Stay ConnectedA look into what’s happening at Untappd and in the world of beer.
We drink new beers every episode and add them to the #DrinkingSocially badge on Untappd. You’re welcome to drink along with us and compare notes, submit feedback in the Facebook group, and share in some beer education, or laughter with us every Wednesday.
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You can earn this badge by checking-in five (5) different beers under the style pumpkin / yam beer. We also highlight @brouwerijdehalvemaan as our Verified Venue of the Week and shout out @trophybrewing and @harrystuffbrewing for bringing us the best beers we had this week.
O’zapft is! O’zapft is! That's been the traditional way Oktoberfest has been kicked off for centuries. Literally meaning "it's been tapped!" But really meaning - it's party time, der bruder! Drinking Socially podcast hosts Harrison Hickok and Jon Dispenza - along with the rest of the world - are bummed that the actual Oktoberfest is cancelled once again this year. But fear not! They’re keeping the spirit of this celebration alive and well with the help of some classic Marzen's and some brand spanking new Untappd badges!
We’re living in the golden age of beer. It’s almost overwhelming deciding which beer to drink next. How can we even make that decision with so many amazing choices? For Drinking Socially podcast host Harrison Hickok he looks at what co-host Jon Dispenza has been drinking on Untappd. Or, he searches his local Verified Venues to see what’s new in town. And now more than ever our local breweries need us! To help celebrate local beer the Brewers Association started the Local Beer Is Better initiative that promotes and supports your independent, neighborhood breweries. Why? Because a local beer keeps local people employed. A local beer gives back to the community. Heck, a local beer creates community right in the taproom where it’s poured. A local beer doesn’t just taste better, it does good.
Porters are more than just, “that other dark beer”. Over the past decade or so craft beer consumers have sprinted down a dark, windy, roasty, path of the stout. From barrel-aged to fruited to breakfast variations to those infused with lactose and cake, stouts have become a darling of modern American craft brewers. But along the way we’ve forgotten that porters are kind of like the OG dark beer! Originating during the Industrial Revolution in the 18th century in London, porters take their name from the London working class that first enjoyed them: boatmen, punters, and porters. After dominating England during the 1700s, the style lost popularity in the early 20th century and faded away until being semi-revived as a style during the rise of craft beer
Drinking Socially podcast hosts Harrison Hickok and Jon Dispenza are pretty great mates, so this week they’re sharing Brawler from Yards Brewing Co. to unlock the “Mild Mannered” badge. You can earn this badge by checking-in five different beers with the style of English Mild Ale. Try five more for Level 2! We also highlight The Beer Shed in Waynesboro, PA as our Verified Venue of the Week and shout out Pipeworks and Holmes Brewing for bringing us the best beers we had this week.
Plus, since Kyle’s favorite badge is “You Don’t Know Brett” we’ll crack an Enjoy After 12.26.15 Brett IPA from Stone Brewing Co. Earn this badge by checking-in any beer in the style of Brett Beer, American Wild Ale, IPA - Brett, or Wild Ale - Other. We also highlight Pour Decisions Taproom in Hollister, CA as our Verified Venue of the Week and shout out Burial Beer Co. and Ne Anthem Beer Project for crafting the best beers we had this week.
Recently, this hop has skyrocketed in popularity. Probably because of its magical tropical mango and pineapple properties. Harrison and Jon welcome Shelley and Eric Desmarais from CLS Farms and Alexandra Nowell, Director of Brewing Operations, for Three Weavers Brewing to break down what makes the El Dorado hop such a treasure.
A very close cousin to an English IPA, ESB was a forerunner catch-all for most early English beers. Ahead of its time, new ESB styles erupted as brewing methods evolved and brewers became more technical. While most still use an English yeast strain to coax out that traditional flavor, you can find American brewers putting their own take on this beer style as well, today.
This week we're drinking Morland Old Speckled Hen from Greene King to unlock the “You’re Extra Special” badge, earned by checking-in to five different beers with the style of Extra Special / Strong Bitter or English Bitter! We also highlight Jackalope Brewing Company - The Ranch in Nashville, TN as our Verified Venue of the Week, and shout out Rotunda Brewing Company and New Anthem Beer Project for crafting the best beers we had this week.
In the case of an IPA, higher hop intensity and extra juiciness are a given. In fact, the style is often attributed to Vinnie Cilurzo, now owner and brewmaster of renowned Russian River Brewing Co. In 1994 rumor has it that Cilurzo while working for Blind Pig Brewery added too much mash to his upcoming beer. Instead of tossing it he ran with it. He later took his innovation to Russian River Brewing where Pliny the Elder became one of the most highly regarded DIPAs in the country. Since then many breweries coast-to-coast have powered up their IPAs, making it one of the most popular styles in the country. Need proof? In 2020 Double / Imperial IPAs ranked as the third highest checked in style on Untappd with 34,000 different DIPAs appearing on the app and 6,585,229 total check-ins.
That’s a lot of check-ins! To do our part we're drinking G-Bot from @newenglandbrewingco to unlock the “2X” badge, earned by checking-in to five different beers that contain Imperial / Double in its style name. Try 5 more for Level 2! We also highlight @texiKotequilabar in Hamden, CT as our Verified Venue of the Week, and shout out @edmundsoast and @UntitledArt for crafting the best beer and hard seltzer we had this week.
In 2013, co-owners of Bale Breaker Brewing Co.—Meghann Quinn, her husband Kevin Quinn, and Meghan’s brother Kevin Smith (known as “Smitty”)—helped start the Ales for ALS program with Mike and Cheryl Smith from Yakima Chief Hops and Loftus Ranches. Over the past seven years the program has helped raise over $3.5 million dollars for ALS research at the ALS Therapy Development Institute (ALS TDI). On this very special episode of Drinking Socially Meghann and Smitty share their story and unveil a new badge “Drink to Ales for ALS”, earned by checking-in a beer from any of the participating breweries in the Ales for ALS program. To start we’re drinking Bubba’s Brew 2021 from Bale Breaker.
In this episode, we're unlocking the brand new Ales for ALS badge: Check-in to one (1) beer from the list of participating breweries (see blog for list of breweries) between Aug. 2nd, 2021 - Aug. 31st, 2021.
Drinking Socially is Untappd's Craft Beer Podcast. Your inside look into what's happening in the Untappd community and the world of beer.
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