IPA

New to cans: Birdsong Paradise City

Birdsong Paradise City debuts in cans April 1st. The first year-round beer to join the brewery’s lineup since 2012.

Billed as a “session IPA”, Paradise City features Cascade, Chinook, Amarillo and Idaho 7 hops. The IPA is on the lower side Continue Reading →

Posted in Scofflaw Brewing Co., Don't Miss This, New Releases, Shipyard Brewing

Scofflaw GOAT IPA makes good on Super Bowl Bet

Scofflaw GOAT IPA debuts this Thursday, settling a bet from Atlanta’s ill-fated Super Bowl.

We all know what happened. Atlanta had a massive lead in this year’s Super Bowl, only to see it disappear by the end of the game. The city’s breweries made a few Super Bowl bets, most notably SweetWater with Boston Beer Company, and Scofflaw with Shipyard Brewing. SweetWater has already paid up. Now it’s Scofflaw’s turn.

Scofflaw GOAT IPA is a “New England Style” IPA, chosen because of where the Patriots call home. Scofflaw’s brewmaster Travis Herman worked with Shipyard’s head brew Joe Rank on the recipe.

The new IPA honors the “Greatest Of All Time” New England Patriots while celebrating the friendly collaboration among these two craft brewers. Deep with never-quit character, G.O.A.T. is an unfiltered IPA with a murky first impression that leads into winning flavors and aromas and a miraculous come-from-behind finish.

Scofflaw GOAT IPA will be available on tap at the Atlanta brewery starting Thursday, March 30th. Scofflaw’s Herman sums up his thoughts on the beer: “For spring days when the Atlanta weather is cool,  we’ll use lower pressure in our kegs so Patriots fans can hold on to their glass.” 

G.O.A.T. indeed.

Style: IPA
Hops: Simcoe, Amarillo, Mosaic

Availability: Draft only, limited.
Debut: 3/30/17

7.9% ABV

Scofflaw Brewing’s Matt Shirah looks a bit unhappy in his Patriots jersey…

by Reid Ramsay
Posted in Birdsong Brewing Co., New Releases

New to cans: Birdsong Paradise City

Birdsong Paradise City debuts in cans April 1st. The first year-round beer to join the brewery’s lineup since 2012.

Billed as a “session IPA”, Paradise City features Cascade, Chinook, Amarillo and Idaho 7 hops. The IPA is on the lower side of the boozy spectrum, just 4.8% alcohol by volume, and big on citrusy flavors.

Paradise City is a medium body, crisp IPA with lots of upfront hop aromas. It’s forward on the tangerine & citrusy side with a little hint of more complex piney notes.

Assistant brewer Jeff Bowman designed the recipe for Birdsong Paradise City. Available in 16 ounce cans starting Saturday.

Style: IPA
Hops: Cascade, Chinook, Amarillo, Idaho 7
Malts: Carapils, Wheat, C40, Oats

Availability: 16oz Cans, Draft.
Debut: 4/1/17

4.8% ABV, 45 IBUs

by Reid Ramsay
Posted in Founders Brewing, New Releases

Founders introduces the Centennial IPA 15 pack

Every bit of this is about more bang for your buck. Founders Brewing is introducing the Centennial IPA 15 pack.

The brewery is no stranger to the 15 pack. The first of its size debuted in 2014, starting with All Day IPA. Since then, PC Pils, Mosaic Promise and Azacca IPA have joined ranks.

Founders Centennial IPA is a year-round release by the Grand Rapids, Michigan based brewery. The 7.2% India pale ale highlights the Centennial hop.

Get ready to bask in the glory of the frothy head’s floral bouquet. Relish the citrus accents from the abundance of dry hopping. This one’s sweet, yet balanced. Malty undertones shake hands with the hop character for a finish that never turns too bitter.

Founders Centennial IPA 15 packs will sell for the same price as the 12 packs. ERP $17.99. Nationally in April, 2017.

Style: IPA
Hops: Centennial
Availability: 12oz Cans, Draft.

7.2% ABV

by Reid Ramsay
Posted in Stone Brewing Co., Headlines, New Releases

The next can for Stone: Ghost Hammer IPA

Stone Ghost Hammer IPA release is set for June 2017.

Hoppy mad scientists might be a better way to describe Stone Brewing. Their India pale ale arsenal is vast. Once the brewery settles on a hop combination for one beer, another combination is planned. In June, Stone Ghost Hammer IPA will rise.

Stone’s overnight crew is responsible for this one. While half the world slept, the brewers came up with this new IPA, brewed with coriander, grains of paradise, and blended with citrus. The hop bill is heavy on Belma, Centennial, and Magnum hops.

A brewhouse can never sleep, for brewing beer never slumbers. And what never sleeps must always be tended, and that charge falls to the shoulders of the Overnight Crew. Part brewer, part scientist, these mad fermentationists brave the never silent nights, often alone, to tend to what will become Stone beers. The nights are dark. The cellars are cavernous. Spooky things can happen. Sometimes scary things happen. Once, something terrifyingly good happened. Our mad fermentationists had an idea. Brewed with coriander, grains of paradise, blended with citrus and liberally hopped with Belma, Centennial and Magnum hops. A frighteningly flavorful creation indeed.

Stone Ghost Hammer IPA is slated to release in 12-ounce cans and draft in June 2017.

Style: IPA
Hops: Belma, Centennial, Magnum

Availability: 12oz Cans, Draft.
Debut: June, 2017

6.7% ABV

Image: Beer Street Journal

by Reid Ramsay
Posted in Sierra Nevada, Don't Miss This, Karl Strauss Brewing, New Releases

Sierra Nevada & Karl Strauss “NXS” Red IPA debuts, California only

Late in 2015 the brewing world saw Sierra Nevada and Stone Brewing team up in a hoppy collaboration known as NXS.  The all California creation was split down the middle, with 50% of the IPA batch aged in gin barrels, and 50% in rye whiskey barrels. NXS rises once again this week, this time, with another California based brewery, Karl Strauss.

RELATED: Beer Collaborations

One thing is certain, hops definitely unite brewers. Which ones chosen, and how you brew with them is just one of the things setting you apart. Sierra Nevada and Karl Strauss collective have 65 years of craft brewing under their belt. It is the experience that will bring you what the duo calls “unabashedly hoppy”, an IPA with tropical fruit and citrus hop flavors. Sierra Nevada touts this beer as a “red IPA” and by the looks of it, the moniker fits.

Craft beer was born in California and it was here that brewers created the “west coast” style of hop forward brewing. California is a big state, and NorCal and SoCal often have different approaches to beer – yet remain united through hops.

Sierra Nevada Karl Strauss NXS will be available in 22 ounce bottles, limited to California.

Style: IPA
Availability: 22oz Bottles
Debut: Mid-March, 2017

6.5% ABV

by Reid Ramsay
Posted in Modern Times Beer, Great Notion Brewing, New Releases

Modern Times Effective Dreams, a Great Notion Brewing collaboration

Modern Times Effective Dreams, a collaboration with Great Notion Brewing in Portland, Oregon, debuts this month.

This new IPA is packed with all the juicy hops you love, including Citra, Mosaic, Southern Passion, and new Experimental 9326 hops. Lovers of haze, take note.

…it’s a bewitching confluence of tropical, citrus, & stone fruit flavors and aromas that will make you extremely glad that it came in a 4-pack.

Modern Times Effective Dreams will go on sale on Brown Paper Tickets March 20th. The brewery will email a link for purchase the day of.

Style: IPA
Hops: Citra, Mosaic, Southern Passion, Experimental 9326
Yeast: London III

Availability: 16oz Cans
Debut: 3/20/17

7.2% ABV

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

Wicked Weed Hop Burglar, with blood orange & grapefruit

Wicked Weed Hop Burglar is back for a second year, proving the fruited IPA style is very much on fire across the industry.

This hop-forward release features blood orange, and grapefruit zest, creating a very bright, citrusy beer.

All brewers have begged, borrowed, and burgled in the name of their craft. It takes humility, stubbornness, and some sleight of hand to turn raw ingredients into liquid alchemy. Hop Burglar India Pale Ale, brewed with blood orange grapefruit zest, and liberally dry-hopped, is just such a beer, the kind of bright, citrus-forward IPA that we would do anything to keep brewing. So mind your pockets – and your hops.

Wicked Weed Hop Burglar is a 12 ounce bottle offering, and draft.

Style: IPA (w/ Blood Orange, Grapefruit.)
Availability: 12oz Bottles
Debut: Late-April, 2016
Latest Return: March, 2017

7% ABV

Image: Wicked Weed Brewing

by Reid Ramsay