Black Lotus Brewing Co. | Ninja Pirate Barleywine

Like many a Pirate’s doomed lusts for treasure, I’ve frequently attempted (and failed) to get my hands on Black Lotus Brewing Ninja Pirate to review it for the PorchDrinking.com audience. Winning a gold medal for best strong ale at the World Beer Cup tends to bring some competition for the bottles.

My first attempt, a week and a half after its release, failed because the beer was sold out. In my second attempt to procure a bottle of Ninja Pirate, a mere two days after the beer release, I was at least laughed at by head brewer Nick Joseph. It took one more failure before I finally got my hands on a bottle and subsequently found time to share the pride of Clawson, MI with you all. Trust me; Ninja Pirate is worth the wait.

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Lost Abbey | Deliverance

ABV: 12.5%

This week I woke up and it felt like somebody just emptied a fistful of quarters into a Magic Fingers bed. Only I’m at home in California, not in a South Dakota Super8 circa 1978, and that means… earthquake! I’d never felt a quake before, and really it was over as soon as it started. Nothing cracked or fell, and even my pictures stayed straight on the wall. So it was mostly an excuse for folks to go all Chicken Little all over Twitter, but it was a little unsettling to think about the ground opening up and swallowing us all. What better beer to mark a “near death experience” than Deliverance from Lost Abbey.

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Avery Strong Ale Fest Preview

Here at PorchDrinking.com we love festivals. We are festivarians. Beer festivals, music festivals, bacon festivals, you name it! The opportunity to rub elbows and share stories and experiences with like-passionate people makes us giddy. On the horizon this weekend is the Avery Strong Ale Fest in Boulder, Colorado. The beers will be big and our smiles will be even bigger. Join us on the porch in preview!

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Waste your time at the Great American Beer Festival: The Strong Ale Route

The Great American Beer Festival has so much to offer. Below is a tasting from all over the country of exceptional beer. There’s just one problem: this route is a strong beer tasting. Though beer is poured one ounce at a time, these little droplets will mess you up. Honestly, I would not recommend tasting all of these in the same day but the options are available … well, maybe. I cannot guarantee these beers will be poured, but these are popular, so there’s a chance. Read More