(Easton, PA) – Latest Weyerbacher Brewing newsletter:

“Latest Release: Fireside Ale started shipping to our distributors today. Fireside is an intricate dark ale with a touch of smokiness. The rich malt flavor, crisp bitterness and smoke reach perfect equilibrium in this brew. Next Scheduled Release: Heresy and Insanity will come out during the month of February. Heresy is our outstanding Old Heathen aged in Bourbon barrels. Insanity is our Blithering Idiot aged in Bourbon barrels. Both take on complex and unique characteristics from the time spent in the Bourbon barrels.

Still in the stores: There might be a small amount of Winter Ale in stores and Quad might still be available. There are a couple of distributors who have not yet asked for their pre-order so some states may not have theirs yet. You should also be able to find Double Simcoe 750s and Merry Monks 750s (champagne style) in outlets catering to craft styles.

Recipes: The Lampe family prepared the Rib Roast with Caramelized Onion Winter Ale au jus, the Creamed Spinach with Gorgonzola and the Baked Potatoes (both of these included in the Rib Roast recipe) for Christmas Dinner. For dessert we made the Baba au Quad (recipe now on the website). Everything was delicious!! We can’t wait for the Fireside recipe. Mark’s recipes and cooking techniques are wonderful.

Comments from both Chris(es): Chris Wilson, Head Brewer: Happy New Year! I started the New Year with a Riserva. It just seemed to be more fitting, and flavorful, than champagne. I hope you started this year with a nice beer as well. Fireside is in the bottle (and keg)! This beer is just so satisfyingly balanced and that smokiness is just captivating. It is the perfect beer for a cold January day by the fireplace. We are busy planning our next beer in the Brewer’s Select Series, India. We are going to do a West Coast Style IPA. I am thinking 7 to 7.5% ABV and 70ish IBUs with a massive hop aroma. We will probably release this one in mid-February. Our plans are to brew a few more beers in the Brewer’s Select Series this year so keep your eyes on the website for what’s coming next.

Chris Lampe, Production Manager: We bottled a batch of the Merry Monks Ale Cork ‘n Cage earlier this month that I have now tested and deemed ready for release! Look for it in the stores soon.”