11 American Craft Brewers making a difference:

It's one of our recurring themes here at The Happy Hour Guys: Brewers Make Great Neighbors. Craft Brewing and drinking local means everything from jobs, to reinvestment in the community, to help with various charitable organizations and on and on. Scroll down and hit play to meet 11 American Craft Brewers that we've featured in various episodes who are changing, and empowering, their communities:

1. WYNKOOP BREWING, DENVER, COLORADO:

Rescuing a neighborhood, then moving on to the Governor's Mansion.

2. BEYOND KOMBUCHA, ASTORIA, NEW YORK:

Brewing Kombucha Ales with the 3rd biggest private solar array in New York City.

3. ALCHEMIST BREWING, WATERBURY, VERMONT:

Surviving a flood, yet keeping their people employed.

4. BROOKLYN BREWING, BROOKLYN, NEW YORK:

Revitalizing a neighborhood that once upon a time was redolent with brewers.

5. UNION CRAFT BREWING, BALTIMORE, MARYLAND:

Helping to revitalize a neighborhood, and along the way taking part in redefining Craft Beer and Race.

6. NEW BELGIUM BREWING, FORT COLLINS, COLORADO:

Everything from Company Ownership, to wind power, to bike culture!

7. SUN KING BREWING, INDIANAPOLIS, INDIANA.

A great conversation with Co-Founder Clay Robinson, on everything that Craft Beer means to Sun King and the community in and around Indy.

8. WOLAVER'S BREWING, MIDDLEBURY, VERMONT:

Brewing 100% Organic isn't easy - but it's incredibly worthwhile.

9. FOUNDERS BREWING, GRAND RAPIDS, MICHIGAN.

Completely revitalizing a section of a rust-belt town, in fact leading the way to re-making its image into Beer City USA, while making ridiculously great beer.

10. SAMUEL ADAMS BREWING, BOSTON, MASSACHUSSETTS:

With Micro-Loans, Brewing the American Dream.

11. LONG TRAIL BREWING, BRIDGEWATER CORNERS, VERMONT:

Brewing with cow power. Yes, you read that right. COW POWER.

The equation is simple: If you buy beer from one of the "Big Guys", a chunk of your money is very likely ending up overseas.

If you buy from a LOCAL brewer, your money.  Stays.  Home. 

Have a brewer near you that's doing great things? Tell us about it in the comment section. Cheers!

Video #277: Carton Brewing - Beer IS Cuisine.

Mark, Jimmy and Jeff make their way just a short distance south of NYC to dispel a few rumors: The white stuff on the ground is snow, not sand; Jersey is a beautiful State, and thanks to folks like Carton Brewing (and Founder Augie Carton) in Atlantic Highlands, it is becoming redolent with Craft Beer. And hey, what's in the Tippy? Let's have a look. Cheers!

11 Great Bars Where You Can Drink With Ghosts.*

RIP, Harold Ramis. This post is for you.

*That we've shot video of, in the USA.

"When there's something strange in your neighborhood, who you gonna call?"  The Happy Hour Guys?  No.  Obviously you call the Ghostbusters.  But while you're waiting for Egon and Venkman to show up, quaff a couple with the local poltergeists.  Here's a list of episodes we've shot at historic bars over the years, bars that might just have more than your regular share of parnormal activity:

The Old Talbott Tavern. Bardstown, KY: Hmm. I swear I put it on the chair.  It's no longer on the chair. Also: Which were the most haunted rooms again?

The Jameson Tavern. Freeport, ME: Emily doesn't like the bread baskets.

The General Lafayette Inn. Lafayette Hill, PA: If you happen to be drinking with an old guy in a nightshirt, you might have a problem. (Now renovated and back in business as the Barren Hill Brewery.)

Pete's Tavern. NYC: This one is a don't-miss. You might share a booth with a literary ghost or two at one of the oldest bars in New York City.

McSorley's Old Ale House. NYC: The Happy Hour Guys shot their very first episode at what many say is the oldest bar in NYC. Houdini is said to have haunted this place in the form of a black cat. We'll stick with the Dark Beer.

Gettysburg, PA: Drinking at the site of one of the most significant battles of the Civil War, there are ghosts aplenty, but the Happy Hour Guys may be most haunted by their puppetry in this episode.

Fraunces Tavern. NYC: George Washington drank here. And did some other stuff.

White Horse Tavern. NYC: Dylan Thomas, Under Milkwood?  How about under the bar?  Too soon? The Guys delve into the history of this literary watering hole.

Long before Snooki roamed the Jersey Shore, Manasquan was the site of one of NJ's only unsolved murders, at O'Neil's Beach House bar. Here, the guys tackle the mystery with a few pints and some mystery guests.

Mark takes his drinking life into his own hands as he explores Bube's Brewery in Mt. Joy, PA. Freshly brewed beer, catacombs, ghosts…oh, my!

The Guys explore the Rogues Harbor Inn in NY's Finger Lakes region. House brewed beer, history, and some ghostly guests who linger on make for a good time. Honk if you love beer!

That's all for now.  Hope you enjoyed our tour of historic and haunted bars.  Keep an eye on us for all sorts of adventure in the world of craft beverages and where they come from.  As always, we welcome your suggestions - where's your favorite haunt? (Boo....) Cheers!

The 14 Best USA Craft Beer Bars.*

*That we've visited.  

Alright, keep your shirts on.  We know there's a bewildering number of mind-numbingly awesome Craft bars there are out there, and we're aware of how many more there are for us to visit.  And it is our QUEST to get to every single one of them - (oh hey, do us a solid and add your suggestions to the comment section, will you?).  In the meantime, it's time to celebrate some great locals.  Check out these terrific Craft Stops:

First, one of our most recent stops, in Midtown Manhattan; Beer Culture. Just next to the Hirshfeld Theatre in the Broadway District, this new watering hole is also a bottle shop.

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Winner of Best Beer Bar in NY in 2013? Check. Long Island City? Check. Amazing owners? You've gotta meet the folks at Alewife NYC.  

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We happened to stop in to this spot in Hollywood a few years ago, and even though it's weathered some storms it's still going strong: The Blue Palms Brewhouse.

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No NYC Craft Beer Bar experience is complete without a visit to Jimmy's. And if you're very lucky, you'll get to hang out with owner Jimmy Carbone, (or Jimmy Pots & Pans), a legend in the NYC Craft Community. Come home to Jimmy's.

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HOPCAT. The Midwestern Craft Beer Mecca in Grand Rapids, MI. We didn't shoot video here, but dammit, we visited. And we came away very, very happy.  By the way, HopCat is opening a new location in Downtown Detroit this year, and we hear it's going to be massive.  Beer hear!

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Pacific Standard, on 4th Ave in Brooklyn.  We're pretty sure that this is what the dorm rooms at Beer Appreciation College look like.

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Tucked away in the Berkshire region of Western Mass, MOE's Tavern is the bar you always dreamt about. No seriously, it is.

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Adobe Blues - This may be the best reason to ride the Staten Island Ferry.  Over, and over, and over. You'll 'flip' for this place...

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Pizza and great Craft in Amish Country?  Yup. We've seen rare beers at The Fridge in Lancaster, PA, that we have a hard time finding in a city of 8 million people! 

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Truly not to be missed, Proletariat is a tiny (and we mean tiny) place in the East Village of NYC that sports some of the rarest worldwide Craft we've ever seen. A bucket list bar.

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Ah, the Pony Bar Hell's Kitchen on 45th and 10th Ave in Midtown Manhattan; the bar that helped turn the Craft Beer wave in this part of NYC into a Tsunami.  We were there at the beginning.

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This place in Minneapolis was Craft long before it was cool: Mackenzie, the Bar Next Door to the Theatre is the place you've always wanted in your neighborhood.

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Ever been to Portland, Maine?  Once you've seen our episode featuring The Great Lost Bear, you'll be looking to book your ticket.

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And lastly, in memoriam: The Collins Bar, which sadly is long gone now, reduced to a hole in the ground on 8th Avenue NYC that's on its way to becoming a tall shiny expensive set of apartments. We fondly remember discovering flavors of Craft here that we never knew existed.  Still one of our favorites, and deserving of the memory.  And as you can see, also one of the first places we ever shot.

That's how our list starts.  What's on yours?

MAKING BEER: Let's talk process, with Aspen Brewing.

Back in 2010 we had a chance to do a beer making PROCESS SHOW with our friends out West at Aspen Brewing Company, in their old space.  Things have changed mightily for them since (they've grown a ton, have moved their taproom and brewery to new, larger spaces, they package their beer now, etc etc etc...) but the process of brewing beer is still the same.  And Rory Douthit is a masterful teacher.  Now LETS MAKE SOME BEER.  Cheers!

PART ONE:

PART TWO:

Video #276: Midtown a desert no longer - Beer Culture.

Mark, Jimmy and Squigs land in a place that is REDOLENT with Craft Beer. Are they in Colorado? California? Vermont? Perhaps a megapolis of millions of people? Play through to find one of the newest (and most enjoyable) Craft Beer stops in this Land of Suds and Honey: BEER CULTURE. Cheers!

San Francisco Beer Week!

Squigs here, back home in snowy NYC after a long rainy weekend in the City by the Bay.  The weather may be bringing the gloom, but San Francisco Beer Week made the world sunshiny for this beer dweeb.  Friday night, I kicked off the visit with the SFBW Opening Gala which brought together 80-something breweries from around the Bay Area.  Such an onslaught of beer goodness from craft beer pioneers and the new kids on the block and all in-between.  A couple of my favorites were Beatification from Russian River and a smoky porter with redwood branches from Moonlight called Camping with Witches.  The sold out event was rather well-run and really clued me into just how vast this craft community is and how serious they are about their beer.  I thoroughly enjoyed the event, then met up with my people at the amazing Mikkeller Bar which was a couple blocks from our hotel.

San Francisco Beer Week 2014, Opening Gala.

I should tell you that I've been on a bit of a hunt for the much heralded triple IPA, Russian River's Pliny the Younger... for the past four years.  One year, I was driving up the coast on a rather tight schedule and had to pass by Santa Rosa... one day before the Younger release.  Another year I bought a crazy amount of raffle tickets to win a pour at the esteemed Beachwood BBQ in Seal Beach, California.  The money went to cancer research charities so I was happy about that, but alas I didn't win.  And I watched many a patron drink theirs as I sat next to them at the bar.  In addition to spending time with good friends and experiencing this great city, I'd be lying if I said that the chance to finally get some of this beer wasn't an incentive.  The hunt was on, but my first chance was a bust.  The keg of Younger at the Opening Gala kicked just before the full line (and my place in it) got into the venue.  (Cue sad trombone "wah wah".)

SATURDAY: I wish I could build up more suspense on this beer-hunting adventure, but I've got to admit that Saturday morning brought me my victory.  There were accounts of folks who waited 10-12 hours in the rain in Santa Rosa for their chance.  But my pals and I attended the 14th annual Double IPA Festival at The Bistro in Hayward, and our first pour of the day was the elusive Pliny the Younger (which then kicked 30 minutes later).  The angels sang at the end of the rainbow.  It was time to taste what I heard was a really great batch. (Sip.)  Was it great?  Definitely.  Am I happy I made the effort and tasted it?  Most certainly.  So great!  Have I had other beers that I have enjoyed just as much?  Absolutely.  Is Younger over-coveted and over-crazed?  Yes.  Chasing those white rhinos of craft beer is a lot of fun, but every time I achieve one, I'm reminded that there are amazing beers practically made in my back yard.  Drinking a Younger actually made me think ahead to drinking a Peekskill Higher Standard or Newburgh Hop Drop or Barrier Daddy Warbucks.  Enjoy chasing those white rhinos (or pink elephants), y'all, but cherish your local goodness.  Those local to the Bay Area have the benefit of being in a pioneering and ever-innovating and passionate beer community, and this is the reason for celebration this week.  There was more to come.

The Double IPA Fest featured almost 70 double IPAs and almost 30 triple IPAs.  Seriously.  I tasted maybe 15 due to the size of the pours.  I didn't even taste the winners of the professional judging (Kinetic Afterburner DIPA, Iron Springs Compulsory TIPA) but I did sample the two that won People's Choice (Kern River Citra DIPA and from one of my favorite hangouts from my Southern Cal days, Pizza Port Carlsbad Thruster TIPA) and they were indeed fantastic.

Then for the rest of the day my peeps chased David Walker of Firestone Walker around town.  Just picture Walker's Wild Ride jeep followed closely by three beer nerds in a cab.  We sampled PNC and Sour Opal at Toronado and Parabola at The Royal Exchange.  And Squigs said it was good.

DIPA Fest at The Bistro. Squigs getting Younger by the minute. Toronado. Walker's Wild Ride.

SUNDAY: After carb loading for another day of sampling tasty brews, it was off to City Beer (bar and bottle shop) to taste a range of beers from Beachwood Brewing in Long Beach with head brewer Julian Shrago.  During my years in Southern California, I was happy to watch Gabe Gordon's organization grow from the small storefront beer and BBQ place in Seal Beach to adding their newer facility in downtown Long Beach to their big presence in the national craft scene.  Their lineup on this day was fantastic, and since I was still in a bit of a hop bomb mood from the previous day, I had to revisit their Hops of Fury TIPA.  It was great chatting with Julian (and Stillwater's Brian Strumke who dropped in as well) and local craft aficionados.  And the tapping of a keg of AleSmith Vietnamese Speedway Stout, was not unwelcome in the least.

Then we were off to Oakland and a sampling of SF Beer Week project Two Hop Varietals.  Hog's Apothecary was one of the venues featuring this endeavor that required nine (or ten) breweries to pick two hops to brew a beer specifically for the occasion.  I particularly enjoyed the offerings from Faction, Alpine, and Kern River.  We finished off the day with a return to the amazing Toronado where we found Lost Abbey Cuvee de Tomme.  Nice capper.

City Beer. Brewers Julian Shrago (Beachwood) and Brian Strumke (Stillwater) among the people. Hog's Apothecary and the Two Hop Varietals project.

MONDAY: While I eased off the beery activity to see some sights, I did manage an Irish coffee at The Buena Vista and one last stop at Mikkeller Bar.  As I wandered the city, I mused on a great weekend.  I did a lot.  I missed a lot too, but I had a great time with friends celebrating this region's amazing craft beer.  Success!

Y'all, San Francisco and environs have seriously got it going on.  A community with roots about as deep as modern craft beer can get.  Get there if you can (and if you're quick enough, you still have a few more days of great events this year).  There are great beer destinations all over this country.  So many wonderful things to taste that come from so many wonderful communities.  So many stories.  Enjoy them all.  And then go home and support your local folk.  Cheers, all!

Many happy craft beer loving folk at the Opening Gala in San Francisco.