Seasonal Return

Elysian Bifrost back for the cold weather

Elysian Bifrost, a strong ale winter seasonal from the Seattle Washington based brewery, returns this holiday season. The brewers at Elysian wanted to create a different winter seasonal than the typical dark, heavily spiced offering. Out came Bifrost, a drinkable, Continue Reading →

Upslope Christmas Ale 2016

Upslope Christmas Ale once again. The festively “wrapped” 16oz cans are headed back to shelves.

Upslope Christmas Ale is a Belgian-style dubbel, one a homebrew recipe that brewery founder Matt Cutter took to Christmas parties. Brewed with an Abbey Ale yeast and Continue Reading →

Anchor Christmas Ale marks its 42nd year

Anchor Christmas Ale is an annual tradition from the San Fransisco, California based Anchor Brewing. This year marks their 42nd release of the popular winter warmer. While the recipe and the artwork on the label are different every year, over 40 Continue Reading →

Posted in Seasonal Return, Short's Brewing

Short’s Brewing Cup of Joe hits shelves for 2016

Short’s Brewing Cup Of Joe hits shelves this month for its 2016 seasonal release. Cup of Joe, a coffee cream stout, is brewed with fair trade espresso beans from Higher Grounds Trading Company.

Cup Of Joe started as a home brew recipe called Java The Stout in 2000.  From there it became the first stout brewed at Short’s.

Cup A Joe is brewed with locally roasted fair trade espresso beans from Higher Grounds, a coffee bar and roastery located in Traverse City, Michigan. Cup A Joe is a true Coffee Cream Stout, in that we add powdered milk sugar during the brewing process to give it a slight creaminess throughout. 

Taste: (Per Short’s) Prominent aromatics of malt, espresso, and cocoa are abundant and create a flavor robust with big malt characters fused with cream and coffee. The “perfect morning night capper.”

Short’s Cup of Joe hit shelves in 6-packs of 12oz. bottles in Michigan, Pennsylvania, Ohio, Indiana, Illinois, and Wisconsin earlier this month.

Style: Stout (Coffee, Lactose)
Availability: 12oz bottles, Draft.
Release: November 2016

8% ABV

 

by Reid Ramsay
Posted in Victory Brewing Company, Seasonal Return

Victory Java Cask returns nationally (if it’s legal where you are)

Victory Java Cask will return this year on Black Wednesday, November 23rd, 2016.

Victory Java Cask is a coffee based beer, brewed in collaboration with Philadelphia based bar, restaurant and music venue, Johnny Brendas. The beer was additionally aged in bourbon barrels. A picture the brewery posted to Instagram mentioned the beer has been pulled from said barrels and blended.

Victory Java Cask debuted last year on Wednesday, November 25th, 2015 (aka “Dark Wednesday”). It returns again on Dark Wednesday 2016. This year will also debut Java Cask Rye.

This year however, it will then be available in Victory’s distribution states that allow over 14% ABV beer. Due to its high alcohol by volume, the beer can’t be sold in 4 of the brewery’s distribution states.

Style: Imperial Stout (w/ Coffee. Barrel Aged. Bourbon)
Availability: 750ml bottles, Draft
Release: November 23rd, 2016

14.3% ABV

by Reid Ramsay
Posted in Ballast Point Brewing, Seasonal Return

Ballast Point Peppermint Victory at Sea returns. Year 2.

Ballast Point Peppermint Victory at Sea, a variant on the popular imperial porter is hitting shelves.

Much like the original, Ballast Point Peppermint Victory at Sea features coffee and vanilla. The twist of course, is peppermint.

This Peppermint Victory at Sea is a festive take on our popular Imperial Porter. We took our trademark robust porter brewed with Caffe Calabria coffee and vanilla and added a dose of refreshing peppermint. The trio of flavors play perfectly on your palate – the brew’s sweet roastiness balances nicely with a cool, minty finish. You might even call it a breath of fresh beer.

Ballast Point Peppermint Victory at Sea is a 22 ounce bottle offering. The flavor is much like the tried and true regular edition of Victory at Sea, with hints of peppermint throughout. For some, strong peppermint can be a turn off. Unless the 2016 edition upped the minty-ness, this beer drinks like a seasonal dessert.

Style: Imperial Porter (w/ Coffee, Vanilla, Peppermint)
Availability: 22oz bottles, Draft
Latest Release: Late November, 2016

10% ABV

by Reid Ramsay
Posted in Elysian Brewing, Seasonal Return

Elysian Bifrost back for the cold weather

Elysian Bifrost, a strong ale winter seasonal from the Seattle Washington based brewery, returns this holiday season. The brewers at Elysian wanted to create a different winter seasonal than the typical dark, heavily spiced offering. Out came Bifrost, a drinkable, strong, pale ale with Magnum, Amarillo, and Syrian Golding hops that bring citrus and spice aromas.

The brewers at Elysian set out to create a more balanced, medium-bodied pale ale, with just the right amount of classic holiday beer characteristics like the sweet aromas of fruit and orange zest.” -Head Brewer Josh Waldman

Elysian Bifrost arrives on shelves in 12oz bottles, 22oz bottles, and draft in select locations. You can also find it at any of the four Elysian pubs in Seattle, Washington.

Style: American Strong Ale
Hops: Magnum, Amarillo, Styrian Golding
Malts: Premium 2-Row, Munich, and Crystal


Availability: 12oz Bottles, 22oz Bottles, Draft. Seasonal release.
Release: November 2016

8.3% ABV

by Reid Ramsay
Posted in Seasonal Return, Upslope Brewing Company

Upslope Christmas Ale 2016

Upslope Christmas Ale once again. The festively “wrapped” 16oz cans are headed back to shelves.

Upslope Christmas Ale is a Belgian-style dubbel, one a homebrew recipe that brewery founder Matt Cutter took to Christmas parties. Brewed with an Abbey Ale yeast and blend of seasonal spices.

In true Christmas fashion, the beer pours deep ruby red with an off-white headstand that laces the glass with each sip. A blend of holiday spices and dark dried fruit creates a distinctive holiday aroma that is complemented by spicy notes from the Abbey Ale Yeast. The rich malt flavor of this medium bodied, 8.2% abv ale will be sure to keep you warm through the holiday season..

Upslope Christmas Ale is available in 16 ounce cans, seasonally.

Style: Belgian-style Dubbel (w/ Spices)
Availability:16oz Cans
Latest Return: November, 2016

Distribution: WY, CO, TX, AZ, NM, MT

8.2% ABV

by Reid Ramsay
Posted in Anchor Brewing, Seasonal Return

Anchor Christmas Ale marks its 42nd year

Anchor Christmas Ale is an annual tradition from the San Fransisco, California based Anchor Brewing. This year marks their 42nd release of the popular winter warmer. While the recipe and the artwork on the label are different every year, over 40 years of perfecting has made Anchor Christmas Ale a widely anticipated annual release. This year’s edition is no different.

This year’s Christmas Ale has a strong malt profile enhanced with wintry spices. The beer has a deep mahogany brown color with a creamy, tan head and boasts aromas of fruitcake, molasses, and fresh cut wood.  The beer tastes of a roasted caramel malt, with notes of spiced chocolate and nuts.  And it has a rich, smooth, and velvety mouthfeel. -Anchor Brewmaster Scott Ungermann

While each year brings innovation to the beer itself, half of the story is also in the ever evolving label. This year’s tree artwork is themed after the story of the “1000 Mile Tree,” a solitary pine discovered in 1869 in a barren landscape during the construction of the transcontinental railroad. The artist James Stitt also included a person sitting atop the “1000 Mile Tree” with a beer, “honoring an old legend that railway passengers sometimes attempted to climb the tree.”

Anchor Christmas Ale 2016 will be available from mid-November through mid-January. You can find it in 6-packs, 50.7oz. magnum bottles, and on draft in select locations.

Style: Winter Warmer
Availability: 6 packs, 50.7oz Bottles, Draft.
Release: November 2016

6.5% ABV

by Reid Ramsay
Posted in Wild Heaven Craft Beers, Seasonal Return

Tequila aged Wild Heaven Height of Civilization returns

Wild Heaven Height of Civilization, the brewery’s barrel aged Civilization Barleywine returns to the wild this week.

In 2014, the brewery purchased Dulce Vida Organic Tequila barrels ahead of this release. Wild Heaven Height of Civilization spent four months aging in the barrels prior to bottling.

The base beer, Wild Heaven Civilization Barleywine, brewed with dried Prussian lemons, Iranian hibiscus, tart cherries, cranberries, and cocoa nibs that have been re-hydrated in Four Roses bourbon.

The beer has been so well received, Wild Heaven got a hold of more Dulce Vida tequila barrels to bring this complex beer back once again.

Wild Heaven Height of Civilization is available in 750ml bottles for a limited time.

Style: Barleywine (w/ Lemons, Hibiscus, Cherries, Cranberries, Cocoa Nibs. Barrel Aged. Tequila.)
Availability: 750ml Bottles. Limited Release.
Latest Return: November, 2016

12+% ABV

Below, the beer enters the barrel. Pic: Wild Heaven  

Wild Heaven Height of Civilization

by Reid Ramsay