Collaborating for a Cause | Westum Hjemmebryggeri

Back in May, immediately after hearing the news of Alex Kidd’s cancer diagnosis, PorchDrinking helped to organize a razzle with the Barleywine is Life Facebook group to raise money for his recovery through donations to his GoFundMe.  On the 19th we published an article outlining how breweries could get involved with rare bottle contributions for the razzle, and then on June 6th officially announced the packages up for grabs. For every $10 forwarded to his recovery fund (with emailed proof), donors would receive one entry. Submissions closed at Midnight EST on June 18, with winners selected live on the morning of Tuesday, June 20 by Stephen Loh and Michael Gabriel of Malt Couture on Instagram.

One brewery donation in particular came all the way from Norway, contributing two special iterations of home-brewed, high-gravity ales that were randomly added to three winning boxes from the PorchDrinking razzle. We had the privilege to talk with Espen Westum extensively about his passion project, Westum Hjemmebryggeri, as well as the inspirations provided by Alex Kidd and what’s led him to this point in his brewing journey. Additionally, we were able to review and share the very exclusive charity releases Westum sent stateside to support the Kidds.

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Goldfinger Brewing Co. | Original Lager (Helles Lager)

Are you ready for a small history lesson today? If you’re anything like us, we not only love craft beer, but we also enjoy hearing and reading about craft beer origins. Let us take you on a journey as we learn about Goldfinger Brewing Company, located in the town of Downers Grove, IL.

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Collaborating for a Cause | Life Jacket

As 2023 nears its conclusion, many families and businesses feel the strain and chaos of the holiday season and the deadlines associated with the final months of the year. Fortunately, the support for Alex Kidd and his family has not even considered pumping the brakes, and we are happy to welcome Revolution Brewing to this week’s installation of Collaborating for a Cause.

(Read: Collaborating for a Cause Series)

Adjusting the spotlight to a beer that Alex himself helped co-create with the Revolution team, this well-known Chicago brewery organized an incredible gesture spanning the month of November involving their Life Jacket Barleywine.

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Rupee Beer | ‘British-Indian IPA’ Combines History & Drinkability

When brothers Van and Sumit Sharma launched Rupee Beer in 2021, their goal was to make the perfect beer to pair with the Indian cuisine they had grown up with, along with other spicy, diverse world foods.

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Hidden River Brewing Co. | Thank You For Letting Me Be Myself DIPA

We may be well beyond Halloween, but the time is always right for some haunted history. Especially when discussing craft beer! One such brewery is Hidden River Brewing Company located in Douglassville, PA.

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Casks & Camaraderie | Cask Craft Spirits and Beer Lounge

Breweries are always looking for new and unique ways to share their beers. Recently, one way that many have looked to showcase their barrel room in particular has been through barrel picks.

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BuckleDown Brewing | Barbaric Blood Red Ale

BuckleDown Brewing and Vault Comics recently collaborated on Barbaric Blood Red Ale, launching Friday, Dec. 15. It’s an American Red Ale, offering rich malt flavor, subtle sweetness and a blood-reddish hue. It’s a well-balanced, approachable beer, clocking in at 6.5% ABV. Fans of BuckleDown Brewing and Barbaric can be the first to taste the beer at the BuckleDown Brewing taproom in Lyons, Illinois, on Friday, Dec. 15.

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Meanwhile Brewing | Winter Beer Menu

As stout season hits its stride, Meanwhile Brewing in Austin, Texas, has taken a broader approach to seasonal offerings and launched a full gamut of winter beers for differing palates and the vagaries of Texas winter weather.

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Wondrous Brewing Co. | Keller Pils German Style Pilsner

We love to hear stories about people turning their dreams into reality. People who are so passionate about what they want to do and fully pursue it from the very beginning. Such is the case for Wynn Whisenhunt, owner and brewer for Emeryville, California-based Wondrous Brewing Company.

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Spyglass Brewing Co. | Galactic Merger Double IPA

Spyglass Brewing Company, located in Nashua, NH, offers a full menu from their kitchen and pours from their bar. With 32 taps from their taproom, finding something to suit your palate is easy. They have a wide variety of styles and offer to-go cans from their can shop during open hours.

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Half Acre Beer | Green Torch Lime Lager

We are rapidly approaching the winter season. The mildly warm nights have turned into crisp night air. Summer is long gone, and beach trips now are only to get away from the frosty air. If you find yourself feeling the winter blues already, we have a solution for you. Of course, it is in the form of a delicious craft beer. Read More

Collaborating for a Cause | DDBIL

This week, Collaborating for a Cause sets its sights on Florida, where Hialeah-based brewery King Fox joined forces with Shōjō Beer Co. and Odd Breed Wild Ales to release DDBIL, a special beer to support Alex Kidd. This is unbelievably the tenth installment in this series, with more to come. We can only hope that by highlighting the immense generosity from the Industry through these dedicated releases that we’ve not only inspired others to contribute help, but also motivated people to get checked regularly and learn the importance of monitoring their bodies.

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Old Bust Head Brewing Co. | Vixen Irish Red Ale

Old Bust Head Brewing Co. is a solar-powered microbrewery located in Fauquier County, Virginia. The brewery and taproom are situated in Vint Hill, a farm with five decades’ history as a top-secret military listening post—a unique location for a brewery to call home!

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Collaborating for a Cause | Timber Ales’ Stay Strong Alex

This series has been a humbling experience. Not only have we had the opportunity to cover more participating breweries than we ever thought, but we have also seen endless generosity both in support of these installments and, more importantly, in support of Alex Kidd as he continues to fight for his life. Timber Ales is the next feature in Collaborating for a Cause, and we had the privilege of talking with Owner and Brewer Jason Stein about his iteration of Stay Strong Alex and the impact that Don’t Drink Beer has had on his own journey.
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New Trail Brewing | Broken Heels Hazy IPA

We’re going to let you in on a little craft beer secret today! The New England region is widely known for making some of, if not the best, Hazy IPAs in the country. You don’t have to take our word for it; you can check Untappd for proof. However, we want to tell you that Pennsylvania produces some of the best Hazy IPAs in the market!

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Speciation Artisan Ales | Underbru Saison

In an ever-changing industry with constantly varying trends, breweries often struggle to figure out how they can stand out. Michigan is a particularly competitive state when it comes to craft beer, and Underbru is a perfect example of some of the unique and exciting products that have been coming out of the Midwest. More specifically it’s a testament to Speciation Artisan Ales as a whole, a brewery rooted in the idea of displaying nature’s creativity and diversity.

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Wise Man Brewing | Shape Shifter Coffee Blonde Ale

We only have less than a month left of fall, not that we are counting. What we are focusing on are the delicious fall seasonal beers out in the market. From late August through the end of October, people just can’t get enough of the seasonal beers. Now that the rush has come and gone, we want to focus on a wonderful pumpkin-inspired ale from Winston-Salem, NC-based Wise Man Brewing

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Hidden Springs Ale Works | Empty Devils BA Stout

Halloween has come and gone and we’ve been feasting on leftover candy, or possibly trying to give it away. The costumes and candy may be gone, but we still have a delightful treat that we’ve saved for this special occasion!
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Collaborating for a Cause | Altar of the Orc Lord: DDB Edition

Those who have followed Alex Kidd since the beginning know him to be a long-time supporter of Modern Times. His reviews of their products have contributed to the growth of their barrel program and special projects, and the news of his cancer diagnosis back in May really hit the team in a personal place. Less than a month after Alex shared the news on social media, Modern Times had already organized a release in an effort to help cover his hospital expenses. We had the opportunity to work briefly with the Special Projects team at Modern Times to gain more insight on the beer itself and Alex’s impact on their development.

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Collaborating for a Cause | ALEX KIDD IS LIFE!

While Mikerphone Brewing out of Chicago is the latest brewery in this series, they were one of the first to take action in support of Alex Kidd and his family following the news of his cancer diagnosis. Just like what we saw most recently with Bob D’Angelo and Esker Hart Artisan Ales, Mikerphone Brewing was founded from a passion for homebrewing. Now, eight years since their first commercial beer, Mikerphone has become a Chicago beer staple and Owners Mike and Lisa Pallen have been fortunate enough to travel the world making and sharing beer. Upon hearing Alex’s devastating news, they knew they wanted to do what they could for him and his family during this unprecedented time. We were able to talk briefly with Mike and discuss a little more about the special single barrel English-style Barleywine released for the man behind the Barleywine is Life movement.

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