Boston Beer Company
COMING SOON: Sam Adams Infinium
Headed your way this December from Boston Beer Company, makers of Sam Adams is a new collaboration dubbed “Infinium”. Infinium is a collaboration between Boston Beer and Weihenstephan Brewery in Germany. Weihenstephan has he acclaim to the world’s oldest brewery, brewing constantly since 1040.
Infinium is brewed in accordance with the German Reinheitsgebot Purity law of 1516. The law originated in the city of Ingolstadt in the duchy of Bavaria on April 23, 1516. The law specified that beer can only contain 4 ingredients- water, malt, yeast & hops. (In the orignal text of the law, yeast was not mentioned) Infinium has been described as a champagne-like beer, due to the high activity of the yeast. This beer is actually brewed on site at the Sam Adams brewery in Cincinnati, Ohio and then taken to Pleasant Valley Wine Company in New York state. There, Infinium receives it’s champagne touch.
Style: Good question. Investigating.
Availability: 15,000 cases have been produced. 750ml, corked & caged. Vintage dated – 2010.
Arrival: December, 2010
Oktoberfest Mega Post!
So many hit at once, I thought I would just combine them into a post. Fall seasonals are hitting the stores almost daily. Over the past week a some of the more well known Oktoberfests have arrived. Oktoberfest is also known as Marzen. Beer and refrigeration actually have an intimate history. Brewing of beer, and preserving of beer has greatly improved since refrigeration. Prior to the ability to refrigerate, brewing had to be suspended during the warmer months, because the beer would spoil in the heat. ( Cold inhibits bacterial growth.) More often than not, March was the last feasible month to brew (Marzen=March.) They were stored underground or in some form of cold storage until fall — Sept/October. Also, these versions had a higher alcohol content to keep over time. Fest beers are typically darker, malty, not as hoppy as IPA’s and some pales.
Here’s a rundown of the new releases:
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Red Brick – Octbeerfest. 5.7% ABV. 2010 marks first bottling run of this beer. Here’s my writeup on it. –> Red Brick Octobeerfest |
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Weihenstephaner – Festbier. 5.8% ABV, Bready, and sweet. Malty and light bodied. Very drinkable. Freising, Germany |
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Shiner – Oktoberfest. 2nd time this has been released by Spoetzl Brewing. First time under the label Shiner Oktoberfest. Here’s my earlier article on this beer. Shiner – Octoberfest |
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Ayinger – October Fest-Marzen. 5.8% ABV. Bready, malty German lager. Aying, Germany |
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Brooklyn – Octoberfest. 5.5% ABV. Slightly hoppy, slightly fruit. Coppery and malty. Brooklyn, NY |
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Bell’s Octoberfest – 5.5% ABV. Very clean, and light bodied. Caramel and light malts. Slightly sweet. Kalamazoo, MI |
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Left Hand – Oktoberfest. 6% ABV. Toffee, sweet malt. Hints of coffee and roasted malt. Longmont, CO |
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Leinenkugel’s – Oktoberfest. 5.1% ABV. Caramel & toffee. Hint of lemony hops. Chippewa Falls, WI |
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Sam Adams – Octoberfest. 5.4% ABV. Sweet and malty. Hint of caramel. Tastes like a maltier version of their lager. Boston, MA |
