IPA

Firestone Walker Luponic Distortion 002, aka evolution #2

Firestone Walker Luponic Distortion 002 marks the second iteration of the brewery’s new for 2016 “Luponic” series. The beer changes or as the brewery puts it – “evolves” every 90 days.

Firestone Luponic Distortion started as a specialty draft release. Firestone Walker’s brewer Matt Brynildson Continue Reading →

Burnt Hickory Brewing launches cans

Kennesaw, Georgia based Burnt Hickory Brewing launches their first cans this week. The brewery started with Didjits, a blood orange India pale ale.

Punk rock music fans might recognize the beer name, named for the band The Didjits, formed in the 80’s. Continue Reading →

Posted in Ninkasi Brewing, Don't Miss This

Ninkasi Hop Cooler, a new year-round beer with tangerine & orange peel

Ninkasi Hop Cooler Citrus IPA has joined the brewery’s year-round Flagship Series.

Fruity IPAs are here to stay. Highland Brewing recently added Mandarina IPA year-round, Stone’s Enjoy By Series now has a Tangerine IPA during the year, passionfruit highlights a new edition of Oskar Blues Passionfruit Pinner.

Now, Ninkasi Hop Cooler Citrus IPA, brewed with sweet orange, grapefruit and tangerine joins the increasing national lineup of fruity India pale ales. Hop Cooler is brewed with a strong lineup of hops, including Equinox, Simcoe, Amarillo, and Citra.

Bright and tropical, this India Pale Ale brilliantly layers a citrusy blend of orange and tangerine with a robust hop profile. Crafted with real citrus and packed with as much flavor as a hop cooler, you won’t be able to stop at just one sip of this fresh and fruity beer.

Ninkasi Hop Cooler Citrus IPA is available on draft, plus 12 and 22 ounce bottles. Year-round. The Flagship Series also features Total Domination IPA, Tricerahops Double IPA, and Dawn of the Red IPA.

Style: IPA (w/ Sweet Orange Peel, Grapefruit, Tangerine Peel)
Hops: Equinox, Simcoe, Amarillo, Citra
Malts: 2-Row Pale, Vienna, Acidulated, Honey

Availability: 22oz Bottles, 12oz Bottles, Draft. Year-Round
Debut: Late July, 2016

7.2% ABV

by Reid Ramsay
Posted in Modern Times Beer, Coming Soon

Modern Times Attack Frequency, the first of special cans

Modern Times Attack Frequency, a new special release can, debuts in August.

The San Diego brewer touts this newbie as “a mouthwatering tropical juice bomb” that is built on Citra, Amarillo, El Dorado, and Rakau hops.

…Taken to nigh-on-irresponsible levels of juiciness with the addition of guava and apricot. Seriously, we could spend paragraphs describing it, but how good did that just sound?

Modern Times Attack Frequency is the brewery’s first canned special release, coinciding with the Festival of Dankness the week of August 13th. The cans will be available at the brewery for the entire week.

Style: IPA
Hops: Citra, Amarillo, El Dorado, Rakau

Availability: 16oz Cans
Debut: 8/13/16

7% ABV

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

Firestone Walker Luponic Distortion 002, aka evolution #2

Firestone Walker Luponic Distortion 002 marks the second iteration of the brewery’s new for 2016 “Luponic” series. The beer changes or as the brewery puts it – “evolves” every 90 days.

Firestone Luponic Distortion started as a specialty draft release. Firestone Walker’s brewer Matt Brynildson was setting the stage for a beer he’s always wanted. Something very hoppy. No restraints.

The first edition, a.k.a. Revolution 001, dropped in March. Revolution 002 hops have been “remixed” to give the beer a new twist.

What twist? Luponic 002 leads with a new hop from the Pacific Northwest. Per Brynildson, the hops boast peachy and tropical/papaya notes. Additionally, he used German and New Zealand hops. All in all, three hops Firestone Walker has never used before.

“The southern hemisphere hops add these bright Sauvignon Blanc-like accents of grapefruit and gooseberry, and there’s this new variety out of Europe that ties everything together with honeydew aromas and an underlying herbal pine quality.” – Matt Brynildson

Firestone Walker Luponic Distortion 002 is available in 12 ounce cans for the next 90 days. Then – expect Revolution 003.

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

5.9% ABV

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

Foothills Citra India Pale Ale is July’s highlight

Foothills Citra India Pale Ale is July’s Hop of the Month Series release.

Each beer in the series focuses on one particular hop flavor, giving it a solo spotlight for one month only. Some releases are pilsners, other pale ales. This month, the Foothills brewing team chose an India pale ale to show off the Citra hop – very similar to the tropical flavors found in Foothills Jade IPA.

A distinguished parentage of German, British and American hop varieties were bred to create Citra and its uniquely intense aroma profile — which makes the surprisingly smooth flavor contours of mango, citrus and subtle lemon notes all the more enjoyable.

Foothills Citra India Pale Ale is a 22 ounce bottle and draft offering for a limited time.

Style: IPA
Hops: Citra, German Tradition, Apollo.
Malts: Pilsner, Caramalt, Wheat

Availability: 22oz Bottles, Draft.
Debut: Mid-July, 2016

6.7% ABV, 75 IBUs

by Reid Ramsay
Posted in River Dog Brewing Co, New Releases

River Dog IPA debuts in cans. Ride the shark.

River Dog IPA is hitting shelves now, the brewery’s second can offering.

Nothing says hoppy like a dude riding a shark right? Especially if there are water-skiers involved. River Dog IPA is all about citrus and apricot (trust us, we’ve had it), and easily one of our favorite India pale ales in South Carolina.

Like the fresh waters meeting the salty ocean tides, this unique blend of American malts and citrus hops join forces to create a flavor profile that’s as good as it gets.

River Dog IPA joins Riverwalk Empire Pilsner in 12 ounce cans. Shark it up this summer.

Style: IPA
Availability: 12oz Cans, Draft.
Debut (Cans): July, 2016

6.3% ABV

by Reid Ramsay
Posted in Half Acre Brewing, Seasonal Return, Short's Brewing

Half Acre Freedom of ’78 makes a July return

Half Acre Freedom of ’78 was brought out of retirement last year, after the recipe took 5 years off.

The beer – originally brewed at Short’s Brewing in Michigan, is an India pale ale, brewed with guava. Incidentally, Half Acre touts this beer as “outlandish and crushable, channeling the effect of Ween on the brain.”

Freedom’s label depicts the brewery family crowded a porch in Chicago’s Logan Square neighborhood. The house has a very special brewery history:

Our owner and his wife lived there first, then our head brewer and the woman who would become his wife, then another brewer and his wife and now a couple that met at Half Acre and got married. When they move out, someone else will sign the lease and continue the custom, making sure to preserve the Half Acre lineage.

Half Acre Freedom of ’78 is now available on draft and in 22 ounce bottles.

Style: IPA (w/ Guava)
Availability: 22oz Bottles, Draft. Limited release.
Latest Return: 7/1/16

7% ABV

by Reid Ramsay
Posted in Burnt Hickory Brewery, New Releases

Burnt Hickory Brewing launches cans

Kennesaw, Georgia based Burnt Hickory Brewing launches their first cans this week. The brewery started with Didjits, a blood orange India pale ale.

Punk rock music fans might recognize the beer name, named for the band The Didjits, formed in the 80’s. The Offspring covered their song Killboy Powerhead on their Smash album (probably The Offspring’s most famous, it had Come Out and Play, and Bad Habit tracks on it.)

Burnt Hickory brewed their first beer in 2012 on a 2-barrel system. Since then, the brewery has expanded to a  20-barrel brewhouse.

As with all breweries, this is just the first of many canned offerings coming in the future.

Shelves- July.

Style: IPA (w/ Blood Orange)
Availability: 12oz Cans, Draft.
Debut (Cans): Late June, July, 2016

7% ABV

Image: Burnt Hickory

by Reid Ramsay