(Woodbridge, CT) – Got some tips from Brewer / Sales Rep, Matt Westfall this week . . .

The bad news is that New England Brewing will cease calling featuring an Imperial Trooper on the label of its Imperial Stout, “Imperial Stout Trooper,” this year. The people behind the Star Wars brand contacted the brewery a while back about the label and they conceded though they will still make the beer. It sounds as though the name will remain the same. The good news is far outweighs the bad for NEB fans as the brewery has a lot in store for 2010. Here is a sneak peek at the brewery’s schedule:

February – Gold Stock Ale
March – Gandhi-Bot Double India Pale Ale + Bourbon Barrel Aged Stout Trooper
April – 668 “The Neighbor of the Beast” – Belgian Strong Pale
May – Tequila Barrel Aged Double IPA
June to August – Alpha Weizen
September – Wet Willy Scotch Ale
October – More Ghandi-Bot + a TBD seasonal
November – Flanders Oud Bruin
December – Imperial Stout (Trooper)
+ Other fun draft offerings mixed in

Westfall notes that Ghandi-Bot, 668, and Alpha Weizen will make it into 16-oz cans in 4-packs this year. Gold Stock will be draft only and the rest bottled.

[note: in my fruitless search for a large-sized brewery logo, I found what appears to be a mock-up of a Sea Hag label that never saw the light of the day. Heavybag Media is the company responsible for New England Brewing‘s marketing campaign.]