News & Blog

All the "must-reads" for the brewers and beer-lovers.

Even though apples are one of the most famous American fruits to eat, people don't care for them as much in a beverage. Cider makes up a meager 1 percent of the beer market. Things have changed since the beverage's heyday.

With the golden years of constant growth now a thing of the past, it's become more important for brewers to find ways to differentiate themselves, lean into what makes them different, and find other strategies to stand out in a busy marketplace.

Boil overs. Hop explosions. Leaky barrels. Yeast “poops.” Brewing, my friends, ain't for the squeaky clean—it's a gritty affair. We're not talking about playing house with some everyday cleaning supplies. No, sir. This is Fight Club for brewers, where every “janitor” is armed with a squeegee and hose to remove brewing grime. They're not playing around with your everyday household cleaners. This is taking down microbial institutions, and if the right chemical isn't used, well, let's just say there's a laundry list of calamities waiting to unfold.

In other parts of the globe, bartenders pour beer in strange and mysterious ways. Beer foam flows out of taps and bottles and to turn patrons’ glasses into science fair volcanoes with maximum head. In the US drinkers tend to steer clear of foam, but they just may be doing it wrong. 

It’s the mossst wonderful time of the year—to shop for beer gifts! If you thought your beer-loving friend already owns everything beer-related they could own, think again. This 2023 gift guide is sure to spark some fresh ideas. Take a look at some of the best beer subscriptions, items with vintage flare, over-the-top gadgets, and more. 

Talented brewers from all over the United States will pack up their kegs and head to Denver, Colorado, for The Great American Beer Festival on September 21-23. There will be more than 500 craft breweries from all over the nation, pouring more than 2,000 different beers in over 100 different beer styles. With so many options, it’s impossible to try them all. To help you narrow down your options, here is a short list—that is by no means conclusive—of breweries that are serving up something a little different. 

Raíces, meaning roots in Spanish, is one of the few Latino-owned breweries in Colorado. Latinos own less than half a percent of all breweries in the US. That alone makes Raíces stick out. In such a competitive marketplace, owners José D. Beteta, Tamil Maldonado-Vega, who are spouses, and Martín D. Vargas leaned into that advantage. 

Homebrewing is a lot of trial and error, especially for the inexperienced. Collaboration helps with exponential knowledge gains. And camaraderie can save money, time, and heartache from big mistakes. Groups like Brewtubers, an online homebrewer club, allow members to exchange ideas and recipes and help each other out along their homebrewing journeys.