American Strong Ales

Burnside Permafrost Returns

Burnside Brewing (Portland, OR) Permafrost Winter Ale makes its seasonal return today.

It’s a Northwest ale brewed with 7 different malts and copious amounts of hops designed to give this warming brew a complex body and unique fruity juicy hoppiness throughout. Continue Reading →

Firestone Walker XVII: The 2014 Blend

Firestone Walker Brewing Company’s Anniversary Ale is wildly popular among beer fans. If you ask me, it’s because the brewery pays extremely close attention to the blending process.

Firestone Walker XVIII is a barrel aged blend of nine different beers, blended by Continue Reading →

Stone Unleashes the Bastards in New Box Set

Today, Stone Brewing Co. (Escondido, CA) unleashes a special box set to retailers.

The Arrogant Bastard Box Set features four different Bastards, starting with the original Arrogant Bastard that got it all started. In addition, you can build up to the worlds Continue Reading →

Surly Brewing Eight Nearly Ready

Surly Brewing’s anniversary is technically in February, but this beer celebrating eight years is done, when it’s done. That’s a brewery saying. Every  release is vastly different than the seven before it. Head brewer Todd Haug is given carte blanche to Continue Reading →

Posted in Don't Miss This, New Releases, Stone Brewing Co.

Stone Southern Charred (Barrel Aged Double Bastard) Returns

Stone Brewing Co’s Southern Charred is making a return soon. Charred is Stone’s Double Bastard (a strong ale) that spent 5 months in first use Kentucky bourbon barrels. That’s less time than the first release that was a blend of beer aged 13months, and 10 months in barrels.

The dark amber ale was brewed with a huge malt bill and a belligerent amount of hops making it a heavy, bitter beast of a beer.

Southern Charred joins the Bastard Box Set, Arrogant Bastard, Double Bastard and Lukcy Basartd in recent releases.

Style: American Strong Ale (Barrel Aged, Bourbon)
Availability: 500ml bottles. Draft. Very limited

Distribution: 2014 distro, TBA

11.2% ABV

Ed note: Updated with new barrel aging time.

by Reid Ramsay
Posted in Burnside Brewing, Seasonal Return

Burnside Permafrost Returns

Burnside Brewing (Portland, OR) Permafrost Winter Ale makes its seasonal return today.

It’s a Northwest ale brewed with 7 different malts and copious amounts of hops designed to give this warming brew a complex body and unique fruity juicy hoppiness throughout. You won’t want to just sip this beer but you should.

Burnside Permafrost Winter Ale is available in 22oz bombers and draft.

Style: American Strong Ale
Hops: Amarillo and Meridian, Galena hops for bittering
Malts: Melanoidin, Crystal 120L, Carafa 2, Honey Malt, Pale Malt, Crystal 30-7 & Vienna Malt

Availability: 22oz Bombers, Draft

8.3% ABV

by Reid Ramsay
Posted in Coming Soon, Firestone Walker Brewing, Headlines

Firestone Walker XVII: The 2014 Blend

Firestone Walker Brewing Company’s Anniversary Ale is wildly popular among beer fans. If you ask me, it’s because the brewery pays extremely close attention to the blending process.

Firestone Walker XVIII is a barrel aged blend of nine different beers, blended by not only the brewery, but 14 winemakers. The group is paired off, each making their own blends from the component beers. The choice blends are presented to the group to be blind tasted. Most votes becomes Firestone Walker Anniversary Ale.

The final blend (what you’re waiting to see) includes two collaboration beers Firestone Walker created with Three Floyds (Ol’ Leghorn) and Flying Dog (Hydra Cuvée).

Firestone Walker XVII is: 

  • Parabola  – Russian Imperial Oatmeal Stout, aged in Bourbon Barrels. 38% of Final Blend
  • Helldorado – Blonde Barleywine, Aged in bourbon and brandy Barrels. 16% of Final Blend
  • Bravo – Imperial Brown Ale, aged in bourbon & brandy barrels. 16% of Final Blend
  • Stickee Monkee  – Quadrupel, aged in bourbon & Whiskey Barrels. 14% of Final Blend
  • Velvet Merkin – Oatmeal stout, aged in bourbon barrels. 5% of Final Blend
  • Hydra Cuvée – Hoppy Dark Ale, collaboration with Flying Dog, aged bourbon barrels. 4% of Final Blend.
  • Wookey Jack – Black Rye IPA. 3% of Final Blend
  • Ol’ Leghorn – Blonde Barleywine aged in American Oak Barrels. 3 Floyds collaboration. 2% of Final Blend
  • Double Jack – Imperial IPA. 2% of Final Blend

Firestone Walker is a blend of 227 barrels, and 9 different beers. XVII will be available in 227 barrels, and will be available in 22oz bombers.

Style: American Strong Ale (Barrel Aged. Bourbon, Whiskey, Brandy.)
Availability: 22oz Bombers. Limited Distribution.
Arrival: November, 2014

13% ABV

by Reid Ramsay
Posted in Headlines, Stone Brewing Co.

Stone Unleashes the Bastards in New Box Set

Today, Stone Brewing Co. (Escondido, CA) unleashes a special box set to retailers.

The Arrogant Bastard Box Set features four different Bastards, starting with the original Arrogant Bastard that got it all started. In addition, you can build up to the worlds worst hangover by drinking Double Bastard, Lukcy Basartd Ale (a blend of Arrogant, Double, and Oaked Arrogant), and a new addition – Bourbon Barrel Aged Arrogant Bastard Ale.

The Barrel-Aged Arrogant Bastard (the one you’re geeking out over right now), is aged in Kentucky bourbon barrels. Only available in the Arrogant Bastard Box for a limited time.

Style: American Strong Ale, American Strong Ale (Barrel Aged. Bourbon)
Availability: 22oz Bombers. Box Set release
Arrival: 10/27/14

by Reid Ramsay
Posted in Headlines, Shmaltz Brewing

Shmaltz Hanukkah, Chanukah, For Hanukkah

Shmaltz Brewing (Clifton Park, NY) has released a beer menorah pack in the past, not one just for Hanukkah. That’s where Shmaltz Hanukkah, Chanukah Dark Ale comes in. An 8 hop, 8 malt beer for 8 crazy nights.

Come On Bubbe, Light My Fires No matter how you spell it, you now hold the official Chosen Beer of this holiday season. After 18 years of Shmaltz (and over 2000 years of Hanukkah tradition), we thought it was finally time to release a beer specifically to celebrate all the miracles of the 8 crazy nights. We hope our fermented creation will bring some light to the winter darkness and pair perfectly with the latkes and the battle royale of dreidels. Pass some Chanukah Beer over to your favorite friends and family and delight in the warming of the season.

Shmaltz Hanukkah, Chanukah will be availble in a manageable 12oz bottle.

Style: American Strong Ale
Availability: 12oz Bottles, Draft.
Arrival: TBA

8% ABV

by Reid Ramsay
Posted in Boulevard Brewing, Don't Miss This, New Releases, Seasonal Return, Sierra Nevada

Sierra Nevada & Boulevard Terra Incognita Returns

Three years ago, Sierra Nevada Brewing Co. and Boulevard Brewing Company created Terra Incognita, a special offering for SAVOR, a a Brewers Association beer and food event. The beer was so much fun to make, the two breweries released it again in 2013, this time with Brettanomyces yeast. 

The 2014 edition does not include wild yeast, but let us assure you after trying it right after bottling, it’s better than you can imagine. This year is a 55% blend of wine barrel ale, 32% bourbon barrel aged ale, and 13% fresh ale. The base beer is a hoppy, imperial brown ale.

“The base beer is a roasty, hopped-up brown ale that evolves in such interesting ways when it spends time in wine and whiskey barrels,” said Sierra Nevada Head Brewer Steve Dresler. “We hosted Boulevard at our Chico brewery and together tasted various blending ratios until we had a final beer that captivated us. We imagine craft beer drinkers will be similarly impressed.”

Sierra Nevada/Boulevard Brewing Terra Incognita will be available in 750 ml bottles for a limited time.

Style: American Strong Ale (Barrel Aged. Bourbon. Wine Barrel Aged)
Availability: 750ml Bottles. Limited Release.

9.8% ABV

by Reid Ramsay
Posted in Coming Soon, Headlines, Surly Brewing

Surly Brewing Eight Nearly Ready

Surly Brewing’s anniversary is technically in February, but this beer celebrating eight years is done, when it’s done. That’s a brewery saying. Every  release is vastly different than the seven before it. Head brewer Todd Haug is given carte blanche to create as he sees fit. Surly Eight is a described as an oat-wine style, with milk sugar and aged in High West Rye Whiskey barrels.

This beer was designed for barrel aging, so it’s been a great opportunity to work with our friends at High West Distillery® in Park City. Utah. Brewed with Golden Promise and Aromatic malt Oats, and Milk sugar fermented in stainless steel then aged in High West Rye Whiskey barrels, this golden hued Oat-Wine style ale summons notes of spicy vanilla marshmallow and aromas of honey and whIskey.

 

Style: Barleywine (w/ Lactose. Barrel Aged. Whiskey.)
Availability: 750ml Bombers, Draft
Arrival: TBA

Surly Anniversary Releases To Date:

One – “Quadruple Bock” 8.3% ABV
Two – Imperial Stout with cranberries. Aka “Cranimal”
Three – Black Braggot, 8.3%
Four – Double Espresso Milk Stout, 9.4%
Five – Brett Dark Ale, 7.5%
Six – aka “Syx”, American Strong Ale. 15%
Seven – “SeVIIn,  Belgian-style Strong Ale, w/ Brett

by Reid Ramsay