BlackStack Brewing | Local 755 IPA

In the Minnesota beer scene, it typically does not take long to find a really good Hazy IPA. With numerous breweries in the Twin Cities serving up solid Hazy styles year-round, there are plenty to try at any given time.

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2022 Georgia Best in Year Review

Blink and you’ll miss it – 2022 did not slow down for anyone, it seems. It was a busy year in beer, as the industry continues to grow in Georgia, despite the limiting legislation in the state. Whether it be an individual beer, a brand new location, or a great event, there’s a good chance your favorite brewery made 2022 better for you. Read More

It’s All In The Blend | Tasting Eleven Years of Firestone Walker Anniversary Ales

The coming together of brewers and winemakers mixed with the art of blending and barrels is the genesis of Firestone Walker Brewing Company Anniversary Ale. Read More

The TTB Wants Your Feedback About Unfair Trade Practices

Back in July of 2021, the Biden Administration issued Executive Order 14036, addressing competition in the beer, wine and spirits industry. The goal of the executive order is to uncover the challenges that suppliers face in entering the industry. After an extensive request for information (RFI) period open to the general public and industry members alike, the Alcohol and Tobacco Tax and Trade Bureau (TTB), Federal Trade Commission, Secretary of the Treasury, and the Attorney General of the United States determined that unlawful trade practices need to be a more prominent focus for lawmakers if they want to level the playing field for new and existing beverage brands.

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Staff Picks for Best Beers of the Month | October 2022

Spooky SZN has come and gone, but that means that Turkey Day and all the other holidays are in full swing. Don’t worry about checking; I’m sure your calendar is already full. This time of year usually is full of all the adjunct-loaded Stouts, but we don’t have to tell you that Lagers and IPAs are always here to stay. Anyway, here are some of the staff picks from coast to coast. Read More

Side Project Brewing | Derivation Blend #16

Derivation Blend #16 from Side Project Brewing is a powerhouse of a beer that has a lot going on. You’ve got multiple barrel-aged stouts, coffee, vanilla beans, and bourbon barrel-aged maple syrup. That combination can easily speed off the rails, but Side Project expertly blends all the components into a powerful yet delicate blended barrel-aged Imperial Stout.

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Steeple Brewing Co. | International Preacher IPA

Steeple Brewing Co. opened in Hastings, Nebraska in 2017. From the start, the founders of Steeple Brewing knew they wanted an IPA on tap. But this was Hastings, Nebraska: a place known as the birthplace of Kool-Aid. Not a place known for adventurous beer offerings. Enter, “International Preacher IPA.”

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Event Recap | Texas Craft Brewers Festival 2022

A sold-out Texas Craft Brewer’s Festival took place on Saturday October 8th at Fiesta Gardens alongside Austin’s Lady Bird Lake. The event brought together over 85 Texas breweries, 250 beers … Read More

2022 Texas Craft Brewers Festival Beer Lists Announced

The Texas Craft Brewers Festival, featuring more than 70 craft breweries, returns on October 1, 2022, to Fiesta Gardens in Austin, TX. The event, which the Texas Craft Brewers Guild organizes is the state’s largest beer event focused exclusively on Texas-brewed craft beer.

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Yokefellow Beer | Sueño Peach Saison

An hour west of Austin sits the quaint historic town of Johnson City, TX. It’s the home of Lyndon Baines Johnson, the 36^th American President. It’s named for his grandfather, Samuel Ealy Johnson, Sr. And the Blanco County seat is now best known as a cosy, picturesque stop on the Texas Wine Trail.

However, between the dual impacts of the pandemic and sky-rocketing house prices in the greater Austin area, Johnson City is taking on a new identity. It’s the hip Hill Country outpost, with three craft breweries and new concept watering hole Nice N Easy, home of locally produced Lightsome Wines and Yokefellow Beer.

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3 Floyds Brewing | Crushing Mass BA Coffee Stout

Not every brewery has the bravado to put out a beer with the sheer coffee firepower contained in a bottle of Crushing Mass. 3 Floyds Brewing in Munster, IN is certainly not like every brewery. Crushing Mass is the latest example of 3 Floyds Brewing living up to their moniker of “It’s Not Normal” while still putting out a dazzling Barrel-Aged Coffee Stout.

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Is Craft Beer Recession-Proof?

Yes, but also no. How’s that for a definitive answer? The intricacies of why craft beer dances between recession-proof and recession-resistant are many, but the first step in answering this complex question is to analyze the underbelly of what a recession actually is, how it affects the alcohol industry overall, and what that means for craft brewery owners and operators. Taking a look at factors like consumer behavior, unemployment rates, gas prices, syndicated retail sales data, beer supply, and market seasonality all contribute to how craft beer will fare during times of economic duress. Earning its chops as a multi-billion dollar consumer packaged goods industry over the past decade, craft beer can simply not afford to overlook a downturned economy as something that will not affect bottom lines.

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South Asian Heritage Month | Why It Matters To The Beer Industry

Being a South Asian in beer within the diaspora can be a lonely business. As per Brewer’s Association data from 2021, just 2% of US breweries are owned by Asians, with no available information on South Asians specifically. With so few South Asians involved in the beer industry, taking time to reflect on and celebrate South Asian Heritage Month* (July 18 -August 1**) offers an opportunity to amplify our presence, support one another, and reach out and share our culture through the medium of beer, our chosen career or interest.

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Pipeworks Brewing Co. | Super Rainbow Sure Bet

Super Rainbow Sure Bet from Pipeworks Brewing Company in Chicago isn’t subtle with its can design or willingness to use lots of ingredients. The beer itself, however, will surprise you. It’s a delicate but nuanced tropical Imperial IPA that is more like being kissed by a unicorn than kicked by one.

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Firestone Walker IPA Mixed Pack Featuring Melon Conspiracy

Much like ordering a flight at a new brewery, mixed packs are a great option when you want to have a variety of beers available to you. If you find yourself unsure what to bring to that summer barbecue or boat ride, variety packs can provide the perfect solution! Fortunately, Firestone Walker has a variety of mixed packs to choose from, including the new IPA Mixed Pack featuring Melon Conspiracy.

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The Craft Beer Industry Has A Labor Problem

“Find a job you enjoy doing, and you will never have to work a day in your life.” – Mark Twain

For most craft beer industry workers, this couldn’t ring more true. The idea of turning a homebrewing hobby or a passion for craft beer into a flourishing career seems like a dream scenario. The way other people’s eyes light up when someone mentions they work in craft beer is priceless. Feeling like you have a job that others outside of the industry can only wildly dream about makes beer folks feel as though they have something really special, but are things really that great, or is the beer labor force being gaslit by the false pretense of job satisfaction, security and just plain fun? As the industry matures and evolves, being one of the “cool kids” in the beer industry isn’t all backslaps and beer shots, it’s become more about workers’ rights, workplace safety, and earning a living wage.

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Urban Brew Labs | Currantly Unavailable (Gose)

Some beers are easy to categorize. Then there are beers like Currantly Unavailable. Currantly Unavailable from Urban Brew Labs is not a beer that fits neatly into any one box and that’s a great thing. This black currant and lime Gose has a unique taste that is worth experiencing.

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The BA Publishes the 2021 Craft Beer Industry Review

Every year, the Brewers Association publishes its Industry Review issue of The New Brewer magazine, which gives craft beer industry members a snapshot of how each brewery segment of the industry has performed over the past year in terms of production and sales levels. This edition never fails to disappoint with a plethora of juicy statistics for beer data nerds to chew on and brewery ownership to postulate about the future of the craft beer market landscape. This year was not without its share of surprises, with the likes of a non-alcoholic beer brand entering the mix and even more appearances by well-known breweries now functioning as “beverage” companies enjoying success with products that go beyond the typical ale or lager. And while that sexy 8% overall segment growth rate gets industry folks all excited, it’s not without some fine print. It’s one thing to take these rankings on the nose and pass judgment on where the craft beer industry is heading, but there are some really interesting finds in this data if you learn to read between the lines.

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Allagash Brewing Co. | Seconds to Summer Lager

Summer is coming, and to no one’s surprise, Allagash Brewing Co. recently released a damn good Lager that should be at everyone’s hangout.

Seconds to Summer Lager, an apparent hit in their taproom-only release series last summer, found its way to cans and throughout distribution this season thankfully. The first and probably most defining characteristic of this beer is the aroma. It’s the beautiful Belgian yeast-forward aroma that is quintessentially Allagash – from White, and Fine Acre, to River Trip and so many others.

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Gigantic Brewing Co. | Sassy Pony Pale Ale

Portland, Oregon is no stranger to hip craft breweries and hop forward pale ales, but Gigantic Brewing Co. is setting a new standard for classic styles of beer. Sassy Pony Pale Ale has set the bar for a non-adjunct pale ale at a height that even Javier Sotomayor would tremble at.
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