IPA

Retired: SweetWater Hop Hash

SweetWater Hop Hash will soon be retired. The brewery’s first large scale release using the hoppy, sticky dust found after the hop extrusion process is dropping from the lineup.

The IPA was hopped with the dust that is left behind after hops are Continue Reading →

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
Posted in SweetWater Brewing, Don't Miss This

Retired: SweetWater Hop Hash

SweetWater Hop Hash will soon be retired. The brewery’s first large scale release using the hoppy, sticky dust found after the hop extrusion process is dropping from the lineup.

The IPA was hopped with the dust that is left behind after hops are extruded in the pelletizing process. The first time SweetWater fans found Hop Hash, it was in Dank Tank release Johnny Hash. The beer was well received that the brewery created Hop Hash. Hash Session and Hash Brown soon followed after.

SweetWater Hop Hash debuted in October of 2014. Despite eliminating this release, the brewery tells Beer Street Journal that more “hash” beers will soon be found in the brewery’s very hoppy lineup.

“It’s true – RIP, Hop Hash and Take Two Pils.  It’s not uncommon for us (or many craft brewers for that matter) to retire a brew; we like to keep the offerings fresh. Good news for Hop Hash fans is that Hash Session IPA, as of this month, is a year round offering, and Hash Brown India Brown Ale returns as our fall seasonal.  Both have that full-flavor, resiny goodness that Hop Hash delivered. Hash Session also provides the lower ABV drinkability that fans of Take Two may have liked.” – SweetWater Brewing Company

SweetWater Hash Brown, brewed in similar fashion, just hit shelves again in August.

Style: IPA (w/ Hop Hash)
Hops: Centennial, Simcoe, Cascade

Availability: Retired

7.8% ABV

Hop Hash is inspired by another “Hash” offering from the Dank Tank, Johnny Hash…

SweetWater’s Latest Dank Tank: Johnny Hash from BeerStreetJournal.com on Vimeo.

by Reid Ramsay
Posted in Three Taverns Brewery, Don't Miss This, New Releases

Three Taverns A Night On Ponce IPA cans hit the market [PICS]

Three Taverns A Night On Ponce, the brewery’s extremely popular American IPA, will be available in cans for the first time in August. The beer is an American spin on the brewery’s Belgian-style IPA, A Night in Brussels.

Three Taverns opened their brewery with A Night in Brussels in their lineup. Inspired by just that – an evening in one of the world’s most well known beer cities. To create Three Taverns A Night on Ponce, the brewery used the same recipe for Brussels, and swapped out the Belgian yeast to an American yeast.

The name and artwork depict one of Atlanta’s famous streets, Ponce de Leon Avenue.

A Night on Ponce IPA grafts an American ale yeast onto the same malts and hops used in A Night in Brussels IPA. The result is an entirely different beer, which announces its presence with lush notes of citrus fruit before tapering to a clean, dry finish.

Beer Street Journal spoke with the brewery’s founder Brian Purcell ahead of this release. By now you’ve heard all the reasons why a brewery made the move to cans – recyclability, cans can go places glass can’t, etc. The thing is, Purcell said years ago that he’d never release cans. As you CAN see now, you can’t accuse him of being inflexible.

This IPA has gone from debut to runaway flavor success almost overnight. The primarily Belgian-style brewery (with a true Belgian at the brewing helm) created one of the southeast’s best IPAs by just changing the yeast in a beer they were already producing. Today it finds a dual life in aluminum. The success, we hope continues.

Style: IPA
Availability: 12oz Bottles, 12oz Cans, Draft.
Debut (Cans): 8/12/16

7.5% ABV

Three Taverns will have three cans in their lineup by the end of the month – Prince of Pilsen, Night on Ponce, and Rapturous (Raspberry Sour.) All images: Beer Street Journal.

by Reid Ramsay
Posted in Upslope Brewing Company, Don't Miss This

Upslope Mosaic IPA. The reason we love this hop so much.

Upslope Mosaic IPA is the latest edition in the brewery’s ongoing Tap Room Series. Perfect for a day like today. (IPA Day.)

The Tap Room Series spans all styles, basically at the whim of the brewing team. Being middle of the summer, we are willing to bet a single hopped India pale ale was an easy choice. This release features Mosaic hops – a hop in high demand these days. With good reason. By now you have to be pretty familiar with Mosaic hops – a recent runaway star in the aroma hop game. They smell of tropical fruit, and have a “mosaic” of citrus flavors, even a bit piney.

Upslope Mosaic IPA rocks all that and more. While this 19.2 ounce can of hop love is only available in the Upslope taprooms, we cast our vote for making this at least a seasonal.

Style: IPA
Hops: Mosaic
Availability: 19.2oz Cans, Draft. Limited release.
Debut: Summer, 2016

7.5% ABV

by Reid Ramsay
Posted in Burial Beer Co, New Releases

Burial Surf Wax IPA finds cans for the first time

Burial Surf Wax IPA will be available for the first time in cans this weekend.

The hoppy offering has been available for a while on draft year-round at the brewery in Asheville. As the brewery expands their canned lineup, the time has come to promote it to cans.

Simply made with Golden Promise and Crystal 120 malts, this West Coast-styled IPA is packed with copious amounts of Nelson Sauvin and Columbus hops to provide a heady, danky bite. We then dry hopped with more than 2lbs per barrel to give it a more robust aroma.

Burial Surf Wax IPA will release alongside Burial’s collaboration with New York’s Other Half Brewing on August 6th, 2016.

Style: IPA
Availability: 12oz Cans, Draft.
Debut (Cans): 8/6/16

6.5% ABV

by Reid Ramsay
Posted in Golden Road Brewing, New Beers

Golden Road Wolf Pup Session IPA

Golden Road Wolf Pup Session IPA

by Reid Ramsay