Midwest
Illinois Craft Beer Week 2022 | New Events & New Location for Beer Under Glass
April 1, 2022 | Mathew Powers
The Illinois Craft Brewers Guild announced today the return of Illinois Craft Beer Week (ICBW), which will take place May 13-20. For those who forgot what ICBW was like before the global pandemic wreaked havoc on the world, the week-long celebration features a lineup of signature festivals and events that support Illinois breweries and ostensibly kick-off the state’s craft beer season. One can expect breweries to host other events and offer specials during the week, too. Unlike the last two years, with festivals operated virtually or during untraditional times, Beer Under Glass (“BUG”) will again serve as the ceremonial start to Illinois Craft Beer Week 2022 on May 13. However, one difference will be its new (temporary) location: Chicago’s Union Station. The Guild has also provided info on its Passport Program and a host of other events, which are detailed below.
Do-It-4-MDOG Aims Big in 2nd Annual Fundraiser
March 16, 2022 | Brian Phipps
For the second year in a row, Jack’s Bottle Shop of Rochester, Minnesota is putting together its Do-It-4-MDOG fundraiser. This year the beneficiary is Children’s Minnesota, a place Jack’s Bottle Shop owner Jack Lester is very close to.
Kansas City Bier Co. | Carolator Doppelbock
March 8, 2022 | Katie Camlin
Note: the author is employed by Kansas City Bier Co.
Every year since the brewery opened in 2014, Kansas City Bier Co. has brewed a Doppelbock in the winter to be blessed and released around the time of Lent, following Bavarian brewing traditions established in the 1600s. The bier was called Blessed Doppelbock, as it was brewed and then blessed by a local priest for the Lent season. In 2021, however, the beer took on a new name, Carolator, to honor the memory family member who passed unexpectedly.
Hinterland Brewery | Saving Gracie Gluten-Free Hazy IPA
March 4, 2022 | Whitney Froelich
Hinterland: (noun) a word of German origin meaning “the land behind”; an unexplored, uncharted area full of possibility, opportunity and adventure.
Founded in 1995, Hinterland is Green Bay, Wisconsin’s first modern-day brewery to emerge from the late 1980s craft beer boom. Founders Bill and Michelle Tressler, who were both just 24 years old at the time, moved back home from a rock band drumming, magazine editing, corporate career adventure in California to open a brewery of their own. They rented an old cheese factory outside of town and bootstrapped their way through startup, nearly burning down the factory in the process. Eventually, the Tresslers and their head brewer Joe Karls moved operations into a turn-of-the-century meat processing plant in downtown Green Bay. The small, charming space worked well enough for Hinterland until 2017 when they got a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to expand. They sold the building and brewhouse to Copper State Brewing Company.
2022 Chicago Women’s Collaboration Brew Day Beer is Here
March 3, 2022 | Emma Wargolet
Each year, Pink Boots Society members across the country team up to brew a beer for International Women’s Day. The Chicago chapter met up in February at Church Street Brewing Company to brew Cosmic Nunchucks, which will be available on tap and in cans at participating breweries starting this weekend. The brew day event involved 45 women that are involved in the craft beer industry in the Chicagoland area, helmed by Chicago Chapter Co-Leaders Shana Solarte, Raiye Rosado and Katie Hofmann.
Off Color Brewing | Beer for Lounging Pale Ale
February 18, 2022 | Ben Garbarek
The release of a pale ale usually wouldn’t raise many eyebrows. It’s a staple of nearly any brewery. But when Off Color Brewing released a new pale ale, it was a startling surprise for many of its fans.
While other breweries make an endless supply of IPAs, pale ales and other hoppy beers, Off Color has steadfastly refused to ever make one. Off Color started in 2013 with an initial lineup of a saison, a gose and a kotbusser — instead of an IPA, pale ale and a double IPA.
Community Across The Bar | Cheboygan Brewing Co.
February 17, 2022 | Eeva Sharp
Cheboygan, Michigan had a brewery as early as 1872 when the town was an important part of the state’s logging industry. In 2011, that history was rebooted with Cheboygan Brewing Company. A decade later, the brewery is still sharing the past and shaping the future of the community from behind the bar.
Brewery Showcase | Moor’s Brewing Company
February 15, 2022 | Rachel Morrison 1
If you haven’t yet heard of Moor’s Brewing, then you haven’t been paying attention. While the brewery is only about eight months old, Moor’s is seeing early success and momentum through their ever-growing list of distribution partners, a current residency at Haymarket Brewing and many more partnerships and events in the pipeline.
AleBlazers | Q&A With Funkytown Brewery
February 14, 2022 | Emma Wargolet
As a part of the PorchDrinking AleBlazers series, we’re excited to chat with the owners of Funkytown Brewery, Richard Bloomfield, Zachary Day and Gregory Williams! With their opening in October 2021, they became the second Black-owned brewery in Chicago that is currently operating. We discuss the future of Funkytown, how they started working with a brewery incubator, the importance of diversity in craft beer and more!
Code Beer Co. | Munich Mindset Dunkel
February 14, 2022 | Lori Kitzing
In Nebraska, the temperature can easily swing 40 degrees from one day to the next. In the winter, it can be bitter cold on Monday, and 60 degrees on Tuesday. This can make it challenging to know which beer to stock up on. Dark and cold days call for a heavier beer to warm you up. On a sunny day, you want to reach for something crisp and light. What’s the solution? Play it safe and get yourself some Munich Mindset, brewed by Code Beer Co. in Lincoln, Nebraska.
Servaes Brewing Co. | Purple Pineapple Berliner Weisse
February 10, 2022 | Jason Murphy
A favorite childhood drink comes to mind when pouring and sipping this beautifully done Berliner Weisse that is Purple Pineapple from Servaes Brewing Co. The drink we’re referring to is the timeless classic known as Kool-Aid. We’re down for drinking the Kool-Aid that Servaes (pronounced liked service) is putting out, too. Intrigued yet? Let’s dive in and find out more!
Hop Butcher Announces 2nd Location in Former 5 Rabbit Space
February 4, 2022 | Mike Zoller
Hop Butcher for the World entered 2021 with no brewery of their own. They begin 2022 two.
It was previously announced that they would take over Half Acre’s Lincoln Ave location but what many didn’t know was that even before they had closed on that location, Hop Butcher had already closed on the former 5 Rabbit location in Bedford Park.
A Midwesterner Attempts Dry January
January 31, 2022 | Emma Wargolet
As a native Wisconsinite and a current Chicagoan, Dry January has never been something I have attempted before. After a heavily celebrated December (and negative COVID tests abound), I knew this year was the time to take the plunge. Despite two full beer fridges from advent calendars and friends leaving beer at my home, I went into January with a strong resolve. Below are the tips and tricks I learned throughout the month so anyone who wants to attempt a dry month can hopefully also be successful!
Sneak Peek | Revolution’s Final Deep Wood Release
January 28, 2022 | Mike Zoller
First announced in July of last year it seemed like it would take a long time to get through all of the Revolution Brewing Deep Wood releases. But as the last two beers are about to be released, they’ve once again kept us wanting more.
Foeder-Aged Ales at Pathlight Brewing
January 17, 2022 | Katie Camlin
A glance at the Pathlight Brewing tap list reveals an impressive variety: ranging from an English Dark Mild, to a milkshake IPA called $ugar DaddY, to wild ales with wine grapes. Brewers Tanner Vaughn and David Harris strive to make “a little bit of everything.” The menu has something for every beer drinker.
Revolution Releases Two New Year-Round Beers
January 12, 2022 | Mike Zoller
Two previously announced beers from Revolution Brewing are now available in cans in the city of Chicago.
Ørkenoy | Django Pennsylvania Grodziskie
January 10, 2022 | Rachel Morrison
Often times, smoked beers can offer similar notes and flavors to beef jerky. Separately, both incredible things; combined, not my cup of tea (or beer). Thankfully, no two iterations of any beer style are the same. Enter Django Pennsylvania, a Grodziskie style beer brewed by Ørkenoy in Chicago, IL in collaboration with Live Oak Brewing out of Austin, TX. A Grodziskie is a traditional Polish style, which is a very light, smoky beer, brewed with 100% wheat malt.
Brewery Vivant Interview | Sustainability and Future Goals
December 23, 2021 | Brian Phipps
During a year in which COVID-19 continues to affect all aspects of life, how are breweries sustainability goals progressing? To answer this question, I recently interviewed several sustainability leaders in the craft brewing industry. Over the next few weeks, I will share these conversations. My first interview is with Kris Spaulding, Owner and President of Brewery Vivant, which is located in Grand Rapids, Michigan. Spaulding shared about the brewery’s progress over 2021 and what they hope to accomplish in 2022.
Side Project Brewing | M.J.K. Barleywine
December 22, 2021 | Eric Griffin
It is so difficult to address the true outcome of a beer so heavily shrouded by hype. It’s no secret to the craft beer community that Side Project Brewing boasts one of, if not the best, barrel programs in the world. Even the likes of M.J.K., a beer representing the culmination of their barleywine production, finds itself constantly under scrutiny, for the most part by those who will never actually have a chance to try it themselves. Again provided with an incredibly rare opportunity to open yet another La Coterie exclusive bottle, M.J.K. was one in particular that needed a showcase.
Revolution Brewing Offers Some Twists in Third Deep Wood Release
December 20, 2021 | Mike Zoller
It’s crazy to think that we’re down to just one more Revolution Brewing Deep Wood release in January, after the third set of beers came out a couple of weeks ago.
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