This content was originally published by The Hop Review, a digital magazine that joined the Hop Culture family in March 2020.
This piece was written by Tom White.
In this week’s Hoplinks, we get schooled on the Chicago Beer Riots, a Michigan brewery is kickstarting, 2016 events and releases are detailed, and we want your opinion on the beer list at your go-to drinking spot. Enjoy the weekend and let us know what else we missed this week in the comments.
CHICAGO, IL – Often overshadowed by other high profile city revolts, the Chicago Beer Riots of 1855 played a major part in making the city what it is today. Fueled by anti-German and Irish immigrant sentiment, Chicago passed a controversial law that levied higher taxes on “Non-American” bars and banned alcohol sales on Sunday. The predictable reaction from the people spurred a massive turnout at the next election, defeating the ban. Read more on the fascinating historical event that helped shaped this city. [DNAInfo]
STEVENSVILLE, MI – If you’re like us and spend an inordinate amount of time traversing Michigan on I-94, you’ll be pleased to know another right-off-the-highway brewery is set to open this spring. Watermark Brewing Co. has already broken ground and is hosting a Kickstarter to raise money for their beer garden and crowler machine. [Kickstarter]
GRAND RAPIDS, MI – Founders, one of our go-to breweries, has released their ’16 availability calendar. The big news is Rubaeus, their summer raspberry brew, reaching year-round status. On the down side, fans of Double Trouble and Dark Penance are out of luck, as they won’t be making an appearance in 2016. [Founders Brewing Co.]
USA – The new year is just around the corner so it’s not too early to begin planning the next festival season’s events. Some of the biggest annual events around the country are detailed here, and are great starting points to plan your vacation schedule in 2016. Anyone up for a roadtrip? [TimeOut]
DISCUSSION – One beer drinker offers the opinion that too many choices at your local bar may be a bad thing. While he makes some great points, there are certainly arguments to be made for both sides. Do you prefer endless choices on your beer menu or a concise list representing several styles? Let us know in the comments.
Photograph taken during our interview with Justin Maynard at Revolution Kedzie