General Topics
Everything else discussed on the porch.
Supporting Local Breweries in the Midst of COVID-19 Mandated Closures
March 17, 2020 | Karen Mills
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.
Dear Abbey | Taster Fan & First Time Bottle Share in Wisconsin
March 9, 2020 | Jaclyn Menendez
Introducing our new beer advice column, Dear Abbey. This is a chance for you readers to send in your questions about all things craft beer: brewery etiquette, bottle share protocol, style differences, you name it.
No matter the topic, Abbey guarantees you that she will always be right and always be buzzed.
If you’re in need some beer advice, email Abbey at [email protected] and check back each month for new words of wisdom.
New Orleans-Based Urban South Brewery Expands to Houston
February 18, 2020 | Pam Catoe
Houston’s beer scene continues to grow with the addition of award-winning Urban South Brewery’s first expansion outside of New Orleans. A satellite brewery, Urban South – HTX will focus on creative experimental beers in Houston’s Sawyer Yards District, including the hazy IPAs they are well-known for.
QUIZ | ‘The Witcher’ Character or Bon Iver Song?
February 7, 2020 | Drew Troller
Okay, I have a confession.
I have not watched “The Witcher.”
Ultimate 6er | The Best Picture Nominees of The 2020 Oscars
February 5, 2020 | Scott Johnson
The 92nd Academy Awards represents some major changes going on in the world of Hollywood. From the first South Korean movie nominated to Best Picture to streaming services fighting against classic studios; we can’t keep our attention away from the prestigious awards ceremony. Yet people always ask the same question every year: Do the Oscars matter in the grand scheme of things?
My answer is always yes. Even if something you don’t like wins, the goal is to expose others to new cinema and respect the work done by so many unsung heroes in the industry. After all, these are values you learn in the craft beer world when trying new styles or finding out how beer is made. So I’ve cobbled together the best six beers to have with the nine Best Picture Nominees.
2020 Super Bowl 54 Bingo Boards | Print & Play Along
January 31, 2020 | Tristan Chan
It’s time once again for PorchDrinking’s 2020 Super Bowl Bingo Cards for Super Bowl 54. In addition to the entertainment of seeing who can inhale the most combinations of cheese … Read More
The State of Independent Hop Farming
January 28, 2020 | Max Sundermeyer
Mighty Axe Hops is an 80-acre hop farm located near Foley, Minnesota, roughly a 90-minute drive northwest from Minneapolis. It’s the largest hop farm from Michigan to Idaho and grows 13 varieties of hops.
Stepping Up Your Beer & Wing Game
January 28, 2020 | Kevin Kain
I love the Super Bowl solely because of the food. Chips and guac, Italian heroes (or wedges, as they call it where I’m from) and chili are all great, but wings are my favorite. Since beer and wings go hand in hand, it’s fun to take this pairing a step further and combine the two. There are many ways to do this and we’ve provided a few easy ideas. Read More
An Ode To Label Art | Fair State Brewing Cooperative
January 24, 2020 | Max Sundermeyer
It’s no secret on this site that I’m a fan of Fair State Brewing Cooperative. Whether classic styles like their Pils or Hefeweizen, their famous Roselle kettle sour or their beautiful hazy creations like Spirit Foul and Mirror Universe, the Minneapolis cooperative cranks out some of the best in the area.
But as much as I appreciate the beer coming out of Fair State, I always admire what’s outside the can. To celebrate Beer Can Appreciation Day, let’s take a deeper dive into Fair State’s label art.
Wild Mind Artisan Ales | Electric Factory
January 24, 2020 | Max Sundermeyer
One of the Twin Cities’ best-kept craft beer secrets sits in the middle of a South Minneapolis industrial district. Where I-35 meets Highway 62, amid concrete contractors and industrial steel fabricators, you’ll come across Wild Mind Artisan Ales.
A Different Kind of Hangover | The Mourning After
January 14, 2020 | Seth Garland 1
It’s a rare, quiet moment in the house, about 1:30 a.m. on a Saturday morning. I’ve got an understandably stressed-out wife and a brother-in-law actively dying from cancer in my home. Peaceful moments are few and far between. Selfishly, I crave these quiet moments more than anything else in life right now—the moments when we don’t hear the labored wheezing or pained moaning that stems from cancer eating through the bones of a man who’s barely old enough to be considered middle-aged.
OpenTap | A Beer App That Breaks the Mold
January 13, 2020 | Jadon Flores
For nearly every beer nerd or active barhopper, they have at least one type of beer-based application on their phone. In most cases, it’s Uptappd, as it’s easily the most downloaded and widely used beer application. But there are others worth taking note of, including another big name, Taphunter. And with the influx of so many craft breweries, it’s hard to keep track of everything. This is where the OpenTap app is trying to change the game a bit. This particular application focuses on only California breweries, so we reached out to the founder to learn more about his unique perspective.
Ultimate 6er l Beer to Pair with the Music of Weezer
January 8, 2020 | Eric Oliver
I write this next sentence sincerely: Weezer is one of the most divisive bands of our lifetimes. Two prevailing opinions dominate the discussion and show what kind of Weezer fan you are: the early stuff is the best, or Weezer is just hitting their stride. Whatever side you’re on, here is the definitive guide to what you should drink when enjoying Weezer.
PorchDrinking’s Best in Beer 2019 | Pacific Region
January 6, 2020 | Jadon Flores
With the enormous multitude of breweries in California, not including some of our other states in the Pacific region, it comes as no surprise this was a hard list to … Read More
Best Star Wars Themed Beers for The Rise of Skywalker
December 18, 2019 | Jess Baker 3
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 tomorrow’s epic conclusion with the release of Star Wars The Rise of Skywalker, 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…
Star Wars: The Rise of Skywalker | Why I’m Not Nervous (Okay, Maybe a Bit)
December 13, 2019 | Drew Troller
Star Wars: The Rise of Skywalker will be released in theaters on December 20, 2019. After over 40 years, the saga of a galaxy far, far away will come to a conclusion. Am I excited? Yes! Am I nervous about whether it’ll be good? Not at all. Am I nervous that talking about Star Wars has become fraught with all kinds of inter-fandom drama over the last few years? Sure am!
I’ve shared before just how excited I get for new Star Wars movies. Here I try to make clear how I feel about Star Wars as it goes into this final chapter. Just one diehard nerd’s thoughts. Hope you enjoy… Read More
Boulder Beer is Here to Stay | Brewery Inks Agreement with Sleeping Giant
December 6, 2019 | Scott Grossman
In an indication of just how fast the craft beer market moves these days, earlier this week Boulder Beer Company and Sleeping Giant Brewing Company announced a partnership to bring Boulder Beer back into distribution. This comes fast on the heels of Boulder Beer’s October decision to exit distribution. Boulder Beer was to be available only in the Boulder brewpub.
Roundtable Discussion | How Do You Promote Diversity in Beer?
December 2, 2019 | Keith Adams
It’s unfortunate that it takes public relations disasters like the recent Founders Brewing litigation and other instances of sexual harassment and sexism to open up a greater dialogue around diversity in craft beer. Over the past several months, we’re finally seeing more breweries address the industry’s lack of diversity head-on. Some are also realizing that embracing diversity in their brewhouses and taprooms has benefits beyond PR. The Brewer’s Association points out that cultivating diversity isn’t just a feel-good effort: “Research studies increasingly show that diversity and inclusion (or D&I) can help increase a business’ bottom line, drive innovation, attract more talent, attract more customers and create more opportunities for growth.”
Event Recap | 2019 Wynkoop Brewing Day of Darks
November 25, 2019 | Scott Grossman 1
Again this year dark beer lovers filled the top floor of Wynkoop Brewing Co. for some of Colorado’s best dark beer pours. Breweries from up and down Colorado’s Front Range brought heavy, dark and malty brews to Day of Darks. Meanwhile, Wynkoop supplied chocolate treats for pairing, including ice cream made with Wynkoop’s own Cowtown Milk Stout.
Brewers brought their A-game with kegs, cans, bottles and even some growlers with extra-special brews. While most beers were production-level and available at the breweries, enjoying them all in one space was certainly a great convenience. Attendees also had fun trying a handful of one-offs and pre-release beers that some breweries brought, although one had to sniff those out early as they tended to go fast. Read More
Ultimate 6er | Six Beers to Pair with the Halloween Classic: Hocus Pocus
October 17, 2019 | Jaclyn Menendez
Is there any movie more quintessentially Halloween than the 1993 classic Hocus Pocus? I’ve been watching it annually since I was a kid, but it’s even better now, because now I can drink beer at the same time. So let’s cuddle up with our talking cat, light that Black Flame Candle, and get to it: here are six beers to pair with the bewitching characters from the spooky film Hocus Pocus.
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