FoBAB Cancelled, ICBG to Continue with Virtual Competition

On Thursday, the Illinois Craft Brewer’s Guild announced that their annual Festival of Barrel and Wood Aged Beer (FoBAB) will be among the many festivals to get cancelled because of the global pandemic. This news coincides with the cancellation of the 2021 Big Beers, Belgians & Barleywines festival held in Breckenridge, Colorado. The ICBG mentioned in their official announcement that the annual competition and awards ceremony would still be taking place virtually. Participating breweries will be asked to send their competition beers to FoBAB where they will be judged by 50 industry leaders and certified craft beer judges.

Read More

BREAKING | Big Beers, Belgians & Barleywines Announces 2021 Cancellation

There will be no joy in Breckenridge this January as Laura and Bill Lodge, organizers of Big Beers, Belgians & Barleywines, have announced the cancellation of the 2021 event. The festival was planned for January 7-9, 2021 in Breckenridge, CO. The cancellation follows similar moves by virtually every onsite beer festival in 2020 and represents one of the first 2021 events to be canceled. It would have marked the 21st annual event.

Organizers attributed the cancellation to the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic and related restrictions on gatherings.

“Our Big Beers board has met and discussed the pandemic situation. We are very clear that our first priority as a Big Beers community needs to be supporting our sponsors and brewers throughout this bizarre and difficult time as they work hard to adapt business as necessary – and not by asking you to travel and/or otherwise support us in January of 2021,” said organizer Laura Lodge.

Lodge went on to explain that they’ve decided not to move forward with a virtual version of the event, but that they are still exploring the possibility of some scaled-down homage via newsletter or social media that would take place on the originally proposed January 2021 date.

Read More

Purpose Brewing Safely Celebrates Anniversary Amid COVID-19 Restrictions

As beer-drinkers increasingly long for festivals and celebrations to return, Purpose Brewing and Cellars seems to have found a way to throw a great party that’s both fun and safe. Purpose, located in Fort Collins, CO. celebrated their third anniversary on Aug. 1 with many of the usual features including music, special releases and an outdoor beer garden, along with pandemic-inspired additions like masks, hand sanitizer and social distancing.

Read More

Beers For Gaming | Dark Souls

Whether it’s the defining scene in your favorite show, the climactic mission in one of your favorite games, or the beer you order at your local pub, we all have our holy grails that set the standard.

These beloved experiences evoke a certain sense of nostalgia for a lot of us. For me, sitting around and sharing a bomber with my closest friends is one of the best things there is, no matter how often it happens. Immersing yourself in video game stories is no different. The carefully crafted worlds, narratives, action sequences and emotional decisions can impact the gamer for years to come.  Read More

Ultimate 6er | Comfort Food Movies

If you like to cuddle up with some of your favorite movies to take a break from life’s woes, this is the Ultimate 6er for you! So grab your favorite comfort food dish and treat yourself to an easy day of relaxing. Who knows? You might find some new favorites to treat the senses!

Read More

Beers to Enjoy While Playing Animal Crossing

In the midst of quarantining, Nintendo released their newest version of Animal Crossing for the Switch. If you’re like me, this may be a nostalgic release, having played an older version of the game back when the DS was at its peak. Without further ado, we’ve rounded up a few beers to enjoy while playing Animal Crossing: New Horizons (hopefully with friends, while practicing social distancing).

Read More

Ultimate 6er | Beers for Mountain Biking

Great beer and a rowdy mountain bike ride go hand in hand. Each of the beers selected for this Mountain Biking Ultimate 6er had to fit three criteria. First, it has to come in cans. When you’re packing the cooler to rip hot laps with the crew, bottles won’t do. Second, the brewery of choice must be based out of a premier mountain bike destination. Lastly, the beer must fall into one of two categories based on when it’s consumed.

Read More

Ultimate 6er | ACL Pros Favorite Cornhole Beers

Summer still managed to show up on time amidst all that is currently going on in our country. Coincidentally, most states have also relaxed on the number of people allowed at outdoor gatherings. Bring on BBQ season! Nothing says backyard BBQ like meat sizzling on the grill, cold craft beer and a few games of cornhole. Fortunately for us, you only need four to play the ultimate backyard game. So, not only does cornhole fit well within the standards of a small gathering, but it also lends itself to good conversations over many craft beers.

Read More

Great Divide Expansion Undeterred by Pandemic

Bucking the pandemic-induced trend of small businesses reducing operations or shutting down entirely, Great Divide Brewing Co. celebrated the grand opening of a new taproom in Castle Rock, Colorado, June 1. The opening of Great Divide Brewery and Roadhouse came just days after Colorado gave approval for restaurants and breweries to reopen. “We’ve got this beautiful place. Once they give you the all-clear you want to get it open,” said Great Divide marketing manager Matt Sandy.

The bar features 16 taps, along with a full-service restaurant, patio and brewhouse. The restaurant surrounds the brewhouse so customers can watch Great Divide’s brewers creating new beers. Read More

Beers For Gaming | Dungeons & Dragons

Beginning a new hobby—whether it’s immersing yourself into a board game or getting into the craft beer scene—can be a daunting task. As I was learning the ropes of Dungeons & Dragons, I found myself reminiscing on my early craft beer adventures. Experiencing and exploring new beer styles, breweries and beers was unfamiliar but exciting; the thrill of these new discoveries was truly unmatched. The same emotions are felt when adventuring through a quest in Dungeons & Dragons as unpredictable and diverse journeys shape each session.

Read More

Brewers Weigh in on the State of the Industry

This past two months, as stay-at-home orders swept the nation, breweries had to quickly adapt to keep their taprooms afloat. Draft-only taprooms shifted to packaging, breweries got creative with social distancing measures, and sadly, layoffs began to unfold. Regarding the state of the industry, the Brewers Association announced in early April that a recent survey found that the majority of breweries were concerned that their businesses could not withstand several months of shelter-in-place orders. And, although many states are now in the process of lifting those orders, most establishments in those regions are only allowed to open to limited capacities, and they are opening in an environment where high unemployment and COVID-19 fears are limiting people’s willingness or ability to frequent bars and breweries. Other locations remain under lockdown orders.

As we forge ahead, and inevitably, as states begin to lift stay-at-home orders, it is evident that things may not go back to normal, at least for a long time. At PorchDrinking.com, we’re keeping a close eye on how the brewing industry reacts. Here’s what a few industry veterans had to say on panels hosted by WeldWerks Brewing Co., BusinessDen and the Colorado Brewers Guild.

Read More

Drink Beer, Do Yoga, Support Local

Just about everything looks different than it did a few months ago: We’re buying to-go beer and drinking at home because many of us cannot enjoy our favorite beverage at a local brewery or bar right now. Overnight, breweries have turned into delivery companies specializing in contactless delivery and carry out. Innovation is the name of the game and many breweries are offering creative options for people to stay entertained, from gift baskets to DIY pizza kits.

The fitness industry has drastically shifted as well. We cannot currently take large group fitness classes and instead are forced to participate in at-home workouts, oftentimes with dogs and small children attempting to join in.

Read More

Star Wars Beers to Celebrate May the Fourth Be With You

You’re probably the fanatic that clicked refresh 1977 times in order to be the first to purchase tickets for Star Wars The Rise of Skywalker. You’ve concocted the wildest theories ranging from R2D2 actually being a Sith Lord, to the Mandalorian and Baby Yoda being Rey’s parents.

As one of the most iconic movies of all time, it’s clear to see how Star Wars has inspired countless numbers of brewers to pay homage to this epic saga that took place a long time ago in a galaxy far, far away….

The Force is strong with these Star Wars Themed Beers. In honor of May the Fourth, Star Wars Day, we’ve updated our roundup of Star Wars beers… just don’t try to drink them all at once. I have a bad feeling about this…

Read More

Virtual Happy Hour Do’s and Don’ts

We all can agree we miss happy hours at an actual bar or brewery. Thankfully, with technology and the advent of to-go beers, we are fortunate enough to be able to have virtual happy hours with friends and family. After spending roughly 42,000 hours on virtual happy hours, here are some do’s and don’ts that will help make your time online even better! 

Read More

The First Sip: Life After COVID-19

With more time to watch movies and shows, I’ve been reevaluating the importance of entertainment and imagination. One movie I’ve been thinking about is Big Fish—particularly the end where Albert Finney and Billy Crudup envision how “the story ends.” The ending they come up with is a bright visualization—a jubilant, cheerful scene where the son carries his dying father to a pond through a long stretch of smiling faces. As they walk down the hill towards the pond, the father gets a standing ovation from the dozens of quirky people who made up his remarkable (if exaggerated) life’s story.

Sometimes those kinds of visualizations are fun distractions—a daydream to pass the time. But sometimes visualizations are a coping mechanism, pure survival. It’s not news that we’re missing a lot right now. And when we miss things, it’s easy to let our minds wander and dream about what may come. So that’s exactly what we’re going to do. With the help of some lovely folks in the craft beer industry, we’re going to close our eyes and imagine what it’ll be like on that first day back to life.

Read More

Small Business Relief Options for Breweries Shut Out by Stimulus Bill

When President Trump signed the CARES Act on March 27, 2020, it appeared to offer a much-needed lifeline to small businesses that are suffering under the current pandemic. The act funded several programs designed to allow businesses to pay their basic expenses—particularly their employees—while under various government-mandated shutdowns and reductions in service. However, within just 13 days of the April 3, 2020, start date the $376 billion program ran out of funds, leaving many small businesses, including breweries, wondering if any assistance will be coming. Read More

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

Ultimate 6er | Enjoy Baseball During a Quarantine

Beer & Baseball go hand-in-hand. Although beer operations are either slowed or shut down in almost every U.S. location, to-go options and cellar-emptying are at least helping us through this quarantine. Baseball, however, is on full hiatus, and baseball fans need something to fill the void. The good news is that fans can still enjoy baseball during a quarantine through social and digital media. You may even find sites you never knew existed, and become fans of those sites forever.

Read More

Phase Three Brewing Company | Pressed

You enter the store and wait through the excruciating line, the fog of early morning clouding your eyes. You get to the counter and place your order, saying, “I’ll take a grande, nonfat, Porter with a side of vanilla.”

It may not be Starbucks, but Phase Three Brewing Company, in Lake Zurich, Illinois, is brewing a series of beers that blur the line between coffee shop and brewery. Maple. Vanilla. Chocolate. Hazelnut. Coffee. Each is incredible on its own, but when brewed into a beer, they can become amazing if approached correctly. Phase Three is remarkable, and is fighting its way into your glass.

Read More

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.

Read More