IPA

Firestone Walker Luponic Distortion 003 debuts

Firestone Walker Luponic Distortion 003, the third edition in the brewery’s hop focused series, is now available.

Earlier this year, the Paso Robles, California bssed brewery debuted the Distortion Series, something brewer Matt Brynildson has always wanted. Something very hoppy. Experimental. No Continue Reading →

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

Madtree Blood Orange Psychopathy debuts today

MadTree Blood Orange PsycHOPathy will be available in cans this month, thanks to a strong demand by the brewery’s fanbase.

The beer debuted in fall of 2015 as a taproom experiment. A experiment MadTree Brewing says, customers couldn’t get enough of. The brewery took their popular PsychHOPathy IPA and added fresh blood orange juice, giving the beer a citrus kick.

“The tart and sweet character of the real Blood Orange juice complements the citrus, floral, and grassy hop flavors in PsycHOPathy. Plus, these are the some of the sexiest cans out there.” – Brady Duncan, MadTree Co-founder

Those sexy cans Brady mentions are thanks to Cincinnati artist Margaret Weiner. She is one of many local artists that designs all of MadTree’s can and bottle art.

What to expect. Hops and blood oranges. Not to over-talk this one, but the two big elements at play here – the flavor signature of the base IPA  PsycHOPathy, and the citrusy twinge of blood orange juice. We can see why fans demanded it.

MadTree Blood Orange PsycHOPathy will be available in 12 ounce cans starting the week of September 12th, for a limited time.

Style: IPA (w/ Blood Orange)
Availability: 12oz Cans, Draft
Debut: 9/12/16

6.2% ABV, 72 IBUs

by Reid Ramsay
Posted in Avery Brewing, New Releases

Avery Pow Day IPA, a magazine collab debuts

Avery Pow Day IPA in on the horizon in Boulder, Colorado. A collaboration with Freeskier Magazine.

Freeskier Magazine is a ski media company that is also based in Avery’s home of Boulder, Colorado. Beer and skiing are two things Colorado does pretty damn well. Drinking beer and skiing should be a national pastime. Avery and Freeskier – good stuff.

Avery Pow Day IPA features coffee from Boulder based Ozo Coffee. Hoppy enough to get you going, coffee to keep you going.

Free skier is an independent ski media company based in Boulder, Colorado. Like our friends and neighbors at Avery Brewing, we pride ourselves on producing the finest quality products on the planet, which is exactly what you’re holding in your hand. This collaborative beer, hand crafted by Freeskier & and Avery, celebrates that perfect powder day shared by friends. We hope that you enjoy this glorious Pow Day IPA as much as we enjoyed making it.

Avery Pow Day IPA is a draft and 12 ounce can offering. The beer can be found at Freeskier events throughout the winter, and in the Avery taproom while supplies last.

Style: IPA (w/ Coffee)
Hops: Simcoe, Chinook, Bravo
Malts: Two-row, Aromatic
Coffee: Organic Columbia Narino, Organic Honduras Las Capucas Omar Rodriguez

Availability: 12oz Cans, Draft.
Debut: September, 2016

6.3% ABV

by Reid Ramsay
Posted in Firestone Walker Brewing, Don't Miss This, New Releases

Firestone Walker Luponic Distortion 003 debuts

Firestone Walker Luponic Distortion 003, the third edition in the brewery’s hop focused series, is now available.

Earlier this year, the Paso Robles, California bssed brewery debuted the Distortion Series, something brewer Matt Brynildson has always wanted. Something very hoppy. Experimental. No restraints. Plus, the beer changes every 90 days.

Firestone Walker Luponic Distortion 003 is a blend of nine different hops, with characteristics of the first two releases, plus something new.

Brynildson found a new German hop on a Hallertau trip to Germany. It’s so new, it doesn’t have a name yet. It boasts a juicy Mandarin orange flavor, while still being very distinctly German.

“It probably wasn’t supposed to be shared for brewing on a commercial scale, but they knew we were excited about it.”

Hailing from the Pacific Northwest is another hop – Comet. This hop rose out of the wave that brought Centennial and Cascade hops into use.

Firestone Walker Luponic Distortion 003 boasts a strong juicy and fruity flavor, 100% derived from hops. Available in 12 ounce cans for the next three months.

Style: American IPA
Availability: 12oz Cans, Draft.
Release: September, 2016

5.9% ABV

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

Wicked Weed Juiceless, a Creature Comforts collaboration debuts this weekend

Wicked Weed Juiceless, a collaboration with Athens, Georgia based Creature Comforts, debuts August 27th.

Collectively, the two breweries have bragging rights as they each brew some of the most popular India pale ales in the southeast. (See Wicked Weed Pernicious and Creature Comforts Tropicalia.) Both are known for being hoppy, juicy, and downright decadent IPAs.

RELATED: Creature Comforts teams up with Arizona Wilderness

Here in mid-2016, fruited IPAs are all the rage. The fruited subset of the most popular style in the craft brewing segment has made the biggest sales gains over past 18 months according the Brewer’s Association. When it comes to Wicked Weed Juiceless, the breweries tout “cracking the juicy code” without using actual fruit. They have created a juicy IPA without juice. It’s “Juiceless.”

How are they doing it? They are using the biggest, most fruit-forward hops around. If the label artwork is any indication, you’ll find hoppy pineapple notes.

Wicked Weed and Creature Comforts love the citrusy, crisp, hoppy flavor of fruited IPAs, but we wanted to put a unique twist on this delicious style. For this collaboration beer, we cracked the juicy code without using any fruit. Is it hoppy? Of course. Smooth? Certainly. Juicy? THE JUICIEST. Made with fruit? Absolutely not. All the fruit flavor, all from the hops. This beer IS what it ISN’T

Wicked Weed Juiceless will be a 16.9 ounce bottle offering, bottled by Wicked Weed in Asheville. The first bottles will be available alongside to most recent return of White Angel this weekend. Distribution to follow the first week of September.

Style: IPA
Availability: 16.9oz Bottles
Debut: 8/27/16

7.7% ABV

by Reid Ramsay
Posted in Boulevard Brewing, New Releases

Boulevard Tasting Room Rosemary IPA joins Sample Twelve

Boulevard Tasting Room Rosemary IPA joins the brewery’s Tasting Room Series this fall.

As the name suggests, the Tasting Room Series got its start in Boulevard’s Kansas City, Missouri Tasting Room. A selection of test batches, one-offs and other experiments that could one day be a full production brew.

Some of the beers are so well received in the Tasting Room, they get a small promotion to the brewery’s Sample Twelve Mixed Pack, that does see distribution. This fall, Boulevard Tasting Room Rosemary IPA is a part of that pack.

Inspired by a beer from Cerveza Granizo tasted during a judging session in Chile, Boulevard Brewmaster Steven Pauwels became intrigued with the idea of using rosemary in a hop forward beer to explore the interaction between bright herbaceous/savory flavors and punchy/fruity hops.

You can taste the result yourself in the fall Sample Twelve Pack, that ships to all Boulevard markets. Boulevard Tasting Room Rosemary IPA is a 12 ounce bottle release, joined by a new Milk Stout in the box.

Style: IPA (w/ Rosemary)
Hops: Chinook, Simcoe, Citra, Cascade

Availability: 12oz Bottles, Mixed Pack only
Debut: August, 2016

6% ABV, 59 IBUs

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

Short’s Psychedelic Cat Grass, packaged and delivered in 24 hours (starting today)

Short’s Psychedelic Cat Grass hits distribution starting today. The brewery has been packaging since dawn this morning. This beer is all about fresh.

Triple dry-hopped India pale get your attention? Just wait, it gets better. Short’s Psychedelic Cat Grass is being packaged and shipped within 24 hours.

The idea came from brewery partner Scott Newman-Bale. Take an over-the-top India pale ale, and get it out to the pub patrons within a day. Being the bold brewery that they are, Short’s has decided to push the envelope and put this beer into distribution for the first time.

RELATED: Short’s debuts Power of Love

Aromas of pineapple, mango, and grapefruit accompany the brew’s slightly hazy, pale orange color and lasting white head. A dry finish is preceded by balanced flavors of tropical fruit and bitter hops.

Newman-Bale mentions that Short’s Psychedelic Cat Grass will be sent to any distributor willing to undertake the challenge of same-day distribution. Currently, Michigan’s Imperial Beverage has accepted the challenge.

Short’s Psychedelic Cat Grass is a 12 ounce bottle and draft release, debuting August 17th. Each six pack will contain a pair of 3-D glasses for good psychedelic fun.

Style: IPA
Availability: 12oz Bottles, Draft
Debut: 8/17/16

7.1% ABV, 91 IBUs

by Reid Ramsay
Posted in Flying Dog Brewing, New Releases

HOT. Flying Dog Carolina Reaper Peach IPA

Flying Dog Carolina Reaper Peach IPA is now a part of the brewery’s “Heat Series.” This hot one is notable. Especially if you love hot food.

It’s all about the Carolia Reaper pepper. You should know it by now as the world’s hottest pepper. It’s ridiculously hotter than Jalapeño. It’s hotter than Ghost Peppers. The brainchild of Puckerbutt Pepper Company’s Ed Currie.

So this isn’t just all heat (and later intestinal discomfort), the brewery added peaches.

 This beer’s sweet peach and juicy hops hit you first and then the Reaper chews you up and spits you out. One to fear, for sure.

The brewery said it best when they said Flying Dog Carolina Reaper Peach IPA goes hard in the paint. That’s a hot, menacing pepper. You won’t soon forget it.

Style: IPA (w/ Carolina Reaper Peppers, Peaches)
Availability: 12oz Bottles
Debut: Mid-August, 2016

6.8% ABV

by Reid Ramsay