Unibroue Sends its Black Forest Cake Ale to the U.S. for a Limited Release

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UnibroueBFCAUnibroue (Chambly, Québec) has officially announced that Ale Gâteau Forêt-Noire, a.k.a. Black Forest Cake Ale, will begin an exclusive Limited Release in the U.S. beginning in early October 2018.

Originally released in 2017 as a Canada-only offering brewed to recognize Unibroue’s 25th anniversary, Ale Gâteau Forêt-Noire (10.5% ABV) has returned once more to finally give American beer lovers the opportunity to try this Limited Release brew.  Meant to mimic the flavors of Black Forest cake, this medium-bodied Belgian-style Dark Specialty Ale boasts notes of “roast and chocolate . . . complemented by delicate fruity accents and a slightly tart finish.”

“You can’t have an anniversary party without a cake. With roasted malt aroma, tart cherries, cocoa beans and dark chocolate flavors, I brewed Ale Gâteau Forêt-Noire to be pleasantly evocative of the classic Black Forest cake.”

 

– Jerry Vietz, Brewmaster at Unibroue

Ale Gâteau Forêt-Noire is scheduled to hit the U.S. in early October and will hang around as long as supplies last.  You can expect to find this Limited Release available in 4-packs of 12 oz. bottles, 750ml bottles, as part of a seasonal variety 6-pack, and on draft at select craft beer establishments located in Alabama, Florida and throughout the rest of Unibroue’s nationwide distribution footprint in the U.S.  Prost!

Vital Information for Ale Gâteau Forêt-Noire from Unibroue

Release – Limited, October 2018
Style – Belgian Strong Dark Ale
ABV – 10.5%
IBUs – 20
Suggested Food Pairings – ” Ale Gâteau Forêt-Noire is the ideal accompaniment for Black Forest cake, cocoa-based Mexican dishes (such as mole), meat loaf, log-type goat cheese, and blue or comté cheese.”
Availability – 4-packs of 12 oz. bottles, 750ml bottles, in the brewery’s seasonal variety 6-pack & on draft
Beer Finder – https://www.unibroue.com/en/find-our-beers

Ciderboys Hard Cider Reintroduces Blackberry Wild as a Seasonal Offering

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CiderboysBlackberry1Ciderboys Hard Cider (Stevens Point, Wisconsin) has officially announced that Blackberry Wild will now be released annually as a Seasonal offering available from September through November.

Previously released in 2016 as a limited release flavor, Blackberry Wild is returning to shelves and taps this fall thanks to customer demand and the cidery’s “desire to innovate.”  To make this newly designated Seasonal offering, Chief Cidermaker Mike Schraufnagel and his team start with a crisp apple cider base and blend in “pure blackberry juice at the fermentation stage and add more just before packaging.”  This approach supplies Blackberry Wild (5% ABV) with a flavor experience that offers “a supple combination of sweet and tart.”

“The response to Blackberry Wild was so positive that we had to bring it back. It was not a question of ‘if’ but ‘when.’ We’re always experimenting with new flavors at Ciderboys, and Blackberry was a logical addition to our family of ‘fruitful pairings’ after Strawberry Magic and Raspberry Smash.”

 

– Julie Birrenkott, Ciderboys’ Marketing Manager

Blackberry Wild is rolling out now and will stick around through November 2018.  You can expect to find this Seasonal offering at cider-friendly spots located in Alabama, Florida, Wisconsin and throughout the rest of Ciderboys’ distribution area.  Prost!

Vital Information for Blackberry Wild from Ciderboys Hard Cider

Release – Seasonal, September – November 2018
Style – Hard Cider 
ABV – 5%
Featured Ingredient – Pure blackberry juice
Availability – 6-packs of 12 oz. bottles & draft
Cider Finder – http://www.ciderboys.com/cider-locator/

Spoetzl Brewery & Balcones Distilling Team Up to Release Limited-Edition Spoetzl Märzen

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SpoetzlMarzen2cropSpoetzl Brewery (Shiner, Texas) has announced that it will officially begin the Limited Release of Spoetzl Märzen, a barrel-aged collaboration with Balcones Distilling (Waco, Texas), in October 2018.

Created as a joint effort from “two Texas icons who share a passion for supreme craftsmanship and appreciation for things done well”, Spoetzl Märzen is a massive Märzen-style Lager brewed with imported Munich malts, “hopped with prized Hallertau and Hersbrucker varietals and krausened twice to round out the lightly toasted, spicy malt flavors.”  Once the brewing process was completed, the beer was then sent to mature in “barrels that formerly housed the award-winning single malt whisky” from Balcones Distilling.  Well-aged and fully-matured, the “labor of love” that is Spoetzl Märzen (11% ABV and 32 IBUs) has emerged from its rest as a “coppery-orange hued, hop-forward brew [that has] notes of caramel and oak from the whisky-imbued barrels offering a smooth, lingering finish that adds depth and character.”

“For 109 years, Spoetzl Brewery has delivered best in class craft beer. We are excited to get back to our roots with the second release of our small batch brewing program. Barrel-aging is wildly popular from beer to coffee, not to mention the original way to make a Märzen-style lager. For this reason, it was great to work with our friends over at Balcones Distilling, the most awarded Texas whisky, as the tannins from whisky-soaked barrels naturally increase the clarity of the beer while also imparting a unique roundness and incredible color to the beer.”

 

– Tom Fiorenzi, Director of Brewing at Spoetzl Brewery

Spoetzl Märzen will officially release on October 1 and will be available as long as supplies last.  You can expect to find this Limited-Edition beer available in 750ml bottles (suggested retail price of $14.99 each) at select specialty beer retailers located throughout the state of Texas.  Prost!

Vital Information for Spoetzl Märzen from Spoetzl Brewery and Balcones Distilling 

Release – Limited, October 2018
Style – Märzen
ABV – 11%
IBUs – 32
Featured Malts – Munich
Featured Hops –  Hallertau & Hersbrucker
Treatment – Aged in Balcones Distilling “1” Texas Single Malt Whisky barrels 
Availability – 750ml bottles
Distribution – Texas only 

Hi-Wire Brewing Adds Hop Circus IPA Program to Year-Round Lineup

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Hi-Wire-BrewingHi-Wire Brewing (Asheville, North Carolina) has officially announced that it will add the rotating Hop Circus IPA program to its Year-Round portfolio in October with the release of Hop Circus – Tropical White IPA.

Meant to serve as an “homage to Hi-Wire Brewing’s original launch of what is now their Specialty Program“, the Hop Circus IPA project is a rotating series of India Pale Ales that will “[push] the limits” by having each release “feature different combinations of hops, fruit, or adjuncts, keeping the program fresh and interesting.”  Hopheads can expect for a new Hop Circus IPA offering to hit “the market every three to four months.”

“Our best selling beer is Hi-Pitch Mosaic India Pale Ale, which is a traditional West-Coast Style IPA. We have also been having a blast with our Hazy&Juicy&Hoppy&Fresh series, which rotates some of our favorite hops in a Northeast IPA style. With the Hop Circus series, we get to meet in the middle by experimenting in the wide range of IPA styles, but keeping the beer at a more affordable price point.”

 

– Chris Frosaker, Co-owner of Hi-Wire Brewing

The inaugural release in the Hop Circus IPA project will be a Tropical White IPA that blends “tropical sweet tart flavors from mango and pineapple, with dank white grape and citrus notes from Hallertau Blanc and Citra” hops.  With “a heavy-handed portion of flaked wheat” acting as the recipe’s linchpin, Hop Circus – Tropical White IPA comes together to be a “bright and silky brew” that clocks in at just 6% ABV.

Hop Circus – Tropical White IPA will be available for a limited time beginning in October 2018.  You can expect to find this first Hop Circus offering available in 6-packs of 12 oz. cans and on draft at craft beer establishments located within Hi-Wire Brewing’s distribution footprint in North Carolina, South Carolina, Georgia, Kentucky, Tennessee and Ohio.  Prost!

Vital Information for Hop Circus – Tropical White IPA from Hi-Wire Brewing

Release – Rotational, launching October 2018
Style – American India Pale Ale
ABV – 6%
Featured Hops – Hallertau Blanc & Citra
Added Ingredients – Mango & pineapple
Availability – 6-packs of 12 oz. cans & draft
Distribution – North Carolina, South Carolina, Georgia, Kentucky, Tennessee & Ohio

Funky Buddha Brewery Set to Release Bourbon Barrel-Aged Save Some Room For Later

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FBB_save_some_room_for_later_bottle-mock-22oz_webFunky Buddha Brewery (Oakland Park, Florida) has officially announced that it will host a bottle release event for Bourbon Barrel-Aged Save Some Room For Later on Saturday, September 15.

Arriving as the latest selection to come out of Funky Buddha’s Living Barrel Series, Bourbon Barrel-Aged Save Some Room For Later starts its journey as a German chocolate cake-inspired Double Brown Ale that boasts “layers of creamy chocolate, sweet coconut, and fragrant vanilla” (a.k.a. the same Save Some Room For Later that saw a wide release earlier this month).  That decadent base beer is then transferred from the brewery’s “chocolate cake room to a bold Bourbon barrel” so that it can pick up “subtle oak undertones for a smooth and boozy finish.”  The completed Bourbon Barrel-Aged Save Some Room For Later weighs in at a hefty 10.5% ABV and 40 IBUs.

A bottle release for Bourbon Barrel-Aged Save Some Room For Later will be held in Funky Buddha’s Tap Room on Saturday, September 15.  This Limited Release will be available in 22 oz. bottles with bottle limits set at six (6) per person during the release event.  Bourbon Barrel-Aged Save Some Room For Later will be available exclusively in the brewery’s tap room and distribution is not expected (aside from special events).  Prost!

Vital Information for Bourbon Barrel-Aged Save Some Room For Later from Funky Buddha Brewery

Release – Limited/The Living Barrel Series; September 15, 2018
Style – Imperial/Double Brown Ale
ABV – 10.5%
IBUs – 40
Added Ingredients – Cocoa nibs & coconut
Treatment – Aged in Bourbon barrels
Suggested Food Pairings – “Coconut shrimp, chocolate mole enchiladas, coconut milk rice, German chocolate cake”
Availability – 22 oz. bottles & draft
Distribution – None/Tap Room Exclusive

Allagash Brewing Company Brings Brett IPA Back for an Encore Release

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brettipaAllagash Brewing Company (Portland, Maine) has announced that Brett IPA will return in September for a second run as a Limited Release offering.

Back after Allagash Brewing Company received much critical acclaim for the beer’s debut release in 2017, Brett IPA is a re-imagined take on the India Pale Ale that is “fermented with 100% Brettanomyces . . . to create a fruit-forward character with plenty of depth.”  That Brettanomyces character is further supported and enhanced by “a healthy amount of Bravo, Cascade, Amarillo, Centennial, Citra, and Galaxy hops” to result in “one fruit-filled IPA.”

“Brett IPA showcases the intensely tropical flavors you can get from just yeast and hops,” said Jason Perkins, Allagash Brewmaster.

 

“Brewers found new and intriguing ways to weave hops and funky yeast strains together this year, but none did it better than Allagash.” — Draft Magazine, “The Top 25 Beers of 2017”

 

“For its superb Brett IPA, the best example of this IPA subgenre that we found this year, Allagash uses the Brett strain not for the funk factor, but to double down on fruit-forward hop aromas.” — Serious Eats, “The Best New Beers of 2017”

Brett IPA is rolling out now and will be available as long as supplies last.  You can expect to find this Limited Release offering available in 12 oz. bottles and on draft at select craft beer establishments located in Georgia, Maine and throughout the rest of Allagash Brewing Company’s distribution area.  Prost!

Vital Information for Brett IPA from Allagash Brewing Company

Release – Limited, September 2018
Style – Wild Ale/American India Pale Ale
ABV – 7%
Hops – Amarillo, Bravo, Cascade, Centennial, Citra & Galaxy
Malts – Maris Otter, Munich & Raw Wheat
Yeast – Brettanomyces 
Availability – 12 oz. bottles & draft
Beer Finder – https://www.allagash.com/locator/

Bell’s Brewery Goes Year-Round with Hopsoulution Ale in Select States

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Hopsoulution_Ale-12ozBottleBell’s Brewery (Comstock, Michigan) has announced that it has officially made Hopsoulution Ale, a Double IPA, a Year-Round offering in five states: Michigan, Ohio, Indiana, Illinois and Wisconsin.

Previously only available as a limited, specialty release from Bell’s Brewery, Hopsoulution Ale is a “remarkably drinkable” Double India Pale Ale “brewed with several hop varieties for massive aromas of tropical fruit, citrus and pine.” Balanced with a “mild caramel malt character and dry finish”, Hopsoulution Ale weighs in at 8% ABV.

“Our fans have been asking for a Double IPA to be a part of our year-round portfolio. We’re going to start with the Great Lakes region and re-evaluate other markets in the future.”

 

– Larry Bell, President and Founder of Bell’s Brewery 

Beginning in September, Hopsoulution Ale will be available Year-Round in Michigan, Ohio, Indiana, Illinois and Wisconsin.  This offering will remain a Specialty Release in the remaining 35 states in Bell’s distribution footprint (plus Washington DC and Puerto Rico) and will return in spring of 2019.  Hopsoulution Ale is available in 6-packs of 12 oz. bottles and on draft.  Prost!

Vital Information for Hopsoulution Ale from Bell’s Brewery

Release – Year-Round or Specialty depending on location. Year-Round status begins September 2018
Style – Double India Pale Ale
ABV – 8%
Recommended Glassware- Snifter
Availability – 6-packs of 12 oz. bottles & draft
Beer Finder – http://www.bellsbeer.com/beer-finder

Terrapin Beer Co. Goes Old School with Limited Release of Touch of Grisette

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TerrapinToGTerrapin Beer Co. (Athens, Georgia) has announced that it will be showing its respect for an underappreciated, classic style this month with the Limited Release of Touch of Grisette.

Originally brewed in the 19th century as a thirst-quenching option for the miners that worked in the Hainaut region of Belgium, the Grisette is a low-alcohol, wheat-focused Farmhouse Ale that has quietly faded into obscurity over the years.  Although a handful of modern brewers have embraced the Grisette, the style still remains on the periphery of mainstream craft beer.

Terrapin Beer Co. is doing its part to put the Grisette back in the hands of beer lovers with the release of Touch of Grisette.  Their take on this classic Farmhouse-style Ale is loaded with “wheat and spelt for a soft biscuity malt profile” and “dry-hopped with Azacca for an aromatic rush.” Saison yeast and a lactic fermentation is then employed to round off Touch of Grisette (4.2% ABV) with “a slightly tart and spicy finish.”

Touch of Grisette will hit Terrapin’s Tasting Room in Athens this week and enter distribution at some point in mid- to late September.  You can expect to find this Limited Release brew available in 4-packs of 16 oz. cans and on draft at select beer-focused establishments in Alabama, Florida, Georgia and throughout the rest of Terrapin Beer Co.’s distribution area.  Prost!

Vital Information for Touch of Grisette from Terrapin Beer Co.

Release – Limited, mid-September 2018
Style – Grisette
ABV – 4.2%
IBUs – 23
Hops – East Kent Golding, Tettnang & Saaz; dry-hopped with Azacca
Malts – Pilsner, Malted Wheat, Unmalted Wheat, Flaked Wheat & Spelt Malt
Suggested Food Pairings – “Havarti & Triple Cream Le Riopelle, or a French classic roasted chicken with garlic and herbs.”
Availability – 4-packs of 16 oz. cans & draft
Beer Finder – https://terrapinbeer.com/beer-finder/

Dogfish Head Craft Brewery Launches New Cork-Finished Wild Beer Program

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knotty-bits-bottle-11Dogfish Head Craft Brewery (Milton, Delaware) has officially announced that KnottyBits, a Wild Ale aged on sweet and sour cherries and rhubarb, will release at the end of September as the first offering to come out of its brand new, funky wild beer program, “Wooden…It Be Nice!”.

To continue the brewery’s proud history of “producing and celebrating sour and wild ales for over two decades”, Dogfish Head has established the “Wooden…It Be Nice!” program so that it can further explore the art of wood-aging beers and the use of “wild yeast variations, like Brettanomyces and often times . . . bacteria like Lactobacillus or Pediococcus.”  Each “Wooden…It Be Nice!” offering is hand-bottled in cork and caged 375ml bottles that are then “hand painted with a special stripe signifying its uniquely crafted touch.”  All offerings to come out of the “Wooden…It Be Nice!” program will be released exclusively at Dogfish Head’s brewery location in Milton.

“About fifteen years ago, we first started experimenting with sours, beginning with Festina Lente – a peach wild ale that won us a bronze medal at the World Beer Cup in 2006 – then went on to produce SeaQuench Ale which is currently the top selling sour in America,” said Sam Calagione, CEO and founder of Dogfish Head Craft Brewery. “Now, we’re amplifying our wild beer program with Wooden…It Be Nice!, as it’s another step forward in our journey and evolution of goodness incorporating everything from herbs and spices, to local fruits, and of course, bringing it all together in wood.”

The “Wooden…It Be Nice!” series will launch on September 29 with the release of KnottyBits and will see two additional releases before the end of 2018.  The official descriptions and release details for all three 2018 “Wooden…It Be Nice!” offerings are as follows:

  • KnottyBits – The “Wooden…It Be Nice!” program opens with the release of KnottyBits, a wild ale (8.2% ABV) aged on sweet and sour cherries and rhubarb, available beginning September 29 at 11 a.m. KnottyBits was wood-aged for a year with Brettanomyces and then racked onto several hundred pounds of sweet and sour cherries and locally sourced rhubarb from Fifer Orchards at a rate of more than 2 lbs. of fresh fruit per gallon. KnottyBits is bottle conditioned for an elevated carbonation resembling a ruby red colored sparkling wine of sorts. Priced at $10/375ml bottle, approximately 2000 bottles will be available for purchase at the Milton Brewery.
  • Wet Hop American Summer Farmhouse Ale – Look for Wet Hop American Summer in early November – a Farmhouse Ale (7.75% ABV), this beer was aged in freshly emptied Chardonnay barrels with Brettanomyces for over a year, before being racked onto freshly harvested and hand-selected whole leaf Citra hops, still wet from the fields. The resulting beer has a great citrus aroma from the hops which is a perfect complement to the funky and rustic nature of the Farmhouse Ale base. Wet Hop American Summer is priced at $10/375ml bottle, approximately 1500 bottles will be available for purchase at the Milton Brewery.
  • Eastern Seaboard – In mid-December, the brewery will release Eastern Seaboard, a wild ale (8% ABV) brewed with blackberries and beach plums. After spending almost a year and a half aging in wine barrels, the liquid was met with several hundred pounds of blackberry and Eastern Shore beach plums, handpicked and selected by the brewers. The jamminess of the blackberry and tartness of the plums perfectly pair with one another in this deceptively dry beer. Eastern Seaboard is bottle conditioned to achieve champagne-like carbonation and is violet in color. Priced at $10/375ml bottle, approximately 2000 bottles will be available for purchase at the Milton Brewery.

As mentioned in each beer’s description, “Wooden…It Be Nice!” offerings can only be purchased at Dogfish Head’s brewery location in Milton and quantities are extremely limited.  If you cannot make it to Delaware or are unable to arrange for someone to secure you some bottles of the 2018 “Wooden…It Be Nice!” lineup, there is no need to fret because Dogfish Head promises that there are “more releases to come in future years.”  Prost!

Anchor Brewing Adds Fog Breaker IPA to Year-Round Portfolio

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Fog_Breaker_IPA_Bottle_PintAnchor Brewing Company (San Francisco, California) has officially introduced Fog Breaker IPA as the newest addition to its lineup of Year-Round offerings.

Inspired by Anchor Brewing Company’s “fog-busting location in San Francisco’s Potrero Hill neighborhood”, Fog Breaker IPA is “a bright, golden straw-colored” American India Pale Ale that features a “distinctly fruity aroma and assertively bitter taste.” Rocking notes of “pineapple, melons and resinous pine”, this brew’s “intense” aromatic profile is “derived from essential oils in Citra Cryo hops as well as whole-cone Denali and Cascade hops.” After “hints of light biscuity malt flavors” balance things out a bit, Fog Breaker IPA comes together to be a “a thirst-quenching, fresh brew that puts a San Francisco spin on an American IPA.”

“San Francisco is notorious for its foggy climate, but one neighborhood is a pinnacle for sunshine—Potrero Hill, where Anchor calls home. Fog Breaker IPA pays homage to our fortunate spot in the city,” said Brewmaster Scott Ungermann. “If you’ve spent time in San Francisco, you’ve experienced that distinctive moment when the sun finally shines through the fog. We bottled up that experience into a San Francisco IPA that’s filled with layers of hop flavor.”

Fog Breaker IPA is rolling out now with availability in 6-packs of 12 oz. bottles, 22 oz. bottles and on draft.  You can expect to find this new Year-Round offering at select beer-focused retailers, bars and restaurants located in Alabama, Florida, California and throughout the rest of Anchor Brewing’s nationwide distribution area.  Prost!

Vital Information for Fog Breaker IPA from Anchor Brewing Company

Release – Year-Round, launching September 2018
Style – American India Pale Ale
ABV – 6.8%
Hops – Apollo, Nugget & Denali; dry-hopped with Citra, Citra Cryo, Cascade & Denali
Malts – 2-Row Pale & Malted Wheat
Fun Fact – On this beer’s development: “Fog Breaker IPA is another first for Anchor; the first beer exclusively developed at Anchor Public Taps’ pilot brewery that has been moved into full-scale production. Located just across the street from the iconic brewery, Public Taps is a pilot brewery and bar that serves as a gathering place for locals and visitors seeking a one-of-a-kind San Francisco experience. Public Taps is home to The Potrero Project—a collection of beers brewed at the pilot brewery for guests to enjoy on tap at the bar and share feedback with the Anchor crew. Fog Breaker IPA evolved from The Potrero Project, quickly becoming one of the most popular beers served there this year.”
Availability – 6-packs of 12 oz. bottles, 22 oz. bottles & draft
Beer Finder – https://www.anchorbrewing.com/connect/beer_finder