Haw River Farmhouse Ales | Torn Paper Leaves (Spanish Cedar & Tea Leaf)

Haw River Farmhouse Ales brings the flavors of Belgium to North Carolina. The brewery, located in Saxapahaw, North Carolina, takes inspiration from the classic Belgian styles before blending it with a Southern flair.

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Hawkins Farmhouse Ales | Major Progression BA Belgian Quad

Just over half an hour directly to the south of Austin sits Lockhart, Texas — the self-proclaimed “barbecue capital” of the state. The quintessential small-town-Texas vibe is punctuated by the enormous queues snaking out of Lockhart’s four famous barbecue joints on the weekend, which attract visitors from across the state and further afield. Now there is a new reason to visit Lockhart: Hawkins Farmhouse Ales.

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Fonta Flora | Errday Farmhouse Saison

The magic of North Carolina is in the land. Sandy eastern beaches roll into lush central plains which grow into majestic mountains to the west. Between mountains and plains, just north of Interstate 40, you’ll find magic of another sort: Fonta Flora Brewery.

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Zebulon Artisan Ales | Blueberry Sour

Zebulon Artisan Ales in Weaverville, North Carolina, is the brainchild of brewer, Mike Karnowski. Ever wonder what a traditional English Barleywine or an IPA from the 1800s might taste like? Mike has researched it. Each beer he makes is a study of history and process. Zebulon Blueberry Sour is a study in fruit — delving into the flavors of the landscape surrounding the brewery.

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Zillicoah Beer Co. | Witbiere

Zillicoah Beer Co.’s latest Witbiere is a bit of mountain springtime in a glass. This 4.2% ABV barrel-aged wheat beer uses coriander, orange peel, chamomile and old-world fermentation techniques to make it interesting and add depth. The brew evokes the fresh scent in the air that appears after one of the short showers that define spring in the brewery’s hometown of Asheville, NC. 

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Sour Series: Side Project Brewing | Pêche du Fermier Farmhouse Ale

Few styles can be as divisive among craft beer fans as fruited Sours. Some avoid them altogether, while others see them as the pinnacle of craft brewing. From time to time a beer comes along that can successfully bridge this divide. Side Project Brewing Pêche du Fermier is the poster child for this kind of mass appeal.

Produced by one of the greatest American brewers of sour beers, Side Project is as highly regarded as they come. Their ability to consistently produce delicious and complex beers is staggering and explains why trying to find their beers sometimes feels you’re on a quest for the holy grail. Read More

Central State Brewing | Table Rustic Blonde Ale

January 2021 is here. Finally.

A time-honored tradition among many craft-beer drinkers every January is Dryanuary or, a month without alcohol. But this January, craft breweries need our help more than ever. And, let’s face it, we all need a beer more than ever. So what’s a good compromise between cutting out drinking altogether for a month and giving craft breweries our support? Let’s go with drinking more low-ABV beers. If you indulged in a lot of high-ABV beers over the holidays like we did, it’s time to cleanse the palate anyway.

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Indulgent Beer Series | Choc Beer Co. Wild Brew Spelt Saison

Sometimes you need a beer, and sometimes you need to treat yourself to something special. This Wild Brew Spelt Saison, the result of a 2013 collab between Oklahoma’s Choc Beer … Read More

2 Days 2 Nights | Midcoast Maine

Maine, the northernmost state of the contiguous United States, is known for its bearded lobstermen and lumberjacks, the freshest seafood, wild blueberries and high-quality craft beer–it’s no wonder the state’s nickname is Vacationland. In summer 2020, living in Maine is something to cherish. Although the pandemic canceled most travel plans, living in this secluded state allows for fun and fulfilling “staycations” to shake off those quarantine blues.
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Birds Fly South | Virtual Mystery Bag Bottle Share

As we all know, breweries have been affected by the current pandemic that has swept our towns and cities across the country. Many local breweries have had to quickly evolve and adapt to the changing landscape, closing taprooms and offering to-go beer purchases.

A standout during these trying times is Birds Fly South in Greenville, SC. The booming “funk first” brewery’s 2020 plans came to a screeching halt, but that didn’t stop them from finding fun ways to serve up their award-winning beer. In order to evolve, shift and engage their community, the brewery has developed a series of virtual beer events to keep people connected in new ways, pioneering how we can all enjoy beer together. Read More

Birds Fly South Ale Project | Rustic Sunday

What’s better on a Sunday afternoon than kicking back with a craft beer? This rye farmhouse ale by Birds Fly South will make you wish that every day was a “Rustic Sunday.” Read on to discover what makes this beer so approachable, crisp, and tart, and why it calls for soaking in every moment on laid back, lazy afternoons. Read More

Roughhouse Brewing | Sordid Nature Dark Saison

On a recent trip to Austin, Texas, my wife Jenna and I paid a visit to Roughhouse Brewing in nearby San Marcos. Alex Pasternak, co-founder and creative lead, was gracious enough to show us around the brewery during off hours and let us sample some Roughhouse beers, including their Sordid Nature Dark Saison.

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Suarez Family Brewery | Crescent

Suarez Family Brewery focuses on three broad styles including, per their website, “ales of mixed fermentation, unfiltered lagers and other crispy little beers.” The brewery specializes in making refined, humble beer, a unifying theme connecting these styles. Crescent, their “Belgian inspired refresher” is no exception. Though just a few years old, Suarez Family Brewery has demonstrated mastery that often takes decades to acquire. Read More

Benedictine Brewery | St. Benedict Farmhouse Ale

This summer has been a filled with near constant travel to celebrate the weddings of those nearest and dearest to me. As such, they know exactly what info I need when I get to each place. Just as fate joins two strangers to cross paths and join each other in marriage, fate placed my friend’s wedding in Mt. Angel, Oregon; which is home to one of three true monk-run breweries in the nation, Benedictine Brewery. Obviously I had to check it out – as well as sample the namesake, St. Benedict Farmhouse Ale.
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Rowley Farmhouse Ales | Chantal

Santa Fe, New Mexico, was the first capital city in North America. In this historical place with centuries of traditions, there’s a small-scale independent brewery that offers playful twists to classic beer styles. Chantal, their robust French saison, shows this brewery’s passion for brewing.

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Call to Arms Brewing | Really, Really, Ridiculously Good Tasting

The nearly four-year-old Denver brewery, Call to Arms Brewing (CTA), won a 2018 World Cup gold in the Fresh or Wet Hop Ale category for a beer inspired by the crew’s love of Billy Madison with its More Like Bore-O-Phyll. In September, during GABF week, the brewery held its third annual F@#*ing Call to Arms Catalina Wine Mixer! Simply, the brewery deftly intertwines the art of sophisticated beer production with relaxed, easy-going fun. And, the recent release of Really, Really, Ridiculously Good Tasting (RRRGT), a farmhouse ale aged in Chardonnay barrels with Brett Claussennii only further cements that concept; one should not feel compelled to stick out one’s pinky—just kick back and enjoy a beer that’s really, really, ridiculously good.
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The Bottlehouse Brewery & Meadery | Spring Gruit

In the Cleveland, OH area, there are breweries that most of the locals and others who are not so local mention right away as must-visits. The Bottlehouse Brewery and Meadery has become a steady favorite for many craft beer fans. This taproom and brewery has been receiving a larger number of recommendations from those who have experienced the beer, the mead, the cider and the sours created over the past six years.

Today, the beer gracing the spotlight is a more exotic ale, one that has received a bit more press this past year. It also happens to be on tap and in bottles this month, so the time was ripe to share this beautiful beverage with a wider audience. Let me introduce you to The Bottlehouse Brewery and Meadery’s Spring Gruit.

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Brewery Showcase | Stickman Brews

American craft beer is like the history of the country itself. As a nation of immigrants, our brewers borrow their techniques from many different traditions, tweaking, combining and refining them into something uniquely american. Now, try imagining that we had a centuries old heritage of farmhouse brewing like Belgium. What impact would that have had on modern craft beer? Stickman Brews‘ mission is to find an answer that very question.
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Inside the Tank | Stickman Brews’ Ethan Buckman

How would craft beer have evolved in America if we had a centuries-old farmhouse brewing tradition like Belgium? Head brewer and co-founder of Stickman Brews, Ethan Buckman, focuses his creativity on creating beers that could have existed in this alternate brewing history. He brews hop-forward American-style ales, which he then ferments farmhouse-style with different strains of Brettanomyces and wild yeasts in open-top fermenters. The resulting beers blur style guidelines in exciting new ways. Ethan doesn’t like to assign styles to his brews because he doesn’t feel there are any regularly used styles that accurately describe what he is trying to create.

He is probably right.

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Crooked Stave | Surette

Originally Published August 23, 2013

Crooked Stave Artisan Beer Project: Surette Provision Saison

ABV: 6.2%

Crooked Stave is making amazing beers. The research that owner and brewmaster Chad Yakobson … Read More