The PortaBeer Manifesto

"Beer is sacred stuff in most traditional societies."

Archaeologist Brian Hayden, Simon Fraser University

Clay tablet showing an ancient beer recipe

9,000 years ago, beer directly contributed to the rise of civilization. From the clay tablets on which the first recipes were written, to the archabbeys in which beer techniques were perfected, beer has been enjoyed for nearly the entirety of human history.

Somehow, within the last half-century, wine and liquor have won the respect. Beer, in the eyes of a society shaped by great marketing minds, became a man's drink associated more with sports and bikini-clad models than good times and great friends. In 1978, only 70 breweries were operating, leaving consumers with big beer or bust.

Fortunately, times have changed. There are more than 1,500 breweries producing thousands of varieties of beer. From 120-minute IPAs to chocolate stouts, beer comes in flavors for nearly any taste. If that isn't enough, home brewers are more prevalent than ever, leaving no flavor stone unturned. Frustratingly, the products we need to enjoy our beer and share it with friends have not kept up with the times. Some products are tacky, some products are useless, and some promote beer only as a sport rather than a past-time to be enjoyed.

We're a group of people tired of having being looked down upon by wine drinkers too snobby to look beyond their "Cab Sav" to appreciate the multitude of complex flavors found in beers. We're dedicated to improving the lives of beer drinkers by sorting through all of the products out there to find the most innovative, easy-to-use products imaginable. Most importantly, where we see opportunity, we're taking matters into our own hands by developing our own series of beer accessories. With a passion for beer, family, friends and good times, we're dedicated to restoring the beer reputation so deservedly earned over millenia.

So, fellow beer-lovers, join our movement. Let us know what beers and products you love. And help us to restore the respect that beer so richly deserves.

Your friends in beer,
Mark, Doug, Albert and Todd