Collaborations

Oskar Blues She’Boogie Bop, brewed by women

Oskar Blues She’Boogie Bop,  a beer brewed entirely by women, debuts this month.

Oskar Blues brewer Diana Locatelli, brewers assistant Lauren Laquerre, along with Kristin Hubbard, and Sara Laurienti from the cellar created the beer. The base is a cream ale, serenaded Continue Reading →

Posted in Jester King Brewery, New Releases

100% Texas grown & malted barley makes Jester King Part & Parcel

Jester King Part & Parcel, brewed with 100% Texas grown and malted grain, debuts on Friday, March, 10th.

For four years now, Leander, Texas based Blacklands Malt has been creating the first state grown and malted barley. In October of 2016, the project came to fruition, and they delivered dark Munich malt grown near Lubbock to Jester King, dubbed “Endeavor”.

The Endeavor malt guided the recipe. It is high-protein, which develops darker color and flavor during kilning; ultimately deciding what Jester King Part & Parcel would become.

 “High protein grain is best used to make darker malts because they can develop rich melanoidin compounds and phenolics (or the “yummy stuff) – Brandon Ade, Blacklands Malt

Part & Parcel uses 100% Texas grown and malted barley from Blacklands, local well water, native yeast and bacteria, and Perle hops. Jester King laments, this might be the first SMASH beer (Single Malt and Single Hop) beer they’ve ever made.

Jester King Part & Parcel will be available in 750 milliliter bottles at the brewery in Austin, Texas starting March 10th.

Style: American Wild/Sour Ale
Hops: Perle
Availability: 750ml Bottles
Debut: 3/10/17

5.5% ABV

Image: Jester King. Bottle Artwork: Josh Cockrell 

by Reid Ramsay
Posted in Oskar Blues Brewing, Coming Soon

Oskar Blues She’Boogie Bop, brewed by women

Oskar Blues She’Boogie Bop,  a beer brewed entirely by women, debuts this month.

Oskar Blues brewer Diana Locatelli, brewers assistant Lauren Laquerre, along with Kristin Hubbard, and Sara Laurienti from the cellar created the beer. The base is a cream ale, serenaded by the sweet sounds of Prince, with vanilla beans and lavender added post fermentation.

“It’s pretty obvious that the production-side of brewing is male-dominated. I think ladies-only day was a rad way to celebrate being brew chicks. We had a lot of fun making SHE’Boogie Bop.” Using their collective beer prowess to rock the Lyons brewbarn, they created a beer that’s crisp and slightly sweet, with herbal notes from the lavender. – Diana Locatelli, Oskar Blues brewer

Oskar Blues She’Boogie Bop will be available on draft only starting March 13th at the brewery’s Colorado locations and restaurant locations.

Style: Cream Ale (w/ Lavender, Vanilla Beans.)
Availability: Draft Only.
Debut: 3/13/17

5.5% ABV

by Reid Ramsay
Posted in Jester King Brewery, Fair Isle Brewing, New Releases

Jester King Fair Voyage, a collaboration with Fair Isle Brewing

Jester King Fair Voyage, a collaboration with Seattle, Washington’s Fair Isle Brewing, debuts Friday.

The American wild ale is brewed with Washington fireweed. Don’t worry, we’ve never heard of it either. It’s a perennial herbaceous plant that produces a unique spiced flavor. In Alaska it’s used for jellies, candies and ice creams. The fireweed was dried, and added to the wort at the end of the boil.

Besides fireweed, the beer was fermented with a blend of both Jester King and Fair Isle native yeasts and bacterias in stainless steel.

Interesting fact. Andrew Pogue of Fair Isle Brewing used to live in Jester King’s hometown of Austin, Texas. He used to assist the brewery with carpentry, photography, and more. When it came time to open Fair Isle, Jester King accepted a small stake in the brewery in exchange for guidance and business advice.

Jester King Fair Voyage will be available by the glass and bottles starting Friday, March 3rd at 4 pm.

Style: American Wild Ale (w/ Fireweed)
Availability: Bottles, Draft.
Debut: 3/3/17

4.9% ABV

Image: Jester King

by Reid Ramsay
Posted in Ecliptic Brewing, Gigantic Brewing Company, New Releases

Ecliptic & Gigantic Brewing team up on “Star Destroyer”

Ecliptic Star Destroyer, a collaboration with Gigantic Brewing debuts March 1st.

Part of Ecliptic’s Cosmic Collaboration Series, this release is titled a “Imperial Darkside Lager”, or schwarzbier if you want to get technical. In keeping with Ecliptic’s space tendencies, the beer was ultimately called ‘Star Destroyer‘.

‘In 2016 I approached Van Havig of Gigantic about a collaboration for 2017. He agreed only if we called the beer Star Destroyer? Brewing with the boys from Gigantic is always a good time!’ – John Harris, Ecliptic Brewmaster

Ecliptic Star Destroyer will be available in 22 ounce bottles and draft starting March 1st.

Style: Schwarzbier
Availability: 22oz Bottles, Draft. One-off release.
Debut: 3/1/17

8% ABV

Feel the power of the darkside. Bah, Bah, Bah-Bum, Ba, Bum-Bum, Da, Bum. This beer is fully operational. Prepare the attack.

by Reid Ramsay
Posted in Stone Brewing Co., Ardent Craft Ales, Hardywood Park Craft Brewery, New Releases

Stone Give Me IPA or Give Me Death, Virginia collaboration #2

Stone Give Me IPA or Give Me Death is a second Virginia commemorative collaboration, is now available.

For 20 years, Stone has been brewing in Escondido, California. Growth and demand has prompted the brewery to build on the east coast, in Richmond, Virginia. To commemorate the new digs coming online, Stone Give Me Stout or Give Me Death hit shelves as 2016 wound down. A second collaboration, Give Me IPA or Give Me Death is ready for a little patriotic drinking.

State Governor Terry McAuliffe, as well as Virginia based Ardent Craft Ales, Hardywood Park Craft Brewery, collaborated on this release. Much like its predecessor, Stone Give Me IPA or Give Me Death is brewed with blackberries and raspberries.

Just as Patrick Henry once stood addressing the city of Richmond in 1775 to spur resistance against the tyrannical British Empire, 20 years ago we were stirred to join the cry for resistance agains the tyrannical oppression of industrial beer. And now, the opening of our Richmond brewery is yet another shot in the salvo that has been fired on behalf of American brewing independence. If we wish to brew free, if we mean to retain our identity and preserve the privilege of access to independent craft beer, we must recognize it a group effort. We do not stand alone. And so, on our new brewing grounds, we gathered with fellow craft breweries and “His Excellency,” Governor McAuliffe, to join together in force. A group cry of freedom & independence! Consider this aggressively  hopped imperial IPA, jam-packed with Virginia raspberries and blackberries, a testament to our passion and unwillingness to settle or sell out! We think Patrick Henry would be proud, and hope you will be too.

Stone Give Me IPA or Give Me Death is a 22 ounce bottle release, with larger distribution then Collaboration #1.

Style: Imperial IPA (w/ Blackberries, Raspberries)
Availability: 22oz Bottles, Draft.
Debut: February/March, 2017

8% ABV

by Reid Ramsay
Posted in Creature Comforts, New Releases

Creature Comforts Condor Chocolate Stout releases in Taproom Series

Creature Comforts Condor Chocolate Stout debuts today in the Athens, Georgia based brewery’s Taproom Series.

Recently, the brewery started releasing small batch taproom only releases, available on select brewery tours. The latest (and currently still available at the time of this article) is a pilsner dubbed Green Ghost.

Creature Comforts Condor Chocolate Stout is a collaboration with local chocolatier Condor, whose nibs have been found KoKo Buni Milk Stout and upcoming Terrapin Chubby Bunny.

Those seeking Condor Chocolate Stout will have their first opportunity on February 28th, as a to-go option on tours.

Style: Imperial Stout (w/ Cocoa Nibs)
Availability: 12oz Cans. Brewery Only.
Debut: 2/28/17

8% ABV

by Reid Ramsay
Posted in Tree House Brewing Company, Headlines, Sierra Nevada

Sierra Nevada Beer Camp East Meets West IPA, featuring Tree House Brewing

Sierra Nevada Beer Camp East Meets West IPA will be a part of this years “Beer Camp Around the World” when it debuts later this year.

In 2017, Sierra Nevada is taking their famed Beer Camp internationally, collaborating with both selected American brewers, and some of the world’s best. Stateside, Massachusetts based Tree House Brewing Company has been  selected.

RELATED: Sierra Nevada teams up with Surly Brewing 

Sierra Nevada is famous for the west coast IPA. If you wanted to point fingers at breweries responsible for the hazy, “New England Style” IPA, at least one finger would be pointed at Tree House. Perhaps that’s what makes this future collaboration so interesting. Clarity meets hazy. East Coast meets West Coast. Think of it like turning on a humidifier and dehumidifier at the same time. You’d think it would cause a rip in the space-time continuum.

In just a few short years, Tree House has made made a big impact on the beer scene with their approach to the IPA – low bitterness, intense juicy hop flavor and unfiltered haze. As fellow lovers of the IPA, we combined our styles – the classic American IPA malt body and the New England approach to hopping- resulting in lightly bitter, unfiltered beer with huge hop flavor.

Sierra Nevada Beer Camp East Meets West IPA will be a part of both the Beer Camp Variety Pack, and pouring at various Beer Camp festivals later this year.

Style: IPA
Availability: 16oz Cans, Draft.
Debut: TBA

7% ABV

by Reid Ramsay