Collaborating for a Cause | Altar of the Orc Lord: DDB Edition

Those who have followed Alex Kidd since the beginning know him to be a long-time supporter of Modern Times. His reviews of their products have contributed to the growth of their barrel program and special projects, and the news of his cancer diagnosis back in May really hit the team in a personal place. Less than a month after Alex shared the news on social media, Modern Times had already organized a release in an effort to help cover his hospital expenses. We had the opportunity to work briefly with the Special Projects team at Modern Times to gain more insight on the beer itself and Alex’s impact on their development.

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Wild Fields Brewhouse | Mountain Moonlight Oatmeal Stout

What comes to your mind when you think of a comfort beer? That beer you open and that first taste conjures up a feeling of relaxation. Maybe it brings back memories of sitting around a campfire with friends. Maybe just sitting on a patio watching the night sky or maybe just a quiet spot to relax. Read More

Radiant Beer Co | A New Brewery Heating Things Up

It takes more than just a belief in concept to open a brewery during a pandemic. The forces behind Radiant Beer Co. are neither new to beer nor how to connect to their core audience. Read More

A California Craft Beer Veteran Retires

If asked about the most influential people in California’s craft beer history, names like Fritz Maytag, Ken Grossman and Vinnie Cilurzo might top the list for many of the beer enthusiasts. However, away from the public eye, Tom McCormick has had an immense impact on the success of craft beer. Read More

Device Brewing | Auto-Tune

Located in Sacramento, California, Device Brewing  has been a part of the craft beer scene for some time now (seven years to be exact). In that time, the brewery went from a single small production space and taproom to opening its third location in Sacramento. While not always considered the trendiest brewery in town, Device has always been known to produce high-quality beers. The brewery previously focused on consistent, year-round offerings, but has recently revamped their approach to include more one-offs.

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Firestone Walker’s Terroir Project | An Experimental Crossover

For many people, the expectation is that breweries must always be innovating to be relevant. While smaller breweries have the luxury of chasing a trend and nimbly playing the field, many larger and established breweries find this a challenging task. Firestone Walker, though one of the larger craft breweries, has continued to find a way to create their own space. Whether it’s through unique beer releases or highly curated events, they always seem to be up for the challenge. Read More

What We’re Drinking | April 20, 2018

Hope everyone is ready for some smoking good beers…get it?! Cause it’s 4/20? Yeah, I don’t care either. What I do care about is some of the tasty brews that are starting to peek out before spring weather greets us all – Saisons, IPA, and fruited beers! In case you aren’t in a place that is hitting 60+ degrees Fahrenheit, crack that heater, put on a pair of shorts, crack a cold one and see What We’re Drinking.

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The Good Hop’s Extrava-CAN-za w/ Track 7 Brewing

You’ve probably heard of an extravaganza, but have you ever experienced an Extrava-CAN-za? Sacramento’s Track 7 Brewing releases limited run cans twice a month. These beers rotate and can only be purchased on-site at the brewery. Your first introduction to Track 7 Brewing may have been their bottles, but now they’re killing it with a whole slew of new recipes debuting in cans.

Can’t always make it up to Sacramento? Well our friends at The Good Hop have trekked up to Track 7 Brewing for you and picked up a carload of the special release cans to be sold in Oakland at The Good Hop store as part of today’s Extrava-CAN-za release. Ain’t that some Bay Area love?!

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Cellarmaker Brewing Co. | Imperial Coffee & Cigarettes Porter

ABV: 10.3% | IBU: 45

When I found myself alone in San Francisco for a night after a conference, I did what any good PDer would do and took myself to the nearest beer bar. I ended up at the Mikkeller Bar, which had rave reviews for its unique draft list and boasts “the Perfect Pour” thanks to its gas blending system. After scanning the 40-plus draft options, I chose the Cellarmaker Imperial Coffee & Cigarettes Porter from the San Francisco-based Cellarmaker Brewing Co. Nothing else seemed as appropriate in a dark San Francisco bar on a Wednesday night.

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