[These first two scoops come courtesy of Jeff from DrinkCraftBeer.com. Thanks!]

Ron Jeffries, Owner and Brewer at Michigan’s Jolly Pumpkin Brewery, revealed this week that he is brewing up a Lambic-style ale that will eventually become one the brewery’s regular offerings. He plans to blend it in the fall and release “as soon as it is ready.” He asserts that parts of the blend may be over four years old by the time of its release.

Colorado’s Left Hand Brewing announced that its “Oak-Aged Imperial Stout will be aged in brandy barrels rather than French oak wine barrels” for its Big Mo’ Series release to come in 2009. The test batch blew away people at the brewery apparently. The Oak-Aged version was generally well-received but didn’t emerge from the rest of the pack of barrel-aged imperial stouts. Brandy-barrel aging is not (yet) a common practice when it comes to beer but some breweries have done it successfully with barley wines and old ales.

Finally, Norway’s Haandbryggeriet got label approval for another new beer to be imported by the Shelton Brothers this past week. Haandbryggeriet Haandbakk is an 8% ABV sour ale. The beer is barely a blend as 95% has been aged in oak barrels. This is the second new beer to get approval after the recent Dobbel Dram IPA.