Corona - The Beer Thrillers https://thebeerthrillers.com Central PA beer enthusiasts and beer bloggers. Homebrewers, brewery workers, and all around beer lovers. Sun, 13 Jul 2025 16:46:50 +0000 en-US hourly 1 https://wordpress.org/?v=6.8.3 https://i0.wp.com/thebeerthrillers.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/06/cropped-The-Beer-Thrillers-December-2022-Logo.jpg?fit=32%2C32&ssl=1 Corona - The Beer Thrillers https://thebeerthrillers.com 32 32 187558884 Constellation Brands Faces Backlash and Shifts Strategy on DEI Initiatives https://thebeerthrillers.com/2025/04/07/constellation-brands-faces-backlash-and-shifts-strategy-on-dei-initiatives/?utm_source=rss&utm_medium=rss&utm_campaign=constellation-brands-faces-backlash-and-shifts-strategy-on-dei-initiatives Mon, 07 Apr 2025 16:00:57 +0000 https://thebeerthrillers.com/?p=16495 Constellation Brands Faces Backlash and Shifts Strategy on DEI Initiatives

Constellation Brands, the beverage giant known for popular beers like Corona, Modelo, and Pacifico, recently made headlines after announcing significant changes to its diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) programs. The move comes amid mounting pressure from conservative activists and a shifting political landscape in the United States, sparking widespread discussion about corporate responsibility, social values, and the future of DEI in the beverage industry.

Constellation Brands (logo and photo courtesy of Constellation Brands)

What Prompted the Change?

A prominent right-wing social media account targeted Constellation Brands for its DEI efforts, drawing attention from thousands of followers and amplifying criticism of the company’s initiatives. The campaign quickly gained traction, with posts garnering significant engagement and sparking debate across social platforms. In response, Constellation Brands issued an internal communication to employees, outlining a new direction for its workplace culture and community engagement strategies.

Key Changes to DEI Programs

Constellation Brands’ leadership, led by CEO Bill Newlands, cited the increasingly polarized political environment and evolving legal context as reasons for the strategic shift. The company has implemented the following changes:

  • Rebranding the DEI Team: The former Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion team is now called the “Inclusive Culture Team,” reflecting a broader focus on company culture rather than specific diversity goals

  • Supplier Diversity Program Overhaul: The supplier diversity initiative has been renamed the “Supplier Inclusion Program,” with a renewed emphasis on supporting local small businesses rather than targeting diverse suppliers exclusively

  • Ending Targeted Venture Funding: Constellation Brands has discontinued its “Focus on Female Founders” and “Focus on Minority Founders” venture capital programs, shifting resources to initiatives more closely aligned with its evolving business strategy

  • Ceasing Participation in External Surveys: The company will no longer participate in external benchmarking surveys by organizations such as the Human Rights Campaign, signaling a withdrawal from public DEI rankings and advocacy group collaborations

Industry and Market Context

Constellation Brands is not alone in scaling back DEI initiatives. The move reflects a broader trend among major U.S. corporations, including Walmart, Target, Amazon, and others, who have also reevaluated or reduced their commitments to diversity programs in the wake of political pressure and recent executive orders. The Supreme Court’s 2023 ruling on affirmative action and high-profile boycotts, such as the Bud Light controversy, have further influenced corporate strategies in this area

Reactions from the Public and Industry

The decision has generated mixed reactions from consumers, industry observers, and advocacy groups:

  • Supporters argue that companies must prioritize business objectives and adapt to changing legal and social climates to protect their bottom line.

  • Critics contend that retreating from DEI commitments undermines progress toward workplace equality and social justice, and may alienate key consumer segments, especially as Hispanic and minority communities represent a significant portion of the beer market

What’s Next for Constellation Brands?

Constellation Brands has stated that its new “Inclusive Culture” approach aims to foster a positive workplace environment and sustainable community relationships while aligning with business needs and stakeholder expectations. However, the long-term impact on brand reputation, employee morale, and consumer loyalty remains to be seen.

Conclusion

The changes at Constellation Brands highlight the complex intersection of business strategy, social responsibility, and political influence in today’s corporate world. As companies navigate these challenges, the debate over the role and value of DEI initiatives is likely to continue, shaping the future of the beverage industry and beyond.

 

Sources:

Brewery News

Interested in finding out about many other brewery openings, new locations, closings, movings, auctions, and in general brewery news? You can check out our links below:

 

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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:

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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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.)

]]> 16495 Beer Heists Stealing and Dealing Your Beer https://thebeerthrillers.com/2024/09/23/beer-heists-stealing-and-dealing-your-beer/?utm_source=rss&utm_medium=rss&utm_campaign=beer-heists-stealing-and-dealing-your-beer Mon, 23 Sep 2024 13:24:20 +0000 https://thebeerthrillers.com/?p=15536 Beer Heists

Stealing and Dealing Your Beer
by: Paul R. Kan

Fontana Police’s capture of a recent beer heist

Without knowing it, you may have been drinking a stolen beer at your last happy hour. Organized rings of beer thieves across the United States have been taking thousands of gallons of beer from trains, breweries and delivery trucks. Rather than Robin Hoods—stealing beer from the rich to give to the thirsty—these criminals sell the looted beer to bars and restaurants.

Beer heists are more than shoplifting a couple of six packs from the local liquor store.

But it was a ring of beer thieves busted last spring in the Northeast United States that perpetrated the widest ranging number of beer heists. For at least two years, the “Beer Theft Enterprise” stole hundreds of thousands of dollars of Corona and Modelo across four states. Often armed with guns, the group cut through fences, broke locks and hauled out beer from railyards and warehouses under the cover of night. According to the U.S. Department of Justice’s announcement of the gang’s indictment —and without realizing the pun—the criminal group had “left several beverage distribution and railroad companies ailing.”

How does looted beer get from railyard to bar? Understanding how beer makes its way to the black market—and potentially to your glass—it’s important to first learn why beer is targeted for heists.

The Felony in the Fridge

In many ways, beer is not an ideal product for a criminal gang to steal and deal. Unlike narcotics, criminals aren’t producing their own beer and selling it directly to consumers. Nor do they partner with illegal producers seeking to move their beer on the street. Beer thieves, instead, must rob businesses to procure the product. Breaking into a business heightens the risks of being caught, arrested and imprisoned. Not only do thieves have to burgle a location where beer is kept, but to be profitable, they have to take a lot of it. This makes clandestinely transporting and storing large quantities complicated.

Complicated, but not impossible. Despite the downsides, beer is an attractive target for organized thieves. Criminal gangs know there’s a demand among bar and restaurant owners for cut-rate beer. Criminals also know that stolen beer easily blends-in with the legitimately purchased stock. Glancing in a walk-in refrigerator, the difference between legally and illegally acquired beer inventory is nearly indistinguishable. The ease of concealing stolen beer is tempting enough for some business owners to risk paying criminals for some. All of this makes beer, unlike some goods from other robberies, easier for criminals to offload. No visits to shady pawnshops required.

Getting caught stealing and dealing beer also have lower legal penalties than trafficking illegal products like hard drugs. Police and prosecutors are often more focused on crimes that directly, and more severely, harm public safety. After all, it’s not cocaine; it’s just beer.

Beerfellas

Capture of stolen beer (photo courtesy of Fontana Police Department)

The relative ease of selling stolen beer, the lower criminal penalties and the potential of a high payoff can be seductive reasons for individuals to join a heist. In fact, the ringleader of the Beer Theft Enterprise openly recruited on Instagram for help with his robberies by promising lucrative paydays. One post read that participants “in the beer train method” would be guaranteed “100k+ in a month.” Another post included a picture of a railroad with the caption “Need workers who want to make [money bag emoji]” with a “Yes” or “No” vote button.

How many people hit the “yes” button for a heist isn’t publicly known. But the brazen recruitment on Instagram reveals how manpower is essential for a beer heist. Lookouts, drivers, and people with the ability to operate heavy machinery like forklifts are usually needed for a large-scale beer robbery. Someone willing to threaten or use violence to gain access to the targeted beer may also be included. A member of the Beer Theft Enterprise threatened railyard and warehouse employees at gunpoint for entry into railcars and warehouses.

To avoid the possibility of violence, criminal rings can include an employee where beer is stored to leave a door unlocked or an alarm unarmed. This insider may also be able to pre-position beer for accomplices to load more quickly. For example, an insider was intimately involved with the beer distribution warehouse robbery in Austin, Texas. On an agreed upon date and time, he moved cases of selected beers closer to the loading dock for easier removal by the beer thieves.

After the gang accesses the beer, it’s loaded in vehicles for transport to another location. There, the criminal gang inspects the beer for any damage. Broken bottles, burst cans or cracked kegs are worthless on the black market.

For the gang, selling the undamaged beer is the next step. In one instance, the Beer Theft Enterprise sold its looted beer to a middleman…and a middlewoman. According to a West Haven Police arrest warrant, one of the ring’s members admitted that after a heist the group unloaded “the stolen beer at a garage in the Bronx next to a bodega, where the receiver was ‘a Russian guy and a young girl.’” The pair paid the thieves in cash for the beer, which was likely destined for bars, restaurants and stores around New York City.

Over a Barrel

The beer industry is uniquely vulnerable to large-scale thefts by criminal rings. America’s three-tier liquor distribution system almost invites beer heists. Put in place after Prohibition, the system is comprised of producers who make alcohol to sell to distributors in the middle who collect alcohol tax when selling to retailers. The first and second tiers create the black market for criminals—by taking beer, criminals remove the costs of tax for retailers while pocketing the money for themselves.

The result is millions of dollars in lost revenue for brewers, distributors and communities. Because of their economic damage, these crimes deserve to be a higher priority for law enforcement. But it’s unknown how often beer heists occur. Neither the U.S. Department of Justice nor beer industry groups keep statistics on large-scale beer thefts. Beyond media reporting, there is little information about these crimes. This dearth of information is part of the
problem. Without knowing the scope and scale of this type of criminal activity, prioritization won’t happen, and effective solutions will be wanting.

Without a more comprehensive examination of beer heists along with serious efforts to combat them, your happy hour beer will always be a little suspicious….

Paul R. Kan

Paul R. Kan is the author of Hawai’i Beer:  A History of Brewing in Paradise which was a North American Guild of Beer Writers’ award winner and a #1 new release on Amazon’s Books on Beer.  He has written for Good Beer Hunting and is Editor-at-Large at The Beer Thrillers.  Along with beer reviews, book reviews and interviews, he also writes about the interesting ways beer intersects with people and society.  His current book project is Red, White and Brew:  The Beers and Battles that Shaped America. He lives in Carlisle, Pennsylvania.

ʻOi kau ka lā, e hana i ola honua (While the sun yet shines, do all you can).

Paul R. Kan Articles

The following are articles that Paul R. Kan has written here for The Beer Thrillers:

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 weekly column, book reviews, hike reviews, and so much more.

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:

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 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’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 August 2024.) 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.)

 

 

]]> 15536 Top Popular Beer Brands https://thebeerthrillers.com/2024/03/22/top-popular-beer-brands/?utm_source=rss&utm_medium=rss&utm_campaign=top-popular-beer-brands Sat, 23 Mar 2024 03:01:47 +0000 https://thebeerthrillers.com/?p=15053

Some of the Popular Beer Brands

Top Popular Beer Brands

Decided to try out the new Chat GPT 4.0, and see what it said The Top Popular Beer Brands are currently. And here’s what it had to say:

Here are the top beer brands based on the search results:

Most Popular Beers in the U.S.

  1. Guinness
  2. Heineken
  3. Corona
  4. Modelo
  5. Samuel Adams
  6. Stella Artois
  7. Blue Moon
  8. Coors Light
  9. Miller Lite
  10. Budweiser

Some key points:

  • Guinness, an Irish stout, is consistently ranked as the most popular beer brand across different generations in the U.S.
  • Mexican beer brands like Modelo, Corona, and Dos Equis are very popular, especially among younger generations like Millennials and Gen X.
  • Classic American brands like Budweiser, Coors, Miller, and Samuel Adams remain popular choices, particularly for older generations like Baby Boomers.
  • Craft beers like Blue Moon and newer brands like White Claw hard seltzer are gaining popularity among Millennials.

Top Beers on Reddit

Based on the Reddit comments, some highly rated beers mentioned include:

  • Local/regional craft beers like Fulton, Castle Danger, Summit (Minnesota)
  • Belgian beers like Chimay, Duvel, La Chouffe, Westmalle
  • German beers like Paulaner, Franziskaner
  • Sierra Nevada Pale Ale
  • Voodoo Ranger, Founders Dirty Bastard (craft IPAs)

Overall, while major brands remain popular, craft beers and imports from Mexico, Belgium, and Germany are increasingly favored, especially among younger drinkers and beer enthusiasts.

Resources and sources: 45 Most Popular Beers Ranked from Best to Worst, 25 Most Popular Beers in America According to YouGov, Men of Reddit – What are Your Top Beers?. Chat GPT 4.0, and Perplexity AI.

 

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 weekly column, book reviews, hike reviews, and so much more.

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:

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 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’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 #7 on FeedSpot’s “Top 100 Beer Blogs” and #8 on FeedSpot’s “Top 40 Pennsylvania Blogs”. (As of January 2023.) 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.)

]]> 15053 The Misunderstood Journey from Chilled to Room Temperature: Why Your Craft Beer Is Still A-Okay https://thebeerthrillers.com/2024/01/04/the-misunderstood-journey-from-chilled-to-room-temperature-why-your-craft-beer-is-still-a-okay/?utm_source=rss&utm_medium=rss&utm_campaign=the-misunderstood-journey-from-chilled-to-room-temperature-why-your-craft-beer-is-still-a-okay Thu, 04 Jan 2024 14:04:53 +0000 https://thebeerthrillers.com/?p=14729 The Misunderstood Journey from Chilled to Room Temperature: Why Your Craft Beer Is Still A-Okay

Craft beer being sold in a ‘to go’ store fridge display.

In the ever-evolving world of craft beer, myths and misconceptions can sometimes cloud our judgment and rob us of simple pleasures. One such fallacy is the staunch belief that once a beer leaves the cool sanctuary of the fridge, it must never return under penalty of ruining its intricate flavors. But, dear readers, it’s high time we dispel this myth and embrace the fluidity of our beloved brews’ temperatures. Let’s delve into why transitioning from cold to room temperature—and yes, back again—is perfectly fine for your craft beer.

The Fear of Flavor Loss: A Misguided Concern

The Troegs General Store. Beer sold in the fridge in the back, and beer sold on the floor at room temperature.

The heart of the issue lies in a common misconception: that beer, once warmed, undergoes some irreversible change, leading to a loss of flavor or, worse, spoilage. This belief likely stems from a partial truth—beer does change as it warms up, but not in the way many fear.

Craft beers, especially those rich in complexity and depth, often reveal different facets of their flavor profiles at varying temperatures. A stout, for example, might offer a bold coffee note when chilled, which then gives way to subtle dark chocolate undertones as it warms. This isn’t a degradation of quality; it’s a journey through the sensory experiences that the brewer intended.

As you can see from the image here – Troegs Brewing, like most breweries and most beverage distributions / warehouses – sell their beer both at fridge temperatures as well as room temperatures. All of their beer comes from their back “main cooler” before either going to their sales room floor (for sale at room temperature) or goes to their “small cooler” (the fridge pictured in the back of the image). So this means that at one time all of their beer was cold and chilled to cooler temperatures before being sold at the current room temperature.

Beer itself is created cold and then gets warmed up in transportations to various places as well as for sales. Even the kegs you see in bars and breweries, and used for on site consumption, at some point has likely gone to “room temperature” in their travel from the original brewing location to their bar room destination.

Flash pasteurization is the biggest reason why this isn’t an issue for beer and craft beer.

The biggest issues for craft beer are light (UV rays) as well as time (how old a beer is). This is particularly true with high hoppy content beers (ie. New England IPAs, West Coast IPAs, IPAs in general, pale ales, and other high IBU products). The light is particularly an issue for beers that come in clear (think Corona) or light green (think Heineken or Yuengling) bottles, or if they are stored in direct light where even the dark brown or “near black” bottle glass will still allow some of the light to penetrate.

The Real Culprits: Light and Time

A display of Troegs beer at room temperature in their General Store.

If there are villains in this story, they are not the shifts in temperature but rather exposure to light and the passage of time. Light-struck beer can result in unpleasant skunky flavors, a fate far worse than any temperature fluctuation could cause. Similarly, while craft beers can and do age, there’s a delicate balance. Over time, even in ideal storage conditions, a beer might lose its vibrant hop character or develop off-flavors.

In the intricate ballet of brewing, bottling, and savoring craft beers, two formidable forces—light and time—play pivotal roles, often determining the fate of a brew’s journey from conception to consumption. These elements hold sway over the delicate balance of flavors within each bottle, particularly for styles as celebrated and hop-centric as India Pale Ales (IPAs). Understanding how light and time interact with beer can illuminate why certain IPAs taste vibrant and fresh while others may fall flat, losing the aromatic hop character that is their hallmark.

Light, especially UV light, is a well-known adversary of beer, with the potential to initiate a chemical reaction within hop compounds, leading to the dreaded ‘skunky’ beer phenomenon. This reaction occurs when hops’ bitter compounds break down and recombine with sulfur-containing compounds, producing a chemical very similar to that which gives skunks their distinctive defense spray. The impact of light is most pronounced in beers stored in clear or green glass bottles, as these do less to block harmful UV rays compared to amber glass or cans. For IPAs, which pride themselves on their hop-forward profiles, exposure to light can quickly degrade the nuanced layers of hop aroma and flavor, turning a once-exquisite sensory experience into something unpleasantly reminiscent of our nocturnal, white-striped friends.

Time, while a less aggressive foe than light, is no less significant in its effects on craft beers, and IPAs suffer its passage keenly. Hops, the soul of an IPA, impart their coveted flavors and aromas—citrus, pine, floral, or tropical notes—through oils that are inherently volatile and begin to degrade the moment they’re introduced to the brew. Over time, the vibrant, fresh hop character that defines a freshly brewed IPA gradually diminishes, giving way to a more muted or even muddled beer. The rate of this decline can vary, influenced by factors such as the beer’s storage conditions, the hop varieties used, and the beer’s original hop intensity. Consequently, brewers and enthusiasts alike champion the mantra, “Drink fresh,” particularly for IPAs, to savor the full spectrum of hoppy goodness before time dulls its luster.

In response to these challenges, craft brewers have become increasingly innovative, exploring methods like cold chain distribution, where beers are kept refrigerated from brewery to consumer, and dark packaging, to shield their brews from light. Additionally, many brewers now prominently display packaging dates and encourage retailers and consumers to treat IPAs with the same perishability as fresh produce. These efforts underscore a collective commitment to preserving the integrity of craft beer, ensuring that each IPA can be enjoyed as intended, vibrant and bursting with flavor, regardless of the inevitable dance with light and time.

Proper Storage: The Key to Longevity

Understanding that temperature flexibility isn’t the end of the world doesn’t mean we advocate for carelessness. Proper storage is still crucial for maintaining your beer’s integrity over time. Keeping your beers away from direct light and at a stable temperature—yes, even if that means taking them out of the fridge for a period—is advisable. Extreme temperature fluctuations, especially heat, can accelerate aging and not in a graceful way.

The Taste Test: Trust Your Palate

Ultimately, the proof, as they say, is in the pudding—or, in this case, the pint. Conduct your experiment by sampling a beer at various temperatures. Many craft beer enthusiasts find that allowing a beer to sit for a few minutes out of the fridge enhances its character, making for a more enjoyable drinking experience. Trust your taste buds; they’re your best guide on this flavorful voyage.

Flash Pasteurization

Craft Beer For Sale

Flash pasteurization has emerged as a knight in shining armor for many craft beer enthusiasts and brewers alike, ensuring both the safety and the integrity of the beloved brew. This method, involving a rapid heating and cooling process, is a modern alchemy that allows beers to retain their rich, intended flavors while eliminating potential pathogens and extending shelf life. Unlike traditional pasteurization, which might hold beer at high temperatures for extended periods, thus risking alteration of its delicate flavor profile, flash pasteurization heats the beer to a high temperature for a very short duration. This brief thermal excursion effectively neutralizes unwanted microorganisms without overstaying its welcome or dulling the beer’s vibrant character.

The beauty of flash pasteurization lies in its gentle approach to a process that could otherwise feel like walking a tightrope over a pit of flavor compromise. It’s particularly beneficial for craft breweries that distribute their liquid art beyond the local taproom. By swiftly elevating the beer’s temperature and then quickly cooling it down, the process preserves the nuanced expressions of hops, malt, and yeast. Consequently, beer lovers can enjoy their favorite brews with the confidence that each bottle or can maintains the quality and taste intended by the brewer, even if it journeys from fridge to room temperature and back.

Moreover, flash pasteurization doesn’t just play a defensive role by guarding against spoilage; it also embraces the beer’s journey, acknowledging that the path from production to consumption isn’t always a straight line of constant refrigeration. This method fortifies the beer against the unpredictability of storage conditions without compromising its soul. Whether a beer aficionado accidentally lets a bottle warm to room temperature or deliberately experiments with varying temperatures to unlock flavor profiles, flash pasteurization ensures that the beer’s essence remains intact, ready to tell its story and delight the senses, sip after thoughtful sip.

Embracing Flexibility: A Toast to Temperature Tolerance

The takeaway from our exploration? While respecting the craft and properly storing your beers, don’t let the temperature police dampen your spirits. Beer is resilient, and its journey from the fridge to room temperature and back again is not only okay but can also be a path to deeper appreciation.

So, the next time you accidentally leave that bottle out a bit too long, remember: It’s not a misstep; it’s an opportunity. Here’s to the nuanced, ever-surprising world of craft beer—may we never stop exploring its depths, no matter the temperature. Cheers!

Update: Pints and Panels

A recent Pints and Panels piece about the urban myth.

Recently Pints and Panels – https://www.pintsandpanels.com/ – posted about the “Urban Myth” of not letting beer go from cold to room temperature. Her quick summation is a good take away of how people have allowed this urban myth to fully germinate – particularly in America.

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]]> 14729 Brewery Review: Highway Manor Brewing Co. https://thebeerthrillers.com/2020/09/28/brewery-review-highway-manor-brewing-co/?utm_source=rss&utm_medium=rss&utm_campaign=brewery-review-highway-manor-brewing-co Mon, 28 Sep 2020 13:00:00 +0000 https://thebeerthrillers.com/?p=4447 Highway Manor Brewing Co. opened their doors (finally!) for in-house service Saturday, at 11AM (September 26th, 2020). You can read our preview article here: Brewery Opening – Highway Manor.

From Highway Manor Brewing Co’s Facebook page – a screenshot of our posting about their brewery opening

Saturday night after work got over (7PM) I got the pleasure to get to Highway Manor Brewing in Camp Hill. I left work at 7 and got there at about 7:25-7:30. There was still a decent crowd at the time when I got there (inside tables were full and the tables with the swing seats were full). I ordered the Mr. Blackberry and a Turkey Sandwich to start.

Mr. Blackberry by Highway Manor Brewing Co.

Beer: Mr. Blackberry
Brewery: Highway Manor Brewing Co.
Style: Sour – Other
ABV: 5.2%
IBU: None
Untappd Description: None

First time having this, I’ve had several other Highway Manor beers at various brewfests (Lititz Brewfest, Lancaster Brewfest, possibly Little Big Beer Fest or the Mount Hope RenFaire Brewfest), and this was just as good as all of those. This was super tart, delicious, fruity, with a great berry flavor.

On Untappd I gave it a ****.25
The global Untappd rating (as of 9.27.20) is: 3.73

Soon my food was arriving, and I had already drained my Blackberry sour, so I needed a new beer to help eat the food. (By the way, the entire food menu looked amazing, the turkey sandwich was phenomenal. Top of the line, high quality food, and very cheap, and with huge portions.)

Once my sandwich arrived I needed another beer, and decided to try some of their guest taps that they had running (they had five drafts; all guest taps). I’ve heard nothing but amazing things about Human Robot but haven’t had a chance yet to try anything from them, so I decided to try out their IPA – Dreams of Orgonon.

Dreams of Orgonon by Human Robot

Beer: Dreams of Orgonon
Brewery: Human Robot
Style: IPA – New England
ABV: 6.6%
IBU: None
Untappd Description: Deliciously dreamy juice bomb brewed with sweet golden promise malt and hopped intensely with Citra, Mosaic, and Idaho 7. Its like the sun coming out…

My Untappd Rating: ****.5
Global Untappd Rating: 4.15 (as of 9.28.20)

This was extremely tasty, juicy, dank, and delicious. Everything you want from a New England IPA, this had in spades, plus some. All around amazing beer and went fantastically with my sandwich. By this point I had moved to the center table and sat across from the one swing. I was informed by Johnny (Johnny Compton III – owner/brewer at Highway Manor Brewing) that a friend of his bought everyone a round. I was then joined by a couple – Lucas and Kaitlin who sat next to me.

They were both wearing ‘cat’ pants (pants with dozens of cat faces all over them), and quickly from talking to them I realized Lucas was Johnny’s friend. I thanked him for the beer, and for the rest of the night there, talked with them while we all drank, as well as talked with a few others who were there and one or two that came and went.

Compton Pilsner (a collaboration by Raney Cellar Brewery and Highway Manor Brewing)

Beer: Compton Pilsner
Brewery: Raney Cellars Brewing Company
Collaboration with: Highway Manor Brewing Co.
Style: Pilsner – Czech
ABV: 5.4%
IBU: None
Untappd Description: A traditional Pilsner with Mr Johnny Compton from Highway Manor Brewing. Saaz Hops from start to finish on this Pils.

As I’ve said in the blog here before when doing reviews, pilsners are a style that can be very hit or miss for me. This was a complete hit for me. Blew me away how wonderful the flavor was, how crisp it was, no lingering aftertastes (which I sometimes get from pilsners and why they are often a miss for me). This is just a fantastically brewed beer.

My Untappd Rating: ****
Global Untappd Rating: 3.88 (as of 9.28.20)

Throughout the night I had been texting with the group text of guys from my work, a group of us that regularly meet to play the Game of Thrones board game (and other games) and just group text each other about all kinds of things, from beer to philosophy, to politics, to work, to movies, shows, nerd culture, etc. My one friend and co-worker in the group text decided he would spend the night throwing out some new “blog names” for me instead of using The Beer Thrillers. At this point, I’d like to take a divergence from the brewery review and highlight the best that D. Pezzuti had to offer:

  • Benjamin Buzzin
  • Get Ben’t
  • Bend Over Bens Benders
  • The Curious Cases of Benjamin Buzzin

We then discussed doing a segment of beer reviews of Nitro stouts and rate them in the style of WCW Nitro Years. With five star Nitro stouts being WCW Nitro ’97 and one star Nitro stouts being WCW Nitro ’01. We also discussed calling the faithful to the blog “Hopamaniacs”.

Anyway…. back to the program…

Time for another beer, this time I went for another guest draft – this time from Naked Brewing; Thank Frank.

Thank Frank by Naked Brewing Company

Beer: Thank Frank
Brewery: Naked Brewing Company
Style: IPA – American
ABV: 5.6%
IBU: None
Untappd Description: West Coast IPA hopped with Citra & Amarillo.
Refreshing and perfect for those warm September days. Notes of dank citrus & delicious sticky resin.

A traditional hoppy IPA, this was a change of pace from the crisp pilsner, the juicy New England IPA, and the super tart and delicious sour Mr. Blackberry. This was a good, hoppy, bitter, earthy IPA, old west coast style old-school vibe to it.

My Untappd Rating: ****
Global Untappd Rating: 3.75 (as of 9.28.20)

It was starting to get late, I had thought about meeting two friends (D. Arndt and Youngblood) at Ever Grain before Ever Grain closed (at 11 – just like Highway Manor) since they were doing their Anniversary weekend, but Youngblood’s comedy (stand up comedy) bit went on longer and they wouldn’t be leaving their show til just before 11 anyway. So I stayed til closing getting to talk to Lucas and Kaitlin and others.

At this point, we also got introduced to Johnnie’s dog – a great dane and black lab mix – named Luna. Absolutely beautiful and wonderful dog. Fun and playful and nice drinking companion (no, I didn’t give the dog any beer).

So for my final beer of the night, I tried another brewery I never had before but have heard nothing but great things about – Brewery ARS.

Unfortunately for this, I do not have a pic, as just as I was ordering, my phone died and I did not have a charger on me. (9 hour day at work, plus driving using my GPS, plus texting, plus Untappd, and other apps, for notes, etc., really drained the battery).

Beer: Embrace the Day
Brewery: Brewery ARS
Style: IPA – Imperial / Double New England
ABV: 8.7%
IBU: None
Untappd Description: Hazy Double IPA :: mosaic, simcoe, falconer’s flight, el dorado

Another juicy, bright, delicious New England style IPA; this time a DIPA. A great beer to end the night on. This was super easy to drink, juicy, and went down fast (also perhaps because it was the end of the night and my fifth drink, but who knows).

My Untappd Rating: ****
Global Untappd Rating: 4.09 (as of 9.28.20)

Before leaving, I said my goodbyes to everyone, and got to talk to Johnnie Compton a bit more. He is a great dude, knows his saisons, knows his yeast, knows his beer, and very down to Earth. Thanked me for coming out, and sent me on my way with a few (free) bottles of Mr. Peach and Mr. Plum. Which I will be diving into on the next stream with D. Scott for The Knights of Nostalgia.

I will discuss the aesthetics of the brewery now. The building is small, but well laid out (even with the current COVID restrictions), it has two rooms for dining tables, and then an open patio like area. Kind of reminds you of a house in the suburbs with the patio garage area.

The swings are really neat. I am wondering if they may become a problem with an ‘intoxicated’ person, but at a brewery, I highly doubt this will come up, but you never know. The tables and seating area though is gorgeous, both indoor and outdoor. Indoors, it has a rave like vibe with the glowing lights and the glow in the dark paint. (Make sure to check out the bathroom to really see what I mean.)

Lucas summed it up when we were discussing the brewery and the area, that its a “Philly bar in Camp Hill, turned saison bottle brewery.” And thats probably the most apt way to describe it. Johnnie and I were discussing how it was like opening during COVID and everything, and he was saying how nuts he was for opening a brewery primarily based on bottles rather than draft, and to do it during a global pandemic on top of everything.

The food menu on Saturday night looked fantastic. Lamb, turkey, vegetarian or vegan sandwich, and many other options, all for 8$ or less. Not sure if that menu is permanent or if it will be changed or updated or switched, but Johnnie did say he’s hoping to have food trucks in their parking lot area and grass field area across from the brewery on weekends.

The following pictures I took Saturday night while I was there:

Highway Manor Brewing Co. (Pictures by: The Beer Thrillers) (Include: Highway Manor Brewer and Luna)

The following pictures are courtesy of Highway Manor’s Facebook page:

Highway Manor Brewing Co. Grand Opening – September 26th, 2020 (Photos courtesy of Highway Manor Brewing Co. Facebook page)

This will certainly be a stop I will make regularly when on the West Shore, and will be perfect when hitting the area to do a brewery lap. Other great local breweries include Ever Grain, Mellow Mink, Hemaur Brewing, and Pizza Boy (as well as Liquid Noise which is a bit further, but still in the general area). So lots of great options all in the area.

I personally highly recommend checking the brewery out, and trying their wonderful tremendous beers. Especially if you like farmhouse ales, saisons, tart beers, sours, lambics, or all things similar. They also will have a rotating guest draft list that looks great for the area (Johnnie said he would like to keep it relatively full of Philly area beers), so that looks great – getting to try Philly beers and Philly breweries without the 2 hour drive to Philly. The brewery has a super cool vibe. There was a food menu for kids though it might not be 100% the most kid friendly; its certainly not anti-kid, but the venue vibe seems to be aimed away from parents. It is also dog friendly.

Highway Manor Brewing Co.

Be sure to check out some of our other brewery opening articles:

Please be sure to follow us on our social media accounts – Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, YouTube, and Influence. Please be sure to also follow, like, subscribe to the blog here itself to keep updated. We love to hear from you guys, so be sure to leave a comment and let us know what you think!

Thanks for reading everyone and hopefully someday I’ll see you at Highway Manor and have a beer together. Until then, virtually, cheers!

-B. Kline

(Post Script: This was meant to go up Sunday night, but everything kinda got pushed back and thus why its gone up this morning, Monday, September 28th. My parents celebrated their 40th Anniversary on Sunday the 27th, and originally – pre-COVID – we were all going to go to the Bengals vs. Eagles game at the Lincoln Center in Philly; since they are big Eagles fans and I’m a Bengals fan, but unfortunately that didn’t get to work out. Instead, we got to watch the overtime – because the game in regulation time was not aired locally – and we got to see possibly the most apathetic overtime ever played. Six punts by the two teams combined in the 10 minute overtime. Neither team trying on their last plays to score. And on top of all this, the Phillies still had a chance to make the playoffs, and all they had to do was win, against a team that was locked in at their seed, and that they had just lost to twice, ….and of course they couldn’t do it. So despite it being an 8-team playoff for each conference, the Phillies *STILL* couldn’t manage to get in. So disappointing. But needless to say despite all this, the article is now up, just a bit later. Enjoy!)

]]> 4447 Beer Review: Scratch 417 Orange – Lemon Peel IPA (Troegs Independent Brewing) https://thebeerthrillers.com/2020/06/05/beer-review-scratch-417-orange-lemon-peel-ipa-troegs-independent-brewing/?utm_source=rss&utm_medium=rss&utm_campaign=beer-review-scratch-417-orange-lemon-peel-ipa-troegs-independent-brewing Fri, 05 Jun 2020 14:42:34 +0000 https://thebeerthrillers.com/?p=3294
Scratch 417, Orange – Lemon Peel IPA by Troegs Independent Brewing

Sadly, yesterday, was my first time getting to use the curbside to-go feature from Troegs Brewing in Hershey. I had been wanting to use it nearly daily since opening, but unable to actually do it. All of the food has looked amazing, and I have heard absolutely nothing but amazing things about their pizzas; from D. Scott, J. Miller, and A. Parys, all recommending the pizzas. In fact, you can read A. Parys’ article about their excellent curbside to-go and why it makes Troegs Brewing a fantastic quarantine brewery: “What Makes a Great Quarantine Brewery?“.

I have been wanting to stop in and get all of their various scratch beers, and sadly, this has been my first scratch beer since Scratch 404. So yea, needless to say, I’ve missed out on quite a few scratch beers, something that would not have happened pre-coronavirus / COVID-19. One of my favorite things was to stop in at the Troegs Brewery and get a flight of 3-4 different scratch offerings and sample them while reading and check them off. And they have been putting out some stellar scratch offerings during this lockdown / quarantine too. Scratch 406 looked great – a sweet coffee milk stout; a style I love, and then scratches 409, 410, 411, 412, 414, 414, and 416 were all various styles of hazy IPAs and DIPAs. New England IPAs or DIPAs and all sorts. Unfortunately, they all sold out super fast on their ordering website and I never got to try any of those. (Hint hint if anyone has any still in their fridge and would be willing to part with them…. hint… hint…..). The biggest reason for their quick sell-out was that most of these were done on their new, small, innovative 15-barrell system for R&D (research and development), and having to can them up into 4-packs quickly depleted the stash, especially since crowlers, and 4pack cans have been the only way to get new (scratch) beer releases from the brewery. So, sadly, it just wasn’t meant to be. BUT, I have remedied that now, and picked up a 4 pack of Scratch 417 and a 4 pack of Scratch 415 (the two available scratches yesterday).

Troegs Brewing curbside to-go was easy, simple, quick, and very efficient. Perfect.

Their curbside to go was extremely simple, straight forward and easy. Sign onto their website, order what you want, the amount, etc, and even place the tip in their ordering cart. Wait for your notification e-mails, and you would get follow up e-mails and / or texts alerting you when the stuff was ready (super quick for just four packs). They recommended waiting thirty minutes from the time you order, and let you pick that as a pickup time, but I got e-mails within five minutes saying my stuff was ready. From there its still super simple, drive to the location, park in front of the building (in the handicap spots right outside their doors). Each spot has a number, you bring up their website at Troegs – Pickup, put where you are (what spot number), and if you are getting beer, food, or a combination. Select if you want it put into your vehicle, or just left outside. And soon a delivery guy (or gal) will come out, drop off the product, you flash them your driver’s license or ID and once you’re clear, everything is good to go.

Its super simple, and I can’t recommend it enough. To be honest, I have had zero issues from any of the places I have stopped at for beer. I have mostly gotten beer from Tattered Flag, Boneshire Brew Works, Ever Grain Brewing, and Pizza Boy during this ordeal. I have had zero issues with any of them. I also stopped at Twisted Bine yesterday (had to go back out to Ming’s place in Mount Joy to pick up my wallet since I left it in his car after Wednesday’s excursion to Ephrata). They were simple and pleasant as well. Wednesday, we were at St. Boniface and that was also quick and easy. I have also been to Four Score Beerco and that has also been easy and pleasant. So, like I’ve said, the breweries and independent distilleries (like Tattered Flag) have all been wonderful and fantastic during this ordeal. And gladly, Troegs was no exception. My friend J. Miller even said he’s been doing curbside to-go from Troegs weekly / near weekly, and they seem to have been doing a steady business when I was there.

Now starting today, June 5th, many breweries are offering outdoor seating available. At midnight Pizza Boy re-opened for outdoor seating. Today at noon, Boneshire Brew Works is opening their outdoor seating as well. I would have loved to have stopped out at midnight at Pizza Boy to see how it went, but unfortunately with already having started drinking yesterday, and watching my friends D. Scott and Esty do their Knights of Nostalgia video, it got late enough and I was tired enough that it was just not gonna happen. Definitely check that page out, as Drew (D. Scott) has been doing some great live-streams of old video games, and I’m even featured on a few, as well as other friends like R. Dibeler, Esty, etc.

Speaking of those guys, we will be doing a new podcast soon (finally, I know), which will be about time travel. So make sure to be on the lookout for that, you can catch our podcasts at: So a Mexican and a Scot Walk Into a Bar… I always make sure to talk craft beer while we also discuss whatever pop culture we are doing on that video. Always a good time.

Getting back to beer, I had originally wanted to grab the Troegs Scratch beer that supported essential workers and hospitality and hospital staff. I believe it was Scratch 413. For some reason on Untappd none of the scratches say so in their descriptions, and a Google Search didn’t turn up any definitive answers. But I did get two news articles on it: Troegs Next Scratch Beer Will Benefit Hospitality Workers and Newsbreak – Troegs Next Beer To Help Out. I had originally tried to get this to do a review, and discuss how they are helping out their community, but sadly, it was not to be. But still, I wanted to point out how they did make a beer to benefit and help out their community. So let it be known, I have said it, and stated it, and pointed it out.

Now, with all this out of the way, lets get to the actual beer review!

Scratch 417 Orange – Lemon Peel IPA by Troegs Independent Brewing

Beer: Scratch 417 – Orange – Lemon Peel IPA
Brewery: Troegs Independent Brewing
Style: IPA – Imperial / Double
ABV: 8%
IBU: None Listed
Untappd Description: Our Scratch brewers are at it again, this time working toward a new beer for our lineup. Scratch #417 is built on a base of pilsner malt, Munich malt and oats and fermented with HotHead Kveik yeast. The honey, orange peel and lemon peel notes of the yeast are amplified by the Lotus, Simcoe and Mandarina Bavaria hops. Additions of lemon peel and orange peel complete the recipe and deliver a refreshingly soft and citrusy IPA with low bitterness. We taste: refreshing citrus, orange and lemon rind, hint of hone.

From appearance, to aroma, to taste, this is very orange. My Untappd check-in for this beer was simple, and direct, if not a bit dirty: “if hops, oranges, and lemons had a three way – this would be their baby”. (Now, once you get the image out of your head, and have a sip of this, you’ll probably agree). (…Ok, take another sip to try and get the image out of your head… oh crap, its stuck in there isn’t it? Oh well, sorry… Happy Friday!)

Lets start off with the appearance, this looks a bit hazy, but not truly fully hazy like some of those recent scratch offerings (that I didn’t get to try, but have only seen, cue crying). This is very bright and very orange. It had a wonderful light foamy head when poured from the can, and it left a little lacing, not much, but some. The bubbles on top were dispersed and random. It was not transparent or see through, and no sediment or floaters, just a bright orange beer, even glowing somewhat when the light hit it.

Once again, aroma is just like appearance, orange. Keyword – orange. Orange smell, orange appearance, orange hue, orange taste. Pretty much the word orange can just sum up this entire thing. But you do get notes of citrus forward hops, and a bit of a zest and lemon nose to this though much fainter with the orange taking precedence. If you are a fan of orange, especially citrusy orange, this is just a wonderful smelling beer.

Taste…. once again, can I lead off with saying… orange? Very heavy orange. Its also not just straight orange, but a varied and interesting orange taste. You have mandarin oranges, regular oranges, some zest to it all, and all kinds of other things kicking around at the same time. There is strong lemon on the back-end, that provides for a great zesty kick. The honey subdues things a bit and makes this soft and easy drinking. There is really zero IPA burn, no hop bitterness, just a juicy, flowing, smooth drink. Thats why this is probably closer to a NE-IPA / NE-DIPA than a regular IPA / DIPA; there is no real west coast style feel to this. Its juicy, its dank, its smooth, no bitterness, not overly sweet, just fruity and smooth and clean drinking. The 8% is super subtle and hidden (honestly didn’t even feel like I got buzzed on just one of these and I couldn’t have guessed what the ABV was until I looked it up now for the review, I would have probably said 5-6.5% if I had to have made a guess while drinking). The hops used in this are: Lotus, Simcoe, and Mandarina Bavaria; which all work wonderfully in conjunction with the other flavors (notably the orange and lemon peel). They are citrus forward hops, and fruity hops, so it really gives this just an outright zesty, citrusy, fruity taste all around with the orange (obviously) taking prominence. The Kveik yeast adds to this as well, and it all just seems to work so strongly together. Everything in conjunction with each other to sum up into a really well, tasty, delicious, and smooth beer. This would be wonderful as a regular. And it will be interesting to see with all of their recent variations of hazy IPAs and DIPAs, where they are going with these; especially with this year’s release of Haze Charmer, a hazy pale ale. Seems Troegs is finally getting on the bandwagon of hazy and juicy IPAs, pale ales, DIPAs, and possibly even TIPAs; moving themselves into the market of New England style IPAs (at last). Should be interesting to see where they go with all of these. The Scratch 413 (that I missed), is labelled as “Hazy IPA #5” on Untappd, and this being the next IPA they released, it is also juicy and New England styled and a bit hazy (albeit nothing like a true New England Hazy IPA). Either way, I’m looking forward to seeing what their future offerings have in store; especially as we start moving back to where we can enjoy beers again at the brewery. I personally can’t wait!

My Untappd Rating: ****
Global Untappd Rating: 3.85 (as of 6.5.20; interestingly, when I first opened the Untappd page for the beer review at 9AM, it didn’t have a global rating since there wasn’t enough data, but when I refreshed it at 10:10AM, it listed the global average, so the site / app must have updated itself sometime in that time frame).

Looking for other Troegs Brewing beer reviews here on The Beer Thrillers? Check these out:
* Fuzzy Nudge
* Coco-Nator: Scratch 375
* Haze Charmer
* Scratch 400
* Scratch 394
* Scratch 395
* Mad Elf
* Scratch 396
* Fresh Fest
* Trail Day Pale Ale
* Scratch 385
* Scratch 386
* Scratch 382
* Dear Peter
* Scratch 383
* Naked Elf
* Scratch 376
* Scratch 377
* Scratch 378
* Scratch 379

You can also check out our IPA list article: Hoppy Easter – IPAs from The Beer Thrillers.

Thank you all for reading. Please make sure to hit the follow and like buttons. Check us out on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram (buttons below with their respective logos). Follow us and like us, share if you like the content.

Soon we’ll all be in Green Phase, and soon after that we will be out of this and out drinking and hanging out, just like ‘the old times’. I do have a bit of sad news, that I saw this while just about finishing up this article – Lititz Brewfest has announced that they are cancelling the Lititz Brewfest for 2020; which is incredibly disheartening, as its one of my absolute favorite brewfests. So, this probably doesn’t bode well for the AC Brewfest which was looking at possibly happening in August, as well as the Prototype Invitational – also scheduled for August, and the Mount Hope RenFaire Brewfest which I believe was eyeing up September. But who knows, fingers crossed. Still also holding out hope for Ffej of July 2020, (Ffej of July 18), which is scheduled for July 11th. Fingers, toes, eyes and… nose… crossed.

Cheers everyone, be careful and safe out there. Don’t get lax just because we can drink outside together (somewhat) again. In due time we will all be able to go about like before. Just hang in there!

Cheers!

-B. Kline

]]> 3294 Beer Review: Hershey’s Chocolate Porter (Yuengling Brewery) https://thebeerthrillers.com/2019/10/28/beer-review-hersheys-chocolate-porter-yuengling-brewery/?utm_source=rss&utm_medium=rss&utm_campaign=beer-review-hersheys-chocolate-porter-yuengling-brewery Mon, 28 Oct 2019 12:09:21 +0000 https://thebeerthrillers.com/?p=1047
Hershey’s Chocolate by Yuengling

This is going to be something different, and don’t expect much more of this kind of thing. I’m not a huge fan of doing the mainstream beers, and I definitely don’t want to be doing macro beers (so have no fear, no Naturdays review coming up or Bud Lite Platinum or whatever other BS their peddling).

Yuengling is Pennsylvania though, through and through. You walk into any bar in Pennsylvania and say ‘lager’ you are going to get a Yuengling. Simple as that really. So if I have to drink the “lesser” beers, or the “swill” or “macros” or “mainstream” or “lower quality but mass produced beers”, Yuengling is usually my go to. Over the other heavily distributed beers like Miller Lite, Coors, Bud, Corona, or Heineken. I am not above drinking macro and I’m not making this a beer snobbery post, I drink, and I’ll drink anything/everything if nothing else is available. For instance, family parties where say a brother in law has just Corona, I’ll drink the Corona. So be it.

At the Boneshire Brew Works 3rd Anniversary party on Friday night (which by the way, look for an upcoming joint blog post from both me and J. Doncevic) I was hanging out with J. Doncevic and we discussed this exact drink, and we also discussed Yuengling in general, and macro beers as a whole. He’ll be upfront with any of you who ask him, he takes his beer snobbery to a whole new level, and he’s damn proud of it. He was telling me he’s never had Miller or Coors or Bud and won’t, and would rather not drink at a party then drink those. My unabashedly candid alcoholism tells me to drink everything and anything if available – so I do. Different strokes; different folks. Nothing wrong with either approach (in my opinion). But we did have a consensus that Yuengling is craft (it is by definition of the Craft Brewer’s Association) and that we both are willing to drink it.

In the South Central PA area, primarily every Hershey bar/brewery, beer place, etc, as well as in Harrisburg, Hummelstown, Elizabethtown, etc, nearly every place that has a good enough distributor got this (the Chocolate Porter) on tap. Specifically Hershey, Hummelstown, and Harrisburg. The Warwick, the Bear’s Den, Hershey Biergarten, Primanti Brothers, Hotel Hershey, Boro Bar and Grill, Chick’s Tavern, Boneshire Brew Works, The Sturgis, Ted’s Bar and Grill, Arooga’s on 422, Arooga’s on 22, just to name a few places that carried this.

Most places even did a glass give away the first night of the tapping. I know Boneshire Brew Works did (thus the glass in the picture), as well as the Gin Mill in Lebanon did. Hershey Biergarten did as well and I believe the Primanti Bros. did also. It is a lovely glass, a nice tulip with the logo in gold on it, looks very lovely and is a nice drinking glass for stouts, porters, belgians, etc.

So, on Wednesday the 16th, Boneshire Brewery announced that they were going to be tapping a keg of the Hershey’s Chocolate Porter and giving away the glasses. I got done with work at 5:40 (NEO from my work) and went straight to the library to drop off books, and was going to be meeting a friend at Newfangled Brew Works, but stopped at Boneshire to try out the porter.

So let’s break down the beer thats basically taken the beer industry, Twitter, social media, and the internet by storm. The beer that all of your non-craft beer friends have been bugging you about and asking you about for your opinion of it. Well, now here you go, you can just point them to this article, because I’m sure I speak for everyone. ………I kid…. I kid.

Hershey’s syrup

I feel like I could just break down Hershey’s syrup and that would be all the review needs to be. A slightly alcoholic version of the syrup, and bam-o there you go, review done. But, its not quite that simple, and there are a few more subtle notes.

This does seem to be the point of contention, for some it tastes like the syrup, for some it tastes completely different, it seems theres two sides to the coin of this beer, and the multitude of my friends fall on both spectrum(s).

Beer: Hershey’s Chocolate Porter
Brewery: Yuengling Brewery (or D.G. Yuengling and Sons Brewing Company)
Style: Porter – American
ABV: 4.7%
IBU: No IBU
Untappd Write-Up: Yuengling, America’s Oldest Brewery, and Hershey, America’s most iconic chocolate, are collaborating, for the first time in their history, to provide a once in a lifetime creation for their loyal fans to enjoy. America loves beer and America loves chocolate, so Yuengling and Hershey joined forces to bring the best of both worlds to their fans with a limited-edition Yuengling Hershey’s Chocolate Porter. This collaboration gives consumers the opportunity to savor and indulge in the unique beer from America’s Oldest Brewery and America’s most beloved chocolate brand.

Yuengling Hershey’s Chocolate Porter is a fresh take on Yuengling’s 200-year-old Dark Brewed Porter. Don’t miss your chance to enjoy, for a limited time only, America’s #1 craft brewery, Yuengling, come together with America’s most iconic chocolate brand, Hershey’s, for their first-ever collaboration — Yuengling Hershey’s Chocolate Porter.

Thats quite the marketing ad write-up right there. Gotta give an A+ to the ad team on this one, or at least a raise or something, that was a very well crafted (ah….. pun intended) and well made Untappd write-up for the beer. You can tell if a Brewery has a good marketing or ad-team with their social media presence, and things like a good Untappd write-up for their beers (like Troegs usually has a fantastic write-up, even for their Scratch beers) is a good sign of it; great Twitter posts, Facebook, Instagram, Pinterest, etc posts are always a good sign of a good marketing team which reflects well on a brewery as a whole.

So you have the oldest American brewery (left) and a staple of the East Coast (specifically North East Coast) dive bar, and the “most iconic” chocolate company in America teaming up to make a beer. Yuengling is the oldest brewery in America; by process of elimination. It wasn’t the oldest founded, it wasn’t the first founded, but it has survived through prohibition, and other stretches when most American breweries folded, by changing what they sold, how they sold, downsizing, upsizing, etc, and they are to be commended for how they were able to achieve and survive and thrive despite times like prohibition, etc.

Hershey’s is iconic, insofar as anyone from the United States has heard of it, if not had it. From Pennsylvania to California, from Maine to Texas, Hershey’s is distributed. And that’s not speaking internationally. I could go into the history of Hershey’s (or even Yuengling) and talk about how the company was started, by who, how they’ve grown, etc. I could talk about Hershey Park, Chocolate World, the town of Hershey in Derry Township, etc, but its all stuff we pretty much know, and its all stuff that’s not really necessary or relevant to the beer review. Suffice it to say that the write-up is pretty spot on despite everything; Yuengling and Hershey are both iconic. Perhaps some hyperbole but it is mostly true, and a sound argument, and a pretty remarkable thing for the two of them to hook up and collaborate on this beer.

The idea of these two brands hooking up and collaborating on a beer is pretty amazing and impressive in its own right. I don’t know what the process was; who contacted who; what the involvement was that each brand had (I can’t imagine Hershey had much say, I have to assume its kind of like how the write-up reads, that they took their recipe for their old Dark Porter and just added Hershey’s ingredients to it, and called it a day – it tastes that way as well). But its brilliant marketing and strategy plan, especially given the anniversary of Yuengling, and with Hershey doing their big launching of the new entrance to Hershey Park and everything.

But enough of all this gibberish and jibber-jabbing…. lets get onto the actual beer itself.

Chocolate Porter

Appearance is a typical porter, Razor Ramon hair black, full bodied, thick, like some entertainers of the evening. It has a nice head to it, foamy, bubbly, a good half-inch that dissipated with nice interspersed and varied bubbles. The foam has a light brown look to go with the richness of the beer.

Aroma is chocolate syrup… Hershey’s chocolate syrup to be exact. Like flipping the lid of the syrup container and immediately getting that whiff of it. You get malty roasty grains from the porter to go with it, but the chocolate smell overpowers much of that. This is fine, this is what its being billed as, and it works well for this.

Moving on to taste; once again the very first thing you are going to note and taste is the Hershey’s chocolate syrup. I’ve likened this to drinking an alcoholic version of the famous Hershey’s syrup. But even in that aspect, its not too much of it, since the ABV is only 4.7% anyway. So its not a boozy version of Hershey’s syrup thats for sure. There is some malt, some roast, some dark notes underneath the chocolate syrup abundance, but its pretty subtle and mute. The mouthfeel is heavy, its thick like a good porter, and it hangs and feels right in your mouth, all signs that the beer is well made. I think beyond the chocolate syrup, there is a blandness to the beer. The chocolate syrup wears thin on the taste as you start to sip, and then its just a kind of generic bland porter with not enough malt backbone to really keep the taste alive or to really hold the beer. The more you sip and drink it, the less notable and profound the chocolate syrup taste is, and the weaker the beer as a whole gets. This is in general a discussion of mass market beers typically; that they don’t usually have the most flavorful beers, the most robust character notes, that there is just an underlying general blandness to most beers, like Bud, like Coors, like Miller, like Yuengling lager, like Corona, or Heineken, etc, theres just a ‘blandness’ or ‘been there’ kind of taste. Like McDonald’s to your local diner or restaurant, might be a very apt comparison for that sake. There’s just a mute blandness that this beer takes on as you sip it more and the chocolate syrup dissipates more. …or perhaps I’m full of it and reading too much into things and have my head up my own…..

Either way on this beer, it has certainly gotten the beer universe a flutter for a while, from Twitter to Instagram, from your friends at work and family who know you like beer “so how was it” or “did you hear Hershey and Yuengling are teaming up?” to actual craft beer enthusiast nerdy hipsters willing to try it out, it has gotten the attention, and the marketing it was aimed and designed for.

Overall, its not the worst beer you are going to drink, you know the hype is overblown, like it usually is for anything; not even just the craft beer industry, but all aspects (stares at the latest Star Wars trailer…. I know what your game is….). Its worth seeking out for the novelty of it. I couldn’t imagine myself ordering this again, but it was acceptable, and a fine drink at the moment of.

My Untappd Rating: ***.25
Global Untappd Rating: 4.03 (as of 10.27.19)

This review was started yesterday morning (Sunday, October 27th) but I wasn’t able to finish it before work, and then work happened, and then post brewski’s happened with my friend D. Scott. Which, he has finally finished the podcast that we did discussing Breaking Bad and El Camino, so I will provide the links for that, its two podcasts (a two-parter) because of how ridiculously long it was. This was done with our friend Esty and its for their podcast channel “WTF did I watch”.

You can check them out here:
WTF Did I Just Watch: Breaking Bad and El Camino – Part 1
WTF Did I Just Watch: Breaking Bad and El Camino – Part 2

Just as a heads up, there is some language in the podcasts, it would probably receive a R rating from the FCC, they are also long podcasts, so devote some time if you are going to watch them.

Thank you all for reading, please click the like, follow, subscribe, comment, etc. we always appreciate that here at The Beer Thrillers. When I do more podcasts with D. Scott, I’ll be sure to post them here (I won’t be posting the ones I’m not involved in). Also look for an upcoming collaboration article between myself (B. Kline) and J. Doncevic about the Boneshire Brew Works 3rd Anniversary Celebration. I also have plenty of beer reviews to post up. So please be on the lookout for all of that!

Tonight will be busy, work from 10-6, then blood donation at the Hershey Library, then the Hummelstown Parade, and then a party at a brewer from Tattered Flag’s house, so most likely no posts or blogs from myself tonight, but I’m sure I’ll have something for you all tomorrow, so be on the lookout!

Cheers!

-B. Kline

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