Kölsch vs. Altbier | A Tradition of Competition

It’s no secret that Germans are proud of their beer traditions, with residents of each region proclaiming that their brew is the best. This competitiveness is most clearly embodied in the industrial cities of Cologne (Köln) and Düsseldorf. Kölners proudly promote their Kölsch while Düsseldorfers claim that Altbier is the way to go. Read More

Black Bottle Brewery | Friar Chuck Kölsch

Black Bottle Brewery has been cranking out a wide variety of beer in Midtown Fort Collins, Colorado since they first opened their doors in 2012. One of those beers — a local favorite and one of their top selling brews — is their year-round Friar Chuck Kölsch. In addition to having their beer on tap, they are also a full service gastropub with a full bar and guest beverages that round out their 40 line tap list. Before we pop the top on Friar Chuck Kölsch, let’s briefly unpack the Kölsch style.
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Oktoberfest Beer Showcase | Victory Brewing Company Festbier

Fall is steeped in tradition. It brings the change of another season, a reminder of the passage of time. The flannel shirts come out and the apples are ripe for picking. Along with that, the beer you’ll find on shelves at your local stores will replace the light, refreshingly tart and citrus flavors of the summer with the malty and more full-bodied offerings that are also a reminder of the changing of the calendar. Read More

What We’re Cooking | Rodenbach Rote Grütze

After hours of imbibing in the finest German beers and breads of Oktoberfest, a refreshing, fruity treat is ideal way to slow down into the evening.

Rote Grütze, also known as “Red Groats” is a traditional dessert from Northern Germany that is incredibly easy, customizable, and flexible.

The Flanders Red actually provides a lot of the acidity required to cut through all the tannins from the berries. Rodenbach Alexander goes the extra mile with the character from the oak foeders combined with sour cherries.

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Oktoberfest Beer Showcase | Hacker Pschorr Münchner Gold

With a rich history going back 600 years, Hacker Pschorr is truly one of the OGs of German beer. These guys were doing Reinheitsgebot almost 100 years before there WAS a Reinheitsgebot. This Munich-based brewery produces several dozen different beers, only a handful of which—including Münchner Gold—are distributed in the US.

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Aardwolf Brewing Company | Adalwolf Pils

A wolf hidden in sheep’s clothing, Aardwolf Brewing out of Jacksonville, FL has a wide portfolio of beers that are constantly hitting the mark. In a state that never receives snow and has summers that can be extremely humid and hot, Lagers are the beers that are perfect for any time of year.

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Dovetail Set to Release Chicago’s First Commercially-Produced Kriek

Dovetail Brewery’s Kriek beer has been in the works for almost as long as the brewery has been open. After two years in production, the Kriek, believed to be the first Kriek commercially produced in Chicago, will be released in bottles tomorrow at the brewery.

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Smartmouth Brewing Co. | Safety Dance Pilsner

I have known about Smartmouth Brewing Company for a few years now, loving their Alter Ego Saison and enjoying the brewery’s delightful detailed scientific labels that adorn its year-round brews. The first time I had heard of Safety Dance Pilsner, the beer appeared as the Best in Show Winner for the 2017 Virginia Craft Beer Cup. So when I saw these cans in my local bottle shop, I knew I had to pick some up for these muggy, summer days.

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Ultimate 6er | Zinzinnati Oktoberfest

With only a few days away from the largest Oktoberfest in the United States, it’s time to put on the drinking cap. Each year more than 500,000 people come to Cincinnati (aka Zinzinnati) to attend this rich German heritage event sampling German-style food, music and my favorite, beer. Read More

Avery Brewing Co. | El Gose

ABV: 4.5%

Avery Brewing El Gose (Gose-Uh)

Is it Mexican? Is it German? Is it Coloradoan? Here’s what it is — It’s delicious. Read More

Brewery Preview | Dovetail Brewery

Days before the craziness of Chicago Craft Beer Week (CCBW), I was offered the opportunity to tour soon-to-open Dovetail Brewery, which is co-owned, operated and run by Bill Wesselink and Hagen Dost. What better way to begin the beer week, than with a preview of the next chapter of Chicago’s burgeoning beer scene.

Dovetail is a reference to the carpenter’s joint of interlocking boards, it is famed for its resistance to being pulled apart. As Bill so elegantly expressed, “It’s coming together to make a stronger brewery. A mix of old and new, American and European to create what we feel is our interpretation.”
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Atwater Brewery | Purple Gang Pilsner

ABV: 5% | IBU: 31

In the 1920s, industry was booming in Detroit. The car companies were producing jobs for the area faster than they could be filled, and the 18th Amendment turned Detroit, with its thin water barrier between the glory land of Canada and dry United States, into one of the most important towns for liquor running and bootlegging. In Detroit, the Purple Gang (run by the Bernstein brothers) was the most ruthless and terrifying group of people you could run into. Known for their general lack of discretion and ability to do anything from kidnappings to murder for hire and bombings, The Purple Gang was vicious enough that Al Capone stayed in Chicago and bought off them rather than attempting to battle them for territory. Eventually their complete disregard for covering their tracks got them caught and led to the group dismantling, but not before becoming notorious enough to make appearances in Elvis Presley’s Jailhouse Rock and multiple James Bond books.
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Munich Dunkel Lager – Hofbräuhaus Newport

Munich Dunkel Lager – Hofbräuhaus Newport, Newport, NY

ABV: 5.5%

Staying in touch with my German roots, the Hofbräuhaus of Newport, Kentucky is one of my favorite places in my hometown—nothing … Read More