Beer | Mashing In

Mini-Kegs of Bell’s Two Hearted Ale Return For A Limited Time

Posted on November 5, 2018November 5, 2018 by mashingin

Bell’s Brewery (Comstock, Michigan) has officially announced that 5L mini-kegs of Two Hearted Ale, the brewery’s wildly popular American IPA, will return to store shelves in early November.

Back for the first time since 2012 and just in time for the holidays, mini-kegs of Two Hearted Ale are 1.32 gallons of the award-winning American India Pale Ale that was recently voted “No. 1 Beer in America” for the second year in a row by members of the American Homebrewers Association. These “eccentric” 5L mini-kegs are “perfect for sharing (or not) and make great gifts.”

If you happen to be unfamiliar with this legendary brew, here is the brewery’s official description of Two Hearted Ale:

Two Hearted Ale | American India Pale Ale – Brewed with 100% Centennial hops from the Pacific Northwest and named after the Two Hearted River in Michigan’s Upper Peninsula, this IPA is bursting with hop aromas ranging from pine to grapefruit from massive hop additions in both the kettle and the fermenter. Perfectly balanced with a malt backbone and combined with the signature fruity aromas of Bell’s house yeast, this beer is remarkably drinkable and well suited for adventures everywhere. ABV – 7%

A limited quantity of Two Hearted Ale mini-kegs will be sent out into distribution during the week of November 5 and will be available at the Bell’s General Store in Kalamazoo on November 7. These mini-kegs will be available for a limited time at select craft beer-friendly retailers located in Alabama, Florida, Michigan and throughout the rest of the brewery’s distribution area. Two Hearted Ale is also available Year-Round in 6-packs of 12 oz. bottles, 6-packs and 12-packs of 12 oz. cans, 4-packs of 16 oz. cans and on draft. Prost!

Vital Information for Two Hearted Ale from Bell’s Brewery

Release – Year-Round; mini-kegs will see a limited run in November 2018
Style – American India Pale Ale
ABV – 7%
Featured Hops – Centennial
Recommended Glassware – Nonic
Suggested Food Pairings – “Savory: Oysters, BBQ, brisket, cilantro, bleu cheese, coriander, cumin, balsamic, chili | Sweet: Apples, grapefruit, carrot cake, maple syrup, caramel | The Eccentric Way: Curried Vegetable Soup
Availability – Year-Round in 6-packs of 12 oz. bottles, 6-packs & 12-packs of 12 oz. cans, 4-packs of 16 oz. cans & draft. Limited availability in 5L mini-kegs
Beer Finder – http://www.bellsbeer.com/beer-finder

Creature Comforts Brewing Co. Expands Distribution in Georgia

Posted on November 5, 2018 by mashingin

Creature Comforts Brewing Co. (Athens, Georgia) has announced that it will work with its distributor, Savannah Distributing, to expand the brewery’s distribution footprint in mid-November to now include the cities of Augusta and Columbus, Georgia.

Thanks to a recent brewery expansion that included the opening of a second production facility at Southern Mill, an “$11 million, 40,000-square-foot” facility that has increased production capacity to 70,000 barrels, Creature Comforts Brewing Co. now has the ability to extend its distribution reach in Georgia to the areas of Augusta and Columbus. Up until this point, Creature Comforts offerings were only available in Athens, Atlanta, and nearby surrounding cities.

“We’re thrilled we now have the capacity to continue to grow our brands in our existing distribution footprint and also begin supplying additional markets in our home state,” said CEO Chris Herron. “Bringing our second production facility online has been an incredible journey, and we’re excited that more people will be able to experience our beer as a result.”

Creature Comforts Brewing Co. will launch in Augusta and Columbus with “its core portfolio of year-round, award-winning products” in mid-November. Beer lovers in those areas can expect to find Creature Comforts offerings at the local craft beer-friendly establishments that are typically serviced by Savannah Distributing. Prost!

Collective Arts Brewing Set to Launch in Florida

Posted on November 2, 2018 by mashingin

Collective Arts Brewing (Hamilton, Ontario) has announced that it has signed with Cavalier Distributing and will officially launch distribution in Florida on November 10.

Established in Hamilton, Ontario in 2013, Collective Arts Brewing is a grassroots craft brewery founded on two beliefs:

“The first that creativity fosters creativity.”
“And the second, that creativity yields delicious pints.”

By staying true to these beliefs, Collective Arts “aims to fuse the creativity of craft beer with the inspired talents of emerging artists and musicians” by featuring limited-edition works of art on [their] beer cans and labels.” This unique approach has since yielded a strong portfolio of beers “designed to be as diverse, creative, and unwavering as the artists profiled; respecting tradition, but not constrained by it.”

“Craft beer drinkers love to experiment with new and innovative beers. We’re committed to providing them with a one-of-a-kind beer experience through the creative collision of our beers, art and music,” says Matt Johnston, co-founder and CEO of Collective Arts Brewing. “With our event at Art Basel 2018 and the progressive art community in Miami, along with the thriving craft beer scene in Florida, we think it’s an exciting spot for us to dive in and integrate our beers.”

Beginning on November 10, ten representatives from Collective Arts Brewing will be “traveling throughout the [Sunshine State], kicking off their Florida expansion with a week’s worth of events featuring art installations, live music, and tap takeovers” (click here to see the full schedule of events). To infuse the festivities with a little Collective Arts style and flair, the brewery has also “partnered with four Miami-based artists to produce limited-edition beer cans as a way to celebrate their official launch.”
**If you are interested in learning more about these artists, their bios are available at the bottom of the post.**

As far as the beer goes, Collective Arts will launch in Florida with “a range of core beers . . . and a selection of rotating small batch brews.” The beers that are confirmed to be available at launch are as follows (descriptions sourced from the brewery’s website):

Life in the Clouds | New England-style IPA – New to our core lineup, Life in the Clouds is our flagship New England style IPA. After experimenting with the Collective Project HAZY IPA we dialed in the Simcoe and Mosaic hops and malt balance to optimize this juicy IPA’s pleasantly fruit forward (think citrus and melon) taste and aroma. In keeping with the nouveau NEIPA tradition, Life in the Clouds is an unfiltered beer, neither overly-sweet nor bitter, with a pillowy mouth feel. Crack one, pour it in a glass, take a whiff, hold it up to the light and take a sip! Don’t you agree? ABV – 6.1% IBUs – 50
Stranger Than Fiction | Porter – Stranger Than Fiction is a full-bodied porter with plenty of roast flavour with hints of molasses. Ridiculous amounts of chocolate and pale ale malts make this porter a smooth and creamy brew. ABV – 5.5% IBUs – 25
Jam Up the Mash | Dry Hop Sour – To all our Collective Project Dry Hop Sour fans, we heard you. This brew is now part of our year-round lineup! After the never ending battle between the hop heads and sour lovers we decided to appease the two. Using Nelson Sauvin from New Zealand and Vic Secret from the Yakima Valley this mixed fermentation brew is juicy, sour and extremely refreshing. Sour & hops in perfect, thirst quenching, melody! ABV – 5% IBUs – 35

If you wish to get more familiar with this brewery and its beers but are unable to attend any of the launch events, the Collective Arts offerings listed above – and several others – will be available year-round in retail stores including Whole Foods and Total Wine, and bars and restaurants throughout Miami, Orlando, Tampa, St. Petersburg, and Jacksonville. Prost!

Bios for the Artists Participating in the Miami Series Art Cans Series

CollectiveArtsMiamiArtists — *From left to right – ILL SURGE, NATE DEE, DIDIROCK, JAY BELLICHI*

ILL SURGE | @illsurge – SURGE, born in Los Angeles and raised in Miami, is a Postgraffisim artist, and has taken his bold, unmistakable style straight from his sketchbooks to the sun-stained streets of South Florida and beyond. Surge has worked with Brands like NIKE, Jameson Whiskey, the NBA, the Miami Dolphins, Microsoft, and Bloomingdales to name a few. It is the ability to be daring and free with his art that is ultimately closest to Surge’s heart.
NATE DEE | @miaminate – Born and raised in South Florida, Nathan Delinois (Nate Dee) has numerous influences including his Haitian background and the use of color Haitian art, as well as in street art. The design quality of the Art Nouveau movement and the drama of Greek art from the Hellenistic. These elements can be seen in his work. Additionally, he takes some influences from the pop surrealists.
DIDIROCK | @didirok – Diana Contreras (b. Peru, 1981) has established herself as an influential Miami artist. From painting murals in the Urban Art scene to exhibiting canvas pieces in galleries, her work has been seen in exhibitions and private collections in several parts of the world including Street Art Dubai Gallery in Dubai.
JAY BELLICCHI | @remoteroc – Jay Bellicchi (REMOTE) a Boston transplant, has taken his place in the Miami art scene as a dynamic artist influenced by his history in graffiti and graphic design. His father was a successful artist and graphic designer who inspired him at a young age. In the 1980’s, Jay was further influenced by hip-hop music and the elements surrounding it. It was within the hip-hop culture that he discovered the element of graffiti art and was given the name by which he is still known today, REMOTE.

Tasting Notes: CBS (2018) From Founders Brewing Co.

Posted on November 1, 2018 by mashingin

Tasting Notes returns for a double dip this week as we take advantage of the very special opportunity to preview a bottle of CBS (2018) from Founders Brewing Co. (Grand Rapids, Michigan).

Back for the second year in a row and rockin’ some new label artwork this time around, CBS (a.k.a. Canadian Breakfast Stout) is an Imperial Stout brewed with coffee and chocolate – the same base beer as Kentucky Breakfast Stout (KBS) – and then aged in “bourbon barrels that had previously housed maple syrup.” Once its rest is completed, CBS emerges to offer a “transcendental drinking experience” that features notes of “rich maple syrup, roasted coffee and velvety chocolate.”

The 2018 batch of CBS will debut at Founders Brewing Co.’s Grand Rapids and Detroit taproom locations on November 1 and will begin seeing distribution on November 2. You can expect to find this incredibly limited Barrel-Aged Series release available in 750ml bottles (suggested retail price of $24.99 per bottle) and on draft at select craft beer establishments located in Alabama, Florida, Michigan and throughout the rest of the brewery’s distribution area.

Now that all the background information has been properly handled, what do you say we get into this bottle and see how this year’s batch of CBS is tasting?

Tasting Notes for CBS (2018) from Founders Brewing Co.

Appearance: Off the pour, CBS is a polished obsidian black in color and is adorned with nearly two fingers of rich and foamy mocha-colored head. When held to a direct light source, the darkness holds and completely blacks out any light that attempts to find its way through. The beer is so opaque, inky and glossy that it is actually highly reflective. The head retention is pretty fantastic for a stout this big, but it does eventually fall – over a great deal of time – to a slight, almost complete top cap that traces thin webs of lace on the glass from start to finish.

Aroma: Dark, roasty grains billow from the glass and carry with them notes of dark chocolate, chocolate syrup, caramel, and a whisper of smoke. The barrels then flood the experience with boozy bourbon, oak, vanilla, and sweet maple. Coffee then works its way in to close out the profile with a character that is both bitter (pure, deeply roasted coffee beans) and sweet/rich (think sweetened café con leche).

Taste: Rich dark chocolate, milk chocolate, hot cocoa with marshmallows, and straight up cacao nibs immediately stake their claim in the flavor department, but eventually relinquish control to those glorious maple-bourbon barrels. They create a note that is quite similar to that of a maple doughnut – rich maple and vanilla working hand-in-hand with a sweet breadiness – served with a sidecar of smooth bourbon. Caramel and toasty grains slip through to lend some support alongside a touch of smoke and char. Pulling up the rear again, the coffee finally surfaces in the finish to wash everything down with a deep roast quality that offers the experience a balancing touch of bitterness and earthiness.

Mouthfeel: Full-bodied with a medium to mild carbonation level, this Imperial Stout is thick, viscous, and coating on the palate. Although it is mostly sweet, it does find a remarkably subtle balance thanks to its stealthy hops and the light pops of bitterness supplied by the those notes of coffee, dark chocolate, and heavily roasted grains. For 11.6% ABV, the alcohol presence is beautifully nuanced, has only a hint of heat, and really only surfaces in the form of bourbon flavor and aroma. The aftertaste leaves behind traces of coffee, dark chocolate and roasty/toasty grains.

Final Thoughts: This year’s batch of CBS has found an impressive degree of balance on all levels. Where the 2017 release came across to us as a little overly sweet and hot/boozy, the 2018 version is – to put it simply and ruggedly – just so damn smooth. The sweet notes – maple, chocolate, caramel and grain – are brilliantly tempered with a lovely contrast found in black coffee, bittersweet chocolate, and just the right amount of smoke/char. This balancing act most impressively carries over into the ABV that barely has a presence even though it is pulling double digits. This all results in one hell of an Imperial Stout that . . . yeah . . . it can be a dessert beer, but its incredibly well-managed level of sweetness also earns it a place at the brunch table or at the fire pit while just enjoying a few brews with friends.

Our final word of advice – Just go ahead and grab a bottle or two of CBS (2018) if you can and drink them fresh. No fancy bottle share required. Simply treat yourself and someone special to a pour whenever you feel inclined. Don’t wait for a “perfect moment” because this beer – in the state that it is in now – has the capability to conveniently make any moment memorable. Prost!

The Guinness Storehouse Introduces the Guinness STOUTie

Posted on November 1, 2018November 1, 2018 by mashingin

On November 1, Guinness & Co. (Dublin, Ireland) will recognize International Stout Day at The Guinness Storehouse with the introduction of the Guinness STOUTie, “a picture-perfect pint featuring your selfie or chosen design on the head of the iconic black and white stout.”

Although it may look like some kind of sorcery, the Guinness STOUTie is indeed a reality thanks to “the Ripples technology, which combines patented 3D printer mechanics with Ink-Jet printing.” This innovative personalization process adds “natural malt extract to the top of the Guinness pint to create the chosen design. The iconic black and white stout provides the perfect canvas for a sepia toned selfie.”

“Ripples is known for offering brands the possibility to create unique, personalised consumer experiences by printing image or photo content onto foam-topped beverages. We are thrilled to partner with Guinness for The STOUTie launch – exciting beer lovers by making their beverage unique. Together, we are creating ripples of enjoyment at the home of Guinness in Dublin. Today, we are also excited to announce the EMEA commercial availability of the Ripple Maker PM used to power the STOUTie at the Storehouse, and set to create ripples of enjoyment across the world.”

– Yossi Meshulam, CEO of Ripples

If you wish to get your hands on this highly Instagrammable pint, the STOUTie is exclusively available at The Guinness Storehouse for the cost of €6.00. Click here for more information on the STOUTie and to purchase tickets for The Guinness Storehouse. Prost!

DuClaw Brewing Co. Expands Distribution to Alabama and Georgia

Posted on October 31, 2018 by mashingin

DuClaw Brewing Co. (Bel Air, Maryland) has partnered with International Wines & Craft Beer in Alabama and AB Beverage in Georgia so that it can begin distribution in those states immediately.

Established as a brewpub in Bel Air, Maryland in 1996, DuClaw Brewing Co. hit the scene wanting to be “known for its cleverly crafted beers, depth of flavor and irreverent personality.” Those three attributes have proven to be quite the formula for success as the brewery has since gone on to earn “more than 60 awards” and establish a portfolio boasting “more than 30 distinguished microbrews.” The brewery’s popularity absolutely exploded on a national level with the release of Sweet Baby Jesus Chocolate Peanut Butter Porter in 2011. Thanks to stellar reviews spread by the brewery’s fans and a Bronze Medal finish at the 2014 Great American Beer Festival (Chocolate Beer Category), Sweet Baby Jesus has acted as a catalyst for the brewery to steadily expand distribution to get their innovative, unique offerings into the hands of more and more craft beer fans. With the addition of Alabama and Georgia, DuClaw Brewing Co.’s U.S. distribution now amounts to 19 states across the Northeast and Southeast.

“Alabama and The Peach State are two that have been knocking on our door for awhile, and it got to a point where we knew it was time,” said DuClaw Founder and President Dave Benfield. “The response has been unreal. It’s been really fun to recognize this demand, finally bring DuClaw into these markets, and then hear such positive feedback. This is why I am in the business!”

DuClaw will launch distribution in Alabama and Georgia with Sweet Baby Jesus and “a full lineup of clever and well-crafted . . . craft beers” that will include Sour Me Peach Sherbet, Dirty Little Freak, The PastryArchy Pumpkin Spice, and Rule of Three Double IPA. The full descriptions for these beers are as follows:

Sweet Baby Jesus | Year-Round – First brewed in 2011, this GABF bronze medal winning Chocolate Peanut Butter Porter is jet black in color with a tan, rocky head, full body, and creamy, luxurious mouthfeel. Its lightly sweet, malty flavor is accented by rich flavors of chocolate, coffee, and peanut butter, balanced by a subtle hop character and a moderate 6.2% ABV. Sweet Baby Jesus finishes smooth, dry, and roasty with lingering notes of chocolate and peanut butter so savory, you will exclaim its name! ABV – 6.2% IBUs – 33
Sour Me Peach Sherbet | Limited Release – Sour Me Peach Sherbet mixes the inherent mouth puckering flavors of the brew with big peach notes & a creamy fuller body for a perfect blend of tart and sweet. ABV – 5.5% IBUs – 10
Dirty Little Freak | Year-Round- Dirty Little Freak Coconut Caramel Chocolate Brown Ale, first brewed in 2014, takes the traditional American Brown Ale and gives it a sensual new twist – Coconut! This medium-bodied, 5.8% ABV brown ale is a feast for the senses from its dominant blend of warm, roasted malt, coconut, caramel, and chocolate flavors barely restrained by a gentle hop bite, to its tantalizingly satisfying finish. ABV – 5.8% IBUs – 30
The PastryArchy Pumpkin Spice | Limited Release – A dark, decadent, dessert stout with additions of pumpkin & seasonal spices for a rich and savory experience. ABV – 8.5% IBUs – 31
The Rule of 3 Double IPA | Limited Release – As our third 16oz DIPA can release, we were compelled to obey the ‘Rule Of Three’ by triple dry hopping with three varieties of hops: Centennial hops, Citra Lupulin Powder, and Simcoe Lupulin Powder. The trio results in a golden balance between citrus & passion fruit, earthiness & pine, and berry & melon. Would order multiple pints, probably like 3. ABV – 8.8% IBUs – 34.8

The beers listed above are rolling out now in all areas regularly serviced by International Wines & Craft Beer in Alabama and AB Beverage in Georgia. Look for all these beers to be available on draft and in their respective packaging format. Prost!

Heavy Seas Beer Adds Schnee Boot Eisbock to Uncharted Waters Series

Posted on October 31, 2018 by mashingin

Heavy Seas Beer (Baltimore, Maryland) has officially announced that it will introduce Schnee Boot, an Eisbock aged in bourbon barrels, in November 2018 as the newest addition to the brewery’s Uncharted Waters Series.

Here to claim the distinction of being “the strongest beer . . . ever created” by Heavy Seas Beer, Schnee Boot is a 13% ABV Eisbock that is “dark, malty, and roasty with hints of cocoa, vanilla, and dark fruits. This beast of a lager gets additional complexity from bourbon barrel aging.”

Schnee Boot will debut in November and will stick 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 establishments located in Alabama, Florida, Maryland and throughout the rest of Heavy Seas Beer’s distribution footprint. Prost!

Vital Information for Schnee Boot from Heavy Seas Beer

Release – Limited/Uncharted Waters Series, November 2018
Style – Eisbock
ABV – 13%
IBUs – 25
Malts – 2-Row, Dark Munich, Light CaraMunich, Dark CaraMunich, Special X, Chocolate Malt & Dextrose
Hops – German Perle & Hallertau Mittlefrue
Fun Fact – “Inspired by Antarctic exploration, Schnee Boot (Snow Boat) is the vessel to transport you to a far away tundra.”
Availability – 4-packs of 12 oz. bottles & draft
Beer Finder – http://www.hsbeer.com/beerfinder

Westbrook Brewing Co. to Take Over the Taps at Angry Chair Brewing

Posted on October 30, 2018 by mashingin

On Thursday, November 8 from 3 p.m. to close, the folks at Angry Chair Brewing (Tampa, Florida) will turn their taproom over to their friends from Westbrook Brewing Co. (Mount Pleasant, South Carolina) for a very special Tap Takeover that will honor the breweries’ most recent collaboration, ZOOSE JOOSE.

Not too long ago, a contingent of the Angry Chair crew ventured up to South Carolina to brew a collaboration beer with Westbrook Brewing, ZOOSE JOOSE – an Ambrosia Salad-inspired Berliner with lactose, pineapple, tangerine, tart and sweet cherry, and marshmallow. Since a beer fit for the gods can only be produced in small batches, this collaboration only experienced a limited release in Westbrook’s distribution area.

Realizing that the Angry Chair faithful would most likely want to get their hands on some ZOOSE JOOSE, Westbrook Brewing set aside some of this collaboration brew and quite a few other special kegs so that it can descend upon Angry Chair Brewing on November 8 and unleash a full-scale Tap Takeover. This event will feature the following beers from Westbrook Brewing Co.:

Beers Tapped at 3 p.m.

Key Lime Gose
Festbrook
Lemon Cucumber Gose
Piña Colada Gose
Triple Double Kriek
Mexican Cake (2018)
Russian Interference – The first collaboration beer from Angry Chair & Westbrook

Beers Tapped at 7 p.m. and Beyond

2018 Laphroiag Barrel-aged Siberian Black Magic Panther
Willet Barrel-aged Kentucky Coffee Stout
Imperial Mexican Biscotti Cake (Spicy Nacho Edition)
2017 Mexican Coffee Cake
2017 Cabernet Barrel-aged 6th Anniversary Stout (Chocolate & Hazelnut)
Leopold (Sauternes Barrel-aged Apricot & Peach Sour)
Can Can Cerise (3+year Red Wine Barrel-aged Belgian Dark Sour with Cherries)
ZOOSE JOOSE (draft only; Angry Chair WILL NOT have cans of ZOOSE JOOSE available for purchase)

Angry Chair will have a few of their beers on tap as well during this Tap Takeover, but the focus of this event is to showcase the delicious Westbrook offerings listed above. There will be NO GROWLER/CROWLER FILLS during this event.

The Westbrook Brewing Co. Tap Takeover at Angry Chair is come as you are and pay as you go. An event of this magnitude is sure to draw some serious interest from Tampa area beer lovers, so plan accordingly (carpool or Uber/Lyft and don’t park on Fern) and expect this Tap Takeover to be mostly standing-room only. Prost!

Sixpoint Brewery Sends Meltdown IIPA Out for Network-Wide Release

Posted on October 30, 2018 by mashingin

Sixpoint Brewery (Brooklyn, New York) has announced that Meltdown IIPA is officially hitting shelves and taps now as the brewery’s latest Limited Release.

Arriving as the second release in Sixpoint’s network-wide rotational IPA series, Meltdown is a New England-style Imperial India Pale Ale that forces “tons” of Mosaic and Mandarina Bavaria hops – almost five pounds of hops per barrel – to be “heated until the solid lupulin sap is diffused into solution.” This liquid sap intensifies the hop character, allowing the Mosaic hops to provide “a lush, ripe tropical aroma/flavor, along with some complexity often described as blueberry”, while the Mandarina Bavaria “gives the beer this unmistakable, bright orange zest aroma.” Clocking in at 7.8% ABV and 30 IBUs, Meltdown promises to be a “lush, hazy, juicy IIPA with ripe tropical and bright citrus characteristics, and a soft, easy finish.”

“In 2018 we’ve put a tremendous effort into innovation, creating over 35 new brands this year out of our home base in Brooklyn. These beers have spanned a broad range of styles including sours, strong porters, barrel-aged goses, and New England IPAs, with the goal of pushing boundaries and creating new flavor experiences. We scaled the techniques we’ve developed through our small batch beers to create MELTDOWN, the second in a line of rotating IPAs released network-wide this past week.

Meltdown is a double New England IPA generously dry-hopped with 4 lbs per bbl of Mosaic and Mandarina hops, and bursting in aromatics and flavor. We’ve spent the better part of the past year working towards scaling our formulations to achieve national distribution with a New England Style IPA true to the roots of the style—an absolute citrus juice bomb that’s available coast-to-coast. It took some serious effort to scale it for our entire network without sacrificing any of the integrity of the beer in the process. I’m incredibly proud of the result and am excited to share this beer with you.”

– Eric Bachli, Sixpoint Brewmaster

Meltdown IIPA is rolling out now and is expected to hang around for a limited time. You can find this Limited Release available in 6-packs of 12 oz. cans and on draft at select craft beer-focused retailers, bars and restaurants located in Alabama, Florida, New York and throughout the rest of Sixpoint’s distribution network. Prost!

Vital Information for Meltdown IIPA from Sixpoint Brewery

Release – Limited, late-October 2018
Style – New England-style Double/Imperial India Pale Ale
ABV – 7.8%
IBUs – 30
Featured Hops – Mosaic & Mandarina Bavaria
Fun Fact – The almost five pounds per barrel of hops used in Meltdown is the “most hops [Sixpoint has] ever used in a full-network release.”
Availability – 6-packs of 12 oz. cans & draft
Beer Finder – https://sixpoint.secure.force.com/?labelID=&distance=3&daysinpast=30

Tasting Notes – Dead ‘N’ Dead from Rogue Ales

Posted on October 29, 2018October 29, 2018 by mashingin

For this week’s installment of Tasting Notes, we dig up some Halloween spirit by getting into a bottle of Dead ‘N’ Dead from Rogue Ales (Newport, Oregon).

Developed to be the next “evolution” of Rogue Ales’ long-standing Dead Guy Ale, Dead ‘N’ Dead introduces the brewery’s iconic German Maibock-style Ale to the barrels that once held Dead Guy Whiskey, a spirit “distilled from the same . . . malts as . . . Dead Guy Ale.” Taking full advantage of being the only brewery-distillery-cooperage in the U.S., Rogue had their brewers, distillers and coopers work together to carefully barrel age this brew for “several months at the Rogue ocean aging room.” The hard work that went into this treatment pays off as Dead ‘N’ Dead (8.8% ABV) comes together to feature “a strong whiskey nose and added notes of oak and vanilla, with a smooth caramel flavor from the whiskey barrels that balances out Dead Guy Ale’s malty, honey sweetness.”

Dead ‘N’ Dead is available through the end of October in 22 oz. bottles and on draft. You can expect to find this Limited Release brew at select craft beer establishments located in Alabama, Florida, Oregon and throughout the rest of Rogue’s nationwide distribution footprint.

Now that we are all clued in on how this beer was brought to life, let’s raise some Dead ‘N’ Dead and get into these Tasting Notes!

Tasting Notes for Dead ‘N’ Dead from Rogue Ales

Appearance: A careful pour fills the glass with an apricot-hued, honey brown colored beer that it is topped with just over a finger of creamy, slightly off-white foam. When held to direct light, that apricot tone intensifies and the overall color shifts to more of a deep amber. The beer is a touch cloudy but remains mostly clear and displays a dutiful carbonation presence streaming about within. Head retention falters a bit, falling somewhat quickly to a thin – but lasting – ring that dots the glass with an occasional smattering of lace.

Aroma: The base beer is first to greet the nose with notes of bready malt, brown sugar, caramel and honey. The barrel then pushes forward to offer a poised amount of oak and vanilla along with deeper caramel tones. The profile gracefully closes with gentle notes of earth, leather and just a touch of dark fruit.

Taste: The whiskey barrel takes lead here as it brings soft notes of oak, vanilla, coconut and booze. The soul of Dead Guy then rises to support with notes of sweet grain, toasted bread, caramel, honey, and a bit of nuttiness. The earthiness is a bit more subdued here than it was in the aroma, but tones of citrus (from both the hops and whiskey), leather, and dark fruit (mostly a lovely, deep presence of dates) put in some beautiful work to round everything out in the finish.

Mouthfeel: On the heavier side of medium in body with a lighter carbonation than expected, this brew has a creamy texture that glides softly across the palate. The beer works toward balance, but it does end up leaning just a bit in the direction of sweet and boozy. Speaking of boozy, the 8.8% ABV does supply a building warmth in the throat that reminds you that this is indeed a brew meant for sipping. Aftertaste is all oak and dark fruit.

Final Thoughts: All in all, Dead ‘N’ Dead comes together to be a fun and impressive riff on the classic that is Dead Guy Ale. The Dead Guy Whiskey character is right on point, delivering a citrusy whiskey quality that acts as more of a compliment rather than an overwhelming focus. It is there to enhance the base beer, and it does just that by really drawing out and showcasing the malt bill that it shares with Dead Guy Ale. Those sweet notes of bread, honey and caramel act as the strong common thread that stitches Dead ‘N’ Dead together to become a seamless, sip-worthy version of Dead Guy that remains just as satisfying and memorable as the original. Although it comes across as almost effortless, the level of craftsmanship here – like in most Rogue offerings – is remarkable and should be recognized as such. Be sure to check it out if you get the chance. Prost!