Don’t Miss This

Posted in Beer News, Don't Miss This

Dogfish Head among the first breweries to adopt “Indie” seal

Delaware based Dogfish Head will be among the first breweries in the U.S. to adopt the “Independent Craft” seal on their packaging.

Today, the Brewers Association, a not-for-profit trade group operating in the interests of small and independent craft breweries, announced a licensed “seal” designating a brewer’s independent status. If a brewery meets the BA’s definition of craft, they can obtain a free license to place on their packaged products.

Among the first will be Dogfish Head. The brewery’s founder Sam Calagione made a statement on the company’s website today, applauding the Brewers Association’s efforts.

Today, I’m happy to announce that as a proud, independent brewery ourselves, Dogfish Head is joining the Brewer’s Association in this effort. I am hopeful there will be thousands of other craft breweries from across the country that will join us in this effort to make it easy for consumers to know which beers are brewed by an independent craft brewer. We think this is important because the identity and integrity of the craft brewing community have come under attack in recent months and years as certain global brewing conglomerates attempt to influence and blur the lines between their brands and those that continue to deliver innovation, imagination and community investment here in America. – Sam Calagione

The seal is a response to decreased transparency in ownership by some of America’s breweries, brought on by brewery acquisitions by major companies like Anheuser-Busch.

Expect Dogfish Head’s packaging to reflect the new seal in the coming months.

by Reid Ramsay
Posted in Great Divide, Don't Miss This, New Releases

Year-Round tartness. Great Divide Strawberry Rhubarb goes national

Great Divide Strawberry Rhubarb is being added to the brewery’s core lineup this month. Previously released as a specially offering in the past.

Fans of Great Divide might remember this beer as ‘Demeter’ back in 2013. The American sour/wild ale has always seen lines of folks wanting a taste at the brewery’s anniversary parties.

“…It took some time to figure out how to brew bigger batches of it given the incredible amount of fruit and extra labor required but we’re excited to finally be able to release this beer into our year-round lineup.” – Brian Dunn, Great Divide Founder

Great Divide Strawberry Rhubarb will be available in 22 ounce bottles and draft, year-round. Look for it on shelves nationally in July.

Style: American Wild/Sour Ale (w/ Strawberries. Rhubarb.)
Availability: 22oz Bottles, Draft.
Debut: Late June/July, 2017

6.2% ABV

by Reid Ramsay
Posted in AleSmith Brewing, Coming Soon, Don't Miss This

Alesmith is making 40oz bottles, with the band Sublime (in July)

Two southern California pioneers are teaming up this spring. Music and beer fuse in forthcoming Alesmith Sublime Mexican Lager.

Unless you’ve been living under rock, you’ve heard the musical stylings of SoCal’s Sublime, best known for the song “Santeria” and “What I Got”. 2017 marks the 25th Anniversary of the band’s debut album 40oz to Freedom? The duo is celebrating accordingly.

When you hail from Southern California and are celebrating an album called 40oz to Freedom, what do you brew? A Mexican-style lager. In 40 ounce bottles.

You don’t see a lot of “40s” in craft brewing. When Alesmith’s owner Peter Zien sat down with the band, he learned Sublime has an affinity for the Vienna-style lager (brewed heavily in Mexico, aka Mexican Lager). The style is very crisp and clean, finishing slightly sweet. A fitting style for sunny SoCal weather, or tailgating for a concert.

“It doesn’t taste like anything else. The flavor is great and it has a craft beer flare with a true Mexican lager taste. This is the one!” – Sublime co-founder Bud Gaugh. “

The 40 ounce bottles are a special release, sold as ticket pre-order on July 8th, on sale July 15th. The keg tapping party with include drummer Bud Gaugh, and DJ PRODUCT 1969c, who worked on Sublimes Robbin’ The Hood album.

Alesmith Sublime Mexican Lager will be available in 12 ounce cans and draft year-round starting in June, 2017.

Style: Vienna Lager
Availability: 12oz Cans, 40oz Bottles, Draft.
Debut (40oz Bottles): July, 2017
Cans: August, 2017

5.2% ABV

Image: AleSmith Brewing

by Reid Ramsay
Posted in Terrapin Beer Company, Coming Soon, Don't Miss This

Pineapples & payapas in future Terrapin Panama Krunkles

The fictitious, hop-loving character that hails from Athens, Georgia is on another flavor trip. This time to Panama.

Krunkles has gone by many different names in the past – Dr. Krunkles, Samurai Krunkles, Indiana Krunkles, and new tropically inspired Luau Krunkles. Taking a tropical spin through Central America, Terrapin Panama Krunkles is on the horizon.

This edition features papaya and pineapple against the hoppy backdrop of the India pale ale.

Continuing his world brewing tour, Krunkles is back with another fruit-forward IPA. “Panama Krunkles” blends the tropical juiciness of pineapple and papaya for this Central American-inspired beer.”

Terrapin Panama Krunkles will be available in 12 ounce cans and draft. The brewery has not yet announced this offering.

Style: IPA (w/ Payapa. Pineapple.)
Availability: 12oz Cans. Draft.
Debut: TBA

6.5% ABV, 77 IBUS

by Reid Ramsay
Posted in Stone Brewing Co., Don't Miss This, Seasonal Return

Stone Mocha IPA is a chocolatey, citrusy, coffee buzz

Stone Mocha IPA will be back in action this month across the brewery’s entire distribution network.

Taking the brewery’s love of India pale ales, and adding coffee and chocolate, and this new seasonal was born. Stone already excels at India pale ales. That little touch of chocolate and coffee makes this imperial IPA impossible to put down. So much so, another coffee and chocolate recipe was recently a part of the Enjoy By Series. 

One of the best IPAs in Stone’s lineup. Everyone already knows Stone Brewing and hops are a match made in heaven. Some of their IPAs are extremely hoppy, some are citrus heavy, tropical, even fruited. Adding coffee and chocolate to hoppy/bitter IPA has been hit or miss in final flavor for years. Then we try Stone Mocha IPA, and we are sold. Coffee and chocolate can truly play well together. Chocolate flavors fade to coffee, with a burst of citrusy hops rounding out each sip. Weird and wonderful beginning to end.

RELATED: Beers with chocolate

Clearly, style lines have been crossed. Is it half-IPA, half-stout? Not quite. It’s definitely all IPA, but it’s also the best of both styles, making this love child of a beer simply just a beautiful, pleasure-seeking meld of imperial IPA and mocha indulgence. How did we come up with this inexplicably delicious creation? Well, that doesn’t really matter. What matters is that it exists and that it’s here for you now, thanks to our deliberate disregard for brewing norms. Some things are not meant to be known, just enjoyed…thoroughly.

Stone Mocha IPA is a draft and 12 ounce bottle offering, returning in June, 2017.

Style: Imperial IPA (w/ Chocolate, Coffee.)
Hops: Cascade, Citra, Amarillo
Availability: 12oz Bottles, Draft. Seasonal offering.

Debut: June, 2016
Returning: June, 2017

9% ABV, 80 IBUs

PIC: Beer Street Journal

by Reid Ramsay
Posted in Sierra Nevada, Don't Miss This, Surly Brewing

Sierra Nevada Beer Camp Ginger Lager, with Surly Brewing

In 2017, Sierra Nevada’s Beer Camp is going international. One of America’s best breweries is pushing beyond their home borders, collaborating with folks across the world. As far as U.S. based collaborations, Minnesota’s Surly Brewing has been chosen to for 2017. Sierra Nevada Beer Camp Ginger Lager is the result.

If you haven’t had the pleasure of trying Beer Camp creations in the past, they truly are some very unique beers, brewed by some of the best brewers out there. A collaboration between Sierra Nevada and Surly conjures up images of outdoorsy types and metal enthusiasts in one room, with impossible to predict results.  What they came up with is a lager, which might not thrill everyone. That is, until the team adds spicy ginger, cayenne, and oak. You can forget forgettable lagers.

Absolute Beer Camp Highlight. 

This is far and away one of the best beers in the 2017 Beer Camp box. A crisp lager that leads with ginger, and finishes with a touch of cayenne and oak. If you thought lagers were boring, this one will have you rethinking it. Consider this an official nomination for this beer to go into full production. One lonely can is far from enough of this unique beer.

The abrasive attitude of Minnesota’s Surly Brewing Co. brings an aggressive yet refined approach to creating recipes. We came together to create this easy-drinking but complex ginger-infused lager. It’s brewed with hot ginger and a pinch of cayenne to spice up the heat and then dry hopped with an inclusion of oak for a touch of woody vanilla to round out the flavor.

Sierra Nevada Beer Camp Ginger Lager will be a 16 ounce can release, a part of the Beer Camp Across the World collection, debuting later this year.

Style: Lager (w/ Ginger, Cayenne. Oak Aged.)
Availability: 16oz Cans, Draft.
Debut: June, 2017

6.2% ABV

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

Barrel-aged malt liquor. Founders DKML debuts in July

Founders DKML, a barrel-aged malt liquor, has been formally announced for release in the brewery’s Barrel-Aged Series this July.

Hot on the heels of Kentucky Breakfast Stout, and recently released Doom, is a completely new style for the Grand Rapids, Michigan based brewery – a malt liquor. The base beer is brewed with corn, plus a lager yeast that has been cultivated by Spanish brewer Mahou San Miguel, a strategic partner with Founders.

Founders DKML is not only dry-hopped, but aged in bourbon barrels.

“With DKML I wanted to do something totally original, and I don’t know anyone in the craft beer world who is barrel-aging malt liquor. After some early trials, we ended up with Mahou’s lager yeast to brew a really amazing malt liquor, and then we did what we do best – barrel-aged it. The bourbon barrel smoothed it out while giving it that ‘kick’ you would expect from an imperial malt liquor.” – Jeremy Kosmicki, Brewmaster

Founders DKML will be available in 12 ounce bottles, 750 milliliter bottles, and draft in the taproom starting in July, 2017. The brewery’s 46 state footprint will receive it in late-July.

Style: American Strong Ale (Barrel Aged. Bourbon.)
Availability: 12oz Bottles, 750ml Bottles, Draft.
Debut: July, 2017

?? ABV

 

by Reid Ramsay