Topic Archives: Musical Collaborations
Surly Doomtree Beer Headed to Cans
Surly Brewing recently teamed up with local hip-hop group Doomtree in honor of their farewell tour. The band just finished the eight day blowout yesterday.
Doomtree joined Surly in the brewhouse in order to make an unconventional, bastardized style. The style ended up being a well-kept secret until it was party time. The result is Surly Doomtree Beer, a dry-hopped, bitter beer. An unusual take on something traditional? Fits them both quite well.
Surly started with homebrewing in the garage. Doomtree making some noise a basement. Careful what you do in your spare time, man. That stuff just might end up taking over your whole life.
A decade later, Doomtree meets Surly. Instant crush. We’re both indie and strong-willed. We love Minnesota and we are allergic to focus groups. We don’t have a formal professional outfit between us.
We convene at the brewery to scheme. Working in extreme secrecy, we decide to make a beer. Team Surly suggests a “bastardized style” that will build on the classic, but buck convention. Doomtree cannot nod vigorously enough. We know this style. Guided by instinct, we came up with this dark, gold, toasty aromatic, subtly spicy, bitter enough, dry-hopped brew. Best enjoy it cold in a spare room with new friends – Dessa
Surly Doomtree kegs have made their debut, and 16 ounces cans are on the way.
Style: English-style Bitter
Availability: 16oz Cans
Arrival: Early 2015
5.7% ABV
Dogfish Head “Beer Thousand” Celebrates Guided By Voices
Dogfish Head (Milton, DE) loves musical collaborations. Rosabi, a beer brewed with musician Julianna Barwick and wasabi root recently hit shelves.
A smaller batch of a new musical collaboration appeared in June – Dogfish Head Beer Thousand. The offering celebrates the 20th Anniversary of Guided By Voices album, Bee Thousand.
Beer Thousand was tapped in June at the Barrymore Theatre in Madison, Wisconsin, with a little bit available at the Dogfish Head pub in Rehobeth Beach, Delaware.
What is it? Beer Thousand is an imperial lager, brewed with 10 grains, 10 hops, and is 10% ABV. Mathematically, 10x10x10=1000. Beer Street Journal is told Beer Thousand will be bottled later this fall with a 10-inch record.
Style: Imperial Lager
Availability: 12oz Bottles, late 2014
10% ABV
Stone Collaborates with Musicians in New Imperial IPA
Music and craft beer are on a roll. There are so many brewers collaborating with musicians. Coming soon to Stone Brewing Co.’s Collaboration Series is Collective Distortion IPA. This future offering is the brainchild of Kyle Hollingsworth of The String Cheese Incident, and Keri Kelli of Alice Cooper. Together they created an imperial IPA brewed with elderberries and coriander.
In bringing together artisans front disparate aural planes, one might expect an offbeat, feedback-warned cacophony,shrill to the point of unlistenable. Yet, by inviting Kyle Hollingsworth, keyboardist for eclectic, Jam-prone sextet, The String Cheese Incident, and Karl Kelli, wailing rock guitarist of Slice Cooper fame, we were able to make truly beautiful music. Turns out, these musicians have a great deal in common, both with each other and with Stone. We all enjoy turning things up toll, and that is represented in this collaborative offering, an imperial India pale ale ably backed by Nugget, Comet and Calypso hops, and amplified care of a generous dry-hopping with Vic’s Secret, a new Australian hop, adding citrus and tropical fruit oomph.To give this modern masterpiece some soulful, classic character, we traced the roots of brewing to the days when Old World herbs were used to spice beers, adding in coriander and, a first for us, elderberries. To stand up to that sumptuous spice and blaring bitterness, we added golden naked oats, which are lightly roasted and add body and enhanced mouthf eel to the brew like a steady, unbreakable backbeat to an incendiary ram solo. Sit back, crank the volume and get lost in this operatic incarnation of genres combined in the name of invention.
Kyle Hollingsworth has done another craft heer collaboration with Boulder Beer Company – Hoopla. Look for Stone Collective Distortion IPA in 22oz bottles and draft.
Style: Imperial IPA (w/ Elderberries, Coriander)
Availability: 22oz Bombers, Draft
Arrival: TBA
9.2% ABV
Odell Teams Up with Local Band [VIDEO]
Odell Brewing Company and Head for the Hills have collaborated on a special re-release of “Head for the Hills – Colorado Amber Ale.” The draft only offering will be available solely at the Head for the Hill’s New Year’s Eve performance at the Aggie Theatre in Fort Collins, CO. Brent Cordle, Odell’s Pilot Brew & Barrel Aging Manager:
“This collaboration beer is an Amber Ale with a hoppy attitude, dry hopped with American hop varieties giving the full bodied style, a big fruity aroma, a creamy white head and great mouth feel.”
Style: Amber Ale
Availability: Draft only
Arrival: 12/31/13
Cigar City Brewpub Honors Local Band
Cigar City Brewpub will be immortalizing a local indie rock band Alexander and the Grapes for St. Petersburg with a new hoppy brew.
A testament to the local scene, Alexander and the Grapes IPA is brewed with local Muscadine grapes from Dade City. In addition, Alexander and the Grapes will release a 7″ record commemorating the collaboration.
A limited number Alexander and the Grapes 750ml bottles will be produced. No word if these are for a special release party or not.
Style: IPA (w/ Muscadine Grapes)
Availability: 750ml Bottles
Arrival: TBA
?? ABV
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Metal Band Mastodon Gets Second Beer
Atlanta based metal band Mastodon has a second signature beer coming next month.
Their first offering hit shelves in Spring of 2012, brewed by Mahr’s Brau dubbed “Mastodon.” Release #1 wasn’t exactly as metal as you’d think; just a simple lager.
Enter #2 – Black Tongue Double Black IPA. This edition is a big imperial black IPA meant to be a palate crusher. Signature Brew describes this beer:
“Rumbling smoky notes are offset by the elixir of misbehaving punchy hops. Mosaic and Magnum hops to the front, with Carafa Special 3 Malt and Pale on the baseline. A beer for enjoying slowly, letting the bombardment of flavour and intensity hit your tongue and explode with every sip.”
Despite the band having Atlanta, Georgia origins, this IPA is not slated for United States distribution. You can order it through the brewery’s website.
Music Fest Only Beer: Goose Island & Rapper Killer Mike & El-P
I love the idea of collaborations and festival beers. The only frustrating part is that some of these great beers
are never to be found by many. Hey, more motivation to get your ass to a festival this summer. Goose Island (Chicago, IL) created Run the Jewels with Atlanta rapper Killer Mike and El-P (Brooklyn, NY). The Belgian style wheat beer (named for their collaborative album)was an eye opening experience for these guys. Catch El-P’s quote about the hops – “they were very familiar smelling.” Get this beer at the Pitchfork Music Festival this summer.
Style: Belgian Wheat Beer
Availability: Draft only
