Craft Beer | Mashing In

Southern Tier Brewing Co. Introduces Nitro Hot Cocoa Imperial Stout

Posted on January 13, 2020 by mashingin

Southern Tier Brewing Company (Lakewood, New York) has officially announced that Nitro Hot Cocoa will join the brewery’s Blackwater NITRO Series in January 2020.

Here to tackle the cold weather with a whole new kind of hot cocoa experience, Nitro Hot Cocoa is a nitrogenated Imperial Milk Stout featuring cocoa powder, “rich natural chocolate and hints of marshmallow.” Weighing in at a comforting 10% ABV, Nitro Hot Cocoa “offers a cascading, creamy richness” that is “the perfect pairing to stay warm during a cozy night.”

Nitro Hot Cocoa is rolling out now and will hang around through April 2020. You can expect to find this new Blackwater NITRO Series offering available in 4-packs of 12 oz. cans and on draft at select craft beer-friendly establishments located in Alabama, Florida, New York, North Carolina, Ohio, Pennsylvania and throughout the rest of Southern Tier’s distribution area. Prost!

Vital Information for Nitro Hot Cocoa from Southern Tier Brewing Company

Release – Limited/Blackwater NITRO Series; January – April 2020
Style – Imperial Milk Stout
ABV – 10%
IBUs – 25
Added Ingredients – Cocoa powder, chocolate, marshmallow & milk sugar
Fun Fact – On the Blackwater NITRO Series: “Each can releases nitro into the stouts, creating cascading foam and delicious, creamy flavor. It is a fully sensational drinking experience that you can hear, see and taste.”
Availability – 4-packs of 12 oz. cans (Note: 12 oz. cans contain 9.6 oz. of liquid due to the integrated nitro technology in each can) & draft
Beer Finder – https://stbcbeer.com/finder/?item=all

The Bruery Begins Nationwide Launch of Ruekeller Helles

Posted on January 13, 2020 by mashingin

The Bruery (Orange County, California) has officially announced that it will introduce Ruekeller Helles, the brewery’s first distributed lager, in late January 2020.

Developed through a challenge that had the team at The Bruery innovate and experiment in a new way by “getting back to tradition,” Ruekeller Helles is German-style Helles Lager “brewed with premium imported malts and hops . . . sourced from Germany, including Magnum, Saaz Hops, and German Pilsner malt.” Coming in at 5.2% ABV, Ruekeller Helles is “an extraordinary lager— easy-drinking full-bodied, with light bitterness, a touch of sweetness, and a clean and crisp finish.”

“Ruekeller Helles is a great example of our world-class production team, led by our VP of Brewing Operations, Darren Moser, tapping into the innovative spirit of The Bruery to create a beer that’s easy to love for both the sophisticated palate and the craft-curious drinker.”

– Barry Holmes, CEO of The Bruery

Ruekeller Helles is available now at both of The Bruery’s Tasting Room locations and is scheduled to enter full distribution in late January 2020. You can expect to find this new Core offering available in 4-packs of 16 oz. cans and on draft at craft beer-friendly establishments located in Florida, California, Washington, D.C. and throughout the rest of The Bruery’s distribution area. Prost!

Vital Information for Ruekeller Helles from The Bruery

Release – Year-Round/Core; launching late January 2020
Style – German-style Helles Lager
ABV – 5.2%
Malts – German Pilsner
Hops – Magnum & Saaz
Fun Fact – “The name Ruekeller is a play on words, paying homage to both the traditional Krausen method of brewing fine lagers, and The Bruery’s namesake. In German, ‘ruh’ literally translates to ‘quiet’ or ‘peace,’ while in brewing, it refers to the step where almost finished beer rests in a secondary fermentation so that it can mellow and develop. The Ruhkeller, or ‘Rest Cellar,’ is where the beer will be krausened. Krausening is a traditional German method for carbonating beers without using sugars or other adjuncts. Instead, actively fermenting malt wort is added to the fermented beer to provide the malted sugars needed for carbonation. During this step, the beer is crash cooled into what is referred to as lagering, lager meaning ‘to store.’ This method is difficult in nature, meticulous in process, but the end product is an extraordinary craft lager.”
Availability – 4-packs of 16 oz. cans & draft
Beer Finder – https://www.thebruery.com/find

Tasting Notes: Crabbie’s Original Alcoholic Ginger Beer

Posted on January 11, 2020January 11, 2020 by mashingin

For this edition of Tasting Notes, we spice up the weekend by getting into some Crabbie’s Original Alcoholic Ginger Beer from Halewood International (Liverpool, United Kingdom).

The result of “pioneer John Crabbie’s search for the finest ingredients from the Far East,” Crabbie’s Original Alcoholic Ginger Beer is crafted with a “closely guarded secret recipe” that dates back to 1801. Featuring only the finest Asian ginger and exotic spices, Crabbie’s is a “deliciously refreshing beverage . . . made with purely natural flavors – none of those artificial and hard-to-pronounce sweeteners.” Crabbie’s Original Alcoholic Ginger Beer (4% ABV) can be easily enjoyed on its own (straight or over ice with a slice of lime), as an ingredient in cocktails such as the Moscow Mule and Dark & Stormy, or as the perfect palate cleansing pairing for fine Asian cuisine.

Crabbie’s Original Alcoholic Ginger Beer is available Year-Round, and you can expect to find it available in 4-packs of 330ml (11.2 oz) bottles at fine beverage retailers located in Alabama, Florida and throughout the rest of the U.S.

Now that we all know a little of the history behind this offering, let’s crack open a few bottles and let the spice carry us through these Tasting Notes!

Tasting Notes for Crabbie’s Original Alcoholic Ginger Beer from Halewood International

Appearance: A steady pour produces a brassy, light golden yellow Ginger Beer that is topped with right at a finger of fizzy, bright white foam. When held to direct light, the darker brassy tones diminish a bit to allow the brighter golden yellows to push through. The beer is perfectly clear, displaying a rather vibrant carbonation presence bouncing about within. Head retention is decent, quickly falling to a frothy, lasting top cap that has some good stick to it as it sheets the glass with a solid coat of lace.

Aroma: As expected, the ginger is quick to command all aspects of the aroma. This is a powerful presence of freshly chopped ginger root that fills the air the moment the cap is pried from the bottle. Lemongrass and lime zest eventually join in, but the aromatic profile is pretty much dominated by the featured ingredient: ginger.

Taste: Spicy ginger is quick to grab the palate with a pleasant, refreshing bite. The ginger notes then pull back a bit, allowing notes of lemongrass, coriander and lime leaf and zest to surface. All of this is balanced by a solid backbone of brown sugar and caramel-like sweetness.

Mouthfeel: Light in body with an effervescent level of carbonation, this brew is bright, crisp and easy drinking. Mostly spicy on the palate, it does find some level of cool balance thanks its lightly sweet malt character. The 4% ABV is obviously light in presence and is almost completely masked by the ginger spice. The aftertaste is a bit of caramel-kissed ginger.

Final Thoughts: Crabbie’s Original Alcoholic Ginger Beer pulls absolutely no punches as it asserts itself with a true, potent representation of what ginger is all about. The ginger character – in both flavor and aroma – is fresh, clean, incredibly pronounced and downright delightful. With that said, this Ginger Beer still has depth as it allows the malts and other spices to add to and accentuate the overall experience. This dynamic quality made quite the impression on us as we were able to thoroughly enjoy Crabbie’s straight from the bottle and also in a round of Dark & Stormy cocktails (and yes, the ginger held up beautifully against the sweet nature of the dark rum). If you are a fan of bold flavors and ginger in particular, Crabbie’s Original Alcoholic Ginger Beer needs to be on the shopping list for your next beer run. Prost!

New Realm Brewing Kicks Off 2020 with Return of Radegast Triple IPA

Posted on January 10, 2020 by mashingin

New Realm Brewing Company (Atlanta, Georgia) has officially announced that it will begin the Limited Release of Radegast Triple IPA on January 14.

Released each year in January to commemorate the opening of New Realm’s first brewery, Radegast – named after the fabled Slavic god of hospitality – is a Triple India Pale Ale that is “wonderfully aromatic and massive in fruity hop flavor.” Boasting “huge citrus, resin and peach flavors plus mild malt character in both nose and taste,” the “full flavored and assertively hopped” Radegast (11.5% ABV) has been expertly crafted to be a “perfect cool weather sipper,”

“We really look forward to brewing this beer every year, it’s definitely a favorite of the brewing team. This is the third year we’ve brewed Radegast Triple IPA, and this is my favorite version so far. This hop bomb hits you with loads of citrus, peach and pineapple.”

– Mitch Steele, Brewmaster and Co-Founder of New Realm Brewing

Radegast Triple IPA will officially release at New Realm’s Atlanta and Virginia Beach locations on January 14 (a limited amount of Radegast is available for pre-sale on CraftCellr, and you can secure your cans now by clicking here) and distribution is scheduled to follow shortly after the on-site releases. 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 in New Realm’s distribution footprint in Georgia and the Hampton Roads, Northern and Western areas of Virginia. Prost!

Vital Information for Radegast Triple IPA from New Realm Brewing Company

Release – Limited; January 14, 2020
Style – Imperial/Triple India Pale Ale
ABV – 11.5%
IBUs – 100
Hops – Citra, Mosaic & El Dorado
Fun Fact – “Radegast Triple IPA was the first beer released by [New Realm Brewing Company], and one of its most highly rated.”
Availability – 4-packs of 16 oz. cans & draft
Distribution – Georgia and the Hampton Roads, Northern and Western areas of Virginia

Sixpoint Brewery Adds Three New IPAs to its Year-Round Portfolio

Posted on January 10, 2020 by mashingin

Sixpoint Brewery (Brooklyn, New York) has officially announced that Hootie Hazy IPA, Meltdown IIPA and Trail Haze Hazy Adventure IPA will join the brewery’s Year-Round lineup in January 2020.

After spending the last 25 months developing and releasing over 65 beers as a part of their Small Batch innovation program, the fine folks at Sixpoint Brewery have decided to promote three top formulations to Year-Round status. Hootie Hazy IPA, Meltdown IIPA and Trail Haze Hazy Adventure IPA have all been tested by the brewery “at small scale extensively through multiple releases, incorporating feedback, and even going so far as to survey a group of ‘Super Fans’ on their opinions of the beers across several iterations.” After a few tweaks and adjustments, this is how Sixpoint describes the Year-Round versions of these three offerings (descriptions sourced directly from the brewery’s press release):

Hootie Hazy IPA – A 6.2% ABV, 5 IBU IPA gratuitously dry-hopped with three hops directly-sourced from farms in the Pacific Northwest and Idaho—Idaho 7, El Dorado, and Amarillo—with Australian Galaxy hops as well to boost the overall potency. It’s an everyday Hazy IPA that’s designed to be incredibly juicy and aromatic, and also very easy to drink with low bitterness.
The hop strains for Hootie were selected to leverage the direct-to-farmer hop relationships that Sixpoint has cultivated over the years. The beer features the Idaho 7 hop sourced directly from Nate Jackson of Jackson Farms, the breeder of the varietal. Sixpoint also uses El Dorado hops directly sourced from Graham Gamache at Cornerstone Ranches, and the Amarillo variety comes from Double R farms, both in Washington’s Yakima Valley.
Hootie was one of the first releases from Sixpoint’s Product Development team and has been worked on for over two years. Sixpoint released the beer in 16 oz cans for limited distribution in mid-2019, and the final update to the beer is raising the ABV slightly, from 5.4 to 6.2, to precisely dial in the formulation.
Meltdown IIPA – An 8.0% ABV, 20 IBU, Double IPA intensely hopped with Mosaic and Mandarina Bavaria. This beer has a smooth, soft, hazy body meant to be extremely lush and juicy.
Meltdown is Sixpoint’s expression of the New England Double IPA experience at scale— complete with all the rich texture, extreme hopping rate, and ripe juiciness the style is beloved for— and available on shelves consistently.
Meltdown was released through Sixpoint’s Infinite Loop rotating IPA series and became an instant favorite, with tasters lauding the smooth and soft body of the beer, plus the complex aroma of both ripe tropical fruit and bright orange peel.
Trail Haze Hazy Adventure IPA – A 4% ABV, 99 calorie Hazy “Adventure” IPA, hopped with Southern Hemisphere favorites Vic Secret and Enigma, as well as Mosaic, and produced without any sweeteners or flavorings. The beer is a collaboration with the outdoor recreational co-op REI.
Sixpoint and REI’s relationship began through event partnership and Sixpoint’s support of REI adventures in the NY metro area. The two teams then developed Trail Haze in the summer of 2019 and released it through Sixpoint’s Small Batch events, as well as at major events at REI’s NYC location, including the announcement of their #opttoact campaign, which presented people with a 52 week plan to take action to reduce their impact on the environment in partnership with the NYC Mayors Office of Sustainability, and “Pray for Snow” Party.
Trail Haze is an innovative formula using rice and highly attenuative brewing techniques to create a light, crisp, low calorie beer that drinks with the texture and quality of real hazy IPA but doesn’t slow you down. The beer is aggressively dry-hopped with a blend of American and Australian hops to be extremely aromatic and expressive.

Hootie Hazy IPA, Meltdown IIPA and Trail Haze Hazy Adventure IPA are all launching in January 2020. You can expect to find these new Year-Round offerings available in 6-packs of 12 oz. cans and on draft at craft beer-focused establishments located in Alabama, Florida, New York and throughout the rest of Sixpoint Brewery’s distribution area. Prost!

Rogue Ales Releases 2020 Product Release Calendar

Posted on January 9, 2020 by mashingin

Beer calendar season keeps chuggin’ right along, and this week we are getting into the 2020 Product Release Calendar from Rogue Ales (Newport, Oregon).

Just as we do with all brewery release calendars around here, we have posted Rogue’s 2020 Product Release Calendar in its entirety below for you to absorb at your own convenience. With that said, we would like to highlight a few of the exciting new releases the brewery has in store for all of us this year . . . so, let’s get at it:

Dreamland American Lager will join Rogue’s Year-Round lineup in 2020. Dreamland is a simple, crisp lager for year-round crushing from which a portion of the proceeds will go toward building skateparks around the world.
Rogue’s Experimental Ales Series will consist of the following three offerings in 2020: Cherry Choctabulous | November 2019 – February 2020 – Sweet aromas of chocolate and cherry are prevalent on the nose, the initial hit of cherry gives way to dark chocolate that fills out the mid palate, finishing with one last blast of cherry before ultimately resigning with the slightly bitter bite of dark chocolate (8.4% ABV); Shavasana | March – June – This Imperial Blonde Ale brewed with granola, coconut and sweet oats features delicious, subtle spice flavors making it the perfect cool-down beer (8% ABV); and Pineapple Party Punch | July – October – An Imperial Hazy IPA that is reminiscent of our favorite tropical drink, the Pina Colada, and is bursting with pineapple, coconut and tropical hop flavors (8.75% ABV). All three offerings will be available in 22 oz. bottles and on draft.
Newport Nights will be available February through May as a part of the brewery’s Hop Head Trio Series. This Imperial IPA opens with aromas of mango, papaya and tangerine followed by an atom bomb of pine and grapefruit, ultimately delivering a monstrous hop punch that is surprisingly smooth. ABV – 9.8%
Newport Daze, the counterpart to Newport Nights, will fill the March – June slot in Rogue’s Sessionable 6-Pack Series. This sessionable Hazy Pale Ale gives off aromas of pineapple & stone fruit, features tangerine & peach flavors and finishes slightly sweet and very smooth. ABV – 5%
The brewery’s Barrel-Aged lineup will see the addition of Cotes du Rogue Sour Blonde in April. This limited-edition Sour Blonde is part of a foeder-aged sour series. It offers a tart flavor with hints of oak, lemon, vanilla and apricot. ABV – 7.1% ABV

That covers all the notes that we wanted to pass along, but there is still quite a bit of information left for you to check out on the calendar below. Give it a good look and get yourself properly prepared for all the goodness headed your way from Rogue Ales in 2020. Prost!

Hidden Springs Ale Works Braces for Return of Cat Kong

Posted on January 9, 2020January 9, 2020 by mashingin

Hidden Springs Ale Works (Tampa, Florida) has officially announced that it will hold a Limited Bottle Release for Cat Kong, a Barrel-aged Imperial Stout brewed in collaboration with Felinious Hops, in its tasting room at 11 a.m. on Saturday, January 11.

Fluffy, adorable and boasting all the menacing indifference you would expect from a “domesticated” feline, Cat Kong is a Barrel-aged Imperial Milk Stout with toasted coconut, graham crackers, marshmallows and chocolate. Weighing in at a beastly 12% ABV, Cat Kong is all about that “coconutty s’mores goodness.”

The bottle release for Cat Kong will take place at Hidden Springs Ale Works (1631 N. Franklin St. | Tampa, Florida) at 11 a.m. on Saturday, January 11. 22 oz. bottles of Cat Kong 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., 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
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

Cat Kong is a brewery exclusive release and will not see distribution. Like most kitties you are lucky enough to cross paths with, Cat Kong is only going to be around as long as it wants to be. If wish to get a hold of a bottle, just make sure that you are in line by the final head count on Saturday morning. Prost!

Vital Information for Cat Kong from Hidden Springs Ale Works

Release – Limited; January 11, 2020
Style – Imperial Milk Stout
ABV – 12%
Added Ingredients – Toasted coconut, graham crackers, marshmallows & chocolate
Treatment – Barrel-aged
Availability – 22 oz. bottles
Distribution – None. Brewery exclusive release

Stone Brewing Launches 2020 Pilot Series Program with Release of Neverending Haze IPA

Posted on January 8, 2020 by mashingin

Stone Brewing (Escondido, California) has officially announced that that it will begin the nationwide Seasonal Release of Stone Neverending Haze IPA in January 2020.

Arriving as the first release of 2020 in the Stone Pilot Series Program of special releases on trial for placement in the brewery’s full-time lineup of beers, Stone Neverending Haze IPA is a sessionable Hazy/Juicy IPA featuring Mosaic and Citra hops and a Norwegian yeast strain called Voss Kveik. These featured ingredients produce “dank aromas” of orange peel and floral notes alongside “citrus flavors of orange and lime . . . followed by oats, pineapple, star fruit and sweet strawberry preserves.” Clocking in at just 4% ABV, Stone Neverending Haze IPA boasts a dry finish “with the slightest bitterness (lest Stone ever forget its roots) and just the right tangy tartness to refresh and implore another sip.”

Stone Neverending Haze IPA hit distribution on January 1 and will be available for a limited time. You can expect to find this new Seasonal offering available in 6-packs of 12 oz. cans, 12-packs of 12 oz. cans and on draft at craft beer-focused establishments located in Alabama, Florida, California, Virginia and throughout the rest of Stone Brewing’s nationwide distribution area. Prost!

Vital Information for Stone Neverending Haze IPA from Stone Brewing

Release – Seasonal/Stone Pilot Series Program; launching January 1, 2020
Style – Hazy/Juicy India Pale Ale
ABV – 4%
IBUs – 35
Featured Hops – Mosaic & Citra
Availability – 6-packs of 12 oz. cans, 12-packs of 12 oz. cans & draft
Beer Finder – https://find.stonebrewing.com/#ready

Proof Brewing Co. Enters A New Decade with Seasonal Release of Litany of Angels

Posted on January 7, 2020 by mashingin

Proof Brewing Co. (Tallahassee, Florida) has officially announced that it will release its award-winning Litany of Angels for the first time in cans on Friday, January 10.

Carefully crafted with the use of “artisanal brewing methods for refined flavor,” Litany of Angels is a Belgian Golden Strong Ale that “elevates soft malt flavors and fruity esters and spices, rooted in traditional Belgian styles.” Coming in at 9% ABV, Litany of Angels possesses a complexity comprised of “elegant candi sweetness and warming alcohol.”

“Litany of Angels has been one of the bestselling beers in our tasting room,” said Bryan Smith, Marketing Director at Proof Brewing Co. “We are excited to scale this crowd favorite up and share with more of our fans.”

Litany of Angels will release in the Tasting Room at Proof Brewing Co. at 11 a.m. on January 10 and distribution will follow shortly after the on-site release. You can expect to find this Seasonal offering available in 4-packs of 12 oz. cans and on draft at craft beer-focused establishments located throughout Proof Brewing Co.’s distribution footprint in Florida. Prost!

Vital Information for Litany of Angels from Proof Brewing Co.

Release – Seasonal; January – March 2020
Style – Belgian Golden Strong Ale
ABV – 9%
Fun Fact – “Litany of Angels received a gold medal in 2017 at Best Florida Beer competition for Belgian Strong Ales.”
Availability – 4-packs of 12 oz. cans & draft
Distribution – Florida

Heavy Seas Beer Schedules Taproom Release of Dry January Hazy IPA

Posted on January 7, 2020 by mashingin

Heavy Seas Beer (Baltimore, Maryland) has officially announced that it will begin the Taproom Exclusive Release of Dry January Hazy IPA on Friday, January 17.

Surfacing as the first can release to come out of the brewery’s 15 Barrel Brewhouse in 2020, Dry January is a Hazy India Pale Ale brewed with acai and pomegranate to give you “all the fruity juiciness you desire, without the smoothie bowl.” Containing plenty of booze at 10% ABV, Dry January is the perfect way to celebrate “Ditch Your New Year’s Resolution Day” on January 17.

Dry January Hazy IPA will debut in the Heavy Seas Taproom on Friday, January 17. This Taproom Exclusive offering will be available for purchase in 4-packs of 16 oz. cans and on draft during the release. Dry January will not see distribution. Prost!

Vital Information for Dry January Hazy IPA from Heavy Seas Beer

Release – Limited/Taproom Exclusive Series; January 17, 2020
Style – Hazy India Pale Ale
ABV – 10%
Hops – Amarillo, Idaho 7, Mosaic, El Dorado & Citra
Added Ingredients – Acai & pomegranate
Fun Fact – “The Dry January label artwork was designed by local Baltimore artist, Chris Gipple, of Nightshift Creative, who also designed Heavy Seas’ 24 Anniversary beer label this past December. All the taproom exclusive beer labels will be designed by Chris in 2020.”
Availability – 4-packs of 16 oz. cans & draft
Distribution – None. Taproom only