Zero Gravity Brewery | Green State Lager

I remember my first time like it was yesterday. It was late March in the winter of 2016. My wife and I were looking for some après-ski nourishment. After a long day of skiing at Stowe, this was an absolute necessity. Making our way down the mountain access road we eventually wandered into a restaurant called Doc Ponds. 

Gazing at the beer menu while taking a seat at the bar, I asked the bartender, “what do you recommend?” An avid Vermont skier, I’m very familiar with the Green Mountain State’s vast craft beer market. However, I always like a local’s take when I can get it. Ultimately, his response pushed me in the direction of Zero Gravity Brewery Green State Lager, a beer that they had just put on tap. One sip and I was in love, hooked on the light, crisp, bready Pilsner bearing the state’s name. 

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Examining the Oskar Blues Can-O-Bliss Series

In this new COVID19-driven world, to-go options and canning have taken center stage in the craft beer industry. So it’s no surprise that the first brewery to put craft beer in cans, Oskar Blues, is still producing and distributing a variety of beer styles. One such collection is the Oskar Blues Can-O-Bliss IPA series, a rotating release of IPAs the brewery unveiled in 2019. The idea behind the project is to “showcase unconventional combinations of exceptional hops.” The result for beer drinkers is a series that celebrates the diversity of hop flavors and aromas.

The brewery sent PorchDrinking a few samples to try: Tropical IPA, Hazy IPA and Citra DIPA. The Tropical will return next spring, but the seasonal Hazy IPA is available now and the DIPA is a year-round treat. Oskar Blues will also release a new Citrus IPA in September 2020.

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Yards Brewing Company | Jefferson’s Golden Ale

Philadelphia: The city of brotherly and sisterly love. Whether you live in Philadelphia, the surrounding area that wishes it was Philly, or are just visiting, the significance of the history of the eastern Pennsylvania city is undeniable. From statues of individuals such as William Penn, John Barry and George Washington, to the bricked neighborhood of Old City and an almost deity like appreciation of Benjamin Franklin, the 300+ years of history are sure to include beer as well. Yards Brewing Company, in the city’s Northern Liberties neighborhood, thrives off the old world tradition of beer styles with Jefferson’s Golden Ale, formerly called Thomas Jefferson’s Tavern Ale.

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Creature Comforts Brewing Co | Automatic

Pure excitement. That’s one of the many emotions that Athens, Georgia, beer lovers are feeling as Creature Comforts announced Automatic, their seasonal Pale Ale, was finally joining the ranks of their year-round offerings. Creature Comforts chose Automatic as their sixth year-round beer as part of their six-year anniversary celebration. 

Automatic has been a staple of summer since its first splash onto the Georgia craft beer scene more than four years ago. Now, summer never has to stop. Read More

Alvarado Street Brewery | Mai Tai P.A.

Alvarado Street Brewery has been brewing incredible beers since 2014. Led by a father-son team who opened their first brewpub in downtown Monterey, California, the brewery expanded two years later, building out both its beer garden and another production brewery in Salinas, aka “The Salad Bowl of the World”. In 2015, Alvarado struck gold when their Mai Tai P.A. won a GABF gold medal, a win the brewery repeated in 2018. Read More

Neshaminy Creek Brewing Company | JAWN Pale Ale

Jawn – /jôn/ – (noun)

“Eastern Pennsylvania slang used to refer to a person, place, thing or event that one need not or can not give specific name to.”

Not as in I jawn, you jawn, he… she… we… jawn. That usage would be incorrect. The proper usage of “jawn” is for any and all nouns. Including Neshaminy Creek JAWN Pale Ale.

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Boiler Brewing Company | Hawaiian Trifecta

Coffee, chocolate, or coconut stouts are wonderful things in and of themselves. But in the hands of Boiler Brewing Company, these three big flavors combine to create one winning Stout: the Hawaiian Trifecta.

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5 Stones Brewery | Galaxy Shepherd

On a clear night in the Texas Hill Country, you can look up into the vast unknown and see more stars than you could count in a lifetime. If conditions are right, and you let your eyes adjust to the night skies, you can even see the colors of the Milky Way swirling through the sea of stars. That’s a spectacular sight to see, and 5 Stones Artisan Brewery Galaxy Shepherd Pale Ale is a stellar brew to pair with the occasion.

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Lexington Brewing & Distilling Co. | Kentucky Bourbon Barrel Ale

Since there is always something new to try in the golden age of craft beer, some folks (this Porchdrinker included), rarely drink the same beer twice. However, in a time of great stress and fear of the unknown, it can be comforting to revert back to things that are familiar and comforting, and this consistently satisfying beer has earned its rightful place in your beer fridge. Read More

Ratio Beerworks | Rooftops Mexican Lager

Porch drinking season is on the way and that means light(er) beers are making a return! Although it can be argued that these easy-drinking beers are a year-round staple, there’s just something about hanging out on a porch, patio, or anywhere outside with great friends and a few beers to share. Ratio Beerworks Rooftops Mexican Lager will be one that you’ll want to have in hand to share, especially since Ratio has begun canning this beer in 12-oz six-packs for the first time ever.

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Anchor Brewing | Anchor Steam Beer

There are times in our lives where we reach for comfort, for the known. Items that have happier memories attached to them to bring us back to simpler roots and uncomplicated moments. We are experiencing weird, uncomfortable, scary and unpredictable times, and it can be reassuring to reach for the classics. Our drinks of choice are no different, and although it may no longer be Flagship February, we can still take comfort in our local year-round lineups from the independent breweries we hope to support through this.

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Bayboro Brewing | Teufel Hunden Peanut Butter Chocolate Stout

In the current state of affairs of COVID-19 and stay-at-home orders, breweries and taprooms from all parts are working hard to stay open, keep their businesses afloat, and promote their beer to consumers during the pandemic. Most Tampa Bay-area breweries have moved to to-go sales in order to keep tapping kegs and selling great beer to anyone who ventures into their taprooms.

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Left Hand Brewing | Galactic Cowboy

Traveling through the ever evolving galaxy that is craft brewing requires a delicate balance of knowing your roots, but willing to experiment. One of the pioneers of craft beer, Left Hand Brewing of Longmont, Colorado, is not one to rest of their laurels. With recent changes such as launching a CBD infused beverage called Present with WAAYB Organics, modifying the iconic red Left Hand logo and re-designing packaging to include the new logo, announcing a new Denver taproom location, and adding beers to both their regular and NITRO series of beers, you can clearly see that Left Hand is preparing for the next frontier.

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WeldWerks Brewing Co. | Juicy Bits New England-Style IPA

Juicy Bits: it’s the beer that placed Greeley, Colorado-based WeldWerks Brewing Co. on the map for craft beer lovers across the state and throughout the Mountain region. Popular among amateur beer lovers and industry insiders alike, this New England-style IPA is as refreshing and flavorful as its name claims. Since its conception in 2016, WeldWerks has refreshed the recipe and created a number of successful spin offs, but there’s something special about the original Juicy Bits recipe that keeps beer lovers coming back for more.

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Wiley Roots Brewing Co. | Next Day Vanilla

Although the weather may be warming up a bit here and there, it’s still nice to enjoy a good, dark beer every so often. Rich, sweet, and all around delicious, Next Day Vanilla from Wiley Roots Brewing Co. is one that you can’t go wrong with. This particular brew is one of six variants that has a special, interactive element that adds to the experience of enjoying this beer. Read More

Bold Republic Brewing | Jalapeño Cream Ale

Belton, TX is a small, quiet town about an hour north of Austin with some excellent food and beer offerings for visitors and residents. Until recently, though, it had no breweries. In 2018, that all changed. Bold Republic Brewing Company has been running strong and offering tasty craft beer ever since, even during these times of quarantines, lockdowns and social distancing.

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O’Connor Brewing Company | Proper Lager

It’s always impressive when a brewery breaks away from their most popular beer. For years, O’Connor Brewing Co. was known for its El Guapo, an Agave IPA that you’d find at just about every supermarket and Mexican restaurant. The brewery had some nice beers here and there, but most got overshadowed by El Guapo. O’Connor finally broke through the mold last year when it released Proper Lager, a new flagship Helles-style lager that ranked #4 on Paste’s 102 of the Best Craft Lagers, Blind-Tasted and Ranked. Read More

Off Color Brewing | Chicago Craft Gin Week is a Real Thing

Every once in a while, a truly insane beer comes around and delights the masses. Chicago Craft Gin Week Is A Real Thing (CCGWIART) from Off Color Brewing is one of these beers—if the masses love a sour, that is. Off Color brews up some of the best beers in the Windy City, from their experimental Miller High Life collaboration, Eek!, to the delicious dessert that is Dino S’mores Russian Imperial Stout. With CCGWIART, the brewery has yet another unconventional (yet delectable) feather in its cap. Read More

ManRock Brewing Co. | Get Him A Hoppy Bag

The year 1984 brought some of our favorite classics to the big screen. Ghostbusters, The Terminator, Footloose, Sixteen Candles, Gremlins, A Nightmare on Elm Street, Star Trek III: The Search for Spock, Revenge of the Nerds, and Indiana Jones and the Temple of Doom made their appearance, but none resonated with audiences quite as much as The Karate Kid. Featuring a story line of a teenager navigating adolescence and dealing with bullies, The Karate Kid became the fifth highest grossing film that year.

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HOMES Brewery | Cat Person & Peaked

Over the past three years, HOMES Brewery out of Ann Arbor, Michigan, has quickly become one of the most buzzed-about breweries in the country. Two shining examples of their proficiency with hoppy beers can be found in Cat Person and Peaked.

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