Is this you? As a journalist, you can create a free Muck Rack account to customize your profile, list your contact preferences, and upload a portfolio of your best work.
Claim your profile
Articles by Jereme Zimmerman
How is Mead Made? – Mother Earth News
How is mead made? Enjoy an in-depth look at the components and creation of this versatile, honey-based beverage — a hearty addition to any homebrewing arsenal. How is Mead Made? When people ask me what mead is, I usually respond with something along the lines of, “Well, it’s not beer, it’s not wine, and it’s not cider. It’s mead!” Admittedly, that’s not a very helpful answer.
Seattle's Machine House Brewery Moves to the Hillman Neighborhood – PorchDrinking.com
Machine House Brewery has been brewing traditional English-Style Cask Ales in South Seattle since 2013. Initially located in Georgetown, Machine House has spent summer 2023 relocating its brewery operations and taproom to the Hillman Neighborhood, just south of Rainier Valley’s Columbia City.
Level Beer | Steamed Hams Lager
Would you like a beer to go with those steamed hams? …Um, these are hamburgers… Let me explain. No, there is too much. Let me sum up by having you watch this short clip. Okay, make sense now? No? Well, fortunately we at PorchDrinking.com got to bend the ear of the clip’s writer, Bill Oakley.
Deschutes Brewery | Symphonic Chronic Double Dank IPA – PorchDrinking.com
Oregon’s Deschutes Brewery isn’t letting up on its continual pushing of the boundaries thanks to its pilot brewhouse. Their latest release, Symphonic Chronic Double Dank Imperial IPA, is a blend of West Coast kettle hopping and East Coast dry hopping, resulting in a beer that gives IPA lovers the best of both worlds. This isn’t a hazy or brutally bitter IPA. Smooth-drinking and well-balanced, Symphonic Chronic should please even the most loyal of West and East Coast aficionados.
West Sixth Brewing | Sun Shade Wheat
Kentucky’s West Sixth Brewing has announced its latest Seasonal Rotator series of beers. Sun Shade Wheat, a sessionable, low-ABV (5%) American Wheat Ale, is perfect for enjoying in the summer sun. “American Wheat Ales can be a little sneaky in terms of how they do in the market,” said Brady Barlow, co-founder at West Sixth Brewing. “Most IRI data you read will deliver the same news: IPAs are the kings and queens in the craft beer kingdom. But American Wheats do really well in stores.
Yazoo Brewing Company | Sue Imperial Smoked Porter – PorchDrinking.com
Nashville’s Yazoo Brewing Company has a reputation for unique versions of classic styles. Its Imperial Smoked Porter, Sue, is no exception. With a 2010 Great American Beer Festival silver medal and a description from BeerAdvocate of “Epic,” you should already want to give Sue a try, but let’s give you some more reasons.
Deschutes Brewery | Tropical Fresh IPA
Deschutes Brewery has a new spring release: Tropical Fresh IPA. Chock full of tropical flavors, it’s the perfect beer to savor as the weather warms up and thoughts of summer activities begin to surface. “The brewing team was really inspired by the flavor attributes from the new, experimental, 586 hop,” said communications manager Erin Rankin.
Mirror Twin Brewing | The Oregon Pale – PorchDrinking.com
Mirror Twin Brewing, based out of Lexington, KY, has its share of fruited sours, pastry stouts and NEIPAs, but they aren’t afraid of sticking to tradition. Among their more straightforward offerings can be found Oregon Pale, a Pale Ale with Citra and Simcoe hops. Visitors of the tap room may just choose it because they’re in the mood for a Pale Ale. For those who come across it in the store, though, nostalgia for traditional beer styles isn’t the only draw.
The Epic Origin Story of DuClaw Brewing Company's Sweet Baby Jesus – PorchDrinking.com
Have you ever tried a beer that was so unexpectedly good that you immediately exclaimed your surprise at its serendipitous deliciousness out loud? Maybe it was another beer, but probably it was DuClaw Brewing Company’s Sweet Baby Jesus! Peanut Butter Porter.
West Sixth Brewing | Rye Barrel Porter
For West Sixth Brewing‘s third bourbon and barrel collaboration, Rye Barrel Porter, the Kentucky brewery has partnered with Bulleit Frontier Whiskey. Rye Barrel Porter is a high-ABV (9.0%) porter aged in Bulleit 95 Rye whiskey barrels. Rich and complex yet surprisingly smooth drinking, Rye Barrel Porter is a malt-forward beer with flavors ranging from caramel to chocolate to dark fruit. A touch of toffee aroma and notes of rye whiskey cap off the experience.
DuClaw Brewing Co. | The PastryArchy Unicorn Farts After Dark – PorchDrinking.com
DuClaw Brewing Co.‘s The PastryArchy Unicorn Farts After Dark Chocolate Cinnamon Crunch Breakfast Pastry Stout (phew!) is everything it sounds like and more. “The Unicorn Farts name first came into play in our Sour Me series,” said Rachel Bradley, DuClaw’s marketing manager.
Hi-Wire Brewing | Zirkusfest Oktoberfest – PorchDrinking.com
Oktoberfest may have ended but you may still be able to find Hi-Wire Brewing’s Zirkusfest Oktoberfest on shelves. A seasonal release (from July to September), Zirkusfest is an annual tradition that started out as a homebrew-scale test batch of a traditional Märzen by Head Brewer Luke Holgate. “This recipe was sort of honed in on,” Luke told us.
Deschutes Brewery | Farmstand Fresh Mango IPA – PorchDrinking.com
Farmstand Fresh Mango IPA is one of the newest members of the Fresh Family of India Pale Ales from Deschutes Brewery. Farmstand Fresh is brewed with mango puree, making it a Fruited Hazy IPA. The sweetness of mango is balanced with Bravo and Mosaic hops, making Farmstand Fresh a tropical delight. Juicy and robust at 6.4% ABV and 40 IBUs, Farmstand Fresh holds up well in a can, giving it a juicy, hoppy flavor that will have you thinking of relaxing in the tropics even during the depths of winter.
Einstök Ölgerð | Arctic Pale Ale – PorchDrinking.com
If you’re in the United States, you may have noticed a new Icelandic beer appearing on bottle store shelves. Einstök Ölgerð (“unique brewery” in Icelandic) offers several beers that, while are based on standard styles, are truly unique. Einstök Arctic Pale Ale is a superb example of how a style many of us have tried numerous versions of can honor tradition while still standing out.
Green Man Brewery | ESB – PorchDrinking.com
Asheville, North Carolina’s Green Man Brewery has been brewing award-winning ales since 1997. Green Man ESB (Extra Special Bitter), developed by former Head Brewer Jon Stuart, is one of the brewery’s flagships and is the oldest recipe brewed at Green Man today. Quality Ingredients Mean Quality Brews Like all of Green Man’s flagships, Green Man ESB is brewed with an English-style house ale yeast.
Homemade Soda Basics
Learn how to brew your own healthy, refreshing sodas and feel bubbly with glee as you reap the health benefits. Before the modern soda craze, which has caused all manner of health problems and sugar addictions, people made their own refreshing, fermented drinks at home. Most early recipes refer to these drinks as “beer” or “ale,” and the entire family drank them, including young children. These weren’t high-alcohol beverages, though — most only fermented 1 to 3 percent alcohol, if that.
Walker Brothers Kombucha | Tell Me I'm Pretty High Gravity Kombucha – PorchDrinking.com
Nashville’s Walker Brothers Kombucha, brewers of high-gravity (i.e., alcoholic) kombucha, have an exciting new product: Tell Me I’m Pretty High Gravity Kombucha. As with their other category-bending brews, Tell Me I’m Pretty isn’t technically a beer, but shares a lot of commonalities with Fruited Beers, Sours and Lambics.
Apocalypse Brew Works | Atomic Amber – PorchDrinking.com
Apocalypse Brew Works, located in Louisville, KY, is known for brewing no-frills (well, maybe a few frills) traditional ales. Atomic Amber, a crisp, clean American Amber Ale, is no exception. Atomic Amber gets its name from Apocalypse Brew Works theme, with several of their beers being named for some sort of an apocalyptic event (read more here).
Hi-Wire Brewing | Bed of Nails Brown Ale
Bed of Nails Brown Ale from Asheville, North Carolina’s Hi-Wire Brewing, is an American Brown Ale inspired by British brewing traditions. As with any traditional Brown Ale, Bed of Nails is malt-forward with very little hops presence. With an IBU of 21, the carefully crafted blend of specialty malts provides for a light body and dry finish.
Sonder Brewing | Voss Kölsch – PorchDrinking.com
There’s nothing quite like whiling away a hot summer day with a six-pack of a well-done Kölsch. Sonder Brewing, a Cincinnati area craft brewery located in Mason, OH, has just the ticket for you. Sonder = Uniquely Crafted Sonder Brewing Voss Kölsch is a traditional German-style Kölsch that has been crafted with the highest levels of care to achieve a crisp, clear and flavorful ode to German brewing ingenuity.
The Craft Beer Marketing Awards (CBMA) Announces 2022 Winners – PorchDrinking.com
The Craft Beer Marketing Awards (CBMA) is in its third year of competition. Founded in 2019, the first awards ceremony had to be held virtually in 2020, like pretty much everything else. 2021’s ceremony was a hybrid ceremony, but for 2022, the CBMAS was a fully in-person ceremony (with an added virtual announcement) at the Craft Brewers Conference (CBC) in Minneapolis. Live and In Person (Also, Virtual) Winners were announced in-person and via Facebook Live.
Live Oak Brewing Co. | Schwarzer Rauch
Austin, TX’s Live Oak Brewing Co. is known for its commitment to tradition in brewing European-style beers. Launched in 1997, they have been brewing old-world lagers and ales with more than just a nod to tradition for 25 years. Schwarzer Rauch (Black Smoke), a smoked black lager, is brewed in the tradition still carried on by breweries in Bamberg, Germany, who still smoke the malt for their beers.
West Sixth Brewing Surpasses $1 Million in Giving Ahead of 10 Year Anniversary
Lexington, Kentucky’s West Sixth Brewing turns 10 this month. Not only have they managed to thrive within a market that has seen significant increases in competition over the past ten years, but they have done so while donating six percent of all proceeds to local nonprofits and charities. In an event held on March 23, they announced that they had vastly surpassed their funding goal.
Fifty West Brewing Company | Maibock – PorchDrinking.com
It’s Bock season! Just as Oktoberfest celebrates the transition from summer to the colder months, German brewers also feel the need to brew celebratory beers for the period when the daytime begins to warm up, but the evenings and mornings are still chilly. Maibock, from Cincinnati’s Fifty West Brewing Company is the perfect beer to fit the bill.
Deschutes Brewery | Black Butte Non-Alcoholic
Deschutes Black Butte Porter is an iconic porter that helped fuel the success of what was once a small brewery in a small Oregon town and is now one of the largest craft breweries in the U.S. Deschutes Brewery first started brewing Black Butte Porter in 1988 when it launched its Bend Public House brewpub in Bend, Oregon, and it quickly became one of the forerunners of the dark craft beer market.
Wiseacre Brewing Co. | Gotta Get Up to Get Down Coffee Milk Stout
Wanna get down but feeling a little … down? Memphis’ Wiseacre Brewing Co. has the solution for you. Gotta Get Up to Get Down Coffee Milk Stout is the perfect solution for giving you a bit of a beer buzz while also waking you up enough to get down. Gotta Get Up to Get Down’s story begins in Chicago, where Brewmaster Davin Bartosch was brewing primarily English-style cask ales for the taproom at Rock Bottom Restaurant & Brewery.
Kentucky Breweries Band Together to Give Back to Tornado Relief Efforts
Early in the morning of December 11, 2021, tornadoes swept through Western Kentucky, destroying more than 1,000 properties and killing more than 70 people. Kentuckians and the craft beer community as a whole have a long history of banding together to help each other in times of crisis, and donations poured in almost immediately following the news. The rebuilding process will be a long one though, with many homes and businesses needing to be rebuilt from scratch.
West Sixth Brewing & Bulleit Bourbon | Bourbon Barrel Brownie
There’s a new Bourbon Barrel Ale on the block. Kentucky’s West Sixth Brewing and Bulleit Distilling Co. have teamed up to create Bourbon Barrel Brownie, an Imperial Brown Ale aged in Bulleit Bourbon barrels. This limited-edition release is an ideal winter warmer. At 10.5% ABV, it soothes the soul with its smooth, silky, chocolaty flavor. Hints of vanilla, charred oak and spice can be attributed to the high rye malt bill used for Bulleit Bourbon.
Tröegs Independent Brewing | Troegenator Double Bock
Described by Tröegs Independent Brewing as “malty and crisp” and “deliciously dark,” Tröegs’ Troegenator Doublebock is a hefty 8.2% ABV malty beast with a surprising subtleness. Though the malt is ever-present in each sip, Troegenator Double bock also offers notes of caramel, stone fruit and toasted grains. It is smooth and soft, crisp and warming all at once; it’s the perfect big beer to enjoy during the fall and winter months.
Taft's Brewing Co. | Frisch's Pumpkin Pie Ale – PorchDrinking.com
Two Cincinnati institutions have teamed up to combine two autumn standards. Frisch’s Pumpkin Pie Ale, brewed by Taft’s Brewing Co., will warm up your fall with its smooth, creamy, lightly spiced pumpkin pie flavor. A Match Made in Pumpkin Heaven Frisch’s Pumpkin Pie Ale was first brewed in 2020 as a collaboration between Taft’s Brewing Co. and Frisch’s Culinary Services Manager, John Zenk.
The Craft Beer Marketing Awards Enters Its Third Season
The Craft Beer Marketing Awards (CBMAS) will be holding its third year of competition in 2022. The first ceremony was held in 2020, but had to go fully virtual due to global COVID-19 shutdowns. Although this timing was unfortunate, it went over extremely well, so the CBMAS was held as a hybrid ceremony in 2021, where more than 195 awards were presented.
Walker Brothers Beverage Co. | Rest in Peach High Gravity Kombucha
Nashville’s Walker Brothers Beverage Company has been brewing innovative craft beverages since it was founded in 2018 by Boston-born brothers Luke and Sam Walker. Although their offerings can be appreciated by craft beer consumers, they can’t technically be called beer. New Kid On The (Kombucha) Block What Walker Brothers brews is non-alcoholic and high-gravity kombucha products. “We’re bringing more craft mentality to the kombucha space,” said Luke Walker.
DuClaw Brewing Co. | 31 Pumpkin Spiced Lager
If you think you’ve had enough pumpkin beers this fall, hold your headless horsemen. This Halloween-themed Pumpkin Spiced Lager from Maryland-based DuClaw Brewing Co. isn’t just for pumpkin beer aficionados. Although it has the traditional seasonal flavorings (pumpkin, cinnamon and nutmeg), they don’t overwhelm the Munich Dunkel foundation this beer is built on. On a first sip, the palate might experience a bit of confusion. It’s a Lager, but it has a degree of depth missing in most Lagers.
Rebel Mettle Brewery | Volume Juniper Schwartzbier
No Comments Volume, a Schwarzbier (Dark Lager) brewed by Rebel Mettle Brewery in Cincinnati, is an exercise in contradictions. It’s smooth and supremely drinkable, yet it sits at a respectable ABV of 8.5%. It’s dark and roasty, yet it’s no Porter or Stout. It’s brewed with juniper berries but this ain’t no gin. Head Brewer Josh Dietner doesn’t pull any punches when describing it: “I like it, but you shouldn’t try it if you’re afraid of strong roasty beers.
Taft's Brewing Co. | Oktubberfest
With so many Oktoberfest beers to choose from, it’s challenging to sample them all, but we’re trying. Oktubberfest, a Festbier from Cincinnati’s Taft’s Brewing Co. is a fine example of a light, easy-drinking Lager-style Oktoberfest beer. Less malty than its Märzen counterpart (Confused? Check out our rundown on the differences between the two here), it has a light golden hue, a hint of soft hoppiness and just a touch of bready maltiness.
Hi-Wire Brewing to Open Louisville Location
Hi-Wire Brewing of Asheville, North Carolina, is opening its sixth location in Louisville, Kentucky, on Friday, August 20. This will be their second taproom outside of North Carolina, and the first out-of-state brewery with facilities in Kentucky. From Humble Beginnings “Aggressive growth and having fun is what we’re all about,” said co-founder Chris Frosaker. Aggressive growth wasn’t necessarily in the cards when they first started in 2013, though.
Yazoo Brewing Co. | Wild Honey Wheat
Yazoo Brewing Co., Nashville’s first production brewery since Prohibition, launched in 2003 and quickly gained a local following with their take on traditional craft brewing favorites such as Pale Ales, IPAs and Porters. Over time, they have expanded their offerings, and now have an Embrace the Funk Sour and Wild Ales program.
Riverbend Malt House Expands Its Capacity
Riverbend Malt House, based in Asheville, North Carolina, has expanded its overall malthouse capacity by 40 percent through the installation of a new 10-tonne Germination Kiln Vessel (GKV) unit. When Head Maltster Brent Manning and co-founder Brian Simpson first founded Riverbend Malt House in 2011, craft malt was barley a blip on the radar. Breweries and distilleries had to source their malt from huge malt house conglomerates thousands of miles away.
Fusion Brewing | Stange Days Kolsch
“Fusing Fun, Life, Flavor, and Science into Great Craft Beer.” This is the motto of Lexington, Kentucky’s Fusion Brewing and their Stange Days Czech-style Kolsch is a fine exemplar of this motto. Crisp, clean and light yet rich and malty, this fusion of Czech Pilsner and Czech Ale goes down easy any time of the year. It’s also a favorite of Head Brewer, Co-Owner and CEO Dr. Chris Paumi.
West Sixth Brewing | Illuminator Barrel Aged Doppelbock
In 2019, Kentucky’s West Sixth Brewing and Louisville distiller Angel’s Envy teamed up to brew a series of bourbon barrel-aged beers. Among the beers brewed for this project is the Illuminator Barrel Aged Doppelbock. This German-style lager is aged in Angel’s Envy barrels and finished in port wine barrels, giving it notes of caramel, bread crust and dark fruits. Photo by West Sixth Brewing This limited, exclusive beer was released in April 2020 at West Sixth’s NuLu taproom in Louisville.
Ethereal Brewing | Baba Yaga Imperial / Double Stout – PorchDrinking.com
Lexington, KY’s Ethereal Brewing is known for brewing a wide range of outstanding Belgian farmhouse and American craft beers with a focus on quality and a penchant for creativity. Their annual Baba Yaga Imperial Stout, a shining example of this approach, is aged exclusively in Four Roses barrels for 8-12 months.
Mainstem Malt Commits Itself to Equity From the Ground Up Through Crowdfunding
A company announcing a crowdsourcing campaign isn’t exactly fresh, innovative “big news” these days, so what is it about Mainstem Malt’s Wefunder crowdfunding announcement that should perk your ears up as a craft beer enthusiast? First off, the term “craft malt” itself is barely an adolescent in beer nomenclature. Prior to 2010, when Andrea Stanley founded Valley Malt in Hadley, MA, craft malt didn’t exist.
Deschutes Brings Hops Freshness With Its Fresh Family Lineup – PorchDrinking.com
The newest hop-centric release from Deschutes Brewery, Squeezy Rider West Coast IPA, is high in fruity hop flavor but low in IBU. “We really mean it when we say our Fresh Family beers are about hop flavor with balanced bitterness as a supporting star,” said Product Development Director Veronica Vega. Other beers in the Fresh Family include Fresh Squeezed IPA, Fresh Haze IPA, Lil’ Squeezy Juicy Ale and Royal Fresh Imperial IPA. Photo provided by Deschutes Brewery.
West Sixth Brewing To Open New Location in Newport, Kentucky
West Sixth Brewing is set to open a new retail location and taproom in Newport, Kentucky — West Sixth Box Park. West Sixth Brewing opened its main brewery and taproom at 501 W. Sixth St. in Lexington, Kentucky in 2012. Since then, they have opened three more Kentucky locations: West Sixth Greenroom in downtown Lexington (currently closed due to Covid-19), West Sixth NuLu in Louisville and the West Sixth Farm in Frankfort.
Women in Beer | Apocalypse Brew Works
Apocalypse Brew Works in Louisville, Kentucky, has been preparing for the apocalypse since it first opened in 2012. The brewery’s name came about from a brainstorming session with co-founders Leah Dienes, Bill Krauth and Paul Grignon. All the good regional names had been taken and they were struggling for a name that would stand out.
Takeaways From Craft Malt Con (Online) 2021 – PorchDrinking.com
The fourth annual Craft Malt Conference was held February 10-12, 2021 as Craft Malt Con Online. Originally scheduled to be held in Portland, ME, it went fully virtual this year due to COVID-19. Although members of the tightly knit craft malt community missed the opportunity to gather in-person, this format opened up the opportunity for a wider audience to participate.
Falls City Brewing Company | English-Style Pale Ale – PorchDrinking.com
With all the delicious clutter out there in the beer world, sometimes you just want a good, solid example of a classic style. For all of the Sours, Pastry Stouts, Hazies and Seltzers, there are still plenty of classics available. Falls City Brewing Company brews a prime example of a classic Pale Ale with their English-Style Pale Ale. With a no-frills name and a label design that lets you know just what you’ll be getting into, the beer itself stands out as an excellent example of the style.
Central State Brewing | Table Rustic Blonde Ale – PorchDrinking.com
January 2021 is here. Finally. A time-honored tradition among many craft-beer drinkers every January is Dryanuary or, a month without alcohol. But this January, craft breweries need our help more than ever. And, let’s face it, we all need a beer more than ever. So what’s a good compromise between cutting out drinking altogether for a month and giving craft breweries our support? Let’s go with drinking more low-ABV beers.
Fill Your Horn With This Viking-era Mead
Fill Your Horn With This Viking-era Mead Want to make mead like a Viking? Well, there are varying levels as to how far you can go to truly “go Viking” when making mead. Really, it’s simple when it comes down to it. Mead is by definition fermented honey water. Add water to honey and it will literally ferment on its own (provided you’re using clean, non-chlorinated water and raw, unpasteurized honey) due to the yeasts and fermentation-enhancing microbes that occur naturally in honey.
Whatcha Brewing, Honey?
While it has been used for thousands of years in brewing, honey is an up and coming star of the craft beer world. Brewers are becoming more aware of the myriad possibilities it presents. Honey provides multiple potential contributions to beer depending on how and when it’s used in the brewing process and has a dizzying range of flavors. Factors such as terroir, the botanicals visited by the bees, and even the time of year the pollen was gathered all affect flavor.
Show More
loading
Actions
Is this you?
As a journalist, you can create a free Muck Rack account to customize your profile, list your contact preferences, and upload a portfolio of your best work.Get in touch with Jereme
Contact Jereme, search articles and posts on X, monitor coverage, and track replies from one place.
Learn more about Muck Rack