Big Storm Brewing Bottles Lay Me Down Barleywine Ale

Posted on by mashingin

bsblaymedownlabelBig Storm Brewing Co. (Clearwater, Florida) recently announced that Lay Me Down Barrel-aged Barleywine Ale is currently available for purchase in 22 oz. bottles at both of the brewery’s Taproom locations.

Just in time for the holidays, Big Storm Brewing has released the perfect offering to bring along to one – or all – of the many holiday meals in your near future.  Lay Me Down is a medium bodied Barleywine-style Ale that has been aged in American Oak Bourbon Barrels.  With a subtle bourbon warmth and “notes of vanilla, almond, brown sugar and toffee,” this 9.5% ABV ale will make the perfect accompaniment to just about anything found on the dessert table . . . especially that pecan pie.

Lay Me Down Barleywine Ale has been packaged in 22 oz. bottles that are available for purchase in either of Big Storm’s Taprooms (Pinellas – 12707 49th Street N, Clearwater, Florida; Pasco – 2330 Success Drive, Odessa, Florida).  Considering the widespread popularity of Bourbon Barrel-aged offerings these days, you should probably expect Lay Me Down to disappear with a quickness.  Get your bottles while you can.  Prost!

Vital Information for Lay Me Down Barleywine Ale from Big Storm Brewing Co.

Release – Limited, December 2016
Style – Winter Warmer/Barleywine-style Ale 
ABV – 9.5%
Treatment – Aged in American oak Bourbon barrels
Availability – 22 oz. bottles available for purchase in the brewery’s Pinellas (12707 49th Street N, Clearwater, FL) and Pasco (2330 Success Drive, Odessa, FL) Taprooms

Starr Hill Brewery IPA JamBEERee Festival to Return in 2017

Posted on by mashingin

ipa-jambeeree-logo_2017Starr Hill Brewery (Crozet, Virginia) has officially announced that they will once again host the IPA JamBEERee Festival at Hangar Park (5391 Three Notch’d Road, Crozet, Virginia) on Saturday, May 6, 2017.

Returning as “Virginia’s largest craft beer festival celebrating local India Pale Ales,” the IPA JamBEERee Festival is back with the intention to blow the minds of hopheads throughout the Southeast.  This lupulin-focused festival will “showcase a wide variety of Virginia breweries pouring their hoppiest styles and the release of several rare and exclusive offerings from Starr Hill, along with some additional non-IPA options.”

“The opportunity for experimentation within the IPA style is truly remarkable, and it’s always fun to brew with new ingredients and techniques,” said Robbie O’Cain, Starr Hill’s Brewmaster. “IPA JamBEERee is unique in the way it showcases the best Virginia-made IPAs from craft brewers and homebrewers alike.”

Since Starr Hill’s identity is firmly linked to the area’s vibrant music scene, the festival will be soundtracked by a lineup of live, local music.  Beyond the hoppy brews and live entertainment, this event will also feature food trucks and recreational games.  Proceeds from the IPA JamBEERee Festival will go to benefit a local non-profit organization.

Details on participating breweries, performers and tickets will be revealed in early February on JamBEERee.com, and I will of course hit you with an updated post at that time.  Stay tuned, save the date, and start making some plans.  Prost!

Heavy Seas Beer Reveals 2017 Portfolio

Posted on by mashingin

hsbcapeditHeavy Seas Beer (Baltimore, Maryland) has announced the brewery’s plans, additions and changes scheduled for their 2017 release calendar.

We are once again going to allow the portfolio to speak for itself (available below), but we can quickly go over a few of the surprises Heavy Seas Beer has planned for us all in 2017:

  • TropiCannon Citrus IPA has been added to the brewery’s Year Round line-up.
  • Cutlass Vienna Lager and Gold Ale officially return as packaged, Year Round offerings.
  • The Alpha Effect Hazy IPA debuts in March as a limited release, Seasonal offering.
  • The Uncharted Series of barrel-aged brews gains the addition of an annual Anniversary Ale simply named “22” (style still to be determined).
  • The Boatload IPA Sampler, available year-round, will be rockin’ a constantly evolving IPA dubbed Single Cannon – a single hop IPA that will see its hop variety “change several times during the year.”

“We’ve spent a lot of time and effort every year tweaking the product portfolio,” says Heavy Seas Founder, Hugh Sisson. “2017 will see the return of local favorites Gold Ale and Cutlass Lager, as well as a few new offerings to keep us on our toes. It’s a challenge, but this is part of the excitement of being in this industry today.”

There is still quite a bit of information to check out below, so I’ll let you get to that.  Enjoy, jot down a few notes if necessary, and properly prepare yourself for another jam-packed year from Heavy Seas in 2017.  Prost!

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Year Round Offerings Available in 2017

  • Loose Cannon IPA
  • Double Cannon Double IPA
  • TropiCannon Citrus IPA
  • CrossBones Session IPA
  • Gold Ale
  • Cutlass Vienna Lager
  • Powder Monkey Pale Ale
  • Pounder Pilsner
  • Peg Leg Imperial Stout

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Limited Release Seasonals Available in 2017

  • March 2017 – The Alpha Effect Hazy IPA 
  • May 2017 – Smooth Sail Summer Ale
  • August 2017 – Treasure Fest Oktoberfest Lager 
  • November 2017** – Winter Storm Imperial ESB (**Note: Although November is pictured, the press release has this offering listed as an October release.**)

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2017 Line-up of Uncharted Waters Barrel-Aged Releases

  • January 2017 – Siren Noire Imperial Chocolate Stout aged in bourbon barrels
  • June 2017 – Blackbeard’s Breakfast Imperial Coffee Porter aged in bourbon barrels
  • September 2017 – Great’er Pumpkin Imperial Pumpkin Ale aged in bourbon barrels
  • December 2017 – Heavy Seas “22” Style TBD

2017 ‘Partner Ships’ Collaboration Series

2017 Sampler Packs (available year-round)

  • Boatload IPA Sampler
  • Sunken Sampler

 

 

 

Maui Brewing Co. Releases POG IPA as Latest Limited Release

Posted on by mashingin

pogcanMaui Brewing Company (Kihei, Hawaii) has officially released POG IPA as a new, Limited Release offering.

Staying true to their “fiercely local” mission and commitment to avoid extracts and artificial flavors, the brewers at Maui Brewing Company have created POG IPA with the use of locally-grown (P)assion fruit, (O)range, and (G)uava. To complement these beautiful fruits, a hefty dose of Horizon, El Dorado and Enigma hops were employed to provide this India Pale Ale with a “clean bitterness . . ., tropical juicy aromatics and a slight citrus bite on the finish.”  At 7.1% ABV and 58 IBUs, POG IPA remains a quenching, tropical experience.

“Earlier this spring, when Brewmaster Jesse Houck informed me that we would put POG IPA into cans at the end of the year, I was super stoked. Sourcing enough of the three fruit varieties is the biggest challenge. On top of that, guava has a really short shelf life once picked. It really makes brewing this beer exciting, because all of a sudden when the farmer has the yield we need, it’s GO time!”

– Matt Ponichtera, Brewing Supervisor at Maui Brewing Company

POG IPA was officially released in Maui Brewing’s Kihei Tasting Room and Lahaina Brewpub on Friday, December 2.  With availability in 4-packs of 12 oz. cans and on draft, this Limited Release offering is shipping out now to Florida and all other “markets where Maui Brewing Company craft beer can be found.”  This one will only be around for a limited time, so get you some while you can.  Prost!

Vital Information for POG IPA from Maui Brewing Company

Release – Limited, December 2016
Style – India Pale Ale
ABV – 7.1%
IBUs – 58
Hops – Horizon, El Dorado & Enigma
Fruit Additions – passion fruit, orange & guava (POG)
Availability – 4-packs of 12 oz. cans & draft
Beer Finder – http://mauibrewingco.com/find-our-beer/

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Fat Head’s Brewery to Cease Distribution in Florida

Posted on by mashingin

fatheadscapsFat Head’s Brewery (Middleburg Heights, Ohio) has officially announced that it will completely withdraw its business from Florida at the start of 2017.

In an effort to concentrate on short and long term growth opportunities within the brewery’s home markets of Ohio and Pennsylvania, the folks at Fat Head’s Brewery have made the tough but necessary decision to end distribution in Florida.  The brewery is currently working with the Florida branch of Cavalier Distributing “to ensure the withdrawal is as minimally disruptive as possible to their retail partners.”

“While this wasn’t an easy decision, based on current capacity constraints, we think it is in the best long-term interest of consumers to focus our available resources and supply within our core footprint of Ohio, Pennsylvania and Indiana. Excitedly, this will allow us to grow more substantially in our heartland in the coming year than we would otherwise have been able to do,” said Bill Wetmore, Fat Head’s new Head of Sales & Marketing.

“With plans for our expanded production facility well underway, capacity restrictions aren’t something we will need to deal with much longer, but they are our reality today and for the near-term.”

Florida will receive its final shipment from Fat Head’s Brewery in early January.  The brewery expects that the Florida “market will be exhausted of Fat Head’s beer by early February.”

This is a tough loss for the Florida craft beer community, but the actions of Fat Head’s Brewery are more than respectable when you consider that they are focusing their attention on their local fans.  If you are in Florida, be sure to fill up on your favorite Fat Head’s Brewery offerings over the next couple of months before they disappear from shelves and taps indefinitely.  Prost!

Holiday Gift Idea: Pack of Yetis from Great Divide Brewing Co.

Posted on by mashingin

yeti_mug_whitebackgroundLooking for that perfect gift for the craft beer lover in your life?  Well, Great Divide Brewing Co. (Denver, Colorado) just might have you covered with the release of their Pack of Yetis holiday gift pack.

We know it can a bit challenging at times when it comes to holiday shopping for a craft beer fan, but a variety pack sporting a unique drinking vessel and a selection of award-winning brews is a fantastic place to start.  Great Divide Brewing Co. made such a gift a reality when they put together and released the Pack of Yetis.  This gift pack consists of a stainless steel carabiner mug that reads, “Yeti In A Coffee Cup Looks Like Coffee In A Coffee Cup” (pictured to the right), and a random selection of three of the five Yeti Imperial Stout variants listed below (22 oz. bottles):

The Pack of Yetis is available now for the suggested retail price of $24.99 (price may vary by location) and can be found in select markets within the Great Divide distribution footprint.

greatdividebaglassIf your craft beer compadre prefers a more fanciful approach to his/her drinking experience, Great Divide Brewing also has some limited edition, specialty Barrel Aged glasses available (pictured to the left).  The fine glassware makers at Spiegelau teamed up with representatives from Great Divide, Cigar City Brewing, Green Flash Brewing Co. and Uinta Brewing to design a glass that completely enhances the nuances of barrel-aged beers.  You can order these beauties directly from the brewery’s Hop Shop for $10 each plus shipping (click here to do so).  Side note: If you are really fond of the recipient of these glasses, you can also track down a bottle of Barrel-aged Yeti Imperial Stout – a limited release offering available in December and sold separately – to throw in the box.  Do that and you will instantly become their favorite person.  Guaranteed.

We hope these gift ideas have helped you out, and be sure to check back here often because the Mashing In team will be providing tips and suggestions all holiday season long.  Prost!

Red Hills Brewing Company to Begin Distribution in Alabama

Posted on by mashingin

redhillsglasses_editedRed Hills Brewing Company (Birmingham, Alabama) has officially signed with International Wines & Craft Beer and will begin distribution on Thursday, December 8.

When Red Hills Brewing first opened their doors earlier this fall, the brewery initially utilized a soft-opening style at launch by only having their beers available in the taproom.  This approach made it so the brewers could gauge demand and allowed everyone involved to get used to their new roles.  Confident that they have achieved these goals and can maintain consistency, Red Hills Brewing Company will now take the next natural step forward by beginning distribution in Alabama’s Jefferson and Shelby counties.

The brewery confirms that the following four offerings will begin distribution on draft on December 8:

  • Homewood Hefe – Year-round
  • A Pound a Brown British Style-Mild Ale – Year-round
  • Tribute Session IPA – Year-round
  • Caught in the Rye IPA – Seasonal

Although these are the only four offerings with confirmed availability at launch of distribution, the brewery does hint that “other offerings” may also turn up at your favorite craft beer spots.

Distribution of these kegs will officially begin on December 8 in Jefferson and Shelby counties, but Red Hills Brewing Company does plan to expand distribution into the rest of Alabama at a later date.  Birmingham’s International Wines & Craft Beer will handle all distribution responsibilities for Red Hills.  The distributor and brewery have several launch events planned throughout the distribution area during the week of December 19.  Keep an eye on International Wines & Craft Beer’s social media accounts (Facebook, Instagram, and Twitter) for information concerning these events, and I will of course update this post with that info when it surfaces.  Wherever you happen to end up, just go ahead and make plans to give Red Hills Brewing a proper welcome to distribution at your favorite craft beer bar, restaurant or retailer in a couple weeks.  Prost!

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Bell’s Brewery Unveils 2017 Release Calendar

Posted on by mashingin

bellsglassWith the recent circulation of their official 2017 Beer Release Calendar, Bell’s Brewery (Comstock, Michigan) provides us all with a look into our craft beer future.

Instead of breaking down the full list of beer releases, this post is going to allow the calendar (available below) to greatly speak for itself.  With that said, we can quickly cover the following highlights:

  • Hopslam Double IPA Brewed with Honey will be released in January with availability in 12 oz. cans and draft.
  • Am I Right or Amarillo, an American India Pale Ale brewed with 100% Amarillo hops, will be available exclusively in Texas when Bell’s Brewery launches there in early March.
  • Oberon American Wheat Ale will officially release on March 27.  5L mini-kegs will ship out in May.  Oberon will be the only offering available in mini-kegs during the 2017 calendar year.
  • Originally released in 2014 as a part of the brewery’s seven-part Planets Series, Mars, The Bringer of War Double IPA will return in April 2017 as a limited Specialty release.
  • Pooltime Ale, a Belgian-inspired Wheat Ale brewed with Cherry Juice, will debut in 12 oz. cans and on draft in May.  **Note: Although the calendar reads “Pooltime Ale”, the website has a link available for Poolside Ale at this time.**
  • Hell Hath No Fury Belgian-inspired Dark Ale makes a much-anticipated return in September.
  • A yet-to-be-named “Specialty Stout” will debut in bottles in the fall.  More details to come on this one.

That should be just enough information to get you excited for the year ahead.  Take a look at the rest of calendar below and start making some mental notes for the many Bell’s Brewery-fueled beer runs that are sure to be in your future.  Prost!

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Bruery Terreux Introduces Frederick H. as Newest Year-Round Beer

Posted on by mashingin

fredbruerybottleOn Friday, December 2, Frederick H. Berlin-style Tart Wheat Beer officially began its public launch as the latest year-round offering available from Bruery Terreux (Anaheim, California).

With the introduction of Frederick H., Bruery Terreux – a boutique craft brewery and extension of The Bruery that specializes in farmhouse-style wild and sour ales – continues the gradual expansion of their year-round portfolio.  Named after Founder & CEO Patrick Rue’s grandfather, Frederick Hottenroth, Frederick H. arrives as “a tart, wheat-based beer 100% fermented in American-made oak foeders.”  These “massive oak foeders can each hold 250 BBLs (7750 gallons) of beer, which is continuously pulled out in small amounts as the tanks are topped off with fresh wort.”  This approach makes it so the brewers can create a “characterful sour beer that’s full of flavor and racy on the palate.”

“My grandfather was a brilliant inventor. He had a mind for innovation, for knowing the future. I remember him explaining global warming to me in the late ‘80s — and to be honest, we didn’t know what the hell he was talking about. Like Fred, Frederick H. is unique, inventive yet traditional,” shares Patrick Rue. “The fermentation is 100% in oak foeders with a special blend of brettanomyces and lactobacillus, giving Frederick H. a bright acidity and a tropical, fruity aroma and flavor. Each batch benefits from the contributions of previous batches, as it’s fermented and aged in a process resembling the solera method.”

Frederick H. joins Saison Rue Brettanomyces-fermented Rye Saison and Beret Sour Imperial Witbier aged in Oak Barrels with Raspberries as one of three year-round releases available in 2017.  The public release of Frederick H. began on December 2 at all Tasting Room locations for The Bruery and at TheBrueryStore.com.  With availability in 750ml bottles and on draft, this offering will then be sent out for national release later in December.  Look for this one to turn up at craft beer-friendly retailers, restaurants and bars located in Florida and throughout the rest of the distributed regions of Bruery Terreux.  Prost!

Vital Information for Frederick H. from Bruery Terreux

Release – Year-Round, launching December 2016
Style – Berliner Weisse-style Beer
ABV – 4.4%
IBUs – 2
Availability – 750ml bottles & draft
Distribution – FL, AZ, CA, CO, CT, DC, GA, HI, IL, IN, KY, LA, MD, MA, MI, MN, NJ, NV, NY, NC, OH, OR, PA, RI, TX, VT, VA, WA, WI
Fun Fact – Frederick H. marks the second beer from The Bruery to be named after Frederick Hottenroth.  Now retired, Hottenroth – actually named for both grandparents, Fred & Sarah Hottenroth – was an award-winning Berliner Weisse previously offered by the brewery.

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Red Hare Brewing Company Set to Launch Berry Belgian Waffle

Posted on by mashingin

berrybelgianwafflerhbcOn Saturday, December 3, Red Hare Brewing Company (Marietta, Georgia) will officially welcome Berry Belgian Waffle Belgian-style Ale to their Seasonal lineup.

Since the holiday season is a time meant for indulging in tasty, decadent treats, Red Hare Brewing Company has chosen “the most wonderful time of the year” to introduce Berry Belgian Waffle as their newest small-batch, Seasonal offering.  This release starts with a “malty waffle backbone” created with “copious amounts of Wheat, Victory Malt, CaraBelge Malt, and Belgian candied sugar.” Blueberries and Abbey Yeast round off the beer’s recipe to create a 7.9% ABV Belgian-style Pale Ale filled with delicious notes of berry, waffles and syrup.

The official release of Berry Belgian Waffle will begin at a brewery Launch Party on December 3 (click here for those event details).  6-packs of 12 oz. cans will find their way into distribution shortly thereafter. You will be able to find Berry Belgian Waffle at select “independent package stores, bars and restaurants” located in Alabama, the Florida Panhandle, and throughout the rest of Red Hare Brewing’s distribution footprint.  The release of Berry Belgian Waffle is sure to get the attention of many craft beer fans out there, so secure your sixer before this one disappears from shelves.  Prost!

Vital Information for Berry Belgian Waffle from Red Hare Brewing Company

Release – Limited/Winter Seasonal, official launch on December 3, 2016
Style – Belgian-style Pale Ale
ABV – 7.9%
IBUs – 12
Availability – 6-packs of 12 oz. cans
Distribution – Alabama, Florida Panhandle, Georgia, South Carolina & Tennessee