Field Trip: Cavalier Distributing Trade Show – Tampa

Posted on by mashingin

Just a few weeks ago, Cavalier Distributing (Lakeland, Florida) held a fantastic and informative trade show at The Vault, a beautiful venue located in the heart of Tampa’s Downtown Arts District.  Cavalier used this industry-only event as an opportunity to introduce the area’s restaurants, bars, retailers, and media members to their vast portfolio of fine craft beers, meads, ciders and spirits.  The best way to capture all that this event had to offer was through a visual medium, so check out the photos below (click to enlarge) so that you too can get the inside scoop on the exciting beverages headed our way this year from Cavalier Distributing.  Prost!

Constructed in 1923 as The Exchange National Bank, The Vault is now a unique and versatile venue located in the heart of Tampa’s Downtown Arts District.
Driftwood Brewery (Victoria, British Columbia) was on hand to showcase their Fat Tug IPA, an intense Northwest-style India Pale Ale brewed with the hop aficionado in mind.
New to the area, Forbidden Root sampled their line of botanical-themed offerings: Sublime Ginger, Money on My Rind, & Wildflower Pale Ale (WPA).
Blavod, the original Black Vodka, was on hand to create beautiful and inventive cocktails for attendees.
M.I.A. Beer Company (Doral, Florida) brought their core lineup along with several small-batch and limited brews.
View of a happy crowd from above.
Duclaw Brewing Co. (Baltimore, Maryland) treated the crowd to tastes of decadent ales like Sweet Baby Jesus! Chocolate Peanut Butter Porter and Dirty Little Freak Coconut Caramel Chocolate Brown Ale.
The beautiful Farmhouse Ales of Blackberry Farm Brewery (Walland, Tennessee) were in attendance.
The folks at B. Nektar (Ferndale, Michigan) were nice enough to share bottles of Episode 13 Mead Aged in Bourbon Barrels alongside several other beautiful meads.
Crafted Artisan Meadery (Akron, Ohio) dazzled taste buds with Jinja Dragon, a Honey Wine dosed with “generous additions of hibiscus and ginger with a touch of black peppercorn.”
Harris Meadery (Orange Park, Florida) absolutely nailed their Key Lime Pie Mead.
We can’t think of anything more awesome than a bandolier of Underberg.
The Duck-Rabbit Craft Brewery (Farmville, North Carolina), the Dark Beer Specialist, poured up their classic Milk Stout alongside Hoppy Bunny American Black Ale.
Maeloc Hard Cider, a cidery from Galicia, Spain, will soon be hitting the area with their line of delicious ciders.
Town Branch Distillery, an extension of Alltech Lexington Brewing & Distilling Co. (Lexington, Kentucky) sampled their line of spirits: Town Branch Bourbon (pictured), Pearse Lyons Reserve, and Town Branch Rye.
Shmaltz Brewing Company (Clifton Park, New York) discussed and shared their Year-Round brews with attendees.
Maui Brewing Co. (Kihei, Hawaii) brought the Aloha spirit to the trade show.
Good times were found throughout the event.
Key West Distilling (Key West, Florida) broke out a full array of rums along with their Spyglass Vodka.
Nothing but quality on ice here, but the Grevensteiner from C. & A. Veltins was a delightful treat.
The eye-catching can artwork of Central 28 Beer Company (DeBary, Florida).
Original Sin (New York, New York) Extra Dry and Elderberry Cider.
New Planet Brewery (Boulder, Colorado) supplied some gluten-free goodies.
Beyond their delicious brews, Heavy Seas Beer (Baltimore, Maryland) came to the trade show prepared with a full-sized skeleton and hook for their display.
Alltech Lexington Brewing & Distilling Co. (Lexington, Kentucky) also shared their wildly popular Kentucky Bourbon Barrel Ale.
Two Brothers Artisan Brewing (Chicago, Illinois) Pinball Juicy Hop Pale Ale and In the Flesh American Sour Ale Brewed with Real Peaches.

cavbeerglasses1000

Anderson Valley Brewing Company Returns to Alabama

Posted on by mashingin

AVBCglass_editedAnderson Valley Brewing Company (Boonville, California) has officially announced that they have partnered with International Wines & Craft Beer to bring their offerings back to the state of Alabama beginning this month.

When the brewery was founded on December 26th, 1987 in the town of Boonville, California, Anderson Valley Brewing Company was just “one of only 20 craft breweries in the country.”  Thanks to a commitment to experimentation and innovation, their hand-crafted, authentic ales and lagers have helped the brewery grow from a “modest” 10-barrel brewhouse to what is now a “26-acre property [that] houses a 100-barrel brewhouse, tasting room, beer garden, and is home to the first 18-hole disc golf course ever to be built at a brewery.” Now considered to be one of the pioneers of the American craft beer industry, Anderson Valley Brewing Co. is known for a solid, time-tested portfolio of Year-Round brews, an incredibly popular line of Goses, and an exclusive partnership with Wild Turkey® Bourbon that yields their Barl Series of bourbon barrel-aged beers.  To the delight of the Alabama beer community, the brewery has now decided that its next step moving forward is a much-anticipated return to the Heart of Dixie.

“As the craft beer movement continues to grow, we’ve been keeping our eye open for opportunities to expand into regions with strong, craft-oriented wholesalers. Partnering with International just made sense; their knowledge of craft is exemplary and their dedication to building brands is impressive. We’re optimistic about what the future holds for us in Alabama.”

 

– Trey White, President and Owner of Anderson Valley Brewing Company

The beers of Anderson Valley Brewing Company are available throughout the state of Alabama effective immediately.  International Wines & Craft Beer will handle all distribution responsibilities for the brewery in Alabama, and this fine distributor already has the following list of Anderson Valley launch events planned:

Monday, May 8

Tuesday, May 9

Wednesday, May 10

Thursday, May 11

All the launch events listed above are sure to feature some tasty treats, so be sure to attend one (or many) so that you can give the folks at Anderson Valley Brewing Company a proper welcome back to the great state of Alabama.  Prost!

Tasting Notes: Daycation IPA from Highland Brewing Company

Posted on by mashingin

daycationbottle1000This week’s installment of Tasting Notes provides us with an early jump on the weekend as we get into a little Daycation IPA from Highland Brewing Company (Asheville, North Carolina).

To provide their fans with a bit of an escape from daily life, Highland Brewing Company launched Daycation IPA as their newest year-round offering back in March.  While creating the recipe for this low-gravity, sessionable IPA, the brewers at Highland intently focused on the grist bill – comprised of six malts: 2 Row Brewers Malt, White Wheat, Rye, Vienna, Caramel 20 and Flaked Oats – so that they could achieve a “desired balance and body” that would make a memorable impression on the drinker.  Once this goal was met, the recipe was then loaded with Mosaic, Azacca and El Dorado hops to yield a refreshing, 4.9% ABV India Pale Ale that is packed with “tropical, lemony, pineapple leaf flavors and aromas, perfectly balanced with a bready, bright, sessionable body.”  Daycation IPA is available now as a year-round offering.  You can find this brew available in 6-packs of 12 oz. bottles and on draft at craft beer establishments located in Alabama, Florida, North Carolina and throughout the rest of Highland Brewing’s distribution footprint.

Now that the particulars are out of the way, it is finally time to kick back and experience all that a Daycation has to offer!

Tasting Notes for Daycation IPA from Highland Brewing Company

Appearance: Daycation IPA presents itself pale golden in color with a solid finger of fluffy white foam resting on top.  Held to the light, the color softens even more to expose some straw-colored tones.  The body is immaculately clear and displays a bustling carbonation activity.  Although stubbornly persistent, the head eventually falls to a thin but complete top cap that sporadically spots the glass with lace.

Aroma: Ripe to overly ripe peaches hit the nose first with a bright, juicy sweetness.  This is followed quickly by an interesting mix of mango, pine and grassiness.  Things then take a tropical turn as lemon, tangerine and pineapple all raise their hands for roll call.  The aroma closes with a lightly-sweet, cracker malt presence.  Beautifully dynamic and complex here.

Taste: Papaya and its slightly spicy/peppery seeds delightfully kick off the flavor experience and open up further to expose a wealth of tropical fruits.  Mango, pineapple, tangerine, sweet orange, cantaloupe and grapefruit are all accounted for.  A wave of earthiness then moves in with piney, grassy and floral tones.  Consistent with the nose, the flavors subside to expose a wisp of bready malt character.

Mouthfeel: This beer is light in body and has a spirited level of carbonation. Although it is light, the beer still retains some weight to it.  It is difficult to explain, but it possesses an airy creaminess that allows its flavors to casually move across the palate.  With that said, the beer remains ridiculously refreshing, easy drinking and clean.  At 4.9% ABV, there is no indication of alcohol presence.  Just bitter enough on the palate to remind you that this is an IPA, but not at all aggressive.  Aftertaste is just a touch of citrus and pine.

Final Thoughts: Overall, Daycation IPA coolly represents all that I expect when I think “Session IPA”.  It quickly checks the boxes of light and easy drinking, but it still showcases a level of complexity that demands your attention.  The aromas and flavors sourced from the hop bill are markedly impressive and dynamic.  Its hoppy bitterness has enough presence to grab you by the palate, but it then politely excuses itself before any destruction can take place.  Then you have the malt bill . . . I never thought I would be noting the exceptional mouthfeel of a Session IPA, but here I am.  Being both airy and noteworthy, the feel and texture of this beer is nearly indescribable.  Everything about this beer keeps things interesting and complex while somehow remaining effortlessly approachable.  Honestly, not a gripe can be found.  In fact, the best course of action here is to just close the laptop and have another pour.  Prost!

Perrin Brewing Set to Release Black Goat Bourbon Barrel-aged Black Lager

Posted on by mashingin

blackgoatPerrinbottle_editedPerrin Brewing Company (Comstock Park, Michigan) recently announced that they will let loose the Black Goat Double Black Lager Aged in Bourbon Barrels on Friday, May 12.

Arriving as Perrin Brewing’s third specialty bottle release of 2017, Black Goat is a “high gravity double black lager [that] was laid down and aged for several months before coming to life.”  This amped up Schwarzbier sports aromatics of vanilla, stone fruit and chocolate while featuring “a unique charred oak character and a smooth, warm caramel bourbon flavor that will exceed all taste bud expectations.” At 8.5% ABV, Black Goat is a complex lager that demands your respect and is meant for sipping.

Black Goat officially launches in the Perrin Brewing Company pub on May 12 on draft and on May 15 in 22 oz. bottles.  Shortly after the pub release, Black Goat will be available at select craft beer establishments located in Perrin Brewing’s distribution area of Florida, Michigan, Colorado, Indiana, Ohio and New York City.   If you happen to reside in these areas, be sure to check this one out later this month.  Prost!

Vital Information for Black Goat from Perrin Brewing Company

Release – Limited/Specialty Barrel-Aged Series (Tier Two), available on draft on May 12 and in bottles on May 15, 2017
Style – Imperial Black Lager/Schwarzbier
ABV – 8.5%
IBUs – 25
Availability – 22 oz. bottles & draft
Distribution – Michigan, Colorado, Indiana, Ohio, Florida & New York City
Beer Finder – http://www.perrinbrewing.com/beer-finder/

Dogfish Head Sends Romantic Chemistry IPA and Festina Pêche Out for the Summer

Posted on by mashingin

rom-chem-2017-1Dogfish Head Craft Brewery (Milton, Delaware) has officially announced the release of Romantic Chemistry IPA and Festina Pêche Neo-Berliner Weisse as two thirst-quenching seasonals that craft beer fans can enjoy all summer long.

To satisfy any hop hankerings you may encounter this summer, Dogfish Head has you covered with the Seasonal release of Romantic Chemistry IPA.  This “serious” American India Pale Ale (7.2% ABV and 40 IBUs) gets its amplified level of refreshment thanks to being “brewed with an intermingling of mangos, apricots, hops, ginger, and a beautiful essential oil called myrcene which overlaps with all the components.”  After a dry-hopping with three hop varieties, the beer rounds off with “a tropical fruit aroma and a hop-forward finish.”  Romantic Chemistry is available now and will be hanging around through the month of August.  You can find this Seasonal brew available in 6-packs of 12 oz. bottles and on draft at craft beer establishments in Alabama, Florida, Delaware and throughout the rest of Dogfish Head’s distribution footprint.

“We’ve been experimenting with fruit and citrus IPAs since 1996 when we released Aprihop, an IPA brewed with apricots,” says Sam Calagione, founder and CEO of Dogfish Head Craft Brewery. “Fruit IPAs continue to be the biggest breakout craft beer style in America and we’re proud of the innovative, fruit-centric IPAs we have available now in both Romantic Chemistry in bottles and Flesh & Blood in cans.”

festina-peche-2017-3First brewed back in 2007, Festina Pêche has certainly earned its craft beer street cred by being one of the earliest widely-available American representations of the Berliner Weisse style.  Lovingly dubbed “a tart and refreshing neo-Berliner Weisse,” Dogfish Head’s take on the style is “brewed to deliver a green apple-like tartness flavor balanced with sweet peachy goodness.”  Clocking in just 4.5% ABV and 8 IBUs, this pale straw-colored ale “is unique in that the fruit complexity is woven into the aroma and taste through the natural fermentation of the peach sugars.”  Officially releasing on May 7, Festina Pêche will be available in 4-packs of 12 oz. bottles and on draft through August.  Like Romantic Chemistry IPA, Festina Pêche will also be available at craft beer focused restaurants, bars and retailers located within Dogfish Head’s distribution network.

“We started brewing Festina Peche back in 2007 and a full decade later, it continues to be one of our top selling, most requested beers by our fans,” says Calagione. “When you relax, unwind and slow down on the beach with loved ones this summer, you should do so deliberately, without haste, and with a Festina Peche in your hand.”

Romantic Chemistry IPA and Festina Pêche Neo-Berliner Weisse will only be available during the summer months, so just keep these two options in mind when you are on the hunt for refreshing brews capable of beating back the inevitable heat headed your way.  Prost!

Vital Information for Romantic Chemistry IPA from Dogfish Head Craft Brewery

Release – Seasonal, April to August 2017
Style – American India Pale Ale
ABV – 7.2%
IBUs – 40
Added Ingredients – Mangos, apricots, ginger, and the essential oil myrcene
Suggested Glassware – IPA glass
Suggested Food Pairings – White Stilton with apricots, Roquefort, Parmesan, salads, swordfish, Mexican dishes, barbeque, hummus
Availability – 6-packs of 12 oz. bottles & draft
Beer Finder (a.k.a. Fishfinder) – https://www.dogfish.com/brewery/fishfinder

Vital Information for Festina Pêche Neo-Berliner Weisse from Dogfish Head Craft Brewery

Release – Seasonal, May to August 2017
Style – Berliner Weisse
ABV – 4.5%
IBUs – 8
Added Ingredients – Peaches
Suggested Glassware – Pint
Suggested Food Pairings – Chèvre cheese, grilled chicken or fish, salad
Availability – 4-packs of 12 oz. bottles & draft
Beer Finder (a.k.a. Fishfinder) – https://www.dogfish.com/brewery/fishfinder

Cascade Brewing Releases Kriek 2016

Posted on by mashingin

cascadekrieklabelCascade Brewing (Portland, Oregon) has officially announced the release of the Kriek 2016 into distribution.

Recently named the “Top Sour Beer in America” by the New York Times, Cascade Brewing’s Kriek is back with a new vintage and a new look.  This Tier One Project offering from the brewery is “a blend of sour red ales aged in oak wine barrels for up to 17 months with Bing and sour pie cherries.”  This labor intensive process results in a 7.4% ABV American Sour Ale that “features complex flavors of cherries, roast malts, oak and spice.”

“As one of our earliest and most recognized beers, Kriek has been a staple in our portfolio of Northwest sour ales,” explained Tim Larrance, vice president of sales and marketing. “Kriek continues to be a flagship project that represents the soul of our craft.”

Kriek 2016 officially launched on May 2 with a release in bottles and on draft at the two pubs of Cascade Brewing.  If you are not in the Portland area, you will soon be able to find Kriek 2016 in 750 ml bottles and on draft at select craft beer establishments in Alabama, Florida, Oregon and throughout the rest of Cascade Brewing’s distribution network.  Kriek 2016 is only available while supplies last, so stock up and enjoy.  Prost!

Vital Information for Kriek 2016 from Cascade Brewing

Release – Tier One Project, May 2, 2017
Style – American Sour Ale (blended)
ABV – 7.4%
Added Ingredients – Bing and sour pie cherries
Treatment – a blend of Sour Red Ales aged for up to 17 months in oak wine barrels with cherries
Availability – 750 ml bottles & draft
Distribution – http://cascadebrewing.com/index.php/page/distributors

Heavy Seas Beer Sets the Table for Return of Blackbeard’s Breakfast

Posted on by mashingin

34256315891_7f9928ae03_kHeavy Seas Beer (Baltimore Maryland) recently announced that Blackbeard’s Breakfast Bourbon Barrel-aged Porter brewed with Coffee will see a limited release beginning in late May.

That’s right, craft beer fans . . . Blackbeard’s Breakfast has once again reemerged from the depths of Heavy Seas Beer’s Uncharted Waters Series, a lineup of barrel/wood-aged limited releases that exhibits elevated levels of brewing prowess.  Thanks to the use of “unique” English malts, this Imperial Porter lays down a hearty foundation that boasts “strong notes of caramel and a slight nut character.”  This beer is then brewed with Dark Sumatra coffee from Chesapeake Bay Roasting Company to create added layers of roast and complexity.  The brewers at Heavy Seas then finish the beer off by giving it a long rest in bourbon barrels so that it can pick up notes of vanilla, oak and whiskey.  Weighing in at a sizable 10% ABV, Blackbeard’s Breakfast promises to be an experience that “will please coffee and beer connoisseurs alike.”

“Blackbeard’s Breakfast is probably one of the most challenging beers we’ve ever brewed. Its starting gravity of 23.5 Plato is higher than anything we’ve ever attempted at Heavy Seas. We used eight different malts, including 7 from the U.K. – Amber, Black, Chocolate, two types of Crystal, and Vienna comprise almost 40% of the grain bill. This beer possesses layers of malt flavor. At 10% ABV, with earthy, herbaceous English hops, bourbon-barrel aging, and Chesapeake Bay Roasting Company’s Dark Sumatra coffee, this beer is complex, mysterious, and one heck of a delicious brew.”

 

– Christopher Leonard, Brewmaster at Heavy Seas Beer

Blackbeard’s Breakfast is slated for release in late May to early June.  You can expect to find this limited release available in 22 oz. bottles and on draft at select craft beer establishments located in Alabama, Florida, Maryland and throughout the rest of the Heavy Seas distribution area.  In this day and age, “barrel-aged” pretty much means “high in demand” within the beer community.  With that in mind, make a mental note now for the release of Blackbeard’s Breakfast so that you are able to get your bottle or pour at the end of the month.  Prost!

Vital Information for Blackbeard’s Breakfast from Heavy Seas Beer

Release – Limited/Uncharted Waters Series, available late May to early June 2017
Style – American Imperial Porter
ABV – 10%
IBUs – 40 
Malts – Pale, Marris Otter, Vienna, Amber, Light Crystal, Dark Crystal Chocolate & Black
Hops – Target & East Kent Goldings
Added Ingredients – Sumatra coffee from Chesapeake Bay Roasting Company
Treatment – Aged in Bourbon barrels
Availability – 22 oz. bottles & draft
Beer Finder – http://hsbeer.com/beerfinder

PC Pils and Sumatra Mountain Brown Make Seasonal Return for Founders Brewing Co.

Posted on by mashingin

FoundersPCPILSFounders Brewing Co. (Grand Rapids, Michigan) recently announced that PC Pils and Sumatra Mountain Brown have officially returned to shelves and taps as a couple of “spring offerings that highlight [the brewery’s] depth of production.”

First introduced in 2016, PC Pils is back this year by popular demand and with “a more extended run from April to August 2017.”  This Seasonal offering reimagines the classic Pilsner style thanks to a recipe loaded “with three flavor-packed American hops: Chinook, Cascade and Centennial.”  Clocking in at a reasonable 5.5% ABV, PC Pils is “pleasantly crisp, . . . perfectly clean, . . . and profoundly crushable.”  PC Pils is available now in 6-packs of 12 oz. bottles (suggested retail price of $9.99), 15-packs of 12 oz. cans (suggested retail price of $17.99) and on draft at craft beer-friendly restaurants, bars and retailers located in Alabama, Florida, Michigan and throughout the rest of the Founders Brewing Co. distribution area.

Also making a return after debuting in 2016, Sumatra Mountain Brown – a 9% ABV Imperial Brown Ale made with Sumatra coffee – acts as “a bold addition” to the brewery’s Specialty Series.  This brew begins with a base comprised of “a team of malts including Caramel malt for sweetness, flaked barley for dense foam, a bit of Chocolate malt for its deep color and Aromatic and Munich malts to add even more depth.”  These malts are then balanced with the use of “German and Perle hops”, and rich Sumatra coffee is then added to take “this perfectly balanced Brown Ale to a decadent level.”  Sumatra Mountain Brown is available from May until June in 4-packs of 12 oz. bottles (suggested retail price of $11.99) and on draft.  You can find this Specialty release available at select craft beer establishments found within Founders Brewing Co.’s distribution footprint.

PC Pils and Sumatra Mountain Brown join Doom Barrel-aged Imperial IPA – click here to read more about this latest release from the Barrel-Aged Series – to complete a trifecta of springtime releases from Founders Brewing Co.  All three of these offerings are only available for a limited time, so be sure to secure your stash while you can.  Prost!

Vital Information for PC Pils from Founders Brewing Co.

Release – Seasonal, April to August 2017
Style – Pilsner 
ABV – 5.5%
IBUs – 45 
Hops – Chinook, Cascade & Centennial
Availability – 6-packs of 12 oz. bottles ($9.99), 15-packs of 12 oz. cans ($17.99) & draft
Beer Finder – https://foundersbrewing.com/find-our-beer/

Vital Information for Sumatra Mountain Brown from Founders Brewing Co.

Release – Specialty, May to June 2017
Style – American Imperial Brown Ale
ABV – 9%
IBUs – 40
Featured Malts – Caramel, Chocolate, Aromatic, Munich & Flaked Barley
Added Ingredients – Sumatra coffee
Availability – 4-packs of 12 oz. bottles ($11.99) & draft
Beer Finder – https://foundersbrewing.com/find-our-beer/

 

Bear Republic Brewing Co. Establishes Legacy Series

Posted on by mashingin

LegacyRedRocketBear Republic Brewing Co. (Sonoma County, California) recently announced that they will now offer a selection of their classic, brewery-defining beers as seasonally released offerings in the newly established Legacy Series.

As an act of reflection upon 20 years of brewing handcrafted beers, Bear Republic Brewing Co. has launched the Legacy Series to feature “a catalog of craft beers that have helped define the brewery’s legacy.”  Each year, this new series will highlight ” a rotating cycle of four Bear Republic staples” that will be available on a seasonal basis.  The lineup of Legacy Series offerings in 2017 (and part of 2018) is as follows:

Red Rocket Ale

  • Release – April to June 2017
  • Style – American Amber Ale
  • Description – “A bastardized Scottish style red ale that traces its origins to our homebrew roots. This full bodied and hoppy brew finishes on the palate with sweet, caramel malt flavors. The complex malt bill mixes distinctive pale, caramel, and roasted malts with aromatic Cascade and Centennial hops.
    Red Rocket is the brew that started it all. An example of Bear Republic’s hop forward approach without fear of stepping outside the style guidelines, this was the Brewmaster’s original quest for brewing excellence with no boundaries. This is a beer with many stories to tell.”
  • Stats – ABV: 6.8% – IBUs: 67 – Color: Deep Copper Red
  • Suggested Food Pairings – Rich Dishes, Gouda, Beef, Pork, Wild Game
  • Notable Awards – Great American Beer Festival® Silver – Other Strong Ales: 1998, 1999; World Beer Cup Bronze: 1998; Seven awards from the California State Fair: 1998-2012

Hop Rod Rye

  • Release – July to September 2017
  • Style – Rye IPA
  • Description – “A high gravity IPA brewed with 18% rye malt. Hop Rod Rye has a floral hop aroma and subtle caramel notes with a slightly earthy and spicy rye character.”
  • Stats: ABV: 8.0% – IBUs: 80 – Color: Amber
  • Suggested Food Pairings – Smoked Meats, Chili, Gumbo, Soft Cheeses, Beef, Pork, Wild Game
  • Notable Awards – Six awards from the California State Fair: 2006-2014

Peter Brown Tribute Ale

  • Release – October to December 2017
  • Style – American Brown Ale
  • Description – “A malty American Brown Ale brewed with molasses, brown sugar, and hopped with Cascade and Centennial. It’s just the way Pete would have wanted it.”
  • Stats: ABV: 6.3% – IBUs: 21 – Color: Brown
  • Suggested Food Pairings – Sweet and Savory Dishes, Blue Cheese, Beef, Pork
  • Notable Awards – Great American Beer Festival® Gold, Silver, Bronze – Brown Porter: 2004, 2006, 2012, 2015; Three awards from the California State Fair: 2007-2012; San Diego International Beer Competition, Bronze: 2016

Big Bear Black Stout

  • Release – January to March 2018
  • Style –  American Stout
  • Description – “A big, black stout you can really sink your teeth into. The bold, roasty, caramel malt flavor is balanced by Centennial and Cascade hops.”
  • Stats – ABV: 8.1% – IBUs: 55 – Color: Black
  • Suggested Food Pairings – Grilled Meats, Dishes with Coffee, Dark Chocolate, Salty, Sweet, or Creamy Cheeses, Beef
  • Notable Awards – Great American Beer Festival® Silver – American-Style Stout: 2007; World Beer Cup Gold: 2002; Four awards from the California State Fair: 2004-2014

“While our team is constantly creating new recipes, the Legacy Series is a testament to the success of the great classic Bear Republic beers that have been a part of our portfolio for over twenty years.”

 

– Peter Kruger, Master Brewer at Bear Republic Brewing Co.

As mentioned above, the Legacy Series kicks off with the release of Red Rocket Ale from April to June 2017.  Red Rocket Ale is available for a limited time in 22 oz. bottles and on draft at craft beer establishments located in Florida, California and throughout the rest of Bear Republic’s distribution area.  The remaining three Legacy Series beers will get the same packaging and distribution treatment as Red Rocket Ale during their scheduled times of release.  If you happen to be a die-hard fan that is local to Bear Republic’s brewpub in Healdsburg, California, you are the real winner here because “the Legacy Series beers are available on tap daily.”  These iconic brews are true examples of American craft beer history, so be sure to revisit these Legacy Series offerings as they release throughout the year.  Prost!

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Jester King Brewery and The Kernel Brewery Collaborate on Colonel Toby Farmhouse Ale

Posted on by mashingin

1451_editedJester King Brewery (Austin, Texas) has officially announced the release of Colonel Toby, A Hoppy Little Farmhouse Ale brewed in collaboration with The Kernel Brewery (London, England).

The Kernel Brewery of London and Head Brewer Toby Munn have long been known for their “commitment to balance, simplicity, and restraint when it comes to brewing.” Being admirers of such an approach to the craft, Jester King Brewery invited Munn to Texas so that they could create a collaboration beer that properly pays respect to this brewing philosophy.  On October 24, 2016, this international team of brewers developed Colonel Toby with a recipe comprised of “Hill Country well water, 93% Crisp Maris Otter, 7% rolled oats, and Cascade hops.”  This Farmhouse Ale was then fermented on stainless steel with a “mixed culture of brewers yeast and native yeast and bacteria.”  Finally, Colonel Toby was dry-hopped with Citra and Centennial hops to result in “a hoppy, simple little farmhouse ale (3.4% ABV), that . . . is great for casually enjoying with friends and family.”

Colonel Toby officially released in 750 ml bottles at Jester King Brewery on Friday, April 28th.  This limited release offering will also be available at select fine beer establishments located in Alabama, Florida, Texas and within the rest of Jester King Brewery’s distribution area.  Only about 6,500 bottles of Colonel Toby are available, so be sure to snag yourself a bottle if you are lucky enough to happen across one.  Prost!

Vital Information for Colonel Toby from Jester King Brewery & The Kernel Brewery

Release – Limited/Collaboration, late-April 2017
Style – Farmhouse Ale
ABV – 3.4%
IBUs – 56
Malts – 93% Crisp Maris Otter, 7% Rolled Oats
Hops – Cascade, dry-hopped with Citra & Centennial 
Availability – 750 ml bottles