Midwest
The Blackest Friday with Black Calder Brewing Co.
November 24, 2020 | Emma Wargolet
Black Calder Brewing, a new brewery opening in Michigan, launches on Black Friday. As the first Black-owned brewery in Michigan, owners Terry Rostic and Jamaal Ewing recognize how significant this is for representation and diversity in craft beer. PorchDrinking chatted by email with Rostic and Ewing to find out more about Black Calder Brewing and what to expect from the brewery.
What We’re Drinking | November 20, 2020
November 20, 2020 | Brandon Cohran
You probably don’t need and don’t want a reminder, but Thanksgiving is next week. Which means that it is basically 2021, because we all know how fast this time of year goes by. While I’m a firm believer that it’s “always Stout season,” breweries are starting to release all the Stouts that we can handle over the next few weeks! That might be one of the only silver linings to end 2020. Travel plans and family/friend hangouts have likely been postponed, for the better. Be mindful about supporting local as the weather continues to challenge outdoor options for your favorite breweries and restaurants. Some of our local favorites are present this week, so here is What We’re Drinking.
Pipeworks Brewing & Manny’s Deli Collaborate on Beef-Focused Pastrami on Rye Ale
November 19, 2020 | Taylor Laabs
In a year that feels like it will never end, waiting almost a decade must feel like an eternity. Yet, some things are worth the wait. Case in point: the return of Pipeworks Brewing Co.’s Pastrami on Rye, which returns this month with a fun twist: a collaboration with local Chicago pastrami staple Manny’s Deli. First brewed in 2010, the eclectic ale is back again in 2020, thanks in small part to the beer-focused musings of one of our own writers: Mike Zoller (aka Instagram’s @ChicagoBeer) and the creative, collaborative spirit of two local Chicago businesses. Here are the details on what Chicago beer lovers can expect for the return of Pastrami on Rye.
Familiar Beers Return for Latest Revolution Deep Wood Release
November 19, 2020 | Mike Zoller
A trio of familiar faces make up Chicago’s Revolution Brewing’s third Deep Wood release of barrel-aged beers with pickup beginning this weekend at the brewery’s taproom.
Indulgent Beer Series | Choc Beer Co. Wild Brew Spelt Saison
November 19, 2020 | Jereme Zimmerman
Sometimes you need a beer, and sometimes you need to treat yourself to something special. This Wild Brew Spelt Saison, the result of a 2013 collab between Oklahoma’s Choc Beer … Read More
Ultimate 6er | Fantasy Football
November 18, 2020 | Brandon Cohran
We’re getting ready for playoffs in most Fantasy Football seasons, and despite how your record looks, I’m sure that you could use a beer or six to finish out the season. Some of us are blitzing through our schedule with no issues, while others of us are cursing because of bad luck with matchups despite the points you consistently score. Read More
Indulgent Beer Series | New Holland Brewing Company Dragon Milk Solera
November 18, 2020 | Jessica Spengler
New Holland Brewing Company Dragon’s Milk is something of a legend. Not only was it one of the first Bourbon Barrel-Aged Stouts, but it has crushed the competition since it’s release, remaining the #1 best selling BBA in the United States. It was unsurprising, then, throughout the years, when the brewery released its Dragon’s Milk and Dragon’s Milk Reserve lines, all focusing on variations of the original stout. However, legends evolve, and often the result of that evolution is unexpected. The newest addition to the original line, Dragon’s Milk Solera, shows just that. Although it fits the high expectations of a Dragon’s Milk beer, it’s not a stout.
Indulgent Beer Series | Hubbard’s Cave Coffee & Cakes
November 17, 2020 | Stephanie Ward
Who says you can’t have your coffee and cakes… and drink them, too? The folks over at Hubbard’s Cave are here to prove that you can, in fact, do just that. This Chicago-based brewery has dished up something straight out of boozy brunch dreams and let’s just say: We’re here for it.
Indulgent Beer Series | Foreign Exchange Brewing Kittywampus Brunch
November 16, 2020 | Dan and Lizzie
Young people and old folks across the nation may not agree on much these days, but we can agree that brunch is the best meal. Sure, you’ve got 2nd breakfast, elevensies, afternoon tea and 4th meal, but none of them can compete with brunch. Mimosas, Screwdrivers, and Bloody Marys are frequently the weapon of choice at brunch. However, for the beer fanatics, a coffee-imbued porter with breakfast focused adjuncts will be an enticing option.
2020 FoBAB Winners Announced | Cider Makes Best of Show History
November 14, 2020 | Mike Zoller 1
The Illinois Craft Brewers Guild‘s annual Festival of Wood and Barrel Aged Beers (FoBAB) competition, which hosts breweries from throughout the nation, is usually one where the Barrel-Aged Stouts get most of the focus. However, it was a surprising, different style that for the first time took home the top honor in FoBAB’s Best of Show category.
Cheers, Yinz! A Beer Fest That Gives Back to Breweries
November 13, 2020 | Aaron Gore
The culture of craft beer has always had a strong connection to the communities in which it thrives. For many of us, our neighborhood brewery is far more than merely a place that produces the things we enjoy drinking–it is a community center, a gathering place, and an intrinsic part of our daily lives, not to mention a foundational element for hobbies, relationships, and fostering a sense of place. Enter Cheers, Yinz!, a beer festival built to help beloved local breweries weather the economic (and emotional) effects of decreased sales and temporary closures.
First Taste | Cruz Blanca’s 2020 Luchador Series
November 12, 2020 | Mike Zoller 1
Each year, Chicago’s Cruz Blanca continues to get bolder with its barrel-aged series, Luchador. In 2019 the brewery released six different variants and in 2020 upped that number to eight different masked bottles that will be released this Saturday.
An Interview with GABF’s Biggest Winners, Sun King
November 10, 2020 | Aaron Gore
When one thinks about the state of Indiana, a few things may immediately come to mind. Corn, basketball and the show “Parks and Recreation” are all likely answers but for many, craft beer is not necessarily one of them. That is a shame, considering that at the 2020 Great American Beer Festival competition, the Hoosier State picked up an impressive 10 medals and was home to the brewery with the highest number of winning beers overall: Sun King Brewing.
Lo Rez Brewing | El Paseo Pale Ale
November 6, 2020 | Christiana Torres
Why do people love craft beer? You could narrow it down to a few major factors: Quality ingredients, community support and promoting a local economy. Those reasons are why people gravitate to craft beer, to be a part of something bigger. If any beer can hold all of that under its belt, it’s El Paseo Pale Ale from south side Chicago-based Lo Rez Brewing. Read More
Bell’s Brewery | Juicy Gossip
November 4, 2020 | Jessica Spengler
Have you heard the Juicy Gossip? Turns out, Bell’s Brewery has a new beer just in time for the holidays. Nope, it’s not a coffee or dessert stout, or even a nice Christmas ale. In fact, the only thing Christmasy about this brew is the amount of tea you spill to your family members about how much you love this – pale ale? Yup. Juicy Gossip is just that – a juicy pale ale all ready to squeeze some good stuff out of your holidays.
Ravinia Brewing Company | Wizard Van Apricot Sour IPA
November 3, 2020 | Rachel Morrison
It’s that time of year in Chicago where none of us are quite sure what season it is. Our 8 A.M. outfit is often inappropriate by noon. ‘BYOB’ now means ‘bring your own blanket’. Our Instagram feeds are either flooded with complaints about snow or praise for a random stint of sunshine. Should you still grasp onto the very few remaining Oktoberfest beers floating around the city, the often-polarizing pumpkin offerings, or go full-on stout season? There’s no wrong answer. However, may I offer a recommendation? Apricot Sour IPA.
Primary Colors Releases First Set of Blended Beers to Market
November 2, 2020 | Mike Zoller 5
Even as COVID restrictions continue to hamper businesses across the country, Chicago’s brewery scene has added another brewery to the always growing roster as Primary Colors Brewing has packaged their first mixed six-pack of eight-ounce beers.
Tired Hands I VOTED TODAY Beer Encourages Craft Beer Drinkers to Vote
November 2, 2020 | Kindsey Bernhard
It is no secret that the 2020 Presidential Campaign is an unprecedented one. There has never been such an emphasis on people exercising their right and democratic duty to vote. Everyone from athletes, to singers and actors, to craft breweries are encouraging the public to vote this election season.
To encourage craft beer drinkers around the country to vote, Tired Hands Brewing in Ardmore, PA created the I VOTED TODAY nationwide voter awareness beer initiative.
Great Lakes Brewing Co. Spices Up Christmas Ale Release with New Cans, Artwork
October 29, 2020 | Taylor Laabs
One thing that has remained consistent this year in the world of craft beer is the tried and true cadence of much-anticipated seasonal beer releases. While spring, summer and fall releases might be more frequent, a few special beers are released in the build up leading up to Christmas. Great Lakes Brewing Co‘s Christmas Ale, from the OG out of Cleveland, is one of those beers.
Phase Three Brewing to Deliver Halloween Beer Bag to Limited Areas
October 27, 2020 | Alex Sertic
If this year’s Halloween has you bummed, Phase Three Brewery in Lake Zurich, IL is here to cheer you up! This year to spread Halloween cheer, Phase Three is making local deliveries to limited Chicagoland zip codes in the form of Trick or Treat beer bags. This might be beer fans’ last chance to get Phase Three’s popular Bushel of Apples. Order yours before it’s gone! Read More
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