Canned Craft Beer

Hi-Wire’s next pastry stout: Salted Maple 10W-40

Imperial stout fans, look to Asheville, North Carolina. Hi-Wire Salted Maple 10W-40 Imperial Stout debuts Friday

This series started with 10W-40 Imperial Stout, so named because the chocolate, coffee, and vanilla heavy stout pours like motor oil.

Never resting, Hi-Wire has released Continue Reading →

ADJUNCT FREE: Creature Comforts Creature Stout

Creature Comforts Creature Stout, debuts Friday, March 8th. 

What’s the standout with this new release? It’s an adjunct-free imperial stout. No lactose, vanilla beans, or chicken wings. Just a “roasty, complex” imperial stout.

Creature Comforts Creature Stout will be available in 16-ounce Continue Reading →

Posted in Ska Brewing, Seasonal Return

Ska Mexican Logger seasonal release marks 20 years

It may not look like spring in Durango, Colorado, but the return of Ska Mexican Logger means it’s close.

While Mexican lagers have increased in popularity in recent years, Ska Brewing has been releasing this beer since 1999. That’s longer than half the craft breweries in the United States have been around. The brewery touts this as Colorado’s first craft lager in a can when it hit aluminum in 2011.

The 5% alcohol by volume lager is brewed with a lager yeast strain from Mexico City – the same strain that also ferments Ska’s Rue B. Soho Grapefruit.

Crisp, clean, and refreshing — made for hot afternoons with a side of lime.

Ska Mexican Logger is available in 12-ounce cans and draft from March 20th through Summer 2019.

Style: Vienna Lager
Availability: 12oz Cans, Draft Seasonal Release.
Distribution: Colorado, Arizona, Southern California, Hawaii, Illinois, Iowa, Kansas, Minnesota, Missouri, Nebraska, Oklahoma, New Mexico, and Utah.

5% ABV

by Reid Ramsay
Posted in Duclaw Brewing, Headlines

DuClaw releases donut inspired “Unicorn Farts” glitter beer this weekend

When Beer Street Journal started 11 years ago, big, bitter imperial India pale ales and adjunct-free barrel-aged imperial stouts were all the rage. It’s 2019 we are a long way from there. A LONG way.

Growing up my sister had a Trapper Keeper with sparkly unicorns on it. She loved it so much she would hide it under her bed at night until she went to school the next day. Today, I’m reminded of that beloved binder, not because I’m reminiscing. Nope. It’s because I’m writing about a freaking beer. Two things I never thought would go together. Take second and meet Duclaw Sour Me Unicorn Farts.

The inspiration for this release comes from nearby, self-described  “Local as fu#k” Diablo Doughnuts, who makes a pastry called the “Unicorn Fart”. It’s a white frosted donut topped with Fruity Pebbles cereal, plus more frosting. Why the fu#k not?

So how do you make a beer inspired by this colorful plate of high blood sugar? Fruit and glitter. Handfuls and handfuls of edible glitter.

Somewhere the ridiculously creative American brewing landscape, a craft brewer found a way to combine beer and glitter. The result looks something like those squishy balls that kids get out grocery store vending machines. You don’t have to understand it. You just have to know it happened. When making a beer called “Unicorn Farts” it better damn well have glitter in it. Period.

I’m making a pretty safe assumption here. The donut that inspires this pretty freaking sweet and sugary. Knowing this, DuClaw Brewing made this beer sour to offset the circular blast of sugar. In the end, Sour Me Unicorn Farts is a tart beer, with glitter and Fruity Pebble-like fruit additions. The first beer fart we’ve ever actually wanted is here.

The first cans of DuClaw Sour Me Unicorn Farts will be available on Saturday, March 16th at the brewery in Baltimore. A portion of proceeds from the launch event for this beer will benefit The Pride Center of Maryland.

Expect distribution of this Trapper Keeper beer to start in April.

Style: Sour Ale (w/ Fruit. Edible Glitter.)
Availability: 16oz Cans
Debut: 3/16/19

?? ABV

Image: DuClaw Brewing

by Reid Ramsay
Posted in Bell's Brewing, New Releases

Bell’s releases their “Official” Hazy IPA

Bell’s Official Hazy IPA joins the brewery’s year-round portfolio in 2019. 

It’s been almost 8 months since the announcement, and finally, Bell’s Official Hazy IPA is on shelves. The release combines two things the brewery says they do best, India pale ale and wheat beer.

Mosaic, Citra, Azacca, Amarillo, and El Dorado hops are the stars in this wheat heavy release. Development of this future release started in 2017, alongside Titania and Larry’s Latest IPA. As Bell’s describes this newbie, “Official is a refined beer for those who love hops AND for those who prefer wheat beers. Not to be confused with New England IPAs, Official is Bell’s Hazy IPA.”

Look for Official Hazy IPA in 16-ounce cans, 12-ounce cans, 12-ounce bottles and draft across the brewery’s 40 state distribution plus Washington D.C. and Puerto Rico starting in March 2019.

Style: IPA
Hops: Mosaic, Citra, Azacca, Amarillo, El Dorado

Availabilty: 12oz Cans, 16oz Cans, 12oz Bottles, Draft.
Debut: March 2019

6.4% ABV

by Reid Ramsay
Posted in Coming Soon, Don't Miss This

Hi-Wire’s next pastry stout: Salted Maple 10W-40

Imperial stout fans, look to Asheville, North Carolina. Hi-Wire Salted Maple 10W-40 Imperial Stout debuts Friday

This series started with 10W-40 Imperial Stout, so named because the chocolate, coffee, and vanilla heavy stout pours like motor oil.

Never resting, Hi-Wire has released more variants of 10W-40, including Horchata, German Chocolate Cake, and even a Barrel-aged 10W-40. This beer is quickly becoming a state “stout icon”.

RELATED: HI-WIRE 10W-40 IMPERIAL STOUT

Up next – Salted Maple 10W-40. This edition takes the imperial stout base and combines maple syrup, pink sea salt, vanilla beans, chocolate, and lactose milk sugar. Sounds like a chocolatey salt maple candy.

Hi-Wire Salted Maple 10W-40 will be available in limited 16-ounce cans on Friday, March 8th.

Style: Imperial Stout (w/ Chocolate. Vanilla Beans. Maple Syrup. Lactose. Pink Sea Salt.)
Availability: 16oz Cans. Limited Release.
Debut: 3/8/19

?? ABV

by Reid Ramsay
Posted in Highland Brewing, Coming Soon, Don't Miss This

Highland Slow Crush in May that tastes like an Aperol Cocktail

Highland Slow Crush Tart Spritz Ale will join Asheville, North Carolina’s oldest brewery’s lineup in May.

After speaking with Highland Brewing this morning, it’s very evident the team is excited about this new release. Slow Crush, subtitled a “tart spritz ale”, is a kettle sour that mimics the Aperol Spritz cocktail.

To achieve this, Highland used a few botanicals you don’t find very often in beer – gentian root, cinchona bark, and hibiscus flowers. They contribute the kettle soured base beer, brewed with flaked rye malt and Citra and Amarillo hops. The result according to the brewery is an effervescent beer with a refreshing acidity that is perfect for any occasion.

“This is a dynamic time in the industry and at Highland.We are exploring what Highland beer can be and creating beers that are different from anything we have ever done before. Slow Crush refers to the tradition of gruits and aperitifs and the way that brewers and distillers tried to achieve balance with different herbs and spices… – Trace Redmond, R&D Brewer

Highland Slow Crush will be available in 16-ounce cans year-round starting in May 2019.

Style: Kettle Sour Ale (w/ Cinchona Bark. Hibiscus Flowers. Gentian Root.)
Hops: Citra, Amarillo

Availability: 16oz Cans, Draft. Year-Round
Debut: May 2019

5% ABV

by Reid Ramsay
Posted in Creature Comforts, Coming Soon

ADJUNCT FREE: Creature Comforts Creature Stout

Creature Comforts Creature Stout, debuts Friday, March 8th. 

What’s the standout with this new release? It’s an adjunct-free imperial stout. No lactose, vanilla beans, or chicken wings. Just a “roasty, complex” imperial stout.

Creature Comforts Creature Stout will be available in 16-ounce cans and draft at the brewery on March 8th, starting at 3pm

Style: Imperial Stout
Availability: 16oz Cans, Draft. Limited Release.
Debut: 3/8/19

8% ABV

Image: Creature Comforts

by Reid Ramsay
Posted in 19 Crimes Beer, Headlines

Winemaker 19 Crimes launches new beer lineup stateside

19 Crimes, the Australian winemakers with the augmented reality labels, are launching 19 Crimes Beer in the United States.

The wine debuted in the United States 6 years ago, and is now a staple in pretty much every grocery store you step foot in. According to Michelle Terry, CMO or Treasure Wine Estates, the company noticed a duality between wine drinkers and craft beer drinkers. “We know that our 19 Crimes wine lovers also highly index as consumers of craft beer. There is so much opportunity with this brand, and our retailers and customers have been asking us to expand into other alcohol beverages.” 

Three styles of 19 Crimes beers are ready with the initial launch – 19 Crimes Pilsner, 19 Crimes IPA, and 19 Crimes Lager. All three styles are brewed at Sleeping Giant Brewery in Denver, Colorado.

Each of the cans portray the familiar characters on the labels, complete with augmented reality stories through the Living Wine labels phone app. The stories on the wine and the beer are the same.

19 Crimes Beer will launch first in Ohio. Expect more states before the close of 2019.

by Reid Ramsay