Tag / american craft beer

by Beau H.

The Friday Read: The Ultimate Western Weekend with Oskar Blues Brewery & Dale’s Pale Ale

Dale's Pale Ale.

Over the years, I’ve had the great fortune to try some of the best American craft beer on the market — in Brooklyn, in my home state of Michigan and across the country (and the globe — did you know there’s a booming craft beer scene in Madrid!?).

If you follow me on Instagram (or keep up with this blog), you know I’ve got a passion for all things spirits and suds, and I’ve even had the chance to cover the best new microbrews at sites like Maxim.com. In fact, you might say craft beer was my first love, at least before I dove into the world of fine American bourbon — and all that goes with it, of course.

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Yes indeed, way back when I was covering the best gear for spring and summer at GearMoose, I also found that the same things I treasured — an expertly cut pair of denim or a well-fitting chambray shirt, for instance — also made for a nice uniform of sorts to wear to… a craft brewery!

It’s the little things that make the difference, and so I find myself once again with the chance to pursue my passions, cover the gear (and beer!) I love, and travel the country (and the world!) while doing so.

And that’s why, live from Denver, I’ve made yet another trek out West with iconic craft brewery Oskar Blues Brewery, makers of the excellent (and groundbreaking) Dale’s Pale Ale as well as a host of other deliciously crushable beers that tend to pair well with outdoor pursuits aplenty.

In fact, in a fun turn of events, the brewery is the official beer of U.S.A. Curling! And with next year’s Winter Olympics on the horizon, Denver is hosting the USA Curling Mixed Fours National Championship — I’ve seen curling on TV, you’ve seen curling on TV but the chance to check it out in person (all while also touring the iconic Oskar Blues Brewery) is too good (and too fun!) to pass up.

Now, Dale’s Pale Ale — a longtime favorite I first discovered when I moved to NYC more than a decade ago, as luck would have it — is far from the only beer Oskar Blues makes, but it’s among the finest and most accessible, with rich malt character and delicate hop spice. It’s a change of pace from the wine I recently sipped in the French Riviera (more on that below), but one I welcome as a return to form — who can turn down a fresh beer right off the canning line?

But enough about beer — for now, at least. I’ll be outfitting myself with rugged style favorites best suited for a brewery tour, like Flint and Tinder menswear from Huckberry. Those aren’t the only menswear selections I’ve brought with me out West, of course, as you know if you (repeat after me) follow me on Instagram.

Sturdy Blundstone boots and a great field watch are also top of mind. In the meantime, it’s the best of all worlds in my neck of the woods: Fresh beer, rugged menswear and a glimpse of fresh air and blue sky in lovely Denver. Again, keep up with me on social media to follow along with all the fun, and keep it locked here for two stylish spring blog posts headed your way on Saturday and Sunday. As ever, thank you for reading!

by Beau H.

The Friday Read: A Weekend on the Road in Minneapolis

Folks, welcome back to another Friday Read, and another dispatch from the road by yours truly. I recently trekked up to Boston with Randolph Engineering, and I’ve also gone upstate in the past few months — and as luck would have it, I’m in hot pursuit of another story this weekend as part of my many freelance writing ventures! I’m in the lovely (and surprisingly warm!) city of Minneapolis this weekend, a trip that’s been in the works for some time now.

The reason for my visit? Among other restaurant and bar excursions in the city — and among my own personal exploration of music heritage in Minneapolis — I’m taking in the revamped, reopened Butcher and the Boar, a Minneapolis institution known for its smoked meats and of course, its extensive whiskey list. If you ask me, those are two of the best things in life, yet the rest of the trip should prove just as stellar (and delicious).

Also on the docket? A cold beer or two at Surly Brewing, plus a visit to the newly opened and much-hyped North Loop restaurant Demi. While I’m no gourmand (and not exactly a stellar cook!), I know what I love when it comes to dining (as I noted when I visited Reyna in NYC), and this trip should certainly fit the bill nicely. It’s a trip I’ve been anticipating for weeks, and it’ll be my first time in the Twin Cities in 9 years, no less!

Of course, I’ll have a full dispatch on the way for Maxim.com sooner rather than later, but you can keep up with all the fun on my Instagram in the meantime. And naturally, we’ll return to our regularly scheduled programming tomorrow with my latest Style Pick of the Week. As always, thanks for reading and stay stylish!

by Beau H.

The Friday Read: Kentucky Derby Cocktails, Men’s Sunglasses and Washington, D.C.

Editor’s note: Expect these posts once a week on Fridays — consider this a jumpstart on reading for your weekend downtime. Expect a mix of style and non-style content. For more entries, click here.  

Hello there, Style Guide readers! Welcome to another edition of the Friday Read, where (if you’re not familiar), we’re recapping the week in #menswear. And if you’ve come through these parts before, welcome back. How was your week? It’s turning out to be a mighty packed one, what with Cinco de Mayo yesterday, the Kentucky Derby following on Saturday and of course, Mother’s Day on Sunday. If you’re scrambling to find a gift, check out this site’s rundown of the best gifts for Mother’s Day. Trust us, we’ll get you sorted. Hopefully, you’ll have the chance to rest, relax and spend some quality time with family this weekend — whether it’s watching the Derby or doing some traveling to see friends. On that note, check back here Monday for a full post covering a trip I’m taking to Washington, D.C. to see my good friend, former college roommate and current political journo Ian Kullgren. If you have any suggestions for fun things to do in the area, let me know on Twitter! And if you want to follow along with my travels, add me on Instagram  or… better yet, follow me on Snapchat @beau_hayhoe. I’m still getting the hang of that thing, but I think I’ve got a good handle on what’s going in this week’s Friday Read — enjoy the weekend and read on!

  • Enjoying a nice beverage during the Kentucky Derby? Here’s exactly how to make a mint julep, the official drink of the Derby. If you’re more partial to other cocktails, here’s a look at this site’s cocktail guide for the 2016 Masters.
  • Note that we’ll have our own Style Guide sunglasses picks coming up here shortly, but in the meantime, the Wall Street Journal recommends the following men’s sunglasses picks for summer.
  • Again, this piece isn’t directly style-related, but it ties into something this menswear writer knows and loves –a great beer! Men’s Journal covers the 25 best American IPAs (and boy, is the list something else!)
  • Style Note of the Week: This isn’t a full-on menswear story by any means, but rather a recommendation that’s given me some great visual inspiration — if you don’t follow the fantastic Christian Watson on Instagram, it’d be wise to start! He shares some inspiring shots of his travels, his daily adventures and his incredible eye for a great photo. Worth  a look to start your weekend, ehh?

Want some more great men’s style content? Here we are!

  • If you read this site, you know I’m a huge fan of the versatility and tough styling potential of a rugged henley — so of course, I wrote about the 10 best henleys for men over at GearMoose! I think you’ll recognize some Style Guide favorites in there.

Thanks as always, for reading!

-Beau