Summer IPA Makes Seasonal Debut for Smuttynose Brewing Company

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SummerIPA-410sq

Smuttynose Brewing Company (Hampton, New Hampshire) recently announced the release of Summer IPA as the brewery’s newest summer Seasonal offering.

To create a sessionable remedy for ridiculously hot weather and poolside thirst, the brewers at Smuttynose developed Summer IPA with a recipe punctuated by citrus and tropical fruit notes sources from the use of Zeus, Citra, Saphir, and Amarillo hops.  With that hop profile gliding across a “subtle malt sweetness,” this easy-drinking India Pale Ale (5% ABV) comes together with a flavor and aroma that “is both complex and hoppy while perfectly balanced.”

“We wanted to make an IPA that’s perfect for a summer day, and we think we nailed it,” said Peter Egelston, Founder and President of Smuttynose Brewing Company. “It’s got all the hoppiness and bite of a classic IPA, and it’s perfect for any summer activity.”

Summer IPA is rolling out now and will be available throughout the summer months.  Look for this Seasonal offering to be available in 6-packs of 12 oz. bottles, 12 oz. cans and on draft at craft beer establishments located in Alabama, Florida, New Hampshire and within the rest of Smuttynose’s distribution area.  Be sure to keep Summer IPA in mind the next time you find yourself in search of a tall pour of hoppy refreshment.  Prost!

Vital Information for Summer IPA from Smuttynose Brewing Company

Release – Seasonal, launching mid-May 2017
Style – American India Pale Ale
ABV – 5%
IBUs – 25
Hops – Zeus, Citra, Saphir & Amarillo
Malts – 2 Row (British & North American), Vienna & Light Caramel 
Availability – 6-packs of 12 oz. bottles, 12 oz. cans & draft
Beer Finder – https://smuttynose.com/beer-finder/

 

Shmaltz Brewing Company Adds Cans to its Portfolio

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ShmaltzBrewing2cansShmaltz Brewing Company (Clifton Park, New York) recently announced that they will be celebrating American Craft Beer Week (May 15 to May 21, 2017) with the release of two offerings – Slingshot American Craft Lager and 518 Summer Ale – in 12 oz. cans for the first time in the history of the company.

As independent craft brewers all over the country celebrate American Craft Beer Week with events and special releases, Shmaltz Brewing is marking the occasion with the release of their first canned beers.  To accommodate craft beer fans that enjoy “summertime activities such as hiking; swimming at beaches, lakes and pools; and concert-going at outdoor music venues,” the folks at the brewery decided to go with the following easy-drinking, refreshing brews as their first canned offerings:

  • Slingshot American Craft Lager
    Release – Year-Round, cans launch May 2017
    Style – Premium Lager
    ABV – 5.3%
    Malts – Specialty 2-Row, Caramel Pils, Rye, Vienna, Wheat & Flaked Oats
    Hops – Warrior, Cascade, Saaz, Citra, Amarillo & Crystal
    Availability – 12-packs of 12 oz. cans, 6-packs of 12 oz. bottles & draft
    Description – “A classic American Craft Lager thoughtfully created to stand up to the big beer Goliaths of the world. Boasting a bright, citrusy hop aroma, supported by touches of wheat and rye, Slingshot is guaranteed to hit the craft beer bullseye every time.”
  • 518 Summer Ale
    Release – Seasonal with Limited Distribution, cans debut May 2017
    Style – Belgian Witbier/Wheat Beer
    ABV – 5.18%
    Availability – 6-packs of 12 oz. cans & draft
    Added Ingredients – Orange peel and pomegranate
    Description – “518 Summer, a Belgium Wheat with pomegranate, is a refreshing and light bodied beer with a fresh and floral aroma. This unfiltered summer sipper is brewed with New York State 2-row malt, wheat dosed with sweet orange peel, and balanced with a pinch of pomegranate. At a highly sessionable 5.18% ABV, Shmaltz’s glowing gold refresher will quench the thirst of 518 locals and visitors throughout the season.”

Both of the beers above are rolling out in cans now.  Slingshot American Craft Lager is now available Year-Round in 12-packs of 12 oz. cans at craft beer retailers located in Florida, New York and throughout the rest of Shmaltz Brewing’s 35 state distribution network.  518 Summer Ale, a “locals only” Seasonal brew, is available in 6-packs of 12 oz. cans at retailers located near the brewery in New York.  Prost!

Lonerider Brewing Releases Blood Orange Hoppy Ki Yay IPA

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BOHKYAYcansLonerider Brewing Company (Raleigh, North Carolina) has announced the release of Blood Orange Hoppy Ki Yay IPA as the brewery’s latest summer Seasonal.

Arriving as a variant of Lonerider Brewing Company’s fan-favorite Hoppy Ki Yay, Blood Orange Hoppy Ki Yay IPA is finally ready to make its Seasonal debut in 12 oz. cans.  To give this American India Pale Ale an added kick of summer refreshment, the brewers at Lonerider added blood orange purée to complement and accentuate the beer’s Columbus and Amarillo hops.  This fruit infusion results in a 6.6% ABV offering that “is the beer juice citrus lovers have been waiting on.”

Blood Orange Hoppy Ki Yay IPA is shipping out now and will be hanging around throughout the summer months.  This Seasonal brew can be found in 6-packs of 12 oz. cans and on draft at select craft beer establishments located in Alabama, North Carolina and throughout the rest of Lonerider’s distribution footprint.  Prost!

Vital Information for Blood Orange Hoppy Ki Yay IPA from Lonerider Brewing Company

Release – Limited/Seasonal, available May through summer of 2017
Style – American India Pale Ale
ABV – 6.6%
Featured Hops – Columbus & Amarillo
Added Ingredients – Blood orange purée
Availability – 6-packs of 12 oz. cans & draft

DESTIHL Brewery Adds Amra Mango IPA to Seasonal Lineup

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Amra2_editedDESTIHL Brewery (Normal, Illinois) has officially introduced Amra Mango IPA as the brewery’s newest packaged Seasonal offering.

Previously brewed as a draft-only release, Amra Mango IPA is now headed to 12 oz. cans as DESTIHL Brewery’s first seasonal of 2017 that is not in their WiLD Sour Series.  “Amra”, Sanskrit for mango, begins with an American India Pale Ale recipe supported by a solid malt backbone and a hop bill bursting with tropical fruit characteristics.  Real mangoes are then added to “dampen the impact of the bittering hops” and deliver a 7% ABV IPA that is a full-on tropical experience.

“Hops and mangoes are two pieces of a puzzle that we brought together to form an unbelievable IPA,” said Founder, CEO and Brewmaster, Matt Potts. “The hop characteristics are already chock full of tropical fruit, so accompanying it with juicy mangoes was a very natural pairing. We’re really excited about Amra because whether you’re a hop-head or hop-shy, you’ll find what you’re looking for. We have been brewing this beer for years on draft, so it is great to finally package Amra.”

Amra Mango IPA acts as “a seasonal accompaniment” to DESTIHL’s Year-Round portfolio that includes beers such as Abbey’s Single, Weissenheimer Hefeweizen and Vertex IPA. Once it’s Seasonal run is completed, Amra will be “followed by another 4 month seasonal to be announced.”

Amra Mango IPA will have availability in 6-packs of 12 oz. cans and on draft from May to August.  You can expect to find this Seasonal offering available at craft beer-friendly establishments located in Florida, Illinois and throughout the rest of DESTIHL Brewery’s distribution area.  Prost!

Vital Information for Amra Mango IPA from DESTIHL Brewery

Release – Seasonal, May through August 2017
Style – American India Pale Ale
ABV – 7%
IBUs – 60
Added Ingredients – Real mangoes
Suggested Glassware – Pint, snifter, tulip or over-sized wine glass
Availability – 6-packs of 12 oz. cans & draft
Beer Finder – http://www.destihlbrewery.com/beer-finder-1.html

Cigar City Brewing Adds Colorado to Distribution Network

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ccb-logo-2colorCigar City Brewing (Tampa, Florida) has officially announced plans to begin distribution in the state of Colorado effective immediately.

Distribution was obviously on Cigar City Brewing’s agenda this year as Colorado now marks the fourth new state to receive deliveries from the brewery in 2017.  To ensure that this new market launch is a success, the brewery has partnered with the following distributors to cover the state of Colorado: RMC Distributors, Coors Distributing Company, High Country Beverage and Mountain Beverage Co.  Craft beer fans in Colorado will be happy to find 12 oz. cans of Jai Alai IPA, Maduro Brown Ale, Florida Cracker Belgian-style White Ale, Invasion Pale Ale and Tampa-style Lager available on shelves now. During the launch, the brewery will also be sending several specialty draft releases such as Marshal Zhukov’s Penultimate Push and Margarita Gose.

Speaking of the launch, the brewery will be hosting several market launch events across Colorado from May 15 through May 18.  In addition to the distributor reps, quite a few Cigar City Brewing representatives are making the trip to be in attendance – Brewmaster Wayne Wambles, COO Justin Clark, El Lector Neil Callaghan, and Brand Manager Lucas Widrick – so the Colorado craft beer community can receive a proper introduction to the brewery’s “brand and its award-winning beer from the people who know it best.”  The Colorado launch events currently scheduled are as follows:

Monday, May 15 – Denver

Tuesday, May 16 – Fort Collins

Wednesday, May 17 –  Vail, Colorado Springs & Longmont

  • 5 p.m. to 7 p.m. – Launch Party at Vail Ale House (2161 N Frontage Rd W, Vail, CO 81657)
  • 6 p.m. to 8 p.m. – Launch Event at Brass Tap (13271 Bass Pro Dr #110, Colorado Springs, CO 80921)
  • 6 p.m. to 8 p.m. – Pint Night at Parry’s Pizza Longmont (1232 S Hover Rd #100, Longmont, CO 80501)

Thursday, May 18 – Denver, Northglenn & Highlands Ranch

If you happen to be a craft beer lover in the Colorado area, now is the time to start getting excited.  Make sure you hit up one or several of these launch event to raise a glass with the Cigar City crew and give them a proper welcome to the great state of Colorado.  Prost!

 

Tasting Notes: Tropical IPA from Garage Brewing Co.

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garageTropIPA1000Our well documented love of hops surfaces once again in this week’s installment of Tasting Notes as we have a look at the Seasonal release of Tropical IPA from Garage Brewing Co. (Temecula, California).

Established in 2013 in what was once an eight-bay garage, Garage Brewing Co. hit the California beer scene with a mission “to provide exceptional beer in an array of styles that appeal to a broad spectrum of beer lovers.”  Since many homebrewers got their start in a garage, Garage Brewing Co. uses their own to adopt the homebrewer’s freedom to dabble and experiment so that they can “stay on the cutting edge of the craft beer industry.”  This approach allows their brewing team to “maintain four or more year round styles and regularly rotate in five to six seasonal creations.”  The beers of Garage Brewing Co. are currently available in over 100 locations within the Inland Empire and San Diego County areas of California.

One of the most recent releases from Garage Brewing Co. is their Tropical IPA.  This Seasonal brew is an American India Pale Ale that has been heavily dosed with the flavors of grapefruit, pineapple and passion fruit.  At 7.5% ABV, this refreshing brew promises to be the perfect balance of tropical fruit notes and hoppy goodness.  Tropical IPA is available for a limited time in 22 oz. bottles.  It just so happens that we were lucky enough to get our hands on a bottle, so let’s pry off this cap and get to some Tasting Notes!

Tasting Notes for Tropical IPA from Garage Brewing Co.

Appearance: Tropical IPA fills the glass as a bright orange-colored brew with a frothy two fingers of white foam lounging comfortably on top.  Held to the light, sun-kissed yellows appear but that deep, vibrant orange holds its ground at the center of the pour.  The beer is pristine in clarity and displays an enthusiastic carbonation activity coursing within.  The head drops down to a complete and lasting finger that lays down wide sheets of lace after each sip.

Aroma: Tropical leads in the name and it certainly leads in the department of aromatics.  Incredibly clean notes of pineapple and grapefruit hit the olfactory quickly and clearly.  Seriously, the pineapple is impressively pronounced and enticing.  Orange and tangerine notes reinforce the tropical character before giving way to a lightly sweet grain presence.  A wisp of hop resin breezes through to close things out.

Taste: Juicy, tropical fruit notes once again strike first with passion fruit and grapefruit immediately establishing their dominance.  Those notes eventually allow the hop character the chance to show off a playful bitterness that bounces back and forth between pine and the zest of various citrus fruits.  Pineapple slips through the back door with the malts to lay down a bit of balancing sweetness.

Mouthfeel: This IPA is on the lighter side of medium in body and has a prickly carbonation level.  This combination keeps the beer easy-drinking and constantly begging for another sip.  The hops do have some stick to them, and this allows the beer’s flavors and bitterness to linger a bit.  Both sweet and bitter on the palate, balance is eventually achieved so the beer can clear out and allow the palate to reset.  At 7.5%, the ABV presence is well masked and never makes a noticeable appearance. The aftertaste keeps things tropical with lasting notes of pineapple and grapefruit.

Final Thoughts: Garage Brewing’s Tropical IPA absolutely showed up to represent itself in the incredibly popular fruited IPA segment while still remaining true to its West Coast IPA roots.  The tropical fruits definitely get top billing in this release, but the hops are still given a chance to work and add their own distinctive dimension to the experience.  The real showstopper with this beer is the aroma.  I simply cannot think of another beer that has such a blatant and pronounced pineapple character billowing from the glass like this Tropical IPA.  Once you combine that with the juicy tropical fruit flavors and the hidden ABV, you are left with a ridiculously easy-drinking and refreshing IPA that is a fantastic go-to option after any hot day.  If you happen to be in the SoCal area, be sure to give this one a shot.  Prost!

LOKO Cuisine to Host Oeste Cubano Q Dinner at Cigar City Brewing

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CUBANO-FRONTAt 7 p.m. on Friday, June 2, LOKO Cuisine will set up once again in the Fermentorium at Cigar City Brewing (3924 W. Spruce St, Tampa, Florida) to host the second installment in their Oeste Dinner Series, Cubano Q.

Chef John LoScalzo of LOKO Cuisine developed the Oeste Dinner series as a means of celebrating the culinary history and traditions of West Tampa.  Since Cigar City Brewing also draws a good amount of inspiration from this region, LoScalzo made the very easy decision to partner with the brewery so that he may pair his dishes with the most appropriate beers available.  For Round 2 of Oeste, LOKO Cuisine’s Cubano Q will be “a Cuban infused BBQ spread that will tantalize your taste buds with sweet, salty, sour and spicy flavors.”  This seated, family-style dinner event will feature the following menu of six dishes:

CUBANO-BACK

As attendees enjoy the elaborate meal above, they will have the option to pair it with Cigar City’s Margarita Gose, Guava Grove Sour Ale, Guayabera Pale Ale or Pilsner.  One pint or snifter of equal value is included in cost of the dinner, but attendees will have the option to purchase additional pours throughout the event.

Tickets for Oeste Cubano Q are $50 (plus tax) each, and you can purchase yours now through the LOKO Cuisine website (click here).  The cost of the ticket allows you to enjoy the full menu and one pint or snifter of beer.  Like all LOKO Cuisine events, seating is extremely limited.  With that in mind, lock in those tickets as soon as possible to ensure that you do not miss out on what is sure to be an amazing dining experience.  Prost!

Blood Orange Blonde Debuts for Anchor Brewing Co.

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Blood-Orange-Blonde-1-blog-thumbnail-1024x558_editedAnchor Brewing Co. (San Francisco, California) has officially launched Blonde Orange Blonde as the latest release from their Pacific Siren Series.

Hitting shelves and taps just in time for the summer months, Blood Orange Blonde is “a refreshingly unique Blonde Ale” that highlights “the delectable taste of the blood orange.”  This offering’s citrus characteristics actually begin to surface in the brewhouse when brewers add California orange peels to the kettle.  Blood orange – the Sanguinello cultivar – is then introduced during secondary fermentation to combine the fruit’s “enticingly rich aroma and tangy-sweet juiciness” with the base beer’s “mild hop bitterness, subtle malty sweetness, and . . . long, dry finish.”  Joining Mango Wheat and Meyer Lemon Lager, Blood Orange Blonde is now the third release currently available in Anchor’s Pacific Siren Series.

“Blood Orange Blonde is an exciting addition to our wildly popular Pacific Siren Series,” said Anchor Brewmaster Scott Ungermann. “This refreshing, crisp craft brew gets some of its citrusy aroma in the brewhouse, where California orange peels are added to the brew kettle. However, most of the action is in the cellar where the blood orange fruit—the Sanguinello cultivar variety—is added during secondary fermentation. The result is a fruit-forward blonde ale with a tangy citrus tartness, hints of sweet malt and honey notes and a dry orange peel bitterness at the back end.”

Blood Orange Blonde officially releases in May 2017 and will be available as a Year-Round offering. You can expect to find this new offering available in 12 oz. cans and on draft at select craft beer bars, restaurants and retailers located in Alabama, Florida, California and throughout the rest of Anchor Brewing’s national distribution footprint.  Prost!

Vital Information for Blood Orange Blonde from Anchor Brewing Company

Release – Year-Round/Pacific Siren Series, launching May 2017
Style – American Blonde Ale
ABV – 4.5%
Malts – Blend of Tow-Row Pale & Pilsner
Hops – Cluster & Experimental No. 431
Availability – 12 oz. cans & draft
Beer Finder – https://www.anchorbrewing.com/connect/beer_finder
Fun Fact – “The eye-catching packaging artwork for Blood Orange Blonde stays true to its Pacific Siren Series counterparts, donning an illustrated siren inspired by a 75-year-old California fruit crate label. Fruit-crate labels have a long and colorful history in California dating to the late nineteenth century. Most such agricultural art features enticingly succulent fruit and an idealized pastoral landscape. Anchor’s Pacific Siren Series labels however—as unique as the beers themselves—feature a stunning siren.”

Avery Brewing Co. to Add The Real Peel IPA to Year-Round Lineup

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AveryRealPeelcans_editedAvery Brewing Company (Boulder, Colorado) recently announced that The Real Peel India Pale Ale with Tangerine Peel will officially release as the brewery’s newest Year-Round offering on May 19.

“Inspired by a . . . taproom-only beer that Boulder locals have come to enjoy every summer for the past seven years,” the folks at Avery Brewing Co. decided to develop The Real Peal IPA as a “bright, fresh, and zesty” offering that can be enjoyed all year long.  Beginning with a base of crisp Rocky Mountain glacier water, Columbus, Chinook, Centennial and Cascade hops, this American India Pale Ale (6.3% ABV) is then dosed with 100% real tangerine peel “to create [a] brilliant, zesty, and fresh IPA that will satisfy rain or shine.”

“It’s been a project that has been ongoing for six or seven years”, says Andy Parker, Chief Barrel Herder at Avery. “As we developed this beer, we have made small tweaks each year to make it better and better. It’s been a staff favorite forever and at this point, it’s time to get it out to the Avery nation to enjoy.”

The Real Peel IPA will officially release on Friday, May 19 and will be available year-round.  You can expect to find this offering in 6-packs of 12 oz. cans and on draft at craft beer establishments located in Alabama, Florida, Colorado and throughout the rest of Avery Brewing’s expansive distribution network.  Prost!

Vital Information for The Real Peel IPA from Avery Brewing Co.

Release – Year-Round, launches May 19, 2017
Style – American India Pale Ale
ABV – 6.3%
Hops – Columbus, Chinook, Centennial & Cascade
Added Ingredients – 100% real tangerine peel
Suggested Food Pairings – “Fresh citrus ceviche, teriyaki chicken and veggie kabobs, Hawaiian-style pizza, and, of course, sunshine.”
Availability – 6-packs of 12 oz. cans & draft
Beer Finder – https://www.averybrewing.com/brew-finder

 

 

Creature Comforts Brewing Co. to Release Tritonia with Cucumber and Lime in Cans

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CCBCTritoniaglass_editedCreature Comforts Brewing Co. (Athens, Georgia) recently announced that Tritonia Gose with Cucumber and Lime will be packaged in 12 oz. cans for the first time in late May.

Arriving as a thirst-quenching springtime offering, Tritonia with Cucumber and Lime is a Limited Release variant of Creature Comforts Brewing Co.’s “tart and refreshing Gose” known simply as Tritonia.  The base beer’s tartness, coriander and sea salt gets an added infusion of refreshment thanks to the additions of lime and cooling cucumber.  This all results in a 4.5% ABV brew that is the perfect option to sip on after a long day in the sun.

“Tritonia is one of my favorite of our limited release beers,” said Creature Comforts Brewing Co. Co-founder and Head Brewer David Stein. “It’s extremely refreshing and perfect for the spring months as the weather starts to warm up.”

Tritonia with Cucumber and Lime will be available on draft in early May, and 12 oz. cans will follow shortly behind with a release scheduled for late May.  You can expect to find this Limited Release offering available “on-site at Creature Comforts as well as in the Athens and Atlanta markets.”  Like most packaged beers from Creature Comforts, you should not expect Tritonia with Cucumber and Lime to last long on shelves.  Get it while you can.  Prost!

Vital Information for Tritonia with Cucumber and Lime from Creature Comforts Brewing Co.

Release – Limited/Seasonal; available on draft in early May, cans release in late May
Style – Gose
ABV – 4.5%
Added Ingredients – Coriander, sea salt, lime & cucumber
Availability – 12 oz. cans & draft
Distribution – Athens & Atlanta, Georgia
Fun Fact – “In The Iliad, The Homeric Hymns, and in Hesiod’s Theogony, Athena is given the curious epithet Tritogeneia.  The meaning of this term is unclear; it could mean various things, including ‘Triton-born’, perhaps indicating that the sea-deity was her parent according to some early myths.  In Ovid’s Metamorphoses, Athena is occasionally referred to as ‘Tritonia’.”