Oskar Blues Brewery to Introduce FUGLI IPA as Summer Seasonal

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FUGLIIPAcan_editedOskar Blues Brewery (Longmont, Colorado) has announced that FUGLI Yuzu & Ugli Fruit IPA is scheduled for release beginning on May 5 as the brewery’s newest summer Seasonal offering.

To supply the craft beer community with an exotic and refreshing option during the warm weather months, the folks at Oskar Blues have developed FUGLI IPA with a recipe headlined by the following three fruits:

  • Yuzu – “an exotic, tangy dumpy looking lemon from Japan”
  • Jamaican Ugli Fruit – “an aesthetic nightmare with a surprisingly tasty tangerine-and-grapefruit flavor”
  • Rangpur –  a lemon and orange hybrid grown in Bangladesh

Perfectly complementing the beer’s Mosaic hops and reserved malt bill, these obscure citrus fruits create a “crisp and clean” American India Pale Ale that is “not too bitter, and not too fruity.” At just 5.8% ABV and 60 IBUs, FUGLI IPA proves to be an incredibly easy drinking offering that is “top of the list for outdoor day-drinking.”

“FUGLI was inspired by a collaboration with Japan’s Yo-Ho Brewing Company that everyone here loved,” said Tim Matthews, Head of Brewing Operations at Oskar Blues. “We felt we could take it to another level so we added more fruits, paired them with zesty mosaic hops, and started messing around with a light malt bill that gives a full mouthfeel.”

FUGLI IPA will officially launch at the start of May with the following release parties hosted by the three taprooms of Oskar Blues:

Beyond these three release parties, this seasonal offering will also be available nationwide from May to August 2017.  When released, you will be able to find FUGLI IPA in 6-packs of 12 oz. cans and on draft at craft beer establishments located in Alabama, Florida, Colorado, North Carolina, Texas and throughout the rest of Oskar Blues Brewery’s expansive distribution network.  Get yourself some FUGLI IPA and “let the jorts-wearin’, backyard-grillin’, yard-loungin’, frisbee-tossin’ beer-drinkin’ season commence.”  Prost!

Vital Information for FUGLI IPA from Oskar Blues Brewery

Release – Seasonal, launching May 5, 2017
Style – American India Pale Ale
ABV – 5.8%
IBUs – 60
Featured Hops – Mosaic
Additional Ingredients – Yuzu, ugli fruit & rangpur
Availability – 6-packs of 12 oz. bottles & draft
Beer Finder – https://www.oskarblues.com/beerFinder

 

Tasting Notes – The Classics: KBS (2017) from Founders Brewing Co.

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KBSfeature_editedThis week’s segment of Tasting Notes shows some appreciation for the classics by taking a look at the 2017 vintage of KBS from Founders Brewing Co. (Grand Rapids, Michigan).

As we reported a little over a month ago, Founders Brewing Co. initiated their annual frenzy within the craft beer community on April 1 when they began to distribute this year’s vintage of KBS.   Known as “one of the craft world’s most prized annual releases,” this highly coveted Imperial Stout is brewed with generous amounts of coffee and chocolate.  Once the brewing process is completed, the beer is then aged in oak bourbon barrels for over a year “in caves that were at one time gypsum mines, beneath Grand Rapids.”  This all results in an 11.8% ABV offering filled with complex layers of indulgent chocolate, coffee and bourbon.  Although KBS is an incredibly limited offering that quickly sells out each year, we have still seen it on shelves at various locations in Alabama and Florida.  If you strike out at the bottle shop, your best bet is to track it down on tap at fine beer bars and restaurants throughout the distribution area of Founders Brewing Co.

Any day is a good day to get into a glass of KBS, so let’s pop the top on this bottle and take down some Tasting Notes!

Tasting Notes for KBS (2017) from Founders Brewing Co.

Appearance: A steady pour of KBS produces two fingers of creamy, mocha-colored foam resting above a body that is black as pitch.  Completely opaque, there is absolutely zero opportunity for light to find its way through this brew.  Over time, the head reluctantly falls to a chunky top cap that dutifully notches the glass with lace after each sip.  Simply a gorgeously presented Stout.

Aroma:  The aromatics open with rich, lush notes of fine chocolates.  In particular, dark chocolate and bitter cocoa nibs develop nicely to fill the bulb of the glass and hit the nose on every approach.  This shifts to a lightly bitter, but wonderfully roasted note from the coffee and malts.  Vanilla, molasses and just a grace of bourbon close out the profile.

Taste:  Molasses, brown sugar, and dark caramel notes get the party started in the flavor department.  A massive chocolate presence follows closely behind with tones of cocoa, dark chocolate and milk chocolate.  Roasted malts provide a hearty grain presence that readily supports a heavenly vanilla note and a blatant bourbon quality.  This immense flavor experience eventually subsides to leave behind a lingering note that strikingly reads as dark chocolate covered espresso beans.

Mouthfeel: This beer is full bodied with a moderate to low carbonation level. This produces a silky-smooth texture that displays some weight and completely envelops the palate.  At 11.8%, the ABV is somehow incredibly tame this year and it actually takes quite a bit of searching to locate a slight tinge of heat near the end of the glass.  Considering its weight and size, the aftertaste does settle in for the long haul to allow the drinker to get lost in notes of espresso roast coffee and dark chocolate.

Final Thoughts:  Imposing. Unapologetic. Beautiful.  These three terms are applicable descriptors for any year of KBS, but it never fails to amaze how each year’s batch seems to take on its own personality.  This year’s vintage absolutely offers up more pronounced tones of vanilla and chocolate than previous releases.  Chocolate . . . it is simply impossible to express with words how much luxurious chocolate fills this glass.  Although the bourbon is clearly present, the beer manages to avoid having that one dimensional barrel character by allowing so many other flavors and aromas to establish themselves.  One of the more remarkable achievements of 2017 KBS is how it handles its ABV presence.  Last year’s batch came out of the gate pretty hot, leaving its drinker with the impression that a little aging could do the beer some good.  Not at all the case with this year’s supply.  This may just be the easiest drinking batch of KBS we have ever experienced, and it easily allows you to enjoy every aspect of this beer as fresh as possible.  Seriously, it is perfect NOW . . . so drink it NOW and as often as possible to learn why KBS has earned a reputation for being one of the best barrel-aged Stouts in the world.  Prost!

 

Brewery Ommegang Releases Pale Sour Ale as New Year-Round

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ommeganglogoBrewery Ommegang (Cooperstown, New York) recently announced that they have expanded their Core Lineup with the addition of Pale Sour Ale.

To ensure that this mixed fermentation sour beer was worthy of becoming the newest Year-Round offering from Brewery Ommegang, Brewmaster Phil Leinhart and the master blenders at Brewery Liefmans – Ommegang’s sister brewery located in Oudenaarde, Belgium – spent a great deal of time together developing the recipe and process for Pale Sour Ale.  This brewing brain trust decided to ferment this offering in open copper vats, age it for several months in stainless steel tanks, and then “blend new batches with older ones until the optimal balance of flavors is reached.”  Their efforts result in a 6.9% ABV American Sour Ale “that drinks much like a fine white wine” thanks to a flavor profile that displays “an elegant interplay of sweet and sour.”

“Pale Sour is an elegant, drinkable sour beer, unique in that it’s not wood-aged. It has a well-balanced blend of sweet and sour. Liefmans is such a historic, iconic brewery and having the opportunity to work with them has been an honor and very enjoyable.”

 

– Phil Leinhart, Brewmaster at Brewery Ommegang

Pale Sour Ale will officially launch at Brewery Ommegang on Saturday, April 29.  If you are not in the Cooperstown area, you can expect to find this offering shortly thereafter in 4-packs of 11.2 oz. bottles and on draft at select craft beer establishments located in Florida, New York and throughout the rest of Ommegang’s distribution area.  Pale Sour Ale has promise to be quite the special beer, so be sure to keep an eye out for this one while on those beer runs. Prost!

Vital Information for Pale Sour Ale from Brewery Ommegang

Release – Year-Round, launching late-April 2017
Style – American Wild/Sour Ale (blended)
ABV – 6.9%
Treatment – Mixed culture fermentation, aged for several months in stainless steel tanks, blended
Availability – 4-packs of 11.2 oz. bottles & draft
Confirmed Distribution – FL, AR, AZ, CA, CO, CT, DE, GA, IA, IL, KS, KY, MA, MD, ME, MI, MN, MO, NC, NH, NJ, NY, OH, OR, PA, RI, SC, SD, VA, plus Washington D.C. & U.S. Virgin Islands
Beer Finder – http://ommegang.com/blog/beer-finder/
Suggested Food Pairings – “Pale Sour’s balanced acidity is a perfect accompaniment to a charcuterie board and a tasty contrast to rich, fatty foods. Try pairing with duck, ribeye, blue cheese, and rich chocolate desserts.”
Suggested Glassware – Teku glass

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Rogue Ales Completes its IPA Series with Introduction of 5 Hop IPA

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5hopipa1Rogue Ales (Newport, Oregon) recently announced the release of 5 Hop IPA, the brewery’s newest Year-Round offering and the missing member of their family of Rogue Farms grown IPAs.

To complete their set of numerically themed India Pale Ales created with ingredients sourced directly from Rogue Farms, Rogue Ales has added a little twist by making 5 Hop IPA a Black IPA (a.k.a. American Black Ale or Cascadian Dark Ale).  Brewmaster John Maier developed 5 Hop IPA with a hop bill comprised of “Rogue Farms proprietary Liberty, Yaquina, Freedom, Alluvial and Rebel hops.”  The selected hops “compliment the Risk and Dare malting barley from Rogue’s farm in Tygh Valley, Oregon” to create “incredible hop aromas and flavors of citrus and pine . . ., with the added bonus of a roasted malt finish.”

“We wanted to put a twist on our hop family of IPAs, and feature not just the hops we grow but also the barley we grow, malt and roast ourselves,” said Rogue President Brett Joyce.

5 Hop IPA now joins 4 Hop IPA, 6 Hop IPA, 7 Hop IPA and 8 Hop IPA to finally fill the void within this family of IPAs inspired by Rogue Farms.

5 Hop IPA is officially available now as a Year-Round release.  You can find this offering in 22 oz. bottles at craft beer bars, restaurants and retailers located in Alabama, Florida, Oregon and throughout the rest of the Rogue Ales distribution area.  Prost!

Vital Information for 5 Hop IPA from Rogue Ales

Release – Year-Round, launching late-April 2017
Style – Black IPA/American Black Ale/Cascadian Dark Ale
ABV – 5.55%
IBUs – 55
Hops – Rogue Farms Liberty, Yaquina, Freedom, Alluvial & Rebel
Malts – Carafa, Rogue Farms Dare™, Risk™ & McKercher Wheat
Yeast – Pacman
Availability – 22 oz. bottles
Beer Finder – https://www.rogue.com/finder/

Highland Brewing Launches Big Briar Tart Raspberry Ale as New Seasonal

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bigbriardrop_editedHighland Brewing Company (Asheville, North Carolina) has announced the release of Big Briar Tart Raspberry Ale as the brewery’s spring to summer Seasonal offering.

Brewed with all natural ingredients, Big Briar Tart Raspberry Ale arrives as the perfect option to help us all transition from spring to summer.  The recipe for this new seasonal brew employs the use of “seven and a half pounds of 100% raspberry puree per barrel of beer.”  The raspberries are added during “the most aggressive stage of fermentation” so that the yeast is able to “eat the berries’ natural sugar, removing sweetness and leaving raspberry essence in aroma, color and tartness.” The berries may be the headliner, but the base beer still comes through to lend “complementary lemon notes to the raspberry aroma and flavor.”  The finished beer clocks in at an easy-drinking and refreshing 5.4% ABV and 15 IBUs.

“There’s natural convection when we add the raspberry. The yeast is churning so much that the berries distribute naturally in a 200-barrel tank, top to bottom. The blowoff is pink,” said Brewmaster Hollie Stephenson.

Like all seasonal offerings from Highland Brewing, Big Briar Tart Raspberry Ale has been named after a land or water feature protected by Southern Appalachian Highlands Conservancy.  Big Briar Cove is a conservation easement donated in memory of inventor and electronic music pioneer, Bob Moog. Big Briar is part of a network of 10,000 protected acres in the wider Sandy Mush area of the French Broad River watershed in North Carolina.  During the Big Briar Tart Raspberry Ale release party on April 28, Highland Brewing will donate $1 per pour of the Seasonal to benefit the mission and efforts of Southern Appalachian Highlands Conservancy.

Big Briar Tart Raspberry Ale will officially release at the brewery on April 28 and hit the market by late April.  This Seasonal offering will be 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’s distribution footprint.  Big Briar Tart Raspberry Ale will only be around for the warm weather months, so be sure to check it out once it drops later this month.  Prost!

Vital Information for Big Briar Tart Raspberry Ale from Highland Brewing Company

Release – Seasonal, launching late-April 2017
Style – Fruit Beer
ABV – 5.4%
IBUs – 15
Malts – 2 Row Brewers Malt, White Wheat, Caramel 20 & Sauermaltz
Hops – El Dorado
Added Ingredients –  Pureed raspberries
Availability – 6-packs of 12 oz. bottles & draft
Beer Finder – https://highlandbrewing.com/beer-finder/
Suggested Food Pairings – “Balance the pleasant tartness of this brew with grilled sweet Italian sausage and caramelized onions on a hoagie roll. For a sweeter pairing, try cheesecake topped with a berry reduction.”

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Fat Point Brewing and Big Storm Brewing Unite Under Seaboard Craft Beer Holdings

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fatpointglass_editedFat Point Brewing (Punta Gorda, Florida) and Big Storm Brewing Co. (Clearwater, Florida) have come forward to announce that the two breweries have finalized a deal to associate under Big Storm’s parent company Seaboard Craft Beer Holdings.

Back in February of this year, Fat Point Brewing hit the Florida craft beer community with the sad news that it would be closing its production facility and taproom shortly after its 2nd Anniversary.  Upon hearing this announcement, the folks at Big Storm Brewing and Seaboard Craft Beer Holdings quickly reached out to Fat Point to see if they could assist in any way, shape or form to keep their fellow brewery from closing.  A deal was struck, a partnership was established, and both breweries are now happy to announce that Fat Point will remain open to “continue production of its fresh, local handcrafted beers.”  Fat Point Brewing founder Bill Frazer will remain with the brewery and “continue producing the company’s four signature craft beers which include Big Boca Ale, Reyght Angle IPA, the Belgian-style Tripel Bru Man Chu and Going Mintal, a Belgian-style Wheat Beer featuring subtle hints of lemon and mint.”

“We are all very excited about our new affiliation with Big Storm, and throughout this process have discovered several similarities in our culture and goals. Our values and vision have not faltered, which is to continue to deliver a great beer and customer experience,” said Fat Point Brewing founder Bill Frazer.

 

“We believe in protecting and nurturing the local craft beer industry and it was vitally important we preserve the quality beers Fat Point is producing,” said Seaboard co-founder L.J. Govoni. “We are truly excited to partner with Frazer and his staff and our main priority will be to support their efforts of producing innovative beers while making sure more Florida consumers are exposed to the Fat Point name and product,” Govoni added.

Fat Point Brewing’s taproom and brewery will operate just as it did before this partnership was formed.  Taproom hours are as follows:

  • Monday – Thursday: 4 p.m. to 9 p.m.
  • Friday: 4 p.m. to 11 p.m.
  • Saturday: 11 a.m. to 11 p.m.
  • Sunday: 11 a.m. to 8 p.m.

If you cannot make it to Punta Gorda, you can also find the beers of Fat Point Brewing available throughout southwest Florida including Tampa, Fort Myers, Naples and Cape Coral.

We could not be happier that this initially dismal situation has resulted in a happy ending/new beginning.  Here’s to a future filled with many good years and success for Fat Point Brewing.  Drink local.  Support local.  Keep on rockin’. Prost!

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Marker 48 Brewing Plans Limited Release of Spring Release Barrel-aged Double IPA

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2017 Spring Release bottleOn Thursday, April 27 at noon, Marker 48 Brewing (Weeki Wachee, Florida) will host a special bottle release event for the 2017 edition of Spring Release, a Double IPA aged in Bourbon barrels while submerged in a freshwater spring located on Florida’s Nature Coast.

After being first released and quickly selling out in 2016, Spring Release Double IPA is officially making a comeback this month.  To create this meticulously crafted beer, the brewers at Marker 48 begin by brewing up a sizable Double India Pale Ale as the base.  The beer is then “transferred to Four Roses Bourbon barrels and aged for about three weeks 48 feet deep in . . . [a] freshwater [spring], located on private property not far from the brewery.”  Once the laborious aging process is completed, the 10.9% ABV Spring Release Double IPA is finally ready to provide its drinker with a truly unique and memorable drinking experience.

Spring Release Double IPA (2017) will officially release at the brewery – 12147 Cortez Blvd., Weeki Wachee, Florida – on Thursday, April 27 at noon.  This limited release will be available in 750 ml bottles at the cost of $20 each (limit of 2 bottles per customer, per day).  Marker 48 Brewing will also tap one sixtel (1/6 BBL) keg of Spring Release Double IPA during the event ” for those who want to try the brew while it’s as fresh as possible.”  Marker 48 Brewing only has about 400 bottles of Spring Release available this year, so be sure to head over to the brewery on Thursday to grab a bottle or two before its inevitable sellout.  Prost!

Vital Information for Spring Release (2017) from Marker 48 Brewing

Release – Limited, bottle release event on April 27 at noon
Style – American Double/Imperial India Pale Ale
ABV – 10.9%
Treatment – Aged in Four Roses Bourbon barrels for about three weeks while submerged 48 feet deep in a freshwater spring
Availability – 750 ml bottles, about 400 bottles produced.  $20 per bottle. Bottle limit of two (2) bottles per person, per day

Einstök Ölgerð to Offer Icelandic White Ale and Arctic Pale Ale in Cans

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einstoklogoEinstök Ölgerð (Akureyri, Iceland) has announced that Arctic Pale Ale and Icelandic White Ale will officially launch in cans beginning in May.

In an effort to expand their portfolio of canned offerings in the U.S., Einstök will soon release 330 ml cans of their award-winning Icelandic White Ale and Arctic Pale Ale.  Both offerings will be “packed in photodegradable six-pack rings, [and] these styles will continue to also be available in 330 ml bottles and in kegs.”  Arctic Pale Ale and Icelandic White Ale are the latest Einstök offerings to join Arctic Berry Ale in 330 ml cans.  Toasted Porter and Wee Heavy Scottish Ale are scheduled to be available in cans in fall of 2017.

“Our fans tend to be adventurous and on the move,” said Jack Sichterman, founder and beermaster, “whether that’s going to concerts, beaches, ballgames and other events. When consumed responsibly, cans support that lifestyle, while also doing a better job protecting the beer and its flavor on the journey from Iceland.”

330 ml (11.2 oz.) cans of Arctic Pale Ale and Icelandic White Ale will officially arrive in the U.S. beginning in May.  Once released, you can expect to find these two offerings on shelves at craft beer establishments located in Alabama, Florida, and throughout the rest of Einstök’s 15 state distribution area.  Prost!

Vital Information for Arctic Pale Ale from Einstök Ölgerð

Release – Year-Round, cans launch in May 2017
ABV – 5.6%
Ingredients – Pale ale malt, crystal malt, chocolate malt, American and Bavarian hops
Availability – 6-packs of 330 ml (11.2 oz.) bottles, 6-packs of 330 ml (11.2 oz.) cans & draft
U.S. Distribution – AL, FL, AR, CA, CO, DE, IN, MI, MS, NJ, NY, PA, TN, TX & WI
Beer Finder – http://einstokbeer.com/ale-locator/
Suggested Food Pairings – “The hoppy start and long malty finish make it the perfect pairing for almost any meal, from burgers and steaks to hearty vegetable dishes, pasta, chili and BBQ.”

Vital Information for Icelandic White Ale from Einstök Ölgerð

Release – Year-Round, cans launch in May 2017
ABV – 5.2%
Ingredients – Wheat malt, pilsner malt, oats, Bavarian noble hops, coriander, and orange peel
Availability – 6-packs of 330 ml (11.2 oz.) bottles, 6-packs of 330 ml (11.2 oz.) cans & draft
U.S. Distribution – AL, FL, AR, CA, CO, DE, IN, MI, MS, NJ, NY, PA, TN, TX & WI
Beer Finder – http://einstokbeer.com/ale-locator/
Suggested Food Pairings – “The crisp, citrus and spice notes are the perfect complement to seafood, poultry, vegetarian dishes, Asian food, and spicy food, including Mexican, tapas, Indian and Thai.”

Green Flash Brewing Co. Welcomes Back Vivid Sauvage Belgian IPA

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C316_210x755_VividSauvage_Cellar3Green Flash Brewing Co. (San Diego, California) recently announced that Vivid Sauvage Belgian-style India Pale Ale aged in Red Wine Barrels is returning this month as the brewery’s latest Cellar 3 limited release.

Previously released under the name Oculus Sauvage, Green Flash created Vivid Sauvage as a hybrid ale that combines the Belgian-style Tripel and American Imperial India Pale Ale styles.  To make this a true Cellar 3 offering, the base beer is then “inoculated with Brettanomyces [and] aged for 12-24 months in red wine barrels.”  Once the aging process is completed, the finished beer weighs in at 10.1% ABV and “offers juicy and tart hints of apple orchard and soft vanilla balanced by a satisfying kick of barnyard funk.”

Vivid Sauvage is a limited release offering that is available now in 750 ml bottles and on draft.  You can expect to find this offering on shelves and taps at select beer-focused establishments located in Alabama, Florida, California, Virginia and throughout the rest of Green Flash Brewing’s expansive distribution network.  Vivid Sauvage will not be around for long, so be sure to grab a bottle or pour whenever you happen upon it.  Prost!

Vital Information for Vivid Sauvage from Green Flash Brewing Co.

Release – Limited/Cellar 3, April 2017
Style – Hybrid Ale, Belgian-style Tripel & American Imperial India Pale Ale
ABV – 10.1%
IBUs – 101
Treatment – Inoculated with Brettanomyces yeast, aged in red wine barrels for 12-24 months 
Availability – 750 ml bottles & draft
Beer Finder – http://www.greenflashbrew.com/find-beer/

 

Good People Brewing to Launch JUCO Southern IPA as Summer Seasonal

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GPJUCOcanGood People Brewing Company (Birmingham, Alabama) has announced that they will release JUCO Southern IPA on May 1 as the brewery’s newest Seasonal offering.

With a name inspired by “those summers spent in a classroom” at junior college, the overachieving JUCO Southern IPA has arrived to earn “high grades in flavor and hoppy taste.”  Coming in at just 4.2% ABV, this Session India Pale Ale is filled with notes of pine and lemon zest thanks to a hop bill featuring Columbus, Equinox, Mosaic, and Simcoe hops.  Refreshing and easy drinking, JUCO Southern IPA might “just be the best 6 beers of your life!”

JUCO Southern IPA will officially hit draft lines on May 1, and six-packs of 12 oz. cans will follow closely behind on May 15.  You can expect to find this Seasonal release on shelves and taps at craft beer establishments located in Alabama and throughout the rest of Good People Brewing’s distribution area. Check it out this summer.  Prost!

Vital Information for JUCO Southern IPA from Good People Brewing Company

Release – Seasonal (summer); launching May 1 on draft, May 15 in cans
Style – Session India Pale Ale
ABV – 4.2%
Featured Hops – Columbus, Equinox, Mosaic & Simcoe
Availability – 6-packs of 12 oz. cans & draft
Beer Finder – http://www.goodpeoplebrewing.com/beerfinder.php

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