Monday Night Brewing Goes Lo-Cal Year-Round with Release of Lay Low IPA

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lay-low-mnb-bigMonday Night Brewing (Atlanta, Georgia) has officially announced that it will introduce Lay Low IPA, a low-calorie IPA that “actually tastes like an IPA,” as its newest Year-Round offering on January 24.

The result of a year-long mission to “create a low calorie, low ABV beer that actually tasted delicious,” Lay Low IPA is a Session India Pale Ale “dry hopped with Citra, Idaho 7 and Sultana [hops], creating the oh-so-original citrusy notes of a classic IPA.”  Clocking in at just 3.2% ABV and 90 calories and boasting a “crisp, clean and dry” finish, Lay Low IPA is “designed for you to SLAY IPA ALL DAY.”

“Typically, when you set out to make a low-calorie, low-alcohol craft beer, it turns out watery and bland—which makes sense, because water also happens to be low-calorie and low-alcohol,” says Peter Kiley, Brewmaster at Monday Night Brewing. “It took us almost a full year to get the recipe for Lay Low right, but we finally struck the ideal balance of flavorful and sessionable.”

Lay Low IPA is scheduled to launch on January 24, 2020.  You can expect to find this new Year-Round offering available in 6-packs of 12 oz. cans and on draft at craft beer-focused retailers, bars and restaurants located within Monday Night Brewing’s distribution footprint in Alabama, Georgia and Tennessee.  Prost!

Vital Information for Lay Low IPA from Monday Night Brewing

Release – Year-Round; launching January 24, 2020
Style – Session India Pale Ale
ABV – 3.2%
IBUs – 30
Calories – 90
Featured Hops – Citra, Idaho 7 & Sultana
Availability – 6-packs of 12 oz. cans & draft
Distribution – Alabama, Georgia & Tennessee 

Southern Tier Brewing Co. Adds Cherry Crush Session Sour to Seasonal Lineup

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Cherry-Crush-12oz-CanSouthern Tier Brewing Company (Lakewood, New York) has officially announced that Cherry Crush Session Sour will make its Seasonal debut in January 2020.

Carefully crafted to be “your next crush,” Cherry Crush Session Sour is a Gose-style Ale “brewed with tart cherry puree and rich milk sugar.”  Weighing in at super light 4% ABV, Cherry Crush is “the perfect choice for a refreshing, juicy balance between tart and sweet.”

Cherry Crush is available now and will hang around through March 2020.  You can expect to find this new Seasonal offering available in 6-packs of 12 oz. cans and on draft at select craft beer-friendly establishments located in Alabama, Florida, New York and throughout the rest of Southern Tier Brewing Company’s distribution footprint.  Prost!

Vital Information for Cherry Crush Session Sour from Southern Tier Brewing Company

Release – Seasonal; January – March 2020
Style – Gose
ABV – 4%
IBUs – 12
Added Ingredients – Tart cherries & milk sugar
Availability – 6-packs of 12 oz. cans & draft
Beer Finder – https://stbcbeer.com/finder/?item=all

Stone Brewing Launches Viking Space Probe Double IPA

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StoneVikingSPStone Brewing (Escondido, California) has officially announced that it is continuing its hop-fueled journey through January with the Special Release of Stone Viking Space Probe Double IPA.

A well-received favorite that was originally developed as “one of the early beers brewed by Steve Gonzalez, Senior Manager of Small Batch Brewing & Innovation for Stone Brewing – Napa,” Stone Viking Space Probe is a Double India Pale Ale that possesses “a subtle haze reminiscent of some far-off nebula, and further complimented with the juicy flavors of Ella and Citra hops.” Dosed with Belgian Candi Sugar “for added sweetness,” Stone Viking Space Probe comes together to be a unique DIPA that is “definitely out of this world.”

Stone Viking Space Probe Double IPA is available now in California and will enter full distribution on January 27.  You can expect to find this new Special Release available in 6-packs of 12 oz. cans, 22 oz. bottles and on draft at select craft beer-friendly establishments located in Alabama, Florida, California, Virginia and throughout the rest of Stone Brewing’s nationwide distribution network.  Prost!

Vital Information for Stone Viking Space Probe Double IPA from Stone Brewing

Release – Limited/Special; launches nationally on January 27, 2020
Style – Hazy/Juicy Double India Pale Ale
ABV – 8.5%
IBUs – 80
Featured Hops – Ella & Citra
Added Ingredients – Belgian candi sugar
Availability – 6-packs of 12 oz. cans, 22 oz. bottles & draft
Beer Finder – https://find.stonebrewing.com/#ready

StoneVikingSP2

Rogue Ales Launches Dreamland Lager to Benefit Dreamland Skateparks

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Dreamland_Lager_12oz_Can_SingleRogue Ales (Newport, Oregon) has officially announced the release of Dreamland Lager, a new Year-Round offering brewed in partnership with Dreamland Skateparks to benefit skateparks across the country.

Born from “a dream to renovate [Rogue’s] hometown skatepark in Newport, Oregon to give [their] community a safe and clean place to skate,” Dreamland Lager is a “refreshing classic American lager with a subtle sweetness in the finish, married with a touch of spice and earthiness from the Sterling hops.”  A portion of the proceeds raised from the sale of Dreamland Lager “will help fund skateparks all over the world.”

The dream behind Dreamland Lager has already become realized as “Phase 2 renovations of the Newport Skatepark have been completed, which include finishing the 2,000 square foot perimeter, adding new skateable features and laying concrete for a safer ride.”  That dream will continue to grow and make an impact as “Rogue and Dreamland plan to refurbish skateparks across the country.”

“For the last 31 years it has been our privilege to lift up our friends and neighbors by giving back wherever and whenever we could,” says Dharma Tamm, Rogue President. “A few years ago, we learned of the dire state of the Newport Skatepark and made it our goal to improve the park. How do you fund an important cause like this? Beer’s always a good place to start, so we launched Dreamland American Lager – a beer to benefit skateparks in our community and beyond.”

 

“This partnership couldn’t be a more perfect fit,” says Mark Scott, Owner Dreamland Skateparks. “We are both makers from Oregon with a DIY ethos. We started by fixing the Newport Skatepark to give the community a safe and clean place to skate, but our efforts aren’t stopping. Together we can do more, and we are so thankful and proud of this collaboration between Dreamland and Rogue.”

Dreamland Lager is available now in 6-packs of 12 oz. cans, 19.2 oz. cans and on draft.  You can expect to find this new Year-Round offering available at craft beer-focused establishments located in Alabama, Florida, Oregon and throughout the rest of Rogue’s nationwide distribution network.  Prost!

Vital Information for Dreamland Lager from Rogue Ales

Release – Year-Round; launching January 2020
Style – American Lager
ABV – 4.8%
IBUs – 14
Malts – Synergy Pils & DextraPils Malts; Corn Flakes
Hops – Rogue Farms Grown Sterling Hops
Yeast – Imperial Pilgrimage
Availability – 6-packs of 12 oz. cans, 19.2 oz. cans & draft
Beer Finder – https://finder.rogue.com/

Newport_Skatepark_Demo_Day_1_FULL-19

 

TBBW 2020 Event: Confection Affection Day with Angry Chair Brewing & Cycle Brewing

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ACCycleConfectionAngry Chair Brewing (Tampa, Florida) and Cycle Brewing (Saint Petersburg, Florida) have officially announced that they will meet up at Nebraska Mini-Mart on Saturday, March 14 of Tampa Bay Beer Week 2020 to host a Joint Party and Bottle Release that they have appropriately dubbed Confection Affection Day.

To allow beer fans the chance to experience the full power of the pastry during Tampa Bay Beer Week, Angry Chair Brewing and Cycle Brewing have joined forces with Nebraska Mini-Mart to throw one kick ass party centered around a collaborative bottle release (three bottles to be exact).  Since the information surrounding this event will prove valuable to many, we are just going to break the whole thing down to ensure that we provide you with all the details you are going to need to become an attendee of Confection Affection Day.  Let’s get to it:

The Basics

What – Confection Affection Day with Angry Chair Brewing & Cycle Brewing
When – 1 p.m. to 4 p.m. on Saturday, March 14
Where – Nebraska Mini-Mart | 4815 North Nebraska Avenue | Tampa, Florida

The Beers

The following three beers will be pouring on draft and released in 22 oz. bottles during Confection Affection Day:

  • A Russian Imperial Stout with an absurd amount of chocolate
  • A Russian Imperial Stout with an absurd amount of vanilla beans
  • A blend of some of your favorites from both Angry Chair & Cycle … “It’ll be barrel aged.. it’ll have chocolate, vanilla, strawberry, and coconut…Hmmmm, kinda like a nice scoop of Neapolitan ice cream with your cupcake that’s been aged and hand-selected for blending to create this decadent confection”

In addition to the beers listed above, this event will also feature several more beers pouring on draft, “including a special non-released [Barrel-aged] beer from both” Angry Chair and Cycle Brewing.

Ticket Info

**UPDATE 01.25.2020** Tickets for Confection Affection Day are officially SOLD OUT **UPDATE 01.25.2020**

A limited number of tickets will be available for purchase on Eventbrite beginning at 1 p.m. Eastern Standard Time on Saturday, January 25 (click here to access the ticket link).  Ticket cost gains you access to all beers on site, a commemorative glass, and your bottle allotment.  Ticket tiers are based on the following two bottle allotments:

  • Single Bottle Allotment Ticket | cost $155 + fees ($166.07 total)
  • Double Bottle Allotment Ticket | cost $250 + fees ($266.85 total)

Tickets are one (1) per person and your ID must match the name of purchaser to enter the event. 

Other Useful Info

  • Nebraska Mini-Mart will have an awesome food menu available for purchase, so come hungry!
  • Since parking is limited and ABVs will be high, both breweries ask that you do the responsible thing by arranging a “carpool, Uber, Lyft, old school taxi, get dropped off by your mom, whatevs.”

That is all the information we have for you on this event at this time, but we will be sure to update this post if anything changes or is added.

Please keep in mind that tickets for Confection Affection Day are limited and the only way you can get them is through the event’s Eventbrite page.   If you wish to attend this Tampa Bay Beer Week event, make sure you are at your computer or device on January 25, have a good wi-fi signal, and are in good standing with the beer gods.  Good luck to you all.  Prost!

New Realm Brewing Begins Limited Release of Straight from the Tart Sour IPA

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newrealmlogo2New Realm Brewing Company (Atlanta, Georgia) has officially announced that it will kick off its 2020 Sour Series with the mid-January release of Straight from the Tart Sour IPA.

Crafted to blur the lines between hoppy and sour beer styles, Straight from the Tart is a Sour India Pale Ale that “combines the puckering tartness of a sour beer with an abundance of citrus and fruity hop notes to create a beer that is the best of both worlds.”  Coming in at 6.9% ABV and just 20 IBUs, Straight from the Tart “is a perfect pairing for both IPA and Sour beer fans alike, as its complexity of flavor will have beer drinkers reaching for another sip all winter long.”

“Straight from the Tart is a beer our brewers in Virginia Beach had suggested us brewing for a while now. It’s fermented with a brewer’s yeast that produces natural lactic acid during fermentation. The tartness of the beer combined with the lemony hop flavors makes for a really nicely balanced tart IPA.”

 

– Mitch Steele, Brewmaster and Co-Founder of New Realm Brewing Company

Straight from the Tart is available now and will hang around through March 2020.  You can expect to find this new Limited Release available in 6-packs of 12 oz. cans and on draft at select craft beer-focused establishments located within New Realm’s distribution footprint in Georgia and the Hampton Roads, Northern and Western areas of Virginia.  Prost!

Vital Information for Straight from the Tart from New Realm Brewing Company

Release – Limited/Sour Series; mid-January – March 2020
Style – Sour India Pale Ale
ABV – 6.9%
IBUs – 20
Availability – 6-packs of 12 oz. cans & draft
Distribution – Georgia and the Hampton Roads, Northern and Western areas of Virginia

Coppertail Brewing Co. Launches Sunken Grove Citrus Gose as New Seasonal

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coppertaillogowhiteCoppertail Brewing Co. (Tampa, Florida) has officially announced that it will begin the Seasonal Release of Sunken Grove Citrus Gose in mid-January 2020.

Freshly concocted to serve as Coppertail Brewing Co.’s new Spring Seasonal, Sunken Grove is a “slightly tart” Gose-style Ale that features “the juice and zest from 300 lbs. of locally grown tangerines” sourced from Noble Farms in Winter Haven, Florida. Coming in at an easy drinking 4.3% ABV, Sunken Grove is meant to be “super refreshing” and “hyper local.”

Sunken Grove is available now and will stick around through April 2020.  You can expect to find this new Seasonal available in 6-packs of 12 oz. cans and on draft at select craft beer-friendly retailers, bars and restaurants located within Coppertail Brewing Co.’s distribution footprint in Florida.  Prost!

Vital Information for Sunken Grove Citrus Gose from Coppertail Brewing Co.

Release – Seasonal; January – April 2020
Style – Gose
ABV – 4.3%
Added Ingredients – Juice & zest of locally grown tangerines from Noble Farms
Availability – 6-packs of 12 oz. cans & draft
Beer Finder – https://coppertailbrewing.com/beer-finder

SunkenGrove

 

Hi-Wire Brewing Teams up with Three Legendary Breweries for 2020 Collaboration 12-pack

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Hi-Wire-BrewingHi-Wire Brewing (Asheville, North Carolina) has officially announced that it will release the 2020 installment of its Collaboration 12-pack, a Limited Release mixed pack that includes beers brewed with Ninkasi Brewing Company (Eugene, Oregon), Cigar City Brewing (Tampa, Florida) and New Belgium Brewing (Fort Collins, Colorado), in mid-January.

The annually released Hi-Wire Brewing Collaboration 12-Pack (a.k.a. the Spray Paint Collaboration 12-Pack) never disappoints and is always highly sought-after, but this year’s has gone next level by featuring the following three offerings brewed with true legends in the craft beer industry (descriptions sourced directly from the brewery’s press release):

  • Almost West IPA | Collaboration with Ninkasi Brewing Company – Let it be known that Ninkasi Brewing Company is one of the best IPA producers in the country, period. Together with the hop wizards themselves, Hi-Wire Brewing sought to blur the line between Northwest and Northeast IPAs by blending a higher bitterness and balanced malt character with the experience of a hazy IPA. Almost West IPA (6.8% ABV), dry-hopped with Citra, BRU-1, Amarillo, and Zappa supported by Imperial’s “Juice” Organic Yeast, was born from this blending of worlds. Spritely tangerine citrus peel, lemon-lime, tart passion fruit, peach flesh, and sweet cherry are just a few characteristics present in this kaleidoscope of hop goodness.
  • Intercontinental Contemporary Pilsner | Collaboration with Cigar City Brewing – The famed Cigar City Brewing made the trip up to Asheville next, but the beer-centric journey did not stop there. A shared love of lagers and pilsners was the bottom line in their partnership with Hi-Wire and the resulting carbonated passport. Intercontinental Contemporary Pilsner (5% ABV) brings together hops from around the globe – South Africa, Australia, New Zealand, and the U.S. – then melds them with North Carolina-grown heirloom corn and German malt. A subtly toasted cornbread character and creamy mouthfeel from the malt and Jimmy Red Corn tie together the aromas of tropical fruit, guava, and honeydew from whirlpool hop additions.
  • Belgian Stout | Collaboration with New Belgium Brewing – If the name does not give it away, New Belgium Brewing was founded on traditional Belgian ales, and Hi-Wire Brewing teamed up with their brewers to pay homage to that classic style. Belgian Stout (7% ABV) is not a bold and roasty American-style stout simply brewed with Belgian yeast. The recipe was designed as a proper nod to the Belgian-style, and it all started with the grain bill. Briess’ Midnight Wheat and Epiphany Craft Malt’s Brewer’s Breakfast Malt lend a subtle grain body while Ruby Malt also from the North Carolina-based Epiphany provides notes of plum, fig, and dark fruit. Additions of orange to the base create a classy ale reminiscent of a chocolate orange while star anise adds a whiff of botanical liqueur and soft licorice. Imperial’s Napoleon Belgian Yeast’s high attenuation leaves this beer extremely dry allowing for a pleasant orange twang mixed with smoky cloves on the finish.

**The Collaboration 12-pack will include four 12 oz. cans of each of the beers listed above.**

The Collaboration 12-pack is hitting shelves now and will hang around only as long as supplies last.  You can expect to find this Limited Release mixed 12-pack of 12 oz. cans available at select craft beer-focused establishments located within Hi-Wire Brewing’s distribution footprint in Alabama, North Carolina, South Carolina, Tennessee, Georgia, Ohio and Kentucky. Prost!

 

Hacker-Pschorr Introduces Cans of Weissbier in the U.S.

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HackerPschorrLogoHacker-Pschorr (Munich, Germany) has officially announced that its Weissbier, the brewery’s flagship offering, is now available in 16.9 oz. cans in the U.S.

In an effort to allow their fans the opportunity to more easily enjoy their beers outdoors, Hacker-Pschorr – a brewery with more than 600 years of world class brewing experience – has decided to now offer its Weissbier in 4-packs of lightweight, 16.9 oz. cans that feature “an updated new look celebrating the brands unique heritage, tradition and superior taste.”  Beyond the benefit of protecting the beer from the negative effects of light and oxygen, the move to cans is also an environmentally conscious one since they are easier to recycle than bottles.

For those unfamiliar with Hacker-Pschorr’s iconic flagship brew, Weissbier is a German-style Hefeweizen that is “naturally cloudy, full-flavored and uniquely refreshing.”  Coming in at 5.5% ABV, Weissbier “[caters] to consumers who know beer and appreciate the historic brand’s unique and complex flavor.”

“We are thrilled to introduce our Weissbier in cans just in time for the New Year,” says Steve Hauser, CEO of Paulaner USA, the U.S. importer of Hacker-Pschorr.” The lightweight design of the cans makes it portable and easy to travel with and allows our consumers to enjoy this refreshing brew at all of their favorite outdoor venues and biergartens.”

 

Hauser adds, “Our Hacker Pschorr Weissbier has long been a favorite of German families that settled here in the U.S. and have helped shape our country. Our cans will not only give these traditional consumers greater opportunities to enjoy a bit of their heritage, these cans will open a whole new set of occasions for younger, craft beer loving consumers.”

Hacker-Pschorr Weissbier is available now in 4-packs of 16.9 oz. cans and you can expect to find this Year-Round offering at fine beer establishments located in Alabama, Florida and throughout the rest of the U.S.  Prost!

Vital Information for Hacker-Pschorr Weissbier from Hacker-Pschorr

Release – Year-Round; cans launch in the U.S. in January 2020
Style – Hefeweizen
ABV – 5.5%
Ingredients – Water, malted wheat, malted barley, yeast & hops
Featured Hops – Hallertauer Herkules & Hallertauer Taurus
Suggested Food Pairings – “A delight with hearty Bavarian delicacies, but it also goes well with lighter dishes such as poultry and fish”
Availability – 4-packs of 16.9 oz. cans & draft
Distribution – Nationwide

Tasting Notes – Spirits Edition: Remus Repeal Reserve Series III from George Remus Distilling Co.

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RemusRepealFor this special Spirits Edition of Tasting Notes, we leave the anniversary of the ratification of Prohibition (January 17) behind us by raising a glass of Remus Repeal Reserve Series III from George Remus Distilling Co. of MGP Ingredients  (Lawrenceburg, Indiana).

Released each year to recognize the end of Prohibition, the Remus Repeal Reserve Series is an award-winning line of Bourbons that allows “the distillery team to experiment with a different bourbon medley each year.”  Remus Repeal Reserve Series III (50% ABV | 100 PROOF) is a Straight Bourbon Whiskey comprised of “a medley of two mash bills from 2007/2008; the complex aroma reveals maple with caramel, candied fruit, chocolate, baking spice, smoke and leather with a balanced palate of caramelized brown spice and a hint of rye on the finish.”

Remus Repeal Reserve Series III was carefully crafted with the use of the following medley:

The 2019 Remus Repeal Reserve Series Medley
12% – 2007 Bourbon (21% Rye)
78% – 2008 Bourbon (21% Rye)
10% – 2008 Bourbon (36% Rye)

Remus Repeal Reserve III officially debuted on November 13, the birthdate of George Remus, and entered full distribution on Prohibition Repeal Day, December 5.  You can find this Limited Release offering available in 750ml bottles (suggested retail price of $84.99 each) at fine liquor retailers located in Tennessee, Texas, Indiana, Arizona, Colorado, Illinois, Iowa, Kansas, Kentucky, Minnesota, Missouri, Nebraska, Ohio and Wisconsin.

Now that we all know the legacy behind the Remus Repeal Reserve Series, let’s grab a couple glass, thank our stars that Prohibition is no longer a thing, and get into these Tasting Notes!

Tasting Notes for Remus Repeal Reserve Series III from George Remus Distilling Co.

Appearance:  Poured neat into an Old-Fashioned-style tumbler (also tested in a Glencairn Crystal Whiskey Glass), Remus Repeal Reserve Series III presents itself as an apricot-tinged, light caramel brown in color.  When held to direct light, brighter orange tones push through making the appearance a lighter but more vibrant brown in color.  The liquid is absolutely pristine in clarity. When swirled about, the liquid coats the glass well with a sticky slick that drops some incredibly slow-moving, syrupy legs.

Aroma:  Sweetness greets the nose with indulgent notes of rich caramel, brown sugar, maple syrup, cocoa, and caramelized fig.  Orange zest and candied orange then surface to add a bit of brightness and break up the sweetness a bit.  The profile rounds off with notes of oak, rye spice and leather.

Taste:  The script set by the aroma flips a bit here as spicy, peppery rye is quick to lay a foundation at the start of the sip.  The citrus note is lighter but still present, offering that candied orange quality.  This allows the experience to shift nicely to the sweeter notes of caramel, chocolate, butterscotch, toasted baking spice (nice presence of nutmeg), and brown sugar.  Oak and leather then roll in to close the experience with soft tones of vanilla, smoke, and a slight touch of earthiness.

Mouthfeel: Slick but not syrupy in texture, this Bourbon hits the taste buds with a flourish, lingers for a moment and clears out beautifully for the next sip.  It is pleasantly sweet on the palate, but in no way cloying thanks to the balancing qualities of the rye and surprising note of citrus. Although it is boozy, the 50% ABV only provides a gentle warmth in the throat and belly.  All of this comes together to create a wonderfully smooth sip that leaves notes of caramel and rye spice behind in the aftertaste.

Final Thoughts:  From the pour to the finish, everything about Remus Repeal Reserve Series III is wonderfully composed and incredibly impressive.  It is absolutely striking in appearance, the aromatics are downright heavenly, the flavor profile is indulgently sweet yet somehow balanced, and the experience as a whole is ridiculously smooth.  This makes for an elegant sipper – best served neat in our opinion – that is an absolute steal since it wears a price tag that is under the $100 mark.  If you have been looking for a reserve-level, limited-edition Bourbon to add to your home bar but prices have been scaring you away, Remus Repeal Reserve Series III is the answer you have been looking for . . . and you might as well grab a couple bottles when you pull that trigger.  Trust us.  You will be happy you did.  Prost!