The Tampa Theatre BeerFest Returns in 2017 with Barley’s Angels

Posted on by mashingin

BarleysAngels_PosterOn Saturday, June 24 from 8 p.m. to 10 p.m., the Tampa Theatre will host BeerFest 2017: Barley’s Angels as its 6th (almost) Annual Beer Festival and Fundraiser.

BeerFest 2017: Barley’s Angels arrives as the sixth installment in the Tampa Theatre’s series of themed, tongue-in-cheek beer festivals that feature local craft brews and samples from some of Tampa’s top independent restaurants in a fun, theatrical environment. Although the theme may sound a bit silly, it is all done for the very worthy cause of benefiting the historic Tampa Theatre’s “artistic, educational and community programs, as well as its ongoing preservation and restoration.”  There are quite a few details to go over when it comes to this festival, so let’s break it all down.

The Basics

  • What – BeerFest 2017 – Barley’s Angels
  • When – 8 p.m. to 10 p.m. on Saturday, June 24
  • Where – Tampa Theatre: 711 N Franklin Street, Tampa, FL

The Theme

Barley’s Angels – “Evil villainess Hoppy vonKeggers is trying to steal all the beer at BeerFest 2017, hell-bent on rounding up recipes and creating her own ULTIMATE microbrewery. Luckily, the captivating crime-fighting trio of Amber, Blondie, and Honey – known to their foes as “Barley’s Angels” – are working alongside their ever-faithful assistant, Beersley, to stop vonKeggers and keep the community’s craft brews safe and sudsy for Tampa Theatre patrons to sample.”

The Barley’s Angels – Amber, Blondie, Honey – and other entertainers, courtesy of Busch Gardens, will be in attendance during the beer festival.  Guests are invited and encouraged “to get in the spirit by dressing as their favorite Charlie’s Angels character or in a costume inspired by the movie.”

Featured Breweries

Featured Restaurants

**Note** The brewery and restaurant lists above are expected to grow as the date of the festival draws closer.  We will update this post as additions are announced. **Note**

Additional Details

In addition to all the festival happenings going down within the Tampa Theatre, BeerFest 2017: Barley’s Angels “will spill out onto Franklin Street, where there will be live music, MORE BEER, and photos with Amber, Blondie, Honey.”

Guests must be 21 years of age or older to attend this event; valid Government-issued ID is required for entry.

Ticket Information

Tickets for BeerFest 2017: Barley’s Angels are available now, and Advance Sale Tickets can be purchased online (click here) or at the Tampa Theatre Box Office in the following tiers:

  • Grand Sampling Ticket: $40 each
  • Premium Sampling Ticket: $65 each – grants you entry into the festival an hour early at 7 p.m.

Advance Sale discount pricing ends on Friday, June 2.  After that date, ticket prices go up to $45 for Grand Sampling Tickets and $70 for Premium Sampling Tickets.

Tampa Theatre Members save $5 off advance-sale prices.

Alrighty, that should just about cover all the details available at this time.  If you are free on June 24, go ahead and get a group of friends together, lock down some tickets and support a community landmark by getting in on all the good times sure to be had at Tampa Theatre’s BeerFest 2017: Barley’s Angels.  Prost!

Brewery Ommegang to Release Bend the Knee Golden Ale as Next Game of Thrones Beer

Posted on by mashingin

Ommegang_Secondary_Logo_GreyscaleBrewery Ommegang (Cooperstown, New York) and HBO Global Licensing have announced that Bend the Knee Golden Ale Brewed with Honey will be released over Memorial Day weekend as the newest installment in their Game of Thrones series of beers.

Bend the Knee Golden Ale has been crafted by the brewers at Ommegang as the perfect libation to honor the launch of the seventh season of HBO’s Emmy® Award-winning Game of Thrones and pay “homage to the struggle for control of the Seven Kingdoms.”  The foundation for this golden hued ale has been laid with an aroma and flavor that balances a firm maltiness with citrus hops.  Wildflower honey was then added during fermentation to have a light sweetness join the fruity character of Ommegang’s signature house yeast.  At 9% ABV, Bend the Knee “finishes dry and with [a] firm hop bitterness.”  To bring it all back to the show, this limited-edition offering has been packaged “in a series of three collectible 750ml bottles, all finished in matte black and adorned with one of the three Great House sigils: Stark, Targaryen, or Lannister.”

The retail release for Bend the Knee Golden Ale is set for May 22 and will roll out nationwide over Memorial Day weekend.  This limited release can be found on draft and in 750 ml bottles (suggested retail price of $9.99 each) at fine beer establishments located in Alabama, Florida, New York and throughout the rest of Ommegang’s expansive distribution area.  The seventh season of Game of Thrones returns on July 16, so make sure that you have a bottle of Bend the Knee on hand to properly enjoy that first episode.  Prost!

Vital Information for Bend the Knee Golden Ale from Brewery Ommegang

Release – Limited, launches May 22
Style – Golden Ale
ABV – 9%
Malt – Pils & Flaked Oats
Hops – Saaz, Bravo & Styrian Golding
Availability – Draft & a series of three collectible 750ml bottles, all finished in matte black and adorned with one of the three Great House sigils: Stark, Targaryen, or Lannister
Suggested Food Pairings – “Fit for any feast table, Bend the Knee’s clean and balanced flavor and effervescent carbonation make it a fine pairing for a variety of foods including seafood and shellfish, roasted or grilled chicken, grilled steaks, and aged Swiss-style cheeses.”
Beer Finder – http://ommegang.com/#!locator

Rogue Ales Raises Cash for College with Launch of Hot Tub Scholarship Lager

Posted on by mashingin

Jack_Joyce_ScholarshipRogue Ales (Newport, Oregon) has officially announced the release of Hot Tub Scholarship Lager as a means of raising funds for the Jack Joyce Scholarship Fund.

Named in honor of the founder of Rogue Ales & Spirits, the Jack Joyce Scholarship Fund was established in 2014 to help “students at Oregon State University’s Fermentation Sciences program pay for their education.”  The fund has since awarded $185,000 to 15 recipients.  When one of the first recipients was asked to share a few words about the impact of the scholarship, “it was disclosed that, in addition to helping pay for books and tuition, the winner had taken a portion of the scholarship proceeds to buy a hot tub.”  With that honest response, the folks at Rogue Ales found the inspiration to create Hot Tub Scholarship Lager.

Honest, straight-forward and an homage to a classic beer style, Hot Tub Scholarship Lager arrives as Rogue’s take on a refreshing German-style Helles Lager.  Since this beer has been brewed for a great cause, “Rogue Ales will donate 10% of Hot Tub Scholarship Lager sales to the Jack Joyce Scholarship Fund.”

“We’re proud to help the next generation of brewers and distillers get a chance to make their dreams come true,” said Rogue President Brett Joyce.

Hot Tub Scholarship Lager is available now and will be hanging around through the end of September.  You can expect to find this offering available in 6-packs of 12 oz. cans at craft beer retailers located in Alabama, Florida, Oregon and throughout the rest of Rogue’s nationwide distribution area.  Be sure to look for this one while on your next beer run so that you can help another college student reach his or her dreams . . . of one day owning a hot tub.  Prost!

Vital Information for Hot Tub Scholarship Lager from Rogue Ales

Release – Seasonal, May to September 2017
Style – Helles-style Lager
ABV – 5.47%
IBUs – 35
Malts – GWM 2 Row, Weyerman Carahell & Dextra Pils
Hops – Rogue Farms Revolution & Alluvial
Yeast – Bohemian Lager
The Cause – Rogue Ales will donate 10% of Hot Tub Scholarship Lager sales to the Jack Joyce Scholarship Fund
Availability – 6-packs of 12 oz. cans
Beer Finder – https://www.rogue.com/finder/

TrimTab Brewing Releases Bankston 88 Belgian Blonde in Cans

Posted on by mashingin

 

Bankston88

TrimTab Brewing (Birmingham, Alabama) has announced that 12 oz. cans of their seasonally released Bankston 88 Belgian Blonde Ale are now available for the first time in the beer’s history.

Developed to be a “crisp, crucial, crushable liquid treat”, Bankston 88 is a wheat-based Belgian-style Blonde Ale that highlights the combination of a Belgian yeast strain with Centennial and Sorachi Ace hops.  The chosen hops lend the beer a dynamic aroma “dominated by lemon verbena, grapefruit, cedar, and gardenia flowers.”  These notes are then further supported by flavors of “fresh bread, lemongrass, [and] a variety of acidic fruits such as meyer lemon and grapefruit.”  At just 4.5% ABV, Bankston 88 comes together as liquid proof “that a session beer can have incredible depth of flavor all while remaining light and undeniably drinkable.”

12 oz. cans of Bankston 88 Belgian Blonde Ale officially rolled out over the weekend with availability in TrimTab’s Tasting Gallery, and distribution will begin later this week when the brewery hosts a Launch Party at The Louis – located in the Pizitz Food Hall (120 19th Street North, Birmingham) – on Thursday, May 25 from 6 p.m. to 9 p.m.  After the Launch Party, you can expect to find Bankston 88 available in 6-packs of 12 oz. cans and on draft at craft beer establishments located within the Alabama distribution area of TrimTab Brewing.  Prost!

Vital Information for Bankston 88 Belgian Blonde Ale from TrimTab Brewing

Release – Seasonal, cans launch late May 2017
Style – Blonde Ale
ABV – 4.5%
IBUs – 31
Featured Hops – Centennial & Sorachi Ace
Yeast – Belgian yeast strain
Availability – 6-packs of 12 oz. cans & draft
Beer Finder – http://trimtabbrewing.com/beers/#beer_locator

Catawba Brewing Co. to Introduce HOPness Monster as New Flagship IPA

Posted on by mashingin

CatawbaHOPnessCatawba Brewing Co. (Morganton, North Carolina) has announced that it will be adding HOPness Monster IPA to its Year-Round portfolio beginning on Saturday, May 20.

Claiming that they have crafted “a beer for the new breed of hophead”, Catawba Brewing Co. is shaking up in their line of Year-Round brews with the introduction of HOPness Monster IPA.  Inspired by a “mysterious beast that lurks in the cold fresh waters of Western North Carolina, terrorizing poor, hop-shy souls”, HOPness Monster has risen from the depths of Catawba’s pilot brewery in Asheville.  After the beer was tested in small batches across the city, the brewery decided to move forward with a recipe packed with Citra and Cascade hops to create “a big biting hop profile layered with ripe tropical fruit, juicy citrus, and pine.”  Weighing in at 6.5% ABV and 60 IBUs, HOPness Monster IPA promises to achieve “the perfect balance of everyday drinkability with intensely aromatic and flavorful hop character.”  HOPness Monster will officially replace Firewater India Pale Ale as the brewery’s flagship IPA.

HOPness Monster IPA will make its debut at launch parties held at all Catawba Brewing Co. tasting room locations on Saturday, May 20.  This offering will then enter distribution “immediately afterwards”.  You can expect to find this new Year-Round brew available in 6-packs of 12 oz. cans and on draft at craft beer establishments located in Alabama, North Carolina and throughout the rest of Catawba’s distribution footprint.  Prost!

Vital Information for HOPness Monster IPA from Catawba Brewing Co.

Release – Year-Round, launching May 20
Style – American India Pale Ale
ABV – 6.5%
IBUs – 60
Featured Hops – Citra & Cascade
Availability – 6-packs of 12 oz. cans & draft

CatawbaHOPness2

 

Sierra Nevada Brewing Co. Reformulates Hoptimum to be Its “Hoppiest Beer Yet”

Posted on by mashingin

hoptimum-bottle-pint2017Sierra Nevada Brewing Co. (Chico, California) recently released Hoptimum Triple IPA – 2017 Edition with a new recipe and hop schedule.

With America’s community of craft beer consumers consistently showing that it largely values new and different over traditional and established, Sierra Nevada Brewing Co. continues to make changes to its portfolio of iconic brews.  The latest example of this adaptation is the reimagination of Hoptimum Triple IPA for its 2017 release.  Thanks to tweaks that involve mixing things up in the hop department to achieve a bit more balance, the 2017 incarnation of this High Altitude Release showcases a “tropical and citrus hop aroma that delivers a refined yet aggressive character.”  Although the IBUs might be down a few ticks, the brewery steadfastly claims that Hoptimum Triple IPA – 2017 Edition is their “hoppiest beer yet.”

Hoptimum Triple IPA – 2017 Edition is available now while supplies last.  This limited release offering can be found in 6-packs of 12 oz. bottles and on draft at select craft beer establishments located in Alabama, Florida, California, North Carolina and throughout the rest of Sierra Nevada’s national distribution network.  These changes are bound to be the norm for the foreseeable future, so this might just be your only chance to experience this version of Hoptimum.  With that in mind, be sure to grab a sixer or pour of this limited release if you happen to run across it over the next month or so.  Prost!

Vital Information for Hoptimum Triple IPA – 2017 Edition from Sierra Nevada Brewing Co.

Release – Limited/High Altitude Series, launching May 2017
Style – American Imperial India Pale Ale
ABV – 9.6%
IBUs – 65
Hops – Citra, Simcoe & Chinook
Malts – Two-row Pale & Wheat
Availability – 6-packs of 12 oz. bottles & draft
Suggested Food Pairings – Aged Monterey Jack cheese, cream-based sauces, citrus-based sauces, French vanilla ice cream
Beer Finder – http://www.sierranevada.com/beer-locator

 

Full Sail Brewing Co. Enters Summer with Release of Session Watermelon Wheat Ale

Posted on by mashingin

Session_WaterMelonWheat_POURSHOTFull Sail Brewing Co. (Hood River, Oregon) has officially introduced Session Watermelon Wheat Ale as a spring to summer Seasonal release from the brewery’s Session brand.

To allow the noble watermelon a reprieve from the business ends of sledgehammers, Full Sail Brewing is giving this tasty melon the respect it deserves by infusing it into “a crisp, refreshing beer that smells and tastes like a slice of summer.”  Session Watermelon Wheat Ale begins with a malt base of 2-row Northwest Pale, Malted Wheat, and Unmalted Wheat that is then balanced by additions of Hallertauer and Crystal hops.  The resulting American Wheat Ale is then supplied with “a hint of fresh watermelon flavor” to create “a refreshing brew for the blue-sky days of spring and summer drinking.”

“Spring is here, with summer soon to follow,” says Full Sail Brewmaster Jim Kelter. “While the availability of beer knows no season, watermelon of course is another thing. Beer and watermelon, two quintessential summer pleasures, are paired here in Session Watermelon Wheat.”

Session Watermelon Wheat Ale is available now and will be hanging around through the month of August.  This Seasonal release can be found in 12-packs of 11 oz. bottles, the summer edition of Session Mashup variety 12-packs, and on draft at craft beer-friendly establishments located in Florida, Georgia, Oregon and throughout the rest of Full Sail’s distribution area.  Prost!

Vital Information for Session Watermelon Wheat Ale from Full Sail Brewing Co.

Release – Seasonal, May through August 2017
Style – American Wheat Ale
ABV – 5.4%
IBUs – 23
Malts – 2-row Northwest Pale, Malted Wheat & Unmalted Wheat
Hops – Hallertauer & Crystal
Added Ingredients – Watermelon
Availability – 12-packs of 11 oz. bottles, Session Mashup variety 12-pack (summer edition) & draft
Beer Finder – https://fullsailbrewing.com/where-to-buy/

Unibroue Launches Éphémère Sureau as New Seasonal

Posted on by mashingin

unibroueephemerebottleUnibroue (Chambly, Québec) has officially announced the arrival of Sureau, an Elderberry Belgian-style White Ale, as the latest Seasonal release from the brewery’s Éphémère Series.

The long-standing Éphémère Series is Unibroue’s line of “refreshing, lightly spiced” Belgian-style White Ales that have been infused with a featured seasonal fruit.  For this latest release, Éphémère Sureau – French for “elderberry” – captures the full essence of the elderberry by utilizing both the fruit and the flower.  “Slightly cloudy and seductively reddish [in] color with purplish hues,” this fruit ale’s “berry flavours, subtle floral notes and hints of tropical fruit evoke Muscat grapes’ notable bouquet from the very first sip.”

“This is the first time we’re using both the fruit and flower in making an Éphémère beer,” explains Jerry Vietz, Unibroue’s Master Brewer. “The elderberry flower’s aroma is a perfect complement to the fruit’s rich, delicious flavour.”

Éphémère Sureau began its launch in the United States on May 1 and will be available for a limited time.  You can expect to find this Seasonal offering available in Sommelier Selection variety packs, 6-packs of 341 ml bottles, 750 ml bottles and on draft at fine beer establishments located in Alabama, Florida, and throughout the rest of Unibroue’s distribution network in the U.S.  Prost!

Vital Information for Éphémère Sureau from Unibroue

Release – Seasonal/Éphémère Series, launching May 2017
Style – Belgian-style White Ale
ABV – 5.5%
IBUs – 6
Added Ingredients – Elderberry fruit & flowers
Availability – 6-packs of 341 ml bottles, 750 ml bottles, available in Sommelier Selection variety packs & draft
Suggested Glassware – Tulip
Suggested Pairings – “Éphémère Elderberry’s explosion of berry flavours and subtle floral notes make for a wide variety of pairings,” confirms Sylvain Bouchard, beer sommelier at the brewery. “This delicious beer goes very well with pork loin, grilled chicken, as well as fish and seafood dishes, and adds a refreshing touch to rosette sausages. It also pairs well with goat, Brie and Camembert cheeses.”
Beer Finder – https://www.unibroue.com/en/find-our-beers

Deschutes Brewery Expands Distribution to Include North Carolina

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deschuteslogoDeschutes Brewery (Bend, Oregon) has officially announced that it will enter the North Carolina market beginning in June.

As the opening date (the early 2020’s) for its brewing facility in Virginia approaches, Deschutes Brewery is taking steps forward to introduce the Southeast region to their iconic brews by expanding into North Carolina next month. In order to lock down the whole state, the brewery has partnered with the following seven distributors that have “300 years of combined beer-community building in the state”: Caffey Distributing Company; Carolina Premium Beverage; Coastal Beverage Company; Healy Wholesale Company, Inc.; Long Beverage, Inc.; Skyland Distributing Company, Inc. and United Beverages of North Carolina, LLC.

“With the recent announcement of our second brewing facility and downtown tasting room in Roanoke Virginia, it seemed logical to expand our consumer base to the craft-savvy state of North Carolina. We have been anxiously awaiting the opportunity to expand there for years.”

 

– Stacy Denbow, Frontier Region Director for Deschutes Brewery

With the help of the distributors above, Deschutes Brewery will enter North Carolina with following draft offerings in June:

  • Fresh Squeezed IPA – “This mouthwateringly delicious IPA gets its flavor from a heavy helping of citra and mosaic hops. Don’t worry, no fruit was harmed in the making of this beer.”  ABV – 6.4%  IBUs – 60
  • Black Butte Porter – “This is the beer that started it all. A rich, creamy mouthfeel complements a layered depth, revealing distinctive chocolate and coffee notes. Full of flavor, yet easy to drink.”  ABV – 5.2%  IBUs – 30
  • Pacific Wonderland Lager – “We’ve always believed the best way to respect tradition is to brew the unexpected. So when we set out to create a sessionable lager befitting of the Pacific Northwest, our sense of exploration led us to this dry-hopped wonder befitting of everyday adventure. Citrusy Tettnang Mandarina hops combine with the crisp, bright character of a traditional lager to deliver a beer that is truly refreshing, and undoubtedly worth sharing.”  ABV – 5.5%  IBUs – 40
  • Hop Slice Summer Ale – “Floral and citrus hop notes meet smooth caramel maltiness in this refreshingly-balanced golden ale. This year’s batch includes Lemondrop Hops! Grab a slice of summer in a glass…”  ABV – 5%  IBUs – 35

6-packs of the beer above and the brewery’s popular variety 12-pack will hit North Carolina retailers in August 2017.

Shortly after the kegs are tapped in June, Deschutes Brewery and its distribution partners plan to host “several launch and community oriented events around the state.” Once those details are released, we will be sure to update this post so that you are able to give the Deschutes crew a proper welcome to the North Carolina beer community.  Prost!

deschutesNC_edited

Schlafly Beer to Pair Solar Eclipse with Path of Totality Pack

Posted on by mashingin

SchlaflylogoSchlafly Beer (St. Louis, Missouri) has announced plans to commemorate this summer’s solar eclipse with the release of the special edition Path of Totality pack of its Helles-style Lager in June.

As self-proclaimed “science nerds”, the crew at Schlafly Beer is preparing for this summer’s total eclipse – Monday, August 21 – by putting together the Path of Totality pack, a limited-edition packaging of their Helles-style Lager named after the path that experiences complete darkness during an eclipse.  Wrapped in black and metallic silver labels, these 6 and 12-packs of 12 oz. bottles will also include a pair of solar glasses so eclipse gazers can “watch the phenomenon safely.”

“St. Louis is along the Path of Totality, the path of the eclipse that will experience total darkness. As science nerds at Schlafly, we are very excited for this, along with the rest of the city, so we wanted to do something fun to celebrate. The last total eclipse seen in St. Louis was almost 550 years before anyone had tried a Schlafly beer back in 1442,” says Founding Brewer Stephen Hale.

As for the beer itself, Schlafly’s Helles-style Lager is “a bright, golden beer . . . reminiscent of European lagers.”  The beer begins with a backbone of “fresh grain character” that is balanced by the “mild lemony, spicy flavor” of German Mittelfrüh hops.  Weighing in at just 4.5% ABV and 17 IBUs, Helles-style Lager proves itself to be a perfect option for summertime drinking.

The Path of Totality pack will release in June and be available all summer long in 6-packs of 12 oz. bottles for the suggested retail price of $7.99 and in 12-packs of 12 oz. bottles for the suggested retail price of $13.99.  You can expect to find these limited-edition packs at craft beer retailers located in Missouri, Mississippi, Tennessee and throughout the rest of Schlafly Beer’s distribution footprint.

If you happen to live in the St. Louis area, Schlafly Beer is also planning an Eclipse Field Trip party on eclipse day itself on Monday, August 21.  This event will take place at the Dew Drop Inn (Bloomsdale, Missouri) and include the following:

  • Bus transportation to and from the Dew Drop Inn
  • Beer on the bus and at the event
  • BBQ lunch
  • Lawn games
  • Live music

Tickets to this event are $45 each and will be available for purchase beginning on July 1.  You can click here for more information concerning this event and to purchase tickets once they are released.  Tickets are incredibly limited.

Whether you are able to make the Eclipse Field Trip or simply pick up a Path of Totality pack, just do what you can to ensure that you have a Helles-style Lager in hand while you experience and appreciate a rare total solar eclipse on August 21.  Prost!

Vital Information for Helles-style Lager from Schlafly Beer

Release – Seasonal (Limited Edition Packaging), Path of Totality packs launch June 2017
Style – Helles Lager
ABV – 4.5%
IBUs – 17
Malts – Pale, Europils & Carapils
Hops – Mittelfrüh & Magnum
Yeast – German Lager
Availability – 6-packs of 12 oz. bottles, 12-packs of 12 oz. bottles & draft
Fun Fact – “The German word ‘Helles’ translates as ‘light’ and ‘Lager’ means ‘to store’.”

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