Seasonal Return

Posted in New Releases, New Belgium, Seasonal Return

New name: New Belgium Juicy Watermelon Lime Ale returns

New Belgium‘s watermelon lime ale  is back in the brewery’s seasonal lineup for a second time. This year, you’ll see it called New Belgium Juicy Watermelon.

The base recipe is basically the same as before. New Belgium tells Beer Street Journal that “Heavy Melon” didn’t really capture the essence of the beer. When deciding on whether or order or purchase, “heavy” anything might be a turn off. Juicy on the other hand, is much more palatable.

Watermelon and lime are the stars of this beer, that finishes at 5% alcohol by volume. New Belgium loves their seasonals, and this one might be the most crazy (non Lips of Faith) offering to date. If beer was fruit at a hot summer picnic, this beer would be it.

Cool off with this refreshingly fruity summer beer brewed with watermelons and limes.

New Belgium Juicy Watermelon is a 12 ounce bottle and draft seasonal release.

Style:              (w/ Watermelon, Lime)
Availability: 12oz Bottles, 12oz Cans, Draft
Latest Return: Early Spring, 2017

5% ABV

New Belgium Heavy Melon bottle

Image: Beer Street Journal

by Reid Ramsay
Posted in SweetWater Brewing, Seasonal Return

Pineappley SweetWater Goin’ Coastal is back. PERMANENTLY.

Atlanta’s headiest brewery has dropped their hoppy pineapple offering once again. This time, it’s sticking around indefinitely. SweetWater Goin’ Coastal won’t be fading with the fall this year.

In case you haven’t tried a cocoction of this variety yet, pineapple works quite well with the citrusy/tropical hops of an American IPA. Especially since SweetWater is doing the hopping. This beer is heavy on the citrus and fruity hops, with a tropical breeze of pineapple. Find water and sit your ass in a tube and take stock of your life. The demand for this island breeze of a beer has prompted SweetWater to keep this beer in the lineup all year long.

Slide into summer and step off the grid by Goin’ Coastal with this pineapple laced IPA. The bright aromas of the five citrus hop additions are accentuated by the tropical fruit of the pineapple- and just like those three day weekends, its finish is quick.

SweetWater Goin’ Coastal will be a 12 ounce bottle and 16 ounce can offering. Back on shelves for a second season in March, 2017.

Style: IPA (w/ Pineapple)
Availability: 12oz Bottles, 12 oz Cans, Draft. Year-round.
Latest Return: Late Feb/March, 2017

6.1% ABV

SweetWater Goin' Coastal can stack

by Reid Ramsay
Posted in Victory Brewing Company, Seasonal Return

Victory Kirsch Gose (sour cherry bier) returns in 6 packs

Victory Kirsch Gose the Downingtown, Pennsylvania brewery’s seasonal gose, returns to shelves once again March 1st.

Cherries are truly the star in this slightly tart, sour beer. The fruit is fresh, the finish is tart, wrapped up in a light bodied ale. Perfect for spring. New for 2017, the beer is available in 6 packs (4 packs previously).

A bold and bright step outside the norm, this new twist on an old-world German brewing process excites your senses with the sharp and sweet burst of fresh cherries. Effervescent and sublime, this session ale has an enticing and satisfying cherry fruit character. European tradition and American ingenuity come together in the truest sense as you Taste Victory in Kirsch Gose.

Look for Victory Kirsch Gose is available 12oz bottles and draft again March 1st, 2017.

Style: Gose (w/ Cherries)
Availability: 12oz Bottles, Draft.
Latest Return: March, 2017

4.7% ABV 

Pic: Victory Brewing Company 

by Reid Ramsay
Posted in Funky Buddha, Seasonal Return

Funky Buddha Moro Moro Blood Orange IPA, Feb 19th

Funky Buddha Moro Moro Blood Orange IPA pours once again on February 19th.

This beer is all about the Citrus × sinensis fruit, aka blood orange. Specifically the ‘Moro’ cultivar. The blood red juice gives this India pale ale a different juice complexity, when compared to oranges.

More Moro Blood Orange IPA is back! We ceremoniously slaughtered heaps of crimson-fleshed “Moro” fruit to retrieve its delicious ichor, and then blended it with caramel malts and grapefruity hops to produce the sticky, citrus blast that we crave. Oranges: you’re on notice.

Funky Buddha Moro Moro Blood Orange IPA is seasonally available in 12 ounce bottles and draft.

Style: IPA (w/ Blood Orange)
Availability: 12oz Bottles, Draft. Feb-May
Latest Return: 2/19/17

7% ABV, 50 IBUs

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

The Bruery White Chocolate goes public on Valentine’s Day

The Bruery White Chocolate, a decadent bourbon barreled beer brewed with vanilla beans, is being distributed for the first time in 2017.

The name might scream imperial stout, however the base beer is actually a wheat wine, aged 100% in bourbon barrels for a year with vanilla beans and cacao nibs. The Bruery affectionately refers to this beer as “white oak sap,” as it 100% bourbon barrel-aged and is the wheat wine component of now retired White Oak ale.

After nearly a year in used bourbon barrels, the beer comes out rich in coconut, honey, caramel and vanilla. To compliment the already rich flavors of this beer, we’ve added cacao nibs and fresh vanilla beans to give this beer the delicate flavor of white chocolate…hence the name.

 

Earlier we reported that the alcohol by volume of this beer was 16.6% (as stated on the brewery’s website.) The future release of this beer will be 13.8%, allowing most states to sell it.

The Bruery White Chocolate will be available in 750 milliliter bottles to the brewery’s Society members on February 6th. The first day the general public can buy this beer will be Valentine’s Day 2017.

Style: Wheatwine (w/ Vanilla Beans, Cacao Nibs, Barrel Aged. Bourbon)
Availability: 750ml bottles
Updated Distribution: AZ, CA, CO, CT, DC, FL, GA, HI, IL, IN, KY, LA, MD, MA, MI, MN, MO, NJ, NV, NY, NC, OH, OR, PA, RI, TX, VT, VA, WA, WI

Latest Return: 2/14/17

13.8% ABV

Image: Beer Street Journal

Ed Note: Corrected mention of “White Oak Sap” as it has never been released publicly. ABV was also updated. 

by Reid Ramsay
Posted in Sixpoint Craft Ales, Seasonal Return

Sixpoint Hi-Res (imperial IPA) back in focus

Sixpoint Hi-Res, the brewery’s imperial IPA, is head back to shelves this week.

By now you should be familiar with Sixpoint Resin, the brewery’s “snappy, bitter” IPA. A carefully fomulated homage to hops. Hi-Res is a deeper dive down the hoppy rabbit hole, with a heftier recipe (in alcohol at least), drawing so much more of its flavor from late hop additions.

A full golden body, and a flavor profile driven by mango and passionfruit notes make Hi-Res a bittersweet ode to hops, and perfect for smooth sipping.

An IPA that hop lovers shouldn’t miss. SIxpoint Hi-Res is available in 12 ounce cans and draft, seasonally.

Style: Imperial IPA
Availability: 12oz Cans, Draft.
Latest Return: January, 2017

10.5% ABV, 111 IBUs 

by Reid Ramsay
Posted in AleSmith Brewing, Don't Miss This, Seasonal Return

AleSmith My Bloody Valentine: pours red, 6.66% ABV

AleSmith My Bloody Valentine, the bloody red distant cousin of the brewery’s Halloween beer Evil Dead Red, is back in action.

Valentine’s Day either brings joy to some, or misery to others. Perhaps that speaks to the versatility of this beer. The red ale is appropriate colored for the Hallmark holiday, with an appropriate/inappropriate 6.66% alcohol by volume.

It has intense notes of caramel, toast and bittersweet chocolate, balancing an intense bouquet of floral hop aromas. The finish leaves a pleasant, full-bodied sweetness on the palate that leaves you pining for more!

AleSmith My Bloody Valentine is available in 22 ounce bottles and draft in January, and February.

Style: Red Ale
Availability: 22oz Bottles, Draft
Distribution: AZ, CA, CO, CT, IL, MI, NV, NJ, NY, NC, OH, OR, PA, RI, TX, VA, WA, Wi
Latest Return: January, 2017

6.66% ABV

by Reid Ramsay