The Strategic Approach Behind Dogfish Head’s New Summer 12-Packs

We’ve written on here before about Dogfish Head’s passion to stand out amongst growing competition in the craft beer market. Heck, we even devoted an entire 6er to it. But crafting a beer with scorching hot chili peppers or moon dust can only go so far. At some point, you need to find new ways to set yourself apart from the beer lining the shelf next to you. In their latest move, Dogfish Head is doing just that by introducing the new Off-Center Your Summer Pack. The new pack signals their shift towards differentiation by presenting a more premium product that offers more than just a 12-pack of beer to consumers. Dogfish Head Founder and CEO Sam Calagione offered his thoughts on the new seasonal variety pack and what its introduction to the market means for Dogfish Head and the larger craft beer arena.

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Bonn Place Brewing Company | Intergalacto Cooler

I’m not going to lie to you. When it comes to Bonn Place Brewing Company, I’m about as biased as it gets. The beer is beautifully crafted, the taproom is cozy and the owners, Sam and Gina Masotto, are some of the warmest, friendliest people you’ll ever want to meet. If I lived a little closer, they would never get me to leave! When I heard that Bonn Place tapped Intergalacto Cooler this week, I headed to Bethlehem, PA for a visit.
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Allagash Brewing’s Barrel-Aged Curieux is Headed to 12oz Bottles

Allagash Brewing Co. is an eastern stalwart of craft beer’s “old guard,” most known for their impressive spiced Belgian-style wheat beer, Allagash White. But Allagash’s influence in the Belgian style runs much deeper than just its flagship beer. The Maine-based brewery has had a strong barrel-aged program since 2004, having churned out a variety of quality Belgian-style stouts and tripels. Their first ever barrel-aged beer, Curieux, a bourbon barrel-aged Belgian Golden Ale blended with Belgian Tripel, has been a prominent offering of Allagash for over a decade, but it had only been available on draft and in 750ml bottles—until now. Having sensed consumer’s demand for more choice in packaging, Allagash responded by putting Curieux into 12oz bottles – a first for the brand’s barrel program, and an impressive achievement given the complexity of Curieux. The new packaging format is an exciting shift for the craft beer stalwart; we asked Jason Perkins, brewmaster at Allagash Brewing Company, why they’ve decided to make the move and what craft beer drinkers can expect.

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Tree House Brewing Company | Lights On

“Shipping up to Boston!” is a phrase that was uttered more times than I dared to count during my most recent trip — an overnight stay in the famed New England coastal city. It was St. Patrick’s Day weekend, and I snagged two tickets to see Dropkick Murphys perform the first night of their hometown holiday show at the House of Blues in Boston. The idea of expanding our trip to include lobster rolls, “chowdah” and amazing beer was too sweet to pass up, and drinking Lights On from Tree House helped put this trip over the top.
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Prospect Ciderworks | Sidro

For some, cider season begins when the leaves start to turn and ends when the snow starts to fall. For me, cider season is year-round. There are so many variations and beer blends that I’m continuously discovering and have yet to try – and Sidro, that’s your queue.

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Trillium Brewing/J. Wakefield Brewing | Tiramisu Imperial Stout

Using local ingredients whenever possible and trying to elevate the concept of a New England farmhouse brewery, Trillium has come up with some mind-blowing beers. As stated on their site, Trillium Brewing Company attempts to create interesting and engaging beers across their entire catalog of styles, and their latest collaboration stout with J. Wakefield Brewing – Tiramisu Imperial Stout – was no different.
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Starr Hill Brewery | Front Row Golden Ale

Not every beer needs to be a whale or unicorn. The humble fridge beer holds a very important place in the beer drinker’s daily routine. This is a beverage that you can enjoy with a simple home-cooked meal, while mowing the lawn or during a pre-concert tailgate party — to mitigate the need to purchase $12 light beers inside the venue. Starr Hill‘s Front Row is an easy-drinking golden ale that fulfills all of these needs beautifully.
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Root Down Brewing Company | Melt Down

Melt Down Oatmeal Stout, a collaboration between Root Down Brewing Company and BeerNERDS, isn’t just another stout. Besides offering terrific, complex flavors, 100% of the proceeds benefit Main Line Deputy Dog, a local nonprofit organization that trains service dogs for those in need.  Read More

SingleCut Beersmiths | Jenny Said

There’s so many age old questions in life. What came first—the chicken or the egg? Why does a round pizza come in a square box? Who was in the kitchen with Dinah? And perhaps the most important, what was it that Jenny Said?

While pondering some of life’s biggest questions, I was busy browsing the shelves of my local grocery store trying to decide on a beer for this showcase. As I rounded the corner, several 16oz. cans caught my eye. Jenny Said, an imperial IPA from SingleCut Beersmiths was the way to go. Read More

Ultimate 6er | Pittsburgh Craft Beer

The Pittsburgh craft beer scene has been making serious waves, or I should say serious brews, in the craft beer industry. Pittsburgh breweries have been brewing an assortment of different beer, from pale ales to hazy IPAs and wild ales to delicious barrel aged stouts – Pittsburgh’s craft beer scene has truly grown and, as a result, is starting to receive national recognition.

I am currently pursuing fitness goals, so I have not enjoyed a beer since January 1, 2018. Trust me… I miss it dearly! This list will consist of the beers I have consumed in 2017 and by the time I write another Ultimate 6er, I hope to have tasted some new beer in 2018. Let’s dive right in and get this started!

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Iron Hill Brewery | Philly Special

I recently decided to make the hour drive to Iron Hill Brewery‘s Phoenixville, Pennsylvania location. So with my fiancée and daughter in tow, I braved some pretty terrible parking conditions. After a brisk walk down Bridge Street, we were there. Iron Hill is one of the winningest breweries in GABF history, and they brewed a beer for some more recent local champions — the Philadelphia Eagles. Named for the trick play that sealed the Eagles’ victory, Philly Special is a beer that has a few tricks up its own sleeves.
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Ultimate 6er | Virginia Beers + Outdoor Music

The weather in Virginia is doing a dance between 20 degrees and 60 degrees, teasing us with warm but reminding us that yes, the groundhog did see his shadow.

We’re going to charge ahead and look to spring and summertime, which means there’s plenty of days to enjoy beers outside to your favorite live shows, cover bands, Amazon Echo streams or whatever.

Grab a beer, grab a seat outside and relax with your favorite artists.

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Downeast Cider | Roasted Joe

Hard cider has transformed from a fall treat into a year-round staple in the fridge. And, in an industry saturated with more and more makers every year, Boston-based Downeast Cider continues to flex its cider-making muscles with its unique concoctions. These two factors seem to play a role in the latest releases from Downeast: seasonal ciders that can hit your palette from summer to winter, and simultaneously not out of place. And this is where Roasted Joe comes in.

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Lord Hobo Brewing Co. | Hobo Life

It was New Year’s Eve and I was battling a slew of last-minute beer shoppers. The aisles were packed and I was beginning to have some mild anxiety. I sure love beer, but I hate nothing more than big crowds of people. After battling through the coolers to build a mixed six-pack, I was ready to be gone. I grabbed a 6er of the first session IPA that I saw and got into the long, serpentine line to check out. It turned out that the session IPA in my basket was Lord Hobo‘s Hobo Life.
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Cypress Brewing Company | 17-Mile IPA

2018 is finally upon us! For my New Year’s resolution, I am determined to check out more up and coming breweries and continue to sample new beers that I have not yet had. With it being only a few days into 2018, I’m already hard at work on my resolution. On a recent trip to New Jersey, I noticed there was a brewery only a few minutes away from my hotel. Since there’s nothing better than spending a chilly Saturday afternoon warming up with some tasty beers, I started on my way to Cypress Brewing Company. Read More

NFL Playoff & Beer Preview | Where & What to Drink in Pittsburgh

The wonderful team at PorchDrinking has challenged me to explore the marriage between beer and sports. I’ll be your sports and beer tour guide each week as we take a closer look at some of these events. What’s the local beer scene like? What can you do around the stadium? What’s the one food you must try? To kick things off, we’re starting in the Steel City of Pittsburgh for this weekend’s NFL Playoff game between the Steelers and Jacksonville Jaguars.

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Hardywood Park Craft Brewery | Gingerbread Stout

My Secret Santa may still be a secret, but his great taste in Virginia beer is definitely not. I was gifted Hardywood’s Gingerbread Stout and shared it with my family during Christmas. Despite enjoying it in Florida’s 80-degree December heat, we found the Imperial Milk Stout delicious, sip-able and surprisingly light.

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Tröegs Independent Brewing | Wild Elf

Tröegs Mad Elf is a legendary beer during the holiday season, especially in Pennsylvania. However, I convinced myself very early on that I wouldn’t like it. Don’t ask me why. I don’t even know. Mad Elf has since spawned a whole line of variants, and it was this year’s special Mad Elf Grand Cru that finally got me to pull the trigger and give these brews a try. A week later, a bottle of Tröegs Wild Elf fell into my lap and really impressed me.
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Brewer of Beyoncé-Inspired Beer Told to Hold Up

Despite a late night signal boost from Seth Meyers, production of a beer named in honor of singer Beyoncé has been forced to re-brand. Lineup Brewing, a Brooklyn-based brewery known for their clever beer names, had brewed Biëryoncé since opening in late 2016, and recently canned the beer for the first time in 16 oz cans. The small brewery received a cease and desist letter last week from Beyoncé’s legal team ordering them to stop production.

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Stickman Brews | Obesity Epidemic

“Stickman Brews focuses on American twists of Belgian-inspired beers among other things.”

Smack dab on the middle of the homepage on their website, you will come across this self-description written in all caps. Obesity Epidemic, a Belgian-style stout, truly backs up that claim. This beer fuses those two cultures in perfect harmony.

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