Stone Brewing Launches Viking Space Probe Double IPA

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StoneVikingSPStone Brewing (Escondido, California) has officially announced that it is continuing its hop-fueled journey through January with the Special Release of Stone Viking Space Probe Double IPA.

A well-received favorite that was originally developed as “one of the early beers brewed by Steve Gonzalez, Senior Manager of Small Batch Brewing & Innovation for Stone Brewing – Napa,” Stone Viking Space Probe is a Double India Pale Ale that possesses “a subtle haze reminiscent of some far-off nebula, and further complimented with the juicy flavors of Ella and Citra hops.” Dosed with Belgian Candi Sugar “for added sweetness,” Stone Viking Space Probe comes together to be a unique DIPA that is “definitely out of this world.”

Stone Viking Space Probe Double IPA is available now in California and will enter full distribution on January 27.  You can expect to find this new Special Release available in 6-packs of 12 oz. cans, 22 oz. bottles and on draft at select craft beer-friendly establishments located in Alabama, Florida, California, Virginia and throughout the rest of Stone Brewing’s nationwide distribution network.  Prost!

Vital Information for Stone Viking Space Probe Double IPA from Stone Brewing

Release – Limited/Special; launches nationally on January 27, 2020
Style – Hazy/Juicy Double India Pale Ale
ABV – 8.5%
IBUs – 80
Featured Hops – Ella & Citra
Added Ingredients – Belgian candi sugar
Availability – 6-packs of 12 oz. cans, 22 oz. bottles & draft
Beer Finder – https://find.stonebrewing.com/#ready

StoneVikingSP2

Rogue Ales Launches Dreamland Lager to Benefit Dreamland Skateparks

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Dreamland_Lager_12oz_Can_SingleRogue Ales (Newport, Oregon) has officially announced the release of Dreamland Lager, a new Year-Round offering brewed in partnership with Dreamland Skateparks to benefit skateparks across the country.

Born from “a dream to renovate [Rogue’s] hometown skatepark in Newport, Oregon to give [their] community a safe and clean place to skate,” Dreamland Lager is a “refreshing classic American lager with a subtle sweetness in the finish, married with a touch of spice and earthiness from the Sterling hops.”  A portion of the proceeds raised from the sale of Dreamland Lager “will help fund skateparks all over the world.”

The dream behind Dreamland Lager has already become realized as “Phase 2 renovations of the Newport Skatepark have been completed, which include finishing the 2,000 square foot perimeter, adding new skateable features and laying concrete for a safer ride.”  That dream will continue to grow and make an impact as “Rogue and Dreamland plan to refurbish skateparks across the country.”

“For the last 31 years it has been our privilege to lift up our friends and neighbors by giving back wherever and whenever we could,” says Dharma Tamm, Rogue President. “A few years ago, we learned of the dire state of the Newport Skatepark and made it our goal to improve the park. How do you fund an important cause like this? Beer’s always a good place to start, so we launched Dreamland American Lager – a beer to benefit skateparks in our community and beyond.”

 

“This partnership couldn’t be a more perfect fit,” says Mark Scott, Owner Dreamland Skateparks. “We are both makers from Oregon with a DIY ethos. We started by fixing the Newport Skatepark to give the community a safe and clean place to skate, but our efforts aren’t stopping. Together we can do more, and we are so thankful and proud of this collaboration between Dreamland and Rogue.”

Dreamland Lager is available now in 6-packs of 12 oz. cans, 19.2 oz. cans and on draft.  You can expect to find this new Year-Round offering available at craft beer-focused establishments located in Alabama, Florida, Oregon and throughout the rest of Rogue’s nationwide distribution network.  Prost!

Vital Information for Dreamland Lager from Rogue Ales

Release – Year-Round; launching January 2020
Style – American Lager
ABV – 4.8%
IBUs – 14
Malts – Synergy Pils & DextraPils Malts; Corn Flakes
Hops – Rogue Farms Grown Sterling Hops
Yeast – Imperial Pilgrimage
Availability – 6-packs of 12 oz. cans, 19.2 oz. cans & draft
Beer Finder – https://finder.rogue.com/

Newport_Skatepark_Demo_Day_1_FULL-19

 

TBBW 2020 Event: Confection Affection Day with Angry Chair Brewing & Cycle Brewing

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ACCycleConfectionAngry Chair Brewing (Tampa, Florida) and Cycle Brewing (Saint Petersburg, Florida) have officially announced that they will meet up at Nebraska Mini-Mart on Saturday, March 14 of Tampa Bay Beer Week 2020 to host a Joint Party and Bottle Release that they have appropriately dubbed Confection Affection Day.

To allow beer fans the chance to experience the full power of the pastry during Tampa Bay Beer Week, Angry Chair Brewing and Cycle Brewing have joined forces with Nebraska Mini-Mart to throw one kick ass party centered around a collaborative bottle release (three bottles to be exact).  Since the information surrounding this event will prove valuable to many, we are just going to break the whole thing down to ensure that we provide you with all the details you are going to need to become an attendee of Confection Affection Day.  Let’s get to it:

The Basics

What – Confection Affection Day with Angry Chair Brewing & Cycle Brewing
When – 1 p.m. to 4 p.m. on Saturday, March 14
Where – Nebraska Mini-Mart | 4815 North Nebraska Avenue | Tampa, Florida

The Beers

The following three beers will be pouring on draft and released in 22 oz. bottles during Confection Affection Day:

  • A Russian Imperial Stout with an absurd amount of chocolate
  • A Russian Imperial Stout with an absurd amount of vanilla beans
  • A blend of some of your favorites from both Angry Chair & Cycle … “It’ll be barrel aged.. it’ll have chocolate, vanilla, strawberry, and coconut…Hmmmm, kinda like a nice scoop of Neapolitan ice cream with your cupcake that’s been aged and hand-selected for blending to create this decadent confection”

In addition to the beers listed above, this event will also feature several more beers pouring on draft, “including a special non-released [Barrel-aged] beer from both” Angry Chair and Cycle Brewing.

Ticket Info

**UPDATE 01.25.2020** Tickets for Confection Affection Day are officially SOLD OUT **UPDATE 01.25.2020**

A limited number of tickets will be available for purchase on Eventbrite beginning at 1 p.m. Eastern Standard Time on Saturday, January 25 (click here to access the ticket link).  Ticket cost gains you access to all beers on site, a commemorative glass, and your bottle allotment.  Ticket tiers are based on the following two bottle allotments:

  • Single Bottle Allotment Ticket | cost $155 + fees ($166.07 total)
  • Double Bottle Allotment Ticket | cost $250 + fees ($266.85 total)

Tickets are one (1) per person and your ID must match the name of purchaser to enter the event. 

Other Useful Info

  • Nebraska Mini-Mart will have an awesome food menu available for purchase, so come hungry!
  • Since parking is limited and ABVs will be high, both breweries ask that you do the responsible thing by arranging a “carpool, Uber, Lyft, old school taxi, get dropped off by your mom, whatevs.”

That is all the information we have for you on this event at this time, but we will be sure to update this post if anything changes or is added.

Please keep in mind that tickets for Confection Affection Day are limited and the only way you can get them is through the event’s Eventbrite page.   If you wish to attend this Tampa Bay Beer Week event, make sure you are at your computer or device on January 25, have a good wi-fi signal, and are in good standing with the beer gods.  Good luck to you all.  Prost!

New Realm Brewing Begins Limited Release of Straight from the Tart Sour IPA

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newrealmlogo2New Realm Brewing Company (Atlanta, Georgia) has officially announced that it will kick off its 2020 Sour Series with the mid-January release of Straight from the Tart Sour IPA.

Crafted to blur the lines between hoppy and sour beer styles, Straight from the Tart is a Sour India Pale Ale that “combines the puckering tartness of a sour beer with an abundance of citrus and fruity hop notes to create a beer that is the best of both worlds.”  Coming in at 6.9% ABV and just 20 IBUs, Straight from the Tart “is a perfect pairing for both IPA and Sour beer fans alike, as its complexity of flavor will have beer drinkers reaching for another sip all winter long.”

“Straight from the Tart is a beer our brewers in Virginia Beach had suggested us brewing for a while now. It’s fermented with a brewer’s yeast that produces natural lactic acid during fermentation. The tartness of the beer combined with the lemony hop flavors makes for a really nicely balanced tart IPA.”

 

– Mitch Steele, Brewmaster and Co-Founder of New Realm Brewing Company

Straight from the Tart is available now and will hang around through March 2020.  You can expect to find this new Limited Release available in 6-packs of 12 oz. cans and on draft at select craft beer-focused establishments located within New Realm’s distribution footprint in Georgia and the Hampton Roads, Northern and Western areas of Virginia.  Prost!

Vital Information for Straight from the Tart from New Realm Brewing Company

Release – Limited/Sour Series; mid-January – March 2020
Style – Sour India Pale Ale
ABV – 6.9%
IBUs – 20
Availability – 6-packs of 12 oz. cans & draft
Distribution – Georgia and the Hampton Roads, Northern and Western areas of Virginia

Coppertail Brewing Co. Launches Sunken Grove Citrus Gose as New Seasonal

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coppertaillogowhiteCoppertail Brewing Co. (Tampa, Florida) has officially announced that it will begin the Seasonal Release of Sunken Grove Citrus Gose in mid-January 2020.

Freshly concocted to serve as Coppertail Brewing Co.’s new Spring Seasonal, Sunken Grove is a “slightly tart” Gose-style Ale that features “the juice and zest from 300 lbs. of locally grown tangerines” sourced from Noble Farms in Winter Haven, Florida. Coming in at an easy drinking 4.3% ABV, Sunken Grove is meant to be “super refreshing” and “hyper local.”

Sunken Grove is available now and will stick around through April 2020.  You can expect to find this new Seasonal available in 6-packs of 12 oz. cans and on draft at select craft beer-friendly retailers, bars and restaurants located within Coppertail Brewing Co.’s distribution footprint in Florida.  Prost!

Vital Information for Sunken Grove Citrus Gose from Coppertail Brewing Co.

Release – Seasonal; January – April 2020
Style – Gose
ABV – 4.3%
Added Ingredients – Juice & zest of locally grown tangerines from Noble Farms
Availability – 6-packs of 12 oz. cans & draft
Beer Finder – https://coppertailbrewing.com/beer-finder

SunkenGrove

 

Hi-Wire Brewing Teams up with Three Legendary Breweries for 2020 Collaboration 12-pack

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Hi-Wire-BrewingHi-Wire Brewing (Asheville, North Carolina) has officially announced that it will release the 2020 installment of its Collaboration 12-pack, a Limited Release mixed pack that includes beers brewed with Ninkasi Brewing Company (Eugene, Oregon), Cigar City Brewing (Tampa, Florida) and New Belgium Brewing (Fort Collins, Colorado), in mid-January.

The annually released Hi-Wire Brewing Collaboration 12-Pack (a.k.a. the Spray Paint Collaboration 12-Pack) never disappoints and is always highly sought-after, but this year’s has gone next level by featuring the following three offerings brewed with true legends in the craft beer industry (descriptions sourced directly from the brewery’s press release):

  • Almost West IPA | Collaboration with Ninkasi Brewing Company – Let it be known that Ninkasi Brewing Company is one of the best IPA producers in the country, period. Together with the hop wizards themselves, Hi-Wire Brewing sought to blur the line between Northwest and Northeast IPAs by blending a higher bitterness and balanced malt character with the experience of a hazy IPA. Almost West IPA (6.8% ABV), dry-hopped with Citra, BRU-1, Amarillo, and Zappa supported by Imperial’s “Juice” Organic Yeast, was born from this blending of worlds. Spritely tangerine citrus peel, lemon-lime, tart passion fruit, peach flesh, and sweet cherry are just a few characteristics present in this kaleidoscope of hop goodness.
  • Intercontinental Contemporary Pilsner | Collaboration with Cigar City Brewing – The famed Cigar City Brewing made the trip up to Asheville next, but the beer-centric journey did not stop there. A shared love of lagers and pilsners was the bottom line in their partnership with Hi-Wire and the resulting carbonated passport. Intercontinental Contemporary Pilsner (5% ABV) brings together hops from around the globe – South Africa, Australia, New Zealand, and the U.S. – then melds them with North Carolina-grown heirloom corn and German malt. A subtly toasted cornbread character and creamy mouthfeel from the malt and Jimmy Red Corn tie together the aromas of tropical fruit, guava, and honeydew from whirlpool hop additions.
  • Belgian Stout | Collaboration with New Belgium Brewing – If the name does not give it away, New Belgium Brewing was founded on traditional Belgian ales, and Hi-Wire Brewing teamed up with their brewers to pay homage to that classic style. Belgian Stout (7% ABV) is not a bold and roasty American-style stout simply brewed with Belgian yeast. The recipe was designed as a proper nod to the Belgian-style, and it all started with the grain bill. Briess’ Midnight Wheat and Epiphany Craft Malt’s Brewer’s Breakfast Malt lend a subtle grain body while Ruby Malt also from the North Carolina-based Epiphany provides notes of plum, fig, and dark fruit. Additions of orange to the base create a classy ale reminiscent of a chocolate orange while star anise adds a whiff of botanical liqueur and soft licorice. Imperial’s Napoleon Belgian Yeast’s high attenuation leaves this beer extremely dry allowing for a pleasant orange twang mixed with smoky cloves on the finish.

**The Collaboration 12-pack will include four 12 oz. cans of each of the beers listed above.**

The Collaboration 12-pack is hitting shelves now and will hang around only as long as supplies last.  You can expect to find this Limited Release mixed 12-pack of 12 oz. cans available at select craft beer-focused establishments located within Hi-Wire Brewing’s distribution footprint in Alabama, North Carolina, South Carolina, Tennessee, Georgia, Ohio and Kentucky. Prost!

 

Hacker-Pschorr Introduces Cans of Weissbier in the U.S.

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HackerPschorrLogoHacker-Pschorr (Munich, Germany) has officially announced that its Weissbier, the brewery’s flagship offering, is now available in 16.9 oz. cans in the U.S.

In an effort to allow their fans the opportunity to more easily enjoy their beers outdoors, Hacker-Pschorr – a brewery with more than 600 years of world class brewing experience – has decided to now offer its Weissbier in 4-packs of lightweight, 16.9 oz. cans that feature “an updated new look celebrating the brands unique heritage, tradition and superior taste.”  Beyond the benefit of protecting the beer from the negative effects of light and oxygen, the move to cans is also an environmentally conscious one since they are easier to recycle than bottles.

For those unfamiliar with Hacker-Pschorr’s iconic flagship brew, Weissbier is a German-style Hefeweizen that is “naturally cloudy, full-flavored and uniquely refreshing.”  Coming in at 5.5% ABV, Weissbier “[caters] to consumers who know beer and appreciate the historic brand’s unique and complex flavor.”

“We are thrilled to introduce our Weissbier in cans just in time for the New Year,” says Steve Hauser, CEO of Paulaner USA, the U.S. importer of Hacker-Pschorr.” The lightweight design of the cans makes it portable and easy to travel with and allows our consumers to enjoy this refreshing brew at all of their favorite outdoor venues and biergartens.”

 

Hauser adds, “Our Hacker Pschorr Weissbier has long been a favorite of German families that settled here in the U.S. and have helped shape our country. Our cans will not only give these traditional consumers greater opportunities to enjoy a bit of their heritage, these cans will open a whole new set of occasions for younger, craft beer loving consumers.”

Hacker-Pschorr Weissbier is available now in 4-packs of 16.9 oz. cans and you can expect to find this Year-Round offering at fine beer establishments located in Alabama, Florida and throughout the rest of the U.S.  Prost!

Vital Information for Hacker-Pschorr Weissbier from Hacker-Pschorr

Release – Year-Round; cans launch in the U.S. in January 2020
Style – Hefeweizen
ABV – 5.5%
Ingredients – Water, malted wheat, malted barley, yeast & hops
Featured Hops – Hallertauer Herkules & Hallertauer Taurus
Suggested Food Pairings – “A delight with hearty Bavarian delicacies, but it also goes well with lighter dishes such as poultry and fish”
Availability – 4-packs of 16.9 oz. cans & draft
Distribution – Nationwide

New Realm Brewing Continues Push Cart Series with Release of Chocolate Sea Salt Imperial Ale

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NewRealmKOPNew Realm Brewing Company (Atlanta, Georgia) has officially announced that it will begin the Limited Release of Push Cart – Chocolate Sea Salt Imperial Ale, the brewery’s latest collaboration with Atlanta-based King of Pops, on January 21.

Arriving as the second release in New Realm’s Push Cart Series that formulates beer versions of the most popular ice pops produced by their friends at King of Pops, Push Cart – Chocolate Sea Salt Imperial Ale is a “dark, creamy and sweet” American Strong Ale that is smooth and chocolatey with just a hint of salt on the finish.”  Coming in at 8.6% ABV, Push Cart – Chocolate Sea Salt Imperial Ale is “perfect for winter in the city or escapes to the beach.”

“We worked with our friends at King of Pops and their ingredients to create this beer which does a remarkable job of replicating the creamy chocolate flavor of their most popular pop. Projects like this where we get to work with great folks in our community, are extremely fun and tremendously delicious!” said Mitch Steele, Brewmaster and Co-Founder of New Realm Brewing.

 

“Chocolate Sea Salt is our best-selling flavor, and it’s the one we try our best to have at every single cart and shop. We thought it would fit well with a darker beer, perfect for the increasingly mild but dreary Atlanta winters” said Steven Carse, Co-Founder of King of Pops.

Push Cart – Chocolate Sea Salt Imperial Ale is scheduled to officially release in New Realm’s Atlanta and Virginia Beach locations on January 21 and will enter limited distribution shortly after the on-site releases.  You can expect to find this Limited Release offering available in 6-packs of 12 oz. cans and on draft at select craft beer-friendly establishments located within New Realm’s distribution footprint in Georgia.  Prost!

Vital Information for Push Cart – Chocolate Sea Salt Imperial Ale from New Realm Brewing Company & King of Pops

Release – Limited/Push Cart Series; January 21, 2020
Style – American Strong Ale
ABV – 8.6%
IBUs -25
Added Ingredients – Chocolate & sea salt sourced from King of Pops
Availability – 6-packs of 12 oz. cans & draft
Distribution – Georgia; also available at New Realm’s Atlanta & Virginia Beach locations

 

Straight to Ale Begins Seasonal Release of Regal Beagle Brown Ale

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STAlogoStraight to Ale (Huntsville, Alabama) has officially announced that Regal Beagle Brown will join its Seasonal lineup in January 2020.

Developed to breathe new life into an often over-looked beer style these days, Regal Beagle Brown is an American Brown Ale brewed with blackstrap molasses.  Coming in at 5.4% ABV, Regal Beagle Brown is here to provide its drinker with a sophisticated dose of malty sweetness.

Regal Beagle Brown is available now and will hang around through March 2020.  You can expect to find this new Seasonal offering available in 6-packs of 12 oz. cans and on draft at craft beer-focused retailers, bars and restaurants located in Alabama, Florida and throughout the rest of Straight to Ale’s distribution area. Prost!

Vital Information for Regal Beagle Brown from Straight to Ale

Release – Seasonal; January – March 2020
Style – American Brown Ale
ABV – 5.4%
Added Ingredients – Blackstrap molasses
Availability – 6-packs of 12 oz. cans & draft
Distribution – Alabama, Florida, Georgia, Mississippi, North Carolina, South Carolina, Tennessee & Louisiana

 

Tasting Notes: KBS Espresso from Founders Brewing Co.

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KBSEspressoPourFor this installment of Tasting Notes, we push through the second half of the workweek thanks to a coffee-fueled boost supplied by KBS Espresso from Founders Brewing Co. (Grand Rapids, Michigan).

Introduced in mid-November 2019 as the first-ever packaged variant of KBS (a.k.a. Kentucky Breakfast Stout), KBS Espresso (12% ABV) takes everything you love about Founders Brewing Co.’s iconic KBS – a Bourbon Barrel-aged Imperial Stout brewed with coffee and chocolate – and then ages it “on espresso beans after being removed from [Bourbon] barrels.” This added step results in “a fresh and snappy coffee twist on [a] classic barrel-aged beer.”

KBS Espresso is out now and will hang around through February 2020.  You can expect to find this Limited Release available in 4-packs of 12 oz. bottles, 750ml 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.  **NOTE: KBS Espresso is not available on draft in Utah or in any format in Mississippi.**

Now that we have gotten all the background information on this exciting new variant out of the way, let’s get into these Tasting Notes and see how much coffee goodness KBS can carry!

Tasting Notes for KBS Espresso from Founders Brewing Co.

Appearance:  KBS Espresso presents itself just as you would expect any beer bearing the KBS name.  It is inky black in color and capped with a solid finger of frothy, mocha-colored foam.  When held to direct light, the blackness holds and blocks any light from penetrating.  The beer is completely opaque and gives no indication as to what the carbonation level could be.  Head retention is good, slinking down slowly to a creamy ring that notches the glass with fine arcs of lace after each pull.

Aroma:  The aroma absolutely explodes with big notes of espresso.  We are talking heavy notes of intensely roasted coffee joined by complementary notes of deeply roasted grain, dark chocolate and dark fruit.  The presence of espresso and roast is so powerful that it actually drowns out the majority of the bourbon notes, only allowing a touch of vanilla to come through.  The profile closes with a gentle waft of rich, earthy tobacco.

Taste:   The espresso is quick to consume the palate with an abundance of dark roasted coffee at the start of each sip.  Dark, bittersweet chocolate then joins the mix to create a satisfying note similar to those addictive little chocolate-covered espresso beans.  The barrel eventually works its way in to supply a soft undercurrent of vanilla and oak, but the bourbon tones are definitely here to take a back seat to the coffee notes.  The experience is rounded off with a smooth layer of dark fruit, leather and tobacco.

Mouthfeel:  Full-bodied with a moderate carbonation level, this Imperial Stout is thick and creamy on the palate.  The heavily roasted coffee and notes of dark chocolate provide a bit of bitterness, but that is quickly tamed by the vanilla tones provided by the bourbon barrels.  Shockingly, the 12% ABV provides very little booziness and offers only a touch of warmth in the throat at times. The aftertaste leaves behind a light presence of tobacco and freshly roasted coffee.

Final Thoughts: With the release of KBS Espresso, Founders Brewing Co. set out to ramp up and highlight the overall coffee character that has always been a part of the incredibly balanced KBS experience.  Mission accomplished.  The label on this variant clearly displays “ESPRESSO” in all caps, and that espresso lives up to its bold, intense reputation from start to finish in this beer. The brewing team was not at all shy about letting the espresso dominate the aromatics and flavor profile.  The roast is intense and imparts a pleasant bitterness that works beautifully with the beer’s roasted malts and chocolate notes.  The barrel character does fall off a bit (only offering a bit of oak and vanilla at times), but that is to be expected when you add a powerful ingredient like espresso to the beer after barrel-aging.  With that said, the grace of barrel that is present is more than enough because the intense coffee notes carry this beer with ease and in a wonderfully delightful way.

If you have ever wished there was more coffee in your KBS or are just curious to experience a different take on this legendary brew, you need to keep KBS Espresso in mind the next time you hit up your favorite bottle shop.  Just make sure you get your hands on some before its availability comes to an end in late February. Prost!