Dogfish Head Introduces Craft Beer Fans to Liquid Truth Serum

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liquid-truth-serum-5Dogfish Head Craft Brewery (Milton, Delaware) recently announced that Liquid Truth Serum IPA is hitting shelves and taps now as the brewery’s latest Limited Release offering.

Developed to be the newest addition to Dogfish Head’s family of innovative, off-centered India Pale Ales, Liquid Truth Serum IPA has been created with a “unique process [that] involves pelletized, powdered, leaf and liquefied hops that are all added post boil creating an intensely aromatic ale with soft, citrusy fruit hop notes.”  Even though 100% of these various forms of hops were added post boil, Liquid Truth Serum was still able to pick up over 60 IBUs.  This all results in a 6.8% ABV, “hazy and golden-orange” India Pale Ale that is “super-aromatic and juicy-hoppy without being deceptively bitter.”

MYTH: Beers can only pick up IBUs by adding hops during the boil.  

 

TRUTH: Here is a 100% post-boil hop oriented IPA that picks up over 60 IBUs in process.

Liquid Truth Serum IPA is rolling out now and will be available through December 2017.  You can find this Limited Release offering in 6-packs of 12 oz. bottles and on draft at craft beer establishments located in Alabama, Florida, Delaware, and throughout the rest of Dogfish Head’s distribution network.  Prost!

Vital Information for Liquid Truth Serum IPA from Dogfish Head Craft Brewery

Release – Limited, October – December 2017
Style – American India Pale Ale
ABV – 6.8%
IBUs – 65
Treatment – Liquid Truth Serum was created with a unique process that “involves pelletized, powdered, leaf and liquefied hops that are all added post boil creating an intensely aromatic ale with soft, citrusy fruit hop notes.”
Availability – 6-packs of 12 oz. bottles & draft
Beer Finder – https://www.dogfish.com/brewery/fishfinder
Fun Fact – Concerning the label artwork: “To kick off the Dogfish Head Art Series, the brewery once again teamed up with longtime friend and highly acclaimed designer, Marq Spusta, a California-based artist known for his distinct illustrative style, to create the Liquid Truth Serum label and artwork. The hop-forward India Pale Ale is part of the annual Art Series beer line up where the brewery collaborates with artists to create custom pieces of artwork for their seasonal ales. The label features Spusta’s version of a traveling medicine show unveiling the all-seeing “eye of truth” exposing the myth that all hops need to be added in the boil.”

Tasting Notes: Marshmallow Milk Stout from Garage Brewing Co.

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garageMarshpour1000_editedWith Halloween lurking just around the corner, this week’s installment of Tasting Notes has us looking to satisfy some sweet treat cravings by getting into a bottle of Marshmallow Milk Stout from Garage Brewing Co. (Temecula, California).

Reigning as the sole dark beer in Garage Brewing’s Year-Round portfolio, Marshmallow Milk Stout was created to be “pure decadence with none of the gooey mess.” Roasty, smooth, and with just enough marshmallow sweetness, this medium-bodied Milk Stout will have you “[picturing] yourself nestled around a campfire” after just one sip.  Marshmallow Milk Stout (7.1% ABV) is available year-round in 22 oz. bottles, 12 oz. cans and on draft at craft beer establishments found within Garage Brewing Co.’s distribution footprint in SoCal.

So, yeah . . . I do believe liquid marshmallow time is finally upon us, so let’s fill these glasses and get to some Tasting Notes!

Tasting Notes for Marshmallow Milk Stout from Garage Brewing Co.

Appearance: Marshmallow Milk Stout pours a glossy, reflective obsidian in color and wears a finger of caramel-tinted foam on top.  Held to direct light, the beer remains completely opaque but does show some garnet tones pushing through at its extreme edges.  Head retention is decent, but it does end up reducing down to a lasting, frothy top cap that leaves some lengthy brushstrokes of lace behind on the glass.

Aroma: Gorgeous notes of roasted malt are evident just as soon as you pop the cap on this one.  Some bittersweet chocolate character presents itself just before the lactose builds to take the aroma in more of a nostalgic chocolate milk direction.  Out of this rises marshmallow and French vanilla tones that eventually dominate and close out the profile.

Taste: In a bit of a surprise twist, we start here with a straight-up cola quality that eventually opens to take the shape of more distinguishing notes of lactose sugar and vanilla.  The marshmallow then comes forward alongside some light chocolate tones.  The flavor profile closes with roasty, moderately sweet dark malt notes and just a wisp of smoke.

Mouthfeel: Medium in body with a moderate carbonation level, this beer hits the palate with a soft, creamy texture.  As expected, it is mostly sweet on the palate but not at all cloying.  The ABV is well hidden and the beer is semi-dry on the finish.  The aftertaste leaves behind a bit of cola and some long-lasting marshmallow.

Final Thoughts:  Marshmallow Milk Stout has quite a bit going on and it pushes well beyond being just a one-dimensional marshmallow experience.  The marshmallow is definitely there, but it selflessly shares its stage with nicely developed notes of vanilla, chocolate and roasted malts.  The unexpected but familiar cola aspect is a nice addition that works well with the beer’s mouthfeel and boasts its overall drinkability.  Although it is sweet, it still retains an easy-drinking nature that allows for its drinker to enjoy one or several pours if desired.  Overall, Marshmallow Milk Stout is damn tasty and the perfect beer to have in hand while raiding the Halloween candy bowl.  Prost!

 

Full Sail Brewing Goes Year-Round with Blood Orange Wheat Ale

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Blood-Orange_Can_12oz_2Full Sail Brewing Co. (Hood River, Oregon) has officially announced that Blood Orange Wheat Ale is now available year-round in 6-packs of 12 oz. cans and on draft.

Originally released last year as a part of Full Sail Brewing’s rotating Pub Series, Blood Orange Wheat Ale has been promoted to Year-Round status in an effort to meet the beer community’s “demand for quality craft brew in cans.”  After quickly reaching fan-favorite status and winning gold medals at the 2016 World Beer Awards and the 2017 World Beer Championships, it became clear to the decision makers at the brewery that Blood Orange Wheat Ale was the perfect “quality craft brew” for the job.

This refreshing Wheat Beer is brewed with 2-row Northwest Pale, Malted and Unmalted Wheat, and a twist of blood orange to yield an experience that has “a medium malt body with a crisp wheat finish and subtle orange flavor.”  Blood Orange Wheat Ale weighs in 5.2% ABV and 23 IBUs.

“Blood Orange Wheat Ale became the favorite of many when we added it to our rotating Pub Series last year, so now we’re thrilled to brew it year-round in 12 oz. cans.”

 

– Jim Kelter, Full Sail Brewmaster 

Blood Orange Wheat Ale is available now in 6-packs of 12 oz. cans and on draft.  You can find this new Year-Round offering at craft beer establishments located in Florida, Georgia, Oregon and throughout the rest of Full Sail Brewing Co.’s distribution area.  Prost!

Vital Information for Blood Orange Wheat Ale from Full Sail Brewing Co.

Release – Year-Round, cans launch October 2017
Style – Wheat Beer
ABV – 5.2%
IBUs – 23
Malts – 2-row Northwest Pale, Malted Wheat & Unmalted Wheat
Added Ingredients – Blood orange
Suggested Food Pairings – “Mayonnaise- based salad, summer fruit salad, fresh seafood, smoked Gouda and soft cheeses like a triple crème Brie, chevre and mascarpone; meringue desserts.”
Availability – 6-packs of 12 oz. cans & draft
Beer Finder – https://fullsailbrewing.com/where-to-buy/

Angry Chair Brewing Schedules Bottle Release for Barrel-Aged Lunar Lycan

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AngryChairOn Saturday, October 14 at 9 a.m., Angry Chair Brewing (Tampa, Florida) will hold a bottle release for Bourbon/Brandy Barrel-Aged Lunar Lycan, a special offering brewed in collaboration with Omnipollo (Stockholm, Sweden).

For those of you that were in the area back in March during Tampa Bay Beer Week, you may remember Angry Chair Brewing’s release of Lunar Lycan, an 11.5% ABV Imperial Marzipan Coffee Cream Stout that they tag-teamed with Sweden’s Omnipollo.  The release was insane and the beer sold out quickly, but some Lunar Lycan was kept from us and tucked away in barrels that once “held Bourbon for 12 years . . . were [then] dumped and . . . refilled with Brandy for several more years.”  Months have passed and now Bourbon/Brandy Barrel-Aged Lunar Lycan is finally ready to fill your glass.

There is a lot to keep in mind when it comes to just about every bottle release at Angry Chair, so we are going to break down all the details and rules so that you are able to easily acquire your bottles without pissing anyone off:

  • Angry Chair will begin the Bourbon/Brandy Barrel-Aged Lunar Lycan bottle release at 9 a.m. on Saturday October 14.  The brewery will be open for bottle sales only at 9 a.m. and reopen for normal business at noon with a limited amount of Bourbon/Brandy Barrel-Aged Lunar Lycan pouring on draft.
  • Bourbon/Brandy Barrel-Aged Lunar Lycan will be available in 750ml bottles for the price of $30 each
  • Bottle limits will be established based on how many people are in line at the time of release
  • Please BRING CASH so that the brewery staff can expedite the process and keep the line moving
  • Speaking of the line, here’s a note from the brewery: “Lines are becoming dangerous and we do not want to stop releasing so please help us out by: standing/sitting AS CLOSE AS POSSIBLE to our building while on Florida Ave. leaving ample sidewalk space between you and the road, this is also to help people who are just trying to walk past our building. If we have to, we will move you, please do not make us come out and do that.”
  • Parking – As always, DO NOT PARK ON FERN. Trip’s Diner across the street will be open and need their parking spots for their customers, so DO NOT PARK AT TRIP’S DINER.  Parking is available on most residential streets nearby, but do not block driveways, walkways, etc.  This may sound like a hassle and it can be, but you can avoid the parking issues by carpooling, having someone drop you off/pick you up, or using an Uber.
  • Finally, and above all else, just be respectful of Angry Chair’s neighbors.

If all attendees come prepared and follow the guidelines above, everything should go smoothly with everyone happily walking away with bottle(s) in hand.  With that said, Bourbon/Brandy Barrel-Aged Lunar Lycan is pretty much guaranteed to sell out and you will need to be in line at the time of the head count to get your bottle.  Just be on time, be patient, have fun with your fellow beer lovers, and be cool.  Prost!

Anchor Brewing Company Unveils Coffee Porter

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Bottle_Pint_Shot_CoffeePorterAnchor Brewing Company (San Francisco, California) recently introduced Anchor Coffee Porter as the brewery’s latest Limited Release offering.

Back in 1972, Anchor Brewing launched Anchor Porter as the “first modern American Porter.”  Innovation has always been at the soul of this long-standing classic, and it has inspired Anchor’s brewers to innovate once again with the creation of Anchor Coffee Porter.

Brewed in collaboration with San Francisco’s Four Barrel Coffee, Anchor Coffee Porter is made with Flash-Chilled Coffee – single-source Ethiopian coffee that is “brewed hot, then flash-chilled within 10 seconds to preserve all of the robust aromatics and key acids that you’d find in a great cup of coffee”.  This results in 6.7% ABV American Porter “of immense richness, intensity, boldness, and smoothness, with . . . a roasty malt backbone, a bold coffee aroma and complex layers of chocolate, nuts and spices.”

“The historic, art deco building on San Francisco’s Potrero Hill where Anchor resides today was a coffee roastery before it was a brewery,” said Brewmaster Scott Ungermann. “There’s a running joke at Anchor that it takes a lot of coffee to make beer. Now we’re collaborating with Four Barrel to do just that—literally. We start in the brewhouse, combining a robust malt bill inspired by our recipe for Anchor Porter. In the cellar, we add Four Barrel’s Flash-Chilled Coffee which was brewed and chilled especially for this beer. The addition occurs during secondary fermentation so the coffee is nicely integrated into the beer. The result is a coffee porter of immense richness, intensity, boldness, and smoothness, with deep aromas and mouthfeel of fresh-roasted coffee melded with dark-roasted maltiness.”

Anchor Coffee Porter rolls out this month and will be available through February 2018.  You can expect to find this Limited Release in 12 oz. bottles and on draft at beer-friendly retailers, bars and restaurants located in Alabama, Florida, California and throughout the rest of Anchor Brewing’s expansive distribution area.  Prost!

Vital Information for Anchor Coffee Porter from Anchor Brewing Company

Release – Limited, October 2017 – February 2018
Style – American Porter
ABV – 6.7%
Malts – 2-Row Pale, Caramel, Black & Wheat
Hops – Apollo
Added Ingredients – Flash-Chilled Coffee from Four Barrel Coffee
Suggested Food Pairings – “Anchor Coffee Porter pairs well with decadent foods like chicken and waffles, pot roast, crème brûlée and beignets.”
Fun Fact – “The beer is 10% coffee, and the brewmaster’s favorite coffee mug is featured on the label.”
Availability – 12 oz. bottles & draft
Beer Finder – https://www.anchorbrewing.com/connect/beer_finder

Mastry’s Brewing Co. Marks First Anniversary with Three Specialty Releases

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MastrysPartyInfoOn Saturday, October 14, Mastry’s Brewing Co. (St. Pete Beach, Florida) will celebrate its First Anniversary Party with the release of three new beers: Year One Wheat Wine, Bourbon Barrel Aged Starless Night Russian Imperial Stout and Floribraska Hazy Tropical IPA.

With one year officially in the books as the first craft brewery and tasting room on St. Pete Beach, the Mastry’s Brewing Co. crew is more than ready to celebrate their first anniversary with a Beer Fest-style party on October 14.  The brewery’s theme of “taking traditional styles and combining influences from exotic locales” will be showcased at the party in the form of three special brews: Year One Wheat Wine, Bourbon Barrel Aged Starless Night Russian Imperial Stout and Floribraska Hazy Tropical IPA.  The full descriptions and release details for these three Limited Releases are as follows:

  • Year One Wheat Wine – “The first of the specialty beer releases will be ‘Year One’, a Wheat Wine ale brewed at 8% Abv. This golden ale boasts a nose like a bouquet of Chrysanthemums. Year One has a taste that is dry and light despite the gravity. Year One is an elegant ale brewed for celebration, available on draught only.”
  • Bourbon Barrel Aged Starless Night – “The second small-batch release, will be the ‘Bourbon Barrel Aged Starless Night’. This limited-release batch of the infamous Starless Night is rested in Bourbon Barrels and is the quintessential sticky barrel-aged Russian Imperial Stout. Bourbon Barrel Aged Starless Night is rich, thick and decadent with notes of Dark Chocolate, Vanilla, Bourbon, Caramel, and Macaroon. Bourbon Barrel Aged Starless Night will be available in bottles and on draught, brewed at 11% Abv.”
  • Floribraska Hazy Tropical IPA – “The third new release for the celebration will be the first out-of-state collaboration for Mastry’s Brewing Co. In partnership with Infusion Brewing Co. in Omaha, NE, the two brewing teams developed ‘Floribraska’, a hazy tropical IPA made with maize, lactose, and guava at 6.2% Abv. This limited-release IPA is hopped with copious amounts of El Dorado, Citra, and Motueka. Available on draught only, get this small-batch collaboration while you can.”

In addition to the beers listed above and a spread of their other offerings, Mastry’s Anniversary Party will have a Beer Fest vibe featuring live music, food, and a selection of tasty brews from Green Bench Brewing Co. (St. Petersburg, Florida), Hidden Springs Ale Works (Tampa, Florida), Mad Beach Craft Brewing Company (Madeira Beach, Florida) and St. Pete Brewing Company (St. Petersburg, Florida). If you are in the area and free on Saturday, be sure to swing by Mastry’s Brewing Company to raise a glass of Year One, Bourbon Barrel Aged Starless Night or Floribraska with the brewery’s staff in recognition of the past year and the many more ahead.  Prost!

 

 

TrimTab Brewing to Hold Limited Canned Release of Fox&Furnace and Tesserae DIPA

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emblem-bwOn Friday, October 13 at 5 p.m., TrimTab Brewing (Birmingham, Alabama) will begin the limited release of Fox&Furnace English IPA and Tesserae Double IPA in 12 oz. cans.

The folks at TrimTab Brewing recently initiated a new expansion of their operation, and that will now make it possible for Birmingham’s beer-loving masses to get their hands on a few new packaged offerings from the brewery.  One of the first waves of these new canned releases will include the following two TrimTab favorites:

  • Fox&Furnace English IPA– “The Red Fox is an official animal of Birmingham, England. It’s cunning, complex, and smooth.  Furnaces have long been representative of Birmingham, Alabama – The center of Southern Steel. The name Fox&Furnace connects the two Birminghams and appropriately describes this English style beer brewed in our Steel City.
    This English IPA is light in color, has a complex, almost toffee-like aroma with hints of toasted caramel. It has light citrus notes balanced with a variety of earthy and herbal characteristics. It is both rich and light.”  ABV – 5.6%  IBUs – 61
  • Tesserae Double IPA – “The name refers to the Mosaic Hops used in the beer. A “tesserae” is a small block of stone, tile, glass, or other material used in the construction of a mosaic. This beer’s name is another way that we celebrate the beauty of small unassuming sources of large scale impact (our definition of a trimtab).
    Mosaic hops unfold layers of tropical and herbaceous flavors and aromas that make Tesserae one of our most popular beers.”  ABV – 9%  IBUs – 80

Fox&Furnace English IPA and Tesserae Double IPA will officially begin their limited release in 12 oz. cans on Friday, October 13 at 5 p.m. in TrimTab Brewing’s Tasting Gallery.  These Limited Releases will have a limit of one (1) case per person.  If any cans of Fox&Furnace English IPA and Tesserae Double IPA survive the initial release, they will be sent out the following week for limited distribution to select craft beer establishments located within TrimTab Brewing’s distribution footprint.  Prost!

SweetWater Brewing Gets Fresh with Limited Release of Fresh Sticky Nugs

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unnamed (61)SweetWater Brewing Company (Atlanta, Georgia) recently announced the official release of Fresh Sticky Nugs Hazy Imperial IPA as the latest offering to come out of the brewery’s Dank Tank.

Straight from the farm to SweetWater Brewing Company’s Dank Tank and then to your glass, Fresh Sticky Nugs has officially arrived to satisfy all your fresh hop needs.  This “super fresh, super sticky” Hazy Imperial India Pale Ale has been brewed with three, freshly harvested hop varietals from Crosby Hop Farm: Amarillo, Citra and Simcoe.  Clocking in at 8% ABV and 60 IBUs, Fresh Sticky Nugs is “dank, resinous and as one of [SweetWater’s] brewers said, ‘it’s like cracking open a hop field.'”

Fresh Sticky Nugs made its debut at the brewery on October 8 and is available now in 4-packs of 16 oz. cans and on draft.  This Dank Tank brew will see limited distribution to select craft beer establishments located within SweetWater Brewing Company’s distribution footprint.  Prost!

Vital Information for Fresh Sticky Nugs Hazy Imperial IPA from SweetWater Brewing Company

Release – Limited/Dank Tank Series, October 2017
Style – American Imperial India Pale Ale/Harvest Ale
ABV – 8%
IBUs – 60
Featured Fresh Hops – Amarillo, Citra & Simcoe
Availability – 4-packs of 16 oz. cans & draft
Beer Finder – http://sweetwaterbrew.com/find-sweetwater/

Victory Brewing Company Introduces Black Forest Cake Stout

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BB7_12ozBottle_webtransVictory Brewing Company (Downingtown, Pennsylvania) has officially released Black Forest Cake Stout with Cherry as the seventh installment in its Blackboard Series.

To the delight of all the Stout lovers out there, Black Forest Cake Stout with Cherry surfaces as the first truly decadent, dessert-focused release in Victory Brewing’s Blackboard Series, a rotating lineup that combines Victory’s “award winning brewing techniques alongside . . . deliciously fresh ingredients” to result in “distinctive beers . . . that are a creative craft riff on restaurant blackboard specials.”  Mimicking the flavors of the classic German confection, Black Forest Cake Stout (7.5% ABV) is infused with cherries to create a flavor profile that features “roasted malt [balancing] out lush cherry flavor and [ending] with a bittersweet finish.”

Black Forest Cake Stout is out now and available for a limited time in 12 oz. bottles on draft.  You can expect to find this Blackboard Series release at select craft beer establishments located in Alabama, Florida, Pennsylvania, North Carolina, and throughout the rest of Victory Brewing Company’s distribution area.  Prost!

Vital Information for Black Forest Cake Stout with Cherry from Victory Brewing Company

Release – Limited/Blackboard Series, October 2017 to ?
Style – American Stout
ABV – 7.5%
Malts – Pilsner, Chocolate, Pale Chocolate & Dark Caramel
Hops – Cascade
Added Ingredients – Cherry
Availability – 12 oz. bottles & draft
Beer Finder – http://www.victorybeer.com/beerfinder/

Cascade Brewing Prepares for Release of Rose City Sour

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cascadenewlogoCascade Brewing (Portland, Oregon) has announced that it will begin the release Rose City Sour on Tuesday, October 17.

Arriving as Cascade Brewing’s liquid ode to Portland, a.k.a. “The City of Roses”; Rose City Sour 2016 is “a blend of wheat and blond ales aged in oak wine barrels for up to 14 months with rose petals, rose hips and hibiscus tea.”  This gentle, floral-themed project results in a 7% ABV American Sour Ale that “captures the delicate floral aromas of fresh roses matched with notes of dried cranberries, pomegranates and a hint of white pepper.”

“We are so excited to release this blend, which we expect to become one of our flagship brands moving forward,” explained Tim Larrance, vice president of marketing and sales at Cascade Brewing. “Rose City Sour pays homage to our hometown of Portland – known worldwide as the City of Roses – and the emblematic rose takes center stage in this fantastic Northwest sour beer.”

Rose City Sour 2016 officially releases on Tuesday, October 17 and will be available while supplies last.  You can expect to find this Tier One offering available in 750ml bottles and on draft at fine craft beer establishments located in Alabama, Florida, Oregon and throughout the rest of Cascade Brewing’s distribution network.  Prost!

Vital Information for Rose City Sour 2016 from Cascade Brewing

Release – Limited/Tier One; October 17, 2017
Style – American Sour Ale
ABV – 7%
Treatment – “Blend of wheat and blond ales aged in oak wine barrels for up to 14 months with rose petals, rose hips and hibiscus tea”
Availability – 750ml bottles & draft
Fun Fact – Concerning Cascade Brewing’s new labels: “Rose City Sour is a Tier One offering; Cascade’s bottles have distinct label styles for each of the three Cascade Brewing pricing tiers, with each label within the tier utilizing distinctive colors to clearly differentiate each beer. The tiers differ by the style of beer used in the product, the type ingredients contained within, the time aged in the barrels and types of barrels used.”