American Kölsch Launches as Newest Year-Round from Boulevard Brewing Co.

Posted on by mashingin

bbcamkolschcanBoulevard Brewing Company (Kansas City, Missouri) has officially added American Kölsch to the brewery’s lineup of Year-Round beers.

When the brewery decided it was time to produce a new Year-Round brew, Boulevard Brewing Company found inspiration in the Kölsch – “the traditional German ale from the city of Cologne (or Köln).”  For their take on the style, American Kölsch has a bready malt foundation (European Pilsner & Malted Wheat) that “is punctuated by subtle notes of spice and mint from Saaz and Saphir hops.”  Weighing in at a sessionable 4.6% ABV, this refreshing golden ale “delivers a honeyed malt sweetness that gives way to a crisp, clean finish and a touch of lingering hop flavor.”

“In a craft beer world bursting with bold, intense, high alcohol offerings, sometimes you just want an approachable, comforting, easy-drinking beer,” said Boulevard brewmaster Steven Pauwels. “We tested American Kolsch last summer in our new Beer Hall. Based on the reviews, we’re confident it will become a new staple.”

Boulevard Brewing will officially begin the launch of American Kölsch in the Kansas City area on January 30 (click here to see those events).  Shortly after the hometown launch, this new Year-Round offering will then be distributed in 6-packs of 12 oz. cans and on draft to craft beer bars, restaurants and retailers in Alabama, Florida and throughout the entirety of Boulevard’s 37-state region.  This just might become your new daily drinker or lawnmower beer, so be sure to give American Kölsch a try once it hits your area.  Prost!

Vital Information for American Kölsch from Boulevard Brewing Company

Release – Year-Round, launches late January/early February 2017
Style – Kölsch
ABV – 4.6%
Malts – Pilsner & Wheat
Hops –  Saaz & Saphir
Availability – 6-packs of 12 oz. cans & draft
Beer Finder – https://boulevard.com/beers/beer-finder/

 

Due South Brewing Co. Releases Hopicana Rye IPA as Spring Seasonal

Posted on by mashingin

hopicanaDue South Brewing Co. (Boynton Beach, Florida) has announced that Hopicana Rye IPA will return as the brewery’s Spring Seasonal release beginning on Wednesday, February 1.

Each year, the folks at Due South Brewing Co. welcome the coming spring by brewing up a batch of Hopicana, a Rye India Pale Ale that is brewed with honey and oranges.  To capture the full essence of spring in each pour of Hopicana, brewers hand-zest a serious amount of Florida oranges – “80 pounds are used in the 500 gallon batch” – and source local honey “from an apiary in Loxahatchee” to act as the perfect complementary ingredients to the beer’s peppery Rye malt.  This combination produces a refreshing, copper-yellow colored beer that is “full of bright orange sweetness and pithy bitter orange character.”

 “The use of honey and oranges in Hopicana creates an incredibly juicy beer that’s full of great tropical hop character,” says Doug Fairall, Due South Brewing Co.’s Brand and Marketing Manager. “It’s a beer we get asked about often.”

Hopicana officially releases on February 1 and will be distributed to craft beer establishments “across South Florida.”  You can pick up this Seasonal offering either in 6-packs of 12 oz. cans or on draft.  This brew will only be available for a few months, so get your fill while you can.  Prost!

Vital Information for Hopicana Rye IPA from Due South Brewing Co.

Release – Seasonal, February 1, 2017
Style – American India Pale Ale/Rye Beer
ABV – 7.1%
IBUs – 56
Added Ingredients – Florida oranges & local honey
Availability – 6-packs of 12 oz. cans & draft
Distribution – South Florida

Brewery Ommegang Introduces Siren’s Song

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ommegang_secondary_logo_greyscaleBrewery Ommegang (Cooperstown, New York) has officially announced the release of Siren’s Song Dark Ale as their newest Limited Edition offering.

“Named for the enchanting melodies that fabled sirens used to lure in weary sailors,” the Siren’s Song of Brewery Ommegang takes the form of an enchanting Belgian-style Dark Ale brewed with figs and raisins.  This offering begins with a base of Belgian candi syrup, Noble hop varieties, and Pilsner, Midnight Wheat and Soft Red Wheat malts. Figs and raisins were then incorporated in the brewing process for added complexity and to “represent cargo lost to the sea because of the bewitching sirens’ songs.” With dark fruit and roasted malt aromas, this mahogany colored ale boasts a flavor that “begins with sweetness and caramel notes and finishes smooth with lingering hints of caramelized sugar and balanced bitterness.”

“Belgian-style dark ales are a treat to drink,” says Innovation Manager Justin Forsythe, who developed the recipe. “Sirens’ Song is brewed with dark Belgian candi syrup to impart decadent notes of dark fruit and burnt sugar, and also brewed with raisins and figs in order to compliment the rich, fruity character of this dark ale. It’s a wonderful wintertime treat, or a beer to age for years to come.”

Siren’s Song has officially started shipping out to Florida and the rest of Brewery Ommegang’s distribution area.  This offering will be available for a limited time in 4-packs of 12 oz. bottles and on draft.  If you are a lover of fine Belgian-style beers, follow the Siren’s Song to your favorite craft beer establishment and give this one a try while you can.  Prost!

Vital Information for Siren’s Song from Brewery Ommegang

Release – Limited Edition Series, debuts late January 2017
Style – Belgian Strong Dark Ale
ABV – 9%
Malts – Pilsner, Midnight Wheat & Soft Red Wheat
Hops – Noble varieties
Added Ingredients – Belgian candi syrup, figs & raisins
Availability – 4-packs of 12 oz. bottles & draft
Distribution – FL, AZ, CA, CO, CT, IL, IN, KY, MA, MD, MI, MN, MO, NC, ND, NH, NJ, NY, OH, PA, PR, SC, SD, TN, VA, VI, VT, WA
Beer Finder – http://ommegang.com/blog/beer-finder/
Suggested Food Pairings – Grilled meats & BBQ, smoked salmon or trout, & rich cheeses like blue cheese & cheddar

Jolly Pumpkin Artisan Ales to Once Again Release Sobrehumano Palena`ole

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jpsobrehumano_editedJolly Pumpkin Artisan Ales (Dexter, Michigan) has proudly announced that Sobrehumano Palena`ole will officially return as a limited release beginning on Monday, February 6.

Originally released in the summer of 2012 as a collaboration beer with Maui Brewing Co. (Kihei, Hawaii), Sobrehumano Palena`ole quickly became an instant classic within the craft beer community and has since been one of Jolly Pumpkin’s “most asked about beers.”  The reason behind this beer’s success can be found in its recipe and inspiration:

“Sobrehumano Palena`ole bridges the divide between Dexter and Maui, 4391 miles to be exact, combining fruit from each region, cherries and passion fruit, in a 6% ABV red ale before aging in oak for ten months.”

Although Sobrehumano Palena`ole retains the soul of its original release, this batch was aged in a slightly different manner.  Due to the limitations of their previous facility, Jolly Pumpkin was forced to create the 2012 release in “10 barrel batches followed by rigorous blending.”  This time around, their brewers were able to employ the use of “foeder aging of larger batches, allowing the return of this long gone favorite.”

Sobrehumano Palena`ole is available now at all Jolly Pumpkin locations.  750ml bottles of this limited release will then enter distribution beginning on February 6.  You can expect to find this special offering available at select craft beer establishments in Alabama, Florida, and “throughout the entire Jolly Pumpkin network, from Michigan to Maui.”  If you are interested in securing a bottle of Sobrehumano Palena`ole, be sure to keep a watchful eye on your area bottle shops at the beginning of February because this beer will most certainly move with a quickness once released.  Prost!

Vital Information for Sobrehumano Palena`ole from Jolly Pumpkin Artisan Ales

Release – Limited, officially hits distribution on February 6, 2017
Style – American Wild/Sour Ale
ABV – 6%
Treatment – Aged in oak for 10 months
Added Ingredients – Cherries & passion fruit
Availability – 750ml bottles

Tasting Notes: Warm Up Winter Ale from Starr Hill Brewery

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warmupTasting Notes closes out the week by seeking comfort in a tall glass of Warm Up Winter Ale from Starr Hill Brewery (Crozet, Virginia).

Warm Up Winter Ale has arrived as the latest release in Starr Hill’s Heavy Rotation Series, a lineup of “fresh styles . . . [that] rotates four times a year and is available in six-packs and on draft.”  For this release, the brewery crafted a smooth Winter Warmer that has been “spiced with cinnamon, cocoa, nutmeg and vanilla.” Weighing in at just 6.1% ABV, this Dark Ale proves to be a “fine pairing for fireside sipping.”  Warm Up Winter Ale is available now in 6-packs of 12 oz. bottles and on draft.  This limited release offering can be found at craft beer-friendly restaurants, bars and retailers in Alabama and throughout the rest of Starr Hill Brewery’s distribution area.

Like all releases in the Heavy Rotation Series, Warm Up Winter Ale is meant to be enjoyed while listening to some great tunes.  Starr Hill Brewery has curated the perfect Spotify playlist to pair with this offering, and you can check it out by clicking here.

Alright, let’s adjust the volume to the appropriate level and get to some Tasting Notes!

Tasting Notes for Warm Up Winter Ale from Starr Hill Brewery

Appearance: Warm Up pours a striking, red-hued brown in color.  Held to direct light, the reds greatly intensify with glowing garnet tones.  Although it is on the darker side, the beer is clear and displays a dutiful carbonation presence.  The pour produced a solid finger of tan colored foam.  Retention is good, maintaining a half finger cap that lays down spotty lacing on the glass.  An absolutely beautiful beer to look upon.

Aroma: Mmmm, spiced cookie goodness resides within.  Notes of allspice, nutmeg, cinnamon and clove eagerly greet the nose first.  Brown sugar and bready grain then arrive with subtle tones of chocolate and vanilla.  Packed with aromatics, this beer promises that a comforting, warming experience lies ahead.

Taste: The flavor experience begins with a gentle burst of soothing nutmeg and cinnamon. Clove, almonds, light ginger, a touch of citrus and some floral hop notes then begin to develop.  Vanilla adds a bit of a cream-like quality and rich cocoa amps up the level of decadence.  Although this may sound busy, the holiday spices are nicely tempered to keep each sip an absolute pleasure.

Mouthfeel:  This brew falls on the lighter side of medium in body with a moderate carbonation.  It avoids being too heavy on the palate, but still has enough weight to properly carry all of its flavors.  At 6.1% ABV, there is no trace of heat to be found whatsoever.  The aftertaste leaves behind some lingering notes of holiday spice and vanilla.

Final Thoughts: As soon as I first stuck my nose in this glass, Warm Up Winter Ale instantly conjured up childhood memories of getting into a tin of Lebkuchen, a traditional German holiday treat typically given as a gift during Christmas.  Wonderfully aromatic, these confections are basically large, holiday spiced cookies that are often coated with a vanilla or chocolate shell.  They are a perfect balance of sweet and spice that is unmistakable and incredibly nostalgic.  That said, nearly every aspect of these treats can be found in this offering from Starr Hill.  The common pitfall for spiced Winter Warmers is that they can easily result in an intense, overly spiced experience.  This is not the case with Warm Up Winter Ale at all.  Like the Lebkuchen, this offering gives you just enough of these delightful spices and then washes them away with the subtly employed sweetness of vanilla and cocoa.  Every aspect of the beer works in harmony to keep you coming back for another sip.  This is exactly what I seek in a Winter Warmer of this ilk.  If you enjoy Holiday Ales, this is a lighter example that is absolutely worth seeking out.  Prost!

Avery Brewing Company Plans to Release Apricot Sour in February

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averylogoAvery Brewing Company (Boulder, Colorado) has announced that Apricot Sour will become the newest offering to join the brewery’s Botanicals & Barrels Series.

To become a part of Avery Brewing Company’s Botanicals & Barrels family of beers, the offering must meet the following criteria:

  • It must be aged in barrels for at least three months
  • It must consist of just one ingredient outside of the standard grain, hops, yeast, and water recipe

With the addition of fruit and a substantial aging period in oak barrels, Apricot Sour easily meets these requirements to result in “a bright and tangy Sour Ale that artfully highlights juicy apricots and barrel-aged tartness.”  The 7.3% ABV Apricot Sour joins Raspberry Sour, Vanilla Bean Stout, and Tangerine Quad as the fourth release in this popular, new series from Avery Brewing.

“The interesting thing about our Botanicals & Barrels series is that as beautiful and simple as the final beer is, it is the culmination of an insanely complex and intricate process”, says Travis Rupp, Avery’s Research and Development Manager and Beer Archaeologist.

“As the second sour of the series, it is brewed with the same bacterial and yeast cocktail as Raspberry Sour”, says Special Project Brewer Leigh Audin, “however the result is a more lactic beer with minimal malt character and a ton of apricot”.

Apricot Sour will first launch on draft in Avery Brewing Company’s Taproom on Monday, January 30.  This offering will then be sent out into distribution in 22 oz. bottles and on draft beginning early February.  You can expect to find this offering on shelves and taps at craft beer establishments in Alabama, Florida and throughout the rest of Avery Brewing’s distribution area.  If you happen to miss the first wave of Apricot Sour at your favorite craft beer spot, worry not because all releases in the Botanicals & Barrels Series are available year-round.  With time, we are all guaranteed a shot at trying this new Sour Ale from Avery Brewing Company.  Prost!

Vital Information for Apricot Sour from Avery Brewing Company

Release – Year-Round/Botanicals & Barrels Series, launches February 2017
Style – American Wild/Sour Ale
ABV – 7.3%
Yeast and Bacteria – Saccharomyces yeast, Brettanomyces yeast, Lactobacillus & Pediococcus
Treatment – Aged in oak barrels
Added Ingredients – Apricots
Availability – 22 oz. bottles & draft
Beer Finder – https://www.averybrewing.com/brew-finder

Sixpoint Brewery Announces Release of Hi-Res Triple IPA

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hireseditedSixpoint Brewery (Brooklyn, New York) magnifies your hop experience once again with the 2017 release of Hi-Res IIIPA.

Each year, the brewers at Sixpoint approach the creation of Hi-Res IIIPA – or Triple IPA – with the intention of creating a “juicy hop character magnified to the limits of your perception.”  It is only after a madness-inducing amount of time spent studying, contemplating and experimenting with every aspect of the hop itself that they are able to harness the true and full power of lupulin.  This unwavering dedication to the science of brewing pays off by producing “waves of the most intense, tropical, citrusy aromas and flavors your mind can imagine.”  If you happen to be intimidated by this brew’s 10.5% ABV and 115 IBUs, worry not because the complex flavors in Hi-Res IIIPA have been meticulously balanced to result in “a surprisingly easy beer to sip.”

…Once our eyes were opened to the potential

of the hop cone, we couldn’t be stopped.

With a laser focus, we magnified the hop factor,

and pushed the boundaries of flavor, aroma,

and perception itself to create HI-RES.

It’s Mad Science.
Hi-Res IIIPA is available now in 4-packs of 12 oz. cans and on draft.  This limited release can be found at fine craft beer establishments located in Alabama, Florida and throughout the rest of Sixpoint Brewery’s distribution area.  Hi-Res IIIPA is truly a beer that has been created by hophead for hopheads.  If you classify yourself as such, be sure to grab a 4-pack during your next beer run.  Prost!


Vital Information for Hi-Res IIIPA from Sixpoint Brewery

Release – Limited/Cycliquids Series, arrives January 2017
Style – American Imperial IPA
ABV – 10.5%
IBUs – 115
Availability – 4-packs of 12 oz. cans & draft
Beer Finder – http://sixpoint.com/connect/finder

DESTIHL Brewery Expands Distribution in Florida

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destihlDESTIHL Brewery (Bloomington, Illinois) has officially partnered with Progressive Distribution to expand distribution of their products across the state of Florida.

Previously only having availability in South Florida, DESTIHL Brewery is finally in a place where they can extend their reach across the state.  This development has been made possible now that DESTIHL will soon be opening a new 47,000 sq. ft. production facility in Normal, Illinois. This new facility will make it so the brewery can support new markets by increasing production of core year-round offerings, the wildly popular Wild Sour Series, and their lineup of specialty releases.

“Building the new production brewery is enabling us to move forward again with our expansion into new, exciting markets like Florida”, said DESTIHL’s Founder, Brewmaster and CEO, Matt Potts. “We look forward to this opportunity for DESTIHL beers to widely be available in this state, which has had many fans seeking our beers for years. The key in making this happen was to team up with a new distribution company that is set up for success with an experienced group of founders who are very passionate about our beers.”

DESTIHL’s expanded Florida distribution is effective as of January 23.  12 oz. cans of the following DESTIHL offerings should be available at launch: Abbey’s Single, Hoperation Overload Double IPA, Weissenheimer Hefeweizen, Wild Sour Series – Flanders Red, Wild Sour Series – Here Gose Nothin’, Wild Sour Series – Lynnbrook, Wild Sour Series – Plum Sour Stout, Wild Sour Series – Synchopathic, and Vertex IPA.  Progressive Distribution will handle all distribution responsibilities for DESTIHL Brewery in these new Florida markets: Tampa, St. Pete, Sarasota, Naples, Orlando, Space Coast, Jacksonville, Ocala, and the Panhandle.

There are sure to be plenty of launch events turning up across the state in the coming weeks. As soon as DESTIHL and Progressive Distribution release any information concerning upcoming events, we will be sure to update you here.  Stay tuned.  Prost!

Great Divide Brewing Co. Reveals 2017 Release Calendar

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great-divide-main-logo-rectangle-hrGreat Divide Brewing Co. (Denver, Colorado) provides craft beer fans with a look at the year ahead with the publication of the brewery’s 2017 Release Calendar.

Just as we have done with previous brewery calendars this year, the full 2017 Release Calendar for Great Divide Brewing Co. has been posted below for you to look over at your leisure.  Before we turn you loose, there are a few highlights to go over first:

There are still plenty of treats and surprises left to discover on the 2017 Release Calendar available below.  Give it a gander and get prepared for the awesome year ahead with Great Divide Brewing Co.  Prost!

gdbcrelease-calendar-2017-copy
Click here to enlarge image

JDub’s Brewing Company to Open Off-Site Taproom in Bradenton, Florida

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jdubslogoJDub’s Brewing Company (Sarasota, Florida) has announced that they will open an off-site taproom location, The Dub Shack at UTC, in Bradenton, Florida.  This location is tentatively scheduled to open at the end of January.

**UPDATE** The Dub Shack at UTC officially opened to the public on January 27.  As of January 30, The Dub Shack at UTC is open seven days a week at noon.  **UPDATE**

In what was formerly a World of Beer franchise location, JDub’s Brewing Company has found the perfect home for their new off-site taproom at 8217 Tourist Center Drive, Bradenton, Florida. The concept behind The Dub Shack at UTC is to provide the brewery’s fans with “an experience that mimics the feel of the brewery itself” but in an area that is a bit more accessible than the brewery’s taproom location in Sarasota.  The off-site taproom will feature “a live video feed of brewing operations at JDub’s Brewing Company,” art from local artists, and 40 draft lines – “20 of which devoted to JDub’s beers and the other 20 a variety of high quality craft beers made by other brewers.”

“This is something I’ve wanted to do for years. My brewery is slightly off the beaten path and this new location will allow us to show off our brand in a more populated location.”

– Jeremy Joerger, JDub’s founder

Tentatively scheduled for January 26, The Dub Shack at UTC will host a soft opening for JDub’s Mug Club Members and media only.  The facility will then open to the public shortly thereafter.  Once exact dates are set in stone, we will update you all with that information here.  Prost!