Terrapin Beer Company

Terrapin Reunion 2010 Arrives Today!

Every one was starting wonder when this beer was going to hit.  Well it’s being delivered today.   Just to recap –

What is Reunion?  Virgina McLean, partner in the Reunion project, died from complications from multiple myeloma in June, Continue Reading →

Cypress Street Beer Geek Tuesday 7/6

Tapping tonight at Cypress Street’s  Beer Geek Tuesday the very recent Terrapin/De Proef collaboration “Monstre Rouge” will be tapped.  This beer hit shelves late last week and is already hard to find.

Just to recap – “Monstre Rouge” is dubbed an Continue Reading →

Atlanta Summer Beerfest

Probably should have mentioned this a bit sooner.  I’ve tried to get in touch with the organizers of this festival, but they have been playing hard to get. The Atlanta Summer Beerfest is tomorrow – 6/26/10 from 5-10 pm.  Local Continue Reading →

Posted in Great Cause, Terrapin Beer Company

Terrapin Reunion 2010 Arrives Today!

Every one was starting wonder when this beer was going to hit.  Well it’s being delivered today.   Just to recap –

What is Reunion?  Virgina McLean, partner in the Reunion project, died from complications from multiple myeloma in June, 2007.   She had a fantastic quote“Cancer can cause my death, but it can only take my life if I give it that.” Virginia is the inspiration for the Reunion project, a way to drink good beer and raise money for the Institute for & Bone Cancer Research.  100% of the proceeds go straight to IMBCR. (www.imbcr.org)  This Institute works to prolong the life of individuals suffering from the currently incurable form of bone cancer, and hopes to one day find a cure. This institute does not have a huge operating budget — and proceeds from this Reunion project really make a difference.

Reunion 2010 is Belgian style scotch ale.   It’s brewed with 5 different malts, and hopped with Kent Golding.  A Trappist yeast was used on a scotch ale recipe… thus Belgian style scotch ale.

Availability —  22oz Bottles and Draft.  Draft will be featured at Taco Mac restaurants.

8.5% ABV

SBS Imports (www.sbs-imports.com) is a proud partner in the project also.  SBS is an importers of beers and ciders like Aspall and De Proef.  To read more, AND/or to donate  – www.reunionbeer.com and www.imbcr.org

by Reid Ramsay
Posted in Now Tapping, Terrapin Beer Company

Cypress Street Beer Geek Tuesday 7/6

Tapping tonight at Cypress Street’s  Beer Geek Tuesday the very recent Terrapin/De Proef collaboration “Monstre Rouge” will be tapped.  This beer hit shelves late last week and is already hard to find.

Just to recap – “Monstre Rouge” is dubbed an Imperial Flanders Red Ale.  It’s based off of Terrapin’s Big Hoppy Monster, a red ale, with rye malt added.  A brettanomyces yeast was added for souring, then it sat on toasted American oak.   Rouge is a ONE TIME collaboration with famed Belgian brewer Dirk Naudts of De Proef Brewing in Lochristi, Belgium.

Grab this beer while you can, it’s a one time offer!

Cypress Street Pint & Plate
817 West Peachtree St NW
Atlanta, GA 30308


by Reid Ramsay
Posted in New Releases, Terrapin Beer Company

NEW RELEASE: Terrapin/ De Proef “Monstre Rouge”

Recently, the brewers of Terrapin Brewery  (Athens, GA) traveled to Lochristi, Belgium to collaborate with De Proef Brewing.  De Proef  was found in 1996 by Dirk Naudts.   Dirk Naudts is considered one of the leading brew masters in Belgium.  De Proef (or “The Prof — Dirk’s nickname)  is a highly scientific brewery that melds traditional brewing methods with modern equipment technologies.  Versatility is a keyword when describing De Proef as each beer is made in a 9 Barrel brewhouse, which allows each beer to be specially crafted and unique.

Dirk’s brewing reputation spawned the collaboration project between De Proef and American brewers.  Monstre Rouge is the 4th collaboration with De Proef.  It’s an Imperial Flanders Red Ale.  Rouge has a lot in common with Terrapin’s Big Hoppy Monster.  Imagine Big Hoppy Monster (a red ale) with Rye Malt added.  Then instead of an American ale yeast, one of Dirk’s specialty Belgian strains of Brettanomyces was used.  There might even be some Lactobacillus in the mix.  It is then aged on toasted American oak.

Hops – American strains – Potentially Cascade, Amarillo

Malts – Rye Malt, Crystal Malts (Color Range Lovibond 20-75)

Taste Expectations – Described as tart, sour, sweet, hoppy & woody.  Complex; with big IPA nose, sweet malts and sour in one big package.

Availability – 750 ML Corked & Caged.  Rare cask & Draft offerings.  (Already in Atlanta, announcements soon)

8.5% ABV

by Reid Ramsay
Posted in Casks, Terrapin Beer Company, Uncategorized

CASK ALERT: Terrapin/De Proef Monstre Rouge

Recently, the brewers of Terrapin went over to Belgium to collaborate on a beer with De Proef Brewing.  The beer is due out in August, but a cask is premiering today at Brick Store Pub.

The beer is an imperial flanders red ale .  Spike Buckowski, head brewer at Terrapin states it is based off of “Big Hoppy Monster” a red ale.  Spike’s brewing style has a German influence so he added rye malt into the mix.  Brettanomyces yeast is used in Monstre Rouge, along with crystal malt and munich malt.  American hop strains were used, and as a nice finishing touch Rouge was aged on American oak.  This red ale will have a nice mix of both American and Belgian brewing styles.

More to follow on this beer as it gets closer to widespread release.

Brick Store Pub – 6/28, 5pm
125 East Court Square
Decatur, GA 30030-2521
Twitter: @BrickStorePub

by Reid Ramsay
Posted in 2010, Red Brick, SweetWater Brewing, Terrapin Beer Company

Atlanta Summer Beerfest

Probably should have mentioned this a bit sooner.  I’ve tried to get in touch with the organizers of this festival, but they have been playing hard to get. The Atlanta Summer Beerfest is tomorrow – 6/26/10 from 5-10 pm.  Local breweries Sweetwater, Red Brick, and Terrapin will featured.

Here is the official info release:

The Atlanta Summer Beer Fest has been designed to be the coolest and most enjoyable beer fest that you will attend this year.  We will be pouring 6 oz. tastings sizes, twice as much as most other beer festivals.  We want you to enjoy your beer, not just taste it.  If you ask nicely, we may even fill your cup.  The Festival is from 5pm — 10pm, as the sun goes down and the temperature drops.

We also want you to have a good time, we will have Flip Cup, Beer Pong, and Cornhole for your enjoyment.

We are also bringing back the Dunking Booth.  That’s right, here’s your chance to dunk someone who will either be good looking or annoying, maybe even both.  All proceeds from the Dunking Booth will go to charity.

We have a great band playing music for you, Stokeswood.  Check them out, we promise you’ll like them.

We have a great after party scheduled inside the Masquerade, with several fun bands.  The after party is free with your festival admission.

Sponsors Include: Beer Connoisseur Magazine, Tower Beer, Wine, & Spirits, Greens, and Mac’s Beer & Wine.

Where: Masquerade Music Park

For Tickets Go Here to Xorbia Tickets – http://bit.ly/9opLuJ

Official Atlanta Summer Beerfest Site – http://bit.ly/baN7Xt

by Reid Ramsay
Posted in Coming Soon, Left Hand Brewery, Terrapin Beer Company

COMING SOON: Left Hand/Terrapin Midnight Project #3

This little nugget of joy was sitting in my inbox when I woke up this morning from my mole at one of these breweries.  Left Hand/Terrapin’s Midnight Project #3 – “Oxymoron.”  Now, in case you have been COMPLETELY out of it – Midnight Project #3 is a collaboration project between Left Hand Brewing (Longmont, Colorado) and Terrapin Brewing (Athens, Georgia.)   I know there are various permutations of this story running around, but here is the version (and I think it’s pretty damn correct) of how this project got started.

A couple of years ago, Ro Guenzel and Spike Buchowski were having 1 or (7) beers at Brick Store Pub in Decatur, GA.  Around midnight, the idea was proposed that the two breweries get together and collaborate on a release.  Thusly – the Midnight Project. (No, not the Midnight Society from Are You Afraid of the Dark?. Still waiting on those DVDs…)  Anyway, the first edition was release 2 years ago – Terra’-Rye’ ZD.  Terra was a black rye lager brewed at Left Hand.  It was popular and fun, part of the agreement was the next edition would be brewed at Terrapin.  It was – you know it as Depth Charge – and well, the rest is history.

The 3rd edition is on it’s way -“Oxymoron.” The edition is being brewed at Left Hand Brewery in Colorado.  Oxymoron will be a stylistically confusing “Oxymoron.”  The label explains why –

“Sometime around midnight in a city nobody can agree on, the idea for Left Hand and Terrapin to brew a collaboration beer was born. Oxymoron is the third in a series of one-time releases between our two breweries. A combination of contradictions embodied in liquid form, Oxymoron is an American-style IPA brewed with three German malts, six German hop varieties, and a lager yeast strain. Obnoxious yet reserved, elevated yet modest, it’s the embodiment of blending two brewing philosophies together in order to achieve singularity. Consider it an expression of the cruel kindness.”

Availability – 22oz Bombers, Draft. Estimated August 2010

by Reid Ramsay
Posted in Rumors, Terrapin Beer Company

RUMOR: Terrapin Moo Hoo a Depth Charge Sibling?

UPDATE: 6/20 – WOW! This posting got a huge response.  In the wake of one of the purported “last” kegs of Depth Charge being tapped in Atlanta, everyone seems to be hoping there is something else just like it taking it’s place.  I have some more info to share on “Moo Hoo.”  It will be a chocolate milk stout brewed by Terrapin.  It’s that simple.  Release Date?  December.  It will join the Terrapin lineup in 3 month increments like Sunray Wheat, with the addition of Pumpkinfest, and the future Moo Hoo…

6/18 – Terrapin’s collaboration with Left Hand Brewing – Depth Charge has an almost cult like following.  Brewed close to a year ago, it hit the scene with instant popularity.  After the bottles disappeared andthe kegs emptied, loose sightings of the “last” purported keg in existence seems to becoming a trend.  For many, its sad a beer so tasty will only be brewed once.

But wait.  Why only once?   A beer that so many people enjoy, a beer that has seen overwhelming success – brewed only once? What the hell are they thinking?? Well, the issue isn’t as simple as just putting the ingredients together and brewing it again.  It’s a collaboration between 2 breweries.  It goes beyond ingredients.  Its finances, rights to recipe, artwork, etc.  We live in a lawsuit culture, what did you expect when something is a popular sensation?

Just surfaced on Terrapin’s website is a hint at an upcoming beer – “Moo Hoo.”  No artwork, no release date, no ingredients.  But the name in and of itself tells a story.  Or is at least alluding to what it is.  Chocolate milk anyone?

by Reid Ramsay