Black Currants

A “Currant Affair” From Allagash

Allagash Brewing (Portland, ME) has been working on a beer with currant berries for a little bit. Now we know what it will be…. Currant Affair.

Currants are berries that grow on shrubs, and come in black, red and white varieties. Red and black Continue Reading →

Mikkeller Spontaneous Series: Spontancassis

Mikkeller unleashes a new round of Spontaneous Series beers in 2013. Joining the series is SpontanCassis. You know cassis as the black currant. The fruit is added to the base beer, a lambic fermented in oak.

Cassis will join SpontanPeach, SpontanElderflower, SpontanRosehip and SpontanRosehip, and SpontanGooseberry.

Style: Lambic (w/ Black Currant)
Availability: 11.2 oz Continue Reading →

Perennial & Half Acre Collaborate On Plan B

One of St. Louis, Missouri’s newest breweries Perennial is collaborating with Half Acre Brewing (Chicago, IL.)  The beer is dubbed Plan B, is the first collaboration by Perennial.  Brew day is this Friday according to the brewery.  “B” will be Continue Reading →

Posted in Allagash Brewing, Coming Soon, Headlines

A “Currant Affair” From Allagash

Allagash Brewing (Portland, ME) has been working on a beer with currant berries for a little bit. Now we know what it will be…. Currant Affair.

Currants are berries that grow on shrubs, and come in black, red and white varieties. Red and black are most commonly used of the three, with red being more tart than the black and white berries.

Allagash Currant Affair will be available in 12.7oz bottles.

Style: American Wild Ale (w/ Currants)
Availability: 12.7oz Bottles
Arrival: TBA

7.2% ABV

Fun Fact: Maury Povich was an anchor on the TV “Current Affair.” Before going all tabloid-y.

 

by Reid Ramsay
Posted in Deschutes Brewing

Deschutes Black Butte XXV Arrives Late June

Deschutes Brewery celebrates 25 years this year. A big milestone for sure. Coming late June is Black Butte XXV. This 25th Birthday Reserveis brewed with dates, figs, black currants, and cocoa nibs. Partially aged in bourbon barrels. Best time to drink will be a year from now. (Totally serious.)

Using select cocoa nibs and locally roasted coffee, Deschutes partnered with equally passionate local artisans to craft this potent, colossal homage to Black Butte Porter. A final aging in aromatic whiskey barrels infuses a truly handcrafted depth and the complexity of fine wine.

Style: Porter (w/ Figs, Dates, Black Currants, Cocoa Nibs. Partially Barrel Aged. Bourbon)
Availability: 22oz bombers
Arrival: Late June, 2013

11% ABV 

by Reid Ramsay
Posted in New Beers

Custom Brewcrafters Signature Series Cassie

Custom Brewcrafters Signature Series Cassie

by Reid Ramsay
Posted in Coming Soon, Mikkeller

Mikkeller Spontaneous Series: Spontancassis

Mikkeller Spontancassis

Mikkeller unleashes a new round of Spontaneous Series beers in 2013. Joining the series is SpontanCassis. You know cassis as the black currant. The fruit is added to the base beer, a lambic fermented in oak.

Cassis will join SpontanPeach, SpontanElderflower, SpontanRosehip and SpontanRosehip, and SpontanGooseberry.

Style: Lambic (w/ Black Currant)
Availability: 11.2 oz bottles
Arrival: TBA

7.7% ABV

Lambic, The Rundown. 

A lambic is a spontaneously fermented beer. What’s that? The beer is exposed to wild yeasts and bacteria. In this case (most likely) these wild yeasts live in the oak of the barrels they are aged in. The result is a tart/sour tasting beer.

by Reid Ramsay
Posted in New Holland Brewing, Terrapin Beer Company

New Holland & Terrapin Launch “Social Potion”

New Holland/ Terrapin Social Potion

To celebrate the launch of New Holland Brewing being distributed in Georgia, Terrapin Beer Co travelled to Holland, Michigan. What they produced was Social Potion, a weizenbock brewed with Michigan wheat, black currants, and pink peppercorns.

The beer debuts in Michigan and Atlanta for Atlanta Beer Week 2012.  A portion of this beer has been saved for barrel aging.

Style: Weizenbock (w/ Pink Peppercorns, Currants)
Availability: Draft Only
Arrival: Now

7% ABV

by Reid Ramsay
Posted in Lost Abbey

Lost Abbey + Guns n’ Roses = Track #9

A new month, and another Lost Abbey Ultimate Box Set Release. September’s release pays tribute to the Guns n’ Roses cover of Knockin’ on Heaven’s Door. Each of these rare releases in a blend of even more rare Lost Abbey beers. For Track #9, the brewery took some Cuvee de Tomme that wasn’t ready in time for the 2011 release and added currants, plus extra brettanomyces yeast. (The funky stuff.)

Left to nature’s devices, the currants married into the raisin and cherry already present in the beer and created a full-bodied fruit intensity we hadn’t quite expected. Liking what we tasted, we decided to bump the melange with an addition of Brettanomyces for a little extra oomph. The results are a unique blend that delivers a great combination of plummy fruits, round malts and just enough funk to remind you Brett’s in the house and doing her thing.

Style: American Wild Ale (w/ Currants, Barrel Aged)
Availability: 12.7 oz bottles. Brewery release only. To be consumed on premise only.
Arrival: September 15, 2012

9.7% ABV 

by Reid Ramsay
Posted in Half Acre Brewing, Perennial Artisan Ales

Perennial & Half Acre Collaborate On Plan B

One of St. Louis, Missouri’s newest breweries Perennial is collaborating with Half Acre Brewing (Chicago, IL.)  The beer is dubbed Plan B, is the first collaboration by Perennial.  Brew day is this Friday according to the brewery.  “B” will be a sour mash Belgian Dark Ale, brewed with black currants.  Currants are perennial berries, with a sweet taste.

Style: Belgian Strong Dark Ale (w/ Black Currants)
Availability: 750ml bottles.
Arrival: Bottling in January, 2012. Distribution through Perennial’s channel.

8% ABV

note: The green in the artwork is an error in the file. Better artwork to follow.  

by Reid Ramsay