5 Questions with Telluride Brewing on Their New Brewpub & Taqueria

Nestled in a picturesque box canyon and scored seasonally by lush green cliffs or powder-capped mountain tops, Telluride, CO is a magical resort town that remains one of the most scenic destinations in the state. 

Despite the world-class skiing, a multitude of festivals that used to fill its lodging capacity every summer and Bridal Veil Falls, a dramatic 365-foot waterfall that is fully visible from downtown, the town still exudes a relative quaintness due to its remote location–unlike other resort towns like Breckenridge, Aspen and Vail.

Similarly, Telluride Brewing Co., which was founded in 2011, is highly adored and respected by those familiar with the industry while still flying relatively under the radar. Long revered for its signature Facedown Brown and more recently gaining steam for their continued work in hop-forward beers, Telluride Brewing is now on the cusp of its next evolutionary phase. 

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Allagash Brewing Co. | Little Grove Sparkling Session Ale

Welcome to a new year: You made it. Although the past year turned out far, far different from anything anyone could have imagined, some things remain the same. One consistency, in particular, is the anticipation of a fresh start the new year brings. Whether celebrating with loved ones or hunkered down at home, every New Year’s Eve bubbles over with eagerness, hope, reflection and new goals.

In 2020, many learned the importance of self-care in a way that the onslaught of viral blogs and articles could never have accomplished. Self-care takes shape in many different forms and looks and feels different for everyone. With a year filled with unprecedented events and challenges, carrying that self-care energy forward is undeniably a part of this year’s beginning. One avenue some may take to accomplish this goal is to be more cognizant of the food and beverages consumed. If the idea of thoroughly drying out your cabinets does not “spark joy,” Allagash Brewing Company’s Little Grove sparkling session ales offer a lighter step in that direction.
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Nate’s Top 10 Albums of 2020 and the Beers To Pair With Them

Turns out, PorchDrinking.com staff sometimes have hobbies outside of beer. Weird, huh? For me, that’s listening to newly released albums and painstakingly ranking those albums to assemble the Top 10 albums of 2020. Okay, I guess I drank beer from the great state of Colorado while doing this, so it’s not a completely separate interest. I’m hoping you’ll enjoy my top 10 albums of 2020 and the beers to pair with them.

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Seedstock Brewery | Polish Gratzer

With a tradition of making classical beers, it’s no surprise that Seedstock Brewery in Denver won its first GABF medal in the Historical Beer category for a Polish Gratzer. Like many central-European beers, the brew has a light body and mild taste but also incorporates the smokiness traditional to the type.

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2020 Utah Best in Beer Year-End Honors

Well, 2020 was certainly one for the books! And, while most of these year-end reports could go on about how difficult the year has been, there is a lot to celebrate. Of course, with lockdowns, restrictions, and curfews all contributing to a down year, we are happy to say that our local breweries have so far made it through by weathering the elements and persevering.

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Colorado Beer Beat | Bi-Weekly Beer Release Guide 12/31

Welcome to the Colorado Beer Beat, a bi-weekly roundup of all of the new can releases around the state. From Denver to Grand Junction, and everywhere in between, we have you covered. Be sure to check back on Thursdays to find out what’s new in the Colorado beer scene.

As we wind down the final hours of 2020, you may feel like cracking a beer to celebrate the start of a new, more hopeful year. The craft beer community lost many great breweries to the pandemic this year, but there are still countless breweries that need your support — now more than ever. Take a look below and discover a wide selection of canned beers that can help you ring in 2021. Happy New Year!

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Fairhope Brewing Co. | Cheap Sunglasses Golden Ale

In 2021, L.A.’s first craft brewery turns 8, and there’s sure to be a Pelican Party like none other! Oh wait — you thought L.A. was Los Angeles? Try the other L.A., more than 2000 miles away from the City of Angels. This L.A. is Lower Alabama, and Fairhope Brewing Company is proud to call itself the region’s first craft brewery.

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2020 Kentucky Best in Beer Year-End Honors

Kentucky’s craft beer scene was set to explode in 2020, but due to COVID-19 that didn’t happen. Still, despite pandemic and shutdowns, five breweries opened their doors in Kentucky–four in Louisville in 2020. There are currently 88 brewery licenses in Kentucky (some breweries have multiple licenses) and while Kentucky is not a state known for craft beer, I think 2021 has big things in store for “the Bourbon State.” Until then, let’s take a look at the 2020 Kentucky Best in Beer Year-End Honors.

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Six Colorado Beers to Ring in the New Year from Molly’s Spirits

While the collective humankind would likely agree that 2021 can’t arrive soon enough, we’d be remiss if we didn’t blow the doors off of 2020 with one final calamitous she-bang. As we reflect on this past year’s highs and lows, we can all cheers toward looking forward to better circumstances and hope.

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Untitled Art | Tropical Smoothie Seltzer

Step into a local bottle shop and pick up a can of fresh fruit smoothie is what the label of Untitled Art Tropical Seltzer Smoothie should say. Instead, the brewery’s bright and cheery can is offset by a white stripe with vivid orange letters screaming SELTZER for all to see. The Waunakee, WI-based brewery collaborated with Stockholm, Sweden-based Omnipollo to create what can only be seen as a marvel of modern brewing.

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2020 Michigan Best in Beer Year-End Honors

Oh dear, oh dear, oh dear. What a year we’ve had in Michigan, eh? Nothing went the way anyone expected and for many, it went worse than they ever imagined. If you’re still standing, congratulations. However, one thing that definitely stayed as expected: Despite shutdowns and sickness and protests and kidnapping threats and endless elections, Michigan brewers once again made some of the best beer in the country in 2020. Which, of course, makes my job that much more difficult. I’m certainly not new to beer, but I am brand new to picking the Michigan Best in Beer Year-End Honors which, at 300+ breweries, is a daunting task, to say the least.

That being said, I still get the good news–and there certainly was plenty of it. So, I’ve compiled what I can of the best in Michigan. Here’s to an absolutely horrible, but completely wonderful, 2020.

Cheers!
~Jess, Michigan Editor at PorchDrinking.com

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2020 Virginia & D.C. Best in Beer Year-End Honors

The 2020 Virginia and DC Best in Beer features a community surviving and even thriving in this most unusual year. It was a time of coming together where local breweries invented new ways to reach their loyal customers, and those customers took their “drink local” mantra to new heights.  Together, the local craft beer community weathered the storm with remarkably few breweries closing, and even a few new ones opening.

Local breweries continued to put out some wildly creative and delicious beers and perhaps more than ever proved their worth as creators and sustainers of social bonds. The Virginia and Washington, DC craft beer communities look forward to a more “normal” 2021 while taking pride in their remarkable resiliency throughout the unprecedented global challenges of 2020.

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2020 Georgia Best in Beer Year-End Honors

In all of the craziness that 2020 had to offer, it became easy to find solace and joy in small ways. Bars, restaurants and breweries closed while other small businesses struggled to stay afloat. All the negativity brought forth a few shining lights during the year, though. Georgia’s beer industry, while hit hard by COVID-19 implications, stayed busy – with several openings since March. It would be easy to praise every single beer released this year, but I get it: You’re here for the best beers and stories that came out of the Peach State this year, so let’s get to it. Feel free to let us know your thoughts on the 2020 Georgia Best in Beer Year-End Honors in a comment below!

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4 Noses Brewing Co. | Großer Arber German-Style Dunkel

While Stouts are popular in the winter months, dark Lagers such as Dunkels are easy-drinking, all-day sipping beers that are great to enjoy as well. Ahead of the holiday season, 4 Noses Brewing Co. recently released Großer Arber, a German-style Dunkel. With their Broomfield, CO taproom easily accessible, it was a no brainer to swing by and grab a 4-pack to enjoy over the holidays.

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The History Behind Riot | Revolution Brewing

Good beer tells a story. A brewer could be inspired by a personal experience or possibly by their surroundings. For Riot, it is the latter. The city of Chicago has a dense and complex history. Chicago is known for major historical events such as The Great Chicago Fire, The Columbian Exposition (shout out to the amazing book Devil in the White City), and the Haymarket Affair. But, the story behind this Revolution Brewing beer is hidden in the depths of history.

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More Inside Hershey’s Trademark Dispute with Side Lot Brewery

As reported by CBS Chicago’s (WBBM) Marie Saavedra, Side Lot Brewery in Wauconda, IL (Chicago’s Northwest Suburbs) must pay The Hershey Company $8,500 by January 4th because of its Sugar Series beer release this past Halloween comprised of Hershey’s candies and the associated labeling that mimicked Hershey products. We spoke to the parties involved about the trademark dispute.

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Six Colorado Beers to Enjoy this Holiday Season from Molly’s Spirits

While nothing is exactly traditional these days, the holiday season is typically the perfect excuse or occasion to enjoy Dark Lagers, Barrel-Aged Stouts, Double IPAs, and generally any kind of … Read More

What We’re Cooking | Imperial Stout Infused Salt

One of the greatest benefits to our “What We’re Cooking” series is that PorchDrinking has the chance to do our own special kind of recipe development. Any chef will show you how alcohol can be present in just about any kind of dish for breakfast, lunch, dinner or dessert but beer is mysteriously underrepresented. However, just like home brewing, it means there’s a world of undiscovered projects just waiting to be uncovered. And Scott Johnson may have found a new beer-tasting seasoning to hit the shelves with Imperial Stout Salt! Read More

Crooked Stave | Scoville Barrel-Aged Imperial Stout

In a saturated Denver craft beer market, Crooked Stave has managed to remain a standout brand for a decade. They’ve recently chosen to move out of the River North Art District and return to their brewing roots in the up-and-coming Sunnyside neighborhood with a recently refreshed taproom. They also recently added a satellite location about an hour outside of Denver up the road in Fort Collins.

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Brewery Showcase | North Pole Brewing Company

The North Pole goes dark for months at a time during the winter months, which also happens to be the time when the indigenous elves work their hardest. The elves, of course, serve the world’s most famous philanthropist, Santa Claus. But, with a harsh and brutal winter comes the need to kick back with friends and enjoy a good beer or two and that’s where North Pole Brewing comes into play. The brewery, and its head brewer Abigail Cornelious, have so far enjoyed resounding success.

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