Roundtable Discussion | Best Beer for Camping

Last year, Phil put together an Ultimate 6er for gettin’ off the grid with canned beer.  With the spirit of adventure ever-present in these parts, we reached out to our staffers to see what they’d take along on a woodsy jaunt.

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Stone Brewing | Dayman Coffee IPA

It’s not often I feel compelled to write about a beer upon first sip, but that was the case after de-capping Stone Brewing Dayman Coffee IPA.

Dayman was the winning … Read More

Mt. Carmel Brewing Company – Summer Wheat Ale

ABV: 4.8%

IBUs: 34

Tonight I went grocery shopping for the first time in, oh, about six weeks. Yeah, I was living on pasta and eggs. Better than ramen I guess. Anyway, I saw a beer on the shelf I hadn’t ever noticed before, Mt. Carmel‘s Summer Wheat Ale. With it being the heart of the summer, I decided to pick it up. Read More

2013 Great American Beer Festival Breweries Breakdown

After several weeks of sifting through duplicate entries and moving breweries off the waiting list, the Brewers Association announced last night their full list of 2013 Great American Beer Festival breweries who will be attending the festival.

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Beervana: Pitchfork Music Festival

Note: Pitchfork Music Festival was held in Chicago, IL the weekend of July 19-21, 2013

I’m going to get in my “old man” rocking chair for a moment, so please … Read More

Jackalope Brewing

“Put out good beer; everybody likes you,” Bailey Spaulding, co-owner of Jackalope Brewing, told me as we pick at the pieces of some saran-wrapped cheese from The Bloomy Rind.

It’s a sentiment Spaulding and friend/co-owner, Robyn Virball, both felt once they opened their doors in Nashville back in 2010. And, it’s true; who’s going to hate on two smiling girls pouring you freshly brewed craft beer? Read More

Brew Bites | Mexican Chocolate Stout Ice Cream

The Mexican Chocolate Stout by Copper Kettle Brewing Co. is a clever beer. The spicy notes from the chili peppers and the chocolate and cinnamon involvement awaken your taste buds from start to finish. This beer is constantly sparking new recipe ideas and this ice cream is one I have been wanting to try for a while!

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Sprecher Brewing – Hard Root Beer

ABV: 5.0%

Root beer with a kick, “boot beer,” but more particularly, Sprecher Brewing Co.’s Hard Root Beer. That is quite a mouthful. A delicious mouthful! This five percent alcohol adult version of the classic American soda was brewed with added flavors to give it a sweet-bourbon-like profile. The brewery has only done two releases, one small test footprint and now a bigger footprint in more markets after the first release went over so well. Still, if you are lucky enough to find a four pack of these 12 oz. sarsaparilla booze-pops, make sure to snag some.

I recently shared some of these oak-sodas with friends at our annual Fourth of July celebration and shortly after, everyone was jonesing for some of that sweet cola nectar.

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The (2nd Annual) Universal Drinking Game

Remember last year when we presented the Universal Drinking Game? A year later, we’re back for round two. We’re tired of drinking game rules for individual movies and TV shows. We need a list that applies to ALL our entertainment.

So the rules of this game are simple: turn on ANY show or movie you want. And drink any time any of these things happen. ENJOY (responsibly)! Read More

Smallwares Saison: Breakside Brewery Portland/Milwaukie, OR

6.0% ABV, 23 IBU

  Breakside Brewery has only been in operation for just over 3 years, and it already has become a staple among the Portland craft breweries.  In May of 2010, Scott Lawrence opened Breakside in North Portland’s Woodlawn neighborhood, an area actually lacking a brewery at the time. In September of that year, Lawrence had the good fortune of meeting and hiring Siebel-trained brewmaster Ben Edmunds, and the rest (as they say) is history. The neighborhood fully embraced the new addition and Breakside has since become the neighborhood meeting place.

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Goose Island Migration Week

I’ve always said taste trumps all. But that creed can become a bit muddled when it comes to the distinction between craft and macro. Don’t get me wrong, while many purists are staunchly against the macro companies, like Anheuser-Busch InBev and Miller-Coors, including any brands they own, I’m not specifically in that camp. While there are still issues of beer bullying, distribution and marketing wars, when it comes to the actual product, I believe any form of beer, even “crafty” beer, can serve as a gateway to true craft beer. Which brings us to Goose Island Migration Week.

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It’s gettin’ hot in here… | Ultimate 6er

Hey America, Summer has definitely arrived. Clearly, we here at PD promote porch (outdoor) imbibing. However, it doesn’t matter what region you’re in right now, melting in humidity or frying in the desert, it’s HOT out there. I found myself at a beer fest the other day where I was sipping ice cold sangria (gasp!) There was just no perfectly refreshing summer beer available to help beat the scorching heat. Which brings us to my Ultimate 6er for a hot-as-hell summer.

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Deschutes – Fresh Squeezed IPA

Nearly every weekend I enjoy hitting the local shops in search of the latest brews from around the country. An unabashed IPA fanatic and admittedly obnoxious beer freshness advocate, I’m … Read More

#FreeTreeHouse – Let my people brew!

“’Cause he knows that it’s me they’ve been coming to see/To forget about neighbors for awhile” sang Dean Rohan, one of the four owners of Tree House Brewing Co, while … Read More

New Glarus Totally Naked

ABV: 4.25%

I recently had the good fortune to visit Wisconsin and have a tasting of many delightful craft beers including the New Glarus Totally Naked Extra Pale. I know, I know, I said “New Glarus” and that makes all craft-beeries get excited like a kid at Christmas but just settle down for a minute. . . Naw, I’m just kidding; get excited my babies! It’s New Glarus! Besides being ripe for innuendo, the Totally Naked is also an excellent brew. Let’s shed a couple layers and dive right in, shall we? Read More

Why the Phillies Won’t Trade Cliff Lee

I guess most important to preserving any credibility I have is to acknowledge my Philadelphia bias and all the territory that comes with it….i.e. Washington should have never sat Strausburg … Read More

Q&A with Mad Fox Brewing

Bill Madden has set much of the pace of the craft brewing scene in the Virginia-DC-Maryland region for the past few years. As the CEO and the executive brewer for … Read More

Surly Brewing Company – CynicAle

Surly Brewing Company – CynicAle

ABV: 6.6%

IBUs: 33

There is nothing better than finding a hidden gem among a myriad of unknowns. That one album you picked up based … Read More

Fort George Brewery – Sunrise Oatmeal Pale Ale

ABV: 5.2%
IBU: 49

Ninety-seven miles Northwest of Portland, where the Columbia river meets the Pacific Ocean, is the gritty fishing town of Astoria, Oregon. This former center of thriving fishing and canning industries is a recognizable locale to anyone who has seen The Goonies (1985), Short Circuit (1986) or Kindergarten Cop (1990), all of which were filmed in this hilly, oceanside town. Coastal tourists, Oregonians and Washingtonians alike flock to Astoria for the charming downtown area, Columbia River Maritime Museum, Sunday market, playful harbor seals, Goonies house and, especially since 2007, the beer.

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Awesomesauce- Internet Comments

We’ve all been there- right before making dinner, you hop on your laptop to do a quick check of Facebook and your email, and six hours later you look up with a glazed expression on your face and absolutely no idea where the last quarter of your day went.  Read More