Peppercorns

Deschutes Zarabanda Bottles This Fall

Deschutes Brewery’s (Bend, OR) Zarabanda will find its way into bottles this fall. Zarabanda is a chef driven saison, meant to be paired with food. The list of ingredients include lemon verbena, pink peppercorn, sumac (a tart spice), and dried lime. Continue Reading →

Big Boss Rare Tequila Offering For Cinco

Big Boss Brewing (Raleigh, NC) and Raleigh Times Bar have spent months acquiring tequila barrels from Olmeca Altos Distillery in Jalisco, Mexico.

The final creation is a limited edition brew called Muerto Viviente (Living Dead). The tequila aged offering will be Continue Reading →

Collaboration: Jolly Pumpkin & Anchorage

Love it when craft brewers collaborate? Then get behind this. Alaska’s Anchorage Brewing and Jolly Pumpkin (Dexter, MI) have created Calabaza Boreal.

Keeping with Jolly Pumpkin’s tradition of funky beer, this Belgian style beer is aged in oak barrels with grapefruit, Continue Reading →

Lost Abbey’s Tomme on New “Blanc”

The Lost Abbey has released Saison Blanc has been released – a saison with golden raisins and white pepper.

Lost Abbey doing a saison? Shocking right? Sarcasm aside, the above is Saison Blanc, an homage to farmers. We are getting close to Continue Reading →

Posted in Deschutes Brewing, Don't Miss This

Deschutes Chef Driven Collaboration “Zarabanda” Released

Deschutes Brewery (Bend, OR) has released their newest collaboration – Zarabanda, a spiced saison.

Zarabanda is a unique collaboration with renowned Chef Jose Andrés, meant to highlight both Deschutes and Andrés innovative styles.

The name is inspired by the Spanish Saraband dance (translated means fun). Brewed with lemon verbena, pink peppercorn, sumac, and dried lime, Zarabanda is truly an balance of brewing innovation and culinary excellence. Gary Fish, Deschutes founder:

Jose and I began discussing the idea of collaborating on a beer many years ago when he first came to Oregon to participate in our Sagebrush Classic Feast charity event. We’re all very excited with how the final beer turned out, and are looking forward to sharing it with craft beer fans and foodies around the country.”

Deschutes Zarabanda will be available in 22oz bombers throughout the brewery’s distribution network, as well as newly added Washington D.C.

Style: Saison (w/ Pink Peppercorn, Sumac, Lemon Verbena, Dried Lime)
Available: Draft (Previously), 22oz Bottles soon.
Arrival: Early November, 2014

6.1% ABV

by Reid Ramsay
Posted in Deschutes Brewing, Headlines

Deschutes Zarabanda Bottles This Fall

Deschutes Brewery’s (Bend, OR) Zarabanda will find its way into bottles this fall. Zarabanda is a chef driven saison, meant to be paired with food. The list of ingredients include lemon verbena, pink peppercorn, sumac (a tart spice), and dried lime. Spicy saisons offset food flavors beautifully.

We looked to acclaimed Chef Joe Andres to help us create a Spanish take on the farmhouse style saison. The addition of Lemon Verbena, pink peppercorn, sumac, and dried lime infuse the chef’s distinctive flavors into the brew – an ale purposefully crafted to compliment all your culinary endeavors. Or be savored all by itself. 

Chef Jose Andres worked with Deschutes on this creation, debuting it at Aspen Food & Wine in June. Zarabanda will be available in 22oz bottles.

Style: Saison (w/ Pink Peppercorn, Sumac, Lemon Verbena, Dried Lime)
Available: Draft (Previously), 22oz Bottles soon.
Arrival: TBA

6.1% ABV

by Reid Ramsay
Posted in Hardywood Park Craft Brewery, New Beers

Hardywood Saison Rustica

by Reid Ramsay
Posted in Big Boss Brewing, New Releases

Big Boss Rare Tequila Offering For Cinco

Big Boss Brewing (Raleigh, NC) and Raleigh Times Bar have spent months acquiring tequila barrels from Olmeca Altos Distillery in Jalisco, Mexico.

The final creation is a limited edition brew called Muerto Viviente (Living Dead). The tequila aged offering will be released this Friday at Raleigh Times Bar in Raleigh, NC. Muerto Viviente is a Belgian strong dark ale that spent three months in the tequila barrels with agave nectar and pink peppercorn.

Big Boss Muerto Viviente is draft only.

Style: Belgian Strong Dark Ale (w/ Agave Nectar, Pink Peppercorns. Barrel Aged. Tequila)
Availability: Draft Only
Arrival: May, 2014

9% ABV

If you go: 

May 2, 2014, 6 pm
Raleigh Times Bar, Raleigh, North Carolina

by Reid Ramsay
Posted in Coming Soon, Headlines, Jolly-Pumpkin

Collaboration: Jolly Pumpkin & Anchorage

Love it when craft brewers collaborate? Then get behind this. Alaska’s Anchorage Brewing and Jolly Pumpkin (Dexter, MI) have created Calabaza Boreal.

Keeping with Jolly Pumpkin’s tradition of funky beer, this Belgian style beer is aged in oak barrels with grapefruit, grapefruit juice, and peppercorns. The name is a mash up of the two brewery’s identities – “boreal” or northern region and “calabaza” meaning pumpkin.

When introspection fails, it’s time to look outward for inspiration. Perhaps Northward! One of the people who inspired me this past year is my friend Gabe Fletcher. of Anchorage Brewing Co. We brewed this beer together. I hope it inspires you.

Jolly Pumpkin & Anchorage Calabaza Boreal will be available in 750ml bottles.

Style: American Wild Ale (w/ Grapefruit, Grapefruit juice, Peppercorns.)
Availability: 750ml Bottles
Arrival: TBA

7% ABV

by Reid Ramsay
Posted in Breakside Brewery, Coming Soon, Headlines, Widmer Brothers Brewing

Widmer Brothers Collaborates with Breakside Brewery

While craft breweries are popping up across the U.S., some breweries have been doing this for 30 years. Widmer Brothers Brewing (Portland, OR) has been at it for three decades, setting new standards for craft beer in the world. A series of collaborations is planned to mark the occasion, like this new saison.

Widmer Brothers Saison à Fleurs is brewed with Portland’s Breakside Brewery. The farmhouse style ale features chrysanthemum, jasmine, and Szechuan peppercorns.

Inspired by the vibrant late spring and early summer seasons, Saison Fieurs Is a lively farmhouse style ale brewed with Chrysanthemum, Jasmine and Szechuan Peppercorn.  A collaboration between Portland’s Breakside Brewery and Widmer Brothers Brewing, Salson a Fieurs Is a unique take on a traditional farmhouse style, marrying rich floral and tropical notes and white pepper yeast character with distinctive spice flavors of the Far East.

Widmer Brothers Saison a Fleurs will be available in 22oz bottles across currently serviced markets.

Style: Saison (w/ Chrysanthemum, Jasmine, Szechuan Peppercorn)
Availability: 22oz Bombers
Arrival: TBA

6.7% ABV

by Reid Ramsay
Posted in Don't Miss This, The Lost Abbey, Videos

Lost Abbey’s Tomme on New “Blanc”

The Lost Abbey has released Saison Blanc has been released – a saison with golden raisins and white pepper.

Lost Abbey doing a saison? Shocking right? Sarcasm aside, the above is Saison Blanc, an homage to farmers. We are getting close to harvest season, a physically rough time for those who work the fields, making the grain in your brew. Brewed with golden raisins and white pepper.

Style: Saison (Golden Raisins, White Pepper)
Availability: 12.7 oz bottles, Corked & Caged. Draft.

5.5% ABV

by Reid Ramsay