San Francisco Beer Week Event Recap | Berkeley Media Preview

It’s that wonderful time of year again where Craft Breweries and Craft Beer lovers alike rejoice in copious new beer releases, fantastically planned events, and can all relate to being both excited for San Francisco Beer Week (SFBW) to be here and counting the days until their livers aren’t screaming at them. Our writers in the San Francisco Bay Area were invited to preview some of the local wares and can releases for this year’s SFBW and we wanted to share the good word you! Read More

Ultimate 6er | Steven Universe

There’s nothing quite as special in the world of animation as Cartoon Network’s Steven Universe. Rebecca Sugar created this pastel wonderland out of her love of classic anime, space opera, and enchanting melody. The result of her hard work is not only one of the best cartoons of this decade but an incredible examination of sci-fi-infused LGBTQ discovery.

Read More

Book Review & Interview | The Homebrewer’s Almanac

The Homebrewer’s Almanac: A Seasonal Guide to Making Your Own Beer from Scratch (Countryman Press, 2016) by Marika Josephson, Aaron Kleidon and Ryan Tockstein

The folks at Scratch Brewing Co. are connected to the land around their brewery in ways few other brewers can boast. Secluded in the woods near Ava in southern Illinois, the Scratch gang doesn’t just use local malt and hops, they pull the ingredients that make their beers so unique from the terrain of the surrounding forest. Tree bark, leaves, mushrooms, berries, nuts, flowers, even plants many of us have been trained to think of as weeds—it’s all fair game for brewers Aaron Kleidon and Marika Josephson. Consequently, their beers have a quality of place—terroir, to use the fancy parlance—few other brews have.

Read More

Almanac Beer Co. | White Label

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

Almanac Taproom and Big Rec Taproom Open in San Francisco’s East Mission District

I am pretty lucky to live in San Francisco and be completely surrounded by an un-ending host of great breweries and beer bars. However, a few weeks ago in late-December SF … Read More

Almanac Beer Co. | Apricot De Brettaville

ABV: 6.5%

Almanac Beer Co. makes “Farm to Barrel” seasonal beers, inspired by the culinary tradition began by Bay Area celebrity chef Alice Waters. Founded in 2010 by then-homebrewers, Jesse … Read More

Almanac Beer Company | Farmer’s Reserve Blackberry

ABV: 7%

Recently Denver received a wave of California goodness with little hype. Bars and bottle shops in the Mile High currently have some amazing beers from Almanac Beer Company … Read More