Starr Hill Brewery (Crozet, Virginia) announced this week that their Fall Tour Variety Pack has officially hit shelves.
Autumn is fast approaching and Starr Hill Brewery is doing its part to welcome the season with the release of the Fall Tour Variety Pack. Not only does this mixed 12-pack contain the long-standing brewery standouts of Northern Lights India Pale Ale and Whiter Shade White India Pale Ale, but it is also rocking the following two new releases:
Basketcase American Helles Lager – This “American twist on a clean German Helles” Lager comes to us by way of the brewery’s Heavy Rotation Series, a series that provides a fresh look at non-IPA styles by utilizing “really interesting new yeast strains, additives and processes.” This offering comes together as a 5.4% ABV, full-bodied lager boasting bready malts and a punch of Cascade hops. In addition to the Fall Tour Variety Pack, Basketcase is also available now in 6-packs of 12 oz. bottles and on draft. Like all Heavy Rotation offerings, you can pair Basketcase “with a custom playlist on Spotify, showcasing a history of punk rock songs from the past 50 years” (click here to give it a listen).
Last Leaf Maple Brown Ale – Stepping in as the replacement for Boxcarr Pumpkin Porter, Last Leaf is Starr Hill Brewery’s latest Seasonal brew. This English-style Brown Ale is brewed with four malts (2-Row, Crystal, Munich & Golden Oats), English East Kent Golding hops, and Virginia maple syrup. This dose of syrupy goodness lends Last Leaf rich maple aromas and vanilla notes that lead “into a rich and smooth body with malty character.” At 6.1% ABV, this brew has both the drinkability and comforting warmth you seek out when the temperatures begin to dip. Like Basketcase American Helles, Last Leaf Maple Brown Ale is also available now in 6-packs of 12 oz. bottles and on draft.
“We always enjoy finding new styles and techniques to showcase local ingredients,” says Starr Hill’s Brewmaster, Robbie O’Cain. “Last year we brewed a similar recipe with our limited-release Debut Series that was very well-received, so we’re really excited to share Last Leaf with more beer lovers looking for a seasonal alternative to the many pumpkin-focused offerings of the fall.”
The Fall Tour Variety Pack is a mixed 12-pack that contains three bottles of each offering mentioned above. Look for this mixed pack in Alabama and throughout Starr Hill Brewery’s distribution area now to get a jump on fall with these tasty brews. Prost!
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This week’s edition of Tasting Notes focuses on the fundamentals with a peek into the Hop Trial SMaSH Pack from 
The folks at the brewery have decided that the perfect pairing for this new equipment is some newly designed labels and packaging. This new look will roll-out over the next year and will be featured on Lazy Magnolia’s flagship offerings: Southern Pecan, Southern Hops’pitality IPA, and Jeff Stout (formerly Jefferson Stout). Although the labels will still feature the signature brewery logo, the redesigned look will allow their fans to “have an easier time finding Lazy Magnolia beers among the growing selection of craft in the marketplace.” The new look will begin with these labels and newly designed 6-pack carriers will follow shortly after.
This week’s Tasting Notes gets a little arrogant as we take a look at Who You Callin’ Wussie Pilsner from 
This string of releases begins with the return of Pumpkick, a Pumpkin Ale spiced with cinnamon, nutmeg & allspice. To add another jolt of seasonal flavor, this offering also has a gentle tartness thanks to “a snappy dose of cranberry.” The addition of oats rounds out this 6% ABV offering with a creamy mouthfeel. Pumpkick is available now in 6-packs of 12 oz. bottles, 12-packs of 12 oz. bottles and on draft at craft beer-friendly establishments in Alabama, Florida and throughout New Belgium’s distribution footprint.
The next New Belgium brew to hit shelves this fall is brewery-favorite Le Terroir Dry-Hopped Sour Ale. This offering is a bit of a hybrid between the hoppy American India Pale Ale and a fine Sour Ale. Le Terroir starts with a base of Felix, a wood-aged pale sour beer, that is then dry hopped with Amarillo and Galaxy hops to add notes of mango and peach. This 7.5% ABV Sour Ale is “a beer that changes every time New Belgium brews it.” Look for this one in 22 oz. bottles and on draft wherever you normally see Lips of Faith offerings beginning on August 29th.
Things begin to get really interesting with the release of two draft-only brews. The first of these is Bretta IPA coming to us by way of the Hop Kitchen, a limited series of more hop heavy beers from the brewery. Citrusy and piney notes – created from a hop bill of Equinox, Galaxy and Warrior hops – are introduced to the funk thanks to a month of conditioning with two strains of Brettanomyces yeast. This 7.5% ABV Wild IPA “has a bite that lingers, but a sweetness that emerges with a touch of pineapple.” Look for Bretta IPA on draft in select markets within New Belgium’s distribution area.
To properly close out the summer months, New Belgium is debuting Fruit Fly Passionfruit Citra Sour. Soured on stainless steel with a house lacto strain, this offering is a bit of a twist on the Berliner Weisse style by then being dry hopped with Citra hops. 800 pounds of blended passion fruit was then added during the fermentation stage to accentuate big citrus flavors and add “rich guava-like aromas.” This 5.7% ABV brew has a finish that is tart and dry, making it “an ideal summer beer.” Fruit Fly Passionfruit Citra Sour is available on draft now in select markets. Prost!
