Barrel Aged

2011 Fifty Fifty Eclipse Release Party Details

Fifty Fifty Brewing Announces the 2011 Eclipse Party release details. 

Announcing the ECLIPSE Barrel Aged Imperial Stout Release Party!

We welcome you to join us at the brewery to celebrate what will certainly be another excellent vintage of your favorite imperial stout. Continue Reading →

Hanger 24 Barrel Roll #2: Humpty Bump

Hanger 24 Brewing’s 2nd edition in the Barrel Roll Series is released today.  

Funny-sounding name…real serious beer. HUMPTY BUMP, the second release in our exclusive Barrel Roll Series, begins with a hand-crafted Belgian Strong Golden Ale that we brew with apple Continue Reading →

Deschute’s The Stoic Details

Deschutes Brewing’s newest beer The Stoic is hitting shelves. Stoic, a quadruple, is the result of 4 nuanced fermentations.  This quad touts the use of pomegranate molasses, Belgian yeast, and aged in pinot noir and rye whiskey barrels.

 Our brewers Continue Reading →

Posted in Bridgeport Brewing, Coming Soon

Bridgeport Is Raven Mad. Or At Least Brewed It

Bridgeport Brewing’s future Big Brews release is Raven Mad, an imperial porter.  This release is 50% barrel aged.   50% in whiskey, 50% with oak. Oak chips? Quoth the raven: Nevermore.

Label:
This is a blend of whiskey barrel aged porter with a batch of unbarred stout. It has a maximum of roasty malt flavor, hop bitterness, wood/oak overtones and bourbon vanilla notes.

Style: Imperial Porter (Barrel aged, Oak aged)
Availability: 22oz bombers
Released: December, 2011

7.5% ABV

by Reid Ramsay
Posted in Fifty Fifty Brewing, Seasonal Return

2011 Fifty Fifty Eclipse Release Party Details

Fifty Fifty Brewing Announces the 2011 Eclipse Party release details. 

Announcing the ECLIPSE Barrel Aged Imperial Stout Release Party!

We welcome you to join us at the brewery to celebrate what will certainly be another excellent vintage of your favorite imperial stout.  This is a rare opportunity to sample all 7 varieties being released this year, some previous Eclipse vintages, and even some other FiftyFifty barrel aging projects.  In order to create an environment where all attendees can drink and interact comfortably, only 100 tickets will be available.

Details:
When:  Thursday, December 8th, 2011… from 5:00PM til we kick you out!
Where:  FiftyFifty Brewing Co. (11197 Brockway Rd., Truckee, CA 96161)
Price:  $100 per person – Limit of 2 tickets per person

What to expect:

  • All styles of the 2011 Eclipse will be available for tasting and purchase at the party.  Depending upon product yield, all styles might not be available to the general public so this is a great opportunity to get your hands on some more of the rare stuff!
  • You won’t go hungry.  Charcuterie, gourmet cheeses, artisan bread, candied malt, chocolates, and other tasty snacks will be served.
  • And you won’t go home empty handed.  Even if you do not have any futures to pick up, you will take home a “Brewmasterʼs Choice” commemorative bottle and Eclipse souvenir glass (for real this time!), and receive 15% off of all FiftyFifty merchandise.
  • Make it an extended stay.  We have secured discounts at other local businesses and restaurants, as well as hotel discount group rates at the Cedar House Sport Hotel, Larkspur Hotel (formerly the Best Western), and Hampton Inn.
  • We have partnered with Stella, a local artisanal restaurant next door to the Cedar House Sport Hotel, to put together a Brewmaster Dinner on Friday night.  Pricing and availablility are still TBD, but release party ticket holders will get priority access.  Details will be posted as they are finalized.

How to get your ticket(s):

  • Ticket requests will be accepted via email only at: [email protected], starting Thursday, September 8th at 12:00 AM PDT. Requests should contain your name, contact email, contact phone number, and number of tickets requested (1 or 2). No attachments please.  Phone orders will not be accepted.
  • All requests will receive a time stamped auto-response confirming receipt of the request. If you do not receive an auto-response, your email was not received. Please note that any requests received prior to 12:00 AM PDT on 9/8/2011 will not be accepted, and will not receive an auto-response confirmation. Receiving a auto generated e-mail does not guarantee tickets, only our receipt of the request.
  • Requests will be processed on a daily basis until we reach our limit of 100 attendees. On the date when the 100th request is received, we will collect all requests from that day and select at random until we reach 100 (with the remainder going on the wait list). All orders received prior to that day (but not before September 8th), will have already secured their tickets.
    • For example; If 93 tickets have been ordered as of Monday, and 30 more orders come in on Tuesday, all the orders received as of Monday will get their tickets and 7 more will be “drawn” from the the requests received on Tuesday. The remaining 23 requests will be the first on the waiting list, order determined by the same selection process. If more than 100 ticket requests come in on the first day, every request received that day will be in the pool for selection.
  • Ticket recipients will be invoiced via PayPal on the day that their tickets are confirmed. Full payment must be made within 48 hours of the PayPal request in order to secure your tickets. If payment is not received within 48 hours, the request will be removed and we will move on to the waiting list.
  • By 8:00 AM PDT each day beginning Friday, September 9th, an announcement will be made as to the status of tickets sold so far. Please follow our Twitter and Facebook accounts for the most current information.

Disclaimers:
We reserve the right to refuse service to anyone.
Details are subject to change without notification.
Must be 21 years or older to attend.
Scammers will be shot on site.

Frequently Asked Questions:
“Why the lottery system instead of first come first serve?”

  • Let’s be honest, our focus is on beer, not an uber-redundant IT infrastructure. We are trying to make the process as fair as possible, and this is the best way to do it. Everyone who submits a request on the first day has an equal shot at tickets without having to send a request at midnight!

“How does the waiting list work?”

  • We will attempt to honor the first 100 requests for tickets, but in the event that someone drops out (i.e. does not make payment via PayPal), then their tickets will be offered to the wait list requests.  The order is determined by random selection as described above.

“Are tickets refundable after they’ve been purchased?”

  • No Refunds. However we understand that plans change, so tickets are transferrable. The originalphysical ticket must shown to get in the door, and all entrants must be 21 years if age or older..

“Are there any bottle purchase limits at the party?”

  • Yes, each style will have limits on purchases based on allocations. Those limits will be larger at the party than they will be for the general public.

“Can I pick up futures at the party?”

  • Absolutely. Attendees with reserved futures may pick them up at the party. If your friends have futures but did not receive party tickets, you can grab their futures as well (with their permission, of course). Any ticket holders who have reserved futures may pick theirs up at the party. Either way, bring the certificates!

“Can I bring a designated driver?”

  • Only ticket holders can come to the party. However, there are many great taxi services in the area (we have their numbers on hand at the brewery), and the Larkspur Hotel is within walking distance of the brewery. There are also several other fine restaurants and establishments in the area where designated drivers can hang out.

“Will all of the Eclipse styles be available at release?”

  • If our yields are reasonable, all styles will be available at the brewery upon release. Most styles will also be made available to our distributors.

“Where are you distributing?”

  • At this point we have confirmed distribution to the SF Bay Area, Portland, Southern California (LA & San Diego), and Chicago.  We are still pursuing other markets which have not yet been confirmed.  As soon as we have something definitive, we will update accordingly.

“Will my local bottle shop / pub carry Eclipse?”

  • Our distributors will ultimately make the decision as to which retailers  end up with our product.  Talk to your favorite place now to make sure they know you want it, so they can work with the distributors!

 

Style Guide:

2007
Old Fitzgerald = No Wax (RARE!)
2008
Pappy Van Winkle…
Original bottling = No Wax
2nd = No Wax, marked ‘2nd’
3rd = Pink & Signed
2009
Elijah Craig = Purple
Heaven Hill = Green
Jack Daniels = Gold
2010
Evan Williams = Black
Heaven Hill = Green
Four Roses = Red
Brandy = Purple / Brown
2011
Elijah Craig 12 year Barrel = TBD
Four Roses Single Barrel = TBD
Rittenhouse Rye Barrel = TBD
Elijah Craig 20 year Barrel = TBD
Brandy Barrel Blend = TBD
Buffalo Trace Barrel Blend = TBD
Brewmaster’s Grand Cru Blend = TBD

 

Awards & Accolades:

Totality Imperial Stouot (Base Stout For Elcipse):
2010 European Beer Star Awards, Silver Medal, Imperial Stout
2010 Australian International Beer Awards, Gold Medal, Imperial Stout
2009 Great American Beer Festival, Bronze Medal, Other Strong Beer
2008 Great American Beer Festival, Bronze Medal, Other Strong Beer

Eclipse Barrel Aged Imperial Stout:
2010 Australian International Beer Awards — Silver Medal, Wood Aged Beer
2009 Australian International Beer Awards — Silver Medal, Wood Aged Beer
2009 Draft MagazineTM Top 25 Beers
“1001 Beers You Must Taset Before You Die”, By Adrian Tierney-Jones, Neil Morrissey

What happens when you take an award winning Imperial Stout, put it in oak bourbon barrels, and then age it for six months? One of the most epic beer tasting experiences you will ever have: Eclipse.

Imperial Stouts are noted for being very rich substantial beers, and FiftyFifty’s Totality Imperial Stout does not disappoint on this fact. Brewed in small 300 gallons batches, our brewers lovingly craft this masterpiece once a year. Made with the finest malts, hops, fresh mountain water and yeast, over 18 separate ingredients lend their unique character to this beer.

To become Eclipse, Totality is then aged for a minimum of 180 days in oak bourbon barrels. This time spent adds a plethora of flavors to the already rich Imperial Stout. At first taste there is a large presence of dark chocolate, espresso and warmth from the alcohol of the beer. Oak barrel character then comes into play with hints of vanilla and coconut, followed by mild bitterness from the hops, and then a nice long lingering finish with hints of tobacco, dark dried fruit and more chocolate. Eclipse is a wonderful companion with dessert. A beer meant for contemplation best enjoyed in a snifter and with a friend.

Because of the extensive brewing and aging process, Eclipse is only released once a year…
March-April: Brew Totality
Mid April: Futures available
May: Begin aging in oak barrels.
November: Bottle and keg.
December: Official Release

 

by Reid Ramsay
Posted in Hangar 24, New Releases

Hanger 24 Barrel Roll #2: Humpty Bump

Hanger 24 Humpty BumpHanger 24 Brewing’s 2nd edition in the Barrel Roll Series is released today.  

Funny-sounding name…real serious beer. HUMPTY BUMP, the second release in our exclusive Barrel Roll Series, begins with a hand-crafted Belgian Strong Golden Ale that we brew with apple cider from the local Riley’s Los Rios Farms and caramelized sugar. This powerful brew is then aged for eight months in second-fill oak bourbon barrels with Brettanomyces to create a one-of-a-kind drinking experience. A complex bouquet of fruit, spice, honey, and vanilla, with a subtle “barnyard” aroma courtesy of the wild yeast. The yeast also imparts a unique funky counterpoint to the slightly sweet, apple flavors. This creamy, full-bodied bottle-conditioned ale will mature for up to five years–if you can wait that long.

Additional Information:

HUMPTY BUMP: A quarter loop to a vertical climb followed by a half loop to a vertical down completed with a quarter loop to level flight.

Release Date: Presale on 8/24, released on 8/27

Total # Bottled: 1,355

Style: Belgian Strong Pale Ale (Barrel Aged)
Availability: 750ml bottles, corked & caged

9.5% ABV 

by Reid Ramsay
Posted in Red Brick Brewing

Red Brick’s Smoked Vanilla Gorilla Next Up In Brick Mason Series

Edition #3 in Red Brick Brewing’s Brick Mason Series is not far away.   The brewery has taken Vanilla Gorilla and added a little twist for the series release: smoked vanilla beans and a little barrel aging for good measure.

Fox Brothers BBQ in Atlanta, Georgia smoked the vanilla beans used in Gorilla.  The base beer is Red Brick oatmeal porter.  The barrels, Jack Daniels.  Gorilla follows on the heels of  Double IPA, and 16th Anniversary.  The last release this year in the series is slated to be and Old Ale.

Availability: 12oz bottles, Draft.

Arrival: TBA

7.5% ABV (estimated)

 

 

by Reid Ramsay
Posted in Goose Island Brewing

Goose Island Bourbon County w/ Cherries? Yep.

Goose Island Brewing (Chicago, IL) has done a version of Bourbon County Stout with cherry bark before.  Coming to draft (presumably in November around the time of the annual release) will be BC with cherries.  (Although there have been some ratings for BC Cherry – 2 to be exact.)

Bourbon County Stout is an imperial stout aged in Heaven Hill bourbon barrels.  GI has a whole separate warehouse JUST for aging this beer.   Some pre-cherry stats:

Style: Bourbon Barrel-Aged Imperial Stout
Hops: Willamette
Malts: 2-Row, Munich, Chocolate, Caramel, Roast Barley, Debittered Black
13% ABV, 60 IBUs

Release: November, Annually

by Reid Ramsay
Posted in Deschutes Brewing, New Releases

Deschute’s The Stoic Details

Deschutes Brewing’s newest beer The Stoic is hitting shelves. Stoic, a quadruple, is the result of 4 nuanced fermentations.  This quad touts the use of pomegranate molasses, Belgian yeast, and aged in pinot noir and rye whiskey barrels.

 Our brewers describe a simple recipe ironically hard to brew. The classic malt bill is all Pilsner malt. Hallartau, Czech Saaz, and Northern Brewer hops sustain a deftly understated flavor. Belgian candy sugars add impact and the smooth body required of any Belgian-style brew worth quaffing. A healthy portion of pomegranate molasses casts an opulent, tangy twist, while a vintage Belgian yeast strain provides a solid reference point. Pinot Noir and Rye Whiskey barrel-aging suggest notes of spice, citrus, pepper, vanilla, and toasted caramel like offerings to the ancients.

Style: Quadruple (double barrel aged)
Hops: Hallertau, Czech Saaz, Northern Brewer
Belgian candi sugar

Availability:  22oz bottles. Capped/waxed

11% ABV

by Reid Ramsay
Posted in Goose Island Brewing

Goose Island Rolling Out Blackberry, Raspberry Dominique

Goose Island Brewing is adding some flavor variations to Dominique, and American Wild Ale.  Dominique is a bit of Belgian meets bourbon sexiness, as this sour ale is aged in bourbon county stout barrels.

Goose is adding variations to the Dominique line, by adding Blackberries and Raspberry editions.  (Draft only, currently.)

Also, expect more of 

Mae – Brewed with Saison and farmhouse ales of Belgium in mind, we added fresh Mick Klug’s Michigan peaches and Brettanomyces claussenii to a fresh white wine barrel and aged the Saison base for 9 months. Stretching boundaries of the traditional style, we decided to put our own little spin on it.

Eva – Brewed with the Saison and Farmhouse ales of Belgium in mind, we added fresh Michigan cherries and Brettanomyces to a wine barrel and aged the Saison base for 9 months.

Indira – Brewed with Lemongrass and Lemon Thyme in the brew kettle, Indira brings the citrus of her cousin Sofie but from different sources. A dry citrus finish blends with spices of the yeast and thyme.

by Reid Ramsay