Author: Ben Keene

Ben Keene is the author of The Great Northeast Brewery Tour.

Great Notion Opens Much-Anticipated Second Location in Northwest Portland News by

Great Notion’s second location offers plenty of growing room for the three-year-old company, along with to-go coffee six days a week, an expanded menu, and most importantly, more beer.

Hardywood Founders Discuss the Changing Beer Landscape and the Launch of Their New Brand, Suncrush News by

Eric McKay and Patrick Murtaugh, founders of Virginia’s Hardywood Park Craft Brewery, talk about their motivation for offering low calorie, low alcohol beers under a new brand.

Does the Brut IPA Have a Future? Style Profile by

More than 600 examples of Brut IPA have been added to the BeerAdvocate database in recent months. Can it hold the attention of beer enthusiasts or will demand sputter as drinkers return to West Coast IPAs and New England IPAs?

Rodenbach and Dogfish Head to Produce First Collaboration in Famed Belgian Brewery’s History News by

For the first time in its nearly 200-year history, Rodenbach will produce a beer in partnership with another brewery. But fans will have to wait until 2020 to try it.

The Can’t Miss Pours of Extreme Beer Fest Boston 2019 News by

With roughly 500 beers, ciders, meads, and kombuchas to choose from—our largest Extreme Beer Fest lineup to date—it’s not going to be easy to decide where to start.

The Year in Beer: Breaking Down 2018’s Ratings and Reviews By The Numbers by

During the 2018 calendar year, users added more than 70,600 unique beers to the site. That averages out to over 193 new beers every day.

Ken Grossman on the Sierra Nevada Camp Fire Relief Fund and the Collaborative Effort Behind Resilience IPA Beer It Forward by

Sierra Nevada’s Ken Grossman talks about the potential reach of the Camp Fire Relief Fund, the logistics of coordinating such a large initiative, and his company’s dedication to helping its community rebuild.

Fast-Growing Reuben’s Brews Expands Capacity, Adds Taproom in Seattle News by

Reuben’s Brews, which already maintains three locations in Seattle, is growing again. In December it adds an even larger 30-barrel production facility with a bright new taproom.

Fresh From the Can: Cranberry Beers and Ciders for the Holiday Table Food & Drink by

Whether you’re looking for something different to pair with beef brisket or need a companion for that slice of apple pie, make room for these cranberry beers and ciders at your holiday meal. 

Three Beers to Pair with a Bowl of Chili Table Mates by

Gary Valentine, beer director for Chicago’s Girl & The Goat, Duck Duck Goat, and Little Goat, offers three beer pairing suggestions for one of North America’s greatest culinary creations: chili.

These 3 American Brewers Are Inspired by Extreme Beer Three Threads by

Today, whiskey barrels and vanilla beans are no more extreme than an everything bagel. But brewers continue to find other ways to experiment, from mixed culture fermentation to Sour Patch Kids.

How to Make a Molechelada Beer Cocktail Kindred Spirits by

Replacing the Mexican lager in a Michelada with Second Self Beer Company’s Mole Porter adds more body and malt sweetness, putting a new twist on this classic beer cocktail.

Russian River’s New Brewery Opens in Windsor This Week News by

Located on 15 acres in Windsor, Calif., Russian River’s new 85,000 square foot facility will include a brewery, a tasting room, a gift shop, and a restaurant.

Gilded Trophy, a Beer Cocktail with Rye Whiskey and Rauchbier Kindred Spirits by

A splash of smoky German Rauchbier adds a layer of complexity to a cocktail with bold notes of pineapple, lemon, and rye whiskey.

America’s Newest Monastic Brewery Opens in Oregon News by

Owned and operated by the monks at Mount Angel Abbey in Oregon’s Willamette Valley, Benedictine Brewery is the latest monastic brewery to open in the United States.

10 Questions with the Authors of Beer Hiking Pacific Northwest Draft Picks by

Authors Brandon Fralic and Rachel Wood talk about their writing process, and revisit a few memories from the months of work they put into their first book, Beer Hiking Pacific Northwest.

From Sparkleberry Ale to Star Child Pilsner, Breweries Celebrate Pride Month with Special Beers News by

Increasingly, craft breweries are participating in Pride Month by sponsoring events, donating to charities and nonprofits, creating special release beers, or, sometimes, a combination of all three.

Looking to the Past for Inspiration, Brewers Gravitate to Gruit News by

Breweries around the globe are bucking the hazy, hoppy trend by devoting at least some of their energies to Gruit, a medieval ale made with a variety of botanicals. Although small, the worldwide movement to bring more attention to it has gained steam, and is recognized with International Gruit Day.

5 Sources of Inspiration for Founders Kentucky Breakfast Stout 6 Degrees of Fermentation by

Founders head brewer Jeremy Kosmicki reveals the five beverages that inspired Kentucky Breakfast Stout, from Redhook Double Black Stout to Jim Beam.

Able Seedhouse + Brewery Becomes First Minnesota Brewery in Decades to Make Its Own Malt News by

With the release of a Rye Brown Ale called Seeded, Able became the first brewery in Minnesota to produce a beer with its own malt since the late 1960s.

Seattle’s Pike Brewing Expands, Adds New Dining Concept News by

Pike Brewing Company, one of the oldest breweries in the Pacific Northwest, will expand for the third time in 28 years when it opens Tankard & Tun next to Seattle’s Pike Place Market at the end of June.

5 Sources of Inspiration for Dogfish Head Immort Ale 6 Degrees of Fermentation by

Dogfish Head founder Sam Calagione reveals the five beverages that inspired Immort Ale, from Alaskan Smoked Porter to Pappy Van Winkle.

Cyclists Ride to GABF to Promote Prostate Health News by

For non-profit 1400 Miles’ “Big Ride,” a dozen cyclists completed a 15-day, 1,400-mile journey from Cedar Park, Texas, to Denver to raise awareness about prostate health using beer and bikes as conversation starters.

Three Heads Brewing: 5 Essentials 5 Essentials by

Partners Dan Nothnagle, Todd Dirrigl, Geoff Dale, and Brian Johnson can’t live without these five things at Three Heads, their funky and hop-forward brewery in Rochester, N.Y.