Beer Topics
PorchDrinking’s own discuss beer.
5 Questions With | Victory Brewing’s Founders Ron Barchet and Bill Covaleski
March 10, 2021 | Taylor Laabs 1
Sustaining a business for 25 years is an achievement in any industry, but it is particularly impressive in the tumultuous and unpredictable world of craft beer. Downingtown, Pennsylvania-based Victory Brewing Company has been churning out Bavarian-inspired beers and other inventive offerings since 1996, establishing itself as a pillar of the Pennsylvania beer community and as somewhat of an innovator thanks to the rampant success of its Golden Monkey Belgian Tripel brand. Being able to properly execute a variety of European-styles, with Victory’s own unique twists, has generated acclaim and a passionate following for the brewery. With the brewery celebrating 25 years in business, I asked Victory Brewing founders Ron Barchet and Bill Covaleski about how they’ve been able to sustain success, their approach to community building, and what excites them about the craft beer market today.
Ultimate 6er | A Toast to Historical Women of the 1920s
March 10, 2021 | Jessica Spengler
The 1920s was an important decade for women. The 19th Amendment gave us the right to vote in 1920, and what followed was a decade of strength and a search for equality that broke barriers and changed women forever. Women of the 1920s did everything men did, and sometimes they did it better.
Women in Beer | Stephanie Kushnir of Ravinia Brewing Co.
March 10, 2021 | Rachel Morrison
You already know that Ravinia Brewing is coming soon to Chicago. You may be familiar with their Highland Park location, distribution throughout Chicago, or teasers for their new brewpub. If so, then you should also know the woman behind the scenes, Stephanie Kushnir. Stephanie is Head of Sales and Marketing for Ravinia Brewing. She’s getting Ravinia beer into our fridges and onto our feeds, all leading up to a highly anticipated opening right here in Chicago.
Colorado Breweries Find Levity & Unity with Beer Slide Challenge
March 9, 2021 | Scott Davidson
Over the past week, breweries from all across Colorado have been posting videos on social media of a beer sliding down the bar, in slow motion, to someone at the … Read More
Boys Are From Märzen Podcast | Gillian Larson Firestone Walker Ambassador
March 9, 2021 | Kindsey Bernhard
In Episode 30 of the “Boys Are From Märzen” podcast, Kindsey Bernhard is joined by Gillian Larson, a thru rider and adventure ambassador for Firestone Walker Brewing.
Larson has logged 10,000 backcountry miles with her two horses, including traveling three times from Mexico to Canada.
5 Questions with Kevin McGee, Anderson Valley Brewing Co.
March 9, 2021 | Mathew Powers
Now in its fourth decade, Anderson Valley Brewing Company (AVBC) is now owned by the McGee family, namely Kevin McGee, an attorney who previously opened the one-barrel, nano brewery called Healdsburg Beer Company (out of his garage). Although buying an “OG” craft brewery just in time for a global pandemic was not ideal, AVBC has managed to not only survive, but do well. It helps that AVBC beer remains in the hands of the well-respected, longtime brewmaster (and author) Fal Allen. Under his direction, the brewery continues to produce its famed Gose series, run a laudable barrel program and offer a slew of “regular” beers such as its Boont Amber Ale. The beer is produced in part with power from the sun, as roughly 40% of the brewery’s power is solar (and soon to be 100%). And why not? When you can look outside your brewery and view gorgeous scenery, you might feel inspired to protect the planet that provides it.
We wanted to know a bit more about Anderson Valley so we asked Kevin McGee, owner and CEO of AVBC, five questions about the brewery and its beer.
NoFo Brew Co. | Bluebird Day Pilsner
March 9, 2021 | Jason Murphy
With all the varied beer styles readily available for purchase and consumption here in Georgia, sometimes great classic beer styles like a nice, crisp Pilsner get overlooked. These days, the beer market tends to be dominated by Hazy IPA’s, heavily fruited Sours and sweet Pastry Stouts. If those styles are your jam, then that’s ok: It just makes it harder for a brewery or bar to have a style like Pilsner available because a lot of the craft beer consumers just aren’t requesting a Pilsner. Enter Bluebird Day, from Cumming, GA-based NoFo Brew Co.
Port City Brewing Celebrates 10th Anniversary
March 8, 2021 | Brian Hennighausen
The Virginia suburbs of Washington, D.C., are home to more than 60 craft breweries. Each has its own unique atmosphere and vibe. They produce almost every style of beer imaginable and are winning national recognition for their deliciously creative brews. But it wasn’t always that way. After Old Dominion Brewing relocated to Delaware in 2007, this incredibly vibrant region was without any packaging breweries for almost four years. Then, in 2011, an intrepid team of pioneers reclaimed the Commonwealth’s faltering brewing heritage with the opening of Port City Brewing Co. in Alexandria, Virginia.
Brewing Trio Teams Up for Women’s History Month
March 8, 2021 | Taylor Laabs
Getting the proper education to professionally brew and judge craft beer is vital to finding success in the craft beer industry, yet these educational opportunities are not distributed equally. Pink Boots Society, an association designed to “assist, inspire and encourage women fermented/alcoholic beverage industry professionals to advance their careers through education,” is looking to change that. One of the best ways to advance the Pink Boots cause is through added funding and visibility, which commonly manifests through unique brewing partnerships Pink Boots works on with interested breweries.
With this in mind, Brew Pipeline, Potosi Brewery and Pink Boots Society teamed up to brew up a beer just in time for March, which is Women’s History Month. The grapefruit-forward Hefeweizen, dubbed Rosa Stiefel, or German for “pink boots,” is the latest collaboration aimed at advancing educational efforts for women looking to get into the craft beer space. Here are the details.
Women in Beer | Chicago Pink Boots Peaches & Her
March 8, 2021 | David Nilsen
Raiye Rosado still remembers walking into her first meeting of the Chicago Chapter of the Pink Boots Society.
“I was absolutely terrified to walk through the door,” said the co-founder of Rabid Brewing in Homewood, Illinois.
She didn’t need to be.
DuClaw Brewing Co. Wants You to ‘Give a Crap’
March 7, 2021 | Kindsey Bernhard
Send a poop, get a six-pack. That’s what DuClaw Brewing Co. is asking people to do for their “Give a Crap Campaign.” The Baltimore brewery has partnered with Squatty Potty and the Colon Cancer Foundation to raise awareness for colon cancer and reach the foundation’s yearly goal of providing 10,000 colorectal cancer screenings to underserved communities in 2021.
What We’re Drinking | March 5, 2021
March 5, 2021 | Mathew Powers
In the world of meteorology, March 1 is the start of spring. So, happy spring! Because of a heavy story load last week, this week’s version is actually two weeks’ worth of beer submissions. Needless to say, there’s been a slew of good beers enjoyed by the PorchDrinking staff. So, forget that whole “March comes in like a lion,” deal — excellent beer always makes for an outstanding start to a month.
Boys Are From Märzen Podcast | Jen Blair New Realm Brewing
March 5, 2021 | Kindsey Bernhard
In Episode 29 of the “Boys Are From Märzen” podcast, Jen Blair of New Realm Brewing joins Kindsey Bernhard.
Jen Blair is the Beer Program Manager at New Realm, co-host of False Bottomed Girls podcast and on the American Homebrewers Association Governing Committee.
Mental Health & Beer | Things We Don’t Say IPA
March 5, 2021 | Mathew Powers
The phrase “Sitting down over a beer” is part of the American lexicon. Friends discuss work, marriages, money, politics, sports or even physical health. But, what about mental health? Why does that seem so rare? As well, craft brewers, who routinely engage in community support, have not addressed mental health until recently. Maybe it’s because it seems hypocritical to produce alcohol and note support for mental health; but that’s a stigma that many hope to change. Malteurop Malting Co., Hollingbery & Son Hops, Eagle Park Brewing, Hope for the Day and many others have kick-started a collaboration beer called “Things We Don’t Say IPA” in an attempt to make mental health discussions as common as Monday morning quarterbacking. This is not to say that one should have a beer when feeling down. Simply, it’s that that people who make and/or enjoy beer should not only feel okay discussing the topic, but be happy to do so.
Duck-Rabbit | Oh, No Let’s Go! Cacao Milk Stout
March 5, 2021 | Christopher Hilliard
One of my earliest craft beer memories is drinking Duck-Rabbit’s Milk Stout. For a fledgling crafty, it was a great way to break into the scene and has stuck with me to this day. Which is perfect, because today we’re taking it up a notch with one of Duck Rabbit’s latest concoctions: Oh, No Let’s Go! Cacao Milk Stout.
Left Hand Brewing Announces Upcoming Denver Location
March 4, 2021 | Tristan Chan
Over the past decade, the city of Denver has become a popular destination for craft beer pioneers looking to set up second outposts. In-state trailblazers like New Belgium, Odell, and … Read More
Great Notion Brewing | RBG
March 4, 2021 | Caroline King and Lauren Raymond
The beer industry has historically been, and remains, male-dominated. But men haven’t always had the upper hand. In the early 1970’s in Oklahoma, women over 18-years-old could buy beer, but men had to be 21. A young man and a female brewery owner joined forces to sue the state of Oklahoma over this, eventually landing this case in the Supreme Court.
Lucky Envelope Brewing Co. | Lunar New Year Beers
March 4, 2021 | Eeva Sharp
Most craft beer drinkers are more than happy to tell you why drinking craft beer is more than just a beverage choice; it is a culture with all the traditions and ritual pours that go with that designation. If you are not already immersed in the culture of craft beer, it can be intimidating and, at worst, exclusionary. Seattle’s Lucky Envelope Brewing Co. owners Raymond Kwan and Barry Chan are committed to broadening craft beer with “culturally-inspired beers” drawn from their shared Chinese-American heritage. With their most recent Lunar New Year beer releases, they served up culture and a fresh perspective on Hazy IPAs and Barrel-Aged Porters.
Ultimate 6er | Craft Beer of Bozeman, Montana
March 3, 2021 | Justin Pennel
Bozeman is a growing and thriving city, nestled in the mountains in Southwest Montana. Bozeman residents love the outdoors, and they also love their beer. Montana has one of the highest brewery per capita numbers in the nation. Bozeman currently has eight breweries one can visit, with more in the works. The city also supports some production-only breweries and a kombucha producer. If you ever find yourself in Bozeman, here are some excellent beers to try (and breweries worth visiting).
Kentucky’s First Sake Company to Open Mid-Spring
March 3, 2021 | Kindsey Bernhard
Most people’s experience with sake is at the Hibachi grill when the chef sprays it into your mouth from three feet away. You either nail it or you leave the restaurant with sake all over your shirt. That’s the extent of your knowledge of the Japanese rice fermented alcoholic beverage. The Void Sake Company in Lexington, KY is ready to change people’s perception of sake and that it’s more than just a fun part of your Hibachi dinner.
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