Creature Comforts Brewing Co. Sets Release Date for Concurrence Blend 3

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CCBC_Concurrence3StillWeb-Creature Comforts Brewing Co. (Athens, Georgia) has officially announced that it will begin the Limited Bottle Release of Concurrence Blend 3, a blended barrel-aged Imperial Stout, on September 28.

Arriving as Creature Comforts’ latest “expression of stout, time, and spirits barrels,” Concurrence Blend 3 is a blended Imperial Stout that has been “aged in whiskey barrels with cocoa nibs, chilies, cinnamon, and lactose.”  Coming in at a whopping 12.5% ABV, Concurrence Blend 3 is here to guide you on a journey into “the depths of strong ale.”

Concurrence Blend 3 will release alongside Tulsi (click here for more information) in the Tasting Room at Creature Comforts Brewing Co. (271 W. Hancock Ave. | Athens, Georgia) on Saturday, September 28. This Limited Release offering will be available in 750ml bottles as long as supplies last. Concurrence Blend 3 is a Tasting Room exclusive release and is not expected to see distribution. Prost!

Vital Information for Concurrence Blend 3 from Creature Comforts Brewing Co.

Release – Limited; September 28, 2019
Style – Imperial Stout
ABV – 12.5%
Treatment – Blend of Imperial Stouts aged in whiskey barrels with cocoa nibs, chilies, cinnamon & lactose 
Availability – 750ml bottles 
Distribution – None. Tasting Room only

 

Pontoon Brewing Set for Can Release of Down with the Thickness Stout

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PontoonBrewingLogoPontoon Brewing (Sandy Springs, Georgia) has officially announced that it will hold a Limited Can Release for Down With the Thickness on Friday, October 4.

Here to meet the challenge of all those craft beer drinkers who constantly say things like “It’s a good Stout, but it’s a little thin for my liking,” Down With the Thickness is an Imperial Milk Stout laden with notes of hazelnut, chocolate, vanilla and lactose.  Ridiculously full-bodied and weighing in at 9% ABV, this Milk Stout has so much viscosity that you will have no choice but to “get up, come on, get down with the thickness!”

Down With the Thickness will debut on draft at Pontoon Brewing (8601 Dunwoody Place | ​Building 500, Suite 500 | ​Sandy Springs, Georgia) on Thursday, October 3 and the Can Release will take place at the brewery on Friday, October 4.  If you would like to secure your stash in advance, you can get in on the pre-sale by visiting CraftCellr.  Down With the Thickness will be available in 4-packs of 12 oz. cans and on draft for as long as supplies last. Prost!

Vital Information for Down With the Thickness from Pontoon Brewing

Release – Limited; October 4, 2019
Style – Imperial Milk/Sweet Stout
ABV – 9%
Added Ingredients – Hazelnut, chocolate, vanilla & lactose
Availability – 4-packs of 12 oz. cans & draft
Distribution – Tap Room only release. Distribution is not expected

 

Unibroue & Megadeth Rock Out Another Collaboration with Release of SAISON 13

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MegadethSaison13canUnibroue (Chambly, Québec) has officially announced that SAISON 13, the brewery’s second collaboration with the world-famous metal band Megadeth, is hitting shelves and taps in the U.S. now.

Inspired by Megadeth’s 2011 album TH1RT3EN and frontman Dave Mustaine’s “fascination with the number,” SAISON 13 is a Saison-style Ale that possesses “the perfect combination of malt, fruit and spices punctuated by an invigorating hop flavor, and it is brewed with thirteen carefully selected ingredients to offer a drinking experience as memorable as the song itself.”  This combination of ingredients produces a “pale amber” SAISON 13 (6.1% ABV) featuring “strong, crisp and fresh hop aromas complemented by sweet hints of stone fruit including apricot and nectarine” alongside a flavor profile comprised of “similarly bright hop notes, which mingle with delicately sweet peach and spice, capped off with a clean hop break.”

“SAISON 13 contains a series of elements that have meaning to [Dave Mustaine] and to me. Over the years, all of our discussions were a major inspiration for me in the creation and sharing of this new brew; nothing was left to chance.”

 

– Jerry Vietz, Brewmaster at Unibroue

This month’s release of SAISON 13 “marks the second beer collaboration between Unibroue and Megadeth, following the widely acclaimed À TOUT LE MONDE ‘session’ Saison.”

SAISON 13 is hitting the U.S. now as a Year-Round offering.  You can expect to find this new collaboration beer available in 4-packs of 16 oz. cans and on draft at craft beer-focused establishments located in Alabama, Florida and throughout the rest of Unibroue’s distribution footprint in the U.S.  Prost!

Vital Information for SAISON 13 from Unibroue and Megadeth

Release – Year-Round; launching September 2019
Style – Saison
ABV – 6.1%
IBUs – 19
Fun Fact – On this collaboration project: “Unibroue’s Brewmaster Jerry Vietz listened to Megadeth in high school, and as a budding guitarist, viewed the band’s frontman Dave Mustaine as a legend. Mustaine, an ardent Unibroue fan, couldn’t imagine a more natural partnership for the collaboration. Like À TOUT LE MONDE, SAISON 13 honors their mutual passions and celebrates the friendship they first formed in 2015.”
Suggested Food Pairings – “General Tso chicken, fried calamari, poached salmon, rack of lamb, homemade salsa, charcuterie, aged goat cheese or firm goat cheese”
Recommended Glassware – Tulip
Availability – 4-packs of 16 oz. cans & draft
Beer Finder – http://unibrouefinder.com/

 

Firestone Walker Enters Falls with the Release of Coconut Merlin Milk Stout

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FirestoneWalkerLogoBlackFirestone Walker Brewing Company (Paso Robles, California) has officially announced that it will introduce Coconut Merlin Milk Stout as its newest Seasonal Release in late September 2019.

Conjured up to serve as the latest variant of Firestone Walker’s Merlin Milk Stout, Coconut Merlin takes that signature Milk Stout base and doses it with freshly shredded and toasted coconut after fermentation.  With milk sugar adding “dimension to the mouthfeel,” Coconut Merlin (5.5% ABV) comes together to be a smooth-sipping, cold weather brew that showcases “the best flavors from the coconut.”

“Coconut and Merlin milk stout go together like peanut butter and chocolate.  Toasted coconut really complements the roasty, nutty character of this beer. It’s a perfect sipper for the fall season.”

 

– Matt “Merlin” Brynildson, Brewmaster at Firestone Walker Brewing Company

Coconut Merlin is rolling out now and is scheduled to last into the months of winter.  You can expect to find this new Seasonal offering available in 6-packs of 12 oz. cans and on draft at select craft beer-friendly establishments located in North Carolina, Texas, California and throughout the rest of Firestone Walker’s distribution network.  Prost!

Vital Information for Coconut Merlin from Firestone Walker Brewing Company

Release – Seasonal; launching late September 2019
Style – Milk Stout
ABV – 5.5%
Added Ingredients – Toasted coconut & lactose
Availability – 6-packs of 12 oz. cans & draft
Beer Finder – https://www.firestonebeer.com/find/

FWCoconutMerlinLabel

 

Creature Comforts Works with UGArden to Develop Tulsi Saison

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CCBC_TulsiWhiteBGStillWeb-Creature Comforts Brewing Co. (Athens, Georgia) has officially announced that it will release Tulsi, a Saison with tulsi and hibiscus, in its Tasting Room on Saturday, September 28.

A result of Creature Comforts’ partnership with UGArden and the education that UGArden’s team provided the brewery on “adaptogens and tulsi in particular”, Tulsi (6.4% ABV) is a Saison brewed with tulsi – or holy basil – locally sourced from the UGArden.  After the brewing process was completed, hibiscus – also from UGArden – was added to allow its “floral qualities . . . [to complement] . . . the earthy and herbal saison, giving the beer a nice balanced presentation.”

Tulsi will release alongside Concurrence Blend 3 (click here for more information) in the Tasting Room at Creature Comforts Brewing Co. (271 W. Hancock Ave. | Athens, Georgia) on September 28. This Limited Release offering will be available in 750ml bottles and on draft as long as supplies last. Tulsi is a Tasting Room exclusive release and is not expected to see distribution. Prost!

Vital Information for Tulsi from Creature Comforts Brewing Co.

Release – Limited; September 28, 2019
Style – Saison
ABV – 6.4%
Featured Ingredients – Tulsi & hibiscus sourced from UGArden
Availability – 750ml bottles & draft
Distribution – None. Tasting Room only

Cigar City Brewing Introduces Wedge Cut Wheat Ale as New Seasonal Offering

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Wedge-Cut-Art-MOck-1-e1549663152929Cigar City Brewing (Tampa, Florida) has officially announced that Wedge Cut, an American Wheat Ale with lemon peel, will launch in September as the brewery’s latest Seasonal Release.

Inspired by “Florida’s cigar history, its citrus industry and its status as an outdoors destination,” Wedge Cut is an American Wheat Ale that showcases Lemon Drop hops – “a moderate alpha acid hop . . . prized for its distinct aroma and flavor of lemon zest and, indeed, lemon drops.”  To round out the recipe, Cigar City’s brewers utilize “malted wheat for the style’s signature texture and flavor” and then hit the beer with Willamette hops “for bittering before the beer is fermented with a clean, neutral American Ale yeast.”  Weighing in a highly drinkable 4.5% ABV, Wedge Cut promises to be “a flavorful, approachable and sessionable offering from one of the fastest growing breweries in the U.S.”

“With this recipe, our brewers and I wanted to highlight the expression of Hopsteiner’s very unique Lemon Drop hop,” says Sean Sasscer, Director of Brewing Operations at CCB. “On its own, the hop gives off flavors and aromas of lemon zest and lemon oil. When it’s combined with actual lemon peel, the hop takes on a remarkable lemon drop and overripe citrus quality. We’re really pleased with the play between ingredients in this beer.”

Wedge Cut is rolling out now and is scheduled to stick around through December 2019.  You can expect to find this new Seasonal offering available in 6-packs of 12 oz. cans and on draft at craft beer-friendly establishments located in Alabama, Florida and throughout the rest of Cigar City’s 40 state distribution area.  Prost!

Vital Information for Wedge Cut from Cigar City Brewing

Release – Seasonal; September – December 2019
Style – American Wheat Ale
ABV – 4.5%
IBUs – 22
Featured Hops – Lemon Drop
Fun Fact – “To name the beer, [Cigar City Brewing] looked to its Florida roots. A wedge cut cigar cutter cuts the cap of a cigar in a ‘v’ shape and spreads the smoke of a fine cigar wider over the palate. The name continues CCB’s tradition of honoring Tampa’s cigar making history. The name also references one of Florida’s favorite outdoor activities, as a wedge is a type of golf club. Finally, Wedge Cut brings to mind a lemon wedge, a nod to the beer’s specialty ingredient as well as Florida’s thriving citrus industry.”
Availability – 6-packs of 12 oz cans & draft
Beer Finder – https://www.cigarcitybrewing.com/beer-finder/

OktoberFist the Red Makes Seasonal Debut for Iron Fist Brewing

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IF-OTR-PORTRAIT-LABELIron Fist Brewing Company (Vista, California) has officially announced that OktoberFist the Red will arrive in late September as the brewery’s second Seasonal Release of 2019.

Created to serve as an experimental twist on Iron Fist’s “much loved traditional Märzen OktoberFist,” OktoberFist the Red still employs “traditional German Märzen methods, but with the addition of some less traditional malts such as Midnight Wheat.”  Beyond just lending the beer “a glowing copper, slightly reddish hue,” these malts also impart “a depth of caramel and nutty undertones seen less in similar styles.”  These malty notes are joined by “a touch of herbal hops” in the aroma while the flavor profile of OktoberFist the Red (6% ABV) features “complex notes of bread and honey, a touch of caramelized fruit through low bitterness with great malty complexity.”

“Oktoberfest beers sometimes don’t get the love they deserve as the event brings so many similar styles, many delicious but also just released year-on-year. We have been brewing this style at Iron Fist since 2013 and really wanted to experiment a little this year to really showcase the variety the style has to offer. Märzens can range from pale straw in color to dark copper. If you’re getting bored of IPAs, then this higher ABV lager with a malty backbone offers a refreshing new direction.”

 

– Tom Garcia, Brewmaster at Iron Fist Brewing Company

OktoberFist the Red will debut in late September and is scheduled to stick around for three months or so.  You can expect to find this new Seasonal offering available exclusively on draft at Iron Fist Brewing Company’s Vista and Barrio Logan taprooms.  Prost!

Vital Information for OktoberFist the Red from Iron Fist Brewing Company

Release – Seasonal; tapping late September 2019
Style – Märzen/Oktoberfest
ABV – 6%
IBUs – 15
Availability- Draft only
Distribution – None. Available exclusively in Iron Fist’s Vista and Barrio Logan taprooms

Oskar Blues Brewery Launches Lo-Cal One-y Hazy IPA as Newest Year-Round

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oskarblueslogoOskar Blues Brewery (Longmont, Colorado) has officially announced that One-y 100 Calorie Hazy IPA will join the brewery’s Year-Round lineup in mid-September.

Crafted with the intention of “cultivating huge, hazy, hoppy flavor without the calorie count of a typical IPA,” One-y is a Hazy India Pale Ale “dry-hopped with El Dorado, Comet and Citra hops, and Mosaic and French Aramis appear in the whirlpool.”  Despite weighing in at just 4% ABV and 100 calories, One-y still possesses “big, fruit-forward, herbal vibes [that will] make craft beer lovers forget it’s low cal.”

“The aroma hits you first. There are notes of citrus, honeysuckle, peach and mango. The beer is fruity with a hop haze and a nice biscuit flavor to the malt. The use of pale ale malt and wheat, along with the hefty dry hop load, creates a medium body. It’s easy to drink – pairs well with breakfast, lunch, or dinner.”

 

– Juice Drapeau, Head Brewer at Oskar Blues Pilot Brewery in Lyons, Colorado

One-y 100 Calorie Hazy IPA is scheduled to launch in mid-September 2019.  You can expect to find this new Year-Round offering available in 6-packs of 12 oz. cans, 12-packs of 12 oz. cans and on draft at craft beer-friendly establishments located in Alabama, Florida, Colorado, North Carolina, Texas and throughout the rest of Oskar Blues Brewery’s nationwide distribution area.  Prost!

Vital Information for One-y 100 Calorie Hazy IPA from Oskar Blues Brewery

Release – Year-Round; launching mid-September 2019
Style – Hazy/Juicy India Pale Ale
ABV – 4%
Calories – 100
Hops – Dry-hop: El Dorado, Comet & Citra | Whirlpool: Mosaic & French Aramis 
Availability – 6-packs of 12 oz. cans, 12-packs of 12 oz. cans & draft
Beer Finder – https://www.oskarblues.com/beer-finder/

 

Lagunitas Brewing Company Begins Limited Release of Hazy Memory IPA

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HazyMemory_12ozCan_082619_175x334_v01Lagunitas Brewing Company (Petaluma, California) has officially announced that it will begin the Limited Release of Hazy Memory IPA in mid-September.

Designed to be “evocative of everything [Lagunitas has] learned in hop-forward brewing,” Hazy Memory is a Hazy India Pale Ale loaded down with “oats and smooth wheatly-esque-ish-ness” and then “packed with some of the murkiest, juiciest, turbid Loral 291, Hallertau Blanc, Galaxy, and Citra Hops.”  Coming in at 8% ABV and 55 IBUs, Hazy Memory IPA is “a little boozy and a little hoppy — just like a fuzzy memory of a great night long gone.”

Hazy Memory IPA officially launches this week (9/16/19) and will hang around for as long as supplies last.  You can expect to find this One Hitter Release available in 12 oz. cans 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 Hazy Memory IPA from Lagunitas Brewing Company

Release – Limited/One Hitter Series; mid-September 2019
Style – Hazy/Juicy India Pale Ale
ABV – 8%
IBUs – 55
Featured Hops – Loral 291, Hallertau Blanc, Galaxy & Citra
Availability – 12 oz. cans & draft
Beer Finder – https://lagunitas.com/beer-finder

Hidden Springs Ale Works Releases Details on Mega Drop 3.4 Bottle & Can Release

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HiddenSpringslogoOn Saturday, September 21 at 11 a.m., Hidden Springs Ale Works (Tampa, Florida) will unload Mega Drop 3.4, a Limited Release event featuring three bottled variants of Black Aggie Imperial Stout and an insane amount of various releases in cans.

Are things getting a little sparse in your beer fridge?  Do you feel your pastry boi/bae status slipping away due to a lack of Pastry Stout in your life? If one or both of these conditions apply to you, fear not because Hidden Springs Ale Works is coming through for you in a big way with their Mega Drop 3.4 on September 21.  Truly the most mega of drops ever to be dropped at Hidden Springs, Mega Drop 3.4 will feature the following ten – yeah, TEN – releases (descriptions sourced directly from the brewery’s Facebook page):

The Bottles

  • Barrel-aged Birthday Cake Black Aggie – Cuz it isn’t a party without that classic, spongy yellow cake that’s busting at the seams with chocolate + vanilla⁠.  $30 per bottle
  • Barrel-aged Devil’s Food Cake Black Aggie – It’s dense & fudgy with literal pounds of chocolate, vanilla + bright, sweet raspberries⁠.  $30 per bottle
  • Barrel-aged Mexican Cake Black Aggie – It’s sugar & spice, & not a thing nice as it coats your insides with cinnamon, ancho chiles, deep chocolate + sweet vanilla⁠.  $30 per bottle

The Cans

  • Brawndo – “Sports Drink” Berliner (finally making a can debut just in time to commemorate our 4th year in Tampa Heights).  $18 per 4-pack of 16 oz. cans
  • Riot Juice – Blackberry + Lime Berliner with Vanilla & Milk Sugar.  $16 per 4-pack of 16 oz. cans
  • Man Child – Peanut Butter & Jelly Berliner.  $18 per 4-pack of 16 oz. cans
  • No Bake – Cherry Cheesecake Berliner brewed in collaboration with Finback Brewery.  $18 per 4-pack of 16 oz. cans
  • Kazhbier – Crispy Czech Pilsner.  $12 per 4-pack of 16 oz. can
  • Ninja Dust – A brand-new Double Dry-hopped Double IPA with El Dorado + Galaxy hops.  $18 per 4-pack of 16 oz. cans
  • Ezra the Lion – IPA with Citra hops *BONUS: this beer helps kids beat cancer. Proceeds benefit Beat Nb, driving childhood cancer clinical trials in over 45 hospitals.  $16 per 4-pack of 16 oz. can

**Cases of cans will be available for $90 per brand/per case**

All of the bottles and cans listed above will release at Hidden Springs Ale Works (1631 N. Franklin St. | Tampa, Florida) at 11 a.m. on Saturday, September 21. Any limits will be announced 15 minutes prior to the start of the release. Cash is preferred (it keeps the line moving), but cards will be accepted.

A few more things to keep in mind if you plan to attend this Mega Drop:

  • Parking is available up and down Franklin St., on Henderson just west of Tampa, and on 7th Ave. There are also paid lots located across the street from the brewery
  • Once you are in line, make sure that you hug the wall near the door on Henderson so that foot traffic will not be affected on the sidewalks
  • Above all, please be respectful of the brewery’s neighbors. Pick up after yourself and do not leave empty bottles and cans behind on the sidewalk, street, etc.

Do not sleep on Mega Drop 3.4 because the majority of these releases will undoubtedly sell out on September 21.  If you want/need these beers in your life (and who doesn’t?), make sure that you are in line no later than the final head count on Saturday morning.  Good luck out there and happy Mega Drop Day to you all.  Prost!

HSAWBrawndo