Atlantic Brewing Company | Bar Harbor Blueberry Ale

Featured image courtesy of Atlantic Brewing Company’s Facebook page.

ABV: 5.1%

Some people plan their vacations around tropical beaches, ancient ruins or exotic cities. While all of the above are fantastic options, I decided to plan my vacation this year around hiking and beer. This led me to the shocking realization that despite living in Pennsylvania, I’ve never traveled further north than Boston. How could that be? Read More

Four Summer Solstice Beers to Kick Off the Official Start of Summer

Culturally speaking, summer in America starts on Memorial Day (the last Monday in May), and ends on Labor Day (the first Monday in September). Bookended by these two holiday weekends, summer in the USA has been experienced the same way for decades. Technically speaking though, summer only just began today!

The Summer Solstice, (at least in the Northern Hemisphere) is the day that the sun reaches its northernmost point in relation to the Equator. We have been experiencing the results of this northward migration for weeks. The days have been getting longer and and temperatures have been climbing. Today, all of that change reaches its apex. The exact amount of sunlight you get will vary by your latitude, but Philadelphia, for example, will see a whopping 15 hours and 34 seconds of sunlight today.
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Brewery Showcase | Urban Village Brewing Company Opens in Philadelphia

Featured Image Credit: Urban Village Brewing Company

Envision this: a Berliner weisse made with 300 pounds of beets. It is as strange and tasty as it sounds, and it is one of the varieties of brews available at Philly’s newest brewpub, Urban Village Brewing Company.

Opened to the public as of June 1, Urban Village Brewing is a part of a myriad of storefronts opening in the Northern Liberties section of Philadelphia, creating life for this up-and-coming neighborhood. In a city with a booming restaurant scene, Urban Village sets itself apart with its quaint ambiance and quality beer.

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Event Recap | 4th Annual Upslope Get Down

The 4th Annual Upslope Get Down followed a familiar formula during the fourth rendition of the free and family friendly festival.

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PorchDrinking Playlist | Heavy Hitters

Welcome to baseball season! It’s no secret some songs get the crowd pumped. For this playlist, I had to listen to a few hours worth of “walk-out music” (tough, I know). What transpired is a list of songs that made me want to move and jam out. It also caused me to conjured up fond memories of baseball games throughout the years.

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Begyle Brewing | Lakeview

ABV: 4.3 | IBU: 40

New to the strong craft beer arsenal at Begyle Brewing is Lakeview, a dry yet drinkable American pale ale. Begyle is so much a part of the local community that they brewed Lakeview specifically to coincide with the Whole Foods store opening in the neighborhood.

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VIP Ticket Giveaway | Tour de Fat Denver is Back

This year marks the 17th season for New Belgium’s Tour de Fat and it’s coming back to Denver once again! This day-long festival is free, but the proceeds from beer sales and parade registration go to local non-profits as donations.
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PorchDrinking Playlist | Labor Day Weekend

Somehow we are already talking about the “unofficial” end of summer, Labor Day weekend. Summers end always seems to come too soon and is very bittersweet so make the most of your last holiday weekend of summer hiking, biking, grilling, camping, swimming, or porch drinking with this Labor Day weekend playlist! Soak every last bit of summer in and get your groove on but also remember that you still have two more weeks of “official” summer before fall sneaks it chilly way onto your calendar! Read More

PorchDrinking Playlist | Summer Transitions

Have you noticed the change in the weather? Mornings that are a little cooler than normal, and evenings that are a bit more brisk than we’re used to? Whether we like it or not, summer is slowly coming to a close. For this week’s PorchDrinking Playlist we’ve got 10 songs to help ease the transition for you. Read More

Event Recap | 2016 Burning Can REEB Ranch

The light showers and skirting thunderstorms around the mountains in western North Carolina couldn’t hold a candle to the electricity coming from the stage at Oskar Blues Burning Can held at their REEB Ranch in Brevard the 15th and 16th of July. A weekend full of nature, funky tunes, great beer and fantastic activities swarmed festival attendees, with just enough rain to keep the crowd cool from the scorching summer heat many have been suffering. Read More

Event Recap | Milwaukee Firkin Beer Fest

Pouring rain and beer, the annual Milwaukee Firkin Beer Fest was delayed for 45 minutes. But not even the storms could hinder the event or dampen the spirits of festival goers, as attendees waited out the weather so they wouldn’t lose their spot. There was the slightest chance of lightning canceling the entire event, but mother nature took it easy. The rain settled and the gates opened. Still drizzling, Yajaira and I shared an umbrella as we sped across the numerous booths.

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Odd13 Brewing | Hawaiian Bartender

ABV: 6.7%

With the scorching temperatures and steamy days we’ve been having all summer, it’s time to cool off with a tropical treat—Hawaiian Bartender from Odd13 Brewing. This sour blonde with mango and pineapple added is nothing short of a luau in a can. Read More

Event Preview | Milwaukee Firkin Beer Fest

Held at the Cathedral Square Park the Milwaukee Firkin Beer Fest is an annual event hosted by East Town Association and BrewFest Partners over 150 beers, ciders and meads will be poured. Those in attendance will be able to vote for the winner of the Big Firkin award. Read More

PorchDrinking Playlist | Summer Sounds 2016

This playlist is dedicated to the sun-kissed skin, beer-filled bellies and music-fed ears of summer! With the help of countless barbecues and beach brews, we’ve had the opportunity to bulk up our seasonal stockpile of sounds. We’ve pulled together a collection of musical discoveries featuring tracks that have caught our ears while soaking up the best of all things under the sun. Read More

Square Roots Festival kicks off in Lincoln Square Friday

The Square Roots Festival makes its annual visit to Lincoln Square this weekend. The event is hosted by the Old Town School of Folk Music and the Lincoln Square Ravenswood Chamber of Commerce and runs from Friday July 8th-10th.

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The Art of the Summer Backyard Bash

Ah, summer is here. Can you smell it? If you’re like me and the sprouting weeds and blossoming trees have wreaked havoc on your once empty sinus cavities, probably not. Summer means many things to many people. To me, aside from the whole allergy thing, it means the pinnacle of outdoor hangout season is officially upon us. Don’t get me wrong winter can be nice for a bonfire, but as soon as Memorial Day has passed and the mercury has risen, the seasons for cookouts, barbecues (no, they’re not the same thing, more on that later,) pool parties, and tailgates are officially here! So, set aside those last few stouts in your beer fridge until the next snowfall and hope time treats them well. Grab yourself some summertime brews, gas up the lawn mower, pop some Claratin, and get ready for the best year of outdoor entertainment yet.

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Ultimate 6er | Summer Sixer Southern California

Some folks of cider make a rout
And cider’s well enough no doubt
When better liquors fail;
But wine, that’s richer, better still,
Ev’n wine itself (deny’t who will)
Must yield to nappy ale.

-John Gay (1685-1732), “Ballad on Ale” from Songs and Ballads

I couldn’t let Northern California have all the fun. Check out my California Summer Sixer list with the best of what Southern California breweries have to offer this summer season. All beers listed are currently available with an ABV of 5.5% or lower. The average ABV for this sixer is also 4.7% – perfect planning, if we say so ourselves.

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Ultimate 6er | Summer Sixer for Northern California

Fill with mingled cream and amber,
I will drain that glass again.
Such hilarious visions clamber
Through the chamber of my brain.
Quaintest thoughts, queerest fancies
Come to life and fade away.
What care I how time advances;
I am drinking ale today.

-Lines on Ale (1848), by Edgar Allen Poe (1809-1849)

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Life, Liberty and 13 Beers for 13 Colonies

It is a special thing to celebrate the Fourth of July in places up and down the East Coast, in cities that relish their historical relevance. It’s also a special thing to drink plenty of beer, develop a t-shirt tan and relish in the glory that is overcooked burgers and sour cream and onion chips, with ridges, of course. Read More

The Six Best Beers for Summer Backpacking

You have finally reached your campsite after hiking 20 miles over rugged terrain with all of your gear on your back. A heavy band of sweat clings to your head as you finally drop your pack and begin to set up your shelter. Once you’ve eaten and settled in for the night, you reach into your pack and pull out a beer. Beer might not be as essential as food, water, shelter or clothing, but, in your modest camp, it’s nothing short of a luxury.

Since the most important criterion of a backpacking beer is portability, every beer on this list will be canned. Cans are much lighter than glass and don’t require you to pack a bottle-opener. You also do not run the risk of a can breaking and leaving dangerous shards all over the campsite. Last but not least, aluminum conducts heat faster than glass, which means they’ll get cold faster when you stick them in a creek. There are many to choose from, but, if you ask me, these are the best summer backpacking beers. Read More