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SweetWater Festive 2012 Arrives Mid October

SweetWater Festive 2012, the brewery’s winter warmer, is just weeks away. The beer will arrive shortly after Danktoberfest (hitting shelves now). Festive Ale is brewed with lots of dark malt, plus a bit of cinnamon and mace.

Continue Reading →

Lonerider Atlanta Distribution Delayed

Lonerider Brewing Company (Raleigh, North Carolina) is expanding distribution to Atlanta. The expansion brings two beers to the state – Shotgun Betty (Hefeweizen) , and Sweet Josie Brown (Brown ale, genius).  Both should have already be flowing Continue Reading →

Jailhouse Launches First Doppelbock Today

Jailhouse Brewing (Hampton, GA) is launching their first doppelbock this today. The brewery started the first batches of this brew late this summer. Brewmaster Glen Golden describes this big beer:

Dead Man Walking marks our third entry into our seasonal lineup of Continue Reading →

SweetWater Danktoberfest Bottling [PICS]

Lovers of the lovely liquid that comes of SweetWater Brewery’s Dank Tank, your wait for a new release is here. Behold, Danktoberfest. Tis the season, and time to get festy. Oktoberfesty that is. Yesterday the brewery worked hard bottling and hand Continue Reading →

Posted in New Releases, Wild Heaven Craft Beers, Wrecking Bar Brewpub

Wild Heaven & Wrecking Bar Collaborate on “Wrecking Heaven”

This week, Wild Heaven Craft Beers (Avondale Estates, GA) and The Wrecking Bar (Atlanta, GA) unveil a new collaboration. Just in time for Atlanta Beer Week 2012, the two breweries have created a Polish-style Grätzer dubbed Wrecking Heaven. Before we get into the collab, let’s review what Grätzer is.

Grätzer is the German term for an indigenous Polish beer style called Grodziskie. You’ll see mention of the style in Polish brewing history through the late 1900’s. A Grätzer is a top fermented smoked wheat beer. Why is there a German term for the name? Two reasons actually. Grätzer is derived from the town of Grätz, now known as Grodzisk in Poland. Historically, the brew contained a mix of Polish and German hops & wheat. The two breweries recreated this style, at the Wrecking Bar in Atlanta.

Wrecking Heaven’ is a Grätzer, which is a little-known Polish style that is brewed with smoked wheat malt. We added the twist of some Special B malt as well as using Magnum and Nelson Sauvin hops. It clocks in at around 4.2% ABV and is a deliciously sessionable beer with smoky notes and a piney viniferous nose and finish. It is fermented with a Kolsch yeast and has a dry crispness through the finish with hints of tropical fruits and citrus.

This is Wrecking Bar’s first distributed beer. Tappings to follow.

Style: Smoked Wheat Beer (Grätzer)
Availability: Draft only

4.2% ABV

Taps 10/25/12

Locations: 

@BrickStorePub @TwainsDecatur @PorterBeerBar @TheFredBar @MidwayPub @AugustineATL @TrappezePub (Athens, GA)

by Reid Ramsay
Posted in Coming Soon, SweetWater Brewing

SweetWater Festive 2012 Arrives Mid October

SweetWater Festive 2012, the brewery’s winter warmer, is just weeks away. The beer will arrive shortly after Danktoberfest (hitting shelves now). Festive Ale is brewed with lots of dark malt, plus a bit of cinnamon and mace.

Availabilty: Draft, 12oz bottles, Liter Bottles

8.5% ABV

by Reid Ramsay
Posted in Beer News, Distribution Expansion, Lonerider Brewing Company

Lonerider Atlanta Distribution Delayed

Lonerider Brewing Company (Raleigh, North Carolina) is expanding distribution to Atlanta. The expansion brings two beers to the state – Shotgun Betty (Hefeweizen) , and Sweet Josie Brown (Brown ale, genius).  Both should have already be flowing in Atlanta, but label approval from the state has not been obtained. Government bureaucracy is keeping these ladies out of your glass.

ETA is now late October, fingers crossed.

UPDATE 12/12/12: Officially approved for the State of Georgia. These sexy ladies are ready for glasses.

by Reid Ramsay
Posted in JailHouse Brewing, New Releases

Jailhouse Launches First Doppelbock Today

Jailhouse Brewing (Hampton, GA) is launching their first doppelbock this today. The brewery started the first batches of this brew late this summer. Brewmaster Glen Golden describes this big beer:

Dead Man Walking marks our third entry into our seasonal lineup of beers known as the Trustees. Inspired by the darker days and haunting nights of October, Dead Man Walking is our  interpretation of a German-Style Doppelbock. Munich and Pilsner malt provide a hint of malt sweetness layered with dark crystal and  caramel malts including caramunich and caraaroma. The specialty grains impart noticeable dark fruit accents such as cherries, raisins and cranberries while the background notes of caramel  and cocoa play a haunting tune. A surprisingly semi-dry finish makes for a very drinkable and  refreshing version of a doppelbock.

Look for in 22 oz bombers, and draft in starting this week. (For those in Atlanta, look for a launch party at Cypress Street on 10/2)

Style: Doppelbock

7% ABV, 25 IBUs

Read more: Jailhouse Brewing

 

 

by Reid Ramsay
Posted in Beer News, Red Brick Brewing

Smoked Vanilla Is Red Brick’s Last Brick Mason This Year

Red Brick Brewing (Atlanta, GA) will release Smoked Vanilla Gorilla this week. That will be the last Brick Mason release this year. This is at least the second time the brewery has had to shift the Brick Mason lineup.  Copper thieves caused the first change in January.

Old Stock is 100% barrel aged, and in the barrels now (filled in the same barrels used for 17th Anniversary) and is looking to be released in January, 2013.  Pfeffernüsse Porter, and Saison might join Brick Mason in 2013. 

by Reid Ramsay
Posted in Beer News, New Releases, SweetWater Brewing

SweetWater Danktoberfest Bottling [PICS]

Lovers of the lovely liquid that comes of SweetWater Brewery’s Dank Tank, your wait for a new release is here. Behold, Danktoberfest. Tis the season, and time to get festy. Oktoberfesty that is. Yesterday the brewery worked hard bottling and hand packaging bombers of SweetWater’s first true lager.

Danktoberfest is big, clocking in at 8.5% ABV. Don’t worry though. This beer doesn’t drink that way at all. You can quaff a full 22 ounces of this malty brew and not even know it’s pushing 9%. From the pics, you’ll see bottle filling, freshies coming down the line, and the guys hand boxing them. Head brewer Nick Nock pulled a few off the line for “quality control” purposes.  That’s the bearded fella pictured below. Danktoberfest is only available in 22oz bombers. Draft only at the brewery for tours.

Style: Imperial Oktoberfest
Availability: 22 oz bombers. No Draft
Arrival: Headed to shelves now

8.5% ABV

[PressRelease]

Read more: SweetWater, Dank Tank Series

by Reid Ramsay
Posted in Beer News

Without Home Brew Supplies, Hop City Granted Liquor License In Alabama

Last week, armed ABC agents entered Hop City’s second location in Birmingham, Alabama. The  beer store (founded in Atlanta) is ready to open their second location. Agents entered the unopened location last Thursday and confiscated books  and materials dealing with home brewing.  Nearly $7,000 of grain, books, hops and equipment were taken.

The rest was moved back to the first store in Atlanta, Georgia. After interviewing the owner of Hop City, he tells me that they cooperated with agents the best they could. However, Torres tells BSJ that no warrant was presented to the manager on duty.

On Monday (Sept 24) Hop City was granted their liquor license and will open this week.  No home brewing supplies of course.

It is illegal to home brew in the state of Alabama.

by Reid Ramsay