Collaborations

Odell & Thornbridge Make Pond Hopper

Odell Brewing & Thornbridge Brewing have been working on a collaboration across the pond.  Pond Hopper is the second collaboration Odell has done with the UK based brewery.

Doug Odell’s admiration for the British brewing culture has led him across the Continue Reading →

Heavy Seas & Devils Backbone Create Land Ho!

Heavy Seas is on the cusp of releasing a new collaboration brewed with Devils Backbone (Roseland, Virginia).  The beer is quite befitting a pirate – a “black pilsner.”  Jason Oliver, brewmaster of Devils Backbone grew up and brewed in the Baltimore/DC Continue Reading →

Deschutes & Hair Of The Dog’s Collage

Deschutes Brewery is working on a second Conflux Series Collaboration, this time with Hair Of The Dog.   (The first was Conflux #2, or White IPA, brewed with Boulevard Brewing.)

The beer is actually a blend of 4 beers.  Deschutes Dissident and The Continue Reading →

Half Acre/3 Floyds Mutiny & Mollusk

Per Success Is Not An Option:

This label began life as a confusion between this Man o’ War and this Man o’ War. Eventually both kinds got included. Also, if you look carefully, you will see a goddamn giant kraken.

This beer is only going to Continue Reading →

Posted in Odell Brewing, Thornbridge Brewing

Odell & Thornbridge Make Pond Hopper

Odell Pond HopperOdell Brewing & Thornbridge Brewing have been working on a collaboration across the pond.  Pond Hopper is the second collaboration Odell has done with the UK based brewery.

Doug Odell’s admiration for the British brewing culture has led him across the pond – a lot. In 2008, Doug landed at Thornbridge Brewery and in the company of kindred brewing spirits. This visit led to a collaboration brew at Thorniridge in 2010.  Fast forward to 2012 to find the two breweries at it again, this time at OdeIl Brewing.  Pond Hopper Double Extra Pale Ale is the love child of this international brewmance. Brewed with English malts and American hops, Pond Hopper brings together the best ingredients each country has to offer, balancing a subtle sweet malt character with hosts of mango and peach hop flavor. It pours a rich golden color with citrus and ripe melon essence in the nose. No matter which side of the pond you’re on, here’s to good beer and good friends. Cheers. 

Style: Imperial IPA
Availability: 750ml bottles
Arrival: TBA

8.9% ABV

by Reid Ramsay
Posted in Coming Soon, Devils Backbone, Heavy Seas, New Releases

Heavy Seas & Devils Backbone Create Land Ho!

Heavy Seas is on the cusp of releasing a new collaboration brewed with Devils Backbone (Roseland, Virginia).  The beer is quite befitting a pirate – a “black pilsner.”  Jason Oliver, brewmaster of Devils Backbone grew up and brewed in the Baltimore/DC Area and known Heavy Sea’s Hugh Sisson for long time.   Hugh approached Jason to work on a new collab and of course he took the opportunity.

A few months back, the Heavy Seas crew went down to Devils Backbone in Virginia to start work on Land Ho!.  The first round was brewed on Backbone’s pilot system.

We designed it to have subtle dark malt notes without being too heavy and balanced by the pronounced noble hop character of a pilsner.  With both our breweries doing multiple black versions of previously paler beer styles this approach seemed to satisfy our collective tastes and fill a niche neither of us have done before. 

Next stop was to scale it up to Heavy Sea’s 50 barrel brewhouse to keg and bottle.

About Land Ho!
This black pilsner adheres to tradition: Noble hops contribute a delicate aroma and slight bitterness to the malt-forward beer, which has a hint of roasted character. The dark color belies the beer’s clean finish and light body. Land Ho! was designed to have some heft, but still maintain drinkability. The style was chosen by Heavy Seas’ brewmaster Ernie Igot, a black pilsner aficionado, and the initial recipe was formulated by Jason Oliver, brewmaster of Devils Backbone; the brewers of both Heavy Seas and Devils Backbone refined the beer to have just the right nose, color, and taste.

Style: Pilsner
Hops: Warrior, Tettnang
Malts:  2-Row, Carapils, BlackPrinz, Caramel

Availability: 22oz bombers, Draft
Arrival: Already avail at Devil’s.  HS release May, 2012.

5.25% ABV

 

by Reid Ramsay
Posted in Coming Soon, Deschutes Brewing, Hair Of The Dog Brewing

Deschutes & Hair Of The Dog’s Collage

Deschutes Brewery is working on a second Conflux Series Collaboration, this time with Hair Of The Dog.   (The first was Conflux #2, or White IPA, brewed with Boulevard Brewing.)

The beer is actually a blend of 4 beers.  Deschutes Dissident and The Stoic.  Hair of The Dog Fred & Adam.  As stated on the label “Aged in distilled spirit & wine barrels.”

Deschutes Brewery and Hair Of The Dog Brewing Company join forces to weave The Dissident and The Stoic and Fred and Adam into an artistic collage of cask-aging alchemy.  Damn, beer is fun.

Style: American Strong Ale (Barrel Aged)
Availability: 22oz bombers, Draft
Arrival: May 14, 2012

11% ABV 

by Reid Ramsay
Posted in Dogfish Head

Sneaky Peeky: Dogfish Head/Dan The Automator Positive Contact

Dogfish Head Positive ContactDogfish Head’s newest musical collaboration features Deltron 3030′s Dan the Automator to create a beer dubbed Postive Contact.  The beer is a fusion (much like the music) of apple cider & spice.

A positive combination of Fuji cider, slow-roasted farro, a bit of cayenne, and fresh cilantro.

Style: Herb/Spice Beer
Availability: 750 ml bottles, Draft

Arrival: TBA

9% ABV 

Check out the full story on Positive Contact

by Reid Ramsay
Posted in Coming Soon, Oskar Blues Brewing, Sun King Brewing

Oskar Blues/Sun King Chaka Hits May 8th

Sun King OB Chaka CansOskar Blues & Sun King Brewing are currently collaborating on Chaka, a Belgian ale.  The beer will be distributed in each of the breweries home states – Indiana and Colorado.   Two sets of artwork were created for the release aas you can see above.   Chaka is brewed with Shagbark hickory syrup (from Indiana) and Belgian pale malt (from Colorado).

Sun King announced this week that the collaboration will arrive on May 8th, 2012.

by Reid Ramsay
Posted in 3 Floyds Brewing, Half Acre Brewing

Half Acre/3 Floyds Mutiny & Mollusk

Per Success Is Not An Option:

This label began life as a confusion between this Man o’ War and this Man o’ War. Eventually both kinds got included. Also, if you look carefully, you will see a goddamn giant kraken.

This beer is only going to be available at the Floyds facility in Indiana, but it is certainly worth a short road trip. And before you ask, yes, actual oysters are involved in the brewing process and it’s not as gross as I assumed it would be when I heard that.

 

by Reid Ramsay
Posted in Coming Soon, Lost Abbey, New Belgium

New Belgium/Lost Abbey Collab: Brett Beer

New Belgium Lost Abbey Brett BeerBehold, the result of Tomme Arthur of The Lost Abbey travelling to New Belgium Brewing to create a Lips Of Faith beer.   Soon, New Belgium will travel to California to brew another version in San Marcos.

The best part of collaboration is discovering mutual passions.  With Lost Abbey it was the wild  yeast strain Brettanomyces.  Using Belgian inspiration, we fermented the beer with brett to bring out tropical fruit notes, crisp haziness and bright flavor.  A touch of fruity sorachi ace hops pleases the palette and entices frequent sips.  

Style: American Wild Ale
Availability: 22oz bombers, Draft
Arrival: TBA

7.5% ABV 

by Reid Ramsay