Bear Republic Brewing | Racer 7 Hazy IPA

Bear Republic Brewing Company was a west coast staple in the early days of craft beer. Prior to the current excesses of beer choices, if you wanted an IPA at your local spot you were pretty much limited to Stone, Lagunitas and Bear Republic. Read More

Staff Picks for Best Beers of the Month | March 2023

April showers bring—wait, what the hell? It’s April? As in basically summer? Sheesh! At least the beer festival and baseball seasons are here. We’re back to focus and highlight some of the best beers from across the country that PorchDrinking.com staff has enjoyed over the last few weeks—and no, no April Fools’ jokes here. Regardless of your constant plans or practically full fridge, be sure to grab these beers if you’re out and about.
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California’s Craft Beer Summit Is Back

The California Craft Beer Summit is back! This multi-day event includes educational seminars, a hands-on trade show, food and craft beer pairings, and a place to reconnect, meet people and learn. Read More

Off the Rails Brewing | Yolo IPA

Off the Rails Brewing is situated on historic Murphy Avenue, right by the Caltrain rail station, in Sunnyvale, California, a larger ‘burb in the South Bay area between San Francisco and San Jose. For the longest time, they were draft-only, but all that changed a few weeks ago when they began canning a few of their brews, including Yolo, their signature “fruity” IPA. Read More

California Craft Beer Week Returns This July

California craft beer week returns! Craft beer guilds across the state have come together to bring California Craft Beer Week (CCBW) to fruition. Read More

Pennyweight Craft Brewing | Jefecito Milk Stout

With original plans to open in March of 2020 in downtown Livermore (California), Pennywight Craft Brewing quickly had to shift focus. Like so many other breweries, the constant change in recommendations and rules left them to think on their feet. As soon as local regulations allowed, they started selling growlers and crowlers and even managed to have a full kitchen up and running by late June of 2020. Tenacity and focus were requirements to stay afloat.
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Firestone Walker Double Barrel Ale Turns 25

Not many beers brewed in the US have an origin story that equals Firestone Walker’s Double Barrel Ale, aka DBA. So when Adam Firestone and David Walker, two brothers-in-law, set out to brew this beer in 1996, it was safe to say they were not just forging their own path. Instead, they were envisioning a new concept.

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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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Libertine Brewing Company | Pacific Ocean Blue Gose

A beer is only as good as its water: It is the starting point and foundation from which all else grows and changes. Libertine Brewing Company wanted one of their staple beers to evoke the essence of the place they call home—the central coast of California—so they decided to use local, Pacific Coast salty sea waters to add the traditional brininess in a Gose.

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Burning Barrel Brewing Co. | Oater Boat IPA with Strawberry

Burning Barrel Brewing Company has just recently celebrated their 1-year anniversary in the crowded Sacramento craft beer scene…and business is booming. Located in the Sacramento suburb of Rancho Cordova, just a quick drive from downtown Sacramento, Burning Barrel has made a name for themselves as specializing in fruit-forward sours and hoppy IPAs. It only made sense for them to eventually start adding fruit to some of their IPAs, and the results were terrific.

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Local Brewing Company | Duboce IPA

There are moments when we don’t appreciate the constants that exist in our lives. When we don’t stop to wonder in awe of electricity, the access to nonstop show binging, the simple and comforting knowledge that every California brewery is going to have a truly pine-sapping West Coast IPA on their tap list. But a haze has set over California, and not just Karl the Fog. It’s nice to see the West Coast IPA embraced again on taproom boards and specialty can drops.

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JuicyBrews West Fest Brought Out the Rarities Over 420 Weekend

April 20th started out overcast and gloomy in Oakland, CA. With a chilly wind blowing off the Bay, it didn’t seem like the sun was going to come out to … Read More

Event Preview | Juicy Brews WestFest

On April 20, 2019, Hop Culture Magazine will return to Oakland for the second year in a row to host Juicy Brews WestFest Craft Beer Festival. Hosted in partnership with Drake’s Brewing Company at Drake’s Dealership ( 2325 Broadway, Oakland, CA), the crew has put together an impressive lineup. 

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