Craft Beer | Mashing In

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/

Tröegs Independent Brewing Introduces Haze Charmer Hazy Pale Ale as Newest Year-Round

Posted on February 26, 2020 by mashingin

Tröegs Independent Brewing (Hershey, Pennsylvania) has officially announced that Haze Charmer Hazy Pale Ale is rolling out now as the brewery’s first new Year-Round offering in four years.

The result of six months of research and development on Tröegs’ small-batch Scratch Brewhouse, Haze Charmer is a Hazy/Juicy Pale Ale that “features a soft and hazy base thanks to a combination of pale malt, malted wheat, raw wheat, oats and honey malt.” A “vigorous” dry-hopping with Citra, Lotus and El Dorado hops “adds a second phase of haze” while offering “notes of juicy pineapple, fresh grapefruit, candied peach and a hint of white pine.” Coming in at just 5.5% ABV, Haze Charmer is “a soft and sessionable beer that is big on hop flavor and low on bitterness.”

“It’s been a fun ride perfecting this recipe,” says Brewmaster John Trogner. “More than ever before, we dialed in to the relationship between fermentation and the hop combination and how a yeast strain can fundamentally change the way you smell hops. It’s not just about the hops you choose. It’s more about the total picture, the overall relationship among ingredients. As we tasted an early pilot batch and started to see the dynamics of that relationship, a lightbulb went on. It’s like finding a new color of the rainbow.”

Haze Charmer is available now in Pennsylvania and is scheduled to enter full distribution in mid-March 2020. You can expect to find this new Year-Round offering available in 12 oz. cans, 12 oz. bottles and on draft at craft beer-focused establishments located in Pennsylvania, Connecticut, Delaware, Maryland, Massachusetts, New Jersey, New York, North Carolina, Ohio, Virginia and Washington, D.C. Prost!

Vital Information for Haze Charmer from Tröegs Independent Brewing

Release – Year-Round; launching late February 2020
Style – Hazy/Juicy Pale Ale
ABV – 5.5%
Hops – Citra, El Dorado, Lotus & Mosaic
Malts – Honey Malt, Malted Wheat, Oats, Pale Malt & Unmalted Wheat
Yeast – London 3
Fun Fact – “For the label art, Tröegs once again partnered with Philadelphia’s Lindsey Tweed. Tweed’s astronomy-meets-magic illustration captures the art and science of recipe development, and the importance of the timing of hop additions is captured in the hop phases arcing across the label.
‘The hop phases reveal a bewitched hop hidden in the dark side,’ says Tweed. ‘And below drips an all-seeing eye. I reached for my Ouija board for inspiration on the woodcut-style type.'”
Availability – 12 oz. cans, 12 oz. bottles & draft
Beer Finder – https://troegs.com/beers/brew-finder/

Left Hand Brewing Expands Nitro Series with Release of Galactic Cowboy Imperial Stout

Posted on February 26, 2020 by mashingin

Left Hand Brewing Co. (Longmont, Colorado) has officially announced that Galactic Cowboy Nitro Imperial Stout will launch in February as the brewery’s newest Year-Round offering.

Galactic Cowboy Nitro is a “super smooth and cosmically dark” Imperial Stout that uses Cascade, Galaxy, and Comet hops to balance the beer’s “roasted malt backbone” and “notes of bittersweet chocolate and black coffee.” Clocking in at 9% ABV, Galactic Cowboy is the “high octane . . . fuel you need to wrangle the universe.”

“Our brewing team created a rich and robust Imperial Stout, complementing our current year-round Nitro portfolio that includes a sweet stout, berry blonde ale, and amber ale in Milk Stout Nitro, Flamingo Dreams Nitro, and Sawtooth Nitro, respectively,” says Jill Preston, Director of Marketing at Left Hand. “With a cosmic twist and our signature out-of-this-world Nitro mouthfeel, Galactic Cowboy truly brings Left Hand’s spirit of adventure to life.”

Galactic Cowboy Nitro is rolling out now across the nation with availability in 4-packs of 13.65 oz cans and on draft. You can expect to find this new Year-Round offering at craft beer-friendly establishments located in Alabama, Florida, Colorado and throughout the rest of Left Hand’s distribution network. Prost!

Vital Information for Galactic Cowboy Nitro from Left Hand Brewing Co.

Release – Year-Round/Nitro Series; launching February 2020
Style – Imperial Stout
ABV – 9%
IBUs – 44
Malts – 2-Row, Special B, Chocolate, Dark Chocolate, C-40, Rolled Oats & Flaked Barley
Hops – Cascade, Comet & Galaxy
Recommended Glassware – Tulip
Availability – 4-packs of 13.65 oz. cans & draft
Beer Finder – https://lefthandbrewing.com/beer-finder

Cascade Brewing Set to Release Cans of Gose Roselle

Posted on February 25, 2020 by mashingin

Cascade Brewing (Portland, Oregon) has officially announced that it will begin the Limited Release of Gose Roselle on Friday, February 28.

Arriving as Cascade Brewing’s second canned sour beer, Gose Roselle is a Gose-style Ale “aged in oak barrels for up to 10 months before infusing with roselle hibiscus, fresh Meyer lemon zest, ground coriander and Oregon coast sea salt.” Gose Roselle comes in at 5.3% ABV.

“We’ve been working hard over the last year to create a quality, easy drinking, barrel-aged sour in a can, and we’re very excited to see that come to fruition with the Gose Roselle. Our goal is to offer a sessionable yet multi-dimensional beer that bridges the gap between quick-turn kettle sours and barrel aged premium sours, and I’m very proud of our team for accomplishing exactly that.”

– Kevin Martin, Cascade Brewing Director of Brewery Operations

Gose Roselle will debut at Cascade’s two Portland pubs – Cascade Brewing Barrel House and Lodge at Cascade Brewing – on February 28 and will enter limited distribution shortly after that date. You can expect to find this Limited Release available in 12 oz. cans and on draft at select craft beer-focused establishments located within Cascade Brewing’s distribution network. Prost!

Vital Information for Gose Roselle from Cascade Brewing

Release – Limited; February 28, 2020
Style – Gose
ABV – 5.3%
Treatment – Aged in oak barrels for up to 10 months before infusing with roselle hibiscus, fresh Meyer lemon zest, ground coriander & Oregon coast sea salt
Fun Fact – “Gose Roselle is being released as part of Cascade Brewing’s 9th annual Sour Fruit Fest, taking place Feb. 27 through March 1 at the Cascade Brewing Barrel House at 939 SE Belmont St. and at The Lodge at Cascade Brewing at 7424 SW Beaverton Hillsdale Hwy. Over four days, sour beer fans can look forward to tasting more than three dozen Northwest sour beers blended with a variety of fresh fruits from the local region.”
Availability – 12 oz. cans & draft
Distribution – Limited

Wild Leap Brew Co. Explores New Experimental Hop with Release of Alpha Abstraction – Vol. 11

Posted on February 25, 2020 by mashingin

Wild Leap Brew Co. (LaGrange, Georgia) has officially announced that it will begin the release of Alpha Abstraction – Vol. 11, a Double IPA featuring the experimental hop HBC 472, during the week of February 24.

A true embodiment of Wild Leap’s mission to explore hop varieties and experiment with different flavor profiles in its Alpha Abstraction Series, Alpha Abstraction – Vol. 11 is a double dry-hopped, Juicy Double India Pale Ale that showcases the experimental hop HBC 472. This unique hop provides Alpha Abstraction – Vol. 11 (8% ABV) with “aromas of bourbon oak, berry and white grape” alongside the expected “citrus notes associated with the Alpha Abstraction series.”

“We were attracted to the really unique profile that HBC 472 had, but it was so unusual we decided to do a test batch to see how well it would work with the fruity and citrusy characteristics of the Alpha Abstraction series,” says Chris Elliott, Wild Leap’s Chief Brewing Officer. “The combination was amazing. We immediately knew we had Vol. 11!”

“With everything we do, we push ourselves to explore and bring new things to the table,” says Anthony Rodriguez, CEO and Co-Founder of Wild Leap. “Vol. 11 is a representation of that mentality.”

Alpha Abstraction – Vol. 11 is rolling out now and will last only as long as supplies last. You can expect to find this Limited Release offering available in 6-packs of 12 oz. cans and on draft at select craft beer-focused establishments located within Wild Leap’s distribution footprint in Georgia. Prost!

Vital Information for Alpha Abstraction – Vol. 11 from Wild Leap Brew Co.

Release – Limited/Alpha Abstraction Series; February 24, 2020
Style – Juicy/Hazy Double India Pale Ale
ABV – 8%
Featured Hops – HBC 472
Availability – 6-packs of 12 oz. cans & draft
Beer Finder – http://www.wildleap.com/beer-finder/

Brewery Ommegang Adds Idyll Days Pilsner to Year-Round Portfolio

Posted on February 24, 2020February 24, 2020 by mashingin

Brewery Ommegang (Cooperstown, New York) has officially announced that it will launch Idyll Days Pilsner as its newest Year-Round offering in March 2020.

Developed over a two-year period to be Brewery Ommegang’s “signature version of [a] time-honored style,” Idyll Days is an unfiltered Belgian-style Pilsner that employs “authentic floor-malted barley from the Czech Republic to impart earthier, more rustic flavors than are often found in pilsners, and the beer is fermented with a Belgian lager yeast to give it a cleaner profile with fewer sulfur notes.” To balance the experience, Czech Saaz hops “lend delicate, floral aromas, enhanced by sweet notes of fresh grain.” After conditioning for 30 days, Idyll Days Pilsner (5% ABV) comes together to offer its drinker a “mature beer with smooth drinkability.”

“This beer is glorious in its simplicity, but it is hardly simple to make,” said Phil Leinhart, Brewmaster at Brewery Ommegang. “Every ingredient of Idyll Days was carefully selected to deliver a beer that’s more than the sum of its parts. We hope it encourages fans to slow down and appreciate the simple pleasures of life while enjoying a glass with friends.”

Idyll Days Pilsner debuted at Brewery Ommegang on February 21 and is scheduled to enter distribution on March 1. You can expect to find this new Year-Round offering available on draft nationwide and in 4-packs of 16 oz. cans on the East Coast. Prost!

Vital Information for Idyll Days Pilsner from Brewery Ommegang

Release – Year-Round; launching March 2020
Style – Pilsner
ABV – 5%
IBUs – 28
Malts – Floor-Malted Barley & Flaked Corn
Hops – Czech Saaz
Yeast – Belgian Lager Yeast
Treatment – Lagered for 30 days
Suggested Food Pairings – “Pair with country fare like rotisserie chicken, grilled root vegetables, and hot buttered biscuits, or cheeses like manchego and clothbound cheddar.”
Availability – 4-packs of 16 oz. cans & draft
Beer Finder – https://www.ommegang.com/beer-finder/

Funky Buddha Brewery Adds a Low-Calorie Option with Year-Round Release of Chant IPA

Posted on February 24, 2020 by mashingin

Funky Buddha Brewery (Oakland Park, Florida) has officially announced that the 99 calorie Chant Repeatable IPA will join its Year-Round lineup in late February 2020.

Created so that beer lovers can “stay active, relaxed, and enlightened,” Chant is a Session India Pale Ale that boasts big “notes of peach, mango, and citrus from the addition of Mosaic and Citra hops.” Coming in at just 4.2% ABV, 99 calories, 4 grams of carbs and 0 grams of sugar, the “supremely drinkable” Chant is an “approachable IPA that can be enjoyed by both beer geeks and occasional drinkers.”

Chant IPA debuted in the Tap Room at Funky Buddha Brewery on February 23 and is scheduled to enter distribution shortly after that date. 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 Florida and throughout the rest of the brewery’s distribution footprint. Prost!

Vital Information for Chant Repeatable IPA from Funky Buddha Brewery

Release – Year-Round; launches in late February 2020
Style – Session India Pale Ale
ABV – 4.2%
IBUs – 27
Calories – 99
Carbs – 4 grams
Featured Hops – Mosaic
Suggested Food Pairings – “Blackened Mahi tacos, Thai coconut curry, grilled chicken caesar salad with shaved parmesan, orange sorbet”
Availability – 6-packs of 12 oz. cans & draft
Beer Finder – https://funkybuddhabrewery.com/beer-finder