Heavy Seas Beer and Union Craft Brewing Collaborate on the Partner Ships Olde Ale

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unnamed-13_editedHeavy Seas Beer (Baltimore, Maryland) recently announced that they will kick off the 2017 edition of the Partner Ships Series with an Olde Ale brewed in collaboration with Union Craft Brewing (Baltimore, Maryland).

The Partner Ships Series – a lineup of limited release brews from Heavy Seas Beer produced in collaboration with other regionally and nationally recognized brewers in the spirit of friendship, creativity, and adventure – returns for another round in 2017 and launches with an Olde Ale created by Heavy Seas and fellow Baltimore brewery, Union Craft Brewing.  The goal of this beer was to stay true to the Old Ale style by featuring “flavors of nuts, cocoa, molasses, and dried fruits float[ing] over a chewy, luscious body of English malt goodness.”  To add a bit of their city’s flair to the brew, the beer also utilizes local Domino Brown Sugar to “yield a true, comfort ale that should kindle its own Baltimore nostalgia.”

“We’ve been having a ball with the Partner Ships collaborations,” said Heavy Seas Founder, Hugh Sisson.  “We are particularly happy to be partnering with Union, part of the “new wave” of Baltimore craft beer, and damn good guys to boot.”

Heavy Seas Beer will officially release the Partner Ships Ole Ale in February of 2017.  This “extremely limited” offering will be available in 22 oz. bottles and on draft at craft beer establishments found in Alabama, Florida and throughout the rest of the Heavy Seas distribution area.  The first year of releases from the Partner Ships Series certainly did not disappoint, so be sure to get your hands on this Olde Ale from Heavy Seas and Union Craft Brewing while you can.  Prost!

Vital Information on the Partner Ships Olde Ale from Heavy Seas Beer and Union Craft Brewing

Release – Limited/the Partner Ships Series, February 2017
Style – Old Ale
ABV – 8.5%
IBUs – 25
Hops – UK Fuggle & UK Goldings
Malts – 2-Row, Crystal Marris Otter & Brown
Added Ingredients – Local Domino Brown Sugar
Availability – 22 oz. bottles
Beer Finder – http://www.hsbeer.com/beerfinder

Cascade Brewing Releases Blueberry Northwest Sour Ale 2016

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cascadeblueberrybottleCascade Brewing (Portland, Oregon) has officially announced the release of the 2016 vintage of Blueberry Northwest Sour Ale in bottles and on draft.

The meticulous process of creating the 2016 Batch of Blueberry Northwest Sour Ale began with a blend of sour Wheat and Blonde Ales.  To give the beer its distinctive fruity characteristics, the brewery then sourced over “8000 pounds of fresh blueberries from Oregon’s bountiful Willamette Valley.” The brewing team “hand-sorted the freshly picked fruit then added it to both tanks and barrels where it aged on the beer for several months until the fruit character reached its fullest expression.”  To achieve the perfect flavor profile and level of balance, Blueberry Northwest Sour Ale is finished by blending “the fruited beer . . . with a portion of non-fruited barrel-aged beer.”

“The 2016 growing season delivered fruit with elegant blueberry aromatics, providing clean fruit expression to this blend,” stated Kevin Martin, lead blender for Cascade Brewing. “The project is complemented by the dry, cereal grain notes of the beer with hints of lemon, a soft oak presence and lively acidity.”

The 2016 Batch of Blueberry Ale yielded 1,190 cases of 750ml bottles and 225 kegs.  This beer was initially released on Tuesday, January 3 at Cascade Brewing locations. Blueberry Ale typically sees distribution in bottles and on draft, so Sour Ale fans in Alabama, Florida and throughout the rest of Cascade Brewing’s distribution should keep an eye out for this one to eventually turn up on shelves and taps. Prost!

Vital Information for Blueberry Northwest Sour Ale (2016) from Cascade Brewing

Release – Limited, beginning January 3, 2017
Style – American Sour Ale
ABV – 8.5%
Treatment – Blend of sour Wheat and Blond ales aged in white wine barrels for up to 12 months with fresh blueberries

Tasting Notes: Global Warmer from Sixpoint Brewery

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globalwarmerspb1000This week’s Tasting Notes embraces the “frigid” temperatures of what appears to be Tampa’s one weekend of winter by cozying up with a little Global Warmer Cloudy Red Ale from Sixpoint Brewery (Brooklyn, New York).

Not too long ago, I let you all know about Global Warmer’s return as a limited, Seasonal release from Sixpoint’s Cycliquids Series (click here to check out that full post).  To stand out from a market that is currently overcrowded with traditional Holiday Ales, this riff on the Winter Warmer is actually an American Red Ale that is “unfiltered [and] hop-intensified.” Weighing in at 7% ABV and 70 IBUs, this brew is guaranteed to make you rethink your approach to cold weather drinking.  With availability on draft and in 6-packs of 12 oz. cans, Global Warmer can still be found at craft beer establishments in Alabama, Florida, and the rest of Sixpoint’s distribution footprint.  Alright, I believe it is now time to warm the body, mind and soul with a little Tasting Notes action!

Tasting Notes for Global Warmer Cloudy Red Ale from Sixpoint Brewery

Appearance: Fresh off the pour, Global Warmer presents itself as deep amber in color.  Once held to direct light, the colors gain vibrancy and expose caramel-hued browns, rusty reds, and just a subtle smattering of deep orange.  For an unfiltered beer, it is actually quite clear – just a slight haze to it – and displays a steady carbonation level that is eager to feed the finger of off-white foam resting above.  Creamy in texture, the head has pretty good retention and casually falls to a thin but sturdy top cap.  The foam effortlessly grabs the glass to leave notches of lace throughout the drink.

Aroma:  Oh my, the hops have certainly come out to play.  Distinct notes of grapefruit rind and pith are the first to provide the olfactory with a zealous hello.  This intense but lovely quality is quickly followed with piney, herbal and grassy tones.  Gently and slightly timid, the malts surface to lend just a grace of caramel sweetness.   At this point, anyone who grabbed this beer in hopes of finding a spice-laden Winter Ale has been emphatically informed that they are in for a much different experience.

Taste:  The grapefruit characteristics are hard at work here once again with notes of bitter rind, zest and juice.  Pushing forward to match the intensity level of that grapefruit is a hefty presence of pine that is resinous, aggressive, sticky and dank.  Slightly herbal and floral tones then bloom from the pine, and this hop experience closes with a subtle fruit basket of various tropical and citrus fruits.  Just as you feel the beer is finished, a caramel and biscuity malt presence wanders in to coolly supply balance.  Any of that initial intensity from the hops is suddenly an afterthought . . . well, at least until the next sip.

Mouthfeel: Global Warmer is medium in body with a medium carbonation level.  On the palate, the beer coats with a gentle stick that is more from hop oils than sweetness.  Bitter to start, but finishes reasonably dry, slightly sweet and quite balanced.  Aftertaste is just wisps of floral and pine hop tones mingling with a bit of caramel.

Final Thoughts:  Basically what we have here is an India Red Ale masquerading as a Winter Warmer.  This is by no means a bad thing, but we can actually make a case that this indeed does fit the mold of a Holiday Ale.  Global Warmer may abandon traditional holiday spices to showcase grapefruit notes sourced from hops, but you do have to consider that this is a fruit that reaches its peak during the holiday season.  Then we have the pine to remind us of cold weather hikes in the mountains or through vast pine forests.  Even the beer’s light but essential caramel and biscuity malt characteristics could conjure up thoughts of the various baked goods and sweets that we all tend to crave during late December and into the New Year.  Sure, some could call all of that a reach.  Then again, if the malt presence was dialed up a notch or two, we would basically be talking about an American-style Barleywine here.  All in all, Global Warmer is a fantastic change of pace from the redundancy experienced during Winter Warmer Season, and it once again acts as a more than solid example of Sixpoint Brewery’s prowess with hops.  Hell, I think I’ll indulge a little and open another.  Prost!

Maui Brewing Co. Announces Return of Lemongrass Saison

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mauilemongrasscan_editedMaui Brewing Co. (Kihei, Hawaii) recently announced that Lemongrass Saison will be making a much-anticipated return beginning on Friday, January 6.

Originally brewed in 2013 as a collaboration with The Lost Abbey (San Marcos, California), Lemongrass Saison will once again hit shelves and taps as the first Limited Release beer of 2017 for Maui Brewing Co.  This Belgian-inspired Saison begins with a recipe consisting of White Wheat, Oats, Pilsner malt, Cascade and El Dorado hops.  For added depth and complexity, the brew is then infused with a total of 200 lbs. of lemongrass locally raised at Simpli-Fresh Farms (a ratio of 40 lbs. per 100 bbl batch).  This refreshing brew comes together at an easy-drinking 5.2% ABV and 15 IBUs.

A simple Saison brewed with local Lemongrass is something I had wanted to do but never attempted. Our original batch of this beer was the culmination of that vision; and Maui Brewing’s skillful use of this amazing flavor makes me truly wish it was available more often. In revisiting this recipe, my wishes are coming true,” said Tomme Arthur, COO and Co-Founder of The Lost Abbey.

Lemongrass Saison officially releases on Friday, January 6 at both Maui Brewing Company locations (Kihei and Lahaina).  Shortly after the brewery launch, this limited release will then become available in 6-packs of 12 oz. cans and on draft in Florida and throughout Maui Brewing’s full distribution area.  Lemongrass Saison will only be around for a limited time, so get your taste of this refreshing brew while you can.  Prost!

Vital Information for Lemongrass Saison from Maui Brewing Co.

Release – Limited, beginning Friday, January 6, 2017
Style – Saison
ABV – 5.2%
IBUs – 15
Malts – White Wheat, Oats & Pilsner
Hops – Cascade & El Dorado
Added Ingredients -Lemongrass from Simpli-Fresh Farms
Availability – 6-packs of 12 oz. cans & draft
Beer Finder – http://mauibrewingco.com/find-our-beer/

Brooklyn Brewery Packages Bel Air Sour as New Limited Release

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belair-6pk-lrBrooklyn Brewery (Brooklyn, New York) recently announced that they have officially released Bel Air Sour for the first time as a packaged offering.

After over two years of development and an incredibly successful release in 2016 as a draft-only Brewmasters Reserve offering, Brooklyn Brewery Brewmaster Garrett Oliver and Lab Manager and Microbiologist Drew Bombard have plenty of reasons to be proud of Bel Air Sour.  This special brew was meticulously crafted to have “the precise balance of sharp, clean acidity and tropical fruit they dreamed of striking in a sour ale.”  They achieved this feat in large part due to the use of the brewery’s house ale yeast, lactobacillus, “and a generous helping of Amarillo dry-hopping.”  The beer is then smoothed out with barley and wheat malts “to keep things dry and refreshing, and the whole thing comes together to close with a fine dry finish.”  Since fans could not seem to get enough of last year’s limited Brewmasters Reserve release of Bel Air Sour, the brewery decided to brew up a larger batch and put it in bottles this time around.

Bel Air Sour is a Limited Release offering available now in 6-packs of 12 oz. bottles, 12-packs of 12 oz. bottles, and on draft.  You can find this brew for a limited time at craft beer-friendly bars, restaurants and retailers in Florida and throughout the rest of Brooklyn Brewery’s distribution footprint.  If the first release of Bel Air Sour is any indicator, this brew will not be hanging around for long.  Get you some while you can.  Prost!

Vital Information for Bel Air Sour from Brooklyn Brewery

Release – Limited/Seasonal, January 2017
Style – American Sour Ale
ABV – 5.8%
Hops – Challenger, Perle, Mosaic & Amarillo
Malts – American 2-Row & Pale Wheat 
Yeast – Brooklyn House Ale Yeast
Additional Ingredients – Lactobacillus
Suggested Pairings –  “Sorbets, fruit, classic car design, grilled chicken, throwbacks, snapbacks, snappy comebacks, seafood, goat cheeses, loud shirts, margherita pizzas, and style.”
Availability – 6-packs & 12-packs of 12 oz. bottles & draft
Beer Finder – http://brooklynbrewery.com/find

Bell’s Brewery Begins 2017 Release of Hopslam Ale

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2017hopslamBell’s Brewery (Comstock, Michigan) has announced that Hopslam Double India Pale Ale has officially begun its yearly, staggered release into distribution as of January 2.

January is upon us and that can only mean one thing: Hopslam Season! For those of you who may be unfamiliar with this incredibly popular brew, Hopslam Ale is a sizable Double India Pale Ale that receives an initial dose of six different hop varietals in the brew kettle and then dry-hopped with a “massive” addition of Simcoe hops.  This bombardment of hops makes for “the most complex hopping schedule in the Bell’s repertoire.” For added complexity and balance, all of this hoppy goodness rests atop a foundation built with “a generous malt bill and a solid dollop of honey.”  At 10% ABV, Hopslam Ale is a surprisingly easy-drinking DIPA boasting “a pungent blend of grapefruit, stone fruit and floral notes.”

Due to this beer’s popularity, Bell’s Brewery approaches each year’s arrival of Hopslam Ale with a staggered release across their distribution area.  The release schedule and areas are as follow:

  • Week of January 2 – Lower counties of Michigan (Barry, Berrien, Branch, Calhoun, Cass, Clare, Clinton, Gratiot, Ingham, Ionia, Isabella, Jackson, Kalamazoo, Kent, Lake, Lenawee, Livingston, Macomb, Manistee, Mason, Mecosta, Monroe, Montcalm, Muskegon, Newaygo, Oakland, Oceana, Osceola, Ottawa, St. Joseph, Shiawassee, Van Buren, Washtenaw & Wayne)
  • Week of January 9 – Northern Michigan and the U.P. (Upper Peninsula), Indiana, Illinois, Kentucky, Ohio, West Virginia & Wisconsin
  • Week of January 16 – Alabama, Florida, Arizona, Arkansas, Southern California, Delaware, Georgia, Iowa, Kansas, Louisiana, Maryland, Minnesota, Missouri, Nebraska, New York, North Carolina, North Dakota, Pennsylvania, Puerto Rico, South Carolina, South Dakota, Tennessee & Virginia

Once this offering arrives in your area, you will be able to find limited amounts of Hopslam Ale in 6-packs of 12 oz. cans and on draft at select craft beer establishments.  A word of warning here: this beer never lasts for long once it hits shelves and taps.  Make a note of your area’s release week, stay vigilant, and grab your sixer or pour whenever you see it because odds are that it will not be waiting for you on your next visit. Prost!

Vital Information for Hopslam Ale from Bell’s Brewery

Release – Limited/Specialty, staggered release beginning week of January 2
Style – Double India Pale Ale
ABV – 10%
Hops – Pacific Northwest varieties, dry-hopped with Simcoe
Shelf Life – 6 months (best enjoyed as fresh as possible)
Availability – 6-packs of 12 oz. cans & draft
Beer Finder – http://www.bellsbeer.com/beer-finder/

Innis & Gunn Launches Non-Alcoholic Innis & None Pale Ale

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innis-none-badge__largeInnis & Gunn (Edinburgh, Scotland) announced this week that they are entering “Dry January” with the release of their first alcohol free beer, Innis & None Pale Ale.

Designed to be a detox beer for those “taking part in Dry January, or just cutting down after the festive season, for the tee-totaller or the fitness fanatic,” Innis & Gunn has developed Innis & None Alcohol Free Pale Ale as a perfect alternative for “the increasing number of adults who just opts to give their bodies a break.”  Innis & None more than makes up for its lack of alcohol with an impressive hop bill comprised of Columbus, Zeus, Tomahawk, Magnum, Hercules, and Apollo hops.  With the additions of ginseng and vitamin C, this 0.0% ABV brew ultimately comes together as “a delicious citrus pale ale with big hop bitterness, balanced with a touch of sweetness.”

With packaging in 4-packs and 12-packs of 330ml cans, Innis & None Alcohol Free Pale Ale is available for purchase exclusively in Innis & Gunn’s online store (click here) and at the brewery’s Beer Kitchen locations in Edinburgh, Dundee and St Andrews.  Shipping costs aside, Innis & None might just be the perfect way to satisfy a hop craving no matter the time of day or circumstance.  Prost!

Vital Information for Innis & None Alcohol Free Pale Ale from Innis & Gunn

Release – Limited, January 2017
Style – Pale Ale
ABV – 0%
Hops – Columbus, Zeus, Tomahawk, Magnum, Hercules & Apollo
Malt – Pale Ale 
Added Ingredients – Ginseng & Vitamin C
Availability – The Innis & Gunn Beer Kitchen locations in Edinburgh, Dundee and St Andrews, and at the brewery’s online shop
Online Shop – http://shop.innisandgunn.com/products/innis-none

Jester King Brewery to Release Bière de Blanc du Bois

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jkblanc_editedOn Friday, January 6 at 4 p.m., Jester King Brewery (Austin, Texas) will release their 2016 vintage of Bière de Blanc du Bois- Barrel-Aged Beer Refermented with Blanc du Bois Grapes.

Officially returning for its third batch, Bière de Blanc du Bois is a true embodiment of Jester King Brewery’s unwavering commitment to create Farmhouse-style Ales with mixed fermentation techniques and local agriculture.  This brew begins as a blend of barrel-aged sour beer that has been fermented with a “mixed culture of native yeast and bacteria.”  Once the proper blend has been achieved, the beer is then refermented with Texas-grown Blanc du Bois grapes.  This lengthy process results in a unique offering that is a study in both Farmhouse brewing and ancient Georgian winemaking.

Due to the limited number of bottles (about 1,800 total), Bière de Blanc du Bois will only be available for purchase in Jester King’s Tasting Room beginning on January 6.  These 500ml bottles will be $20 each and there will be a bottle limit of two bottles per person per day.  There is an outside chance that Bière de Blanc du Bois may turn up at a handful of special events, but your only confirmed shot at this brew is at the brewery itself.  If Sour/Wild Ales are your thing and this beer is speaking to you, you need to either hit up your favorite travel website now for a last-minute deal – Austin is awesome any time of year – or make some good friends in Texas.  Prost!

Vital Information for Bière de Blanc du Bois from Jester King Brewery

Release – Limited/Brewery only, January 6, 2017
Style – American Wild Ale
ABV – 6.0%
Malts – Pilsner Malt, Wheat Malt
Hops – Golding
Fermentation – Farmhouse Yeast, Native Yeast and Souring Bacteria from the Texas Hill Country
Added Ingredients – Blanc du Bois Grapes
Treatment – Refermented in oak barrels
Availability – Brewery only, 500ml bottles for $20 each (limit of 2 per person per day) or by the glass

jesterkingonecolorlogo

J. Wakefield Brewing Expands Distribution to Orlando and Tampa

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jwakfield-launch-01-700x1082J. Wakefield Brewing (Miami, Florida) announced this week that they have partnered with Cavalier Distributing (Lakeland, Florida) to officially extend their reach to the areas of Orlando and Tampa.

The New Year has certainly gotten off to a good start for craft beer fans in Orlando and Tampa now that J. Wakefield Brewing has decided to expand distribution of their draught beer portfolio into those areas effective immediately.  The brewery will enter these areas with “flagship beers including El Jefe Hefeweizen, Hops 4 Teacher IPA, Amber Waves, 24th Street Brown Ale, and UJP Porter, as well as seasonal and limited releases as they are available.”

“We are excited to partner with Cavalier to bring our beers to our fans and friends in Orlando and Tampa,” said Johnathan Wakefield, Owner/Brewmaster of J. Wakefield Brewing. “Cavalier has been entirely focused on distributing great beer for nearly 25 years, and has contributed greatly to the growth of craft beer in Florida, since starting their business here in 2012.”

Cavalier Distributing will handle all distribution responsibilities in these areas for J. Wakefield Brewing.  Although the brewery’s offerings are starting to hit taps in these areas now, J. Wakefield Brewing and Cavalier Distributing have planned official Launch Parties to begin on January 5 in Orlando and on January 12 in Tampa.  The confirmed list of launch events and locations are as follows:

Orlando Area

Tampa Area

  • Thursday, January 12 at 6 p.m. – The Stein & Vine (827 West Bloomingdale Ave., Brandon)
  • Friday, January 13 at 6 p.m. – The Ale and the Witch (111 2nd Ave NE, Saint Petersburg)
  • Saturday, January 14 at 6 p.m. – Mermaid Tavern (6719 N. Nebraska Ave. Tampa)

If you are a beer lover in the Orlando or Tampa areas, be sure to start the New Year with some new beer and give J. Wakefield Brewing a proper welcome to your favorite craft beer spots this month.  Prost!

 

Southern Sixer IPA to Make Seasonal Debut for Highland Brewing

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hbcsouther6er_editedHighland Brewing Company (Asheville, North Carolina) has announced that Southern Sixer IPA will officially release on Friday, January 27 as the brewery’s first Seasonal of 2017.

Brewed in recognition of “a group of Southern Appalachian mountains over 6,000 feet in elevation” known as the “Southern Sixers”, Southern Sixer IPA has a serious fixation with the number six.  Hopped with six varietals (Ekuanot™, Mosaic, Columbus, Cascade, Chinook & Simcoe), this West Coast-style India Pale Ale boasts “assertive citrus and tropical fruit notes . . . along with hints of pine and green pepper.”  Clocking in at 6% ABV and 60 IBUs, this golden “brew finishes bitter and crisp with a lingering, dank hop presence.”

“I am excited about Southern Sixer because the bulk of the hops we are using, Equinox now rebranded as Ekuanot™, have never been used in a Highland beer before. Ekuanot™ and Mosaic® will carry the beer together, and the complementing four others are in the dry hop. Ekuanot™ is a very unique flavoring and aromatic hop that will give us cool characteristics, like ripe berry and cedar forest. Mixed with tropical Mosaic® and others, Sixer is going to be a uniquely fruity and resiny IPA, not just classic citrus and pine.”

Hollie Stephenson, Highland Brewing Company Brewmaster

Highland Brewing Company will officially launch Southern Sixer IPA with an event in their taproom on January 27th at 4pm (click here for more inf0).  Since every Seasonal release from Highland Brewing is named for a protected feature of Southern Appalachia, “every glass of Southern Sixer sold on January 27th will result in one dollar donated to the Southern Appalachian Highlands Conservancy.”  Shortly after the launch party, Southern Sixer will become available on draft and in 6-packs of 12 oz. bottles in Alabama, Florida and the rest of the brewery’s distribution area.  If you are in search of a new hop fix in 2017, keep an eye out for this one when it lands at the end of the month.  Prost!

Vital Information for Southern Sixer IPA from Highland Brewing Company

Release – Seasonal, beginning late-January 2017
Style – American India Pale Ale
ABV – 6%
IBUs – 60
Hops –  Ekuanot™ (a.k.a. Equinox), Mosaic, Columbus, Cascade, Chinook & Simcoe
Malts –  2 Row base, C-20 & C-40
Availability – 6-packs of 12 oz. bottles & draft