December 31, 2018

Most Often Drank Beers of 2018



Here's a bit more depth on this Tweet if you give a rat's buzz... my top 10 in order were:

1. Lagunitas IPA
2. Lagunitas Sumpin' Easy
3. Stone Xocoveza
4. Bell's Hopslam
5. Mother's Winter Grind
6. Dogfish Head 60 Minute IPA
7. Sweetwater 420
8. Rebel Kettle Headbanger's Ball
9. Great Raft Grace and Grit
10. Dogfish Head Liquid Truth Serum

Lagunitas IPA sits at the top for a few reasons... I love it, our rep in Arkansas (Courtney) is awesome and it's readily available at most restaurants and such. A lot of my check-ins are at Verizon Arena for concerts. Their Sumpin' Easy is right behind it because it's super tasty and available at our minor league park, where I spend a lot of time in the Summer.

I go wild for Bell's Hopslam in it's seasonal release.

Coffee beers are my 2nd favorite style, so Xocoveza and Winter Grind get lots of love, year round.

The only local beer on my list is Headbanger's Ball, and it was originally called "Half-Century Headbanger" and debuted at my 50th birthday party. And it's delicious.

Grace and Grit is the best beer Great Raft makes in my opinion, out of many awesome beers in their portfolio.

So yeah, add the other 3 from Dogfish Head and Sweetwater and many of these will be on my list for 2019 I'm guessing.

December 28, 2018

2018 Year in Review: Brewery Visits

I definitely had another banner of year of visiting breweries in 2018. After making it to 54 last year, I really didn't have a goal for this year except to try to go to just as many I guess.

For the record, yes it's really nice to be married to someone who enjoys traveling as much as I do and also puts up with me going to all these breweries. Fortunately, she loves good beer also and we have a blast together. We sneak in plenty of local sights, cuisines, wineries and distilleries as well.

This year included 60 breweries in 8 states: Arkansas, Louisiana, Missouri, Oklahoma, Texas, Tennessee, Georgia and North Carolina.



A made it to a few "bucket list" breweries which I hadn't been to yet, like Sierra Nevada (NC) and New Belgium (NC), and a few more recent breweries I've started to love, like Burial (NC) and Bearded Iris (TN).

Some highlights? That's a tough one. We had so much fun at so many places and really met a lot of cool folks. I'll say getting to go to Sweetwater's brewery and The Woodlands facility in Atlanta while there for 420 Fest is up at the top as well as FINALLY getting to go to Jester King in Austin, TX. And it was everything I hoped it would be. I spent plenty of time at my favorite local haunts, like Lost Forty, Flyway and Rebel Kettle plus got up to Springfield, MO on my birthday weekend to one of my favorites, Mother's Brewing.



Anyway... here's the list:


Abita Brew Pub Abita Springs, LA
Anthem Brewing Co. Oklahoma City, OK
Bhramari Brewing Asheville, NC
Big River Grille & Brewing Works Chattanooga, TN
Black Abbey Brewing Nashville, TN
Blue Canoe Brewing Co. Little Rock, AR
Blue Owl Brewing Austin, TX
Brick + Forge Harrison, AR
Bricktown Brewery Oklahoma City, OK
Brieux Carre Brewing Co. New Orleans, LA
Burial Brewing Co. Asheville, NC
Cabin Boys Tulsa, OK
Catawba Brewing Asheville, NC
Coop Ale Works Oklahoma City, OK
Courtyard Brewery New Orleans, LA
Crosstown Beer Co. Memphis, TN
Flyway North Little Rock, AR
Fort Smith Brewing Co. Fort Smith, AR
Great Raft Shreveport, LA
Green Man Brewing Asheville, NC
Hawk Moth Rogers, AR
Heaven & Ale Chattanooga, TN
Hutton & Smith Chattanooga, TN
Independence Austin, TX
Jackalope Brewing Nashville, TN
Jester King Austin, TX
Lost Forty Little Rock, AR
Lost Signal Springfield, Mo
Marshall Brewing Tulsa, OK
Mother's Brewing Co. Springfield, Mo
New Belgium Asheville, NC
New Heights Nashville, TN
Noble Rey Brewing Dallas, TX
NOLA Brewing New Orleans, LA
Oddstory Brewing Co. Chattanooga, TN
One World Brewing Asheville, NC
Pegasus City Brewing Dallas, TX
Peticolas Dallas, TX
Port Orleans New Orleans, LA
Prairie OKC Oklahoma City, OK
Prairie Tulsa Brewpub Tulsa, OK
Prestonrose Farm & Brewery Paris, AR
Rebel Kettle Brewing Co. Little Rock, AR
Rough Tail Brewing Co. Oklahoma City, OK
Sierra Nevada Asheville, NC
Springfield Brewing Co. Springfield, Mo
SQZBX Brewery Hot Springs, AR
STATS Brewpub Atlanta, GA
Stone's Throw Brewing Little Rock, AR
Superior Bathhouse Brewing Hot Springs, AR
Sweetwater Atlanta, GA
Terminal Brewhouse Chattanooga, TN
Twisted Leaf Asheville, NC
Twisted Spike Oklahoma City, OK
Urban South New Orleans, LA
Vinos Brewpub Little Rock, AR
Wedge Brewing Asheville, NC
Welltown Brewing Tulsa, OK
Wicked Weed/Funkatorium Asheville, NC
Yazoo Brewing Co. Nashville, TN

December 23, 2018

The Best Christmas Beers 2018! | The Craft Beer Channel

Here's some fun stuff from The Craft Beer Channel...
 
It's that time of year, as Jonny and the Brad make morons of themselves over a few strong Christmas beers. This year they go all out – panpipes, festive crisps, leftover toasties and lots and lots of nutmeg chat. Oh, and they drink some delicious cherry beers! 
 
SUPPORT US! 
 
Pledge on Patreon and get some cool merch & videos: https://www.patreon.com/craftbeerchannel
 
Buy our new book, the London Craft Beer Guide, today: https://www.amazon.co.uk/London-Craft... 
 
And buy our first book, Beer School here: 
Europe (Beer Merchants): http://tinyurl.com/jy6fr2y 
 
Twitter – @beerchannel 
Instagram – @jonnygarrett @mrbradevans 
 
Remember to drink responsibly(ish) and not be that guy...

December 22, 2018

What is a Co-Op Brewery? -- Beer Industry Trending

With over 7000 breweries in the US Co-op breweries are becoming an increasingly common sight. But what is a Co-Op Brewery and how do they work? Ryan explores the community focused world of cooperatives this week on Beer By The Numbers:
 
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December 21, 2018

Holiday gift recycling tips from Bell’s Brewery

Bell's Brewery: "Each holiday season, we offer special gift wrapping recycling to our employees. What can you do to cut down on landfill waste? Our sustainability associate Willow Cohn gives some tips for what you can do at home."
 

Quick Sip Clip with Dogfish Head: 75 Minute IPA

Dogfish Head Craft Brewery: "It’s been a minute … but 75 Minute IPA is back! What began as a cask-conditioned ale at our Rehoboth brewpub back in 2011, quickly grew to become a cult-favorite amongst craft enthusiasts. From the groucho glasses that adorned the label to it’s slightly dry and lingering bitterness, 75 Minute was (and is) beloved by many.

Now in our latest iteration, this classic IPA is again brewed with maple syrup from Sam’s family farm in Massachusetts, while being continually hopped throughout the boil, and then dry-hopped with a slew of cascade hops. The result is a malty and earthy brew with citrusy-pine aromas, balanced by subtle maple notes."
 

December 18, 2018

Renedevous Junction Untapped AR

The Rendezvous Junction Story captured and produced for the Untapped AR series produced Cox Media and Bod High Productions:
 

Seasonal Six Pack: Your Association. Your News.

Wondering what your trade association has been up to on your behalf? Get a quick rundown of recent Brewers Association news, member resources and activities in this fourth edition of "Seasonal Six Pack" videos: 
 
In this edition: 
- 2018 Year in Beer Review 
- 4,000+ craft brewing companies have signed up for the independent craft brewer seal 
- 5% Craft Beer Growth in 2018 
- 85% of 21+ adults live within 10 miles of a brewery 
- Homebrew on the Hill 
- CBC19 Denver 
- Registration is now open!
 

December 17, 2018

Beer Log: what is a Brut IPA?

Good video from The Craft Beer Channel:
 
"This week we try to answer the question of "what is a brut IPA?" We try the new trendy style and pick it apart to work out if it can achieve the aims of having the fruitiness of a NEIPA but the dryness and crisp finish of Champagne."
 

December 13, 2018

History of the Milk Stout -- Beer History

Beer By The Numbers: "While most beer innovations today are focused around creating new flavors and differentiating your beer in a crowded market, the innovations of a couple hundred years ago were all focused on making beer more consistent and nutritious. The Milk stout is a great example of this motive as combining beer with milk's nutritional value was a great challenge to overcome."
 

December 11, 2018

Tap Time Radio December 10th, 2018

Here's last night's Tap Time on 103.7 The Buzz as we drank some great beers, picked some of our favorites of the year and talked to callers. Check it out below!