Full Sail Brewing Co. Releases Wreck the Halls Hoppy Holiday Ale

Posted on by mashingin

fullsail-wreck-the-hallsFull Sail Brewing Co. (Hood River, Oregon) announced this week that Wreck the Halls Hoppy Holiday Ale has been officially released as the latest offering in the brewery’s Brewmaster Reserve Series.

The annual, fan-favorite Wreck the Halls Hoppy Holiday Ale has made its official 2016 return, and this time around it has been released as a part of Full Sail Brewing Co.’s new Brewmaster Reserve 6-Pack Series, a special series that “allows the brewmasters to put their creativity, innovation and passion into small, limited-release beers.”  This offering is a hybrid that combines the malty aspects of a Winter Warmer with the bold hoppy character of an American India Pale Ale.  This combination results in a beer that boasts “elegant citrus notes balanced by a backdrop of a rich caramel malt body, dry hopped to amplify the aromas and flavor.”  The finished brew weighs in at 6.5% ABV and 68 IBUs.

“Wreck the Halls is an integral part of our diverse lineup of holiday beers, which includes both ales and lagers, and is our way of celebrating the holidays, our independence, and creativity,” says Full Sail Brewmaster Jim Kelter.

Wreck the Halls Hoppy Holiday Ale is available now as a limited release in 6-packs of 12 oz. bottles and on draft.  You can find this offering at craft beer-friendly establishments in Florida and throughout Full Sail Brewing’s distribution area.  You might as well get a jump on the holidays now by getting a little festive with Wreck the Halls whenever you see it.  Prost!

Vital Information on Wreck the Halls Hoppy Holiday Ale from Full Sail Brewing Co.

Release – Seasonal, Brewmaster Reserve Series; October – December 2016
Style – Hybrid of Winter Warmer & American India Pale Ale
ABV – 6.5%
IBUs – 68
Hops – Cascade & Centennial 
Food Pairings – “Wreck’s slight caramel maltiness pairs nicely with Rogue Oregonzola, pepper jack and stronger aged cheeses like farmhouse cheddars, Stiltons, Roquefort, super aged Gouda, or Vacherin Mont D’Or. Flavors that are capsaicin like chili and Thai foods. Spice-forward desserts on the sweeter side like spiced rum cake and spiced sticky toffee pudding pair very well with Wreck the Halls.”
Beer Finder – http://fullsailbrewing.com/where-to-buy/

Harpoon Brewery and Odell Brewing Co. Release EHOP Collaboration

Posted on by mashingin

ehop-modalHarpoon Brewery (Boston, Massachusetts) and Odell Brewing Co. (Fort Collins, Colorado) have announced that their collaboration beer – 100 Barrel Series #59: EHOP – has been officially released as a limited offering.

In celebration of being two employee-owned, independent breweries, Harpoon Brewery and Odell Brewing Co. have come together to brew 100 Barrel Series #59: EHOP as “a declaration of brewing independence.” Harpoon Vermont brewer Tom Graham and Odell brewer Bill Beymer collaborated to create two recipes of this Oatmeal Pale Ale: “one brewed at Harpoon in Boston, Massachusetts and the other brewed at Odell in Fort Collins, Colorado.”

Harpoon Brewery’s version of this Oatmeal Pale Ale is “light golden in color with a subtly tropical hop aroma and a slightly bitter finish.”  7000 pounds of oats were used in Harpoon’s recipe and were sourced from King Arthur Flour, “a renowned flour company based in Norwich, Vermont, and one of the nation’s foremost employee owned companies.”  The beer comes together as a hop-forward Oatmeal Pale Ale that weighs in at 6.6% ABV and 32 IBUs.

Harpoon’s version of 100 Barrel Series #59: EHOP was officially released at a launch party with King Arthur Flour on Tuesday, October 18 at the brewery location in Windsor, Vermont.  This limited release has now started seeing distribution in 22 oz. bottles and on draft (kegs are extremely limited) in select areas within Harpoon Brewery’s distribution area.  Odell Brewing Co.’s version of EHOP will be available on draft exclusively at the brewery’s Tap Room.  No matter where you track it down, be sure to get your taste of 100 Barrel Series #59: EHOP while you can because this Oatmeal Pale Ale is sure to disappear with a quickness.  Prost!

Vital Information on 100 Barrel Series #59: EHOP (Harpoon Version) collaboration from Harpoon Brewery and Odell Brewing Co.

Release – Limited, launched late October 2016
Style – Oatmeal Pale Ale
ABV – 6.6%
IBUs – 32
Appearance – Light, golden straw
Aroma – Tropical fruit and melon
Mouthfeel – Slightly dry
Taste – Tropical fruit and melon
Finish – Slightly bitter
Availability – 22 oz. bottles & limited draft
Beer Finder – http://www.harpoonbrewery.com/beer-finder

 

DuClaw Brewing Co. Begins Distribution in Florida

Posted on by mashingin

duclawflDuClaw Brewing Co. (Baltimore, Maryland) announced this week that the brewery has signed with Cavalier Distributing (Lakeland, Florida) to expand its distribution area to now include the state of Florida.

Founded in 1996, DuClaw Brewing Co. quickly established itself with Baltimore locals by being named “Bel Air’s hippest establishment” within a year of opening and has been making Maryland craft beer “cool” ever since.  The brewery’s popularity absolutely exploded on a national level with the release of Sweet Baby Jesus Chocolate Peanut Butter Porter in 2011.  Thanks to stellar reviews spread by the brewery’s fans and a Bronze Medal finish at the 2014 Great American Beer Festival (Chocolate Beer Category), Sweet Baby Jesus has acted as a catalyst for the brewery to steadily expand distribution to get their innovative, unique offerings into the hands of more and more craft beer fans.

The extended reach of DuClaw Brewing Co. has finally come to embrace the craft beer community in Florida, and the brewery will officially launch in the state with the following four offerings:

  •  Blood Orange Neon Gypsy IPA – “The first foray into our Hop Continuum Series, our flagship IPA infused with blood orange juice, proved so popular that it transcended the series to stand on its own outside as a worthy companion to the original Neon Gypsy. Notes of grapefruit, citrus, and pine from a blend of seven hops balances the tart sweetness of blood orange juice for a flavor profile that roams your palate long after the beer’s bittersweet finish.”  ABV – 6.5%  IBUs – 55
  • Dirty Little Freak – “Dirty Little Freak Coconut Caramel Chocolate Brown Ale, first brewed in 2014, takes the traditional American Brown Ale and gives it a sensual new twist – Coconut! This medium-bodied, 5.8% ABV brown ale is a feast for the senses from its dominant blend of warm, roasted malt, coconut, caramel, and chocolate flavors barely restrained by a gentle hop bite, to its tantalizingly satisfying finish. But if you submit to our Dirty Little Freak, be warned: there is no safe word.”  ABV – 5.8%  IBUs – 30
  • Funk Blueberry Citrus Wheat – “The traditional American Wheat Ale serves as a solid baseline, but we couldn’t be content until we tore the roof off this sucker! Funk, our Blueberry Citrus Wheat Ale, sets the rhythm with a soulful fusion of American wheat and hops, before unleashing a stunning encore with big notes of blueberry and Meyer lemon. It’s no jive, you’ll just dig it!”  ABV – 5%  IBUs – 16
  • Sweet Baby Jesus Chocolate Peanut Butter Porter – “First brewed in 2011, this Chocolate Peanut Butter Porter is jet black in color with a tan, rocky head, full body and creamy, luxurious mouthfeel. Its lightly sweet, malty flavor is accented by rich flavors of chocolate, coffee and peanut butter, and balanced by a subtle hop character and moderate 6.2% abv. Sweet Baby Jesus finishes smooth, dry, and roasty with lingering notes of chocolate and peanut butter so savory, you will exclaim its name!”  ABV – 6.2%  IBUs – 33

“I’ve visited Florida regularly for years, and now I’m finally going to be able to pickup a six pack of our beer in the local store,” said DuClaw Founder Dave Benfield. “I’ve seen first hand how strong the Florida craft beer community is, and they’ve been very vocal in letting us know that they want our beer, especially since our 2014 collaboration with Cigar City. It’s rewarding to finally be able to share our brews with the craft beer lovers of Florida.”

The offerings above will be available in 12 oz. bottles and on draft at launch, and the brewery will introduce “many seasonal and limited release beers to the market throughout the year.”  Distribution responsibilities in Florida will be handled by Cavalier Distributing, and you can visit the distributor’s  website and social media accounts (Facebook and Twitter) to keep track of any launch events that they are planning.  Give the events a look, pencil in one – or many – on your calendar, and be sure to give DuClaw Brewing Co. a proper welcome to the Florida craft beer community in the coming weeks. Prost!

Winterhook Returns as Seasonal Release from Redhook Brewery

Posted on by mashingin

beer_winterhookRedhook Brewery (Seattle, Washington) recently announced that Winterhook Dark Ale has returned to shelves and taps for a limited time.

First brewed in 1984, Winterhook Dark Ale is an ever-changing, ever-evolving Winter Seasonal from Redhook Brewery.  Since the brewery adjusts the recipe each year to incorporate a new combination of malts and hops, each and every annual release of this offering is truly a one-of-a-kind experience.  For the 2016 release, the recipe begins with “a healthy dose of Munich malt and includes flaked oats for a creamier mouthfeel.”  The brewers at Redhook then added Centennial, Chinook and Simcoe hops to provide the beer with the needed level of balance.  With a rich amber color that is reminiscent of an Altbier, the 2016 Winterhook comes together as a Dark Ale weighing in at 6% ABV and 50 IBUs.

Winterhook Dark Ale is available now as a seasonal release that will be hanging around through December.  Look for this one in 6-packs of 12 oz. bottles and on draft at craft beer-friendly establishments in Alabama, Florida and throughout Redhook Brewery’s expansive distribution area.  Since this offering is a different recipe with each release, be sure to grab a bottle when you see it to experience what the 2016 Winterhook is all about.  Prost!

Vital Information for Winterhook Dark Ale (2016) from Redhook Brewery

Release – Seasonal, September through December
Style – Winter Warmer
ABV – 6%
IBUs – 50
Malts – Munich Malts & Flaked Oats
Hops – Centennial, Chinook & Simcoe
Availability – 6-packs of 12 oz. bottles and draft
Beer Finder – http://redhook.com/beer-finder

Back Forty Beer Company Partners with World Food Championships

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back-forty-beer-feature-box-v1aWorld Food Championships (Orange Beach, Alabama) recently announced that they have teamed up with Back Forty Beer Company (Gadsden, Alabama) to make their products the official beer of the event.

If you have followed Back Forty Beer Company at all since it entered the craft beer scene in 2009, it should be absolutely no surprise that the brewery has always had a close connection with all things culinary.  Whether it was with beer dinners at local restaurants, pig roasts in the parking lot, hosting food celebrations like the Front Porch Festival or collaborating with chefs on special release brews meant especially for food pairing, Back Forty has consistently and openly expressed its love for food and its relation to craft beer.  As the brewery grew, so did its commitment to this idea.  The brewery is now home to the Test Kitchen restaurant (open 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. & 5 p.m. to 9 p.m. Wednesday through Saturday, and 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. for Sunday Brunch) and they are constantly hosting Pop-Up Craft Beer Dinners on-site to educate their guests on the beautiful accompaniment beer can be with the finest of foods.

“Food has come to define our company and our market. We were foodies before we were brewers,” Jason Wilson of Back Forty explains. “Chefs, brewers, architects – we’re all the same. We’re craftsmen at the heart. We care so much about our product.”

The latest development in their culinary journey has Back Forty Beer Company partnering with World Food Championships, “the largest competition in food sport, where champions of previous events convene for a chance at winning the ultimate food crown and a share of $300,000.”  The 2016 World Food Championships will be held in Orange Beach, Alabama and feature a packed event schedule spanning the dates of November 9 through November 15 (click here to see the full 2016 schedule).  Back Forty Beer Company offerings – including the brewery flagship Naked Pig Pale Ale – will “be involved in numerous events at World Food Championships, including vending on-site, VIP events, and Bourb’N’Que.”

“We’ve been watching the craft beer market for several years now, in hopes of finding an ideal partner that will enable us to create super food pairings for competitors and an unforgettable craft beer garden for consumers,” commented Mike McCloud, CEO of the World Food Championships. “We strongly believe that Back Forty is going to be that ideal partner, especially considering their long-standing connection to all things food.”

If you happen to be in the Orange Beach area during the event dates of November 9-15 and are looking for something fun to get into, tickets are still available for several events in the World Food Championships (click here to secure them).  While at the event, be sure to order up a fine Back Forty Beer Company brew to explore the wonderful world of craft beer and food pairing.  Prost!

 

Tasting Notes: 2016 Oktoberfest Festival Lager from Sierra Nevada Brewing Co. and Mahrs Bräu

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snofestsixerWe at Mashing In continue to honor Fest Season this week by taking a look at the 2016 Oktoberfest Festival Lager collaboration from Sierra Nevada Brewing Co. (Chico, California) and Mahrs Bräu (Bamberg, Germany).

Last year, Sierra Nevada Brewing Co. began a new approach to the annual release of their Oktoberfest.  Instead of revisiting the same beer recipe each year, the brewery now works in collaboration with the finest brewers in Germany to create one-time only releases that pay proper respect and homage to the Festbier style.  This 2016 release of Oktoberfest was brewed with the help of Mahrs Bräu.  Located in Bamberg, Germany, this “family owned and operated business, run with conviction and passion,” has been brewing beer with “Character” since 1895.  Combing countless years of brewing knowledge, representatives from both Sierra Nevada and Mahrs Bräu decided to brew up an “authentic version of the festival beer . . . deep golden in color with a rich malt complexity, but with a noticeable spicy hop character from the use of the nearly forgotten Record hop varietal.”  That description alone is enough to whet my appetite, so let’s grab a glass and get to some Tasting Notes!

Tasting Notes for 2016 Oktoberfest Festival Lager from Sierra Nevada Brewing Co. & Mahrs Bräu

Appearance: As this 2016 Oktoberfest Festival Lager fills the glass, it is obvious that it differs from the subject of last week’s Tasting Notes – Oktoberfest from Cigar City Brewing (click here to read up on that one) – by being an offering that is a lighter, more blonde representation of the Festbier style’s history.  This one presents itself as a rich gold in color.  When held to direct light, it then glows with hues of brighter golds and straw yellows.  The body has an immaculate clarity and displays a carbonation presence pulsing rhythmically in a few locations along the glass.  A little over a finger of intensely white foam built off of the pour.  It clings with determination to its initial site, leaving sizable chunks of lace at the mouth of the glass.  Because of this, the head falters to a thin top cap after just a few sips. As you can see from the photo above, it is truly a sight to behold.

Aroma: Surprisingly, lager yeast greets the nose first with that clean earthiness that we all seem to associate as that archetypal, “that’s beer!” characteristic fragrance.  A light malt presence works its way forward with crackery notes and a dollop of honey.  The hops then saunter in casually to finish things off with delicate earthy, spicy and fruity tones.  The overall aroma is by no means dainty.  It is blatantly foreshadowing this beer’s full intentions.

Taste: The malts turn up first with gently sweet notes of grain, cracker, and simple breads. The malt and grain presence may be light, but it is by no means shy.  They are here to shine and are held up by a pronounced lager yeast note that gives the drinker a full on Pils-like experience.  This is all accompanied by a soft hop character putting out grassy and spicy notes along with just a whisper of fruity tones in the background.

Mouthfeel: This lager is light in body, but it wants to push itself closer to medium.  It has a generous carbonation level that tickles the tongue and throat.  On the palate, it is crisp with just a touch of playful sharpness.  The sweetness of the malts seems to vanish just as quickly as it hits the taste buds.  At 6%, the ABV does make itself known a bit with some warmth turning up on the throat and in the belly.  The aftertaste is just some lingering light grains.

Final Thoughts: Stay with me here while I paint a picture for you.  You are driving down a country road with the windows down to soak in everything that this beautiful day has to offer.  Your travels take you by a farm that is in the process of harvesting grain.  As you pass, you notice a presence that is filling the air.  This is more than just the hearty, clean aroma of freshly cut grain.  No, this is an indescribable phenomenon that permeates and saturates all-encompassingly: a smell in your nose, a taste in your mouth, a flood of memories in your mind, etc.  Nostalgia.  This is something you have felt before, but it is almost as if you are experiencing it once again for the first time.  Losing yourself in this realization and whatever images this experience has conjured up in your mind, you cannot help but grin, slow down just a bit and fully take it all in before the moment passes.

This beer is that experience in a glass.  What I mean is that it is obvious that Sierra Nevada and Mahrs Bräu wanted to create the cleanest, most quintessential of lagers when they approached this 2016 Oktoberfest.  From the first sip, they want your experience with this lager to somehow be both virginal and familiar.  That first sip, although new, is processed as a memory.  This is a beer that makes you feel like you may have had it before while still coming across with a level of craftsmanship that you have yet to encounter during your craft beer journey.  If you are looking for a simpler description, we can push verbosity aside and say that this is a beer meant to quench the thirst of the beer connoisseur and the everyman.  A beer that is so refreshing and clean in flavor that it will never have the chance to go warm in 2 liter steins at Oktoberfest celebrations everywhere.  In summation, it is a beer that can be as complex or as simple as you want it to be.  Prost!

Avery Brewing Co. Prepares for Release of Tangerine Quad

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averylogoAvery Brewing Co. (Boulder, Colorado) recently announced that Tangerine Quad will be the next release in the brewery’s Botanicals & Barrels Series.

Tangerine Quad arrives as the latest offering to come out of the brewery’s relatively new Botanicals and Barrels Series; released throughout the year, this is a line-up of special brews that combines beautiful, fresh ingredients with complex nuances achieved through careful barrel-aging.  For this release, the brewers at Avery have created a 10% ABV Belgian-style Quadrupel Ale brewed with tangerine peel added and then aged in Bourbon Barrels.  The label always explains it best, so here’s the full bottle description:

“Patiently aged in the finest of Bourbon Barrels, this bold Belgian-style Quadrupel layers notes of rich, dark fruit, vanilla, and caramel with a burst of tangerine peel culminating in the vibrancy of this full bodied creation.”

Look for Tangerine Quad to start hitting shelves in 22 oz. bottles at the end of October 2016.  This offering will be available in select markets within Avery Brewing Co.’s distribution area.  My readers in Florida will be happy to hear that previous Botanticals & Barrels releases arrived in state, so we stand a good chance of seeing this one as well.  Be sure to keep an eye out for this brew on future beer runs.  Prost!

Vital Information on Tangerine Quad from Avery Brewing Co.

Release – Limited, Botanicals & Barrels.  Available at the end of October 2016.
Style – Belgian-style Quadrupel, Barrel-aged
ABV – 10%
Ingredients – “Rocky Mountain water, malted barley, imported Belgian specialty malted barley, dark Belgian candy sugar, tangerine peel, hops, and Belgian yeast.”
Availability – 22 oz. bottles in select markets
Beer Finder – https://www.averybrewing.com/brew-finder

Firestone Walker Brewing Announces Plans to Discontinue Current Proprietor’s Reserve Series

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fswbottlesFirestone Walker Brewing Company (Paso Robles, California) has officially confirmed that the three beers within their Proprietor’s Reserve Series – Double Jack Double IPA, Opal Farmhouse Ale and Wookey Jack Black Rye IPA – will be retired by the end of 2016.

Created as a series dedicated to smaller-batch standout beers, Firestone Walker’s Proprietor’s Reserve has been represented incredibly well by Double Jack Double IPA, Opal Farmhouse Ale and Wookey Jack Black Rye IPA over the last several years. These brewery favorites have acted as the perfect offerings to bridge the gap between the accessible year-round and seasonal brews within the Lion & Bear Series and the limited release, barrel-aged beers of the Proprietor’s Vintage Series.  Sadly, times have changed and the current craft beer landscape calls for breweries to now constantly awe fans with newly created, innovative offerings.  Since the Proprietor’s Reserve Series was created for these very reasons, it only seems fitting that it falls victim to its initial intention.

If you happen to be unfamiliar with the beers of the Proprietor’s Reserve, here are the full brewery descriptions of all three:

 

  • fswdjDouble Jack Double IPA – “With Double Jack, we amped up our signature Union Jack IPA to create an aggressively hopped, flawlessly balanced and dangerously drinkable imperial IPA. Double Jack opens up with bright grapefruit and tangerine American hop aromas, courtesy of liberal dry hopping with Amarillo, Cascade, Centennial and Simcoe. Undertones of stone fruit are revealed upon first sip, followed by the essence of blue basil and pine. A sturdy pale and crystal malt backbone brings balance to high hop intensity.” ABV – 9.5%  IBUs – 85
  • fswopalOpal Farmhouse Ale – “Opal is an unfiltered interpretation of the classic saisons that originated from the 18th century farmhouses of southern Belgium’s Wallonia region. In true agrarian beer fashion, Opal is loaded with rustic grains and spicy Belgian yeastiness, with a hazy namesake opalescence in the glass. Into this mix comes a dimension of dry-­‐hopped brightness, layering in notes of fragrant citrus and tropical fruit. The result is a rootsy, rustic saison that brings down the farmhouse, merging Belgian tradition with West Coast style.”  ABV – 7.5%  IBUs – 35
  • fswwjWookey Jack Black Rye IPA – “A riff on the familiar Black IPA style, Wookey Jack is gnarly on the outside yet refined on the inside. Malted Rye and a dash of Cara Rye impart a spicy grain quality to the palate, while double dry-­‐hopping with Citra and Amarillo hops brings a citrusy dimension to the aroma profile. The brewing team also claims to have incorporated a bit of “Wookey Dust” into the recipe. The beer is black in color, but if you close your eyes and taste it, you’ll say it’s a true IPA. Wookey Jack is unfined and unfiltered to retain its woolly natural texture and character.”  ABV – 8.3%  IBUs – 80

“It’s a bittersweet occasion,” said David Walker. “Each of these beers was forward-thinking and representative of some of our best brewing efforts, but they are now stepping aside to make room for the next generation.”

Added Adam Firestone, “This was a hard decision made for the sake of innovation. These beers were born of that ideal, and now they are yielding to it.”

The elimination of the current Proprietor’s Reserve Series supplies the brewers at Firestone Walker with a “brand new canvas” where they can express themselves with the creation of some exciting new beers.  Details on this new direction and these new beers have yet to be announced, and the brewery is being quite hush-hush on the matter at this time.  As soon as we have those details, we will be sure to update you with them.

Although they enter retirement, this is not exactly the end for Double Jack, Opal and Wookey Jack.  Fans of these fantastic beers can take solace in knowing that Brewmaster Matt Brynildson has said these offerings will most assuredly return at some point in the future as “curtain call” limited releases or as “reimagined” takes on these now classic recipes.  As for now, all we can do is enjoy them while we have them.  Those who are fond of Double Jack, Opal and Wookey Jack should get their fill while they can, and those who wish to try them for the first time need to secure their bottles before they disappear by the end of the year.  Prost!

Boulevard Brewing Co. Launches Cranberry Orange Radler

Posted on by mashingin

cor_12canBoulevard Brewing Co. (Kansas City, Missouri) recently announced that Cranberry Orange Radler has officially headed out to shelves as a new Seasonal release.

With Ginger Lemon Radler earning nearly instantaneous fan-favorite status when it first debuted in 2014, it was just a matter of time before Boulevard Brewing Co. took another swing at the wildly popular beverage known as the Radler.  Although some may give it recognition as a full-blown beer style while others may call it a beer cocktail, what can be said for sure is that the Radler is an ultra-thirst quencher that combines citrus juice or soda with an easy-drinking base beer.  This time around, Boulevard approaches this beverage by having Cranberry Orange Radler incorporate – spoiler alert – the refreshing flavors of cranberry and orange.  The citrus and slightly bready qualities of the base Unfiltered Wheat Beer get a boost thanks to a “blood orange character [that] boldly manifests in the flavor giving way to cranberry tartness.” Hazy and lightly pink in appearance, this brew comes together at just 4.05% ABV and 12 IBUs.

Cranberry Orange Radler officially became available in the Greater Kansas City area on Tuesday, October 11.  Other select cities within Boulevard Brewing Co.’s distribution area will see shipments of these 6-packs of 12 oz. cans soon.  The brewery did say the areas that previously received shipments of Ginger Lemon Radler stand the best chance of seeing cans of Cranberry Orange Radler (luckily, this includes areas of Alabama and Florida), and that fans should reach out to their local retailers, bars and distributors to request this seasonal offering.  Get on the phone or swing by your local, put in that request, and make it happen.  Prost!

Vital Information for Cranberry Orange Radler from Boulevard Brewing Co.

Release – Seasonal, launch in Mid-October 2016
Style – Radler
ABV – 4.05%
IBUs – 12
Aroma – Sweet orange with a hint of cranberry
Malt – Slightly sweet, bready flavor
Hops – Low bitterness and flavor
Balance – Bright citrus
Body – Light
Food Pairings – bleu cheese, roasted poultry, spiced pears & spinach salad
Availability – 6-packs of 12 oz. cans
Beer Finder – https://www.boulevard.com/beers/beer-finder/

 

Harpoon Brewery Releases Mixed 30-pack to Celebrate 30th Anniversary

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harpoon30Harpoon Brewery (Boston, Massachusetts) recently announced that they have released the Harpoon 30-Pack in honor of the brewery reaching the milestone of 30 years of craft brewing.

The number of stories created and shared at a brewery that has been operating for 30 years is kind of difficult to quantify, but that is exactly what has happened over the last three decades at Harpoon Brewery.  Whether they were entertaining anecdotes, life-altering accounts or just trivial, day-to-day banter, these are the stories that helped all of the brewery’s co-workers, friends, family, fans, etc. bond and relate to one another.  To honor these 30 years of stories, Harpoon is giving their team members and fans an outlet to share them at www.Harpoon30.com (click here to check that out).

Just like each and every member of the Harpoon Brewery family, each beer that the brewery has created over the last 30 years can also tell a story. Craft beer fans can get a taste of this experience with the release of the Harpoon 30-Pack.  This mixed 30-pack consists of the following 15 different offerings – two 12 oz. bottles of each – that span the brewery’s history:

  1. Harpoon Ale – Release: 1986.   A balanced and mild amber ale.  5.0% ABV
  2. Harpoon Octoberfest – Release: 1989.  A malty, rich welcome to fall.  5.3% ABV
  3. Harpoon IPA – Release: 1993.  Hoppy, floral, crisp.  5.9% ABV
  4. Harpoon Dark Dunkel – Release: 1998.  Deliciously dark and velvety smooth with roasted notes.  5.2% ABV
  5. Oatmeal Stout – Release: 2003.  The first session of the Harpoon 100 Barrel Series kicked off this new adventure in brewing with style.  5.05% ABV
  6. Leviathan IPA – Release: 2008.  Our Imperial IPA is loaded with big, juicy American hop character and balanced by a strong, malty backbone.  10.0% ABV
  7. El Triunfo Coffee Porter – Release: 2012.  Hints of chocolate and caramel complement bittersweet coffee in this hearty porter.  6.0% ABV
  8. Hoppy Belgian-style Blonde – Release: 2012.  A delightfully drinkable Belgian-style ale with a big kick of American hops.  6.5% ABV
  9. Citra Victorious Pale Ale – Release: 2013.  A sessionable pale ale loaded with Citra hops and grapefruit peel.  5.8% ABV
  10. Harpoon Take 5 Session IPA – Release: 2014.  Vibrant citrus and pine hop aromatics greet a distinct malt profile in this Session IPA.  4.3% ABV
  11. The Long Thaw White IPA – Release: 2014.  A seasonal IPA for the ‘in-between’ season.  6.2% ABV
  12. Hoppy Adventure Double IPA – Release: 2015.  A Double IPA that’s slightly sweet with a lingering bitterness.  7.8% ABV
  13. Harpoon Sweet Spot Golden Ale – Release: 2016.  Complex meets smooth in this full-flavored but easy-drinking Golden Ale.  4.8% ABV
  14. Harpoon Flannel Friday Amber Ale – Release: 2016.  A hoppy amber ale brewed for the crisp days of fall.  5.7% ABV
  15. Interrobang Imperial Stout – Release: 2016.  An unabashed Imperial Espresso Stout.
    18% ABV

The Harpoon 30-Pack is available now as a very limited release.  Look for this mixed 30-pack to be available at select craft beer retailers within Harpoon Brewery’s distribution area (this will probably exclude states like Alabama where that 18% ABV Interrobang Imperial Stout is deemed illegal).  Get this mixed pack while you can, and be sure to share a beer and a story or two with a friend while you work your way through this liquid history of Harpoon Brewery.  Prost!