Don’t Miss This

Posted in Hoppin' Frog Brewing, Don't Miss This

Big frog. 17.4% Hoppin Frog Barrel Aged Gavel Slammer debuts on Black Friday

Hoppin Frog Barrel Aged Gavel Slammer will be available on Black Friday. 

Huge. Best descriptor for this big beer. On Black Friday, Hoppin Frog Barrel Aged Gavel Slammer. The 17.2% alcohol by volume dark has been aged in brewery selected whiskey barrels.

Barrel-aged over-the-top ale like no other, with a truly magnificent character from aging in select whiskey barrels. Rich, aromatic, lively and dark, with layer after layer of roasted, toasted, and caramelized malts, beautifully balanced from the oak barrel. We’ve done our part, slamming the hammer down for freedom from alcohol limits.

Hoppin Frog Barrel Aged Gavel Slammer will be available in 12-ounce bottles at 10 am on November 24th.

Style: American Strong Ale (Barrel Aged. Whiskey.)
Availability: 12oz Bottles. Brewery only release.
Debut: 11/24/17

17.4%, 65 IBUs

by Reid Ramsay
Posted in Don't Miss This

Atlanta’s Torched Hop Brewing is ready to drop some cans

It’s been a little bit over a year into brewing, Atlanta’s Torched Hop Brewing has won medals at the Great American Beer Festival and U.S. Open Beer Championship. Their next move? Cans.

“We are first and foremost a brewpub, and want to showcase a lot of styles,” says Chris Bivens. “We ordered in more than 45 yeast strains in the first year in order to create a wide range of styles.”

Despite Torched Hop’s versatility, Bivens lineup of India pale ales is what really has put the brewpub on the map. From Hops de Leon, Haze Craze, and Tribunal, those dank juicy IPAs are what customers have been excited about. So much so, the decision to can the hoppiest of their offerings was easy.

On November 18th Torched Hop Tribunal will mark the first release. The IPA features the famed (and hard to find) Galaxy hop, Mosaic and Cryo powder. A hop lover’s dream and a hell of a way to kick off the package lineup. The next two will be released as they are brewed:

  • Haze Craze – Uses very potent cryogenically separated hops, plus flaked oats. Thing hazy New England style IPA
  • Hops De Leon – Flagship IPA and hardcore West Coast IPA featuring Citra and Mosaic hops.

It took the brewery around two months to design the cans in-house, and five weeks to can delivery form Can Source. The longest lead time was the can seamer (puts the lid on). Incidentally, the maker of the seaming equipment, Dixie Canner, supplies Campell’s Soup with their seamers as well. Campbell’s ordered nearly a 1000 seamers ahead of Torched Hop’s single machine.

Don’t worry about your day job getting in the way of these releases. Bivens plans on making new cans available on the weekends, with no planned distribution.

PIC: Beer Street Journal

by Reid Ramsay
Posted in New Holland Brewing, Don't Miss This

A whopping 20% ABV & aged in rum, New Holland 20th Anniversary debuts soon

New Holland 20th Anniversary Ale debuts on Black Friday.

2017 marks the Holland, Michigan based brewery’s 20-year mark. Two decades begs for a big beer and the brewery delivered.

New Holland 20th Anniversary is a strong ale that weighs in at a full 20% alcohol by volume, that has been aged in rum barrels for almost a year.

“We aged this ale in rum barrels for almost a year, and the results are phenomenal. The rum character really shines through and complements the beer.” Jason Salas, Brewery Production Manager

New Holland 20th Anniversary will be available at the brewery’s Michigan locations in 22-ounce wax-dipped bottles on November 24th.

Style: American Strong Ale (Barrel Aged. Rum.)
Availability: 22oz Bottles, Draft. Limited Release
Distribution: No
Debut: 11/24/17

20% ABV

Image: New Holland

by Reid Ramsay
Posted in Don't Miss This

NEED. Cigar City Double Barrel Vanilla Imperial Milk Porter debuts Saturday

A new drool-worthy barrel-aged release is coming to Tampa, Florida this weekend. Cigar City Double Barrel Vanilla Imperial Milk Porter.

Back in 2011, Cigar City released Imperial Milk Porter, that had been aged in Stranahan Whiskey barrels. That beer was a creamy, boozy, dream of a beer. Still one of the best beers we’ve had in 10 years here at Beer Street Journal.

Sadly, that beer had to go away after Breckenridge Brewing formed an exclusive partnership with Stranahan. No more whiskey barrels would be headed to the Sunshine State.

This weekend a new beer that sounds awfully like the sexy that was Imperial Milk Stout will rise – Cigar City Double Barrel Vanilla Imperial Milk Porter. The 12.7% alcohol by volume milk stout has been aged in both vanilla bourbon and straight bourbon barrels.

According to the brewery, Double Barrel Vanilla Imperial Milk Porter will be available in 22-ounce bottles in the taproom starting Saturday, November 4th.

Style: Imperial Milk Stout (w/ Lactose. Barrel Aged. Bourbon.)
Availability: 22oz Bottles
Debut: 11/4/17

12.7% ABV

by Reid Ramsay
Posted in The Bruery, Don't Miss This

The Bruery Reserve Society 2018 Membership Opens with new flexibility (Promoted)

The Bruery is home to some of America’s most sought-after beers every year. Form the famed “Weekday” series (Black Tuesday, Mocha Wednesday, etc) to various barrel-aged and wild releases, there something for every beer drinker.

The Bruery is also home to one of the most exclusive membership societies with good reason. The beers available to society members are pretty crazy. In 2018, the Reserve Society has been overhauled a bit in order to give members a little more exclusivity, and flexibility. Here’s how it breaks down.

First, East Coast pickup. The Bruery opens a new store in Washington D.C. this month. This gives members another pickup spot for the first time. Your beer is held in a climate controlled facility through February 29th, 2019. You pick up on YOUR schedule.

Payment plan. $99 dollars down secures your spot in the Reserve Society. No need to drop the full $300 to start. Your bank account will thank you.

Additionally, members get a 2018 branded Whaleshark bottle opener, access to special merch, and 15% off at TheBrueryStore.com, offshootbeer.com, Tasting Rooms and Fulfillment Centers, regardless of your selected fulfillment location (CA or DC).

If you’re not sold yet, let the beer be the closer, which is some of the most ridiculous you’ll find out there. In 2018, regardless of which Reserve Society club you select for your included bottles, you’ll have first access to purchase these future releases:

  • PB & Jelly Thursday (only available as included bottles in the “mix” and “The Bruery” clubs)
    • Black & Blue BBLs (only available as included bottles in the “mix” and “Bruery Terreux” clubs)
    • Last Slice (bourbon barrel-aged key lime strong ale)
    • You Asked For It (bourbon barrel-aged imperial stout with vanilla)
    • White Chocolate Chunk
    • Chocolate Salty BBLs
    • Barrel-Aged 10 Lords-a-Leaping
    • Central Coast Pinot Noir Sour Collaboration
    • PB & Thursday (2018)
    • Black Tuesday (2018)
    • Black Tuesday (aged in the grand cru of California wine barrels)
    • Chocolate Rain (2018)
    • Grey Monday (2018)
    • Oude Tart Reserve
    • Blue BBLs (2018)
    • Imperial Cabinet (2018)
    • Windowsill (2018)
    • Les Ronces (2018)
    • Rum Barrel-Aged Tart of Darkness
    • A key lime pie sour
    • A collaboration or two with Chef Brooke Williamson
    • Mounds of Coconuts (bourbon barrel-aged imperial stout with coconut)
    • New foeder-aged farmhouse releases
    • Three installments from the new Orchard Project series
    • A French toast-inspired bourbon barrel-aged imperial brown ale
    • A dark sour anniversary beer for Bruery Terreux
    • A bourbon barrel-aged imperial brown ale with coffee
    • Foster Happiness (Bananas Foster-inspired bourbon barrel-aged ale)
    • Mash & Spumoni
    • A new, experimental, sour wine-beer hybrid with white grapes
    • American Anthem (peach cobbler-inspired bourbon barrel-aged ale)
    • A bourbon barrel-aged wheatwine with orange creamsicle-like flavors
    • A strawberry cream-inspired bourbon barrel-aged ale
    • A bourbon barrel-aged imperial porter
    • Out of the Lunch Box (a more “sessionable” PB&J ale)
    • An oak-aged sour blonde collaboration project brewed with Beachwood Blendery, The Good Beer Company, Highland Park Brewery, Modern Times Beer, Monkish Brewing Co. and Phantom Carriage
    • A quad aged in apple brandy barrels
    • An oak-aged sour with Picpoul Blanc grapes
    • A collab with M.I.A. Beer Company

Plus…
New fruited treatments to classic Bruery Terreux releases (such as Tart of Darkness with Black Currants, Sour in the Rye with Kumquats and Oude Tart with Cherries)

And…
New installments in our Frucht, anniversary and Christmas series of beers

That’s a hell of a lot of beer choices. Sold? Hit this link for membership. The Bruery Reserve Society 2018.

Content sponsored by The Bruery

by Reid Ramsay
Posted in Bellwoods Brewery, Don't Miss This

Canada is coming in hot. Meet Bellwoods Roman Candle

All the hazy, hoppy goodness isn’t just found stateside. Canada’s craft breweries are getting into the style as well. We just stumbled across Bellwoods Roman Candle, brewed in Toronto, Ontario.

This is the first Bellwoods Brewery beer we’ve tried at Beer Street Journal. They’ve hit our radar hard over the past few months here stateside. Mike Clark and Luke Pestl opened the doors to Bellwood in 2012, and in their own words “working towards the rather ambitious goal not to run out of beer”.

In 2013, Bellwoods opened their full-time bottle shop, finally opening a second facility in August of 2016.

Apparently, the poor work/life balance continues as 2018 looms. Judging by Roman Candle, the hard work is truly paying off.

The New England IPA/hazy/unfiltered style is on fire across the United States, and there are truly some fantastic ones out there (Looking at you Trillium, The Veil, Monday Night, Off Shoot). We really weren’t expecting to one from Ontario anytime soon, much less one that blew us away.

Roman Candle is absolutely flush with flavors of tangerine, orange and pineapple hop flavors. Forget juicy fruit. All the juice is in this can. This IPA finishes slightly bitter and clean. Roman Candle is truly haze-tastic and sadly, many many miles away.

Besides Candle, The Bellwoods lineup looks pretty robust. The brewery has collaborations with Evil Twin, Virginia’s Penn Druid Brewing, plus a few sour and wild ales and barrel-aged offerings. Keep this brewery on your radar.

We hope to drink more Bellwoods soon.

Style: IPA
Availability: 16oz Cans, Draft.
Distribution: N/A

6.8% ABV

PIC: Beer Street Journal

by Reid Ramsay
Posted in Southern Tier Brewing, Don't Miss This, New Releases

Southern Tier Cinnamon Roll expands the brewery’s dessert beer lineup

Southern Tier Cinnamon Roll has debuted going into November, for those needing a little dessert beer by the fireside.

Dessert-style beers have done quite well for the Lakewood, New York-based brewery. Choklat (featuring Belgian chocolate) Salted Caramel, Thick Mint (echoing the Girl Scout cookie) and the big daddy dessert beer – Creme Brûlée all grace the lineup. In mid-November, tack on a cinnamon bun inspired beer to the lineup.

Southern Tier Cold-Press Coffee Pumking debuts in September

The base beer features blend of toasted malts, cinnamon, and a touch of lactose milk sugar for a sweet, creamy finish.

In this brew, lightly toasted malts with subtly spicy hops blend into cinnamon avors and creamy lactose sugar. Their coalescence is so uncannily close to fresh baked cinnamon rolls that it was impossible to name this beer anything other than Cinnamon Roll Imperial Ale! Pairs perfectly with eggs benedict at brunch, after dinner, or next to the re for an unforgettable nightcap.

Southern Tier Cinnamon Roll is now available in late-October in 12 and 22-ounce bottles and draft.

Style: American Strong Ale (w/ Cinnamon. Lactose.)
Availability: 12oz, 22oz Bottles. Draft.
Debut: Late October 2017

8.6% ABV

by Reid Ramsay