Craft Beer News
PorchDrinking brings you the breaking in craft beer news.
BREAKING | 2018 Great American Beer Festival Brewery List Announced
August 16, 2018 | Tristan Chan
Over 800 Breweries. 4 Sessions. 3 Days. More than 4000 beers. 60,000 attendees. Spanning over 584,000 square feet (a 17% increase). This year’s Great American Beer Festival is back and primed for its 37th Anniversary. The field has finally been set, and we now know which breweries will be part of the world’s largest beer festival. It is time once again to begin planning your routes. Which breweries are your can’t miss? And which are your must tries?
Be sure to check back often as we’ll be bringing complete GABF coverage leading up to, during and after the festival.
As we do each year, we will also be breaking down the list breweries to showcase the newcomers who are joining the fest for the first time, as well as those breweries who are notably missing. Read More
Has Constellation Lost Their Minds? Church’s Beer to Benefit LGBTQ & More News
August 16, 2018 | Tristan Chan
Often when we find an inordinate volume of random beer news happening all at once, we’ll try to round them up as quick hitters to make sure to keep everyone in the loop. So in today’s edition of the roundup, we’ll touch on some bizarre decisions by Goose Island and Constellation, some release info as well as a great story on inclusion from an unlikely source.
We’ll kick things off with four equally bizarre moves from Constellation Brands, the beer conglomerate that owns Corona, Modelo, Ballast Point Brewing, Funky Buddha Brewing and the recently acquired Four Corners Brewing.
Schlafly Partnering With Award-Winning Wineries for Newest Release
August 16, 2018 | Jordan Palmer
If you have never had a sip of anything from Schlafly’s Ibex Series, I highly recommend you start. Schlafly Beer first introduced this series of premium beers in 2017. Since then, the series has provided new, handcrafted beers from what is known as the Ibex Cellar.
Breweries Plan Big Events for First-Ever Georgia Beer Fortnight
August 16, 2018 | Josh Ritenour
We’re gonna need a bigger boat. Why? Because one week of celebrating Georgia craft beer just isn’t going to cut it anymore. Thanks to September 2017 changes in state legislation allowing beer sales directly from breweries to customers, the Georgia Craft Brewers Guild and Wrecking Bar Brewpub have decided to extend Georgia Beer Week by introducing the inaugural Georgia Beer Fortnight.
Lagunitas Partners with Short’s Brewing Co. on New Session Ale
August 14, 2018 | Taylor Laabs
Last July, Lagunitas purchased 20% of Michigan-based Short’s Brewing Co. When it was announced, Short’s spokeswoman Emily Sullivan noted that the agreement was strategic and helped them grow their business through easier access to materials and packaging that a brewing behemoth like Lagunitas can offer. Now, we’re seeing the first real activation of the partnership, as brewers from both operations joined together for a Midwest meets West Coast collaboration: Passion Grass Session Ale made with passion fruit and lemongrass. The new creation is the first consumer-facing example of their partnership and is sure to appeal to beer geeks nationwide. Here are the details.
Goose Island Announces 2018 Bourbon County Stout Lineup
August 9, 2018 | Mike Zoller
Eight different Bourbon County Stout variants will be available come Black Friday this November, however, the official announcement from Goose Island had several surprises.
Soulcraft Aims For A Greater Audience By Transitioning to Cans
August 9, 2018 | Sue Bjorkman
CAN YOU? What single element can turn previously laid-back fun-loving brewers into nose-to-the-grindstone workers? Oh, that could only be…success. CEO and Head Brewer Mike LaCroix of Soulcraft Brewery in Salida, CO and his team are transitioning from very limited bottling to full-out canning.
On his first day off in three weeks, he takes some time to breathe and reflect on this next transition: The “big spark” he believes will revolutionize this small brewery into a nationally recognized brand.
Why the Craft Brewers of Green Bay are Some of the Packers’ Biggest Fans
August 7, 2018 | Taylor Laabs 2
Wisconsin is known for its cheese, beer and football. Green Bay, Wisconsin’s third biggest city, is simply known for the Packers. Dubbed Titletown USA, Green Bay has been home to the Packers for ages (the team will celebrate its centennial next year). The team is also a massive business boon for the city thanks to the tourism and additional business opportunities it brings to the small port city.
Packers football Sundays have also become big business for Green Bay’s small, but growing, craft beer scene. Two breweries, Badger State Brewing and Hinterland Brewery, are strategically positioned within a quick walk from the hallowed grounds of Lambeau Field. Stillmank Brewing Company is a bit farther away, but still sees a good deal of added foot traffic during any Packers’ home game weekend. We spoke to the owners of each brewery for an assessment on how the Packers have impacted their business.
Chicago Quick Sips August 6 – 19
August 6, 2018 | Taylor Laabs
Quick Sips is our way of highlighting beer events, tap takeovers and other notable beer news around the city of Chicago, IL. If you’d like to submit something to be included in the next Quick Sips, please email us at [email protected].
GLBC Releases 73 Kolsch | Brewed with Cleveland Football Hero Joe Thomas
August 4, 2018 | Mathew Powers
Cleveland’s Great Lakes Brewing Company (GLBC) has an affinity for beers that also tell a story, be it history, weather or paying homage to its local, Cleveland sports scene. For instance, GLBC released its Rally Drum Red Ale brewed in honor of the well-known Cleveland Indian bleacher-seat drummer, John J. Adams. Come September, Cleveland fans can sip on 73 Kolsch, brewed with Cleveland Browns hero Joe Thomas, an offensive linemen who played in an amazing 10,363 consecutive snaps during his 11-year career. Hence, GLBC describes the Kolsch-style beer as “A Brew Fit For An Iron Man.”
Crooked Stave Bringing Experimental Brewery & Taproom to Fort Collins
August 2, 2018 | Scott Davidson
Crooked Stave Artisan Beer Project is returning to their roots in Fort Collins.
Chad Yakobson, founder of Crooked Stave, graduated from Colorado State University in Fort Collins in 2006 and wrote his Master’s thesis, The Brettanomyces Project, while at CSU. Additionally, when the sour and wild focused brewery first launched, Yakobson initially turned to Funkwerks to brew their base wort. Now he seeks to bring the Crooked Stave experience back to its roots in Fort Collins.
Revolution Brewing Announces 2018-19 Deep Wood Series
August 1, 2018 | Mike Zoller
While the calendar might say August, the 2018-19 Revolution Brewing Deep Wood Series announcement shows us that barrel-aged season is just around the corner.
After an incredibly successful 2017-18 release which produced some of the best barrel-aged beers released from any Chicagoland brewery, Revolution is going big this year with a release of ten different beers.
Brewing News Roundup | Releases from New Belgium, Founders, Rogue & Great Lakes
July 31, 2018 | Mathew Powers
While we can’t pretend to list every new beer release, here are several tasty tidbits that have come across the PorchDrinking.com desk from around the nation. Founders, New Belgium and Rogue recently announced beers that will hit the shelves across much of the nation. Get ’em while you can!
Denver’s Dos Luces Brewery Opens Today Reviving Chicha and Pulque Beers
July 27, 2018 | Tristan Chan
In a time when much of the industry seems so narrowly focused on chasing the hottest new trend, the most innovative new style, the brightest and shinest new gimmick in beer, Denver’s newest brewery is actually looking backward, way back in time, to focus on historic styles.
New Moves from Allagash & Surly Signal Rise of Wine-Inspired Lagers
July 24, 2018 | Taylor Laabs 2
Rosé (lager) all-day? For some beer-drinkers, this dream is quickly becoming a reality. To stand out in 2018, brewers are throwing anything and everything (fried chicken?) into their beer to win over the increasingly saturated taste buds of beer lovers. That said, some breweries are moving in a different direction.
Beloved Minnesota brewer Surly Brewing and national powerhouse Allagash Brewing have decided to target a new sub-section of drinkers: wine and spirit fanatics. It’s a large group that continues to eat up market share thanks to the popularity of beverages like spiked seltzers and Rosé drinks. Rosé in particular continues to increase its influence across the alcohol market, posting a 40% increase of sales in 2017.
Cellar West Artisan Ales Planning Expansion & Move to Lafayette
July 23, 2018 | Tristan Chan
It’s been a busy summer of change across the Colorado craft beer landscape with multiple closures, even more openings, and several breweries announcing significant expansion news. This fall, Boulder’s Cellar West Artisan Ales will join the handful of young Colorado breweries looking to scale up within the evolving beer landscape, as they move their taproom to Lafayette to accommodate the addition of a dedicated on-site brewhouse. Read More
BREAKING | Bell’s Brewery Announces Colorado Distribution Beginning Fall 2018
July 19, 2018 | Tristan Chan 1
It was only a matter of time before Bell’s Brewery came to Colorado, and it seems that time has finally arrived for the Centennial State. Kalamazoo, MI-based Bell’s announced today … Read More
Niche or Necessity? Why 19.2 oz Cans Continue to Gain Momentum
July 19, 2018 | Taylor Laabs
Look in the hand of any avid craft beer fan and you’ll most likely find a can of glistening beer. Right now, the shift towards aluminum primarily revolves around the traditional 12oz and tallboy formats, but that trend is evolving as consumers continue to voice their beer opinions through their wallets. The next frontier for cans is one that has been on-shelves for some time. Unsurprisingly pioneered by Oskar Blues back in 2012, the 19.2oz can, often called a stovepipe, is a behemoth of beer, giving drinkers over 1.5 standard servings of beer. It’s not a format for everyday use, but several brewers across the nation are finding interesting niches for the big can format.
We asked them about the growing trend and if they think the can is here to stay.
BREAKING | Three Weavers Brewing Joins Oskar Blues’ CANarchy Collective
July 17, 2018 | Tristan Chan
Los Angeles-based Three Weavers Brewing has announced today that it will be joining Oskar Blues Brewing Company under the Fireman Capital-backed Canarchy Craft Brewery Collective. Today’s news comes less than a week after the announcement that Dallas-based Deep Ellum Brewing would also be joining the CANarchy family.
36 Colorado Brewery Openings for July, August & September 2018
July 16, 2018 | Brian Phipps 2
When it is this hot for summer, you can either go run out in the sprinklers, head to the mountains, or grab a tasty brew. Or do all three! First, let’s start with a fresh pint from one of the 36 Colorado brewery openings for July, August, and September. Perhaps you will go try your first South American beer with corn as the main ingredient or even your first grape beer (oenobeer).
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