New Realm Brewing Company’s Wooded Reserve Series Continues with Release of Doomsday Hound

Posted on by mashingin

newrealmlogo2New Realm Brewing Company (Atlanta, Georgia) has officially announced that it will hold a Limited Bottle Release for Doomsday Hound, a Russian Imperial Stout aged in Bourbon Barrels, at its Atlanta location on Tuesday, December 17.

Arriving as the third release in New Realm’s Wooded Reserve Barrel Aged Series, Doomsday Hound is a Russian Imperial Stout aged for seven months in first and second-use Bourbon barrels. Coming in at 10.1% ABV, Doomsday Hound boasts decadent notes of “vanilla, bourbon, hints of coconut, coffee and cocoa.”

Doomsday Hound will debut in New Realm Brewing Company’s Atlanta Taproom (550 Somerset Terrace NE | Unit 101 | Atlanta, Georgia) on December 17.  A limited amount of Doomsday Hound will be available in 500ml bottles and on draft during the release. This Limited Release is sure to sell out quickly, but you can reserve your bottles in advance by visiting the brewery’s CraftCellr page (click here to do so).   Prost!

Vital Information for Doomsday Hound from New Realm Brewing Company

Release – Limited/Wooded Reserve Barrel Aged Series; December 17, 2019
Style – Imperial Stout
ABV – 10.1%
Treatment – Aged for seven months in first & second-use Bourbon barrels
Availability – 500ml bottles & draft
Distribution – None. Brewery exclusive release

Wild Leap Brew Co. Set for Limited Release of Alpha Abstraction DIPA – Vol. 10

Posted on by mashingin

WL_IndividPage_Alpha10-1Wild Leap Brew Co. (LaGrange, Georgia) has officially announced that it will begin the Limited Release of Alpha Abstraction Double IPA – Vol. 10 in mid-December 2019.

Declared by the Wild Leap team to be the best of the brewery’s wildly popular Alpha Abstraction Double IPA Series so far, Alpha Abstraction – Vol. 10 is a Hazy/Juicy Double India Pale Ale featuring Strata and Cashmere hops that were “carefully selected right down to the specific lot for qualities the brewers sought.”  The Strata hops offers the beer “a passion fruit flavor” while Cashmere lends “a citrus flavor that was described by the grower as a ‘Sunny D aroma.'”  Coming in at 8% ABV and 46 IBUs, Alpha Abstraction – Vol. 10 promises to be a “perfect blend of citrus notes . . . and different tropical fruit notes that weren’t found in previous volumes.”

“Because it’s the tenth in the series, we wanted to make it special,” explains Chris Elliott, Wild Leap’s Chief Brewing Officer. “We definitely saved some hop ideas that we’ve had for a while.”

 

“Everyone at the brewery considers this to be their favorite of the series,” Elliott says. “It has a little bit of everything… it’s a little bit sweet, it’s slightly tart, and not too bitter. It’s a nicely balanced beer.”

Alpha Abstraction – Vol. 10 is set release during the week of December 16 and will hang around only as long as supplies last.  You can expect to find this Limited Release available in 6-packs of 12 oz. cans and on draft at select craft beer-focused establishments located throughout Wild Leap’s distribution footprint in Georgia.  Prost!

Vital Information for Alpha Abstraction – Vol. 10 from Wild Leap Brew Co.

Release – Limited/Alpha Abstraction Series; mid-December 2019
Style – Hazy/Juicy Double India Pale Ale
ABV – 8%
IBUs – 46
Featured Hops – Strata & Cashmere
Fun Fact – “The Alpha Abstraction series was created to explore hop varieties and experiment with flavor profiles.”
Availability – 6-packs of 12 oz. cans & draft
Distribution – Georgia
Beer Finder – http://www.wildleap.com/beer-finder/

Dogfish Head Craft Brewery Unveils 2020 Beer Release Calendar

Posted on by mashingin

Vibrant_P-OceanBrewery release calendar season is in full effect and this week we are here to provide you with a peek at the 2020 Beer Release Calendar from Dogfish Head Craft Brewery (Milton, Delaware).

Just as we do with all beer calendars around here, we have posted Dogfish Head’s 2020 Beer Release Calendar below for you to peruse at your own convenience.  With that said, Dogfish Head has quite a bit in store for 2020 and there are few items that we feel need some special attention . . . so let’s get at it:

  • Dogfish Head intends to go big in 2020. Like incredibly big.  The brewery plans to “release more than 160 unique products! From a lineup of regional and national beers and scratch-made distilled spirits, to the ever-expanding list of exclusive libations available only at [its] coastal Delaware properties, Dogfish drinkers both near and far can eagerly anticipate the new year to be chock full of off-centered goodness.” **A large amount of these numerous releases will be regional or exclusive to Dogfish Head properties, so be sure to keep an eye on the brewery’s social media accounts for release updates throughout the year.**
  • The brewery’s Year-Round lineup will see the addition of American Beauty Hazy Ripple IPA. Inspired by the Grateful Dead’s beloved “American Beauty” album, American Beauty Hazy Ripple IPA is an unfiltered India Pale Ale brewed with spelt – an ancient heirloom grain that contributes earthy notes and a natural haze – that’s then dosed with a special yeast variety to accentuate hop aromatics.  ABV – 7%  IBUs – 35
  • Dogfish Head’s Off-Centered Art Series will feature two new releases in 2020: Sun-Day-Feels (May – August), a brunch-inspired, beermosa sour brewed with puréed peaches, wine grapes and a medley of citrus fruit;  and Campfire Amplifier (November – December), a s’mores-centric milk stout brewed with marshmallows, graham crackers, chocolate and a touch of smoked malt.  The Perfect Disguise Double IPA (February – April) and Punkin Ale (mid-August – November) will both return to round out the series.
  • The Occasionals Series will see the addition of Vibrant P’Ocean in February. This new offering is “a blended sour brewed in collaboration with Rodenbach Brewery that boasts tart, dry flavors of jammy berries and floral lemon.”  Vibrant P’Ocean will be available through May 2020.
  • Costumes & Karaoke – a complex oat cream ale brewed with turmeric, ginger, yellow cardamom, cinnamon and smoked star anise, and aged on Madagascar vanilla beans – will also join Dogfish Head’s Occasionals Series in November 2020.
  • With all this good news, some bad is sure to follow. In order to make room for all these new releases, brews like Namaste, Burton Baton, 75 Minute IPA and Wood-Aged Bitches Brew will not be available in 2020. Not to worry though . . . Dogfish Head reassures that this is “more of a ‘see you later,’ rather than ‘goodbye.'”

“The announcement of our yearly lineup of releases is always one of my favorite moments of the year, especially since it includes so many creative and still-to-be invented offerings,” says Dogfish Head founder Sam Calagione. “While our calendar of nationally-distributed brands is ready to roll, many of our regional and local releases remain in ideation. This allows our talented brewers and distillers, and me, the flexibility to quickly consider whims, hunches, artistic trends and the following of our collective muse to inform our creative journey.”

Those are just a few of the highlights, but there is still plenty of information waiting for you on the calendar below. Give it a look and get ready for the incredible year of off-centered brews headed your way in 2020. Prost!

DogfishHead2020Calendar2
Click here to enlarge calendar

Perrin Brewing Co. Introduces Coffee Latte Brown Ale as New Winter Seasonal

Posted on by mashingin

unnamed - 2019-12-12T150136.118Perrin Brewing Company (Comstock Park, Michigan) has officially announced that Coffee Latte Brown Ale will join its Seasonal lineup in early December 2019.

Brewed in partnership with Detroit’s Germack Coffee Roasters, Coffee Latte is a Brown Ale that is “perky with coffee, light chocolate notes and roasty aromatics, with milk sugar added to give it the luxurious creaminess of a latte.”  To get the coffee notes just right in this brew, Perrin decided to feature Germack’s I-75 Blend – “an accessible road trip blend that’s dark-roasted, earthy, full-bodied and smooth.”  Coming in at an easy-sippin’ 5.8% ABV, Coffee Latte is here to make sure you can get your coffee fix any time of day this winter.

“I’m a coffee drinker by day and beer drinker by night, so an opportunity to craft a unique and delicious product seemed like a great way to combine them,” said Steven Puwalski, Director of Coffee at Germack Coffee. “I think coffee connoisseurs can be inspired by beer drinkers to pick up on quality, tasting notes and a different way of thinking about what they’re drinking.”

Coffee Latte hit The Perrin Pub on December 12 and is scheduled to enter distribution shortly after the on-site release.  You can expect to find this new Seasonal offering available in 6-packs of 12 oz. cans, 15-packs of 12 oz. cans and on draft at select craft beer-focused establishments located throughout Perrin Brewing Company’s distribution footprint in Michigan.  Prost!

Vital Information for Coffee Latte from Perrin Brewing Company

Release – Seasonal; launching early December 2019
Style – Brown Ale
ABV – 5.8%
Added Ingredients – I-75 coffee blend from Germack Coffee Roasters
Fun Fact – Coffee Latte actually debuted in Perrin Brewing Company’s Winter Warmer Mixed Pack, but it has been such a hit that it is getting an immediate upgrade to Seasonal status
Availability – 6-packs of 12 oz. cans, 15-packs of 12 oz. cans & draft
Distribution – Michigan 
Beer Finder – https://www.perrinbrewing.com/beer-finder/

Tasting Notes: Alpha Abstraction – Vol. 9 from Wild Leap Brew Co.

Posted on by mashingin

WildLeapAADIPA9x2_editedFor this installment of Tasting Notes, we feed our need for hops by getting into a few cans of Alpha Abstraction Double IPA – Vol. 9 from Wild Leap Brew Co. (LaGrange, Georgia).

Released in mid-October to “[follow] in the juicy footsteps of its predecessors” in Wild Leap’s experimental Double IPA series, Alpha Abstraction – Vol. 9 is a Hazy Double India Pale Ale that has been double dry-hopped with Michigan Chinook hops, a Midwest varietal of the Chinook hop that is typically grown on the West Coast. These hops have a “new, distinct taste” that lends this beer “the sweetness of pineapple . . . paired with a tart grapefruit bite.” Alpha Abstraction – Vol. 9 clocks in at 8% ABV and 46 IBUs.

Like all releases in the Alpha Abstraction Series, this Limited Release offering was made available in 6-packs of 12 oz. cans and on draft at select craft beer-focused establishments located within Wild Leap’s distribution footprint in Georgia.

Alright . . . now that we have provided a brief overview of Alpha Abstraction – Vol. 9’s background info, let’s get into these Tasting Notes and see how these Michigan Chinook hops carry this brew!

Tasting Notes for Alpha Abstraction – Vol. 9 from Wild Leap Brew Co.

Appearance:  This Double IPA pours a burnished orange in color and is capped with over two fingers of creamy, bright white foam.  When held to direct light, the color holds but bright beams of yellow do push through at the edges of the glass. The beer is super hazy, but a bit of carbonation can still be seen meandering about within. Head retention is quite good, falling slowly to a lasting half finger that absolutely saturates the glass with lace.

Aroma:  Punchy levels of pine, spice and just pure dankness great the nose, providing a nostalgic sense of more old school, West Coast-style DIPAs.  Things then shift gears to the more Juicy DIPA side as sweet pineapple and citrus turn up.  Those juicy notes are further supported by a fair amount of nondescript malt sweetness that surfaces on the back end.

Taste:  Big notes of grapefruit, orange and tangerine take the lead here. These notes are not overly bitter or tart, they just supply plenty of sweet citrus flavor with an added kick of sharpness.  Pine resin enforces that sharpness a bit, but it is not at all heavy handed.  Sweet pineapple, papaya and grains then engulf the experience with a burst of lasting sweetness.

Mouthfeel:  Medium in body with a medium carbonation, this brew has a good weight to it and is nice and velvety on the palate.  The balance here is impeccable, and the overall experience dries up nicely, is ridiculously easy drinking, and is devoid of any hop burn.  The ABV reads much lighter than 8% and does not offer any heat at all.  The aftertaste is all pine and pineapple.

Final Thoughts: By focusing on Michigan Chinook hops in Alpha Abstraction – Vol. 9, Wild Leap has created another memorable Double IPA that is a good mix of new and old.  The aroma carries plenty of memories of old school hops and West Coast-style IPAs (even with the amount of sweetness present) while the flavor fully embraces the Juicy/Hazy Double IPA style by offering plenty of sweet pineapple and citrus laced with just the right amount of pine.  Factor in the beer’s high level of drinkability, and Alpha Abstraction – Vol. 9 comes together to be just about everything you could possibly want from a modern IPA/DIPA.  This beer’s availability window has all but closed, so be sure to give it a try while you still have the chance.  Prost!

 

Narragansett Beer Embraces the Holiday Spirit with Release of Holiday Ale

Posted on by mashingin

narragansettLogoNarragansett Beer (Providence, Rhode Island) has officially announced that a very limited amount of Holiday Ale is returning to shelves in December.

Back once again to embody all that is good about the holiday season, Holiday Ale is a Winter Warmer brewed with Two-Row and Cara Bohemian malts, Simcoe hops, and an “array of spices” that includes cinnamon, nutmeg, cloves and orange peel.  Coming in at 7% ABV and 45 IBUs, Holiday Ale is “perfect for sipping at any holiday party or family festivity.”

Holiday Ale officially released at the start of December and will hang around only as long as supplies last.  You can expect to find this Limited Release offering available in 4-packs of 16 oz. cans at select beer-friendly establishments located in Massachusetts and Rhode Island only.  Prost!

Vital Information for Holiday Ale from Narragansett Beer

Release – Limited/Special; December 2019
Style – Winter Warmer
ABV – 7%
IBUs – 45
Malts – Two-Row & Cara Bohemian 
Hops – Simcoe
Added Ingredients – Cinnamon, nutmeg, cloves & orange peel
Availability – 4-packs of 16 oz. cans
Distribution – Limited; Massachusetts & Rhode Island only

 

Terrapin Beer Co. Brings Mosaic Red Rye IPA out of Retirement

Posted on by mashingin

unnamed (45)Terrapin Beer Co. (Athens, Georgia) has officially announced that its fan-favorite Mosaic Red Rye IPA will make a long-awaited return in December 2019 as a Seasonal Release.

Developed to be an artful study in Mosaic hops, Mosaic is a “ruby red” India Pale Ale brewed with rye malt and 100% Mosaic hops.  This recipe yields “aromas of stonefruit and blueberry” while “flavors of dark cherry and caramel complement spicy flavors of rye malt and hop bitterness.​”

Mosaic is rolling out now and is scheduled to hang around as Terrapin’s first Seasonal Release of 2020.  You can expect to find this Seasonal offering available in 6-packs of 12 oz. cans and on draft at craft beer-friendly establishments located in Alabama, Florida, Georgia and throughout the rest of the brewery’s distribution area.  Prost!

Vital Information for Mosaic Red Rye IPA from Terrapin Beer Co.

Release – Seasonal; returning December 2019
Style – American India Pale Ale
ABV – ???
IBUs – ???
Featured Hops – Mosaic
Availability – 6-packs of 12 oz. cans & draft
Beer Finder – https://terrapinbeer.com/beer-finder/

Holiday Gift Guide 2019: Select Rums Chosen by Spiribam Fine Rum Specialists

Posted on by mashingin

RhumJMVOThe 2019 Holiday Season is upon us and it is time to start thinking about those unique gift ideas. The crew here at Mashing In is well aware that it is often difficult to find that perfect gift, so we have decided to compile a gift guide for anyone in your life that enjoys a well-crafted adult beverage from time to time. This installment of the gift guide is a suggestion for the rum aficionado in your life: a selection of fine rums curated by Spiribam.

Widely known as “America’s fine rum specialists,” Spiribam is a North American company that “represents, markets, and distributes fine Caribbean rums from Martinique, Saint Lucia, Guadeloupe, and Mauritius.”  By utilizing their vast knowledge of rum and the relationships they have established with fine rum makers, Spiribam has proudly assembled a “distinguished portfolio of world-class rums, centered on heritage, legacy, innovation, and creativity.”

In order to help you pick out the perfect bottle of rum this Holiday Season, the kind folks at Spiribam have stepped up to provide us all with the following list of reasonably priced selections – in the $30 to $40 range – from Rhum Clement of Martinique, Rhum JM of Martinique, and Chairman’s Reserve Rum of St. Lucia (descriptions sourced directly from Spiribam’s press release):

  • Rhum Clément VSOP Rhum Agricole Vieux – Established in 1887, Rhum Clement is regarded as the benchmark for Martinique Rhum Agricole. Rhum Agricole is distilled from sugarcane juice instead of molasses as is tradition. Rhum Clement was one of the first available Rhum Agricoles available in the U.S., and if you’re looking for a rhum connoisseurs’ latest obsession, you’ve arrived with Rhum Clément VSOP Rhum Agricole Vieux ($39.99), the flagship AOC Martinique Rhum Agricole and the gold standard of Martinique. Clément V.S.O.P. Rhum Agricole Vieux is aged a minimum of four years in virgin Limousin barriques and re-charred Bourbon casks. The superb alchemy of natural rum from sugarcane juice matured in a unique variety of the world’s finest oak barrels orchestrated by our Cellar Master gives this exceptional aged rum its brilliant mahogany color, roasted cocoa bean aroma and its illustrious smooth mellow character. A true world-class rum experience, and the perfect gift for rum lovers this holiday season.
  • Rhum Clement’s Select Barrel – For something a little different, try Rhum Clement’s Select Barrel ($39.99). Select Barrel is aged in particular oak barrels selected for their rich natural sweetness and intense aromatic qualities under the watchful eyes of our cellar master at Habitation Clément. The imaginative alchemy with this contemporary approach to selected oak results in a magnificent aged Rhum Agricole with well-balanced sweetness. Perfect for cold weather cocktails, such as Amber Ti’Punch.
  • Rhum JM V.O. – The elusive Rhum JM V.O. ($34.99) has been consumed with love in Martinique for decades. The V.O has been aged for a minimum of 3 years and the result is a rich, full-bodied rhum with notes of oak & caramel, balanced with the complex, expressive character unique to Martinique’s sugar cane. Three years of aging qualifies this V.O. as an “Aged Rhum” by appellation law, but the price point suits it perfectly for mixing in cocktails, filling a gap that has long existed in the world of rhum agricole. The richness achieved from the new oak makes it an excellent blending partner, while its age has allowed it to truly turn the corner and stand up as an entry-level sipper.
  • Chairman’s Reserve Rum – One of the best blended rums in the world, Chairman’s Reserve is known by rum nerds as a “single blended” rum as it is a blend of column and pot still rum from the same distillery. Due to their long-standing commitment to only using Guyanese molasses, and the small capacity of the distillery, Chairman’s Reserve is predicated on top quality and distinction. Created by Laurie Barnard, the last founding family member to hold the Chairman’s position at St. Lucia Distillers in 1999, he experimented with blending respective casks of pot still rum and column still rum. By returning the blended rum back into oak barrels for additional aging, Barnard created a soft, well-balanced, and flavorful spirit that has become the benchmark for St. Lucian rum. Try Chairman’s Reserve Original 40% ($27.99) for a taste of this excellency in St. Lucian rum, or Chairman’s Reserve Spiced Rum 40% ($27.99), the only all-natural and true to its heritage spiced rum on the market.

All the rums listed above are available now at select liquor retailers located throughout the U.S. If you would like to order bottles directly, you can do so by visiting Spiribam’s website (click here).  Prost!

ChairmansOriginal

B. Nektar Adds New Wave Lemonade to Year-Round Lineup

Posted on by mashingin

BNektarlogoB. Nektar (Ferndale, Michigan) has officially announced that it will add New Wave Lemonade to its Year-Round portfolio in December 2019.

Following Punk Lemonade as B. Nektar’s latest lemonade-themed offering, New Wave Lemonade is a Mead made with blueberry and lemon.  Light magenta in appearance, New Wave Lemonade (6.4% ABV) is filled with “sweet blueberry and creamy honey followed by notes of blueberry skin and tart lemon.”

New Wave Lemonade will release in B. Nektar’s Taproom on December 14 and is scheduled to enter distribution shortly after the on-site release.  You can expect to find this new Year-Round offering available in 500ml bottles and on draft at mead-friendly retailers, bars and restaurants located in Alabama, Florida, Michigan and throughout the rest of B. Nektar’s distribution area.  Prost!

Vital Information for New Wave Lemonade from B. Nektar

Release – Year-Round; launching December 2019
Style – Mead
ABV – 6.4%
Added Ingredients – Blueberry & lemon
Suggested Food Pairings – “Brie & goat cheese, chicken salad, pan-sauteed cod with dill, lemon basil pasta, cornbread or sausage stuffing, lemon pound cake, blueberry buckle.”
Availability – 500ml bottles & draft

Cahaba Brewing Co. Celebrates Alabama’s 200th Birthday with Release of Two Versions of Bicentennial Barleywine

Posted on by mashingin

CahabaLogo3Cahaba Brewing Company (Birmingham, Alabama) has officially announced that it will hold a Double Bottle Release for Bicentennial Barleywine and Barrel-aged Bicentennial Barleywine at the brewery on Saturday, December 14.

Created to recognize “200 years of Alabama history,” Bicentennial Barleywine is an English-style Barleywine that features “sweet, smooth and robust flavors” alongside “fruity esters” supplied by an English yeast strain.  Weighing in at 10.5% ABV, Bicentennial Barleywine is “perfect to pair with your holiday meals or give as a gift to someone you love.”

Meant to be a special offering that is “worthy of the Alabama Bicentennial celebration,” Barrel-aged Bicentennial Barleywine takes that English-style Barleywine to the next level by aging it for 9 months in Bourbon barrels – the same barrels that previously housed Cahaba’s Batch 1000 brew – to create “a more mellow and complex finish.” This treatment imparts “notes of toffee and sherry [that complement] the sweet, full-bodied and flavorful qualities of the Barleywine.”

Bicentennial Barleywine and Barrel-aged Bicentennial Barleywine will officially debut in the Taproom at Cahaba Brewing Company during the brewery’s Cahabazaar Bicentennial Holiday Market on December 14 from noon to 6 p.m.  22 oz bottles of both Limited Release offerings will be available as long as supplies last.  If you would like to secure your bottles in advance, you can do so by visiting Cahaba Brewing Company’s CraftCellr page (click here to do so).  Bicentennial Barleywine and Barrel-aged Bicentennial Barleywine are both brewery exclusive releases and are not expected to see distribution.  Prost!