Beer | Mashing In

Avery Brewing Co. Adds Night Warden Barrel-Aged Stout to Year-Round Lineup

Posted on March 3, 2020 by mashingin

Avery Brewing Co. (Boulder, Colorado) has officially announced that Night Warden, a Whiskey Barrel-aged Imperial Stout, will debut in April as the newest Year-Round offering to come out of the brewery’s Barrel-Aged Series.

Meant to be a “barrel-aged beer that [you do not] have to save for special occasions,” Night Warden is an Imperial Stout that possesses a “balanced, roasted malt bill and strong notes of vanilla and caramel from” aging in fresh whiskey barrels. Coming in at 8.2% ABV, the “smooth and full-bodied” Night Warden was specifically designed to have “both rich barrel-aged characteristics and a reasonable ABV.”

Night Warden is officially scheduled to launch in April 2020. 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 in Alabama, Florida, Colorado and throughout the rest of Avery Brewing Co.’s distribution area. Prost!

Vital Information for Night Warden from Avery Brewing Co.

Release – Year-Round/Barrel-Aged Series; launching April 2020
Style – Imperial Stout
ABV – 8.2%
Treatment – Aged in Whiskey barrels
Availability – 6-packs of 12 oz. cans & draft
Beer Finder – https://www.averybrewing.com/brew-finder

TBBW 2020 Event: J&B 20/20 IPA Can Release, a Jug & Bottle Dept. & Hidden Springs Ale Works Collaboration

Posted on March 3, 2020 by mashingin

Jug & Bottle Dept. (Tampa, Florida) has officially announced that it will be breaking out the good stuff for Tampa Bay Beer Week 2020 when it hosts a Limited Can Release for J&B 20/20, a supremely classy malt beverage brewed in collaboration with Hidden Springs Ale Works (Tampa, Florida), at 5 p.m. on Tuesday, March 10.

The result of Hidden Springs Ale Works and Jug & Bottle Dept.’s mutual aspiration to create “a malt beverage worthy of its own chain,” J&B 20/20 is a double dry-hopped India Pale Ale featuring “Sabro and Vic Secret hops as well as a healthy dose of blue spirulina.” Although the spirulina does not contribute any flavor, this pivotal ingredient “does impart a shade of blue similar to everyone’s favorite neon blue gas station wine.” That’s right . . . J&B 20/20 is a DDH IPA that is both hazy AND blue.

Cans of J&B 20/20 will officially release at Jug & Bottle Dept. (6203 N Florida Ave. | Tampa, Florida) at 5 p.m. on March 10 and will also be available at Hidden Springs Ale Works shortly after this event. Quantities of J&B 20/20 are incredibly limited, and this special collaboration release will only be available at Jug & Bottle Dept. and Hidden Springs Ale Works as long as supplies last. Prost!

Creature Comforts Brewing Co. Set for Limited Release of ‘Well, I Declare’ Imperial Stout

Posted on March 2, 2020 by mashingin

Creature Comforts Brewing Co. (Athens, Georgia) has officially announced that it will hold a Limited Bottle Release for Well, I Declare Imperial Stout on Saturday, March 14.

Crafted to “showcase the beautiful pecan crop from Pearson Farm,” Well, I Declare is an Imperial Stout made with toasted pecans, cocoa nibs from Condor Chocolates, and American oak spirals. Meant to be sipped and savored, Well, I Declare comes in at a comforting 12% ABV.

Well, I Declare will officially release in the Tasting Room at Creature Comforts Brewing Co. on March 14. This Limited Release offering will be available in 500ml bottles for as long as supplies last. If you would like to secure bottles in advance, you can do so by visiting the brewery’s page on CraftCellr (click here). Well, I Declare is a brewery-only release and is not expected to see distribution. Prost!

Vital Information for Well, I Declare from Creature Comforts Brewing Co.

Release – Limited; March 14, 2020
Style – Imperial Stout
ABV – 12%
Added Ingredients – Toasted pecans from Pearson Farm, cocoa nibs from Condor Chocolates, & American oak spirals
Availability – 500ml bottles
Distribution – None. Brewery only

Rogue Ales Introduces Shavasana Imperial Granola Blonde Ale as Newest Seasonal

Posted on March 2, 2020 by mashingin

Rogue Ales (Newport, Oregon) has officially announced that it will launch Shavasana, an Imperial Granola Blonde Ale, as its newest Seasonal offering in March 2020.

Inspired by the “relaxation pose often performed at the end of a yoga class to rejuvenate the body, mind and spirit,” Shavasana is an Imperial Blonde Ale “brewed with granola, coconut and sweet oats that features delicious, subtle spice flavors.” Coming in at a tranquil 8% ABV and 13 IBUs, Shavasana is meant to be a “a cool-down beer, one to savor with a friend after an intense workout or a stressful day.”

“Life is a balancing act and we’re all about honoring that balance,” says Rogue President, Dharma Tamm. “So we brewed a beer to do just that. Shavasana is the relaxation pose often performed at the end of a yoga class to rejuvenate the body, mind and spirit. Just as Shavasana helps you relax and restore after the twists and turns of a yoga class, Shavasana Granola Blonde Ale can help you relax and restore after the twists and turns of life.”

Shavasana is scheduled to debut in March and will hang around through June 2020. You can expect to find this new Seasonal offering available in 22 oz. bottles and on draft at select craft beer-focused retailers, bars and restaurants located in Alabama, Florida, Oregon and throughout the rest of Rogue’s nationwide distribution network. Prost!

Vital Information for Shavasana from Rogue Ales

Release – Seasonal/Experimental Ales Series; March – June 2020
Style – Imperial Blonde Ale
ABV – 8%
IBUs – 13
Malts – 2-row & Naked Oats
Hops – Crystal
Yeast – Pacman
Added Ingredients – Granola, coconut, tea & honey
Availability – 22 oz. bottles & draft
Beer Finder – https://finder.rogue.com/

Tasting Notes: Civilized Brut IPA from Founders Brewing Co.

Posted on March 1, 2020March 1, 2020 by mashingin

For this installment of Tasting Notes, sophistication abounds as we get into a few cans of Civilized Brut IPA from Founders Brewing Co. (Grand Rapids, Michigan).

Introduced back in November to appeal to the “more sophisticated IPA drinker,” Civilized Brut is a Brut-style India Pale Ale that possesses “a clean and restrained bitterness” alongside a “malt sweetness [that allows] the hop notes to tantalize your senses in a bold yet never-overpowering way.” Coming in at a refreshing 6% ABV, Civilized Brut is “brilliantly bubbly, refreshingly crisp and stunningly clear, similar to a fine Brut Champagne.”

Civilized Brut is available now and will last through March 2020. You can expect to find this new Seasonal Release available in 6-packs of 12 oz. cans, 15-packs of 12 oz. cans and on draft at craft beer-friendly establishments located in Alabama, Florida, Michigan and throughout the rest of Founders Brewing Co.’ s nationwide distribution network.

Now that the introductions are out of the way, let’s break out the fancy glasses and get further acquainted with Civilized Brut over some Tasting Notes!

Tasting Notes for Civilized Brut IPA from Founders Brewing Co.

Appearance: A steady pour from a 12 oz. can produces an IPA that is a light but brilliant gold in color and topped with just over two fingers of fluffy white foam. When held to direct light, the color lightens to more of a straw yellow. The beer is pristine in clarity and shows off the exuberant carbonation presence working within. Head retention is quite good, falling slowly to a lasting finger that eventually leaves the empty glass coated with intricate patterns of lace.

Aroma: The nose leads with nicely pronounced citrus notes of lemon, grapefruit, orange and tangerine. The hops then slightly shift their influence to lend some earthy and herbal tones. The malts are light in this area, but they do offer a touch of crackery sweetness in the background.

Taste: The hops are quick to strike with some sharp, pithy citrus notes that read as lemon and grapefruit zest. Sweet citrus and tropical tones then tame that initial burst with notes of orange juice, mango and passionfruit. The hops fully express themselves by closing out their performance with a grace of peppery, grassy, floral and herbal notes. The malts are subdued here as well but do supply some balance with an undercurrent of biscuity and crackery sweetness.

Mouthfeel: On the lighter side of medium in body with a bright carbonation level, this IPA is incredibly crisp, clean and refreshing. Although the hops do assert themselves (in flavor but not in bitterness), the overall experience proves to be balanced and finishes nice and dry. The 6% ABV is light, but it does allow for a bit of warmth in the throat at times. A touch of grapefruit zest and grassiness is left to linger in the aftertaste.

Final Thoughts: When it comes to the Brut IPA style, Civilized Brut flawlessly executes in all areas. While the bitterness levels are reduced, this IPA still gives you a wide range of hop flavor while remaining amazingly dry, crisp and easy drinking. Each flavorful sip begs you to take another, making the overall experience feel light and incredibly refreshing. Then, before you know it, sips turn into gulps, one glass turns into two (or more), and you are left wondering why you have not been drinking more Brut IPAs up until this point.

Seriously, if you have been looking for the right beer to help ease you into the world of Brut IPAs, we could not recommend Civilized Brut more. Just keep in mind that this Seasonal brew is available in 15-packs . . . because you will end wishing you bought one when you are two cans deep into a sixer. Just take our advice on this one, make it happen and go big while you are at it. Prost!

New Realm Brewing Turns Doomsday Hound Loose for Another Limited Release

Posted on February 28, 2020 by mashingin

New Realm Brewing Company (Atlanta, Georgia) has officially announced that it will begin the Limited Release of Doomsday Hound Russian Imperial Stout on Tuesday, March 3.

Breaking “its chains once again and . . . ready to unleash its wrath for a third time,” Doomsday Hound is a Russian Imperial Stout that has “a deep black color and a thick brown foamy head.” Coming in at a beastly 9.5% ABV, the “viciously flavorful” Doomsday Hound “sinks its teeth into you upon the first sip, with intense, full body, roasted coffee and cocoa flavors.”

“This is the third anniversary of the release of our Doomsday Hound Russian Imperial Stout. It’s exciting to see how the brand has grown over the years and has now become one of our most sought-after beers – and for good reason,” said Bob Powers, COO and Co-Founder of New Realm Brewing.

“I love the Imperial Stout style, it’s a fantastic beer to drink all winter long. Doomsday Hound is a great recipe which uses a large amount of English malts and it was one of the first high ABV beers we ever brewed at New Realm. In addition, it’s a great beer for aging in barrels, hint, hint.” said Mitch Steele, Brewmaster and Co-Founder of New Realm Brewing.

Doomsday Hound will officially hit New Realm’s Atlanta and Virginia Beach locations on March 3 (you can pre-order cans by visiting the brewery’s CraftCellr pages: Atlanta location | Virginia location) and limited distribution will follow shortly after the on-site releases. You can expect to find this Limited Release available in 4-packs of 16 oz. cans and on draft at select craft beer-focused establishments located within New Realm’s distribution footprint in Georgia and Virginia. Prost!

Vital Information for Doomsday Hound from New Realm Brewing Company

Release – Limited; March 3, 2020
Style – Russian Imperial Stout
ABV – 9.5%
Fun Fact – On the Russian Imperial Stout style: “Russian Imperial Stouts, first brewed in 18th century England and exported to the highest courts and Emperors of Russia, are higher in alcohol than traditional Stouts. They’re notoriously full bodied, rich, and complex, with flavors and aromas of coffee, dark chocolate and dried fruit. Often dry, these big dark beers can also feature hints of alcohol warmth.”
Availability – 4-packs of 16 oz. cans & draft
Distribution – Georgia & Virginia

Firestone Walker Releases Three New IPAs, Introduces Crafted Thru Hops Mixed 12-Pack

Posted on February 28, 2020 by mashingin

Firestone Walker Brewing Company (Paso Robles, California) has officially announced that it will launch Crafted Thru Hops, an IPA-centric Mixed 12-pack that includes two new single-hop IPAs from the brewery’s Propagator Series and the latest iteration of Luponic Distortion IPA, in late February 2020.

The Crafted Thru Hops Mixed Pack is a variety 12-pack – available in both 12 oz. can and 12 oz. bottle packs – that highlights Firestone Walker’s vast experience in brewing world-class IPAs. Containing a mix of both innovative new offerings and long-standing classics, the Crafted Thru Hops Mixed 12-pack includes everything from old school West Coast IPAs to Hazy IPAs.

This new Mixed 12-pack will feature two new single-hop India Pale Ales – El Dorado West Coast IPA and Motueka Hazy IPA – “developed in Firestone Walker’s Propagator pilot brewery in Venice, California, which specializes in R&D beers and limited local offerings.” Here are the full descriptions of these two new brews (all descriptions sourced from the brewery’s press release):

Propagator El Dorado (only available in 12 oz. bottle pack of Crafted Thru Hops) – a West Coast IPA with a next-generation hop variety from the Pacific Northwest that offers soft stone fruit flavors with notes of tropical melon and pear. ABV – 5.6%
Propagator Motueka (only available in 12 oz. can pack of Crafted Thru Hops) – a Hazy IPA with a New Zealand-grown hop that delivers punchy flavors of tropical fruit, white grape and lemon zest. ABV – 5.6%

The 15th release in Firestone Walker’s Luponic Distortion series – a rotating IPA series that “features an ever-evolving mix of experimental hops, designed to deliver new and innovative flavors with each new release” – will also make an appearance in the Crafted Thru Hops Mixed 12-Pack. This batch of Luponic Distortion IPA (5.9% ABV) showcases “emerging hops from New Zealand, personally sourced by Brewmaster Matt Brynildson during the Southern Hemisphere hop harvest.” Hopheads can expect this “unique blend of hops of [to offer] explosive fruit flavors of kiwi, lychee and feijoa.”

“The hops from New Zealand have a unique tropical fruit character, which is showcased in our newest version of Luponic Distortion,” said Brewmaster Matt Brynildson. “While visiting the country’s hop farms we had the opportunity to taste some amazing feijoa fruit, which comes through in their hops. Although New Zealand is a small growing region for hops relatively speaking, it has become an important one for craft IPA producers.”

In addition to the beers described above, the Crafted Thru Hops Mixed 12-Pack will also include the following offerings:

Mind Haze (only available in 12 oz. can pack of Crafted Thru Hops) – This hazy IPA is juicy yet balanced and loaded with an imaginative array of tropical hop flavor. ABV – 6.2%
Union Jack – This aggressively hopped West Coast IPA showcases stunning pineapple, citrus and piney aromas along with exceptional dry hop flavors of grapefruit and tangerine. This intense brew finds its balance in honey-like pale malt sweetness. ABV – 7.0%
Easy Jack (only available in 12 oz. bottle pack of Crafted Thru Hops) – This session IPA is brewed and dry-hopped with a selection of new hop varieties from Europe, New Zealand and North America, delivering massive hop aromas and a natural malt balance. ABV – 4.0%

“Our ‘Crafted Thru Hops’ mixed packs come with a variety of Firestone Walker’s IPAs so we can give our customers the opportunity to experience our vast selection of flavors,” said David Walker, co-founder and CEO of Firestone Walker. “El Dorado and Motueka are prime examples of the innovative beers born from our Propagator brewhouse, making our mix packs a great opportunity to experience both the new and very best of Firestone Walker.”

The Crafted Thru Hops Mixed 12-Pack is rolling out now in Firestone Walker’s full distribution area. Propagator El Dorado and Propagator Motueka are available exclusively in the Crafted Thru Hops Mixed 12-Pack while Luponic Distortion IPA – 15 is also available in 6-packs of 12 oz. cans, 6-packs of 12 oz. bottles and on draft. Prost!

Orpheus Brewing Readies for Limited Return of Nothing Left To Give Sour Ale

Posted on February 28, 2020 by mashingin

Orpheus Brewing (Atlanta, Georgia) has officially announced that it will begin the annual Limited Release of Nothing Left To Give, a Raspberry Sour Ale, on Saturday, February 29.

Returning once again to “give you everything you want,” Nothing Left To Give is an American Sour Ale “soured by house wild cultures and gorged with 2,000 lbs of raspberry.” Coming in at 5.9% ABV, Nothing Left To Give is “rich with juicy, ripened berry with underlying notes of peach and citrus.”

“At peace with the silence, the screams taken in by a wall of tranquility while earthly desires lie naked and bare – the manic pulsations of noise and flesh in their unending thirst for more. When all that’s left is me bleeding red, my heart pouring out of my skin, it’s not for you. All that remains is Nothing Left To Give.”

Nothing Left To Give will officially release at Orpheus Brewing on February 29 and limited distribution is expected to follow shortly after the on-site release. You can expect to find this Limited Release offering available in 4-packs of 16 oz. cans and on draft at select craft beer-focused establishments located within the brewery’s distribution footprint in Georgia, Alabama, Florida, and Tennessee. Prost!

Vital Information for Nothing Left To Give from Orpheus Brewing

Release – Limited/Rotating; February 29, 2020
Style – American Sour Ale
ABV – 5.9%
Added Ingredients – 2,000 lbs. of raspberries
Availability – 4-packs of 16 oz. cans & draft
Distribution – Alabama, Florida, Georgia & Tennessee

Half Acre Beer Co. Goes Year-Round with Tome Hazy Pale Ale

Posted on February 27, 2020 by mashingin

Half Acre Beer Co. (Chicago, Illinois) has officially announced that Tome Hazy Pale Ale will join its Year-Round lineup in early March 2020.

Meant to be a “purpose built . . . Low ABV” offering that will effortlessly fit in with the rest of Half Acre’s Year-Round brews, Tome is a Hazy/Juicy Pale Ale that has “a soft, rounded mouthfeel with expressive tropical fruits and faint pine.” Coming in at just 5.5% ABV, Tome is a “full-time hazy beer [that suits the brewery’s] ultimate desire to work with hops in every form [they] can in order to add as many bands to the rainbow of hop proud beers you can readily get from Half Acre.”

Tome Hazy Pale Ale will debut at Half Acre Beer Co. locations on March 6 and distribution will begin on March 9. You can expect to find this new Year-Round offering available in 4-packs of 16 oz. cans and on draft at craft beer-focused retailers, bars and restaurants located in Illinois and throughout the rest of Half Acre’s distribution footprint. Prost!

Vital Information for Tome Hazy Pale Ale from Half Acre Beer Co.

Release – Year-Round; launching March 2020
Style – Hazy/Juicy Pale Ale
ABV – 5.5%
Availability – 4-packs of 16 oz. cans & draft

Boulevard Brewing, Les Bourgeois Vineyards & Doug Frost Collaborate on Wine-Inspired Vintage Stock Saison

Posted on February 27, 2020 by mashingin

Boulevard Brewing Co. (Kansas City, Missouri) has officially announced that it will begin the Limited Release of Vintage Stock, a special collaboration project with Les Bourgeois Vineyards (Rocheport, Missouri) and Master Sommelier Doug Frost, on March 2.

Meticulously crafted for “beer lovers, wine lovers and everyone in between,” Vintage Stock is “a blend of two dark, moderately sour, mixed-culture Saisons aged for many months in oak foeders, puncheons and red wine barrels.” To further reinforce the wine character in this beer-wine hybrid, the blend was “re-fermented on 30,000 pounds of both whole Norton grapes and pressed Norton grape juice.” This treatment produces a “deep purple” brew that offers “bold earthy aromas of berries, grapes and a sweet malty undertone” alongside flavorful “hints of bright plums, tobacco, dark chocolate and a refreshingly acidic and slightly tannic finish.” Weighing in at a sip-worthy 8.9% ABV, Vintage Stock comes together to serve as a “love letter to wild fermentation [that blurs] the line between beer and wine, and is [Boulevard’s] most ambitious fruited mixed-culture beer to date.”

Vintage Stock will debut in the Greater Kansas City Area on March 2 and will enter wider distribution shortly after that date. You can expect to find this Limited Release offering available in 750ml bottles and on draft in select markets located within Boulevard Brewing’s distribution network. Prost!

Vital Information for Vintage Stock from Boulevard Brewing, Les Bourgeois Vineyards & Doug Frost

Release – Limited; March 2, 2020
Style – Saison/Wild Ale
ABV – 8.9%
IBUs – 12
Hops – Aged Saaz
Yeast – Brettanomyces, Lactobacillus & Wild Yeast
Treatment – “Aged for many months in oak foeders, puncheons and red wine barrels . . . re-fermented on 30,000 pounds of both whole Norton grapes and pressed Norton grape juice”
Availability – 750ml bottles & draft
Beer Finder – https://www.boulevard.com/beer/beer-finder/