Tastings Notes: A Little Sumpin’ Hazy from Lagunitas Brewing Company

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LagunitasLSHPour_editedFor this edition of Tasting Notes, we push through the midweek daze and craze with a little help from A Little Sumpin’ Hazy from Lagunitas Brewing Company (Petaluma, California).

Released back in July as an “au naturel” take on the “classic wheatly-esque-ish-ness . . . you know and love” from A Little Sumpin’ Sumpin’, A Little Sumpin’ Hazy is a “juicy” and “catty” brew that has underwent a “special dry-hopping of Cashmere, Citra & Mosaic on a bed of Centennial and Chinook.” Built upon a solid base of “shlarfy” grains, A Little Sumpin’ Hazy (7.2% ABV) is guaranteed to have an eye-catching haze that will work beautifully with your favorite Instagram filters.

A Little Sumpin’ Hazy is available now for a limited time.  You can expect to find this Limited Release available in 6-packs of 12 oz. bottles and on draft at select craft beer-friendly retailers, bars and restaurants located in Alabama, Florida, California, Illinois, Washington and throughout the rest of Lagunitas Brewing Company’s distribution area.

Now that we have properly gone over all that background info, it appears that it is finally time to get comfortable, succumb to the haze and get into these Tasting Notes!

Tasting Notes for A Little Sumpin’ Hazy from Lagunitas Brewing Company

Appearance: Although it is undoubtedly hazy, A Little Sumpin’ Hazy pours a more IPA-traditional light golden yellow in color rather than that orange-juice-like appearance all the cool haze kids seem to be after these days.  That haze still allows some visibility and reveals a lively carbonation presence cascading within.  A somewhat vigorous pour produced right at two fingers of creamy white foam.  Retention is solid, falling gracefully to a chunky half finger that leaves the glass coated with a broad sheet of lace when completed.

Aroma:  This thing hits hard and fast with an extremely juicy presence of sweet orange, mango, pineapple, mixed berry and melon.  A gently floral undercurrent supplies some more traditional hoppy character, but it is dialed in just right so that it only balances and supports that juiciness.  The malts are muted here and only slip in a whisper of biscuity sweetness near the end of the profile.

Taste:  Just like the nose, juiciness takes point and bombards the palate with sweet fruit notes of orange, brûléed grapefruit, melon, berries, pineapple, lemon and lime.  The grains support those juicy hop flavors with some biscuity sweetness while piney hop notes mix things up a bit by providing some balancing hop bitterness.

Mouthfeel:  Somewhere between medium and full bodied with a medium carbonation level, this beer is soft, smooth and creamy on the palate.  As expected, it leans to the sweeter/juicier side but still maintains a touch of hop bitterness.  The 7.2% ABV is quite sneaky, making this beer dangerously drinkable.  Aftertaste is orange juice with a hint of pine.

Final Thoughts:  A Little Sumpin’ Hazy might fall short for some in the haze department (to be honest, we actually appreciate that it still has a touch of clarity), but it more than makes up for that in the areas of flavor and aroma.  This beer’s overall juiciness is intense and wonderfully pronounced, giving you all that you expect from a Hazy/Juicy IPA.  With that said, it still reminds you that it is indeed a Lagunitas creation by somehow holding on to some old school IPA qualities (floral and pine notes and just straight up hop bitterness). It basically unites both schools of thought on the IPA – West Coast vs. New England/Hazy/Juicy – in a subtle but incredibly tasty way.

All in all, A Little Sumpin’ Hazy is a widely available, reasonably priced hazy brew that is built for ultimate crushability and accessibility.  What else could you possibly ask for when dealing with summer heat indexes this insane? Be sure to get you some before this brew’s Limited Release comes to an end.  Prost!

 

Vermont Cider Co. Celebrates Fall with Return of Woodchuck Pumpkin

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WoodchuckLogo2Vermont Cider Co. | Woodchuck Hard Cider (Middlebury, Vermont) has officially announced that its fan-favorite Woodchuck Pumpkin will return in August for a Seasonal run.

Previously released as a part of Woodchuck’s Private Reserve line, this year’s Woodchuck Pumpkin has been reclassified as a Core Seasonal and now boasts “the addition of oak aging.” This new approach allows the offering’s “naked pumpkin profile and oak aging [to play] perfectly against the red culinary apple varieties used in this cider.”  Coming in at 5.5% ABV, the semi-sweet Woodchuck Pumpkin has “an earthy taste with hints of vanilla and caramel.”

“When we look at our limited release plans each year, we listen to what our customer partners and fans are asking for,” said Bridget Blacklock, Vice President of Marketing. “Pumpkin has been a style that everyone requests so we wanted bring back the original pure pumpkin taste with new complexity to give our fans something special.”

Woodchuck Pumpkin officially releases in August and has plans to hang around for a limited time this fall.  You can expect to find this Seasonal offering available in 6-packs of 12 oz. cans and on draft at select cider-friendly establishments located throughout Woodchuck Hard Cider’s distribution footprint in the East and Central regions of the U.S.  Prost!

Vital Information for Woodchuck Pumpkin from Vermont Cider Co./Woodchuck Hard Cider

Release – Seasonal/Limited; returning August 2019
Style – Hard Cider
ABV – 5.5%
Added Ingredients – Pumpkin
Availability – 6-packs of 12 oz. cans & draft
Cider Finder – http://www.woodchuck.com/locator/

Unibroue Releases Autre Chose Peach IPA in Select U.S. States

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UnibrouePeachUnibroue (Chambly, Québec) has officially announced that its Autre Chose Peach IPA is available now for a limited time in select U.S. markets including California, Florida, Massachusetts, Michigan, Las Vegas, Nevada and Long Island, New York.

Arriving as the first release in Unibroue’s Autre Chose (translating from French to mean “something else”) series of offerings “designed to push back the limits of the brewery’s traditions,” Autre Chose Peach IPA is a dry-hopped, single-fermented and unfiltered India Pale Ale brewed with peaches and a hop bill featuring Cascade, Galaxy, Citra and Lemondrop hops.  “Royal gold” in color with “orange highlights,” Autre Chose Peach IPA (6% ABV) offers a “blend of ripe peach and fresh hop fragrance [that melds] together to create a bright and balanced bitterness that envelopes notes of apple, lemon and tropical fruit along with a delicately spicy, piney and floral hop presence.”

Autre Chose Peach IPA is rolling out now and is scheduled stick around through September (as long as supplies last).  You can expect to find this new Limited Release offering available in 4-packs of 16 oz. cans at select craft beer-focused establishments located in Florida, California, Massachusetts, Michigan, Las Vegas, Nevada and Long Island, New York. Prost!

Vital Information for Autre Chose Peach IPA from Unibroue

Release – Limited/Autre Chose Series; August – September 2019 (U.S. Release)
Style – Hazy/Juicy India Pale Ale
ABV – 6%
IBUs – 50
Featured Hops – Cascade, Galaxy, Citra & Lemondrop
Added Ingredients – Peaches
Fun Fact – On the Autre Chose Series: “Each beer in the Autre Chose series, meaning “something else”, is designed to push back the limits of the brewery’s traditions, offering stylistic novelties different from the bottle fermented Belgian Style beers Unibroue has built its reputation upon. . . . In keeping with the experimental nature of the series, some beers in the series will be available for only a limited time in select markets while others may stay on shelves for longer periods, or even year-round.”
Availability – 4-packs of 16 oz. cans
Distribution – Florida, California, Massachusetts, Michigan, Las Vegas, Nevada and Long Island, New York
Beer Finder – http://www.unibrouefinder.com/#

Champion Brewing Company Expands Distribution to Florida

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Champion_CanMockUp_Masks_Final_Shower_DesktopChampion Brewing Company (Charlottesville, Virginia) has officially announced that it has partnered with Progressive Distribution and will begin distributing in the state of Florida in mid-August.

Known as “Virginia’s most progressive brewery,” Champion Brewing Company is “obsessed with creating the highest quality beer through expertise and creativity.”  Champion’s production facility – armed with a 30-barrel brewhouse currently operating at a capacity of 15,000 barrels per year – produces a wide variety of Core and Seasonal offerings while its tap room breweries – Brasserie Saison in Charlottesville and Richmond Tap Room – offer “constantly changing and innovative Seasonals, One-offs, and Barrel-aged Wild Beers.” With the addition of Florida, Champion Brewing Company is now available in ten states and Washington, D.C.

Champion will launch in the Sunshine State with the following offerings (descriptions sourced directly from the brewery’s website):

  • Shower Beer – Perfect for any relaxing occasion, this Bohemian Pilsner sings with fresh, clean maltiness and spicy flavor and aroma contributions from 100% traditional Czech Saaz hops.  Aged cold on lager yeast for weeks for maximum refreshment.  If you’ve never had a Shower Beer, it’s high time.  ABV – 4.5%  IBUs – 35
  • Missile IPA – An American India Pale Ale with firm bitterness and intense citrusy hop aromas.  Made with 2-Row Pale Ale malt and dry-hopped with Simcoe, Cascade, Summit, and more for the full experience of an American IPA.  ABV – 7%  IBUs – 65
  • True Love Mexican Lager – A party in a can.  Clean and refreshing Lager Beer inspired by classics from south of the border and brewed with our friends at Cockfight Skateboards.  Enjoy with a lime or as is.  ABV – 4.5%  IBUs – 20
  • Wheeze the Juice – A Juicy IPA dry-hopped for maximum flavor with Mandarina Bavaria, El Dorado, and Cascade hops.  ABV – 6.4%  IBUs – 54
  • In addition to the Core offerings listed above, the brewery will enter Florida with a limited selection of “Seasonal and Limited Release brews”

“We are beyond excited for the opportunity to represent and introduce Champion Brewing Company, to the State of Florida,” said Mike Paul, Progressive’s head of key accounts and strategic development. “Their high-quality, innovative beers and collaborative spirit will definitely resonate with consumers and our retail partners, here in the sunshine state.”

 

“Florida is such a great state for the Champion brand,” said Champion Brewing Company owner, Hunter Smith. “We’re psyched to work with Progressive and be among their portfolio of carefully curated beers.”

With Progressive Distribution handling all distribution responsibilities, Champion Brewing Company will begin its Florida roll out with a series of launch events during the week of August 13. You can expect to find Champion offerings available in their respective packaging formats and on draft at craft beer-friendly retailers, restaurants and bars located throughout the state of Florida.  Prost!

7venth Sun Brewery’s Tampa Location is Turning Two & It’s Time for a Party

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7venthSunLogoBW7venth Sun Brewery (Dunedin | Tampa, Florida) has officially announced that it will celebrate the 2nd Anniversary of its Tampa location on Thursday, August 15 with a party featuring a lengthy list of specialty taps and a couple bottle releases.

Another year has come and gone, and it was another amazing year that has allowed Tampa’s craft beer community the opportunity to enjoy the stellar beers and good vibes pouring from 7venth Sun Brewery – Tampa. Whether it is with a bottle release, a theme party, a beer and food pairing, an inclusion event or a block party, 7venth Sun is consistently there to offer all their fans a tasty beverage, a well-thought-out event and an incredible experience on the regular.  Now, as the 7venth Sun crew looks toward Year 3 in their absolutely gorgeous Tampa taproom and brewery, they are inviting everyone to the brewery on August 15 to raise one more glass to Year 2 with an Anniversary Party. There is a good amount of information to cover when it comes to this shindig, so let’s just go ahead and break it all down.

The Basics

What – 7venth Sun Tampa is Turning Two
When – Noon to Midnight on Thursday, August 15
Where – 7venth Sun Brewery – Tampa |6809 N Nebraska Ave | Tampa, Florida

Anniversary Party Tap List

You simply cannot have a party at 7venth Sun without a tap list filled with inventive/imaginative takes on various beer styles, and this one is keeping that trend alive. The tap wall is guaranteed to be full, but the following offerings are the featured taps for the 2nd Anniversary Party:

  • Ridin’ the Wake – Red Dragonfruit, Passionfruit Berliner
  • Warheads Sour AF – Blue Raspberry Warheads Berliner
  • Giraffes in the Attic – Guava Mango Berliner
  • Montana Orange – Orange Creamsicle Milkshake IPA
  • Andean Blackberry Mojito Berliner – Andean Blackberries, Mint and Lime
  • Triple C Imperial Sweet Stout – Coffee, Cacao and Toasted Coconut
Bottle Release

To make sure that this party has a dessert worthy enough for the occasion, 7venth Sun teamed up with the crew at Angry Chair Brewing (Tampa, Florida) to create the following Pastry Stouts:

  • Candid Photo – Imperial Sweet Stout with Maple, Toasted Walnuts and Pecans
  • Family Portrait – Imperial Sweet Stout with Peanut Butter and Coconut

Candid Photo and Family Portrait will be available for purchase by the bottle during this event.  There is no information concerning bottle size, bottle limit or price available at this time, but we will be sure to update you with that info just as soon as we have it.

Other Info
  • 7venth Sun will be breaking out the slushy machine for this party! The specialty slushy has yet to be determined but will be announced soon. Update to come!
  • Xtreme Tacos will be on-site at 5 p.m. to handle any taco/burrito cravings you happen to encounter during this event.

The 7venth Sun Tampa is Turning Two Party does not require a ticket, is free to attend, and is a pay as you go event.  All you have to do is get your craft brew-lovin’ crew together, head to Seminole Heights on Thursday, and just settle in for another amazing day/evening celebrating beer and life with the incredible people at 7venth Sun Brewery – Tampa.  We hope to see you all there. Prost!

7venthSunAngryChairBottles

 

 

 

Left Hand Brewing Co. Adds White Russian Nitro to Seasonal Lineup

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WRNcan-webLeft Hand Brewing Co. (Longmont, Colorado) has officially announced that it will begin the Seasonal Release of White Russian Nitro on Saturday, August 10.

Inspired heavily by the cult classic film The Big Lebowski and the main character’s cocktail of choice, White Russian Nitro is a White Stout – or at least I believe that is the preferred nomenclature – filled with “coffee, vanilla and notes of chocolate.” Coming in at 8.9% ABV (you can just mark it 8, Dude), White Russian Nitro is “takin’ er super smooth for all us craft beer drinkers out there.”

White Russian Nitro debuted in the Tasting Room at Left Hand Brewing Co. on August 10 and distribution is scheduled to begin shortly after the on-site release.  You can expect to find this Seasonal offering available in 4-packs of 13.65 oz. cans and on draft at select craft beer-focused retailers, bars and restaurants located in Alabama, Florida, Colorado and throughout the rest of Left Hand Brewing Co.’s distribution area.  Prost!

Vital Information for White Russian Nitro from Left Hand Brewing Co.

Release – Nitro Seasonal; August – September 2019
Style – White Stout
ABV – 8.9%
IBUs – 20
Malts – 2 row, Munich, CaraFoam, Rolled Oats & Naked Oats
Hops – CTZ
Added Ingredients – Lactose, coffee & vanilla
Availability – 4-packs of 13.65 oz. cans & draft
Beer Finder – http://lefthandbrewing.com/beer-finder/

 

 

Stone Brewing Sets Nerd Level to Stun with 2019 Release of Farking Wheaton w00tstout

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2019_w00tstout_12ozCan_MockStone Brewing (Escondido, California) has officially announced that its fan-favorite Drew Curtis / Wil Wheaton / Greg Koch Stone Farking Wheaton w00tstout is returning to craft beer shelves and taps now for a limited time.

Born as the geek-fueled, beery brainchild of Drew Curtis of FARK.com, “nerd royalty” Wil Wheaton and Stone Brewing co-founder Greg Koch, Stone Farking Wheaton w00tstout is an Imperial Stout brewed with pecans, wheat and flaked rye and then “one-quarter aged in bourbon barrels.”  This recipe produces “aromas of cocoa and coffee . . . followed by bourbon, vanilla and oak” alongside up-front flavors of fruit, “cocoa and coffee . . . followed by a punch of oak, vanilla, nut and a hoppy, bitter finish.” Coming in at superhero-sized 11.5% ABV and 45 IBUS, Stone Farking Wheaton w00tstout is “a POW! BAM! WHAM! square to the face.”

“W00tstout is more than a great beer,” said actor, writer and Stone Farking Wheaton w00tstout collaborator Wil Wheaton. “It’s a work of art, carefully designed to be as drinkable right now as it will be in a decade. I am so honored and proud to be one of its parents.”

 

“I love love love this beer,” said Greg Koch, Stone Brewing executive chairman & co-founder. “I love the intensity and depth of its flavor profile, and I love how it came together between Drew, Wil, me and our brewing team. And fans have made it clear that they love this beer all the way to the depths of its awesomeness like we do. Yeah, I love that too.”

The 2019 batch of Stone Farking Wheaton w00tstout is rolling out now and will hang around as long as supplies last.  You can expect to find this Limited Release offering available in 22 oz. bottles, on draft and – for the first time ever – in 6-packs of 12 oz. cans at select craft beer-friendly establishments located in Alabama, Florida, California, Virginia and throughout the rest of Stone Brewing’s distribution area.  Prost!

Vital Information for Stone Farking Wheaton w00tstout from Stone Brewing

Release – Limited; late July/early August 2019
Style – Imperial Stout
ABV – 11.5%
IBUs – 45
Featured Ingredients – Pecans, wheat & flaked rye
Treatment – One-quarter aged in Bourbon barrels
Fun Fact – On the label artwork: “This year’s artwork comes from the talented hands of comic artist Alan Davis, who has worked on some of the most iconic comic book series of all time, including Uncanny X-Men and Justice League of America. He depicts a hero who channels Stone’s iconic gargoyle’s guardian powers to battle against the evils of the world of beer (and as best we can tell, we’re quite sure he’s winning).”
Availability – 6-packs of 12 oz. cans, 22 oz. bottles & draft
Beer Finder – https://find.stonebrewing.com/#ready

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Cascade Brewing Releases Sang du Chêne 2017

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cascadelogoCascade Brewing (Portland, Oregon) has officially announced that it will begin the Limited Release of Sang du Chêne 2017 on Friday, August 9.

Translating from French to mean “blood of the oak,” the 2017 Sang du Chêne project (9.7% ABV) is a blended American Sour Ale that “showcases sour blond and triple ales aged in three distinct oak vessels: toasted French and American oak puncheons, Cognac brandy hogsheads and aged wine foudres.”  This blend highlights each vessel’s “oak influences . . ., providing flavors of toasted sugars, vanillin and spice that are complemented by the bright acidity and fruity character of the base beers.”

“The 2017 Sang du Chêne captures the marriage of wood and beer at its finest.”

 

– Kevin Martin, Director of Brewing Operations at Cascade Brewing

Sang du Chêne 2017 will debut in Cascade’s two Portland pubs – Cascade Brewing Barrel House and Lodge at Cascade Brewing – on August 9 and is scheduled to enter distribution shortly after the on-site release.  You can expect to find this Limited Release offering 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 network.  Prost!

Vital Information for Sang du Chêne 2017 from Cascade Brewing

Release – Limited; August 9, 2019
Style – American Sour Ale
ABV – 9.7%
Treatment – A blend of “sour blond and triple ales aged in three distinct oak vessels: toasted French and American oak puncheons, Cognac brandy hogsheads and aged wine foudres”
Availability – 500ml bottles & draft

Funky Buddha Brewery Expands Mixology Series with Release of White Sangria

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whitesangriawebmockFunky Buddha Brewery (Oakland Park, Florida) has officially announced that it will begin the Limited Release of White Sangria on Saturday, August 10.

Arriving as the fall release in Funky Buddha’s Mixology Series of barrel-aged and cocktail-inspired offerings, White Sangria (9.5% ABV) is an “effervescent” American Strong Ale brewed with grape must and aged in Chardonnay barrels from The Dreaming Tree Wines. To really drive home that Sangria experience, the beer was finished with additions of “apples, peaches, pears, and blood oranges for layers of lush fruitiness.”

White Sangria will debut in Funky Buddha’s Tap Room on August 10 and distribution is scheduled to begin shortly after the on-site release.  You can expect to find this Limited Release offering available in 4-packs of 12 oz. bottles on draft at select craft beer-friendly retailers, bars and restaurants located in Florida and throughout the rest of Funky Buddha’s distribution footprint.  Prost!

Vital Information for White Sangria from Funky Buddha Brewery

Release – Limited/Mixology Series; August – October 2019
Style – American Strong Ale
ABV – 9.5%
Added Ingredients – Grape must, apples, peaches, pears & blood oranges
Treatment – Aged in Chardonnay barrels from The Dreaming Tree Wines
Suggested Food Pairings – “Cornish game hen, grilled mahi mahi, apple slaw, olive tapanade, manchego cheese, chicken piccata, gambas al ajillo, potatas bravas”
Availability – 4-packs of 12 oz. bottles & draft
Beer Finder – https://funkybuddhabrewery.com/beer-finder

Iron Fist Brewing Slips Into August with Limited Release of Night Creep Black DIPA

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Night_Creep_Press_Can_01Iron Fist Brewing Company (Vista, California) has officially announced that Night Creep Black DIPA will release on August 9 as the 7th installment in the brewery’s Small Batch Experiments Series.

Carefully crafted to set itself apart from the three IPAs already in Iron Fist’s Core lineup as well as in the always IPA-saturated beer scene in the San Diego area, Night Creep is a “dark and different” Black Double India Pale Ale that utilizes an “unusual” yeast strain that “[brings] a distinctive flavor to a DIPA.”  To round off the recipe, the brewing team at Iron Fist used “choice kiln roasted malt [to impart] not only blackness but a mild toast undertone” while a “blend of earthy dank hops and overtones of citrus, floral and pine hops” provide balance. Night Creep comes in at a sneaky 8.5% ABV and 70 IBUs.

“Many DIPA’s have a very perceivable high ABV, so the alcohol comes in quite hot. With Night Creep we set out to create a DIPA that is full bodied, drinkable, that pushes the boundaries of the style without crossing into Stout territory.”

– Tom Garcia, Iron Fist Brewmaster

Night Creep will officially debut on Friday, August 9 in Iron Fist Brewing Company’s Vista and Barrio Logan taprooms.  This Limited Release offering will be available in limited-edition 12 oz. cans and on draft. Like all Small Batch Experiments, Night Creep is a taproom exclusive that will not see distribution.  Prost!

Vital Information for Night Creep Black DIPA from Iron Fist Brewing Company

Release – Limited/Small Batch Experiments Series; August 9, 2019
Style – Black Double India Pale Ale
ABV – 8.5%
IBUs – 70
Fun Fact – On the inspiration behind Night Creep: ““I suppose the starting point was all the Sabbath we’ve been playing in the tap room. We knew that we had a DIPA in the schedule and we all just felt inspired by Ozzy. This one needed to be a little bit dark and different.” – Tom Garcia, Iron Fist Brewmaster
Availability – 12 oz. cans & draft
Distribution – None. Available exclusively in Iron Fist’s Vista and Barrio Logan taprooms