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A day to pair.

Hello, and welcome! My name is Nick, and I’m here to share my craft beer lifestyle. I look at breweries, brews, the culture of beer, local, artisan businesses and how together they create community, culture and lifestyle. Join me as I pair my way through it all.

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Recent PairingwithBeer Posts:

The Gift of Craft Beer for Christmas
Define Your Craft: Craft Beer Collaborations are Bringing “Craft” into Higher Relief
The New Normal? How Toronto Hospitality in COVID-19 is adapting
Common Good Brewing Company
Beer Delivery during COVID-19
Granite Brewery

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“Sisters” is a cranberry sour made in collabor

“Sisters” is a cranberry sour made in collaboration between @katalystbrewing @up_north_brewing and @highgravitysupplyco using fresh cranberries from @johnstons_cranberries. The beer is brewed to honour missing indigenous woman and girls, with a portion of the proceeds going to the Thunder Woman Healing Lodge. ✊🏻
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There really wasn’t a more perfect #pairing for this beer than @mstoneyart’s #everychildmatters shirt, designed for #orangeshirtday, a day to honour the memory of those lost and effected by the Canadian residential school system. A portion of the sale of the shirts (also available as a 🔥 af hoodie!) are donated to @orangeshirtdayeverychildmatter. ✊🏻
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Michelle’s design, a handprint representing lost indigenous children oozing with symbolism, is absolutely unique and incredibly dope. And while we should probably all own one of these shirts, I need to take this opportunity to plug her other work as well, because her art is just fantastic - vibrant, lively, full of movement, and can be found on all sorts of different items on her Etsy shop (check her bio!)... And to really make this pairing complete, you should also look into Michelle’s sister, Tamara @mysticcrafts24, who makes some gorgeous leather lanyards in an array of beautiful colour combos. 🌈
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I had to connect these cool sisters to this Sister beer, which, I gotta say right now, is just superb. Best cranberry beer I think I’ve ever had (and that says a lot, because there’s quite a few out there I adore). A fine head that dissipates quickly covers a deep hot pink coloured beer that lights up your tastebuds via the eyes. And then the taste lives up to that look, with an overwhelming cranberry flavour that is so near sauce it’s just so flippin’ on point! 🤤🤤
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What both of these items stand for though is more important than their design. Raise a glass of Sisters. Strut your Every Child Matters shirt. And be clear that you do both in honour of #indigenous people everywhere still living with the pain settlers have inflicted on them for generations. #workstillneedstobedone ✊🏻❤️🍻
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#pairingwithbeer
#thisiscraftbeerlifestyle 🍻
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📸 by @youbymia ✨

“Negaitve Space” from @thirdmoonbeer is a deli

“Negaitve Space” from @thirdmoonbeer is a deliciously hazy IPA from one of Ontario’s newest breweries. It is a perfectly apt #pairing with “The Skin We’re In,” a must-read for all Canadians by journalist and activist Desmond Cole. 📖
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Some of the world’s negative spaces have come into much higher relief these days, and, as Canadians, we often gain solace from comparing ourselves to the US. “Hey: look at them! We aren’t like them at all! We’re pretty good - this is an American problem,” runs the Canadian thinking on racism. Isn’t that a total fallacy? Look at Canada in a vacuum. If there’s even one smote of racism, then we have work to do - regardless of what it looks like south of the border. 🤔💡😬
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“The Skin We’re In” provides all Canadians with clear evidence to quell any doubt that we’ve somehow risen above racism. Cole’s writing is incredibly accessible, with an unsurprising journalistic tone that dances wonderfully between the author’s own experiences in Toronto during 2017, more recent events, and historical anchors that Cole masterfully connects to today’s policies. It leaves no doubt that Canada has work to do. 📚
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Sipping on a Negative Space from Third Moon offers an interesting compliment to Cole’s work. Dank and deep, a liveliness of tropical aromas, and a medium bitter: it all mixes together in a way that mimics an activist’s energy with a chip on their shoulder - in other words, it doesn’t make the reading any easier, but it does help to fire up your conscience. 😡
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I strongly suggest picking up a copy of this book. I was able to find mine through @mylocalhood, which lead me to @sprucetoronto. Spruce is selling Cole’s book (and other relevant titles), with 100% of the proceeds from the sales going to @blm_to - so you can both educate yourself while supporting the movement. 👌🏻
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Fill your glass with Third Moon’s Negative Space; crack open the pages to Desmond Cole’s “The Skin We’re In;” and get to know why, in Canada, it still isn’t clear that BLACK LIVES MATTER. There’s lots of work to do to prove that yet. 📖📚🍺✊🏻
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#pairingwithbeer
#thisiscraftbeerlifestyle 🍻
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📸 by @100sideprojects and edited by @pairingwithbeer ✨

The "Galactic" pale ale from @granitebrewery is on

The "Galactic" pale ale from @granitebrewery is one of the brewery's flagship beers, available year round. It makes for a trendy pairing with @cherrycolastoronto, Toronto's newest and hippest (and hardest to find) live music venue. 🎙
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Blast off with this pale ale that pours a straw-golden colour, and provides a wonderful aroma of topical fruits and fruity yeast. A mild citrus melts with the pine and earthy bitterness to produce a lovely American- meets English-style pale ale that can go down often and easily. 💦💦
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The citrus-pine combination here provides a playful mix of fun that is reminiscent of a night at Cherry Cola's: sweaty, loud, and sexy rambunctiousness. Whether a new underground indie band, sonic manipulator, or retro-classic outfit is rocking the plush with red velvet interior, whether it's another burlesque night or crazy cocktail event, this is "Toronto's sexiest live music venue." If I'm blasting off with my Granite Galactic pale ale rocket, I know exactly where I should be in Toronto to properly rock it. 😜😎💥
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Don't wait up. It's countdown to blast off, and I'm strapped in with my pint of Galactic pale ale from @granitebrewery, ready to rock it through a night @cherrycolastoronto... 3... 2... 1... 💥🚀🎸🍻
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(Note: Cherry Cola's does not serve Granite's "Galactic" pale ale, although perhaps making this connection here will encourage them to add it to their menu... 😜👍🏻)
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#pairingwithbeer
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📸 by @100sideprojects and edited by @pairingwithbeer ✨
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FULL @GRANITEBREWERY BLOG ARTICLE ON FRIDAY!!

The "Dark Side" from @granitebrewery is a black IP

The "Dark Side" from @granitebrewery is a black IPA, available during the winter season from the brewpub. Being tempted to the dark side is a situation that might require a bit of protection: like Odysseus, I aim to get the most out of a situation while keeping me safe from risk, so, in order to enjoy this beer to its fullest, and without it drawing me into the dark side, #pairing it with some protection from @order416 was certainly a wise match. 👌🏻😎
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Pouring a deep, chocolate brown with a delicious tan head, the Dark Side provides a wonderful experience with a black IPA. It starts out like most other black IPAs, with aromas of burnt coffee and chocolate, but the taste is something that is more unique to the style - and definitely in a good way. Burnt malts, featuring predominantly coffee and cola tastes, lead the charge, and then slowly ease into earthy hop bitterness with a touch of citrus, leaving a pleasant, medium-bitter linger that tempts you for many repeated sips. 😍🤤
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It's difficult to resist the Dark Side, especially when it leaves such a nice linger in your mouth - and I don't want to not have another sip! Thankfully, as Kylo Ren (@philipmiddd21) arrives with a Sith Inquisitor (@herbztiu) to ensure my allegiance to the dark side of the Force, Quinlan Vos (@kareems.dreams), a true Jedi survivor, intervenes to allow me the proper Odysseus experience. 🙏👊
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Order 416 is a group of local Star Wars cosplayers who have been climbing the ranks of cosplay groups, most recently being invited as featured exhibitors at the Star Wars Celebration in Chicago last year, and making an appearance on the Wall Street Journal Podcast. The Force is certainly strong with Order 416. 💪
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Before cracking your can of Dark Side IPA from @granitebrewery, check in with @order416 to be sure they have your back: the Dark Side is so easily appealing, it really won't take much for you to slip onto the wrong side of the Force with this brew. 🧘‍♂️🧘⚔️🦾🤤🍻
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#pairingwithbeer
#thisiscraftbeerlifestyle 🍻
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📸 by @100sideprojects and edited by @pairingwithbeer ✨ .
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FULL @GRANITEBREWERY BLOG ARTICLE ON FRIDAY!!

BLACK LIVES MATTER ... This account’s regularly

BLACK LIVES MATTER
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This account’s regularly scheduled content is interrupted by the far more important issue, that Black Lives Matter, and will remain #interruptedforjustice until granted equally to all people, universally. We will not be silent.
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Swipe to view the content supposed to be attached to the below...
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The “Colour & Shape” from BC brewery @superfluxbeer and imported to Ontario by @craftbrandco is a wonderfully juicy IPA that rocks your tastebuds with pure delight. It’s an excellent #pairing with “the Box,” my childhood home for all things Beaches lacrosse, where I gave myself some colour in the sun and kept in good shape practising and playing one of the world’s greatest games. 🥍 🍻
Colour & Shape is an incredible beer: let’s state that outright. It’s exactly the sort of resiny, dank, juice-bomb of an IPA that balances the citrus with the bitter like a tightrope walker lying high above the earth’s surface on a wire. The beer is perfect in the sun, and can certainly refresh after a bit of physical activity. 💪💦
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I spent much of my youth down at the Box in Kew Gardens. We’d do sprints on that concrete floor, stretching, pushups, drills, battles, and all sorts of games. Lacrosse introduced me to my first ‘dry-land training” sessions (at age 8), and all this experience under the Toronto sun definitely gave me some colour and put on track to be in good shape... Now if only music didn’t distract me at age 16, there’s a reasonable chance I could have made something out of this... But then, I’d likely have never had the chance to get into great craft beer if I continued as an athlete - and now I can declare that I get my colour and shape from elsewhere. 😜👌🏻
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@craftbrandco is delivering to homes across Ontario from their Bodega shop (link in their bio), and if you use my promo code upon checkout (pairingwithbeer), you’ll receive a free 4-pack sampler with your order! 🙌 Disclaimer: Colour & Shape sells out FAST, so keep an eye on @craftbrandco’s social to see when they’re next in stock - and then order immediately. 🏃🏽‍♀️🏃🏻‍♂️☀️🥍💦🍻
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#pairingwithbeer
#thisiscraftbeerlifestyle 🍻
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📸 by @100sideprojects and edited by @pairingwithbeer

Black lives matter. It’s a statement like “All

Black lives matter. It’s a statement like “All we need is love”: it’s a statement that can’t be said enough. ❤️
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My first experience with racism is an early memory. I think I was 7 - in grade 2.
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I grew up in a fairly affluent neighbourhood, and, this year, the first black children joined the school: Seb, a year older, and his younger brother, Tristan, who was in my brother’s class.
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I remember the second, maybe third day, after they had arrived, up near a secluded area of the playground, during lunch, Seb was standing up on a bench beside a kid who then grabbed him by the throat calling him a “F***ing N-word.”
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Within, I’d say, like 1.5 seconds Seb reaches up and grabs the other kid’s neck and chokes him right back. ✊🏻
Then they both release. They look at each other, and then they grabbed each other again. Release - strangle; release - strangle...
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Finally, the racist backed down.
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The murder of George Floyd last week reveals how necessary it is to speak about racism now, especially from a place of privilege. We need to state explicitly that we, the privileged, STAND WITH YOU AGAINST RACISM. ✊🏻
I share my story above, not because it’s an eye-popping story of racism - it’s not - I share it because it’s my first experience with racism. ✊🏻
It wasn’t ok then. Seb was my hero that day for standing up for himself, but he should never have needed to stand up for himself just because of the colour of his skin. ✊🏻
Imagine that shit daily. 🤔
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None of this is ok. Last week a man was murdered by the police because of the colour of his skin. This is clearly not a little issue. It’s an issue that stretches high and low, far and wide. It’s systemic; it’s exists within the way individuals find employment or buy houses or get into schools or...
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It exists BECAUSE I’m privileged. ✊🏻
The death of George Floyd reveals the need to change this once and for all. ✊🏻 It’s everyone against racism, and everyone needs to stand up and say so loudly. And we need to say so until every black life matters as much as any other life, which, to me, means that every black life is equally as privileged as my life.
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Say it again, “BLACK LIVES MATTER.”

For those of you rocking a #DryJanuary - or for th

For those of you rocking a #DryJanuary - or for those considering #DryFebruary - @sobercarpenter is a new #ontariocraftbeer brewery producing fresh non-alc offerings that are safe to DRYve with! 🚘
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For those of you who haven’t seen that cute, little Heineken commercial making the rounds these days, swipe ⬅️ to see the original! Notice: you see my eyes because I’m not ashamed to be drinking craft. 😜😆
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Sober Carpenter’s “White” is a great replacement for your craft desires as you cleanse - or just simply want to remain clean but still get access to the flavours of craft beer! 👊 Pouring a hazy golden with a decent head that dissipates quickly, it looks similar to a German Weisse, yet the subtle aroma is more Belgian Wit. The flavour follows the nose, leading with lemon citrus, again suggesting Wit (although no floral), but the mouthfeel is fuller, suggesting Weisse. It’s a nice mix that is more Wit than Weisse and makes for a pleasant drinking experience - the exact sort of experience you’re likely looking for with a non-alc White beer. 👌🏻
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Now also swipe further ⬅️ to see a little montage I put together with Sober Carpenter’s lineup. I’ve been experimenting with tools and ideas lately - trying to make things easier, although usually only making them harder (😆) - and this was a fun one I’ve carried on further with (stay tuned!) and hope to do more of. Let me know your thoughts in the comments... 🗣
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Extra points if you can catch the song/artist 🎶 I ripped for the soundtrack (so please don’t tag them 😬🤫🤷🏻‍♂️)... Meh - you won’t get it anyways. 😜
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I haven’t participated in Dry January myself, although I did naturally slow down my drinking this January quite substantially (probably 2 weeks in before I had my 5th beer!). Too much of anything is never a good idea. I always think of my man Odysseus when it comes to this, he was always the paradigm of the Greek virtue of Temperance. Enough to enjoy the maximum without compromising yourself. Sober Carpenter’s got your #craftbeer fix in a similar way - look out for them! And for parking authority!! 👮🏼‍♂️👀🚘👌🏻🍻
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#pairingwithbeer
#thisiscraftbeerlifestyle 🍻

The “Sociable Pilsner” from @commongoodbeer is

The “Sociable Pilsner” from @commongoodbeer is the brewery’s flagship beer, offered year round. With the current state of the world and the COVID-19 outbreak, this is really the perfect #pairing for social distancing. 👤📏👤
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I made sure to keep my distance here, leaving the can in my bedroom, as I enjoyed the brew in my kitchen. Gotta keep space between us - we’re about #flatteningthecurve after all, and the more space we keep between each other, the sooner we can get back together and get physically sociable again. 🕰🙏🤞
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After washing my hands thoroughly and then putting on latex gloves, the Sociable Pilsner poured a fairly clear, straw-like colour with a fluffy head. A nice grassy aroma arises from the glass, and the liquid goes down easily with its clean mouthfeel, mild hop bitterness, sweet grain and citrus flavours, and a pleasantly dry finish. Perfect for, well, socializing - physically or virtually. 👥📱
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Sterilize the can; sterilize your hands; pour your Common Good Sociable Pilsner; and then depart from the room to enjoy it from a distance. We’re keepin’ spaces clean and space between, so we can get close again. 🙌👌🏻👤📏👤🍻
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#pairingwithbeer
#thisiscraftbeerlifestyle 🍻
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📸 by @100sideprojects and edited by @pairingwithbeer ✨
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FULL @COMMONGOODBEER BLOG ARTICLE NEXT FRIDAY!!

#blackouttuesday

#blackouttuesday

@steamwhistlebrewing’s brand new release, their

The “Haze Mama” from @greatlakesbeer is a New

The “Haze Mama” from @greatlakesbeer is a New England IPA, available year round from the brewery - or from the @barhopbar on King St West, offering a delicious selection of to-go craft beers and liquor. Skip the lines at your local LCBO, and support your local bar/restaurant - that’s the essence of this #pairing, and of a number to follow here. 🙌❤️
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Pouring an orange juice-like hazy yellow with a fairly thick, bubbly head, the Haze Mama is a delight for the summer months. A big tropical citrus aroma greets your nose. The flavour of this medium-bodied brew leads with guava and pineapple and follows with a mild, muted bitterness that begs your lips to return to the glass. 👄
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As we enjoy our Haze Mama safely at home, we know that some of the best places to find great quality craft beer these days is from your local bar or restaurant. Places like Bar Hop have rearranged their businesses during the pandemic to help serve their communities during difficult times - providing us locals with access to beers we might have a difficulty finding otherwise. Bar Hop is one of those places, and you can catch a Haze Mama there now! 👌🏻
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So go for a walk in the sunshine - keep your distance - visit your local, and pick up a few Haze Mamas for your Thursday night: we could all use a good mama to come home to anyways, right? 😜🙌🚶🏻‍♀️📏🚶🏻‍♂️🍻
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CATCH MY FULL BLOG ARTICLE ON THE HOSPITALITY INDUSTRY DURING COVID-19 NEXT FRIDAY!!
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#pairingwithbeer
#thisiscraftbeerlifestyle 🍻
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📸 by @100sideprojects & edited by @pairingwithbeer ✨

The "Bonsai Kitten" is a white IPA from @commongoo

The "Bonsai Kitten" is a white IPA from @commongoodbeer available year round. The beer is quite a predictable #pairing with a Mason jar. 🏺 🍻
Seriously though: with a Mason jar. 🥛(Why is there no jar emoji?!)
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Yes, I was quite surprised myself to learn what this beer is named after: a defunct satirical website that marketed "bonsai kittens;" kittens that were put inside a Mason jar so that the shape of their growth inside the jar was controlled - similar to cultivating a bonsai tree. ✂️🌳🙀
So yes, the beer pairs perfectly with a Mason jar. 🍯
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As I pet my bonsai kitten (the can of beer) in it's jar, sitting against a tree in my backyard, a dank waft of herbs and grapefruit arises from the hazy, orange-yellow liquid. A deceivingly easy taste that follows the citrus-heavy nose disguises the Bonsai Kitten's heavy-hitting 7.7% ABV. A subtle, sweet malt backbone balances the herbal and citrus hops nicely, and give the impression of easy drinking. A mild bitterness makes these great for drinking in the backyard in the sun, but, with it's high ABV, at a more responsible pace. ⏰ 🍻
Crack your can; crack your Mason jar. We're stuffing high ABVs in cans and crushed cans in jars - all in the comfort of your own back yard. Enjoy your Bonsai Kitten from Common Good, and crush the can, but not quite the contents inside as quickly: we're growing into the shape we want over here with this one. 👌🏻🔥✂️🌳🙀🍯👀🙄🍻
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#pairingwithbeer
#thisiscraftbeerlifestyle 🍻
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📸 by @100sideprojects and edited by @pairingwithbeer ✨ .
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FULL @COMMONGOODBEER BLOG ARTICLE TOMORROW!!

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