Tapped Life | Craft Beer Lifestyle Blog

By Eric Neilson, Our Maine Beer Guy “Loud Beer from a Quiet Place” is a fitting tagline for Newcastle, Maine’s Oxbow Brewing Company. Nestled in the woods of scenic Midcoast Maine, this small farmhouse brewery has been pushing out world class Belgian-inspired ales with an American twist since 2011. In just five years, Oxbow beers have gone from being virtually unknown to now being served at some of the most heralded beer bars in New York City and Washington D.C. A handful of the world’s top breweries have collaborated with Oxbow on releases, including a recently unveiled sour brown ale...

Veteran Beer Company of Chicago, IL, is a pretty impressive example of how much good can be accomplished through a strong and focused mission…especially when that mission is crafted in beer. Veteran beer company: beer on a mission. Paul Jenkins, Captain of Veteran Beer Company, retired from the Navy in 1995 and felt compelled to help battle the jobless rate among his peers. Veteran unemployment and specifically disabled veteran unemployment was a cause close to Jenkin’s heart. He told CBS Chicago “I’m a disabled Veteran myself. We have a number of disabled Veterans. I think each of views the problem...

I will bet you a frosty beer that you’re looking for the most creative gift for your favorite craft brew lover this holiday season. Why not buy your dedicated drinker a brewery? If you thought the price tag was going to ruin the surprise, now you really can own a piece of the pint. Buy me a brewery! and other crafty holiday beer gifts. Bathtub Row Co-Op Membership   Bathtub Row Brewing in Los Alamos, New Mexico is one of only a few co-op breweries currently operating in the country (Black Star Co-Op – Austin, TX, Flying Bike Cooperative –...

All right, Tapped Life knows that craft beer lovers are dog lovers but even we were surprised when we started doing a little research on the subject. I mean DAMN…do brewers love their dogs. They will pretty much do anything to shower their best friend with craft brewed love (and fame) all in the name of great crafted beer. In dog beers i've only had one. There are breweries with dog in their names, there are breweries named for dogs, there are breweries owned by dogs, there are dog named beers and beers for dogs, there are dog-friendly breweries and...

At Tapped Life, we go to over 20 beer festivals a year and we have most definitely learned a couple things along ye ole beer trail. Here are some things we have learned…often the hard way. You know the hard way…spending a Saturday drinking local craft brews, laughing and selling t-shirts to all my favorite dedicated drinkers. 67 beer festivals and counting | brew fest tips from 3 years in the flow. • Be crafty but be prepared.     Let me just say this, it’s like the biblical plagues out there…sometimes. Now most often, Mother Nature is in full support...