Heavy Seas Beer and Stone Brewing Co. Collaborate on Final Installment of 2016 Partner Ships Series

Posted on by mashingin

partnershipsstoneHeavy Seas Beer (Baltimore, Maryland) recently announced that they have teamed up with Stone Brewing Co. (Escondido, California) to create Imperial Brown IPA as the next release in the Partner Ships Series.

Created by Heavy Seas Beer earlier this year, Partner Ships is a series of limited release beers “produced in collaboration with other regionally and nationally recognized brewers in the spirit of friendship, creativity, and adventure.”  The fourth and final official release of 2016 in this series will be Partner Ships Imperial Brown IPA created with the assistance of the respected and self-proclaimed arrogant industry giant that is Stone Brewing Co.  Partner Ships Imperial Brown IPA combines Stone Brewing’s trademark “American hop mayhem” with Blackstrap Molasses and a pronounced malt backbone to create “a burly, palate obliterating” brew.

Officially releasing in November of 2016, Partner Ships Imperial Brown IPA will be available in 22 oz. bottles and on draft.  Look for this limited release offering at select craft beer retailers in Alabama, Florida and throughout the full distribution area of Heavy Seas Beer.  Prost!

Vital Information on Partner Ships Imperial Brown IPA from Heavy Seas Beer and Stone Brewing Co.

Release – Limited, 2016 Partner Ships Series
Style – Hybrid of American Brown Ale & American India Pale Ale
ABV – 9%
IBUs – 90
Hops – Centennial, Palisade, Citra, Chinook & Simcoe
Malts – 2-Row, UK Amber Malt, Brown Malt & Crystal Malt
Availability – 22 oz. bottles & draft
Previous Partner Ships Releases – Red IPA with Maine Beer Company, Hoppelbock with Tröegs Independent Brewing, & Rye Wit with Terrapin Beer Co.

Great Divide Brewing Co. Releases Fresh Hop Pale Ale in Cans

Posted on by mashingin

fresh-hop-medalionGreat Divide Brewing Co. (Denver, Colorado) announced this week that Fresh Hop Pale Ale has officially made its annual return and it is available in 12 oz. cans this time around.

Released as an offering from the brewery’s Tank Farm Series, Fresh Hop Pale Ale is Great Divide Brewing’s annual ode to the hop.  Brewed each fall, this offering is a “labor of love” that features wet, whole cone hops fresh from the hop harvest in the Pacific Northwest.  These wet hops provide the beer an “unparalleled grassy, citrus hop brilliance” that you can only experience during harvest season.

Since Fresh Hop Pale Ale is meant to be kept cold and consumed as fresh as possible, switching its packaging to cans just made sense.  The cans will keep the beer ice cold and help preserve the fragile integrity of the fresh hops until you get around to pouring one up.

Fresh Hop Pale Ale is available now as a limited offering. Look for this one in 6-packs of 12 oz. cans and on draft at craft beer establishments in Alabama, Florida and throughout Great Divide Brewing Co.’s full distribution footprint.  This beer is only going to be around for a few weeks, so get it while you can and drink it now.  Prost!

Vital Information for Fresh Hop Pale Ale from Great Divide Brewing Co.

Release – Limited/Seasonal, October release
Style – Pale Ale, Harvest Ale
ABV – 6.1%
IBUs – 55
Availability – 6-packs of 12 oz. cans and draft
Beer Finder – http://greatdivide.com/beer-finder/
Food Pairings – “Grilled trout, grilled bratwurst, ginger-garlic sweet potatoes, Epoisses (a rich, washed rind cow’s milk cheese from France).”

 

Sierra Nevada Brewing Co. to Launch Two New Core Beers in 2017

Posted on by mashingin

snsidecarSierra Nevada Brewing Co. (Chico, California) recently announced that the first quarter of 2017 will see the launch of two new brews: Sidecar Orange Pale Ale and Tropical Torpedo IPA.

Coming in as a new look at a respected classic, Sidecar Orange Pale Ale adds a quenching citrus infusion to the familiar characteristics of the brewery’s flagship Pale Ale. “Made with orange peel and bold, citrus-heavy hops,” this beer comes together as a quaffable offering weighing in at 5.3% ABV and 35 IBUs.  Just as the name implies, Sidecar Orange Pale Ale is meant to be enjoyed as an accompaniment to the standard that is Sierra Nevada’s Pale Ale.

“Innovation is part of our DNA,” says Ken Grossman, founder of Sierra Nevada. “36 years ago we changed the way Americans look at hoppy beer with Sierra Nevada Pale Ale. In 2017 we’ll be doing it again, with fresh takes on beer styles that we helped pioneer: pale ale and IPA.”

sntroptorpedoThere is no denying that the India Pale Ale is by far the most popular beer style in the U.S. right now, and Sierra Nevada hopes that Tropical Torpedo IPA – when it is released at the start of 2017 – will act as that perfect introduction to “new drinkers entering the craft beer market via the IPA.”  With the use of the Hop Torpedo – Sierra Nevada’s proprietary dry-hopping device -, brewers coax huge tropical fruit notes of mango, papaya and passionfruit out of the hops employed in the recipe for Tropical Torpedo IPA.    The finished IPA comes in at an easy drinking 6.7% ABV and 55 IBUs, and absolutely no fruit was added during the brewing process.

Sidecar Orange Pale Ale will be available January 1, 2017, in 6-packs and 12-packs of 12 oz. bottles and on draft.  Tropical Torpedo IPA launches January 1, 2017, in 6-packs of 12 oz. bottles only, with draft to follow late in the first quarter of 2017.  Look for both of these year-round offerings to be available at craft beer-friendly establishments in Alabama, Florida and throughout Sierra Nevada’s full distribution area.  Be sure to experience the innovation and evolution of Sierra Nevada when these new brews drop after the New Year.  Prost!

 

Tasting Notes: Oktoberfest German-style Festbier from Cigar City Brewing

Posted on by mashingin

CCBOfestThese Florida breezes carrying fleeting cooler temperatures certainly call out for the flavors and styles of fall.  I will wisely heed this call by taking a look at Oktoberfest German-style Festbier from Cigar City Brewing (Tampa, Florida) in this week’s edition of Tasting Notes.

Back in September, I gave you all the lowdown on the seasonal return of Cigar City Brewing’s Oktoberfest German-style Festbier (click here to view that post).  Brewed with Hallertauer Mittlefruh hops, Munich malt and five other varieties of German malts, the brewery describes this Festbier as a nod “firmly toward the style’s history with its amber color.”  The news of a more traditional, heartier, locally-produced Oktoberfest lager certainly piqued the interest of my German side, and I just had to go out and grab a few cans to experience this one for myself.  So, here we are . . . can in hand . . . stein at the ready . . . I guess the only thing left to do is get to some Tasting Notes!

Tasting Notes for Oktoberfest German-style Festbier from Cigar City Brewing

Appearance: Oktoberfest fills the stein with an amber colored liquid popping with brown, garnet and sunny orange hues.  Held to direct light, the body brightens and bursts with lighter browns and burnt oranges.  The beer is quite clear with an ample carbonation presence darting throughout.  The pour produced two fingers of off-white to light tan foam.  The head is loose and bubbly, falling to a thin ring that leaves minimal lacing.  This brew certainly makes this stein look good and feel at home.

Aroma:  Each time the stein’s cap is raised, the air is filled with a comforting presence that is as gentle and subdued as a fall day.  Grains . . . so much grain presence pushes forward to produce notes of the beautifully baked, hearty breads of Europe.  Real bread.  This fantastic grain note and a bit of nuttiness comprises the majority of the profile, but there is a muted and restrained hop presence kicking around in here to lend complementing earthy and herbaceous tones.  If these aromatics could fill my house each and everyday, I would not be upset at all.

Taste: Cereal grains and rich breadiness lead the way once again.  A touch of caramel is woven in along with just a kiss of floral honey.  Although this brew is malt driven, it is by no means overly sweet thanks to a deft and balancing infusion of hops.  Herbal in character, these hops supply a wisp of complementing flavor and just enough bitterness to pull everything together.  Delicious and incredibly satisfying.

Mouthfeel: This one is medium in body with a bright carbonation that carries the beer gracefully across the palate.  Sweet on the tongue, but it clears out with haste to achieve a wonderful level of crispness and drinkability.  The ABV shows itself as quite light in presence with just the slightest tinge of heat prickling the throat at times.  The aftertaste is all bready malt.

Final Thoughts: When my mind wanders to ideas of what makes a good Oktoberfestbier, the characteristics residing within Cigar City’s Oktoberfest German-style Festbier are pretty much what always come to mind: comforting, bready malt qualities possessing just enough sweetness to meld seamlessly with floral and herbal hop notes that supply balance and added depth.  Malt is the unrivaled yet careful wheel-man for this ride, and the hops know that their place is in the backseat.  Through cunning and a non-obtrusive nature, this Oktoberfest proves that malty beers can also be easy drinking and quenching.  If my notes have led you astray, please do not be mistaken because there is nothing simple about this beer. No, sir . . . this is artful complexity disguised as simplicity.  Without a doubt, this is a beautifully executed, respectful homage to the Festbier . . . and to that, I can always raise a glass.  Prost!

 

Lizard of Koz Next Up in Backstage Series from Founders Brewing

Posted on by mashingin

founderslokFounders Brewing Company (Grand Rapids, Michigan) recently announced that Lizard of Koz Imperial Stout will be joining their Backstage Series beginning in mid-November.

Lizard of Koz enters the Founders Brewing portfolio of distributed offerings as the second and final release in the 2016 Backstage Series, a limited release lineup made up of “boundary-pushing, experimental beers” that the brewery affectionately refers to as their “brewers’ playground.”  This Imperial Stout’s recipe was created by Brewmaster Jeremy Kosmicki as a birthday gift to his sister Liz and features some of her favorite ingredients: “fresh Michigan blueberries, rich chocolate and vanilla – aged in bourbon barrels to round out those beautiful flavors.”  Fans of Founders Brewing first experienced Lizard of Koz when it was added to the tap list at the brewery’s 2015 Black Party – an annual celebration of the brewery’s dark, experimental beers -, and it proved to be an undeniable hit that just had to be revived on a larger scale.  The Backstage Series was established for just such a beer, and now the nation will have the opportunity to try this special offering.

“Lizard of Koz represents everything we love about the Backstage Series,” says Co-Founder and President Dave Engbers, “Inspired, creative, a little bit out there and exploding with flavor. The perfect way to cap off 2016.”

Starting in mid-November with most areas seeing it by December, the extremely limited release of Lizard of Koz will officially hit shelves in 750 ml bottles for the suggested retail price of $18.99 each (price may vary upon location).  Look for this beer to turn up at select craft beer retailers in Alabama, Florida and throughout the rest of Founders Brewing’s 39 state distribution footprint.  It goes without saying that anything with “Bourbon Barrel-aged” in its description does not last long on shelves these days, so do not waffle on your decision to purchase this one if you see it at your favorite craft beer shop.  Take my advice and just buy the bottle.  Prost!

Stone Brewing Coffee Milk Stout and Xocoveza Make Seasonal Return

Posted on by mashingin

coffeemilkstout_12ozwebStone Brewing Co. (Escondido, California) has clearly embraced the changes in temperature this month by releasing two seasonal Stouts, Stone Coffee Milk Stout and Stone Xocoveza Winter Spiced Mocha Stout.

Stone Coffee Milk Stout is an English-style Milk Stout that “is making coffee drinkers rethink their coffeehouse cold-brew ritual.”  To ensure only the freshest ingredients are used in the creation of this beer, batches of Stone Coffee Milk Stout produced on the West Coast use coffee beans sourced from San Diego’s Ryan Bros. Coffee while batches brewed at Stone Brewing’s new Virginia brewery rock beans from Richmond’s Lamplighter Coffee Roasters.  This mild, smooth and easy-drinking Stout has a “slight bitterness of the slow-roasted coffee . . . balanced out brilliantly by milk sugar for a touch of sweetness and creaminess.”

“This beer is very smooth and well balanced, and we love using coffee from our friends over at Ryan Bros. and Lamplighter,” explained Jeremy Moynier, senior innovation program manager. “The combination of bitter coffee and sweet flavors with the smoothness of this beers works well with a diverse selection of food.”

xoco12oz_bottle_webReturning for its third year, Stone Xocoveza quickly ascended to fan-favorite status the moment it first hit shelves and taps.  There is absolutely no mystery as to why when you consider that this Winter-spiced Mocha Stout is boasting aromatics and flavors of fine chocolate, Mostra coffee, pasilla peppers, vanilla, cinnamon, nutmeg and milk sugar to create “a harmoniously balanced beer strikingly reminiscent of Mexican hot chocolate.”  To get those chocolate notes absolutely on point, the folks at Stone Brewing tracked down the perfect cocoa beans in Belize.  The beans were then roasted and processed into chocolate bars created exclusively for use during the brewing of Stone Xocoveza.  With each sip taken, you will find that a ridiculous amount of attention to detail was employed in the creation of this Stout.

“The quality of our house-made chocolate is out of this world, making this year’s Stone Xocoveza more rich and festive than ever,” said Moynier. “I love the warm aromas and flavors of cinnamon, nutmeg and pasilla peppers, and they’re complemented perfectly with the strong malt bill and German Perle and English East Kent Golding hops.”

Stone Coffee Milk Stout and Stone Xocoveza are both available now as seasonal releases.  Look for these offerings on draft and in 6-packs of 12 oz. bottles at craft beer friendly establishments in Alabama, Florida, and throughout Stone Brewing’s national distribution footprint.  The cold weather is coming . . . you might as well drink like it by picking up a sixer of each of these delicious Stouts.  Prost!

Vital Information on Stone Coffee Milk Stout from Stone Brewing Company

Release – Seasonal, beginning October 3
Style – English-style Milk Stout
ABV – 5%
IBUs – 40
Hops – Magnum
Availability – 6-packs of 12 oz. bottles and draft
Distribution – AL, FL, AK, AR, AZ, CA, CO, CT, DC, DE, GA, HI, IA, ID, IL, IN, KS, KY, LA, MA, MD, ME, MI, MN, MO, MT, NC, NE, NH, NJ, NM, NV, NY, OH, OR, PA, RI, SC, TN, TX, UT, VA, VT, WA, WI and Puerto Rico

Vital Information for Stone Xocoveza from Stone Brewing Co.

Release – Seasonal, beginning October 3
Style – American Stout
ABV – 8.1%
IBUs – 50
Hops – German Perle & English East Kent Golding
Availability – 6-packs of 12 oz. bottles and draft
Distribution – AL, FL, AK, AR, AZ, CA, CO, CT, DC, DE, GA, HI, IA, ID, IL, IN, KS, KY, LA, MA, MD, ME, MI, MN, MO, MT, NC, NE, NH, NJ, NM, NV, NY, OH, OR, PA, RI, SC, TN, TX, UT, VA, VT, WA, WI and Puerto Rico

Harbinger Fest from Brew Hub Returns for Second Year

Posted on by mashingin

harbingerfestOn Saturday, October 22 at 1 p.m., Brew Hub (3900 Frontage Road, Lakeland, Florida) will host the 2nd Annual Harbinger Fest in celebration of the constantly growing and evolving craft beer landscape in Florida and throughout the country.

Harbinger Fest is a craft beer festival featuring over 100 carefully curated “beers of all styles and tastes” that represent some of the finest craft offerings being brewed locally and throughout the country.  This event will be serving up “familiar craft favorites, rare finds and some of America’s next great craft beers” from the following participating breweries:

In addition to all of the delicious beer from the breweries above, Harbinger Fest 2016 will also feature live music, concessions and various retail vendors.  More details to come.

Tickets are available now for advance purchase (click here) or they can be obtained at the gate on the day of the festival.  The following ticket tiers and their benefits are available below:

  1. General Admission: $35 each – Admission into the festival at 1 p.m.; commemorative tasting glass; unlimited samples of over 100 beers; access to concessions, vendors and live entertainment
  2. VIP: $75 each – Early admission into the festival at 12 p.m.; access to an exclusive bottle share in the Tasting Room; first access to purchase bottles of special barrel-aged releases; complimentary Harbinger Fest t-shirt; commemorative tasting glass; unlimited samples of over 100 beers; access to concessions, vendors and live entertainment.
  3. Brew Bus Ticket: $60 each – Same as General Admission ticket but includes roundtrip bus transportation from Tampa to Brew Hub (Advance purchase only)
  4. Designated Driver: $10 each – Admission into the festival at 1 p.m.; access to concessions, vendors and live entertainment.

**Harbinger Fest 2016 is for guests 21 years of age and older. All guests must have a valid ID to enter the festival.**

Starting at just $35 a head, I cannot think of a better and more affordable way to spend a Saturday afternoon.  If you are free on October 22nd and near the Lakeland area, secure some tickets and get in on the good times sure to be had at Harbinger Fest 2016.  Prost!

 

 

Good People Brewing Releases Plans for ¡Dia del Gordo! Festival

Posted on by mashingin

elgordoGood People Brewing Company (Birmingham, Alabama) recently announced that they will host their first ¡Dia del Gordo! Festival & Bottle Release at the brewery on Saturday, December 10 at 1 p.m.

El Gordo is Good People Brewing’s rarely released, super-sized Imperial Stout that weighs in at a crushing 13.9% ABV (the legal ABV limit for beer in the state of Alabama).  Proving that it is much more than just reputation and hype, this bad boy was named the Best Non-Barrel Aged Imperial Stout in a 2015 blind taste test by Paste Magazine.

A beer of such size and infamy is truly worthy of its own day, and that day will be December 10.  ¡Dia del Gordo!, a.k.a. El Gordo Day, will be held at the brewery and act as the exclusive bottle release event for El Gordo in 2016.  A limited number of 750 ml bottles will be released, and the following vintages and variants of El Gordo will be available for purchase on ¡Dia del Gordo!:

Special Release 750 ml Bottles Available For Purchase

  • 2014 El Gordo Una Stout Imperial
  • 2015 El Gordo Una Stout Imperial 
  • 2016 El Gordo Una Stout Imperial
  • 2016 Barrel-Aged El Gordo Una Stout Imperial
  • 2016 El Gordo Mole
  • a “handful” of other, yet-to-be-determined bottles will also be available

**All bottles will be sold on a first come, first serve basis.**

Special Drafts Available During the Event 

  • 2016 El Gordo Una Stout Imperial 
  • 2016 El Gordo Mole
  • Fatso Russian Imperial Stout
  • and more to be named at a later date

**Draft beer will be available in the taproom to enjoy as a full pour or sample.**  

**UPDATE 12/08/16** – FROM THE BREWERY:

“Y’all! Here’s the DRAFT LIST for Saturday:

–2014 Sour Stout (only one 1/2 barrel keg)
-2015 Fatso
-2015 El Gordo
-2016 El Gordo
-2016 Barrel Aged El Gordo (only one 1/2 barrel keg)
-2016 El Gordo Mole
-2016 Fatso
-2016 Fatso Nitro
-2016 El Gordo Nitro
-Schwarzbier*
-Coffee Oatmeal Stout*
-Coffee Oatmeal Stout Nitro
-IPA*
-Brown*
-Pale*
-Bearded Lady*
-Snake Handler*
-Marzen*
-Buffalo Rider*
-Session 9*
-Belgian SMASH*

*Grolwer and Crowler fills will be available for these styles” **UPDATE 12/08/16**

In addition to the plethora of El Gordo goodness and rare draft options available for your enjoyment, this event will also feature live music, food trucks, and other entertainment throughout the day.

¡Dia del Gordo! is still in the planning stages and much more information will be released as we near Saturday, December 10.

**UPDATE 12/08/16** – FROM THE BREWERY:  

“It’s the week of El Gordo Day 2016, y’all!  Here’s a rundown of what to expect:

  • Doors open at 1pm. Street parking only. Please respect/be aware of other businesses in the area that have put up “no parking” signs. You will get towed.
  • We’ll have 2014, 2015, and 2016 El Gordo, 2016 Barrel-Aged El Gordo, and 2016 El Gordo Olé Mole available in bottles. Funk Farm Sour Blonde and Funk Farm Farmhouse will also be available for sale.
  • The 2016 El Gordo will be $20 and everything else will be $25.
  • The state of Alabama limits each person to purchase 288oz per day for off-premise (at home) consumption. This equals to about 11 bottles per person for El Gordo Day. However, that does NOT include beers you drink on premise (at the brewery).
  • The Hot Tag and Taco Morro Loco will be here to feed everyone.
  • Bottle shares are not allowed in the taproom. We do not expect incredibly long lines to get into the brewery on Saturday, so waiting-line-bottle-shares are discouraged.
  • We will have a variety of special brews on draft on Saturday. These are only for samples or full pours. We will not be filling growlers or crowlers with these drafts.
  • The official hashtag of the event is #ElGordoDay

Can’t wait to see y’all on Saturday! Be Good People. Drink Great Beer.” **UPDATE 12/08/16**

Be sure to give Good People Brewing Company a like/follow on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram to stay in the know, and you can always check back here for any and all updates as they surface.  ¡Viva El Gordo!  Prost!

Vital Information on El Gordo Una Stout Imperial from Good People Brewing Company

Release – Rare/Limited
Style – Imperial Stout
ABV – 13.9%
IBUs – 78.8
Malts – 2-Row, Chocolate Malt, Black Patent, & 4 other Specialty Malts
Hops – Centennial, Columbus, Liberty & Crystal
Yeast – British Ale
Availability – 750 ml bottles sold exclusively at the brewery during ¡Dia del Gordo! on Saturday, December 10; limited draft

 

 

 

 

Brewery Ommegang Releases Game of Thrones Valar Dohaeris Tripel Ale

Posted on by mashingin

gotvalar2bottlesBrewery Ommegang (Cooperstown, New York) and HBO Global Licensing recently announced that Valar Dohaeris Tripel Ale has been officially released as the latest offering in the brewery’s series of Game of Thrones-inspired beers.

With a name that any Game of Thrones fan will tell you means “All Men Must Serve” in High Valyrian, Valar Dohaeris Tripel Ale is a new offering from Ommegang that “pays homage to Arya’s season-long struggles within and around the House of Black and White.”  This Belgian-style Tripel was “brewed with pils, wheat and oats, flaked barley, and hopped with noble hops.” Presenting itself as copper in color, this Tripel boasts aromatics of “sweet grain and honey” which support a bright, sweet flavor thanks to the use of Belgian candi sugar during the brewing process.  Although the beer weighs in at 9% ABV, it remains relatively easy drinking and finishes “moderately dry and effervescent.”

Originally released by Ommegang back in 2014, Valar Morghulis Belgian-style Dubbel means “All Men Must Die” and acts as the sister brew to Valar Dohaeris Tripel Ale.  Since “Valar Dohaeris” is the traditional answer to the phrase “Valar Morghulis,” it was obvious to the brewery that they had to resurrect this Dubbel to join Valar Dohaeris Tripel Ale during its release.  You will be able to find both of these offerings in a collectible gift pack containing a 750ml bottle of each beer along with a commemorative glass.

“Of the classic Belgian styles, the dubbel and the tripel are two of our favorites to brew, and both are styles we’re particularly well known for,” says Ommegang Brewmaster Phil Leinhart. “I love the idea of releasing them together side-by-side. It is such a great way to experience them. They are also pretty hearty and should age nicely over time, so fans can stock up to last them through the winter and to fill the void until next season.”

Bottles of Valar Dohaeris Tripel Ale officially released at the brewery on Saturday, October 8.  The beer will then be released within Ommegang’s full distribution footprint (includes Alabama and Florida) starting on Monday, October 10.  If you are interested in tracking this one down, look for it to be available at craft beer friendly establishments on draft, in 750ml single bottles for the suggested retail price of $9.99, and in the collectible gift pack mentioned above for the suggested retail price of $22.99.  These Game of Thrones beers have proven to be wildly popular with each and every release, so be sure to secure your bottles whenever you happen upon them.  Prost!

Vital Information on Valar Dohaeris Tripel Ale from Brewery Ommegang

Release – Limited
Style – Belgian-style Tripel
ABV – 9%
Malt – Pils, Wheat, Oats & Flaked Barley
Hops – Noble Varieties
Availability – draft, 750ml single bottles, and in a collectible gift pack with Valar Morghulis Dubbel Ale
Food Pairings – “Pairs with rich pasta dishes like fettuccine alfredo and penne alla vodka. Complements roasted and cured meats nicely as well as moderately sharp cheeses. A perfect accompaniment for charcuterie.”
Fun Fact – “Label art for both bottles – Valar Dohaeris Tripel Ale & Valar Morghulis Dubbel Ale – features the two-headed coin, given to Arya Stark by Jaqen H’ghar, which gained her passage to Braavos at the end of Season 5. Arya spent most of Season 6 in Braavos training to become a faceless assassin, making the naming of the latest beer and the decision to re-release Valar Morghulis a no-brainer.”
Beer Finder – http://www.ommegang.com/blog/beer-finder/

Ghost Train Brewing Company Sets Date for Grand Opening

Posted on by mashingin

 

ghosttrainglass_editedGhost Train Brewing Company (Birmingham, Alabama) recently announced that they will be holding an Official Grand Opening Party at their newly completed facility starting at noon on Saturday, October 22.

That’s right, the Ghost Train is finally ready to roll on its own and the next leg of this journey begins on October 22 at 2616 3rd Ave South, Birmingham.  If that address rings a bell to craft beer lovers in Central Alabama, that is because it formerly acted as the birthplace for Cahaba Brewing Company.  This facility is more than familiar territory and acts as a bit of a homecoming for Taylor DeBoer since he was a former partner at Cahaba and now the Founder/Owner of Ghost Train Brewing.  The address and building may be the same, but the soul and vibe of this new tasting room and brewery have been meticulously cultivated to represent the full Ghost Train aesthetic.

To properly introduce you to the Ghost Train experience, the folks at brewery welcome one and all to their Grand Opening Party on October 22.  Here are all the happenings, details and pertinent information you need to know concerning the event:

  • The following Ghost Train brews will be featured at the event:
    1.  Go-Devil Golden Ale – “Go-Devil Golden Ale is our West Coast interpretation of a Golden Ale. You’ll enjoy the crisp, refreshing citrus aroma that only the freshest Citra hops can deliver. One thing is for certain, this is the ultimate “lawnmower beer” for the craft beer lover.”  ABV 4.9%  IBUs 25.6
    2.  Switchman’s Stash IPL – “Switchman’s Stash is an India Pale Lager of the highest order. Using cool temperatures and bottom fermenting yeast, The Stash finishes nice and clean. The lagering period leaves this beer crystal clear and enhances our use of the dankest American hops that you would expect in your favorite West Coast IPA.”   ABV 6.9%  IBUs 71.7
    3.  Dark Ride Belgian-style Strong Ale – “This one will take you for a ride! It’s a Belgian Style Strong Ale brewed with Alabama wildflower honey. Despite its medium brown color, Dark Ride is surprisingly refreshing and clean. Brewed to a high gravity with Belgian ale yeast, you’ll detect the classic spicy flavors that are finished with delicate wildflower honey. Don’t be scared off by this one, you’ll be glad you tried it.”  ABV 8.7%  IBUs 23.2
    4.  Terminal Station Brown Ale – “Terminal Station is a Northern English Style Brown Ale. You’ll enjoy this slightly dry, hop-forward version of a classic nut brown ale. The balanced, nutty flavor of this ale makes it easy to drink. This beer pays homage to one of Birmingham’s most beautiful ghosts, The Terminal Station.”  ABV 4.51%  IBUs 22.3
    5.  A yet to be named, new offering will be making its official debut at the Grand Opening!  Stay tuned for further info on this one!

  • Beer tickets will be available for purchase at the door in order to ensure quick and accurate service at the bar. There will also be non-alcoholic beverages available at the event.
  • To pair with all of this delicious brew, Cantina on Wheels will be on-site from 1 p.m. to 9 p.m.
  • You cannot have a party without live music and entertainment!  Here are the featured acts:
    1. Culture Dread – 4 p.m. to 6 p.m.
    2. Tragic City – 7 p.m. to ???
  • Seating is limited, so folding/camping chairs are welcome and encouraged.
  • Parking is limited on-site, but additional parking can be found in the hedged parking lot across from Iron Tribe Fitness.

That about covers all the details currently available, but feel free to check back often as this post will be updated with any new information as it surfaces.  If you are free on October 22nd, be sure to swing by the new taproom to raise a glass with the wonderful people of Ghost Train Brewing Company in celebration of this new chapter in the brewery’s history.  Prost!