Beer | Mashing In

Heavy Seas Beer Adds Red Flag Barrel Aged Sour to Uncharted Waters Series

Posted on May 8, 2019 by mashingin

Heavy Seas Beer (Baltimore, Maryland) has officially announced that Red Flag Barrel Aged Sour Ale will debut in June 2019 as newest offering to come out of the brewery’s Uncharted Waters Series.

Surfacing as the “first sour offering in the Uncharted Waters series”, Red Flag is an American Sour Ale that was “brewed in the classic Flemish Red style” and “aged in stainless and then moved to bourbon and red wine barrels for further maturing.” When the beer was deemed properly aged and rested, the barrels were then “hand selected and blended to create the most complex and seductive sour ale possible.” Coming in at a smooth-sipping 8% ABV, Red Flag ” delights with sweet malt tones, complex fruit undertones, and a deliciously tart finish.”

“We are very excited about Red Flag, as it is the first barrel aged beer we’ve produced with wild yeast and bacteria,” says Heavy Seas Brewmaster, Christopher Leonard. “Red Flag is inspired by the tart, dry, Sour Red and Brown ales of Flanders. Ultimately, it will be a blend of six different batches of ‘sour’ beer aged in 4 different ‘styles’ of barrels. It’s been quite a complicated, but exciting process. Blending all of these similar but different barrels and ‘fresh beer’ to create one dynamic, complex, mysterious, funky, tart offering has been an amazing journey for us. And, as a bonus, we will be holding on to some of the beer in barrels to allow for some fun, interesting blending down the road. We don’t yet know when or how, but I have no doubt we’ll find a way to use these in more fascinating projects in the future!”

Red Flag is scheduled to roll out in 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. bottles and on draft at select craft beer-friendly retailers, bars and restaurants located in Alabama, Florida, Maryland and throughout the rest of Heavy Seas Beer’s distribution footprint. Prost!

Vital Information for Red Flag Barrel Aged Sour Ale from Heavy Seas Beer

Release – Limited/Uncharted Waters Series, June 2019
Style – American Sour Ale
ABV – 8%
IBUs – 5
Malts – 2-Row, CaraMedium, CaraDark & CaraExtraDark
Hops – Strisselspalt
Treatment – “Aged in stainless and then moved to bourbon and red wine barrels for further maturing”
Availability – 4-packs of 12 oz. bottles & draft
Beer Finder – http://hsbeer.com/beerfinder

Bell’s Brewery Introduces ‘Leaves of Grass’ Series Inspired by the Work of Walt Whitman

Posted on May 7, 2019May 7, 2019 by mashingin

“I celebrate myself, and sing myself,
And what I assume you shall assume,
For every atom belonging to me as good belongs to you.”

– from “Song of Myself” by Walt Whitman

Bell’s Brewery (Comstock, Michigan) has officially announced that its Leaves of Grass Series, a seven-part series inspired by Walt Whitman’s literary classic of the same name, will launch in May 2019 with the release of Song of Myself – German-Inspired American IPA.

Timed so that its first release will coincide with Walt Whitman’s 200th birthday, Bell’s Leaves of Grass Series is both a celebration of Walt Whitman and the literary classic that is Leaves of Grass, an inspiring book of poetry that has established itself as “a hallmark of American literature . . . and one of Larry Bell’s favorites.” Launching in late May 2019 and concluding in May 2020, the Leaves of Grass Series will consist of seven Limited Release offerings that “will be named after and inspired by one of Whitman’s poems, while each recipe will complement the seasonality of when each beer is released.”

LEAVES OF GRASS SERIES AT A GLANCE

May 2019: Song of Myself – German-Inspired American IPA (6.5% ABV)
July 2019: The Prairie-Grass Dividing – Gose-Style Ale Brewed with Plum, Salt & Coriander (4.5% ABV)
September 2019: Oh Captain! My Captain! – TBA
November 2019: To a Locomotive in Winter – TBA
January 2020: Song of the Open Road – TBA
March 2020: Salut Au Monde! – TBA
May 2020: Spontaneous Me – TBA

“Over the years, we’ve drawn inspiration from a variety of different sources from music to literature to the Great Lakes,” said Larry Bell, President and Founder of Bell’s Brewery. “This series is just the latest example of how the arts have inspired us to create new and innovative recipes.”

Song of Myself – German-Inspired American IPA will roll out in late May 2019 and will be available as long as supplies last. Song of Myself – as well as all future Limited Release offerings in the Leaves of Grass Series – will have availability in 6-packs of 12 oz. bottles and on draft at select craft beer-focused establishments located in Alabama, Florida, Michigan and throughout the rest of Bell’s Brewery’s distribution area. A new offering from the Leaves of Grass Series will release every two months until May 2020. Prost!

Cascade Brewing & Mikkeller Collaborate on Bean-to-Barrel Triple

Posted on May 7, 2019 by mashingin

Cascade Brewing (Portland, Oregon) has officially announced that it will release Bean-to-Barrel Triple, a Limited Release collaboration with Mikkeller (Copenhagen, Denmark), on May 10.

Meant to celebrate the “‘bean-to-bar’ chocolate-making method” of Bean Geeks Craft Chocolate in Copenhagen, Bean-to-Barrel “features a blend of barrel and foudre aged sour triple ales with toasted Oregon and French oak and a late infusion of cocoa nibs sourced from Bean Geeks.” Coming in at 9.4% ABV, Bean-to-Barrel Triple supplies its drinker with “aromas of dark chocolate, vanilla and toasted oak sugars combined with the light pear and citrus fruit notes of the sour triple.”

“We’ve had the great privilege to work with many amazing, cutting edge breweries on collaborative efforts in the past. Needless to say we jumped at the opportunity to work with Mikkeller, long considered to be an innovative force that pushes the boundaries of existing beer styles with intense flavor and ingredient combinations,” explained Norm Stokes, Cascade Brewing Cellar Manager. “Bean-to-Barrel Triple was born of this collaboration, and it was a memorable experience to work together to come up with a beer that incorporates the complexity of Oregon oak with the rich flavor of cocoa nibs sourced from Bean Geeks chocolate.”

Bean-to-Barrel Triple will officially debut in Cascade’s two Portland pubs on May 10 and is expected to enter distribution at or around that date as well. 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 area. Bean-to-Barrel will also make its European debut on draft on May 10 at the Mikkeller Beer Celebration Copenhagen (MBCC) in Denmark. Prost!

Vital Information for Bean-to-Barrel Triple from Cascade Brewing & Mikkeller

Release – Limited; May 10, 2019
Style – American Sour Ale
ABV – 9.4%
Treatment – “A blend of barrel and foudre aged sour triple ales with toasted Oregon and French oak and a late infusion of cocoa nibs sourced from Bean Geeks Craft Chocolate in Copenhagen”
Fun Fact – On the collaboration: “The collaboration was conceived during a visit by Mikkeller in September 2018; Norm Stokes, Cascade Brewing Cellar Manager, and Kevin Martin, Cascade Brewing Director of Operations, met with Keith Shore, Jacob Gram Alsing, and Mikkel Borg Bjergsø of Mikkeller. Blended from triples aged on oak since 2017.”
Availability – 500ml bottles & draft

mikkeler 2 — *The creative team – representatives from both Cascade Brewing and Mikkeller – responsible for Bean-to-Barrel Triple. Photo Credit: Cascade Brewing*

Garage Brewing Co. Wins Three Medals at San Diego International Beer Competition

Posted on May 6, 2019June 6, 2019 by mashingin

Garage Brewing Co. (Temecula, California) has proudly announced that three of its craft beer offering have been awarded medals at the 2019 San Diego International Beer Competition.

Fresh off a six medal showing at the Los Angeles International Beer Competition, Garage Brewing Co. has now been notified that it will walk away from the San Diego International Beer Competition with the following three medals:

Gold Medal – Tangerine Deuce Coupe DIPA
Silver Medal – Hatch Chile IPA
Bronze Medal – Spiced Coconut Porter

“Our purpose is to make delicious beers of excellent quality and winning a medal(s) in such fierce competition, is awesome – mission accomplished.”

– Lou Kashmere, Garage Brewing Co’s Founder and CEO

Judging for the 2019 San Diego International Beer Competition took place on Friday, April 12 and Saturday, April 13. This year’s competition consisted of “nearly 1,500 entries from 260 breweries spanning the globe, competing in 57 style categories.” The submitted beers were “evaluated by select industry professionals and judges certified by the Beer Judge Certification Program in a closed, blind event.”

**UPDATE 5.20.19** The good news just keeps rolling in now that Garage Brewing Co. has also been awarded the following medals from the NorCal Brew Competition:

Gold Medal – Rancho Lager
Silver Medal – Classic Lager
Silver Medal – Toasted Marshmallow Milk Stout
Silver Medal – Sweet Orange Wit
Silver Medal – Garage Light Lager
Silver Medal – Naughty Scot
Honorable Mention – Blackcurrant Gose

These medals join the six medals Garage Brewing Co. recently earned at this year’s Los Angeles International Beer Competition and three at the San Diego International Beer Competition. Prost! **UPDATE 5.20.19**

Boulder Beer Co. Adds Perilous Prickly Pear Wheat to Seasonal Lineup

Posted on May 6, 2019 by mashingin

Boulder Beer Company (Boulder, Colorado) has officially announced that Perilous Prickly Pear Wheat will make its Seasonal debut in mid-May 2019.

Designed to be a “dangerously playful” option for summertime drinking, Perilous is a rose-colored American Wheat Ale “infused with the juice of the prickly pear cactus, imparting a light tart flavor and an uplifting finish.” Weighing in at just 5.1% ABV, the “light bodied and effervescent” Perilous is sure to get “your mouth watering at first glance.”

Perilous Prickly Pear Wheat will officially launch on May 10 with a release party at The Pub at Boulder Beer Company and distribution is expected to follow shortly after the on-site release. You can expect to find this Seasonal offering available in 6-packs of 12 oz. cans and on draft at select craft beer-friendly retailers, bars and restaurants located in Florida, Georgia, Colorado and throughout the rest of Boulder Beer Company’s distribution territory. Prost!

Vital Information for Perilous Prickly Pear Wheat from Boulder Beer Company

Release – Seasonal, May – September 2019
Style – American Wheat Ale
ABV – 5.1%
IBUs – 12
Malts – Pale Malt, Wheat Malt & Honey Malt
Hops – Tettnang
Added Ingredients – Prickly Pear Cactus Juice
Fun Fact – On the can design: “The colorful can illustration, created by Moxie Sozo in Boulder, Colorado, depicts a southwest scene of a cluster of prickly pear cacti in bloom, nestled in the midst of several sharp, spikey creatures. A desert wasp, a scorpion, a lizard, and even a cleverly hidden boot spur all pose a perilous situation and threaten the airy balloons floating overhead. The can design fits within Boulder Beer’s refreshed branding they launched last summer with new packaging designs for all of their beers and company logo.”
Availability – 6-packs of 12 oz. cans & draft
Beer Finder – https://boulderbeer.com/beer-finder

Paulaner Brewery Adds 16.9 oz. Cans to its U.S. Portfolio

Posted on May 3, 2019 by mashingin

Paulaner USA (White Plains, New York), the U.S. importer of the legendary Paulaner Brewery portfolio and other premium beverage alcohol brands, has officially announced that it will launch 16.9 oz. cans of Paulaner Hefe-Weizen and Paulaner Original Munich Lager in the U.S. market in Spring 2019.

In an attempt to satisfy “growing consumer demand for packages that meet their unique and constantly evolving occasion expectations”, Paulaner Brewery has decided to innovate and adjust by placing two of its iconic offerings – Paulaner Hefe-Weizen and Paulaner Original Munich Lager – in “lightweight, easy to carry” 16.9 oz. cans that are “BPA free, unbreakable and designed to protect the flavor of the beer . . . from the negative effects of UV light and oxygen.” Since both offerings “strictly adhere to Germany’s Beer Purity Law, also known as the Reinheitsgebot”, this new packaging option is ideal for “preserving the authentic taste in the outdoors” and “[protecting] the standards by which all other beers are judged.”

If you happen to be unfamiliar with these classic brews, here are the full descriptions for Paulaner Hefe-Weizen and Paulaner Original Munich Lager (descriptions sourced directly from Paulaner USA’s press release):

Paulaner Hefe-Weizen – The #1 selling wheat beer in Germany, and a favorite around the world. This traditional unfiltered Hefe-Weizen is naturally cloudy and silky gold under a really strong head of foam. At first mouthful, some will detect a hint of banana aroma. Fine palates perceive trace of mango and pineapple and the balance between sweet and bitter. Overall, beer connoisseurs appreciate the incomparable flavor of Paulaner Hefe-Weizen for its perfectly balanced mix of aromas and refreshing taste. It’s a superb biergarten or outdoor drinking bier. ABV – 5.5%
Paulaner Original Munich Lager – A true classic with its clear and bright gold sparkling hue, crowned by a pure white head. A beer which always goes down smoothly: mild, elegant malts, with a hint of sweetness and a soft hint of hops in the back note. This Munich beer is ideal to accompany spare ribs and spicy dishes. ABV – 4.9%

“We are thrilled to launch our products in cans as we continue to find ways to satisfy the needs of our consumers and allow them to enjoy our product without comprising flavor. What’s more, with the product now available in cans is current and prospective Paulaner fans can now drink a real Bavarian brew in places that may restrict glass bottles. This includes venues like concerts, golf courses, beaches or even biergartens, to name a few.

The combination of our outstanding beer in a high quality can provides the best of both worlds to consumers. The cans perfectly reflect our traditional heritage to appeal to both long-time Paulaner fans as well as a whole new generation. They also are environmentally friendly and easier to recycle than glass, a consideration that is more important today than ever.”

– Steve Hauser, President/CEO of Paulaner USA

16.9 oz. cans of Paulaner Hefe-Weizen and Paulaner Original Munich Lager are rolling out now and will have Year-Round availability. You can expect to find both of these offerings – with additional availability in bottles and on draft – at fine beer establishments located in Alabama, Florida, New York and throughout the rest of Paulaner USA’s nationwide distribution network. Prost!

American Homebrewers Association Celebrates National Homebrew Day with AHA Big Brew

Posted on May 2, 2019May 2, 2019 by mashingin

The American Homebrewers Association (AHA) will celebrate National Homebrew Day by partnering with over 300 breweries, homebrew shops, and beer clubs around the world on Saturday, May 4 for the 22^nd annual celebration of Big Brew.

Recognized as being “the largest annual gathering of homebrewers with an anticipated attendance of over 5,000 people” in 2019, the AHA Big Brew event gives homebrewers – of any skill set – from all over the country and world the chance to get together with other homebrewers in their area to network and brew a beer. The official Big Brew recipes for 2019 are the TransAtlantic Blonde Ale from Simple Homebrewing (the upcoming Brewers Publications title) and Battlecow Galacticose New England IPA from Providence Brewing Company.

Although each Big Brew location (click here to view the interactive map and find a site in your area) will have a unique schedule of activities throughout the day, it is guaranteed that all official locations “will feature brewing demonstrations, and opportunities to learn about the greatest hobby in the world – homebrewing!” The event will also feature a simultaneous, worldwide toast to homebrewing at 1 p.m. ET.

The craft beer movement as we know it today would not have been possible without the dedicated and curious homebrewers that eventually took a dream and a hobby to the next level by opening a brewery. The craft that is homebrewing and those devoted to it deserve our respect and should be celebrated. Whether you are an avid homebrewer or a just a craft beer lover that is interested in learning more about the hobby, make sure that you do what you can to attend an official Big Brew event or a locally organized backyard party to brew up one (or both) of the featured Big Brew beers and raise a glass to art of homebrewing on Saturday, May 4. Prost!

Terrapin Beer Co. & Miller High Life Collaborate on Hoppin’ Bubbly Brut IPA

Posted on May 2, 2019 by mashingin

Terrapin Beer Co. (Athens, Georgia) has officially announced that the Special Release of Hoppin’ Bubbly, a Brut IPA brewed in collaboration with Miller High Life (Milwaukee, Wisconsin), will begin in select markets in May 2019.

One evening while the crew at Terrapin Beer Co. was kicking around ideas for their next Collaboration project, a member of the team light-heartedly mentioned who better to brew a Brut IPA – a new style of India Pale Ale “known for [its] dry finish, and champagne-like effervescence – with than ‘The Champagne of Beers’, Miller High Life? After a few phone calls, that suggestion made in joking became a reality and Hoppin’ Bubbly was born.

Hoppin’ Bubbly is a Brut IPA that features “the classic malt bill from ‘The Champagne of Beers'” and a hop bill boasting four varietals – Cascade, Amarillo, Citra and Mosaic – that reflects “Terrapin’s affinity for IPAs.” Thanks to “innovative brewing and dry hopping techniques”, Hoppin’ Bubbly (6.5% ABV, 26 IBUs) offers its drinker “a crisp, bone-dry finish and an aromatic hop profile.”

Hoppin’ Bubbly officially debuted in Terrapin’s Tasting Room in Athens, Georgia on May 1 and distribution is expected to follow shortly after the on-site release. Available in 6-packs of 12 oz. cans and on draft, this Limited Release offering will only be distributed in Georgia and Wisconsin, the home states of both breweries, for the time being. If Terrapin decides to expand distribution of Hoppin’ Bubbly, we will be sure to update this post with that information just as soon as we get it. Prost!

Vital Information for Hoppin’ Bubbly Brut IPA from Terrapin Beer Co. & Miller High Life

Release – Special/Limited, May 2019
Style – Brut India Pale Ale
ABV – 6.5%
IBUs – 26
Malts – Moravian, Flaked Corn & Flaked Rye
Hops – Cascade, Amarillo, Citra & Mosaic
Suggested Food Pairings – “Blue Cheese or Sharp Cheddar. Sausage, Tenderloin, or Terrine”
Availability – 6-packs of 12 oz. cans & draft
Distribution – Georgia & Wisconsin only
Beer Finder – https://terrapinbeer.com/beer-finder/

Lagunitas Brewing Company Introduces Lagur Summer Lager

Posted on May 2, 2019 by mashingin

Lagunitas Brewing Company (Petaluma, California) has officially announced that Lagur, a Limited Release Summer Lager, is releasing now and will be available throughout the months of Summer 2019.

Designed to be a go-to “libation for lazing away the Spring and Summer days”, Lagur is a Summer-themed Lager filled with “some super-special Loral 291 hops, giving it a floral and herbal zing.” Coming in at an easy-drinking 5% ABV and 30 IBUs, Lagur promises to be a “light and crispy” option that will be “perfect wherever beer goes, whenever beer goes!”

Lagur is rolling out now and will stick around through September 2019. You can expect to find this Limited Release offering available in 12-packs of 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 Brewing Company’s vast distribution area. Prost!

Vital Information for Lagur from Lagunitas Brewing Company

Release – Limited, late April – September 2019
Style – Undisclosed Lager style
ABV – 5%
IBUs – 30
Featured Hops – Loral 291
Availability – 12-packs of 12 oz. cans & draft
Beer Finder – https://lagunitas.com/beer-finder

Iron Fist Brewing Enters May with Small Batch Release of Sol del Barrio Mexican Lager

Posted on May 1, 2019 by mashingin

Iron Fist Brewing Company (Vista, California) has officially announced that it will recognize Cinco de Mayo with the fourth release in its Small Batch Experiments Series, Sol del Barrio Mexican Lager.

Inspired by a Tom Garcia’s – Brewmaster at Iron Fist – recent “beer exploration trip to Tijuana, Mexico”, Sol del Barrio is a Mexican-style Lager that takes its “cue from [Mexico’s] European side of influence . . . and casts aside any preconceptions of a pale liquid and slice of lime.” To prove that it is “truly a testament to the diversity of Mexican Lagers”, Sol del Barrio (5.5% ABV) “pours clear and copper with a touch of red hue” and offers its drinker “a touch of malty sweetness, followed by a pleasant breadyness and a low bitter finish with Nobel hop overtones.”

“Mexican Lagers all really had such variation. The color, the flavor, it seemed there were lots of perspectives and strands forming the idea of Mexican Lager. We could get beers ranging from pale straw to deep amber in color with flavor profiles ranging from a classic pilsner to a bold, malty full bodied lager.

Family, friends, food, and a few delicious Mexican Lagers meant all was well in the world. I can still remember eating Nopales (cactus) and fish tacos, something I try to replicate as often as possible at home in California. Our Mexican lager is basically a tribute to the beautiful beers being made just south of the border. I’m very excited to have brewed a 12oz vacation! Now all I need is a plate of tacos.”

– Tom Garcia, Brewmaster at Iron Fist Brewing Company, reflecting on his trip Tijuana, Mexico and the inspiration behind Sol del Barrio

A sneak peek of Sol del Barrio will take place at the Padres Beerfest at Petco Park on May 3. The official draft release of Sol del Barrio will begin on Saturday, May 4 and a limited-edition run of 500 12 oz. cans “will be announced shortly thereafter, via Iron Fist’s social media channels.” This Small Batch offering will be available “exclusively in Iron Fist’s Vista and Barrio Logan taprooms, with a small amount pouring at the Iron Fist SuperCart at Petco Park.” Prost!

Vital Information for Sol del Barrio from Iron Fist Brewing Company

Release – Limited/Small Batch Experiments Series, May 2019
Style – Mexican-style Lager
ABV – 5.5%
IBUs – 22
Fun Fact – On the brewing history of Mexico: “After the Mexican War of Independence ended in 1821, German and Austrian immigrants, then from the Austro-Hungarian Empire allegedly began emigrating in droves to what is today Texas, but was then Mexico, bringing with them a rich old European tradition of brewing, unknown to Mexico. While the history of Mexican Lager has meandered since, this older European influence brought with it techniques that still survive in small, independent amounts today.”
Availability – 12 oz. cans & draft
Distribution – None. Available exclusively in Iron Fist’s Vista and Barrio Logan taprooms