Full Sail Brewing Launches Session EZ IPA as New Year-Round

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Session_EZ_IPA_WebFull Sail Brewing Co. (Hood River, Oregon) has announced that it is officially expanding its Core line of Session beers with the release of Session EZ IPA.

For the newest addition to the Session family of beers, Full Sail Brewing Co. has developed Session EZ IPA to be “everything you always wanted in an IPA, only less.”  Before you get completely confused by such a statement, the brewery means that this unfiltered IPA has “all the aromatic hops, fruit notes and citrus vibe that you and your taste buds desire – minus the mouth-puckering bitterness or the high-octane ABV.”  At just 4.8% ABV, Session EZ IPA is all about living up to is name by being a laid back, easy-drinking, go-to kind of brew.

“Our IPAs are always well received, but we’re not ones to rest on our laurels, or on our hops for that matter,” says Full Sail Brewmaster Jim Kelter. “New Session EZ IPA is a well-balanced, easy-drinking beer that’s not bitter, while fully packed with tropical and citrus aromas.”

Session EZ IPA is available now in 6-packs and 12-packs of 11 oz. bottles and on draft.  You can track this new Year-Round brew down at craft beer-friendly establishments located in Florida, Oregon and throughout the rest of Full Sail Brewing’s distribution area.  Prost!

Vital Information for Session EZ IPA from Full Sail Brewing Co.

Release – Year-Round, launching late-September 2017
Style – Session India Pale Ale
ABV – 4.8%
IBUs – 35
Featured Hops – Equinox, Citra & Cascade
Suggested Food Pairings – “Fish and chips, scallops, shrimp and the classic cheeseburger. Havarti, fontina and parmesan cheese.”
Availability – 6-packs and 12-packs of 11 oz. bottles & draft
Beer Finder – https://fullsailbrewing.com/where-to-buy/

New Holland Brewing Co. Expands Distribution to Florida

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newhollandlogoNew Holland Brewing Co. (Holland, Michigan) has announced that it has signed with J.J. Taylor Distributing and will officially launch distribution in Florida in October.

Founded in Holland, Michigan back in 1997, New Holland Brewing Co. was established with the belief that “the art of craft lives in fostering rich experiences for their customers, through creating authentic beer, spirits and food while providing great service.”  By staying true to this approach for the last 20 years, New Holland has since grown to now “[brew] and [distill] at three locations in Holland and Grand Rapids, Michigan”, employ over 400 people, and “[sell] its beer and spirits across 38 states and 4 countries.”  This steady trend of growth has now made it possible for New Holland to bring their stellar lineup of brews to the beer lovin’ masses of Florida.

“Florida has been on our mind for a long time.” says Joel Petersen, New Holland VP of Marketing. “We’ve had many, many contacts with fans of our beers who have asked us to bring our product to Florida. We are thrilled to finally launch in the state and contribute to the exciting craft scene. There are also many Midwesterners who will be able to enjoy our product when they flee the winter weather and travel to Florida. Dragon’s Milk is such a unique brand and we can’t wait to fill the glasses of current and new fans alike.”

With the help of J.J. Taylor Distributing Florida, New Holland Brewing Co. will officially begin distribution in Florida in October.  The brewery will launch in the Sunshine State with “their flagship Dragon’s Milk, a year-round Bourbon Barrel Stout, and build in products around Dragon’s Milk in the coming months.”  Dragon’s Milk will be available in 4-packs of 12 oz. bottles and on draft.

During the month of October, J.J. Taylor plans to introduce New Holland to Florida’s craft beer community with a series of “promotional events, tap invasions and tastings” that will take place at a wide array of craft beer-focused retailers, bars, and restaurants.  For details on how you can give New Holland Brewing Co. a proper welcome to the great state of Florida, you can either follow J.J. Taylor’s Events page or just check back to this post as we will update it with event information just as soon as we get it.  Prost!

Vital Information for Dragon’s Milk from New Holland Brewing Co.

Release – Year-Round, launching in Florida in October 2017
Style – Imperial Stout (barrel-aged)
ABV – 11%
IBUs – 31
Grains – 2 Row, Munich, Caramel, Crystal, Black, Chocolate Malt & Flaked Barley
Hops – Glacier & Nugget
Yeast – American Ale
Treatment – Bourbon barrel-aged
Suggested Food Pairings – “Red meat, smoked foods, balsamic, rich cheese, dark chocolate”
Availability – 4-packs of 12 oz. bottles & draft
Beer Finder – http://newhollandbrew.com/beer-finder/

Stone Brewing Goes Nationwide with Vengeful Spirit IPA

Posted on by mashingin

vengefulspirit_canmockStone Brewing (Escondido, California) has officially announced that Stone Vengeful Spirit IPA, the brewery’s latest Seasonal release, is currently hitting shelves and taps across the country.

In keeping with the brewery’s recent trend of tropically-inspired IPAs, Stone Brewing has released Stone Vengeful Spirit IPA as a Fall Seasonal that “employs a bit of tropical mythology to pay homage to [their] ever present gargoyle.”  To properly represent this tribute in the liquid, the brewers at Stone developed an unfiltered India Pale Ale with an impressive hop bill (Herkules, Mosaic, Loral & Mandarina Bavaria hops) that is further supported by the addition of pineapple and Mandarin oranges.  This all results in a 7.3% ABV IPA that “explodes with the flavors of citrus candy and tiki-style cocktails.”

“This beer brings together a lot of what’s been new for Stone lately,” said Jeremy Moynier, Stone’s senior innovation brewing manager. “We included three hops most recently featured in our Stone Hop Revolver IPA series. We’ve really been digging the combination of pineapple and tangerine, similar to what we introduced with Stone Tangerine Express IPA. By experimenting with different add rates and much different hops, we’ve come up with a really unique flavor that’s juicy, citrusy and quite frankly, a little mind-blowing.”

Stone Vengeful Spirit IPA began a limited distribution roll out earlier this month, but it is now officially available from coast to coast as of September 29.  You can find this new Seasonal offering in 6-packs of 12 oz. cans and on draft at craft beer establishments located in Alabama, Florida, California, Virginia and throughout the rest of Stone Brewing’s nationwide distribution footprint.  Prost!

Vital Information for Stone Vengeful Spirit IPA from Stone Brewing

Release – Fall Seasonal, available nationwide on September 29, 2017
Style – American India Pale Ale
ABV – 7.3%
IBUs – 57
Featured Hops – Herkules, Mosaic, Loral & Mandarina Bavaria
Added Ingredients – Pineapple & Mandarin orange
Fun Fact – “The name of the Stone Vengeful Spirit IPA pays homage to the Stone gargoyle, who, since 1996 has represented an aggressive intolerance for commoditized beer, by protecting the brewery from the omnipresent forces of evil.”
Availability – 6-packs of 12 oz. cans & draft
Beer Finder – https://find.stonebrewing.com/#ready

Table Beer Slated to be Creature Comforts Brewing’s Next Seasonal

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CCBCTableBeerPourCreature Comforts Brewing Co. (Athens, Georgia) recently announced that it will release Table Beer in October as the brewery’s next Seasonal offering.

Previously released last fall under the name Epicurious (name changed due to “legal reasons”), the newly dubbed Table Beer returns with the same mission: to simply be “a beer that best complements drinking with food and friends.”  After consulting with “a number of the top chefs in Athens and Atlanta”, Creature Comforts first focused on making this offering “highly carbonated with an invigorating minerality to help cleanse the palate in between bites of food.”  To keep things “refreshing, versatile, and approachable”, the 4.2% ABV Table Beer then provides a flavor experience featuring an “earthy, floral and soft citrus hop character [that] is balanced by complex Belgian yeast flavors and subtle bitterness on the finish.”  Finally, the use of flaked oats and rustic grains rounds the whole thing off with “a nice grain flavor and firm mouthfeel.”

“The idea of a Table Beer is not new, and in fact it is practically the genesis for beer,” said Chris Herron – Co-founder and CEO of Creature Comforts Brewing Co. “Our goal was to design a beer that serves as a complement to food rather than a distraction – something unpretentious, that is meant to simply be enjoyed with friends around the dinner table.”

Table Beer will officially arrive in October and act as a Seasonal release.  You can expect to find this brew available in 6-packs of 12 oz. cans and on draft at craft beer-focused restaurants, retailers and bars located within Creature Comforts Brewing Co.’s distribution network in Athens and Atlanta, Georgia.  Prost!

Vital Information for Table Beer from Creature Comforts Brewing Co.

Release – Seasonal; arrives on draft in early-October 2017 & cans will follow later in the month
Style – Unspecified
ABV – 4.2% 
Availability – 6-packs of 12 oz. cans & draft
Distribution – Athens & Atlanta, Georgia

Tasting Notes: TreasureFest from Heavy Seas Beer

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HSTfestBottleOur week of Oktoberfest-fueled Tasting Notes continues as we get into some appropriately tall pours of TreasureFest Oktoberfest Lager from Heavy Seas Beer (Baltimore, Maryland).

Back for another year as the brewery’s late-summer/early-fall Seasonal, TreasureFest is Heavy Seas Beer’s “American spin” on the Oktoberfest Lager.  Beginning with a traditional base of imported German malts and hops, the brewers at Heavy Seas then put an American twist on TreasureFest by dry-hopping the beer with a hearty dose of American hops. At 6% ABV and 35 IBUs, TreasureFest promises to be “a fresh look at the old Oktober stand-by.”  TreasureFest is available now but nearing the end of its Seasonal run.  You can find this offering available in 6-packs of 12 oz. bottles and on draft at craft beer establishments located in Alabama, Florida, Maryland, and throughout the rest of Heavy Seas Beer’s distribution network.

With all that information now properly covered, I do believe it is time to fill these steins and get into some Tasting Notes!

Tasting Notes for TreasureFest Oktoberfest Lager from Heavy Seas Beer

Appearance: With two fingers of frothy, off-white eggshell-colored foam resting on top, TreasureFest presents itself as a ruddy, amber-colored brew that holds some deep red-orange tones at its core.  When held to the light, the beer brightens to expose more vibrant copper and orange hues.  The incredibly clear body displays a spirited carbonation presence streaming within.  Head retention is pretty spectacular, but it does eventually (over a great deal of time) fall to a dense, foamy half finger that coats the stein with elaborate, pencil-thin lace patterns.

Aroma:  Hops jump into the nose first with a flourish of floral and citrus tones.  Once certain that they have gained your attention, the hops back off a bit to allow the malts to come forward with notes of lightly-toasted bread, brown sugar and caramel.  The hops and malts eventually find equal ground to close with a lovely mix of floral hops and clean grains.

Taste:  The flavor profile begins with an alluring blend of German and American hops.  We are talking about some floral, lightly zesty tones that are matched by a bright pop of orange and grapefruit zest.  Acting quicker here than in the nose, the malts advance to assertively lay down some balancing bready, biscuity and caramel notes.  The hops ultimately win the final battle by closing out the profile with a parting strike of resiny goodness.

Mouthfeel: TreasureFest is medium in body with a medium carbonation presence.  This creates a feel that is not too thin and not too heavy, allowing the beer to move well across the palate.  Having a good mix of bitterness and sweetness, the beer finds a really nice balance.  At 6%, the ABV does bring a little warmth but nothing too crazy.  Aftertaste is just a little lingering tingle of citrus zest and a touch of hop resin.

Final Thoughts: Yeah, TreasureFest may be far from traditional but it is a really interesting take on the Oktoberfest-style Lager.  It may surprise many with that healthy pop of American hops, but it still retains that beautiful and wanted malt backbone we all look for during Oktoberfest season.  That building malt presence in both aroma and flavor strikes a finely tuned balance that keeps this beer in the Oktoberfest realm while the hops are just enough to allow it to stand out a bit from the crowd. This makes TreasureFest a great option for the hopheads out there that still want to get in the spirit of the season or for those who wish to just shock the palate a bit after a long day of more malt-driven Oktoberfests and Märzens.  All in all, TreasureFest comes together to be a unique and damn tasty riff on the style, and it is absolutely worth tracking down at some point during this year’s Oktoberfest celebration.  Be sure to check it out while you can.  Prost!

Founders Brewing Co. Prepares for Annual Return of Backwoods Bastard

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unnamed (58)_editedFounders Brewing Co. (Grand Rapids, Michigan) recently announced that Backwoods Bastard will officially return in mid-October as the next release in brewery’s Barrel-Aged Series.

Although this is the first year it is being released as a part of the brewery’s newly established Barrel-Aged Series, Backwoods Bastard returns as a well-respected veteran of the Founders Brewing Co. portfolio of limited releases.  This fan-favorite offering is a Scotch Ale that has been Bourbon barrel-aged so that it may evoke “lovely, warm smells of single malt scotch, oaky bourbon barrels, smoke, sweet caramel and roasted malts, a bit of earthy spice and a scintilla of dark fruit.”  Weighing in at an imposing 11.2% ABV, Backwoods Bastard is a slow-sipper that demands your respect.

This year’s batch of Backwoods Bastard will officially release in mid-October and be available while supplies last.  You can expect to find this Limited Release offering in 4-packs of 12 oz. bottles, 750ml bottles (new this year) and on draft at select craft beer establishments located in Alabama, Florida, Michigan and throughout the rest of Founders Brewing Co.’s distribution network.  Prost!

Vital Information for Backwoods Bastard from Founders Brewing Co.

Release – Limited/Barrel-Aged Series, mid-October 2017
Style – Scotch Ale
ABV – 11.2%
IBUs – 50
Treatment – Aged in oak Bourbon barrels
Availability – 4-packs of 12 oz. bottles, 750ml bottles & draft
Beer Finder – https://foundersbrewing.com/find-our-beer/

 

Boulevard Brewing Co. Introduces Bundle Up Barleywine

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BundleUp-Diamond-BadgeBoulevard Brewing Co. (Kansas City, Missouri) has announced that Bundle Up Barleywine Ale will make its official debut in October as a new Limited Release offering.

Arriving as Boulevard Brewing’s “first-ever Barleywine”, Bundle Up has been crafted to fall at the “intersection of American and English Barleywine” styles.  To pull this off, Boulevard starts with “a substantial malt base” to create a “chewy character” that is filled with “bold flavors of English toffee and freshly baked molasses cookies.”  Thanks to a hop bill comprised of Columbus, Cascade, Centennial and Chinook hops, the hearty malts are then countered “with 59 IBUs of piney, spicy, resinous notes with just a touch of lingering citrus.” This dance between the two Barleywine styles results in Bundle Up having an “ample (yet not cloying) sweetness to create a pleasant balance between the bitterness of the hops and specialty grains.”

Bundle Up Barleywine Ale will launch in the Greater Kansas City Area on October 2 and progressively roll out in other regions in the weeks that follow.  Once it hits, you can expect to find this Limited Release offering in 750ml bottles and on draft at select beer establishments located in Alabama, Florida, Missouri and other Boulevard Brewing Co. distribution areas “that typically see Smokestack Series Limited Release and seasonal beers like Saison Brett, Rye on Rye on Rye and Love Child blends.”  Prost!

Vital Information for Bundle Up Barleywine Ale from Boulevard Brewing Co.

Release – Limited Release, launching October 2017
Style – Barleywine-style Ale
ABV – 10.5%
IBUs – 59
Malts – Pale Malt, Cara 300, Cara 120, Amber 50 & Maris Otter
Hops – Columbus, Cascade, Centennial & Chinook hops
Yeast – Boulevard’s house Scottish yeast strain
Suggested Food Pairings – “Braised beef cheeks, $15 mac & cheese, shepherd’s pie, molasses cookies”
Availability – 750ml bottles & draft
Beer Finder – https://www.boulevard.com/beer/beer-finder/

3 Daughters Brewing Earns Emerging Business Achievement Award

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3daughtersglassWhile hosting the Dream Big Small Business of the Year celebration on September 12, the U.S. Chamber of Commerce named 3 Daughters Brewing (St. Petersburg, Florida) as a recipient of the Emerging Business Achievement Award.

Attending the event as one of eighteen finalists from across the country, 3 Daughters Brewing walked away from the Dream Big Small Business of the Year celebration – an “annual award ceremony [that] celebrates the achievements of small businesses and honors their contributions to America’s economic growth” – as a winner of the Emerging Business Achievement Award.  Bestowed by a panel of judges, this award “recognizes a start-up company that has attained outstanding business practices and exemplifies the spirit of innovation, entrepreneurship and individual initiative.”

“This award is a testament to our amazing team and their dedication to making outstanding craft beer,” said Mike Harting, CEO of 3 Daughters Brewing. “We are honored to be chosen from the many small businesses that are making a difference by creating jobs and driving the local economy.”

This is a big win for 3 Daughters Brewing and their entire crew, and we would like to take a moment to extend a much-deserved congratulations to everyone at the brewery.  Keep up the good work, and thank you for further proving that our small, local breweries are more than capable of doing big things in this country.   Prost!

Left Hand Brewing Encourages Beer Fans to Study Abroad this Fall

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LeftHandStudyAbroadLeft Hand Brewing Company (Longmont, Colorado) has officially introduced Study Abroad Belgian-style Single Ale as the brewery’s new Fall Seasonal release.

To give us all a little taste of the beer culture and practices enjoyed in foreign lands, Left Hand Brewing Company is taking us back to school this fall with the release of Study Abroad.  Brewed to be an in-depth look at Belgian yeast characteristics, this low-ABV Belgian-Style Single Ale “has a distinct spiciness with mild fruit esters”.  Those who partake in a pour of Study Abroad can expect an experience filled with “flavor notes of graham cracker, bubble gum, and white wine.”

Study Abroad Belgian-style Single Ale is available now and scheduled to last through the month of October.  You can expect to find this Seasonal offering available in 6-packs of 12 oz. cans and on draft at craft beer-friendly retailers, bars and restaurants located in Alabama, Florida, Colorado and throughout the rest of Left Hand Brewing’s distribution area.  Prost!

Vital Information for Study Abroad from Left Hand Brewing Company

Release – Seasonal, Fall 2017 (late-August through October)
Style – Belgian-style Single Ale
ABV – 4.5%
IBUs – 35
Malts – Pilsner, 2-row, Wheat & Aromatic
Hops – Jarrylo
Availability – 6-packs of 12 oz. cans & draft
Beer Finder – http://lefthandbrewing.com/beer-finder/

Tasting Notes: Festie from Starr Hill Brewery

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FestieStarr_editedNow that Oktoberfest season is in full swing, we shift the focus of Tasting Notes to the beers brewed to honor this great tradition.  First up, we take a look at Festie Oktoberfest Lager from Starr Hill Brewery (Crozet, Virginia).

Staying true to their belief that “a great playlist is all about what’s new and what’s next”, the music lovin’ souls at Starr Hill Brewery established the Heavy Rotation Series as a means “to keep fresh styles of beer coming your way.”  Festie Oktoberfest Lager has arrived as the current release in this series, and it is Starr Hill’s “tribute to the great German lager.” At 4.8% ABV, this “rich and malty” offering is meant to “[invoke] the German tradition of Oktoberfest, while also paying homage to the end of the summer music festival season.”  As an added bonus, the intentions behind this beer are further echoed with a specially curated Spotify Playlist “featuring tunes that combine flavors of folk, funk, jam band, and rock to pair perfectly with a bottle of Festie” (click here to listen).

Festie Oktoberfest Lager is out now and available throughout Oktoberfest season.  You can expect to find this Limited Release offering in 6-packs of 12 oz. bottles, in the Fall Tour Variety 12-pack, and on draft at craft beer establishments located in Alabama, Virginia, and throughout the rest of Starr Hill’s distribution area.

With all of those necessary background details now out of the way, I do believe it is time to fill a glass and get our Oktoberfest on with some Tasting Notes!

Tasting Notes for Festie Oktoberfest Lager from Starr Hill Brewery

Appearance: Festie fills the glass as a rich amber-colored brew that has chestnut tones.  When held to direct light, the amber notes brighten and the color softens.  The beer is crystal clear and shows a steady carbonation presence that is doing its best to feed the finger of off-white foam that was built during the pour.  That head fades with a quickness, reducing down to a thin ring that leaves minimal spots of lace behind on the glass.

Aroma: The aromatics begin with a light caramel malt character that slowly opens to take on a nutty quality – almonds and hazelnuts.  Bready notes eventually work their way forward to round the aroma off with a clean grain presence and just a grace of sweetness.

Taste: In an unexpected twist, the flavor profile actually leads with a faintly herbal, lightly sweetened tea-like quality. Caramelized nuts then surface to bring some sweetness before a hearty, bready malt note settles in.  The classic grain character establishes itself firmly thanks to the complementing German lager yeast. The flavor closes just as it started . . . with a light wash of that herbal/tea note.

Mouthfeel: This lager is on the lighter side of medium in body with a crisp carbonation level.  It is lightly sweet on the palate, but well balanced by that touch of herbal character.  The 4.8% ABV shows no interest in playing a factor here, and that just further adds to the offering’s easy-drinking nature.  The aftertaste is just a breath of lingering nuttiness.

Final Thoughts: Overall, Festie is a very clean, delightfully approachable, and refreshingly light representation of the Oktoberfest/Märzen, but still has all the flavor one expects to find from a beer of the style.  The beer’s light body and low ABV just aids in its high level of drinkability, making it a perfect candidate to fill massive steins at Oktoberfest celebrations taking place throughout the Southeast.  If you are looking to get festive without getting (too) sloppy this Oktoberfest season, Starr Hill Brewery’s Festie Oktoberfest Lager is certainly a beer that should be in your sights.  Be sure to check it out before its limited run comes to an end.  Prost!