Tasting Notes: Share This: OC from The Bruery

Posted on by mashingin

BruerySTOCglass1000This week’s Tasting Notes finds us drinking with a purpose as we take a look at Share This: OC from The Bruery (Placentia, California).

Not too long ago, we let you all know about the recent release of Share This: OC (click here to check that out).  If you happened to miss that post, this offering comes to us by way of The Bruery’s Share This program, a beer series that acts as a fundraising effort for charities in regions that supplied ingredients or inspiration for each release.  For Share This: OC, the brewers focused on their “home county and its history as a significant growing region for oranges” by creating an Imperial Stout “dosed with orange zest, TCHO cacao nibs, and vanilla beans.”  For each bottle of Share This: OC produced, The Bruery will donate $1 to Food Forward of Southern California – a 501(c)(3) charity that provides hunger relief within their community by rescuing “fresh, local produce that would normally go to waste from backyard fruit trees, public orchards, farmers markets, and the downtown Los Angeles Wholesale Produce Market.”  Share This: OC is available for a limited time in 750ml bottles.  You can support this wonderful cause by picking up a bottle at craft beer establishments located in Florida, California and throughout the rest of The Bruery’s distribution network.

With that information now covered, I do believe it is time to pour up a few glasses for the Mashing In family and get to some Tasting Notes!

Tasting Notes for Share This: OC from The Bruery

Appearance:  Deep black in color, Share This: OC presents itself in the glass with a look that is similar to highly polished obsidian.  When presented with direct light, the oily blacks stand firm to deny any light from penetrating.  The body is completely opaque and reflective.  The pour produced a good two fingers of creamy, dark tan foam.  The head displays good retention and eventually settles in as a chunky half finger that lasts throughout the experience.  Each sip leaves behind a solid sheet of lace on the glass that slowly slips back down to rest in the top cap once again.  Truly stunning in appearance.

Aroma:  As soon as the nose approaches the glass, it is greeted by intense notes of heavily roasted malt and the finest dark chocolate.  The chocolate is splendidly pronounced, but it eventually opens up a bit to reveal a layer of freshly scraped vanilla beans.  Just as you think the beer is done, it closes out with a lingering, comforting fragrance of fresh orange juice and zest.

Taste:  Just as in the aroma, the chocolate is more than happy to bat lead-off in the flavor.  We are talking about some incredibly rich chocolate qualities that span from notes of bars of bittersweet dark chocolate to luxurious chocolate pot de crème to tall glasses of chocolate milk.  Vanilla builds and merges with a heavily roasted, black coffee character to lend some light mocha tones. At 11% ABV, a touch of alcohol presents itself in the flavor but it finds a place with the orange zest to create an orange liqueur note.  All of these flavors harmoniously work together to make each sip an indulgent delight.

Mouthfeel:  Fullest of the full in body with a moderate carbonation presence.  Slick and coating on the palate, the flavors are allowed to linger so that the drinker can truly savor everything hitting the taste buds.  With that said, the hops and citrus qualities lift the beer a bit to keep it from being cloying.  The ABV is absolutely there and creates a warmth that rises slowly from the belly.  The aftertaste conjures memories of chocolate oranges at Christmas.

Final Thoughts:  True to the name of the series, there is no denying that Share This: OC is a massive beer that is meant to be sipped and shared with friends.  Once you get beyond the sheer size of this brew, it becomes quite easy to get lost in its intoxicating chocolate and citrus notes.  The use of the orange gives the beer added dimension and supplies it with a bright freshness not often found in big ol’ Imperial Stouts.  That being the case, Share This: OC can be enjoyed on its own, as a pairing with dessert, or could even have some play with a few savory dishes as well.  No matter how you choose to enjoy it, we highly suggest you pick up a bottle of Share This: OC during its limited release.  Not only so you can enjoy a truly delicious brew, but to also support the very worthy cause of Food Forward in the process.  Make it happen because there is absolutely no way that you can walk away from this beer disappointed.  Prost!

foodforward

Shiner Beer Releases Strawberry Blonde as New Summer Seasonal

Posted on by mashingin

ShinerStrawbottleShiner Beer/Spoetzl Brewery (Shiner, Texas) has announced that Shiner Strawberry Blonde is hitting shelves and taps now as the brewery’s summer Seasonal.

Previously released in 2015 as a part of the brewery’s Brewer’s Pride Series, Shiner Strawberry Blonde is making a comeback this summer with a new look as a Seasonal release.  Pale and Wheat malts lay the foundation for this beer, and then the brewers at Shiner give it a refreshing infusion of “juicy homegrown strawberries from Poteet, Texas.”  At just 4.3% ABV, Shiner Strawberry Blonde comes together as an incredibly quenching beer with a crisp finish.  Shiner Strawberry Blonde officially replaces Shiner Prickly Pear as this year’s summer Seasonal from Shiner Beer/Spoetzl Brewery.

Shiner Strawberry Blonde is available now and will be hanging around through the summer months.  This Seasonal offering can found in 12 oz. bottles, 12 oz. cans and on draft at beer establishments located in Alabama, Florida, Texas and throughout the rest of Shiner Beer’s distribution network.  Prost!

Vital Information for Shiner Strawberry Blonde from Spoetzl Brewery

Release – Seasonal, rolling out March 2017
Style – American Blonde Ale
ABV – 4.3%
IBUs – 11
Malts – Pale & Wheat malts
Added Ingredients – Strawberries from Poteet, Texas
Availability – 12 oz. bottles, 12 oz. cans & draft
Beer Finder – https://www.shiner.com/find

Founders Brewing Co. to Offer Centennial IPA in 15-Packs of Cans

Posted on by mashingin

CentennialIPA2017FeatureFounders Brewing Co. (Grand Rapids, Michigan) has announced that their popular Centennial IPA will soon be available in 15-packs of 12 oz. cans.

First released in 2001, Centennial IPA has since firmly established itself as an enduring fan-favorite offering in Founders Brewing Co.’s Year-Round portfolio.  To better keep up with demand and make this this floral, citrusy India Pale Ale more conveniently accessible, the folks at Founders have decided to now offer Centennial IPA in 15-packs of 12 oz. cans.  Although this new packaging option will replace “the current 12-pack can package, . . . the suggested retail price will remain the same.”  Centennial IPA now joins All Day IPA, Azacca IPA, PC Pils and Mosaic Promise as the brewery’s offerings currently available in this 15-pack format.

“Centennial IPA was first of many IPAs in our portfolio,” said Co-Founder and President, Dave Engbers. “In today’s landscape of thousands of IPAs, it still holds up to be a rock-solid, well-balanced IPA, defined by its strong malt backbone and floral, citrusy flavor and aroma. The decision to give it the 15-pack treatment was an easy one and we hope Centennial IPA fans are as pumped as we are to see this brand grow – literally in this case.”

Centennial IPA will be available in 15-packs of 12 oz. cans beginning in April 2017.  This offering will also continue to be available in 6-packs of 12 oz. bottles and on draft.  As always, you can find Centennial IPA available at craft beer friendly establishments in Alabama, Florida, Michigan and throughout the rest of Founders Brewing Co.’s distribution area (which will soon include 45 states).  Prost!

Vital Information for Centennial IPA from Founders Brewing Co.

Release – Year-Round, 15-packs launch in April 2017
Style – American India Pale Ale
ABV – 7.2%
IBUs – 65
Description – “Get ready to bask in the glory of the frothy head’s floral bouquet. Relish the citrus accents from the abundance of dry hopping. This one’s sweet, yet balanced. Malty undertones shake hands with the hop character for a finish that never turns too bitter.”
Availability – 15-packs of 12 oz. cans, 6-packs of 12 oz. bottles & draft
Beer Finder – https://foundersbrewing.com/find-our-beer/

Wicked Barley Brewing Company Launches Distribution

Posted on by mashingin

wickedbarleylogoWicked Barley Brewing Company (Jacksonville, Florida) has announced that they have partnered with Cavalier Distributing to begin distribution of their craft beer offerings in the area of Jacksonville, Florida.

Since first opening its doors in July 2016, Wicked Barley Brewing Company has quickly established itself within the craft beer community of Jacksonville.  Not only has the brewery – which includes a taproom, restaurant, large outdoor beer garden, and a boat – become a favorite destination for local craft beer lovers, but their beers have also recently received quite a bit of recognition at the 2017 Best Florida Beer Championships: Dortmunder Export SB took Gold in the European Dark Lager/Ale category and was named “Best Small Batch Beer in Florida”; Wicked Barley Gose took Gold in the Gose category; Orange Blossom Mead took Silver in the Mead category; and the brewery was named “Best Brewpub in Florida”.

This success and the brewery’s steady growth has now made it possible for Wicked Barley Brewing Company to ease itself into distribution.  The brewery has entered into an agreement with Cavalier Distributing to begin distribution of “draught versions of . . . Left Leg Lager, The Eradicator DIPA, and seasonal/limited releases as available, in the Florida counties of Duval, Clay, St. John’s, Nassau, and Baker.”  To properly celebrate this new milestone, Wicked Barley and Cavalier Distributing will host the following launch events in the Jacksonville area:

Jacksonville Distribution Launch Events

If you are in the Jacksonville area, be sure to check out one (or many) of the events above and raise a glass with Wicked Barley Brewing Company in celebration of their continued growth and success.  Prost!

New Holland Brewing to Release Mexican Spice Cake as Next Dragon’s Milk Reserve

Posted on by mashingin

dmr4packNew Holland Brewing Co. (Holland, Michigan) has announced that Dragon’s Milk Reserve Mexican Spice Cake will release on April 1.

Dragon’s Milk Reserve Mexican Spice Cake arrives as the latest variant of New Holland Brewing Co.’s wildly popular Dragon’s Milk, a Bourbon Barrel Stout “with roasty malt character intermingled with deep vanilla tones, all dancing in an oak bath.”  To create this variation, the base beer for Dragon’s Milk is aged for three months in Bourbon barrels with toasted chiles, cocoa nibs, vanilla, and cinnamon.  This allows the beer’s chocolate character to be “enhanced by the soft chili heat and mellowed out by the flavors of vanilla and cinnamon.”

“We first brewed this variation for Michigan Brewers’ Guild Winter Beer Fest (WBF) in February of 2016,” says Brett VanderKamp, president of New Holland. “And it’s been a fan favorite ever since. People couldn’t get enough at that beer fest, at the handful of small events across the country in which we tested it, and again at this year’s WBF. It was time for this variant to own the spotlight.”

The New Holland Brewing Co. brewpubs will host release parties for Dragon’s Milk Reserve Mexican Spice Cake on April 1, and the beer will then enter distribution shortly thereafter.  This limited release will be available in 4-packs of 12 oz. bottles and on draft in Alabama, Michigan, and throughout the rest of the brewery’s distribution network.  All previous Dragon’s Milk Reserve releases have disappeared with a quickness, and Mexican Spice Cake should be no different.  Keep that in mind and secure your stash when you stumble across it.  Prost!

Vital Information for Dragon’s Milk Reserve Mexican Spice Cake from New Holland Brewing Co.

Release – Limited/Dragon’s Milk Reserve, April 1, 2017
Style – American Imperial Stout
ABV – 11%
Treatment – Aged for three months in Bourbon barrels with toasted chiles, cocoa nibs, vanilla & cinnamon
Availability – 4-packs of 12 oz. bottles & draft
Beer Finder – http://newhollandbrew.com/finder/
Suggested Food Pairings – Caramel, vanilla ice cream, chili con carne 

DMRMSClabel_edited

Rhye IPA Goes Year-Round for Smuttynose Brewing Company

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SBC-12oz-Bottle-RHYE-silver-192x600Smuttynose Brewing Company (Hampton, New Hampshire) has announced that Rhye IPA has been officially promoted to the brewery’s Year-Round line-up.

If it is possible for a beer to serve as an example of persistence, that beer would be Rhye IPA.  This offering originally got its start as an experimental release in Smuttynose Brewing’s Big Beer Series, and its popularity quickly earned this brew a place in the brewery’s Seasonal line-up.   Even with this change, the hop-loving masses voiced that they wanted more access to Rhye IPA.  The brewery has listened and will now meet that demand by once again reclassifying Rhye IPA to become a Year-Round offering.

The brewers at Smuttynose lay the base of Rhye IPA with a variety of malts (including North American 2-Row, Rye, Aromatic, and CaraRye), but the goal is to ensure that the spiciness of rye stands out.  To complement that character, “Magnum hops were used for bittering, and Falconer’s Flight and Citra were added for flavor and dry-hopping.”  This all results in 6.9% ABV, “hoppy IPA, with rye spiciness and big hop character.”

Rhye IPA will officially roll out as a Year-Round offering beginning on April 3.  This offering will be available in 6-packs of 12 oz. bottles, 12-packs of 12 oz. bottles and on draft at craft beer establishments located in Alabama, Florida, New Hampshire and throughout the rest of Smuttynose’s distribution area.  It has been a long road for Rhye IPA, so make sure you show the beer a little love by picking up a sixer while on your next beer run.  Prost!

Vital Information for Rhye IPA from Smuttynose Brewing Company

Release – Year-round, April 3, 2017
Style – American India Pale Ale/Rye Beer
ABV – 6.9%
IBUs – 71
Hops – Magnum, Citra & Falconer’s Flight
Malts – North American 2-Row, Rye, Aromatic & CaraRye
Yeast – American Ale
Availability – 6-packs of 12 oz. bottles, 12-packs of 12 oz. bottles & draft
Beer Finder – https://smuttynose.com/beer-finder/
Suggested Food Pairings – “Spicy Asian foods: Thai, Vietnamese especially, sweet BBQ ribs and Jamaican food.”
Fun Fact – “The bottle label and package art is inspired by a drawing of an Indian rhino drawn by 16th century German painter and printmaker, Albrecht Durer. Durer was renowned throughout Europe for his wooden prints, and he worked with some of the most famous painters and artists of the day, including Da Vinci, Raphael, and many more.
Durer had never seen a rhino before, and created the drawing based on a description and a crudely scribbled sketch.”

RHYE-410

Bear Republic Brewing Adds Fastback Racer DIPA to Seasonal Lineup

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Fastbackcollage_edited2Bear Republic Brewing Co. (Sonoma County, California) recently announced that they will expand their Double IPA series in April with the seasonal release of Fastback Racer Double IPA.

Arriving as Bear Republic Brewing Co.’s newest Seasonal offering, Fastback Racer is a massive Double India Pale Ale that has been “packed with intense bitterness and massive hop additions of Citra and Ekuanot.”  These featured hops produce pronounced tropical and citrusy notes that ride high atop “a chassis of Rye, Munich, and light caramel malts.”  Clocking in at 10.4% ABV and 100+ IBUs, Fastback Racer certainly lives up to its billing of being “a Double IPA with full-throttle hoppiness.”  Fastback Racer Double IPA joins Cafe Racer 15, Apex, and Racer X within the brewery’s Seasonal lineup of Double IPAs.

“Fastback has quickly become one of our favorites and we are thrilled for it to make its debut as part of Bear Republic’s Double IPA series.”

– Richard G. Norgrove, Bear Republic Brewing Co. Brewmaster and COO

Fastback Racer Double IPA officially releases April 1 and will be available for a limited time.  This offering will be available at select craft beer retailers, restaurants and bars located in Florida, California and throughout the rest of Bear Republic’s distribution footprint.  This release of Fastback Racer Double IPA is pretty much guaranteed to not last long on shelves and taps, so be sure to pick this one up while you can, hopheads.  Prost!

Vital Information for Fastback Racer Double IPA from Bear Republic Brewing Co.

Release – Seasonal, arriving April 1, 2017
Style – American Double India Pale Ale
ABV – 10.4%
IBUs – 100+
Featured Hops – Citra & Ekuanot
Malts – Rye, Munich & light caramel malts
Availability – 6-packs of 12 oz. bottles, 22 oz. bottles & draft
Beer Finder (a.k.a. Bear Tracker) – https://bearrepublic.com/bear-tracker/
Suggested Food Pairings – “Spicy Foods, Savory Dishes, Poultry and Pork Dishes, BBQ Pork Ribs, Honey Glazed Ham, Orange Chicken, Cheesecake, Soft Pungent Cheeses, Aged Cheddar, Blue Cheese, Goat Cheese”

Fastbackcollage_edited1

 

Monday Night Brewing Revives Serrano Eye Patch Ale

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Serrano-Eye-Patch-Clip-On-500pxMonday Night Brewing (Atlanta, Georgia) recently announced that Serrano Eye Patch Ale will be returning for an encore release in April.

Originally released in 2015, Serrano Eye Patch Ale quickly became one of the most popular offerings to come out of Monday Night Brewing’s Clip-On series, a Seasonal lineup that is comprised of creative variants of the brewery’s six core beers.  After a couple years of requests from many dedicated fans, the brewery has finally decided that is time to brew up another batch of this one.  As the name implies, Serrano Eye Patch Ale spices things up a bit by adding fresh cut Serrano peppers to the brewery’s “award-winning English-style IPA, Eye Patch Ale.” The added peppers lend this crisp India Pale Ale a touch of pepper bite that is tempered nicely by the beer’s “caramelly front.”

Serrano Eye Patch Ale will officially release in April and should hang around for three or four months.  This offering will be available in 6-packs of 12 oz. bottles and on draft at craft beer establishments located in Monday Night’s distribution area of Alabama and Georgia.  Shake things up, wake up those taste buds, and pick up a sixer of Serrano Eye Patch Ale before it disappears once again.  Prost!

Vital Information for Serrano Eye Patch Ale from Monday Night Brewing

Release – Seasonal/Clip-On series, arriving April 2017
Style – American India Pale Ale
Base Beer – Eye Patch Ale
ABV – 6.2%
IBUs – 46
Hops – Magnum, Cascade & Columbus
Malts – Marris Otter, Crystal & Rye
Added Ingredients – Fresh cut Serrano peppers
Availability – 6-packs of 12 oz. bottles & draft
Beer Finder – http://mondaynightbrewing.com/find-our-beer/
Suggested Food Pairings – “Spicy foods, burgers, fish dishes, chicken, Paris Hilton”

 

Cigar City Brewing Expands Distribution to North Carolina

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CCBJaiCigar City Brewing (Tampa, Florida) has officially announced that it will begin shipping 12 oz. cans of Jai Alai IPA and several other offerings to North Carolina effective immediately.

Ever since Cigar City Brewing was founded in 2009, the brewery has always taken a very cautious and selective approach when it has come to expansion of distribution.  Considering that the brewers have crafted their award-winning beers with priorities set on quality, fine ingredients and freshness, the folks at Cigar City certainly do their due diligence to ensure that their offerings can be properly represented in any prospective market.

With that said, the news that North Carolina has now been officially chosen as the eighth state – and only the second new state in over four years – to see distribution from Cigar City Brewing should be that much sweeter to the craft beer community of the Tar Heel State.  The brewery has signed with numerous distribution partners (Skyland Distributing Co., United Beverages of North Carolina, R.H. Barringer Distributing Company, Long Beverage Inc., Carolina Distributing LLC, Healy Wholesale Co Inc., Atlantic Shores Distributors, Coastal Beverage Co. and City Beverage Co Inc.) to supply the state of North Carolina with the following five beer offerings:

  • Florida Cracker Belgian-style White Ale – Citrus aromas of oranges and lime leaves mingle with bubblegum and dried flowers on the nose of this hazy and refreshing Belgian-style White Ale. High carbonation and herbaceous bitterness quench the thirst while lemon-lime esters and flavors of Valencia orange add unique depth of flavor and complexity.  ABV – 5.5%  IBUs – 18
  • Invasion Pale Ale – Tropical aromas dominate the nose of this approachable, low alcohol pale ale with distinct notes of mango, tangerine and soursop. On the palate, a moderate bitterness is tempered by flavors of navel orange and clementine and a dry, bread-like malt quality that makes this Pale Ale at once approachable and incredibly flavorful.  IBUs – 5%  IBUs – 36
  • Jai Alai IPA – An intense bouquet of tangerine and candied orange peel entice the nose while flavors of clementines, Valencia orange and subtle caramel provide counterpoint to an assertive bitterness and rich malt character. Bold hop flavor and aroma from six different hop varietals is front and center in this flavorful American IPA.   ABV – 7.5%  IBUs – 70
  • Maduro Brown Ale – Maduro is a Northern English-style Brown Ale with some American affectations. Maduro is higher in alcohol than the common English Brown Ale and features flaked oats in the malt bill which imparts a silky body and works to mesh the roasted, toasted and chocolate components together in Maduro’s complex malt profile. The end result is a remarkably full-flavored yet approachable Brown Ale that pairs well with mild to medium cigars.  ABV – 5.5%  IBUs – 25
  • Tampa-style Lager – Inspired by traditional German lagers, our Tampa-style Lager is brewed with German malted barley, Hallertauer hops and an authentic Bavarian lager yeast. We combine these ingredients to create a style that’s quite unique to our hometown of Tampa, Florida but will find admirers wherever a crisp, dry and flavorful lager is called for. Familiar to generations, it’s truly a beer that’s made for drinkin’.  ABV – 4.5%  IBUs – 22

The beers listed above will be available in 12 oz. cans at launch with draft beer expected to follow shortly behind.

To properly introduce themselves to craft beer fans in North Carolina, “numerous Cigar City Brewing representatives . . ., including Cigar City Brewing’s El Lector Neil Callaghan and Brand Manager Lucas Widrick,” will attend a series of launch events beginning the week of March 20 (apologies for being a bit late, but full list of event dates and locations available below).  Be sure to check out one of the many events over the next week or so to give Cigar City Brewing a hearty welcome to North Carolina.  Prost!

Cigar City Brewing’s North Carolina Launch Events

Raleigh, North Carolina

Brevard, North Carolina

Asheville, North Carolina

Charlotte, North Carolina

 

 

Goose Island Beer Co. Migration Week comes to Tampa

Posted on by mashingin

home_page_migration_weekBeginning on March 29, Goose Island Beer Co. (Chicago, Illinois) will declare Tampa, Florida an official Migration Week destination by hosting a series of events throughout the city.

Packed into a bus filled with delicious and elusive brews, several Goose Island brewers and representatives hit the road each year to enjoy a few brews with beer lovers during Migration Week.  Spending roughly a week in each location, this merry band of beer travelers hosts a series of can’t miss events in each city to promote beer culture through education and entertainment.

Although this year’s Migration Week schedule is loaded with international stops, the Goose Island crew has set aside some time to bring the party to Tampa from Wednesday, March 29 to Sunday, April 2.  The official list of 2017 Migration Week events in Tampa is as follows:

If you are in the area and looking for something to get into this week, believe me when I tell you that hanging out with the Goose Island crew is always good times.  All of the Tampa Migration Week events listed above are either free or ridiculously affordable, so call up your drinking buddies and make plans now to take part in one (or many) of these events later this week.  Prost!