Don’t Miss This
Bell’s Uberon, a barrel-aged Oberon is come at the end of August
Bell’s Brewery’s widely popular seasonal Oberon will have extra life as the weather cools down. The Michigan based brewery has been barrel-aging the wheat ale to create something much stronger than the summer sipper/ Meet Bell’s Uberon.
The brewery describes Uberon as their “classic wheat ale with a shot of bourbon dropped into it.” Something you can store away for a winter night when you’re missing the warmer days of Oberon and summer.
Bell’s Uberon is a whopping 11.3% alcohol by volume, which is nearly double Oberon’s 5.8% ABV. Shipping in 12-ounce bottles to distributors by the end of August.
Style: Wheat Ale (Barrel Aged. Bourbon.)
Availability: 12oz Bottles. Limited Release.
Debut: Late August 2021
11.3% ABV
Buskey Cider finds instant success in boozy soft serve
On our first trip to the Scott’s Addition area of Richmond, Virginia, we found lots of breweries. Our day drinking curveball, and one of the most memorable experiences actually came thanks to Elle & Will Correll, who own Buskey Cider.
Buskey Cider is some of the best cider we’ve had on the east coast. We’ve had a few years of samples to decide that. Each cider is small batch, crisp, and downright inspired. During the pandemic, Will gave up his salary to cover his employees as the Covid-19 pandemic shutdown bars and breweries. It’s not directly to the rest of this story, but it’s worth saying.
As 2020 rolled around we lost touch with Buskey. Hell pretty much everyone. Then as the the temperatures threatened 100 degrees, Will reached out again with new Buskey Cider news. This time is wasn’t a traditional release, but something a little different – boozy soft serve.
Here in 2021 our alcoholic attention span is that of a chipmunk. Just look at the growth of hard seltzers, RTD cocktails, freeze pops, and whatever has yet to come. It’s not that we DON’T want to drink. We just want new ways to GET drunk. (Or safely imbibe for the lawyers out there.)
Will tells me that week by week, folks are coming back into the Buskey taproom, feeling free to do things they used to do, like it’s 2019 all over again. “I wanted something new, to engage people in a new way,” Will says. “I wanted to give folks some kind of reward. It’s been a tough year.” That’s where the Buskey Soft Serve was born.
Co-owners and husband and wife team Will and Elle invested in a Below Zero soft serve machine. The idea was making a “cider sorbet” of sorts, incorporating a few seasonal ciders in order to beat the heat. Basically, buy it and figure it out.
After the first weekend, you can safely say they figured it out. Buskey chose their seasonal Watermelon Basil for the inaugural cone. The first weekend, they sold them as fast the Below Zero machine would churn them out. Nearly 500 cones in all.
“We wanted to amplify the idea that this was ours,” Will says. “That’s why we chose the Watermelon Basil,” he adds. “It turned out better than expect, downright refreshing.”
The only downside is that the machine requires a good bit of cleaning and maintenance, plus staff training. It goes beyond cleaning glassware and faucets. Apparently there was a full-on training video to go along with the new equipment.
Each cone is about 5% alcohol by volume and non-dairy. After Watermelon Basil came Tart Cherry, and now bright pink Dragonfruit Açai. The working theory is to release new cider soft serve flavors opposite of the bi-weekly cider releases.
Will’s desire to energize people wanting to explore again is working. Buskey Cider has always been a fun break from the Scott’s Addition Beer Trail, and if the Correll’s have anything to do with it, it’s going to be one the most interesting stops along the way.
Just watch out for the brain freeze.
Dragonfruit Açai. Photo: Buskey Cider
Bell’s Double Two Hearted Ale makes summer return
Bell’s Double Two Hearted Ale makes another return to shelves in July 2021.
For years, Bell’s Two Hearted Ale overtook Russian River Pliny the Elder as #1 India Pale Ale in America, according to Zymurgy Magazine, published by the American Homebrewer’s Association. Elder had the spot for seven years straight. Two Hearted Ale has both “classic” and “epic” statuses in our book.
In the past, you might have been lucky to come across Bell’s Double Two Hearted Ale on draft. It’s a hoppier and definitely boozier edition of its famous predecessor, to the tune of 11% alcohol by volume. If you’re a fan of Two Hearted Ale, this bigger edition really delivers.
Expect 12-ounce bottles and draft of Double Two Hearted Ale to starting hitting shelves within the week.
Style: Imperial IPA
Availability: 12oz Bottles (New), Draft.
Debut (Bottles): July 2019
Latest Return: July 2021
11% ABV
PIC: Beer Street Journal
Anderson, South Carolina gains 3rd brewery with Magnetic South
Anderson, South Carolina will soon be home to three craft breweries. Magnetic South Brewery has started renovations.
Anderson, aka “The Electric City,” was devoid of breweries, craft or otherwise, for over 180 years. Then Carolina Bauernhaus brought sour and wild ales to the city in late 2015, followed by Electric City Brewing in 2020.
Later this year, Magnetic South Brewery will join Anderson’s historic downtown strip.
Anderson wasn’t the first city of choice for the brewery, which had been targeting Clemson prior to the COVID-19 pandemic. Apparently last year’s COVID disruptions pushed the founders to look at Anderson, scraping their plans for Clemson’s The Astro Theater about 30 minutes away.
Paul Cain, Tanner Coombs, and Adam Willier are renovating a 10,000 square foot building that once housed a A&P grocery store, and most recently Carquest Auto Parts. The location will not only be home to a brewery, but kitchen and outdoor beer garden.
Magnetic South has already been producing beers through Thomas Creek in Greenville.
A target opening date is rumored late summer, early fall 2021.
Founders KBS Cinnamon Vanilla Cocoa coming in November
Founders KBS Cinnamon Vanilla Cocoa a new variant of the brewery’s famed Kentucky Breakfast Stout debuts in November.
For years, the ‘Ides of March’ brought the seasonal release of Founders Kentucky Breakfast Stout, aka KBS. Like everything in beer brewing, things change. Founders shifted KBS to year-round status and started releasing variants of the venerable stout.
To date, variants have included KBS Espresso and KBS Mackinac Fudge. This November a third variant will debut – KBS Cinnamon Vanilla Cocoa.
…the sumptuous, deep coffee and chocolate flavors of KBS rise to the next level with a swirl of cinnamon and a hint of vanilla to create a sweet-but-not-too-sweet barrel-aged drinking experience. It’s a whole new spin on KBS that’s sure to sweeten your spirits.
Joining Founders KBS Cinnamon Vanilla Cocoa will also be the return of KBS Espresso. Both will be available in 12-ounce bottles and draft across the brewery’s distribution starting in November 2021.
Style: Imperial Stout (w/ Vanilla. Chocolate. Cinnamon. Barrel Aged. Bourbon.)
Availability: 12oz Bottles, Draft. Limited Release.
Debut: November 2021
12% ABV
PIC: Beer Street Journal
From meme to beer: Scofflaw Karen From Next Door IPA
What was one of my worst regrets from 2020? Joining the Nextdoor app. Sure, it seemed like a good idea for safety awareness. But then you read it. The stream of self-entitled complaints, and the constant stream of self-righteous posts. It started as “Can I speak to your manager” haircut and memes, and ultimately becoming “Karen.” You can probably chalk this phenomenon up to a Dane Cook stand-up bit from years ago.
Nextdoor is full of Karens, as Scofflaw Brewing found out the hard way when your brewery is next to a neighborhood. Honoring that love/hate/can’t stop reading the comments relationship is Scofflaw Karen From Next Door IPA.
There have never been more Karens our lives…so in honor of Mother’s Day, and for moms protecting their children from vicious servers everywhere, we tip our hats to you, Karen.
The hazy India pale ale speaks for itself, or to the manager directly. To our calculations, “Karen” has been released at least twice by the brewery in the past year, selling out fast each time.
If you missed it last time, Karen From Next Door IPA is back stirring up shit at the brewery. No mute button needed.
Style: IPA
Availability: 12oz Cans, Draft. Brewery only
Latest Return: 5/6/21
6% ABV
Ecliptic Brewing to open 2nd brewery this summer
Portland, Oregon-based Ecliptic Brewing is opening a second location in nearby Southeast Portland this summer.
Ecliptic is calling the new space the “The Moon Room,” taking over Base Camp Brewing’s space that closed earlier this year.
“We’ve been talking about opening another location for a long time now, so we’re really stoked about this opportunity. There’s a lot of work ahead to make it happen, but the team is excited for growth,” says John Harris, Ecliptic owner, and brewmaster.
“The Moon Room” will be more than a taproom – it will be a full brewery and production facility, complete with a custom Ecliptic food truck and full bar. Expect the new facility to have an emphasis on lager production.
Ecliptic Brewing’s “Moon Room” is located at 930 SE Oak Street, Portland.
Watch: Ecliptic Brewing Moon Room Teaser
Kegs at Ecliptic. Image: Beer Street Journal
