Bourbon

KBS 20 Years: Founders KBS Blueberry

Founders KBS Blueberry is a new fruity addition to the brewery’s famed Kentucky Breakfast Stout lineup, a bourbon barrel-aged imperial stout debuting in spring 2023 – celebrating 20 years of KBS.

Infused with fresh Michigan blueberries, this variant adds a Continue Reading →

New Variant: Founders KBS Chocolate Cherry

Founders KBS Chocolate Cherry is a luscious addition to Founders’ Kentucky Breakfast Stout lineup, a bourbon barrel-aged imperial stout debuting in fall 2022.

Infused coffee, chocolate, chocolate syrup, cherries and cherry extract – this variant enhances the classic KBS profile Continue Reading →

Posted in Beer News, New Beers, Wild Heaven Craft Beers

Wild Heaven Neon Roses

by Reid Ramsay
Posted in Don't Miss This, New Realm Brewing, New Releases

New Realm Psychedelic Rabbit jumps in on the thiol craze

Let’s talk about thiols. If you crave tropical flavors in your beer or IPA, listen up. This bit of fermentation science is for you.

Thiols are aroma compounds and they come in two forms – free form and precursor. The free form are volatile and pungent thiols found in tropical fruits, grapes, and hops. Those thoils boast flavors of passion fruit and guava and fresh grapefruit. When a beer is more “thiol expressive” it is far bolder and big-time tropical.

Sounds good right? Eventually, but some fermentation science has to happen first.

Chicago-based Omega Yeast Labs introduced “Cosmic Punch,” a thiolized version of their British Ale yeast in 2021. This engineered yeast strain biotransforms the massive amount of thiol precursors in malt and hops to free form (expressive) thiols. Ultimately, the thiol output is far greater using this yeast than found in the traditional brewing process.

How? Omega’s goal was to make freeing these thiols more efficient. It’s about the IRC7, a gene in yeast that creates an enzyme that frees thiols from their precursor form. The challenge was that many brewing strains have mutations in the IRC7 gene that disable the enzyme, resulting in low thoil output.

Extremely simplified – Omega developed a yeast that keeps the gene active, and thus the enzyme. The final beer – which so many are IPAs or hoppy lagers are bright, snappy, and quite expressive.

It’s that bit of science behind New Realm Brewing’s new Psychedelic Rabbit Transcendent IPA. While the brewing team had created a few test batches of an IPA with Cosmic Punch, Kane Wille, brewer at New Realm says it was Omega’s Star Party yeast that really made a difference. “We did a 20-barrel batch in Atlanta and loved it, so it became Psyche Rabbit,” Wille says.

Azacca, Cashmere, Citra, and Mosaic hops headline this beer, and with the help of Star Party, you really find out what thiols are all about. The result is truly a burst of passionfruit, pineapple, and citrus flavors, in a beer that looks so much more of a west coast IPA, with a lighter mouthfeel, without having to be overly dry-hopped. “We wanted to bring something innovative to the market this year, and have been overwhemed by the success of this IPA already,” Jeff Chassner, Chief Sales Officer tells Beer Street Journal. “We are very fortunate to have such a talented brewmaster in Mitch Steele and an amazing team of brewers”

The India pale ale has always dominated craft beer, always going through a plethora of identities as the years pass. By the taste of it, the days of quadruple dry-hopping an IPA might be fading, with the rise of these yeasts.

Style: IPA
Hops: Azacca, Cashmere, Citra, Mosaic

Availability: 12oz Cans, Draft. Year-Round.

6.5%

by Reid Ramsay
Posted in Founders Brewing, Headlines, New Releases

KBS 20 Years: Founders KBS Blueberry

Founders KBS Blueberry is a new fruity addition to the brewery’s famed Kentucky Breakfast Stout lineup, a bourbon barrel-aged imperial stout debuting in spring 2023 – celebrating 20 years of KBS.

Infused with fresh Michigan blueberries, this variant adds a bright, fruity dimension to the classic KBS profile of coffee, dark chocolate, and bourbon. Expect a rich aroma of ripe blueberries and roasted malt, with a full-bodied, velvety mouthfeel and flavors of tart berry, cocoa, and oak and vanilla from the bourbon barrels. A refreshing yet decadent stout for KBS enthusiasts.

READ MORE: FOUNDERS KBS SERIES

It’s time to celebrate two decades of barrel-aging imperial stouts with KBS Blueberry. In honor of the 20th anniversary of KBS, we’ve given this legendary beer a dose of Michigan blueberries. The alluring aroma of dessert draws you in, while layers of vanilla, coffee, chocolate, oak, and bourbon barrel notes become more profound with every sip. A sweet and sophisticated tribute to a world-renowned beer.

Founders KBS Blueberry is available in 12-ounce bottles and draft for a limited time.

Style:  Imperial Stout (w/ Blueberries Coffee. Chocolate. Barrel-Aged. Bourbon)
Availability: 12oz Bottles, Draft. Limited Release.

Debut: Spring 2023

12% ABV

by Reid Ramsay
Posted in Wild Heaven Craft Beers, Headlines

Wild Heaven & Bulliet Bourbon release 5th collaboration

Wild Heaven Beer and Bulliet Bourbon release 5 Points Doppelbock, the fifth installment of their ongoing barrel-aged series.

Recapping the project, Bulliet Bourbon was always stingy with their barrels in the past. As Tom Bulleit told Beer Street Journal during an Atlanta launch event more than a decade ago, all the distillery’s barrels were sent to Scotland for whisky aging. At the time he seemed almost confused at the notion that America’s breweries would want empty bourbon barrels. That would all change in 2020.

Bulliet did a little quiet research, looking for breweries with not just a robust barrel program, but breweries that really cared about barrel aging. Georgia-based Wild Heaven stood out to the Bulliet team and ultimately the Beer and Bourbon Series was born.

The idea behind this project is simple. Wild Heaven creates a beer and Bulliet overnights freshly emptied (wet) barrels from the distillery 437 Miles South to Avondale Estates, Georgia. Fill the barrels, and wait for the magic to happen. During one of the worst years in human existence, 2020, 95 Shilling Scotch ale kicked off the series. The alcohol by volume in that beer could never have been high enough for us considering the times.

RELATED: WILD HEAVEN’S BULLEIT COLLAB WAS WORTH THE WAIT

As fall descends upon Atlanta, the latest emergence is 5 Points – a German-style Dopplebock, aged in Bulleit Rye barrels. Let’s get straight to the point, this beer- much like this series- just keeps getting better and better. A Doppelbock may be a rarer style in the craft brewing world, but Wild Heaven’s head brewer Josh Franks has created a perfect reminder of how damn good they are. “I think it really turned out quite well,” Franks tells us. You’ll never hear the guy brag, but the smile on his face after a few sips of 5 Points tells us everything.

The fresh barrels from Bulleit really make all the difference world here. Vanilla flavors from the rye bourbon-soaked oak in 5 Points are fresh and bold, almost to the point of decadence. The creamy toffee and raisin flavors notes the dopplebock round out this cool weather sipper. More proof that this duo knows what they are doing.

Wild Heaven 5 Points Dopplebock debuts this week in 16-ounce cans and draft. Wild Heaven and Bulleit are already working on their next project.

Style: Dopplebock (Barrel Aged. Rye Bourbon.)
Availability: 16oz Cans, Draft.

Debut: October 2022

by Reid Ramsay
Posted in Founders Brewing, Headlines, New Releases

New Variant: Founders KBS Chocolate Cherry

Founders KBS Chocolate Cherry is a luscious addition to Founders’ Kentucky Breakfast Stout lineup, a bourbon barrel-aged imperial stout debuting in fall 2022.

Infused coffee, chocolate, chocolate syrup, cherries and cherry extract – this variant enhances the classic KBS profile of coffee, dark chocolate, and bourbon with vibrant fruit and decadent cocoa flavors. Expect a bold aroma of ripe cherries and roasted malt, paired with a velvety, full-bodied mouthfeel and notes of oak, vanilla, and subtle bourbon warmth. A delightful balance of sweet and tart for KBS loyal.

Our flagship bourbon barrel-aged imperial stout shows off its more romantic side with KBS Chocolate Cherry! The rich sweetness of chocolate and slight coffee bitterness blend perfectly with the brightness of cherry juice to bring you an alluring sensory experience perfect for cozying up with your sweetie.

Founders KBS Chocolate Cherry is available in 12-ounce bottles and draft for a limited time.

Style: Imperial Stout  (w/ Chocolate. Cherries. Barrel Aged. Bourbon
Availability: 12oz Bottles, Draft. Limited Release.

Debut: Fall 2022

11.6% ABV

by Reid Ramsay
Posted in Guinness, Don't Miss This, New Releases

Guinness releases barrel-aged Mint Chocolate Stout

Baltimore, Maryland-based Guinness Open Gate Brewery has a new seasonal imperial stout ahead of the holidays – Guinness Mint Chocolate Stout. 

The imperial stout is brewed with dried mint leaves, then conditioned on pure cacao (chocolate), then aged in Kentucky bourbon barrels.

“Chocolate and mint are a classic flavor combination, and the way those flavors interact with the bourbon character leads to something really special. It’s the perfect beer to sip on after a solid meal with family and friends over the holidays,” says Open Gate head brewer Sean Brennan. 

Guinness Mint Chocolate Stout also compliments recently returning Gingerbread Stout, also brewed in the Baltimore brewery. 

Mint Chocolate Stout is available in 11.2-ounce bottles for a limited time. 

Style: Imperial Stout (w/ Mint. Chocolate. Barrel Aged. Bourbon.)
Availability: 11.2 oz/4pk Bottles. Limited Release. 
Debut: November 2021 

10.8% ABV

by Reid Ramsay
Posted in Founders Brewing, Don't Miss This

Maple syrup bourbon barrel Founders Frootwood back for 2nd time

Founders Frootwood debuted in 2017. For the first time since its release, Frootwood returns to the brewery’s taproom this month- nationally in January 2022. 

The beer was a big hit amongst the brewery’s barrel-aged beer fans. Frootwood is a cherry ale, aged in maple syrup bourbon barrels. As you might recall, one of the Founder’s most requested beers is also aged in maple syrup bourbon barrels – Canadian Breakfast Stout (CBS).

A flavor Battle Royale.

From the moment this story hit Beer Street Journal 2017, the readers were worried the beer would have too much cherry. Or even worse, being too sweet or too boozy. The result was actually a “Battle Royale” of flavor. Each sip pulled you three ways. The main contenders are bourbon, cherries, and maple syrup – each fighting for dominance.  When you hear someone say a beer is “all over the place,” Frootwood is a great example of just that. We hope the latest release is just the same.

We took a crisp, light-bodied cherry ale and hid it away in oak barrels that held both bourbon and maple syrup. After a lengthy sting, it emerged a changed beer, blanketed in notes of warm vanilla and earthy sweetness. The wood proves itself the star of this beer, adding depth and taming the tart cherry while the maple imposes a velvety texture that lingers for not a moment too long.

Founders Frootwood is a 12-ounce bottle release, as well as draft. Estimated retail $15.99 4/pack. 

Style: Fruit/Vegetable Beer (w/ Cherries. Barrel Aged. Bourbon. Maple Syrup.)
Availability: 12oz Bottles, Draft.
Debut: January 2017
Latest Return: November 2021

8% ABV

PIC: Beer Street Journal 

by Reid Ramsay