Headlines

Burial Beer ceases South Carolina distribution

Asheville, North Carolina based Burial Beer Co. will no longer distribute to South Carolina. The reason isn’t completely clear.

In a statement today, Burial had this to say: 

Despite having a stellar relationship with our distributor and the independent retailers in SC, Continue Reading →

Posted in Terrapin Beer Company, Headlines

Terrapin Easy Gose to debut year-round in April

New year-round beer for 2017 – Terrapin Easy Gose.

In summer 2016, Terrapin launched Watermelon Gose. Easily one the best hot weather beers we had last year. Releasing a gose on a large scale like that taught the brewery something. People love the gose style.

Watermelon Gose will return in time again for hot weather, alongside Terrapin Easy Gose.

Easy Gose will feature grapefruit peel, creating a beer that’s tart, light, and citrusy.

Terrapin Easy Gose will be a 12 ounce can and draft release, year-round

Style: Gose (w/ Grapefruit Peel, Coriander.)
Availability: 12oz Cans, Draft. Year-Round.

Debut: April, 2017

4.5%, 7 IBUs

by Reid Ramsay
Posted in Headlines

Anheuser-Busch & Keurig are trying to invent the home beer dispenser

Almost overnight, offices and homes around the world went from the old school pot coffeemaker to the Keurig “pod” coffee system. Soon your beer could be served the same way.

Anheuser-Busch InBev, the world’s largest brewery, has entered into a partnership with Keurig Green Mountain, in order to develop a new system for the adult beverage industry.

In 2015, Keurig debuted the Keurig Kold machine, an appliance similar to its coffee maker for cold sodas. The pod-based beverage machine would allow users to make Coca-Cola, Pepsi, etc. In summer of 2016, just 10 months after the launch, Keurig pulled the plug on the project. Price of the machine, combined with cost per serving ultimately killed it.

A-B InBev and Keurig are hoping to take that “Kold” technology and create a system that would let you presumably brew beer on demand, in the same vein as the soda machine, and the coffee predecessor.

“We are excited to partner with AB InBev to develop a new system for the adult beverage category. We look forward to combining our capabilities and technologies to deliver innovation for consumers,” – Bob Gamgort, Keurig Green Mountain CEO

Not only is on-demand beer the focus, but other adult beverages like cocktails, mixers, and spirits. No timeline has been set for the project, nor mention of prototype for Keurig beer machine.

For now, the world will have to wait for this pod beer system.(And brew beer the “old fashioned” way.)

by Reid Ramsay
Posted in Great Divide, Headlines, New Releases

Great Divide Hop Disciples is the start of a new hoppy series

Great Divide Hop Disciples India Pale Ale has now started shipping nationwide.

At the start of fall last year, the brewery kicked off a new “Tank Farm” series of beers. The series serves as an ongoing departure from Great Divide norms. An experiment if you will. The inaugural release was Nadia Kali, a beautifully colored hibiscus saison.

As 2017 begins, Great Divide Hop Disciples, a new India pale ale has started shipping nationwide. Disciples will showcase one specially chosen hop variety, creating a real sensory experience for the drinker. This year’s hop is Idaho 7, one of dankest, most tropical hops out there. Expect orange zest, stone fruit, and a hint of black tea leaves.

“We receive different experimental hops to play around with on our pilot system each year, and this past year we were really blown away by the aromatics and flavor of the Idaho 7. We decided we needed to showcase them on a larger scale, and the idea of taking Hop Disciples to package was born.” – Bob Malone, Special Ops, Great Divide

The name “Hop Disciples” refers to an education program started by the brewery in 2008. The program gives home brewers and passionate fans a chance to learn more about brewing and the brewing industry.

Great Divide Hop Disciples is now available in 12 ounce cans and draft from January to April, 2017.

Style: IPA
Hops: Idaho 7

Availability: 12oz Cans, Draft. Jan-April
Debut: January, 2017

6.2% ABV

by Reid Ramsay
Posted in Allagash Brewing, Headlines, New Releases

New year-round release: Allagash Hoppy Table Beer

New for 2017, Allagash Hoppy Table Beer Is starting to ship this week. Expect this year-round from now on.

Low alcohol by volume Belgian-style beers are the inspiration for Allagash Hoppy Table Beer. High ABV doesn’t always mean the beer is better, as Allagash is about to prove to you.

The famous Allagash House Yeast (we think it deserves proper name treatment) fermented this beer, that boasts Chinook, Cascade, Comet, and Azacca hops. The dry-hop? More Comet and Azacca, plus a subtle addition of coriander. Combine the flavor of that House Yeast with that lineup of hops, and everything screams winner here.

A mildly hoppy aroma full of grapefruit springs from this straw-colored, light-bodied ale. Flavors of pine and stone fruit balance the beer’s clean, slightly bitter finish.

Allagash Hoppy Table Beer is a 12 ounce bottle and draft offering, year-round starting in January, 2017.

Style: Belgian-style Pale Ale (w/ Coriander)
Hops: Chinook, Cascade, Comet, Azacca
Malts:  Allagash 2-Row Blend, Maris Otter, Maine-Grown Oats

Availability: 12oz Bottles, Draft. Year-round
Debut: January, 2017

4.8% ABV

Image: Mat Trogner, Allagash brewing

by Reid Ramsay
Posted in Burial Beer Co, Headlines

Burial Beer ceases South Carolina distribution

Asheville, North Carolina based Burial Beer Co. will no longer distribute to South Carolina. The reason isn’t completely clear.

In a statement today, Burial had this to say: 

Despite having a stellar relationship with our distributor and the independent retailers in SC, state law prevents a distributor (and thus the brewery, who is required by law to use a distributor) from refusing to sell a product to any licensed retailer that places an order for a given brewery’s beer, regardless of other concerns for the product’s well-being. We have decided that the enforcement of this law is contradictory to our business plan and our core values…

The brewery declined to give more details when reached for comment.

What we can conclude is that Burial Beer wants to deny sale of their product to a retailer or retailers, based on their preference, or concern on how the product is sold or served. However, state law in South Carolina states that neither Burial, nor Advintage (Burial’s distributor) can deny anyone the sale that orders the beer. This inability to refuse sales goes against Burial Beer’s business plan.

Due to this, we can only conclude that for this reason they are parting ways with South Carolina until the laws in this respect, change.

We want to thank the team at Advintage and their employees who each put in countless hours readying distribution in SC. We will continue to monitor the state laws and hope to be distributing down south someday in the future.
We’re pouring one out for you SC. We will miss you.

Burial Beer Co. is available in North Carolina, and very recently added Georgia distribution. No new distribution territories have been disclosed at the time of this article.

 

by Reid Ramsay
Posted in Brooklyn Brewing, Headlines

Brooklyn Bel Air Sour debuts in bottles this month

According to Brooklyn Brewery, being cool is a complicated thing. Perhaps unattainable if you try. It’s just something that you just are. Some people just experience a flash of cool. A fleeting moment. That’s where Brooklyn Bel Air Sour comes in. It’s intended to taste how cool feels. If just for a few moments. Whatever that means.

This month, Brooklyn Bel Air Sour will appear in 12 ounce bottles for the first time. Brewery brewmaster Garrett Oliver created the recipe, and Lab manger Drew Bombard used his specially cultivated thermophilic Lactobacillus bacteria souring culture. This particulur strain is very unique to the brewery and its fermentation processes. (In other words, you home brewers won’t be able to purchase this commercially.) The result is something cool and tart.

Brooklyn saw great success in the dry-hopped Bel Air Sour last summer – a hoppy and tart reward for months of hard work.

Simply put, Bel Air Sour tastes like being cool feels. It’s genuine, un-ironic, and surprisingly inviting. There’s a peachy, fruity tartness to it that feels like having someone compliment you on your choice of Hawaiian shirt. The eye-catching gold color turns your glass into a fashion statement.

Brooklyn Bel Air Sour debuts in 12 ounce bottles for the first time in January.

Style: American Wild Ale
Availability: 12oz Bottles, Draft.
Bottle Debut: January, 2017

6.5% ABV

by Reid Ramsay
Posted in New Belgium, Headlines

From the foeder: New Belgium French Oak Saison

New Belgium French Oak Saison is slated for bottles in the near future.

The Fort Collins, Colorado location is home to one of the largest wood cellars in America. You can thank New Belgium’s brewmaster Peter Bouckaert for that vision, and his past work with Belgium’s renown sour producer, Rodenbach. The brewery’s foeders are responsible for American sour favorites like La Folie and Tart Lychee.

Soon, New Belgium French Oak Saison will emerge from the wood as well. The base farmhouse ale is a sour blend that been foeder matured for 14 to 19 months.

French Oak Saison is our unique take on the original 18th Century saisons brewed along the Belgian and French countryside. The dry and refreshing tartness created by oak barrel maturation. Amusez-vous bien!

New Belgium French Oak Saison will be a 22 ounce bottle and draft release.

Style: American Wild/Sour Ale (Oak Aged)
Availability: 22oz Bottles, Draft.
Debut: TBA

7.5% ABV

Overhead view of New Belgium’s wood cellar. Image: New Belgium

by Reid Ramsay