Celebrating Eco-Friendly Practices of Craft Breweries For Earth Day

Happy Earth Day! In fact, this year marks the 50^th year of celebrating Earth Day. Even though social distancing has kept us apart, many digital Earth Day events exist all over the world to educate and inspire action.

In the craft brewery world, breweries are also doing their part to be more eco-friendly. Several breweries run on solar power. Many breweries partner with farms to send their spent grain for animal feed. Others invest in expensive equipment that can be more efficient to use less energy and water.

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Breweries Continue to Honor Earth Day with Sustainability Initiatives

The first Earth Day, which was April 22, 1970, was a long time coming. For generations, industry and progress had pushed the population to accept polluted air, polluted water, and polluted lives. No laws regulated what could and could not be done to the Earth, and so, industry had free reign over the environment. Despite what should have been obvious, many people had not thought about the impact of continuous and unregulated pollution. Thankfully, there were still many who did.

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Deschutes Releases Specialty Barrel-Aged Beers

Quarantine in Oregon just got a lot tastier. Northwest craft beer staple Deschutes Brewery announced last week the addition of four new specialty barrel-aged beers to their portfolio, proving that no amount of uncertainty can keep them from their craft. Plus, the brewery is encouraging their community to “stay home and save lives” by making their beers just a click away. Deschutes’ legacy portfolio along with the new and vintage Reserve beers are now available on their website for delivery to their customers based in Oregon.

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Ultimate 6er | Non-Alcoholic Craft Beers

It used to be that the term “non-alcoholic beer” brought looks of confusion from those who heard it. To the craft beer connoisseur these words are even more foreign. However, alcohol free craft beers are coming up in the world and it’s time we start paying attention.

Perhaps you’re going dry for awhile. Maybe a health condition or medication prevents you from drinking alcohol. Or, like me, you could be abstaining from alcohol in solidarity with your pregnant wife. Whatever the reason, these booze-free brews have a slew of handy uses.

Feast your eyes, and then your palates, on these six craft beers that’ll make you forget there’s no alcohol in them. Read More

The Answer | Heh Heh Heh Hrr Rrr Heh Huh! Rakau! Ha Hrr

The Answer Brew Pub is well-known across the mid-Atlantic for its fruited sours (Joose, anyone?) and phenomenal IPAs, but whoever names their beers is the real superstar here.

You read the title of that beer above right. It’s been double-checked it for you. Can you guess the beer name’s reference?

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5 Questions with Taxman Brewing Co-Owner Colin McCloy

In honor of what would have been Tax Day, April 15, it seemed appropriate to chat with co-owner and chief production officer Colin McCloy of Taxman Brewing Company in Bargersville, Indiana. This is normally a celebratory time for the brewery as it hosts the annual Death & Taxes Day festival. However, much like the IRS has extended Tax Day to July, the brewery had to reschedule the festival for late August.

Taxman’s Belgian-style Ales and farm-to-table restaurant menu reflect the owners’ love and passion for Belgian culture. Their enthusiasm for beer also extends into American farmhouse Ales and Midwest Saisons, along with a strong barrel-aging program. The brewery operates a 20-barrel brewhouse plus several satellite restaurant/taprooms in central Indiana. Read More

Twin Cities Craft To-Go | Part Two

The days march on and become murkier in the midst of COVID-19. However, as our situation is ever changing, craft breweries resilience and community support remains steadfast. Our local favorites continue to adapt new business models, solidifying ecommerce sites and delivery routes in a matter of days. Our Instagram stories continue to fill with lines, and even pyramids, of crowlers in people’s homes after returning from beer runs.

(READ: Twin Cities Craft To-Go | Part One)

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Ultimate 6er | Six Beers to Stock in Your Easter Basket

Easter will be different this year. While Easter mass, celebrations and social gatherings will all-but be cancelled due to current social distancing guidelines, this time of the year still gives you an opportunity to stock up on sugary sweets and decadent chocolate during your weekly grocery run. With that in mind, we thought it would be fun to pull together a list of six beers perfect for an Easter basket (or barrel) that works from sweet and tart to stout and savory. Instead of SweeTarts, Reese’s Eggs and Peep’s, you get milk stout, lambic-styles, chocolate porters and more. Here’s our Ultimate 6er of beers to stock in your Easter basket this year. 

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Embrace the Suck | Covid-19 Crisis Editorial

Embrace the Suck: verb, slang, military slang. “To consciously accept or appreciate something that is extremely unpleasant but unavoidable for forward progress.”

The Embrace the Suck mantra does not suggest that we should celebrate the suck, find joy in the suck nor pretend a situation isn’t as bad as it seems. Embrace the Suck requires one to accept fully that our present situation does indeed suck, and that we must willingly accept it. We must understand that it has to suck for a while and that only by enduring can we eventually arrive at a point where it no longer sucks.

And that is where we are in the world, which includes everything attached to craft beer.
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Left Hand Brewing | Galactic Cowboy

Traveling through the ever evolving galaxy that is craft brewing requires a delicate balance of knowing your roots, but willing to experiment. One of the pioneers of craft beer, Left Hand Brewing of Longmont, Colorado, is not one to rest of their laurels. With recent changes such as launching a CBD infused beverage called Present with WAAYB Organics, modifying the iconic red Left Hand logo and re-designing packaging to include the new logo, announcing a new Denver taproom location, and adding beers to both their regular and NITRO series of beers, you can clearly see that Left Hand is preparing for the next frontier.

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Brewery Bracket Challenge | Which College Has the Best Brewery Scene?

Well, it certainly wasn’t the March Madness we’ve all come to anticipate. And while the Coronavirus may have put a damper on the actual tournament itself, the PorchDrinking team still … Read More

Despite the Festival’s Cancellation, Collaboration Fest Beers Now Available to the Public

A few weeks ago, the Colorado Brewers Guild (CBG) had to make the difficult decision to cancel this year’s Collaboration Fest due to the developing COVID-19 pandemic and concerns over public health and safety. This would have been CBG’s seventh annual event and was originally created as an opportunity to bring together breweries and the collaborative spirit. It was a difficult decision for them because over the years, it became one of their largest fundraising efforts.

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Wiley Roots Brewing Co. | Next Day Vanilla

Although the weather may be warming up a bit here and there, it’s still nice to enjoy a good, dark beer every so often. Rich, sweet, and all around delicious, Next Day Vanilla from Wiley Roots Brewing Co. is one that you can’t go wrong with. This particular brew is one of six variants that has a special, interactive element that adds to the experience of enjoying this beer. Read More

Stuck at Home? Perhaps it’s Time to Try Homebrewing

Favorite bars and taprooms closed? Local brewery not offering a drive-through for cans and crowlers? Way, way too much time on your hands these days?

Perhaps it’s time to consider, or rediscover, the joy of homebrewing. Homebrewing combines the creativity of crafting your own brew with the satisfaction that you made it all by yourself. Plus there’s a certain magic in watching yeast turn a murky sludge of water, grain and hops into a clear, tasty beverage that you can get buzzed off of. Read More

Netflix & Pils| Your Guide on What to Watch and Drink During COVID-19

The COVID-19 crisis has state officials and health agencies alike urging the nation to practice social distancing to reduce the spread of the virus. Currently statewide shutdowns of bars and restaurants have been mandated in highly populated states including Colorado, Illinois, New York, Ohio—and the list is growing as we speak. San Francisco is in full lock down mode and stocks are plummeting. If ever was there a time to stay in and be a recluse, it’s now.

Chances are, your Netflix account is about to get a lot of traction—but don’t worry, we’ve got you covered. Whether you’re self-quarantining or just plain bored, use this handy guide to help you determine what to watch—and drink—when you’re chilling at home looking for a Netflix binge.

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COVID-19 Closures | Ways to Support Your Local Colorado Breweries During the 30* Day Closures

As new developments arise and things are changing as it seems almost by the hour during the COVID-19 pandemic, it may be tough to keep up with which breweries are still open; in what format they are open in, if they have certain limitations (depending on the state that you’re in), and so on. The underlying factor remains the same: everyone is affected in one way or another by the growing pandemic, but we all love the craft beer community and want to find ways to continue to support one another.

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COVID-19 | Finding Inspiration in Irish Women on St. Paddy’s Day

The craft beer industry ordinarily revels in St. Paddy’s Day celebrations—everyone is Irish on March 17. And on this St. Paddy’s Day, it behooves us all to remember the Irish’s resolve and endurance. Indeed, Irish and Irish Americans have routinely dealt with periods of enormous difficulty due to famine, disease, imperialism and racism. And we can especially look to Irish women for inspiration as they have shined brightly during the most challenging times, both on the Emerald Isle and in America. So, as we find the beer world, and the entire human race, at a crossroads, we can find inspiration in those Irish women. As Mother Jones once proclaimed: “Pray for the dead and fight like hell for the living.”

Since the COVID-19 pandemic has us indoors this St. Paddy’s day, here are four inspiring Irish women to celebrate the holiday. And, at the end, this Irish-American in Chicago will provide a little commentary and also mention a special beer that, while untraditional, captures the essence of Irish women’s tenacity and compassion — we can all use that right about now.
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Supporting Local Breweries in the Midst of COVID-19 Mandated Closures

What a time it is right now. The Brewers Association announced last Thursday they’ll be cancelling CBC 2020 and that was followed shortly by the Colorado Brewers Guild announcing the suspension of this year’s Collaboration Fest. The craft beer community has been diligent about updating procedures and staying on top of these changes that need to be implemented. Although it’s unclear the full impact of how COVID-19 will be affecting breweries, they’ve responded by continuing to announce temporary closures, event cancellations, or sharing their processes to help protect their employees and patrons. With the recent announcements from California, Illinois, Ohio, Massachusetts, Michigan, Minneapolis, Pennsylvania, and now all of Colorado asking for bar closures, which includes breweries and taprooms, we want to share ways you can continue to support your local breweries with these changes, while still being mindful of public health safety.

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Ultimate 6er | College Collaborations Perfect for March Madness 2020

With Selection Sunday coming up on March 15, March Madness 2020 will soon be in full effect. As more and more colleges are teaming up with local breweries to create school specific brews, this March Madness Ultimate 6er features six beers from universities (and breweries) we’ll likely see playing in the coming weeks. Read More

American Pale Lagers | The Comeback Kid

Pale Lagers have a complicated history in the US. In the wake of prohibition they were the preferred style of the emerging “macro” brewers. Using cheaper grains and industrializing the brewing process, they were able create low-cost Lager beers that allowed them consolidate their share of the beer market and squeeze out  smaller brewers who couldn’t compete. Fast forward to 1978 and a once thriving and diverse US beer market had atrophied to only 44 breweries, most of which were producing the homogeneous, low quality, watered down beers that would come to be known as American Adjunct Lagers.

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