Mashing-In News: Brew Five Three Recap, Bourdain vs Beer
GOOD MORNING, SOUTH PUGET SOUND!
Monday, August 18, 2025 — Robert Redford turns 89 today!
From Tacoma to Prague, today’s craft beer news pours out fresh collaborations, quiet revolutions, and one very hazy toast to women in sports.
Grit & Grain Podcast Goes Live from Brew Five Three Festival
Episode 156 of the Grit & Grain Podcast was recorded live at Tacoma’s Brew Five Three Beer & Music Festival in its new Armory location, featuring festival highlights, favorite pours of the day, and guest insights from beer festival organizer Gini Sommer. (Grit & Grain Podcast)
Heater Allen, Gold Dot Beer Go Beyond Portland
Oregon’s pioneering craft lager brewery, Heater Allen, and its premium offshoot, Gold Dot Beer, have partnered with Day One Distribution to expand availability beyond the Portland metro and Yamhill County, enabling the award-winning brands to reach more of the state with their lagers, IPAs, and seasonal releases. (The New School)
Von Ebert & Green Cheek Unite for Hazy Double IPA Glory
Von Ebert Brewing has teamed up with California’s Green Cheek Beer Co. on “Probably Something with Pally” Hazy Double IPA—brewed with Krush and Citra hops—as part of a yearlong collaboration series, timed with Von Ebert’s expansion into California and boosted production at its new Portland facility. (Brewpublic)
This Hazy IPA Helps Women in Sports Take Flight
Backwoods Brewing has teamed up with the Sport Oregon Foundation’s She Flies initiative to launch She Flies Hazy, a 5.5% ABV beer that not only celebrates women in sports but also donates $2 per case sold to programs supporting girls’ athletics, women coaches, and lifelong fitness, while spotlighting women-owned suppliers in its malt and hop sourcing. (KPTV)
Anthony Bourdain Never Filmed in a Craft Brewery—Here’s Why
Anthony Bourdain enjoyed good beer and wine, but deliberately avoided featuring craft breweries or wineries on his shows, believing they weren’t visually compelling and that bars should be about enjoyment, not analysis. His eclectic tastes leaned toward real, unpretentious food and drink rather than beverage culture. (Tasting Table)
Luxembourg’s Largest Brewery Quietly Opens Door to Craft Rivals
Brasserie Nationale de Luxembourg has quietly allowed tied bars to stock certain specialty craft beers for the past two years, giving drinkers more choice, but small breweries say the system still heavily favors major players like Brasserie Nationale and AB InBev’s Diekirch. (The Drinks Business)
Celebrating the Unsung Heroes of British Brewing
Roger Protz spotlights 10 underappreciated British breweries—from Arkells in Swindon to Felinfoel in Wales—celebrating their deep histories, family legacies, and distinctive regional beers that deserve far more recognition on today’s craft beer stage. (The Drinks Business)
Beyond Saaz: Czech Hops Quietly Expanding the Flavor Spectrum
While Saaz remains the Czech Republic’s legendary hop, newer cultivars like Sládek, Kazbek, and even planet-named varieties such as Juno and Eris are quietly reshaping lagers and IPAs with distinctive flavors, resilience, and global potential. (Craft Beer & Brewing)
BrewDog’s Punk IPA Pulled from Nearly 2,000 UK Pubs
BrewDog has regained profitability after heavy losses, but its flagship Punk IPA has been pulled from nearly 2,000 UK pubs amid shrinking demand, tough competition, and lingering workplace controversies—leaving the once-dominant craft brewer fighting to reclaim its place in Britain’s beer scene. (International Business Times)
LINK: Peaks & Pints beer and cider cooler inventory
