Wild Heaven Craft Beers
Avondale Estates, Georgia
Tequila aged Wild Heaven Height of Civilization returns
Wild Heaven Height of Civilization, the brewery’s barrel aged Civilization Barleywine returns to the wild this week.
In 2014, the brewery purchased Dulce Vida Organic Tequila barrels ahead of this release. Wild Heaven Height of Civilization spent four months aging in the barrels prior to bottling.
The base beer, Wild Heaven Civilization Barleywine, brewed with dried Prussian lemons, Iranian hibiscus, tart cherries, cranberries, and cocoa nibs that have been re-hydrated in Four Roses bourbon.
The beer has been so well received, Wild Heaven got a hold of more Dulce Vida tequila barrels to bring this complex beer back once again.
Wild Heaven Height of Civilization is available in 750ml bottles for a limited time.
Style: Barleywine (w/ Lemons, Hibiscus, Cherries, Cranberries, Cocoa Nibs. Barrel Aged. Tequila.)
Availability: 750ml Bottles. Limited Release.
Latest Return: November, 2016
12+% ABV
Below, the beer enters the barrel. Pic: Wild Heaven
Wild Heaven unveils new branding, focusing on the future
Avondale Estates, Georgia based Wild Heaven has just unveiled a brand overhaul.
Nick Purdy and Eric Johnson started the brewery back in 2010. Besides making great beer, the goal of Wild Heaven Craft Beers was and still is, to elevate the beer culture in the south. A mission the brewery accomplishes daily.
Wild Heaven didn’t open with an IPA or pale ale. Those actually came much later. The brewery launched with Invocation a Belgian-style golden ale, and Ode to Mercy, an imperial brown ale brewed with Athens, Georgia based 1000 Faces Coffee. Unique from day one.
The first logo was created by Adam Houston of Bridge Creative. Purdy and Johnson wanted a logo that captured the idea of heaven. As you can probably imagine, trying to portray heaven on a goblet style glass is a daunting task, thus the rise of the winged logo.
As time progressed, Purdy started noticing the winged style logo everywhere. He actually compares it to buying a new car, then seeing the same style everywhere you go. The unique look wasn’t so unique anymore. Each year, saw a new logo tweak, but just as the brewery lineup was evolving, so was the brand perception.
The final straw.
In 2015, the U.S. District Court in San Diego threw out a lawsuit brought against MillerCoors that marketing Blue Moon as a “craft beer” wasn’t deceptive marketing. Sporting “craft” in the title Wild Heaven Craft Beers seems to have lost a bit of its meaning. The brewery is dedicated to better beer, and they hope one day the term “craft” will be redundant.
Going forward, it’s now simply Wild Heaven Beer. The branding and logo were designed by Gentleman, a design firm in Atlanta. The logo is stylish, a bit minimalist, and renews Purdy and Johnson’s overwhelming dedication to beer beer, and elevating southern beer culture.
It might just be a logo, but honestly, it’s a promise of the amazing things to come.
Wild Heaven Emmylou, the first in a new sour series
Wild Heaven Emmylou, the first in the Georgia based brewery’s fruited sour series, debuts today.
Eric Johnson (brewmaster) laid the groundwork for Wild Heaven Emmylou almost two years ago, when he started souring a base golden ale in oak barrels. The oldest barrels are 18 months old.
Five different Bordeaux barrels containing kumquats, D’Anjou pears, cantaloupe, gooseberry and Asian persimmon comprise the final blend for Sour No. 1.
The result is a game-changing sour for Wild Heaven. The sour/wild ale is impressively complex, with light notes of the unique fruits on which Emmylou has been aging, finishing with a beautiful flavor of the barrels.
Wild Heavy Emmylou is available in 500 milliliter bottles at the brewery on October 15th, with limited distribution to follow this week. Expect more fruited sours to follow in the coming months.
Style: American Wild/Sour Ale (w/ D’Anjou Pears, Cantaloupe, Gooseberries, Asian Persimmon, Kumquats)
Availability: 500ml Bottles
Debut: 10/15/16
5.5% ABV
Wild Heaven Autumn Defense is coming to cans this season
Wild Heaven Autumn Defense returns again in late August. This year, the brewery will can this fall beer for the first time.
The recipe has changed a little bit since it’s first release. It wasn’t until 2015 that Wild Heaven Autumn Defense became true festbier. It sold so well last fall, Wild Heaven knew it had to be canned in 2016. Note: we mentioned earlier this was a lager. It’s actually an ale, that tastes like the popular Oktoberfest style.
Above is the can design for Autumn Defense, courtesy of the brewery’s co-founder, Nick Purdy.
Wild Heaven Autumn Defense will be available on draft and in 12 ounce cans in late August/early September. The brewery is planning an Oktoberfest party on September 24th.
As of the time of this article, Wild Heaven has canned Emergency Drinking Beer, White Blackbird Saison, and most recently – Wise Blood IPA.
Style: Oktoberfest
Availability: 12oz Cans, Draft. Seasonal.
Can Debut: Late August, 2016
5.5% ABV
Wild Heaven Wise Blood IPA debuts today
Wild Heaven Wise Blood IPA will be the Avondale Estates, Georgia based brewery’s next canned offering.
As of today, Wild Heaven’s brewmaster Eric Johnson has brewed 40 different test batches of Wise Blood, dialing in the recipe each time. If you are wondering why so many test batches, you’ll need to understand more about Eric. Each one of his recipes is very intentional and deliberate. Eric will brew a thousand test batches if it means getting it right. We have noticed a trend where some breweries will release a beer that is not even close to being ready for public consumption. Quite a scary thought when there are new folks learning and trying new beers everyday.
We’ve tasted the test batches along the way, and he’s pretty damn close.
To date, Wild Heaven has released Emergency Drinking Beer, and White Blackbird in cans with great success. (Especially with EDB.)
In the meantime, this sexy can above is what you’ll get when the recipe is ready.
Style: IPA
Hops:
Availability: 12oz Cans, Draft
Release: TBA
?? ABV (Pending final recipe)
Image: Beer Street Journal
Wild Heaven Civilization bottled
Wild Heaven Civilization, the brewery’s barleywine, has been bottled for the first time.
The Avondale Estates, Georgia based brewery has had Civilization on tap intermittently for quite some time now. A barrel-aged edition (Height of Civilization) was one of the first big bottles the brewery released.
Wild Heaven Civilization is brewed with a crazy list of ingredients, including cherries, cranberries, dried Prussian lemons, Iranian hibiscus, and cocoa nibs. Boozy barleywines, meet fun complexity.
We we asked Sarah Young, Wild Heaven’s Director of Sales what she thought of the new bottles, she told us – It’s f’ing good though, I forgot how yumz it is.
Wild Heaven Civilization is a 12 ounce bottle and draft offering.
Style: Barleywine (w/ Cherries, Cranberries, Lemons, Hibiscus, Cocoa Nibs.)
Availability: 12oz Bottles, Draft.
Bottle Release: Late March, 2016
12% ABV
Wild Heaven Ode to Mercy Special Winter Ale bottled for the first time
Wild Heaven Ode To Mercy Special Winter Ale has become a seasonal Atlanta favorite over the past few years. A wintery spin on the brewery’s year-round brown ale always signals cold weather is coming.
Wild Heaven Ode to Mercy Special Winter Ale is being bottled for the first time today, in 22 ounce format. Brewmaster Eric Johnson took Wild Heaven Ode To Mercy, and added bourbon soaked oak chips. he result is a winter beer with oak, vanilla, coffee, with a semi sweet finish.
You’ll find Special Winter Ale in 22 ounce bottles and draft. (Within the week of this update)
Style: American Brown Ale (w/ Bourbon Soaked Oak Chips)
Availability: Draft. 22oz Bottles (New)
Return & Bottle Launch: Early November, 2015
8.2% ABV
