Cahaba Brewing Greets Fall with Return of Oktoberfest Bier

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Cahaba Brewing Company (Birmingham, Alabama) has officially announced that Oktoberfest Bier will make its annual return in early September 2020.

Known as “Birmingham’s premier Oktoberfest beer,” Cahaba’s Oktoberfest is a Festbier “brewed with continental malts, a generous amount of noble hops, and a unique twist on the fermenting yeast.” Coming in at 6.9% ABV, Oktoberfest is “malty, full-bodied, and well-balanced.”

Oktoberfest is rolling out now and will be available until mid- to late November 2020. You can expect find this Seasonal Release available in 6-packs of 12 oz. cans and on draft at the Taproom at Cahaba Brewing Company and select craft beer-focused establishments located within the brewery’s distribution footprint in Alabama. Prost!

Vital Information for Oktoberfest Bier from Cahaba Brewing Company

Release – Seasonal; September – November 2020
Style – Festbier
ABV – 6.9%
IBUs – 32
Availability – 6-packs of 12 oz. cans & draft
Distribution – Alabama
Beer Finder – http://www.cahababrewing.com/beer-finder

Ballast Point Brewing Co. Revives Longfin Lager

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Ballast Point Brewing Company (San Diego, California) has officially announced that Longfin Lager will rejoin the brewery’s Year-Round lineup in September 2020.

First introduced in 2006 and back at the request of Ballast Point’s brewing team and faithful fans, Longfin Lager is a Helles-style Lager that uses Pilsner Malt to create “the aroma and flavor of fresh baked bread” and balances that with “the reserved use of German Northern Brewer and Tettnanger hops.” Coming in at a “clean and quaffable” 4.5% ABV, Longfin Lager is “perfect for enjoying on a beach, a boat and anywhere else you can put an ice chest.”

“Brewers have their favorites and it became clear early on that Longfin Lager was one of those beers,” says Ballast Point COO Chris Bradley. “Bringing back old favorites and sharing new exploration from our R&D team in Little Italy on a wider level is of huge importance to us moving forward as a brand.”

Longfin Lager will return in September 2020 with availability in 6-packs of 12 oz. cans and on draft. You can expect to find this Year-Round offering available at all six Ballast Point tasting rooms and select off-premise accounts located in Southern California, Arizona and Colorado. Prost!

Vital Information for Longfin Lager from Ballast Point Brewing Company

Release – Year-Round/Discovery Series; launching September 2020
Style – Helles-style Lager
ABV – 4.5%
IBUs – 17
Malts – Pilsner
Hops – German Northern Brewer & Tettnanger
Fun Fact – “To mirror the art in the can and to better highlight Ballast Point resident artist Paul Elder’s craft, Longfin Lager features a fresh new package design that reflects the sketch-to-art approach Elder takes to his hand-painted designs.”
Availability – 6-packs of 12 oz. cans & draft
Distribution – Southern California, Arizona & Colorado

Tasting Notes: Marvelroast from Founders Brewing Co.

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For this installment of Tasting Notes, we settle into our Labor Day by relaxing with a couple bottles of Marvelroast from Founders Brewing Co. (Grand Rapids, Michigan).

Introduced earlier this summer as the newest Limited Release from Founders Brewing Co., Marvelroast is a Golden Strong Ale brewed with coffee, vanilla and cocoa nibs.  With milk sugar supplying “a smooth and sweet finish,” Marvelroast (8% ABV) comes together to be “a delicious treat reminiscent of your favorite iced coffee drink.”

Marvelroast debuted in July and is scheduled to hang around through September 2020. You can expect to find this Limited Release available in 4-packs of 12 oz. bottles and on draft at select craft beer-friendly establishments located in Alabama, Florida, Michigan and throughout the rest of Founders Brewing Co.’s nationwide distribution network.

Tasting Notes for Marvelroast from Founders Brewing Co.

Appearance: A slow, cautious pour produces a vibrant, golden-colored liquid capped with over two fingers of frothy, bright white foam. When held to direct light, the golden tones radiate while a soft orange hue emerges near the core of the glass. The beer is beautifully clear and holds an abundance of tiny, slow-moving carbonation bubbles. Head retention is good, falling to a lasting half finger that paints the glass with fluffy structures of lace.

Aroma: As soon as the beer is poured, a rush of high-quality vanilla is quick to engulf the nose. This is then consumed by a comforting presence that can only be described as a plate of freshly baked brownies served with an expertly prepared mochaccino. We are talking about big notes of roasted coffee, rich cream, dark chocolate and decadent cake. The profile ultimately closes with a lingering waft of freshly roasted coffee.

Taste: Each sip leads with notes of vanilla creme, marshmallow and graham crackers. The coffee then surfaces with some light roast and mocha notes consisting of sweetened coffee, cream and rich chocolate. A drizzle of caramel rounds everything off in the finish.

Mouthfeel: Leaning toward the medium side of full-bodied with a pillowy soft carbonation, this beer has a gorgeous sip that takes its time on the palate before it eventually cleans up and dissipates fully. All of the notes are on the sweet side, but they are tempered wonderfully and somehow avoid being cloying or overwhelming. The 8% ABV is well hidden and surprisingly provides very little warmth in the throat or belly. The aftertaste is a lasting dollop of vanilla creme.

Final Thoughts: After sampling many Stout-influenced Golden Strong Ales (a.k.a. White Stouts) over the years only to find them lacking in one area or another, everyone on today’s tasting panel was happy to discover that Marvelroast was able to pick up the slack and give us the hope that this style could be executed in a way that truly resembles a Stout. The coffee used in the beer supplied just enough roast to mimic the tones you normally get from the use of darker malts, and the added vanilla and cocoa nibs provide all the dessert-like goodness you expect from a Pastry Stout. Marvelroast truly is a marvel and a decadent delight that deserves your attention, so make sure that you track down a bottle or pour before its limited run comes to an end later this month. Prost!

Hi-Wire Brewing Brings the Decadence with Limited Release of Triple Chocolate 10W-40

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Hi-Wire Brewing (Asheville, North Carolina) has officially announced that it will begin the Limited Release of Triple Chocolate 10W-40 Imperial Stout in early September 2020.

Dropping as the newest offering to come out of Hi-Wire Brewing’s “sweet lineup of over-the-top imperial stouts,” Triple Chocolate 10W-40 is an Imperial Stout featuring additions of cocoa powder, cacao nibs, chocolate malt, vanilla and lactose. Weighing in at 8% ABV, Triple Chocolate 10W-40 is “just dripping with dark, delicious decadence, and it’s begging for some fireside sipping.”

Triple Chocolate 10W-40 is available now at Hi-Wire Brewing’s Asheville and Durham taprooms and online beer shop, and it will soon hit the brewery’s Knoxville location and full distribution area. You can expect to find this Limited Release available in 4-packs of 16 oz. cans at select craft beer-focused establishments located in Alabama, North Carolina, South Carolina, Tennessee, Georgia, Kentucky, Ohio and Virginia. Prost!

Vital Information for Triple Chocolate 10W-40 from Hi-Wire Brewing

Release – Limited/10W-40 Series; early September 2020
Style – Imperial Stout
ABV – 8%
Added Ingredients – Cocoa powder, cacao nibs, chocolate malt, vanilla & lactose
Availability – 4-packs of 16 oz. cans
Beer Finder – https://hiwirebrewing.com/find-our-beer/

Tampa Bay Brewing Co. & Tarpon River Brewing Collaborate on Boyz-N-Berry Muff-N

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Tampa Bay Brewing Company (Tampa, Florida) has officially announced that it will begin the Limited Release of Boyz-N-Berry Muff-N, a Pastry Sour brewed in collaboration with Tarpon River Brewing (Fort Lauderdale, Florida), on Friday, September 4.

Dropping just in time to give you something extremely tasty to enjoy over the long holiday weekend, Boyz-N-Berry Muff-N is a Pastry Sour “bursting with boysenberries, cinnamon and vanilla.” This combination of ingredients creates an experience featuring “delicate vanilla and jammy sweetness, offset by pleasantly sharp tartness.” Clocking in at a “dangerously drinkable” 8% ABV, Boyz-N-Berry Muff-N “offers a complex, layered flavor profile, all while retaining a smooth velvety mouthfeel.”

Boyz-N-Berry Muff-N will release in 4-packs of 16 oz. cans and on draft at Tampa Bay Brewing Company’s Westchase and Ybor City locations on September 4, and you can go ahead and pre-order you cans now by clicking here. Boyz-N-Berry Muff-N is expected to see limited distribution in Florida. Prost!

Vital Information for Boyz-N-Berry Muff-N from Tampa Bay Brewing Company & Tarpon River Brewing

Release – Limited; September 4, 2020
Style – Pastry Sour
ABV – 8%
Added Ingredients – Boysenberries, cinnamon & vanilla
Availability – 4-packs of 16 oz. cans & draft
Pre-order – https://www.tbbc.beer/togo
Distribution – Florida (select areas)

Cascade Brewing Set to Release Framboise Northwest

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Cascade Brewing (Portland, Oregon) has officially announced that it will begin the Limited Release of Framboise Northwest 2019, the brewery’s newest Northwest Sour Ale, on Friday, September 4.

Developed to serve as a “Northwest-style interpretation of the traditional raspberry ales of the old world,” Framboise Northwest is a “blend of sour blond ales aged in oak wine barrels for up to two years with locally grown raspberries.” Coming in at 7.9% ABV, the “clean [and] tart” Framboise Northwest “celebrates the bountiful berry farms of the Pacific Northwest.”

Framboise Northwest 2019 will debut at Cascade’s two Portland pubs – Cascade Brewing Barrel House and Lodge at Cascade Brewing – on September 4 and distribution will begin on September 14. You can expect to find this Limited Release available in 500ml bottles and on draft at select craft beer-focused establishments located in Alabama, Florida, Oregon and throughout the rest of Cascade Brewing’s distribution area. Prost!

Vital Information for Framboise Northwest 2019 from Cascade Brewing

Release – Limited; September 4, 2020
Style – American Sour Ale
ABV – 7.9%
Treatment – Blend of Sour Blond Ales aged in oak wine barrels for up to two years with locally grown raspberries
Availability – 500ml bottles & draft

Creature Comforts Brewing Co. Set to Release The Silent World

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Creature Comforts Brewing Co. (Athens, Georgia) has officially announced that it will begin the Limited Release of The Silent World Black Lager on Friday, September 4.

An exploration of “roasty darkness,” The Silent World (5% ABV) is a Black Lager “featuring notes of chocolate and coffee, with caramel and toffee undertones.” Basically a passion project, The Silent World is what happens when the brewers at Creature Comforts “dive into the depths of [their] love for old-world, traditional beer styles, specifically showcasing a type of lager that [they] greatly enjoy,”

The Silent World will debut in the Tasting Room at Creature Comforts Brewing Co. on September 4, but you can pre-order your cans on CraftCellr now. This Limited Release will be available in 4-packs of 16 oz. cans and on draft for as long as supplies last. There is no word at this time as to whether or not The Silent World will see distribution. Prost!

Vital Information for The Silent World from Creature Comforts Brewing Co.

Release – Limited; September 4, 2020
Style – Black Lager
ABV – 5%
Availability – 4-packs of 16 oz. cans & draft
CraftCellr Link – https://creaturecomforts.craftcellr.com/
Pre-order Rules – “A note for CraftCellr: You must pick up during normal hours between 9/4-9/18. Please have your offer pulled up on your phone. Any beer not picked up by the 18th will be released back into inventory for sale with no refund.“

DuClaw Brewing Co. Gets Sweet & Salty with Release of The PastryArchy Chocolate Dipped Pretzel

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DuClaw Brewing Co. (Baltimore, Maryland) has officially announced that it will begin the Limited Release of Chocolate Dipped Pretzel Imperial Stout, the 13th release in The PastryArchy Series, in early September 2020.

Meant to satisfy any cravings that call for both sweet and salty, The PastryArchy Chocolate Dipped Pretzel is an Imperial Stout brewed with pink Himalayan salt, cacao nibs, cacao powder, & Tahitian ground vanilla bean. Coming in at 8.5% ABV, each sip of The PastryArchy Chocolate Dipped Pretzel is like “taking a big bite of your favorite pretzel snack that’s been dunked into luxurious chocolate, and topped with a sprinkling of salt.”

The PastryArchy Chocolate Dipped Pretzel is scheduled to debut during the first week of September and will stick around only as long as supplies last. You can expect to find this Limited Release available in 16 oz. cans and on draft at select craft beer-focused establishments located in Alabama, Florida, Maryland and throughout the rest of DuClaw Brewing Co.’s distribution footprint.  Prost!

Vital Information for The PastryArchy Chocolate Dipped Pretzel from DuClaw Brewing Co.

Release – Limited/The PastryArchy Series; early September 2020
Style – Russian Imperial Stout
ABV – 8.5%
IBUs – 31
Malts – Pilsner, Biscuit, Dark Chocolate, Monastique, Roasted Barley, Crystal, Carafa, & Flaked Oats
Hops – Chinook
Added Ingredients – Pink Himalayan salt, cacao nibs, cacao powder & Tahitian vanilla bean
Availability – 16 oz. cans & draft
Beer Finder – https://duclaw.com/beer-finder/

Anderson Valley Brewing Company Releases Fall Hornin’ Pumpkin Ale

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Anderson Valley Brewing Company (Boonville, California) has officially announced that it will begin the Seasonal Release of Fall Hornin’ Pumpkin Ale in late August 2020.

Brewed each year to “[capture] the essence of autumn,” Fall Hornin’ is a Pumpkin Ale that has “inviting aromas of caramelized malt and baking bread with highlights of cinnamon, nutmeg, pumpkin and seasonal spices.” Boasting a “pleasantly creamy mouthfeel and silky body,” Fall Hornin’ (6% ABV) also provides “sweet caramel flavors and tang of spices (with just a hint of hops) that ends in a smooth, round finish.”

Fall Hornin’ is rolling out now and will be hanging around for a limited time during the fall months. You can expect to find this Seasonal Release available in 6-packs of 12 oz. cans and on draft at craft beer-focused establishments located in Alabama, Florida, California and throughout the rest of Anderson Valley’s nationwide distribution area. Prost!

Vital Information for Fall Hornin’ from Anderson Valley Brewing Company

Release – Limited; Fall 2020
Style – Pumpkin Ale
ABV – 6%
IBUs – 20
Malts – Pale Two-Row, Munich (20L), Caramel (80L) & Dark Chocolate
Hops – Chinook
Added Ingredients – Pumpkin Puree, Cinnamon, Allspice & Nutmeg
Suggested Pairings – “Cranberry scones, roasted root vegetables, steak chili, caramel flan, Brie, Aged Cheddar”
Availability – 6-packs of 12 oz. cans & draft
Beer Finder – https://avbc.com/find-our-beer/