Heavy Seas Beer Announces 21 as New Anniversary Ale

Posted on by mashingin

21.pngHeavy Seas Beer (Baltimore, Maryland) informed their fans today that they will be celebrating 21 years of brewing with the December release of 21 Anniversary Ale.

As the latest offering from the Heavy Seas Uncharted Waters series and a newly incarnated anniversary beer release, 21 Anniversary Ale celebrates this impressive brewing milestone as an Imperial Rye Extra Special Bitter aged in Sagamore Spirit rye whiskey barrels.  The recipe lays a foundation boasting “imported UK Marris Otter malt, Crystal Rye malt, local Domino brown sugar, and a blend of spicy, herbaceous British and American hops.”  Once the brewing process is completed, 21 will then be aged for sixty days in those locally sourced Sagamore Spirit barrels to further support the rye notes featured in this ESB.  The finished beer weighs in at 10.5% ABV and 65 IBUs.

“We wanted to create a synergy between the Rye Whiskey Barrels, the beer, and the consumer, taking him or her on a sensory journey. By incorporating ingredients that mirror and accentuate the flavors of the Whiskey that aged in the barrels first, we’ve developed a beer that speaks to the soul of the Rye fan while satisfying the Heavy Seas enthusiast.”

– Christopher Leonard, Heavy Seas Brewmaster

21 Anniversary Ale officially launches in December as a limited release.  Look for this offering in 22 oz. bottles at select craft beer establishments in Alabama, Florida, and throughout the Heavy Seas distribution footprint.  Prost!

Vital Information for 21 Anniversary Ale from Heavy Seas Beer

Availability – Limited, releasing in December 
Style – Imperial Rye Extra Special Bitter (ESB) aged in rye whiskey barrels
ABV – 10.5%
IBUs – 65
Malts – Marris Otter Malt, Crystal Malt, Caramalt & CaraRye Malt
Hops – Chinook, UK Kent Goldings & UK Fuggle
Additional Ingredients – Brown Sugar
Beer Finder – http://hsbeer.com/beerfinder

 

SweetWater Brewing Announces Headliners for Upcoming 420 Fest

Posted on by mashingin

420festlogSweetWater Brewing Company (Atlanta, Georgia) has officially announced Widespread Panic and Trey Anastasio Band as headliners for the brewery’s 13th 420 Fest to be held on April 21-23, 2017 at Atlanta’s Centennial Olympic Park.

To the delight of music loving beer fans throughout the Southeast, SweetWater Brewing’s 13th 420 Fest returns in April of 2017.  Each year, this music festival provides attendees with an experience loaded with high profile musical acts, rare beer experiences, live comedy acts, regional and local musical acts, delicious eats from Atlanta’s finest food trucks, local art, and environmentally focused education in the Planet 420 village.

The first wave of 420 Fest news was announced this week with the release of the following list of headliners:

Additional headliners and over 45 more musical and comedic acts will be announced in January of 2017.  You can expect a musically diverse lineup featuring ” jam, rock, alternative, hip hop and EDM performing on four stages.”

Tickets are on sale now and can be purchased by simply clicking here.  Fans will be happy to see that ticket prices did not increase from the 2016 installment of 420 Fest with 3-Day General Admission pricing starting at $89 and 3-Day VIP pricing starting at $243.  Arrange your tickets now and stay tuned for more information coming soon concerning all aspects of the 13th SweetWater 420 Fest.  Prost!

 

Tasting Notes: Stone 20th Anniversary Citracado IPA from Stone Brewing Co.

Posted on by mashingin

encorecrown_web2This segment of Tasting Notes gets in on a celebration twenty years in the making by taking a look at Stone 20th Anniversary Citracado IPA from Stone Brewing Co. (Escondido, California).

While looking for the inspiration for a beer worthy of commemorating “20 years of revolutionary brewing,” the folks at Stone Brewing Co. did not have to look much further than the Citracado Parkway running alongside the brewery.  The parkway itself is a tribute to the citrus and avocado agricultural history of the area, so why not brew a beer with a similar theme?  Stone 20th Anniversary Citracado IPA pulls this off by utilizing Citra hops and avocado flower honey to produce “dominant orange and floral aromatics that transcend into the overall flavor.” This limited release offering is available now on draft and in 22 oz. bottles at craft beer establishments in Alabama, Florida, and all other markets nationwide where Stone Brewing beers are sold.  If you would like to learn more about Stone 20th Anniversary Citracado IPA, you can click here to check out the release profile I posted a few weeks ago.  As for now, this beer is calling for me to serve it up and get to these Tasting Notes!

Tasting Notes for Stone 20th Anniversary Citracado IPA from Stone Brewing Co.

Appearance: Stone 20th Anniversary Citracado IPA pours a copper hue that displays deep oranges and the lightest/brightest browns possible.  When held to direct light, the beer illumes a bit to push more vibrant oranges through the body and displays a consistent carbonation activity residing within.  Two fingers of off white, chunky and thick head adorns the top of the brew.  Head retention is great, slowly but eventually falling a bit to a lasting finger of foam.  The only reason the head falters is because it has so much stick on the glass, leaving abundant lines of lace after each sip.

Aroma: Oh, yes . . . the beautiful and unmistakable aroma of Citra hops surges from the glass.  Big citrus hop notes of orange zest and the sweet, juicy meat of the fruit lure you in with ease.  A floral note cleanly interlaces itself with the citrus to lift the aromatic profile to an even higher level of freshness.  Although the hops easily steal the show here, a light hint of honey can be recognized.  The sugary qualities are light enough to complement the hops by further sweetening the fruit notes.

Taste:  There is a hop dankness that is not at all shy in the flavor of this beer.  Citrus hops once again dominate with notes of orange, lemon and grapefruit.  Pine pushes that dankness forward with a tinge of resiny sharpness.  A floral hop quality blends in and creates a seamless transition into the avocado flower honey.  The honey pulls the malts up to the surface a bit to produce an insanely smooth balance.

Mouthfeel:  This Double IPA falls on the heavier side of medium in body with a medium carbonation level.  Silken in texture, it has some stickiness to it on the palate but it dries out quickly to produce an amazingly clean sip.  I honestly cannot believe this brew comes in at 9% ABV because there is zero evidence of that sizable alcohol level found.  The aftertaste is just a tinge of orange and honey.

Final Thoughts: I am not going to beat around the bush here . . . Stone 20th Anniversary Citracado IPA is easily one of the best Double IPAs I have had this year.  The fine line between aggression and restraint is gracefully traversed to present these hops in beautiful fashion. Furthermore, the decision to use avocado flower honey was an inspired and elegant choice to give this beer an unrivaled level of balance.  The most impressive feat achieved here is the complete removal of any trace of a very considerable 9% ABV.  This attribute makes the beer one of the easiest drinking Double IPAs I have ever encountered.  In summation, this is a beer that pulls no punches but still has a level of disciplined restraint to not be all haymakers either.  Confident and calculating, Stone 20th Anniversary Citracado IPA embodies the true spirit of Stone Brewing Co.  If you are going to create a beer that reflects upon 20 years of top tier brewing reputation, this is indeed how you do it.  Finely crafted and just a joy to drink.  Prost!

Boulevard Brewing Plans Retirement of Long Strange Tripel and Chocolate Ale

Posted on by mashingin

boulevardlogoBoulevard Brewing Company (Kansas City, Missouri) recently informed their fans that the production of Long Strange Tripel, Chocolate Ale and several other offerings will be suspended indefinitely to make room in the brewing schedule for new offerings and expanded production of other established brews.

When you take a look at the newly released 2017 Brewing Schedule for Boulevard Brewing Company, you may notice that quite a few familiar names are missing.  The most glaring omission from the schedule is the long-standing Long Strange Tripel.  This Belgian Tripel was created to honor Harold “Trip” Hogue, a collector of ancient Volvos and the brewery’s longest tenured employee (circa Day 1 in 1989).  His level of dedication and ability to apply the “make-do engineering required to coax recalcitrant equipment out of retirement and into making the first Boulevard beers” more than earned him a tribute beer of the quality of Long Strange Tripel.  Sadly, this brew’s “intense fruity aroma of bananas, prominent sweet malt flavor containing a hint of toffee, and low to medium citrusy hop flavor and bitterness” has somehow progressively lost the interest of craft beer fans over the years.  Sales of this year-round Smokestack Series beer have continued to wane, and it has been decided to retire the beer at the end of the calendar year.  There are the following two pieces of good news though:

  1. The brewery will not commit to the idea that the retirement of Long Strange Tripel is permanent.
  2. Harold “Trip” Hogue is still doing his thing at Boulevard Brewing and not looking to retire anytime soon.

Lack of interest has also resulted in Boulevard’s Chocolate Ale suffering the same fate as Long Strange Tripel.  When it was initially released in 2011 as a one-off beer, Chocolate Ale quickly grew in popularity and produced quite the following of passionate fans.  Over time, the interest level fell off and brewers even tried to reverse this downward trend with the most recent release of the variant Chocolate Ale with Raspberry.  Unfortunately, these efforts fell short.  One of the biggest obstacles that Chocolate Ale faced was that there was a noticeable difference between the beer’s draft and bottled versions.  The brewery deduced that the issue was bottle conditioning and the fix was a new bottle filler for their 750 ml bottles.  Sadly, the new equipment was not commissioned in time to make a 2017 release of Chocolate Ale possible.  Brewmaster Steven Pauwels did say that he would like to revisit Chocolate Ale sometime in the future, so a 2018 release could become a reality.

There are a few other Boulevard Brewing offerings that did not make the final cut for the brewery’s roster of beers in 2017.  Due to the fact that Pumpkin Beers are beginning to trend down among craft beer enthusiasts, this will be the last season we will see a release of Funky Pumpkin.  Those who are fans of the pumpkin should fear not though because Funkier Pumpkin is scheduled for a 2017 release.  Dark Truth Stout is also enjoying its last few months of existence, but Imperial Stout is making the move to year-round Smokestack status to fill that void. The brewing of Tripel Julep and Tell-Tale Tart will also cease at the end of 2016.  Rye-on-Rye was also left off of the 2017 schedule, but this was due to a logistical issue preventing the brewery from being able to guarantee that they would receive the amount of barrels needed for the aging process.  A 2018 return for Rye-on-Rye in 750 ml bottles is most likely in the cards.

This may seem like a lot of bad news to some, but rest assured that the good news is coming.  The brewers at Boulevard Brewing Co. are constantly innovating, and a crazy amount of new beers are inbound for 2017.  Posts about some of these new offerings will be up soon, so stay tuned!  Prost!

 

 

Tasting Notes: Basketcase American Helles from Starr Hill

Posted on by mashingin

starr-hill-basketcaseThis edition of Tasting Notes has me seeking out a new lager experience by pouring up a Basketcase American Helles from Starr Hill Brewery (Crozet, Virginia).

Before we pry off any bottle caps, let’s cover the background information on Basketcase American Helles.  This beer is the latest installment in Starr Hill’s Heavy Rotation Series, a limited line of non-IPA brews that has their brewers exploring new styles and/or ingredients.  This offering is a Munich Helles-style lager sporting an American twist of Cascade hops.  2-row, Munich and Carafoam round this 5.4% ABV beer off with a balancing malt presence. Basketcase is available now as a limited offering in Alabama and throughout Starr Hill’s distribution area.  Look for this one at craft beer friendly establishments in the Fall Variety Pack mixed 12-pack, 6-packs of 12 oz. bottles and on draft.

**Like all Heavy Rotation brews, Basketcase is meant to be enjoyed while listening to a carefully selected playlist of complementing tunes. Simply click here to check that out.**

My duty of supplying you with the facts is now fulfilled, so let’s get to sipping and opining with some Tasting Notes!

Tasting Notes for Basketcase American Helles from Starr Hill Brewery

Appearance: Basketcase American Helles hits the glass with a rich golden body.  Held to direct light, the gold lightens to become a gleaming shade of yellow.  A speedy and plentiful carbonation presence races throughout the crystal clear body.  That carbonation is feeding the two fingers of bright white foam that was built off the pour.  Retention is decent with the head eventually dropping to a loose, bubbly ring that is present for the majority of the experience.

Aroma: This beer casually fills the air with aromas distinct to a German Helles.  The grain presence is clean and clear, leading the way with a light sweetness and breadiness.  Spicy and floral hop notes then open things up and invite you to inhale deeply.  The aroma closes out with a light citrus presence of grapefruit.  It may sound a bit on the simple side, but these notes all mesh to produce a billowing and beautiful aroma.

Taste:  Once again, I am more than a little surprised that this American take on a Munich Helles is nearly spot on.  The hops come forth first to charm the palate with a very fresh floral and light citrus quality.  These notes are further supported by an earthy, spicy character that has strength but is not at all aggressive in flexing those muscles.  A sweet, bready malt presence lends balance by stifling almost all of the bite these hops could muster while still avoiding any possibility of being too pronounced or cloying.  Lager yeast then sets in at the finish with a clean and unmistakable quality that brings it all together.

Mouthfeel: Basketcase is medium in body with a zippy carbonation level.  This combination supplies a beer that is crisp, dry and clean to maximize drinkability while remaining a lager that still has some size to it on the palate.  The 5.4% ABV is completely hidden and this makes the beer even more easy drinking.  The aftertaste is just a touch of earthy, floral hop tones.

Final Thoughts: I was a little more than excited when I opened the Fall Variety Pack to find that Starr Hill Brewery had taken on a Helles Lager.  I am even more delighted to report that the brewers absolutely nailed this beer.  The use of Cascade hops had me a little worried that the beer may go too far in the direction of a beer that is dominated by citrus.  That worry was quickly swept away as I found a level of craftsmanship that coaxed out the more European spicy and floral notes residing within this hop.  That said, there is still a kiss of citrus left to linger and declare, “I’m made in America.”  The attention to detail given to Basketcase American Helles supplies this offering with plenty of flavor while allowing it to keep a clean lager presentation that steers clear of overloading the palate with an unneeded level of challenging complexity.  This Helles is all about being easy drinking with just the right amount of dynamics and personality.  Fantastic and finely crafted.  I finish with the inclination to thank Starr Hill for joining a select few other American craft breweries that are dedicated to restoring the good name of the lager.  Prost!

Innis & Gunn Launches Bourbon Aged Dark Ale as Newest Year-Round

Posted on by mashingin

ingbdasmallInnis & Gunn (Edinburgh, Scotland) recently announced that they have added Bourbon Aged Dark Ale to their lineup of core offerings.

After achieving massive popularity with craft beer fans when it was previously released as a limited edition beer and then earning a gold medal at the US Open Beer Championship, the folks at Innis & Gunn realized it was a no-brainer to promote Bourbon Aged Dark Ale to year-round status.  This offering receives its bourbon notes thanks to a maturation process over American Bourbon infused oak with Innis & Gunn’s Oakerator™, an innovative and unique piece of brewing technology that provides the beer with its distinctive oak-aged aroma and flavor.  The brewery’s Master Brewer describes Bourbon Aged Dark Ale as having a “very smooth taste with flavors of caramelized fruit and sponge pudding’, which accompanies notes of brown sugar, zesty orange oil, and coconut. The aroma is described as ‘rich orange marmalade, and bitter chocolate spice.”

“The Bourbon Aged Dark is one of most our exciting brews, showcasing our passion towards innovating beer flavors and experimenting with new ideas around what beer can and should be. We look forward to growing with our import partner, United States Beverage, and our distributor partners here in the US not only with expansion across the country, but with beers that continue to push boundaries.”

– Neil Innis Sharp, General Manager, Innis & Gunn USA

Bourbon Aged Dark Ale will be available in 4-packs of 11.2 oz. bottles.  This offering will begin to roll out in the near future and will be found year-round at craft beer-friendly retailers nationwide.  Keep an eye out for this one on your next beer run to get your bourbon fix in beer form with some Bourbon Aged Dark Ale.  Prost!

 

Gaelic Ale from Highland Brewing Now Available in Cans

Posted on by mashingin

highlandgaelicsixHighland Brewing Company (Asheville, North Carolina) announced this week that they are officially releasing Gaelic Ale in 12 oz. cans to give craft beer fans another option when it comes to enjoying the brewery’s flagship offering.

Since it was first brewed and bottled in 1994, Gaelic Ale – originally named Celtic Ale – quickly became a fan-favorite offering for Highland Brewing and has been “the top-selling native beer in North Carolina” for quite some time.  Now that the brewery has added a canning line, it only makes sense to have Gaelic Ale join the canned craft beer boom and become available to those who enjoy both the outdoors and fine beer offerings.  Gaelic Ale joins Highland Pilsner and Mandarina IPA as the brewery’s lineup of canned brews.

“With bottling and canning operations, we are in a new chapter. And Gaelic is the right beer to package both ways because of its flexibility – its medium body and balance.” said Leah Ashburn, President. “It fits with food or on its own, in cool or warm weather. Gaelic cans will be with me on my next hike.”

If you are unfamiliar with this offering, Gaelic Ale is an American Amber Ale that is a nod to the Scottish Ale style.  Deep amber in color, this beer boasts an exceptional balance between the sweetness of its rich malt body and the complex hop flavor and aroma.  Gaelic Ale comes together as a brew with “universal appeal” and the ability to be a true daily drinker.

Cans of Gaelic Ale officially release at a launch party to be held at the brewery on September 16 from 4 p.m. to 9 p.m.  Although distribution of cans from Highland Brewing Company has been limited to this point, the brewery plans to expand availability of all three canned offerings to all of their markets now that Gaelic Ale has joined the lineup.  Look for these cans to start hitting shelves in Alabama, Florida, and throughout the brewery’s full distribution footprint in the coming months.  Prost!

Vital Information on Gaelic Ale from Highland Brewing Company

Style – American Amber Ale
Availability – Year-round
ABV – 5.5%
IBUs – 30
Malts – 2 Row Brewers Malt, Munich, Caramel 40, Caramel 60 & Extra Special Malt
Hops – Chinook, Willamette, & Cascade
Packaging – 12 oz. cans, 12 oz. bottles, and on draft
Distribution – limited area for now with distribution planned to expand to Alabama, Florida, North Carolina, South Carolina, Georgia, Tennessee, Virginia, Ohio, Kentucky, and Washington, DC markets in the coming months

Oskar Blues Brewery’s Hotbox Coffee Porter Returns to Shelves

Posted on by mashingin

obhotboxcanOskar Blues Brewery (Longmont, Colorado) recently announced that they have partnered once again with Hotbox Roasters to brew up a new batch of Hotbox Coffee Porter.

Thanks to a base of English and German roasted and caramel malts, Hotbox Coffee Porter is loaded with flavors of “roasted nuts, crème brûlée, cocoa and caramel.”  Hotbox Roasters, a Colorado craft coffee roaster specializing in the highest quality, fair-trade coffee beans available to coffee lovers nationwide, then cranks this sensory experience to eleven with an infusion of “potent, cold-extracted coffee from Burundian and Ethiopian beans.”  These select, exotic beans provide added aromatic and flavor notes of plum, chocolate and blueberry.  The finished beer comes together as a 6.4% ABV Porter fueled up on coffee deliciousness.

“Hotbox wake-n-roast gets us rolling in the brewhouse day in and day out.” said head of brewing operation’s Tim Mathews. “Hotbox Porter shows that beer and coffee were meant to be together. Digging in with Hotbox Roasters allowed us to develop a malt blend and a coffee blend that gel beautifully.”

Hotbox Coffee Porter is a specialty release available from September through November.  Look for this brew to turn up in 4-packs of 12 oz. cans at select craft beer retailers within Oskar Blues Brewery’s nationwide distribution footprint.  This beer moves fast once it hits shelves, so grab ’em when you see ’em.  Prost!

American Craft Breweries Collaborate with Jameson Irish Whiskey

Posted on by mashingin

jamesonbeerPernod Ricard USA (New York, New York) and Jameson Irish Whiskey recently announced that the distillery is partnering with seven American craft breweries to create the Jameson Caskmates Drinking Buddies series.

Jameson Irish Whiskey was inspired to develop this craft beer collaboration series thanks to the success of Jameson Caskmates, a unique creation that aged Irish Whiskey in “stout-seasoned whiskey casks.” Jameson Caskmates Drinking Buddies flips the script a bit by having the distillery provide seven craft breweries with barrels to age a beer offering in for a select period of time.   This treatment will allow the signature characteristics of Jameson Irish Whiskey to mingle with each brewery’s “already distinct craft beer flavors.”  To further add to the anticipation level, check out the list of participating breweries:

“Jameson Irish Whiskey has always taken pride in celebrating those who share the same passion and focus when it comes to their craft,” said Sona Bajaria, Vice President, Jameson Irish Whiskey, Pernod Ricard USA. “Jameson Caskmates Drinking Buddies allows us to put the spotlight on these local craft brewers who ultimately embody the same spirit as our motto, Sine Metu.”

Each Jameson barrel-aged beer will be released in due time and in each brewery’s respective market.  These offerings will be extremely limited, so make sure to stay tuned for updates on each beer’s official release information.  Prost!

Heavy Seas Beer Prepares for Seasonal Return of Winter Storm

Posted on by mashingin

winterstormHeavy Seas Beer (Baltimore, Maryland) recently announced that Winter Storm Imperial ESB is set for release in October.

Winter Storm is the fall/winter seasonal for Heavy Seas and one of the brewery’s most anticipated releases each year.  This Imperial Extra Special Bitter showcases five hop varietals from both the United Kingdom and the West Coast of the United States –  Warrior, UK Goldings, UK Fuggles, Cascade & Centennial hops – to produce an “elegant bitterness.”  Nutty malts supply the beer’s “ruddy” color and provide balance to the earthy hops.  Winter Storm’s comforting and rich flavors make it an ideal choice for the colder months ahead.

“It was our first international gold medal winning beer,” says brewery Founder, Hugh Sisson. “And I’m not supposed to say it, but I think it may be my favorite beer!”

“I also think it’s one of the best beer names ever,” says Sisson. “Every time the winter weather gets iffy, every TV and radio station in the country is advertising the name of our beer for free!”

Winter Storm Imperial ESB will officially release in October and be available into December.  Look for this offering to turn up on draft, cask and in 6-packs of 12 oz. bottles at craft beer retailers in Alabama, Florida and throughout the 18 state distribution footprint of Heavy Seas.  Prost!

Vital Information for Winter Storm Imperial ESB from Heavy Seas Beer

Availability – Seasonal, October-December
Style – Imperial Extra Special Bitter
ABV – 7.5%
IBUs – 50
Hops – Warrior, UK Goldings, UK Fuggles, Cascade & Centennial
Malts – 2-row, Crystal, Caramalt & Chocolate Malt
Packaging – 6-packs of 12 oz. bottles, draft and cask