Beer Topics
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Ultimate 6er | Bon Appetit Chefs Paired with Beers
May 27, 2020 | Emma Wargolet
There is one universal truth in this world: the Bon Appetit YouTube channel is perfect. From Claire Saffitz attempting to recreate your favorite snack foods to Brad Leone’s chaotic fermentation process, the chefs at Bon Appetit have become minor celebrities. What better way to honor the hours spent in quarantine binging their videos than to pair each chef with a beer? So, next time you press play on Chris Morocco recreating Guy Fieri’s trash can nachos, make sure you have the perfect beer in hand.
Brewer’s Kitchen | Courtesy of Copenhagen
May 27, 2020 | Rachel Morrison
Despite taprooms continuing to stay closed in light of COVID-19, there’s no shortage of local beer releases, especially as we approach the summer months. Although May hardly counts as a “summer month” here in Chicago, we’re staying optimistic for warmer days. Courtesy of Copenhagen is a recent pick-up that will bring you to that feeling of enjoying a sunny summer day.
Maibock | The Official Beer for Life After Quarantine
May 26, 2020 | Korey David
Maibock, also known as Helles Bock, might be the perfect representation of a beer for life after quarantine. This medium-bodied pale lager is conditioned over the winter then released in the spring, specifically May (Mai). That long lagering time makes for a clean flavor and smooth mouthfeel.
Similar to German Oktoberfest beers, Maibock is brewed to celebrate the end of a long, cold hibernation. As the world thaws, coming to life again, this strong but welcoming style is there waiting to be enjoyed. In many ways, this quarantine feels like a long hibernation. While “stay in place” orders aren’t exactly lagering, we can all appreciate the idea of getting back to enjoying life after patiently waiting for quite some time. Fortunately for folks in Colorado, we have a handful of great Maibocks right in our own backyard.
Kiitos Brewing | Triple Dry Hopped Hazy IPA
May 26, 2020 | Tim Haran
While Kiitos Brewing consistently delivers tasty year-round beers, the Salt Lake brewery isn’t against experimenting in the brewhouse. Kiitos’ (KEE-tose) latest Triple Dry Hopped Hazy IPA shows off its desire to mix-and-match different hops combinations.
Summer Beer Release Roundup
May 25, 2020 | Alexis Dickie
Summer beer season is finally upon us! We may not be able to enjoy our summertime brews as we normally would, but breweries across the country are continuing to put out new brews.
We’ve rounded up new releases from breweries distributing across the country or large regions of the country so you will have access to most of them! These beers range from light refreshing Ales to heavy Imperial Stouts. Just because it’s warm outside doesn’t mean you have to sacrifice the quality of your beer!
Whiner Beer Co | Miaou
May 25, 2020 | Ana Plefka 1
Lately I find myself gravitating toward a trustworthy core of Chicago craft beers I’ve befriended over the years. Brews like Begyle Blonde, Dovetail Helles and Whiner Miaou. These beers won’t surprise me—something I typically love when trying the latest from local breweries. These days, it’s all about familiarity and reliability. Whiner Beer makes a few beers I’d be content to have in my fridge on the regular, but this singular Belgian Wheat Ale is one of the brewery’s finest.
10 Questions with Strange Craft Beer to Celebrate 10 Year Anniversary
May 23, 2020 | Tristan Chan
A decade can feel like a lifetime in the craft beer industry. Such is the case for Denver’s Strange Craft Beer Company, who last Tuesday celebrated their 10 year anniversary. When they first opened in 2010, they became just the 10th brewery in operation at the time within the city of Denver, and now that number has swelled to approximately 80. Read More
Marz Community Brewing Co. | Duchess De Bridgeport
May 22, 2020 | Christiana Torres
duch·ess
/ˈdəCHəs/
Noun
a woman holding a rank equivalent to a duke in her own right.
If you’ve ever spent time in the Bridgeport neighborhood of Chicago, you’ve probably ventured into Maria’s Packaged Goods and Community Bar. Taken over by Maria Marszewski in 1987, the combination liquor store/bar has become a staple for the area and thus, the neighborhood dubbed her the Duchess of Bridgeport. Keeping it in the family, her son Ed Marszewski started Marz Community Brewing Company in 2013. Today, Marz pays homage to Maria with their take on a Flanders Red Ale, named for her likeliness, with Duchess De Bridgeport.
3 Floyds Brewpub to Remain Closed Indefinitely
May 21, 2020 | Mike Zoller
Zombie Dust, Gumball Head, Alpha King and the rest of the 3 Floyds lineup of beers will still be available to-go from the brewery in Munster, IN. But, the ability to sit down and have a drink or a bite to eat won’t be around for the foreseeable future; the 3 Floyds Brewpub is closed indefinitely.
Great American Beer Festival Pivoting to Virtual Event in 2020
May 21, 2020 | Tristan Chan
The writing has been on the wall for some time, but this morning the Brewers Association officially confirmed that this year’s Great American Beer Festival (GABF) will not take place … Read More
What We’re Cooking | Deschutes Easy Porter Cupcakes
May 21, 2020 | PorchDrinking.com Staff
For this week’s edition of What We’re Cooking, PorchDrinking’s Emma Wargolet provides this Porter cupcake recipe that comes from Betty Crocker and was adapted by Deschutes Brewery using their Black Butte Porter. Emma loves this recipe because it’s easily adaptable, and if you’re short on time, you don’t need to make the frosting from scratch (don’t worry, we won’t tell). These Easy Porter Cupcakes are rich enough without being overpowering, and the beer provides complementary notes of chocolate and coffee. Deschutes’ Black Butte Porter is available year round, so rest assured you can bake off a batch of these cupcakes every season of the year. Enjoy!
Arvon Brewing Co. | The Grand NE Style IPA
May 21, 2020 | Jack Raymond
Arvon Brewing Co. didn’t have much chance to bask in the afterglow of opening a brewery. Before even a month had passed at their new taproom in Grand Rapids, Michigan, quarantine hit, forcing them to close off the space they’d worked so hard to prepare. But instead of letting the pandemic rain on their parade, they improvised.
Ultimate 6er | Beers to Pair with Your Memorial Day Cookout
May 20, 2020 | Emma Wargolet
A large Memorial Day cookout may not be an option this year, but that doesn’t mean you can’t enjoy the delicious foods that come with the barbecue. For those who are social distancing together, you can still put together a fun, albeit small, Memorial Day event. While PorchDrinking can’t do the cooking for you, we can give you the perfect pairings for those classic cookout foods! Read More
Zero Gravity Brewery | Green State Lager
May 20, 2020 | Rich Stoner
I remember my first time like it was yesterday. It was late March in the winter of 2016. My wife and I were looking for some après-ski nourishment. After a long day of skiing at Stowe, this was an absolute necessity. Making our way down the mountain access road we eventually wandered into a restaurant called Doc Ponds.
Gazing at the beer menu while taking a seat at the bar, I asked the bartender, “what do you recommend?” An avid Vermont skier, I’m very familiar with the Green Mountain State’s vast craft beer market. However, I always like a local’s take when I can get it. Ultimately, his response pushed me in the direction of Zero Gravity Brewery Green State Lager, a beer that they had just put on tap. One sip and I was in love, hooked on the light, crisp, bready Pilsner bearing the state’s name.
Examining the Oskar Blues Can-O-Bliss Series
May 19, 2020 | Mathew Powers 1
In this new COVID19-driven world, to-go options and canning have taken center stage in the craft beer industry. So it’s no surprise that the first brewery to put craft beer in cans, Oskar Blues, is still producing and distributing a variety of beer styles. One such collection is the Oskar Blues Can-O-Bliss IPA series, a rotating release of IPAs the brewery unveiled in 2019. The idea behind the project is to “showcase unconventional combinations of exceptional hops.” The result for beer drinkers is a series that celebrates the diversity of hop flavors and aromas.
The brewery sent PorchDrinking a few samples to try: Tropical IPA, Hazy IPA and Citra DIPA. The Tropical will return next spring, but the seasonal Hazy IPA is available now and the DIPA is a year-round treat. Oskar Blues will also release a new Citrus IPA in September 2020.
Read More
Birds Fly South | Virtual Mystery Bag Bottle Share
May 19, 2020 | Brian Haitz
As we all know, breweries have been affected by the current pandemic that has swept our towns and cities across the country. Many local breweries have had to quickly evolve and adapt to the changing landscape, closing taprooms and offering to-go beer purchases.
A standout during these trying times is Birds Fly South in Greenville, SC. The booming “funk first” brewery’s 2020 plans came to a screeching halt, but that didn’t stop them from finding fun ways to serve up their award-winning beer. In order to evolve, shift and engage their community, the brewery has developed a series of virtual beer events to keep people connected in new ways, pioneering how we can all enjoy beer together. Read More
3 Floyds Brewing Co. | Robert the Bruce
May 19, 2020 | Jereme Zimmerman
As winter turns to spring, the weather can be pretty deceptive—particularly in the Midwest. Depending on what the weather has decided to do each day, it can go anywhere from warm and sunny to a bit chilly to downright cold. If you’re the type of beer drinker who enjoys matching the beer you’re drinking to the weather outside, what are you supposed to do? This is where a beer like Robert the Bruce from Munster, Indiana’s Three Floyds Brewing comes in. A full-bodied Scottish-style ale with an IBU of 24 and an ABV of 6.5%, it’s warming and malty, yet just light enough to sip while lounging on the porch as the evening turns from warm to chilly.
The Last Beer Festival
May 18, 2020 | Tyler Malone
We miss beer as it was, how we drank beer as we did, and how we hoped the community and
culture could grow into something more along the way. To do that, especially distanced from
one another, the future comes down to how we grow now, alone with ourselves, living in the
shadow of the last beer festival. While PorchDrinking.com typically publishes non-fiction news, features and long-form stories, this is a creative fiction piece from author, Tyler Malone.
Devil Wind Brewing | Dankel Dunkel
May 18, 2020 | David Nilsen
Munich Dunkel might seem like an unusual style to lead a brewery’s portfolio in 2020, but Devil Wind Brewing Dankel Dunkel is thwarting expectations in Xenia, Ohio.
This small brewery was founded in 2018 and takes its name from a devastating F5 tornado that leveled much of the town in April 1974, killing 33 people. Xenia rebuilt, and Devil Wind carries on the town’s legacy of both heritage and progress.
Chicago-Area Breweries and Bottle Shop Host Beer Hunt 2020
May 16, 2020 | Mathew Powers
Illinois Craft Beer Week my be postponed due to the COVID19 lockdown, but that’s not stopping six suburban-Chicago breweries and one bottle shop from celebrating craft week in spirit. Together, they have put together the 0th Annual Suburban Beer Hunt. From May 15 to May 30, beer fans can solve a series of puzzles that will take them on a to-go journey to six breweries and one bottle shop located in Chicago’s western suburbs. If they can solve each puzzle correctly, and in the correct order, prizes await the participants.
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