Winter is Here to be Next Game of Thrones Beer from Brewery Ommegang

Posted on by mashingin

Ommegang-Game-of-Thrones-Fire-and-Blood-2017-Bottle-750ml_editedBrewery Ommegang (Cooperstown, New York) and HBO Global Licensing have officially announced that they will continue their Game of Thrones series of beers this fall with the release of Winter is Here Double White Ale.

Adorned with a label that prominently displays the Night King, Winter is Here Double White Ale is being released to Game of Thrones fans as a warning that the Great War and the White Walkers are on the approach.  Brewed with white pepper, sea salt, coriander and sweet orange peel, this Belgian-style Double White Ale is led by “aromas of banana, clove, and pronounced peppery phenols” while the flavor is that of “slightly sweet malt, subtly balanced by hints of sea salt.”  Even though this full-bodied brew weighs in at an imposing 8.3% ABV, Winter is Here “still manages to drink quite lightly” and vows to be “the perfect brew to sip throughout the cold months that lie ahead.”

“For six seasons, Game of Thrones fans like ourselves have watched as the great houses of Westeros battled amongst themselves, all the while knowing that the only battle that really mattered – the great war – was yet to come,” says Doug Campbell, Brewery Ommegang’s President. “In this next season, we celebrate the long-awaited arrival of winter with a beer fit for consumption north of The Wall. Winter is Here is a fortifying and delicious double white, brewed with sea salt and white pepper, sure to keep you warm in winter, no matter how long it lasts.”

Winter is Here Double White Ale will officially arrive in October with availability on draft and in single 750ml bottles (suggested retail price of $11.99 each).  This Limited Release beer will also be available in a collectible gift pack (suggested retail price of $23.99) alongside a commemorative glass and a 750ml bottle of Fire and Blood, a Red Ale brewed with ancho chilies (6.8% ABV) that was originally released in 2014 as the third beer in the Game of Thrones-inspired beer series.  Look for Winter is Here to be on shelves and taps at fine beer establishments located in Alabama, Florida, New York and throughout the rest of Brewery Ommegang’s expansive distribution network later this year.  Prost!

Vital Information for Winter is Here Double White Ale from Brewery Ommegang 

Release – Limited, October 2017
Style – Belgian-style Double White Ale
ABV – 8.3%
Malts – Pilsner, White Wheat, & Soft Red Wheat Flakes
Hops – Saaz
Yeast – House yeast of Brewery Ommegang
Added Ingredients – White pepper, sea salt, coriander & sweet orange peel
Availability – single 750ml bottles, in a collectible gift pack & on draft
Beer Finder – http://ommegang.com/#!locator

Dogfish Head Goes Tropical with Release of Lupu-Luau IPA

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lupu-luau-ingredients-4Dogfish Head Craft Brewery (Milton, Delaware) recently announced the release of Lupu-Luau IPA as the brewery’s latest ode to summer.

When it comes to figuring out the story behind Lupu-Luau IPA, you can find all the answers in its name:

  • “Lupu” – an abbreviated take on Lupulin, the hop flower gland containing essential oils
  • “Luau” – a reference to the beer’s tropical hop notes and coconut-centric nature that translates as “a tropical party in your mouth”

Brewed with toasted coconut, experimental hops and dehydrated coconut water, this coconut-forward India Pale Ale displays aromatics of “tropical fruit, pineapple and [citrus]” while “coconut and woodsy notes” carry the flavor profile.  At 7.3% ABV and 45 IBUs, Lupu-Luau IPA comes together to be a unique but spot-on representation of what summer is all about.

“We worked hard to secure the majority of the full domestic yield of this experimental hop crop for years to come and Dogfish is currently the only brewery contracted to purchase it,” says Sam Calagione, founder and CEO of Dogfish Head Craft Brewery. “We use dehydrated coconut water that contains delicious natural sugars and flaked toasted coconut as centerpieces of the beer – ingredients that pay homage to Coco Loco, a coconut blonde brewpub exclusive we brewed back in 2011 and an early example of tropical fruit IPA innovation from Dogfish.”

Lupu-Luau IPA is available now and will be hanging out through the summer months.  You can track this Seasonal brew down 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 area.  Prost!

Vital Information for Lupu-Luau IPA from Dogfish Head Craft Brewery

Release – Seasonal, launching July 2017
Style – American India Pale Ale
ABV – 7.3%
IBUs – 45
Added Ingredients – Toasted coconut & dehydrated coconut water
Recommended Glassware – IPA glass
Suggested Food Pairings – “White fish ceviche, roasted pineapple salsa, BBQ meats”
Availability – 6-packs of 12 oz. bottles & draft
Beer Finder (a.k.a. Fish Finder) – https://www.dogfish.com/brewery/fishfinder

Funky Buddha Brewery to Screen Blood, Sweat, and Beer: A Craft Beer Documentary

Posted on by mashingin

bloodsweatbeerREDOn Thursday, July 13 from 7 p.m. to 9 p.m., Funky Buddha Brewery (1201 NE 38th St, Oakland Park, Florida) will treat their fans to a night at the movies by hosting the South Florida Premiere of Blood, Sweat, and Beer: A Craft Beer Documentary.

For this special edition of Funky Flicks, Funky Buddha Brewery will take on the persona of an art film house to present the area premiere of Blood Sweat, and Beer, a documentary that “highlights the explosive growth of the craft beer industry and tells the dramatic story of two breweries as they build towards opening day.”  The complete film synopsis is as follows:

Blood, Sweat, and Beer is a feature documentary about the explosive growth of the craft beer industry and the dramatic journeys of two start-up breweries. The film follows a trio of 23-year-olds as they struggle to start The Brew Gentlemen Beer Company in Braddock, PA. Matt, Asa, and Brandon hope their brewery will help this once-prosperous steel town bounce back from decades of neglect, violence, and population loss. The film also tells the emotional story of Danny Robinson, a boardwalk brewery owner and restaurateur whose empire is threatened by an aggressive trademark lawsuit that could leave him penniless. Four entrepreneurs, two brand new breweries, and one ultimate goal: to quench the thirst of the craft-craving masses.

At the conclusion of the film, founding members of Funky Buddha Brewery will open things up for a Q&A session focused on their experiences of building a brewery from the ground up.

Tickets for this event are available now for the price of $15 each, and you can purchase yours by clicking area.  Ticket cost provides you with “a seat at the screening, one draft beer, and bottomless fresh-popped movie popcorn.”  Tickets are limited, so grab yours while you can to ensure that you are one of the first in Florida to see Blood, Sweat, and Beer.  Prost!

 

Boulevard Brewing Co. Releases 8th Installment in Love Child Series

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BoulevardLoveChild8labelBoulevard Brewing Company (Kansas City, Missouri) has officially sent Love Child No. 8 out into the wild as the latest version in this ever-evolving, blended Sour Ale project.

The Love Child Series consists of a line of barrel-aged Wild Ales that have been inoculated with “such boisterous cultures as Lactobacillus and Brettanomyces.”  Since each beer in this series has its own unique blend ratio and resulting complexity, Boulevard Brewing uses “gauges on the label to convey the intensity of three key personality traits, Funk, Sour and Fruit, presenting a picture of the ale at the time it was released.” The goal of the Love Child Series is not “to reproduce the character of the previous year’s blend, but rather to offer a blend of the very best sour beers . . . on hand” at the brewery.

Love Child No. 8 is rocking a blend that consists of “multiple vintages of a Flanders-style sour red ale and a sour Belgian-style golden” that have been aged in “a variety of whiskey and wine barrels with lactobacillus and brettanomyces.”  Each batch of aged beer was sampled and then blended by a tasting panel of brewers and quality assurance team members until they established an experience that “features soft lactic acidity punctuated with slight acetic notes and a tart, fruity flavor reminiscent of sour cherries and green strawberries.”

Love Child No. 8 hit the Kansas City area in June, but the beer has been slowly rolling out across Boulevard Brewing’s distribution area since.  This limited offering can now be found in 750ml bottles and on draft at select beer establishments located in Alabama, Florida, Missouri and wherever else you normally see Limited Release Smokestack Series beers from Boulevard Brewing.  Prost!

Vital Information for Love Child No. 8 from Boulevard Brewing Company

Release – Limited/Smokestack Series, gradual roll out began June 2017
Style – American Wild/Sour Ale
ABV – 9%
IBUs – 9
Blend – 59% Belgian-style Golden, 41% Flanders-Style Red
Recommended Glassware – Tulip
Suggested Pairing – Strawberry rhubarb pie
Availability – 750ml bottles & draft
Beer Finder – https://www.boulevard.com/beer/beer-finder/

Morimoto Asia to Host Inaugural Craft Beers and Bites Festival

Posted on by mashingin

unnamed (33)On Saturday, July 29 at 1 p.m., Morimoto Asia at Disney Springs (1600 East Buena Vista Drive, Lake Buena Vista, Florida) will showcase Florida craft breweries alongside gourmet food pairings at the restaurant’s first Craft Beers and Bites Festival.

Chef Masaharu Morimoto has long been an avid supporter of pairing fine food with great craft beer, and this practice will now have an opportunity to be on full display at the Morimoto Asia Craft Beers and Bites Festival.  Taking place on the restaurant’s second level, this event will feature the craft beers of eight Florida breweries alongside a menu of individual food pairings prepared by Morimoto Asia Executive Chef, Yuhi Fujinaga.  The full menu and list of paired breweries are as follows:

Tickets for the Morimoto Asia Craft Beers and Bites Festival are available now, and you can purchase yours online for the price of $40 each (plus tax & gratuity) by clicking here.  Ticket cost gains you entrance into the event and unlimited access to the beers and bites.  100% of all profits raised from the Beers and Bites Festival will go to benefit Children’s Home Society of Florida to aid in their mission to build bridges to success for children.

Tickets are extremely limited for the Morimoto Asia Craft Beers and Bites Festival, so be sure to secure yours as soon as possible because this event is sure to sell out.  Prost!

Heavy Seas Beer Set to Release TreasureFest in August

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34916671304_eba8eaac85_zHeavy Seas Beer (Baltimore, Maryland) announced today that TreasureFest Oktoberfest Lager will return in August as the brewery’s late-summer/early fall Seasonal.

Oktoberfest season draws nigh, and TreasureFest is set to return as Heavy Seas Beer’s take on this internationally celebrated fall style.  Beginning with a traditional base of imported German malts and hops, the brewers at Heavy Seas then put an American twist on TreasureFest by dry-hopping the beer with a hearty dose of American hops.  At 6% ABV and 35 IBUs, TreasureFest promises to be “a fresh look at the old Oktober stand-by.”

“I am a huge fan of Oktoberfest-style beers,” says Heavy Seas Brewmaster, Christopher Leonard. “Their arrival portends the cool, colorful autumn season that is my favorite time of year. The distinct bready, biscuity malt profile that is their soul speaks to my barley-hearted sensibilities. I’m thrilled to be able to provide a Heavy Seas twist by dry-hopping our interpretation with floral American hops. It should be no surprise to those familiar with our beers that we’ve boosted the malt bill and ABV to help keep the robust hopping in balance. If you like Oktoberfest-style beers and enjoy American IPA’s, this beer just might be the love child hybrid you’ve been waiting for.”

TreasureFest will officially return in August and will be around through Fest Season.  You can expect to find this Seasonal release available in 6-packs of 12 oz. bottles and on draft at craft beer establishments located in Alabama, Florida, Maryland, and throughout the rest of Heavy Seas Beer’s distribution network.  Prost!

Vital Information for TreasureFest Oktoberfest Lager from Heavy Seas Beer

Release – Seasonal, arriving August 2017
Style – Oktoberfest Lager
ABV – 6%
IBUs – 35
Malts – German Pilsen Malt, Vienna Malt & Munich Malt
Hops – Perle, Hallertau Mittlefrue, Cascade, Palisade & Chinook
Suggested Glassware – Stein
Availability – 6-packs of 12 oz. bottles & draft
Beer Finder – http://www.hsbeer.com/beerfinder

Avondale Brewing Company Puts Miss Fancy’s Tripel in Cans

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ABCMFTartAvondale Brewing Company (Birmingham, Alabama) has once again expanded their portfolio of canned offerings with the release of Miss Fancy’s Tripel in 4-packs of 12 oz. cans.

The Birmingham craft beer community has asked and Avondale Brewing Company has heard its pleas . . . Miss Fancy’s Triple is now officially available in 12 oz. cans.  Since this elephant-sized brew clocks in a hefty 9.2% ABV and is now Avondale’s biggest beer to be offered in cans, the brewery has decided to promote a sense of moderation by offering Miss Fancy’s in 4-packs.  Miss Fancy’s Tripel now joins Battlefield IPA, Mill City White, Spring Street Saison, and Vanillaphant Porter to comprise Avondale’s full line of canned beers.

If you happen to be unfamiliar with this Year-Round offering and the backstory on Miss Fancy herself, here is the beer’s full description from the brewery:

It all began when a circus owner’s misfortune at a game of cards bestowed the city of Avondale with a great gift. His prize attraction, Miss Fancy the Elephant, would inadvertently become the city’s greatest spokesperson. Known as the Queen of Avondale, Miss Fancy performed a wonder of tricks at her home in Avondale Zoo.

During prohibition, City Hall kept a special Miss Fancy reserve on hand at all time in order to treat her stomach ailment. When her stomach started acting up, Mr. Todd would call the prohibition officers down to the zoo for a little hooch action.

The use of malts, traditional hops, a proprietary yeast blend and Belgian candi sugar creates a very special beer named after a very special elephant. Miss Fancy’s Tripel is remarkably smooth and refreshing for such a high ABV beer. CAUTION! Miss Fancy’s Tripel is brewed for humans but strong enough for elephants.

Miss Fancy’s Tripel is hitting shelves now in 4-packs of 12 oz. cans.  You can expect to find this fan-favorite, Year-Round brew at craft beer retailers located throughout Avondale Brewing Company’s distribution area in Alabama.  Prost!

Vital Information for Miss Fancy’s Tripel from Avondale Brewing Company

Release – Year-Round, cans launch at the start of July 2017
Style – Belgian-style Tripel
ABV – 9.2%
IBUs – 20
Availability – 4-packs of 12 oz. cans & draft
Hashtag Action – #fancycans

Catawba Brewing Co. to Launch Friki Tiki IPA Series

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CatawbalogoCatawba Brewing Co. (Asheville, North Carolina) recently announced plans to roll out their Friki Tiki Series, a new lineup of Seasonal fruited IPAs, with the release of Friki Tiki Pineapple IPA on July 14.

The idea for the Friki Tiki Series was originally conceived back in December when the folks at Catawba Brewing Co. brewed up a batch of Pineapple IPA for their Tropical Xmas Party.  Since that beer and several subsequent “fruit-forward hoppy beers” from the brewery’s Small Batch Series proved to be incredibly popular with fans, Catawba Brewing has now decided to fully commit to this concept by establishing Friki Tiki as a new series of rotating, seasonally-released fruit IPAs.

Each release in the Friki Tiki Series will start with a base India Pale Ale recipe that utilizes flaked wheat in the mash to impart “the soft mouthfeel and juicy character associated with New England IPAs.” The hop bill for each of these IPAs will consist of West Coast hops that have been “carefully chosen to complement a massive addition of real fruit.”  To “ensure optimal freshness,” the beers of the Friki Tiki Series will only feature seasonal fruit selections that properly complement each offering’s “tropical and citrus-forward character.”

The Friki Tiki Series will fittingly kick off with the revival and widespread release of Friki Tiki Pineapple IPA.  This Seasonal offering will officially launch at release events held at all four Catawba tasting room locations on Friday, July 14.  Shortly after launch, Friki Tiki Pineapple IPA will then be sent out as a draft-only release to select craft beer establishments located in Alabama, North Carolina, and throughout the rest of Catawba Brewing’s distribution footprint.  More detailed information concerning Friki Tiki Pineapple IPA is sure to be released soon, and we will update you with that info just as soon as we get it.  Prost!

Good Chit Pilsner Makes Limited Return for Rogue Ales

Posted on by mashingin

goodchi2016Rogue Ales (Newport, Oregon) recently announced that Good Chit Pilsner is officially back, and hitting shelves and taps now as a special, limited release brew.

To get the 2017 release of Good Chit Pilsner just right, it all started with “a 100-acre barley harvest . . . grown in Rogue Farm’s volcanic-rich soil at Tygh Valley, Oregon.”  Once collected, the barley was transported to the brewery’s on-site malt house so that it could be floor-malted, a process that sees “golden grain . . .  spread across a specialized floor, where it is hand-turned every 12 hours over the course of eight days.”  Once the barley sprouts, or “chits”, it is then delivered to Rogue’s brewery so that it can become Good Chit Pilsner and give fans the chance to truly “taste the terroir of Rogue Farms.”

“The floor-malting process is an ancient brewing practice that best represents our farm-grown pilsner,” said Rogue General Manager Dharma Tamm. “It creates a unique experience in every bottle of Good Chit.”

Good Chit Pilsner is available now and will be hanging around through the month of August.  You can expect to find this Limited Release is 22 oz. bottles and on draft at craft beer-focused establishments located in Alabama, Florida, Oregon and throughout the rest of the nationwide distribution network or Rogue Ales.  Prost!

Vital Information for Good Chit Pilsner from Rogue Ales

Release – Limited, June to August 2017
Style – Pilsner 
ABV – 5.3%
IBUs – 38
Malts – Rogue Farms Dare™ Floor Malt, & Aciduated Malt
Hops – Rogue Farms Liberty Hops™
Yeast – Czech Pils
Availability – 22 oz. bottles & draft
Beer Finder – https://www.rogue.com/finder/

Tasting Notes: d-Unkle Peanut Dunkle Weizen from Garage Brewing Co.

Posted on by mashingin

GarageDunkel1000Tasting Notes starts the week off in a bit of a nutty direction as we take a look at d-Unkle Peanut Dunkle Weizen from Garage Brewing Co. (Temecula, California).

Released as a part of the brewery’s line of Specialty Beers, d-Unkle Peanut Dunkle Weizen is Garage Brewing Co.’s riff on the traditional German Dunkelweizen.  “Dedicated to your favorite Uncle that might just be a bit nutty”, d-Unkle Peanut Dunkle Weizen combines the style’s trademark dark malt and wheat characteristics with the flavor of roasted peanuts.  Full-flavored but still easy drinking, this brew clocks in at just 4.8% ABV and 14 IBUs.  d-Unkle Peanut Dunkle Weizen is nearing the end of its limited run, but it can still be found in 22 oz. bottles and on draft at craft beer establishments located within Garage Brewing’s distribution area.

Alright, you wanna get nuts?  C’mon, let’s get nuts and get into some Tasting Notes!

Tasting Notes for d-Unkle Peanut Dunkle Weizen from Garage Brewing Co.

Appearance: d-Unkle Peanut fills the glass as a chestnut brown-colored brew that is capped with a creamy finger of light tan foam.  Held to the light, red and amber hues appear to give the brown an added pop of vibrancy.  Although the beer is a bit hazy, a healthy carbonation level can be seen coursing within.  The head shows good retention, eventually falling to a silken, half finger that lasts throughout.  Lines of lace draw across the glass after each sip, but most eventually slip slowly back down into the top cap.

Aroma: The first thing to hit the nose is straight up peanut butter.  This is definitely a surprise as I was expecting more of a roasted nut note, but this will do just fine.  That peanut buttery goodness is surrounded by the beer’s dark wheat malts to conjure up youthful memories of spreading unreasonably sized gobs of delicious peanut butter across really good wheat bread – no jelly necessary.

Taste: The flavor moves in more of a Dunkelweizen direction with dark, deep wheat tones leading the way.  The hops surface with a touch of bitterness before being pulled back under by notes of cereal, fresh baked bread, and just a bit of banana and clove.  Just as we near the finish, the peanuts show up to lock in with all other aspects of this beer.  This thing has tons of flavor, but it is not muddled at all.  Completely direct, clean and cohesive.

Mouthfeel: This Dunkel falls on the lighter side of medium in body with a medium carbonation level.  It is lightly sweet on the palate, but that is easily countered by the beer’s roasty character and balancing bitterness.  The fact that this beer is just 4.8% ABV is ridiculously awesome, and it keeps the experience delightfully easy-drinking.  As it should be, the aftertaste is all roasted peanut.

Final Thoughts:  To be completely honest, I was more than a little excited when I first laid eyes on d-Unkle Peanut Dunkle Weizen.  This is for two reasons:

  1. I am a devout lover of German styles and you really do not see many American breweries taking on the Dunkelweizen these days.
  2. It is creative take on the Dunkelweizen, and for some reason that is an incredibly rare occurrence in craft beer.

With that now disclosed, this beer had a lot of high hopes to live up to . . . and it more than met those expectations.  It all starts in the aroma as that peanut butter note is so spot on that it will easily stop anyone in their tracks to take notice.  More surprises await as you move into the arena of flavor and discover how effortlessly the roasted peanuts merge with the style’s defining characteristics of wheat, banana and clove.  Then you wrap all of that in a full-flavored package that is still somehow light and easy-drinking?  I mean, it is absolutely dumbfounding how well this beer came together, and it left the entire Mashing In crew wondering why more breweries are not experimenting with peanuts in Dunkelweizens?  It just works.  Seriously, why isn’t this a thing?  To the folks at Garage Brewing Co., good on you for making d-Unkle Peanut Dunkle Weizen a reality.  You’ve got a winner here.  Prost!