Beer News | Mashing In

Good People Brewing Sends Cans of Snake Handler DIPA Out for Distribution

Posted on January 9, 2018January 9, 2018 by mashingin

Good People Brewing Company (Birmingham, Alabama) has announced that cans of Snake Handler Double India Pale Ale will be making a limited return to craft beer shelves beginning the week of January 15.

Although Snake Handler Double IPA is available Year-Round on draft, there is still a buzz in the craft beer community each year when this hop-filled treasure makes a limited appearance in cans. This is no surprise when you consider that Snake Handler remains “one of [Good People’s] most requested beers” and has received recognition “as one of the South’s top beers” by outlets such as Beer Advocate and Men’s Journal. The hype is all well and good, but this beer’s true achievement is what actually ends up in the glass.

Clocking in at 10% ABV, Snake Handler is a “dangerously drinkable brew” that employs a biscuit and caramel malt backbone to balance “an aggressive hop profile featuring Columbus, Warrior, Cascade, Simcoe, and Chinook” hops. The brewers at Good People finish the beer with a heavy dry-hopping to create a memorable sensory experience highlighted by “strong aromas of pine, citrus, flowers, spice, pineapple, and grassiness.” Freshness is key with this one, so make sure to consume Snake Handler “as close to the canned date as possible.”

“We are always excited for the revival of Snake Handler in cans,” says Jason Malone, Co-owner and Brewmaster at Good People Brewing Company. “This beer has had a special place in our lineup since the very beginning, and we love seeing people’s reactions when it comes out in cans.”

Cans of Snake Handler Double IPA will officially hit shelves on January 15 and hang around as long as supplies last. You can expect to find these Limited Release 4-packs of 12 oz. cans available at select craft beer establishments located within Good People Brewing’s distribution reach in Alabama, Georgia, the Florida Panhandle, and Tennessee.

Vital Information for Snake Handler from Good People Brewing Company

Release – Year-Round on draft; Limited availability in cans beginning on January 15, 2018
Style – Double India Pale Ale
ABV – 10%
IBUs – 100
Hops – Columbus, Warrior, Cascade, Simcoe & Chinook
Malts – 2-row & four specialty malts
Yeast – California Ale
Recommended Glassware – Snifter or tulip
Suggested Food Pairings – “Cuisine (Barbecue), Cheese (Peppery: Monterey/Pepper Jack; Sharp: Blue, Cheddar; Pungent: Gorgonzola, Limburger), Meat (Game, Grilled Meat, Salmon)”
Availability – 4-packs of 12 oz. cans (limited) & draft
Beer Finder – http://goodpeoplebrewing.com/beer-finder

Boulder Beer Company Set to Release Irish Blessing Oak-aged Coffee Stout

Posted on January 8, 2018January 8, 2018 by mashingin

Boulder Beer Company (Boulder, Colorado) has officially announced that it will begin the Seasonal release of Irish Blessing Oak-aged Coffee Stout in mid-January.

Developed to embody the character of an Irish coffee in beer form, Irish Blessing is a “dark coffee Stout brewed with an abundance of black and chocolate malts for a bittersweet chocolate finish, and OZO Coffee for rich roasted coffee notes.” The brewers at Boulder then finish the beer by aging it on Tullamore D.E.W. soaked oak chips to give it that eye-opening pop of Irish whiskey. Once the aging process is completed, Irish Blessing weighs in at 6.2% ABV and 40 IBUs.

“We collaborated with our friends and local roasters at OZO Coffee in Boulder to determine the perfect roast to complement our Stout, choosing their OZO Blend to use in the brew, adding earthy, roasted coffee flavors to the beer,” said Tess McFadden, Marketing Director at Boulder Beer Company. “We then age Irish Blessing on Tullamore D.E.W. Irish Whiskey soaked oak, imparting the finishing touches of whiskey and wood.”

The release of Irish Blessing will begin on January 17 with release parties at both of Boulder Beer’s pub locations – The Pub on Wilderness and Boulder Beer on Walnut. If you are not in the Boulder area, you will also be able to find this Seasonal offering available in 6-packs of 12 oz. cans and on draft at select craft beer establishments located in Florida, Georgia, Colorado and throughout the rest of Boulder Beer Company’s distribution network. Prost!

Vital Information for Irish Blessing Oak-aged Coffee Stout from Boulder Beer Company

Release – Seasonal, January through March 2018
Style – Stout
ABV – 6.2%
IBUs – 40
Malts – Pale Malt, Caramel Malt, Black Malt, Chocolate Malt, Roasted Barley & Rolled Oats
Hops – Nugget & Willamette
Added Ingredients – Coffee from OZO Coffee Co.
Treatment – Aged on Tullamore D.E.W. Irish Whiskey soaked oak chips
Availability – 6-packs of 12 oz. cans & draft
Beer Finder – https://boulderbeer.com/beer-finder

Weyerbacher Brewing Introduces Funky Monks

Posted on January 8, 2018January 18, 2018 by mashingin

Weyerbacher Brewing Company (Easton, Pennsylvania) recently announced that it has released Funky Monks Sour Belgian-style Ale as the brewery’s latest Special Release offering.

To take their gallivanting monks on a new adventure in 2018, the brewers at Weyerbacher Brewing have developed Funky Monks as a sour take on their Year-Round Merry Monks Belgian-style Tripel. Funky Monks transforms the base Tripel by taking on an “electrified zing of tartness” and a hop bill change that includes the addition of Sovereign and Rakau hops. These changes result in a 9.3% ABV American Sour Ale that possesses “a crisp, dry tartness [that blends] harmoniously with the ever-present Belgian notes of subtle spice, ripe pear and banana.”

With its formal introduction, Funky Monks now officially joins Weyerbacher’s Monks Family that also includes Merry Monks Belgian-style Tripel (Year-Round), Mellow Monks Belgian-style Ale (Year-Round), and Berry Monks Belgian-style Tripel w/ Cranberries, Orange Peel and Ginger (Seasonal).

Funky Monks is available now at The Taproom at Weyerbacher and will soon be sent out for distribution in 12 oz. cans and on draft. You can expect to find this Limited Release at select craft beer establishments located in Florida, Georgia, Pennsylvania and throughout the rest of Weyerbacher Brewing Company’s distribution area. Prost!

Vital Information for Funky Monks from Weyerbacher Brewing Company

Release – Limited/Special Release, January 2018
Style – American Sour Ale
ABV – 9.3%
Featured Hops – Sovereign & Rakau
Availability – 12 oz. cans & draft

Café Racer 15 Makes Seasonal Return for Bear Republic Brewing Co.

Posted on January 5, 2018January 5, 2018 by mashingin

Bear Republic Brewing Company (Cloverdale, California) has announced that Café Racer 15 will officially begin its Seasonal return in January.

Arriving as the first release of 2018 in Bear Republic’s Seasonal lineup of Double India Pale Ales, Café Racer 15 is a “high revving” brew that is absolutely packed with Citra, Amarillo, Cascade, and Chinook hops. Those little nuggets of hoppy goodness give Café Racer 15 (9.75% ABV) a “loud and assertive” personality that “features aromas of bright citrus and resinous pine . . . complimented by a dry malt finish.”

Café Racer 15 will officially release on January 5 and has plans to hang around through March 2018. You can find this Seasonal brew available in 6-packs of 12 oz. bottles, 22 oz. bottles and on draft at select craft beer establishments located in Florida, California and throughout the rest of Bear Republic’s distribution footprint. Prost!

Vital Information for Café Racer 15 from Bear Republic Brewing Company

Release – Seasonal, January through March 2018
Style – Double India Pale Ale
ABV – 9.75%
IBUs – 100+
Featured Hops – Citra, Amarillo, Cascade & Chinook
Malts – 2-row Barley & Honey
Yeast – BRBC Ale Yeast
Availability – 6-packs of 12 oz. bottles, 22 oz. bottles & draft
Beer Finder – https://bearrepublic.com/bear-tracker/

Boulevard Brewing Co. Resurrects Rye on Rye

Posted on January 5, 2018January 5, 2018 by mashingin

Boulevard Brewing Co. (Kansas City, Missouri) has announced that Rye on Rye will make a triumphant, limited return to the Smokestack Series in January.

First released in 2010, Rye on Rye was given a brief break from production back in 2015 so that Boulevard Brewing Co. could spend a couple years exploring experimental spin-offs such as Rye on Rye on Rye and Rye on Rye – Classic Sazerac Cocktail. Those beers were fantastic, but many beer fans were left longing for the original Templeton Rye barrel-aged version. The folks at the brewery heard the calls asking for Rye on Rye’s return and are happy to report that it is officially ready for release this month.

To create this study in rye, Boulevard’s brewers start by brewing a “sturdy” base beer “composed of . . . two row base malt layered with German rye, English crystal rye, Cara 50 and Munich malt and then accented with brown sugar, dark brown sugar and dark candi syrup.” After being hopped with Magnum, Citra and Styrian Golding hops and fermented with a Scottish Ale yeast, that beer is then transferred to “freshly emptied Templeton Rye barrels” so that it can age “from six to 18 months.” Once the aging process is all said and done, “optimal barrels are selected and blended with 33% fresh beer to create a delicate balance between spicy, slightly boozy rye whiskey barrel characters and the base beer.” Those that partake in the finished Rye on Rye can expect a warming (12% ABV), medium bodied experience characterized by notes of “spicy, fruity” rye malt, rye whiskey, vanilla, toffee, charred oak, caramel, and balancing hop tones that are “earthy, herbal, citrusy.”

Rye on Rye will first launch in the Kansas City area on January 8 and other regions will follow “in the coming weeks.” Once it does hit wide distribution, 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 establishments located in areas that normally see Smokestack Series Limited Release beers from Boulevard Brewing Co. Prost!

Vital Information for Rye on Rye from Boulevard Brewing Co.

Release – Limited/Smokestack Series, January 2018
Style – Rye Beer
ABV – 12%
IBUs – 33
Malts – 2-row, German Rye, English Crystal Rye, Cara 50 & Munich
Hops – Magnum, Citra & Styrian Golding
Yeast – Scottish Ale Yeast
Added Ingredients – Brown sugar, dark brown sugar & dark candi syrup
Treatment – Aged in Templeton Rye barrels (for six to eighteen months) then blended with 33% fresh beer
Suggested Food Pairings – “Pastrami, salted caramel ice cream, jerk chicken, bread pudding, bold cigars”
Availability – 4-packs of 12 oz. bottles, 750ml bottles & draft
Beer Finder – https://www.boulevard.com/beer/beer-finder/

Brewery Ommegang Plans to Release Game of Thrones Royal Reserve Collection

Posted on January 4, 2018 by mashingin

Brewery Ommegang (Cooperstown, New York) and HBO Global Licensing have announced that they will commemorate the final season of Game of Thrones with the release of Hand of the Queen Barleywine Ale in April as the first installment in the Royal Reserve Collection.

To ensure that you experience the final episodes of HBO’s Game of Thrones series with the perfect beers in hand, Brewery Ommegang has established the Royal Reserve Collection to be “a collectible series of four special, limited release beers, each designed and brewed as an homage to one of four epic figures in the battle for the Seven Kingdoms.” Each of these beers “will be brewed and blended with ingredients selected to match the character and temperament of the chosen hero, designed and brewed as Brewery Ommegang’s interpretation of what a royal brewer might brew for his or her noble master.”

The first release in the Royal Reserve Collection will be Hand of the Queen, a beer brewed for Tyrion Lannister. Widely respected for his ability to “drink and know things”, the wine-loving Tyrion will be properly honored with a “a big, bold barleywine, a beer fit for those who seek knowledge and truth, both great and small.” Clocking in at 11% ABV, the malt-forward Hand of the Queen Barleywine Ale is “an old-world example of the style” that is characterized by notes of brandy-soaked raisins, dark fruit, apricots, molasses and toffee.

“While technically not royalty at all, Tyrion certainly qualifies as a nobleman in our esteem,” says Doug Campbell, President of Brewery Ommegang. “We’ve wanted to brew for Tyrion for six seasons, and we believe his time has come. Knowing his preferences, our beer for Tyrion could only be a barleywine.”

As noted above, Hand of the Queen will be the first of four releases in the Royal Reserve Collection. The remaining three releases will arrive in July, October, and December of 2018. The names and details for those future beers will be made available as their release dates draw closer.

Hand of the Queen will officially release in April with availability in 750ml bottles (suggested retail price of $12.99 each) and on draft. A list of distribution states will be made available in March of 2018, and we will update you with that information just as soon as we have it. Prost!

Vital Information for Hand of the Queen from Brewery Ommegang

Release – Limited/Royal Reserve Collection, April 2018
Style – English-style Barleywine
ABV – 11%
Availability – 750ml bottles & draft
Beer Finder – http://ommegang.com/blog/beer-finder/

Lagunitas Brewing Adds Sumpin’ Easy to Year-Round Lineup

Posted on January 4, 2018 by mashingin

Lagunitas Brewing Company (Petaluma, California) has announced that it will soon introduce Sumpin’ Easy Ale as the newest addition to its line of Unlimited Releases.

Arriving as a smaller sibling to Lagunita’s A Little Sumpin’ Sumpin’ Ale, Sumpin’ Easy Ale is meant to “dip beneath the flotsam of categories.” It doesn’t really matter whether you call it an American Pale Ale or a Pale Wheat Ale or whatever. This offering just wants to be a “hop-forward beer expressed in a moderate voice.” With a soul made up of “a healthy dose of 2-row malted barley, a bit of wheaty-esque-ish-ness and loads of Ekuanot hops”, Sumpin’ Easy reaches its goals by rocking the quiet confidence of “a super smooth and velvety ale [that has] a fruit and resin-y- finish like biting into a freshly picked peach.” All in all, you can expect the 5.7% ABV Sumpin’ Easy to be “pale, cold, slightly alcoholic, and bitter.”

Lagunitas Brewing Company claims that Sumpin’ Easy Ale will officially release “soon-ish”, but check-ins on Untappd and other beer reviewing sites seem to indicate that this brew has at least started a soft rollout. Once it does fully release, you can expect to find this Year-Round available in 12-packs of 12 oz. cans and on draft at beer-friendly establishments located in Alabama, Florida, California, Illinois, Washington and throughout the rest of Lagunitas Brewing’s distribution network. Prost!

Vital Information for Sumpin’ Easy Ale from Lagunitas Brewing Company

Release – Year-Round/Unlimited, launching somewhere around late December 2017 and January 2018
Style – American Pale Ale/Pale Wheat Ale
ABV – 5.7%
IBUs – 50.8
Featured Hops – Ekuanot
Availability – 12-packs of 12 oz. cans & draft

New Belgium Brewing Introduces Voodoo Ranger Juicy Haze IPA

Posted on January 3, 2018 by mashingin

New Belgium Brewing (Fort Collins, Colorado) has announced that Juicy Haze IPA is available now as the newest Year-Round member of the Voodoo Ranger family.

The Hazy IPA craze has officially found its way to New Belgium, and it only seems fitting that Juicy Haze IPA should fall under the umbrella of the brewery’s mischievous, hop-lovin’ Voodoo Ranger mascot. For their take on the style, the brewers at New Belgium created a “medium bodied, unfiltered IPA” loaded with a Citra, Cascade, Centennial, Simcoe and Nugget hops. Pale orange in color with an opaque haze, Voodoo Ranger Juicy Haze IPA ultimately comes together to possess a “soft, velvety mouthfeel” that carries with it “vibrant lemon, orange, guava and pineapple notes [that are] balanced with a light grassy and caramel-like malt aroma giving the beer a sweet start that transitions into a smooth, bitter flavor.”

“It’s no secret that hazy IPAs are incredibly popular right now and New Belgium is the perfect brewery to roll this out on a national scale without compromising quality,” said New Belgium Brewer, Cody Reif. “With more than 10 years brewing unfiltered beers and the ongoing success of our hoppy portfolio, Juicy Haze continues our tradition of pushing boundaries while making creative and innovative beers.”

Voodoo Ranger Juicy Haze IPA now joins Voodoo Ranger IPA, Voodoo Ranger Imperial IPA and Voodoo Ranger 8 Hop Pale Ale to round out New Belgium’s full Year-Round lineup of Voodoo Ranger offerings.

Juicy Haze IPA is available now in 6-packs of 12 oz. bottles and on draft. 4-packs of 16 oz. cans will hit shelves in March. This new Year-Round offering can be found at craft beer establishments located in Alabama, Florida, Colorado, North Carolina and throughout the rest of New Belgium’s expansive distribution area. Prost!

Vital Information for Voodoo Ranger Juicy Haze IPA from New Belgium Brewing

Release – Year-Round, launching January 2018
Style – New England-style India Pale Ale
ABV – 7.5%
IBUs – 42
Hops – Citra, Cascade, Centennial, Simcoe & Nugget
Malts – Pale, Wheat, C-80 & Oats
Yeast – American Hefeweizen
Availability – 6-packs of 12 oz. bottles & draft. 4-packs of 16 oz. cans arrive in March 2018
Beer Finder – https://www.newbelgium.com/beer/finder

7venth Sun Brewery Announces Plans for 6th Anniversary Party

Posted on January 3, 2018 by mashingin

7venth Sun Brewery (Dunedin & Tampa, Florida) will celebrate its 6th Anniversary on Sunday, January 7 with parties to be held at both brewery locations.

Devon Kreps and Justin Stange established 7venth Sun Brewery in Dunedin back in 2012. Although they originally intended to open a large production facility at that time, the country’s housing and economic problems made it nearly impossible for them to secure funding. The two ultimately decided to start small, and this “proved serendipitous as it allowed the creation of a wide variety of styles” and an opportunity to be at the forefront of the “Florida Weisse” movement. This approach quickly endeared them to the area’s craft beer community and gave the brewery the chance to grow at its own pace. And grow it did. In August of 2017, Kreps and Stange opened a beautiful facility in the Seminole Heights area of Tampa to give 7venth Sun two locations that each have their own independent charm and personality. They have since installed and refurbished some foeders, shifted focus to barrel-aged beers (both sour and spirit-aged), started canning, and remain dedicated to “[pushing] the limits of style descriptions and categories” through innovation and creativity.

With all of that said, it is obvious that everything leading up to the brewery’s 6th anniversary has given the folks at 7venth Sun Brewery plenty to celebrate with their fans. Since this 6th Anniversary Party will take place simultaneously at two locations, we have a good amount of details to go over. So . . . let’s break it all down:

The Basics

What – 7venth Sun Brewery 6th Anniversary Party
Where – 7venth Sun Brewery – Dunedin: 1012 Broadway, Dunedin, Florida; and 7venth Sun Brewery – Tampa: 6809 N Nebraska Ave, Tampa, Florida
When – Sunday, January 7 from noon to 10 p.m. at 7venth Sun Brewery – Dunedin; noon to 11 p.m. at 7venth Sun Brewery – Tampa

The Beer

You simply cannot have a brewery anniversary party without a killer tap list, and it is quite clear that the good people at 7venth Sun are more than aware of this requirement. Here’s what they have in store for those attending the festivities:

Real Men Wear Skirts Scotch Ale, collaboration with Terrapin Beer Co.
Partners In Crime: Pineapple Mango Foedre Aged Beer
Bank’s Closed: Saison fermented with Chardonnay grape must
Just A Phase: Foedre Aged Farmhouse Saison blend
I’ll Show you Mine Belgian Quadruple, collaboration with Hidden Springs Ale Works
Sakura Obscura: Pomegranate Cherry Berliner
Electric Wizard: Strawberry Citra IPA
First Date: Salted Caramel and Espresso Imperial Sweet Stout
Welcome to the Galaxy: Citrus Session IPA
Tropical Chronical: Mango, Passionfruit, Guava, Coconut Berliner
Barrel Aged Farmhouse Blend #2: Blended Barrel Aged Farmhouse
Chain Mail Dessert: Peanut Butter Fudge Imperial Sweet Stout
Saison in Paradise: Saison brewed with Grains of Paradise
I’m Positively Loopy IPL
Ocean Front Property: Hoppy Amarillo Wheat
Vanilla Wizard: Vanilla Strawberry Citra IPA
Made in the 7un: Barleywine aged on whole bean coffee by Made
Pseudo Basic: Coffee Vanilla Imperial Sweet Stout
Saison Caribe: Brett Saison brewed with Hibiscus and Lime zest
Intergalactic: Galaxy Session IPA
Stange Beer: Kolsch
Brewers Lager
Pandora’s Punch: Lemon, lime, pineapple Berliner
Under the Lights: Guava Saison
Vultures from the Past Bourbon Barrel Aged Barleywine
The Klaw Imperial Stout
Barrel Aged Farmhouse Blend #1: Blended Barrel Aged Farmhouse
Sugar Britches Imperial Sweet Stout
Graffiti Orange Creamsicle Wheat
Headbanger IPA
Time Bomb Session IPA with Citra and Nelson
Mangrove Double IPA

Other Fun Stuff

The party at the Tampa location will also have food trucks on site throughout the day and feature live musical entertainment from Ramblegrass Band (2 p.m. to 6 p.m.).
The party at the Dunedin location will be focused more on the tap list and serving as a chance to have a “Sunday Funday” with all those in attendance.

Admission

The 7venth Sun 6th Anniversary Party is free to attend at both locations. This is a come as you are and pay as you go event.

That should just about cover all the information that is currently available. More details are sure to surface as we get closer to Sunday’s 7venth Sun 6th Anniversary Party, and we will be sure to update this post with that information just as soon as we have it. Stay tuned.

We hope to see you all on Sunday as we raise a glass with crew at 7venth Sun to six great years and the many more ahead. Prost!

Irish Ale Makes Seasonal Return for Boulevard Brewing Co.

Posted on January 2, 2018 by mashingin

Boulevard Brewing Co. (Kansas City, Missouri) has announced that Irish Ale will begin its Seasonal release on January 2.

Returning as Boulevard Brewing’s “longest tenured seasonal beer”, Irish Ale is the brewery’s “homage to the legendary Irish red ales” that we all know and love. Brewed as a “variation on the early English and Irish pale ales”, this offering begins with a base of 2-row Malted Barley and then picks up “toffee, caramel and biscuity notes contributed by Munich, Amber 50, Cara 120, Cara 300 and just a touch of chocolate malt.” Those sweet tones are carefully balanced with Magnum and Bravo hops while a late addition of Saaz imparts a “slightly spicy/floral punctuation.” Irish Ale’s profile is finally rounded off with “subtle, fruity esters” sourced from Boulevard’s house strain of English ale yeast.

Officially launching in the Greater Kansas City Area on January 2, Irish Ale will hit regions that normally see Boulevard Seasonal releases shortly after that date with plans to hang around through Saint Patrick’s Day and the month of March. This Seasonal release will be available in 6-packs of 12 oz. bottles and on draft. Prost!

Vital Information for Irish Ale from Boulevard Brewing Co.

Release – Seasonal, January through March 2018
Style – Irish Red Ale
ABV – 5.8%
IBUs – 30
Malts – 2-row Malted Barley, Munich, Amber 50, Cara 120, Cara 300 & Chocolate
Hops – Magnum, Bravo & Saaz
Yeast – English Ale Yeast
Suggested Food Pairings – “French onion soup, Shepherd’s Pie, BBQ chicken pizza, grilled portabella mushroom sandwiches, aged cheddar, bangers & mash”
Availability – 6-packs of 12 oz. bottles & draft
Beer Finder – https://www.boulevard.com/beer/beer-finder/