OUR STAFF

Tristan Chan

Founder

Hometown: Lexington, KY

Current: Denver, CO

Favorite Beer: Great Divide’s Grand Cru

Tristan created this blog as a means for his friends share a nation-wide porch drink and he hopes that you’ll join the revolution. When not working on the site, you’ll likely find him obsessing over Kentucky basketball, hiking, skiing, dunking on fools (lets be real he can’t dunk), t

Josh Ritenour

Social Media Manager & Editor

Hometown: Monclova, OH

Current: Waterville, OH

Favorite Beer: Balanced IPAs, Barrel-Aged, Sours & Funk

Born and bred in the great state of O-H-I-O, Josh grew up like most Midwesterners: drinking macro beer and having a sudden urge to move away. It was only during his move down South that he discovered craft beer. Ironically, it was Bell’s Two Hearted Ale, brewed a little over 100 miles north of his hometown. Since then his palate has matured into a love of everything sour and barrel-aged. His favorite beercation spots are Asheville, NC, Denver, CO and Grand Rapids, MI.

Chris & Sylvia Hollands

Mountain Region Editors

Hometown: Salt Lake City, UT

Current: Herriman, UT

Favorite Beer: Goose Island Bourban County

A #craftbeercouple who love experiencing new beers while exploring all this world has to offer! You will often catch us at a concert or traveling from brewery to brewery. The craft beer community is an amazing group and we are so proud to be a part of it. Cheers! Follow us on Instagram @chrishollands & @sylily

Hannah Carlson

Pacific Northwest Region Editor

Hometown: Wayzata, MN

Current: Seattle, WA

Favorite Beer: Bourbon Abominable Winter Ale from Fremont Brewing Company

I really enjoy good food, good music, good friends and good beer. But not in that particular order.

Cory Pelc

Events Editor

Hometown: Cañon City, CO

Current: Denver, CO

Favorite Beer: Straffe Hendrik Quadrupel

Cory is a social worker by day and is a doorman at a music venue by night. He enjoys spending time with his friends and family, eating rad food, whittling on his patio, meditating, watching zombie movies, drinking whiskey, going to concerts, and collecting beers for his cellar.

Jess Baker

Southeast Region Editor

Hometown: Waterville, OH

Current: Atlanta, GA

Favorite Beer: Impossible question!

A digital, broadcast and social storyteller for nearly 15 years, Jess has been working to grow Porch Drinking’s Southeast team since August 2014. She’s a Certified Beer Server, runner, detailed beer-cation organizer, and #drinklocal evangelist.

Chris Knost

Lead Developer/UX Designer

Hometown: Maumee, OH

Current: Cincinnati, OH

Favorite Beer: North Coast Co. Pranqster

When Chris isn’t behind his computer, he feeds his hunger for adventure by camping, going to sporting events, and visiting friends and family in places near and far. Follow him @chris__knost or check out his portfolio at chrisknost.com

Brad Hartsock

Writer

Hometown: Pikeville, KY

Current: Seattle, WA

Favorite Beer: Fremont Interurban IPA

Brad’s Kentucky roots are responsible for his love of bourbon and his writing for Porchdrinking.com as he started after watching a Kentucky Wildcats game at the College Inn in Denver with Scott and Tristan. A Seattleite now, he believes the only thing more fun that drinking beer is homebrewing beer and the only thing more fun than homebrewing beer is homebrewing beer while drinking beer

Chelsea Mitchell

Writer

Hometown: St. Louis, MO

Current: Denver, CO

Favorite Beer: Puncheon by Prairie Artisan Ales. I love sours and I love saisons – this is the perfect mix of them both.

Just a girl trying to cook with beer. I’m a St. Louis Cardinals die-hard fan, lover of saisons and my hero is Leslie Knope. In my free time (outside of grad school and PorchDrinking) I write for my personal blog, Drink and Spoon. If you want to find me, I’ll be at the breweries or in the kitchen!

Colin Clancy

Writer

Hometown: Kalamazoo, MI

Current: Park City, UT

Favorite Beer: Bells Two Hearted Ale

Colin lives in his 35-foot Winnebago Adventurer with his dog, Daisy. His website, bigwaterapparel.com, sells hand screen-printed goodness, and he homebrews a mean Belgian Wit.

Ellie Thompson

Writer

Hometown: Kansas City, KS

Current: Chicago, IL

Favorite Beer: Stone IPA

Having grown up in the great state of Kansas, it is no surprise Ellie acquired her beer enthusiasm from drinking lots of Boulevard Wheat. She also very much enjoys keeping up with new music and has channeled that “hobby” into creating weekly playlists for PD. In the real world, Ellie is a graduate student in Chicago studying Auditory Neuroscience; she is primarily interested in how music changes the brain.

Holly Gerard

Writer

Hometown: Littleton, CO

Current: Lakewood, CO

Favorite Beer: This is too hard to answer…

Holly is a Colorado native and proud of it (although the ocean is always calling)! While she isn’t seeking out the best beers Colorado has to offer, she can be found filling up her hard drive with tons and tons of photos, hiking the mountains for incredible views, dreaming of her next vacation out of state (to seek out additional beers and additional views), at an Avett Brothers show, binging on Instagram, at a Colorado Rockies game, or shopping at Nordstrom. Holly holds a Cicerone Certified Beer Server Certification and has the goal of becoming a Certified Cicerone soon!

Jen Hoverstad

Writer

Hometown: Raleigh, NC

Current: Raleigh, NC

Favorite Beer: Anything from NC

Jen fell for craft beer during a Samuel Adams brewery tour in 2008. After finally finding a beer she enjoyed – Boston Brick Red – the rest is history. Now, she drinks across the spectrum, with porters and stouts being among her favorites. Not only does she enjoy writing about beer, but she also Periscopes and tweets about her flights at local breweries.

John Brooks

Writer

Hometown: West Windsor, NJ

Current: Berkeley, CA

Favorite Beer: Pliny the Elder

I am a graduate student, lover of music, movies, nature, my dog, and quality beer.

K.C. Cunilio

Writer

Hometown: Villanova, PA

Current: Boulder, CO

Favorite Beer: Anything from Almanac, Avery, and Cascade

K.C. is from the Yuengling state but moved out West to Colorado for to attend CU-Boulder in 2008 and has not been able to leave the Boulder Bubble since. Her gateway craft beer was Boulder Beer’s Hazed and Infused and once she started visiting Avery Brewing Co., she’s been hooked on the good juice. When not frantically studying for law school, K.C. can be found drinking Colorado beer and cider, playing soccer with like-minded craft beer drinkers, or lounging with her prized Persian cat, Snickelfritz.

Kate Stark

Writer

Hometown: Winston-Salem, NC

Current: Covington, KY

Favorite Beer: Triple Digit Chickow!

Kate has always had a penchant for organization. At Miami University, it manifested in an elaborately color-coded schedule, excel sheets to ensure she had the most efficient course load, and a focus on broadcast journalism. Following a stint as a TV news producer, Kate turned her skills towards project management. She now uses her powers for good, coordinating the schedules of more than 80 PorchDrinking.com staffers to create a framework in which they can shine creatively. Kate gets to express her creative side as a ballet dancer, performing around Cincinnati with de la Dance Company and Pones Inc.

Kristen Ballinger

Writer

Hometown: Cincinnati, OH

Current: Cincinnati, OH

Favorite Beer: Triple Digit Chickow!

I’m a recent graduate from Northern Kentucky University with a Marketing degree that loves craft beer, traveling, terrible puns, 90’s hiphop and fancy cheese. On off days, I’m either going out to a local brewery or a new restaurant. Follow me on Instagram @cincinnatibrewnette and Twitter @Cincy_Brewnette

Kristin Hubbard

Writer

Hometown: Denver, CO

Current: Arvada, CO

Favorite Beer: Thats equivalent to picking a favorite child

I work at Oskar Blues, enjoy concerts, playing music, reading, spending time with friends and family, dancing, roadtrips, etc. Beer is my true love.

Lindsay Snyder

Writer

Hometown: Denver, CO

Current: Melbourne, Australia

Favorite Beer: New Glarus Moon Man

Lindsay is in the middle of a two year assignment in Melbourne, where she works furiously towards her goals of trying all the beers and seeing all the kangaroos.

Michael Wronski

Writer

Hometown: Chicago, IL

Current: Chicago, IL

Favorite Beer: Feierling Inselhopf

Mike was born and raised in Chicago and its suburbs. He gained an appreciation for fresh, locally made beer while neglecting his studies during a college semester abroad in Freiburg, Germany. Now, whenever Mike isn’t appreciating the various shades of beige in his cubicle walls, he’s inappropriately using company time to plan his next brewery trip. In his free time, Mike likes pursuing frustrating tasks like smoking pork shoulder in 7 degree weather, learning Chinese, baking bread at 3am on a work night, cheering for the Cubs and acting surprised when things don’t go as planned. Mike has a business degree from Purdue and is working towards becoming the next Anthony Bourdain via a House of Cards worthy scheme.

Natalie Migliarini

Writer

Hometown: Asheville, NC

Current: Seattle, WA

Favorite Beer: Manny’s

Natalie Migliarini is a displaced southerner from Asheville, North Carolina currently residing in Seattle, WA. She is a mixologist, cocktail stylist, photographer, and recipe developer with a flair for discovering new and creative ways to use booze. Her specialty is creating fabulous cocktails with seasonal ingredients. She believes that every occasion begins and ends with a beautiful drink. In her spare time she enjoys exploring the latest cocktail trends in Seattle and around the world. She can be found on her blog Beautiful Booze.

Nik Heimach

Writer

Hometown: Auburn, IN

Current: Indianapolis, IN

Favorite Beer: Goose Islands’ 312

A life enthusiast with a pension for cultural critique and getting caught in the rain, Nik is part scribe, part superhero. In addition to a variety of writings and lifesaving, Nik makes videos, reads comic books and globe trots his way closer to answering the enigmas of life. Spoiler alert: there will be spoiler alerts.

Sarah Boisen

Writer

Hometown: Anchorage, AK

Current: Seattle, WA

Favorite Beer: Magic Hat #9 ‘Not Quite Pale Ale’

I am an Alaska raised, Seattle transplant suffering from a chronic case of wanderlust. I’m a big fan of sharing stories, music, outdoorsy adventures and plenty of laughter (..and drinks, of course). After all, the best place to be is here, now.

Scott Hoffman

Writer

Hometown: Bartlett, IL

Current: Denver, CO

Favorite Beer: Russian River’s Pliny the Elder

Made my way over to Denver from Chicago 3 years ago, but I’m still a Chicagoan at heart. You can typically find me cheering on the White Sox and Bears from 1k miles away while simultaneously judging Denver’s attempts to make a decent deep dish pizza.

Tim Daily

Writer

Hometown: Old Bridge, NJ

Current: Jersey City, NJ

Favorite Beer: Other Half All Green Everything

Spiritual baller, guitar player, beer drinker, music enthusiast

Timston Johnston

Writer

Hometown: Weidman, MI

Current: Negaunee, MI

Favorite Beer: Bell’s Two Hearted

Timston Johnston is the founding editor of Little Presque Books whose ultimate dream is to operate a traveling doughnut truck.

Johnathan Pylant

Writer

Hometown: Orlando, FL

Current: North Augusta, SC

Favorite Beer: Cigar City Brewing’s Cubano-Style Espresso Brown Ale

I live on the border of GA and SC, and enjoy all the distribution perks that go along with that. I love beer for the stories it tells, the creativity it embodies and the love that it shares. My favorite pastime is sitting outside, enjoying a few random brews with friends.

John Baum

Writer

Hometown: Atlanta, GA

Current: Atlanta, GA

Favorite Beer: Depends on several factors: Is there a fire involved? A beachball? A golf cart? An early afternoon sun or a late night session?

On the lam from teaching high school English, John writes fiction. When he is not writing fiction, he writes about beer or the occasional good book. He also thinks the Yeti cooler may be a bit ridiculous, unless you’re transporting a heart.

Jeremiah Cornelius

Events Editor/Writer

Hometown: Elgin, IL

Current: Denver, CO

Favorite Beer: Lawson’s Finest Liquids Sip of Sunshine

Born and raised in the Midwest, Jeremy moved to Denver in 2013 to live in a city and state with an abundance of room for adventure and a lot of great craft beer. Jeremy enjoys many Colorado outdoor activities including hiking, backpacking, cycling, and skiing. You will also find Jeremy embarking on adventures with his girlfriend, checking out new and favorite breweries, and obsessively following his alma mater, Marquette, in basketball.

Eric Griffin

Contributing Writer

Hometown: Sandwich, MA

Current: Tuscaloosa, AL

Favorite Beer: ‘O.W.K.’

Eric Griffin is an LA-based artist, writer, and beer aficionado. His work has been featured in various art exhibitions in Virginia and in media outlets such as the Huffington Post and past catalogs for the Scholastic Art & Writing Awards. He has also been nationally recognized at Carnegie Hall for a piece that earned him Scholastic’s American Visions award. His client outreach spans multiple states, with mural commissions in Alabama and Los Angeles, and graphic design work for companies working out of Southwest Virginia. Eric is a huge beer trader and collector, always open to new connections and opportunities to try any style of beer from breweries all over the U.S. Follow Eric on Instagram: @wicked_beer

Robert French

Contributing Writer

Hometown: Fullerton, CA

Current: Sacremento, CA

Favorite Beer: Bootleggers Far Out IPA

Robert is a Southern California native, who recently relocated with his wife to Sacramento to be closer to his daughter and her family. By day he works the streets. Literally, he manage road maintenance and improvement projects. When he’s not on the street, you might find him homebrewing and beer-seeking. He makes a point of traveling for beer whenever he gets the chance. In fact, he has a yearly goal of hitting at least 100 different breweries/taprooms. If not drinking beer he can often be found vising wineries, exploring the local food scene or cooking. He also has a personal blog at www.threefrenchs.com and can be found on twitter and Instagram both @threefrenchs. Also on Facebook.

EG Metts

Contributing Writer

Hometown: Northern Jersey Shore

Current: Philadelphia area

Favorite Beer: Yards Brawler

slow heavy metal music, beer history, midnight jazz cigarettes.

Daniel Moran

Contributing Writer

Hometown: Evanston, IL

Current: Chicago, IL

Favorite Beer: Bell’s Two Hearted Ale, Great Lakes Chillwave, and Half Acre Galactic Double Daisy Cutter

I got into craft beer through going to Phish shows, trying different brews as I racked up different shows in different areas of the country. I’m thrilled about how craft beer culture has grown since then, when New Belgium brews didn’t even make it west of the Mississippi.

By day, I work in customer success for a web development firm. When I’m not working, I can be found exploring Chicago’s food and beverage scene, cheering on Chicago sports teams, watching futbol, reading, and arguing about which NEIPA tastes the most like a Creamsicle.

Follow me on Instagram @namesrhyme or on Twitter @1DanMoran

David Nilsen

Contributing Writer

Hometown: Warsaw, Indiana

Current: Greenville, Ohio

Favorite Beer: Bell’s Two Hearted Ale, Great Lake Edmund Fitzgerald Porter

David is a professional beer writer and educator and Certified Cicerone living in Ohio. He leads beer tastings, classes, and pairings and writes for a variety of beer, food, and travel publications. He is also a National Book Critics Circle member. You can find him on Instagram @davidnilsenbeer and on his website, davidnilsenbeer.com

Justin Graziano

Contributing Writer

Hometown: Santa Clarita, CA

Current: Denver, CO

Born & Raised in Santa Clarita, California and relocated to Denver, Colorado in 2017 seeking new adventure and quickly found myself loving the world of beer photography. I created an Instagram account called @beerbreathco that has driven me to many new paths and journeys. I enjoy lifestyle, nature, and product photography. In my spare time I enjoy long walks to the fridge and pizza.

Ana Plefka

Contributing Writer

Hometown: Chicago (suburbs)

Current: Chicago (north side)

Favorite Beer: Eille by Off Color Brewing

Ana is a PR professional living on Chicago’s north side. When not working, you can find her perusing the nearest bottle shop for a saison to try, exploring the city’s restaurant scene, listening to ABBA, adding to an encyclopedic knowledge of celebrities and their filmography history, attempting to brew her own beer, or doing a variety of those things simultaneously.

Katie Kalk

Contributing Writer

Hometown: Portland, OR

Current: Austin, TX

Favorite Beer: Creature Comforts’ Tropicália

When not dragon boating, running or obsessing over her dog, Katie can be found writing, drinking craft beer and obsessing over her dog. A PNW native, Katie now lives in Austin Texas and testing out how “weird” Central Texas can be. Follow her on Instagram @nokegtostandon

Asa Stone

Contributing Writer

Hometown: Hitachi, Japan

Current: Albuquerque, NM

Favorite Beer: One that pairs well with the given moment

Asa is a beer scholar specialized in scientific research and outreach. She sees beer as an integral part of society, and she elevates the appreciation for the role of beer in society through science, education, and advocacy. Follow Asa on Instagram: @beerpairedlife.

Tim Haran

Contributing Writer

Hometown: Sandy, UT
T
Current: Cottonwood Heights, UT

Favorite Beer: It’s always changing, but Elephino Double IPA (Red Rock) and Fresh Squeezed IPA (Deschutes) often hold the title.

Tim is a former journalist who enjoys writing about beer. In 2018 he founded UtahBeerNews.com, a website and podcast dedicated to telling stories important to the Utah craft beer community. An avid homebrewer and a lifelong baseball fan, Tim lives just outside Salt Lake City with his wife, Amy, and a Wheaten Terrier mix, Wrigley (#GoCubs). Follow Tim on Instagram/Twitter: @timharan and @utahbeernews

Zach Clevenger

Contributing Writer

Hometown: Granite Bay, CA

Favorite Beer: What I drink at home casually is much different than what I drink at breweries. I have been enjoying the Firestone Lager at home lately so probably that one right now.

I have a BS of Science from University of Denver where I studied Finance and Accounting. Worked in IT straight out of college until I got into photography a few years ago and decided I wanted to find a way to do that in the beer industry and the rest is history. Currently working for Burning Barrel as well as freelancing for many local breweries, the Sacramento Area Brewer’s Guild and Sacramento Beer Week.

Max Sundermeyer

Contributing Writer

Hometown: Winona, MN
Current: Minneapolis, MN

Favorite Beer: Cold Press Black Ale from Bent Paddle Brewing Company

Max loves to tell a story. For years, he’s been helping a wide variety of companies help share their stories through many forms of content development. When not at work, odds are you’ll find Max in one of the Twin Cities’ many amazing taprooms, searching for his next favorite beer. In addition to being a craft beer enthusiast, Max enjoys baseball, running and history. Most importantly, he loves spending time with his wife and their crazy, but wonderful, pit bull.

Scott Grossman

Contributing Writer

Hometown:Cleveland OH
Current: Denver, CO

Favorite Beer: The Reverend by Avery Brewing Co.

Scott is a Denver-based freelance beer writer who loves craft beer, wine, travel, and the outdoors in general. After a life-changing college experience when a friend introduced him to Odell’s 90 Shilling and he discovered that there was more to beer than light lager he became a dedicated explorer of craft beer. Scott has a passion for spreading the good word about his favorite breweries and sharing great beer with friends old and new.

Christiana Torres

Contributing Writer

Hometown: Central IL

Current town: Chicago, IL

Favorite Beer: Blueberry Sorbaze – Marz Community Brewing Co.

Growing up in small town Central Illinois, Christiana now lives on the south side of Chicago. She enjoys exploring Chicago’s vast craft beer scene during her free time. She is passionate about writing, community, and pasta.

Mike Zoller

Midwest Region Editor

Hometown: Chicago, IL

Current: Chicago, IL

Favorite Beer: No way I could just pick one!

By day I work for Sprout Social (social media management) in Chicago. By night I roam the city looking for the best craft beer. You’ll find me usually at Beermiscuous or The Northdown Cafe. I’ll continue to root for the Bears no matter who’s at QB, I’m ready for the next Blackhawks Stanley Cup Parade (it’s already been too long) and there’s only one baseball team in the city that I acknowledge…Go Cubs! Follow me on Instagram: chicagobeer and on Twitter: @mikezoller.

Stacey Goers

Northeast Region Editor

Hometown: Bloomingdale, IL

Current: Manassas, VA

Favorite Beer: Starr Hill’s The Love

Stacey lives in Virginia with her two hound dogs and her All Day IPA-loving husband, and spends her weekends exploring the state’s breweries, vineyards and sites. She works at NPR in Washington, DC as a product manager. (Talk to her about podcasts!) She went to Miami University in Ohio with fellow PorchDrinkers and her favorite beer has long been Starr Hill’s The Love.

Victoria Pratt

Pacific Region Editor

Hometown: Stanfordville, NY

Current: Oakland, CA

Favorite Beer: Young Murks DIPA – Fieldwork Brewing x Pure Project Brewing

Victoria hails from a small town a few hours north of New York City, but her love of craft beer started in the Front Range. It expanded when she arrived in the Bay Area visiting small breweries nearby. When she is not visiting her favorite local breweries (Fieldwork and Cellarmaker), you can find her cheering on her Boston Bruins, New England Patriots, Boston Red Sox, the USMNT or enjoying an afternoon at a local dog park with her Schnauzer, Freddie. You can follow her beer adventures on Instagram and Twitter @tapswithtor. Cheers!

Pam Catoe

Southwest Region Editor

Hometown: Houston, TX

Current: Austin, TX

Favorite Beer: Independence White Rabbit

A Texas girl through and through, Pam’s love for craft beer started with her discovery of Celis White by famed brewmaster Pierre Celis. She is a constant advocate for Austin’s burgeoning beer scene as a writer for Craft Beer Austin and as an organizer for Beer Necessities, a group dedicated solely to beer loving ladies.

By day she works in high tech semiconductor and spends her free time devouring the latest SciFi novel or playing Catan with the kiddos.You can follow all of her beer related shenanigans on Twitter and Instagram @PamCraftBeerATX

Desiree Duzich

Video Editor

Hometown: Glendora, CA

Current: Denver, CO

Favorite Beer: New Belgium Brewing’s Oscar Worthy Coffee Sour

Desiree, otherwise known as Spoiled Beer Brat, joined our team almost two years ago when she made her way down to Denver after teaching snowboarding up in Vail for a winter season. Outside of her day job working with the elderly, she makes a point to share her love of beer wherever she goes, whether it’s a new brewery adventure, a beercation, etc. Her goal this year get her Cicerone certification.

In addition to drinking craft beer, her hobbies include: hiking, snowboarding, tennis, cooking, #hashtagging, good times, and random adventures!

Travis Weger

Videographer

Hometown: Brownsville, OR

Current: Denver, CO

Favorite Beer: Brew Dog Dead Pony Club

Oregon born, San Diego raised, Denver adventurer: self-described as living in the “triangle of beer,” Travis commits that he doesn’t make the basis of where he lives off beer. Starting with Stone Brewing in 2003, Travis made his mark in the beer community by working with breweries up and down the west coast. With 14 years in the creative industry, Travis has created work for Pepsi, Eddie Bauer, Puma, Esquire Network, the Wounded Warrior Project, Pony and various other brands around the world. He is the owner of Media OneTEN, LLC and Colorado Wedding Films and is a Chief Petty Officer in the U.S. Navy Reserves.

Brian Phipps

Writer

Hometown: Littleton, CO

Current: Denver, CO

Favorite Beer: Breckenridge Brewery’s Vanilla Porter

Brian Phipps is the Founder & a Strategist at Confluence in Denver, Colorado, that consults businesses to increase their positive impacts in their corporate giving and social responsibility practices. Confluence offers CSR strategy creation, implementation, and management. To find out more go to www.ConfluenceLLC.com.

Chris Wallner

Writer

Hometown: McHenry, IL

Current: Denver, CO

Favorite Beer: Everyday beer, Odell IPA. If I can find it, Black Tuesday.

After moving to Colorado 8+ years ago I fell in love with the craft beer scene. The small local community feel, the new styles and experimentation, and the overall (mostly) friendly atmosphere made me search out as many places as I could. As the scene continues to grow it is exciting to trade for beers from across the country to get a local flavor of what is new and exciting outside of my distribution area. When not searching out a new brewery I enjoy playing ultimate frisbee, hiking, skiing, being in the mountains, and biking. When travelling the country for my next Bike MS event I always make it a priority to stop in at some local places to see what is going on and what beers can be drank. After all, beer is a great post ride drink and a great way to celebrate.

Drew Troller

Writer

Hometown: Cincinnati, OH

Current: Los Angeles

Favorite Beer: Rogue Brewing – Dead Guy Ale

I work in TV, I love the Reds and the Packers, and I have the world’s cutest terrier.

Gregory Acero

Writer

Hometown: Allentown, PA

Current: Pittsburgh, PA

Favorite Beer: Fat Head’s Hop JuJu, Alchemist Heady Topper, 3F’s Zombie Dust and Trillium’s PM Dawn

Full time med tech at UPMC, part time Army National Guard Medic, Call of Duty fan boy (hit me up on Xbox1), craft beer enthusiast, always down to beer trade, I can drink IPA’s/DIPA’s/Triple IPA’s, Pale Ales and Stouts for the rest of my life. Follow me on Instagram @a135 and Twitter @aceroMTF

Jan Wanot

Writer

Hometown: Bielsko-Biała, Poland

Current: Seattle, WA

Favorite Beer: Abyss (2014)

Jan is a Poland born, Seattle bred creative craft enthusiast. Aerospace by day. Founder @ANMLPack (link to: https://www.facebook.com/anmlpack/), the first all-in-one party backpack, and Brand Manager throwing unique events @The Good Vibe (link to: https://www.facebook.com/TheGoodVibeTribe/) Tribe by night. Follow him on Untapped @B4CCHU5 (link to: https://untappd.com/user/B4CCHU5)

John Amantea

Writer

Hometown: Cleveland, OH

Current: Cleveland, OH

Favorite Beer: Fat Head’s Head Hunter IPA

A true Clevelander through and through – a homer for the sports, the food, the music, and the beer. Always open to broadening horizons, especially trying new local flavors near and far.

Justin Vicroy

Writer

Hometown: Lexington, KY

Current: Denver, CO

Favorite Beer: Russian River’s Pliny the Elder

Vic is notorious for having a fridge stocked with nothing but Pliny the Elder. He also happens to be one of the biggest influences on getting our founder obsessed with craft beer. He also ralphed in our founder’s car… they called it even

Kathleen Morton

Writer

Hometown: Chicago, IL

Current: Denver, CO

Favorite Beer: Mountain Sun Saison Orange

Kathleen has worked in journalism and web management since working on The Miami Student newspaper at Miami University in Oxford, OH. The days of working with some of your best friends from college don’t have to be over after you graduate! Her passions include concerts at Red Rocks, hiking, rock climbing and snowboarding.

Kevin Risner

Writer

Hometown: Cleveland, OH

Current: Cleveland, OH

Favorite Beer: McEwan’s Scotch Ale

Kevin Risner is a product of Ohio. He has lived there for most of his life except for brief stints in England and Turkey. At the present, he resides in the Cleveland area where he instructs international students at the Cleveland Institute of Art. Kevin’s beer history stretches back to when he studied abroad in England over a decade ago and consequently studied bitters, stouts and cask ales at hole-in-the-wall pubs. Not long after, for two sad years, he was deprived of delicious brews when living in Istanbul. Thankfully, at the present, he is not lacking in his choice of craft beers!

Lindsay Krumel

Writer

Hometown: Athens, OH

Current: Athens, OH

Favorite Beer: Yuengling, Southern Tier Pumking, Great Lakes Christmas Ale

Lindsay’s love for craft beer began at her hometown brewery, Jackie O’s. Since then, she has lived all over the great state of Ohio and experienced some magnificent brews along the way. When she’s not working at the Heritage College of Osteopathic Medicine at Ohio University (GO BOBCATS!), she can usually be found with a drink in her hand. No matter the beverage, it’s safe to say PorchDrinking is her favorite pastime.

Matt Saffer

Writer

Hometown: Piscataway, NJ

Current: Piscataway, NJ

Favorite Beer: Mood dependent. Never macro, always delicious.

Matt’s love of beer dates back to when he was in the single digits stealing tastes of Miller High Life from his grandfather. Now older, smarter and bigger around the waist, Matt has moved from sip-stealer to full-on guzzler and home brewer. When not traveling around the country with his full time journalism job, Matt can be found listening to heavy metal or doing anything outside in his Star Trek uniform. No, it’s not a costume, IT’S A UNIFORM.

Mark Elliot

Writer

Hometown: Berkeley Heights, NJ

Current: Marietta, GA

Favorite Beer: III Dolia, Avery Brewing Company

I am a beer nerd, weather geek, and Muppets freak. I love to talk to anyone about these topics, especially over a good Sour. In my other time, I’m playing with my kid, wrestling with my dogs, or running through the trails.

Niel Stender

Writer

Hometown: Fanwood, NJ

Current: St. Louis, MO

Favorite Beer: 4 Hands Warhammer

I love horses. And buttered stuff.

Scott Davidson

Writer

Hometown: Aurora, CO

Current: Centennial, CO

Favorite Beer: Black Project – Blueberry Dreamland

I was born and raised in Aurora, Colorado. I’m the Founder and President of the Fermentologists, a Fermentation Science Club in Centennial, Colorado. I work part-time at Castle Rock Homebrew Supply and I’m the Social Media Coordinator for 105 West Brewing Company. I have been homebrewing for three years and I am experimenting with all aspects of fermentation science, including Kombucha, wine, cider, beer and my yogurt/cheese. I have not made a mead yet, but I’m sure I will soon.

Sonny Chan

Writer

Hometown: Portland, OR

Current: Denver, CO

Favorite Beer: Samuel Adams Oktoberfest

Sonny can usually be found playing ultimate frisbee, breaking a sweat at CrossFit, or drinking at beer festivals. His next major beer festival is Oktoberfest in Munich.

Patrick Combs

Writer

Hometown: Denver, CO

Current: Denver, CO

Favorite Beer: Fuller’s London Pride

Patrick Combs, Advanced Cicerone®, is on a lifelong quest to understand what can make a beer world-class on a molecular level. As the Production Manager at Cerebral Brewing, he combines his passion for science with the art of brewing. Like many other industry professionals, Combs discovered a love for beer when he began homebrewing over a decade ago. In February 2017, Combs joined the ranks of less than 100 people to successfully pass the Advanced Cicerone® exam. He hopes to continue his quest for beer knowledge by sitting for the Master Cicerone® exam in 2019.

Mary Ellen Finnegan

Writer

Hometown: “The Region”, IN

Current: Cincinnati, OH

Favorite Beer: A solid Saison makes for great PorchDrinkin’

A self-professed biochemistry nerd with an appreciation for the science behind brewing, as well as the sense of pride and community the craft scene brings, Mary Ellen is a contributor focusing primarily on the Midwest and the rapidly expanding Cincinnati beer scene. Her adventurous spirit is only matched by her adventurous palate when it comes to beer, always willing to travel and try whatever style comes her way–bring on the weird.

Danele Bova

Writer

Hometown: Bloomington, IL

Current: Bluffton/Hilton Head Island, SC

Favorite Beer: The one I’m drinking

Midwest girl transplanted to the south 10 years ago; drinking my way through the Carolinas; obsessed with hops, coffee stouts, and barrel fermented sours. Cheers!

Sue Bjorkman

Contributing Writer

Hometown: Casa Grande, AZ

Current: Denver, CO

Favorite Beer: X-Ray IPA from Soulcraft Brewing

Sue Bjorkman is a freelance writer in Denver, Colorado. She has 19 years experience writing for numerous magazines, newspapers and online sources. Her specialty is features about fascinating dreamers and do-ers, travel and tourism, events and entertainment. Serendipitously, craft beer fits all these categories. A happy wanderer, Sue often plans road trips and even international adventures (like Belgium, of course) purely based on where the cool breweries are. Currently she’s in a super hoppy IPA phase. She plans to concentrate on Chaffee County, Colorado’s breweries, because well… a brew with a mountain view makes her pretty giddy.

Paul Lewis

Contributing Writer

Current: North Center neighborhood in Chicago, IL

Favorite Beer: Loosey Juicy New England IPA (Short Fuse Brewing, Schiller Park, IL)

My passion lies on the open road, traveling the country, and experiencing all the visual splendor our country has to offer us. In search of the best local beer, I have traversed through the mountains of the Pacific Northwest, the high plain deserts of West Texas, the sprawling metropolises of the East Coast, the small towns that dot the flyer over states, and everywhere in between. 50 states and 250 brewery visits later, I hope to now share my experiences with those who also around the country who feel travel and drinking have enriched their lives as it has mine. I also drink a lot of bourbon at eat a lot of red meat.

Seth Garland

Contributing Writer

Hometown: Denver, CO

Current: Arvada, CO

Favorite Beer: (Currently) Firestone Walker’s Stickee Monkee (All-Time) Avery’s Maharaja

I am a Denver native. I turned 21 around the turn of the century (never you mind exactly when), so I have seen Colorado’s amazing craft beer evolution from its early phases. Despite being born and raised here, I’ve never taken for granted the awesome beer scene, the mountains, the weather or our spectacular sunsets. When I’m not trying new beers, agonizing over every down of Broncos football, writing, or nerding out on music documentaries, I like to hang out with my three daughters, my wife, my dog and my tenor sax.

David Drury

Contributing Writer

Hometown: St. Charles, IL.

Current: St. Charles, IL.

Favorite Beer: Lunch from Maine Beer Co. and anything from Chicago’s Maplewood Brewery

Dave lives in a far western suburb of Chicago, where he’s lived his entire life. When not at work, he is either watching/writing about his favorite team (the NIU Huskies), drinking, or traveling (which he tries to do as much as humanly/financially possible).

Katie de la Rosa

Contributing Writer

Hometown: Lafayette, LA

Current: St. Denver, CO

Katie is a former journalist who realized one day she wanted to move from one side of the bar to the other. She worked as a taproom and communications manager for Wibby Brewing in Longmont for two years before recently moving on to Epic Brewing in Denver. If she’s not talking to you about how awesome South Louisiana is and how you really should visit sometime, she’s probably watching sports or documentaries with her fiancee, Emma, and dog, Puzzles. But let’s be honest: she’s probably talking about Louisiana.

Bryant Vander Weerd

Contributing Writer

Hometown: St. Louis, MO

Current Town: Denver, CO

Favorite Beer: Boulevard Tank 7

Bryant and his wife moved to Denver back in 2013 and almost immediately fell in love with the craft brewing scene. When they bought a house in 2014 that was a half mile away from Comrade Brewing, that sealed the deal. Bryant works as a Videographer/Motion Graphic Designer and enjoys biking, snowboarding, and porchdrinking… both the activity and the website.

Meghan Howes

Editor

Hometown: Canton, OH

Current town: Denver, CO

Favorite Beer: Cuvée Des Jacobins Rouge, Red Evelyn Imperial Red Rye IPA (Black Shirt Brewing Co), Speciation’s Allopatric, anything from Fremont

Born with a cleft palate in the cradle of the NFL, raised in a super-conservative household by Evangelical Christians, Meghan is a bit of a black sheep. Baa baa.

After graduating from The College of Wooster with a BA In English, she did some time bookselling in New Haven, Connecticut, before heading west to the University of Montana for her MFA in Creative Writing (poetry). Howes then taught writing for two years (including a stint as the U of M’s Poetry Fellow) before accepting a job in Colorado at the University of Denver College of Law in 1999.

In 2008, she was promoted to assistant dean of communications, a position that she held for nine years. After vacating the deanship, Howes landed her “dream job” as director of communications for Black Shirt Brewing Co in Denver. She conveniently lives less than a mile from the brewery, in the Cole neighborhood, where she and her wife of 21 years bought a house in 2002. Live music, poetry, well-built beer, bicycles, #vanlife, dogs, and the Western History Collection at the Denver Public Library are a few of her favorite things.

Andrew Holcombe

Contributing Writer

Current Town: Denver, CO

Favorite Beer: This is impossible. Good Craft Beer.

Andrew is a beer drinker of all styles: Stout to Saison and IPA to Doppelbock. Born in Michigan, but living (and drinking) in Denver, at 21 he went straight to craft beers and never looked back. Andrew has been homebrewing for several years, and generally tries a few tasters at a new spot before selecting the most ideal beer for the time, atmosphere, and feeling.

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Jadon Flores

Contributing Writer

Hometown: Temecula, CA

Favorite Beer: Strong Willed Warrior Imperial Stout – Karl Strauss, followed closely by Lamvinous by Cantillion.

I’ve worked in the beer industry for over 6 years, from beertending to brewing and currently help professional breweries troubleshoot problems for the brewery equipment manufacturer Premier Stainless Systems. I have an insanely built DIY homebrew set up and I love using it and my wife has always been very supportive. I have a brand new baby girl who takes away most of my sleep but is a great assistant brewer!

Rachel Morrison

Contributing Writer

Hometown: Naperville, IL

Favorite Beer: IPAs are my favorite, while I don’t necessarily have one favorite, I love End All IPA by Solemn Oath Brewery and TORO! by Forbidden Root.

Rachel has a background in marketing and currently works for a data and technology startup in Chicago. She would rather work in beer. For now, she is wrapping up the Business of Craft Beer Program at the College of DuPage, home brewing, teaching beer yoga, and photographing and writing about beer. She’s passionate about fitness and traveling as much as possible.
Instagram: @beergogglesblog

Danielle Engel

Contributing Writer

Hometown: Arvada, CO
Current: Hayward, CA

Favorite Beer: Constantly shifting with the season, my mood, and given activity.

Danielle’s mother is the root of her craft beer passion, having taken her on the New Belgium Brewery tour for her 21st birthday, been cruising breweries and bottle shops ever since. She currently works for Drake’s Brewing Company in San Leandro, CA keeping up with trends in that merch life. She likes to spend her free time drinking beer with her husband and finds crafting relaxing.

Haidar Hachem

Contributing Writer

Hometown: Miami, FL

Favorite Beer: Depends on the day/my mood

Haidar Hachem is a type 1 Diabetic and cancer survivor who lives his life by running ultra marathons (in speedos) and drinking beer. He is a brewer at Strange Beast Brewpub and is a Certified Cicerone brewery/beer reviewer and is also on his way to becoming a BJCP Judge and Advanced Cicerone. Cheers

Kailey Partin

Contributing Writer

Hometown: Bryn Mawr, PA
Current: Portland, ME

Favorite Beer: Allagash Cureiux

A Maine transplant, originally from the suburbs of Philadelphia, Kailey has a background in performing arts management and multi-media design. During the week Kailey is the Director of Branding and Hospitality at Rising Tide Brewing Company, on the weekends she is a beer tasting and brewery touring hobbyist who loves working in the craft beer industry. When not working or enjoying a cold beer, she can be found soaking up the sun and exploring the beautiful coast of Maine.

Jasmin Hudacsek

Operations Manager

Hometown: Aurora, CO

Current: Denver, CO

Favorite Beer: Myrcenary Double IPA

Jasmin comes from a background in journalism, but decided her story-telling and creativity was better suited for building software. She writes code for FIVE x 5 Solutions during the day and tries to keep the PorchDrinking machine well oiled at night. She has a fondness for technology, cocktails, riding her single-gear bike and, of course, craft beer. You can follow her on Twitter @j_sm_n and Instagram @tech_vvitch.

Rich Stoner

Contributing Writer

Hometown: Middletown, NJ

Current Town: Fair Haven, NJ

Favorite Beer: Kane Brewing Sneakbox

Rich Stoner is the founder of the après-ski lifestyle clothing and media brand, All About Après. He has been a long time contributor for many publications on topics like fitness, skiing, gear, beer and food. No stranger to the ski and après-ski scene, however, his passion is on the slopes and enjoying good food and drinks with good people. You can find him perfecting his craft carving turns in the Green Mountains of Vermont or smoking BBQ and drinking beers is his own backyard. @allaboutapres