Reuben’s Brews | Holiday Gose

I’m going to start this off by saying I am not a fan of the holiday season. Suddenly, I’m expected to be merry and in good spirits, which is just not the way I work. Bribe me with a winter warmer and we might be able to talk, slip me an Imperial Stout and we will be best of friends. Like a lot of you, alcohol makes this season bearable. To quote National Lampoon’s Christmas Vacation, “I had a lot of help from Jack Daniels.”

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Ultimate 6er | Beers to Drink in the Desert

Regardless of the time of year, when you’re spending time in the desert, it is important to stay hydrated, thanks to the dry climate and low humidity. The same concept applies to drinking beers in the desert—you want a beer that is refreshing and easy-drinking, particularly in the summer months when the daily temperature can easily exceed 110°F. This is a six pack that speaks to the lighter side of the desert culture.

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Off Color Brewing | Sparkles Finds (Some) Trouble Hibiscus Gose

Off Color Brewing offers some of the best craft beer in the country across their portfolio, in my humble opinion. And how could you pass up a beer named Sparkles Finds (some) Trouble? This poor kitten got himself into a little, but not too much trouble. Check out the basically amazing description of the beer from the brewery itself (I feel like there’s no way they’re paying their marketing person enough!):

“Curious kittens sometimes get themselves into trouble. What they find out is some things are best left alone. Likewise, curious brewers sometimes add flowers and junk to their beer to see what’ll happen. What they find out is those flowers will add a sweet note and stunning pink color to an otherwise tart and salty beer.”

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Event Recap | The Inaugural Funk Collective: A Gathering of Independent Breweries

Craft beer as a whole has gone through a shit storm over the last few months. Literally and figuratively. And the in-fighting hasn’t stopped. But at the Funk Collective: A Gathering of Independent Breweries, no amount of storminess could keep the masses away.  Read More

Platform Beer Co. | Shanghai Noon Gose

ABV: 4.2% | IBU: 4.3

When people think of Cleveland beer, the first name that comes to mind is Great Lakes Brewing Company – and rightly so. However, as the craft beer market in Cleveland has flourished, other names are coming to the forefront.

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Beerology: The History of Gose

Welcome back to Beerology! After a six month hiatus due to opening The Jailhouse Craft Beer Bar, I have returned to talk about the history behind beer and booze. This edition delves into the obscure style of Gose.

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Hi-Wire Brewing | Gose

ABV: 4.2% | IBU: 5

Recently, I’ve shared North Carolina brews that are particularly suited for the fledgling NC craft beer enthusiast. Today, I continue in that vein with Asheville-based Hi-Wire Brewing’s Gose.
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The Unknown Brewing Co. | Bright Ass Tank Top Gose

In another week, The Unknown Brewing Co. is shipping Bright Ass Tank Top to distributors. I can’t help but think this 4.1% ABV Key lime gose is an ode to the fleeting summer. In a preemptive response to the question of “what’s with the name?”, Andrea Glagow, marketing manager for The Unknown Brewing Co., wrote “… no reason. It’s the end of summer. Rock it until the end. Sun’s out, Gun’s out.”
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Creature Comforts | Tritonia w/ Cucumber & Lime

It’s been well-documented over the past couple of years that fruit is taking over the beer scene. There is tons of watermelon beer, a handful of pineapple beer, a gaggle of mango beer, a plethora of blueberry beer… you get the idea. But didn’t we learn that healthy eating is about your fruits AND your vegetables?! All too often, a vegetable taste or smell in beer is because of a brewing error. Not to get too technical or sciencey, but it has to do with dimethyl sulfides dissolving back into the cooling wort, or even a rogue bacteria getting into the brew, and it can create a corn, cabbage or sauerkraut taste and smell. But when vegetables are done purposefully, and done well, it opens up a whole new category of beer awesomeness. Read More

Avery Brewing Co. | El Gose

ABV: 4.5%

Avery Brewing El Gose (Gose-Uh)

Is it Mexican? Is it German? Is it Coloradoan? Here’s what it is — It’s delicious. Read More

What We’re Drinking | July 8th, 2016

Alas, it is Friday. Despite the extended holiday weekend, I’m sure this week dragged on for most given the inevitable hangover we all tackled on Tuesday. Fear not, beer lovers. … Read More

The Six Best Beers for Summer Backpacking

You have finally reached your campsite after hiking 20 miles over rugged terrain with all of your gear on your back. A heavy band of sweat clings to your head as you finally drop your pack and begin to set up your shelter. Once you’ve eaten and settled in for the night, you reach into your pack and pull out a beer. Beer might not be as essential as food, water, shelter or clothing, but, in your modest camp, it’s nothing short of a luxury.

Since the most important criterion of a backpacking beer is portability, every beer on this list will be canned. Cans are much lighter than glass and don’t require you to pack a bottle-opener. You also do not run the risk of a can breaking and leaving dangerous shards all over the campsite. Last but not least, aluminum conducts heat faster than glass, which means they’ll get cold faster when you stick them in a creek. There are many to choose from, but, if you ask me, these are the best summer backpacking beers. Read More

Victory Brewing Company | Kirsch Gose

ABV: 4.7%

Over the past few summers, goses and Berliner-weisses have been popping up like crazy. Since I have a deep-seated love of all things sour, I’ve been loving the … Read More

Stillwater Artisan Ales & Westbrook Brewing Company | Gose Gone Wild

ABV: 4.3%

Goses are now a staple for bottle shops across the country as the American craft beer market has embraced their tart, refreshing taste. The style’s availability is at the point where you can breakdown what goses you will find from state-to-state. I’ve seen Victory’s Kirsch Gose and Devils Backbone’s Cran-Gose in several places but until today, Gose Gone Wild was the one elusive gose I’ve been unable to acquire. My guess is that with the name Westbrook attached, it’s very attractive to the beer sharing community as the original Westbrook Gose is.

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Anderson Valley Brewing Co. | Briney Melon Gose

ABV: 4.2%

Last summer was my introduction to the gose style, and my first one was Anderson Valley’s Blood Orange Gose (also a beer I highly recommend). I immediately became a fan, and started seeking out others in the gose style. That soon led me to another from Anderson Valley, the Briney Melon Gose. At the time, it was only available in bombers, but this year they started distributing it in six-pack cans… and we’re all better off because of it. With a fun, easy-drinking summer beer like this, cans that you can throw in a cooler and take to a barbecue to share with friends are the only way to go.

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Sierra Nevada Brewing Co. | Otra Vez

ABV: 4.5%

We’d been searching for Sierra Nevada Brewing Company’s newest release Otra Vez since we first saw it advertised on Beer Advocate. A Gose with prickly pear and grapefruit sounded like an amazing way to break up the past few months of winter warmers. After contacting liquor stores for weeks we finally were able to track a six pack down. Read More

Weekly Growler Fill | National Beer News Roundup

Sierra Nevada adds a new beer to their lineup, South Korea embraces craft beer, basketball players discuss homebrew, and one of the biggest and baddest beers (no, I’m not talking about Bourbon County Stout) returns to the market. Read all this and more in the Weekly Growler Fill! Read More

Boulevard Brewing Co. | Hibiscus Gose

ABV: 4.2%
IBU: 11

I have a secret. I can’t stop buying Boulevard’s Hibiscus Gose. My hands keep grabbing the cardboard box the sixer comes in. I’ve bought three so far. I can’t control it. Hey, Boulevard, why don’t I just direct deposit part of my paycheck to you?

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Destihl Brewery | Here Gose Nothin’ (Wild Sour Series)

ABV: 5%
IBU: 12

Ahh, the Gose (goes). Or is it Gose (go-say)? It’s actually Gose (go-suh), preferably pronounced with a nice German gutteral G. An old style originating from Leipzig, Germany, the gose is named after the river Gose in Lower Saxony. Light, tart and refreshing, this style is the only one brewed with salted water, and traditionally contains coriander. Seeing goses hit the shelves and appear on draft is as much a sign of Spring as budding flowers and bright green leaves on trees. This style also makes for an excellent shower beer. Read More

Almanac Brewing Company | Golden Gate Gose

Our first taste of Almanac beer occurred this year at Great American Beer Fest when we were conveniently pouring samples across from their booth. We were immediately intrigued when we realized that they featured several dynamically flavored sours and featured one of our favorite slogans: “Farm to Barrel.” Read More