Live Oak Brewing | Pilz

There are a lot of beers on the shelves that hang in the periphery of my vision in my regular quest for hops. I may notice a few of those beers from time to time—the traditional styles—and ponder for a second about trying them but instead, I predictably settle on a sixer of some flashy new IPA or stout. Then, one fine day, I decided to break the cycle. I now see the error of my ways, for where I was once blind, now I see. Pilsners can be downright delicious, too, and Live Oak Pilz is the best example I’ve ever had. 

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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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Arizona Wilderness Brewing Co. | Camp Light

People heavily involved with craft beer have been saying for quite some time that lagers were going to make a comeback and see gains in popularity. If you were one of those people, you were spot on and I applaud you. Lagers have been killing it in 2019 and it shows no signs of slowing down. Arizona Wilderness Brewing Co. isn’t new to the lager game, but they’ve been ramping up their lagering efforts lately. One of their more recent releases was a light lager called Camp Light. Read More

Industrial Arts Brewing Company | 2019 Summer Landscape

With the 2019 release of Summer Landscape, Industrial Arts Brewing Company moves into the second year of its Landscape Series. These seasonal beers are meant to highlight New York State ingredients, and are entirely produced with materials grown within the state. This latest version is another success for the brewery. Read More

Fretboard Brewing | Klosterman Honey Wheat Lager

Bread and beer have some very obvious connections. Which means there’s always plenty of breweries using bread as a clever ingredient or naming convention. And that is exactly what is happening in Cincinnati, Ohio, with Fretboard Brewing and Klosterman Baking Co.

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Debunking the Misconceptions Behind Craft Lagers

When I lead beer tastings and classes, I often hear people express a common misconception: lagers are inferior to ales. This idea is starting to change as craft lagers become more popular, but there is still plenty of confusion out there about lagers, and for good reason—with so many styles, craft beer can be confusing! Fortunately, misconceptions about lagers are pretty simple to clear up.

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A Look at the Young but Ambitious Craft Beer Scene in Vienna

Amidst stunning architecture and a scenic landscape filled with rolling hills, snowy mountain caps, and rushing rivers, lies a long-standing brewing tradition primed for new growth. Austria is home to over 300 brewers now who made 9.8 million hectoliters (there are roughly 0.85 bbls/hectoliter) of beer last year; its people drink more than 110 liters of beer per year – only behind the Czech Republic and Germany for most Europe. Vienna, Austria’s capital, is a fitting image of the current state of the country’s beer scene. Many bars only have taps from storied breweries like Ottakringer or Trumer available. Zwickel, Helles and Pils reign supreme. IPAs are little more than a passing rumor with beers over 6% routinely raising eyebrows. It’s a city fixed between consistency and curiosity. All of these market factors were on display when I visited the Wiener Bierfest recently, just steps from the historic St. Stephen’s Cathedral.

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Real Ale Brewing Company | Wallball IPL

On a Saturday night not too long ago, a hell of a storm blew through San Antonio. Overnight rains are certainly welcome to the area, considering the region’s aquifer-based water supply is highly dependent on the spring rainfall. What wasn’t so welcome, however, was the wind that accompanied the storm. With gusts between 30 and 50 mph, it was strong enough to topple over a section of my fence, adding a totally unexpected chore to my weekend to-do list.

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Inside the Tank | Crystal Lake Brewing

While there are a lot of big name breweries operating inside the city of limits of Chicago today, the surrounding suburbs are producing notable beers that often fly under the radar.

Since 2014, Crystal Lake Brewing has been producing beers that have become a mainstay for McHenry County. In that time, the brewery has begun to make more of a name for itself outside of Crystal Lake, IL.

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Germany’s Paulaner to Offer Two Popular Beers in Cans for the First Time in the US

America is bursting at the seams with great American craft beer options. There’s a bevy of tasty hazy IPAs and adjunct-filled stouts that generate social buzz and full bellies, but sometimes you just want a nice, easy-to-drink beer. For that, many look to and take notes from the Germans and their time-tested and rigorous brewing processes that continue to set the standard for classic beer styles. While solid imported options do exist, they can be hard to come by and even harder to identify if you’re not well-versed in traditional German brewers. Paulaner, a German stalwart of brewing that is older than America itself, is hoping to change that with Paulaner U.S.A’s announcement that their Hefe-Weizen and Original Munich Lager offerings will be available across the U.S. in 16.2oz cans this Spring. Here’s what you need to know about the new Paulaner beers gracing shelves stateside soon.

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Roses’ Taproom | Lite Brite

Roses’ Taproom in the Temescal neighborhood of Oakland, California is ushering in a new wave of breweries by reimagining what a taproom can be. They’re bringing their own style to an ever-growing and expanding beer community in the East Bay.

Walking through the door, some may get a hipster, bougie vibe from the space. But, it’s clear that immense thought and care has gone into every detail. From the teal fish scale backsplash behind the multi-curved spindle tap handles to the luscious greenery and warm lighting, visitors are made to feel comfortable and welcome to share a beer or two with friends in this stylish space.

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Chicago Quick Sips | Jan. 7 Chicago Beer News & Events

Quick Sips is our way of highlighting beer events, tap takeovers and other notable beer news around the city of Chicago. If you’d like to submit something to be included in the next Quick Sips, please email us at [email protected].

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Dovetail Brewery Releases Helles as First Can

Almost one year after releasing its first bottled beer, Dovetail Brewery brings its signature Helles to cans. Beginning this week, locals can pick up a four-pack of the 16-ounce cans at the brewery’s North Center taproom. Read More

Jack’s Abby Craft Lagers | House Lager

After a sip of Jack’s Abby’s House Lager, it is understandable to think that you just tasted the Massachusetts brewery’s version of an Oktoberfest. Everything about the taste harkens back to the 1516 German Reinheitsgebot law that states only water, malt, yeast, and hops can be used to make beer. But there is something else about it that separates it from the other beers on the market. It has a maltier taste that splits the difference between nutty Oktoberfests and the standard golden lagers that belong at a summer barbecue.  

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The OGs of Craft Beer | Brooklyn Brewery Brooklyn Lager

Much like myself, Brooklyn Brewery’s Brooklyn Lager is an 80s baby, so naturally, we have a lot in common. And ironically—or maybe not so—this beautiful, golden brew entered my life two decades later, upon my first year as an adult living in NYC. With its green and black Milton Glaser logo and strong presence throughout the five boroughs, it seemed obvious this was a craft I needed on draft. Today, Brooklyn Lager reminds me of those long-hour work weeks that ended with a sweet, malty reward. Its ubiquitousness is one constant in this ever-changing city that never disappoints.

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Ultimate 6er | How I Met Your Mother

How I Met Your Mother did for my generation what Friends did for the one before. As a sitcom, it was never going to be subversive or show the realities of every day New Yorkers, but it certainly gave a better sense of what 20 and 30 somethings in the 2000s were really doing, and it wasn’t sitting in coffee shops. Sitting down with your friends for a few drinks at your local watering hole has been a part of American culture for generations, and HIMYM made it look great. Each of the main characters embodied a certain personality type, but with a level of complexity and fun that makes them perfect for an Ultimate 6er.

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Burial + Other Half | One For Me Helles Lager

Somehow I’ve managed to go years without reviewing a single thing from Burial Beer Company, one of the better-known, Asheville-based brewers in North Carolina. Today we make an end to that with One For Me, Burial’s collaboration Helles Lager brewed with Other Half Brewing out of New York. Read More

Brewery Showcase | Kinslahger Brewing

In a craft-beer world abound in ales, a brewery focused on lagers can reap the benefits of exploring a whole new world of brewing innovation and experimentation. And that’s what you’ll find at Kinslahger Brewing in the Chicago suburb of Oak Park, Illinois,
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Call to Arms Brewing | The Legend of Khores Ballroom Beer

I don’t need to introduce Call to Arms Brewing to most of you, because you’ve likely already heard all about it. I don’t need to tell you their Khores Ballroom Beer has become a staple in Denver, Golden and the rest of the world. I certainly don’t need to remind you Khores is delivered from a humble, though up-and-coming brewery modeled after an English-style pub in Denver’s Berkeley neighborhood.

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Inside the Tank | Hopewell Brewing Company

Three friends, Jonathan Fritz, Stephen Bossu and Samantha Lee, went to the University of Illinois together and did some home brewing together. After college they went their separate ways, Stephen and Samantha got married, but they ultimately came back together and last year opened up Hopewell Brewing Company in the Logan Square neighborhood of Chicago.

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