Mashing In

Wild Leap Brew Co. Kicks Off Summer with Release of Truck Chaser – Bomb Pop DIPA

Posted on May 29, 2019 by mashingin

Wild Leap Brew Co. (LaGrange, Georgia) has officially announced that that it will release Bomb Pop Double India Pale Ale, the second release in its Truck Chaser Double IPA Series, during the first week of June.

Inspired by the iconic summertime treat of the same name, Bomb Pop is a Double India Pale Ale “brewed with a flavor combination containing notes of cherry, lime and raspberry.” Boasting “a perfect blend of tart and sweet, coupled with a creamy, milkshake flavor”, Bomb Pop (8.1% ABV) is sure to “take you back to the ‘popsicle days’ of your childhood.”

“We can all remember the excitement of hearing the ice cream truck coming down the road,” shares Rob Goldstein, Wild Leap co-founder. “The nostalgic red, white and blue popsicle takes you back to those simple, joyful moments of being a kid, when you didn’t have a care in the world. We wanted to take these flavors of childhood and brew them into a juicy double IPA we can enjoy today.”

Truck Chaser – Bomb Pop Double IPA is scheduled to release the first week of June and will hang around as long as supplies last. You can expect to find this Limited Release offering available in 4-packs of 12 oz. cans and on draft at select craft beer-focused establishments located within Wild Leap’s distribution footprint in Georgia. Prost!

Vital Information for Truck Chaser – Bomb Pop Double IPA from Wild Leap Brew Co.

Release – Limited/Truck Chaser Series; June 2019
Style – Double India Pale Ale
ABV – 8.1%
IBUs – 49
Added Ingredients – Lime, cherry & raspberry
Availability – 4-packs of 12 oz. cans & draft
Distribution – Georgia
Beer Finder – http://www.wildleap.com/beer-finder/

Goodwood Brewing Rolls Out New IPA

Posted on May 28, 2019 by mashingin

Goodwood Brewing Co. (Louisville, Kentucky) has officially announced that its new Goodwood IPA will begin hitting shelves and taps this month.

Brewed to showcase “five different hop varietals”, Goodwood IPA is an American India Pale Ale that has “bold hop flavor and . . . aromas ranging from citrus to pine to stone fruit.” Thanks to a solid base of “malty undertones”, Goodwood IPA (6.9% ABV, 67 IBUs) is “perfectly balanced, . . . remarkably drinkable and will keep you asking for more.”

Goodwood IPA is rolling out now with availability in 6-packs of 12 oz. cans and on draft. You can expect to find this new IPA at craft beer-focused retailers, bars and restaurants located in Alabama, Florida, Kentucky and throughout the rest of Goodwood’s 14-state distribution footprint. Prost!

Vital Information for Goodwood IPA from Goodwood Brewing Co.

Release – ???, launching late May/early June 2019
Style – American India Pale Ale
ABV – 6.9%
IBUs – 67
Availability – 6-packs of 12 oz. cans & draft
Distribution – Alabama, Florida, Kentucky, Indiana, Virginia, Tennessee, South Carolina, West Virginia, Missouri, Oklahoma, Georgia, Texas, Ohio & Kansas

Lagunitas Brewing Co. Bends Reality with Release of Phase Change Wet Hop Pale Ale

Posted on May 28, 2019 by mashingin

Lagunitas Brewing Company (Petaluma, California) has officially announced that Phase Change, a “seasonally unexpected” Wet-Hopped Juicy Ale, will arrive in June as the brewery’s latest One Hitter release.

Crafted to be the “next chapter in [Lagunitas Brewing Company’s] quest to brew wet-hop beers out of wet-hop season”, Phase Change is an unfiltered Wet Hop Pale Ale “packed full of lupulin-drenched Simcoe, Citra & Mosaic hops.” Coming in at 7.4% ABV and 60 IBUs, Phase Change is “a juicy game changer” bursting with “seasonally unexpected wet-hop flavor.”

The time-bending wet-hop goodness found within Phase Change is made possible thanks to Lagunitas’ “new ‘hops liquification’ process that lets [the brewery] preserve and store . . . wet hops (generally only usable just after harvest), and brew a wet-hop beer a full 6 months later.”

Phase Change is scheduled to roll out in June 2019 and will hang around as long as supplies last. You can expect to find this Limited Release offering available in 6-packs of 12 oz. bottles and on draft at select craft beer-friendly establishments located in Alabama, Florida, California, Illinois, Washington and throughout the rest of Lagunitas’ distribution area. Prost!

Vital Information for Phase Change from Lagunitas Brewing Company

Release – Limited/One Hitter Series; June 2019
Style – Wet Hop Pale Ale
ABV – 7.4%
IBUs – 60
Featured Hops – Simcoe, Citra & Mosaic
Availability – 6-packs of 12 oz. bottles & draft
Beer Finder – https://lagunitas.com/beer-finder

Tasting Notes – The Classics: Hefe-Weizen from Paulaner Brauerei

Posted on May 24, 2019 by mashingin

For this special edition of Tasting Notes, we crack open a few pints of OG haze and get reacquainted with the highly respected classic that is Hefe-Weizen from Paulaner Brauerei (Munich, Germany).

Regarded as “the #1 wheat beer in Germany and one of the world’s favorites”, Paulaner Hefe-Weizen is a traditional, unfiltered Hefeweizen-style Wheat Beer that is “naturally cloudy and silky gold under a really strong head of foam.” Proudly boasting a “perfectly balanced mix of aromas and refreshing taste”, this offering’s sensory profile features a “hint of banana aroma” and “[traces] of mango and pineapple” on the palate. Coming in at just 5.5% ABV, Hefe-Weizen is a truly “superb biergarten or outdoor drinking bier.”

Paulaner Hefe-Weizen is available Year-Round in 4-packs of 16.9 oz. cans (newly released), 6-packs of 12 oz. bottles, 500ml bottles and on draft. You can expect to find this iconic brew at fine beer establishments located in Alabama, Florida and throughout the rest of Paulaner’s distribution network in the U.S.

Alrighty . . . now that we have those particulars out of the way, let’s put these new pint cans to good use and get into some Tasting Notes!

Tasting Notes for Hefe-Weizen from Paulaner Brauerei

Appearance: The most careful of pours produced a stunning Hefeweizen that is a sunburst orange in color and capped with over three fingers of creamy, bright white foam. When held to direct light, the beer has a solid dark orange core that radiates outward to the edges of the glass with brighter orange tones and a spectrum of yellows. The beer has that quintessential Hefeweizen cloudiness, but a slow and steady carbonation presence can still be seen swirling about in the haze. Head retention is spot on for the style, falling ever so slowly to a lasting half finger that coats the glass with super creamy lace after each pull.

Aroma: The yeast is all over the aromatics, offering pronounced notes of banana and clove. A bit of Noble hop spice and a touch of citrus surfaces alongside a clean, bready wheat presence, but . . . seriously . . . this profile is all about that Hefeweizen yeast. Absolutely heavenly.

Taste: Lemon, orange and just a grace of tropical pineapple open the flavor profile in conjunction with a pure, clean note of toasted wheat. Spicy and earthy Noble hop notes then carry the beer’s fruitiness into a dynamic yeast character filled with notes of banana, clove and bubblegum. The flavors are elegant in their complexity, but remain incredibly approachable.

Mouthfeel: Medium in body with a mid to high carbonation level, this Hefeweizen is wonderfully soft and easy-drinking. Although it is lightly sweet on the palate, the beer still finds balance and dries out nicely. The 5.5% ABV is completely hidden, further enhancing the beer’s overall drinkability. The aftertaste is all bubblegum and banana.

Final Thoughts: Are you curious how Paulaner Hefe-Weizen has become the “#1 wheat beer in Germany” (a.k.a. THE country that most of us immediately associate with beer)? Just take one sip and you will have all the answers you need. Across the board, from appearance to aroma to taste to mouthfeel, there is no denying that this beer is everything a Hefeweizen should be. Whether you are just a casual beer drinker who is interested in traditional beer styles or a top tier enthusiast studying for your BJCP or Cicerone certification, Paulaner Hefe-Weizen is absolutely a beer that you will need to cross to paths with once you get to the realm of Hefeweizen.

Beyond just being one of the legit standards for the style, it also does not hurt that a tall pour of Paulaner Hefe-Weizen just so happens to be a perfect answer for a hot day. Do yourself a favor, grab yourself some Paulaner Hefe-Weizen this summer, and fall in love with the Hefeweizen style all over again. Prost!

Able Seedhouse + Brewery Welcomes Summer with Release of Motion Car Wash

Posted on May 24, 2019 by mashingin

Able Seedhouse + Brewery (Minneapolis, Minnesota) has officially announced that it will begin the Limited Release of Slow Motion Car Wash, a Fruit Ale, in late May 2019.

Arriving as Able’s first Limited Release of the year, Slow Motion Car Wash is a Fruit Ale that “explodes with a big mashup of blackberry, raspberry, peach, cherry and boysenberry.” To create a bit of balance, an addition of white wheat “softens the beer while the sweetness from the lactose punches up the fruit blend.” Clocking in at an easy-drinking 4.8% ABV, Slow Motion Car Wash “is designed for porches, patios, parking lots, sunshine and anywhere you can drink a beer in slow motion.”

Slow Motion Car Wash started rolling out on May 20 and will hang around for a limited time. You can expect to find this Limited Release offering available in 12 oz. cans at select craft beer-friendly establishments located within Able’s distribution footprint in Minnesota. Prost!

Vital Information for Slow Motion Car Wash from Able Seedhouse + Brewery

Release – Limited; launching May 20, 2019
Style – Fruit Beer
ABV – 4.8%
Added Ingredients – Blackberry, raspberry, peach, cherry & boysenberry
Availability – 12 oz. cans
Distribution – Minnesota

Coronado Brewing Introduces Rise East/Set West Mixed 4-Pack of IPAs

Posted on May 23, 2019 by mashingin

Coronado Brewing Company (San Diego, California) has officially announced that it will release its innovative Rise East/Set West IPA Mixed 4-pack of 16 oz. cans in late May 2019.

Developed to showcase the difference between East Coast and West Coast IPAs and how “yeast strains affect a recipe”, Rise East Hazy IPA and Set West West Coast-style IPA both start with the same India Pale Ale base but are then exposed to their own assigned yeast. Even though the hop bill is the same (although utilized in a different dry-hopping regimen for each beer), the subtle changes in this project result in these “two deliciously unique beers” (descriptions sourced directly from the brewery’s website):

Rise East | Hazy IPA – Continuously dry-hopped then fermented with London III yeast for juicy notes of pineapple, mango and peach. This easy-drinking hazy IPA rises to any occasion. ABV – 7%
Set West | West Coast-style IPA – Single dry-hopped and fermented with Cal Ale yeast for a lingering dryness and notes of sticky pine and ripe stone fruit. Laid back yet assertive – it’s west coast through and through. ABV – 7%

“As brewers, it’s fun to see how yeast can really change the flavor profile of a beer,” says Shawn Steele, Director of Brewing Operations, Coronado Brewing Company. “The mixed four-pack gives fans a chance to try the beers side-by-side and experience those differences for themselves. It was a lot of work building the mixed-packs, but we think the end result is worth it!”

The Rise East/Set West IPA Mixed 4-pack – each pack containing two 16 oz. cans of each offering – will debut at Coronado Brewing’s three locations on May 24 and is scheduled to enter distribution by the end of the month. You can expect to find this Limited Release Mixed 4-pack at select craft beer-focused retailers located in North Carolina, California and throughout the rest of Coronado’s distribution footprint. Prost!

Creature Comforts Brewing Co. Sets Release Date for Life in Flux Imperial Stout

Posted on May 23, 2019 by mashingin

Creature Comforts Brewing Co. (Athens, Georgia) has officially announced that it will begin the Limited Release of Life in Flux on Saturday, June 1.

Carefully crafted to “represent the beauty of [Creature Comforts Brewing Co.’s] current whiskey barrel-aged stout collection”, Life in Flux is a Whiskey Barrel-aged Imperial Stout that has been blended from select barrels housed in the brewery’s recently expanded wood cellar. The Life in Flux project is expected to return annually with the “intent for each vintage . . . to represent a snapshot of [the brewery’s] barrels from a specific moment in time.”

Life in Flux will officially release in the Creature Comforts Tasting Room at 1 p.m. on Saturday, June 1. This Limited Release offering will be available in 750ml bottles for the cost of $29.99 per bottle (limit of 4 bottles per person). Life in Flux is a brewery only release and will be sold on a “first come, first served basis.” Prost!

Vital Information for Life in Flux from Creature Comforts Brewing Co.

Release – Limited; June 1, 2019
Style – Imperial Stout
ABV – ???
Treatment – A blended Imperial Stout aged in select whiskey barrels
Availability – 750ml bottles ($29.99 each/limit of 4 bottles per person)
Distribution – None. Brewery only release

LOKO Cuisine Honors Hiro Matsuda with Father’s Day Brunch & Bottle Release at Late Start Brewing

Posted on May 22, 2019May 22, 2019 by mashingin

On Sunday, June 16 at 11 a.m., LOKO Cuisine will join forces with Late Start Brewing – located inside Pour House Tampa | 1208 E. Kennedy Suite 112 | Tampa, Florida – to host Hiro Matsuda’s Eggs & Kegs Father’s Day Brunch and Bottle Release.

Since Hiro Matsuda – a legend who is considered one of the greatest professional wrestlers and trainers of all time – has familial ties to members of the LOKO Cuisine crew, it is only fitting for LOKO to celebrate his life and career with a special Father’s Day edition of Eggs & Kegs. The following Okayu Bowl Bar – an elaborate riff on traditional Japanese rice porridge – will be the focus of this Japanese-inspired brunch:

As mentioned in the menu above, Late Start Brewing will handle the “kegs” portion of this brunch by showcasing the following two Limited Release beers inspired by Hiro Matsuda and his wrestling career:

Shogun – Imperial Stout with Coffee, Vanilla & Japanese Whisky-soaked Cherrywood
Japanese Sleeper – Gose with Yuzu, Kumquats, Sansho Sichuan and Santaka Peppers & Hana Flake Salt

Shogun and Japanese Sleeper will be available for purchase on draft and in 500ml bottles (label artwork available below).

There will also be a variety of other wrestling-inspired beers available on draft during this event. If you happen to find yourself in need of a little caffeine pick-me-up during the brunch, worry not because the fine folks at Ginger Beard Coffee will be at their counter – also located in Pour House – Tampa – serving up a variety of nitro coffee and tea offerings (not included in the ticket price).

Tickets for Hiro Matsuda’s Eggs & Kegs Father’s Day Brunch are available now for $27.13 each, and you can purchase yours by clicking here. Ticket cost includes the Japanese-inspired brunch and one draft beer (bottles are not included in the ticket price). Physical tickets will not be issued, but your name will be added to a paid list once the purchase process is completed. FYI: Everyone in your party will have to check in under the purchaser’s name at the door.

If you are looking for something fun and unique to do with dad on Father’s Day, you are going to be hard-pressed to find anything that comes close to the good times that will had with LOKO Cuisine and Late Start Brewing at Hiro Matsuda’s Eggs and Kegs. Just be sure that you arrange tickets as soon as you can because LOKO’s Eggs & Kegs events – along with pretty much all other holiday brunch events in the Tampa area – tend to sell out with a quickness. Prost!

Perrin Brewing Co. Begins Limited Release of Kveik’n It Real Nordic IPA

Posted on May 22, 2019 by mashingin

Perrin Brewing Company (Comstock Park, Michigan) has officially announced that Kveik’n It Real Nordic IPA will drop on May 23 as the brewery’s latest Side Hustle Series release.

Arriving as the third release in Perrin Brewing’s Side Hustle Series of innovative brews that “creatively explore new ingredients and techniques”, Kveik’n It Real is a Norwegian-style India Pale Ale “brewed with Norwegian farmhouse yeast, Honindal Kveik, which produces tropical fruit aromas.” To further enhance the fruity character of the yeast, the beer was then “double dry-hopped with fruit-forward Styrian Wolf and Styrian Dragon hops to impart even more citrus and pineapple hop flavor.” Thanks to “a delicate malt backbone of oats and wheat”, Kveik’n It Real (7% ABV) has a hazy appearance and is rounded off with a bit of balance and a soft mouthfeel.

Kveik’n It Real Nordic IPA will officially hit the Perrin Pub on May 23 and distribution is scheduled to follow shortly after the on-site release. 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 Perrin’s distribution footprint in Michigan only. Prost!

Vital Information for Kveik’n It Real Nordic IPA from Perrin Brewing Company

Release – Limited/Side Hustle Series; May 23, 2019
Style – Norwegian-style India Pale Ale
ABV – 7%
IBUs – 55
Featured Hops – Styrian Wolf & Styrian Dragon
Fun Fact – On the Side Hustle Series: “Perrin will release a new Side Hustle Series beer every other month for statewide distribution. The series allows Perrin’s brewers to creatively explore new ingredients and techniques, and provide Michigan’s craft beer lovers with innovative new flavors.”
Availability – 6-packs of 12 oz. cans & draft
Distribution – Michigan only

Portland Cider Co. Adds 19.2 oz. Cans to its Portfolio

Posted on May 21, 2019 by mashingin

Portland Cider Co. (Portland, Oregon) has announced that it has officially begun packaging six of its most popular ciders in 19.2 oz. cans.

To remind folks of the cidery’s English roots and also give the “proper pint” (a.k.a. the 20 oz. imperial pint glass) some love, Portland Cider Co. is now giving their fans the option to enjoy the following six ciders in 19.2 oz. cans (descriptions sourced directly from Portland Cider Co.’s website):

Kinda Dry | Year-Round – Blended in the spirit of traditional English cider. Light, clean, refreshing, with a pleasant finish. The kind of cider you can drink all day long! ABV – 6.9%
Sorta Sweet | Year-Round – Blended like traditional American style cider, with higher residual sugars and more tartness. Absolutely delicious & dangerously easy to drink! ABV – 4.9%
Sangria | Year-Round – Blend our delicious cider with the juices of orange, strawberry, pear, passionfruit, elderberry, and lime, to get our Sangria cider. It’s your new favorite fruit punch, for grown-ups! ABV – 5.8%
Hop’ Rageous | Year-Round – An outrageously refreshing off-dry hopped cider, full of citrus flavors that can only be described as Hop’rageous! ABV – 6.8%
Concord Grape | Year-Round – Concord Grape is a deliciously tart blend of 100% NW apple cider and fresh pressed Concord Grapes. ABV – 5.2%
Pineapple Rosé | Seasonal – Bursting with juicy, fresh pineapples, with a naturally pink hue from a splash of Northwest grown blueberries. Treat yourself with this fruity, tropical delight that will take your tastebuds to an island oasis. ABV – 5.2%

“Portland Cider is an English cider company at our core,” explained Lynda Parrish, who grew up in the Somerset region of the United Kingdom. “So offering our customers a proper pint of proper cider made a lot of sense.”

“Who doesn’t like more?” added co-owner Jeff Parrish. “This is the most exciting release we’ve made here at Portland Cider in awhile. Once Lynda and I realized that 19.2 US fluid ounces is a proper English pint, we decided we were going all in with this awesome package, offering our cider fans a proper pint they can take anywhere!”

This new packaging option will officially launch on Friday, March 24 at the “19.2-ounce Can Release” party at both of Portland Cider Co.’s Portland-area pubs. If you cannot make it to the launch parties, 19.2 oz cans of the ciders listed above are available now at select cider-friendly establishments located in Oregon, Washington and Northern California (click here to use Portland Cider Co.’s Cider Finder).

In addition to their new 19.2 oz. can format, “three of the ciders will continue to be produced in 22-ounce glass bottles, including Kinda Dry, Sorta Sweet, and Sangria. Hop’ Rageous & Pineapple Rosé will also be available in six-pack 12-ounce cans. Concord Grape will be exclusively available in the 19.2-ounce can.” Prost!