Lagers

NEW RELEASE: Bell’s Lager

New to Atlanta anyway! Now arriving and rounding out Bell’s Brewing’s diverse portfolio of beers is “Lager Beer”.

Commercial Description:
Nicely balanced, Bell’s Lager Beer focuses on the flavors developed in the brew house, matching a crisp bitterness & distinctive herbal hop Continue Reading →

Der Biergarten Opens In Atlanta!

Atlanta gets it’s own beer garden Wednesday! Der Biergarten opens its doors at 300 Lucky Street downtown Atlanta featuring a German flair that was lacking in the downtown scene.  Expect authentic German beer and food.

Beer gardens originated in Bavaria somewhere during the 19th century.  During this time,  dark lagers were in fashion.  King Ludwig I of Bavaria issued a degree that these dark lager beers had to be brewed in the cold months. (Lagering requires colder temperatures than top fermenting ales do.)  As the weather turned warmer, these lagers still required colder temperature to maintain freshness and flavor.  

ON SHELVES: Sierra Nevada 30th Vol#2

The second installment of Sierra Nevada 30th Anniversary has arrived.  Helles Lager.

The second release celebrating 30 years of brewing by Sierra Nevada (Chico, CA),  is Charlie, Fred and Ken’s Lager.  ”Helles” is a German adjective for “light, or light one.” Continue Reading →

ARRIVING SOON: Sierra Nevada 30 Vol. 2

The second release celebrating 30 years of brewing by Sierra Nevada (Chico, CA),  is Charlie, Fred and Ken’s Lager.  “Helles” is a German adjective for “light, or light one.”  Helles as it relates to describing beer is referring to the Continue Reading →

New Launch – Moa Brewing

Launching on Friday are 3 offerings from Moa Brewing Company all the way from New Zealand.   This is the first time Moa has been offered in the Atlanta market.  These offerings will initially be found in one place — Hop Continue Reading →

Posted in Bell's Brewing, New Releases

NEW RELEASE: Bell’s Lager

New to Atlanta anyway! Now arriving and rounding out Bell’s Brewing’s diverse portfolio of beers is “Lager Beer”.

Commercial Description:
Nicely balanced, Bell’s Lager Beer focuses on the flavors developed in the brew house, matching a crisp bitterness & distinctive herbal hop aromas to a simple yet firm backbone built from Pils & Munich malts. Following in the tradition of Bohemian-style pilsners, this beer spends a full six weeks maturing in the fermentation vessels. This extended conditioning period refines the overall flavor, highlighting the contributions of the malts & hops.

Style: American Pale Lager

Taste Expectations:  This is a crisp, clean lager with grassy hops accented by pale malts. Slightly spice with sweet grain. A real king of beers.

Availability: 12oz/6pks. Draft.  Year round.

5% ABV

Looking for this? 9/22  – In stock at Green’s. Hop City on Thursday.  Your store have it? Leave a comment!

by Reid Ramsay
Posted in Uncategorized

Der Biergarten Opens In Atlanta!

Beer gardens originated in Bavaria somewhere during the 19th century.  During this time,  dark lagers were in fashion.  King Ludwig I of Bavaria issued a degree that these dark lager beers had to be brewed in the cold months. (Lagering requires colder temperatures than top fermenting ales do.)  As the weather turned warmer, these lagers still required colder temperature to maintain freshness and flavor.   Refrigeration as we know it was still many years away.  As a result, breweries dug beer cellars along the Isar River in order to keep the beer cold.  As an added step, trees were planted over thehe cellars to keep the cellar a few degrees cooler.

In natural progression the beer cellar became more than a storage space.  These dark lagers were served from the cellar.  Tables and chairs were set up under the trees above the beer cellars and thus the beer garden was born.  King Ludwig I (aka Crazy King Ludwig) issued a decree that food cannot be served by the beer garden, causing the patrons to bring their own food.  While Ludwig’s decree is no longer in force, it is still a common practice for patrons of beer gardens in Germany to bring in their own food.

Atlanta gets it’s own beer garden Wednesday! Der Biergarten opens its doors at 300 Lucky Street downtown Atlanta featuring a German flair that was lacking in the downtown scene.  Expect authentic German beer and food (Brats and wursts, strudels, pretzels etc.)  Der Biergarten is is 7,000 square feet with flat panel tvs.   More importantly a big German beer list:

Warsteiner Pilsner
Warsteiner Dunkel
Warsteiner Oktoberfest
Paulaner Hefeweizen
Paulaner Octoberfest
Pilsner Urquel
Konig
Spaten Lager
Spaten Optimator
Spaten Oktoberfest
Tucher Hefe
Franzikaner Dunkel
Weihenstephaner Hefeweizen

Bottles:

Paulaner Salvator
Weinstephaner Original
Beck’s Lager
Tucher Dunkel
Hacker-Pschorr Weisse
Hacker-Pschorr Edel
Paulaner Hefe
Schneider weisse
Ayinger Brau-weisse
Aventinus
St. Pauli Girl

In addition – Look for offerings from Belgium, Ireland, Spain, Italy, and Canada plus a host of domestics!

Der Biergarten
 300 Marietta Street
 Atlanta, GA 30313

Twitter: @DerBiergarten

by Reid Ramsay
Posted in New Releases, Sierra Nevada

ON SHELVES: Sierra Nevada 30th Vol#2

The second installment of Sierra Nevada 30th Anniversary has arrived.  Helles Lager.

The second release celebrating 30 years of brewing by Sierra Nevada (Chico, CA),  is Charlie, Fred and Ken’s Lager.  ”Helles” is a German adjective for “light, or light one.”  Helles as it relates to describing beer is referring to the color, not abv.  This lager however, is actually an imperial helles lager at 8.3% abv.  Helles lager is malt accentuated lager, with some sweet flavors making it a rather interesting, full bodied lager.

This edition celebrates the friendship between Fred Eckhart and Charlie Papazian — two individuals that as Sierra Nevada puts it “launched a thousand breweries.”  Their most famous book — “The Art of Homebrewing” has inspired countless individuals to homebrew, and in turn found breweries.   A big step forward for the craft beer movement in America.

Sierra’s description of Charlie, Fred and Ken’s Lager  –

“Bold yet balanced with distinct toasted malt character, moderate sweetness and clean floral hops”

Availability — 750 ml, corked and caged bottles. One time, small batch, anniversary brew. Limited draft offerings.

8.3% ABV

6/11 – Greens and Hop City now all have this new brew!


by Reid Ramsay
Posted in Coming Soon, Sierra Nevada

ARRIVING SOON: Sierra Nevada 30 Vol. 2

The second release celebrating 30 years of brewing by Sierra Nevada (Chico, CA),  is Charlie, Fred and Ken’s Lager.  “Helles” is a German adjective for “light, or light one.”  Helles as it relates to describing beer is referring to the color, not abv.  This lager however, is actually an imperial helles lager at 8.3% abv.  Helles lager is malt accentuated lager, with some sweet flavors making it a rather interesting, full bodied lager.

This edition celebrates the friendship between Fred Eckhart and Charlie Papazian – two individuals that as Sierra Nevada puts it “launched a thousand breweries.”  Their most famous book – “The Art of Homebrewing” has inspired countless individuals to homebrew, and in turn found breweries.   A big step forward for the craft beer movement in America.

Sierra’s description of Charlie, Fred and Ken’s Lager  –

“Bold yet balanced with distinct toasted malt character, moderate sweetness and clean floral hops”

Availability – 750 ml, corked and caged bottles. One time, small batch, anniversary brew. Limited draft offerings.  Shipping now from the brewery. Arriving soon.

8.3% ABV

by Reid Ramsay
Posted in New Releases, Terrapin Beer Company

COMING SOON: Terrapin SP#11 Boom ShakaLager

Someone asked me recently if there has been a follow up to Terrapin’s Black IPA Side Project #10 – Capt’n Krunkles.  The answer – no not yet, but soon.  Very soon.  What is #11?  Here’s a sneak peak.

Side Project #11 dubbed “Boom ShakaLager” is a Bavarian style imperial lager.  Brewed with Bavarian yeast of course – expect German hops and malts also.  Estimated release date – June, but there a lot more info to come before that happens.  It’s rare to see a lager from Terrapin, as the label explains –

“Boom ShakaLager is the next installment in Terrapin’s “Side Project” series of beers. This Imperial Lager is made exclusively with German malts, German hops and a true Bavarian lager yeast strain.  While 99% of the beers brewed at Terrapin are ales, we figured we should show some love to the lager style as well. Not that this off-beat, big beer is going to be brewed to a traditional style or anything.”

Availability – 22oz bombers & draft. 1 time release.  Release date to follow.

by Reid Ramsay
Posted in Moa Brewing, New Launches

New Launch – Moa Brewing

Launching on Friday are 3 offerings from Moa Brewing Company all the way from New Zealand.   This is the first time Moa has been offered in the Atlanta market.  These offerings will initially be found in one place — Hop City.

Moa beer was first realized by Josh Scott, a winemaker at his family winery, Allan Scott Family Winemakers in Marlborough, New Zealand.  Josh thought after years of winemaking, what if he applied these winemaking techniques to craft brewing?  Moa beer uses local champagne.  I got to taste these today, and each is unique and effervescent with a  bubby mouthfeel.  New Zealand hops, malts, wheats, and barley.  Once bottled, Josh Scott carbonates these beers like champagne.

The 3 offerings launching Friday are —

Moa Original — Pilsner, 5.5% ABV.  Vienna & Wheat malts.  Noble hops Saaz & Hallertau, w/ Nelson area grown hops.  Both pellet and cone hops were used to give bitterness and aroma.  German style pilsner with citrus notes and bready yeast balance.

Blanc Wheat — Weissbier, 5.5% ABV.  Utilizes both pilsner and wheat malts.  Low hop content.  Flavors include banana, and vanilla. Very subtle, drinkable and unassuming.

Noir Dark Lager — Euro Dark Lager, 5.5% ABV.  Pilsner, Munich, & Crystal and Chocolate malts.   Low hop content also in the dark lager.  Wine yeast used for bottle fermentation.  Expect bottle sediment.  Flavors include coffee & chocolate.   Very little bitterness.  Definite favorite.

No word yet if more Moa beers will follow.  Again, initially these offerings will solely be available at Hop City on launch on Friday.  All bottles are corked & caged, with a $7.99 price tag.

by Reid Ramsay
Posted in Great Divide, New Releases

New Year Round Offerings from Great Divide

Great Divide is adding 2 more seasonal beers into its year round lineup — Hoss Rye Lager and Claymore Scotch Ale.  Both beers were released in 2009 and made debuts at the Great American Beer Festival (GABF) in Colorado.  Hoss and Claymore were so well received, Great Divide decided to go full time with these offerings.

Hoss Rye Lager – is a Marzen/Octoberfest Lager.   It is a Marzen full of flavor, with caramel malts and a touch of sweetness.  The rye added to this marzen gives Hoss some spice.  Mild noble hop notes makes this marzen balanced and drinkable.  6.2% ABV

Claymore Scotch Ale –  as the name dictates is a Scotch Ale.  Claymore draws its name from a medieval sword.  This malt forward beer is a tribute to the Scottish Wee Heavy style.  At 7.7%, the alcohol gives the drinker a warming sensation.  A quite tasty Scotch Ale.

Both are now available year round in bottle and draft offerings.

by Reid Ramsay