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, Guinness thanks an innovator, another innovator makes an Elixir, healthy beer-food pairings are possible, the British pub is on the decline, and the weirdest crowd funded beer idea ever makes its debut. Let us know what you thought about all these stories and the rest of the Hoplinks in the comments.
PAINSCASTLE, WALES — The man behind the iconic Nitrogen pour now so readily associated with Guinness Draught is featured in this short promo video from the brewery. [THR Wire]
USA — Bell’s Two-Hearted Ale took home honors from USA Today in their March Madness themed “Ultimate Craft Beer Bracket.” If you’re looking for something with a little more local flavor, be sure to check out The Hop Review’s Chicago Brewery Bracket championship matchup. Voting ends Monday. [USA Today]
WEST TOWN, CHICAGO — Botanical brewer Forbidden Root and their in-house Alchemist Randy Mosher are releasing their Elixir Series, a set of flavors intended to be added to their beer. The inspiration comes in-part from spiced or fruit syrups, commonly added to Berliner Weisse beers to counter the sour tartness. The Elixirs will be released at a special event at the brewery on April 5th. [THR Wire]
RAVENSWOOD, CHICAGO — As an alternative to your typical salty beer snacks, Chicago snack producer I Heart Keenwah has partnered with neighborhood brewers to create beer pairings for their product. In this promo video, they talk to the creators of each beer and why each pairing works so well. [THR Wire]
ROSCOE VILLAGE, CHICAGO — Following the closure of neighborhood brunch/donut/dinner joint Endgrain, the storefront will soon be taken over by craft beer and sausage haven Bangers & Lace. The Roscoe spot will be their third location and no opening date has yet been announced. [Eater Chicago]
USA — Cask Brewing Systems has unveiled their latest innovation — “The Cag.” Dubbed the “really really tall-boy” by its inventors, The Cag promises to cut down costs, make recycling easier, and be a boon for can collectors. [THR April Wire]
UNITED KINGDOM — Local pubs, historic mainstays of British culture, are on the decline with the lowest number in operation for over a decade. Despite the massive growth of craft beer and Real Ale in the country, the trend continues as pubs fail to adjust to a changing market. [BBC]
CZECH REPUBLIC — We’ve seen some odd beer-centric crowdfunding attempts in the past, but nothing even comes close to the WTF factor of The Order of Yoni: The First Vaginal Beer. Words can’t accurately describe the full scale of the weirdness seen here (please let this be an April Fools joke), so just watch the video below. And, if you feel so inclined, back their campaign… they’ve still got a ways to go until they hit their goal. [Indiegogo]
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Photo from our interview with Randy Mosher at Hopleaf, during which he showed us his preview “Elixirs,” releasing at Forbidden Root next week.