Beer | Mashing In

Hidden Springs Ale Works Revives In Between Dreams for Bottle Release

Posted on February 6, 2020 by mashingin

Hidden Springs Ale Works (Tampa, Florida) has officially announced that it will hold a Limited Bottle Release for the 2020 batch of In Between Dreams on Saturday, February 8.

Back to “take you on a journey into the depths of your deepest, darkest, most pastry sweet nightmares,” In Between Dreams is a Barrel-aged Imperial Stout with chocolate and hazelnut. Coming in at 12% ABV, In Between Dreams is guaranteed to make a lasting impression that will keep you up at night.

The bottle release for In Between Dreams will take place at Hidden Springs Ale Works (1631 N. Franklin St. | Tampa, Florida) at 11 a.m. on Saturday, February 8. 22 oz. bottles of In Between Dreams will cost $30 each and the brewery will announce the bottle limit 15 minutes prior to opening. Cash is preferred, but cards will be accepted.

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

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 near the door on Henderson 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

In Between Dreams will not see distribution and – just like its debut release in 2019 – is expected to draw a sellout crowd. If you wish to get lost in a bottle of In Between Dreams, make sure that you add this Saturday to your alarm clock schedule and are in line by the final head count. Good luck and sweet dreams. Prost!

Vital Information for In Between Dreams from Hidden Springs Ale Works

Release – Limited; February 8, 2020
Style – Imperial Stout
ABV – 12%
Added Ingredients – Chocolate & hazelnut
Treatment – Barrel-aged
Availability – 22 oz. bottles ($30 per bottle)
Distribution – None. Brewery-only release

HSAWInBetweenArt — Artwork for *In Between Dreams* created by Arielle Katarina Illustration

Big Storm Brewing Co. Sweetens Up Valentine’s Day with Limited Release of Bourbon Vanilla Lie To Me

Posted on February 6, 2020 by mashingin

Big Storm Brewing Co. (Clearwater, Florida) has officially announced that it will recognize Valentine’s Day with a Limited Bottle Release featuring Bourbon Vanilla Lie To Me Chocolate Cherry Imperial Stout on Saturday, February 8.

Returning as a barrel-aged variant in 2020 to make your Valentine’s Day extra special, this year’s batch of Lie To Me is an Imperial Stout layered with notes of dark chocolate and cherry and then aged in bourbon vanilla barrels. This added step produces an experience that “boasts smooth and decadent dark chocolate cherry and subtle vanilla notes with hints of oak and bourbon.” Coming in at a warming 9.8% ABV, the full-bodied Bourbon Vanilla Lie To Me is best enjoyed when shared “with someone you love – or someone who just really loves beer.”

Bourbon Vanilla Lie To Me will officially release at 11 a.m. on February 8 at Big Storm’s Pasco, Pinellas and Cape Coral locations. This Limited Release offering will be available as long as supplies last in 750ml bottles and on draft during this release. Big Storm will also have a limited amount of vintage bottles of 2018 and 2019 Lie To Me available for purchase during this event (quantities are limited). Bourbon Vanilla Lie To Me is a brewery-only release and is not expected to see distribution. Prost!

Vital Information for Bourbon Vanilla Lie To Me from Big Storm Brewing Co.

Release – Limited; February 8, 2020
Style – Imperial Stout
ABV – 9.8%
Featured Ingredients – Dark chocolate & cherry
Treatment – Aged in bourbon vanilla barrels
Availability – 750ml bottles & draft
Distribution – None. Brewery only

Proof Brewing Co. Sets Date for 2020 Anniversary Celebration

Posted on February 5, 2020 by mashingin

Proof Brewing Co. (1320 South Monroe Street | Tallahassee, Florida) has officially announced that it will celebrate its first full year of brewing and pouring beer at its beautiful 1320 South Monroe location by hosting its 2020 Anniversary Celebration at the brewery from 11 a.m. to midnight on Saturday, February 8.

There is no better way to celebrate a brewery anniversary than by tapping an abundance of exciting Limited Release beers, and Proof Brewing is doing just that by featuring over 30 beers on tap on February 8. To give you an idea of what to expect, here is a sneak preview of the 2020 Anniversary Celebration taplist:

Whoa Thunderson – Imperial Stout Aged on Maple Syrup, Waffles, & Pecans 13.20%
Lights Out – Imperial Stout Aged On Coconut, Vanilla, Chocolate, & Marshmellow 12.5%
Emerge With Grace – Berliner Weisse with Lactose, Raspberry, Macadamia, & Vanilla
White Oak Dragon Fruit Kissing Giants – Gose with Dragon Fruit & Aged on White Oak Spirals 4.5%
Orange Creamsicle OutWit – Wheat Ale 6%
Lemon Bar Kissing Giants – Gose 4.5%
Oreo Creatures In the Dark – Sweet Stout 7.8%
Green Coffee La La Land – American IPA aged on Green Coffee 7%
Chocolate Peanut Butter Creatures In the Dark – Sweet Stout 7.8%
Carrot Cake Litany of Angels – Belgian Strong Ale 9%
Coconut Macadamia BBA Glass Emperor – Barrel-aged Imperial Stout with Toasted Coconut & Macadamia 12.4%
Boston Crème Pie Mango Wit – Mango Wheat Ale 5.7%
Rolling Heads – Hazy IPA with Cryo Idaho 7, Cryo Lemondrop, & Mosaic hops 7.1%
Coffee Coconut Ghost Totem – Robust Porter 6.5%
Blood Orange Rolling Heads – Hazy IPA with Blood Orange 7.1%
FourFour8 – Hazy Pale Ale 4.5%
Falling Upwards – Hazy IPA with Sabro hops
Featherweight – Low-calorie IPA 4%
Devil Dodger – Bourbon Barrel-aged Imperial Sweet Stout Aged on Coconut, Ancho Chilies, & Chocolate 8%
Hot Cocoa Royal Bloodline – Bourbon Barrel-aged Imperial Stout aged on Chocolate, Vanilla & Marshmallows 12.5%
Edgefire – Imperial Stout with Chocolate, Marshmallows, and Graham Crackers 13%
Coffee Marshmallow BBA Glass Emperor – Bourbon Barrel-aged Imperial Stout aged on Single Origin Coffee & Marshmallows 11%
Heath Bar Ghost Totem – Robust Porter With Toffee and Chocolate 6.5%
Peach Apricot Evil Kiss – Fruited Berliner 4.5%

The beery goodness does not stop there as Proof Brewing Co. also plans to open up its cellar for a Vintage Bottle Release featuring the following beers (quantities will be limited, and bottles will be sold on a first come, first served basis at open):

Devil Dodger – Bourbon Barrel-aged Imperial Sweet Stout Aged on Coconut, Ancho Chilies, & Chocolate
Rum Barrel-aged Hooligans Keeper – Rum Barrel-aged “Wee Heavy” Scotch Ale
Bourbon Barrel-aged Hooligan Keeper – Bourbon Barrel-aged “Wee Heavy” Scotch Ale
Red Wine Barrel-aged Litany of Angels – Red Wine Barrel-aged Belgian Strong Ale
Coffee Vanilla Bourbon Barrel-aged Royal Bloodline – Bourbon Barrel-aged Imperial Stout
Coffee Vanilla Hazelnut Bourbon Barrel-aged Glass Emperor – Bourbon Barrel-aged Imperial Stout
`16 Bourbon Barrel-aged Glass Emperor – Bourbon Barrel-aged Imperial Stout
`17 Bourbon Barrel-aged Glass Emperor – Bourbon Barrel-aged Imperial Stout
`18 Bourbon Barrel-aged Glass Emperor – Bourbon Barrel-aged Imperial Stout
`17 Royal Bloodline – Imperial Stout
`18 Royal Bloodline – Imperial Stout

To set the vibe and round out these festivities, the 2020 Anniversary Celebration will also feature live music from local acts – Adam & the Testifiers from 2 p.m. to 6 p.m. and Trial By Stone from 7 p.m. to 10 p.m. – and Proper, The Brewpub at Proof Brewing Co, will be “serving up delicious, elevated pub food” to satisfy all your grubbin’ needs.

“It’s hard to believe it’s been a whole year at our new location, let alone brewing since 2012,” said Byron Burroughs, Owner of Proof Brewing Co. “We felt a celebration party should be in order and hope the public will come out and enjoy local live music, amazing beers, and good times!”

The 2020 Anniversary Party at Proof Brewing Co. is a free-to-attend, pay-as-you-go event that is open to the public. The brewery is selling an Anniversary Passport in its online store for $15 (click here to purchase, quantities are limited) and that gets you a commemorative taster glass (pictured below) and three 5 oz. fills of any beer on the menu. The Anniversary Passport is not required, but it is highly recommended that you purchase one if you wish to get your hands on the commemorative glassware.

That just about covers all the information currently available on Proof Brewing Co.’s 2020 Anniversary Celebration. If any more details surface before the event, we will be sure to update you with that info here.

As you can tell from the taplist and details listed above, you are going to be hard-pressed to find a better beer event in Florida this weekend than what is going to go down at Proof Brewing Co.’s 2020 Anniversary Celebration on Saturday. If you are free and anywhere within driving distance to Tallahassee, go ahead and rally your beer drinking crew now so that you all can raise a glass with the folks at Proof Brewing Co. to the last year and the many more ahead. Prost!

Terrapin Beer Co. Gives ReCreationAle a Low-Calorie Makeover

Posted on February 5, 2020 by mashingin

Terrapin Beer Co. (Athens, Georgia) has officially announced that it will release a newly reformulated, low-calorie version of RecreationAle in late February 2020.

Lightened up a bit in appearance, calories and carbs so that Terrapin Beer Co. can join in on the low-calorie movement that is currently taking the beer community by storm, the new RecreationAle is a low-calorie Session India Pale Ale that “still packs in all the *dry hop* flavor and aroma of the original RecreationAle.” Weighing in at just 99 calories and 3.9 grams of carbs per 12 oz. serving, RecreationAle LoCal IPA is the perfect brew to “enjoy after a day on the trail.”

The new RecreationAle will debut in Terrapin’s Athens and Atlanta brewery locations on February 19 and will enter full distribution shortly after that date. You can expect to find this Year-Round offering available in 12-packs of 16 oz. cans, on draft, and in the brewery’s IPA Survival Kit Variety 12-pack of 12 oz. cans at craft beer-friendly retailers, bars and restaurants located in Alabama, Florida, Georgia and throughout the rest of Terrapin Beer Co.’s distribution area. Prost!

Vital Information for RecreationAle LoCal IPA from Terrapin Beer Co.

Release – Year-Round; low-calorie version launches late February 2020
Style – Session India Pale Ale
ABV – ???
Calories – 99 (per 12 oz. serving)
Carbs – 3.9 grams (per 12 oz. serving)
Availability – 12-packs of 16 oz. cans, draft & in the IPA Survival Kit Variety 12-pack of 12 oz. cans
Beer Finder – https://www.terrapinbeer.com/beer-finder

New Holland Brewing Co. Caters to Active Lifestyles with Launch of Lightpoint Functional White Ale

Posted on February 4, 2020 by mashingin

New Holland Brewing Company (Holland, Michigan) has officially introduced Lightpoint Functional White Ale as the newest offering to join the brewery’s Year-Round lineup.

Developed to serve as New Holland’s first “active pursuits” beer, Lightpoint is a White Ale featuring coconut water, orange peel and raw honey. Weighing in at just 3.7% ABV, 86 calories and 2 grams of carbs per 12 oz. serving, Lightpoint Functional White Ale is “designed to be enjoyed with friends and community, shared after a hike, bike, run, ski or yoga session and bring a more satisfying and flavorful approach to the apres experience, without the added calories, ABV or carbohydrates.”

“We all look forward to the light point in our day or in our workout,” said Adam Dickerson, New Holland Brand Manager. “Here in West Michigan, the sunset over Lake Michigan symbolizes that moment of rest. After a day of hard work or a lakeshore run, the setting sun provides us with a beautiful moment to breathe it in and re-energize. That’s our Lightpoint.”

Jason Salas, Brewery Operations Manager, said, “We pride ourselves on creating what we deem to be the best tasting craft beer available, from seasonal flavors, to our flagship products. Lightpoint is an exciting next step for the brand, showcasing our desire to ensure that our best moments, with friends and family in the outdoors, are supported by the finest beverage possible, made from premium, delicious ingredients, and pristine Lake Michigan water.”

Lightpoint Functional White Ale is available now at New Holland Brewing’s Tasting Room locations in Michigan and will enter full distribution in March 2020. Once fully released, you will be able to find this new Year-Round offering available in 6-packs of 12 oz. cans, 12-packs of 12 oz. cans and on draft in Alabama, Florida, Michigan and throughout the rest of New Holland’s 43-state distribution area. Prost!

Vital Information Lightpoint Functional White Ale from New Holland Brewing Company

Release – Year-Round; distribution begins in March 2020
Style – White Ale
ABV – 3.7%
Calories – 86 (per 12 oz. serving)
Carbs – 2 grams (per 12 oz. serving)
Featured Ingredients – Coconut water, orange peel & raw honey
Availability – 6-packs of 12 oz. cans, 12-packs of 12 oz. cans & draft
Beer Finder – https://www.newhollandbrew.com/find-our-beer/

21st Amendment Brewery Honors Peet’s Coffee with Release of 1966 Coffee IPA

Posted on February 4, 2020 by mashingin

21st Amendment Brewery (San Leandro, California) has officially announced that it has released 1966 Coffee IPA, a special collaboration project with Peet’s Coffee, as its first Insurrection Series offering of 2020.

Brewed to recognize the year when “Alfred Peet opened his coffeebar at the corner of Walnut and Vine in Berkeley and changed the way Americans, and the world, thought about coffee,” 1966 Coffee IPA (6.8% ABV) is a West Coast-style India Pale Ale featuring “aromas of fruity blueberries and bright citrus notes from Columbus, Citra, Amarillo, and Centennial hops.” To cover the coffee side of this IPA, Ethiopian Super Natural Coffee from Peet’s Coffee was “incorporated several ways in the brew, including ‘dry-hopping’ with whole beans,” to provide “[accents] of rich coffee . . . balanced with malt structure and defined bitterness all giving this West Coast IPA a phenomenal flavor profile.”

“Rather than the traditional dark beer with coffee, we wanted to have fun with the melding of hops and coffee, paying attention to the coffee varietal and manipulating the roast level to nudge the subtle flavors from the bean for an incredibly unique IPA,” says Shaun O’Sullivan (Co-Founder and Brewmaster, 21st Amendment). “Working closely with Peet’s Roastmaster, Doug Welsh, we settled in on Peet’s Ethiopian Super Natural with its lemon, bergamot, and blueberry characteristics perfectly complementing the hop flavors.”

“Don’t expect dark roast,” said Doug Welsh (Roastmaster, Peet’s Coffee). “We iterated every roast style imaginable, with a target profile of maltiness – matching the beer – a kaleidoscope of floral aromatics and the piquant acidity and glacé citron of exceptional Ethiopia. Hops, meet your coffee cousin.”

1966 Coffee IPA is rolling out now and will hang around for a limited time. You can expect to find this new Limited Release offering available in 6-packs of 12 oz. cans and on draft at select craft beer-focused establishments located in Florida, California and throughout the rest of 21st Amendment’s 28 state distribution footprint. Prost!

Vital Information for 1966 Coffee IPA from 21st Amendment Brewery & Peet’s Coffee

Release – Limited/Insurrection Series; launching late January 2020
Style – American India Pale Ale
ABV – 6.8%
IBUs – 50
Hops – Flavor hops: Columbus, Amarillo, Citra & Centennial | Dry hops: Amarillo & Centennial
Malts – Pale Malt, Munich Light & White Wheat
Added Ingredients – Ethiopian Super Natural whole coffee beans from Peet’s Coffee
Availability – 6-packs of 12 oz. cans & draft
Beer Finder – https://www.21st-amendment.com/find-some

Great Divide Brewing Co. & Pablo’s Coffee Collaborate on Coffee Porter

Posted on February 3, 2020 by mashingin

Great Divide Brewing Company (Denver, Colorado) has officially announced that it will begin the Limited Release of Coffee Porter, a special collaboration with Pablo’s Coffee, in February 2020.

Surfacing as the latest offering to come out of Great Divide’s Tank Farm Series, Coffee Porter is an American Porter brewed with coffee beans sourced from Mexico and provided by Pablo’s Coffee. To put a Great Divide spin on the added coffee, these green coffee beans were aged in whiskey barrels that once held the 2019 edition of Barrel Aged Yeti Imperial Stout before being roasted by Pablo’s Coffee and integrated into the Porter. This “unique, multi-step process” results in a Coffee Porter (6.5% ABV) that is “the perfect pairing of coffee and beer.”

“We’ve utilized Pablo’s beans for our beers and our coffee makers here at Great Divide for years,” said marketing manager, Matt Sandy. “When we contemplated brewing a coffee porter, Pablo’s was the obvious choice and we brainstormed a process to give this particular coffee porter a little extra prestige.”

“We chose organically grown Mexican coffee produced by Serranos for its inherent chocolate and caramel sweetness and low moisture content,” explained Pablo’s Head Roaster/Green Buyer, Brian Gerhard. “We tasted the beans as they slowly absorbed the inherent Yeti and whiskey flavors from the barrels, rotating them regularly to ensure that each bean had adequate contact time with the barrel. At the 7-day mark we were ready to roast. We went with a smaller than normal, fast roast to try and maintain the wonderful whiskey and oak aromatics. We couldn’t be happier with the end result of both the coffee and the beer.”

Coffee Porter debuted at Great Divide’s Tap Room locations on January 31 and will enter distribution in February. You can expect to find this new Limited Release 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 Great Divide’s distribution network. A limited amount of the barrel-aged coffee beans featured in Coffee Porter will be available at Pablo’s locations and at select retailers. Prost!

Vital Information for Coffee Porter from Great Divide Brewing Company & Pablo’s Coffee

Release – Limited/Tank Farm Series; February – April 2020
Style – American Porter
ABV – 6.5%
Added Ingredients – Pablo’s coffee that was aged in whiskey barrels that once held Yeti Imperial Stout
Suggested Food Pairings – “Slow-cooked steak pie with peas, mashed potatoes and gravy; roast vegetable salad with Stilton cheese; stroopwafels and fresh berries”
Availability – 6-packs of 12 oz. cans & draft
Beer Finder – https://greatdivide.com/beer-finder/

Coffee Porter: A Pablos Coffee Collaboration from Great Divide Brewing Co on Vimeo.

Rogue Ales & Spirits Releases 2020 Batch of Rolling Thunder Imperial Stout & Rolling Thunder Stouted Whiskey

Posted on January 31, 2020 by mashingin

Rogue Ales & Spirits (Newport, Oregon), the only farmer-brewer-distiller-cooper in the world, has officially announced that it will begin the Limited Release of this year’s Rolling Thunder Imperial Stout and Rolling Thunder Stouted Whiskey in February 2020.

Established in 2015 when Rogue “acquired vintage French WWII-era coopering equipment and built a barreling facility,” Rolling Thunder Barrel Works is a barrel making operation anchored by longtime employee Nate Linquist who was “tapped to be Rogue’s first cooper and spent six months apprenticing, learning the ancient art of barrel making.” Working exclusively with Oregon Oak, Linquist “assembles, raises, toasts, chars, hoops, heads, hoops again, cauterizes, sands and brands each barrel, one at a time, all by hand.” Once completed, these barrels go on to serve as aging vessels for a selection of Rogue’s handcrafted beers and spirits.

“With our culture of relentless curiosity comes the desire to create, innovate and do things differently,” says Bliss Dake, Vice President of Marketing. “At Rogue we come up with some wild ideas and then we make them happen. We are makers with a ‘Do It Yourself’ attitude and are always asking ‘What If?’. This ‘What If’ mentality pushed us to experiment and ultimately create something special with the Rolling Thunder family.”

Representative of “the culmination of all things DIY from Rogue,” Rolling Thunder Imperial Stout 2020 is a meticulously crafted Imperial Stout that “was aged for 9 months in one of these handmade Rolling Thunder Barrel Works barrels previously used to age Rogue’s Dead Guy Whiskey.” This treatment allows the Imperial Stout’s “rich, viscous notes of chocolate and coffee [to combine] with the flavors of whiskey-soaked Oregon Oak.” Weighing in at 13.6% ABV, Rolling Thunder Imperial Stout “can be enjoyed immediately or cellared for years.”

Taking the Rolling Thunder Barrel Works program “one step further,” Rolling Thunder Stouted Whiskey is an American Single Malt Whiskey “that was distilled at Rogue’s distillery then aged in barrels built at Rogue’s Rolling Thunder Barrel Works cooperage that had already aged Rolling Thunder Imperial Stout, which was brewed at Rogue’s brewery.” This full circle approach lends the whiskey “prominent notes of chocolate that complement the flavors of whiskey-soaked Oregon Oak.” Coming in at 97.5 PROOF, Rolling Thunder Stouted Whiskey is “big, bold and a true one-of-a-kind whiskey that bridges the gap between Single Malt and Bourbon.”

Rolling Thunder Imperial Stout and Rolling Thunder Stouted Whiskey are both scheduled to release in February 2020 and will only be available as long as supplies last. Rolling Thunder Imperial Stout will be available in 500ml (16.9 oz.) bottles and on draft at select craft beer-focused establishments located in Alabama, Florida, Oregon and throughout the rest of Rogue’s distribution network. Rolling Thunder Stouted Whiskey will be available in 750ml bottles at select liquor retailers located in areas that normally see offerings from Rogue Spirits. Prost!

Rolling_Thunder_Charring_FULL-31 — Nate Linquist, Rolling Thunder Barrel Works Cooper at Rogue Ales & Spirits, charring a barrel. Photo Credit: Rogue Ales & Spirits

Starr Hill Brewery Adds Ramble On Juicy IPA to Core Lineup

Posted on January 31, 2020 by mashingin

Starr Hill Brewery (Crozet, Virginia) has officially announced that it will launch Ramble On Juicy IPA as its newest Year-Round offering in late January 2020.

Crafted to represent the free-spirited nature of Starr Hill Brewery, Ramble On is a “juice bomb” of a New England-style India Pale Ale featuring a mix of Citra, Mosaic, Galaxy and El Dorado hops. Coming in at 7% ABV and just 30 IBUs, Ramble On “[bursts] with vibrant, juicy hop flavor and delivers a smooth body with low bitterness.”

Ramble On started pouring on draft on January 29, and 6-packs of 12 oz. bottles and 4-packs of 16 oz. cans are scheduled to arrive in February 2020. You can expect to find this new Year-Round offering at craft beer-friendly retailers, bars and restaurants located in Alabama, Virginia and throughout the rest of Starr Hill’s distribution area. Prost!

Vital Information for Ramble On Juicy IPA from Starr Hill Brewery

Release – Year-Round; launching late January/early February 2020
Style – Juicy/Hazy India Pale Ale
ABV – 7%
IBUs – 30
Hops – Citra, Mosaic, Galaxy & El Dorado
Malts – Craft Two Row, Carafoam, Flaked Barley & Vienna
Yeast – London Ale III
Suggested Food Pairings – “Colby cheese, chorizo tacos, cherry pie”
Availability – 6-packs of 12 oz. bottles, 4-packs of 16 oz. cans & draft
Beer Finder – https://starrhill.com/beer-finder/

Tasting Notes: Chateau Øl from To Øl

Posted on January 30, 2020January 31, 2020 by mashingin

For this installment of Tasting Notes, we class things up a bit around here by getting into a bottle of Chateau Øl from To Øl (Copenhagen, Denmark).

Coming to us courtesy of The Rare Beer Club, Chateau Øl (10.4% ABV) is a Belgian-style Tripel “that is aimed at replicating a crisp wine, using a ‘melody’ of wine yeasts to ferment the beer.” Hallertau Blanc hops, used in kettle and dry hopping, further reinforce the wine-like character with “the grape, pear like flavors” desired by To Øl. An addition of rye then supplies Chateau Øl with “a spice kick” while a base of Pilsner malt provides a “clean finish that helps to balance the flavors.”

Chateau Øl is available now but only as long as supplies last. You can expect to find this Limited Release offering available in 750ml bottles and on draft at select craft beer-focused establishments located in areas regularly serviced by Shelton Brothers. You can also gain access to bottles of Chateau Øl by becoming a member of The Rare Beer Club, one of 5 unique beer clubs offered by MonthlyClubs.com (click here to learn more).

Now that we all have an idea of the inspiration behind the beer and how to get it, let’s pop the cork on this bottle and get into these Tasting Notes!

Tasting Notes for Chateau Øl from To Øl

Appearance: A cautious pour produces a Tripel that is dark orange in color with a light caramel core and capped with a perfect finger of rocky, cream-colored foam. When held to direct light, the orange tones gain vibrancy and glow brightly. The beer is mostly clear (just a touch cloudy) and a steady carbonation presence can be observed coursing within. Head retention is quite good, falling ever so slowly to a lasting top cap that saturates the glass with wide, elaborate patterns of lace from first sip to last.

Aroma: The aromatics are surprisingly subdued but wonderfully nuanced. The yeast character greets the nose with a complex mix of spicy Belgian yeast (pepper and clove) and a soft layer of farmhouse-like funk. Vinous notes then push through to create a white wine quality while tones of caramel, pear and orange round out the profile with a subtle dose of sweetness.

Taste: A flourish of caramelized sugars hits the palate first before quickly giving way to a gorgeous vinous, white wine presence comprised of fresh pear, white grape, and a slightly funky and earthy yeast character. The Belgian yeast notes you expect from a Tripel (pepper, spice, clove and banana) are muted but still present and slightly amplified once the spice kicks in from the added rye. A citrus presence is weaved throughout, adding notes of orange zest, candied orange, and orange liqueur. The flavor profile closes with the Hallertau Blanc hops supplying added grape tones along with notes of lemongrass, grapefruit and pineapple.

Mouthfeel: On the full side of medium in body with a medium carbonation level, this Tripel is wonderfully crisp and dry in the finish. Sweet, spicy, lightly funky and hoppy on the palate, this beer coaxes a nice balance out of its complexity. The 10.4% ABV is present, but it offers only a light, gently building warmth in the throat and lends very little booziness overall. Notes of caramel, candied orange and pear are left to linger in the aftertaste.

Final Thoughts: Delightfully complex yet delicate, Chateau Øl is an intriguing and imaginative brew that clearly displays the versatility of the Tripel style. The beer carries all of the vinous, white wine notes that To Øl aimed to create, but executed it in such a way that the Tripel was still able to whisper subtle reminders of its more traditional flavors and aromas. These traditional notes simultaneously act as complements that enhance the white wine qualities while still providing enough of the time-honored characteristics needed to affirm that this is undoubtedly a gorgeous Tripel.

This approach yields a dynamic yet approachable offering that will assuredly capture the attention of wine and beer drinkers alike. If you are always on the lookout for beers that can have universal appeal at dinner parties or act as a gateway for the dedicated wine drinkers in your life, Chateau Øl can easily play both of those roles. Just make sure that your grab some bottles of this Limited Release before they disappear for good. Prost!