Surviving Dark Lord Day – A Thirsty Bastards Journal
Have you ever wondered what it’s like to attend 3 Floyds Dark Lord Day in picturesque Munster, IN? Or any major beer festival for that matter? If you don’t live in the Chicago vicinity, it can seem like a magical wonderland where your wildest beer dreams come true! The truth of the matter is, IT […]
The Definitive Thirsty Bastards Guide to Getting Started Homebrewing
Everyone starts somewhere. By its very nature, homebrewing is an amateur niche. If you’re a denizen of the internet and you’ve done even a little research, you’re either a trigger pull away from brewing today or so scared you want to switch to Malort for the rest of your life. Luckily, Thirsty Bastards has you […]
The Very Best Beer Labels of 2016
2016 was a roller coaster of a year. In some ways, the worst year I can recall. We lost so many amazing celebrities, but we also got a kick-ass Star Wars movie! We had to drink infected Goose Island Bourbon County Brand Stout but also got refunds and fresh, uninfected bottles in November. Here in Chicago, […]
The 19 Spookiest Pumpkin Beer Labels of 2016 (and one stinker)
Every year I troll the label submissions of the past 12 months to bring you the Best Pumpkin Beer Labels on the shelves. There are hundreds of pumpkin beers out there with some impressive label art, but these are the 19 best I’ve found that I hadn’t seen before. I know what you’re thinking… “But what about […]
5 Beers to Help You Survive the Impending Trump Presidency
We here at Thirsty Bastards have it on good authority from a placed source in the Anheuser-Busch sales department that Donald J. Trump is already the next president of the Luxurious States of America (“LSA! LSA! LSA!”) and that any junk that happens next month is just a matter of affixing red ball caps onto […]
Oops, I Left My Goose Island BCBS Refund To The Last Minute!
Please note: Goose Island is no longer accepting refund submissions for 2015 BCBS. In case you missed it, Goose Island is refunding folks who bought 2015 Bourbon County Stout with select bottling dates $15.00 for each bottle purchased. These dates are for the following timestamps for 2015: Bourbon County Stout: 10/9, 10/12, 10/22, 10/22, 10/23, […]
Louie Berceli and the Labels of Mystic Brewery
As the sales and marketing manager for Mystic Brewery in Chelsea, MA, Louie Berceli has his hands full. The company has recently rebranded under his creative direction. Late last year, he sent me the following email: Hey there, I’m so happy I finally have a reason to email you. I’ve been a fan of your […]
Six Common Beer Styles and What You Need to Know
Let me help you decide which beer styles to pick to enjoy your night out on the town, dull the crushing sense of nothingness that consumes you, or purchase a couple bottles for a nice picnic.
How to Remove Bottle Labels, Intact, in 15 Minutes
Today I’m going to show you how to remove bottle labels from any bottle quickly and intact. I’ve read dozens of posts on the subject and I’ve been astounded at the variety of methods out there that folks will recommend. I’ve put those methods to the test and boiled it down to a technique that […]
Chicago Speakeasies, Yesterday and Today
From Prohibition to present, we’ll explore how speakeasy bars and clubs shaped Chicago’s culture. We’ll also list some local bars keeping the speakeasy alive.