Chili Peppers

New Holland Combines Bourbon Stout & Chilies

This week, New Holland Brewing (Holland, MI) will ship a brand new version of their famed Dragon’s Milk Imperial Stout, Dragon’s Milk Reserve with Toasted Chilies.

For this Reserve blend, the brewery took the base imperial stout and aged it bourbon barrels Continue Reading →

Posted in Don't Miss This, New Releases, Wicked Weed Brewing Co

Wicked Weed Jack O’ Hammered Pumpkin Ale Hits Shelves [PICS]

Wicked Weed Brewing Co (Asheville, NC) just shipped an new offering – Jack O’ Hammered Pumpkin Ale, just in time for Halloween.

Jack O’ Hammered is of course a pumpkin ale, brewed with roasted cocoa nibs, and finishes with heat from serrano, ancho, and habanero peppers. It’s no secret the brewery dotes a little on this one.

Below are some pictures from the cocoa nib roasted at the brewery in Asheville.

Wicked Weed Jack O’ Hammered is available in North Carolina distribution on draft, alongside Briars & Brett Farmhouse Ale.

Style: Pumpkin Ale (w/ Cocoa NIbs, Chili Peppers)
Availability: 500ml bottles
Arrival: Late October, 2014

?? ABV

 

by Reid Ramsay
Posted in Coming Soon, Headlines, The Unknown Brewing Co.

Unknown Brewing’s Beer with a Really Long Name is Brewed with Scorpions

The Unknown Brewing Company (Charlotte, NC) is releasing a follow up to to the very recent Vehopcirator Imperial IPA. This name is much longer than the first – La Jordana del Escorpion en Fuego Hacia la casa del Chupacabra muerto.

This roughly translates to “The Path of the Fiery Scorpion through the House of the Dead Chupacabra”. Shortening it to Escorpion en Fuego, the beer is an imperial Mexican lager, with agave nectar, seranno peppers, and aged on tequila oak staves. Oh, just in case that wasn’t enough, 99 (food grade) scorpions.

 When asked if these scorpions would affect the flavor, head brewer and owner Brad Shell responded “I’m not sure, that’s not the point. The point is this beer needs scorpions. Some things just have to happen”.

Unknown Brewing Escorpion en Fuego releases on The Day of the Day, November 1st in 22oz bombers and draft.

Style: Mexican Lager (w/ Seranno Peppers, Agave Nectar. Scorpions. Oak Aged. Tequila.)
Availability: 22oz Bombers, Draft.
Arrival: November 1, 2014

10.1% ABV

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

Sneak Peek: Westbrook Chocolate Bourbon Mexican Cake

July sees the release of Westbrook Brewing’s (Mt. Pleasant, SC) Barrel Aged Mexican Cake. While the release date for the 2014 stock hasn’t been announced yet, the brewery is already putting Cake into barrels for 2015

One of the barrels coming next summer is Westbrook Mexican Cake aged in Pritchard’s Double Chocolate Bourbon barrels. The Kelso, Tennesee distillery uses cocoa nibs from Nashville’s Olive & Sinclair to create a small batch, highly sought after, chocolate bourbon.

Westbrook Double Chocolate Bourbon Barrel Mexican Cake should arrive in July, 2015.

Olive & Sinclair also provides cocoa nibs for recent Terrapin Beer Company releases, like Guano Loco, White Chocolate Moo Hoo, and Liquid Bliss.

Style: Imperial Stout (w/ Cocoa Nibs, Vanilla Beans, Cinnamon, Habanero. Barrel Aged.)
Availability: 22oz Bombers, Draft. Limited Release, May.

10.5% ABV, 50 IBUs

pic via Westbrook

by Reid Ramsay
Posted in New Releases, Wicked Weed Brewing Co

Wicked Weed Creates “World Cup” Beer Lineup

Wicked Weed Brewing (Asheville, NC) has created a new draft only line up for the world cup.

Starting the week of June 12th, head brewer Luke Dickinson will unveil weekly beers inspired by traditional ingredients or beer styles from countries around the world. One of the releases in a “Chicha Ale,” only the brewery isn’t going to chew the ingredients like Dogfish Head did on their tv show Brew Masters.

“I was inspired by the idea of the whole world coming together for one event,” said Luke. “The World Cup gives us a unique opportunity to showcase beer styles from around the world and celebrate them in an interesting way.”

The first beer in the lineup (below) taps at 4 pm on June 12th at the pub in Asheville, NC.

Week of June 12th:

Country of inspiration:  Brazil
Concept:  To create a Caipirinha inspired ale
Ingredients of interest:  Sugar cane rods and lime zest from 30 pounds of limes

Country of Inspiration:  France
Concept: A saison brewed with French hops, French yeast and French mushrooms, Chanterelles
Ingredients of interest:  French Aramis hops, French saison yeast, and Chanterelles sourced from France

Week of  June 19th:

Country of Inspiration:  Mexico
Concept:  A light, spicy beer brewed with cilantro.
Ingredients of interest:  Anaheim, Fresno and Habanero chilies, and cilantro.

Country of Inspiration:  Germany
Concept:  Traditional Bavarian Hefeweizen made with two uncommon German hops.
Ingredients of interest:  Mandarina Bavaria and Huell Melon hops and Bavarian Hefeweizen yeast

Country of Inspiration:  Australia
Concept:  A 7% ABV ale brewed with 5 types of New Zealand or Australian hops and Lemon Myrtle.
Ingredients of interest:  Orbit, Green Bullet, Wakatu, Pacific Gem and Pacific Jade hops and Lemon Myrtle.

Week of June 26th:

Country of Inspiration:  England
Concept:  An English bitter brewed with yeast brought back from Everards brewery in the UK when the Dickinson brothers brewed there last February.
Ingredients of interest:   East Kent Golding hops, Everards Brewery house strand of yeast and Maris Otter barley.

Country of inspiration:  Peru
Concept:   Wicked Weed’s take on the local alcohol Peruvian Chicha with numerous traditional spices.
Ingredients of interest:   Corn and barley base with spearmint, cinnamon, clove and lemon zest.

Country of Inspiration:  Ethiopia
Concept: Brew a beer based on Tej, a honey wine that originates in Ethiopia made with gesho root.
Ingredients of interest:   Gesho root and 300 pounds of Orange Blossom honey  and Wild Blossom honey.

 

by Reid Ramsay
Posted in Coming Soon, Headlines, Terrapin Beer Company

Terrapin’s Next Side Project “Chili Pepper Brownie Ale”

Terrapin Beer Company (Athens, GA) is pushing the envelope with new beers and flavors this year. Last week, Green Flash was in the brewery to cream an orange creamsicle IPA. Next up is Side Project #23, Guano Loco.

Chili pepper brownie ale peak your interest? For this edition, the brewery combined flavors of chocolate from cocoa nibs, and chilies to give your palate something as confusing as it is fun.

Like a piñata bursting at the seams, Guano Loco “Chili Pepper Brownie Ale” explodes with a flavor from a myriad of directions. Chocolaty sweetness melds brilliantly with a spicy head to make this beer a fiesta in your glass…Ole’

Look for Terrapin Guano Loco in 22oz bombers and draft for a limited time. What does Guano Loco mean? This might help.

Style: American Strong Ale (w/ Cocoa Nibs, Chili Peppers)
Availability: 22oz Bombers, Draft
Arrival: TBA

8.6% ABV

Read more: Terrapin Side Project Series

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

Odell Footprint RegionAle, Now with 11 Ingredients

Odell Brewing (Fort Collins, CO) has announced another release of their Footprint RegionAle. The beer is made with ingredients sourced from each state in the brewery’s distribution footprint. The first release of Footprint was 2012.

A total of 11 states create Footprint RegionAle. The ingredient rundown look like this:

  • Colorado – Hops & Barley
  • Arizona – Prickly Pear Juice
  • Idaho – Hops & Barley
  • Kansas – Wheat
  • Minnesota – Wild Rice
  • Missouri – Oak Barrels
  • Nebraska – Corn
  • New Mexico – Green Chilies
  • South Dakota – Barley & Honey
  • Texas – Grapefruit Juice
  • Wyoming – Wheat

“We added a new state to our footprint this year, so we had to add a new ingredient,” said pilot brewing and barrel aging manager, Brent Cordle. “Texas grapefruit was a scrumptious addition to this year’s beer.”

Odell Footprint RegionAle releases at a party at the brewery on April 19th, 2014. 750ml bottles will ship to all 11 states above shortly after.

Style: American Strong Ale (w/ Prickly Pear Juice, Wild Rice, Corn, Green Chilies, Honey, Grapefruit Juice. Oak Aged.)
Availability: 750ml Bottles.
Arrival: 4/19/14

9.9% ABV

Read more: Odell Brewing 

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

New Holland Combines Bourbon Stout & Chilies

This week, New Holland Brewing (Holland, MI) will ship a brand new version of their famed Dragon’s Milk Imperial Stout, Dragon’s Milk Reserve with Toasted Chilies.

For this Reserve blend, the brewery took the base imperial stout and aged it bourbon barrels for three months, just like Dragon’s Milk, but this time with the toasted peppers.

“Our festival-fans might remember it as ‘Smaug’s Breath’ but in market you’ll see it as Dragon’s Milk Reserve with Toasted Chilies, even though it’s essentially the same recipe.”

New Holland Dragon’s Milk Reserve with Toasted Chilies ships this week in 22oz bombers. The original Dragon’s Milk was first brewed in 2001.

Style: Imperial Stout (w/ Chilies. Barrel Aged. Bourbon.)
Availability: 22oz Bombers. Limited release.

10% ABV

by Reid Ramsay