(Edinburgh, UNITED KINGDOM) – Newcastle readies new labels for 2011.

99% of the people reading this blog have heard of Newcastle Brown Ale. Some may have even heard of Newcastle Summer Ale, which was introduced in 2010. This year, the brewery is complimenting those beers with two more, filling out what is the brewery’s first ‘seasonal rotation.’ Newcastle Werewolf is slated for fall and Newcastle Winter Ale is likely to be released by the end of the year. The brewery hasn’t made any announcements yet.

Here are the label copies:

The ‘Hoppings’, reputedly the largest travelling fair in Europe, takes place on Newcastle Town Moor every June. Several origins have been suggested for the name. It may derive from the word ‘Hoppen, an old English word for dancing or funfair. It has even been suggested that people ‘hopped’ about itching due to fleas caught from animals that travelled with the fair. However, we’d like to think it may relate to the quality of hops used in the brewing of our famous beer. Enjoy Newcastle Summer Ale at the fair or wherever you are this summer.

What better way to toast the fall than to have a bottle of this formidable, dual character brew. At first, smooth with mellow overtones of sweet berry fruit, a bite of bitterness suddenly cuts through, long, deep and lingering. Brewed with rye malt, it is naturally ‘blood red’ in colour. Unlike te mythical wolf-like creature said to roam the bleak moorland surrounding Newcastle, this is real, so consider yourself warned!

We aim to pleasantly surprise with our take on a Winter Ale. This is not the usually expected dark and overly rich flavoured brew. Burnished copper in appearance, full-bodied and heavily hopped to give a zesty character with a long delicious aftertaste. Subtle seductive malt flavour, with hints of caramel and roast. Our inspiration for this deviation from the norm? Well we simply long for the return of lighter days during our long and dark British winters.