Bean to Barstool Podcast | One Cacao Tree with Raven Hanna

Raven Hanna lives on the big island of Hawai’i, and her backyard is a picture of what most of us see when we hear the phrase tropical paradise. She has a PhD in molecular biophysics and biochemistry, and she loves science, but she also loves her senses, and the opportunity to immerse herself in the natural world. Her book One Cacao Tree: Backyard Cocoa, Tiny Fermentations, and Chocolate Making in the Tropics is an accessible, tangible guide to every step of cacao’s journey, from growing to fermenting, grinding to tempering.

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Highs and Lows of the 2024 Craft Brewers Conference

With more curves than a Bart Watson data chart, the 2024 Craft Brewers Conference in Las Vegas did not disappoint for the 9,000-plus attendees who braved the lights and sounds of The Venetian Expo Center and cacophony of Phish fans pouring into The Sphere. (Talk about fantastic people watching!) The conference provided a sanctuary for industry professionals to discuss the myriad challenges and emerging opportunities within the craft brewing world.

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Mixed Results: How Sour Ale Producers Make the Numbers Work

Mixed-fermentation, long-aged sours are among the most prestigious styles in all of beer. The esoteric flavors and lore of Belgian Lambic styles have inspired countless American brewers to look beyond conventional fermentations in search of mystery and glory. It’s an expensive but esteemed branch of brewing, and one upon which many reputations have been built. The only problem? Hardly anyone seems to be buying these beers anymore.

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Collaborating for a Cause | Alex’s Life

Our showcase for the Alex’s Life installment of this series has been a long time coming. A collaboration of six of the biggest names in today’s craft scene, this joint effort was an undoubtedly pure testament to the magnitude of togetherness exhibited toward Alex Kidd and his family as he endures this fight with Stage IV cancer. With additional thanks owed to craft beer marketplace Tavour as the outlet used to maximize the release’s scope, this Veil-headlined benefit still remains the largest fundraiser to-date for the Kidds.

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Horus Aged Ales | Year Nine Spotlight

It has been over a year now since collaborating with Kyle Harrop and Horus Aged Ales on a spotlight of his unique and formidable barrel program. Now, Horus finds itself preparing to open year seven of the Convocation membership. We reconnected with Harrop for a brand new feature, highlighting some of his recent projects as well as digging deeper into what we can hope to expect from this sought after program in 2024.

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milieu fermentation company | Opening Weekend Preview

Opening a brewery is a journey full of challenging times and rewarding payoffs. For every newly installed and wrenched tapline spewing precious liquid across the countertop upon first test, there is the hard earned reward of that very first draft pour. Rob Bessett and Andrew Bergeron, co-owners of milieu fermentation company (pronounced mil-you) in Aurora, just outside of Denver, know all too well the difficult work that has gone into preparing their brewery for its opening weekend on May 4. Now that the date is set and the opening is just around the corner, PorchDrinking took some time to check out their renovated taproom and chat about what the future holds for milieu.

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Spring House Brewing Co. | Affordable Love (Russian Imperial Stout)

Established in 2006, Spring House Brewing Company operates three locations around Lancaster County, Pennsylvania. All three locations have restaurants and a full bar service. Their beers are distributed in Pennsylvania, Maryland, West Virginia, New York, New Jersey and Connecticut.

“We love to brew traditional beers with quality as well as experiment with fun, new styles of beer,” said Victoria Vacanti, general manager for Spring House Brewing Company.

Spring House has a strong interest in supporting their local community and has built partnerships with a number of non-profit organizations in a variety of ways to help raise funds and awareness to their causes.

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Colorado Beer Beat | Bi-Weekly Beer Release Guide 4/25

Welcome to the Colorado Beer Beat, a bi-weekly roundup of all of the new can releases around the state. From Denver to Grand Junction and everywhere in between, we have you covered. Be sure to check back on Thursdays (usually!) to find out what’s new in the Colorado craft beer scene.

As the vibrant hues of spring paint the landscape and the Rockies stand majestically in the backdrop, it’s time to raise a toast to Colorado’s rich brewing heritage. With Cinco de Mayo just around the corner, there’s no better occasion to explore the diverse and innovative craft beer scene that Colorado proudly boasts. From crisp lagers to bold IPAs, let’s embark on a journey through the Centennial State’s finest brews, where every pint tells a story of craftsmanship and creativity.

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Colorado Breweries Win Big at 2024 World Beer Cup Awards

Colorado breweries once again showed up in a big way at the 2024 World Beer Cup. Often referred to as the Olympics of Beer Competitions, the World Beer Cup features breweries from across the world vying for medals. This year’s competition featured 9,300 entries from 2,060 breweries across 50 countries entered into 110 categories, and Colorado’s contingent showed out in a MAJOR way taking home 21 medals from 19 breweries including 9 Gold medals.

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BREAKING | 2024 World Beer Cup Results Announced

It wasn’t all just hitting the sprawling buffets and blackjack tables at this week’s Craft Brewers Conference. There were some additional big winners as some of the world’s top breweries were once again recognized today at the 2024 World Beer Cup.

This year’s World Beer Cup awards took place on Wednesday, April 24, 2024, in Las Vegas, Nevada, as part of this year’s Craft Brewers Conference. Launched by the Brewers Association in 1996 to celebrate brewing and brewers across the world, the World Beer Cup is often referred to as “The Olympics of Beer Competitions.”

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Garrett Oliver Unites Brewing Industry in Pioneering ‘Brewing for Impact’ Initiative

For more than 30 years, Garrett Oliver has been a pioneer in the brewing industry, both in his brewing and his commitment to social change. His focus on innovation in the craft beer movement has led to national recognition and a James Beard Award. Having been with Brooklyn Brewery for 30 years this year, Oliver is proud to announce the “Brewing for Impact” campaign. This initiative launches a worldwide collaboration with breweries, spotlighting the ancient West African grain fonio, and is rooted in Oliver’s belief that beer can unite people, cultures and traditions. In highlighting fonio and its adaptability, Brewing for Impact is able to emphasize the idea that the future of brewing can have a focus on sustainability and social awareness.
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CLAG Brewing Company | You Wouldn’t Drink a Clear IPA

One of the PorchDrinking team’s favorite things about craft beer journalism is the people you meet and the stories they share with us. People are what makes the craft brewing community interesting. Don’t get us wrong, we love trying beers and we get to sample some of the best in the country, but the people are what make it interesting and fun. So let’s meet the people behind the Sandusky, Ohio-based CLAG Brewing Company.

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PorchDrinking’s 2024 Craft Brewers Conference External Events Guide

Vegas, baby! This year’s Craft Brewers Conference and World Beer Cup takes place in Sin City, and it starts right after 4/20 — seems about right, doesn’t it? In addition to the countless activities and events occurring at the conference, there are numerous events taking place throughout Vegas, from downtown to where the locals hang. Enjoy. And remember, what happens in Vegas….. well, you know.

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Cushwa Brewing Company | Flow Deluxe West Coast Pilsner

PorchDrinking recently had the opportunity to sample various beer styles from Williamsport, Maryland-based Cushwa Brewing Company. While we enjoyed each beer we tried, we fell in love with one particular beer. We’re delighted to share our experience with Cushwa’s twist on an emerging style.

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The Payroll Dept Offers Hands-On HR & Payroll Solutions to Breweries

In a world where artificial intelligence is now being used to create beer recipes and entire brew systems are fueled by automation, the craft beer industry is beginning to look less like the scrappy bootstrapped, mom-and-pop entrepreneurial operation that inspired approximately 10,000 neighborhood breweries across the country and more like the big box corporate breweries that have monopolized the market for so many decades.

While automation has helped to create efficiencies that become critical for fueling explosive growth, some aspects of operating a brewery just work better with a human touch. 

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Bean to Barstool Podcast | Somerville Chocolate & Aeronaut Brewing

In this episode of Bean to Barstool, we’re looking at a fascinating collaboration between a craft chocolate maker and a craft brewery. Eric Parkes at Somerville Chocolate is a tenant in Aeronaut Brewing’s building in Somerville, Massachusetts, so he makes chocolate just a short distance from where brewmaster Mark Bowers and Director of Brewing Operations Filipe Garcia are brewing beer. This has allowed for an ongoing creative exchange between these worlds, yielding unique beers made with cacao and unique chocolate bars made with beer, brewing ingredients, and cacao and other ingredients that have been first used to make beer. The relationship has allowed for creative experimentation and mutual education. In this interview, Eric, Mark, Filipe, and host David Nilsen discuss the benefits of this arrangement and look in detail at the beers and chocolate bars that have come from it.

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