Beer News | Mashing In

Big Storm Brewing & Friends Team Up with Habitat for Humanity to Brew A House That Beer Built

Posted on February 20, 2019 by mashingin

Big Storm Brewing Co. (Clearwater, Florida) has officially announced that it and several other Pinellas County craft breweries have come together to brew A House that Beer Built, a collaboration Belgian Wit that will raise funds for Habitat for Humanity.

A House That Beer Built is a new program from Big Storm Brewing, Dissent Craft Brewing Company (St. Petersburg, Florida), Flying Boat Brewing Co. (St. Petersburg, Florida) and other local breweries that aims to raise $50,000 for Habitat for Humanity so that it can help a local family in need. The participating breweries hope to raise a portion of the funds with the sale of a collaboration beer created specifically for the cause.

Also named A House That Beer Built, this special collaboration is Belgian-style Witbier “brewed with white wheat and barley malt for a refreshing and flavorful, hazy golden-white ale.” The recipe is rounded out with additions of orange peel, coriander, and grains of paradise to impart “layers of sweet citrus and pleasant spice” and “a traditional Belgian wit yeast completes the perfect beer for a great cause.”

“Habitat is beyond excited to be working with the craft beer community here in Pinellas County,” said Habitat for Humanity of Pinellas County Vice President of Corporate Partnerships and Marketing Alison Riley. “We are always looking for new and innovative ways to partner with businesses and individuals in the area as well as spread the word of the Habitat mission. We are thankful to Big Storm and all of the breweries who have made this project possible!”

“This is a tremendous opportunity to give back to the community and by working together we are crafting both a home and hope for a Pinellas family,” said Big Storm Brewing owner L.J. Govoni.

A House That Beer Built Belgian Wit is available now on draft at Big Storm Brewing Co.’s Pinellas and Pasco taprooms. A portion of the proceeds raised from the sale of A House That Beer Built will be donated to Habitat for Humanity of Pinellas County to build a house for a local family in need. Prost!

Lagunitas Dark Swan Sour Ale (2019) Returns for a Limited Time

Posted on February 19, 2019 by mashingin

Lagunitas Brewing Company (Petaluma, California) has officially announced that Dark Swan Sour Ale will return for a limited time in mid-February as a part of the brewery’s OneHitter Series.

Developed to be Lagunitas’ take on the beer-wine hybrid, Dark Swan is a “uniquely deep and rich purple [hued]” American Sour Ale that has been “dry-hopped with some experimental Pekko hops from the Yakima Valley, then fermented with . . . house yeast on some of Sonoma County’s-own Petite Syrah grape juice from . . . Adobe Road Winery.” Swooping in at 7.9% ABV and 25 IBUs, Dark Swan promises to be “smooth, slightly sour, and superbly strange.”

Dark Swan is scheduled to release in mid-February and will hang around as long as supplies last. You can expect to find this “HIIIIGHLY limited” brew available in 6-packs of 12 oz. bottles and on draft at select craft beer establishments located in Alabama, Florida, California, Illinois and throughout the rest of Lagunitas Brewing Company’s distribution territory. Prost!

Vital Information for Dark Swan Sour Ale from Lagunitas Brewing Company

Release – Limited/OneHitter Series, mid-February 2019
Style – American Sour Ale
ABV – 7.9%
IBUs – 25
Featured Hops – Pekko
Added Ingredients – Petite Syrah grape juice
Availability – 6-packs of 12 oz. bottles & draft
Beer Finder – https://lagunitas.com/beer-finder

LOKO Cuisine Brings St. Patrick’s Day Eggs & Kegs to Hidden Springs Ale Works

Posted on February 19, 2019 by mashingin

On Sunday, March 17 at 11 a.m., LOKO Cuisine will host a special St. Patrick’s Day edition of Eggs & Kegs at Hidden Springs Ale Works (1631 N Franklin St | Tampa, Florida).

Everyone knows that the most important – and fabulous – meal of the day is brunch, but there is one day of the year when your first meal of the day is absolutely crucial: St. Patrick’s Day. If you choose the right St. Patrick’s Day breakfast/brunch, you are setting yourself up success on the greatest of drinking holidays. On the other hand, if you choose wrong, there is a pretty good chance that you might end up a meme.

To provide you with the nourishment necessary to lay a foundation solid enough to support a day of festive drinking and merriment, LOKO Cuisine will be dishing up the following hearty, Irish-themed four-course menu at Hidden Springs Ale Works on St. Patty’s Day (served buffet-style):

To help you wash down the tasty Irish eats above, Hidden Springs will cover the “kegs” portion of this brunch by featuring the following brews:

Irish Car Bomb Deja Moo Milk Stout
Brawndo “The Thirst Mutilator” – a Green Gatorade-infused Berliner Weisse
Pilsner – a.k.a. “The Lite Beer” or “Beer Flavored Beer”

As an added bonus, if you find yourself in need of a caffeinated boost during the brunch, the Ginger Beard Coffee crew will be on-site pouring Nitro Irish Coffee – whiskey-infused coffee with fresh cream – and Nitro-infused Irish Breakfast Black Tea. **Ginger Beard offerings are not included in the ticket price.**

Tickets for the St. Patrick’s Day Eggs & Kegs are available now for $32.55 each, and you can purchase yours by clicking here. Ticket cost includes the four-course brunch and one pint or snifter of beer of equal value. Physical tickets will not be issued, but your name will be added to a paid list once the purchase process is completed. FYI: Everyone in your party will have to check in under the purchaser’s name at the door.

Tickets for LOKO Cuisine Eggs & Kegs events tend to sell out quickly and this one should be no different. Be sure to lock down some tickets now so that you can start your St. Patrick’s Day in proper fashion. Seriously . . . future you – clad in all green and wearing an oversized, floppy leprechaun hat – will appreciate you making this decision . . . so . . . don’t screw this one up. Buy those tickets and have an awesomely safe St. Patrick’s Day, folks. Prost!

Dogfish Head Raison D’Extra Makes Long-Awaited Return

Posted on February 18, 2019 by mashingin

Dogfish Head Craft Brewery (Milton, Delaware) has officially announced that its legendary Raison D’Extra has returned for a limited time.

Crafted to be the “immodest” big brother for Raison D’Etre (a.k.a. the “ultimate beer partner for steak”), Raison D’Extra is a Belgian-style Brown Ale brewed with “an obscene amount of malt, brown sugar and raisins.” Incredibly massive in size, the sip- and cellar-worthy Raison D’Extra will amaze your craft beer-loving soul as it “[pushes] the limits of what a Belgian yeast can do (and . . . that’s somewhere in the ballpark of 15% to 18% ABV!)”

Raison D’Extra is available now and has plans to stick around through April 2019. You can expect to find this Occasional Release available in 4-packs of 12 oz. bottles and on draft at select craft beer establishments located in Florida, Delaware and throughout the rest of Dogfish Head’s distribution area (availability may be affected in some states due to local ABV restrictions). Prost!

Vital Information for Raison D’Extra from Dogfish Head Craft Brewery

Release – Limited/Occasional, January – April 2019
Style – Belgian-style Dark Ale
ABV – 15% to 18%
IBUs – 40
Added Ingredients – Brown sugar, raisins & beet sugars
Original Release Date- 2003
Availability – 4-packs of 12 oz. bottles & draft
Beer Finder – https://www.dogfish.com/brewery/fishfinder

Victory Brewing Company Adds Twisted Monkey to Year-Round Lineup

Posted on February 18, 2019 by mashingin

Victory Brewing Company (Downingtown, Pennsylvania) has officially introduced Twisted Monkey, a Belgian-style Blonde Ale with mango, as its newest Year-Round offering.

Joining Golden Monkey and Sour Monkey to round out the ranks in Victory Brewing’s beloved family of Monkeys, Twisted Monkey is a Belgian-style Blonde Ale that adds a twist of mango to “the same imported malts and Belgian yeast favored by the family.” Weighing in at just 5.8% ABV, Twisted Monkey – the lightest Monkey of the three – supplies “big flavor refreshment that only the Monkey can deliver.”

Twisted Monkey officially debuted in Victory’s Taprooms on February 15 and is expected to roll out into distribution shortly after the on-site release. You can expect to find this new Year-Round offering available in 6-packs of 12 oz. cans, 6-packs of 12 oz. bottles and on draft at craft beer-focused establishments located in Alabama, Florida, Pennsylvania, North Carolina, and throughout the rest of Victory Brewing Company’s distribution territory. Prost!

Vital Information for Twisted Monkey from Victory Brewing Company

Release – Year-Round, launching mid-February 2019
Style – Belgian-style Blonde Ale
ABV – 5.8%
Malts – Pilsner
Hops – Tettnang
Added Ingredients – Mango
Availability – 6-packs of 12 oz. cans, 6-packs of 12 oz. bottles & draft
Beer Finder – http://www.victorybeer.com/beerfinder/

Full Sail Brewing Co. Releases 100 Calorie Session Light

Posted on February 15, 2019February 2, 2020 by mashingin

Full Sail Brewing Co. (Hood River, Oregon) has officially introduced Session Light, a Premium Lager with 100 calories and only 6 carbs, as the newest Core offering to join its Session family of beers.

Developed for those in the market for a “better-for-you, healthy” beer option that still has “flavor and nuance”, Session Light is a Premium Lager “brewed with mountain spring water, malted barley, and Glacier and Sterling hops.” Light in calories, carbs and ABV (3.6%), Session Light “pours bright, has a mellow, malty flavor, and finishes crisp and clean.”

“Session Light is our craft-beer take on the light lager category and we’re really happy with how this beer came out,” says Full Sail Brewmaster Greg Doss. “It’s a great alternative for people wanting all the flavor of a craft brew without all the calories. If you’re looking for the perfect go-anywhere, drink-anytime beer, Session Light is it.”

Session Light is pouring now on draft and availability in 6-packs of 12 oz. cans, 12-packs of 12 oz. cans and in the Session Mashup Summer Variety Pack of 11 oz. bottles is scheduled to begin this spring. You can expect to find this new Core offering at craft beer-friendly establishments located in Florida, Oregon and throughout the rest of Full Sail’s distribution area. Prost!

Vital Information for Session Light from Full Sail Brewing Co.

Release – Year-Round/Core, launching February 2019
Style – American Light Lager
ABV – 3.6%
IBUs – 15
Calories – 100
Carbs – 6
Featured Hops – Glacier & Sterling
Availability – 6-packs of 12 oz. cans, 12-packs of 12 oz. cans, in the Session Mashup Summer Variety Pack of 11 oz. bottles & draft
Beer Finder – https://fullsailbrewing.com/where-to-buy/

Fresh Perspective IPL Emerges From Iron Fist Brewing’s Small Batch Program

Posted on February 15, 2019 by mashingin

Iron Fist Brewing Company (Vista, California) has announced that Fresh Perspective IPL has officially released as the brewery’s first Small Batch offering of the year.

Serving as a launching point for Iron Fist’s new brewing strategy in 2019, Fresh Perspective is an India Pale Lager that is “light straw in color with classic pilsner overtones and a floral bouquet.” Anyone lucky enough to get their hands on a pour of this small batch brew can expect an experience boasting “notes of herbal spice, earth, lemon, and a touch of honey on the finish.” Fresh Perspective IPL clocks in at 6.5% ABV and 40 IBUs.

The release of Fresh Perspective IPL “marks the start of the Iron Fist’s new brewing strategy, which is focused highly on short-run tap room exclusives.” Meant to be “an experimental brewing playground” for the crew at Iron Fist, these Small Batch brews will be released on a monthly basis with availability on draft and in a limited run of cans (500).

“We’re really excited to have introduced a new structure to our brewing that allows us to continuously push the boat out and try new things on a monthly basis.”

– Tom Garcia, Brewmaster at Iron Fist Brewing Company

Fresh Perspective IPL is available on draft now in both Iron Fist Tap Room locations – Brewery & Tap Room in Vista, California | Barrio Logan Tap Room in San Diego, California – and a limited run of 500 cans will release during the week of February 25. Like all Small Batch releases from Iron Fist, Fresh Perspective IPL is a tap room exclusive that will not see distribution. Prost!

Garage Brewing Co. Begins Limited Release of Barrel-aged Imperial Oatmeal Brown Ale

Posted on February 14, 2019 by mashingin

Garage Brewing Co. (Temecula, California) has officially announced that it will begin the Limited Release of a very special batch of its Imperial Oatmeal Brown Ale on February 14, 2019.

Do not be fooled by its seemingly innocent, straightforward name. Sure, Garage Brewing’s Imperial Oatmeal Brown Ale is just that, but it does have one big secret: it has been aged in Heaven Hill Bourbon barrels for 22 months. Thanks to this lengthy aging period, Imperial Oatmeal Brown Ale (8% ABV) has emerged “darker in color than a typical brown ale” and is filled with “toasty, nutty and light vanilla notes.”

“This beer is out of the ordinary,” Garage Brewing Co.’s Brewmaster Guy Bartmess, said. “We’ve taken a style of beer that isn’t typically aged in Bourbon barrels and left if in the oak for almost twice as long as usual. The outcome is a unique Bourbon barrel aged beer that has no peer.”

This batch of Imperial Oatmeal Brown Ale will officially debut on draft in Garage Brewing Co.’s Tap Room on Thursday, February 14 and distribution is expected to follow shortly after the on-site release. You can expect to find this Limited Release offering available in 22 oz. bottles and on draft at select craft beer-focused establishments located within Garage Brewing Co.’s distribution footprint in Southern California and Las Vegas, Nevada. Prost!

Vital Information for Imperial Oatmeal Brown Ale from Garage Brewing Co.

Release – Limited; releasing February 14, 2019
Style – Imperial Brown Ale
ABV – 8%
Treatment – Aged for 22 months in Heaven Hill Bourbon barrels
Availability – 22 oz. bottles & draft
Beer Finder – http://www.garagebrewco.com/find-our-brew

Heavy Seas Beer Sets Date for Taproom Release of Joose Cannon

Posted on February 14, 2019 by mashingin

Heavy Seas Beer (Baltimore, Maryland) has officially announced that it will release Joose Cannon, a Hazy Juicy IPA brewed with tangerine, exclusively in its taproom on March 8, 2019.

Arriving as the first offering to come out of Heavy Seas’ 15 bbl brewhouse in 2019, Joose Cannon is a Hazy Juicy India Pale Ale that serves as “an exciting twist on [the brewery’s] flagship IPA, Loose Cannon.” With a hefty amount of oats and wheat supplying the haze, Joose Cannon (7.25% ABV) goes next level with huge tropical and citrus aromas sourced from “an alternate dry-hopping procedure, along with tangerine puree and massive doses of Citra and Simcoe hops.”

“After developing Citra Cannon, we decided we should take the ‘Juicy IPA’ concept to another level. Thus, Joose Cannon was born,” says Heavy Seas Brewmaster, Christopher Leonard. “I was blown away by the aroma and bright, fresh flavor of the tangerine puree, so incorporating it into Joose Cannon was a no-brainer. We’re having a lot of fun with the releases on the 15 bbl brewhouse so far and I am confident this one will make a lot of people very happy!”

Joose Cannon will release exclusively in the Heavy Seas Taproom on Friday, March 8 with availability in 4-packs of 16 oz. cans and on draft. This Limited Release offering will not see distribution. Prost!

Vital Information for Joose Cannon from Heavy Seas Beer

Release – Limited/Taproom Exclusive; March 8, 2019
Style – Hazy Juicy India Pale Ale
ABV – 7.25%
Hops – Warrior, Simcoe & Citra
Malts – Marris Otter, Oats, Malted Wheat, Munich & Caramalt
Fun Fact – “The Joose Cannon label artwork was designed by local Baltimore artist, Owen Murphy, of One Drop Design Studio, who also designed Heavy Seas’ 23 Anniversary beer label this past December. All the taproom exclusive beer labels will be designed by Owen in 2019.”
Availability – 4-packs of 16 oz. cans & draft
Distribution – None/Taproom Exclusive

Bear Republic Brewing Co. Introduces Sonoma Tart

Posted on February 14, 2019 by mashingin

Bear Republic Brewing Co. (Sonoma County, California) has officially announced that Sonoma Tart Sour Ale will begin hitting craft beer shelves and taps during the week of February 11.

Brewed as a celebration of “Sonoma County’s rich agrarian history along with its newer ‘Wine Country’ identity”, Sonoma Tart is a Sour Golden Ale that has been lightly fruited with guava and passion fruit. Coming in at an easy-drinking 5.2% ABV, Sonoma Tart is an approachable refresher that can easily serve as either a “gateway beer” for wine drinkers or a versatile daily drinker for craft beer enthusiasts.

“Compared to barrel aged beers, Sonoma Tart is much more drinkable and crushable. The tartness activates your taste buds, gets your palate flowing while fruit essence comes through without cloying sweetness,” said Bear Republic’s Master Brewer Peter Kruger. “Afterwards there’s a dry finish, for wine drinkers this beer is analogous to a sauvignon blanc.”

Sonoma Tart is rolling out this week with availability in 6-packs of 12 oz. bottles and on draft. You can expect to find this refreshing new brew at select craft beer-friendly retailers, bars and restaurants located in Florida, California and throughout the rest of Bear Republic’s distribution area. Prost!

Vital Information for Sonoma Tart from Bear Republic Brewing Co.

Release – Launching the week of February 11, 2019
Style – American Sour Ale
ABV – 5.2%
IBUs – 17
Malts – 2-Row, White Wheat & Carapils
Yeast – BRBC Ale Yeast & Lactobacillus
Suggested Food Pairings – “Blue cheese, goat cheese, mussels, egg dishes, seafood, pork”
Fun Fact – On the label artwork: “CEO/Brewmaster Richard G. Norgrove provided Sonoma Tart’s label art which features Sonoma County regional landmarks such as the Dry Creek General Store, Healdsburg bridge, Santa Rosa’s Round Barn (sadly burned down during the 2017 Tubbs Fire) and a water tower representative of the tank houses which dot the area. The font style of Sonoma Tart is an homage to a popular Sonoma Coast inn which for decades has welcomed thirsty travelers from the world at large.”
Availability – 6-packs of 12 oz. bottles & draft
Beer Finder – https://bearrepublic.com/bear-tracker/