Mashing In

Cascade Brewing Unveils 2018 Product Release Calendar

Posted on December 29, 2017 by mashingin

Cascade Brewing (Portland, Oregon) came forward today to present a Product Release Calendar that boasts a streamlined lineup of eleven beers scheduled for release in both bottle and draft in 2018.

To keep with our usual approach to beer calendars, we have posted Cascade Brewing’s full 2018 Product Release Calendar below so that you can look it over at your own pace. That said, we probably should go over a few highlights before turning you over directly to the calendar. Let’s get to it:

The brewery will begin 2018 with the return of Sang Rouge in January. This offering “is a blend of sour red ales aged in select red wine barrels and fresh oak puncheons for up to 24 months.”
After selling out in record time in 2017, Cascade “has more than doubled the batch size” for the 2018 return of Kentucky Peach. It will hit in March.
The brewery will tackle summer with the mid-July launch of Peche Fume, Cascade’s second peach offering.
A new version of Cuvee du Jongleur – “a blend of select reds, triples and quads” – will be released in October. Often referred to as Cascade’s “White Whale”, this offering was last released in 2009.
Debuting in March as the brewery’s first “Limited Release” of 2018, Melonious Blond “is a blend of sour wheat and blondes aged up to 14 months with fresh Oregon Cantaloupe and Summer Kiss melons.” Melonious Blond is “Cascade’s first melon sour.”
An unnamed collaboration with Indiana’s Upland Brewing Co. will arrive in April. For this Limited Release, “Cascade will provide locally grown fresh pears from Oregon; while Upland will supply fresh Paw Paw fruit (a cross between a mango and a banana).” More details to come.

“In the coming year, we’re taking a slightly different approach to our annual release schedule,” stated Tim Larrance, vice president of sales and marketing. “We will be offering fewer releases, but making a greater quantity of cases and kegs available to our wholesalers worldwide, meaning more beer for everyone!”

Added lead blender Kevin Martin, “Narrowing our scope on fewer releases throughout the year will enable our production team to focus on the finer aspects of each blend, which we’re confident will result in some of the best beers ever to come out of our cellar.”

That should just about cover everything that we wanted to go over, but there are still a few old favorites and soon-to-be favorites left for you to find on the calendar below. Give it a good look, take some notes, and get ready for another outstanding year of Sour Ales from Cascade Brewing in 2018. Prost!

Terrapin Beer Co. Adds Beyond the Galaxy IPA to Seasonal Lineup

Posted on December 29, 2017 by mashingin

Terrapin Beer Co. (Athens, Georgia) has officially announced that Beyond the Galaxy IPA will make its Seasonal debut in early January 2018.

Stepping in to replace Mosaic IPA as Terrapin’s Spring Seasonal, Beyond the Galaxy is a single hop India Pale Ale featuring . . . wait for it . . . “an astronomical amount of Galaxy hops.” “Deep gold in color with a soft, juicy bitterness”, this new offering showcases a “stellar flavor and . . . aroma of candied pineapple and tropical fruit.” Beyond the Galaxy IPA weighs in at 6.3% ABV and 69 IBUs.

Beyond the Galaxy IPA will make its first appearance on January 4 at an exclusive release event in Terrapin’s Tasting Room. Distribution will follow in early January, and this offering will hang around through the spring months of 2018. Once fully released, you can expect to find this Seasonal offering in 6-packs of 12 oz. cans and on draft at beer-friendly establishments located in Alabama, Florida, Georgia and throughout the rest of Terrapin Beer Co.’s distribution area. Prost!

Vital Information for Beyond the Galaxy IPA from Terrapin Beer Co.

Release – Spring Seasonal, launches January 2018
Style – American India Pale Ale
ABV – 6.3%
IBUs – 69
Hops – Galaxy
Malts – 2-row, Malted Wheat, Flaked Oats & CaraPils
Suggested Food Pairings – “Cheddar & Colby, or Thai Green Curry with Chicken, and Cosmic Brownies for dessert!”
Availability – 6-packs of 12 oz. cans & draft
Beer Finder – https://terrapinbeer.com/beer-finder/

MadTree Brewing Expands Distribution to Nashville

Posted on December 28, 2017 by mashingin

MadTree Brewing Company (Cincinnati, Ohio) has announced that it has officially signed with Ajax Turner Company and will begin distribution in the Nashville, Tennessee metropolitan area in late January 2018.

Established in 2013, MadTree Brewing was “founded . . . on the notion that beer builds community and community builds beer.” Recognizing their commitment to “methodically bring quality beer to life”, MadTree’s community has since shown its support and voiced a demand that keeps everyone at the brewery “motivated and moving.” Community is everything to MadTree Brewing Company, and their community just got a little bigger now that they have expanded their reach to the Nashville area.

“Ajax Turner was an easy choice for us as we align on all the same goals of bringing great beer to and supporting the community of middle Tennessee,” says Brady Duncan, Co-Founder of MadTree Brewing. “We are really looking forward to hanging out and having a beer with Nashville.”

With Ajax Turner Company handling all distribution responsibilities, MadTree Brewing will officially begin hitting Nashville shelves and taps in late January. They plan to enter the market with “draft and package versions of [their] core lineup of beers including PsycHOPathy IPA and Lift Kölsch, along with seasonal offerings, Luna Lux White IPA and Rubus Cacao Chocolate Raspberry Stout.” Launch events are still in the planning stage, but we will update this post with event details just as soon as we have them. Be sure to stay tuned for that information so that you will know when and where you can give MadTree Brewing Company a proper welcome to Nashville. Prost!

Rogue Ales Gives Hazelnut Brown Nectar an Updated Look

Posted on December 28, 2017 by mashingin

Rogue Ales (Newport, Oregon) has announced that its long-standing Hazelnut Brown Nectar will begin wearing some newly redesigned artwork at the start of the New Year.

Brewed as an “Oregon twist on a classic European Brown Ale”, Hazelnut Brown Nectar was originally created by “Chris Studach, Rogue Brewmaster John Maier’s friend and fellow homebrewer, for the 1993 American Homebrewers Association dinner.” The beer’s “hazelnut aroma, . . . rich nutty flavor and . . . smooth malty finish” was a hit and quickly earned it fan-favorite status as a part of Rogue’s Year-Round portfolio.

Hazelnut Brown Nectar’s artwork has always featured an image of Studach to recognize his role in developing the recipe, but the folks at Rogue have decided that now is the time to streamline the label’s look with an image more indicative of what is inside the container. The updated design now features “a hand-drawn cracked hazelnut” to cut down on any confusion. Despite the change, “each can, bottle and package is dedicated to Chris Studach” and the nectar inside remains the same.

“It was time for a new look. We went with hazelnuts on the label to better convey what the product is,” said Rogue Creative Director Hagen Moore about the 5-time GABF winning beer. “The nut is cracked to reveal the nectar inside.”

Hazelnut Brown Nectar’s updated artwork will officially begin hitting shelves on January 1, 2018. As always, you can find this Year-Round offering available in 22 oz. bottles, 12 oz. bottles, 12 oz. cans, and on draft at craft beer establishments located in Alabama, Florida, Oregon and throughout the rest of Rogue’s nationwide distribution network. Prost!

Vital Information for Hazelnut Brown Nectar from Rogue Ales

Release – Year-Round
Style – Brown Ale
ABV – 5.6%
IBUs – 33
Malts – 2-Row, Munich, C15, C75, C120, Brown, & Kiln Coffee; Rogue Farms Dare™ & Risk™ Malts
Hops – Rogue Farms Revolution™ & Independent™ Hops
Added Ingredients – Hazelnut extract
Yeast – Pacman
Availability – 12 oz. bottles, 12 oz. cans, 22 oz. bottles & draft
Beer Finder – https://www.rogue.com/finder/

Genesee Brewing Announces the Limited Release of Simcoe S.M.A.S.H. Pale Ale

Posted on December 27, 2017 by mashingin

Genesee Brewing Company (Rochester, New York) has officially introduced Simcoe S.M.A.S.H. Pale Ale as the latest release in its Genesee Brew House Pilot Batch series.

Simcoe S.M.A.S.H. Pale Ale arrives as the newest installment in Genesee Brewing Company’s annual S.M.A.S.H. series, a lineup of limited release beers from the Genesee Brew House Pilot Batch series that utilizes the (S)ingle (M)alt (a)nd (S)ingle (H)op brewing technique to help beer fans learn more about the various characteristics of individual brewing ingredients. The Simcoe hop varietal was chosen for this release because of its ability to act as both an aromatic and bittering hop. This dual-purpose hop provides the 5.5% ABV Simcoe S.M.A.S.H. Pale Ale “with aromas of citrusy passionfruit and piney earthiness that shine through a subtle pale malt base.”

“Single-hop, single-malt beers are a great way for beer lovers to learn more about and appreciate the hoppy styles that are so popular right now, since they bring out the profile of one specific hop,” Brewmaster Dean Jones said. “This brew is the result of experimentation with multiple single-hop, single-malt styles, and we thought the Simcoe hop was the perfect fit for this release based on its one-hop-with-a-dual-purpose quality.”

Simcoe S.M.A.S.H. Pale Ale is out now and will be hanging around through the winter months of 2018. You can expect to find this Limited Release available in 6-packs of 12 oz. bottles and on draft at select beer establishments located throughout Genesee Brewing’s distribution footprint in the East, Mid-Atlantic and Great Lakes. Prost!

Vital Information for Simcoe S.M.A.S.H. Pale Ale from Genesee Brewing Company

Release – Limited/Genesee Brew House Pilot Batch series, late December 2017 through winter 2018
Style – American Pale Ale
ABV – 5.5%
Hops – Simcoe
Malts – Pale
Availability – 6-packs of 12 oz. bottles & draft
Beer Finder – http://www.geneseebeer.com/finder/

Brewery Ommegang Introduces Candi Stout

Posted on December 27, 2017December 27, 2017 by mashingin

Brewery Ommegang (Cooperstown, New York) recently announced that it has officially initiated the one-time, limited release of Candi Stout.

Expanding upon their “mission to blend the artistry of Belgian brewing traditions with a typically non-Belgian beer style”, the brewers at Ommegang have developed Candi Stout as an amalgamation “of a Belgian-style dark ale and a traditional stout.” This was achieved by brewing a “deep, dark black” Stout with “rich roasted malts . . ., Belgian candi sugar, bittersweet cocoa nibs, and a special strain of Belgian ale yeast.” This combination produces an aroma of “dark chocolate and cocoa . . . with subtle hints of dark fruit and spicy yeast”, and a flavor profile that “opens with mild sweetness, giving way to rich chocolate, and mild roast.” Despite the beer’s complexity, this all rides on a “smooth body and finish” thanks to “the use of Belgian yeast and the extra dose of fermentables from candi syrup.” This all results in a 6.7% ABV Candi Stout that boasts “impressive drinkability.”

“Candi Stout is unique in that the dark candi sugar lessens the body a bit and reduces the need for higher amounts of roasted grains so the beer drinks slightly lighter and less roasted than a typical stout. This is a great beer for the cold months ahead, and we’re as excited to share this new beer with fans as we are to drink it this winter.”

– Phil Leinhart, Brewmaster at Brewery Ommegang

Candi Stout officially started its “one-time” release on December 23 at Brewery Ommegang. These 750ml bottles will also see limited distribution during “the month of January in Wegmans, Total Wine, and Costco stores in the eastern part of the United States.” For those of you outside of that area, there is no need to fret because Candi Stout will also see nationwide distribution on draft in March. Prost!

Vital Information for Candi Stout from Brewery Ommegang

Release – Limited, late-December 2017 through March 2018
Style – Belgian Stout
ABV – 6.7%
Malts – 2-row, Flaked Barley, Pale Chocolate, Special B, Aromatic, Midnight Wheat & Roasted Barley
Hops – Styrian Golding & Saaz
Added Ingredients – Belgian candi sugar & cocoa nibs
Yeast – Belgian Abbey Ale Yeast
Suggested Food Pairings – “Candi Stout is a perfect match for any variety of chocolate desserts, or on the savory side, with roasted or grilled meats, roasted root vegetables, and aged cheeses.”
Availability – 750ml bottles & draft
Beer Finder – http://ommegang.com/blog/beer-finder/

Terrapin Beer Co. Gives Hopsecutioner IPA a Packaging Update

Posted on December 26, 2017 by mashingin

Terrapin Beer Co. (Athens, Georgia) recently announced that Hopsecutioner IPA, the brewery’s most popular IPA, will be rocking some new label artwork in 2018.

To make its visual appeal a bit brighter and “[incorporate] elements found in other Terrapin packaging”, the folks at the brewery have decided to give Hopsecutioner IPA its first artwork update in over seven years. Meant to be subtle, the changes will include “background rays” and a “bit more modern” look for the turtle operating the hop guillotine. As far as the beer inside the packaging goes, Hopsecutioner IPA will remain “the same . . . piney and citrusy IPA with a strong malt backbone” that has been “Terrapin’s flagship beer for over 7 years.”

“We wanted to bring Hopsecutioner into the same visual world as RecreationAle and Hi-5, without losing the look of the brand we’ve been building since 2010.” Says Julia Weckback, Marketing Director. “Our core IPAs are often on shelves together, and we wanted to ensure a cohesive brand image.”

The new-look Hopsecutioner IPA will start hitting shelves in early 2018. As usual, you can find Hopsecutioner IPA available Year-Round in 12 oz. cans, 12 oz. bottles, 16 oz. cans and on draft at beer-friendly retailers, bars and restaurants located in Alabama, Florida, Georgia and throughout the rest of Terrapin Beer Co.’s ever-growing distribution network. Prost!

Vital Information for Hopsecutioner IPA from Terrapin Beer Co.

Release – Year-Round
Style – American India Pale Ale
ABV – 7.3%
IBUs – 71
Hops – Warrior, Chinook, Centennial, Simcoe, Amarillo & Cascade
Malts – 2-Row Pale, Munich, Crystal 24L & Victory
Suggested Food Pairings – “Blue Cheese or Sharp Cheddar. Pair with a classic burger, or play up the citrus in the beer with a glazed orange duck dish.”
Availability – 12 oz. cans, 12 oz. bottles, 16 oz. cans, and draft
Beer Finder – https://terrapinbeer.com/beer-finder/

Heavy Seas Beer Adds AmeriCannon to Year-Round Lineup

Posted on December 26, 2017 by mashingin

Heavy Seas Beer (Baltimore, Maryland) recently announced that it will soon expand its Cannon Crew with the January release of AmeriCannon Double Dry-Hopped American Pale Ale.

With the intention to create a bold new take on the American Pale Ale, the brewers at Heavy Seas developed AmeriCannon by employing the use of double dry-hopping techniques and Simcoe lupulin hop powder (making this “the first Heavy Seas beer to utilize lupulin hop powder”). This new approach results in an “intensely flavorful” Pale Ale that is packed with “citrus, tropical, and floral notes.” Clocking in at just 5.7% ABV, AmeriCannon is an easy-drinking offering that embodies “a true celebration of American independence.”

“I’m not sure I can describe how excited we are about this beer,” says Heavy Seas Brewmaster, Christopher Leonard. “Our goal was to take American Pale Ale in a new direction, elevating the drinking experience to include outrageous flavor and aroma levels in a beer that won’t knock you on your keister. We’ve been working on it for almost a year now, experimenting with myriad hop varieties in many different forms along with new, interesting dry hopping techniques. Ultimately, we’ve chosen a heavy dose of Simcoe Cryo pellets – pelletized lupulin powder – along with Centennial, Citra, and Palisade pellets in our double dry-hopping process. This follows Centennial, Cascade, Palisade, and Simcoe whole flower hops in our hopback; Warrior, Cascade, Amarillo, and Centennial pellets along with even more Simcoe Cryo pellets in the kettle.”

AmeriCannon will be the latest addition to the brewery’s Cannon Crew, a lineup of hop-filled Year-Round offerings that also includes Loose Cannon IPA, TropiCannon Citrus IPA and Double Cannon Double IPA.

Officially releasing in January 2018, AmeriCannon will have availability in 6-packs of 12 oz. bottles and on draft. You will be able to find this new Year-Round offering at craft beer establishments located in Alabama, Florida, Maryland and throughout the rest of Heavy Seas Beer’s distribution area. Prost!

Vital Information for AmeriCannon Double Dry-Hopped American Pale Ale from Heavy Seas

Release – Year-Round, launching January 2018
Style – American Pale Ale
ABV – 5.7%
IBUs – 40
Hops – Warrior, Cascade, Centennial, Simcoe & Palisade
Malts – 2-row, Light Crystal & Caramalt
Availability – 6-packs of 12 oz. bottles & draft
Beer Finder – http://hsbeer.com/beerfinder

Tasting Notes: Santa’s Private Reserve 2017 from Rogue Ales

Posted on December 25, 2017December 25, 2017 by mashingin

As we eagerly await the arrival of Kris Kringle, we have decided to keep ourselves busy by getting into some Tasting Notes on Santa’s Private Reserve 2017 from Rogue Ales (Newport, Oregon).

In case you missed it, a few weeks ago we hit you with the news that Rogue Ales is taking a new approach to this year’s release of Santa’s Private Reserve. Instead of going with the long-running, “double-hopped” Amber Ale that is typically brewed as their Holiday Ale, the brewers at Rogue decided to go in a new direction by creating a “Belgian Strong Ale made with cherries, raspberries, Belgian Candi sugar and Imperial Gnome Yeast.” This results in a 7.8% ABV Santa’s Private Reserve 2017 that “delivers a delicious sweet and tart flavor.”

Santa’s Private Reserve 2017 is available now in 22 oz. bottles and on draft. If you feel the holiday spirit take hold and wish to seek this brew out, you can find this Limited Release available at craft beer establishments in Alabama, Florida, Oregon and throughout the rest of Rogue’s nationwide distribution network.

That should be just about enough chatter concerning background information. What do you say we just cut to those Tasting Notes so that we can see what this new and improved Santa’s Private Reserve is all about?

Tasting Notes for Santa’s Private Reserve 2017 from Rogue Ales

Appearance: Santa’s Private Reserve pours up a rich, dark maple brown in color with deep red highlights. When held to direct light, the color softens a touch to a dusky garnet that has a solid brown core. The beer is mostly opaque, but a meandering carbonation activity can be observed moving around in there. Well over half a finger of tan foam was built from a careful pour. Showing some nice retention, that head eventually falls to a tight, creamy half finger that draws some elaborate lace patterns on the glass throughout the experience.

Aroma: The nose is first greeted by big pops of Belgian yeast and Belgian candi sugar. Caramel, light chocolate, a touch of dark fruit and some roasted malts snuggle up to that Belgian character to solidify a full-on Belgian Strong Dark Ale presence in aroma. Things shift gears at the end of the profile as some tart and lightly sweet raspberries surface.

Taste: The flavor picks up where the aroma left off by leading with a serious amount of tart raspberry. That tartness is quickly tempered by some caramel, Belgian yeast and candi sugar. This opens further to produce some rich and comforting dark fruit tones – plum, raisin and prune. Just as you think the profile will finish sweet, a sneaky cherry presence turns up to close it out with a nice note that is lightly sweet but mostly tart.

Mouthfeel: This brew falls on the heavier side of medium in body with a soft carbonation level. There is a good balance of tart and sweet on the palate. The beer’s slightly creamy texture keeps it from drying out too quickly, allowing flavors to linger. At 7.8%, the ABV brings a welcomed element of warmth to the throat and belly. The aftertaste leaves behind a fair amount of Belgian candi sugar and cherries.

Final Thoughts: They may have gone in the opposite direction from their holiday-themed Amber Ale of old, but the folks at Rogue Ales absolutely justified the style change by delivering this interesting and tasty new take on Santa’s Private Reserve. Sure, it gives you the trademark Belgian sweetness expected from so many Holiday Ales, but it shakes things up a bit by having the cherries and raspberries supply a not-so-traditional dose of tartness. That tart quality is just enough to be different, but its intensity is dialed in to act as a complement to the Belgian yeast, dark fruit character, and candi sugar. Above all, those flavors and aromas come together as a comforting reminder of the holidays without at all relying on the overpowering spices associated with the season. It is subtly complex, full of surprises and unmistakably festive . . . kind of like jolly old Saint Nick himself. If you are looking for a last-minute Christmas beer or just wish to carry the holiday spirit into the New Year, you should probably be on the lookout for some Santa’s Private Reserve 2017. Prost!

Tasting Notes: Chipotle Double Bass from Starr Hill Brewery

Posted on December 22, 2017December 22, 2017 by mashingin

For this week’s installment of Tasting Notes, we unwrap a Box of Chocolates from Starr Hill Brewery (Charlottesville, Virginia) to enjoy some Chipotle Double Bass Double Chocolate Stout as a holiday treat.

Not too long ago, we brought you news of Starr Hill Brewery’s intentions to treat the craft beer community to its Box of Chocolates Stout Pack containing variants of its fan-favorite Double Bass Double Chocolate Stout. To create this collection of liquid indulgence, the brewers at Starr Hill infused Double Bass “with all-natural ingredients including organic peppermint leaves, smoke-dried jalapeño peppers, and locally roasted whole coffee beans.” The results were stellar, and Double Bass Double Chocolate Stout, Peppermint Double Bass, Chipotle Double Bass and Mocha Double Bass (three 12 oz. bottles of each) earned their place in a Mixed 12-pack that is guaranteed to satisfy the sweet tooth of any craft beer fan. The Box of Chocolates Stout Pack was officially released in mid-November in limited quantities, but there are still a few packs floating around at select beer retailers located within Starr Hill Brewery’s distribution area. (hint, hint . . . A Box of Chocolates Stout Pack would make for an amazing holiday gift if you are still out there scrambling for ideas)

To keep this post from being a novel-length read, we decided to sit down with all four Box of Chocolate offerings and pick an office favorite to feature in this week’s Tasting Notes. Since all four Double Bass beers proved to be damn tasty, this was a difficult task that we took incredibly seriously. Maybe too seriously. There was much deliberation and disagreement . . . words were said . . . non-holiday appropriate gestures were exchanged . . . palates were challenged . . . things got weird and borderline violent . . . but we eventually came to an agreement that Chipotle Double Bass has earned the spotlight. With that now resolved, let’s get to those Tasting Notes!

Tasting Notes for Chipotle Double Bass from Starr Hill Brewery

Appearance: Nearly black, Chipotle Double Bass is actually the darkest of browns in color. When held to direct light, this is fully confirmed as dark cola and caramel tones push through at the top and bottom of the glass. Even so, the beer remains completely opaque and its carbonation level is not visible. The pour produced a solid finger of brown sugar-colored head that has decent retention. The foam eventually falls to a thin ring that leaves behind some spotty lacing.

Aroma: The OG Double Bass Double Chocolate Stout is alive and well here with defined notes of dark chocolate, dark roast coffee and vanilla showing up big out of the gate. The chipotle subtly moves in with a good deal of smoke, peppery heat and just a touch of green veggie presence. As soon as those aromas hit your nose, there is no denying that you want a sip.

Taste: The chipotle certainly finds its footing in the flavor with pleasant, nicely developed notes of smoke and heat. More smoke than heat really . . . and it is lovely. Chocolate, coffee and roasted malt tones turn up in timely fashion to tame the heat and support the smoke. The flavor profile eventually closes with a soothing presence of vanilla and cocoa.

Mouthfeel: Medium in body with a medium carbonation level, this brew has a solid weight to it but avoids being too heavy, overbearing or sticky. It is mostly sweet on the palate, but the chipotle actually lends a hand in creating a nice balance. There is a slight tingle of heat on the throat . . . from the peppers. The ABV, on the other hand, is well hidden and incredibly tame for 7.8%. The aftertaste is a little smoke, some vanilla, and touch of peppery spice.

Final Thoughts: “Composed.” “Complex.” “Entrancing.” “Tempting.” “Sexy AF” (told you things got weird). These are just a few of the many descriptors that were thrown around while we discussed Chipotle Double Bass, and they are all dead on. When you are dealing with an ingredient as powerful as chipotles, it is so easy to end up with an unrefined experience completely dominated by one note. Not at all the case here. Double Bass Double Chocolate Stout’s original characteristics of dark chocolate, mocha and vanilla are all here to be placed gently alongside that chipotle. Hell, even the chipotle has a crazy amount of depth with distinguishable, stand-alone levels of gorgeous smoke and reserved heat. The chipotles absolutely make their presence known, but they never push the boundaries, get out of hand or bully the notes that are found at the soul of Double Bass. The base beer and the featured ingredient both end up with equal billing, resulting in an experience that is notable and praise-worthy. Seriously, you need to check out Chipotle Double Bass and the rest of the variants found in Starr Hill’s Box of Chocolates Stout Pack while you still have the chance. Make it happen. Prost!