Lactose

Posted in Dogfish Head, New Releases

Dogfish Head creates a beer with the active ingredient in pepper spray

Dogfish Head IN YOUR MACE! debuts this month, brewed with the active ingredient found in Mace Pepper Spray. 

A creation brewed for the Extreme Beer Fest in Boston, this beer definitely lives up to the name. Brewery founder Sam Calagione partnered with his high school friend, who incidentally is also the Vice President of Sales at Mace Security International. Most brewers might not have seen the duo finding a way to collaborate but in true Dogfish Head “off-centered” tradition – they did.

RELATED: Dogfish Head releases survival beer, complete with Swiss Army Knife

The base beer is a coffee milk stout, brewed with lactose, chicory, and cinnamon verum chips from the Zanzibar Islands. That all sounds pretty typical until you add the chili oil, which happens to be the same chili oil found in Mace branchicod pepper spray.

“IN YOUR MACE! is one of our most fun and personal partnerships to date and I’m super proud of this small-batch team-up with our friends at Mace Brand pepper spray. Any day we get to brew a beer wearing full body suits, face masks and respirators is a memorable day in the brewhouse.” – Sam Calagione, CEO and Dogfish Founder

The brewery describes the flavor as  “smoky, moderately sweet stout gives off spicy nutmeg, anise and espresso aromas with a palette-warming chili spiced finish.”The beer might awaken your taste buds, but it’s definitely not strong enough to stop an intruder.

In addition to pouring February 2nd and 3rd at the Extreme Beer Festival in Boston, 200, 750-milliliter bottles will be available at the brewery’s Tasting Room in Milton, Delaware on February 17th.

Style: Milk Stout (w/ Cinnamon. Mace. Chili Oil. Chicory. Lactose.)
Availability: 750ml Bottles, Limited Draft.
Debut: 2/1/18

5% ABV

Image: Dogfish Head

by Reid Ramsay
Posted in Firestone Walker Brewing, New Releases

Dunk your cookies in Firestone Walker Nitro Merlin Milk Stout

Firestone Walker Nitro Merlin Milk Stout has been canned for the first time this month.

Two years ago, Nitro Merlin Milk Stout debuted on draft. Since then, Firestone Walker’s brewmaster Matt Brynildson has been researching options to make it work in cans. Ultimately, the brewery accomplishes this without a nitrogen widget.

“We looked at widgets, but couldn’t find a way to use them without exceeding our specs for total dissolved oxygen in the beer, which ultimately affects freshness and shelf life, so we had to look elsewhere.” -Matt Brynildson

The brewery retrofitted the brewery’s canning line with a liquid nitrogen drip machine. A drop of liquid nitrogen is dropped into the can, which immediately turns into nitrogen gas. The can is filled and sealed, mixing the gas in both the liquid and trapped in the headspace. For best effect, use what Firestone Walker calls the “surge pour” by inverting the can three times and pouring hard.

Flavor. Nitro Merlin has been an incredible beer since its inception. Brynildson and his team ported the beer over to cans beautifully. The beer is smooth and creamy, with just a touch of lactose sweetness and hints of milk chocolate. If you’re into beer pairings, drop a few dollars and order Brown Butter Cookie Company’s “Original” cookies . The pairing is as heavenly as it is addictive. They compliment each other so well, you actually want to dip the cookies in the beer. (And fight your friend/lover/spouse for the last bite and sip.)

Firestone Walker Nitro Merlin Milk Stout is the brewery’s first packaged nitro beer, hitting shelves nationally in January 2018.

Style: Milk Stout (w/ Lactose. Nitrogen.)
Availability: 12oz Cans, Draft.
Debut: January 2018

5.5% ABV

Image: Beer Street Journal 

by Reid Ramsay
Posted in Terrapin Beer Company, Don't Miss This, New Releases

Nutella inspired Terrapin Moo-Tella truly delivers

Terrapin Moo-Tella has joined the brewery’s Special Reserve Series.

This specialty lineup started in 2013 with a white chocolate edition of Moo-Hoo, Terrapin’s chocolate milk stout. After a heated round of fan voting, White Chocolate Moo-Hoo snagged a return to the series again (on shelves now).

Since White Chocolate, the series has grown to include dessert inspired releases like French Toasted Wake-n-Bake, and Tiramisu-Hoo.

Now for Terrapin Moo-Tella. The Nutella inspired beer uses their Moo-Hoo Milk Stout, brewed with Nashville based Olive & Sinclair cocoa nibs, and a touch of hazelnut syrup. Brewery co-founder “Spike” Buchowski chose the syrup route because of potential nut allergy issues. Don’t let that slow you down. Moo-Tell really delivers.

Terrapin’s Special Reserve Series milk stouts are a bit more robust and bold than their seasonal Moo-Hoo. As far as Moo-Tella is concerned, the beer truly delivers a Nutella-inspired experience. The nose is a blend of hazelnut and chocolate, with a creamy milk chocolate finish that becomes more and more like the dessert spread as it warms.

Our 2017 Reserve Series release ‘Moo-Tella,” is a Chocolate Imperial Milk Stout so decadent you could eat it with a spoon. The intermingling of Olive and Sinclair chocolate and the rich flavor of hazelnuts creates an experience so pleasurable it should be shared with friends.

Terrapin Moo-Tella is now available in16.9-ounce bottles hitting the market the week of November 12th.

Style: Milk Stout (w/ Hazelnut. Cocoa Nibs. Lactose.)
Availability: 16.9oz Bottles. Limited Release.
Debut: November 2017

8.5% ABV

Image: Beer Street Journal

by Reid Ramsay
Posted in Don't Miss This

NEED. Cigar City Double Barrel Vanilla Imperial Milk Porter debuts Saturday

A new drool-worthy barrel-aged release is coming to Tampa, Florida this weekend. Cigar City Double Barrel Vanilla Imperial Milk Porter.

Back in 2011, Cigar City released Imperial Milk Porter, that had been aged in Stranahan Whiskey barrels. That beer was a creamy, boozy, dream of a beer. Still one of the best beers we’ve had in 10 years here at Beer Street Journal.

Sadly, that beer had to go away after Breckenridge Brewing formed an exclusive partnership with Stranahan. No more whiskey barrels would be headed to the Sunshine State.

This weekend a new beer that sounds awfully like the sexy that was Imperial Milk Stout will rise – Cigar City Double Barrel Vanilla Imperial Milk Porter. The 12.7% alcohol by volume milk stout has been aged in both vanilla bourbon and straight bourbon barrels.

According to the brewery, Double Barrel Vanilla Imperial Milk Porter will be available in 22-ounce bottles in the taproom starting Saturday, November 4th.

Style: Imperial Milk Stout (w/ Lactose. Barrel Aged. Bourbon.)
Availability: 22oz Bottles
Debut: 11/4/17

12.7% ABV

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

Southern Tier Cinnamon Roll expands the brewery’s dessert beer lineup

Southern Tier Cinnamon Roll has debuted going into November, for those needing a little dessert beer by the fireside.

Dessert-style beers have done quite well for the Lakewood, New York-based brewery. Choklat (featuring Belgian chocolate) Salted Caramel, Thick Mint (echoing the Girl Scout cookie) and the big daddy dessert beer – Creme Brûlée all grace the lineup. In mid-November, tack on a cinnamon bun inspired beer to the lineup.

Southern Tier Cold-Press Coffee Pumking debuts in September

The base beer features blend of toasted malts, cinnamon, and a touch of lactose milk sugar for a sweet, creamy finish.

In this brew, lightly toasted malts with subtly spicy hops blend into cinnamon avors and creamy lactose sugar. Their coalescence is so uncannily close to fresh baked cinnamon rolls that it was impossible to name this beer anything other than Cinnamon Roll Imperial Ale! Pairs perfectly with eggs benedict at brunch, after dinner, or next to the re for an unforgettable nightcap.

Southern Tier Cinnamon Roll is now available in late-October in 12 and 22-ounce bottles and draft.

Style: American Strong Ale (w/ Cinnamon. Lactose.)
Availability: 12oz, 22oz Bottles. Draft.
Debut: Late October 2017

8.6% ABV

by Reid Ramsay
Posted in SweetWater Brewing, New Releases

SweetWater Chocolate Milk Stout is Hatchery release #4

SweetWaterChocolate Milk Stout is now a part of the brewery’s “Hatchery Series” as October closes.

For the first time in over 20 years, Atlanta’s largest craft brewery has a pilot system, giving the brewers a place to play. This summer’s hit has been Hatchery Series #2, Mexican Lager.

SweetWater Black Lager is Hatchery release #3

SweetWater Chocolate Milk Stout is now the 4th release in Hatchery Series. Brewers Dan & Drew created this stout reminiscing on those little pints of chocolate milk you had a school lunch. Only now – it can get you drunk.

We used lactose and flaked oats to create a silky smooth, sweet and creamy chocolate brew that will remind you of your younger days. Just don’t let that school bully steal your milk money.

None of the Hatchery releases in the young series have been upscaled to full production…yet. The brewery isn’t ruling out the idea depending on the popularity.

SweetWater Chocolate Milk Stout will be a 12-ounce bottle and draft offering.

Style: Milk Stout (w/ Chocolate. Lactose.)
Availability: 12oz Bottles, Draft. One-Time Release.
Debut: Late October 2017

5.4% ABV

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

SweetWater has bottled their coffee bourbon barrel-aged stout as ‘Sinners Son’

Coffee and bourbon barrel-aging meet in SweetWater Sinners Son, a release that truly needs to be on your radar.

The road to this release began with SweetWater Bourbon Barrel-Aged Imperial Stout. After years of working on the barrel-aged stout, it was finally released in 2015.

RELATED: SweetWater Cherry Pit & The Pendulum debuts soon

Earlier this year, SweetWater opened a new extension to the brewery designed just for wild ales and barrel-aged beers dubbed The Woodlands. Ever so casually, the brewery introduced a coffee infused edition of the bourbon imperial stout on draft in the expansion. The result? Absolutely incredible.

The blend of vanilla oak, freshly roasted coffee, and a touch of bitter chocolate makes SweetWater Sinners Son one of the best barrel-aged coffee stouts we’ve ever tried. It was finally bottled under its new name.

Sinner’s Son is ripe with age, driven to the cellar for months to mature in bourbon barrels. Just prior to bottling, a fresh blend of coffee and espresso beans from the JavaVino farm was introduced to harmonize with roasted malts and bring balance to its complex barrel aged soul. This imperial stout is decadent at 12.4% ABV with rich chocolate and vanilla notes, a velvety mouthfeel, and hints of oak.

SweetWater Sinners Son was blended in late-September and bottled this week.

Style: Imperial Stout (w/ Coffee. Barrel Aged. Bourbon. Lactose.)
Hops: Columbus
Malt: 2 Row, Chocolate, Roasted Barley, Flaked Oats, Crystal, Victory

Availability: 500ml Bottles, Draft.
Debut: Halloween Weekend 2017

12.4% ABV

by Reid Ramsay