Brewery Showcase | Nuckolls Brewing (Sante Fe, NM)

It was 4:45 on a weekday in the Santa Fe Railyard, and Nuckolls Brewing was already in full swing. There were 25 people in the beer line and a party of contemporary art gallerists were hobnobbing near the copper-accented bar. Clearly, this was the new Santa Fe hotspot. 

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Firestone Walker | Anniversary XXVII

When you think of legendary anniversary beers, Firestone Walker has to be pretty close to the top of this list. Not only do they consistently produce incredible blended beers, it’s how they come to that final blend that makes it so special. As with previous versions, local winemakers come together to compete to put their names on that winning blend. Read More

Little Thistle Brewing Co. | Brave Woman Scottish Ale

For some people, a beer is simply a beer. For others, beer is a sensorial or spiritual experience. The texture, the taste, the delivery and the presentation all lead to a unique encounter. Often, there are times when the history, or backstory, brings a deeper meaning to the beer you imbibe. Brave Woman, a Scottish Ale by Little Thistle Brewing in Rochester, Minnesota is such a beer. The ingredients, the presentation and the historical significance of the name of this brew all combine to make this Scottish Ale an exceptional libation. Read More

Lo Rez Brewing | El Paseo Pale Ale

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

Anchor Brewing | Anchor Steam Beer

There are times in our lives where we reach for comfort, for the known. Items that have happier memories attached to them to bring us back to simpler roots and uncomplicated moments. We are experiencing weird, uncomfortable, scary and unpredictable times, and it can be reassuring to reach for the classics. Our drinks of choice are no different, and although it may no longer be Flagship February, we can still take comfort in our local year-round lineups from the independent breweries we hope to support through this.

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Ultimate 6er | College Collaborations Perfect for March Madness 2020

With Selection Sunday coming up on March 15, March Madness 2020 will soon be in full effect. As more and more colleges are teaming up with local breweries to create school specific brews, this March Madness Ultimate 6er features six beers from universities (and breweries) we’ll likely see playing in the coming weeks. Read More

Anchor Brewing | Christmas Ale 2019

Few breweries have the storied past of Anchor Brewing in San Francisco, California. Brewing beer since 1896 and bought by Fritz Maytag in 1969, Anchor has been a staple in brewing history for more than a century. One of their longest-running beers is the seasonal Christmas Ale, available from November to early January.

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Debunking the Misconceptions Behind Craft Lagers

When I lead beer tastings and classes, I often hear people express a common misconception: lagers are inferior to ales. This idea is starting to change as craft lagers become more popular, but there is still plenty of confusion out there about lagers, and for good reason—with so many styles, craft beer can be confusing! Fortunately, misconceptions about lagers are pretty simple to clear up.

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New Belgium & Knob Creek Release Oakspire Bourbon-Inspired Ale

It’s bourbon barrel-aged season and when you hear those words you’d tend to think stout. New Belgium’s new Oakspire, brewed in collaboration with Knob Creek, brings you the bourbon characteristics in an ale.

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The OGs of Craft Beer | Alaskan Brewing Company – Amber

Alaska has a beautiful way of humbling and grounding you.

There is a specific feeling when one steps foot in the last frontier. It is a culmination of the many stunning hallmarks found in Alaska that aren’t attainable in many other places. Read More

New Belgium | Mural Agua Fresca Cerveza

Though the calendar reads that it’s only mid-July, much of the country has steadily reached temperatures of 90 to 100 degrees Fahrenheit for the past few weeks. When it’s this hot outside, it’s natural to yearn for something cold, crisp and refreshing to quench your thirst. New Belgium’s Mural Agua Fresca, a collaboration with Mexico City’s Cervecería Primus, is not only a unique entry for summer beer seasonals, but it also checks all the boxes for the perfect beer to beat the heat.

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Sly Fox Brewing | Alex’s Lemon Wheat Ale

Let us start at the very beginning — with a lemonade stand.

The story starts with a little girl named Alexandra “Alex” Scott. Just before her first birthday, Alex’s parents were given the diagnosis that Alex had neuroblastoma, a type of childhood cancer.

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Half Moon Bay Brewing Co. | Pumpkin Harvest Ale

Some of my favorite Fall things are the leaves changing colors, pumpkin spiced foods and beverages everywhere, cooler weather, and of course pumpkin beers! Half Moon Bay Brewing Co brews up their Pumpkin Harvest Ale seasonally to delight the taste buds. Read More

Ultimate 6er | Chicago Summer Ale Varieties

The dog days of summer are upon us. With every drop of sweat comes a need for refreshment, and what better way to achieve that relief than with a beer? The citrus-laden and coconut-flavored brews are just begging to be enjoyed under the summer sun. Here are six summer ale selections to help carry you through July and onto the season’s dog days.

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Event Recap | Glenfiddich Experimental Series India Pale Ale Cask Finish

ABV: 43%

A few weeks ago, Glenfiddich came to New York to debut their Experimental Series with The Glenfiddich India Pale Ale Cask Finish, the world’s very first single malt scotch whisky, finished in IPA craft beer casks. This experimentation was cultivated by a native collaboration within the borders of Scotland: A distillery and a brewery, using the land’s pure water and clean air to craft the creation that is uniquely stimulating our senses here in the U.S.

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Coney Island Brewing | Hard Root Beer

ABV: 5.8%

A nostalgic fave is coming back–hard. Root Beer is definitely one of those new craft beer-craze styles I’ve been hesitant to try. Mainly, I am not a huge soda drinker. However, I’v always loved a cold, rich, full-bodied birch beer whether it be on a hot, summer day or cool, autumn evening. So, if you fall into the “I’m new to craft beer” or “I like to try everything” or simply “I need a wow-factor for my taste-buds”, I’d suggest giving this one a go!

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Off Color Brewing & Miller High Life Releasing Collaboration Saturday

Big meets small. Corporate meets…well whatever the most opposite of corporate can be. That was my initial thought when I heard that Off Color Brewing and Miller High Life were collaborating on a beer together. The result – Eeek! an American Wild Ale set for release this Saturday at Off Color.

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Avery Brewing Company | Ale to the Chief

8.1% ABV | 19.1 degrees Plato (OG)

Avery Brewing Company Ale to the Chief is around for a third term. Don’t worry, there’s no dictatorship here — it’s all about democracy. In that spirit, this isn’t the first time we’ve written about Ale to the Chief. Four years ago, PorchDrinking’s own chief wrote a blurb about Avery’s Ale to the Chief, but there’s a new political and beer climate around, it’s time for a new voice. It’s time for my voice. It’s time for change!

[Balloon Drop]

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Ultimate 6er | Zinzinnati Oktoberfest

With only a few days away from the largest Oktoberfest in the United States, it’s time to put on the drinking cap. Each year more than 500,000 people come to Cincinnati (aka Zinzinnati) to attend this rich German heritage event sampling German-style food, music and my favorite, beer. Read More

Shorts Brewing Company | Soft Parade

ABV: 7.5% | IBU: 15

The mad genius of Soft Parade is that it’s a year-round beer. When you look at that label—which I’ve obsessed over before—it screams a late summer beer (which is why I’m talking about it now). However, it has the heft to get you through fall and summer and a sweetness to pick you up with the blooming each spring. Shorts says they created it to appeal to wine drinkers, and I think they might have failed. Instead, they created a product that can hit the beer drinkers who want sweet and unique, the people who want a heavy hearty ale, and the people who want to just get fucked up (that 7.5% ABV always comes as a shock).

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