You know, fellas, 2015 was a pretty momentous year. Gas prices plummeted, NASA proved there’s water on Mars, and scientists discovered a new and easier way to make diamonds.
But more importantly, some guys from Portland made pressurized growlers, which means the whole world can now drink delicious draft beer whenever and wherever we want. And really, who gives a shit about water on Mars when we have delicious beer right here on Earth?
Anyway, here are the best beer innovations of 2015:
The uKeg Pressurized Growler
Remember like, 6 years ago, when Heineken came out with those cute little mini-kegs that you could keep in your fridge? Well, now imagine one of those things, but more portable, and filled with beer that doesn’t suck. THAT’S what the folks of Portland-based Growler Werks are giving to the world, with the uKeg Pressurized Growler. Just head on out to your favorite watering hole, have them fill it with your favorite brew, slap on the regulator cap, and you’re good to go. Link
Slip Cup
Pico – Craft Beer at Home
Craft beer is one trend we can definitely get behind, and the people at PicoBrew are making it as easy as ever to get involved in the process! This countertop kitchen appliance, about as big as a microwave, makes brewing professional quality craft beer as easy as a cup of Keurig coffee. Pour pre-measured packets of yeast, malt, and hops into Pico’s various containers, fill it up with water, and watch magic happen. The process (not including fermenting time) takes about an hour, and the results are, from what we’ve heard, pretty amazing. Link
Mt. Hood, The Oregon Pint Glass by North Drinkware
We have a lot of love for independent projects like this, so we’re pretty excited to have Mt. Hood, The Oregon Pint Glass on this list. North Drinkware uses old school methods of glass blowing and new-age 3D printing technology to bring you their Mt. Hood pint glass. They got their map of Mount Hood from the U.S. Geological Survey, and then used 3D printers to make the molds. After a lot of time, patience, and lessons, they have their final product, Mt. Hood, The Oregon Pint Glass. With the widespread success of this glass, the group is looking to expand into all different regions of the U.S., giving locals everywhere another way to rep their favorite places, with their favorite brews. Link
The Oak Bottle
For centuries, people have aged whiskeys, wines, and ales in barrels, so it’s kind of ridiculous to us that no one thought of this until 2015. But hey, better late than never, right? The Oak Bottle quickly and efficiently barrel-ages any drink you toss into it. Barrel-aged beers are an excellent addition to any maturing beer enthusiast’s palate, and what’s more fun than doing it all yourself. Plus, the idea of oak-aged Budweiser is both terrifying and intriguing to us, so why the hell not? We imagine it’ll be like drinking Pabst Blue Ribbon while driving a Ferrari (EDITOR’S NOTE: Which is something we’d never do, because drinking and driving is bad). Link
MiniBrew
The MiniBrew kind of looks like a coffeepot; a beer-making coffeepot; a beautiful, beautiful beer-making coffeepot. And honestly, that’s exactly what it is. Save for the cheesy promotional video on this brilliant invention’s Indiegogo campaign, MiniBrew, conceived in Amsterdam, is the world’s first all-in-one countertop homebrew system. What makes it unique is that you can select a combination of ingredients straight from your phone, and get them delivered directly to your home. This ingenious little device also handles primary and secondary fermenting process, and includes a 5-liter mini keg. When they say “all in one,” they really mean it. Link
