Alabama ‘Free the Hops’ beer bill goes to Senate

Posted on March 20, 2008 by Adam Nason

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(Montgomery, AL) – Free the Hops, a foundation of people promoting the rise of the Alabama ABV limit from 6% to nearly 14% was able to get the House to approve the bill. The bill will now move to the Senate. Law is complicated, though, and as some of the group’s leaders note, there is no guarantee that the bill will go before the Senate by the end of the current session. If I interpreted Wikipedia correctly, there are 105 days in the session following February 5 so this could go on into late May. To put into perspective the plight of Alabamians and their affinity of craft beer, they have in-state access to only one beer of the top 100 listed on Beer Advocate. To hear some of what was said when the bill went to the floor, this is must-listen audio. As Lew Bryson from Seen Through a Glass points out, the politician who comes on at the 5:33 mark is classic…or frustrating, depending on how you look at it.

Coast Brewing bottles hit streets tomorrow

Posted on March 19, 2008 by Adam Nason

(North Charleston, SC) – Follow-up item on something we reported earlier here. Jaime posted an update over on the brewery’s blog today; here’s an excerpt: “HopArt IPA and Blackbeerd Imperial Stout are hitting Ted’s Butcher Block tomorrow- though I think he is holding them for a release on Saturday given the demand. Whole Foods will be getting some in the next little while and probably a smaller bit at Wine A While as well. I‘ll update when I know for sure.”

Idaho brewpub honors Prohibition repeal with 10 cent beers

Posted on March 18, 2008 by Adam Nason

(Pocatello, Idaho) – Great news out of Idaho. This little brewery and restaurant in eastern Idaho will be celebrating the repeal of Prohibition, for which the 75th anniversary date just happens to be April 7, by selling 9-oz. beers for 10 cents. It might just be the most business on a Monday night that Portneuf Valley Brewing Company will ever see (I’d link to the brewery but their site appears to be down). You can read the rest of the story at the Spokesman Review.

Vaccaro reveals Smoke from the Oak details

Posted on March 18, 2008 by Adam Nason

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(Pleasantville, NY) – This is a follow-up on an item we recently reported here. Vaccaro set a release date of Friday, March 28 for Smoke from the Oak (Wine Barrel). This is a highly-rated beer with relatively few reviews but Captain Lawrence’s name is becoming more well-known and it there is expected to be some buzz surrounding the release. Here are the details pulled straight from the newsletter. To sign up for it, head over to the brewery’s website and click on the “Join the Newsletter” link.

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The time has come to release the second vintage of our Smoke from the Oak – Wine Barrel. The beer inside the bottle was once our Smoked Porter, but after aging in both French and American oak barrels that previously held red wine for many months, it has become a totally new beer. The flavors of the wine and oak barrel have woven themselves into the beer giving it the aromas and flavors of ripe red fruit, as well as a slightly acidic finish. The beer has undergone a secondary fermentation in the barrel with Brettanomyces which has contributed to the aroma and the flavor of the beer as well.

2008 Production: 130 cases
Release Date: Friday, March 28, 4pm
Price: $12, Limited to 3 bottles per person

Please no emails or phone calls, we will not be pre selling or reserving any bottles, if you want to try it come to the brewery and visit us.

On another note, we will be having our Second Anniversary party on Saturday, May 17. I will post details on the web site as they become available, but plan on a rocking afternoon of beer, BBQ and music.

MA Politician proposes new BAC limit of .02

Posted on March 17, 2008 by Adam Nason

(Taunton, MA) – Not your typical beernews story but one that deserves a post nonetheless. A Taunton policitician wants to lower the legal limit for blood alcohol content level while behind the wheel from .08 to .02.

“Rep. James Fagan’s legislation would slash the current .08 blood-alcohol limit recognized nationwide as the standard for being legally drunk to .02. Federal government research indicates a 160- to 240-pound man would register .02 sipping one glass of wine over the course of an hour.”

See the rest of the article here: Bill on tap to dry up ALL drinking, driving

Alesmith to release 2007 Decadence, Barrel-Aged Speedway, others

Posted on March 16, 2008 by Adam Nason

(San Diego, CA) – Alesmith announced that it has brewed an imperial porter to release as its third beer in the Decadence series. It is expected to be released on April 1 at the brewery along with barrel-aged versions of Speedway Stout, Wee Heavy, and Old Numbskull. Alesmith is also selling a 2006 vintage batch of Grand Cru at the brewery. This info is taken straight from the newsletter and rather than try to paraphrase we’ll just let you read the whole thing. To sign up for the newsletter, just go to www.alesmith.com and click on “ALESMITH NEWSLETTER” at the bottom of the page.

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SPECIAL ALESMITH ANNOUNCEMENT!

In honor of April Fool’s Day, let’s play a game called “Two Truths and a Lie.” Two of the following things I’m about to tell you about our next release date are true, while one of them is, you guessed it, a lie. You decide…

On April 1st we will be selling three vintages of barrel-aged beers from 2006: Barrel-Aged Wee Heavy, Barrel-Aged Old Numbskull, and Barrel-Aged Speedway Stout. Need I say more?

On April 1st, available at the brewery for the first time…Decadence 2007! We’re REALLY excited about this beer and it’s time to share it with you all.

On April 1st we will be selling our finest 1990 Vintage Speedway Stout! Yeah, it’s quite unbelievable!

Sales will start at 1pm sharp and will be conducted from the back of the brewery. EVERYONE WILL NEED TO GET A TICKET TO CLAIM THEIR PLACE IN LINE. Sorry, no place-holders this time! Due to expansion plans, we won’t be holding our usual party with beer and snacks. But we’ll make sure to make it up to you once the new brewery is in place!

2006 VINTAGE GRAND CRU

Every now and then, the brewers at AleSmith like to ‘hide’ a pallet of something special to let Mother Nature work her magic. The latest brewery-aged vintage offering is AleSmith Grand Cru 2006. The conditioning process has turned this remarkable ale into something truly extraordinary. Bursting with ripe and over-ripened fruit flavors of plum, prune, and raisin, Vintage Grand Cru 2006 offers a complexity that rivals that of any wine. Additionally, try pairing this one with your favorite cheese or with a game or meat dish. AleSmith Vintage Grand Cru 2006 is available FROM THE BREWERY ONLY during our retail hours. We don’t have a lot, so we’re restricting bottle sales to (6) six per person please.

DECADENCE 2007 IMPERIAL PORTER

The third offering in our series of Decadence Anniversary Ales, is a big, rich Imperial Porter. Brewed to the parameters of a classic Porter, Decadence 2007 has the intense aromas of dark malt and chocolate complimented by a lusciously smooth mouthfeel. The flavor is rich and malty, and balanced with just the right amount of English East Kent Goldings hops. The aftertaste will leave you pining for more, so don’t miss out on this release of Decadence 2007. Once it’s gone, it’s gone!

Rumor: Southern Tier Creme Brulee next up in Blackwater Series

Posted on March 16, 2008 by Adam Nason

(Lakewood, NY) – Southern Tier could be brewing something vanilla-accented for its next beer in this critically acclaimed series. The report says that it will be called “Creme Brulee” according to a Southern Tier representative. It wouldn’t be the first dessert-like beer in the series; the brewery earned major attention with its imperial stout, Choklat, this past fall. Many breweries are shifting the paradigm to styles that they have not brewed before as a result of the hop shortage. This rumor comes courtesy of the owner of Drinkcraftbeer.com.

Stone 12th Anniversary Bitter Chocolate Oatmeal Stout comes out this Monday 7/7

Posted on March 16, 2008 by Adam Nason

[Update: This beer will be released on Monday, July 7! Need a hint as to where you can find it? Try calling one of the Stone sales representatives for your local area listed on this distribution info page at Stone's website Or 'Google' the distributor you see on there and try contacting them directly. Good luck! (Below is our original story breaking the news back in March).]

(Escondido, CA) – Stone has gotten label approval on its 12th Anniversary beer. The beer will be called “Bitter Chocolate Oatmeal Stout,” a 9.2% ale brewed with bitter chocolate. Little is known about the beer other than that it will presumably be in the same vein as Hoppin Frog’s B.O.R.I.S. the Crusher and Southern Tier’s Choklat (versus big coffee accented stouts). Stone is in partnership with Chuao Chocolatier, with whom it hosted a beer and chocolate tasting event around Valentine’s Day, for this project.

The back of the label shows extensive writing which reads like someone’s journal (Greg Koch, CEO?), written after hosting the Stone Winter Storm Fest back in January. The shortage of hops is a key point; this beer appears to be a strategic move away from the big hoppy ales that Stone brewed for its 10th and 11th anniversaries.

The anniversary release date changes from year to year but the last two dates have fallen in late August and early September. With the release of Vertical Epic on “08.08.08,” rumor is that this beer will be released much earlier in the summer. As it has done with the 10th and 11th, Stone will have a web page dedicated to the 2008 anniversary party which will eventually be available at www.stonebrew.com/12th (the link is empty at this time).

And if that weren’t enough, Stone Russian Imperial Stout came out this past week.

Bell’s to release Bourbon Barrel-aged Cherry Stout

Posted on March 16, 2008 by Adam Nason

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(Kalamazoo, MI) – Bell’s will release a big version of its winter seasonal, Cherry Stout. This beer was available on tap last year but this will be its first run in bottles. The regular Cherry Stout has gotten mixed reviews as a fruit beer clocking in at a surprising 8.5% ABV. The ABV on the barrel-aged version is unknown. The new Cherry Stout is Bell’s latest offering in 2008 following the release of the Smoked Stout and Oatmeal Stout. There’s been no word yet on when this will be released but stay tuned.

Surly Brewing puts Darkness on cask tomorrow

Posted on March 15, 2008 by Adam Nason

(Brooklyn Center, MN) – This was posted on the Surly Brewing website late last week: “That’s right, the first ever cask-conditioned Darkness will be poured this Sunday at the Happy Gnome’s Firkin Fest. The beer is the 2008 darkness that was brewed 3 weeks ago. We have never poured Darkness from the cask, so it will be interesting to see what this beer tastes like this young.”

Darkness gained prestige in the beer world this past fall with the buzz surrounding its release. It arguably overshadowed the Great American Beer Festival and Oktoberfest celebrations. Deservedly so as the beer is currently in the top ten overall beer rankings at the two major beer sites.

The posting also added: “Oh yeah, Tea-Bagged Furious and Oak-Aged Bender also.” The Tea-Bagged Furious was recently crowned Champion at the 2008 Real Ale Festival in Chicago. Others breweries on the 50 taps at the fest include Russian River, Bell’s, and Victory among others.

Port Brewing/Lost Abbey Starts 2008 Release Calendar

Posted on March 15, 2008 by Adam Nason

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(San Marcos, CA) – Port Brewing released on its website today a calendar listing 2008′s special release dates. Two beers will be released next week:

Thursday, 3/21/08 – Serpent’s Stout
- A Sweet Stout. ABV 11%, 750ml corked, $7.99. A Patrons Saints release. Will be released at brewery. Will go into distribution.
Thursday, 3/21/08 – Moonlit Sessions
- A session beer produced from the second runnings of Serpent’s Stout. Lots of smoke and coffee flavors. ABV 5%, 22 oz, $3.99. Seasonal release: Will be available at brewery. Distribution status unknown.

On May 3, Port Brewing will be celebrating its second anniversary with a special release to be named later, Cuvee de Tomme, and another batch of Ten Commandments. More beers are planned for release in October with Older Viscosity capping things off on November 1. Expect this calendar to be updated over the course of the year, possibly with more information on Patron Saints and Sinner releases; some info on these releases are already up on the Lost Abbey website. This news comes on the heels of this weekend’s Angel’s Share Bourbon-Barrel release in which the brewery surprised many by releasing a 40-case batch of Veritas 003.

Lost Abbey to release Bourbon-Aged version of “The Angel’s Share”

Posted on March 8, 2008 by Adam Nason

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(San Marcos, CA) – This is straight off of the website: “Brewery only release starts at 10am; 12 bottle limit per person. At 10am on Saturday, March 15th 2008 Port Brewing will release the 2008 Bourbon Barrel-Aged version of The Angel’s Share. The first bottled release of one of the most highly rated beers in the world, supplies of The Angel’s Share are extremely limited, and availability is strictly a first come, first serve basis.

Release Details:

Bottles will be $15 per cork finished 375ml bottle.
Limit of 12 bottles per person.
Beer is being sold at the brewery only. No email orders or holds for pick up at a later date.
This is a special release; no discounts.
There are approximately 120 cases available. Once it is gone, it is gone.

As with all Port Brewing special limited releases, all purchasers will be required to present valid ID at time of purchase to ensure that as many people as possible receive an allotment. For more information and the brewery location, visit www.portbrewing.com or www.lostabbey.com.”

At some point today, details as to how things would work for the Sinners Club members with respect to the beer was posted as well but it has since been taken down and I didn’t think to grab the information at the time. From what I recall, they could pick up beers at 4pm the day before it goes on sale to the public and would also be limited to 12 per person. It is unclear whether the 120 cases is reserved for the public or whether the Sinners Club members’ share is also part of that case total. If the latter, it would seem that there would be a real risk of the brewery running out early on March 15. Despite that possibility, the community seems to be more interested in debating the price of the 11.2 oz. bottles.

Lost Abbey will also be releasing Serpent’s Stout, a Strong Belgian Stout, in bottles this month. A few glimmering reviews have popped up for it already based on tastings at the tap. No photo of the label is available for it as of publication. More info as it comes in…

Rumor: Tyranena’s latest in the Brewers Gone Wild! Series?

Posted on March 6, 2008 by Adam Nason

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(Lake Mills, WI) – A source close to the brewery revealed over the weekend that the newest in the series will be a bourbon-aged version of The Devil Made Me Do It, an imperial oatmeal coffee porter. Brewed with actual coffee beans, the original weighed in at 7.5% ABV. The last in the series was bottled about one month ago: The Dirty Old Man Imperial Rye Porter Aged in Rye Barrels. The top-rated beer in the series is the “Who’s Your Daddy? Bourbon Barrel-Aged Imperial Porter.” The Devil Made Me Do It is second.

Mott sets June-July timetable for Portsmouth Kate the Great

Posted on March 6, 2008 by Adam Nason

(Portsmouth, NH) – Head Brewer, Tod Mott, confirmed that another batch of Kate the Great has been brewed; he set a timetable for a late June-early July release. Mott had previously hinted at a summer release but nothing definite. The news broke this morning in the first email that the brewery has sent out to customers since last September.

The newsletter also divulged some tidbits on other upcoming offerings from Portsmouth. The Summer Weizen is being bottled this week (there is an industry trend to release beer before its season actually arrives). Mott discusses the brewing behind the “brett-free” Sour Brune which is now on tap. Mott notes that there is a possibility that he will blend up a lambic far down the road using “some raspberries and sour cherries.” The Wheat Wine will be on tap in about ten days. Mott additionally notes, “There will be a batch of Scotch Ale going into production in a week or two. We are playing around with a Blonde Ale recipe to replace the Cream Ale for the summer season.”

Ballast Point Sculpin IPA getting rave reviews

Posted on March 6, 2008 by Adam Nason

(San Diego, CA) – Ballast Point’s latest offering is earning critical acclaim in the beer community according to reviews on the two major internet beer sites this week. The brewery shipped out its medal-winner IPA, Sculpin, to stores in southern California late last week. It was also recently available at O’ Brien’s Pub in San Diego on cask. The brewery recently began distributing to the East Coast but there has been no word as to whether this beer will be distributed there.

Sculpin IPA, formerly known as North Star IPA, is a tribute to the brewery’s beginnings at the Home Brew Mart. The beer earned a bronze medal in the Pro Am category at the Great American Beer Festival last fall and was also available at Ballast Point’s 11th anniversary party last year. Another beer released at the party, Tongue Buckler Imperial Red, also had plans to be bottled but those plans have been put on hold.

Bottleworks to release Russian River Deviation IX

Posted on March 5, 2008 by Adam Nason

(Santa Rosa, CA) – Russian River‘s latest barrel-aged offering will come next month when it releases Deviation, a tribute to Bottleworks, a Seattle-based beer store celebrating its ninth anniversary. Per the label: “In celebration of Bottleworks 9th Anniversary, we are proud to present Deviation – a beer unique in every sense. This remarkable blend combines the oak aged diversity of PH1, Orphan Ale and Sonambic Ale with 100% Brettanomyces Ale (Sanctification) and is bottle conditioned with additional Brettanomyces.”

The beer was not mentioned in the latest blog post from Head Brewer and Owner, Vinnie Cilurzo. Cilurzo did, however, note that the new brewery is expected to start operations in a few weeks and that some of the brewery’s other barrel-aged beers (Beatification, Supplication, and Temptation) are now being bottled again. They are expected to be released soon after bottle conditioning has finished.

Ninkasi Brewing IPAs hit the streets

Posted on March 5, 2008 by Adam Nason

(Eugene, OR) – This is late (we try to get you the news well before the beer is actually released). Belmont Station noted in its blog that Ninkasi beers would be available this week. The beers in question are the Total Domination IPA, Tricerahops Double IPA. and Double Red Ale. Belmont Station is also holding a bottle release party on Monday, March 10 with Jamie Floyd, the co-owner and head brewer in attendance. Ninkasi is a fairly new operation but Floyd is well-known in the region for his decade-long work with Steelhead Brewing.

Oh, and the name? Per Wikipedia, “Ninkasi is the ancient Sumerian matron goddess of beer.” Sumer is the earliest known civilization in the world.

Brouwerij de Molen Beers Coming Stateside

Posted on March 4, 2008 by Adam Nason

[6/24 Update: These beers are now available on store shelves.]

(Bodegraven, Netherlands) – The Sheltons are bringing another upper-echelon European beer to the states and this time not from Belgium, Denmark, or Norway…but from the Netherlands.

Says Shelton: “Every one of these beers will be from very limited production . . .. the brewery has only a 5 hl system — not much larger than a homebrewing set-up [...] The beer is packaged and is almost ready to ship. It should be here in about a month, probably.” Shelton confirmed that Massachusetts will receive some of the supply.

Brouwerij de Molen is one of the top few breweries in the windmill country and the Shelton Brothers are importing a half-dozen specialty beers from them. The brewery earned a small dose of attention last week when it landed in RateBeer’s top 50 beer ratings for its Tsarina Esra Imperial Porter after a group of people posted their reviews from a tasting.

The most notable beer of the bunch coming overseas is the Rasputin Imperial Stout. According to British Guild of Beer Writer and beer blogger, Ron Pattinson, “[the brewer, Menno] brews it just once a year in very limited quantities. It’s wonderful stuff. You have about two weeks to get to Bodegraven, judging by the depleted shelves, if you want to try the 2007 vintage.” The label (see below) shows that the batch was only large enough to fit 499 bottles. It has not been confirmed whether all bottles will be hitting the states.

A few more notes on the beers. You won’t find a whole lot written about this brewery (in English, at least) outside of Pattinson’s blog. That’s because of two of the aforementioned beers were brewed to order for Pattinson, himself, who is quite into beer history: the Whitbread 1914 SSS (a “triple Stout”) and Porter, both based on recipes of the time (pre-WWI) before popularity in darker beers waned in London. Both appear to be limited bottlings as well. The other three beers are: Donder and Bliksem (means Thunder & Lightning in English), a pilsener; Storm & Averij (Storm & Damage), a double IPA; Pek & Veren (Tar & Feathers), a Smoked beer. Photos are included below.

Captain Lawrence to re-release Smoke from the Oak

Posted on March 3, 2008 by Adam Nason

(Pleasantville, NY) – This came over the wire earlier this afternoon in a newsletter delivered from Head Brewer/Owner Scott Vaccaro. Captain Lawrence will be releasing Smoke from the Oak Aged in Wine Barrels in late March. Only 110 cases have been produced and there will be a bottle limit of three per person. The beers will be sold on a first come-first serve basis with the exact date to be announced later this month.

The beer has made waves on RateBeer as a top 10 porter. The commercial description, however, reads that it is actually a smoked porter. The beer is aged for twelve months in French oak barrels that previously housed pinot noir and merlot.

Other notes: Vaccaro also reports that beer distribution has expanded into Connecticut but did not specify which beers. Xtra Gold will be available at the brewery this Friday in 750′s.

Coast Brewing Co. to bottle three beers

Posted on March 3, 2008 by Adam Nason

(North Charleston, SC) – Fellow WordPress bloggers, Coast Brewing Co., announced that the brewery will release three beers, virtually its whole portfolio, in bombers later this spring. Coast will release its Blackbeerd Imperial Stout, HopArt IPA (label below is a tribute to Warhol’s Marilyn Monroe), and Rye Not Brown Ale. The Blackbeerd weighs in at 9.3% ABV and the HopArt is somewhat of a tweener IPA at 7.2%. These are big beers considering the brewery uses organic ingredients. (We’ll have to check the Brewers’ Associations new stats for organic brewing trends ). The brewery does not yet have plans to bottle the 32/50 Kolsch.

The brewery opened its doors just last fall. For a little more info, you may want to start out with this very well-done short video and then head over to their own blog where they, in fact, originally reported this story.

BeerPulse

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Monthly Archives: March 2008

Alabama ‘Free the Hops’ beer bill goes to Senate

Coast Brewing bottles hit streets tomorrow

Idaho brewpub honors Prohibition repeal with 10 cent beers

Vaccaro reveals Smoke from the Oak details

MA Politician proposes new BAC limit of .02

Alesmith to release 2007 Decadence, Barrel-Aged Speedway, others

Rumor: Southern Tier Creme Brulee next up in Blackwater Series

Stone 12th Anniversary Bitter Chocolate Oatmeal Stout comes out this Monday 7/7

Bell’s to release Bourbon Barrel-aged Cherry Stout

Surly Brewing puts Darkness on cask tomorrow

Port Brewing/Lost Abbey Starts 2008 Release Calendar

Rumor: Tyranena’s latest in the Brewers Gone Wild! Series?

Mott sets June-July timetable for Portsmouth Kate the Great

Ballast Point Sculpin IPA getting rave reviews

Bottleworks to release Russian River Deviation IX

Ninkasi Brewing IPAs hit the streets

Brouwerij de Molen Beers Coming Stateside

Captain Lawrence to re-release Smoke from the Oak

Coast Brewing Co. to bottle three beers