What We’re Drinking | September 3, 2021

It’s September. Instead of posting “Wake Me Up When September Ends” memes, fans have taken to the internet to remind people that the song is no laughing matter, and therefore, unmemeable. It’s about Billie Joe Armstrong’s father dying of cancer when he was 10. Sad. Because sadness is most of what the internet is used for these days.

What an age we live in where armchair social media dentists, pet experts, virologists, doctors, child psychologists and parenting experts can get together and combine their collective powers to suck the last remaining joy out of posts with dogs, babies, dogs and babies, or basically anything involving… anything <breathes in, breathes out>. It’s noon somewhere, as they say, and I clearly need to have a beer and chill. Here are some of the excellent beers the PorchDrinking crew’s been gettin’ at this week.

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Ask the Experts | How to Revamp the Standard Brewery Tour?

Chances are, if you have been to a brewery before, you have been on a brewery tour. It’s an easy way to get the consumer closer to a brewery’s brand, process, and beer. While some offer hands-on exercises, unlimited samples, and specialized experiences, your typical, run-of-the-mill brewery tour is no longer memorable. Beer drinkers are much more educated and knowledgeable of the brewing process and the craft beer industry as a whole than they were 5 or 10 years ago. Sniffing hop pellets and looking at stainless steel fermenters can get dull after a while. 

To stand out in today’s brewery tour landscape, you really have to offer something that goes beyond the status quo and provides a deeper connection to the brewery you’re visiting. Many national and regional breweries have realized that their brewery tour can help extend the beer drinker’s experience with them, which could help influence subsequent purchasing decisions at retail locations and bars. Offering something different and memorable is a great way to standout from the fray of local colleagues and regional competitors. Things like specialized tours and immersive tasting experiences are just a few ways that breweries have revamped their tours to better appeal to today’s beer drinking clientele.

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What We’re Drinking | July 5, 2019

I’m not hungover, you’re hungover. America had a mean beer selection at her birthday bash yesterday, and if you partook in the celebration, you might be feeling a little fuzzy today like me. Between fire trucks blaring their sirens–racing to put out a dozen fires from the idiots in the world who still haven’t caught on to the fact that fireworks are flammable–and dogs barking at the constant explosions, I didn’t get a whole lotta sleep.

Nevertheless, it’s Friday, and it’s a beautiful day for a beer, right? If you have to work today, I feel your pain. If you’re off, all the more reason to start day drinking. And we’ve got a helluva list of beers to get you started in this week’s What We’re Drinking. 

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A Forever Flagship: Larry Bell Talks about Two Hearted and What Comes Next

To appreciate the many wild branches of today’s craft beer industry in America, one must take note of its roots. There are few bigger pillars in the American brewing industry than Larry Bell, the founder of Bell’s Brewery. What started as a humble homebrew supply store in the ‘80s has turned into a craft brewing powerhouse that remains a foundational stitch of the modern brewing fabric. A testament to the Michigan brewer’s impact is the sustained success of Two Hearted IPA. Alongside their Oberon Wheat Ale, the unassuming IPA with a fish on the green-hued label is a beer that helped modernize the craft beer scene and helped establish the IPA trend in America. PorchDrinking sat down with Bell’s founder Larry Bell to learn more about the history of the flagship and what comes next.

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What We’re Drinking | December 21, 2018

I don’t know about you, but it has been one hell of a week! With our upcoming train trip to Colorado to spend Christmas with my family, everything has been a blur! I literally thought Wednesday was Thursday and tapped our writers for their last submissions for this article, like “get them in now so I can post this up!” Whomp Whomp! But today is Friday for real and boy can I really use a cold one. Check out all the festive brews out team is downing, this is What We’re Drinking!

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The Weekly Buzz | November 9 – 15

It’s happened. A few meager inches of snow have fallen on southeastern Pennsylvania, and drivers who normally blow past my house at 20 MPH over the speed limit have slowed to an embarrassing crawl. I leave for work in three hours and I will lose my mind if the roads are still clogged with scared white-knucklers. This isn’t our first winter. I’m not asking you to maintain your normal clear-weather speeds, but at least act like you’ve seen snow before. Anyhoo… I found some stuff on social media and hope you like it. This is The Weekly Buzz.
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Beer & Book Club | Anatomy of a Murder & Two Hearted Ale

When I was offered an internship for the summer at the Prosecutor’s Office in a small county tucked away in the fingers of Michigan, I immediately knew my summer reading had to include Anatomy of a Murder. Anatomy of a Murder has long been hailed as one of the best examples of how law & order actually work. Besides that, it was supposed to be damned entertaining. I’ve spent the last two months learning the ins and outs of prosecuting a case both in the courtroom and through the eternal, if overly elaborate, wisdom of Robert Travers (aka former Michigan Supreme Court Justice John D. Voelker) and his Trout-obsessed country lawyer in Paul Biegler.

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Bell’s Brewery | Two Hearted Ale

ABV: 7% | IBU: 55

For most new to beer, and a sizable number of those well-versed in the various styles beer has to offer, trying an IPA is like sneaking a swig of your dad’s whiskey after everyone has gone to bed. It is an unpleasant rite of passage into the craft beer world that I, simply put, did not agree with. There was too much out there to enjoy without forcing myself to drink something I didn’t enjoy. Read More

Trade Flagships, Not Whales

Beer is a luxury. An accessible luxury like a movie ticket or restaurant visits, but a luxury nonetheless. It’s really difficult for me to splurge up to fifteen dollars on a 22 oz. bomber of beer unless I’m sure of the brewery’s quality or the style makes the price worth it (imperial stout or gueuze). I much prefer making a decorative mix-six for the same cost, giving me more beers to experience all at once. The love of finding new beers is what led me to beer trading in the first place.

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The Weekly Buzz | February 17 – 23

I didn’t have President’s Day off from work, but I hope that all of you had a free day to taste new beers. Being on a diet means that my beer tastings are limited, so I’m counting on all of you to tweet your experiences at me. I’m serious! Living vicariously through PorchDrinking.com’s readers is all I have (until the weekend)! Please?! Anyone?! I’m itching for a beer over here! Anyway… here’s The Weekly Buzz…

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Bell’s Brewery Announces Distribution of Hopslam in Colorado

Colorado has been the beneficiary of receiving both limited or, in some cases, wide distribution of nationally acclaimed cult following beers over the years, from Pliny the Elder, to Abraxas, Hill Farmstead’s Dorothy to Goose Island’s BCBS variants.

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Ultimate 6er | Christmas Cookie & Beer Pairings

It’s that time of year again for Christmas Cookie and Beer Pairings! Our first edition of this pairing theme kicked off last year as you may remember, and I was very excited to bring it back for a second time this year. I was torn between sticking to all American brews for this year’s edition or if I should add some of those fantastic Belgian Christmas Ales in the mix, but then decided that this year’s version should be strictly All-American. There were definitely some great options for pairing. Also, just like last year, I did some homemade cookies and some store-bought for those of you that like to bake and for those of you that would prefer not to. Now let’s get on to the goods!

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Ultimate 6er | Beer Pairings for Your Holiday Dinner Party

The holidays are the time to enjoy exceptional food, delicious beers and your favorite people – so why not combine all three this year? We’ve compiled the Ultimate 6er for holiday dinner party beer pairings, so break out your tastiest recipes and throw a party!

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Bell’s Brewery | The Oracle DIPA

ABV: 10% | IBU: 90

Bell’s The Oracle DIPA is a west coast-style IPA brewed in Kalamazoo, MI. This hoptastic brew challenges the likes of Stone Brewing and Lagunitas Brewing with its hop forward dry bitter sensation that overwhelms taste buds with exuberant bliss. I would venture to say that Bell’s has succeeded in their attempt at the style and may have done better than a few indigenous brands.  Read More

Bell’s Brewing Co. | Saturn – The Bringer of Old Age

Bell’s Brewing Co.

Saturn – The Bringer of Old Age

Bourbon Barrel Aged Barleywine

ABV: 11.5%

Deep, rich, robust, and smooth. These are all flavors that make up Bell’s fifth … Read More

Bells Brewery Hopslam

Bell’s Brewery- Hopslam

ABV: 10%

IBU: 90

When considering the progress India Pale Ales have made in the American beer drinking culture while also crediting the rise … Read More

One Minute Beer Review – Bell’s Special Double Cream Stout

Special Double Cream Stout – Bell’s Brewing, Kalamazoo, MI

ABV: 6.1%

Available:  AZ, AL, DC, FL, GA, IA, IL, IN, KY,  MI, MN, MO, NC, ND, OH, PA, SC, … Read More