Beer | Mashing In

Perrin Brewing Set to Release Black Goat Bourbon Barrel-aged Black Lager

Posted on May 4, 2017May 4, 2017 by mashingin

Perrin Brewing Company (Comstock Park, Michigan) recently announced that they will let loose the Black Goat Double Black Lager Aged in Bourbon Barrels on Friday, May 12.

Arriving as Perrin Brewing’s third specialty bottle release of 2017, Black Goat is a “high gravity double black lager [that] was laid down and aged for several months before coming to life.” This amped up Schwarzbier sports aromatics of vanilla, stone fruit and chocolate while featuring “a unique charred oak character and a smooth, warm caramel bourbon flavor that will exceed all taste bud expectations.” At 8.5% ABV, Black Goat is a complex lager that demands your respect and is meant for sipping.

Black Goat officially launches in the Perrin Brewing Company pub on May 12 on draft and on May 15 in 22 oz. bottles. Shortly after the pub release, Black Goat will be available at select craft beer establishments located in Perrin Brewing’s distribution area of Florida, Michigan, Colorado, Indiana, Ohio and New York City. If you happen to reside in these areas, be sure to check this one out later this month. Prost!

Vital Information for Black Goat from Perrin Brewing Company

Release – Limited/Specialty Barrel-Aged Series (Tier Two), available on draft on May 12 and in bottles on May 15, 2017
Style – Imperial Black Lager/Schwarzbier
ABV – 8.5%
IBUs – 25
Availability – 22 oz. bottles & draft
Distribution – Michigan, Colorado, Indiana, Ohio, Florida & New York City
Beer Finder – http://www.perrinbrewing.com/beer-finder/

Dogfish Head Sends Romantic Chemistry IPA and Festina Pêche Out for the Summer

Posted on May 4, 2017May 4, 2017 by mashingin

Dogfish Head Craft Brewery (Milton, Delaware) has officially announced the release of Romantic Chemistry IPA and Festina Pêche Neo-Berliner Weisse as two thirst-quenching seasonals that craft beer fans can enjoy all summer long.

To satisfy any hop hankerings you may encounter this summer, Dogfish Head has you covered with the Seasonal release of Romantic Chemistry IPA. This “serious” American India Pale Ale (7.2% ABV and 40 IBUs) gets its amplified level of refreshment thanks to being “brewed with an intermingling of mangos, apricots, hops, ginger, and a beautiful essential oil called myrcene which overlaps with all the components.” After a dry-hopping with three hop varieties, the beer rounds off with “a tropical fruit aroma and a hop-forward finish.” Romantic Chemistry is available now and will be hanging around through the month of August. You can find this Seasonal brew available in 6-packs of 12 oz. bottles and on draft at craft beer establishments in Alabama, Florida, Delaware and throughout the rest of Dogfish Head’s distribution footprint.

“We’ve been experimenting with fruit and citrus IPAs since 1996 when we released Aprihop, an IPA brewed with apricots,” says Sam Calagione, founder and CEO of Dogfish Head Craft Brewery. “Fruit IPAs continue to be the biggest breakout craft beer style in America and we’re proud of the innovative, fruit-centric IPAs we have available now in both Romantic Chemistry in bottles and Flesh & Blood in cans.”

First brewed back in 2007, Festina Pêche has certainly earned its craft beer street cred by being one of the earliest widely-available American representations of the Berliner Weisse style. Lovingly dubbed “a tart and refreshing neo-Berliner Weisse,” Dogfish Head’s take on the style is “brewed to deliver a green apple-like tartness flavor balanced with sweet peachy goodness.” Clocking in just 4.5% ABV and 8 IBUs, this pale straw-colored ale “is unique in that the fruit complexity is woven into the aroma and taste through the natural fermentation of the peach sugars.” Officially releasing on May 7, Festina Pêche will be available in 4-packs of 12 oz. bottles and on draft through August. Like Romantic Chemistry IPA, Festina Pêche will also be available at craft beer focused restaurants, bars and retailers located within Dogfish Head’s distribution network.

“We started brewing Festina Peche back in 2007 and a full decade later, it continues to be one of our top selling, most requested beers by our fans,” says Calagione. “When you relax, unwind and slow down on the beach with loved ones this summer, you should do so deliberately, without haste, and with a Festina Peche in your hand.”

Romantic Chemistry IPA and Festina Pêche Neo-Berliner Weisse will only be available during the summer months, so just keep these two options in mind when you are on the hunt for refreshing brews capable of beating back the inevitable heat headed your way. Prost!

Vital Information for Romantic Chemistry IPA from Dogfish Head Craft Brewery

Release – Seasonal, April to August 2017
Style – American India Pale Ale
ABV – 7.2%
IBUs – 40
Added Ingredients – Mangos, apricots, ginger, and the essential oil myrcene
Suggested Glassware – IPA glass
Suggested Food Pairings – White Stilton with apricots, Roquefort, Parmesan, salads, swordfish, Mexican dishes, barbeque, hummus
Availability – 6-packs of 12 oz. bottles & draft
Beer Finder (a.k.a. Fishfinder) – https://www.dogfish.com/brewery/fishfinder

Vital Information for Festina Pêche Neo-Berliner Weisse from Dogfish Head Craft Brewery

Release – Seasonal, May to August 2017
Style – Berliner Weisse
ABV – 4.5%
IBUs – 8
Added Ingredients – Peaches
Suggested Glassware – Pint
Suggested Food Pairings – Chèvre cheese, grilled chicken or fish, salad
Availability – 4-packs of 12 oz. bottles & draft
Beer Finder (a.k.a. Fishfinder) – https://www.dogfish.com/brewery/fishfinder

Cascade Brewing Releases Kriek 2016

Posted on May 3, 2017September 18, 2017 by mashingin

Cascade Brewing (Portland, Oregon) has officially announced the release of the Kriek 2016 into distribution.

Recently named the “Top Sour Beer in America” by the New York Times, Cascade Brewing’s Kriek is back with a new vintage and a new look. This Tier One Project offering from the brewery is “a blend of sour red ales aged in oak wine barrels for up to 17 months with Bing and sour pie cherries.” This labor intensive process results in a 7.4% ABV American Sour Ale that “features complex flavors of cherries, roast malts, oak and spice.”

“As one of our earliest and most recognized beers, Kriek has been a staple in our portfolio of Northwest sour ales,” explained Tim Larrance, vice president of sales and marketing. “Kriek continues to be a flagship project that represents the soul of our craft.”

Kriek 2016 officially launched on May 2 with a release in bottles and on draft at the two pubs of Cascade Brewing. If you are not in the Portland area, you will soon be able to find Kriek 2016 in 750 ml bottles and on draft at select craft beer establishments in Alabama, Florida, Oregon and throughout the rest of Cascade Brewing’s distribution network. Kriek 2016 is only available while supplies last, so stock up and enjoy. Prost!

Vital Information for Kriek 2016 from Cascade Brewing

Release – Tier One Project, May 2, 2017
Style – American Sour Ale (blended)
ABV – 7.4%
Added Ingredients – Bing and sour pie cherries
Treatment – a blend of Sour Red Ales aged for up to 17 months in oak wine barrels with cherries
Availability – 750 ml bottles & draft
Distribution – http://cascadebrewing.com/index.php/page/distributors

Heavy Seas Beer Sets the Table for Return of Blackbeard’s Breakfast

Posted on May 3, 2017May 3, 2017 by mashingin

Heavy Seas Beer (Baltimore Maryland) recently announced that Blackbeard’s Breakfast Bourbon Barrel-aged Porter brewed with Coffee will see a limited release beginning in late May.

That’s right, craft beer fans . . . Blackbeard’s Breakfast has once again reemerged from the depths of Heavy Seas Beer’s Uncharted Waters Series, a lineup of barrel/wood-aged limited releases that exhibits elevated levels of brewing prowess. Thanks to the use of “unique” English malts, this Imperial Porter lays down a hearty foundation that boasts “strong notes of caramel and a slight nut character.” This beer is then brewed with Dark Sumatra coffee from Chesapeake Bay Roasting Company to create added layers of roast and complexity. The brewers at Heavy Seas then finish the beer off by giving it a long rest in bourbon barrels so that it can pick up notes of vanilla, oak and whiskey. Weighing in at a sizable 10% ABV, Blackbeard’s Breakfast promises to be an experience that “will please coffee and beer connoisseurs alike.”

“Blackbeard’s Breakfast is probably one of the most challenging beers we’ve ever brewed. Its starting gravity of 23.5 Plato is higher than anything we’ve ever attempted at Heavy Seas. We used eight different malts, including 7 from the U.K. – Amber, Black, Chocolate, two types of Crystal, and Vienna comprise almost 40% of the grain bill. This beer possesses layers of malt flavor. At 10% ABV, with earthy, herbaceous English hops, bourbon-barrel aging, and Chesapeake Bay Roasting Company’s Dark Sumatra coffee, this beer is complex, mysterious, and one heck of a delicious brew.”

– Christopher Leonard, Brewmaster at Heavy Seas Beer

Blackbeard’s Breakfast is slated for release in late May to early June. You can expect to find this limited release available in 22 oz. bottles and on draft at select craft beer establishments located in Alabama, Florida, Maryland and throughout the rest of the Heavy Seas distribution area. In this day and age, “barrel-aged” pretty much means “high in demand” within the beer community. With that in mind, make a mental note now for the release of Blackbeard’s Breakfast so that you are able to get your bottle or pour at the end of the month. Prost!

Vital Information for Blackbeard’s Breakfast from Heavy Seas Beer

Release – Limited/Uncharted Waters Series, available late May to early June 2017
Style – American Imperial Porter
ABV – 10%
IBUs – 40
Malts – Pale, Marris Otter, Vienna, Amber, Light Crystal, Dark Crystal Chocolate & Black
Hops – Target & East Kent Goldings
Added Ingredients – Sumatra coffee from Chesapeake Bay Roasting Company
Treatment – Aged in Bourbon barrels
Availability – 22 oz. bottles & draft
Beer Finder – http://hsbeer.com/beerfinder

PC Pils and Sumatra Mountain Brown Make Seasonal Return for Founders Brewing Co.

Posted on May 2, 2017May 2, 2017 by mashingin

Founders Brewing Co. (Grand Rapids, Michigan) recently announced that PC Pils and Sumatra Mountain Brown have officially returned to shelves and taps as a couple of “spring offerings that highlight [the brewery’s] depth of production.”

First introduced in 2016, PC Pils is back this year by popular demand and with “a more extended run from April to August 2017.” This Seasonal offering reimagines the classic Pilsner style thanks to a recipe loaded “with three flavor-packed American hops: Chinook, Cascade and Centennial.” Clocking in at a reasonable 5.5% ABV, PC Pils is “pleasantly crisp, . . . perfectly clean, . . . and profoundly crushable.” PC Pils is available now in 6-packs of 12 oz. bottles (suggested retail price of $9.99), 15-packs of 12 oz. cans (suggested retail price of $17.99) and on draft at craft beer-friendly restaurants, bars and retailers located in Alabama, Florida, Michigan and throughout the rest of the Founders Brewing Co. distribution area.

Also making a return after debuting in 2016, Sumatra Mountain Brown – a 9% ABV Imperial Brown Ale made with Sumatra coffee – acts as “a bold addition” to the brewery’s Specialty Series. This brew begins with a base comprised of “a team of malts including Caramel malt for sweetness, flaked barley for dense foam, a bit of Chocolate malt for its deep color and Aromatic and Munich malts to add even more depth.” These malts are then balanced with the use of “German and Perle hops”, and rich Sumatra coffee is then added to take “this perfectly balanced Brown Ale to a decadent level.” Sumatra Mountain Brown is available from May until June in 4-packs of 12 oz. bottles (suggested retail price of $11.99) and on draft. You can find this Specialty release available at select craft beer establishments found within Founders Brewing Co.’s distribution footprint.

PC Pils and Sumatra Mountain Brown join Doom Barrel-aged Imperial IPA – click here to read more about this latest release from the Barrel-Aged Series – to complete a trifecta of springtime releases from Founders Brewing Co. All three of these offerings are only available for a limited time, so be sure to secure your stash while you can. Prost!

Vital Information for PC Pils from Founders Brewing Co.

Release – Seasonal, April to August 2017
Style – Pilsner
ABV – 5.5%
IBUs – 45
Hops – Chinook, Cascade & Centennial
Availability – 6-packs of 12 oz. bottles ($9.99), 15-packs of 12 oz. cans ($17.99) & draft
Beer Finder – https://foundersbrewing.com/find-our-beer/

Vital Information for Sumatra Mountain Brown from Founders Brewing Co.

Release – Specialty, May to June 2017
Style – American Imperial Brown Ale
ABV – 9%
IBUs – 40
Featured Malts – Caramel, Chocolate, Aromatic, Munich & Flaked Barley
Added Ingredients – Sumatra coffee
Availability – 4-packs of 12 oz. bottles ($11.99) & draft
Beer Finder – https://foundersbrewing.com/find-our-beer/

Bear Republic Brewing Co. Establishes Legacy Series

Posted on May 2, 2017 by mashingin

Bear Republic Brewing Co. (Sonoma County, California) recently announced that they will now offer a selection of their classic, brewery-defining beers as seasonally released offerings in the newly established Legacy Series.

As an act of reflection upon 20 years of brewing handcrafted beers, Bear Republic Brewing Co. has launched the Legacy Series to feature “a catalog of craft beers that have helped define the brewery’s legacy.” Each year, this new series will highlight ” a rotating cycle of four Bear Republic staples” that will be available on a seasonal basis. The lineup of Legacy Series offerings in 2017 (and part of 2018) is as follows:

Red Rocket Ale

Release – April to June 2017
Style – American Amber Ale
Description – “A bastardized Scottish style red ale that traces its origins to our homebrew roots. This full bodied and hoppy brew finishes on the palate with sweet, caramel malt flavors. The complex malt bill mixes distinctive pale, caramel, and roasted malts with aromatic Cascade and Centennial hops.
Red Rocket is the brew that started it all. An example of Bear Republic’s hop forward approach without fear of stepping outside the style guidelines, this was the Brewmaster’s original quest for brewing excellence with no boundaries. This is a beer with many stories to tell.”
Stats – ABV: 6.8% – IBUs: 67 – Color: Deep Copper Red
Suggested Food Pairings – Rich Dishes, Gouda, Beef, Pork, Wild Game
Notable Awards – Great American Beer Festival® Silver – Other Strong Ales: 1998, 1999; World Beer Cup Bronze: 1998; Seven awards from the California State Fair: 1998-2012

Hop Rod Rye

Release – July to September 2017
Style – Rye IPA
Description – “A high gravity IPA brewed with 18% rye malt. Hop Rod Rye has a floral hop aroma and subtle caramel notes with a slightly earthy and spicy rye character.”
Stats: ABV: 8.0% – IBUs: 80 – Color: Amber
Suggested Food Pairings – Smoked Meats, Chili, Gumbo, Soft Cheeses, Beef, Pork, Wild Game
Notable Awards – Six awards from the California State Fair: 2006-2014

Peter Brown Tribute Ale

Release – October to December 2017
Style – American Brown Ale
Description – “A malty American Brown Ale brewed with molasses, brown sugar, and hopped with Cascade and Centennial. It’s just the way Pete would have wanted it.”
Stats: ABV: 6.3% – IBUs: 21 – Color: Brown
Suggested Food Pairings – Sweet and Savory Dishes, Blue Cheese, Beef, Pork
Notable Awards – Great American Beer Festival® Gold, Silver, Bronze – Brown Porter: 2004, 2006, 2012, 2015; Three awards from the California State Fair: 2007-2012; San Diego International Beer Competition, Bronze: 2016

Big Bear Black Stout

Release – January to March 2018
Style – American Stout
Description – “A big, black stout you can really sink your teeth into. The bold, roasty, caramel malt flavor is balanced by Centennial and Cascade hops.”
Stats – ABV: 8.1% – IBUs: 55 – Color: Black
Suggested Food Pairings – Grilled Meats, Dishes with Coffee, Dark Chocolate, Salty, Sweet, or Creamy Cheeses, Beef
Notable Awards – Great American Beer Festival® Silver – American-Style Stout: 2007; World Beer Cup Gold: 2002; Four awards from the California State Fair: 2004-2014

“While our team is constantly creating new recipes, the Legacy Series is a testament to the success of the great classic Bear Republic beers that have been a part of our portfolio for over twenty years.”

– Peter Kruger, Master Brewer at Bear Republic Brewing Co.

As mentioned above, the Legacy Series kicks off with the release of Red Rocket Ale from April to June 2017. Red Rocket Ale is available for a limited time in 22 oz. bottles and on draft at craft beer establishments located in Florida, California and throughout the rest of Bear Republic’s distribution area. The remaining three Legacy Series beers will get the same packaging and distribution treatment as Red Rocket Ale during their scheduled times of release. If you happen to be a die-hard fan that is local to Bear Republic’s brewpub in Healdsburg, California, you are the real winner here because “the Legacy Series beers are available on tap daily.” These iconic brews are true examples of American craft beer history, so be sure to revisit these Legacy Series offerings as they release throughout the year. Prost!

Jester King Brewery and The Kernel Brewery Collaborate on Colonel Toby Farmhouse Ale

Posted on May 1, 2017 by mashingin

Jester King Brewery (Austin, Texas) has officially announced the release of Colonel Toby, A Hoppy Little Farmhouse Ale brewed in collaboration with The Kernel Brewery (London, England).

The Kernel Brewery of London and Head Brewer Toby Munn have long been known for their “commitment to balance, simplicity, and restraint when it comes to brewing.” Being admirers of such an approach to the craft, Jester King Brewery invited Munn to Texas so that they could create a collaboration beer that properly pays respect to this brewing philosophy. On October 24, 2016, this international team of brewers developed Colonel Toby with a recipe comprised of “Hill Country well water, 93% Crisp Maris Otter, 7% rolled oats, and Cascade hops.” This Farmhouse Ale was then fermented on stainless steel with a “mixed culture of brewers yeast and native yeast and bacteria.” Finally, Colonel Toby was dry-hopped with Citra and Centennial hops to result in “a hoppy, simple little farmhouse ale (3.4% ABV), that . . . is great for casually enjoying with friends and family.”

Colonel Toby officially released in 750 ml bottles at Jester King Brewery on Friday, April 28th. This limited release offering will also be available at select fine beer establishments located in Alabama, Florida, Texas and within the rest of Jester King Brewery’s distribution area. Only about 6,500 bottles of Colonel Toby are available, so be sure to snag yourself a bottle if you are lucky enough to happen across one. Prost!

Vital Information for Colonel Toby from Jester King Brewery & The Kernel Brewery

Release – Limited/Collaboration, late-April 2017
Style – Farmhouse Ale
ABV – 3.4%
IBUs – 56
Malts – 93% Crisp Maris Otter, 7% Rolled Oats
Hops – Cascade, dry-hopped with Citra & Centennial
Availability – 750 ml bottles

Oskar Blues Brewery to Introduce FUGLI IPA as Summer Seasonal

Posted on May 1, 2017 by mashingin

Oskar Blues Brewery (Longmont, Colorado) has announced that FUGLI Yuzu & Ugli Fruit IPA is scheduled for release beginning on May 5 as the brewery’s newest summer Seasonal offering.

To supply the craft beer community with an exotic and refreshing option during the warm weather months, the folks at Oskar Blues have developed FUGLI IPA with a recipe headlined by the following three fruits:

Yuzu – “an exotic, tangy dumpy looking lemon from Japan”
Jamaican Ugli Fruit – “an aesthetic nightmare with a surprisingly tasty tangerine-and-grapefruit flavor”
Rangpur – a lemon and orange hybrid grown in Bangladesh

Perfectly complementing the beer’s Mosaic hops and reserved malt bill, these obscure citrus fruits create a “crisp and clean” American India Pale Ale that is “not too bitter, and not too fruity.” At just 5.8% ABV and 60 IBUs, FUGLI IPA proves to be an incredibly easy drinking offering that is “top of the list for outdoor day-drinking.”

“FUGLI was inspired by a collaboration with Japan’s Yo-Ho Brewing Company that everyone here loved,” said Tim Matthews, Head of Brewing Operations at Oskar Blues. “We felt we could take it to another level so we added more fruits, paired them with zesty mosaic hops, and started messing around with a light malt bill that gives a full mouthfeel.”

FUGLI IPA will officially launch at the start of May with the following release parties hosted by the three taprooms of Oskar Blues:

Brevard, North Carolina: Friday, May 5th, Details here
Austin, Texas: Friday, May 5th, Details here
Longmont, Colorado: Saturday, May 6th, Details here

Beyond these three release parties, this seasonal offering will also be available nationwide from May to August 2017. When released, you will be able to find FUGLI IPA in 6-packs of 12 oz. cans and on draft at craft beer establishments located in Alabama, Florida, Colorado, North Carolina, Texas and throughout the rest of Oskar Blues Brewery’s expansive distribution network. Get yourself some FUGLI IPA and “let the jorts-wearin’, backyard-grillin’, yard-loungin’, frisbee-tossin’ beer-drinkin’ season commence.” Prost!

Vital Information for FUGLI IPA from Oskar Blues Brewery

Release – Seasonal, launching May 5, 2017
Style – American India Pale Ale
ABV – 5.8%
IBUs – 60
Featured Hops – Mosaic
Additional Ingredients – Yuzu, ugli fruit & rangpur
Availability – 6-packs of 12 oz. bottles & draft
Beer Finder – https://www.oskarblues.com/beerFinder

Tasting Notes – The Classics: KBS (2017) from Founders Brewing Co.

Posted on April 28, 2017 by mashingin

This week’s segment of Tasting Notes shows some appreciation for the classics by taking a look at the 2017 vintage of KBS from Founders Brewing Co. (Grand Rapids, Michigan).

As we reported a little over a month ago, Founders Brewing Co. initiated their annual frenzy within the craft beer community on April 1 when they began to distribute this year’s vintage of KBS. Known as “one of the craft world’s most prized annual releases,” this highly coveted Imperial Stout is brewed with generous amounts of coffee and chocolate. Once the brewing process is completed, the beer is then aged in oak bourbon barrels for over a year “in caves that were at one time gypsum mines, beneath Grand Rapids.” This all results in an 11.8% ABV offering filled with complex layers of indulgent chocolate, coffee and bourbon. Although KBS is an incredibly limited offering that quickly sells out each year, we have still seen it on shelves at various locations in Alabama and Florida. If you strike out at the bottle shop, your best bet is to track it down on tap at fine beer bars and restaurants throughout the distribution area of Founders Brewing Co.

Any day is a good day to get into a glass of KBS, so let’s pop the top on this bottle and take down some Tasting Notes!

Tasting Notes for KBS (2017) from Founders Brewing Co.

Appearance: A steady pour of KBS produces two fingers of creamy, mocha-colored foam resting above a body that is black as pitch. Completely opaque, there is absolutely zero opportunity for light to find its way through this brew. Over time, the head reluctantly falls to a chunky top cap that dutifully notches the glass with lace after each sip. Simply a gorgeously presented Stout.

Aroma: The aromatics open with rich, lush notes of fine chocolates. In particular, dark chocolate and bitter cocoa nibs develop nicely to fill the bulb of the glass and hit the nose on every approach. This shifts to a lightly bitter, but wonderfully roasted note from the coffee and malts. Vanilla, molasses and just a grace of bourbon close out the profile.

Taste: Molasses, brown sugar, and dark caramel notes get the party started in the flavor department. A massive chocolate presence follows closely behind with tones of cocoa, dark chocolate and milk chocolate. Roasted malts provide a hearty grain presence that readily supports a heavenly vanilla note and a blatant bourbon quality. This immense flavor experience eventually subsides to leave behind a lingering note that strikingly reads as dark chocolate covered espresso beans.

Mouthfeel: This beer is full bodied with a moderate to low carbonation level. This produces a silky-smooth texture that displays some weight and completely envelops the palate. At 11.8%, the ABV is somehow incredibly tame this year and it actually takes quite a bit of searching to locate a slight tinge of heat near the end of the glass. Considering its weight and size, the aftertaste does settle in for the long haul to allow the drinker to get lost in notes of espresso roast coffee and dark chocolate.

Final Thoughts: Imposing. Unapologetic. Beautiful. These three terms are applicable descriptors for any year of KBS, but it never fails to amaze how each year’s batch seems to take on its own personality. This year’s vintage absolutely offers up more pronounced tones of vanilla and chocolate than previous releases. Chocolate . . . it is simply impossible to express with words how much luxurious chocolate fills this glass. Although the bourbon is clearly present, the beer manages to avoid having that one dimensional barrel character by allowing so many other flavors and aromas to establish themselves. One of the more remarkable achievements of 2017 KBS is how it handles its ABV presence. Last year’s batch came out of the gate pretty hot, leaving its drinker with the impression that a little aging could do the beer some good. Not at all the case with this year’s supply. This may just be the easiest drinking batch of KBS we have ever experienced, and it easily allows you to enjoy every aspect of this beer as fresh as possible. Seriously, it is perfect NOW . . . so drink it NOW and as often as possible to learn why KBS has earned a reputation for being one of the best barrel-aged Stouts in the world. Prost!

Brewery Ommegang Releases Pale Sour Ale as New Year-Round

Posted on April 28, 2017 by mashingin

Brewery Ommegang (Cooperstown, New York) recently announced that they have expanded their Core Lineup with the addition of Pale Sour Ale.

To ensure that this mixed fermentation sour beer was worthy of becoming the newest Year-Round offering from Brewery Ommegang, Brewmaster Phil Leinhart and the master blenders at Brewery Liefmans – Ommegang’s sister brewery located in Oudenaarde, Belgium – spent a great deal of time together developing the recipe and process for Pale Sour Ale. This brewing brain trust decided to ferment this offering in open copper vats, age it for several months in stainless steel tanks, and then “blend new batches with older ones until the optimal balance of flavors is reached.” Their efforts result in a 6.9% ABV American Sour Ale “that drinks much like a fine white wine” thanks to a flavor profile that displays “an elegant interplay of sweet and sour.”

“Pale Sour is an elegant, drinkable sour beer, unique in that it’s not wood-aged. It has a well-balanced blend of sweet and sour. Liefmans is such a historic, iconic brewery and having the opportunity to work with them has been an honor and very enjoyable.”

– Phil Leinhart, Brewmaster at Brewery Ommegang

Pale Sour Ale will officially launch at Brewery Ommegang on Saturday, April 29. If you are not in the Cooperstown area, you can expect to find this offering shortly thereafter in 4-packs of 11.2 oz. bottles and on draft at select craft beer establishments located in Florida, New York and throughout the rest of Ommegang’s distribution area. Pale Sour Ale has promise to be quite the special beer, so be sure to keep an eye out for this one while on those beer runs. Prost!

Vital Information for Pale Sour Ale from Brewery Ommegang

Release – Year-Round, launching late-April 2017
Style – American Wild/Sour Ale (blended)
ABV – 6.9%
Treatment – Mixed culture fermentation, aged for several months in stainless steel tanks, blended
Availability – 4-packs of 11.2 oz. bottles & draft
Confirmed Distribution – FL, AR, AZ, CA, CO, CT, DE, GA, IA, IL, KS, KY, MA, MD, ME, MI, MN, MO, NC, NH, NJ, NY, OH, OR, PA, RI, SC, SD, VA, plus Washington D.C. & U.S. Virgin Islands
Beer Finder – http://ommegang.com/blog/beer-finder/
Suggested Food Pairings – “Pale Sour’s balanced acidity is a perfect accompaniment to a charcuterie board and a tasty contrast to rich, fatty foods. Try pairing with duck, ribeye, blue cheese, and rich chocolate desserts.”
Suggested Glassware – Teku glass