Mashing-In News: Hop Mob Returns, Zwickelmania 2026
GOOD MORNING, SOUTH PUGET SOUND!
Wednesday, Jan. 21, 2026 — Placido Domingo turns 42 today!
Today’s craft beer news barrels from lupulin-soaked Triple IPA excess in Seattle to quiet taproom-first growth in the cider world, with Oregon brewers rallying support through tough times, heritage stouts bubbling back to life, and community-forward beer culture stretching from zwickel taps to family-friendly food truck pods.
Grit & Grain Live Pairs Food Criticism and Brewery Reality
The Grit & Grain Podcast goes live at Peaks & Pints at 3:30 p.m. today, bringing together Tacoma News Tribune critic Kristine Sherred and Top Rung Brewing owner Casey Sobol for a two-part conversation about restaurant survival, brewery resilience, and the real-world forces shaping how cities eat and drink. (Peaks & Pints)
Hop Mob Returns to Its Roots with a Triple IPA Takeover at Reuben’s Brews
Hop Mob is returning to its roots in 2026 as a single, high-impact Triple IPA takeover at Reuben’s Brews, bringing together the Pacific Northwest’s biggest, boldest hop bombs—including Blimey That’s Bitter! and Triple Crush—for an all-out celebration of lupulin-fueled excess. (Washington Beer Blog)
Trap Door Brewing Plans Major Third Location in Brush Prairie
Trap Door Brewing is launching Prairie View Station, a massive family-friendly food truck pod and taproom complex in Brush Prairie set to break ground in early 2026, positioning the acclaimed Vancouver brewery for community-driven growth without chasing distribution. (The New School)
Oregon’s Zwickelmania Brings Free Brewery Tours and Tastings
Zwickelmania 2026 will bring breweries across Oregon together on February 21 for a free, statewide celebration featuring zwickel samples, special beer releases, tours, meet-the-brewer events, food pairings, and a new Oregon Brewers Guild collaboration beer, State of Excitement, with a free shuttle linking 16 Portland breweries. (The New School)
Zupan’s Celebrates 50 Years with Barrel-Aged Stout Collaboration
To celebrate its 50th anniversary, Zupan’s Markets partnered with Ferment Brewing to release Blend No. 34, a 12.6% ABV barrel-aged imperial stout blended from whiskey and red wine barrels, delivering a rich, balanced mix of dark chocolate, coffee, molasses, fruit, and oak in a limited Farm to Market collaboration. (The Brew Site)
Oregon Brewers Call for Support After a Tough 2025 of Closures and Sales Declines
Oregon’s brewers endured a tough 2025 with nearly 30 local brewery closures and a 5 percent drop in national craft beer sales, prompting the Oregon Brewers Guild to urge drinkers to support taprooms during slow winter months—even through initiatives like Pub January and non-alcoholic options. (Northwest Beer Guide)
Why Some Cideries Are Growing by Not Distributing
Some cideries are redefining growth by skipping distribution altogether, using taproom-only sales, festival feedback, and in-house data to refine products, protect margins, deepen community ties, and build sustainable businesses focused on experience over expansion. (Brewer Magazine)
How to Taste Beer Better: Avoiding Bias in Sensory Panels
Sensory expert Lindsay Barr of DraughtLab outlines how breweries can improve beer quality and business results by training better tasting panels, using structured sensory methods, and avoiding common biases like the halo effect, first-sample bias, and adaptation bias that can skew blind evaluations. (Craft Beer & Brewing)
Molson Coors Revives Caffrey’s with a Modern Black Stout
Molson Coors has launched Caffrey’s Black Stout, a 3.4% ABV nitrogenated stout rooted in the brand’s 1897 heritage, aiming to capture booming stout demand among younger and more diverse drinkers with a smooth, malt-forward, high-value on-trade offering. (Brewers Journal)
LINK: Peaks & Pints beer and cider cooler inventory
