There are books about reading, books about books, and then there are books that make you stop in the middle of reading them and think, Wait a minute… how exactly am I reading this?

Peter Mendelsund’s What We See When We Read falls very firmly into that third category.

What We See When We Read Book Cover

At its simplest, the book is an exploration of what happens inside our heads when we read. When a novel tells us that a character has brown hair, do we actually see brown hair? Do we picture an entire face? Do we construct a detailed version of the character in our minds? Or are we doing something much stranger and less visually concrete?

Mendelsund spends the book poking at those questions, and the result is an entertaining, occasionally strange, and surprisingly thought-provoking examination of the reading experience.

And perhaps appropriately for a book about seeing things while reading, What We See When We Read is not presented like a traditional book.

The pages are filled with illustrations, diagrams, unusual layouts, typography, blank spaces, visual jokes, and all sorts of creative formatting. The physical presentation becomes part of the argument. Mendelsund isn’t simply telling us what reading looks like inside our heads; he’s constantly trying to demonstrate it.

That makes this a particularly fun book to read.

So What Do We Actually See?

One of the central ideas Mendelsund explores is the strange relationship between words and mental images.

If you read a description of a woman walking down a street, your brain presumably does something with that information. But what?

Mendelsund spends a considerable amount of time examining this through Anna Karenina. Anna becomes something of a laboratory experiment for thinking about fictional characters. Tolstoy gives us descriptions of Anna, but every reader inevitably constructs some version of her.

And that’s where things get interesting.

My Anna Karenina isn’t necessarily your Anna Karenina.

Even if we’ve both read the same words, we’ve experienced the character differently. We may have completely different ideas about Anna’s appearance, movements, voice, personality, or even the way she occupies physical space in our imagination.

The same thing happens with practically every fictional character we encounter.

When someone says “Harry Potter,” “Sherlock Holmes,” or “Huckleberry Finn,” most readers immediately have something in their heads. But how closely does that mental image correspond to what the author actually wrote?

And more importantly, why does our brain fill in all those gaps?

Mendelsund is fascinated by that gap between the words on the page and the experience happening inside the reader’s head.

Reading About Reading

One of the things I enjoyed most about What We See When We Read is that Mendelsund doesn’t pretend to be some completely objective scientist observing the human brain from the outside.

A lot of the book is based on his own experience of reading.

That actually makes the book more interesting to me.

As I was reading his explanations of how he visualizes things, I naturally started comparing them to how I visualize things. And that’s probably one of the best things a book like this can accomplish.

It made me think about my own reading habits.

When I read a description of a person, do I actually picture the person’s face? Sometimes. Other times, apparently not. I might have a vague sense of a person without ever consciously constructing an image.

Sometimes a setting is incredibly vivid. Other times, I know where the characters are supposed to be, but I couldn’t draw the place if you gave me a pencil and an hour.

And sometimes I realize that I’ve spent twenty pages reading about a character without ever deciding what they actually look like.

Mendelsund’s book made me notice those things.

That’s one of its greatest strengths.

A Different Way of Reading

Perhaps the most enjoyable aspect of the book is the comparison it encourages between Mendelsund’s reading experience and my own.

His internal process isn’t exactly the same as mine.

It isn’t completely different, either.

And that middle ground is fascinating.

Reading this book is almost like getting a glimpse into another person’s brain while they’re reading a novel. Obviously, Mendelsund can’t literally show us everything happening in his mind, but he gives us his interpretation of the process and then uses words and images to recreate some approximation of it.

It makes you wonder how many different versions of the same book exist.

There is the book the author wrote.

Then there is the book the publisher printed.

Then there is the book Mendelsund reads.

There is the book I read.

And there are potentially millions of other versions being created simultaneously inside millions of other readers’ heads.

We all read the same words, but we don’t necessarily experience the same story.

That’s a pretty remarkable idea.

More Than Just a Book About Pictures

Despite the title, this isn’t simply a book about visualization.

Mendelsund also digs into memory, attention, language, character construction, descriptions, perspective, and the ways readers interact with fiction.

And because the book is so visually experimental, the format itself becomes part of the discussion.

Sometimes the pages are almost asking you to slow down and examine them rather than simply turning the page and continuing. The design forces you to become conscious of the act of reading.

That can occasionally make the book feel a little strange.

But I think that’s intentional.

A conventional presentation probably wouldn’t have worked nearly as well here. If Mendelsund had simply written 300 pages of straightforward prose explaining how readers visualize fictional worlds, it could have become a very dry academic exercise.

Instead, he makes the book itself an experiment.

The One Thing I Took Away

The biggest thing I took away from What We See When We Read isn’t necessarily a specific fact.

It’s an awareness of how I read.

That may sound like a small thing, but it isn’t.

Most of us read without thinking about the mechanics of reading. We pick up a book, look at the words, and allow the story to happen.

Mendelsund makes you step back from that process.

What am I actually picturing?

What am I ignoring?

How much of this fictional world am I constructing?

What does this character actually look like in my mind?

Am I hearing their voice?

Am I imagining the scenery?

Am I seeing the action like a movie?

Or am I experiencing the story in some completely different way?

And once you start asking those questions, it’s difficult to stop.

I suspect that’s also one of the reasons I enjoyed comparing Mendelsund’s reading habits to my own. His explanations gave me another perspective on something I’ve been doing my entire life without really examining it.

Maybe I’ll even experiment with it during future reading.

Perhaps I’ll pay closer attention to the images I’m creating—or not creating. Maybe I’ll try to visualize a setting more deliberately. Maybe I’ll notice when an author gives me an incredibly detailed description and my brain promptly ignores half of it.

Or maybe I’ll just continue reading exactly as I always have.

But now I’ll be thinking about it.

Final Thoughts

What We See When We Read is a fascinating little journey into one of those everyday experiences that we rarely stop to examine.

It’s entertaining, visually interesting, occasionally weird, and filled with ideas that can make you reconsider something as seemingly simple as opening a book and reading a sentence.

Mendelsund’s use of Anna Karenina as a recurring example works particularly well because it demonstrates the fundamental problem: an author can give us words, but the reader ultimately has to construct the experience.

And every reader constructs it differently.

That’s what makes reading so personal.

Ultimately, What We See When We Read isn’t just about what we see when we read.

It’s about the fact that we aren’t all seeing the same thing at all.

And that’s a pretty damn interesting thing to think about the next time you pick up a book.

Rating: 4 out of 5

A highly entertaining and unusual examination of reading, visualization, and the strange things our brains do with words. It won’t necessarily change the way you read, but it may make you much more aware of how you read—and that’s probably the best compliment I can give a book like this.

Back of the Book Blurb

A gorgeously unique, fully illustrated exploration into the phenomenology of reading-how we visualize images from reading works of literature, from one of our very best book jacket designers, himself a passionate reader. A VINTAGE ORIGINAL.

What do we see when we read? Did Tolstoy really describe Anna Karenina? Did Melville ever really tell us what, exactly, Ishmael looked like?

The collection of fragmented images on a page – a graceful ear there, a stray curl, a hat positioned just so – and other clues and signifiers helps us to create an image of a character. But in fact our sense that we know a character intimately has little to do with our ability to concretely picture our beloved – or reviled – literary figures.

In this remarkable work of nonfiction, Knopf’s Associate Art Director Peter Mendelsund combines his profession, as an award-winning designer; his first career, as a classically trained pianist; and his first love, literature – he thinks of himself first, and foremost, as a reader – into what is sure to be one of the most provocative and unusual investigations into how we understand the act of reading.

– What We See When We Read (GoodReads)

My Initial Review First Time I Read This

Back in October 2019 I first read this, and wrote this review:

This was a very entertaining read into how the mind views and thinks and “sees” things while we read. Filled with pictures, interesting ways to read each page (the layout and format) and the general bits of information you expect from the title.

He bases a lot of the book on Anna K. from Tolstoy and how we image and view her. And its interesting just how we think about characters when we read. He bases most of the book on his own ideas and own thoughts on reading and his own way of reading, with some bits of a ‘whole community’ as well.

Its kind of fun to see how he reads and internalizes what he reads vs. how I read and how I internalize how I read and how the two are not the same. Not completely different, but not the same. I like the comparison I’m able to make between his internalizing and my own and it makes a nice contrast. Also gives me a viewpoint for future reading perhaps and see if I can do some reading on a different level or different way.

I reread this and finished it today, and the book stays the same for me.

-B. Kline

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• Book Review: Courage is Calling (Ryan Holiday)

• Book Review: The Basic Laws of Human Stupidity (Carlo M. Cipolla)

• Book Review: Brewed in Japan (Jeffrey Alexander)

• Book Review: The Question of God: C.S. Lewis and Sigmund Freud Debate God, Love, Sex, and the Meaning of Life (Armand M. Nicholi Jr.)

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• Book Review: The Last Days of the Dinosaurs: An Asteroid, Extinction, and the Beginning of Our World (Riley Black)

• Book Review: The Wit and Humor of Oscar Wilde (Oscar Wilde)

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• Book Review: The Donnie Darko Book (Richard Kelly)
• Book Review: How to Rule the World: A Handbook for the Aspiring Dictator (André de Guillaume)
• Book Review: Here is New York (E.B. White)
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As we reported earlier in the year (on January 25th when we saw the Facebook Marketplace ad and reached out to them) (see article: Mudhook Brewing Quietly Listed for Sale), it has now reached the ‘official’ status of the sales process as Mudhook Brewing just moments ago announced their sale via social media.

Mudhook Brewing Company is located at: Central Market House  – 34 N Cherry Ln, York, PA 17401. Mudhook Brewing Company is a casual, family-owned brewpub located at 34 North Cherry Lane in York, Pennsylvania. Known for a relaxed, farmhouse-chic atmosphere near PeoplesBank Park, it features four signature beers, a rotating selection of seasonal sea-themed brews crafted by brewmaster Tim Wheeler, and an elevated pub grub menu.

The sign at Mudhook Brewery

The Post

The following comes from their Facebook page:

First brew pub in York, PA established in 2010 is for sale. Founder, Jeff Lau, is ready to retire. Mudhook Brewing Company has 15 years of traditions, including an annual beach party, pint drop on New Year’s Eve, scavenger hunts, bar crawls, St Patty’s Day party, Mug Club, First Fridays, Piano Man, and many more. Established business, restaurant equipment , bar supplies are for sale. You could be the one to keep this beloved pub alive and well. Energy and creativity was what got Mudhook started and now that is what is needed to keep it going.

Check out this link to the listing and call 717-870-6246 with questions and/or interest.

https://www.facebook.com/share/1EtNJiMeAZ/

–Mudhook Brewing Company (Facebook Post)

For Sale

After 15 years of brewing beer, serving food, hosting parties and becoming part of York’s craft beer story, Mudhook Brewing Company is officially up for sale.

Founder Jeff Lau is preparing to retire, putting the established York brewpub, along with its restaurant equipment and bar supplies, on the market. The announcement was made this week on social media, with the hope that a new owner will step in and carry Mudhook into its next chapter while keeping its place in the York beer community alive.

Mudhook Brewing Company opened its doors in York, Pennsylvania, in 2010, arriving during the early wave of breweries that helped establish York as a destination for craft beer.

Over the past decade and a half, Lau grew Mudhook from a small local brewery into a longtime downtown gathering place. The brewpub became known not only for its house-brewed beers, but also for its pub food, events and role as a community hangout.

And there was certainly no shortage of reasons to stop in.

Mudhook built a following around events such as its annual beach party, New Year’s Eve pint drop, scavenger hunts, bar crawls, St. Patrick’s Day party, Mug Club, First Fridays and Piano Man.

Those events, along with the beer and food, helped make Mudhook more than simply another place to grab a pint. For 15 years, it has been part of York’s evolving beer scene.

As Mudhook put it in the announcement:

“Energy and creativity was what got Mudhook started and now that is what is needed to keep it going,” Mudhook said in its sale announcement.

And that may be the biggest question facing Mudhook now: who will bring that energy and creativity into the next 15 years?

For the right buyer, the opportunity is already sitting there. Mudhook comes with 15 years of history, an established brewpub, equipment, an existing customer base and a name that has become familiar to generations of York-area beer drinkers.

This isn’t necessarily the end of Mudhook Brewing Company. Rather, it could be the beginning of a new chapter.

Anyone interested in learning more about the sale can check out the listing or call 717-870-6246 with questions or inquiries.

For those of us who have spent years following Pennsylvania’s craft beer scene, seeing a longtime brewery like Mudhook go up for sale is always a little bittersweet. But if the right person comes along, perhaps the next 15 years of Mudhook’s story are just getting ready to begin.

Mudhook Brewing Company

Mudhook Brewery’s logo

Mudhook Brewing Company is located at: Central Market House  – 34 N Cherry Ln, York, PA 17401. Mudhook Brewing Company is a casual, family-owned brewpub located at 34 North Cherry Lane in York, Pennsylvania. Known for a relaxed, farmhouse-chic atmosphere near PeoplesBank Park, it features four signature beers, a rotating selection of seasonal sea-themed brews crafted by brewmaster Tim Wheeler, and an elevated pub grub menu.

More Information on Mudhook Brewery

The following comes via Untappd.

Mudhook Brewing Company is a brewpub located in York, PA. They have 78 unique beers and a global average rating of 3.46 with 17,799 ratings as of 8.14.26. Their Untappd description reads: “A casual brewpub featuring four signature beers and up to six seasonal brews served alongside appetizers, soups, salads, and pub burgers and sandwiches”

You can follow them on the following social media platforms:

• Mudhook Brewing Company – Official Website 
• Mudhook Brewing Company – Facebook
• Mudhook Brewing Company – Instagram 
• Mudhook Brewing Company – Twitter
• Mudhook Brewing Company – Untappd

Pale ales and India pale ales are closely related, hop-forward beer styles, but they are not interchangeable. In broad terms, a pale ale aims for balance between malt and hops, while an IPA usually places greater emphasis on hop aroma, hop flavor, bitterness, and—often—alcohol strength.

That simple distinction is useful, but it does not tell the whole story. Modern brewing has produced such a wide range of pale ales and IPAs that the styles frequently overlap. A heavily hopped pale ale can resemble a low-intensity IPA, while a hazy or milkshake IPA may taste very different from the classic bitter, clear beers that originally defined the category.

The Pale Ale vs. IPA

A Brief History

Pale ale came first.

In eighteenth-century Britain, improvements in malt kilning allowed brewers to produce lighter-colored malt. This created beers that appeared “pale” compared with the darker ales common at the time. English pale ales developed a range of malt and hop profiles, including the beers later known as bitters.

IPA evolved from this pale ale tradition. British brewers and exporters produced stronger, more heavily hopped pale ales for shipment to India. Hops contributed bitterness and possessed preservative qualities, making them useful in beers intended for long journeys. The term “India Pale Ale” appeared in the nineteenth century, although the historical beers associated with the name were stronger, more mature, and generally less explosively aromatic than many modern IPAs.

The modern American IPA is a later interpretation. American craft brewers emphasized bold New World hop varieties, including hops capable of producing citrus, pine, resin, tropical fruit, floral, and stone-fruit character. The result became one of the defining styles of the American craft beer movement.

The Beer Judge Certification Program now generally uses “IPA” rather than spelling out “India Pale Ale.” This reflects the fact that contemporary IPAs are not necessarily brewed for India, and some are not even pale in color. In its American IPA guideline, the BJCP describes the style as a decidedly hoppy and bitter, moderately strong American pale ale with a dryish finish and clean supporting malt. (bjcp)

The Core Difference

The most useful way to distinguish a pale ale from an IPA is not color. It is intensity and balance.

These are tendencies rather than strict laws. Beer styles are descriptive categories, not legal definitions. A brewery may produce a pale ale with more bitterness than another brewery’s IPA, or an IPA with relatively low perceived bitterness because of a soft, hazy formulation.

Still, if two beers use similar ingredients and brewing methods, the IPA will generally be the more forceful beer.

Pale Ale Explained

Pale Ale vs. IPA – Round 1

Pale ale is best understood as a family of beers rather than one narrowly defined recipe.

English pale ale

English pale ales are commonly associated with:

• Bready, biscuity, or lightly toasted malt.

• Earthy, herbal, floral, or spicy English hops.

• Moderate bitterness.

• Moderate carbonation.

• A balanced and approachable finish.

• Alcohol levels often in the mid-4% to mid-5% range.

Some English pale ales overlap with bitters, especially when served from a cask. They may be copper-colored rather than extremely pale and can show considerable malt character without becoming sweet or heavy.

American pale ale

American pale ale generally pushes the hops further than its English counterpart. American and other New World varieties may contribute notes of grapefruit, orange, lemon, pine, resin, flowers, melon, or tropical fruit.

A typical American pale ale often has:

• A pale gold to light amber appearance.

• A medium-light to medium body.

• Moderate bitterness.

• Noticeable hop aroma and flavor.

• A clean fermentation profile.

• A malt backbone that remains present.

• Moderate alcohol, commonly around 5% to 6%, though examples can fall outside that range.

Sierra Nevada Pale Ale is a classic reference point for the American interpretation. Sierra Nevada describes its pale ale as combining Cascade hop character—particularly citrus and pine—with a caramel malt foundation. The brewery contrasts it with its Celebration IPA, which is stronger and more bitter.sierranevada

How pale ale tastes

A well-made pale ale often begins with a modest malt impression before moving into hop flavor. The beer might taste:

• Crisp and citrusy.

• Floral and lightly resinous.

• Toasty and biscuity.

• Fruity but not intensely tropical.

• Bitter enough to be interesting without dominating the entire palate.

For casual drinkers, pale ale is often an effective introduction to hop-forward beer. It can demonstrate what hops contribute without presenting the full bitterness or alcohol intensity of a strong IPA.

For experienced drinkers, pale ale offers a useful test of brewing balance. Because the hops are not expected to overwhelm the malt, flaws in sweetness, fermentation, water chemistry, or bitterness are often easier to identify.

IPA Explained

Pale Ale vs. IPA – Round 2

IPA is a broad family that includes traditional English examples, American IPAs, hazy IPAs, session IPAs, Double IPAs, and numerous specialty variations.

Traditional English IPA

English IPA is historically connected to the export beers that inspired the name. Modern examples commonly feature:

• Earthy, herbal, floral, or spicy hop character.

• Firm but relatively restrained bitterness.

• More prominent malt than many American IPAs.

• Moderate alcohol strength.

• A relatively dry finish.

• A less explosive aroma profile than contemporary American versions.

The term “IPA” therefore does not automatically mean citrus, tropical fruit, or extreme bitterness. Those qualities are especially associated with particular American and New World hop varieties.

American IPA

The American IPA is the reference style most drinkers probably picture when they hear “IPA.” The BJCP describes it as hop-forward, bitter, moderately strong, cleanly fermented, and dryish, with American or New World hop character. Its expected hop flavors can include citrus, floral, pine, resin, tropical fruit, stone fruit, berries, melon, and spice.bjcp

A standard American IPA commonly features:

• Prominent hop aroma.

• Medium to very high hop flavor.

• Medium-high to very high bitterness.

• Low to medium-low malt flavor.

• A dry or medium-dry finish.

• Moderate alcohol, often around 5.5% to 7.5%.

• A medium-light to medium body.

The BJCP lists American IPA at 40–70 IBUs and 5.5%–7.5% ABV, although commercial beers and modern variations can fall well outside those figures.bjcp

Hazy IPA

Hazy IPA changes the relationship between bitterness and hop intensity.

A hazy IPA may contain enormous quantities of hops while presenting relatively soft perceived bitterness. The beer can be saturated with mango, pineapple, peach, citrus, passion fruit, or other juicy flavors. Oats, wheat, chloride-forward water profiles, specialized yeast, and extensive dry hopping may contribute to a soft, rounded mouthfeel.

This is an important reminder: measured bitterness and perceived bitterness are not the same thing. A beer may have a high IBU value but taste less harsh than a clearer, more sharply bitter beer.

Double IPA

A Double IPA, sometimes called an Imperial IPA, increases both strength and intensity. It commonly contains:

• More alcohol.

• More extract and malt.

• Greater hop concentration.

• A fuller body.

• More noticeable alcohol warmth.

• A longer and more forceful finish.

The BJCP places standard Double IPAs roughly in the 7.5%–10% ABV range within its specialty classification. A Double IPA is not simply a regular IPA with more bitterness; it must balance the additional alcohol, malt, and hop material well enough to remain coherent.bjcp

Hops: The Biggest Brewing Difference

Pale ales and IPAs can use the same four fundamental ingredients:

• Water.

• Malted grain.

• Hops.

• Yeast.

The distinction usually comes from how brewers use those ingredients, especially the hops.

Hop quantity

IPAs generally receive a greater hop load than pale ales. More hops can contribute more bitterness, but quantity alone does not determine the final experience. Hop variety, timing, wort gravity, yeast, water chemistry, and fermentation all matter.

Hop timing

Early-boil hops contribute more bitterness because heat extracts alpha acids. Later additions contribute more aroma and flavor. Whirlpool additions and dry hopping can intensify hop character without adding bitterness in precisely the same way as early-boil additions.

Pale ales may use a combination of bittering and late hops. IPAs often devote a larger portion of the recipe to late-kettle, whirlpool, and dry-hop additions.

Hop varieties

English pale ales and IPAs may use varieties such as East Kent Goldings, Fuggles, or similar hops that produce earthy, herbal, floral, or spicy notes.

American pale ales and IPAs may use Cascade, Centennial, Chinook, Simcoe, Amarillo, Citra, Mosaic, and many newer varieties. These can produce flavors ranging from grapefruit and pine to mango, passion fruit, peach, berry, and dank resin.

Hop freshness

Hop aroma is volatile. Freshness and packaging have a major effect on heavily hopped beer. An IPA that was vibrant when packaged may become muted, papery, or oxidized if stored warm or for too long. Pale ales can also suffer from age, but the decline is often less dramatic because their hop intensity is lower.

Malt, Body, and Balance

Malt is not merely present to provide alcohol. It creates the structure that supports hops.

Pale ale balance

Pale ales commonly retain more malt flavor. That malt may resemble:

• Fresh bread.

• Crackers.

• Biscuits.

• Toast.

• Light caramel.

• Honeyed grain.

This does not mean a pale ale should taste sweet. The best examples use malt to soften and frame the hops while still finishing cleanly.

IPA balance

Many IPAs use a leaner malt profile so that the hops remain prominent. Excessive crystal malt can create a sweet, heavy beer in which bitterness and residual sugar compete unpleasantly. Modern American IPAs often favor high attenuation, restrained caramel malt, and a dry finish.

However, not every IPA is lean. English IPAs, Red IPAs, Brown IPAs, and Double IPAs may include more malt complexity. The key is that an IPA still generally maintains a hop-forward balance rather than becoming primarily a malt beer.

Body and mouthfeel

Pale ales often feel medium-light to medium-bodied, with a smooth and refreshing texture.

American IPAs are frequently medium-light to medium-bodied as well, but their dryness and bitterness can make them seem sharper. Hazy IPAs may feel fuller, softer, and creamier because of grain choices and brewing methods. Double IPAs can feel heavier because of higher alcohol and residual extract.

Bitterness: Important but Frequently Misunderstood

Bitterness is one of the most obvious differences between many pale ales and IPAs, but it should not be treated as the only measurement of style.

IBU stands for International Bitterness Units. It estimates the concentration of isomerized alpha acids in beer. It does not measure every factor that determines how bitter a beer tastes.

Perceived bitterness is affected by:

• Residual sweetness.

• Alcohol.

• Carbonation.

• Water chemistry.

• Body.

• Hop-derived compounds.

• Roast or other malt flavors.

• Yeast character.

• The drinker’s sensitivity.

A dry, lean pale ale may taste more bitter than a sweeter IPA with a larger nominal IBU value. Likewise, a hazy IPA can contain substantial hop material but taste soft because its body and fruit-forward hop profile reduce the impression of sharp bitterness.

For casual drinkers, the practical takeaway is simple: do not choose a beer solely by its IBU number. For dedicated craft drinkers, IBU is useful context but not a complete description of sensory experience.

Similarities Between Pale Ales and IPAs

Despite their differences, pale ales and IPAs share a substantial foundation.

They are often hop-forward

Both styles showcase hops more clearly than many traditional lagers, wheat beers, porters, or sweet stouts. Even a balanced pale ale may present citrus, pine, floral, herbal, resinous, or fruity notes.

They commonly use pale malt

Both styles typically rely on pale ale malt, two-row malt, or another lightly kilned base malt. This produces a relatively light color and allows hop expression to remain prominent.

They are usually top-fermented ales

Pale ales and IPAs are generally fermented with ale yeast, although yeast selection varies. A clean American strain can emphasize hops, while an English strain may add fruity or earthy complexity.

They occupy overlapping color ranges

Color is not a reliable separator. Both may range from pale gold through amber. Some IPAs are very light, while some pale ales are copper-colored. Specialty IPAs can even be brown or black.

They can share hop flavors

A pale ale and an IPA may both show:

• Grapefruit.

• Orange.

• Lemon.

• Pine.

• Resin.

• Tropical fruit.

• Floral notes.

• Stone fruit.

• Herbal or spicy character.

The principal difference is usually the concentration and prominence of those flavors, not the complete absence of one set of flavors.

They can both be highly drinkable

Strength does not automatically determine drinkability. A crisp 7% IPA may feel easier to drink than a sweet 5% pale ale. Conversely, a heavily bitter IPA may be tiring while a well-balanced pale ale remains refreshing over several servings.

Drinkability depends on fermentation quality, attenuation, sweetness, carbonation, alcohol integration, bitterness, and the drinker’s preferences.

Common Misconceptions

“All IPAs are extremely bitter”

Not necessarily. West Coast IPAs tend to emphasize bitterness, while hazy IPAs may emphasize saturated fruit character and a soft mouthfeel. Session IPAs reduce alcohol strength, and English IPAs may be more balanced and earthy.

“Pale ales are not very hoppy”

Some pale ales are gently hopped, but American pale ales can be intensely aromatic. The difference is often that their malt foundation remains more visible and the overall strength is lower.

“IPA always means India Pale Ale historically”

The name has historical connections to British export beer, but modern IPA is a worldwide category. Many contemporary examples never traveled to India, and some are not pale. The BJCP explicitly treats “IPA” as a modern style descriptor rather than insisting on the literal historical expansion of the acronym.bjcp

“A darker beer cannot be an IPA”

Black IPA, Brown IPA, and Red IPA examples exist. These beers retain an IPA-like hop-forward balance while adding darker malt flavors or color. They demonstrate why color alone cannot define the category.

“More hops always means a better beer”

More hops can create intensity, but intensity is not the same as quality. A successful beer needs integration. Harsh bitterness, grassy dry-hop character, alcohol heat, oxidation, or excessive sweetness can overwhelm otherwise excellent ingredients.

How to Choose Between Them

Pale Ale vs. IPA – Round 3

Choose a pale ale when you want:

• A balanced introduction to hop-forward beer.

• Moderate alcohol.

• Noticeable but controlled bitterness.

• A clearer malt contribution.

• A beer suitable for longer sessions or casual meals.

• A bridge between traditional ales and more aggressive IPAs.

Choose an IPA when you want:

• Stronger hop aroma and flavor.

• More pronounced bitterness or hop saturation.

• A drier finish.

• Greater alcohol intensity.

• Tropical, citrusy, piney, resinous, or dank hop character.

• A beer where hops are the primary event.

If you are unsure, a pale ale is often the safer starting point. If you already enjoy pale ales and want more intensity, try a standard American IPA. If bitterness concerns you but you enjoy fruit-forward beer, a hazy IPA may be a better choice than a classic West Coast IPA.

A Practical Tasting Exercise

To compare the styles, taste a pale ale and IPA side by side at similar serving temperatures.

First, compare the aroma. Does the IPA produce a stronger burst of citrus, pine, tropical fruit, or resin? Then taste both beers and focus on the transition from malt to hops.

Ask:

1. Which beer shows more bread, biscuit, toast, or caramel?

2. Which beer has the sharper bitterness?

3. Which beer leaves a drier finish?

4. Does the IPA taste more alcoholic?

5. Does the pale ale seem more balanced or simply less intense?

6. Are the hop flavors different, or is the IPA mainly a stronger version of the same profile?

7. Does bitterness linger pleasantly, or does it become harsh?

A useful example would be comparing an American pale ale around 5.5% ABV with an American IPA around 6.5% ABV. The pale ale may feature citrus and pine alongside a lightly caramelized malt base. The IPA may use similar hops but deliver a larger aroma, stronger bitterness, leaner malt character, and a longer, drier finish.

Final Verdict

Pale ale and IPA are best viewed as neighboring points on a broad hop-forward spectrum. Pale ale generally prioritizes balance, moderate strength, and approachable hop character, while IPA typically increases hop intensity, bitterness, dryness, and sometimes alcohol.

The boundary is not absolute. Brewing traditions, brewery naming choices, and modern substyles create considerable overlap. A pale ale can be remarkably hoppy, and an IPA can be soft, fruity, balanced, or surprisingly easy to drink.

For casual drinkers, the distinction comes down to choosing between balance and intensity. For craft beer enthusiasts, the more interesting question is how each beer achieves its balance: which hops were used, when they were added, how the malt supports them, how bitterness is perceived, and whether the final beer feels integrated rather than merely powerful.

Follow The Beer Thrillers

For more updates on Pennsylvania brewery news, closures, openings, and expansions, follow The Beer Thrillers on social media and subscribe for the latest articles on the state’s ever-evolving craft beer scene.

Thank You For Reading

If you like this article, please check out our other many articles, including news, beer reviews, travelogues, maps, and much much more. We greatly appreciate everyone visiting the site!

Cheers.

Thanks again for reading everyone. Take some time to check out the site, we greatly appreciate it. We have affiliates and sponsors with Pretzels.com and Beer Drop.com, which can save you money on their products if you are interested. Check out our articles on them. Make sure to check out our beer reviews, brewery reviews, Amy’s (past) weekly columns, book reviews, board game reviews, hike reviews, and so much more. We have several writers to check out: B. Kline, Josh, Paul R. Kan, Drunk Duck; and past writers like Amy.

As always, thank you everyone for reading! Leave your likes, comments, suggestions, questions, etc, in the comments section. Or use the Feedback – Contact Us – page, and we’ll get right back to you! You can also reach out to us at our direct e-mail address: thebeerthrillers@gmail.com

Thank you for visiting our blog. Please make sure to follow, bookmark, subscribe, and make sure to comment and leave feedback and like the blog posts you read. It will help us to better tailor the blog to you, the readers, likes and make this a better blog for everyone.

We are working on a massive project here at The Beer Thrillers. We are creating a map of all of the breweries across the United States. State by state we are adding maps of all of the different states with every brewery in each state. (We will eventually get to the US Territories, as well as the Canadian Provinces, and possibly more countries; as well as doing some fun maps like a map of all the breweries we’ve been to, and other fun maps.) You can find the brewery maps here:

• MAPS OF BREWERIES

We are also working on a project of creating printable and downloadable PDFs and resources to be able to check and keep track of all of the breweries you’ve been to. So stay tuned for that project once we are finished with the Brewery Maps of the US States.

You can check out our different directories here: Beer Reviews, Hike Reviews, Book Reviews, Brewery News, Brewery Openings, Brewer Interviews, and Travelogues.

Please be sure to follow us on our social media accounts – Facebook, Facebook Group, Twitter, Instagram, YouTube, and Influence. As well as our brand new Tumblr page. Please be sure to also follow, like, subscribe to the blog here itself to keep updated. We are also now on BlueSky as well, so make sure to check us out there also. We love to hear from you guys, so be sure to leave a comment and let us know what you think!

You can now find us on our Discord Server here: The Beer Thrillers (Discord Server).

We also now have a SLACK channel – which acts as a hybrid chat room, message board, Reddit style; workspace and posting area for us. You can hang out with us there and chat about all kinds of things – not just beer, but “off topic” things like movies, TV, books, podcasts, hiking, sports, and more! Join us at: The Beer Thrillers on SLACK.

We’ve also joined LinkTree to keep track of all of our social media pages, as well as hot new articles we’ve written. The Beer Thrillers on LinkTree can be found here: The Beer Thrillers LinkTree.

We have partnered with an affiliateship with Beer Drop.com. You can check out that partnership and receive great discounts, coupons, and more here: Beer Drop. Going here and logging in and ordering will help you receive your discounts and coupons as well as help support our page. Thank you for helping to support The Beer Thrillers and to help us maintain the site and blog and to keep it running.

The Beer Thrillers are a blog that prides itself on writing beer reviews, brewery reviews, travelogues, news (especially local to the Central PA brewery scene), as well as covering other topics of our interests – such as hiking, literature and books, board games, and video games which we sometimes stream with our friends over at Knights of Nostalgia. We are currently listed as #5 on FeedSpot’s “Top 100 Beer Blogs” and #9 on FeedSpot’s “Top 40 Pennsylvania Blogs”. (As of May 2025.) Thank you for reading our site today, please subscribe, follow, and bookmark. Please reach out to us if you are interested in working together. If you would like to donate to the blog you can here: Donate to The Beer Thrillers. Thank you!

You can also check out our partnership and affiliation with Pretzels.com, where ordering pretzels and using our affiliate code – AFFILIATE CODE IS THEBEERTHRILLERS20 – will help you get wonderful pretzels and help us maintain and keep this blog running. Thank you!

If you would like to reach out to us for product reviews, beer reviews, press release writing, and other media – please contact us at thebeerthrillers@gmail.com. Thank you.

(Thank you for reading. The opinions, thoughts, and expressions of each article posted on The Beer Thrillers represents the author of the content and only themselves. It does not express the opinions, beliefs, or ideas held by The Beer Thrillers or any company in which the author themselves work for. Each piece of written content is written by the creator(s) listed in the authorial section on each article unless otherwise noted. Their opinions, comments, and words on screen do not represent any company in which they work for and / or are affiliated with or any non – profits that they contribute to. Thank you.)

This is one of the flagship beers at The Beerded Goat Brewing Company. So let’s dive in and take a good look at it. Firstly, its a Czech Pilsner – Bohemian style, and it weighs in at 5.3% ABV.

(See our article about our sneak preview of The Beerded Goat Brewery: A Sneak Peek at the Beerded Goat Brewery.)

The Standard by Beerded Goat

Beerded Goat Brewing Co. (now operating under the broader “The Goat” sports-bar identity in Lower Paxton Township) opened in 2023 in the former Newfangled Brew Works space. Head brewer Brian Keeney leans toward traditional, well-executed styles, and The Standard is a clear expression of that approach—a clean, classic Czech-style pilsner that serves as one of the brewery’s reliable house pours.

Appearance Crystal clear pale gold with a bright, persistent white head that leaves fine lacing. The spunding (natural carbonation) shows in the lively, tight bead.

Aroma Soft grain and light honey-like malt sweetness up front, followed by classic Czech Saaz character: mild herbal, floral, and grassy notes with a hint of spice. Nothing aggressive or fruity—just clean and inviting.

Taste Crisp and balanced. Mild bready/grainy malt with a soft honey edge gives way to an assertive but refreshing Saaz bitterness that stays dry and clean rather than harsh. The finish is snappy and lingering without any residual sweetness or off-flavors. It drinks true to style: straightforward, sessionable, and focused on drinkability.

Mouthfeel Light-to-medium body with lively, natural carbonation from the spunding process. It feels crisp and refreshing on the palate—exactly what you want in a pilsner meant for multiple rounds or game-day sipping.

Overall The Standard lives up to its name. It’s a well-made, no-frills Czech pilsner that prioritizes clarity, balance, and refreshment over trends or gimmicks. At 5.3% it’s highly sessionable and pairs easily with the brewery’s food (pizza, wings, burgers) or simply stands alone as an easy, reliable pour. Keeney has called it one of his favorites, and the brewery itself positions it as a go-to first-round choice.

If you like classic European pilsners that emphasize clean malt and noble hops over modern hop bombs or haze, this is a solid local example worth seeking out on draft at the brewery. Cheers.

My Untappd Rating: ****
Global Untappd Rating: 3.66 (as of 8.1.26).

Untappd Description:

Brewed with 100% Weyermann floor malted Pilsner and hopped with 100% Check saaz. Spunded for natural carbonation. Crisp, clean, and crystal clear. Mild grainy notes of soft honey balanced by an assertive and refreshing bitterness. This is the Standard

Follow The Beer Thrillers

For more updates on Pennsylvania brewery news, closures, openings, and expansions, follow The Beer Thrillers on social media and subscribe for the latest articles on the state’s ever-evolving craft beer scene.

Thank You For Reading

If you like this article, please check out our other many articles, including news, beer reviews, travelogues, maps, and much much more. We greatly appreciate everyone visiting the site!

Cheers.

Thanks again for reading everyone. Take some time to check out the site, we greatly appreciate it. We have affiliates and sponsors with Pretzels.com and Beer Drop.com, which can save you money on their products if you are interested. Check out our articles on them. Make sure to check out our beer reviews, brewery reviews, Amy’s (past) weekly columns, book reviews, board game reviews, hike reviews, and so much more. We have several writers to check out: B. Kline, Josh, Paul R. Kan, Drunk Duck; and past writers like Amy.

As always, thank you everyone for reading! Leave your likes, comments, suggestions, questions, etc, in the comments section. Or use the Feedback – Contact Us – page, and we’ll get right back to you! You can also reach out to us at our direct e-mail address: thebeerthrillers@gmail.com

Thank you for visiting our blog. Please make sure to follow, bookmark, subscribe, and make sure to comment and leave feedback and like the blog posts you read. It will help us to better tailor the blog to you, the readers, likes and make this a better blog for everyone.

We are working on a massive project here at The Beer Thrillers. We are creating a map of all of the breweries across the United States. State by state we are adding maps of all of the different states with every brewery in each state. (We will eventually get to the US Territories, as well as the Canadian Provinces, and possibly more countries; as well as doing some fun maps like a map of all the breweries we’ve been to, and other fun maps.) You can find the brewery maps here:

• MAPS OF BREWERIES

We are also working on a project of creating printable and downloadable PDFs and resources to be able to check and keep track of all of the breweries you’ve been to. So stay tuned for that project once we are finished with the Brewery Maps of the US States.

You can check out our different directories here: Beer Reviews, Hike Reviews, Book Reviews, Brewery News, Brewery Openings, Brewer Interviews, and Travelogues.

Please be sure to follow us on our social media accounts – Facebook, Facebook Group, Twitter, Instagram, YouTube, and Influence. As well as our brand new Tumblr page. Please be sure to also follow, like, subscribe to the blog here itself to keep updated. We are also now on BlueSky as well, so make sure to check us out there also. We love to hear from you guys, so be sure to leave a comment and let us know what you think!

You can now find us on our Discord Server here: The Beer Thrillers (Discord Server).

We also now have a SLACK channel – which acts as a hybrid chat room, message board, Reddit style; workspace and posting area for us. You can hang out with us there and chat about all kinds of things – not just beer, but “off topic” things like movies, TV, books, podcasts, hiking, sports, and more! Join us at: The Beer Thrillers on SLACK.

We’ve also joined LinkTree to keep track of all of our social media pages, as well as hot new articles we’ve written. The Beer Thrillers on LinkTree can be found here: The Beer Thrillers LinkTree.

We have partnered with an affiliateship with Beer Drop.com. You can check out that partnership and receive great discounts, coupons, and more here: Beer Drop. Going here and logging in and ordering will help you receive your discounts and coupons as well as help support our page. Thank you for helping to support The Beer Thrillers and to help us maintain the site and blog and to keep it running.

The Beer Thrillers are a blog that prides itself on writing beer reviews, brewery reviews, travelogues, news (especially local to the Central PA brewery scene), as well as covering other topics of our interests – such as hiking, literature and books, board games, and video games which we sometimes stream with our friends over at Knights of Nostalgia. We are currently listed as #5 on FeedSpot’s “Top 100 Beer Blogs” and #9 on FeedSpot’s “Top 40 Pennsylvania Blogs”. (As of May 2025.) Thank you for reading our site today, please subscribe, follow, and bookmark. Please reach out to us if you are interested in working together. If you would like to donate to the blog you can here: Donate to The Beer Thrillers. Thank you!

You can also check out our partnership and affiliation with Pretzels.com, where ordering pretzels and using our affiliate code – AFFILIATE CODE IS THEBEERTHRILLERS20 – will help you get wonderful pretzels and help us maintain and keep this blog running. Thank you!

If you would like to reach out to us for product reviews, beer reviews, press release writing, and other media – please contact us at thebeerthrillers@gmail.com. Thank you.

(Thank you for reading. The opinions, thoughts, and expressions of each article posted on The Beer Thrillers represents the author of the content and only themselves. It does not express the opinions, beliefs, or ideas held by The Beer Thrillers or any company in which the author themselves work for. Each piece of written content is written by the creator(s) listed in the authorial section on each article unless otherwise noted. Their opinions, comments, and words on screen do not represent any company in which they work for and / or are affiliated with or any non – profits that they contribute to. Thank you.)

]]> 16950 https://thebeerthrillers.com/2026/07/27/pennsylvania-liquor-control-board-responsible-alcohol-management-program-or-pulling-back-the-curtain-on-serving-alcohol-in-pennsylvania/?utm_source=rss&utm_medium=rss&utm_campaign=pennsylvania-liquor-control-board-responsible-alcohol-management-program-or-pulling-back-the-curtain-on-serving-alcohol-in-pennsylvania Mon, 27 Jul 2026 22:48:06 +0000 https://thebeerthrillers.com/?p=16944 Pennsylvania Liquor Control Board Responsible Alcohol Management Program

(or Pulling Back the Curtain on Serving Alcohol in Pennsylvania)

The Pennsylvania Liquor Control Board requires at least 50% of servers at most establishments that serve alcohol in Pennsylvania to complete and pass the Responsible Alcohol Management Program (RAMP) in order for the establishment to be certified to legally serve alcohol in the state. This training program has a number of purposes behind it:

1. Inform servers of their responsibilities under PLCB rules and regulations as well as under the Pennsylvania State Legal Code, and the potential repercussions of violating those rules, regulations, and laws.
2. Educate them on methods of detecting intoxicated patrons through visual or other means not involving breathalyzer or blood test.
3. Ways to deescalate confrontation with intoxicated patrons  and methods of delaying patrons becoming intoxicated.
4. Educate servers on the effects of alcohol on the body and methods of delaying those effects.

The RAMP Certification Training logo (courtesy of https://www.ramptraining.com/ )

RAMP certification is offered both in person and online, certain situations require in person classes, but generally most employees serving alcohol can take the course online as I did. The PLCB contracts a number of sites to offer this course and test at a wide variety of prices, the quality and value of each offering widely varies, but the certification does not. The class I took was one of the cheaper ones, but the associated education and training left something to be desired, I’ll refrain from naming the training site I used out of better discretion. In any case, the test administered is the same in all cases and I was able to pass the 80% correct answers on the associated test to be RAMP certified.

All in all, the test, and the training, are not that difficult. Most of us in the craft beer community, have probably already had experiences with the course teaches. One method of delaying intoxication is offering food; substituting non – alcoholic beverages is another. Detection methods include slurring speech and swaying or unsteady walking. This program is pretty general in it’s approach, and that makes it, perhaps, of value to not only those working in the industry, but also to those of us who enjoy craft beer and breweries. If we, as patrons, can help staff because we have this sort of education, keep our wits about us (or in other words, apply this training to ourselves as we are out enjoying this community) this is a positive to keep the good reputation of  the craft beer community. As mentioned, cost and quality vary, the PLCB website provides both information on the program and a list of approved providers with links to their websites.

Remember, enjoy responsibly, be aware of your individual limits, and be cognizant of your friends’ conditions. Education can make you a more responsible consumer and community member.

As always, the best beer is the one in your class, enjoy it for what it is. Cheers!

Drunk Duck

Drunk Duck is a craft beer appreciating rubber duck, along with his Posse and Matt Leiby, he visits breweries and samples various craft beers. The Beerventures started when Drunk Duck and Matt met in Staunton, Va. while Matt and some friends stopped on the way to Asheville, NC for a Beercation. What started as just Drunk Duck and Matt enjoying beers together has grown into an entire Posse of Ducks to accompany Drunk Duck. You can follow Drunk Duck and Matt’s Beerventures, and get their insights and beer reviews on Instagram @drunkduckposse and Facebook @MattLeiby (Drunk Duck).

Drunk Duck is our newest writer here at The Beer Thrillers and this is his first article. All future articles will link to each of his other articles as we build his author portfolio on the site. (All articles will link to the other articles so you can read his work, just like we have done with our other writers like Amy and Paul R. Kan.)

Drunk Duck Articles

• Welcome to Our Newest Writer: Drunk Duck
• Pennsylvania Liquor Control Board Responsible Alcohol Management Program (or Pulling Back the Curtain on Serving Alcohol in Pennsylvania)

Follow The Beer Thrillers

For more updates on Pennsylvania brewery news, closures, openings, and expansions, follow The Beer Thrillers on social media and subscribe for the latest articles on the state’s ever-evolving craft beer scene.

Thank You For Reading

If you like this article, please check out our other many articles, including news, beer reviews, travelogues, maps, and much much more. We greatly appreciate everyone visiting the site!

Cheers.

Thanks again for reading everyone. Take some time to check out the site, we greatly appreciate it. We have affiliates and sponsors with Pretzels.com and Beer Drop.com, which can save you money on their products if you are interested. Check out our articles on them. Make sure to check out our beer reviews, brewery reviews, Amy’s (past) weekly columns, book reviews, board game reviews, hike reviews, and so much more. We have several writers to check out: B. Kline, Josh, Paul R. Kan, Drunk Duck; and past writers like Amy.

As always, thank you everyone for reading! Leave your likes, comments, suggestions, questions, etc, in the comments section. Or use the Feedback – Contact Us – page, and we’ll get right back to you! You can also reach out to us at our direct e-mail address: thebeerthrillers@gmail.com

Thank you for visiting our blog. Please make sure to follow, bookmark, subscribe, and make sure to comment and leave feedback and like the blog posts you read. It will help us to better tailor the blog to you, the readers, likes and make this a better blog for everyone.

We are working on a massive project here at The Beer Thrillers. We are creating a map of all of the breweries across the United States. State by state we are adding maps of all of the different states with every brewery in each state. (We will eventually get to the US Territories, as well as the Canadian Provinces, and possibly more countries; as well as doing some fun maps like a map of all the breweries we’ve been to, and other fun maps.) You can find the brewery maps here:

• MAPS OF BREWERIES

We are also working on a project of creating printable and downloadable PDFs and resources to be able to check and keep track of all of the breweries you’ve been to. So stay tuned for that project once we are finished with the Brewery Maps of the US States.

You can check out our different directories here: Beer Reviews, Hike Reviews, Book Reviews, Brewery News, Brewery Openings, Brewer Interviews, and Travelogues.

Please be sure to follow us on our social media accounts – Facebook, Facebook Group, Twitter, Instagram, YouTube, and Influence. As well as our brand new Tumblr page. Please be sure to also follow, like, subscribe to the blog here itself to keep updated. We are also now on BlueSky as well, so make sure to check us out there also. We love to hear from you guys, so be sure to leave a comment and let us know what you think!

You can now find us on our Discord Server here: The Beer Thrillers (Discord Server).

We also now have a SLACK channel – which acts as a hybrid chat room, message board, Reddit style; workspace and posting area for us. You can hang out with us there and chat about all kinds of things – not just beer, but “off topic” things like movies, TV, books, podcasts, hiking, sports, and more! Join us at: The Beer Thrillers on SLACK.

We’ve also joined LinkTree to keep track of all of our social media pages, as well as hot new articles we’ve written. The Beer Thrillers on LinkTree can be found here: The Beer Thrillers LinkTree.

We have partnered with an affiliateship with Beer Drop.com. You can check out that partnership and receive great discounts, coupons, and more here: Beer Drop. Going here and logging in and ordering will help you receive your discounts and coupons as well as help support our page. Thank you for helping to support The Beer Thrillers and to help us maintain the site and blog and to keep it running.

The Beer Thrillers are a blog that prides itself on writing beer reviews, brewery reviews, travelogues, news (especially local to the Central PA brewery scene), as well as covering other topics of our interests – such as hiking, literature and books, board games, and video games which we sometimes stream with our friends over at Knights of Nostalgia. We are currently listed as #5 on FeedSpot’s “Top 100 Beer Blogs” and #9 on FeedSpot’s “Top 40 Pennsylvania Blogs”. (As of May 2025.) Thank you for reading our site today, please subscribe, follow, and bookmark. Please reach out to us if you are interested in working together. If you would like to donate to the blog you can here: Donate to The Beer Thrillers. Thank you!

You can also check out our partnership and affiliation with Pretzels.com, where ordering pretzels and using our affiliate code – AFFILIATE CODE IS THEBEERTHRILLERS20 – will help you get wonderful pretzels and help us maintain and keep this blog running. Thank you!

If you would like to reach out to us for product reviews, beer reviews, press release writing, and other media – please contact us at thebeerthrillers@gmail.com. Thank you.

(Thank you for reading. The opinions, thoughts, and expressions of each article posted on The Beer Thrillers represents the author of the content and only themselves. It does not express the opinions, beliefs, or ideas held by The Beer Thrillers or any company in which the author themselves work for. Each piece of written content is written by the creator(s) listed in the authorial section on each article unless otherwise noted. Their opinions, comments, and words on screen do not represent any company in which they work for and / or are affiliated with or any non – profits that they contribute to. Thank you.)

There are certain moments when you realize the internet has completely broken the concept of normal.

A raccoon becomes famous.

The raccoon gets a name.

The name is Jimothy.

And then, naturally, one of the most famous craft breweries in America puts Jimothy on a beer can.

Welcome to 2026.

Tree House Brewing Company has apparently decided that the only appropriate way to celebrate the viral Seattle raccoon known as Jimothy is to give him the ultimate craft beer honor: his own can design.

And, honestly, we’re here for it.

Tree House’s Jimothy Beer Can

Who the Hell Is Jimothy?

If you’ve somehow managed to avoid the internet for the past several weeks, first of all, congratulations.

Second, Jimothy is a raccoon from Seattle who became an unlikely internet celebrity after videos and photos of him began circulating online.

Jimothy has a condition known as short spine syndrome, which gives him his distinctive appearance. Rather than looking like your average raccoon sneaking around a trash can at 2 a.m., Jimothy has an unusually compact body that makes him look like someone accidentally hit the “squish” button on a raccoon.

The internet, being the internet, immediately fell in love.

And somewhere along the way, he became Jimothy.

The name is almost as funny as the raccoon himself.

Jimothy has accumulated a considerable following online, with people becoming fascinated by his appearance, personality and general raccoon-ness.

Then Massachusetts got involved.

Because apparently Seattle needed a little more New England IPA in its life.

Tree House Enters the Chat

Tree House Brewing, the Massachusetts brewery best known for beers such as Julius, Green and Haze, recently unveiled a can featuring Jimothy.

The brewery confirmed on Instagram that the cans were real and described them as “beautiful,” while the Jimothy cans went on sale at Tree House’s Charlton location.

And that’s about as much explanation as Tree House apparently felt was necessary.

Which might actually make the whole thing better.

There wasn’t some massive corporate marketing campaign explaining the strategic importance of raccoon-based beer branding.

There wasn’t a 47-slide PowerPoint presentation about “leveraging the Jimothy demographic.”

There was just a picture of a weirdly shaped raccoon on a beer can.

Beautiful.

Is “Jimothy” Actually a Beer?

Here’s where things get slightly confusing.

Despite the internet’s immediate tendency to call it a “Jimothy beer,” the Jimothy connection appears to be primarily a can-design tribute, rather than Tree House announcing an entirely new beer style specifically brewed in Jimothy’s honor.

Tree House has not provided many details about the beer itself, and the brewery’s announcement focused on the can design and its availability.

That’s important because, naturally, the craft beer internet immediately started treating Jimothy like the next legendary Tree House release.

Which, frankly, is exactly what should happen.

Because if we’re going to live in a world where a raccoon can become famous enough to get a Tree House can, we might as well enjoy it.

Tree House Is Probably the Perfect Brewery for This

There are thousands of breweries that could have put a raccoon on a can.

But Tree House?

It somehow makes perfect sense.

Tree House has spent years developing an enormous cult following around its hazy IPAs, limited releases, colorful artwork and highly recognizable branding.

The brewery’s flagship Julius is one of the defining beers of the modern New England IPA movement, while beers such as Green and Haze have become equally recognizable names among IPA enthusiasts. Tree House itself recommends Julius as the starting point for people who haven’t tried the brewery, with Green and Haze as alternatives.

Tree House also has the kind of fan base that will happily travel considerable distances to acquire cans.

So when you put a bizarrely adorable viral raccoon on one of those cans?

People are going to want it.

Badly.

In fact, people were already looking for Jimothy cans almost immediately after the release, with social media users discussing how badly they wanted one.

This is how craft beer works now.

You don’t necessarily need a groundbreaking new IPA.

Sometimes you just need a raccoon.

Jimothy Summer Has Arrived

There is something wonderfully ridiculous about the entire thing.

Craft beer has spent the last decade becoming increasingly sophisticated.

We’ve had pastry stouts.

Triple IPAs.

Barrel-aged everything.

Beer brewed with coffee, fruit, spices, cereal, candy and ingredients that sound like they were selected by someone wandering around a Whole Foods at midnight.

And now?

Raccoon beer.

Or, more accurately, a Tree House beer wearing a raccoon costume.

I’m not complaining.

The craft beer industry has always been at its best when breweries don’t take themselves too seriously. The Jimothy can feels like a reminder that beer is still allowed to be fun.

You don’t need to explain the water chemistry.

You don’t need to give us a dissertation on hop varietals.

You don’t even need to tell us why the raccoon is there.

Just put Jimothy on the can.

We’ll figure it out.

The Internet Has Officially Won

There is also something very 2026 about this entire story.

A creature in Seattle becomes famous online.

People give him a ridiculous name.

The name spreads.

Memes happen.

Then a brewery in Massachusetts thousands of miles away decides:

Yep. That’s going on a beer can.

And suddenly people who couldn’t tell you anything about raccoon biology are discussing Tree House distribution.

That’s the power of the internet.

It’s also the power of craft beer.

The best brewery merchandise has always been about more than just the liquid inside the package. People collect cans because the artwork tells a story, represents a moment or simply looks cool sitting on a shelf.

Jimothy checks all three boxes.

It’s weird.

It’s timely.

And it’s impossible to look at without wondering how the hell we got here.

Will Jimothy Become a Tree House Legend?

That’s probably the fun part.

Tree House has plenty of legendary beer names.

Julius.

Green.

Haze.

Very Green.

And now, at least unofficially, we have Jimothy.

The raccoon probably won’t become a permanent member of the Tree House lineup.

But that’s not really the point.

For a brief moment in the summer of 2026, a viral raccoon became part of the craft beer world.

And that’s considerably more entertaining than another brewery announcing that it has released a 9.2% double dry-hopped triple hazy IPA with “notes of citrus, tropical fruit and dankness.”

Give me Jimothy.

I’ll take the raccoon.

The Bottom Line

Tree House Brewing putting Jimothy on a beer can is exactly the kind of wonderfully stupid, completely unnecessary and strangely wholesome story that makes the craft beer world fun.

No, Jimothy doesn’t need a beer.

No, Tree House doesn’t need Jimothy to sell beer.

And yes, people are probably going to want the can anyway.

Because sometimes craft beer isn’t about hunting down the newest hop combination or arguing about whether a beer is technically a double IPA.

Sometimes it’s about seeing a funny raccoon on a can and thinking:

“I need that.”

So here’s to Jimothy.

Here’s to Tree House.

And here’s to the glorious insanity of craft beer in 2026.

Long live Jimothy.

And somebody please give that raccoon a beer.

The Beer Thrillers will, of course, accept donations of Jimothy cans for extremely serious journalistic research.

News Sources

• Jimothy – The Viral Raccoon Gets His Own Beer
• Jimothy – Beer Advocate
• Jimothy Survived Against The Odds
• Tree House Releases Instagram – Jimothy

Follow The Beer Thrillers

For more updates on Pennsylvania brewery news, closures, openings, and expansions, follow The Beer Thrillers on social media and subscribe for the latest articles on the state’s ever-evolving craft beer scene.

Thank You For Reading

If you like this article, please check out our other many articles, including news, beer reviews, travelogues, maps, and much much more. We greatly appreciate everyone visiting the site!

Cheers.

Thanks again for reading everyone. Take some time to check out the site, we greatly appreciate it. We have affiliates and sponsors with Pretzels.com and Beer Drop.com, which can save you money on their products if you are interested. Check out our articles on them. Make sure to check out our beer reviews, brewery reviews, Amy’s (past) weekly columns, book reviews, board game reviews, hike reviews, and so much more. We have several writers to check out: B. Kline, Josh, Paul R. Kan, Drunk Duck; and past writers like Amy.

As always, thank you everyone for reading! Leave your likes, comments, suggestions, questions, etc, in the comments section. Or use the Feedback – Contact Us – page, and we’ll get right back to you! You can also reach out to us at our direct e-mail address: thebeerthrillers@gmail.com

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We are working on a massive project here at The Beer Thrillers. We are creating a map of all of the breweries across the United States. State by state we are adding maps of all of the different states with every brewery in each state. (We will eventually get to the US Territories, as well as the Canadian Provinces, and possibly more countries; as well as doing some fun maps like a map of all the breweries we’ve been to, and other fun maps.) You can find the brewery maps here:

• MAPS OF BREWERIES

We are also working on a project of creating printable and downloadable PDFs and resources to be able to check and keep track of all of the breweries you’ve been to. So stay tuned for that project once we are finished with the Brewery Maps of the US States.

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You can now find us on our Discord Server here: The Beer Thrillers (Discord Server).

We also now have a SLACK channel – which acts as a hybrid chat room, message board, Reddit style; workspace and posting area for us. You can hang out with us there and chat about all kinds of things – not just beer, but “off topic” things like movies, TV, books, podcasts, hiking, sports, and more! Join us at: The Beer Thrillers on SLACK.

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The Beer Thrillers are a blog that prides itself on writing beer reviews, brewery reviews, travelogues, news (especially local to the Central PA brewery scene), as well as covering other topics of our interests – such as hiking, literature and books, board games, and video games which we sometimes stream with our friends over at Knights of Nostalgia. We are currently listed as #5 on FeedSpot’s “Top 100 Beer Blogs” and #9 on FeedSpot’s “Top 40 Pennsylvania Blogs”. (As of May 2025.) Thank you for reading our site today, please subscribe, follow, and bookmark. Please reach out to us if you are interested in working together. If you would like to donate to the blog you can here: Donate to The Beer Thrillers. Thank you!

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(Thank you for reading. The opinions, thoughts, and expressions of each article posted on The Beer Thrillers represents the author of the content and only themselves. It does not express the opinions, beliefs, or ideas held by The Beer Thrillers or any company in which the author themselves work for. Each piece of written content is written by the creator(s) listed in the authorial section on each article unless otherwise noted. Their opinions, comments, and words on screen do not represent any company in which they work for and / or are affiliated with or any non – profits that they contribute to. Thank you.)

We have a brand new writer joining the team of The Beer Thrillers! So lets everyone get a glass, pour it high with a good craft beer (may I suggest a fine beverage from Moo-Duck Brewery?), and toast our newest writer — DRUNK DUCK.

Drunk Duck and Posse

(You can go to his author page here: Drunk Duck – Author Page)

Bio

For a quick bio on Drunk Duck:

Drunk Duck is a craft beer appreciating rubber duck, along with his Posse and Matt Leiby, he visits breweries and samples various craft beers. The Beerventures started when Drunk Duck and Matt met in Staunton, Va. while Matt and some friends stopped on the way to Asheville, NC for a Beercation. What started as just Drunk Duck and Matt enjoying beers together has grown into an entire Posse of Ducks to accompany Drunk Duck. You can follow Drunk Duck and Matt’s Beerventures, and get their insights and beer reviews on Instagram @drunkduckposse and Facebook @MattLeiby (Drunk Duck).

Can’t Wait

We can’t wait to read all the great articles that Drunk Duck will be bringing to The Beer Thrillers. He is fast at work on his first article which we should soon see (about RAMP training). So be on the lookout for his articles!

Thanks for joining the team Drunk Duck! And cheers for following us all these years and joining us!

Pennsylvania Breweries Celebrating America’s 250th Anniversary

Lehigh Valley: Beer, Industry, and History

The National Museum of Industrial History 250 Celebration (photo courtesy of The National Museum of Industrial History)

The National Museum of Industrial History in Bethlehem is currently hosting Cheers to 250: Brewing in America, a special exhibition running through July that explores how beer production helped shape American industry, transportation, and culture from the colonial era through the modern craft renaissance. To deepen the experience, the museum is partnering with regional staples—including Lehigh Valley Brewers Guild, Lehigh Valley Homebrewers, Hijinx Brewing, and Lost Tavern Brewing—to present community history programs that connect local beer culture to the wider national story.

Celebrate shared history and community spirit at the 250th All-American Picnic in Downtown East Stroudsburg, along Crystal Street and Miller Park, on July 4th from 12:00 PM to 5:00 PM. This family-friendly festival offers live music from classic rock and country acts, plus performances by Lilly Moss, Sick Whiskey, and Clodagh Conboy, along with local vendors and refreshing drinks from ShawneeCraft Brewing Company and Bovino’s Brewery.

Western PA: Concerts, Drones, and Local Pours

On Sunday, July 5, 2026, Allegheny County is hosting an official America’s 250th Anniversary Concert and Drone Show at Hartwood Acres Amphitheater. Gates open at 3:00 PM, and local favorite Hop Farm Brewing Company will anchor the on-site beverage offerings alongside Black Dog Winery, setting the stage for an evening that ends with a Pittsburgh Symphony Orchestra performance synchronized to a 200+ drone light show.

In Downtown Grove City on July 3rd, the town is throwing an open-to-the-public celebration for America’s 250th birthday, with local bands, kids’ activities, food trucks, and shopping. Local breweries such as Allusion Brewery will be pouring, giving attendees a chance to toast the holiday with hometown craft beer while exploring the downtown businesses.

Northeastern PA: Rails, Lagers, and Railroad Heritage

Photo courtesy of Runaway Train Brewery

Honesdale, known as the birthplace of the American railroad thanks to the historic Stourbridge Lion’s first commercial run on August 8, 1829, will host a historic beer tasting train ride aboard the Stourbridge Line. The train will feature Declaration Lager, Pennsylvania’s official beer for America250PA, with representatives from Runaway Train Brewery on board to walk riders through tasting notes and flavor profiles as they enjoy the scenic ride and the state’s railroading legacy.

Southeast and Philly Region: Orchards, Gardens, and Biergartens

Photo courtesy of Aristaeus Craft Brewing

Aristaeus Craft Brewing will be the official featured brewery at the America 250 Celebration at Styer Orchard on Friday, July 3, 2026, from 4:00 PM to 9:00 PM. This ticketed, family-friendly orchard bash pairs Aristaeus’s locally poured craft beers with food trucks, classic lawn games, and live music, all building toward a fireworks display to cap off the evening.

Photo courtesy of Love City Brewing

Love City Brewing is marking Independence Day in its garden and taproom with an event that blends holiday fun and civic values. Highlights include an annual water balloon toss benefiting immigrant and refugee rights organizations, plus cornhole and ladder ball throughout the day, alongside $2 hot dogs and free water ice while supplies last. The celebration emphasizes democratic values, diversity, and inclusion as part of Philadelphia’s 250th anniversary, while offering space for critical engagement with current political issues.

Photo and logo courtesy of Brothers Kershner

Brothers Kershner Brewing in Skippack is again the hub for the town’s 4th of July festivities, hosting the annual Skippack 4th of July Parade after-party on Saturday, July 4th. They’ll open early for front-row parade views from the porch and parking lot, with live music starting as soon as the parade ends. To mark America 250, Brothers Kershner is releasing a special American Light Lager in 12oz six-packs and on draft. Then on Sunday, July 5th, the celebration moves to the Brothers on the Brandywine Biergarten Independence Day event, with the park opening at 1:00 PM and featuring a beer and wine bar, live music, food trucks, vendors, a bounce house, and laid-back creekside vibes.

Just a little bit ago (at about 7:30 PM) Sobel’s Obscure Brewery out of Jeannette PA, has made the difficult decision — that they will be putting their brewery up for sale. They are currently located at 500 Clay Ave, Jeannette, PA 15644, and have listed their property and business as up for sale. The father and daughter duo have painstakingly agonized over the decision but made their announcement today (tonight).

Sobel’s Obscure Brewery Announcement via Instagram

Their Announcement

Sobel’s Obscure Brewery took to their social media to make the announcement, today – June 25th, 2026 – around 7 – 7:30 PM.

Their announcement:

oday, we’re sharing some bittersweet news with our community.

After 10 incredible years, our family has made the decision to officially place the brewery up for sale.

Ten years ago, this journey began with a passion for craft beer. What followed was a decade of growth, from brewing and distributing our beer, to a pop-up beer garden, and eventually opening the taproom four years ago.

This was never meant to be just about beer. It was about building a place where people could gather, support one another, and create lasting memories. Thanks to all of you, that’s exactly what it became.

From our S.O.B. Society mug club, to trivia nights, Concert & Food Truck Thursdays, and local musicians and food vendors who helped bring this space to life every weekend, we are endlessly grateful for this community.

Jeannette has been such an important part of our story. Watching the city continue to grow and revitalize has been incredible, and we’re proud to have played a small part in that journey.

While this has always been our family’s business, the decision to sell comes down to one thing: Dave is ready to retire after a lifetime of hard work. He has more than earned it.

We are NOT closing. We will remain open and operating throughout this process, and we don’t know what the timeline looks like.

We’ve chosen to offer the brewery as a complete turnkey business because we believe in what we’ve built and want to see it continue in Jeannette. Our hope is that someone carries it forward and keeps this space alive for the community.

To our incredible brewer and bartenders — thank you. You’ve become family, and none of this would exist without you.

To everyone who has stopped in, supported events, joined the mug club, laughed with us, or shared a beer—thank you from the bottom of our hearts.

And hey… if you know someone looking for a late-1800s department store turned brewery in downtown Jeannette, we’d love an introduction. We hope someone continues what we’ve built and carries it forward.

With heartfelt gratitude,�Dave & Jackie

– Sobel’s Obscure Brewery (Instagram Post)

Sobel’s Obscure Brewery

Known for their Facebook and social media posts with the father and daughter who run the company (Dave and Jackie) with their dad jokes and great media posts, the brewery has had a faithful following over the years, even expanding to grow into the larger current venue that they own. As of right now there is no end – sight for the brewery, as they are looking to sell, and in the meantime stay open. Hopefully they are able to find a good, respectful buyer, but until that happens, the brewery will still be operating.

For More Information on Sobel’s Obscure Brewery

The following comes via Untappd. Sobel’s Obscure Brewery is a micro brewery from Jeannette, PA . They have 82 unique beers and over 15,000 ratings, with a global average rating of 3.56 (as of 6.25.26). Their Untappd description reads: “Like many other brewers, we started out with a passion for drinking beer. Which grew into a passion for home-brewing and creating new, exciting, and oftentimes obscure recipes. Born out of our garage, we set out to create exciting new and different recipes. After gifting some brews to our friends and family, and being awarded at competitions, we decided to give it a try on the big stage! Founded officially in 2012, Sobel’s Obscure Brewery is a family endeavor run by David Sobel and his two children, Gordon and Jackie. Always ready for fun and laughter, we endeavored to create not only a great product, but a quirky brand that would spur consumers to try us and follow our progress! Get to know our beer gnomes! Keep on the lookout for the funny antics they get up to! Download our app (coming soon!) and play some games! 

You can find them on the following social media platforms:

• Sobel’s Obscure Brewery – Official Website
• Sobel’s Obscure Brewery – Facebook
• Sobel’s Obscure Brewery – Instagram
• Sobel’s Obscure Brewery – Twitter
• Sobel’s Obscure Brewery –Untappd

If you ever needed proof that soccer fans know how to support a brewery, look no further than Boston this past weekend.

Scotland’s Tartan Army march toward Fenway Park. Bob Dechiara-Imagn Images

Thousands of supporters from Scotland’s legendary Tartan Army descended on Boston for the 2026 FIFA World Cup, and in the process managed to accomplish something that few beer drinkers ever have—they temporarily drank the Samuel Adams Boston Taproom out of its flagship Boston Lager.

According to Boston Beer Company, demand for Boston Lager was so overwhelming that the brewery had to arrange an emergency beer delivery after sales reached roughly four times the volume of a typical holiday weekend, including busy stretches like the Fourth of July.

Scotland’s Tartan Army Creates a Beer Shortage in Boston

The Scottish national team’s first World Cup appearance in 28 years has brought an incredible wave of supporters across the Atlantic, and Boston has quickly become one of the tournament’s biggest party destinations.

From Thursday through Sunday, fans packed bars, pubs, restaurants, and the Samuel Adams Boston Taproom, creating one of the busiest weekends the brewery has ever experienced.

“We’ve never seen anything like it,” said Billy DeCain of the Sam Adams Boston Taproom during an interview with NBC Boston.

Rather than sampling the brewery’s extensive draft lineup—which features around twenty beers, including numerous taproom-exclusive releases—most visitors overwhelmingly chose one beer:

Samuel Adams Boston Lager.

Boston Beer Company said it has already increased beer deliveries throughout the week to ensure the taproom remains stocked for the remainder of Scotland’s stay.

It’s Not Just Samuel Adams Feeling the Demand

The surge wasn’t limited to one brewery.

Boston-area bars also reported record-breaking beer sales as Scotland supporters packed nearly every establishment within walking distance of the city’s major attractions.

At The White Bull Tavern, staff reported running through nearly everything they had available.

“Pretty much everything. We ran out of everything,” said Paul Morris of the tavern. “Tennent’s being number one.”

Scottish supporter Dave Orr joked that when one pub finally ran dry, the only remaining option was Bud Light after the Scottish fans had emptied the taps.

Meanwhile, Hennessy’s Bar experienced what may have been one of the biggest weekends in its history.

Chief Operating Officer Noelle Somers told the Boston Globe that beer sales actually tripled what the bar typically sees on St. Patrick’s Day—a remarkable benchmark considering Boston’s reputation for celebrating the Irish holiday.

“We’ve been here for over 30 years, and we’ve never seen anything like it,” Somers said.

Scotland’s Victory Keeps the Celebration Going

The celebrations only intensified after Scotland earned a 1-0 victory over Haiti at Gillette Stadium on Saturday evening.

Fans flooded back into downtown Boston after the match, filling bars well into the early morning hours before turning their attention to another uniquely Boston tradition.

Less than 24 hours later, thousands attended Scotland Day at Fenway Park, where the Boston Red Sox welcomed international visitors with a celebration of Scottish culture.

The festivities included a fan march led by bagpipe players from Evans Way Park to Fenway, with estimates suggesting at least 5,000 supporters participated before thousands more entered the ballpark for the Red Sox matchup against the Texas Rangers.

Why This Matters for Craft Beer

Large sporting events have long been a boost for local breweries, but the 2026 FIFA World Cup is demonstrating just how significant that impact can be.

While many breweries prepare for concerts, holiday weekends, or playoff games, international soccer tournaments bring thousands of thirsty visitors into a city over several consecutive days. For breweries, taprooms, and neighborhood pubs, that can translate into record-breaking draft sales, increased tourism, and valuable exposure to drinkers from around the world.

For Samuel Adams, the unexpected popularity of Boston Lager serves as a reminder that sometimes the classic flagship beer is exactly what visitors want. Despite having an extensive draft list filled with seasonal and taproom-exclusive offerings, Scotland supporters overwhelmingly chose the beer that helped define Boston’s craft beer scene decades ago.

With Scotland scheduled to return to Gillette Stadium later this week to face Morocco, Boston Beer Company has already increased deliveries in anticipation of another wave of thirsty supporters.

If last weekend is any indication, Boston Lager may once again become one of the hottest pours in the city.

Frequently Asked Questions

Did Samuel Adams really run out of Boston Lager?

Yes. Boston Beer Company confirmed that the Samuel Adams Boston Taproom temporarily ran out of Boston Lager after Scotland supporters purchased roughly four times the beer the brewery normally sells during a comparable four-day holiday weekend.

Why were there so many Scottish fans in Boston?

Scotland qualified for the 2026 FIFA World Cup, marking the nation’s first appearance in the tournament in 28 years. Thousands of members of the famous Tartan Army traveled to Boston to support the national team.

Did other Boston bars experience record sales?

Yes. Several Boston-area pubs reported unprecedented demand. Hennessy’s Bar said sales exceeded even St. Patrick’s Day, while other establishments reported running out of multiple beer brands due to the influx of fans.

What does this mean for local breweries?

Major international sporting events like the FIFA World Cup can significantly increase taproom traffic, draft beer sales, tourism, and brand exposure for breweries located in host cities, making them some of the most impactful events for the hospitality and craft beer industries.

All of Our Nerd Content

Here’s all of our nerd content, served up best in one single place. Enjoy!

I know ya’ll here for the nerd reviews. So check out our other nerd reviews below:

Star Wars:

• Beer Review: The Pandalorian (Tattered Flag)
• Beer Review: Wookie Monster (Fourscore Beer Co)
• Beer Review: Out of Order: Blue Milk (RAR Brewing) (Batch 1)
• Beer Review: Out of Order: Tatooine Tart (RAR Brewing)
• Beer Review: Out of Order: RAWRGWAWGGR (RAR Brewing)
• Beer Review: Out of Order: Droid Juice (RAR Brewing)
• Beer Review: Wookies and Cream (Tall Tales Brewing)
• Revenge of the Fifth / Cinco de Mayo
• May the Fourth Be With You
• Beer Review: This is Nut the Fluff You’re Looking For (Fourscore Beer Co)
• Beer Review: This is the Way (Broken Goblet Brewing)
• Beer Review: This is the Whey (Bolero Snort Brewery)
• Beer Review: Java the Stout (Jackie O’s Brewery)
• Beer Review: The Mangolorian (Brewery Fire)
• Beer Review: BoBull Fett (Bolero Snort Brewery)
• Mead Review: The Meadalorian (Space Time Mead and Cider Works)
• Beer Review: Let the Haze Flow Through You (Black Flag Brewing Co)
• Book Review: The Jedi Path and The Book of the Sith (Daniel Wallace)
• Book Review: Guardians of the Whills (Greg Rucka)
• May the Fourth Be With You (2022)
• RAR Out of Order Star Wars Drop!
• Beer Review: Vader (Mispillion River Brewing Company)
• Beer Review: Out of Order: Green Milk (RAR Brewing Company) (Batch 1)
• Beer Review: The Phantasm Menace (Second Sin Brewing Company)
• RAR Brewing – Out of Order – Star Wars Can Drop (2023)
• May the Fourth Be With You (2023)
• Brewery Fire Celebrates Their Fourth Anniversary: The Power of the Fourth
• Crooked Crab – May the Fourth Be With You (2024)
• Book Review: Star Wars – Most Wanted (Rae Carlson)
• Beer Review: Admiral (J Henry Barrel Aged Grand Stout) (Delta Beer Lab)
• Beer Review: Chewbacca (Rotunda Brewing Company)
• May the Fourth Be With You – From a Non a Star Wars Lover at RAR Brewing’s Star Wars Fest (Amy’s Column)

Futurama

• Good News Everyone, Futurama is Back: Exploring Futurama – Inspired Craft Beers
• Book Review: Futurama and Philosophy (edited by Courtland Lewis)
• Futurama Episode Review – The Impossible Stream and Mead Review: Omicron Persei 8 (SpaceTime Meadery)
• Mead Review: Omicron Persei 8 (Space Time Mead and Cider Works)
• Futurama Episode Review – Children of a Lesser Bog and Beer Review: Stay on Target (Allusion Brewing Company)
• Beer Review: I Apologize For Nothing (Fourscore Beer Co.)
• Beer Review: Fing-Longer (Turning Point Beer)
• Futurama Episode Review – How the West was 1010001 (and Beer Review: The Shining by Foam Brewers)
• Futurama Episode Review – Parasites Regained
• Beer Review: Hop Bender (Local Craft Beer)
• Futurama Episode Review – I Know What You Did Next XMas and Beer Review: Bo Katan Red IPA (Brewery Fire)
• 𝐁𝐫𝐚𝐧𝐧𝐢𝐠𝐚𝐧’𝐬 𝐋𝐚𝐰 on Draft and Cans at Intermission Beer Company
• Beer Review: I’m 40% Galaxy (Local Craft Beer)

Lord of the Rings:

• Book Review: An Atlas of Tolkien (David Day)
• Book Review: The Lay of Aotrou and Itroun (J.R.R. Tolkien)

Magic the Gathering:

• New Belgium Teams Up with Magic the Gathering for Vastwood Seer IPA

Heroes of Barcadia:

• Rollacrit Partners with Voodoo Ranger IPA for New Kickstarter, Heroes of Barcadia: Heroes for Hire Tabletop Game

Zelda:

• Zelda and Craft Beer
• Beer Review: Motueka’s Mask (Black Flag Brewing Company)
• Book Review: The Psychology of Zelda (edited by Anthony M. Bean)
• Book Review: The Legend of Zelda and Theology (edited by Jonathan L. Walls)
• Beer Review: Triforce Hazy IPA (Black Flag Brewing Company)

Rick and Morty:

• Beer Review: Peace Among Worlds (Cushwa Brewing Company)

Space Balls:

• Beer Review: Moon of Vega (Equilibrium Brewery)

Game of Thrones:

• Beer Review: Game of Thrones: My Watch Has Ended (Omnegang Brewery)
• Book Review: The Wit and Wisdom of Tyrion Lannister (George R.R. Martin)

The Simpsons:

• Beer Review: I Voted for Kodos (Second Sin Brewing Company)
• Beer Review: I Voted for Kang (Second Sin Brewing Company)
• Beer Review: Ned Flanders Red (AleCraft Brewery)

Back to the Future:

• Beer Review: Back to Reality (Three 3s Brewing Co)

Scrooged:

• Beer Review: Scrooge IPA (Iron Hill Brewing)

Groundhog Day:

• Beer Review: Prognosticator Pils (Logyard Brewing Company)
• Logyard Brewing’s Prognosticator Pils is the Official Beer of Groundhog Day (2022)

A Christmas Story:

• Beer Review: The Soft Electric Glow of Sex (RAR Brewing)
• Beer Review: You’ll Shoot Your Eye Out! (Eight and Sand Beer Co)

The Peanuts:

• Book Review: The Philosophy of Snoopy (Charles M. Schulz)
• Book Review: You Don’t Look 35, Charlie Brown! (Charles M. Schulz)

Pro Wrestling:

• Beer Review: Broken Skull – Stone Cold Steve Austin’s IPA (El Segundo Brewing Company)
• Beer Review: Macho Man (Couch Brewery)
• Beer Review: Royal Rumble (Funk Brewing)
• Stone Cold Steve Austin and the WWE Are Celebrating 3:16 Day
• Human Robot and The Full Pint Are Hosting RoboMania
• Brawl in the Beer Hall at Lakefront Brewery
• Hulk Hogan Announces Real American Beer
• Hulk Hogan’s Real American Beer Faces Lawsuit Over Alleged Negligence at Promotional Event

Soccer:

• Beer Review: Pulisic Pilsner (Jackass Brewing Company)
• Book Review: Pulisic – My Journey So Far (Christian Pulisic)

World Cup:

• Qatar Bans Alcohol Sales at World Cup in Last Second Decision
• Breweries Opening Early For the USA vs Netherlands World Cup Game
• Scotland Fans Drink Boston Lager Dry During 2026 FIFA World Cup, Forcing Emergency Beer Deliveries

Phillies:

• Drunk Phils Fans and Rotunda Brewing Company Collaborate Together on Jam the Batter sWheat Tart
• Mystery Phillies fan buys rounds of beer for people in Section 103

Philadelphia Eagles:

• The Philadelphia Eagles Running Back – D’Andre Swift – Visits Bald Bird Brewing Company

Matrix:

• Matrix Monday

Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles:

• Beer Review: Terpenes in Time (BAREBottle Brewing Co)

Mario:

• Beer Review: Level Up (Idiom Brewing)

HP Lovecraft / Cthulhu:

• Beer Review: Azathoth (Edmund’s Oast Brewing Company)

Seinfeld:

• Beer Review: Jon Voight’s Car (RAR Brewing)
• Beer Review: Airing of Grievances (Black Flag Brewing Company)
• Beer Review: Treats of Strength (Icarus Brewing)

The Muppets:

• RAR Brewing – Out of Order – Muppet Series Can Release
• RAR Brewing Brings the Nostalgia with Muppets Out of Order Series

Jason Voorhees / Friday the 13th:

• Beer Review: Juicin’ Voorhees (Pariah Brewing Company)
• Haunted Hops

Other:

• Beer Review: Super Villain (Urban Village Brewing Company)
• Beer Review: Pixels (Seminar Brewing)
• Beer Review: Villeinage (Elder Pine Brewing and Blending)
• Beer Review: Intergalactic Deals (Levante Brewing)
• Beer Review: Galactic Space Circus (Creature Comforts Brewing Co)
• Beer Review: The Death of Civilization in Slow Motion I (Ghost 907) (Adroit Theory)