Beer | Mashing In

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

Sun King Brewery Releases 10-4 Good Buddy Collaboration 4-Pack

Posted on May 21, 2019 by mashingin

Sun King Brewery (Indianapolis, Indiana) has officially announced that it is celebrating its 10th Anniversary with the Limited Release of 10-4 Good Buddy, a mixed 4-pack of 16 oz. cans comprised of collaboration beers with 3 Floyds Brewing Co. (Munster, Indiana), Austin Beerworks (Austin, Texas), Cigar City Brewing (Tampa, Florida) and Rhinegeist Brewery (Cincinnati, Ohio).

Since “collaboration [has been] at the core of Sun King’s success” for ten amazing years, the brewery has decided to celebrate that “decade of award-winning beers, and the collaborative spirit of the brewing industry” with the release of 10-4 Good Buddy. This mixed 4-pack of 16 oz. cans contains the following four beers brewed in collaboration with “independent breweries from across the U.S” (descriptions sourced directly from the Sun King’s press release):

Collabergé | Austin Beerworks – An Imperial Brut IPA that brings the dryness of champagne with an assertive hop profile.
“This collaboration was what it is all about,” said Will Golden, co-founder of Austin Beerworks. “A true friendship, complete with a lot of the bad jokes! The hospitality from Hoosiers is not just a saying y’all, they mean it! All I have to say is I can’t wait to come back!”
Highway Queen | Cigar City Brewing – A Sour Golden Ale with Zinfandel grapes, sour cherries, and raspberries aged on oak.
“Working with Dave and the Sun King team was a great, innovative experience that was in the planning process for months,” said Wayne Wambles, brewmaster at Cigar City Brewing. “The beer makes use of an experimental yeast strain that produces lactic acid combined with a combination of fruits that lend complex acidity as well as fruit harmony. It was a pleasure to celebrate Sun King’s tenth anniversary by creating this wonderful beer with them.”
Hoppiness Jones | Rhinegeist Brewery – An IPA that was aged in both Tequila and Pinot Noir barrels, infused with hibiscus, and is dry hopped.
“We’ve known Sun King for a long time, since before we even existed as a brewery, and they have been a great mentor and a good buddy for us over the years,” said Bryant Goulding, co-founder of Rhinegeist. “We’re thankful to be able to work together on this high-powered collaboration alongside three other brewers for whom we also have much respect, and we’re excited to help celebrate this special decade milestone. Happy birthday Sun King! Mad respect!”
Maximum Overdrive | 3 Floyds Brewing Co. – A Baltic Porter brewed with Indiana malt from Sugar Creek Malt, two different yeast strains, and American and Slovenian hops.
“It’s great to brew with Sun King on their 10th anniversary” said Nick Floyd, owner of 3 Floyds Brewing. “Being a part of a one-time 4-pack was cool, as was hanging out with Clay and Dave. Congratulations to Sun King and the other brewers that participated. Looking forward to trying some at Dark Lord Day.”

“Sun King Brewery began as a collaboration between two professional brewers and friends sharing ideas over a few pints about what they would want their own brewery to be like, and grew with the insights of our business partners, and the input and hard work of our team,” said Clay Robinson, co-founder of Sun King Brewery. “We have continued to share and create beers with so many of our respected peers along the way, and we wanted to create something unique and special for our 10th Anniversary. 10-4 Good Buddy represents the creativity and camaraderie that is the heart of, not just Sun King, but the independent craft beer industry.”

The 10-4 Good Buddy 4-pack of 16 oz. cans will debut at all Sun King locations on May 23 and is scheduled to hit “liquor stores and restaurants across Indiana the following week.” This exclusive 4-pack will also be available at select craft beer-focused establishments located in Jacksonville and Tampa, Florida; Chicago, Illinois; Cincinnati and Dayton, Ohio; and Louisville, Kentucky beginning in June. Prost!

Breakside Brewery Brings Rainbows & Unicorns IPA Back for the Summer

Posted on May 20, 2019 by mashingin

Breakside Brewery (Portland, Oregon) has officially announced that its fan-favorite, annually released Rainbows & Unicorns IPA will return in May 2019.

Back once again to claim its place in Breakside Brewery’s Rotating IPA Series, Rainbows & Unicorns is a Session IPA that “showcases El Dorado, Galaxy and Comet hops, providing juicy notes of peach, apricot, pineapple, and even stone fruit.” Coming in at a highly drinkable 5.1% ABV and 32 IBUs, Rainbows & Unicorns “toes the line between the ‘juicier’ and ‘sweeter’ style of hazy IPAs, and more classic West Coast hoppy pales.”

Rainbows & Unicorns is rolling out now and scheduled to hang around through July 2019. You can expect to find this Seasonal Release available in 22 oz. bottles and on draft at select craft beer-friendly retailers located in North Carolina, South Carolina, Oregon and throughout the rest of Breakside’s distribution area. Prost!

Vital Information for Rainbows & Unicorns from Breakside Brewery

Release – Rotating/Seasonal; May – July 2019
Style – Session India Pale Ale
ABV – 5.1%
IBUs – 32
Featured Hops – El Dorado, Galaxy & Comet
Availability – 22 oz. bottles & draft
Beer Finder – http://breakside.com/find-beer/

Against the Grain Brewery Introduces ‘A Beer’ Lager

Posted on May 20, 2019 by mashingin

Against the Grain Brewery (Louisville, Kentucky) has officially announced that A Beer, a “new Super American Premium Lager”, will be joining its lineup of Session offerings in May 2019.

Developed to be just as “American [as] summer, beer and hot dogs”, A Beer is a “crisp, dry and refreshing” American Lager brewed with four kinds of malts and six hop varieties. Coming in at just 4.5% ABV, A Beer promises to be an “easy summer sipper . . . with gentle citrus aromatics.”

“This is a beer for the people, by the people, to enjoy with the people you want to hang out with,” said co-founder Sam Cruz. “We wanted to brew a beer for everyone to enjoy and to show big beer what an American lager can be — what it should be.” Against the Grain continues to grow even as craft beer sales slow nationally. A Beer is a response to consumer demands. “If we want to succeed, we have to adapt,” Cruz said, “but we can’t not be who we are.”

A Beer is rolling out now and will be available exclusively in Kentucky. You can expect to find this new brew available in 4-packs of 16 oz. cans (suggested retail price of $10) and on draft at “restaurants, brew pubs, bars and liquor stores in many Kentucky cities including Louisville, Lexington, Bowling Green and more.” Prost!

Vital Information for A Beer from Against the Grain Brewery

Release – Session Series, launching May 2019
Style – American Lager
ABV – 4.5%
Malts – Pilsner, Caramel Pilsner & Munich
Hops – Calypso, Hallertau Blanc, Mandarina Bavaria & Centennial
Fun Fact – On the label artwork: “Known for their irreverent humor and bold packaging, A Beer cans feature one of Against the Grain’s signature cartoon personas — a stylized American version of their Session character, with artwork by Robby Davis. Against the Grain groups beers into six categories: Session, Hop, Whim, Malt, Dark, and Smoke. Session represents light-bodied, delicious, balanced, easy-drinking brews.”
Availability – 4-packs of 16 oz. cans & draft
Distribution – Kentucky only

Monday Night Brewing Reformulates Blind Pirate Blood Orange IPA

Posted on May 17, 2019 by mashingin

Monday Night Brewing (Atlanta, Georgia) has officially announced that it is actively rolling out a revamped version of one of their flagship beers, Blind Pirate Blood Orange IPA.

After regularly revisiting Blind Pirate Blood Orange IPA during weekly quality control and sensory evaluations, the brewing team at Monday Night decided it was time to give this flagship brew a bit of an update. To give the beer a more modern feel, the “brewers adjusted a hop addition to highlight the blood orange juice and fine-tuned [the] mash process to soften the body and round out the flavor.” These careful tweaks have resulted in a refreshed Blind Pirate Blood Orange IPA that has “a bit more residual sweetness, more citrus notes, and a more balanced hop profile.”

“At Monday Night Brewing, one of our core values is ‘Fight For Excellence.’ That means we never want to rest on our laurels. If we can improve our beers, we owe it to our fans to make it happen,” said co-founder Jonathan Baker. “We’ve had the blood orange version of Blind Pirate in our lineup for several years now, but our brewing team believed they could make it better.”

The new and improved Blind Pirate Blood Orange IPA is rolling out now and should be “in most areas by mid-May.” You can expect to find this reformulated Year-Round available in 6-packs of 12 oz. cans and on draft at craft beer-friendly retailers, bars and restaurants located within Monday Night’s distribution footprint in Alabama, Georgia and Tennessee. Prost!

Vital Information for Blind Pirate Blood Orange IPA from Monday Night Brewing

Release – Year-Round; reformulated version arrives mid-May 2019
Style – American India Pale Ale
ABV – 7.4%
IBUs – 55
Hops – Citra, Comet, Simcoe & Columbus
Malts – 2-Row, Wheat, Munich & Caramel
Added Ingredients – Blood orange juice
Suggested Food Pairings – “Strong cheeses, Spicy foods, Your mom, Citrus”
Availability – 6-packs of 12 oz. cans & draft
Distribution – Georgia, Alabama & Tennessee

Tasting Notes: Secret Agenda from Lagunitas Brewing Company & Moonlight Brewing

Posted on May 17, 2019 by mashingin

For this installment of Tasting Notes, we covertly slip into the weekend with a little help from Secret Agenda from Lagunitas Brewing Company (Petaluma, California) and Moonlight Brewing (Santa Rosa, California).

Carefully crafted in Joint Session by the folks at Lagunitas and Moonlight to satisfy “the unique thirsts of Springtime”, Secret Agenda is a Pale Bock Beer that brings “each [brewery’s] time-tested secrets to the table.” Weighing in at 7.1% ABV and 46 IBUs, Secret Agenda comes together to offer its drinker “something neither [brewery] could do alone.”

Secret Agenda officially released back in late March, but a good amount of this Limited Release can still be found floating around at some of your favorite beer retailers and bars. You can expect to find this One Hitter 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 Brewing Company’s distribution network.

With that unclassified background information now out of the way, it is finally time to dig deep and get to the bottom of Lagunitas and Moonlight Brewing’s Secret Agenda with some Tasting Notes!

Tasting Notes for Secret Agenda from Lagunitas Brewing Company & Moonlight Brewing

Appearance: A careful pour produces a Bock that is a deep gold in color and capped with over two fingers of ridiculously creamy foam. When held to direct light, the golden hue brightens a smidge as it takes on a bit of a lemony yellow hue. The beer is perfectly clear and displays a swirling mass of tiny carbonation bubbles. Head retention is absolutely fantastic, slowly falling to a lasting 1/4 finger of rocky foam that leaves sprawling patterns of lace behind on the glass. This is easily the most gorgeous bottled lager we have encountered this year.

Aroma: Lightly sweet bready malts greet the nose and are supported by the lightest amount of caramel and nuttiness. The hops then take over with a dynamic presence that is spicy, herbal and floral. The hop aromatics bloom further to offer notes of citrus, unripened strawberries, and tropical fruit.

Taste: An herbal tea-like quality (distinct notes of mint and lemon balm) opens the flavor profile alongside a bit of peppery spice and rose water. The herbal tones then back off a bit to allow the hops’ fruitier qualities to come through with soft notes of grapefruit, papaya and peach. All of this hop complexity rests upon a solid foundation of malt that is bready, biscuity and kissed with just a touch of caramel.

Mouthfeel: On the lighter side of medium in body with a medium carbonation level, this Bock is slightly creamy on the palate and incredibly clean on the finish. The balance is impeccable, but it does teeter a bit to the hoppy side at times (this is a Lagunitas influenced beer after all). It drinks much lighter than 7.1% ABV, but it does offer a bit of warmth in the throat near the end of the experience. Aftertaste is a lovely lingering flourish of floral and herbal hop notes.

Final Thoughts: Built with springtime drinking in mind, Secret Agenda hits that mark squarely by achieving maximum drinkability thanks to its phenomenal level of balance. It is malty, but not at all overly sweet. It is hoppy, but the bitterness is intentionally dialed way down. It is beautifully complex but somehow still an all-around easy-drinker. If that were not enough, this beer’s herbal and floral qualities seem to mimic the changing of the seasons and capture the resplendent rebirth of spring. Secret Agenda can only be described as an experience that actually tells a story. It is literally a taste of spring, and you need to check it out while you still have the chance. Make it happen. Prost!

Full Sail Brewing Co. Launches Atomizer Jetpack of Hop-Infused Brews

Posted on May 16, 2019 by mashingin

Full Sail Brewing Co. (Hood River, Oregon) has officially announced that the Atomizer Jetpack, a Variety 12-pack containing four new hop-infused offerings, will begin hitting craft beer shelves in May 2019.

Assembled as a means of showcasing Full Sail’s new “high-tech, top-secret, hop-infusion method” that has the ability to enhance a beer’s overall hop aroma and flavor, the Atomizer Jetpack is a mixed 12-pack that contains all four current releases in the brewery’s newly-established Atomizer brand of craft beer. The featured Atomizer offerings and their descriptions are as follows (descriptions sourced directly from the brewery’s press release):

Atomizer IPA | Sci-fi Suds for a Wi-Fi World | Since earth has become overrun with IPAs, Full Sail Brewing developed a high-tech, top-secret, hop-infusion method for this unfiltered, hoppy brew. A blend of pale and wheat malts, along with a healthy addition of oats, create a light golden base allowing Cryo Citra, Mosaic, Simcoe and Ekuanot hops to shine. Juicy aromas of tropical fruit, citrus, and melon pop in this ultra-balanced beer. **Also available in 6-packs of 12 oz. bottles & on draft** ABV – 7% IBUs – 70
Atomizer Pale | Talk Nerdy to Me | Pale and light crystal malts, along with a small addition of toasted oats, add subtle complexity to this refreshing hop bomb. Bright notes of guava, papaya and citrus from Mosaic and Simcoe hops are enhanced by Full Sail’s high-tech, top-secret, hop-infusion method. This well-balanced Atomizer Pale Ale is ingeniously flavorful and super-drinkable. **Also available in 6-packs of 12 oz. bottles & on draft** ABV – 6.6% IBUs – 32
Atomizer Amber | Take Me to Your Leader | Brewmaster Greg Doss has always wanted to make this beer – a hoppy version of Full Sail’s flagship Amber Ale. The proprietary Atomizer technology made it achievable by delivering a pure hop note to pair with the classic malt backdrop. The combination of subtle chocolate and caramel character with citrus-forward hops makes a compelling beer. This go-to, anytime beer is the best of all worlds – complex and interesting, not bitter, not sweet, and flat-out drinkable. ABV – 6% IBUs – 31
Atomizer Lager | To Infinity and Beer On | Atomizer Lager is an interesting concept – add tropical hop character to a light international lager. Using proprietary Atomizer technology, we did just that. Simcoe hops lend delicate citrus, tropical, and melon to this ultra-clean, super-drinkable lager delivering an increased aroma that makes Atomizer Lager stand out in a crowd. ABV – 4.9% IBUs – 17

“Innovation is key in craft brewing,” says Full Sail Brewmaster Greg Doss. “And developing the proprietary Atomizer method for infusing hops is as innovative as it gets. It’s been a blast from the future to brew these four new beers.”

The Atomizer Jetpack is officially rolling out now and will have Year-Round availability moving forward. You can expect to find this new Variety 12-pack of 12 oz. bottles at select craft beer-friendly retailers located in Florida, Oregon and throughout the rest of Full Sail Brewing Co.’s distribution area. Prost!