Hops & Bacteria | How Brewers Use the Antibacterial Properties of Hops

“It’s been known for a long time the addition of hops will control the growth of bacteria in beer,” says Matt McCarroll, professor of chemistry and biochemistry and director of the Fermentation Science Institute at Southern Illinois University. While these antibacterial qualities aren’t usually needed in modern brewing, the rise in popularity of mixed-fermentation beers has reawakened interest in this poorly understood property of hops.

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Breweries Continue to Honor Earth Day with Sustainability Initiatives

The first Earth Day, which was April 22, 1970, was a long time coming. For generations, industry and progress had pushed the population to accept polluted air, polluted water, and polluted lives. No laws regulated what could and could not be done to the Earth, and so, industry had free reign over the environment. Despite what should have been obvious, many people had not thought about the impact of continuous and unregulated pollution. Thankfully, there were still many who did.

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Jester King + Other Half | Urban Mutation

Collaboration beer often presents a mixed bag: Excitement races through your beard when you hear that two of your favorite breweries have Voltron-ed, but then the results follow a predictable pattern. Either you get a middling compromise between the two parties, resulting in a solid and forgettable “eh,” or one brewery’s profile dominates the other and the beer is like a Paul Simon album after Garfunkel left town in which the expected quality makes you forget that there’s supposed another element in this equation.

A friend recently Santa Claused me a suitcase full of Jester King and I’ve been doing my best to explore these recent offerings at a responsible pace. Jester King beers always have that incredible lightness and drinkability. A 750ml is never quite enough and a 375ml is just plain disrespectful. Moderne Dansk, included in this bounty, was one of the best beers I’ve had in quite some time. Schopenhauer himself would have impressed at the dour mood that enveloped me, realizing life would be a long struggle with little possibility of another drop. But one that caught my eye in this 20 bottle porch bomb was the collaboration beer with Other Half: Urban Mutation.

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What We’re Drinking | June 23, 2017

I didn’t think the PorchDrinkers were sampling much beer this week. However, when I asked around, I learned that they had been drinking a ton of great beer. As it turns out, they were just having too much fun! They didn’t want to spoil it by sending pictures to the lame What We’re Drinking guy. They’re just too dang cool to be associated with a wet blanket like me. I get it. While I’m in my room eating a gallon of ice cream by myself, feel free to peruse this week’s What We’re Drinking. You can let yourselves out when you’re done. I don’t think you want to talk to me anyway.

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The Weekly Buzz | May 19 – 25

It is very hard to type when there is a 16-month-old baby sitting on your arm. She is singing “Twinkle, Twinkle, Little Star,” so the pros outweigh the cons. It’s only a matter of time,however, until pins-and-needles become a very real threat. Despite my impeded blood circulation, I managed to comb Twitter for a few morsels of beer news. I hope you enjoy this edition of The Weekly Buzz.

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The Weekly Buzz | April 28 – May 4

If there was one thing that helped me get through a rough week at work, it is knowing that the social media coordinator at Wicked Weed Brewing has a much harder job. Any time a craft brewer is bought out by big beer, you can be 100% certain that a twitterstorm of epic proportions is on the horizon. It’s a meteorological fact. Ask any scientist. I can’t even get Wicked Weed in my state, and it’s still a sad turn of events. My hatred of ABInBev burns with the intensity of a thousand suns. They’ll probably merge with Walmart next, forming the Buy-N-Large corporation, which will eventually force us from this planet to aimlessly roam the galaxy (a la the Disney/Pixar film Wall-E).

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What We’re Drinking | March 17, 2017

It seems like I’m the only PorchDrinker who didn’t have an amazing week of craft beer enjoyment. Instead, I had to work lots of overtime because my coworkers were all pretending to be snowed-in in the aftermath of winter storm Stella. I’ve also managed to get sick again. It feels like my esophagus is being shredded with razor blades every time I swallow. This week I’m on the outside looking in as I bring you What We’re Drinking.

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The Weekly Buzz | March 10 – 16

There’s been lots going on in the world of craft beer this week! Some breweries had snow days and some are shutting down for a bit longer. There are also a few new beers and tons of shenanigans. Buckle up and get ready for a bumpy ride because this is The Weekly Buzz!

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What We’re Drinking | September 2nd, 2016

As we enter September, this week’s edition is a mixed bag. Just as the weather is in flux, you’ll find that the Porchdrinkers’ beer choices vary greatly. You’ll find a crisp, refreshing Berliner Weisse for hot weather, an Oatmeal Milk Stout for cool weather, and everything in-between. Grab a beer and a notepad because you’re about to discover What We’re Drinking! Read More

Jester King Brewery | Bière de Miel

ABV: 6.1% | IBU: 26

Jester King Brewery is one of those American breweries that always seems to be making big waves in the beer world. Their unique spins on Belgian and wild styles and their limited availability makes them always in hidemand for die hard fans. Thankfully, I was in Austin, Texas for the first time this past summer and was able to finally try them out in person at their stunning ranch-like brewery and tasting room. On the toasty summer day that it was, I sampled Bière de Miel for the first time and decided to bring a bottle back home with me.

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