Beer | Mashing In

Wild Leap Brew Co. & Pink Boots Society Collaborate on Too Pure To Be Pink DIPA

Posted on March 10, 2020 by mashingin

Wild Leap Brew Co. (LaGrange, Georgia) has officially announced that it is recognizing International Women’s Day with the Limited Release of Too Pure To Be Pink Double IPA, a special collaboration with the Pink Boots Society, during the week of March 9.

Created by women to celebrate women with more than a little inspiration from the iconic Pink Ladies from the musical Grease, Too Pure To Be Pink is a Double India Pale Ale brewed with a special hop blend from Yakima Chief Hops that was hand-selected by members of the Pink Boots Society, a “non-profit organization devoted to promoting the advancement of women in the beer industry, particularly in the craft beer industry.” Consisting of Loral, Azacca, El Dorado and Idaho Gem hops, this hop blend makes Too Pure To Be Pink (8.5% ABV) a “juicy IPA . . . unlike any other Wild Leap release.” Too Pure To Be Pink was “brewed, canned and packaged [by] the hardworking women of Wild Leap.”

“With so many strong women forming the backbone of Wild Leap, it was important to us to develop a beer that celebrates these incredible women, and the timing was perfect.” says Rob Goldstein, Wild Leap’s co-founder and CFO. “The beer finished just in time to package on International Women’s Day!”

Too Pure To Be Pink is available now and will hang around only as long as supplies last. You can expect to find this “extremely” Limited Release available in 6-packs of 12 oz. cans and on draft at select craft beer-focused establishments located within Wild Leap’s distribution footprint in Georgia. Prost!

Vital Information for Too Pure To Be Pink from Wild Leap Brew Co.

Release – Limited; March 9, 2020
Style – Hazy/Juicy Double India Pale Ale
ABV – 8.5%
IBUs – 46
Featured Hops – Pink Boots Society hop blend from Yakima Chief Hops (Loral, Azacca, El Dorado & Idaho Gem)
Fun Fact #1 – On the name of this beer: “Inspired by the musical Grease, Too Pure To Be Pink is a tribute to the Pink Ladies. Known for their pink jackets and tough attitudes, the Pink Ladies played by their own rules. Much like the women of Wild Leap, the Pink Ladies were trailblazers.”
Fun Fact #2 – On the mission behind the beer: “Wild Leap’s support of the Pink Boots Society is geared toward empowering women in brewing through education. For every pound of the Pink Boots hop blend sold, a minimum of three dollars is donated to the Pink Boots Society scholarship fund.”
Availability – 6-packs of 12 oz. cans & draft
Beer Finder – https://www.wildleap.com/beer-finder/

Wild-Leap-Pink-Boots-Society-Too-Pure-To-Be-Pink — ***The brewing team behind Too Pure To Be Pink Double IPA***

TBBW 2020 Event: Triple Can Drop at Escape Brewing Company

Posted on March 9, 2020 by mashingin

Beginning on March 11, Escape Brewing Company (Trinity, Florida) will be celebrating Tampa Bay Beer Week 2020 by having three straight days of can drops featuring three new beers: Strawberry Lemonade Sour, Poolside Chill Sour and Got Your Stash Hazy DIPA.

Recognizing that Tampa Bay Beer Week is always a great time to introduce a new beer or three, Escape Brewing Company will be taking care of their fans and anyone else who makes the trip up to the northern burbs by releasing 16 oz. cans of the following three Limited Release brews (descriptions sourced directly from the brewery’s social media posts):

Wednesday, March 11 at 4 p.m. | Strawberry Lemonade Sour – A mouth puckering, eye watering taste of Florida. Enjoy being wrapped up in a smooth strawberry front-end before getting a love bite from the sour lemonade. If sunshine had a taste this would be it! We think our favorite superhero, Florida Man, would consider this his go-to beer.
Thursday, March 12 at 4 p.m. | Poolside Chill Sour – A guava, lime & grapefruit Berliner Weisse with enough Florida attitude to make you say, “Hot dang!” Guava sweetly dances on your tongue but quickly switches to a feisty lime & grapefruit bite faster than the weather changes here! We recommend this sour for any day, rain or shine you’ll feel just like you’re by the pool while sipping this sour & sweet treat.
Friday, March 13 at Noon | Got Your Stash Hazy DIPA – A favorite in the taproom for a long time. We heard your cries for a revolution and rest assured we have delivered! This is our first canning of Stash and we are so happy to share this with everyone on the last day of TBBW. Talk about going out with a bang! This hazy DIPA will give you that great Nelson & Citra hop taste while mellowing out on the back end.

All three beers listed above will release in the Taproom at Escape Brewing Company (9945 Trinity Boulevard | Trinity, Florida) on their listed dates and times. Each Limited Release offering will be available in 4-packs of 16 oz. cans as long as supplies last.

If you are in town partaking in all the Tampa Bay Beer Week festivities, be sure to build some time into your schedule to make a trip (or three) out to Trinity so that you can grab a 4-pack and raise a glass with the always awesome crew at Escape Brewing Company. Prost!

Perrin Brewing Co. Adds 100 Calorie Low Rise IPA to Year-Round Lineup

Posted on March 9, 2020 by mashingin

Perrin Brewing Company (Comstock Park, Michigan) has officially announced that Low Rise IPA, a low-calorie India Pale Ale, will join the brewery’s Year-Round portfolio in mid-March 2020.

Developed to give IPA lovers in Michigan an everyday, calorie-conscious option, Low Rise is a Session India Pale Ale that “is boldly hop-forward and brightly aromatic thanks to a generous amount of piney Sultana hops and citrusy, tropical Citra hops.” Weighing in at just 4% ABV, 100 calories and 2 grams of carbs (per 12 oz. serving), Low Rise IPA is “the perfect fit for those seeking a low-calorie adult beverage with full flavor.”

“Perrin Low Rise, lo-cal IPA is a great addition to the core year-round line up! It’s a delicate balance between a light bodied IPA and a full hop profile,” said Lindsey VanDenBoom, Marketing Director at Perrin Brewing. “People have the opportunity to keep their calorie intake light while not compromising the taste of a fresh, hoppy IPA. With only 100 calories and 4% ABV, this is a beer to keep stocked in the fridge on a daily basis.”

Low Rise IPA will debut in the Perrin Pub on March 12 and is scheduled to enter distribution in April. You can expect to find this new Year-Round offering available in 6-packs of 12 oz. cans and on draft at craft beer-friendly establishments located throughout Perrin Brewing Company’s distribution footprint in Michigan. Prost!

Vital Information for Low Rise IPA from Perrin Brewing Co.

Release – Year-Round; launching mid-March 2020
Style – Session/Low-Calorie India Pale Ale
ABV – 4%
Calories – 100
Carbs – 2 grams
Featured Hops – Sultana & Citra
Availability – 6-packs of 12 oz. cans & draft
Beer Finder – https://www.perrinbrewing.com/beer-finder/

Tasting Notes: Three Harvest Fresh Hop Double IPA from Wild Leap Brew Co.

Posted on March 7, 2020 by mashingin

For this installment of Tasting Notes, we freshen up our weekend with a few cans of Three Harvest Fresh Hop Double IPA, a special collaboration project from Wild Leap Brew Co. (LaGrange, Georgia) and Extreme Hops AL (Auburn, Alabama).

Named after “the number of harvests that the hydroponic hops will have each year,” Three Harvest is a Double India Pale Ale featuring “fresh Cascade hops directly off the hop bines” at Extreme Hops AL. Thanks to the use of “a hopping process new to Wild Leap,” Three Harvest (8.2% ABV) comes together to be an “easy-drinking and juicy Double IPA” that boasts “a citrus-forward aroma and classic Cascade grapefruit and pine flavors.”

Three Harvest Fresh Hop Double IPA officially debuted in early February and will be available only as long as supplies last. You can expect to find this Limited Release offering available in 12 oz. cans and on draft at select craft beer-focused establishments located within Wild Leap’s distribution footprint in Georgia.

Now that we are all up to date on how the beer was made, let’s get to know these fresh hydroponic hops over some Tasting Notes!

Tasting Notes for Three Harvest Fresh Hop Double IPA from Wild Leap Brew Co.

Appearance: A somewhat overzealous pour (we really do get excited about fresh hop beers around here) from a 12 oz. can produces a DIPA that is light golden in color and capped with right at two fingers of creamy white foam. When held to direct light, the golden hues brighten, gain vibrancy and shimmer. The beer does have a gentle haze to it, but steady streams of carbonation can still be seen swirling up from the base to feed the top cap. Head retention is good, eventually falling to a frothy ring that drops chunky lines of lace on the glass whenever it is disturbed.

Aroma: Cascade hops are simply but beautifully showcased here in the nose. Bright notes of grapefruit juice and zest abound while a bit of orange juice turns up to offer a light layer of sweetness. A waft of pine then works its way in to supply some added sharpness and further amplify those grapefruit tones. The malts are light and do not offer much other than a grace of nondescript sweetness. The aroma is all hops . . . and all is right in the world.

Taste: Just like the nose, this beer’s flavor is focused on showing an endless amount of love to those fresh hops. Unmistakably Cascade, each sip is filled with an abundance of grapefruit zest and pine resin alongside that slightly grassy, green character you get from fresh hops. Any bitterness that surfaces is immediately tempered by a touch of sweet orange and a vanilla-laced floral presence. The malts are not adding much as far as flavor, but it is clear that they are silently hard at work balancing everything out.

Mouthfeel: Medium in body with a moderate carbonation level, Three Harvest has a soft, slightly creamy feel that reads more like a Hazy DIPA than a more traditional example. Balanced nicely with the hops offering minimal bitterness, the overall experience is juicy but not too sweet. The 8.2% ABV lends a bit of heat in the throat and chest, but it is subtle and not at all overwhelming. The aftertaste is all grapefruit juice and zest.

Final Thoughts: Three Harvest Fresh Hop Double IPA does an excellent job of capturing and prominently featuring the essence of those fresh Cascade hops from Extreme Hops AL. Wild Leap’s new-world approach to Double IPAs – falling somewhere in the sweet spot between West Coast and New England-style Hazy/Juicy examples – acts as the perfect vehicle to push and drive these hops to reach their full potential. The hops lead with that sharp West Coast presence of grapefruit zest and pine, but any real levels of bitterness are quickly washed away by their juicier qualities. Just when you think it cannot possibly get any better, that indescribable “green” note you get with fresh hops is the bow placed on top of the gift that is this wildly easy drinking Double IPA. If you are at all a fan of Cascade hops, you seriously need to track down some Three Harvest Fresh Hop Double IPA while you still have the chance. Prost!

TBBW 2020 Event: Week of Barrel-Aged Releases at Cigar City Brewing

Posted on March 6, 2020 by mashingin

Cigar City Brewing (Tampa, Florida) has officially announced that it will celebrate five long-time employees during Tampa Bay Beer Week 2020 with a week-long series of Limited Bottle Releases at its newly renovated Spruce Street Taproom.

To bring some much needed attention to an all-star lineup of “long-time Cigar City Brewing employees who have helped make [the] brewery and the Tampa Bay brewing community what it is today,” Cigar City Brewing will spend the majority of Tampa Bay Beer Week releasing “one extremely limited barrel-aged beer per day, brewed to honor” on of these “unsung heroes.” The release schedule and bottle lineup is as follows:

Monday, March 9 – Brady Eaglin | Bourbon Barrel-aged Barleywine-style Ale | ABV – 14.0% ABV
Tuesday, March 10 – Jay “The Welder” Lesher | Apple Brandy and Cherry Brandy Barrel-aged Imperial Porter with Vanilla and Almonds | ABV – 13.5%
Wednesday, March 11 – Alex Espinosa | Bourbon Barrel-aged Imperial Stout with Coffee, Hazelnut, Maple and Vanilla | ABV – 13.4%
Thursday, March 12 – Mike LaDuke | Double Apple Brandy Barrel-aged Barleywine-style Ale With Cinnamon – ABV – 15.5%
Friday, March 13 – Ian Schmidt | Bourbon Barrel-aged Imperial Sweet Stout with Vanilla Beans | ABV – 13.8%

A few things to keep in mind if you plan to attend one (or all) of these bottle releases:

All releases will take place at Cigar City’s Spruce Street Taproom & Brewery (3924 W Spruce St. | Tampa, Florida)
Each beer will release at 11 a.m. on its scheduled day
Fewer than 400 bottles of each barrel-aged beer have been produced
Bottles will be sold on a first-come, first-served basis, and each release will be limited to 1 bottle per customer
Each 500mL bottle will cost $18.99

With each release only consisting of around 400 bottles, it is safe to assume that these barrel-aged brews will disappear quickly each day. If you are excited about one (or several) of these releases, be sure to factor an 11 a.m. trip to Cigar City Brewing into your Tampa Bay Beer Week schedule on the respective release date(s) of the beer(s) that caught your attention. Prost!

TBBW 2020 Event: Bottle Release of Empty Devils Collaboration from Hidden Springs Ale Works & Voodoo Brewery

Posted on March 6, 2020 by mashingin

To properly set the Friday the 13th vibe during Tampa Bay Beer Week 2020, Hidden Springs Ale Works (Tampa, Florida) has officially announced that it will host a Limited Bottle Release for Empty Devils, a Double Barrel-aged Imperial Stout brewed in collaboration with Voodoo Brewery (Meadville, Pennsylvania), at 9 a.m. on Friday, March 13.

Surfacing from the depths of darkness to “take everything from you,” Empty Devils is an Imperial Stout aged in W.L. Weller and Woodford Reserve Double Oaked barrels with “pounds of Ugandan vanilla beans and toasted coconut” added.

The Empty Devils bottle release will take place at Hidden Springs Ale Works (1631 N. Franklin St. | Tampa, Florida) at 9 a.m. on Friday, March 13. Bottles will be $30 each and the brewery will announce the bottle limit 15 minutes before opening. Cash is preferred, but cards will be accepted.

A few things to keep in mind if you plan to attend this bottle release:

The Empty Devils bottle release will also double as a Tap Takeover with Voodoo Brewery. Voodoo’s beers will be available when the doors open at 9 a.m. until they are gone
Full pours only during this event (no flights)
Parking is available up and down Franklin St. (before the I-275 overpass), on Henderson just west of Tampa, and on 7th Ave. There are also paid lots located across the street from the brewery and under the I-275 overpass. Hidden Springs Ale Works is not responsible for towed vehicles
Once you are in line, make sure that you hug the wall so that foot traffic will not be affected on the sidewalks
Above all, please be respectful of the brewery’s neighbors and be sure that you pick up after yourself

Just about any bottle release at Hidden Springs Ale Works is a guaranteed sell out, but you can expect Empty Devils to be in even higher demand because hordes of stout lovers will be in town for Tampa Bay Beer Week. If you wish to get your hands on this infernal collaboration between Hidden Springs and Voodoo, make sure you hit that line early on Friday the 13th so that you make the cut on the final head count . . . and don’t forget to come thirsty because you need to hang around to enjoy some killer beers from Voodoo Brewery once you secure your bottle(s). Prost!

Founders Brewing Co. Introduces 4 Giants IPA as Newest Limited Series Release

Posted on March 5, 2020 by mashingin

Founders Brewing Co. (Grand Rapids, Michigan) has officially announced that it will begin the Limited Release of 4 Giants IPA in mid-March 2020.

Brewed to be a “mashup of four of [Founders Brewing Co.’s] favorite Imperial IPA recipes,” 4 Giants IPA is an Imperial India Pale Ale that “boasts aggressive bitterness balanced by a malty, sweet backbone while huge aromatics come courtesy of the seven American hop varieties.” Coming in at 9.2% ABV and 80 IBUs, 4 Giants IPA is here to provide hopheads with “the ultimate Imperial IPA” experience.

“The world of IPA is constantly changing and evolving, but this beer really captures the essence of what I think is the classic Imperial IPA,” said Brewmaster Jeremy Kosmicki. “Everything about it is totally in-your-face, but the flavor dynamics still manage to work together to create a well-balanced beer that is extremely fun to drink.”

4 Giants IPA will debut in Founders Brewing Co.’s Grand Rapids and Detroit taprooms on March 13 and full distribution is scheduled to begin in April. You can expect to find this new Limited Release available in 4-packs of 12 oz. bottles and on draft at craft beer-friendly establishments located in Alabama, Florida, Michigan and throughout the rest of the brewery’s nationwide distribution network. Prost!

Vital Information for 4 Giants IPA from Founders Brewing Co.

Release – Limited Series; April – June 2020
Style – Imperial India Pale Ale
ABV – 9.2%
IBUs – 80
Availability – 4-packs of 12 oz. bottles & draft
Beer Finder – https://foundersbrewing.com/beer/find-our-beer/

Jolly Pumpkin Artisan Ales Set to Release Three Wild Ales in Cans

Posted on March 5, 2020 by mashingin

Jolly Pumpkin Artisan Ales (Dexter, Michigan) has officially announced that three of its Wild Ales – longstanding Year-Round favorites Bam Bière and Calabaza Blanca and the first release in a new Seasonal series of fruited Saisons, Hyrrokkin – will be available for the first time in 16 oz. cans beginning in April 2020.

Now that Jolly Pumpkin has a new canning line in place for its Wild Ales program, the brewery is excited to break in this new piece of equipment with the release of the following three offerings in 4-packs of 16 oz. cans (descriptions sourced directly from the brewery’s newsletter):

Bam Bière | Year-Round – A delicious, low-calorie, farmhouse ale named for our Jack Russell, who struck by a car, bounced back in fine tenacious Jack Russell fashion. This farmhouse ale is brewed for those of us who knocked down, have picked up, dusted off, and carried on undaunted.
Golden, naturally cloudy, CAN-conditioned, and dry-hopped for a tasty and tart balance of spicy malts, hops, and yeast.
ABV – 4.5% | IBUs – 24 | Calories – 127 (per 12 oz. serving) |Time In Oak – 2 months
Calabaza Blanca | Year-Round – A low-calorie farmhouse white ale brewed in Belgium’s bière blanche tradition. Spiced with orange peel and coriander, then aged in oak for several months, Blanca is mildly tart and sweet, with notes of lemon, bubblegum, & spice. You’ll find it refreshingly tart with a wonderfully dry finish.
ABV – 4.8% | IBUs – 15 | Calories – 129 (per 12 oz. serving) | Time In Oak – 2 months
Hyrrokkin | Seasonal – We love the fusion of fruit, oak, & beer. Let’s be honest, who doesn’t? Join us as we pursue our passion through this fruited seasonal series. We are taking our delicate, foeder-aged saison base with us as we explore the wonderful worlds of the familiar & the exotic. For Hyrrokkin, we blended blood orange & ginger together to discover an eloquent, crisp, & tart citrus ale with attitude. Enjoy it before it’s gone, & keep your eye out for our next fruited foray!
ABV – 5.7% | IBUs – 35 | Calories – 146 (per 12 oz. serving) | Time In Oak – 23 months

“I’m super excited to be able to bring some of our favorite beers, such as Bam Bière and Calabaza Blanca, and a new favorite, Hyrrokkin, into cans. They are lightweight, convenient, and environmentally friendly. Perfect for any occasion, indoors, or outdoors.”

– Ron Jeffries, Founder & Chief Squeegie Operator at Jolly Pumpkin Artisan Ales

Bam Bière, Calabaza Blanca and Hyrrokkin will all be available in 4-packs of 16 oz. cans beginning in April. You can expect to find these new cans at craft beer-focused establishments located in Florida, Michigan, Ohio, Illinois, Indiana, Wisconsin, Kentucky, Texas and Arizona. Prost!

Portland Cider Co. Introduces RazzBerry as its Newest Seasonal Offering

Posted on March 4, 2020 by mashingin

Portland Cider Company (Clackamas, Oregon) has announced that it will officially launch its new Seasonal lineup with the release of RazzBerry in early March 2020.

Crafted to be the “perfect definition of a cider full of sunshine,” RazzBerry is a Hard Cider that features “loads of bright raspberries combined with Northwest-grown apples, a touch of lemon zest, and juicy Hood River Valley pears.” Coming in at 5.8% ABV, RazzBerry is “easy-drinking, thirst-quenching and refreshingly tart.”

“RazzBerry is the perfect cider for the sunshine that’s right around the corner here in the Pacific Northwest; or at least it will give you all the summertime feels if the spring rain never lets up!,” said Helen Lewis, marketing director for Portland Cider Co. “Last summer’s seasonal Pineapple Rosé was such a hit we made it year-round. RazzBerry is the perfect replacement this year.”

RazzBerry will make its debut at Portland Cider Co.’s seventh anniversary party on March 7 at the company’s Clackamas Taproom and Cidery and distribution is scheduled to begin shortly after that date. You can expect to find this new Seasonal offering available in 19.2 oz. “proper pint” cans, 6-packs of 12 oz. cans and on draft at cider-friendly establishments located within Portland Cider Company’s distribution footprint in Oregon, Washington, Northern Idaho, and Northern California. Prost!

Vital Information for RazzBerry from Portland Cider Company

Release – Seasonal; launching March 2020
Style – Hard Cider
ABV – 5.8%
Ingredients – Northwest apples, Northwest raspberries, Hood River pears from Moore Orchards, Lemon zest & juice, and Lime juice
Suggested Food Pairings – “This bright and beautifully pink cider pairs well with grilled cilantro lime chicken, strawberry citrus spinach salad, orzo pasta salad, and a light, fresh cheese like feta. Its tart and zesty finishing notes make it the perfect cider for summer fun in the backyard.”
Availability – 19.2 oz. cans, 6-packs of 12 oz. cans & draft
Cider Finder – https://www.portlandcider.com/cider-finder

TBBW 2020 Event: Double Barrel Fluffer Nutter Black Aggie Bottle Release at Hidden Springs Ale Works

Posted on March 4, 2020March 4, 2020 by mashingin

Hidden Springs Ale Works (Tampa, Florida) has officially announced that it will hold its annual Tampa Bay Beer Week release of Double Barrel Fluffer Nutter Black Aggie at 11 a.m. on Thursday, March 12.

Sure to be one of the more highly sought-after bottles released during Tampa Bay Beer Week 2020, Double Barrel Fluffer Nutter Black Aggie is a double barrel-aged Imperial Stout that has embraced the unholy alliance that is peanut butter and marshmallow. Weighing in at a sinister 13% ABV, Double Barrel Fluffer Nutter Black Aggie will have you succumbing to the darkness in no time.

The Double Barrel Fluffer Nutter Black Aggie bottle release will take place at Hidden Springs Ale Works (1631 N. Franklin St. | Tampa, Florida) at 11 a.m. on Thursday, March 12. Bottles will be $30 each and the brewery will announce the bottle limit 15 minutes before opening. Cash is preferred, but cards will be accepted.

A few things to keep in mind if you plan to attend this bottle release:

Double Barrel Fluffer Nutter Black Aggie will be available on draft when the Tasting Room at Hidden Springs opens at 11 a.m.
Since this bottle release will coincide with an Omnipollo Tap Takeover at Hidden Springs on the same day, “Omnipollo’s magical goods will [also] be available at 11 a.m. until they are gone”
Parking is available up and down Franklin St. (before the I-275 overpass), on Henderson just west of Tampa, and on 7th Ave. There are also paid lots located across the street from the brewery and under the I-275 overpass. Hidden Springs Ale Works is not responsible for towed vehicles
Once you are in line, make sure that you hug the wall so that foot traffic will not be affected on the sidewalks
Above all, please be respectful of the brewery’s neighbors and be sure that you pick up after yourself

Just as it does every year, Double Barrel Fluffer Nutter Black Aggie will act as a bright beacon to the majority of beer fans that will be in town celebrating Tampa Bay Beer Week 2020, and it is safe to assume that this Limited Release will sell out quickly. If you are one of the many that hope to land one of these highly-coveted bottles, make sure that you grab a spot in line early on March 12 and hope that Black Aggie deems you worthy when the official head count is conducted. Good luck out there, folks. Prost!