St. Boniface Craft Brewing Company | Hegemony

On a busy stretch of US-322 in the small town of Ephrata, Pennsylvania, you will find St. Boniface Craft Brewing Company. Named for one of the many patron saints of brewing, they have been creating high-quality, locally beloved beers since 2010. Now, you might think that it’s a little too hot to be drinking stouts (and normally I’d agree), but St. Boniface’s cool, dimly lit taproom creates an atmosphere that yearns for a good stout. Luckily, St. Boniface’s Hegemony quells this primal need beautifully.
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The Weekly Buzz | July 21 – 27

If you’ve ever spent 12 hours in an amusement park with three young children, then you have a rough idea how my week has been. Although our family trip to Kennywood was ultimately a lot of fun, it did leave me in need of a beer or five. I’d like to toast all the parents out there for surviving these kinds of endeavors. As it’s the weekend once again, I invite you to raise a glass and enjoy The Weekly Buzz.
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The Weekly Buzz | July 14 – 20

Happy Friday, PorchDrinkers! Another beautiful beer-soaked weekend is upon us, and that means it is time to recap the week’s finest beer-related tweets. You could just go to Twitter and scroll through it yourself, but why subject yourself to all that political vitriol? I braved the trolls so you wouldn’t have to. So sit down on your porch swing and crack open a beer. It’s time to start The Weekly Buzz.
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What We’re Drinking | July 21, 2017

If you’re looking for a little inspiration, look no further than this edition of What We’re Drinking. The PorchDrinkers may have only made six submissions this week, but we’ve still got some doozies to share, including a special selection for PorchDrinking’s fifth anniversary! Make sure you’re sitting down, and prepare to be in awe of What We’re Drinking!
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The Weekly Buzz | July 7 – 13

I just finished a seven-day, 73-hour work week. This was a completely unexpected turn of events, and I was worried that I wouldn’t be able to complete The Weekly Buzz. Fear not, dear readers! Sacrifices  were made, the proverbial candle was burned at both ends, and I managed to cut and paste some tweets for your enjoyment. You’re welcome! I’m going brewery hopping for the next 24 hours. Don’t you dare try to stop me!
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PorchDrinking Playlist | Brew Gentlemen

Braddock, Pennsylvania was once a thriving borough in Pittsburgh’s eastern suburbs, but the decline of the steel industry in the 1980s forced businesses to close and people to leave. Today, there are still more empty storefronts than occupied ones, but in the former electrical supply store at 512 Braddock Avenue, the lights are on and business is bustling. That building is now occupied by Brew Gentlemen, and this brewery is definitely drawing visitors to Braddock.
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What We’re Drinking | July 6, 2017

This week, the PorchDrinkers raised many a glass in honor of the United States’ 241st birthday. I mean, we would have drunk them all anyway, but I promise that we were all thinking about America as we poured them down our throats. Pinky swear! Beer is brewed in all 50 states and is sometimes the only thing that many of us have in common. Hoist a celebratory pint, finish reading NPR’s tweets of the Declaration of Independence, and check out What We’re Drinking!
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The Weekly Buzz | June 30 – July 6

It’s a federal holiday, an extra day off from work and, above all else, a celebration of independence. The Fourth of July is a celebration of our nation’s independence but, this week, we also found ourselves in a discussion about the independence of craft beer. In this edition of The Weekly Buzz, we’ll explore life, liberty (from Big Beer) and the pursuit of happiness. There’s no better way to pursue happiness than by enjoying a fresh, American-made craft beer, so I suggest you drink one while reading!
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The Weekly Buzz | June 23 – 29

Does anyone else need a few dozen beers? It’s been another knock-down, drag-out week, but it’s Friday at last! Once again, we’ve boiled the week’s beer tweets down to a sweet, sweet wort. It’s time to fill the fermenter of your mind with the best content that we could cull from the annals of the internet. This, ladies and gentlemen, is The Weekly Buzz.
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48 Breweries Unite to Oppose EPA’s Proposal to Repeal Clean Water Rule

On Tuesday, June 27, a group of 48 craft breweries associated with the Brewers for Clean Water Campaign sent a letter to the Environmental Protection Agency in defense of the Clean Water Rule. This 2015 rule, which was meant to protect America’s drinking water, is in danger of being rescinded by an EPA rulemaking proposal. These brewers, who have partnered with the Natural Resources Defense Council, rely on clean water in order to brew beer and grow their businesses.
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Brewers of Pennsylvania Releases 2017 Summer Beer Suggestions

Featured image credit: Brewers of Pennsylvania 

With the heat of summer now descending upon us, the Brewers of Pennsylvania (BOP), the commonwealth’s official brewers guild, has released its 2017 Summer Beer Suggestions. The beers on their list are carefully crafted by BOP members throughout PA, and offer consumers a chance to truly quench their thirst in the brutal Mid-Atlantic summer.
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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 | June 16 – 22

Another week has gone by and, as usual, the Twitter-verse has been awash with craft beer news and shenanigans. To be honest, it was mostly shenanigans. OK… it’s almost always shenanigans. Don’t worry, though. There are also a few event announcements, job listings and some sad legislation to balance things out. Ladies and Gentlemen, this is The Weekly Buzz.
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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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PorchDrinking Playlist | Bonn Place Brewing Company

Feature Image Credit: Jim Trocchio via Bonnbrewing.com

Of all the breweries in the Northeast, it’s likely that there is no better PorchDrinking Playlist subject than Bonn Place Brewing Company. As a relatively young addition to the growing beer scene in Pennsylvania’s Lehigh Valley, music plays a central role in every aspect of the brewery’s operation.

Bonn Place Brewing Company opened its doors in Bethlehem, Pennsylvania on July 31, 2016. Bonn Place’s Grand Chancellor and brewer Sam Masotto claims that he has loved beer since he turned 21, but this answer may just be a ruse to throw the cops off his trail. As a brewer he tries not to take himself too seriously. When asked about his brewing philosophy, Masotto simply replied, “Get over yourself. Your yeast does all the work anyway.” Read More

The Weekly Buzz | June 9 – 15

The more time I spend on Twitter, the more I think I need therapy. Luckily, I got to hide in the relative safety of my beer feed. There aren’t any political posts in there. Wait… What’s that? No… no, please don’t! I’ll do anything. Just don’t retweet that… I’ll be in the corner in the fetal position, and this is The Weekly Buzz.

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Event Preview | Saucony Creek Brewing Company’s Beer Tasting Train Ride

Featured Image Credit: Allentown & Auburn Railroad

Are you a fan of craft beer AND chugging down the tracks? If so, this event is probably for you! Saucony Creek Brewing Company in Kutztown, PA is partnering with the Allentown & Auburn Railroad to bring you a unique Beer Tasting Train Ride on Saturday, June 17. Read More

Brewery Showcase | Yergey Brewing Company

Featured image: Yergey Brewing Company

Tucked away in the small town of Emmaus, Pennsylvania is one of the best kept secrets of the Lehigh Valley’s craft beer scene. Behind an ominous chain-link fence on a side street stands one of eastern PA’s most inviting neighborhood breweries: Yergey Brewing Company.

Yergey Brewing Company’s founder and head brewer, Jim Yergey, may be the oldest head brewer in the Lehigh Valley, but he’s also the one who is having the most fun. Spend five minutes chatting with him at the bar, and you will instantly recognize that sparkle in his eye. It doesn’t seem like there is anywhere else he would rather be. After a long career as a chemist, Jim chose to spend his retirement in his own brewery, and it definitely suits him. Read More

What We’re Drinking | June 9, 2017

PorchDrinking season is officially upon us! Our nearest stellar body is pouring it’s warming countenance upon us, and it is glorious. It is important that you all show the utmost respect during this holy time of year. Dust of the adirondack chairs, oil the chain on the porch swing, and get the dead leaves out of the horseshoe pits. It’s summer, and this is What We’re Drinking.

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The Weekly Buzz | June 2 – 8

This week had so much fun beer stuff going on that it was hard to keep track. There was SAVOR in DC, Philly Beer Week, the Firestone Walker International Beer Fest… Lions and tigers and bears, oh my! There were also a few interesting announcements and (unfortunately) a little more shady intrigue from AB-InBev. Drag your laptop out to the porch and prepare to discover The Weekly Buzz.

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