About- Tristan Chan
Tristan Chan
Tristan is a craft beer fanatic who originally hails from Kentucky, which used to be a veritable wasteland for craft beer. Since moving to Colorado, he discovered a passion for hops, malts, brett strains, tinctures, nitros, and all things craft brew. He created this blog as a means for his friends across the country to a virtual porch drink and he hopes that you’ll join the revolution.Day 14 (day 2) November, a Month of Giving Thanks!
November 14, 2012 | Tristan Chan 1
It is day 14, well since we only started yesterday, day 2 of our month of giving thanks. And today I wanted to shed some light on something I am, and more specifically my tummy are thankful for this time of the year. Thank you Honeycrisp Apples.
November a Month of Giving Thanks
November 13, 2012 | Tristan Chan
Admittedly we joined the party a bit late this time around. What seems to be the latest craze in Facebook trends, is posting what you’re thankful for each day during the month of November, because nothing says thanks quite like a shout out on FB! So we thought we’d have a little fun with it by doling out some internet appreciation, as well as some levity. Read More
Odell Brewing Company- Isolation Ale
November 13, 2012 | Tristan Chan 1
6% ABV
29 IBU
The very first beer I ever tried when moving to Fort Collins in November of 2009, was Odell Brewing Company’s winter seasonal, Isolation Ale. I couldn’t have asked for a better welcome to one of the most prolific craft beer towns in the world.
Top Five Election Day Takeaways
November 7, 2012 | Tristan Chan
Election Day is always a little bizarre, extremely polarizing and downright tense. Add in the fact that we are now such a socially connected society and you get a whole lot of crazy that emerges. I decided to recap some of the more bizarre, awesome and meme worthy moments from yesterday’s election coverage. Feel free to comment below if we missed any.
Roundtable Discussion: Our Favorite American Presidents
November 7, 2012 | Tristan Chan
Thank goodness that election is over. No more political ads, no more negativity. And now we can come together as a nation and move forward. However, we thought we’d finish on a good note by sharing our favorite American Presidents historically. Our reasoning may not be the most sound…
Presidential Election Playlist
November 6, 2012 | Tristan Chan
I typically reserve Amurrrcuhhh the Playlist for my favorite holiday, Amurrrcuhhh Day. Oh you don’t follow? July 4th. But only every four years do we have the right to elect our President of the United States, and what’s more Amurrrcan than that? Look I realize that many folks have become jaded by all of the ads, attacks, lines, and even politics of this and more recent elections. But lets remember that our founding fathers and mothers fought to bring us all equality in the right to vote. So I remind you to do your part, and exercise that right. Make history count, because your vote certainly does.
Avery Brewing Company | Ale to the Chief
November 6, 2012 | Tristan Chan
ABV: 8.1%
If there is one issue our nation can come together on, it might just be the right to drink great beer. Avery Brewing Company has resurrected their Presidential Pale Ale from 2008 to commemorate this year’s heated race. This drink pours a regal golden color and tasters are hit with that initial hop bite. But that bitterness quickly mellows to a sweeter malty light finish.
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Stone Brewing Collaboration- Mint Chocolate Imperial Stout
November 2, 2012 | Tristan Chan 2
ABV:9.6%
IBU: 69
Distribution: Ariz., Calif., Colo., Fla., Ill., Mass., N.C., N.M., N. J., N.Y., Ohio, Ore., Pa., S.C., Texas, Va., Vt., and Wash.
I love girl scout cookie season more than a fat kid loves… well girl scout cookies. Hmm I think I just had a harsh reality check right there. Anyway what could possibly be better than my favorite GSC Thin Mints? Yes thats right, liquified, beerified, Thin Mints. Enter Stone Brewing’s Collaboration with home brewer, Ken Schmidt, and Iron Fist Brewing, Mint Chocolate Imperial Stout.
Roundtable Discussion: Halloween Candy Edition
October 31, 2012 | Tristan Chan 2
Lets be real, Halloween is all about the candy. All across the U.S. tonight, kids will dump out their bounty and trade for their favorite sweets and try to unload the lesser prizes. So we tasked our PorchDrinking staff to recount what they loved getting in their Halloween escapades, as well as what they tried to unload on their gullible friends or parents.
Tristan and Stu Brewing- Rapture IPA
October 31, 2012 | Tristan Chan
Remember back when people were all up in arms about the Rapture? That was about the time Stu Thomas and I decided to try brewing our own beer. That is all fine and well except that our first brew attempt was for a double IPA. Appropriately so, we decided to name our soon-to-be inaugural beer Rapture IPA. Our reasoning was that if it rocked, the results would be heavenly. And more likely if it flopped, we’d just say it all went to hell. The finished product sadly sided with the later of the two. While the pour looked decent, the taste could at most euphemistically be described as factory sewage. The brew was under carbonated, too sweet initially and was followed quickly thereafter with a sharp metallic finish.
Thoughts and Prayers Go Out to the Northeast
October 30, 2012 | Tristan Chan
PorchDrinking.com would like to extend our thoughts and prayers to our family out on the east coast. While many jokes have been made about Hurricane Sandy it is extremely dangerous … Read More
The Evolution of Beer Part II
October 26, 2012 | Tristan Chan
The general consensus around the Porch is that for most of us, our first foray into drinking consisted of shitty watered down piss poor beers. In fact, I spent the first two decades of my life swearing up and down that I would never drink beer. This likely was a direct result of stealing sips from my father’s Milwaukee’s Best, or to the layman, BEAST, when I was just a little guy. Needless to say, most uninitiated drinkers have at one point or another served their time sloshing swill before arriving at the great awakening that is craft beer.
Evolution of Beer Part I
October 25, 2012 | Tristan Chan
The general consensus around the Porch is that for most of us, our first foray into drinking consisted of shitty watered down piss poor beers. In fact, I spent the first two decades of my life swearing up and down that I would never drink beer. This likely was a result of stealing sips from my father’s Milwaukee’s Best, or to the layman, BEAST, when I was just a little guy. Needless to say, most uninitiated drinkers have at one point or another served their time sloshing swill before arriving at the great awakening that is craft beer.
Roundtable Discussion: Halloween Costumes Edition
October 24, 2012 | Tristan Chan
Halloween is just under a week away so we asked our writers what their favorite halloween memories were. What resulted was an in depth trip down memory lane consisting of costumes and candy grabbing blunders. What were your favorite Halloween costumes/memories growing up? Comment below!
Cigar City Brewing Company- Marshal Zhukov
October 24, 2012 | Tristan Chan
ABV: 9%
Cigar City Brewing serves up several brews that have garnered a cult follow, partially because they’re only available in Florida, partially because they are one of the only solid breweries at the moment to come out of Florida and mostly because they make fantastic, cult following worthy beers. One of those pedestal level rarities is Marshal Zhukov.
PorchDrinking Playlist: Tristan’s Top Picks
October 23, 2012 | Tristan Chan
In honor of my forthcoming birthday this Thursday, I decided to hijack this week’s PorchDrinking Playlist to highlight some of my favorite jams. This mix of my top playlist picks includes a melange of favorites both old and new. It starts with my all time favorite, Paul Simon’s Me and Julio Down by the Schoolyard, then transitions from slower mellower tunes to those that are a bit more upbeat. Let me know if you like what you hear! Read More
Dream Team Breweries
October 23, 2012 | Tristan Chan 2
I think it’s safe to say that the United States is in the midst of a gold age in craft beer. As of July 1, 2012 the Brewer’s Association counted 2075 craft breweries in operation, and I’m guessing since then at least a hundred more have opened. During the diminutive tenure of my craft beer journey, I have managed to make a small dent in that two thousand some brewery sample.
Cigar City Brewing Company- Jai Alai
October 23, 2012 | Tristan Chan 1
One of the coolest thing about visiting breweries when you kinda have an inside connection (and I use that term very loosely, as starting a beer blog hardly qualifies as having any clout in the beer industry), one of the coolest perks is snagging a beer fresh off the line. Trust me, it makes a huge difference.
D.G. Yuengling and Son- Yuengling American Lager
October 22, 2012 | Tristan Chan
Yuengling isn’t particularly amazing, but it is. It’s not particularly flavorful, but it is. It’s not particularly easy to drink, but really it is. You see, Yuengling is the beer of the midwest. Anytime anyone from the region spies a can they’re sent to a place of nostalgia and awe. It’s kinda like seeing your childhood stuffed animal or blankey for the first time in many years, but in alcoholic liquid form.
GABF Finds and Must Tries!
October 20, 2012 | Tristan Chan
One of the best things about attending GABF is the ability to try a ton of rare, completely off the wall or just hard to get beers. As such we’ve got some solid takeaways. If you happen to cross paths with these beers, you should probably jump at the chance to give them a taste. Read More
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