Cascade Brewing Sets Release Dates for Manhattan NW and Crazy Navel

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CascadeManhattanlabel_editedCascade Brewing (Portland, Oregon) has announced plans to release Manhattan NW 2015 on June 6 and Crazy Navel 2016 on June 13.

Arriving as Cascade Brewing’s first release of the month, Manhattan NW 2015 is “a blend of sour quad and blond ales aged in bourbon barrels with sour pie cherries and apricot noyaux.”  Meant to mimic the notes of the classic Manhattan cocktail, this 10.3% ABV Sour Ale “features flavors of bourbon, maraschino cherries, bitter almond and rich malt backbone.”  Manhattan NW 2015 is a Tier 3 offering from the brewery, and will be available in 750ml bottles and on draft beginning on Tuesday, June 6.

“Manhattan NW has long been one of our most popular releases and is one of highest rated beers in our portfolio,” explained Tim Larrance, vice president of sales and marketing. “We’re also excited about our long awaited new orange project, Crazy Navel, and are confident it will be a summer hit.”

CascadeCrazyNavel_editedFollowing closely behind the release of Manhattan NW 2015 will be Cascade Brewing’s easy-drinking response to the warm weather months ahead, Crazy Navel 2016 (7.6% ABV).  This Tier 1 offering “is a blend of sour wheat and blond ales aged in oak wine barrels for 14 months with fresh orange zest.”  With the use of “Cara Cara and Heirloom varietals, Crazy Navel captures the essence of the navel orange balanced with a refreshingly tart and dry base beer.” Slated for release on Tuesday, June 13, Crazy Navel 2016 will also see availability in 750ml bottles and on draft.

Manhattan NW 2015 and Crazy Navel 2016 will both initially launch in Cascade Brewing’s two pubs – Cascade Brewing Barrel House and Raccoon Lodge – on their respective release dates.  Shortly after launch, bottles and kegs of both beers will then be shipped out to select craft beer establishments located in Alabama, Florida, Oregon and throughout the rest of Cascade Brewing’s distribution channels.  These two Sour Ales are almost guaranteed to move with a quickness once they hit shelves, so be sure to keep an eye out for them while on beer runs this month.  Prost!

Vital Information for Manhattan NW 2015 from Cascade Brewing

Release – Tier 3, launch date: June 6, 2017
Style – American Sour Ale 
ABV – 10.3%
Treatment – Blend of sour Quadrupel & Blonde Ales aged in Bourbon barrels
Added Ingredients – Sour pie cherries & apricot noyaux
Availability – 750ml bottles & draft

Vital Information for Crazy Navel 2016 from Cascade Brewing

Release – Tier 1, launch date: June 13, 2017
Style – American Sour Ale
ABV – 7.6%
Treatment – Blend of sour Wheat & Blonde Ales aged for 14 months in oak wine barrels
Added Ingredients – Zest of Cara Cara & Heirloom orange varietals 
Availability – 750ml bottles & draft
Fun Fact – Concerning the new labels and tier designations: “The new 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.”

Straight to Ale Sends Monkey’s Uncle Out for Distribution

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monkeysunclecanStraight to Ale (Huntsville, Alabama) has officially announced the limited release of their latest batch of Monkey’s Uncle American IPA.

He knows things.  He’s seen things. We know him. We love him.  Most importantly . . . the oversized and endearingly grumpy uncle of Monkeynaut IPA has randomly returned to share a few stories with you over a beer or two.  Monkey’s Uncle is a Double India Pale Ale that unapologetically boasts “big citrus flavors, huge hop aroma and a bitterness that makes you take notice.” With this guy weighing in at 8% ABV and 156 IBUs, be sure to proceed with caution because things can easily get out of hand whenever Monkey’s Uncle turns up.

Monkey’s Uncle is a Limited Release brew and available while supplies last.  You can expect to find this offering available in 4-packs of 12 oz. cans and on draft at select craft beer establishments located in Alabama, Florida (Panhandle) and throughout the rest of Straight to Ale’s seven state distribution footprint.  Monkey’s Uncle comes and goes as he pleases, so be sure to secure your supply while you can.  Prost!

Vital Information for Monkey’s Uncle American IPA from Straight to Ale

Release – Limited (released throughout the year), Latest Batch: June 2017
Style – American Double India Pale Ale
ABV – 8%
IBUs – 156
Availability – 4-packs of 12 oz. cans & draft
Distribution – Alabama, Florida, Georgia, Mississippi, North Carolina, South Carolina & Tennessee 

Kona Brewing Greets Summer with Lemongrass Luau

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konaLuaubottle_editedKona Brewing Company (Kailua-Kona, Hawaii) has announced the return of Lemongrass Luau Blonde Ale as the brewery’s summer seasonal offering.

Back for its second year, Lemongrass Luau comes to us by way of Kona Brewing’s Aloha Series, “a special series, widely available throughout the mainland, which features seasonal craft brews made with island-inspired ingredients.” This crisp, balanced American Blonde Ale sources its island vibe from “a fresh zing of lemongrass and a snap of ginger.” Clocking in at just 5% ABV, Lemongrass Luau is back to earn its place as your go-to brew whenever you find yourself in need of “a refreshing companion in the summer heat.”

Lemongrass Luau Blonde Ale is available now and will be hanging around through the summer months.  You can find this Seasonal offering available in 6-packs of 12 oz. bottles and on draft at select craft beer establishments located in Alabama, Florida, Hawaii and throughout the rest of Kona Brewing Company’s distribution area.  Prost!

Vital Information for Lemongrass Luau from Kona Brewing Company

Release – Seasonal/Aloha Series, May to August 2017
Style – American Blonde Ale
ABV – 5%
IBUs – 20
Added Ingredients – Lemongrass & ginger
Availability – 6-packs of 12 oz. bottles & draft
Suggested Food Pairings – ” Lemongrass Luau pairs well with grilled fish, chicken, pork and vegetables.”
Beer Finder – http://konabrewingco.com/find-beer/

Konaslogan_edited

Weyerbacher Brewing Set to Release Sexy MotherPucker

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anniversary-18Weyerbacher Brewing (Easton, Pennsylvania) has announced plans to begin the limited release of Sexy MotherPucker Sour Ale on Saturday, June 3.

Arriving as Weyerbacher’s latest Special Release offering, Sexy MotherPucker is an American Sour Ale inspired by the classic and refreshing combination of lemonade and iced tea.  Amber in color, this tart brew sports a bright citrus note thanks to a late addition of Citra hops.  At 7.5% ABV, Sexy MotherPucker finds a nice balance between “sour and malt.”

Sexy MotherPucker will officially release to the public on June 3 at The Taproom at Weyerbacher Brewing.  Shortly after the brewery launch, this Special Release will then see “limited availability on shelves (6-packs of 12 oz. bottles) and at bars/restaurants” in Florida, Pennsylvania and throughout the rest of Weyerbacher Brewing’s distribution area.  Prost!

Vital Information for Sexy MotherPucker from Weyerbacher Brewing

Release – Limited/Special, June 2017
Style – American Sour Ale
ABV – 7.5%
Featured Hops – Citra
Availability – 6-packs of 12 oz. bottles

weyerbacher

Founders Brewing Co. Gets All ReDANKulous on Hopheads

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reDANKulous2017Feature_editedFounders Brewing Co. (Grand Rapids, Michigan) has announced that reDANKulous Imperial Red IPA has officially returned to be the brewery’s current Specialty release.

Since it has achieved a RateBeer score of 99 and locked down “back-to-back medals at the Great American Beer Festival in 2015 and 2016 in the Imperial Red Ale category (gold and silver, respectively)”, it is quite obvious that reDANKulous has endeared itself to the hop-loving masses.  With a “striking red hue and subtle sweetness . . . courtesy of the Caramalt and roasted barley,” this Imperial Red India Pale Ale reaches true “dank” status thanks to a hop bill featuring Mosaic, Chinook and Simcoe hops.  This combination of ingredients results in a 9.5% ABV and 90 IBU hop experience that is spicy, piney, tropical and simply reDANKulous.

“If you’re wondering what dank means in this beer, think lingering sensory overload,” said Co-Founder and President Dave Engbers. “It really says something that this style has become a crowd favorite of judges and hop heads alike. Jeremy and our team of brewers love to experiment with new varieties, combinations and techniques – because of that reDANKulous exudes our ‘brewed for us’ philosophy.”

ReDANKulous Imperial Red IPA officially releases on June 1 and will be available through September.  This Specialty offering can be found in 4-packs of 12 oz. bottles (suggested retail price of $11.99) and on draft at craft beer establishments located in Alabama, Florida, Michigan and throughout the rest of Founders Brewing Co.’s 46 state distribution network. Prost!

Vital Information for reDANKulous Imperial Red IPA from Founders Brewing Co.

Release – Specialty, June to September 2017
Style – Imperial Red Ale (Imperial Red IPA)
ABV – 9.5%
IBUs – 90
Featured Hops – Mosaic, Chinook & Simcoe
Availability – 4-packs of 12 oz. bottles & draft
Beer Finder – https://foundersbrewing.com/find-our-beer/

Heavy Seas and Cigar City Brewing Collaborate on Partner Ships IPL

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35031085885_4e10682b3e_kHeavy Seas Beer (Baltimore, Maryland) has announced that IPL, a special collaboration beer with Cigar City Brewing (Tampa, Florida), will release in July as the next installment in the brewery’s Partner Ships Series.

The brewers at Heavy Seas and Cigar City Brewing recently got together to create India Pale Lager (IPL) as the second release of 2017 in the Partner Ships Series, a lineup of limited releases from Heavy Seas Beer that “features beers produced in collaboration with other regionally and nationally recognized brewers in the spirit of friendship, creativity, and adventure.”  IPL is a golden lager that showcases the characteristics of a sizable hop bill –  Cascade, Centennial, Mosaic, Simcoe and Mandarina Bavaria – alongside “bready malt aromatics.”  Thanks to “late addition kettle hops followed by extensive dry-hopping”, the 7.8% IPL provides “full citrus and tropical fruit flavors and aromas balancing a soft bitterness.”

IPL is a limited release that will officially launch in July.  You can expect to find this offering in 22 oz. bottles at select craft beer establishments located in Alabama, Florida, Maryland and throughout the rest of Heavy Seas Beer’s distribution footprint.  Like all releases from the Partner Ships series, the supply of IPL will be incredibly limited.  Keep that in mind when this brew releases next month and get it while you can.  Prost!

Vital Information for Partner Ships Series: IPL from Heavy Seas Beer & Cigar City Brewing

Release – Limited/Partner Ships Series, July 2017
Style – India Pale Lager
ABV – 7.8%
IBUs – 48
Hops – Cascade, Centennial, Mosaic, Simcoe & Mandarina Bavaria
Malts – Pilsen, Vienna & MFB Special Aromatic Malt
Availability – 22 oz. bottles
Beer Finder – http://hsbeer.com/beerfinder

 

 

Starr Hill Brewery Remasters its Grateful Pale Ale

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Remastered-Grateful-1_editedStarr Hill Brewery (Charlottesville, Virginia) has officially announced the release of a newly-updated version of their classic Grateful Pale Ale.

To keep up with the ever-evolving craft beer landscape, the brewers at Starr Hill decided to give their Grateful Pale Ale the Remastered treatment.  Their overall approach to this update was to take the beer in more of an American Pale Ale direction rather than that of a Session IPA.  The first stage of this transition was to add “Carafoam and Torrefied Wheat . . . to the malt bill for a fuller mouthfeel.”  The hop bill was then revamped to feature “Cascade, Mosaic, Centennial and Falconer’s Flight in the kettle and dry-hop, replacing Chinook, Topaz and Columbus.”  Thanks to the utilization of hop-bursting techniques, Grateful Pale Ale now exhibits enhanced hop aromas and flavors that are balanced beautifully by the beer’s new malt backbone.

“Similar to when we refreshed the recipe for Northern Lights IPA, we didn’t want to throw out the soul of Grateful,” says Robbie O’Cain, Brewmaster at Starr Hill Brewery. “For Grateful fans out there, this is an enhanced, balanced version of this beer that’s perfect for the warm summer months ahead.”

Grateful Pale Ale – Remastered is available now as a part of the brewery’s Core Lineup.  This offering can be found in 6-packs of 12 oz. bottles, 6-packs of 12 oz. cans, and on draft at craft beer-friendly establishments located in Alabama, Virginia, and throughout the rest of Starr Hill Brewery’s distribution area.  Keep an eye out for Grateful Pale Ale – Remastered while on your next beer run so that you can experience this new take on an old classic.  Prost!

Vital Information for Grateful Pale Ale – Remastered from Starr Hill Brewery

Release – Year-Round/Core Lineup, Remastered version launches late May 2017
Style – American Pale Ale
ABV – 4.7%
IBUs – 45
Featured Hops – Cascade, Mosaic, Centennial & Falconer’s Flight
Featured Malts – Carafoam & Torrefied Wheat
Availability – 6-packs of 12 oz. bottles, 6-packs of 12 oz. cans & draft
Beer Finder – http://starrhill.com/Beer-Finder/

The Unknown Brewing Co. Plans to Celebrate its 3.5ish Anniversary with Music Festival

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3.5ishbottle_editedOn Saturday, June 10 at 2 p.m., the folks at The Unknown Brewing Co. (Charlotte, North Carolina) will recognize their 3.5ish Anniversary with a full-blown music festival boasting six musical acts, fine cigars and a ridiculous amount of tasty brews.

To make good on their promise to go “bigger and better” with each year’s anniversary festivities, The Unknown Brewing Co. has booked 6 of “the best up and coming bands in the US” to properly celebrate the brewery’s 3.5ish Anniversary.  If that were not enough, this event will also feature limited release brews, beer-infused cigars, a charity fundraiser, and quite a few other surprises from The Unknown.  The 3.5ish Music Festival is absolutely bursting with awesome details, so let’s break it all down.

The Basics

The Music

To live up to its listing as an all-out Music Festival, the following six musical acts get top billing for this party:

The stage times for each band have not yet been released, but we will update this area with that information once it is available.

The Beer

This event may be a Music Festival, but it is still being thrown by a brewery.  With that said, The Unknown Brewing Co. obviously plans to celebrate its 3.5ish Anniversary with some damn tasty beers as well:

  • This event will act as the release of The Unknown Brewing Co.’s Geuze-inspired Lambic Ale titled “3.5ish“
  • A vast array of limited release beers will be flowing on tap
  • The brewery will also be delving back into its recipe book to revive several beers from the past

The Cause

To ensure that this event makes a difference, The 3.5ish Music Festival will also act as a fundraiser for Purple Heart Homes –  a 501(c)3 public charity “dedicated to providing housing for Service Connected Disabled Veterans that is substantial in function, design, and quality fit to welcome home the fighting men and women of America.”  During the event, The Unknown Brewing Co. will have a special “Charity Tap” set up.  $1 from every pint sold from the “Charity Tap” will go to benefit Purple Heart Homes.

Additional Info

To round off the celebration, The 3.5ish Music Festival will also feature cigars from Cigar Row that have been infused with beer from The Unknown Brewing Co., a selection of local food trucks, and quite a few “other awesome surprises.”

Tickets

Tickets for The 3.5ish Musical Festival are available now for the cost of $10 each (plus fees), and you can click here to secure your tickets.  Ticket price grants you entrance into the festival and access to the live entertainment.  All other aspects of this anniversary party are pay as you go.

That should just about cover all the information currently available concerning The 3.5ish Music Festival from The Unknown Brewing Co.  Once more details are released, we will of course update you here with that info.  You really cannot go wrong with a fantastic day filled with live music for just $10 a person.  Factor in all of those amazing beers that you will have access to, and this event easily graduates to can’t-miss status.  If you are free on June 10 and in the Charlotte area, make sure you are at The Unknown Brewing Co. for its 3.5ish Music Festival and Anniversary Party.  Prost!

unknownlogo

 

Hi-Wire Brewing to Expand Distribution into Atlanta

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Hi-Wire-BrewingHi-Wire Brewing (Asheville, North Carolina) has officially announced that it has signed with Georgia Crown Distributing Co. to expand its distribution network into the Atlanta, Northwest Georgia, and Southwest Georgia areas.

After testing the waters in smaller markets such as Athens, Augusta and Savannah, Hi-Wire Brewing has confidently decided to take a huge leap forward by launching their brand in Atlanta and the remainder of the state of Georgia.  To take full advantage of this opportunity, the brewery will enter the Atlanta market with its “entire portfolio,  including year-round, seasonal, specialty, and sour beers.”

“The opportunity to roll out into a major metropolitan area like Atlanta doesn’t come along too often. Hi-Wire will certainly see an incredible boost in its overall sales, but I believe the increased exposure from having a larger and more targeted audience, is the bigger piece of the puzzle.”

 

– Chris Lutkowski, Director of Sales for Hi-Wire Brewing

The Hi-Wire Brewing team and Georgia Crown Distribution Co. will celebrate this launch by hosting “a variety of tap takeovers, tastings, and other specialty events throughout the week of June 5th-9th.”  The list of confirmed events is as follows:

Monday, June 5

  • 6 p.m. – Launch Party at Argosy (470 Flat Shoals Ave. SE, Atlanta)

Tuesday, June 6

Wednesday, June 7

Thursday, June 8

  • 4 p.m. – Tap Takeover at Ale Yeah! (906 W. College Ave, Decatur)
  • 5 p.m. – Tap Takeover at Republic Social House (437-C Memorial Dr. SE, Atlanta)

Saturday, June 10

  • 11 a.m. – Tap Takeover at The Beer Growler (38A N. Avondale Rd. Avondale Estates)

The list above is just a sampling of what is to come, so be sure to follow Hi-Wire Brewing’s social media accounts – Facebook, Twitter & Instagram – for information on any added events.

This is an awesome score for Georgia’s craft beer faithful, so be sure that you are at one (or several) of these launch events to give the Hi-Wire Brewing crew a proper welcome to the Atlanta beer scene.  Prost!

 

EVENT POSTPONED: Magic City Brewfest Returns for 11th Year in Birmingham

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(**UPDATE 05.30.17**)  On Saturday, May 27, Free the Hops issued the following statement regarding the postponement of the 11th Annual Magic City Brewfest:

MCBFPostponed

We will update you with information as this situation develops.  (**UPDATE 05.30.17**)

On Friday, June 9 from 7 p.m. to 11 p.m. and Saturday, June 10 from 4 p.m. to 8 p.m., the Birmingham Chapter of Free the Hops will host its 11th Annual Magic City Brewfest at Sloss Furnaces (20 32nd Street North, Birmingham, Alabama).

To the delight of Alabama’s craft beer community, Brewfest Season is officially back in the Yellowhammer State and the time for Magic City Brewfest draws near. This is the original Free the Hops festival that helped create much-needed change in the state’s antiquated beer laws, and 2017’s Magic City Brewfest promises to be one of the best yet by boasting over “175 types of beer from over 70 breweries.”  Since this event is absolutely packed with amazing beer, delicious food, incredible live entertainment and insightful beer classrooms, we have quite a bit of information to go over.  Let’s break it all down.

The Basics

What – 11th Annual Magic City Brewfest
When – Two Sessions: Friday, June 9 from 7 p.m. to 11 p.m. and Saturday, June 10 from 4 p.m. to 8 p.m.
Where – Sloss Furnaces (20 32nd Street North, Birmingham, Alabama)

The Organization

“Free The Hops is a grassroots non-profit consumer advocacy organization whose successful lobbying efforts to reform hostile laws have helped make Alabama one of the most vibrant and welcoming beer markets in the USA. As a craft beer consumer advocacy organization, our mission is to work within our communities to educate the public, support the industry at large, and remain vigilant watch dogs on legislative processes. Started in 2004 by Alabamians with no ties to any alcoholic beverage business, Free The Hops was incorporated later that year and registered as an official 501(c)(6) non-profit in 2007. None of our members make any money off the grassroots effort.”

A New Focus

“This year, Free the Hops has overhauled their mission to focus more on education. We will be sharing a wealth of fun and useful knowledge, from an introduction to homebrewing and common off flavors in beer, to tips on pairing beer with food and maximizing your time at the festival. We will have an overview of the Cicerone curriculum, and details on various beer styles and serving methods.”

The Beer

In addition to showcasing over 175 beers from over 70 breweries, the 2017 Magic City Brewfest will also feature the following specialty releases:

  • Sponsored by The J. Clyde, the Alabama Cask Garden returns to feature one-off casks created by Alabama breweries exclusively for the Magic City Brewfest
  • The J. Clyde Fire Truck will be on-site to serve up some exclusive beers
  • This year’s Magic City Brewfest will also feature the Sister Cities Birmingham/Plzen Brewery Collaboration, a collaborative effort that had four Birmingham breweries (Cahaba Brewing Co., Avondale Brewing Co., Red Hills Brewing Company, and 5 Points Brewing) team up with breweries from Plzen, Czech Republic to create some exclusive beers for the festival.  Attendees will have the opportunity to vote for their favorite collaboration brew from this series

The full brewery and beer list for the 2017 Magic City Brewfest is in the process of being compiled.  Once it is completed, you can view it by following this link.

The Food

The following local restaurants will be on-site to serve up some tasty eats during the event:

Food is not included in the ticket cost.  Once inside the festival, attendees will be able to purchase tokens to exchange for food.

The Music

To keep the energy up throughout the event, the Magic City Brewfest will also feature the following local musical acts:

Friday, June 9

Saturday, June 10

Ticket Information

Tickets for the 11th Annual Magic City Brewfest are on sale now, and you can purchase yours by using the following links:

If the event does not sell out in advance, tickets will be available at the door day of the event for $45 each.  Designated driver tickets will also be available for $10 each.

Ticket price grants you entrance into the festival on your chosen date, a commemorative tasting glass, the ability to sample over 175 beers, and access to live entertainment and educational classrooms.

Now that all the details are covered, this is the part where we give the Magic City Brewfest – and this goes for its sister Rocket City Brewfest in Huntsville – our full, honest endorsement as one of the finest and best organized beer festivals in the country.  The event is just big enough, the location is picturesque, the beers are top quality, and attention to detail is always the priority.  If you are in Alabama or anywhere near the state on June 9 or 10, do yourself a favor and pencil the 11th Annual Magic City Brewfest into your plans.  Seriously, do it.  Prost!