Full Sail Brewing Series LTD #4

  Full Sail Brewing releases a series of limited edition beers under the moniker of "Seasonal Brews". They're branded as "LTD" then given a recipe number. I was fortunate to find #4 in the series which peaked my interest because it's a Single Hop, Single Malt Lager. Normally this combination is reserved for Ales. But because the series is dedicated to the vision of the brewer, the rule book's tossed in the proverbial "drink". # 4 Is a brilliantly executed blend of Willamette hop and Pale malt. The beer pours a rich golden color with a fluffy white head. It's has a green appley aroma with an ever so slight grassy influence. The flavor was quite unique in that none of the elements are overpowering. There's a mild hop flavor with hints of spice and bitterness. The malt character has some sweetness, but  is not overwhelming. The mouth feel is dry and very evident in the beers finish. There's no long lingering bitterness. For a 7% ABV American Pale Lager Full Sail's LTD #4 is very drinkable at a modest 45 IBU's. I hesitate to add it to my "sessionable" list, but I would have no problem drinking quite a few of these all year round. I can also see it being a very versatile beer, paring well with B.B.Q,  Poultry and maybe a Grilled Fish dish. Released Jan- March I would say if you can still stumble upon it give it a try. Cheers!

For more info visit: Full Sail Brewing

Lagunitas Updates on Chicago via Twitter

Twitter appears to be the best place to find all the Lagunitas scoops on their Chicago expansion. Their latest posts read like this....

 " LagunitasT ‏ @lagunitasT:  Winging east now for a wk of meetings in Chi. Makin new friends from the highest office n the state all the way to Douglas Park! High times."

" LagunitasT ‏ @lagunitasT:   Gonna try to open the taproom ASAP so y'all can watch the brewery be built in slo-mo all around you while enjoying a tasty adult beverage..."

Odell Brewing Co. Myrcenary Double IPA

..... a man pays homage to a great beer.

Randall The Enamel Animal Jr.

And now for those high tech, low budget, crafty beer drinkers Dogfish Head brings you "Randall the Enamel Animal Jr."?

The Legend of Capt. Krunkles

Myth or Real?



Visit: Terrapin Beer Company

BrewDog Bar Opening April 13th

Great news from the gang at BrewDog!




This release was posted on the BrewDog site last week.....

BrewDog Newcastle to officially open on 13th April
04.04.2012

"The address is 16 Dean Street the official opening ceremony will commence from 7pm on Friday. It is not a ticketed event so just rock up! The new craft beer bar is located in a striking glass fronted premises with exposed steel beams, bolted columns, concrete glad walls and a partial mezzanine. We have almost completed turning 16 Dean Street into a Mecca for craft beers, A bar where you can escape the pathetic monotony of mass market industrial beers made by faceless multi-national corporations. You can look forward to old school pinball, live music, vintage records, board games, 14 beers on draft, friendly, passionate and informed staff. As well as a selection of the best craft beers on the planet. And a brass band in penguin outfits. We will also have IPA is Dead on tap from the launch event alongside all your usual BrewDog favourites and some very special guest beers"

Cheers to everyone at BrewDog on their opening!

For more information and pictures of their new bar visit: BrewDog Newcastle 

New Belgium Has A New Home

New Belgium Brewing has selected  Asheville, NC as the location for their next brewery. This from today's "Beer Business Daily"....

NEW BELGIUM TO BUILD BREWERY IN ASHEVILLE, NC

It's official. The buzz has been building for weeks, but Craft Business Daily just reported that New Belgium will be building a new 400k bbl brewery in Asheville, NC, near where Sierra Nevada is also building a brewery (that one with initial 300k bbl capacity). Gov. Perdue, who is a lady mind you, made the announcement at the site. The new brewery breaks ground in 2015.

"After several years of searching we are incredibly excited to have landed in Asheville," said NBB chief Kim Jordan. "From the deep sense of community to the rich natural environment and the opportunity to revitalize a brownfield site near a vibrant downtown, Asheville has everything we've been looking for in a location for our second brewery."

That will put an extra 700k bbls of new capacity on the east coast. Throw in what Dogfish Head, SweetWater, Cigar City, and others are building, there will be lots of barrels available in the East, which has suffered from chronic shortages. What will the addition of NBB and Sierra have on the craft industry out east? Tough to tell. The Southeast has typically been slow to the craft game but is catching up quickly. These additions may speed up that process.

Lagunitas Pale Ale New Dog Town

Lagunitas Brewing Company's Pale Ale New Dog Town is a pretty straight forward Pale Ale. Pouring golden straw in color with a thin white head, this beer has all the typical qualities you'll find in a hearty American Pale Ale. It's aroma is hoppy and grassy with a mild hint of sweetness. Very earthy in nature (no pun intended.. okay, well maybe). Initially its flavor is a nice balance between malt and hops, then it finishes with a long lingering bitterness almost verging on an IPA. Pale Ale New Dog Town is definitely West Coast which registered right in my wheelhouse. It will even make my "Sessionable List" checking in at a modest 6.2% ABV. One more interesting note: as this beer warmed up the hop character went sharply to more of a "wet hay" flavor rather then bitter. Overall this is a good Pale Ale which I highly recommend should you find it on your local beer menu. Cheers! 

For more info visit: Lagunitas Brewing Co.

Cigar City Tocobaga Red Ale

 Great brewing is taking place in the Sunshine State and leading the charge is Cigar City Brewing out of Tampa Florida. Known for brewing beers which represent Tampa's Latin heritage and a once booming cigar industry, Cigar City has quickly become one the most interesting and flavor innovative brewery's in the craft beer community. Today's sampling is of their Tocobaga Red Ale, named after the the Tocobaga Indians who lived in small villages at the northern end of Tampa Bay from 900 to the 1500's. Tocobaga pours a deep amber red color. Murky with an almost unfiltered quality and off-white head. It's aroma is big and fruity with hints of melon and citrus. The flavor is malty with crisp hop overtones. As with most of Cigar City's beers there is an underlying woody quality to Tocobaga. It's not a wood aged beer so that flavor likely comes from the malt selection. Cigar City often chooses Spanish Cedar, commonly found in cigar humidors, as their wood of choice for aging. Tocobaga Red Ale has a very dry finish with a long lingering bitterness. I found it to be a very enjoyable beer, and yes sessionable at 7.2% ABV. Hopheads will also approve of it's 75 IBU's. Tocobaga is available year round in Florida, but if you're fortunate to find it at your local beer merchant grab a good cigar as well and take a trip back to old world Florida. Cheers! 

                                       For more info visit: Cigar City Brewing

Great Divide Hades

 Yeah folks another beer from Colorado. This time it's Great Divide "Hades". Hades is a Belgian-Style Ale and at 7.8%ABV is considered a "strong ale". With all the high octane beers on the market now you may find it a bit more subdued. None-the-less this is a solid Belgian-Style Ale, pouring a rich yellow/golden color with a white head and minimal lacing. The aroma is traditional Belgian, lemony, a wee bit tart with notes of clove. Hades flavor is well balanced between hops and malt. Very smooth with fruity notes leaning toward white wine. It's spicy character likely comes from the use of a Belgian yeast. But here again I also picked up hints of clove. Hades finishes very crisp and clean, and although not falling in line on my quest for more sessionable beers, I believe I could drink quite a few of these with no problem. Cheers!

For more info on Hades visit: Great Divide Brewing Co.