I work around the corner, suckers!!

Okay, so it is probably important to note that Sierra’s new taproom is literally, literally one block from my work. As in, I walk out the door, take approximately 20 steps, and BOOM. I’m there. And if I skip, I can get there even faster. And who are we kidding, I will be skipping, if not running, over there everyday after its opening. No passing go, no collecting 200 dollars.

The Torpedo Room will have 16 taps, all pouring unique and limited Sierra Nevada beers. Sierra Nevada will host educational tastings in the taproom, as well as the occasional craft-centric event dedicated to beer science. Because of licensing requirements (I assume), all draught beer will be served in taster flights. Guests will also have the option of filling growlers to go, as well as purchasing six-packs, cases and individual specialty bottles. Light snacks will accompany beer flights, but there won’t be a full food menu.

Cause ghosts dig beer too.

But the opening of Sierra Nevada’s new taproom isn’t the only beeralicious project that has got Berkeley beer geeks sitting on edge. Southwest Berkeley is also the very proud home of a new all-sour barrel-aged brewery aptly named The Rare Barrel. Oh, The Rare Barrel, how do I give thee the justice thou deserves?

I love unicorns.

Picture a fantasy land where the sun is always shinning, rainbows are always in the sky and unicorns are playing freely and peacefully with dragons and fairies. Imagine a world where dreams really do come true and sour beer runs through the land like water. This is The Rare Barrel.

Oh yes, they fancy.

Okay, but for real. The Rare Barrel is going to be a magical place. The entire focus of The Rare Barrel will be on sours and they have created a space specifically dedicated to the conditioning of barrel-aged sour beers. High ceilings, a moderate climate and plenty of space–the barrels will have an ideal home for developing amazing and unique sour beers.

And where is this magical land of sours and pixie dust? Three blocks from my apartment and about 1 mile from The Torpedo Room. Yes, kids. That’s right. I can hop, skip, jump, run, bike or walk to both places in a matter of minutes. And that is a beautiful thing.

Brewers on barrels. Doesn’t get much sexier than that.

But sour beers and rare Sierra samplers are not the only beertastic things going on down in Southwest Berkeley. It is also home to the largest craft beer cooler in the East Bay. And we aren’t talking about a few refrigerators. We are talking about a beer cooler the entire length of a grocery store isle. It is so big, I can’t even capture it all on my camera phone.

ZOMG! Beers for days!

Southwest Berkeley also boasts an eclectic range of bars, from dive to fancy, that feature awesome and, often times, very special craft beer selections. In fact, my really good friend Josh was recently hired to renovate the beer program at an Old-Fashioned Hofbrau and Sports Bar located in the the historic Southern Pacific Railroad Depot on Berkeley’s 4th Street. Josh is well-known amongst local craft beer drinkers for his previous work, revamping the craft beer list at a popular NY-style pizza place near the UC Berkeley campus.

This is what my hometown beer world will look like.

Speaking of weird and awesome things that happen in Southwest Berkeley–my favorite dive bar within stumbling distance of my apartment recently tapped Firestone Walker’s Parabola. Not sure who exactly was in charge of tapping the keg that night, but let’s just say there may have been a bit of miscommunication with the staff. Said bar ended up pouring $5 pints of Parabola–and news of it spread like wild-fire throughout the local beer geek community.

And there is always the fact that I live in Southwest Berkeley, with a rather healthy beer cellar. Not saying that everyone and their mother is invited to come drink my cellar, but I’m always willing to pop open a few fun bottles with friends who visit the area. Especially, those who bring tasty treats for my mouth in either the form of suds or pig parts.

Supplication for days.

As hip and cool as Southwest Berkeley is becoming, I probably should tout the awesomeness of the other neighborhoods in Buzzerkeley as well. Just a wee bit north from all the Southwest Berkeley beer action, you can find two of our city’s more well-known breweries–Trumer and Pyramid. Technically speaking (for all the sticklers out there), Pyramid is no longer privately owned, so by definition of the Brewers Association, they are not a *craft* brewery. But, I still feel that their presence in the area should be noted.

IPAX FTW!

But the beer fun doesn’t stop below San Pablo Ave. Head up towards Central Berkeley, where the UC Berkeley campus is located, and you will find a mecca of craft beer offerings including Berkeley’s oldest brewery–Triple Rock–the only East Bay bar to receive weekly keg shipments of the ever-coveted Pliny The Elder and the oldest liquor store in Berkeley (76 years and counting), which boasts one of the most extensive craft beer bottle selections in the area (including weekly shipments from RRBC).

It’s always Pliny o’clock in Berkeley.

Well, as you can tell, I have mad pride for Berkeley’s craft beer scene. And if you think the beer scene sounds cool, you should also check out our food scene. Some say California cuisine and the Slow Food movement were born in Berkeley. And I believe them. Berkeley: come for the beer, stay for the food.

Mmmmm fried things.

Let me know if you ever come to my neck of the woods! I’d be more than happy to show you around! Hit me up on Twitter @TheBeerWench, on Instagram @thebeerwench, or send me a message on Facebook! Cheers!

Today, I’m proud to share with you all a project that I have been working hard and diligently on over the past few months with my team over at Bison Organic Beer. Allow me to introduce THE BEER WAGON–a community-focused, sustainable mobile beer garden that donates 100% of its profits to local charities.

The Beer Wagon will raise money by selling draft beer (and other organic beverages) at food truck gatherings, festivals, farmer’s markets, and various charity functions. Our mission is to educate the public about organic and sustainable issues while our customers are having fun and socializing with delicious organic beverages in hand.

Bison Organic Beer (a 100% certified organic brewing company headquartered in Berkeley, CA) already owns this 1986 Winnebago. We have installed a solar array on the roof, which currently powers its bumping sound system and lights. Several interior modifications have already been welded. And we have purchased a 1996 Turbo Cummings Diesel engine, which means we can convert The Beer Wagon to biodiesel and make it even more sustainable.

But before we can take this shiny red charity chariot on the road, she needs a lot more work. The Beer Wagon still needs to be pimped out with all the essentials. In order to do this, we need outside support—and this is where YOU come in. We need at least $15,000 to get off the ground.

The breakdown is as follows:

• $6,000 to outfit the rig for keg handling, cooling, and the exterior and interior tap systems
• $5,000 for an exterior truck wrap
• $2,000 for brakes
• $2,000 for startup party supplies, crowd control, office stuff and first year insurance

But that’s not all…. If we can raise even more money, we can do even more cool things with The Beer Wagon (such as converting the engine!).

In order to raise the capital needed to put The Beer Wagon on the road, we have chosen to launch a crowd-funding campaign on Indiegogo. In just 2 days, we have already raised 17% of our 15k goal. We still have 40 days to not only meet our goal, but completely destroy it. And so, I’m reaching out to all of you–all of my friends and fans–for help. Help us make The Beer Wagon a reality. Be among the first of many to be part of this mobile movement for years to come.

 How YOU can help The Beer Wagon:

1. Visit the Indigogo site (here!) pick one of our AWESOME perks and donate now!
2. Spread the message about The Beer Wagon on social media!
3. Follow @The_Beer_Wagon on Twitter, @thebeerwagon on Instagram, and like The Beer Wagon on Facebook!

Cheers!

This year, Emily designed 3 different logos—two black and white and one color. Feel free to share them on all your social media platforms, blogs and use them on any IPA Day marketing and event materials!

Need higher res? e-mail emilyragle@gmail.com

Color

Black & White #1

Black & White #2

ABOUT EMILY RAGLE

Emily Ragle is a graphic designer from New Jersey. She works full-time at a small studio making iPad apps, and part-time giving tours at Carton Brewing. She’s a certifiable craft beer nerd who also enjoys baking, football, travel, and the occasional bourbon. When she has free time (which is not often) she directs/films/produces a web series on homebrewers. Check her other work out at http://emilyragle.com or follow her on twitter & instagram @emilyragle.

ABOUT IPA DAY

Some of you might be asking yourself, what is IPA Day? Great question!

Founded in 2011, IPA Day has quickly become the world’s largest virtual beer party. It is a universal movement that was created to unite the voices of craft beer enthusiasts, bloggers and brewers worldwide, using social media as the common arena for connecting the conversation.

For the past two years, hundreds of events, tastings, festivals and dinners have been hosted around the world in celebration of IPA Day. Last year, roughly 12 thousand tweets from more than eight thousand people were sent out over a 24-hour period, yielding over 10 million impressions for the #IPAday hashtag on Twitter.

The goal is to make this year’s IPA Day even more viral. Getting involved is easy, the only requirements are an appreciation for great craft beer and the willingness to spread the word. On August 1, share your photos, videos, blog posts, tasting notes, recipes and thoughts on IPA with the world. Be sure to tag your posts on Twitter, Instagram, Facebook, Pinterest, Google+ and other social media platforms with the #IPAday hashtag. Please note that this year we are using a lower case “d” in the hashtag to reduce confusion.

Wanna take your participation to the next level?

Organize an IPA Day event at your brewery, brewpub, restaurant, bar, bottle shop, home or office. Be sure to post your events on the CraftBeer.com Event Calendar so others in can join in. Here are some helpful tips on submitting an event.

“Homebrewing has been an integral part of the history of America, so it’s thrilling to know that soon all 50 states will support this growing hobby and long-standing tradition,” said Gary Glass, director, American Homebrewers Association. “We appreciate the backing of all of the homebrewers, the dedicated grassroots efforts of Right to Brew and the legislators who have worked so diligently to make homebrewing a reality in Alabama. We are especially grateful to Representative Mac McCutcheon who introduced this bill and has fought long and hard for its passage, along with Senator Bill Holtzclaw.”

A few quick facts from the AHA:

• History in the making: This will be the first time since pre-Prohibition days that all 50 states will legally allow homebrewing.
• Rapid-fire succession: Mississippi was the 49^th state to legalize homebrewing, and the state did so in March, only two months prior to Alabama.
• Alabama might not be last: Alabama has an opportunity to legalize homebrewing before Mississippi, since the Mississippi bill has a 90-day wait period to become effective, while the Alabama bill would go into effect immediately once Governor Robert Bentley signs it.

Additional information can be found in the release below and on the AHA website.

About the American Homebrewers Association

The American Homebrewers Association has worked on behalf of the homebrewing community since 1978 and celebrates a membership of more than 37,000 homebrewers. The American Homebrewers Association (AHA) organizes events including the National Homebrewers Conference and National Homebrew Competition. The AHA also publishes Zymurgy magazine. The AHA is part of the Brewers Association, whose Brewers Publications division is the largest publisher of contemporary and relevant brewing literature for today’s craft brewers and homebrewers.

Beer lovers and anyone interested in making their own homemade beer are invited to learn more at HomebrewersAssociation.org. Follow the AHA on Twitter, and join us on Facebook.

Let’s take a quick look into legal history of homebrewing, since Prohibition……

January 17, 1920 - 18th Amendment is ratified. Alcohol consumption and production is banned. Prohibition starts.

December 5, 1933 - 21st Amendment is ratified. 18th Amendment is repealed. States are left in charge of alcohol laws. Clerical error results in the absence of the two very important words “and beer” from the statute that legalized home winemaking. Homebrewing remains illegal.

October 14, 1978 - President Jimmy Carter signs H.R. 1337, which contained an amendment sponsored by Senator Alan Cranston creating an exemption from taxation for beer brewed at home for personal or family use. The 21st Amendment predominantly leaves regulation of alcohol to the states. Therefore, even though homebrewing is federally legal, it is still up to individual states to legalize homebrewing in state codes.

December 7th, 1978 - Charlie Papazian and Charlie Matzen launch the American Homebrewers Association (AHA)

August 26, 2010 - Homebrewing legalized in Oklahoma, leaving Mississippi and Alabama as the only states where homebrewing is not legalized.

March 19, 2013 – The American Homebrewers Association (AHA) announces that Mississippi Governor Phil Bryant has signed a bill that will effectively legalize homebrewing throughout the state. Mississippi is now the 49^th state to permit homebrewing.

“From our founding fathers to our current President, this country has a long and storied tradition of homebrewing,” said Gary Glass, director of the American Homebrewers Association. “We appreciate the support of all of the homebrewers, the dedicated grassroots efforts of Raise Your Pints and the legislators who have worked so diligently to make homebrewing a reality in Mississippi. We are grateful to Senator John Horhn who introduced this bill and to Governor Bryant for his quick action and support.”

Prior to today’s announcement, Mississippi and Alabama were the only two states that did not allow homebrewing. The AHA will continue working with homebrewers in Alabama to legalize homebrewing.

Stay tuned for more updates on Alabama’s fight to legalize homebrewing!

If you asked me back then, where I thought I would be in five years, I would never have thought I’d be where I am today. But, that is a good thing – a very good thing.

The embarrassing truth is that I really, really wanted to start a wine blog called Confessions of a Vinophile. And even though I knew a lot about wine for my age, intimidation got the best of me and crushed my dream of becoming the next Jancis Robinson.

Dying to express my love of something, heck anything, through writing, I decided to start a blog about my second favorite subject: craft beer.

Having had a short, yet insightful, experience in advertising, I understood the value of creating a brand and a brand voice. Thus began the path of self-branding. It took several hours of googling and brainstorming, but ultimately, I found the perfect name: The Beer Wench.

Many people ask me why I chose the Beer Wench moniker, but, to this day, I don’t have a better argument other than I just like the name.

Wait no, I love the name.

As a slave, errrrr employee of the restaurant industry for nearly 6 years, being a beer wench seemed pretty fitting. And now that I’ve been using the name for five years, I’d like to think that I’ve helped redefine the term. In my mind, the term beer wench no longer stands for a busty, scantly clad woman that serves beer. In today’s modern world, a beer wench is an educated and skilled craft beer evangelist on a mission to revolutionize the beer industry through education, innovation & advocacy.

Over the past five years, every job I’ve had and every person I’ve met and worked with have all had an integral role in developing me into the person I am today. Today, I sit before this computer as a craft beer professional, gainfully and gratefully employed for two years by Bison Organic Beer. Today, Drink With The Wench is one of the highest ranked, most read beer blogs on the Internet. Today, I am honored to be a freelance writer for both CraftBeer.com (run by the Brewers Association) and the Whole Foods blog. This March, I will be presenting at the Craft Brewers Conference for the first time – quite possibly the most important and pinnacle event of my, albeit young, career in craft beer.

I’m extremely grateful for all the people who have inspired and helped me along the way. Without even so much as one of these people, I might never have gotten to where I am today. I hope you all know who you are when I say this: Thank You.

Thank YOU for supporting me. Thank YOU for believing in me. And thank YOU for being my inspiration, my mentor, and my friend.

Xoxo,

The Wench

What is Instagram? Essentially, its a mobile-based photo-sharing social-media platform. Instagram also allows its users to connect to and share its photos to Facebook (pages and profiles), Twitter, Tumbler and Foursquare – making it quite the one stop shop. And since Facebook bought it last year for one billion dollars, Instagram has quickly become one of the most-widely used and fastest growing social networking sites.

Hundreds, if not thousands, of craft beer fans and dozens of breweries use Instagram. Today, the #craftbeer hashtag boasts over 280 thousand pictures. Hundreds of pictures of craft beer are posted every day. Hundreds of users view these pictures, liking them and even commenting on them, every day.

I have been spending more and more time, much to the dismay of my friends and family, on the #craftbeer feed. As a result, I’ve uncovered new friends and followers that I might not have otherwise. Here is a list of the craft beer-focused Instagrammers that I enjoy following the most. Some of them are extremely talented photographers, some quirky and fun, and all are very engaging and interesting to follow!

15 Must Follow #CraftBeer Instagramers

1. @thatbeerguy

Colby posts really great quality photos of really awesome, often hard to find, craft beers. He is also extremely engaging on the #craftbeer hashtag, often commenting on posts he likes.

2. @beersex

Artistic photos with a creative use of color. If I had to make an assumption, I’d say he takes and edits the photos with a camera before uploading to Instagram. Either way, the photos are oustanding!

3. @brewpublic

Angelo works at a great craft beer bar and is always taking pictures of new beers being tapped. He also has an epic beer cellar and his feed boasts some of the most sought-after beers in the world.

4. @kimsbaybrews

One of the most popular #craftbeer Instagrammers, Kim posts fun and cute pics of herself with beer – often telling a story with her pictures. She also visits a lot of breweries, sharing her adventures in the form of pictures on Instagram.

5. @draftbeereditor

Chris is the beer editor for DRAFT Magazine. He gets sent lots of awesome beers from awesome breweries and shares them with us on Instagram. His feed gives me serious beer envy.

6. @thehopfather

Although based in the beer mecca of Portland (OR), Dan gets his hands on amazing craft beers from all over the country. He takes great photos.

7. @beerpulse

Adam runs one the most popular beer news site in the world. As his IG name suggests, Adam has his finger on the pulse of the beer industry and share his beer experiences with us on Instagram.

8. @amber_J_L

Although her IG name might not reveal it, Amber is a hardcore beer geek and beer blogger. She takes great photos, mostly of beer!

9. @ashleyonti

Ashley is a sister from another mister. She takes awesome photos of beer and food (and every now and again of her kids). Ashley is also very active and engaging with the rest of the IG #craftbeer community.

10. @the_beer_truck

I’m quite certain that Dan is a professional photographer. And, if he isn’t, he should quit his day job to become one. His photos are some of the best I’ve seen!

10. @thecraftbeergirl

Amy keeps it cute and classy, making her more than deserving of the “craft beer girl” name. She is also very engaging, giving love in the form of likes and comments to her fellow craft beer lovers.

11. @bullseyebrewco

Another great photographer, Jeff’s IG feed consists mostly craft beer and food photos with the occasional glass of wine. He’s engaged to one of my bffs – @sharayray – who is also worthy of a follow!

12. @brewtographer

With a IG name like that, one would expect nothing less than awesome photos of beer – and Dale delivers. It appears as if all of his photos are taken and edited with his phone – so made props for keeping it real!

13. @roshambo74

Tyler is, by far, one of the best beer photographers on Instagram and his beer collages are some of the best. He posts more rare, hard to find beers, than anyone I follow on IG. He’s Canadian, but we still love him.

14. @missalicedonut

Alice is one of the most popular craft beer instagrammers, boasting hundreds of likes on each of her photos. She is also highly engaging, frequently liking and commenting on other pictures in the #craftbeer feed.

15. @instabeer

Creatively combining the word instagram with the word beer, tag team Herbert and Rafael run one of the most popular beer-themed instagram feeds. Beware: they also post pics of domestic yellow fizzy lagers – however, most of it is craft.

______________________________________________________

Did I miss your favorite #craftbeer Instagrammer? Recommend them in the comment section below! I’m always looking for new and interesting people to follow!

And, if you don’t already, give me a follow on Instagram:

@thebeerwench

Cheers!

“We are excited to be working with such an innovative, up and coming brewery,” says Boulder Beer Brewmaster David Zuckerman. “We have a personal connection and a mutual respect for each other and the art of craft beer.”

Shakenbake is golden colored Rye India Pale Ale brewed with ingredients from both states. Shakenbake features the California-grown hop varietals Ivanhoe, Gargoyle and Chinook. The recipe’s pale malt was grown in Colorado and malted at the artisan Colorado Malting Company located in Alamosa, Colorado. Northwest Amarillos round out the hops, providing a bright, citrusy nose. A variety of other specialty malts and rye impart a golden color, slight spiciness and a dry finish, accentuating the hops.

Shakenbake will be on tap during San Francisco Beer Week: February 8-17, and Sacramento Beer Week: February 23 through March 3. A Simultap will be held in Colorado at The Pub at Boulder Beer on Friday, February 8th.

About Boulder Beer Company

Founded in 1979, Boulder Beer Company has been a pioneer in the craft brewing industry for 33 years. They currently package seven year-round brands, four rotating seasonals, and periodically release very limited-edition, small batch brews throughout the year. Hazed and Infused is currently their top selling brand followed by Mojo IPA. Boulder Beer Company has recently expanded its footprint in California, their coverage now including most of Northern and Central California along with the San Diego market. Follow @BoulderBeer on Twitter!

About Knee Deep Brewing

Located in Lincoln, California, Knee Deep Brewing got their start in late 2010 and has grown rapidly and is quickly acquiring a reputation for outstanding IPA’s and other unique brews.  Their Hoptologist is an award-winning Double IPA and Simtra (3X IPA) was rated 98 out of 100 by Beer Magazine and #2 in the top 30 beers of 2012.  Knee Deep beers are currently distributed in six states and the company is currently planning to expand into a much larger facility later this year.  Once their move is completed, look for Knee Deep to be available throughout the US. Follow @KneeDeepBrewing on Twitter!

Normal beers aren’t really Dogfish Head’s thing — but, if there is one old-world style Dogfish Head has embraced, tweaked and reinvented, it is the India Pale Ale. After watching a TV chef pepper a soup in continuous intervals, Sam Calagione, Dogfish Head’s founding brewmaster, developed his innovative continual-hopping method. Instead of employing the typical 3 stage (flavoring, bittering and aroma) hop addition process that most brewers use, Sam decided to hop his IPAs by the minute. Every minute for a total of 60, 75, 90 and 120 minutes — Dogfish Head continuously adds its hops to the boiling wort. The result? More hop isomerization takes place, which imparts more bitterness to the beer.

This February and March, Dogfish Head invites its friends and fans to celebrate its iconic line of India Pale Ales. They will be hosting dozens of hopalicious beer dinners across the country (but not in Norcal – grrr!). Dogfish heads will also be unveiling two brand-new IPAs (and they better be available near me – ahem) as well as a redesigned Randall the Enamel Animal and a special new glass.

A hop eclipse when? A Hop Eclipse Now!

Dinners and Promotions

• Feb. 7: American Sardine Bar, Philadelphia, Pa.
• Feb. 8: Dogfish Head Brewings & Eats, Rehoboth Beach, Del.
• Feb. 12: Two Stones Pub, both Newark and Wilmington, Del.
• Feb. 18: Restaurant 55, Dover, Del.
• Feb. 18: Boulders on Broadway, Tempe, Ariz.
• Feb. 24: Coopers Craft Kitchen, Manhattan, N.Y.
• Feb. 25: Alewife, Queens, N.Y.
• Feb. 26: Driftwood Publick House, Plymouth, Mass.
• Feb. 27: The Pickled Pig Pub, Rehoboth Beach, Del.
• Feb. 28: Bigelow Grille, Pittsburgh, Pa.
• Feb. 28: Morris Tap & Grill, Randolph, N.J.
• March 2: The Draft House, Orange City, Fla.
• March 5: Datz, Tampa, Fla.
• March 6: Memphis Taproom, Philadelphia
• March 6: The Pub, Tampa, Fla.
• March 7: Tap 42, Fort Lauderdale, Fla.
• March 11: Birch & Barley, Washington, DC
• March 11: McK’s, Daytona Beach, Fla.
• March 12: Franklin & Co., Los Angeles, Calif.
• March 12: The Big Mansion, Melbourne, Fla.
• March 13: HopJacks, Pensacola, Fla.
• March 13: Harrys Savoy, Wilmington, Del.
• March 14: Fish Ale, Panama City, Fla.
• March 14: Bistro on Bridge, Phoenixville, Pa.
• March 14: Mt. Washington Tavern, Baltimore, Md.
• March 19: Cypress Street Pine & Plate, Atlanta, Ga.
• March 20: Trappeze Pub, Athens, Ga.
• March 21: The Porter, Atlanta, Ga.
• March 21: The Pour House, Westmont, N.J.
• March 21: Cibo, Pittsburgh, Pa.
• March 24: Oblivion, Orlando, Fla.
• March 25: Barleys, Greenville, S.C.
• March 25: The Ginger Man, Norwalk, Conn.
• March 26: Alla Spinna, Philadelphia, Pa.
• March 27: High Spot, Cambridge, Md.

Stay tuned for more information and innovation from Dogfish Head!

“With more demand right now than supply for craft beer, its a great way to fill a niche that many people are looking for on the local beer level.” – Julia Herz, Craft Beer Program Manager for the Brewer’s Association. Listen to the full podcast below.

In addition to this Marketplace audio report, Mark Garrison also reported on nanobrewing for Slate. You can read more in the companion story at Slate. Another great article on Nanobreweries can be found here on CraftBeer.com.

3bbl brewhouse from Premier Stainless/ Photo: BeerandCoding.com