DRAFT Magazine

Widmer Citra Blonde

Chris — Sat, 11 May 2013 00:12:10 +0000

The bready malts, bright hops and low ABV of blonde ales make them a perfect style for summer. Check out as I pop open Widmer Citra Blonde, a citrusy sessionable blonde ale.

Rogue Beard Beer

Chris — Thu, 02 May 2013 23:55:56 +0000

It’s been widely discussed and today we finally get to sample Rogue Beard Beer, made with indigenous yeast found inside brewmaster John Maier’s beard. The most surprising part? It’s delicious.

For more on indigenous beers, check out our recent story on the rise of native ales.

Three Big Barleywines

Erika Rietz — Wed, 17 Apr 2013 22:06:44 +0000

A 60-second tasting of three big barleywines, for those of you still battling winter.

Flying Dog Lucky SOB

Chris — Sat, 16 Mar 2013 22:02:29 +0000

Want to find the perfect beer to drink this St. Patrick’s Day? Look no further than Flying Dog Lucky SOB. This easy-drinking Irish-style red ale’s brewed with actual four-leaf clovers. While they don’t exactly come out in the profile, it’s nice to know there’s a bit of luck hidden inside each malty sip.

Sprecher Bootlegger’s Bourbon Barrel Hard Root Beer

Chris — Thu, 07 Mar 2013 23:52:59 +0000

Sprecher recently released the second batch of its very limited hard root beer—brewed to 5%-ABV with flavorings to add oaky, bourbon notes to the profile—and we were lucky enough to score a bottle. Follow along as we give this unique offering a spin.

Hot tables: March 2013

Johnson — Mon, 04 Mar 2013 12:14:45 +0000

The best seats in beer this month.

1. Craning your neck to spot the architectural details of Raven & Rose, Portland, Oregon’s new all-star-led gastropub set in an 1883 carriage house. The fresh, upscale food menu’s designed to elevate the classic cocktails and 20 oh-so-Beervana taps.

2. Blowing your blackjack winnings at Gordon Ramsay Pub & Grill inside Las Vegas’ Caesar’s Palace. The British-gastropub-meets-punk-themed spot pours from 36 taps and 24 bottles, all poised to pair with the celeb chef’s takes on English ale onion soup, fried egg sandwiches and fish ’n’ chips.

3. Browsing the brand-new beer pairing menu at Manhattan’s Czech-flavored Hospoda. Plates like duck confit spread on rye and lentil soup were designed to match the Pilsner Urquell, famously poured four ways.

4. Parked in one of 30 stools at Beer, the new bar/bottle shop next to gourmet sandwich shop Meat Cheese Bread in Portland, Ore. Bring a sandwich from next door to pair with local taps (look for pours from Breakside and The Commons) or more than 100 bottles.

5. Downing a bleary-eyed breakfast at Little Goat Diner, Top Chef Stephanie Izard’s new Chicago spot. The short but really sweet beer list includes pours from Solemn Oath and Perennial, and the all-day breakfast menu oozes creativity (think breakfast spaghetti and clams and Fat Elvis waffles).

6. Bathing in sunlight at Atlanta’s industrial-meets-nautical The Optimist, shooting oysters and sipping craft from coastal breweries like Cisco and Anchor.

Brewer Exclusive: Left Hand’s Eric Wallace

Chris — Fri, 22 Feb 2013 15:39:09 +0000

We sat down with Left Hand co-founder Eric Wallace to discuss new flavors from the brewery, the best trends in craft beer and his signature toasts.

Quick tip: Alumi-tek bottles

Chris — Sat, 16 Feb 2013 00:05:39 +0000

By now, you’ve probably seen or heard of the strange vessels coming out of Oscar Blues and Sun King. The Alumi-Tek beer bottle made its debut last Spring during the Craft Brewers Conference in San Diego, but with such good beer filling them up these days, it’s definitely time you hunt them down. Take a closer look as we examine the can/bottle hybrid and talk about what’s inside.

The Lost Abbey Ultimate Box Set

Chris — Fri, 01 Feb 2013 00:29:21 +0000

The Lost Abbey Ultimate Box Set is by far the most creative and intricate packaging I’ve ever seen in the beer industry. Take a look as I open the road case and delve into what’s inside.

DRAFT Mailbag: Homebrewing and beer allergies

Chris — Fri, 25 Jan 2013 00:29:40 +0000

For the inaugural video of the DRAFT Mailbag, I take a stab at answering two important questions on homebrewing and coping with beer allergies. Think you have a better answer? Tell us about it in the comments.