Cascade Brewing Announces Long-Awaited Return of Sang Royal

Posted on by mashingin

cascadenewlogoCascade Brewing (Portland, Oregon) confirmed today that Sang Royal (2016), a Barrel-aged Red Ale with Pinot Noir Grapes, will make a limited return on November 14.

Back after a three-year hiatus, Sang Royal is “a blend of double red ales aged in oak barrels, foudres and puncheons for up to 22 months with Pinot Noir grapes from Oregon’s famed Willamette Valley wine region.”  Often referred to as “the most sophisticated” of Cascade Brewing’s “Sang” projects, the 2016 vintage of Sang Royal “captures complex notes of summer berry fruit, plum, cola, earth and spice, with a vibrant acidity and soft tannic structure.”

Sang Royal 2016 officially releases on Tuesday, November 14 and will be available in 750ml bottles and on draft while supplies last.  Once released, this Tier Two offering will be available at select craft beer establishments located in Alabama, Florida, Oregon and throughout the rest of Cascade Brewing’s regular distribution channels.  Prost!

Vital Information for Sang Royal 2016 from Cascade Brewing

Release – Limited/Tier Two, November 2017
Style – American Sour Ale 
ABV – 9.4%
Treatment – A blend of Double Red Ales aged in oak barrels, foudres & puncheons for up to 22 months with Pinot Noir grapes
Availability – 750ml bottles & draft
Fun Fact – Concerning Cascade Brewing’s new labels: “Sang Royal is a Tier Two 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.” 

Angry Chair Brewing Releases Details for 3 Year Anniversary Party

Posted on by mashingin

angrychairlogoAngry Chair Brewing (Tampa, Florida) has officially announced that they will celebrate their 3 Year Anniversary with a ticketed, two-session party on Saturday, December 2.

The last three years at Angry Chair Brewing have been filled with amazing beers, crazy long lines for bottle releases, parking frustrations/jokes, and just a ridiculous amount of good times had in their taproom.  There is no denying how awesome all of that is, but the folks at the brewery realize none of it would have been possible without the support of their friends, family, fans, regulars and community.  That is what truly needs to be celebrated, and celebrate they will on Saturday, December 2 with their 3 Year Anniversary Party.

Like all events at Angry Chair, there is a copious amount of exciting brews and in & outs to cover.  So, without further ado, let’s break it all down:

The Basics

Ticket Information

  • Tickets are $40 each and include entry into one (1) session of the party, one (1) Barrel-Aged Anniversary bottle, one (1) commemorative anniversary glass, and one (1) free draft ticket
  • Ticket Sales – Tickets can be purchased in-person at the brewery at 10:30 a.m. on Saturday, November 11 or at 10:30 a.m. on Sunday, November 12.  Each day the brewery will sell half of the in-person ticket sale allotments for each session.  This basically means that the same amount of Session 1 tickets will be sold on both days, and the same amount of Session 2 tickets will be sold on both days.  To allow more people a chance to purchase tickets, you will only be able to buy tickets to ONE session per day.  There will be a TWO ticket limit per person, and you must have the name for your plus one upon purchase of the tickets.
  • Ticket Sales cont’d – Any remaining tickets will be sold online on Sunday, November 19 at 2 p.m.  Same rules apply: Two ticket limit per order, and you must have the name of your plus one upon purchase of the tickets.  Website link will be available here just as soon as it goes live  **UPDATE 11/16/17**  As promised, here’s the link for online tickets – https://angrychair3yr.brownpapertickets.com/  **UPDATE 11/16/17**
  • Tickets are NON-TRANSFERABLE.  ID’s will be required at the Anniversary Party, and the names on the ID’s must match the names on the tickets.

The 3 Year Anniversary Draft List

  • Barrel-aged Imperial German Chocolate Cupcake Stout
  • Barrel-aged Lunar Lycan Imperial Marzipan Coffee Cream Stout (collaboration with Omnipollo)
  • Barrel-aged Rocky Road Imperial Stout
  • Barrel-aged Peanut Butter & Marshmallow Popinski Russian Imperial Stout
  • Rum Barrel-aged Imperial Awakening
  • Barrel-aged Arawn Imperial Sweet Stout
  • Russian Interference (collaboration with Westbrook Brewing)- Blend of Angry Chair & Westbrook Russian Imperial stouts with toasted pecans, vanilla, and cinnamon
  • Woke Imperial Milk Stout with coffee and maple
  • Sloth Love Coffee – Rocky Road Imperial Stout with coffee
  • Triple C’s Imperial Milk Stout with cacao, cinnamon, and coffee
  • Fionn Imperial English-style Porter with toasted hazelnut and coffee
  • Saucin’ Blonde Barleywine with macadamia nuts, cinnamon, and vanilla
  • Purple Puffs Blackberry and Black Currant Berliner with marshmallows
  • Strawberry Vanilla Berliner
  • Apricot Berliner
  • Sloppy Thirds Tiki inspired Berliner (collaboration with Voodoo Brewery)
  • Space Grass IPA
  • Thought Process IPA
  • Calmer Than You Rye Double IPA
  • A “few more” beers could be added to list in the near future. Stay tuned

All beers above will cost $5 per pour (pour sizes will vary)

Parking Info

Parking always plays an important role when it comes to events at Angry Chair, so please pay attention to the following rules so that you can avoid pissing anyone off during the party:

  • Please Uber, Lyft, taxi, or carpool. Not only will this guarantee you a safe way home after a day of drinking high ABV brews, but it will also help everyone else out considering the brewery’s “typical lack of parking”.
  • Angry Chair’s small lot WILL NOT be available for parking that day as it will be used as added event space for the party
  • DO NOT park on Fern
  • DO NOT park at Trip’s Diner
  • DO NOT park in the lot north of the brewery
  • DO NOT park in the plaza that houses Rooster & the Till and Urban Bungalow
  • There is some street parking available throughout the neighborhoods (other than on Fern), but please be respectful of the people that live there by not blocking their driveways, mailboxes, sidewalks, etc.
  • Seriously . . . just Uber, Lyft, taxi or carpool to save yourself the frustration

Other Useful Info

  • Please show up NO SOONER THAN 30 minutes early to help expedite the check-in process
  • Please have ID’s ready at check-in
  • If possible, please bring cash.  This will make it easier when purchasing the beers that will be pouring outside
  • This event is 21 and up only
  • Due to the limited capacity, this event is NOT kid or pet-friendly
  • Outside bottles & bottle shares WILL NOT be allowed at this event
  • To avoid any breakage, you will receive your anniversary bottle & commemorative glass as you leave the party
  • Mouthole BBQ and Create Bakery & Gifts will be dishin’ out grub during the party. Menu to be posted soon

Alright, that should just about cover all the information that is currently available.  We will update this post with any and all additional info as it surfaces, so make sure you check back often.  Other than that, just make those arrangements for tickets, follow the rules, and have an amazing time celebrating three great years with Angry Chair on December 2.  Prost!

Dogfish Head Releases Oak-Aged Siracusa Nera in Bottles

Posted on by mashingin

siracusa-nera-6On November 3, Dogfish Head Craft Brewery (Milton, Delaware) will officially release Oak-Aged Siracusa Nera Russian Imperial Stout in bottles for the first time.

Created as an experimental beer that has both American and Italian inspiration, Oak-Aged Siracusa Nera is an “innovative beer-wine hybrid [that] marries a dry-roasted Imperial Stout with a jammy wine.” The brewers at Dogfish Head pull this off by “beginning with roasty malts that give notes of coffee and dark chocolate in the aroma.”  Syrah grape must is then added to impart “multifaceted flavors of plums and cherries.”  Finally, the beer is aged on American oak to round everything off with “hints of light toasty vanilla.”  This all results in a 10% ABV Oak-Aged Siracusa Nera that is absolutely laden with bold and beautiful complexities.

“This delicious stout captures the Dogfish spirit of beer-wine interaction and innovation which we’ve been experimenting with for over two decades with fusions like Midas Touch, Sixty One and Rasion D’tre,” says Sam Calagione, founder and CEO of Dogfish Head Craft Brewery.  “A Russian Imperial Stout is a style we’ve been excited about recreating with a beer-wine hybrid twist.  We’re super happy with the way Siracusa drinks like a roasty, punchy, pitted-fruit wine but with a toasted oak finish. And props to our brewer coworker Amanda for leading on this recipe innovation.”

Oak-Aged Siracusa Nera officially releases on November 3 and will have limited availability in 4-packs of 12 oz. bottles and on draft.  You can find this on shelves and taps at select craft beer establishments located in Alabama, Florida, Delaware and throughout the rest of Dogfish Head’s distribution footprint.  Prost!

A side note for the hopheads out there – 120 Minute Imperial IPA will also see a limited release this month.  Look for it to be on shelves and taps alongside Oak-Aged Siracusa Nera beginning on November 10, 2017.

Vital Information for Oak-Aged Siracusa Nera from Dogfish Head Craft Brewery

Release – Limited; November 3, 2017
Style – Russian Imperial Stout
ABV – 10%
IBUs – 60 
Added Ingredients – Syrah grape must
Recommended Glassware – Snifter
Suggested Food Pairings – “For the foodies out there, Siracusa Nera pairs well with full-flavored, rich dishes like seared duck breast and roast venison, and on the sweeter side, it tastes yummy with a dark chocolate mousse or a plum tart.”
Fun Fact – “This . . . stout was originally brewed as a collaboration beer with Eataly, the largest Italian marketplace in the world. In fact, the name Siracusa Nera pays homage to the historic origins of the Syrah grape, tracing its ancient roots to the small Sicilian city of Siracusa in Italy.”
Availability – 4-packs of 12 oz. bottles & draft
Beer Finder – https://www.dogfish.com/brewery/fishfinder/

Jolly Pumpkin’s Noel de Calabaza Returns for the Holidays

Posted on by mashingin

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

Posted on by mashingin

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

Posted on by mashingin

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

Posted on by mashingin

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

Posted on by mashingin

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

Tasting Notes: Wandering Blind Through Pumpkin Beer Hell

Posted on by mashingin

pumpkincornIn honor of Halloween, this week’s Tasting Notes exposes my mind, body, soul and palate to the horrors that can only be found in Pumpkin Beer Hell.

This comes as no shock to those that know me personally, but I must admit that I despise Pumpkin Beers.  In all fairness, it really is not limited to the beer alone.  I just never developed a taste for pumpkin pie, sweet potato pie or the distinctive spice mixture that thrives within these recipes.  It is just not my thing.

Even with that being the case, I still drink at least one Pumpkin Beer each year without fail.  Some may say I do this for science.  Others may say I do this because I secretly hate myself.  I say I do it as a practice to test my palate and see how it continues to develop as I get older.  Well, this year I decided to go all in on this palate punishment by accepting an invitation to a friend’s annual Blind Pumpkin Beer Tasting.  This event amounts to one evening with 10 beer lovers, 15 Pumpkin Beers that remain unnamed until after the tasting, and a ridiculous amount of groaning and whining from this guy.  Let’s do this.

Tasting Notes: An Evening Wandering Blind Through Pumpkin Beer Hell

Pumpkin Beer No. 1 – Alright . . . I’m trying to be open-minded here and it seems to be paying off.  This one is dark amber in color, has a really pleasant vanilla malt base, light pumpkin spice, and a grace of bitterness for balance.  The beer’s reserved spice level and slight nuttiness keeps this one tolerable.  Damn, I nearly finished off my pour.  We are off to a good start.

Pumpkin Beer No. 2 – As the second offering hits the table, I am immediately reminded of why I have a disdain for the Pumpkin Beer style.  This one is a very light copper in color and has a huge pumpkin spice presence in both flavor and aroma.  Nutmeg and all-spice is all over the place, and the beer’s body is far too light to carry these flavors.  There is absolutely nothing here to provide balance and, to top it off, there is also a contrasting floral and metallic presence building.  Nope . . . just a whole lotta’ nope in a glass.

Pumpkin Beer No. 3 – Light brown in color with a bit of an orange tint to it, No. 3 leads with some sweet caramel backed by a floral character.  The pumpkin spice starts light, but builds and settles heavily into the aftertaste.   Vanilla and apple also turn up from time to time.  This brew is not overly off-putting, but not particularly memorable either.  Movin’ on.

Pumpkin Beer No. 4 –  Ok, I have been presented with a very light amber, golden-hued brew that is just billowing with spice.  Like a lot of spice.  Too much damn spice.  I can taste the pumpkin spice just by smelling this beer.  It really wants to be pumpkin pie, but it just comes across to me as nutmeg, cinnamon, vanilla and a touch of wet dog.  It’s abrasive, boozy, and everything I fear in life.

Pumpkin Beer No. 5 – Next up is a dark orange-colored brew that is sporting a likable sweet vanilla cream and caramel malt base.  This opens to show off the expected pumpkin spice notes along with some crust like character.  There is a solid balance being achieved here between the spice and sweetness, and I can dig that.  It also has a bit of a root beer-like quality to it.  I may not like pumpkin pie, but I do have a youthful love for root beer . . . so I’ll take my wins when I can get them.

Pumpkin Beer No. 6 – Hmmm . . . this one is just weird.  Red-tinged copper in appearance, No. 6 has big floral and citrus notes working alongside all the pumpkin spice.  It is also extremely proud to show off a few more pumpkin spices than the beers that preceded it, but it is impossible to individually distinguish them as they relentlessly assail the senses.  The malts and hops are lost behind a booze-laden spice train of pain.  It’s just so aggressive.  Why is it so angry?!?!

Pumpkin Beer No. 7 –  It appears this tasting has taken a turn and things have gone dark with this brew.  Dark brown, almost black in color, Beer No. 7 is giving off some roasted malts and a bit of cocoa.  The pumpkin spice in this beer is mild and actually acts as more of a complement to the base beer.  What a novel idea!  And it works really well.  A note of black coffee adds some bitterness and strikes a nice balance between the malty sweetness and roastiness.  It pains me to say this, but this is a really nice Pumpkin Beer.

pumpkinwitchPumpkin Beer No 8. – Just as I find hope in this tasting, Beer No. 8 shows up to give me the finger.  This orangish-brown colored beast leads with a strong chemical smell that is like a mix of fusel alcohol and acetone.  Silver lining: at least it kills any chance of pumpkin spice turning up in the aroma.  AMIRITE?!?!  Each sip begins with a huge burst of booze that’s quickly followed by a deep, sticky sweetness filled with caramel, burnt brown sugar, and just a touch of fruit.  Then there’s the pumpkin spice.  All the spice is here.  All of it.  It is like a bomb went off in a spice cabinet and they all just happened to fall into this beer.  If I were to sum up this experience, this beer basically tastes like a caramel apple that has been dipped repeatedly in a barrel of pumpkin spice and then infused with the essence of spray paint.

Pumpkin Beer No. 9 – Alright . . . gotta regroup.  Gotta get myself together and Beer No. 9 is gonna turn it all around for me.  I just know it because it has to.  This brew is a light orange to almost blonde in color, and it opens with a lovely apple pie aroma.  That’s right, apple pie and not pumpkin pie.  The apple pie character carries over into the flavor with big hits of cinnamon and just a wisp of various other pumpkin spices.  That cinnamon brings some heat, but that heat is supported by something a bit more powerful.  Habaneros maybe?  It must be because it has a serious level of pepper heat that still holds some nice citrus tones.  The heat is on point and well placed.  I do not know how this sizes up as a “Pumpkin Beer”, but it’s fun and a welcomed distraction.

Pumpkin Beer No. 10 – As the tray approaches, I notice that the glasses are filled with another dark representation of the style.  That has proven to be a good sign so far, so I am hopeful.  Dark brown in color, this one is giving off a good amount of cocoa and nuttiness in both aroma and flavor.  This is supported by a bready, lightly roasted grain character that has a muted level of pumpkin spice laced within.  Medium in body, No. 10 has a peppy carbonation presence that keeps it easy-drinking.  I can get behind this one.

Pumpkin Beer No. 11 –  Salvation!  My palate has been saved by something that it has yet to experience today: tartness.  Dark yellow to gold in color, this beer is light in body with an effervescent carbonation level.   The flavor profile is comprised of light pumpkin (actual pumpkin), a dash of cocoa, a touch of pumpkin spice, and a delightful dose of sour citrus.  The beer is actually refreshing, and it reminds me that I am going to be ok.  I’m going to make it.  Is there more of this one?

Pumpkin Beer No. 12 – Rejuvenated after a good little run there, I approach this beer with a bit of optimistic curiosity.  The beer is dark orange in color and nearly devoid of aroma.  Strange . . . or sneaky?  The flavor is filled with mostly burnt caramel and a handful of brown sugar, but there is a light pumpkin spice presence lurking in the background with some dark fruit.  The spice to sweetness ratio is a bit more balanced, but it is just another stereotypical attempt at pumpkin pie in liquid form. Alas.

Pumpkin Beer No. 13 – It appears we have stumbled upon another twist, and I believe it is nitrogen.  Dark mahogany brown in color, this beer is crazy creamy in texture.  Fluffy even.  Aroma is just a touch of coffee, but the flavor produces notes of pumpkin spice, cream, and watered-down coffee.  This proves to be a decent combination, but it is muted overall.  You can tell it wants to be more.  Wait . . . have I stumbled into PSL territory?  Did I just become “basic”?  This tasting is trying to change me.  I can feel it.

Pumpkin Beer No. 14 –  It is just more of the same.  Pleasant pumpkin spice on the nose, but that spice goes on to dominate and overwhelm the malt base in the flavor department. More pumpkin pie.  I feel lost.  I look around and realize that everyone else at this tasting is thoroughly enjoying this beer and the tasting as a whole.  I am alone here and left reminded of that Conrad quote in Heart of Darkness:

“No, it is impossible; it is impossible to convey the life-sensation of any given epoch of one’s existence–that which makes its truth, its meaning–its subtle and penetrating essence. It is impossible. We live, as we dream–alone.”

Pumpkin Beer No. 15 – A bronze-hued orange in color, this beer is really assertive with the pumpkin spice in all arenas. The flavor tries to strike a balance with notes of caramel and vanilla, but the spice cannot be vanquished.  It cannot be contained!  The beer is light in body and in ABV . . . wait . . . that’s the last one?  Hahahaha, I made it!  Beaten but not broken, I survived and I’m getting the hell out of here.

With the journey now completed, I rise out of this hell with the realization that many of you will want to know what beers were served during this tasting.  I will provide you with a list, but I will do so with a disclaimer. As I have said many times in the past, I am not in the business of hurting anyone when it comes to my reviews/Tasting Notes.  My intentions here are based purely in fun and to educate myself further on this style.  I may not like pumpkin beers, but that does not mean that these are bad beers.  I actually walked away from this tasting with an appreciation for many of these beers, and those that I gave the harshest criticism proved to be favorites for the nine other tasters in attendance (For example, Pumpkin Beer No. 8 was actually one of the highest rated beers at the tasting).  Sure, they were not all enjoyed by me, but they were all enjoyed by many at the table.  Now that I have gotten that off my chest, here are the beers in order of appearance in the photo below (Left to right; this is NOT the order that they were served in the reviews above – Deal with it – Sorry not sorry):

pumpkinlineup.jpg

**Once again, the list above is NOT the same order that the beers were presented in during the tasting.**

If you are lover of Pumpkin Beers and pumpkin spice, there is no denying that these beers have something to offer you and are absolutely worth a try this fall.  Be sure to check them out and don’t mind me at all.  Prost and Happy Halloween, folks!

 

Founders Brewing Co. Announces the Return of Canadian Breakfast Stout

Posted on by mashingin

CBSlabelFounders Brewing Co. (Grand Rapids, Michigan) has officially confirmed that CBS (Canadian Breakfast Stout) will be released later this year as the sixth and final release in the 2017 Barrel-Aged Series.

Six years may have passed since the last time CBS was bottled, but Founders Brewing Co. is ready to once again treat the craft beer community to this highly sought-after Imperial Stout in December.  Starting with “the same base beer as KBS, an imperialized version of Breakfast Stout” that is loaded with coffee and chocolate, CBS gets its unique and alluring character after being aged in “bourbon barrels that had previously housed maple syrup.”  This treatment results in “what can only be described as a transcendental drinking experience” filled with notes of “rich maple syrup, roasted coffee and velvety chocolate.”

“Well, the rumors are true. CBS will make its long-awaited return this December,” said Co-Founder and President, Dave Engbers. “It would be irresponsible for us to not release CBS again. The beer enthusiasts who have supported our brands throughout the years are vocal and their message is heard loud and clear. We could not be happier to bring back this beloved beer… they speak, we listen.”

CBS will officially release on December 1 with availability in 750ml bottles (suggested retail price of $24.99 each) and on draft.  You can expect to find this limited release offering at select craft beer establishments located in Alabama, Florida, Michigan and throughout the rest of Founders Brewing Co.’s distribution area.  Quantities will be extremely limited, and CBS is guaranteed to disappear with a quickness.  Be sure to stay tuned to this post as we will do our best to keep you up-to-date with any and all information as it is released. Prost!