New Releases

Posted in Stone Brewing Co., Arrogant Consortia, Headlines, New Releases

Stone Brewing’s collaborates with Jägermeister; ships to select markets

Arrogant Bastard Jägermeister Ale is headed out to select markets now, a Germany brewed special release for the U.S.

A staple in nearly every bar in America – Jägermeister. The herbal liquor is made with 56 different herbs and takes more than a year to produce. Jäger’s headquarters is in Wolfenbuttel, Germany, nearby Stone’s Berlin brewery that they sold this year. The last collaboration from Stone Berlin is debuting this month- Arrogant Bastard Jagermeister Ale.

The base beer is Arrogant Bastard Ale, an American strong ale that is the flagship beer of Stone’s Arrogant Consortia, the cocky brewing subset of Stone Brewing. According to Lizzie Younkin, public relations manager for the brewery, the beer was brewed after the sale by Stone’s brewers that were hired by Brewdog as they took over the Bern facility. A few senior brewers from Stone’s Escondido brewery also traveled to Berlin to oversee the final pieces of this collaboration.

Jagermeister Arrogant Bastard Ale is brewed with similar spices as the digestif counterpart according to Stone. While the brewery hasn’t disclosed which spices, some of the most notable in Jager are anise, poppy seeds, citrus peels, juniper berries, licorice, and ginseng.

Neither beverage has now, or ever contained deer blood. Sorry internet theorists.

Jagermeister Arrogant Bastard Ale is headed to select markets across the U.S. in October, including California, Colorado, D.C., Iowa, Kentucky, Maryland, Michigan, Minnesota, Mississippi, Nevada, Oregon, South Carolina, South Dakota, Tennesee, and Washington.

Style: American Strong Ale (w/ Various spices.)
Availability: 750ml Bottles, Corked & Caged.  Limited Release.
Debut: October 2019

8.5% ABV

by Reid Ramsay
Posted in Wild Leap Brew Co., New Releases

All Chinook hops: Wild Leap Alpha Abstraction Vol 9

Wild Leap Alpha Abstraction Vol 9 joins the ongoing imperial IPA series in October.

The Alpha Abstraction Series is designed to highlight a specific hop varietal. This edition is built on Michigan grown Chinook hops. While this particular hop is known to be big on pine flavors with hints of pineapple, this particular crop is the reverse- pineapple first, with hints of pine.

“With Michigan Chinook, we are finding that those flavors have almost flipped, and we are getting a much sweeter result with a strong pineapple essence.” – Chris Elliott, Head Brewer

Wild Leap Alpha Abstraction Vol 9 is available in 12-ounce cans and draft for a limited time.

Style: Imperial IPA
Availability: 12oz Cans, Draft.
Debut: October 2019

8% ABV

by Reid Ramsay
Posted in Great Divide, New Releases

Great Divide Mexican Chocolate Yeti

Great Divide Mexican Chocolate Yeti

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

Great Divide Smores Yeti is “fall” ready. If fall ever gets here.

Great Divide Smores Yeti – a brand new “Yeti” in the brewery’s ever-evolving series debuts this week.

This new limited release is a variant of one of the recognizable imperial stouts in the craft beer industry, Yeti Imperial Stout. The Denver, Colorado brewery brewed this edition with chocolate, marshmallow and a few unspecified spices.

Great Divide Smores Yeti is a limited release, available in 19.2-ounce cans starting in October. The brewery has not elaborated on any distribution plans.

Style: Imperial Stout (w/ Chocolate. Marshmallows. Spices)
Availability: 19.2oz Cans. Oct-Dec.
Debut: October 2019

9.5% ABV

Image: Great Divide

by Reid Ramsay
Posted in Pabst Blue Ribbon, Headlines, New Releases

Pabst Blue Ribbon Hard Coffee is going national in 2020

Pabst Brewing Company confused the hell out of pretty much everyone when they launched PBR Hard Coffee earlier this summer. It’s easy to do when an iconic lager-maker makes something besides… lager. The curveballs keep coming too, with a PBR Whiskey on the way, a boozier version of Pabst Blue Ribbon, and even a hard seltzer. Sometimes it’s hard to wrap your mind around it.

This summer only a handful of markets (like 4 states) got PBR Hard Coffee at the start of July. It was so successful, Pabst is taking the booze-for-breakfast drinking nationwide in 2020.

PBR Hard Coffee is a first for the company uses Arabica and Robusta coffee beans, milk and a touch of vanilla. The finished drink is 5% alcohol by volume. It literally tastes like a boozy yoo-hoo, and you really can’t smell the alcohol on your breath, in case you’re considering a new way to deal with the stresses of your 9-5. (Also, personal editor’s note. Boozy yoo-hoo is the most accurate description I can think of. Some keyboard jockey d-bag called it lazy journalism. That’s fine keyboard jockey d-bag but guess what. That description is pretty damn accurate. This is PBR Hard Coffee, not Shakespeare.)

So if you didn’t get any this summer, 2020 isn’t far away and Hard Coffee will go national. That is if being wired and tipsy is your thing.

PIC: Beer Street Journal

by Reid Ramsay
Posted in Firestone Walker Brewing, Don't Miss This, New Releases

Firestone Walker releases a toasted coconut edition Merlin Milk Stout

Firestone Walker Coconut Merlin, a variant of the brewery’s popular milk stout, debuts this week.

“Merlin” is Firestone Walker’s signature milk stout – which is simply sensational if you haven’t tried it yet. For this seasonal release, brewmaster Matt Brynildson decided to change up this release with shredded and toasted coconuts.

The coconut is added after the milk stout’s fermentation, allowing the new beer to circulate through the coconut shreds. “We did a trial run on this beer and it was unbelievable,” says Ali Razi, the brewery’s production director. Leading Firestone Walker to make sure this was the next iteration of Merlin.

“The toasting really brings out the best flavors from the coconut, much like toasted and roasted malts deliver rich, complex flavors.” – Matt Brynildson

Firestone Walker Coconut Merlin is available on draft and 12-ounce cans in full distribution as a limited seasonal release.

Style: Milk Stout (w/ Toasted Coconuts. Lactose.)
Availability: 12oz Cans, Draft. Seasonal Release.
Debut: Mid September 2019

5.5% ABV

by Reid Ramsay
Posted in Oskar Blues Brewing, Don't Miss This, New Releases

Oskar Blues launches 100 calorie One-y IPA nationwide

The craft beer industry continues to expand the lower-calorie offerings industry-wide. Dogfish Head, Southern Tier, and Harpoon are among a few notable breweries that added low-cal, low-ABV options earlier this summer. Bell’s Brewery is currently prepping a “light” version of Two Hearted Ale dubbed Light-Hearted Ale for early 2020. Now, nationally distributed Oskar Blues is launching One-y IPA.

Beginning in mid-September, Oskar Blues One-y IPA will join the light beer fray, described as “low-cal” and “high haze.” The brewery’s goal was to create an IPA that huge, hazy, and hoppy, without the calorie count of a regular IPA or Imperial IPA.

Juice Drapeau, the head brewer at Oskar Blues pilot brewery in Lyons, Colorado did so with a heavy hit of hops. One-y IPA is dry-hopped with El Dorado, Comet and Citra hops, with Mosaic and French Aramis added to the whirlpool.

“The aroma hits you first. There are notes of citrus, honeysuckle, peach, and mango. The beer is fruity with a hop haze and a nice biscuit flavor to the malt. The use of pale ale malt and wheat, along with the hefty dry hop load, creates a medium body. It’s easy to drink – pairs well with breakfast, lunch, or dinner.”

Oskar Blues One-y IPA is just 4% alcohol by volume, and 100 calories per 12-ounce serving. Available nationwide year-round this month.

Style: Hazy IPA
Hops: El Dorado, Comet, Citra, Mosaic, French Aramis

Availability: 12oz Cans, Draft. Year-Round.
Debut: Mid-September 2019

4% ABV

by Reid Ramsay