(Cooperstown, NY) – Brewery Ommegang has a couple new beers coming in the next few months.

The week of July 18th will bring a specialty draft-only offering called Belgian Independence Day Saison. The beer is a celebration of Belgium’s big day, July 21st. Marketing Chief, Larry Bennett, said that this will differ from the brewery’s year-round Saison, Hennepin, in that it will bring a more prominent spiciness due to the addition of white pepper.

The launch of this beer will take place at events throughout the country that week though it may appear at a couple limited special events before then.

Another upcoming specialty release, whose name is still being finalized Aphrodite, is scheduled to hit shelves and draft in August. Aphrodite is fermented with Brettanomyces and features raspberries and pears in fermentation.

For kegs, fermentation with Brett will take place over the course of two months. For bottles, an Ommegang yeast strain will be used in primary fermentation with Brett being incorporated in bottle-conditioning.

Bennett describes the concept as a light-bodied beer (uses Pils malts) that is dry and balances barnyardy notes from the Brett with sweet and tart notes from the fruit. The brewery is aiming for an 8% ABV target on this beer.

As noted in Ommegang’s 2011 schedule, Ommegang Adoration will return this fall.

(Tourpes-Leuze, BELGIUM) – When most American craft beer drinkers think of Brasserie Dupont, they think of the brewery’s work within the Saison style. That may change in 2011 as the brewery will show the U.S. market what it can do with other styles.

To date, there are seven beers available from Brasserie Dupont here in the U.S.. Five of those are Saisons and then there is Moinette Blond and Brune. Here is a summary of five Dupont beers that Vanberg and Dewulf will import before the end of 2011:

MONK’S STOUT

According to Chuck Cook, this debuted in Belgium late last year. Label approval hasn’t come in yet and it appears to be on the schedule for later in the year. “As Dupont has extra fermentation capacity now, Olivier has the luxury of crafting some new brews, or re-creating some old specialties. Brasserie Dupont Brewmaster/Director Olivier Dedeycker told me on my June 2 visit to the brewery that the next new brew on his agenda would be Monk’s Stout. This is a beer his grandfather brewed in the 1950′s. There are two versions of Monk’s Stout. Both are 5.2% abv. One is dry and roasty, and another is said to be a little more rounded.”

REDOR PILS

Considered by many the finest traditional Belgian Pils brewed in Belgium today, REDOR is made from 100% barley malt, Styrian and Golding hops, proprietary Dupont yeast, pure well water, untreated with added salts or minerals, lagered for minimum 2 months, 5% ABV, and UNPASTEURIZED.

Debuts on draft in U.S. in May [Ed. note: not sure about bottle availability]

LA BIÈRE DE BELOEIL

One of Belgium’s most historic castles is a few miles from Dupont. It merits a visit next time you are in Hainaut. Dupont brews a special beer for the chateau. Beloeil once housed a brewery on site and made a beer called Saison Roland.

Beloeil has a rich white meringue head and a beautiful hazy amber red color. The funky Dupont yeast announces itself but is laced with herbs, nectarine, and a mineral edge. The warming finish has notes of wood and spice. Bottle conditioned.

FORMATS: Case, 12 x 75 cl (25.4 fl oz), cork finished / Keg, 20 liter

POSCA RUSTICA (sold in Belgium as Cervesia)

Since 1983, Dupont has produced a beer especially for a Gallo-Roman site near the brewery where Iron Age life is interpreted.

Inspired by research into drinks of the Gallo Roman era, Posca Rustica is surely one of the Dupont’s most exotic beers. It is a “Cervoise” beer spiced with a gruit (an old-fashioned herb mixture used to bitter and flavor beer, that was popular before hops came to predominate). Sweet woodruff (known as Galium odoratum or wild baby’s breath) and bog myrtle are just two of a dozen different spices used.

Posca Rustica has a unique, aromatic and spicy character and certainly is the sweetest beer from this brewery famous for its fully attenuated, dry beers. Altogether beguiling. Bottle conditioned.

FORMATS: Case, 12 x 75 cl (25.4 fl oz), cork finished / Keg, 20 liter

FORET BLANCHE

Another great beer from the endlessly inventive Dupont. We are so happy to once again have a wheat beer in our portfolio. Foret Blanche is 5.5% ABV. The color is a foggy golden honeycomb color. In the Dupont fashion, it is drier than most witbiers, with a more yeasty, tart profile. A rare and delicious interpretation of the wheat beer style from the champion of organic beers in Belgium.

Estimated arrival Spring 2011

FORMATS: Case, 12 x 75 cl / Keg, 20 liter

(Escondido, CA) – Stone Brewing has received approval for Belgo Anise Imperial Russian Stout.

Perhaps more important than this approval is the fact that Imperial Russian Stout “Classic” has been delayed again. A post I put up recently for the original version mentioned that Imperial Russian Stout was scheduled to be released on May 2nd. The website now says May 31st. There is no release date listed for the Belgo Anise version.

A word of caution…the back label here notes that this beer screams “notes of anise.”

(Anchorage, AK) – Anchorage Brewing, a new project from Gabe Fletcher, formerly of Midnight Sun Brewing, will release its first beers soon.

Well, that’s not exactly accurate since the brewery already released a sneak peek of Anticipation Double IPA earlier this year. That and every other beer Anchorage will be doing is brewed at Sleeping Lady Brewing’s facility according to the Alaskan Beer blog. Howell updated in mid-March, “[Fletcher] reports that he has at last gotten all of his final approvals and is fully licensed and ready to ‘get some brew out.’”

Each beer is triple fermented: first in the tank with a Belgian yeast, second in french oak barrels with brett, and finally in the bottle with a third yeast for natural carbonation.

Here are the label descriptions for the first three beers to be approved, each packaged in cork-and-caged 750s.

Bitter Monk Belgian-style Double IPA: Ale brewed with Apollo, Citra and Simcoe hops. Dry hopped in the barrel with Citra hops. 100 IBUs. Second fermentation in Chardonnay barrels.

Love Buzz Saison: Ale brewed with Hobbs Family rose hips, peppercorns, and fresh orange peels. Dry-hopped in the barrel with Citra hops. Second fermentation in Pinot Noir barrels.

Whiteout Wit Bier: Ale brewed with lemon peel, black peppercorns and coriander. Second fermentation in
Chardonnay barrels.

A while back, Howell posted a few more 2011 releases to watch out for:

The Tide and Its Takers Triple. Made with Sorachi and Styrian Golding hops. Aged in French oak Chardonnay barrels. 9% ABV & 30 IBUs.

Brettality Belgian Black Bier. Made with Summit and Amarillo hops. Cabernet Grapes added to the French oak Cabernet barrels. 8.5% ABV & 25 IBUs.

Darkest Hour Belgian Imperial Stout. Made with Summit hops, molasses, dark brown sugar, and Italian black licorice. Aged in Pinot Noir barrels. 13% ABV & 33 IBUs.

Fletcher posted on the brewery’s website in November that there are currently 140 barrels “in its cellars.”

Also of note, each label features the signature of Fletcher and a second person. One features his wife, another features Tom Dalldorf of Celebrator Beer News and another features Alaskan-based beer columnist, Dr. James “Fermento” Roberts.

The Shelton Brothers will be handling distribution for the brewery. I’ve contacted them in hopes of getting more info about availability.

(Pleasantville, NY) – A few new approvals from Captain Lawrence Brewing.

A while back, Captain Lawrence got approvals for its first beer in the Barrel Select Series, a beer called American Sour Ale aged in oak barrels. Now there are two more coming in the series, American Sour Ale with raspberries and American Sour Ale with cherries. These beers have been in the barrel for over four years according to the labels.

The brewery also got approval for a Saison, dry-hopped with U.S.-grown hops.

All three beers will be packaged in 750s (and the Saison recently got draft approval).

(San Francisco, CA) – Some news and notes from the Craft Brewers Conference…

Beer drinkers lusting for Russian River Brewing outside of its distribution area may finally get their chance to buy it right off the shelf…in a way.

Sierra Nevada Brewing is planning to do another collaboration beer with Russian River. Unlike the Symposium Sour Brown released at the Public House event last night, this one will be packaged in 750ml bottles and distributed nationwide. The beer will be a Belgian-style Pale Ale finished with Brettanomyces. Details like suggested price and what it will be called are still up in the air but things are in motion for a 2012 release. Expect to see more about this collaboration in the weeks ahead.

The Sierra/RR event wasn’t the only brewers night event taking place on Thursday. Over at 21st Amendment Brewery, Ninkasi Brewing was on hand as the brewers debuted a test batch of an Old Ale recipe that is part of a “future big collaboration.” As recently mentioned, these two breweries are among the fastest growing in the country (top five among those producing at least 10,000 barrels).

Meanwhile, Lagunitas Brewing and Anchor threw a party at Fillmore West where Richard Thompson was performing.

Lagunitas was also the subject of some interesting news earlier in the afternoon.

Draft Magazine reports that, like Stone Brewing, they’re also considering going Euro. “After speaking with him today, it seems the idea of Lagunitas possibly starting a brewery in Europe, or arranging a deal with an existing brewery, is a budding topic of conversation. ‘The idea of craft beer going around the world—it’s going to happen,’ said Magee, ‘but we’re just talking about it now and it’s far into the future.’ While this is all still speculative, and a ways down the road, Magee already has his three favorite locations picked out: Scotland, Italy and southern Germany.”

The publication also noted on Thursday that Odell Hiveranno is set for a May or June release.

Awards were handed out during the opening ceremony. Courtesy of Beverage World’s Twitter account, there they are:

Dan Kopman of Schlafly is awarded the Defense of the Industry Award.

Jennifer Talley of Squatters/Salt Lake Brewing Co. is first woman to receive Russell Schehrer Award for Innovation in craft beer.

2011 Brewers Association Recognition Award goes to John McDonald of Boulevard Beer.

Former Craft Brewers Conference Director, David Edgar, said that attendance is 39% higher than last year. The total attendance for this year’s event is 3,900 (up from 2,800 in Chicago). One can only imagine, with the World Beer Cup returning next year and the conference being held in sunny San Diego, how fast the 2012 conference will sell out.

(Bloomington, IN) – Some news regarding Upland Brewing‘s Lambic program…

Here’s the newsletter update:

Upland’s Blackberry and Cherry Lambics will be available for online reservation beginning at noon on Wednesday, March 16th. Just visit uplandbeer.com and follow the link on the the reservations page. Due to limited supply, reservations will be limited to one bottle of each style per person. Each bottle is $20 + tax.

You’ll be able to pick up your bottles from our Bloomington Tap Room or Indy Tasting Room from March 29th through April 12th. That’s right, unlike previous releases, you’ll be able to choose whether to pick up your Lambics in Indianapolis or Bloomington!

As before, someone else can pick up your bottles for you, but they must show a copy of your ID.

There is no set time that reservations will close – we’ll keep it open until we run out. But don’t wait too long. Reservations closed after only 18 hours last time, and we have even fewer bottles this go-around…

(Chico, CA) – Sierra Nevada Brewing‘s second Ovila beer has been approved.

Here’s the label description:

A collaboration between Sierra Nevada Brewing Co. and the monks at the Abbey of New Clairvaux, Ovila Abbey Saison brings the centuries-old monastery brewing tradition to America.

A portion of proceeds from this ale goes toward the restoration of the historic Santa Maria de Ovila chapter house on the grounds of the Abbey of New Clairvaux. This medieval building stood for nearly eight centuries in Spain. William Randolph Hearst purchased the monastery in 1931 and planned to use the stones for a castle even grander than his famous San Simeon. Although Hearst’s plans crumbled, these historic stones will rise again in a California Cistercian abbey.

This beer, along with a Quadrupel, will be released this summer. The first beer in the series, Ovila Abbey Dubbel, will make its debut at Extreme Beer Fest this weekend.

(Colorado, Springs, CO) – Lots of news out of TRiNiTY Brewing…

Attached below is the latest newsletter:

———————————

A word from the brewer

Spring is almost here and that means so is St. Paddy’s day! We’ve got a number of seasonals and special events planned for the warmer weather that March brings. For all the cherry Saison loving Pappy Legba fans, you’re in luck, as ‘The Pappy’ returns this Friday for the first time ever in 750ml bottles! First Saturday Firkin will highlight Flo IPA dry hopped with Kent Goldings, Willamette, Chinook, Columbus, and Citra hops to create a nice piney and citrusy profile for only $3 a pint .

We also have a number of lighter Saisons in March. The ever popular Farmhouse Beach House, aged on ripened bananas and cacao nibbs is currently pouring strong. Next this month is a new Saison for 2011 dubbed “Rebel Son Saison,” this recipe is a smoked saison inspired by Willie Nelson, Waylon Jennings, Billy Idol, Bob Marley, and Hunter S. Thompson. That Saison releases on the 11th. For St. Paddy’s day Darren has whipped up our annual batch of Wee Banshee Heather Ale, featuring additions of ancient Isle ingredients including a dry spice with a copious amount of Heather Tips. Our final release for the month of March comes on the 25th, as the popular Three Flower Farmhouse returns to our faucets.

The next beer dinner we host with be an IPA dinner, featuring 6 unique IPA’s artistically paired with 6 courses of our chef’s best dishes! That dinner will be held on Sunday April 11th, but get your tickets fast as we have only a limited number of seats available and we always sell out!

Jason Yester, President

Upcoming Events and Exciting News at TRiNiTY BREWiNG Co.:

Pappy Legba Release…
March 4th at 5 PM!

Brewed with just a touch of flaked maize for a seductive and creamy texture, this crimson Saison is undeniably focused on fruit. Post fermentation, this special Belgian is aged on a grip of pie cherries, lending it more of a Kriek profile rather than a Saison. 13%ABV! For the first time ever, Pappy Legba will be available in 750 ml bottles only!

“First Saturday Firkin”
Saturday, March 5th at Noon!
Come on out and try our Flo IPA ~ $3 Pints all day!

Friday, March 11th ~ 5 PM
Rebel Son Saison Release Party
Rebel Son Saison was inspired by five of our more rebellious contemporaries. To this recipe we added artichoke hearts for Waylon Jennings, smoked malt for Willie Nelson, Marris Otter for Billy Idol, molasses for Bob Marley, and star anise for Hunter S. Thompson. 5.4% ABV.

St. Patricks Day PARTY!!!
AND…Wee Banshee Irish Heather Ale Release!
We will be having our 3rd Annual St. Patty’s Day Party!!! Disc Golf in the garden….Get a FREE beer for sinking a putt! Yeah!

Pliny the Elder Tapping:
March 20th at Noon!
Come and celebrate the first day of Spring with us at TRiNiTY!!! We will be tapping Pliny the Elder at Noon…come early, it doesn’t last long!

March 25th ~ 5 PM
Three Flower Saison Release (and Beers and Boards Skateboard Art Show)

Farmhouse, Three flower Saison: Again going back to the earth with this version of our seasonal Belgian, we age this orange hued ale on the tops of three varieties of flowers. We promised not to give up our secret on this beer, because it’s just too good of a secret! Authentically Belgian and only available as the weather warms and flowers begin to appear. 7.0% ABV

Stay tuned…in April we will be Releasing/Tapping:
Slap Your Mammy – 8th
Pliny the Younger – 11th
Emperor Wears No Clothes – 20th (at 4:20 PM)
TPS Report – 29th

(COOPERSTOWN, NY) The cheerful gnomes of Belgian farmstead Brasserie d ‘Achouffe dropped by the Brewery Ommegang farmstead brewery in the summer of 2010.

They brought with them a typically gnomic idea: why not co-create a totally new beer to bridge both farmsteads across the Atlantic Ocean? The beer happily evolved through multiple pilot brews and tastings, resulting in a strong Belgian Golden Ale using Chouffe yeast in the primary fermentation and Ommegang yeast in the secondary. The lushly fruity and spicy yeast is a signature found in every Chouffe beer, and the combination of their yeast, our brewing skills, and our own yeast yielded a unique, flavorful, and aromatic dose of brewing magic. The beer was deemed a big success by Chouffe gnomes and Ommegang alike, was christened Gnomegang, and went into commercial production as a Limited Edition Ommegang ale for sale beginning in the second quarter of 2011.

In appearance, Gnomegang is a rich, translucent gold, with a big, fluffy white head. The high-carbonation is readily apparent. The nose focuses on distinctive clove aromas, combined with yeasty fruitiness typical of Chouffe beers. Flavors include ripe fruit, clove, light caramel, non-cloying candy sweetness, smooth maltiness, and well-balanced hopping. Mouthfeel offers a big, round body with full, fine carbonation. The finish is dry and warming, lingering gracefully.

Gnomegang is available in 750ML corked bottles and 1/6 barrels. It is available all across the US, and ships beginning early March for sales beginning late March to early April. A limited number of bottle samples are available for review by e-mail request to larry@ommegang.com.

Gnomegang Specs:
Style: Belgian-style Strong Blonde Ale
Malts: Pilsner, Carapils, Flaked Oats, flaked Red Wheat, Special B
Hops: two Saaz varieties, hopped 3 times
Spices: none
Sugar: yes
Yeast: Chouffe yeast in primary fermentation, Ommegang yeast in bottle conditioning
OG: 19.9 o Plato
FG: 2.9 o Plato
ABV: 9.5% abv
IBU: 19
750 ml bottle: Bottle-conditioned with Ommegang house yeast
1/6 bbl keg: Forced-carbonation

Brewery Ommegang opened in 1997 to craft-brew fine Belgian-style ales. The brewery creates six ales year-round as well as an extensive range of limited edition ales. The beers have won national following by connoisseurs of fine beer and are distributed in over forty states. Ommegang production and sales continue to grow rapidly and the company is in the process of significant physical expansion to meet growing demand. The brewery is located on a 140-acre farmstead in Cooperstown, New York and offers free daily tours and tastings, as well as a well-stocked brewery store and an online store. Ommegang is open every day of the year except for Christmas Eve day, Christmas Day, Thanksgiving Day, and New Year’s Day. For more info, contact info@ommegang.com, call 1-800-544-1809, or visit www.ommegang.com. Ommegang is a member of the Duvel family of fine beers.

(San Francisco, CA) – Russian River Brewing is leading the efforts in one of this year’s Craft Brewers’ Conference Symposium beers.

The 2011 edition of the annual conference will be held in San Francisco next month. Per the CBC site:

This year’s attendees will enjoy four CBC Symposium beers! [...] The team at Russian River bottled one a couple of weeks ago and it’s now conditioning in large pallet cages in the brewery before labeling.

This sour brown ale was made by Russian River with Sierra Nevada, using the latter’s Keller Weise yeast for the primary fermentation, and barrel aged with Russian River’s house “bugs and critters” in wine barrels from Fritz Maytag’s York Creek Vineyards. Sampling his creation two weeks after bottling, Russian River’s Vinnie Cilurzo reports: “The bottle I opened had a giant Cabernet Sauvignon characteristic.”

Sierra Nevada, Founder/Owner, Ken Grossman and Anchor Brewers Chairman, Fritz Maytag, will be delivering the keynote address this year.

Stay tuned for details on the other three beers.

(Bend, OR) – Deschutes Brewery‘s 2011 lineup will include a new offering.

In addition to the tip sheet info attached below, I asked Digital Marketing Manager, Jason Randles, for some extra info on Stoic and the Hair of the Dog collaboration. Here’s his response: “The Stoic is our next Reserve Series beer that we hope to release to the public in April. If we hear back from the TTB in time we will have some draft available at a kick-off party during CBC in San Fran. The Stoic is a Belgian-Style Quad brewed with Pomegranate Molasses and aged in Rye Whiskey & Oregon wine barrels. The beers we brewed for the Hair of the Dog Collaboration are still aging in a variety of oak barrels so we do not have a release date, name or description for that beer yet.”

The Stoic

When: April
What: Reserve Series (22-ounce wax-dipped bottles and draft)
The newest beer to join our coveted Reserve Series, this brew is so new that we can’t even really tell you about it yet. Actually, it’s top secret until a sneak preview during Deschutes Brewery Base Camp Week in San Francisco during the Craft Brewers Conference. Want to find out more about this philosophical beer? We’ll see you in San Francisco!

Where: Very limited, available in most states where Deschutes is sold

Twilight Summer Ale

When: Available May to September
What: Summer Seasonal (12-ounce bottles and draft)

As the summer days stretch into night, Twilight Ale comes to celebrate the long lazy hours. It’s a lighter, yet full-flavored ale with an attractive aroma. A complementary malt presence imparts just enough tension to its refreshing, crisp, dry profile. Signature Amarillos make Twilight something best enjoyed chilled and savored outdoors.

Where: Available in all 16 states where Deschutes is sold

Beer Geek Information:
5.0% Alcohol by Volume (ABV)
35 International Bittering Units (IBUs)

Hop in the Dark – Cascadian Dark Ale

When: Available May – September 2010
What: Bond Street Series (22-ounce bottles and draft)

Over the past year, no style has received more attention than the Cascadian Dark Ale, or Black IPA. Accolades abound for Deschutes Brewery’s take on this movement: Hop in the Dark ranked in the top 10 beers of 2010 by Modern Brewery Age; and top 25 beers of 2010 by both Draft Magazine and Wine Spectator.

We love this description given to Hop in the Dark by Imbibe Magazine: “A year of experimentation created this raven-colored ale that, due to a quartet of hops – Cascade, Amarillo, Centennial and Citra – packs an intensely pungent IPA bouquet. The malt profile is smooth, with a gentle touch of coffee to temper the citric bitterness.” Raven-colored ale? It’s poetry! We think you’ll agree when you take the plunge – a hop, if you will – into this year’s Hop in the Dark.

Where: Available in all 16 states where Deschutes is sold

Beer Geek Information:
6.5% Alcohol by Volume (ABV)
75 International Bittering Units (IBUs)

(Copenhagen, DENMARK) – Who has had the largest variety of bottled beers available in the U.S.? It’s probably this guy.

Three more approvals…

Mikkeller Bravo – 11.2 oz. bottle – Mikkel claims on the label that are now 18 single hop beers in his program and that all are being brewed in the same week in order to make comparisons of them more meaningful.

Mikkeller Barrel-Aged Santa’s Little Helper – 12.7 oz bottle – This a Belgian Strong Ale brewed with spices and aged in Rum Barrels

Mikkeller Barrel-Aged From Via To – 12.7 oz. bottle – This is an Imperial Porter aged in bourbon barrels.

(Escondido, CA) – Even more news coming out of the San Diego area tonight.

The TTB has approved both the ‘classic’ and ‘Belgo’ versions of Stone Old Guardian Barley Wine Style Ale this week. You can zoom in on the back labels below by clicking on the pictures. Check out more info on what went down with these beers.

(Cooperstown, NY) – Brewery Ommegang collaborates with Brasserie D’Achouffe on Gnomegang.

Last week, Paul Hayden of The Wine and Cheese Place astutely pointed out that recent label approvals revealed that some Ommegang beers were now to be brewed in Belgium. He took this information to Beer Advocate which, in turn, drew Ommegang Marketing Director, Larry Bennett, out of the woodwork with a plethora of Ommegang news:

Tis true: Duvel will again brew some Ommegang beer for us in 2011.

All in all, it’s an extraordinarily exciting time at Ommegang. We’re preparing for continuing growth and brewing more fantastic (and some new) beers. Including a Chouffe collaboration beer, tentatively named Gnomegang, coming out in April. Yes, you read it first right here.

Gnomegang got approval early this week. Ommegang and Brasserie D’Achouffe are both part of the Duvel Moortgat family of brands so something like this has been a long time coming.

Label copy: “This delectable blonde ale is a co-creation of two famed farmstead breweries: Brewery Ommegang and Brasserie d’Achouffe. It employs five fine malts, two noble hops, and both of the distinctive Chouffe and Ommegang yeasts. You’ll enjoy the smooth drinkability, fruity aromas and flavors, and warming finish.” This one is brewed at Ommegang in New York and ABV is 9.5%.

(Escondido, CA) – …though it will get its way with the Belgo versions, too.

Looks like this commenter was right. I didn’t even think this was an option but apparently it is. Stone Brewing CEO, Greg Koch, announced today that the brewery will bring back the original versions of Stone Old Guardian Barley Wine and Stone Imperial Russian Stout after all.

The brewery created a controversy last week when it announced that it would release alternative versions of the two beers in the ‘odd years’ like 2011, 2013 and so on. These would be so-called “Belgo” versions of these beers, made with a Belgian yeast strain. The catch was that it would come at the cost of not releasing the original versions in those years. A poll taken on Beernews.org last week showed that 71% of readers wanted the original Imperial Russian Stout back and 60% wanted the original Old Guardian back.

In changing its plans, the brewery will still release the Belgo versions as well beginning with Old Guardian in February. Koch denied in his blog post that this was a publicity stunt.

(Snoqualmie, WA) – Snoqualmie Brewery announces a new release.

Here is the story (and the facts) straight from the brewery:

“There is no need to be afraid of the number 13, we have actually created this Belgian style tripel in celebration of our 13th anniversary.

Reminiscent of the Millennium Madness we created 10 years ago, Triskaidekaphobia is a great balance of crisp clean malt, lemony hops and spice. Unfiltered but clear to the eye, Trisky is made from 100% German pilsner malt, Belgian candi sugar, 100% Czech Saaz hops and Belgian ale yeast.

Stored away for the past 5 months, Trisky is perfect to drink now, or to pack away in your beer cellar for a special occasion in years to come. Available in December, Trisky availability is extremely limited so find some today at your finer Snoqualmie Falls Brewing Company retailers.”

-Beer Stats: O.G. 1.080 (20 Plato) ABV 8.6% IBUs ~36

-Suggested retail: $6.99 / 22oz

-A contest was held to design the label of our special release. Local Seattle artist sensei 23 won with his submission.

-A Triskaidekaphobia launch event is scheduled for Wed, Dec 15th at the Barking Dog Ale House in Seattle. Live music provided by Bad Luck and Trouble.

-The majority of Trisky will be released in bottles to local NW bottleshops and other local retailers. A limited number of kegs will be released as well. Look for Trisky draft at The Barking Dog, Brouwer’s, Bottleworks, Parkway Tavern to name a few.

(Kansas City, MO) – Boulevard Brewing brings back Bourbon Barrel Quad.

More specifically, KC Beer Blog reports that the beer is hitting stores beginning today.

According to Boulevard Brewing’s Julie Weeks, the brewery will post its brewers’ notes on the website today. Here’s an excerpt:

“The 2010 edition is unique because, unlike previous batches, it is 100% barrel-aged. The length of aging time ranged from eight months to three years using a blend of first-use, second-use and third-use oak bourbon barrels. Because more barrels were combined to create this batch, the cherry tartness is slightly more pronounced than in prior years, contributing to a greater overall complexity and depth of flavor.”

Weeks did not confirm how the new batch is being distributed. Perhaps no news is good news for those who have got it shipped to their areas before?

H/T to Charlie for the lead on this…

(Denver, CO) – Great Divide Brewing has received label approval for another one in bombers.

As noted here (along with a bunch of other 2011 updates), Great Divide Grand Cru will debut next month as a new seasonal.

Label copy: “Grand Cru is our very special Belgian-style dark ale. Imported malts give it a round malty richness, and the fruity complexity and slightly spicy character come from brewing with a proprietary Belgian yeast strain. Don’t let the name fool you; while it may be a special occasion beer, this medium-bodied, elegant incarnation is anything but snobbish.

Suggested food pairings: Roasted chicken with thyme, braised short ribs, oven roasted vegetables, grilled sweet potatoes, roaring 40′s blue cheese, bread pudding.” 11% ABV.

Look for this in 22 oz. bottles come January.

(Fort Collins, CO) – For many, this is a dream come true.

The heavily-decorated Le Terroir has received its share of attention in beer circles despite being limited, for the most part, to the status of a festival superstar. That will finally change as this Lips of Faith Series brew appears to be on is on its way to 22 oz. bottles for a Q1 release. New Belgium’s Bryan Simpson says that it will be released “concurrently” with New Belgium Dunkel Weiss, slated for a January-March timeframe.

Le Terroir label description: “Le Terroir is a French term meaning ‘Of the Earth.’ Used to reference the environmental conditional that affect the brew, we like to think about the terroir of our foeders. These wooden barrels age our sour beer in varying temperatures, humidity and vibrations. The terroir of New Belgium, so to speak. Add in another variable by dry-hopping with peachy, mango-like Amarillo hops, and we created a beer that changes every time we brew it.”

Some notes on this one…

It is sometimes described as the pale counterpart or sister beer to La Folie.

It is ranked 4th out of 75 beers in New Belgium’s collection on RateBeer.

It won a bronze medal for American-style Sour at the 2007 GABF.

It took third place in the sour category at FOBAB 2007.

It won a bronze medal for American-style Sour at the 2008 World Beer Cup.

Beer Menus says that this one is aged for two years and also uses Cascade hops (in addition to Amarillo hops mentioned on the label).

Per the late Bill Brand, “The base beer for the Le Terroir was hand selected by Dave Keene at the brewery and kegged for him alone.”

(Papillion, NE) – Nebraska Brewing will soon introduce Apricot au Poivre Saison to its Reserve Series.

The beer is currently available on tap. Here’s what is happening with bottles per Nebraska Brewing’s website:

Apricot au Poivre Saison – Releases for the first time in January of 2011.

This release will consist of approximately 45 cases only. 6.8% ABV. $19.99. 750 mL bottle.

(Woesten-Vleteren, BELGIUM) – A new beer ships from Belgium this winter.

At first glance, this looks like a Struise label without a Shelton Brothers stamp on it. Hmmm….but John Vanloo of San Francisco-based Waterloo Beverages LLC clears that up:

“We gave the assignment to develop & manufacture their Westoek Ale – 6% ABV at the Deca Brewery. As this was a very complex recipe to deal with, Deca asked Urbain Coutteau, world-renown brew master at Struise to collaborate on this project.

Our first batch, which is very limited, will arrive in January next year. It will be 20l kegs and 11oz bottles.”

(Fort Collins, CO) – Fort Collins welcomes its newest brewery, Funkwerks.

[11/23 Update: Per the Facebook page, Get some Funkwerks for Thanksgiving. The tap room will be open for bottle sales of our Saison and White Tuesday and Wednesday between 4 and 6. Cash only. $11 for the Saison and $10 for the White.”

“Embracing the unexpected.” That is the title of the first blog post from the team at Funkwerks, Brad Lincoln and NHC-winning Brewmaster, Gordon Schuck. As with many other breweries that start at a nano scale, they’ve blogged about their journey along the way: development of recipes, setting up the brewhouse and going through the red tape of getting a license to brew professionally.

A few months into their project, “unexpected” is just what they got.

In May, Schuck and Lincoln got their license to brew as a nano. A month later, they signed paperwork to take over the old Fort Collins Brewery facility with plans to operate a 15-barrel brewhouse.

What a difference a month makes.

Says Lincoln, “We started out with a plan to be a nano brewery for a while, build up a name for ourselves and start building a brewery from the ground up in about a year from now. But when the old Fort Collins brewery location came up we couldn’t pass up the deal. It had a lot of the infrastructure that we needed and it was also the fastest way to a tap room so we jumped on it. More than anything, opportunity knocked and we invited it in.”

With a new license in tow, the brewery is preparing for a grand opening of sorts next month though a few beers have already been released off of the nano system. Similar to Stillwater Ales on the East Coast, Funkwerks will be a Saison-focused brewery. Why saison? Good question, one the brewery asks itself and answers on its blog here. They are aiming to provide a local alternative to their Belgian counterparts whose beers have the disadvantage of to travelling a long distance.

“I love how many Saisons age but sometimes a fresh saison is what I am looking for. For example, Saison Dupont out of the keg is incredible but Saison Dupont out of the green bottle is often at bit skunked (Gordon doesn’t mind this as much as I do). Also, sometimes I get bottled beers and they are a little oxidized. They are still incredible beers but not as good as they could be.”

In addition to focusing on Saisons, the brewery is also focusing on “Organic” and hopes to become certified next year.

If all goes to plan, the taproom should open for good on (or by) December 9th. They will have their two core offerings, Saison and White Saison, ready to go as well as Cherry Saison (only 100 bottles) and their light saison (yet to be named). The light saison is likely to be a taproom staple along with other new beers down the road, a dark saison and hoppy saison.

Funkwerks will start self-distributing bottles (750s) and kegs in January or February in Fort Collins and in February or March to Denver.

Nebraska Brewing Company Sets Release Date for Barrel Aged Hop God: World Class in Every Glass

(Papillion, NE) – Nebraska Brewing Company is set to release the 2010 bottling of one of its Reserve Series Beers, Barrel Aged Hop God. Barrel Aged Hop God is a French Oak Chardonnay Barrel Aged version of draft Hop God and through an additional 7 month process emerges as an incredibly unique blend of both intense and subtle flavors. The draft version of Hop God won Bronze in the 2010 World Beer Cup in the American-Belgo Style Ale Category.

Chardonnay character and a minor blending with draft Hop God introduce tremendous diversity into an already complex beer. This Reserve Series Beer was originally bottled in 2009 and represented Nebraska Brewing Company’s fourth entry into an elevated realm of Craft Beers that require great skill, patience, and a little luck. The first experimental bottling yielded only 45 cases while the current release will launch with 114 cases.

This version of Hop God is a fascinating, big, bold Belgian-style Tripel hopped in very high amounts to concentrate citrus, grapefruit and floral aromatics in the nose. The addition of Chardonnay barrel aging adds further dimension and oak tannins to an already wonderfully complex Ale.

Paul Kavulak, President of Nebraska Brewing Company stated: “We’ve discovered that Chardonnay barrel aging complements well made, big Belgian-style Ales beautifully.” He noted further, “We love creating Craft Beers that not only we enjoy but others seem to enjoy as well. This is one of the most difficult beers we create.”

Kim Kavulak, Vice President & General Manager of Nebraska Brewing Company adds: “The draft version of Hop God is an extremely complex beer that is entirely unique. The additional 6 months of barrel aging adds a dimension that makes this a truly remarkable beer.”

Nebraska Brewing Company has set the release date for Barrel Aged Hop God to be Saturday December 4th and will host a release party at 6PM in the brewpub on this date. Barrel Aged Hop God will be available in all markets where our beer is distributed. A complete list of Nebraska Brewing Company brands can be found on our website, www.nebraskabrewingco.com
Paul and Kim Kavulak co-founded Nebraska Brewing Company in November of 2007. Since that time, Nebraska Brewing Company has established itself as a Midwest Innovator of quality Craft Beers and artisanal Barrel-Aged Products. Building on a reputation for quality, flavor, and creativity – Nebraska Brewing Company strives to be a stand-out in an ever growing field.

Nebraska Brewing Company is proud to be a locally owned and locally operated brewpub in Papillion, Nebraska. Small, independent, and pushing the envelope.

(Baltimore, MD) – Stillwater Artisanal will debut Stillwater Existent Ale very soon.

This ‘black hoppy farmhouse ale should hit shelves in 750ml bottles and draft by mid-December says 12 Percent Imports’ Brian Ewing. Expected distribution markets include: NY, MD, DC, PA, IL, CA, OR, NC and SC. Stillwater Ales landed in Connecticut late last month and just arrived in Vermont this week though I haven’t confirmed whether these new markets will get Existent. Stillwater’s Brian Strumke says that some casks will debut in mid-November. Hops include: Chinook, Summit, Columbus, Nugget and Simcoe. ABV is 7.4%.

Label copy: “Existent represents the philosophy behind Stillwater Artisanal. We strive to define ourselves through our passion and sincerity while accepting that not all aspects of life are readily explainable. To manifest this ideology, we present an ale of intrigue. Black as night though deceptively dry, braced by a firm yet not over-powering bitterness and accented by an earthy hop and mild roast aroma. This is an ale for you to define…’and if you gaze for long into an abyss, the abyss gazes also into you.’ – Nietzsche”

In other news, Stillwater Ales was featured in The Atlantic late last month as part of an article on nomadic brewers.

Here are some details about the beer via Facebook:

Description: “From the twisted mind of Tröegs brewer Bruce Tanner comes Scratch #36, a white ale brewed with spices that we’ve dubbed Bruce Wit – since we’re a lot closer to Bruce than we are to Belgium. Scratch #36 has been a work in progress for Bruce. He used to brew this beer style at his old job and couldn’t wait to tackle it again. In addition to traditional ingredients like orange peel and coriander, Bruce has reached farther into the spice rack incorporating black pepper and star anise into the hopback to intensify the flavors.Pouring a cloudy straw color with a foamy white head, Scratch #36 delivers a bevy of citrus and spicy aroma notes with a hint of licorice from the star anise. . The spices are offset by a wheaty dough taste. Black pepper gives this wit a nice bite on the back end, while the Lachouffe yeast gives a cider twang to finish each sip.”

O.G.: 13.4
ABV: 5.5%
IBUs: 10
Malt: Pils, Red Wheat,
Oats
Hops: Magnum, Saaz
Yeast: Lachouffe/Ardennes
Juju: Coriander, Sweet & Bitter Orange Peel,
Black Pepper, Star Anise
Code: Bruce Wit

(Chicago, IL) – Goose Island Pepe Nero labels received approval this week.

[10/27 Update: With updated, more "precise" release dates on BCS/Madame Rose...

Goose Island just tweeted the following within the last hour: "BCS Vanilla Update: Brewers tried it & thought it needed more time so beer is still in barrels. Will keep updated on release date! Cheers!"]

The black saison, which debuted on tap in March as part of the Fulton and Wood Draft Series, was OK’ed for both 12 oz. and 22 oz. bottles, one or both of which will be released sometime next year.

Goose Island Brewer, John Wyzkiewicz, describes the beer as having a grist bill with more dark, roasted malts. Pepe Nero is highly carbonated and somewhat spicy with the aid of black peppercorns. One major change from initial release to bottles is that the beer is going from 6% ABV to 4.6% ABV. (30 IBUs).

In addition, it looks like Goose Island Fleur may be joining Matilda and others in 12 oz. 4-packs soon.

Side note: The latest on BCS Vanilla is that the beer will be packaged in November. As for BCS Rare, there is no release date to report yet.

[10/27 Update: This comes from someone inside GI. Don't shoot the messenger! And don't expect GI to confirm these officially..

Bourbon County Stout Vanilla - early November (first week?) delayed, see above...
Bourbon County Stout Rare - late November (week after Thanksgiving-ish)
Madame Rose - early December (first week?)]

(Boston, MA) – Boston Beer Co. has received label approval for Belgian-style IPA.

The beer was featured in the 2010 Samuel Adams Beer Lover’s Choice Contest against American Rye Ale. A label approval doesn’t necessarily mean that the beer won (who knows, we could even see one for the American Rye Ale in the next couple days/weeks) but this sure seems to be an indication. Last year’s winner, Noble Pils, also received label approval in October.

It will be interesting to see what 6-pack gets replaced, if any. When Noble Pils arrived this past spring, it replaced White Ale to a barrage of complaints. Someone even created a “Bring back the White Ale” Facebook group which currently has over 600 fans.

Blackberry Wit won the year before.

Oddly enough, the brewery also named Friar Hop Ale, a Belgian-style IPA in the Longshot Competition, a winner last month. This approval actually means that we may see two different bottled Belgian-style IPAs from Sam Adams released relatively close to each other. No matter what way you slice it, it boils down to a big middle finger to Lew Bryson who has had enough of the style.

(Placentia, CA) – The Bruery has received label approval for 3 French Hens.

[10/20 Update: Release pushed back to early November.]

The label reads, “The third verse of our ‘Twelve Beers of Christmas’ saga incorporates vinous and oaky notes into a bold and spicy dark ale. 10% ABV.” The formulation consists of 75% Belgian-style Dark Ale and 25% ale aged in French Oak barrels.

CEO/Founder, Patrick Rue says, “It’ll be sent to our whole distribution network and it looks like it’ll start appearing on shelves at the end of this month.” It was bottled in 750s just last week.

If you’re in the Rare Beer Club, you’ll be happy to know that this is an October selection. Here’s their review:

“The beer pours a dark brown color with mahogany hues, capped by a tight, sticky pale tan head. On the nose, it smells spot on for the Belgian Strong Dark Ale style, featuring notes of dark bread and plenty of spiciness. Look for faint impressions of ginger and sweet Belgian candi sugar. It needs some time to warm up before its depths are revealed. Allow that to happen and suddenly it smells like an oaky cabernet as the aroma goes extremely vinous. This character is blended with an undercurrent of plum and plumes of cocoa. On the palate, however, this is no ordinary BSDA.

First off, it’s got a nice weight to it—moderate viscosity, quite mouth-filling—it’s spicy and abundantly phenolic, with a backdrop of chocolate and pumpernickel, and even some rye-like spiciness (though there was no rye used in the recipe—the spiciness is all due to The Bruery’s extremely active house yeast strain!). The spicy tang is accentuated by ample alcohol presence, quite apropos for the style. The influence of red wine is unmistakable, as the effects of fermentation in used French oak that held red wine give a distinct impression of a big, bold cabernet. Pretty intense, even though the beer is a blend of only 25% French oak fermented beer and 75% from stainless steel. As the first wave of flavors settles over the palate, another kicks up, dropping notes of candied orange peel, followed by a stodgy bitterness that holds on to the palate for quite a while before relenting and allowing some bready notes to return. Faint vanilla notes show up as well, with some tingly, spicy notes of young, fresh raw wood, and other woody elements that contribute creamy, smoky notes in the finish, with a tinge of acidity.

Keep in mind that French Oak lends more subtle ‘oakiness’ than American Oak, and that’s the case here, though ginger-like tingling and fresh-woodiness offer up plenty of spice, especially in the finish. This bottle-conditioned beer will dry out as it ages, so check in on it anywhere from 6 months to 9 years out when all verses have been sung. But be careful—a vertical tasting of such big beers is certain to render you horizontal if you don’t divvy up the bounty.”

In other Bruery news…

…The Bruery Provisions has officially opened up. Here’s the press release.

…Information on new Reserve Society signups is coming “very very soon” according to a Twitter post.

…The Bruery won gold for Oude Tart at GABF.

…Live in San Francisco? The brewing team will be in town on Friday night checking out the local beer scene.

Follow updates on Twitter.

(Chicago, IL) – Here’s an update on the Goose Island Bourbon County Stout variations and a few other things.

According to the brewery’s Steve Link via Beer Advocate, “We are currently planning on releasing Vanilla BCS around November 1st and Rare BCS after Thanksgiving.” Needless to say, neither of these should last long on the shelf and it is likely that many store managers will only offer them to those who specifically ask. The regular edition of Bourbon County Stout will be released in late November according to STL Hops (it’s worth clicking that link if you’re in the STL area).

…As far as the Vintage Reserve Ales line goes, the brewery has removed the release dates for Juliet, Madame Rose and Lolita from the website. As previously reported, Goose Island has had some capacity issues this year so this comes as no surprise. The good news is that, according to Facebook, Madame Rose was bottled in late September so release shouldn’t be too far down the road. Learn more about Madame Rose in the video above.

…At GABF, 312 won the gold medal in the English Style Summer Ale category and Bourbon County Brand Stout won the bronze for Barrel Aged Strong Stout.

…In addition to Goose Island IPA bottles and draft, the brewery now has approval for Honker’s Ale labels brewed at Portsmouth, NH. See my original report.

“Some of you may know about the beer that never was, the beer that I never had a chance to blog about before it completely sold out. I will admit, I am a little bummed that someone posted it on Beer Advocate before lunch yesterday and all 23 cases were snatched up in less than 24 hours,” Natalie Cilurzo writes. The beer quietly went on sale on Thursday.

What is that beer? Russian River Framboise for a Cure.

Russian River brewed one barrel of the beer in order to raise funds for the Sutter Women’s Health and Breast Care Center. 23 cases (375ml bottles) of the beer sold out in less than 24 hours netting over $3,000 for the cause. More details on what RR is doing for breast cancer awareness this month can be found over at the blog.

Per Mario Rubio, “Framboise For a Cure is a spontaneously fermented beer, aged in fresh oak with fresh raspberries for 6 months. [...] The use of fresh raspberries marks this beer with its own tart sweetness. The intensity of this beer isn’t going to scare away casual beer drinkers as this Framboise is incredibly approachable.”

(Chico, CA) – 09/28/2010 – Sierra Nevada Brewing Co. presents some new and exciting updates on its forthcoming Ovila Abbey Ale Series due out in 2011. The label art is now complete and official release dates have been set. The news of this upcoming release has created much excitement and anticipation in the beer community.

Ovila Abbey Ales will closely follow the traditions established by centuries of monastic brewing. “Thirty years ago, I never thought we would be working with a monastery,” says Ken Grossman, founder of Sierra Nevada Brewing Co. “I first toured some of the Belgian abbey breweries in the 1980’s, and I’ve been fascinated with the beers ever since. It’s exciting for us to work on this project, and to experiment with these unique Belgian-inspired styles. The response so far has been great, and I can’t wait for the first release.”

The first beer in the Ovila series—a Belgian-style Abbey Dubbel—will be released from the brewery on March 1, 2011. The following beers in the series—a Saison farmhouse-style ale and an Abbey Quadrupel—will be released on July 1st and November 1st, respectively. These remarkable ales will be packaged in 750mL cage-and-cork bottles featuring artwork inspired by the historic Santa Maria de Ovila monastery.

A portion of the proceeds from the sale of these beers will go toward the restoration of the historic Ovila chapter house building on the grounds of the Abbey of New Clairvaux in Vina, California, just a few miles north of Sierra Nevada’s home in Chico. This medieval chapter house was begun in 1190 near the village of Trillo, Spain. Monks lived, prayed, and worked there for nearly 800 years. In 1931, newspaper magnate William Randolph Hearst purchased the abbey, dismantled it stone-by-stone, and shipped it to Northern California. Hearst’s plans were never realized, and the stones fell into disrepair. In 1994, the monks of the Abbey of New Clairvaux gained possession of the ruins, and began the painstaking reconstruction of the historic abbey.

Ovila Abbey Ales are Belgian-style beers brewed in a centuries-old abbey tradition. These beers are an homage to the legendary monastic breweries, but are not Trappist beers—nor are they made in connection with the member breweries of the International Trappist Association (I.T.A) headquartered in Belgium.

(Santa Rosa, CA) – Guess what’s coming soon from Russian River Brewing…

[9/14 Update: See below]

According to Vinnie Cilurzo, “We’ll release the Redemption in two or three weeks. They are in the 375ml bottle and we will have them at our brewpub as well as distributed in NorCal.” This is the first batch to be released since last summer according to the website’s bottle log. [ed. note: Thanks to Nick for the heads-up!]

Beer Description: “Redemption is the younger sister to our award-winning ale, Damnation. Fashioned after a Belgian-style “single,” this ale is rarely brewed in America, let alone Belgium. Typically, “singles” are brewed only at the Trappist Monasteries for the monks to enjoy with meals. They often drink only half a bottle with lunch and the rest with supper, despite the beer’s low alcohol content. Redemption is modest in strength, robed in warm golden hues, and soft on the palate with a smooth dry finish.” 5.0% ABV / 1.048 O.G / 23 IBUs.

Also listed on the website as coming soon on tap are Gaffner’s Bitter and Procrastination (never heard of the first one, hint on the second – a long-running brewery joke). In addition, a label came through last week for Sour Pumpkin (this does not guarantee that the beer will be released but stay tuned Updated: Vinnie says this beer is for the annual Elysian Pumpkinfest coming later this fall).

Updated: Finally, there have been some questions about the Cilurzos’ involvement with the Eataly Birreria project that was announced earlier this year. The official word from a source close to the project is that they made the difficult decision to focus on Russian River and are no longer a part of it. All parties involved respect and appreciate the decision.

(Harrisburg, PA) – Here is the latest news on Troegs Brewing‘s upcoming limited release.

The official word from Troegs’ Facebook page as posted today:

“Splinter Blue will be available at Troegs Brewery on Thurs, Sept 16 starting at 10 am. There is a two-bottle limit per person, and the price is $22.95 for a 750 ml bottle. We have approximately 400 bottles available for sale. As with our last Splinter release we will allow small groups in the brewery for their purchase. We will have a few extra surprises this day as well.

What is Splinter Blue? Splinter Blue combines three of our favorite things – Dreamweaver, tart cherries, and Brettanyomyces. To begin this process we fermented Dreamweaver wort with Belgian/Lambic yeast blend. After a complete fermentation,… we aged the beer in oak barrels with wild yeast and souring bacteria for one year, and then added eighty pounds of tart cherries for another six months of aging. Splinter Blue pours a cloudy rose color with copious carbonation and a Brettanyomyces yeast funk. The beer’s effervescence highlights it’s sharp acidic cherry flavor, followed by a doughy cereal-like finish that lets you know there’s wheat in there.”

(Escondido, CA) – Stone Brewing has received label approval for the ninth beer in its Vertical Epic Series.

This next version, Stone 10.10.10 Vertical Epic Ale, will be an “ale brewed with Muscat, Gewurztraminer and Sauvignon Blanc grapes and chamomile.” It’s believed that the ABV will end up around 9% though it’s unknown at this time, hence the question mark on the front label above. More info can be found on the back label attached below (click the pic for a larger version). October 10th falls on a Sunday this year.

(Baltimore, MD) – Stillwater Ales is set to debut another Belgian-style beer in bottles next month.

Back in April, I wrote a short blurb about this beer, “In May, [Stillwater Founder/Brewer, Brian Strumke] is visiting Belgium to brew Stillwater Import Series #2, A Saison Darkly. It is a dark saison brewed with hibiscus and rose hips that give it a tart, floral quality with roasted malts giving it the dark color.” ABV is 8%.

Fast forward a few months and the beer, which was brewed at Sint Canarus in Deinze-Gottem, is almost ready to be shipped to the U.S. According to Twelve Percent Imports’ Brian Ewing, “This will ship within the next couple weeks and will be on shelves by mid-October. We plan to distribute it throughout the U.S. in very limited quantity. Specfic markets where it’s certain to pop up are NY, MD, DC, PA, IL, CA, OR, NC, SC. Probably a handful of others as well but that’s tbd.”

This is a pretty small batch at only 14hl (~12 U.S. barrels) split between 33cl bottles and 20l key kegs so availability will be very limited in these markets.

(Portland, ME) – An update on what’s happening at Allagash Brewing.

Vrienden, the collaboration with New Belgium just received its second label approval. The New Belgium label was approved a few weeks back. Both beers are doing their thing in the tanks at both breweries at the moment. Says Allagash Brewmaster, Jason Perkins, “Timing of the beer is unknown at this point. It will be a mostly draft release from our end with a few bottles for sale in the store. We need to wait out the Lacto and brett and they take time. We hope late fall/early winter.” Allagash will sell its version in 375 ml bottles. A brief video of the collab is shown below.

In other news, the Brothers Beer Advocate are at Allagash as I type this, brewing up the official beer for the Belgian Beer Fest this fall. Catch all the updates from the BeerAdvocate Twitter account here (even if you’re not signed up for Twitter). One interesting message says, “New [Coolship] batch this Nov. Rob says they do plan on selling batches eventually.”

Other recent Allagash updates can be found here.

(Lovell, ME) – Yves Panneels has blended an epic creation for Ebenezer’s Belgian Beer Dinner this Thursday night.

In de Verzekering tegen de Grote Dorst, which Panneels co-owns with his brother, is a world-famous pub in Belgium. You can learn more about it here. There are only 32 bottles of Brabantse Trots made according to the label and since that does not equate to one for each dinner attendee, it looks like this will be for consumption only at Ebenezer’s. The bottles are somewhere mid-flight over the Atlantic with Yves as of Tuesday morning.

Quick history lesson: Brabantse Trots translates to Brabant Pride. Per Wikipedia, Brabant, or more specifically, The Duchy of Brabant (duchy refers to a duke or duchess-owned territory) “was a territory consisted essentially of the three modern-day Belgian provinces of Flemish Brabant, Walloon Brabant and Antwerp, the Brussels-Capital Region and most of the present-day Dutch province of North Brabant.” Brabant’s coat of arms is a common image on many labels and is featured prominently in Ommegang‘s logo. More history on the symbol here.

If you missed the dinner menu, click here. There are still seats left for the dinner. Here is the Brabantse Trots blend:

1. Boon Jonge lambik november 2009
2. Boon Oude lambik 2008
3. Boon Oude lambik 2007
4. De Troch Oude lambik november 2008
5. 3 Fonteinen Jonge lambik oktober 2008
6. Girardin Jonge lambik 2009
7. Lindemans Jonge lambik oktober 2009
8. Lindemans Oude lambik januari 2008
9. Mort Subite Jonge lambik juni 2009
10. Mort Subite Oude lambik januari 2009
11. Mort Subite Oude lambik februari 2006
12. Oud Beersel Oude lambik februari 2008
13. Timmermans Lambik december 2008

(Hooksett, NH) – A nanobrewer graduates.

First things first, a new beer was recently released . . . an American Wild Ale called White Birch Oak Senex Torva Saison. Here is the label description: “With this batch we aged our Saison for an extended period of time on oak chips with a special brettanomyces strain. The result is spicy and tart, with mild fruit notes and a crisp dry wild finish. An ode to tradition, we salute all who till and toil to bring fruit from the earth.” 11.2% ABV in 750 ml bottles. Limited run of 200 bottles.

That is not the biggest news, however. Founder/Owner/Brewmaster, Bill Herlicka, reported on Facebook yesterday that his small operation is expanding: “We’re bringing in a new brewing system. It should allow us to brew approximately seven barrel batches of beer. We say approximately as until we run some beers through the kettle we won’t know how much grain and water it will hold. Some of our recipes call for a lot of grain! For those of you counting, we will be entering into brewpub territory for batch sizes.” The brewery has also brought in a small bottling line. The downside is that White Birch will be shutting down temporarily as Herlicka and his team work on the upgrades.

Finally, an interview with Herlicka appeared last week. Part I is embedded below and Part II can be found here.

(Denver, CO) – In recognition of their 20th anniversary, Breckenridge Brewery will release the Buddha’s Hand Witbier in limited supply to Old Chicago restaurant locations in Colorado. The beer will be released to the public at 6:00 PM on Wednesday, August 4 at all Colorado Old Chicago locations during a special tapping party and will be available until September 5 or while supplies last.

Buddha’s Hand witbier, or wheat beer, is brewed in the Belgian tradition with an American twist. Cascade hops along with a grain bill of Two Row, White Wheat, Caramel 30, Carapils and Torified Wheat afford this ale its 5.5% ABV and 17 IBU’s. What makes the hazy ale so unique is the addition of the fragrant Buddha’s hand citron plant fruit. The tropical fruit is segmented into finger-like sections, resembling the hand of Buddha, and responsible for a crisp, refreshing and lightly citrusy flavor perfect for summer enjoyment.

Old Chicago offers 110 brews from around the world, regional and local favorites as well as limited edition and seasonal products. Beer connoisseurs, or those who wish to expand their palates, can join Old Chicago’s famous World Beer Tour to earn rewards for trying new beers. From August 4 through September 5, members of Old Chicago’s World Beer Tour will be invited to try the Buddha’s Hand and receive a unique World Beer Tour credit as well as “good karma”. While not a requirement of enjoying a beer at Old Chicago; guests are encouraged to join the Tour in order to take advantage of the program benefits and free membership.

In addition, Breckenridge Brewery and Old Chicago restaurants will give “random acts of kindness” in the form of rewards, discounts and prizes to World Beer Tour members, fans of their respective Facebook pages and Old Chicago staff during the month of August. A street team will distribute materials to pedestrians on 16th Street Mall in downtown Denver on August 4 at 12:00 PM, inviting passer-goers to the tapping and giving away 500 Old Chicago Mystery Cards with values up to $100.

“Old Chicago prides itself on offering guests a variety of beers from Colorado, the United States and throughout the world. We are not only a restaurant with great food and a fun atmosphere, but consider ourselves a resource for beer education and trends. We were excited for the opportunity to be the only restaurant , bar or retailer to carry Buddha’s Hand and celebrate in the success of a long time partner and fellow Colorado native, Breckenridge Brewery. Then we tasted the beer. The flavor was so distinctive we decided to wrap a whole month around it and share the secret with all of our World Beer Tour members and industry friends,” Karen Lozano, Director of Marketing for Old Chicago restaurants.

For more details on Buddha’s Hand visit: http://www.breckbrew.com/xtras/events.asp or Facebook fan pages (Breckenridge Brewery of Colorado, Old Chicago and local Colorado restaurant fan pages).

About Breckenridge Brewery

Breckenridge Brewery was founded in 1990 in Breckenridge, Colorado. In the past two decades Breckenridge Brewery has grown from a small 3,000-barrels-a-year brewpub to one of the most successful craft beer companies in the nation. They now handcraft nearly 30,000 barrels of fresh beer each year and sell it in 27 states. For more information on Breckenridge Brewery visit www.breckbrew.com.

About Old Chicago

Old Chicago is opened its first location in Boulder, Colorado in 1976. Famous for its friendly service and 110 beers, they offer a complete menu featuring made daily dough in a variety of crust choices and fresh toppings as well as pasta, calzones, salads, strombolis, steak and seafood entrees, sandwiches and desserts. Old Chicago has 65 locations across the United States, including 27 in Colorado. Old Chicago’s parent company, Rock Bottom Restaurants, Inc., owns and operates 103 restaurants – 65 “Old Chicago” restaurants and 38 brewery concepts operating under the names “Rock Bottom Restaurant & Brewery,” “ChopHouse & Brewery,” and “Walnut Brewery”. The Company also operates two Sing Sing concepts, an entertainment venue featuring a dueling piano bar in a club setting. It has franchise partnerships under its Old Chicago brand that account for 37 locations; three locations under the Rock Bottom Restaurant & Brewery brand and one ChopHouse location. The company also licenses Boulder Beer, Inc., Colorado’s first microbrewery. For more information on Old Chicago Restaurants or the World Beer Tour visit www.oldchicago.com.

More to Give

Giving is inherent to Old Chicago’s culture. Every month, Old Chicago donates thousands of pounds of surplus food to local hunger organizations and hosts hundreds of monthly fundraisers to benefit local charities. Old Chicago teammates show their giving spirit by volunteering time and a portion of paychecks to local charities through the Old Chicago Foundation. For more information on the Old Chicago Foundation visit http://www.oldchicago.com/rock-bottom-foundation.