$250,000 in 3 Days: How Synek is Reinventing the Craft Beer Packaging Industry

Typically, when I check out a Kickstarter project, I spend some time thinking about whether or not I want to spend the money to get behind it. What level do I want to go in at? Do I think the project will take off? But when I watched the video for Synek’s (pronounced like cynic) Kickstarter, I immediately pressed the ‘Yes Please’ button. And not for my usual T-shirt or widget level participation but for the device itself. The first two and a half minutes got me all excited at the possibilities and the last twenty odd hilarious seconds of grilling and throwing bananas sold me. Read More

Ultimate 6er | Summer Road Trip

Summer and road trips are as American as apple pie and ice cream, or cheddar cheese if you’re into that sort of thing. I love road trips and though I don’t have epic adventures planned for summer 2014, I wrapped one up with my brother last year that covered 6,000 miles in a two-week span of elation, madness and general fun. Read More

Sierra Nevada – Blindfold Black IPA

ABV: 6.8%
IBU: 70

This past winter was a long one but thanks to the never ending options for stouts, porters and other dark delicious brews, I survived just fine. In fact, it could be said I went a bit overboard. Peanut butter milk stout? Check. Smoked vanilla porter? Check. Why drink a regular dark beer when you can add all sorts of fun ingredients to see what tastes come together? Frankly, I could not imagine not drinking the deep dark beers I’d come to love over this past winter, all year long. Enter Blindfold Black IPA.

Read More

4 Hands Brewing | Contact High

4 Hands Brewing
ABV: 5%
IBU: 28
Style: Wheat Ale

The name of this beer, Contact High, had me looking. The trippy label design had me reaching. And the 80 degree weather had me buying this brew with promises of a bright, warm weather feel. On top of that, it seems to be for sale everywhere PLUS my brother was in town for a visit. Noticing a six pack on display, he excitedly pulled me over while nodding his head up and down and smiling like The Joker. Who am I to refuse? Read More

Left Hand Brewing – Black Jack Porter

English Style Porter
ABV: 6.4%

I’ve realized over the past year that porters, stouts and dark beer in general is where my taste buds find their happy place. And Left Hand Brewing seems to have my number as every brew I find from them becomes the liquid heaven we all search for in a beer. Plus, they seem to have more than enough choices in the deep, dark colored arena. So when I noticed this previously untasted option on the shelf, it was an easy choice. Read More

Perennial Artisan Ales

Having recently moved to the St. Louis area, I’ve been looking forward to checking out the craft beer scene. My best friend Dave was on a cross country road trip from New Jersey to San Diego and planned to spend a couple days here. Naturally beer was on the menu and we ended up one evening at Perennial Artisan Ales. Hooray! Read More

Beerstagrams 4/4-4/11

There’s a cheap map of the United States from Cracker Barrel hanging on my wall. It’s lined with road trips taken over the years. Lately, they’ve become beer trips. I can confidently say that craft beer and road trips go together like lamb and tuna fish or maybe spaghetti and meatball? #BigDaddy. Read More