Posts BySeth Garland, Author at PorchDrinking.com – Page 2 of 4
Over Yonder Packs Two Anniversaries into One Beer & Music-Filled Weekend
May 19, 2021 | Seth Garland
It was just over one year ago that we first met the team at Over Yonder Brewing Co. They were on the verge of celebrating their milestone one-year anniversary.
But there was to be no party. No live music. No guests. At the very beginning of the most restrictive lockdown in Colorado’s pandemic plight, OYB was dealt a tough hand for any brewery — let alone a brand-new brewery that was still trying to get its footing.
What We’re Drinking | May 14, 2021
May 14, 2021 | Seth Garland
For all of you who are excited about the CDC’s new mask guidance, slow your roll. I’m glad you’re excited, Mr. “I haven’t developed a third COVID chin,” but some of us were really enjoying having a covered face. I guess I’ll just start washing my whole face again…maybe start shaving again. I dunno, it’s a whole new damn world.
There’s plenty of reason to celebrate this week, obviously, and the PorchDrinking team never fails to deliver. Crack open whatever you’ve been holding onto for a special occasion and check out this week’s What We’re Drinking.
What We’re Drinking | May 7, 2021
May 7, 2021 | Seth GarlandIt’s been a tough week, so the best I can come up with is someone else’s words. But on the other hand, you have different fingers (Steven Wright). Anyway, we’ve got warm weather beers, cold weather beers, in-between beers, IPAs, Stouts, adorable pups and a whole lot more in this week’s What We’re Drinking.
“It’s easy to sit there and say you’d like to have more money. And I guess that’s what I like about it. It’s easy. Just sitting there, rocking back and forth, wanting that money.”
– Jack Handey
What We’re Drinking | April 16, 2021
April 16, 2021 | Seth Garland
Spring imposes upon the world a level of uncertainty that’s both invigorating and maddening. With this uncertainty comes a full spectrum of desires; wet snow convinces the palate that we must drink a heavy Stout. Fresh, sunny days inspire us to seek out something a bit lighter and crisper.
The changing of seasons can make one reflect on getting a bit older as well. I used to be an extremely cynical youth. I started shaving my head at an early age — by the time I wanted to grow it back, I couldn’t. I was rocking the full Jean-Luc Picard by age 28. I also started feeling a bit more self-conscious about my physique.
What We’re Drinking | March 19, 2021
March 19, 2021 | Seth Garland
No time for a long introduction this week — too much great beer to check out. I will say, though, that I find it amazing how many people were stranded in a snowstorm we had almost an entire week to prepare for. Whatever, it’s like 60 today so who cares. Get your thumb workout scrolling through this week’s awesome list of craft beers in What We’re Drinking.
What We’re Drinking | February 19, 2021
February 19, 2021 | Seth Garland
We’re all just trying to stay positive here — it’s been a weird week of weather, political news and a bunch of other not-great stuff. But as bad as things are, remember there are still good people and good things happening: NASA landed its aptly named “Perseverance” rover on Mars, along with its airborne compadre “Ingenuity.” Watch the video of the NASA team bursting into cheers when the rover successfully landed on the Martian surface — it’s a much-needed shot of good vibes.
So if you, like most people, can’t afford to up and escape the freezing cold on a plane to Cancun at a moment’s notice, you can chill here with us as we show off the awesome craft brews the PorchDrinking team’s been enjoying in this week’s What We’re Drinking.
What We’re Drinking | January 22, 2021
January 22, 2021 | Seth Garland
The PorchDrinking team was out in force supporting craft breweries the past several days; look at all this fantastic beer. I think I got a second-hand buzz just compiling the list this week. Whatever other media you feed yourself today, hopefully you put aside some time to just be in the moment, take a deep breath and crack open a beer — one big cheers to you all.
Ultimate 6er | So Your Team Didn’t Make the Playoffs: Bitter Beers for Salty Tears
January 20, 2021 | Seth Garland
No one really had a “great” sports experience in 2020. But for die-hard fans, sports was one of the pieces of normality (fake crowd noise and all) that kept us hanging onto sanity by tiny little threads. The kind of threads that fray from knock-off jerseys ordered on Wish. The kind of threads that protrude from a worn-out pair of pajamas you’ve been wearing for three days straight. Now that we’re just a couple weeks out from the Super Bowl, why not reopen some old wounds and take a look back at 2020?
Strong BA Series | River North Brewery – Barrel Conspiracy: Mr. Sandman
December 11, 2020 | Seth Garland
With an in-state distribution footprint that stretches to every corner of Colorado, Denver’s River North Brewery is a longtime local favorite. Despite its reach, its longevity and its reputation among hardcore craft enthusiasts, River North has still managed to remain somewhat of an underrated contender in the world of barrel-aged beers.
Ultimate 6er | I’m Being Told It’s December, So Here’s Some Christmas Shit
December 9, 2020 | Seth Garland
Hard to believe it’s already the holiday season. Whatever fucked up wormhole we got sucked into at the beginning of 2020 has wiped the concept of night and day from the malfunctioning hard drive that is our collective minds. But who doesn’t love the holidays?
What We’re Drinking | November 13, 2020
November 13, 2020 | Seth Garland
We know it’s Friday the 13th in 2020. But we’re choosing to be optimistic. There’s no need to be a half-glass full kinda person when you can easily keep your beer glass full no matter what level of color-coded panic we’re currently living in. The only color that matters is the color of the beer you’re drinking today. What’s in your glass? Here’s What We’re Drinking this week.
Ultimate 6er | The Gloom Index of Radiohead
November 11, 2020 | Seth Garland
“We live in strange times,” Thom Yorke said to Stephen Colbert in 2019. “It’s not my fault.”
If you’re a Radiohead fan to any degree, please read on. You may be fond of this article, but not in love. Calm. Read at a better pace; slower and more calculated. Become an informed member of society. No longer empty and frantic. Be prepared to nerd out.
Brewery Showcase | LUKI Brewery
November 4, 2020 | Seth Garland
“We were just another set of yahoos trying to make it happen,” Jeff Smith, owner and brewer at LUKI Brewery in Arvada, Colorado says. “There are so many delusions of grandeur, so I respect the professional collective apathy at yet another ‘homebrewer going pro’ story.”
In 2018, Smith quit his job to focus on the brewery full-time, unaware (as we all were) of the pandemic that would soon ravage the industry. When his family cut the ribbon on LUKI (a combination of his daughters’ names) in July of 2020, Smith’s “delusions of grandeur” manifested into a wild new reality: A fun, circus-themed brewery on the west side of Arvada.
4 Noses Brewing Company | Fly to the Polls
November 2, 2020 | Seth Garland
Hopefully you’ve already voted, or made plans to cast your vote for the 2020 election (if not, it’s ‘Bout Damn Time you do). In one final push to motivate voters, 4 Noses Brewing Company released their newest Hazy IPA, Fly to the Polls, on Friday.
Halloween Beer Treat | LUKI Brewery Grammy’s Pumpkin Pie
October 19, 2020 | Seth Garland
During a drastic weather change like the ones we experience in Colorado from time to time, it’s easy to go right from crispy summer brews to heavy winter Stouts without the intermediary Oktoberfests and pumpkin beers. But LUKI Brewery in Arvada, Colorado, is giving its fairly new fan base reason to seek out squash and gourd-centric beers this fall: Grammy’s Pumpkin Pie.
Instead of being labeled a “pumpkin Ale” or an Imperial Stout with pumpkin like so many others, Grammy’s Pumpkin Pie is a spiced Brown Ale. LUKI’s current craft lineup contains no sub-5% ABV beers nor any 10%+ ABV booze bombs; the beers are born from owner and brewer Jeff Smith’s love of old-school styles and desire to create well-balanced, accessible (and still entertaining) brews.
What We’re Drinking | October 16, 2020
October 16, 2020 | Seth Garland
The names of the days of the week have similar origins in Spanish and English — they’re named after Roman/Greek/Norse gods, for the most part. But Saturday is different. Saturday in English is named after Saturn (Roman god of agriculture), whereas Saturday, in Spanish, (Sábado), gets its origins from “sabbath” (or “shavat”) meaning “to rest.” We usually think of Sunday as the day of rest. But if you’ve ever wondered why we consider Sunday the first day of the calendar week, now you know: Rest happens on the seventh day of the week, which is technically Saturday. Etymology is fascinating. So party it up tonight and rest tomorrow.
We’re also in the month of October — from the latin “octo” for eight. The eighth month. Except really it’s the 10th month, and nobody bothered to change it when we transitioned to the 12-month calendar circa 700 B.C. I feel that; I don’t change my clocks for daylight savings time. They’ll be right again in six months, so why bother. None of this has much to do with beer, but our brains could all use a break from politics. Anyway, it’s Friday, you’re done with the work week, and it’s time to crack open a few beers. Here’s What We’re Drinking this week.
Ska Brewing | The Tropical Hazy IPA
July 17, 2020 | Seth Garland
Ska Brewing in Durango, Colorado is generally good for a clever reference or two in their beer names, whether it’s a musical one like Rue B. Soho or a general play on words like summertime favorite Mexican Logger. Not all names have to be clever, however, and not all brews have to be overthought. This year, the brewery adds a second beer to the Hazy IPA category with the plainly named “The” Tropical Hazy IPA.
The Sweet Tastin’ Good Life Is so Easily Found | Over Yonder Brewing Company
May 15, 2020 | Seth Garland 1
Perched above the Denver metro area at the absolute foot of the Rockies, Golden’s Over Yonder Brewing waits with propped-open doors and beers to-go at the ready. Inside, a colorful mural and projector screen (playing a live concert stream) welcome its socially distanced pickup patrons. Upon greeting co-founder and head brewer Jason Bilodeaux, we (OK, I) forget briefly not to shake hands and then we go in for the elbow-five.
The First Sip: Life After COVID-19
April 27, 2020 | Seth Garland
With more time to watch movies and shows, I’ve been reevaluating the importance of entertainment and imagination. One movie I’ve been thinking about is Big Fish—particularly the end where Albert Finney and Billy Crudup envision how “the story ends.” The ending they come up with is a bright visualization—a jubilant, cheerful scene where the son carries his dying father to a pond through a long stretch of smiling faces. As they walk down the hill towards the pond, the father gets a standing ovation from the dozens of quirky people who made up his remarkable (if exaggerated) life’s story.
Sometimes those kinds of visualizations are fun distractions—a daydream to pass the time. But sometimes visualizations are a coping mechanism, pure survival. It’s not news that we’re missing a lot right now. And when we miss things, it’s easy to let our minds wander and dream about what may come. So that’s exactly what we’re going to do. With the help of some lovely folks in the craft beer industry, we’re going to close our eyes and imagine what it’ll be like on that first day back to life.
What We’re Drinking | March 20, 2020
March 20, 2020 | Seth Garland
Hello, good people. If you’re reading this, you know that things in the world are pretty bad. So yet again, in direct opposition to my natural state of being, I’d like to share a few positive things with you for this week’s What We’re Drinking.
As bad as things are—and make no mistake, they’re bad for a lot of people: Losing businesses, losing jobs, losing loved ones—there’s definitely a silver lining somewhere. We can’t see it now. Nothing feels great at the moment. But it’ll come.
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