Seasonal Return

Jester King Estival Dichotomous, the taste of summer

Jester King Estival Dichotomous, the brewery’s summer saison returns to the world again today.

Jester King has two seasonal saisons – Hibernal Dichotomous and Estival Dichotomous. Depending on the temperature and season, the brewery changes how the beer is brewed, from fermentation, Continue Reading →

Posted in Dogfish Head, Seasonal Return

Dogfish Head World Wide Stout releases this November

Dogfish Head World Wide Stout will return to the 2016 lineup this November. Brewed for the first time in 1999, World Wide Stout was truncated from the 2012 lineup thanks to brewing constraints prior to expanding the Milton production facility. However, it returned to the lineup in 2013. This year it will release November of 2016.

Taste: As a beer brewed with a lot of barley, you can expect a roasted malt profile with subtle coffee notes. Dogfish Head also highly suggests aging this beer as it gets better over time. Aged World Wide Stout loses some of the burn of the high ABV and the more complex flavor profile shines.

The brewery touts this beer at somewhere between 15% to 20% alcohol by volume. That means this beast may not been legal for sale in your state.

Style: Imperial Stout
Availability: 12oz bottles, Draft
Release: November, 2016

15% ABV, 70 IBUS

Image: Dogfish Head

by Reid Ramsay
Posted in Wicked Weed Brewing Co, Seasonal Return

Wicked Weed Tyrant, a Boozy Follow Up to Tyranny returns

First there was Tyranny. Not long after – Wicked Weed Tyrant, the imperial edition in the hoppy series.

Wicked Weed Tyrant is a double “red” imperial pale ale, much like its red predecessor. Walt & Luke Dickinson, brewers as Wicked Weed refers to this beer as having “candied hop” flavor.

Tyrant: The rule of Tyrant is unrelenting and uncompromising, fitting for the Double India Pale Ale with its iron fist of dankness and scepter of scarlet malt dominion. Its deluge of hops and malt will instill trepidation in even the bravest of craft warriors. All yield to the Tyrant.

Wicked Weed Tyrant is a 500 milliliter offering, now available once again in November, 2016. Full distribution across the brewery’s network.

Style: Imperial IPA
Availability: 500ml Bottles
Latest Return: November, 2016

8.5% ABV

by Reid Ramsay
Posted in Seasonal Return, Beer News, Saint Arnold Brewing

Saint Arnold Sailing Santa returns November 14th

Saint Arnold Sailing Santa returns for the 2016 season on November 14th.

Sailing Santa is a blend of the brewery’s Christmas Ale and Elissa IPA, with spices added to the brew. Saint Arnold brews Christmas Ale, then Elissa IPA and blend together in the fermenter. They then add spices at the end. Additionally, last year’s edition added Snap hops for an additional spice.

…The result is a pleasantly hoppy strong dark ale with spices. The genesis of this beer came from our customers on tours asking to blend the two beers with somebody coming up with the name Sailing Santa.

Last year we added Snap hops, which is actually a blend of hops, spices and botanicals. We can tell you that the new hop, added at the end of fermentation, adds a ginger snap aroma and a complexity that makes Sailing Santa taste like the holidays.

Saint Arnold was able to acquire Snap hops again this year, making an edition similar to last year’s beer. Saint Arnold Sailing Santa is available in 22oz bottles and draft starting November 14th for a limited time.

Style: IPA (w/ Spices)
Availability: 22oz Bottles, Draft
Latest Return: 11/14/16

5.7% ABV

by Reid Ramsay
Posted in Highland Brewing, Seasonal Return

Highland Black Watch Double Chocolate Milk Stout is back

Highland Black Watch Double Chocolate Milk Stout, part of the brewery’s Warrior Series celebrating “big beers in small batches,” releases for the second time this November.

Highland Black Watch is a 8% alcohol by volume milk stout, brewed with cacao nibs. The recipe is originally designed by brewery bartender J Unger.

The name pays tribute to Scotland’s historic military regiment known as The Black Watch. With their dark tartan and mission to keep watch over the Highlands, Highland salutes these warriors with a dark mahogany colored brew that pours silky smooth. Black Watch Double Chocolate Milk Stout combines more than 100 pounds of cacao nibs with five malts, roasted barley, and flaked oats to create a rich, high-gravity ale reminiscent of brownie batter and marshmallows with an aromatic nose and a lingering dark chocolate finish.

Highland Black Watch re-launces on draft and in 4-packs at the brewery tasting room on Black Friday, November 25th. Shortly after, a limited release of 4-packs will hit shelves within the brewery’s distribution area.

Taste: If you love milk stouts (and chocolate), this beer is for you. It’s smooth, creamy, and hard to put down. 12 ounces of dessert at a time.

The first release in the Warrior series series was Highland King Macalpin Double IPA.

Style: Milk Stout (w/ Cacao Nibs, Lactose.)
Availability: 12oz Bottles, Draft.
Release: Late November, 2016

8% ABV

by Reid Ramsay
Posted in The Commons Brewery, Seasonal Return

Commons Brewery Flemish Kiss returns from hiatus

After a long hiatus, The Commons Brewery Flemish Kiss is available once again.

This release is the first bottled batch from the Portland, Oregon based brewery’s 60 barrel foudre, aged a full 10 months. The base beer is fermented with an ale yeast, before being introduced to the wild yeast, Brettanomyces Bruxellensis.

The result is a floral, earthy pale ale with notes of cherry and a light acidity.

The Commons Brewery Flemish Kiss took home a silver medal at the 2012 Great American Beer Festival. Bottles go on sale the brewery on Friday, November 4th, at 12 noon.

Style: American Wild Ale
Availability: 750ml Bottles
Latest Return: 11/4/16

?? ABV

Image: The Commons Brewery 

by Reid Ramsay
Posted in Jester King Brewery, Seasonal Return

Jester King Estival Dichotomous, the taste of summer

Jester King Estival Dichotomous, the brewery’s summer saison returns to the world again today.

Jester King has two seasonal saisons – Hibernal Dichotomous and Estival Dichotomous. Depending on the temperature and season, the brewery changes how the beer is brewed, from fermentation, to available ingredients.

The 2016 edition features grapefruit and tangelo zest, that was added to mature barrel-aged sour beer. Then the beer was blended with citrus zest and young beer that was fermented in stainless steel. The final step – refermenting the blend with marion blackberries.

Estival Dichotomous is an analog for the summer season. It’s a beer that’s evocative of the summer weather and its bounty, particularly the smells of hay resting in the fields late in the season.

Jester King Estival Dichotomous will be released at Jester King Brewery on Friday, November 4th, at 4 pm.

Style: Saison/Farmhouse Ale (w/ Grapefruit. Tangelo Zest. Blackberries. Barrel Aged.)
Availability: 750ml Bottles, Draft. 3,000 bottles produced
Latest Release: 11/4/2016

5.1% ABV

by Reid Ramsay
Posted in Wicked Weed Brewing Co, Seasonal Return

Wicked Weed Dark Age, a 12% monster rears its head again

Wicked Weed Dark Age is a big barrel-aged offering from the Asheville, North Carolina brewery. Early 2016 saw the first bottles for this monster, and incidentally, this beer geek pleasing stout was one of the first beers released at WIcked’s downtown brewpub.

There have been a lot of wild and funky beers hitting the market from Wicked Weed lately. This release is a bit of a break from the funk. Dark Age is a bourbon barrel-aged imperial stout. It’s big – 12.7% alcohol by volume.

Humanity’s path out of the Dark Age is one without end. This path carries us away from the mystical to the measurable, from the magical to the mathematical, and is a meticulous tale of progress from madness to method. Yet, we still find wonder in the Magic, and the extraordinary potential in the Mystery. Out of this yearning for the old ways, Dark Age Imperial Stout emerges from the whisky barrel, it’s dark malt complexity and bold, yet balanced, sweetness, softened by its mystical evolution in oak.

Wicked Weed Dark Age is a 12.7 ounce bottle offering. Hitting shelves across the brewery’s entire market now.

Style: Imperial Stout (Barrel Aged. Bourbon.)
Availability: 500ml Bottles
Latest Return: November, 2016

12.7% ABV

Image via Wicked Weed

by Reid Ramsay