincere gratitude to its community and patrons, no tickets will be required for entry and customers can order a wide array of beer choices by the glass, which include their core lineup of seven IPAs.

The eight IPAs are Basement, Westside, Hooligan, Double Jeopardy, POG Basement, Sneaky Pineapple Coconut, Sucker Punch and Sneaky Wheat. Three imperial versions – Upper Westside, Double Basement and the new Goats Milk IPA – will also be available. Taproom favorite Lousy makes its return to the IPA list along with a new Imperial version of POG Double Basement.

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Brewery Showcase | Cleophus Quealy Beer Co.

If you haven’t heard about Cleophus Quealy Beer Co. consider this your formal introduction to a great farmhouse brewery in the East Bay! They are located at 448 Hester Street, San Leandro, CA 94577 – which is right by the Oakland International Airport! So, you know it’s good to grab a great beer on your layover or on your way out of town.
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