Jolly Pumpkin’s Noel de Calabaza Returns for the Holidays

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unnamed (11)Jolly Pumpkin Artisan Ales (Dexter, Michigan) recently announced that Noel de Calabaza Special Ale, the brewery’s annually released Holiday Ale, will make its way back to shelves and taps beginning in early November.

With a name that translates to “The Holiday Pumpkin”, Noel de Calabaza is a Belgian Dark Strong Ale that is “deep mahogany in appearance with flavors of malt, layered hops, figs, raisins, sugar plums, cashews, and betwixt rum laden truffles.”  After aging in oak for six months, Noel de Calabaza emerges as a 9% ABV Holiday Ale that is “the perfect accompaniment for all times of good cheer.”

“From our family to yours, please enjoy this special beer. Join us in celebrating the season with wishes of peace and joy for all.”

– Ron Jeffries, Jolly Pumpkin’s Founder and Chief Squeegee Operator

Noel de Calabaza officially returns in early November and will be available in 750ml bottles and on draft during the holiday season (while supplies last).  You can find this Special Ale at fine beer establishments located in Alabama, Florida, Michigan and throughout the rest of Jolly Pumpkin’s distribution area.  Prost!

Vital Information for Noel de Calabaza Special Ale from Jolly Pumpkin Artisan Ales

Release – Seasonal/Limited, arrives early November 2017
Style – Belgian Dark Strong Ale
ABV – 9%
IBUs – 22
Malts – Pilsner, Wheat & Chocolate
Hops – Celia, Fuggle & Tettnang
Treatment – Aged in oak for 6 months
Availability – 750ml bottles & draft
Distribution Info – http://brewery.jollypumpkin.com/find-our-biere/

Rogue Ales Introduces Yellow Snow Spruce Tip Pilsner

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rogueYellowSnowRogue Ales (Newport, Oregon) has announced that Yellow Snow, the brewery’s Winter Seasonal, will be given new life this year as a Pilsner brewed with Oregon spruce tips.

Previously released for over a decade as an India Pale Ale, Yellow Snow is back this year rockin’ a new look and style.  To give the beer a character more fitting of its winter theme, the folks at Rogue Ales decided to brew this year’s Yellow Snow as “a refreshing new pilsner made with Oregon spruce tips.”  This results in a 5.5% ABV Pilsner that sports bubblegum notes and “slight resinous, citrusy nuances” from the added spruce.

“We’ve brewed Yellow Snow IPA for the past 15 years, but this year we decided to make a beer reminiscent of our Pacific Northwest winters,” said Rogue President Brett Joyce. “So, we created a crisp pilsner made with spruce tips from our own backyard and then canned it for enjoyment outside.”

Yellow Snow Pilsner launches this month and will be hanging around through February 2018.  You can find this newly updated Seasonal release available in 6-packs of 12 oz. cans and on draft at craft beer-focused retailers, bars and restaurants located in Alabama, Florida, Oregon and throughout the rest of Rogue’s nationwide distribution network.  Prost!

Vital Information for Yellow Snow Pilsner from Rogue Ales

Release – Seasonal, November 2017 – February 2018
Style – Pilsner
ABV – 5.5%
IBUs – 19
Malts – Weyerman Pils & Carabelge
Hops – Perle & Sterling
Yeast – Czech Pils Yeast
Added Ingredients – Oregon Spruce Tips
Availability – 6-packs of 12 oz. cans & draft
Beer Finder – https://www.rogue.com/finder/

Roundhouse India Red Ale Makes Limited Return for Bell’s Brewery

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Roundhouse_WebPic_736X736Bell’s Brewery (Comstock, Michigan) has officially announced that Roundhouse India Red Ale is currently back on shelves and taps for a limited time.

Returning once again as a Specialty Release from Bell’s Brewery, Roundhouse India Red Ale is “a variation on the IPA, but with more caramel and toasted malt character and a reddish hue.” To retain its IPA-like qualities, Roundhouse is loaded with “fruity aromas of pineapple, peach and citrus” that have been sourced from “substantial amounts of late-kettle hop additions and dry-hopping.” Those hop notes carry over into the flavor but are balanced by “the judicious use of toasted and caramel specialty malts.”  Locally sourced Michigan honey was then added to level everything out and give Roundhouse “a smooth, dry finish.”

Roundhouse India Red Ale is out now and will be available for a limited time in 6-packs of 12 oz. cans and on draft.  You can find this Specialty Release at craft beer establishments located in Alabama, Florida, Michigan and throughout the rest of Bell’s Brewery’s distribution footprint.  Prost!

Vital Information for Roundhouse India Red Ale from Bell’s Brewery

Release – Limited/Specialty, arrives late October 2017
Style – India Red Ale
ABV – 7.5%
Added Ingredients – Locally sourced Michigan honey
Shelf Life – 3 months
Recommended Glassware – Nonic
Availability – 6-packs of 12 oz. cans & draft
Beer Finder – http://www.bellsbeer.com/beer-finder

Boulevard Brewing Gets Into the Cider Game with Release of City Market Cider

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CityMarketCider-Diamond-Badge-1Boulevard Brewing Co. (Kansas City, Missouri) will officially introduce its first ever Cider with the upcoming Seasonal release of City Market Cider.

Kansas City’s historic City Market is widely known as “a place where chefs and home cooks come together to show and taste the best flavors in the region.”  This is an institution and community that should be celebrated, and Boulevard Brewing Co. has done just that with the creation of City Market Cider.

Checking in as Boulevard’s first cider and next Seasonal release, City Market Cider is a “local blend [combining] juice from Jonathan and Fuji apples sourced directly from Sibley Orchard & Cider Mill in Sibley, Missouri.”  After undergoing fermentation with Boulevard’s house strain of English ale yeast, City Market Cider was then finished with “a slight blend back of fresh Fuji juice (2.8% of the total blend) to lend a balancing sweetness.”  This all results in a 6.2% ABV Cider that “[alternates] between sweet and tart apple character” in both flavor and aroma.

City Market Cider will launch in the Greater Kansas City Area on Tuesday, November 14 with other regions to follow shortly thereafter.  Once the rollout is completed, you can expect to find this Seasonal release available in 4-packs of 12 oz. bottles at select beer and cider-friendly establishments located in Alabama, Florida, Missouri and throughout the rest of Boulevard Brewing Co.’s distribution network.  Prost!

Vital Information for City Market Cider from Boulevard Brewing Co.

Release – Seasonal, launches November 14, 2017
Style – Hard Apple Cider
ABV – 6.2%
IBUs – 0
Featured Apples – Jonathan & Fuji Apples from Sibley Orchard & Cider Mill
Yeast – Boulevard’s house English Ale Yeast
Suggested Food Pairings – “Washed Rind Cheeses, Mushroom Risotto, Asian Glazed Pork Belly, Sushi”
Availability – 4-packs of 12 oz. bottles & limited draft
Beer/Cider Finder – https://www.boulevard.com/beer/beer-finder/

Heavy Seas Beer Marks 22nd Birthday with New Anniversary Ale

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38059314122_6827f4efcb_kHeavy Seas Beer (Baltimore, Maryland) will officially celebrate its 22nd year in the craft beer industry with the December release of 22 Anniversary Ale, a Belgian-style Tripel aged in rye whiskey barrels.

Brewing craft beer commercially for 22 years is one hell of an achievement, and Heavy Seas Beer has turned to its Uncharted Waters Series – a lineup of barrel/wood-aged limited releases – to create a celebratory brew worthy of the title 22 Anniversary Ale.  To take this “goldenrod” Belgian-style Tripel to the next level, the brewers at Heavy Seas aged this offering in local Sagamore Spirit Rye Whiskey barrels.  This barrel treatment imparted notes of “vanilla and subtle [spice]” to work beautifully alongside the Tripel’s “phenolic flavors of white pepper and peach skin.”  The finished 22 Anniversary Ale weighs in at 10% ABV and 37 IBUs.

Thank you, thank you very much for all of the support over the years, without you, we wouldn’t still be here sailing into Uncharted Waters year after year,” says Heavy Seas Founder, Hugh Sisson. “Cheers!”

22 Anniversary Ale is scheduled for release in early December and will hang around as long as supplies last.  You can expect to find this Limited Release offering in 22 oz. bottles and on draft at craft beer establishments located in Alabama, Florida, Maryland and throughout the rest of Heavy Seas Beer’s distribution area.  Prost!

Vital Information for 22 Anniversary Ale from Heavy Seas Beer

Release – Limited/Uncharted Waters Series, early December 2017
Style – Tripel
ABV – 10%
IBUs – 37
Malts – 2-row, Crystal, Caramalt & Chocolate Malt
Hops – Warrior, UK Goldings, UK Fuggles, Cascade & Centennial
Treatment – Aged in Sagamore Spirit Rye Whiskey barrels
Availability – 22 oz. bottles & draft
Beer Finder – http://hsbeer.com/beerfinder