Hop Harvest at The Hop Yard

As a crisp breeze blows in the early morning, it is clear that fall is in air. Although the sun still shines at high noon, the days are ever so slightly shorter and the nights ever so slightly cooler. With the change in season comes not only pumpkin-spiced everything and the return of flannels, but also harvest. One can enjoy that spiced latte at the farmers market while picking up the year’s best produce. However, it is not just gourds and sunflowers in bloom: The start of fall is also hop harvest season.
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2 Days 2 Nights | North Fork, Long Island

New York’s North Fork region has emerged as a destination for those seeking a getaway on Long Island’s East End without the glitz found in the nearby Hamptons. Though wine has been a draw to the area, beer is now becoming part of the attraction. More so than the Hamptons, the North Fork is the ideal place for a weekend getaway well into the shoulder seasons. Here are some ideas for a weekend getaway to the North Fork.

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Beer Tree Brew Co. | Pineapple Creamsicle IPA

Brew Tree Brew Co. may be new to the craft beer scene, but they are doing all the right things. Having opened their doors October 2017, they’ve already cultivated a … Read More

2 Days 2 Nights | Portland, Maine (Part 2)

I had to divide up this Two Days Two Nights feature due to how many great breweries I experienced during my trip. While Part One features highlights on Allagash, Industrial Way, Bissell Brothers and more, Part Two features a full experience of Portland’s trending Yeast Bayside brewery scene along with a particularly scenic trip farther north up the coast to visit some of Maine’s more interesting farmhouse breweries. So, let’s kick back off with the second part of Friday afternoon, which revolved around a trip to downtown Portland, home to the trendy Yeast Bayside brewing district. 

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2 Days 2 Nights | Portland, Maine (Part 1)

When I told my friends and colleagues I was heading to Portland for the weekend, the most common follow-up was “Oregon?” And while the largest city in Oregon is well known for its established beer scene, I was actually headed to the burgeoning beer city of Portland, Maine, which boasts the most breweries per capita in the U.S. It continues to garner accolades as one of the best beer cities in the world. After a smooth two-hour flight, I was smack dab in the middle of one of America’s hottest beer cities, home to the likes of Allagash and Bissell Brothers along with a bevy of beer-focused neighborhoods like Yeast Bayside, delicious Maine cuisine and wonderful sunrises—all positioned neatly around Casco Bay. Here’s a look at how you can get the most of your experience in Portland, Maine. Part one of this Two Days Two Nights feature is below. You can read part two here. 

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Greater Good Imperial Brewing | Pulp

One of my favorite things about craft beer is beer mail. There’s nothing more exciting than getting a box of beer from another part of the country and diving into the contents. I was particularly excited for this most recent arrival from my cousin on the East Coast. We kept up with each other’s beer adventures via Instagram, and I had been bothering her to send me some of the famous haze names that we all associate with New England–Trillium, Night Shift and Tree House. This latest box had a few of those (thank you!) but it was an unknown label that caught my eye. Today, I tried out Greater Good Imperial Brewing’s Pulp.

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5 Questions With Dogfish Head’s Founder & President Sam Calagione

It is still the biggest news to come out of the craft beer industry this year: Boston Beer Company purchased Dogfish Head Brewery for a reported sum of $300 million. The move merges the two brands under the collective roof of Boston Beer Company bringing together the 2nd (Boston Beer Co.) and 13th (Dogfish Head) biggest producers of craft beer in the U.S. It’s a massive move that caused shockwaves throughout the craft beer industry and beyond. Craft beer is no longer in its startup phase: It is big business, which sometimes warrants massive moves that can shift the entire trajectory of the market with it.

Of course, Boston Beer Company bringing the Dogfish Head brand onboard also comes with the totemic leadership of its founder, Sam Calagione, who will sit on Boston Beer Company’s Board of Directors. Calagione has always been an outspoken and vibrant voice in the craft beer community who frequently zigs where others zags and takes pride in the innovative spirit on which Dogfish Head has built its market share. With the new merger comes a new role for Sam and a new path for Dogfish. In the days following, beer drinkers have voiced valid concerns that the Dogfish brand might get diluted or complacent post-acquisition. True to form, Calagione thinks otherwise and is rather bullish on what the merger can do for his brewery.

I asked Sam five questions about what life looks like for Dogfish Head in a post-merger world, what beer fans can expect from the brewery, the collaboration opportunities that are now available with Boston Beer Company and more. Here’s what he said.

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Allagash Brewing Company | Two Lights

As a New Englander, born and bred, it might be in my blood to be drawn towards lighthouses. With their metaphorical meanings and physical presence, there’s just something incredibly fascinating about them. Between Allagash’s rich history of great craft beer and my soft spot for all things nautical, their recent release of Two Lights had my attention.

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Brewery Showcase | Folksbier Brauerei

Folksbier Brauerei opened in early 2017 on a quiet street in Brooklyn’s Carroll Gardens neighborhood, just a stone’s throw from Other Half Brewing Company. While Other Half has had explosive growth with their constantly changing list of hazy IPAs, Folksbier’s model is quite different with a more consistent lineup focusing on traditional ales and lagers. This is not necessarily keeping up with the latest trends, but maybe that’s changing slowly. Read More

Ardent Craft Ales | Brett IPA

Richmond, VA is known to some as a mecca for craft beer in the state for lovers. Ardent Craft Ales was originally started as a cooperative of homebrewers who wanted to get out of their kitchen and brew a little more seriously. To do so, they rented out a garage with a half-barrel system and started brewing every Sunday in said garage located in the Churchill region in the eastern side of the city.

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Maine Beer Company | Another One

The craft beer explosion in unique to everyone depending on location. Once the contracts are signed, state distributors awash the bottle shop shelves with rows of new possibilities. These beers become exciting mysteries; sold as 1 to 2 bottles per customer to get everyone’s attention to the hot new kid on the block. Years will go by, some breweries will go away, but others stay thanks to their long lasting quality. Maine Beer Company fits all these descriptors when it arrived in my state years ago.

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Industrial Arts Brewing Company | 2019 Summer Landscape

With the 2019 release of Summer Landscape, Industrial Arts Brewing Company moves into the second year of its Landscape Series. These seasonal beers are meant to highlight New York State ingredients, and are entirely produced with materials grown within the state. This latest version is another success for the brewery. Read More

2 Days 2 Nights | Upstate NY Road Trip

When I moved to Los Angeles to attend college, one of the first and most common questions I was asked was “Where are your from?” My response would be “New York.” That would typically be followed up by something like, “Oh, I love the city! Which borough are you from?” Which would prompt me to clarify that I was from Upstate NY. This would bring about the question, “Oh, so like Buffalo?” Nope. That’s about six hours away. I would then tell them I was from the Albany area, hoping they learned their state capitals in primary school. Sometimes, I’d even have to use my hand as a makeshift map of the state, pointing out the various cities they’ve heard of to identify the Albany area.

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Allagash Brewing Company | Tiny House Session Beer

In the heat of the summer, a beer ideally hits on three marks: refreshing, light, and delicious. Sometimes there are exceptions, like when a somewhat seasonal style–for example, a Stout–can’t be left alone for several months out of the year. Guilty. Similarly, nobody will blame you for drinking your wheat or sour beers throughout the entire year, either. Read More

Pinelands Brewing Co. | Paradise in the Pines

The Pinelands National Reserve, or Pine Barrens, crosses seven counties and encompasses a total of 22% of New Jersey’s land area with 1.1 million acres of National Reserve. More than 400,000 people live within 60 miles of the pines, as well. In fact, the area is so much more environmental and culturally diverse than the northern part of the state that people jokingly say it’s a different state entirely. The lush forested area creates a different way of life and Pinelands Brewing Company is located here in Tuckerton, New Jersey. Tucked within a vast line up of beers at PInelands Brewing is the always awaited, and incredibly popular, release of Paradise in the Pines.

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These Mountain-Style IPAs are Elevating the Style to National Prominence

IPA continues to be the biggest seller for craft brewers thanks to the focus and innovation U.S. craft brewers have put on the style and the fanaticism of the general craft beer drinker for the hoppy liquid. Drinking an IPA now is way different than it was a decade ago, primarily because there are so many different versions of it. The resinous and bitter West Coast-style has led to the New England-style, Brut and Milkshake styles—and everything in between. While many of the primary styles that appear in today’s craft beer lexicon stem from the east and west coasts, there is a new version of an IPA that could take the style to new heights—pun intended. Call it gimmicky, a marketing ploy or something in between but the Mountain-Style IPA has arrived.

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Fore River Brewing Company | Lygonia IPA

Maine, the easternmost state in the United States, is commonly known for its rocky coastline, fresh lobsters, and, more recently, its booming craft beer industry. Portland, the state’s largest city, is home to many of the area’s most popular breweries. However, just over the bridge, nestled in a quiet residential neighborhood, lies Fore River Brewing Company.
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What Does the Boston Beer & Dogfish Head Merger Mean for Craft Beer?

While most of craft beer’s largest watershed moments have involved Anheuser-Busch InBev’s (ABI) acquisition of an iconic, previously independent craft brewery, yesterday’s merger between Boston Beer Company and Dogfish Head Brewery marked an equally resonant moment for the industry, that didn’t directly involve its biggest player.

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BREAKING: Boston Beer Company & Dogfish Head Brewery Merging

It’s safe to say that 2019 will be a year that changed craft beer forever. Today Boston Beer Company, known for their iconic Sam Adams brand, and Dogfish Head Brewery, … Read More

Weyerbacher Brewing Sells to Investment Group & Declares Bankruptcy

After 24 years of production, Weyerbacher Brewing Company has announced the sale of 55 percent of the brewery to 1518 Holdings LLC, a Philadelphia-based private investment group, and has filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy.

Weyerbacher Brewing Company is best known for their high gravity beers. The brewery has a seasonal and year-round lineup that includes heavy hitters like Insanity at 13.3% ABV, Quad at 11.8% ABV, and TINY at 11.8% ABV, as well as more sessionable options like Last Chance IPA at 5.9% and Mellow Monks, a Belgian-style golden ale, at 4.5% ABV.

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