Beers For Gaming | Dungeons & Dragons

Beginning a new hobby—whether it’s immersing yourself into a board game or getting into the craft beer scene—can be a daunting task. As I was learning the ropes of Dungeons & Dragons, I found myself reminiscing on my early craft beer adventures. Experiencing and exploring new beer styles, breweries and beers was unfamiliar but exciting; the thrill of these new discoveries was truly unmatched. The same emotions are felt when adventuring through a quest in Dungeons & Dragons as unpredictable and diverse journeys shape each session.

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Solaris Beer & Blending | Pink Flowers (Rose Petals)

In the face of adversity and trying times, it is always an encouraging sight to witness those who press forward and beat the odds. Solaris Beer & Blending in Murrieta, California, is one of such stories. Though they have no tasting room and are still under construction, the brewery was able to put the proper licensing in place in the midst of a pandemic. And despite having limited weekly releases as their sole income, the quality of Solaris’s offerings are nearly unparalleled, especially given the size of their operation.

One of the first beers Solaris released was Pink Flowers – Rose Petals, part of their Sour & Flower series. This sour golden ale was brewed with rose petals, Turkish apricots, kumquats and conditioned on French oak.
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Cooperage Brewing Company | McCurty Cove

This beer was bought, saved and finally drank with hope. Hope that baseball will come back in some capacity this season. However, the light at the end of the tunnel seems to be getting further away as the MLBPA and MLB struggle for power in their latest negotiations. So while waiting with bated breath and crossed fingers we can at least pop a few crisp beers and reminisce about some of our favorite McCovey Cove bombs.

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Pontoon Brewing Company | Extra Extra Irish Extra Stout

Imagine going to your favorite local liquor store, before COVID-19 or even now (as safely able), and standing in front of the beer wall. It’s a beautiful sight. There are seemingly hundreds of options from every color to any design imaginable. Some simple, some intricate. This was my experience with Pontoon Brewing Company’s Extra Extra Irish Extra Stout as the simplicity of the label grabbed my attention among the plethora of options. 
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Flying Fish Brewing Company | Abbey Dubbel

Sometimes, no matter the weather or season, a brewery can score major brownie points if it offers a comforting brew that provides all-around enjoyment. Be it hiking, playing cards, attending a barbecue or perhaps sitting around a bonfire — a beer for seemingly all occasions, especially one that won’t particularly floor you after a few. One such beer is an Abbey Dubbel brewed by Flying Fish Brewing Company, located in Somerdale, New Jersey.

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Ultimate 6er | Beers to Pair with Your Memorial Day Cookout

A large Memorial Day cookout may not be an option this year, but that doesn’t mean you can’t enjoy the delicious foods that come with the barbecue. For those who are social distancing together, you can still put together a fun, albeit small, Memorial Day event. While PorchDrinking can’t do the cooking for you, we can give you the perfect pairings for those classic cookout foods! Read More

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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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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What We’re Drinking | May 8, 2020

Most of us are going on week seven or eight, (wait, what week is it?) of shelter-in-place, and life as we know it is completely upside down. Personally, I’ve been doing beer-to-go runs every week to make sure my fridge is stocked with the best of the best fresh beer from my local breweries and brewpubs to help me get through these crazy times. Over at PorchDrinking.com, we are here for you, so we are happy to help you decide what beers to pick up this week and continue supporting your local beer scene. Here’s What We’re Drinking week 7 (?) quarantine edition.

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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

More Small Business Aid Coming for Breweries—High Demand Expected

With many breweries frozen out of Small Business Administration (SBA) assistance when funding  ran out on April 16, 2020, last week’s passage of the Coronavirus-relief package provided new hope. However breweries need to act fast, as all programs operate on a first-come, first-served basis. With high demand anticipated, the added funds will likely be exhausted in a matter of days. Read More

Ultimate 6er | Non-Alcoholic Craft Beers

It used to be that the term “non-alcoholic beer” brought looks of confusion from those who heard it. To the craft beer connoisseur these words are even more foreign. However, alcohol free craft beers are coming up in the world and it’s time we start paying attention.

Perhaps you’re going dry for awhile. Maybe a health condition or medication prevents you from drinking alcohol. Or, like me, you could be abstaining from alcohol in solidarity with your pregnant wife. Whatever the reason, these booze-free brews have a slew of handy uses.

Feast your eyes, and then your palates, on these six craft beers that’ll make you forget there’s no alcohol in them. Read More

The Answer | Heh Heh Heh Hrr Rrr Heh Huh! Rakau! Ha Hrr

The Answer Brew Pub is well-known across the mid-Atlantic for its fruited sours (Joose, anyone?) and phenomenal IPAs, but whoever names their beers is the real superstar here.

You read the title of that beer above right. It’s been double-checked it for you. Can you guess the beer name’s reference?

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What We’re Drinking | April 10, 2020

It’s time to turn off the news, grab your favorite beer and reflect on what you are most grateful for during this very weird time. I hope you are all staying safe and finding creative ways to move through your days. One fun way is to get a local beer-to-go and raise a glass once again as part of the #NationwideCheers going on every Friday promptly at 5 p.m. wherever you happen to be. Here are some great ideas for beers to cheers with from your PorchDrinking team in this week’s What We’re Drinking.

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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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Join Us Every Friday for a #NationwideCheers

Community Beer Company out of Dallas, Texas came up with a brilliant idea. To support your local craft brewery, buy your favorite local beer-to-go (observing all social distancing requirements), open one up on Friday afternoon at 5 p.m. and take a picture or video to post it on social media with the hashtag #NationwideCheers. By doing so, you will not only be supporting your local craft beer industry, you will also be joining a community of your fellow beer lovers with a virtual cheers.

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Phase Three Brewing Company | Pressed

You enter the store and wait through the excruciating line, the fog of early morning clouding your eyes. You get to the counter and place your order, saying, “I’ll take a grande, nonfat, Porter with a side of vanilla.”

It may not be Starbucks, but Phase Three Brewing Company, in Lake Zurich, Illinois, is brewing a series of beers that blur the line between coffee shop and brewery. Maple. Vanilla. Chocolate. Hazelnut. Coffee. Each is incredible on its own, but when brewed into a beer, they can become amazing if approached correctly. Phase Three is remarkable, and is fighting its way into your glass.

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PorchDrinking’s Weekly Denver Beer Beat | March 4, 2020

The Denver Beer Beat is a weekly roundup of brewery openings, special tappings, firkins and one-off batches, bottle releases, dinners, pairings, and more happening in the Front Range and beyond. Be sure to check in each Wednesday to discover anything and everything happening around Colorado’s beer scene. Now let’s get to this week’s can’t miss beer events. Read More

PorchDrinking’s Weekly Denver Beer Beat | February 27, 2020

The Denver Beer Beat is a weekly roundup of brewery openings, special tappings, firkins and one-off batches, bottle releases, dinners, pairings, and more happening in the Front Range and beyond. Be sure to check in each Wednesday to discover anything and everything happening around Colorado’s beer scene. Now let’s get to this week’s can’t miss beer events. Read More

PorchDrinking’s Weekly Denver Beer Beat | February 19, 2020

The Denver Beer Beat is a weekly roundup of brewery openings, special tappings, firkins and one-off batches, bottle releases, dinners, pairings, and more happening in the Front Range and beyond. Be sure to check in each Wednesday to discover anything and everything happening around Colorado’s beer scene. Now let’s get to this week’s can’t miss beer events. Read More