Few brews reach legendary status in the craft beer world. They are the brews that every beer geek knows about and only a handful have experienced. Beer names like Pliny The Elder and Sink the Bismarck adorn this exclusive list and they are treated like the Loch Ness Monsters of the be...  more »

Founded in 1984, BridgePort is Oregon's oldest craft brewery. Those are some really big shoes to fill and they come with a ton of responsibility, especially considering that Portland held the title of Beer City USA for many years. Much of Portland's status as a craft beer destination...  more »

These days it can be quite difficult for a brewery to set itself apart. Crafting great beer used to be the only requirement, but now there are a lot of breweries out there crafting a lot of great beer, so there has to be a distinction. Some breweries choose to make it in a complicated...  more »

There are some beers you just have to order. Now I'm not talking about when you come across your favorite style, or make nice on a friend's recommendation, or even find a draft special of your favorite local brew. Sometimes you come across a beer that you have to order with no actual...  more »

There are certain events in a beer geek's life that just need to happen. You don't fight them, question them, or let them slip away to scheduling conflicts. They are calendar anvils that need to be met. Maybe there is a highly coveted seasonal brew being released. Maybe a world renown...  more »

Hype can be a very potent weapon in the craft beer world. All it takes is for a handful of beer aficionados to single out a particular nectar as something truly special. Just like that, a beer craze is born. Of course, there is one very big drawback to this process: beer crazes rarely...  more »

The Magic Hat Brewing Company out of South Burlington, Vermont is often a hit or miss brewery for beer fans. They are unafraid of venturing into uncharted territories, be it creating hybrid styles or brewing with tropical fruits. So going into any Magic Hat brew, you at least know tha...  more »

Most beer fans are intimately familiar with the Dry Irish Stout style and many don't even know it. Guinness has beyond popularized the style, but few beer drinkers can actually name another example. Known for their creamy smoothness and easy drinking nature, these beers are the pinnac...  more »

The Great Lakes Brewing Company out of Cleveland, OH caught my undivided attention last year with their amazing line of perfect beers. I started my journey with the Edmund Fitzgerald Porter and have since sampled my way through their Burning River Pale Ale, Dortmunder Gold Lager, Elio...  more »

Barrel aged beers can be somewhat tricky to review because there are just so many ways the base beer can be affected. Certain styles lend themselves better to certain barrel types. Stouts are especially great candidates for barrel aging because they go into the process with a heftines...  more »