The Bruery Head Brewer, Tyler King, talks The Bruery Oude Tart in this episode of New Brew Thursday. Learn everything you ever wanted to know about The Oude Tart as he and the NBT hosts taste the first two commercial batches of the beer and King’s original homebrew batch.

(Escondido, CA) – Stone Brewing has received label approval for its next Quingenti Millilitre Series release.

Stone reported on its blog earlier this month that it will be doing something interesting with its next releases:

2010 Old Guardian Barley Wine Aged in Bourbon Barrels
2010 Old Guardian BELGO Barley Wine Aged in Bourbon Barrels
2010 Old Guardian BELGO Barley Wine Aged in Wine Barrels

With the first beer in the series sold by lottery, Stone is turning its attention to its book, The Craft of Stone Brewing Co.—Liquid Lore, Epic Recipes, and Unabashed Arrogance by Greg Koch and Steve Wagner with Randy Clemens.

If you buy the book on Warwick’s online shop through September 9th, you will have the opportunity to buy one of the beers listed above.

More details are over on the blog on how it all works.

Although these beers aren’t bottled yet, we’re expecting there to be about 4,776 of the 2010 Stone Old Guardian Barley Wine Aged in Bourbon Barrels, and 550 of the two Belgo renditions. We’ll have a similar deal going at the Great American Beer Festival, where the actual book itself will be officially released (Greg & Randy will be there in person to sign your copy and compliment you on your choice of reading material).

We will also have a book release event at the Stone Brewing World Bistro & Gardens on September 27th with the same parameters, with Greg, Steve, & Randy on hand to sign books.

(San Francisco, CA) — MateVeza has released Morpho Herbal Ale, an organic ale brewed with yerba mate, hibiscus flowers and bay leaves. A collaboration with Mill Valley Beerworks, MateVeza’s newest limited release is an ode to the Morpho butterfly of South America. With hints of tropical flora from hibiscus, the lemony herbal notes of bay leaves, and an earthy dry yerba mate finish, this ale is pure rainforest refreshment.

Morpho Herbal Ale is part of a new chapter in the lost art of unhopped ales called gruits that originated in the middle ages. Gruits rely on a mixture of herbs to provide the bitterness resulting in zero hop bitterness. Morpho Herbal Ale’s bitterness is provided entirely by the yerba mate and bay leaves, providing a completely new and refreshing take on the style.

After discovering their mutual appreciation for Stephen Harrod Buhner’s book “Sacred and Herbal Healing Beers,” MateVeza founder Jim Woods and Mill Valley Beerworks cofounder Justin Catalana discussed collaborating on a gruit with yerba mate. Catalana brought his experience brewing with bay leaves and Woods his experience brewing with yerba mate. After their first batch, Woods suggested hibiscus flowers for an added citric acid tartness and tropical aroma.

“In a craft beer climate dominated by ales that push the limits of hop bitterness, Morpho Herbal Ale is a rare creature,” said Jim Woods, founder and president MateVeza,“After receiving rave reviews of the beer’s unique melange of flavors from the customers of Mill Valley Beerworks, we knew we were on to something.”

Catalana and Woods decided to bottle their exotic creation and the Morpho butterfly was chosen as the perfect flag-bearer. Native toSouth America, where yerba mate is grown, the iridescent blue Morpho butterfly flutters through the rainforest in search of fermenting fruit. The beer’s tropical aroma and striking red color make it an apt expression of the Morpho butterfly’s beauty.

Morpho Herbal Ale was made possible by a loan from The Boston Beer Company’s new microloan program for craft brewers, Samuel Adams Brewing the American Dream. After he was unable to secure additional financing from traditional banks, Jim Woods applied for a Brewing the American Dream loan, and received the necessary working capital to undertake Morpho Herbal Ale project.

Morpho Herbal Ale will be available in 22-ounce bottles and draft in select locations throughout California, Oregon, Washington and Colorado. For more information, sales information and high-res imagery visit www.mateveza.com.

About MateVeza:

MateVeza (Mate + Cerveza) markets and sells organic, naturally caffeinated beers brewed with yerba mate, the South American herbal tea. MateVeza’s award-winning beers, including Yerba Mate IPA, Black Lager, and new Morpho Herbal Ale are brewed and bottled in Ukiah, California by Mendocino Brewing Company. MateVeza is USDA certified organic by CCOF. More information about MateVeza is available at http://www.mateveza.com

About Mill Valley Beerworks:

Mill Valley Beerworks is a brewery and beer cafe located just north ofSan Francisco. The brewery specializes in creating a variety of unique botanical beers brewed with juniper, bay leaf, redwood tips and other unorthodox ingredients. Botanical beers as well as house-crafted adaptations of classic ales are featured alongside a large selection of imported and craft microbrews. For more information, visit: http://millvalleybeerworks.com

(Davis, CA) – UC Davis, a world leader in brewing science and education, and Sudwerk Restaurant and Brewery of Davis have entered into a licensing agreement that will offer Aggie Lager on tap at Davis eateries and generate an estimated $25,000 a year for scholarships, campus officials announced.

Sudwerk is brewing the beer, which is currently on tap at its own restaurant, Hallmark Inn, The Davis Graduate, 3rd and U Café, Woodstock’s Pizza and Original Steve’s. UC Davis and Sudwerk are looking to put the lager at other Davis establishments too.

Under a one-year agreement, UC Davis has licensed the use of its name and athletics trademark for Aggie Lager to Sudwerk, which has a long association with the brewing programs and the Department of Athletics at UC Davis.

The agreement will provide the equivalent of one full year’s scholarship for an in-state student-athlete at UC Davis — support that interim Director of Athletics Nona Richardson said is critical to recruit and retain top players as the Aggies develop their program in Division I of the National Collegiate Athletic Association.

In addition to raising funds for intercollegiate athletics, campus officials said the agreement will help to build awareness of the university in general and its world-class brewing programs.

“The Aggie Lager project is an innovative collaboration between campus and community that highlights a distinguished academic program through the broad portal of intercollegiate athletics,” said Cindy Spiro, senior associate athletics director for external affairs and resource development.

Teaching and research in brewing science have been integral components of the UC Davis Department of Food Science and Technology since 1958. Charlie Bamforth, the Anheuser-Busch Endowed Professor of Malting and Brewing Sciences at UC Davis, says hundreds of students have progressed from the undergraduate and master’s programs to senior technical positions in the brewing and brewing-supply industries in North America and beyond.

“Aggie Lager is an exceptional lager that shows off the brewing talents of our alumni and carries our name with pride,” Bamforth said. “I am delighted that the sales of beer will support sports on campus.

“In all my teachings I stress the role that beer can play as a worthy component of a well-balanced and healthy lifestyle when treated, as in all things, mindfully.”

UC Davis Extension, the continuing and professional education division of the university, also offers popular and respected brewing programs, including an eight-week Professional Brewers Certificate Program, an 18-week Master Brewers Program and short courses in home brewing.

Jay Prahl, masterbrewer at Sudwerk and a UC Davis alumnus, describes Aggie Lager as “a rich golden lager, complex and artfully balanced and reminiscent of Bavaria’s most popular style — the Munchener helles or the Munich light lager.” The 100 percent malted beer is mildly hoppy, crisp and clean, he said.

The lager was first presented under the Aggie name nine years ago at the annual Aggie Auction fundraising event for Athletics, where cases of bottled lager continue to be offered for auction. Aggie Lager has also been poured at some small VIP events before or during halftime at football and basketball games.

UC Davis has a close association with Sudwerk, which has produced award-winning lagers sold in California, Arkansas and Pennsylvania. Prahl graduated from the Master Brewers Program in 1995 and is a guest speaker for Introduction to Brewing and Beer, the second-most popular course on the UC Davis campus. He and Sudwerk’s other brewers, who graduated from the same program, support the teaching of UC Davis Extension brewing courses, which are held in a classroom above the Sudwerk brewing facilities.

Although the association of a university’s name with beer is not unprecedented, it is also not without controversy at institutions that work to reduce high-risk drinking among their students.

“UC Davis is proud of its academic programs in and contributions to brewing, winemaking and viticulture,” Spiro said. “We are using the utmost care in the association of the university’s name with alcohol.”

Michelle Famula, executive director of Health and Wellness at UC Davis, says she appreciates the university’s long commitment to excellence in fermentation science, viticulture and enology. “I join the university community in the expectation of safe and responsible consumption of Aggie Lager and all alcohol products,” she added. “For those who choose to drink, UC Davis advocates that they do so legally and safely.”

UC Davis continues to promote its Safe Party Initiative, a collaboration with the city of Davis to reduce problems associated with drinking among college students and to support party safety. UC Davis’ Student Health and Counseling Services offers assessment and intervention services for alcohol, tobacco and other drug issues. The campus provides leadership to the community’s Davis Alcohol and Other Drugs Advisory Group.

UC Davis does not sell alcohol at regular concessions at its athletics facilities; the consumption of beer and wine is permitted in some designated tailgating areas before Aggie football games.

About UC Davis
For more than 100 years, UC Davis has engaged in teaching, research and public service that matter to California and transform the world. Located close to the state capital, UC Davis has more than 32,000 students, more than 2,500 faculty and more than 21,000 staff, an annual research budget that exceeds $678 million, a comprehensive health system and 13 specialized research centers. The university offers interdisciplinary graduate study and more than 100 undergraduate majors in four colleges — Agricultural and Environmental Sciences, Biological Sciences, Engineering, and Letters and Science. It also houses six professional schools — Education, Law, Management, Medicine, Veterinary Medicine and the Betty Irene Moore School of Nursing.

(Hayward, CA) – Buffalo Bill’s Brewery issued a recall today for Buffalo Bill’s Orange Blossom Cream Ale sold in six-pack bottles.

The recalled product was shipped between January and July 2011. The company has issued a nationwide recall for all Buffalo Bill’s Brewery Orange Blossom Cream Ale.

The product is being recalled because contents of several bottles have been found to be fermenting, which causes additional pressure in the bottle. This may lead to sudden popping of the cap or rupturing of the bottle, which could pose a hazard from breaking glass. Immediate and careful disposal of the product is warranted. People who have already consumed the product are not at risk of illness or bad effects. Consumers may receive a full refund for any unused product by calling toll free at 1-(855)-890-3290.

Buffalo Bill’s Brewery has taken corrective action to prevent future occurrences. The recall does not affect other bottled or draft products from Buffalo Bill’s Brewery. For more information, please call 1-(855)-890-3290.

(Portland, OR) – Fresh hop beer season is almost here.

Not one, not two, but three fresh hop beers from super regional breweries were approved this week. Fresh hop beers are a welcome addition to what is a fall season already jam-packed with traditional seasonals like pumpkin ales and Oktoberfest beers. Expect to start seeing them roll out early-mid September as some brewers are reporting having harvested their hops already.

Beer descriptions…

Deschutes Fresh Hop Mirror Pond Pale Ale

This noble, fresh hop version of our classic American Pale Ale arose from a single plot of heirloom Cascade hops, revived by our brewers from the original rootstock developed at Oregon State University, grown by Goshie Farms in Oregon. This very limited release is just for you. (Bond Street Series / 22 oz).

New Belgium Fresh Hop IPA

Fresh picking for some lip lickings, this beauty of a beer boasts a fresh crop of Cascade, Centennial and Amarillo hops. We’re talking from vine to brew within 24 hours fresh. Citrusy, soft fruit tones. Fresh hop IPA. (Lips of Faith Series / 22 oz).

Sierra Nevada Homegrown Ale

Here in the sun-drenched fields of California’s North Valley, the black soil is rich with promise. In winter, rows of barley seed are laid in the freshly tilled dirt. In spring, trellises are set for hops. From our fields comes a remarkable homegrown ale, made with organic wet hops and barley grown at our brewery here in Chico and one of the few estate-made ales produced anywhere in the world!

This Estate Ale is rish with the flavors of the valley – featuring hops with earthy, grapefruit-like flavors and layered spicy aromas and barley with mild sweetness and smooth, toasted flavors. Together, these crops grow alongside the brewery to make a truly unique brew. (2011 edition / 750ml).

Batch two of today’s new beer labels…

Ovila Quad: Label copy…

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

Ovila Abbey Quad is rich and complex with layers of flavor including notes of intense dark fruits, and caramel-like maltiness. Rich and complex, this ale should be shared among friends in the true spirit of the season.

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.

Others…

Laurelwood Stingy Pumpkin Ale
Steamworks Quince Anos Barleywine Ale (15th Anniversary)
Shiner Holiday Cheer (24 oz)
Cascade Lakes Slippery Slope Ale
Pismo Bolina Brown Ale
Pismo Roadster Red Ale
Pismo Pale Ale
Pismo Bootlegger Blonde Ale
Pismo India Pale Ale

(Escondido, CA) – Stone Brewing Co. has released its newest beer, commemorating a decade and a half of brewing excellence with the Stone 15th Anniversary Escondidian Imperial Black IPA.

The name—besides being a mild-yet-necessary chore for dutiful writers, dedicated retailers and enthusiastic publicans to write out in its entirety—is Stone Brewing President & co-founder Steve Wagner’s chuckling jab at those looking to lay territorial claim to the Black IPA style.

“There’s this small faction of people that seems to think it can call Black IPAs ‘Cascadian Dark Ales,’ historical accuracy be damned,” Wagner explains. “So, we thought we’d lightheartedly lay claim to our own style, dubbing it ‘Escondidian,’ both as an homage to our hometown of Escondido, CA and as a gentle ribbing to those Black IPA fans worshipping a false Cascadian idol.”

And while this point of contention may only be of import to 0.01% of craft beer fans, what is important is how the beer looks, smells, and ultimately tastes. “Stone 15th Anniversary Escondidian Imperial Black IPA pours thick and opaque, with a deep brown head of foam,” boasts Brewmaster Mitch Steele. ”Intense herbal and piney hops are followed by roasted malt notes redolent of coffee, anise, and cocoa, all coming together to form one of the darkest, hoppiest and most colossal beers we’ve ever brewed.”

“To those confused few still sipping a Black IPA by any other name, I hear your argument… that Black India Pale Ale is a bit oxymoronic on the surface,” adds Wagner. “But as an English Major, I can firmly stand behind the term Black IPA. At its core, language is all about one thing: conveying meaning. And there’s no doubt what Black IPA means: an IPA that’s black. Elementary, my dear Watson!”

Stone 15th Anniversary Escondidian Imperial Black IPA

• Availability: 22oz bottles, on draft, and a limited number of 3L bottles.
• Vital stats: 10.8% abv, 100 IBUs
• Malt bill: Pale Malt, Cara-Bohemian, Carafa III Special, and Chocolate Malt
• Hops bill: Columbus (bittering), Citra (flavor/aroma). Dry-hopped with Nelson Sauvin and Pacific Jade.

The Stone Blog: Stone 15th Anniversary Escondidian Imperial Black IPA

Stone Brewing Co. was founded in 1996 by Steve Wagner and Greg Koch in North County San Diego, CA. It is the 14th largest craft brewery in the United States and has been named “All-Time Top Brewery on Planet Earth” by BeerAdvocate magazine - TWICE! A recently announced $26.6M expansion plan (that includes a hotel among other lofty ventures) is underway, as are developments to become the first American craft brewery to open a brewhouse in Europe. Visit stonebrew.com for more information.

• Appetizer/Main course: BBQ ribs, raw oysters, seafood cocktail, nachos, French onion soup, chili, porterhouse steak, lamb/wild game, merguez sausage, Portobello burgers
• Desserts: Tiramisu, plum tart, strong dark chocolate, Fig Newtons
• Cheeses: Aged Gouda or English Cheddar, Parmigiano-Reggiano, Maytag Blue, Gorgonzola Dolce
• Cigars: Oliva Serie V Maduro Especial, Juan Lopez Selección No. 2, CAO LX2 Toro, 601 Blue Box-Pressed Maduro Toro

(Placentia, CA) – The Bruery has released some details regarding this year’s Black Tuesday release.

Via Beerthursdays on Beer Advocate, here is the email sent out to Reserve Society members:

Hi everyone!

It’s time again for another Reserve Society allocation. The following beer will be available for order between August 12th and September 2nd at society.thebruery.com

Black Tuesday:
Our infamous Black Tuesday is an imperial stout aged in bourbon barrels for over a year. Rich caramel, toasted malt, vanilla, burnt wood and anise are just a few of the many flavors in this rich, decadent imperial stout.

Learn more about Black Tuesday at www.thebruery.com/blacktuesday

• As a Reserve Society member, one (1) bottle of Black Tuesday has already been allocated to you as part of your initial membership fee. You may purchase a maximum of six (6) more bottle allocations for yourself. Each allocation is $30 before your 15% discount. Bottles will be released on or around Tuesday, October 25th. Official release details will be made known closer to the date.

• We will be holding a small release party on October 25th. Information and tickets for the party will be released in September.

• Remaining bottles of Black Tuesday will be sold to the general public through an online sale on October 25th. Bottles will be limited and we can not guarantee that you will be able to purchase a bottle during the general release sale.”

Not sure about this last part but BeerThursdays’ analysis…

Super excited for this, can’t believe they are doing 7 total bottles for members. That puts the number right around 5000 bottles, assuming 700 members.

Another weekend edition of new beer labels…

Three Floyds Zombie Dust: The long-rumored 6-packs are one step closer to fruition. The beer, a single-hop pale ale made with Citra hops from Yakima Valley, Washington, has been on draft for a while now. Artwork by Tim Seeley.

Ballast Point Indra Kunindra India-style Export Stout: Label copy… “To honor our brewing community and Holiday Wine Cellar’s 46th anniversary. Ballast Point and Holiday Wine Cellar are proud to offer a unique collaboration between homebrewer and craft brewery. The result of our commemorative endeavor? An India-style Export Stout brewed with Madras Curry and lime leaf. Definitely not the same old-same old. Award-winning homebrewer, Alex Tweet really pushed the limits on this one – so enjoy it, and thanks for celebrating with us.” Also made with coconut, Cayenne, and Cumin.

Other labels…

Cigar City Hot Blooded Stout
Left Hand Biere de Garde
Mustang Harvest Lager
Rockyard Home Brewers Rock Weisser Berliner Weiss

New batch of beer labels…part one.

Sierra Nevada Bad Luck Blonde (ale brewed with coriander)
Perennial Saison de Lis
Perennial Strawberry Rhubarb Tart
Bayhawk Claim Jumper Seasonal Ale
El Rey Mexican Style Ale
Snake River Vienna Style Lager
Last Cast Black IPA
Manzanita Lazy Saison
Manzanita Chaotic Double IPA
Frankenmuth Hefeweizen
Frankenmuth Dunkel

(Press Release)

(Escondido, CA) - Stone Brewing Co. is launching a new series of specialty beers dubbed Quingenti Millilitre. These limited release beers will be featured in cork-finished 500ml bottles, and will present a new tier in Stone’s award-winning lineup, encompassing beers that have been barrel aged, dry hopped, or otherwise made extra, extra special. First up? Ken Schmidt / Maui / Stone Kona Coffee Macadamia Coconut Porter Aged in Bourbon Barrels.

When San Diego homebrewer Ken Schmidt won the Stone March Madness Homebrew Competition & AHA Rally back in 2009, he was brought in to brew a scaled up batch on the Stone Brewing Co. system, along with Garrett Marrero of Maui Brewing Co. Unbeknownst to the world, the wizards at Stone had something else up their sleeve: the brewers squirreled some of the resulting beer away in bourbon barrels from Heaven Hill Distilleries. Now, some two years later, they are ready to unleash it in all of its glory.

The only problem? There’s not very much of it. As a result, Stone is initiating a drawing to impartially decide who can get their hands on a bottle. Starting today and continuing through August 16, fans can purchase $1 tickets—the proceeds of which will be donated to two local charities, the Escondido Creek Conservancy andInterfaith Community Services—which will enter them into a raffle for a chance to buy one of the 500 or so bottles that Stone is expecting the barrels to yield.

The lucky folks that are randomly selected at the end of the drawing will then have until September 18th to purchase and pick up their bottle in person from the Stone Company Store in Escondido. Full details of the drawing and tickets are available athttp://www.stonebrew.com/500mL

*Thanks to Brown Paper Tickets for agreeing to waive their processing fees to allow the chosen charities to receive the maximum benefit!

Future Quingenti Millilitre releases are slated to include:

• Dogfish Head / Victory / Stone Saison du BUFF Aged in Red Wine Barrels
• 2010 Stone Old Guardian Barley Wine Aged in Bourbon Barrels, the release of which will be tied to the forthcoming book, The Craft of Stone Brewing Co.: Liquid Lore, Epic Recipes, and Unabashed Arrogance (Ten Speed Press, 10/2011)
• Green Flash / Pizza Port Carlsbad / Stone Highway 78 Scotch Ale Aged in Scotch Barrels
• 21st Amendment / Firestone Walker / Stone El Camino (Un)Real Black Ale Aged in American Oak Barrels

…and plenty more.

Stone Brewing Co. was founded in 1996 by Steve Wagner and Greg Koch in North County San Diego, CA. It is the 14th largest craft brewery in the United States and has been named “All-Time Top Brewery on Planet Earth” by BeerAdvocate magazine - TWICE! A recently announced $26.6M expansion plan (that includes a hotel among other lofty ventures) is underway, as are developments to become the first American craft brewery to open a brewhouse in Europe. Visit stonebrew.com for more information.

A dozen new beer labels featured…western and international breweries here

Avery Immitis Barrel-Aged Sour Ale: No. 9 in the Barrel-aged Series… “Mercilessly and cruelly sour. A very dark and superb blend from 11 of our finest first use Zinfandel barrels. So yes, expect loads of barrel character to compliment the malt and acidity.” Brewed with Imported specialty Belgian malted barley, malted wheat, Saccharomyces yeast, Brettanomyces yeast, Lactobacillus and Pediococcus.

Capital Eternal Flame: Capital Square Series… “Welcome to our 25th anniversary beer. A big, lush malt eruption of a Doppelbock that is the ‘birth beer’ of a concept. The story of the Flame is to be a continually evolving creation over time.”

Hess Anno Unum: “Happy birthday to us! The beer you are holding, Anno Unum, represents a significant milestone – it is the first in what we expect to be a long line of Anno-series birthday celebration beers. We opened our doors one year ago as San Diego’s first production nano-brewery and now we’ve poured everything we have into this bottle. You hold in your hand a beer that honors the tradition of craft brewing and exemplifies the reputation we’ve worked hard to garner – a reputation for delicious, well-balanced craft brews.

Belgian-style IPA made with Pilsner, Rye and Munich malts. Chinook and Falconer’s Flight hops.”

To be released on August 13th in 750s.

Others…

Heretic Tafelbully Belgian-style Ale
Ventura’s Surf County Line Rye Pale Ale
Von Scheidt Otto Pilate
Klamath Basin Vanilla Porter
Anaheim 1888 California Lager
Anaheim Red
La Biere du Demon French Specialty Ale
Birra del Borgo Maledetta Saison IPA
Bink Bloesem (Belgian Ale with Pear Syrup and Honey)

(Philadelphia, PA) – Today, we have twice the amount of great news to share with you. Bella Vista Beer Distributors is proud to announce that we have come to an agreement with both Telegraph Brewing Company of Santa Barbara, CA, and Iron Fist Brewing Company of San Diego, CA. This brings our California Brew Friends represented to ten which include prestigious brewers such as The Bruery and AleSmith.

We first caught wind of Telegraph Brewing back in 2008 while out at the CBC in San Diego. We brought back home with us a few of their offerings which included California Ale, a perfect example of a California Common. We fell in love, and simply tracked their growth for a while, and finally drew up enough courage to contact the guys there.

Iron Fist was something we knew about before they even brewed an ounce of beer. Having a bevy of brewers from San Diego County helps keep your ear to the ground out there for what to watch out for. Our California friendly market has become a second home to many brewers from the Golden State, and we hope these two suppliers will feel at home with their tremendous wares on our shelves. We hope to have beers from both brewers available by mid to end of August.

About Telegraph Brewing:
Early American brewers adapted traditional European brewing techniques to the unique ingredients, climates, and tastes of the New World. At Telegraph Brewing Co., our beers are handcrafted in that same manner at our brewery in Santa Barbara, California. Making use of as many locally grown ingredients as we can, Telegraph’s ales embody our philosophy that a local brewery should reflect the traditions of its region. Our goal is to produce uniquely American beer styles that are imbued with a spirit of invention and creativity, but always with a nod toward history.

Each of Telegraph’s brews is carefully crafted in small batches in our traditional copper-clad brewery. We respectfully employ brewing techniques proven over the centuries while eschewing modern shortcuts that might make our lives easier but inevitably lead to less distinctive beers. However, just like you, Telegraph Brewing Co. isn’t afraid of trying something new. That’s something you’ll discover on taking your first sip of our beer. We are proud to be a small part of California’s rich brewing heritage and we hope that with each pint you can taste the perfect blend of the past and the future.

About Iron Fist Brewing:
Iron Fist Brewing Company is a family owned brewery located in Vista, California, smack-dab in the middle of the exciting San Diego craft beer scene. Our passion for the best hand crafted beer prompted us to make a lot of it. However, we quickly realized we were making a bit more than we could drink ourselves, so we decided to sell whatever we don’t drink to you. So do yourself a favor; start a little revolution. It’s ok. We won’t tell on you. Put the 500 pack of light lager back with all its buddies and rule your taste with an Iron Fist!

About Bella Vista Beer Distributors:
Bella Vista Beer Distributors is a longstanding family business which has grown because of the sheer perseverance of not only family owners of Bella Vista but the entire staff. We are without a doubt THE go to beer distributor when it comes to the world’s most sought after and revered brewers and importers in the world. Our location in the heart of the city gives us an edge over all competitors both wholesale and retail.

Disclosure: Bella Vista Beer Distributors is a supporter and advertiser here on Beernews.org.

(Newport Beach, CA) – In response to an overwhelming demand from its distributor and retail partners, Coast Brands Group, LLC has announced the creation of its Craft Beer Division. Coast Brands, known for its one-of-a-kind Distributor Network and retail authorization services, has already signed two brands to its Craft Beer Portfolio: Crazy Mountain Brewery, located in Vail, Colorado and Hardtail Brewery, the World’s first “Biker” Craft Beer.

Bob Groux, Founder & CEO of Coast Brands explains, “Craft Beers, like many of our non-alcoholic brands, face challenges with distribution and chain authorizations. Beer distributors represent the vast majority of our network so it was a natural fit for us to get into the beer business. The distributors we work with have been asking us to bring them high quality crafts; now the time is right, and Crazy Mountain and Hardtail are both excellent brews.”

Located in the heart of the beautiful Vail Valley, Crazy Mountain Brewing Company was founded by Kevin Selvy and Marisa Aguilar who combined their passion for craft beer to create Vail Valley’s first production brewery. Crazy Mountain’s year round craft beer styles include its flagship Amber Ale, Lava Lake Wit, Mountain Livin’ Pale Ale, Old Soul Strong Belgian Golden Ale, Hookiebobb IPA and Cara de Luna Black Ale. Available in draft and smartly packaged in 12 oz cans, each style of hand crafted beer offers the brewmaster’s unique take on the traditional styles. “Coast Brands is the perfect partner for us,” Kevin Selvy states. “The vast distribution and retail market knowledge that Coast provides gives our brand instant leverage with the largest and most reputable beer distributors in the Nation.”

Hardtail Brewery, based in Johnston, Colorado, has already established a large presence in Colorado and is now ready to expand to other states. Hence, their Coast Brands partnership was formed. Available in draft and 12 oz bottles, Hardtail Lager is an Amber American Lager that is fermented cold and lagered for 30 day thus providing the active Hardtail consumer a crisp full body drinkable beer, not too heavy, not too light, just right. “We are extremely excited for the expansion opportunities that Coast Brands brings to the table” says Jacob Unrein. “We are ready to enter additional markets”.

The initial focus for both craft beer brands will be California, Texas and Florida with the subsequent goal to distribute nationwide. Groux’s advice to his new craft beer clients is to expand strategically and slowly. “One of the issues that many breweries face is capacity. We want to ensure that our brands can handle the demand/volume in the target states before expanding further.” Hardtail and Crazy Mountain have both been very well received by major distributors in the Coast Brands Network in all three markets and shipments into California and Texas should begin next month.

About Coast Brands Group, LLC
Coast Brands Group, LLC, located in Newport Beach, California, is the leading brand representation provider for companies looking to establish or expand sales and distribution to key markets in the United States. Its DSD Network is approaching 100 distributors that together reach over 100,000 retail accounts in the West, Southeast, Midwest and Southwest. Coast Brands is unique in that it represents brands to DSD distributors as well as retailers. Its impressive list of brands/clients include New Leaf Teas & Lemonades, HER, Kronik Energy, Celsius and OhYeah!, ACTIVATE and, most recently, craft beer brands Crazy Mountain and Hardtail. For information please visit: www.coastbrands.com

(San Diego, CA) – As a local brewery in Pacific Beach, Karl Strauss is giving a nod to life at the boardwalk with its latest release, Boardwalk Black Rye. Conjuring images of a dark ocean and cool breezes, Boardwalk Black Rye is a spicy take on an American Black Ale with an intense citrus hoppiness and complex roasty finish.

American Black Ales are a fairly recent addition to the craft beer world. These beers are similar to IPA’s in flavor, but with the addition of roasted and dark malts for an added layer of depth and malt complexity. Karl Strauss kicked their interpretation up a notch with the addition of cararye and chocolate rye malts for a spiciness that complements the floral notes from the Athanum hops. “This beer has a lot going on, but in a very balanced way,” says Paul Segura, Karl Strauss Brewmaster. “It starts with a bright, citrus hop profile, then you start to get the spiciness from the rye, and the finish has a really pleasant dry, roast character.”

Boardwalk Black Rye is the final addition to the Karl’s Coastal Reserve series. In late 2009, Karl Strauss debuted the Coastal Reserve series to showcase its more innovative, west coast inspired hop-forward beers. The series of four beers kicked-off with Big Barrel Double IPA, followed by Whistler Imperial Pils, Blackball Belgian IPA, and is now completed by Boardwalk Black Rye.

Boardwalk Black Rye comes in at 8% ABV, with enough alcohol to support the bold hop and malt flavors. “The brewers here at Karl Strauss are huge hopheads, so the Coastal Reserve Series has been a really fun outlet for us to show our creativity,” says Segura. A limited draft release and 800 cases of 22oz bombers will be available across Southern California beginning early August. For more information, visit www.karlstrauss.com. Share it. Cheers.

Stats:
8.0% ABV
80 SRM
80 IBU

Tagline:
A spicy black rye ale with a robust West Coast hop profile.

Label:
When the sun goes down past Crystal Pier, the postcard view of the Pacific fades into the dark. As the tourists head off down the Boardwalk, a distinctly local vibe returns to PB. Boardwalk Black Rye is a spicy black ale with a hop profile that’s pure West Coast. Black and caramelized rye malts add complex spicy and roasted notes, while three massive additions of Ahtanum hops provide the vibrant floral aroma and citrus hop character of a Double IPA. Keep Boardwalk out of the cellar, this hoppy offering is best enjoyed fresh.

About Karl Strauss Brewing Company
Karl Strauss Brewing Company is celebrating 22 years of brewing in San Diego. From humble roots, a big vision, and the desire to share handcrafted beer with America’s Finest, Karl Strauss has grown from one brewery restaurant to a local institution—brewing 34,000 barrels in 2010 and operating six successful brewery restaurants across Southern California. The company has not strayed from its pioneering roots with new releases like Big Barrel IIPA and Whistler Imperial Pils, while still capturing hearts and the 2010 WBC and GABF gold medals for long-time favorites like Red Trolley Ale. With distribution solely in California, Karl Strauss is ranked #44 on the list of the country’s top craft breweries.

For more information visit www.karlstrauss.com or call the brewery at (858) 273-2739.
http://twitter.com/karl_strauss; http://facebook.com/KarlStraussBrewingCompany

Part II of today’s new beer label update…west and midwest-based breweries featured here.

Drake’s Aroma Coma: “Aroma Coma is our summer seasonal India Pale Ale. We’ve brewed it annually since 2009 for a local IPA festival, where it was selected one of the top three beers in the competition. The malt bill consists of almost all 2-row barley malt, with a touch of Caramalt for body – leaving you with a delightfully hop-forward experience. Generous amounts of Cascade, Chinook, CTZ and Citra hops create the citrus, pine and floral notes.”

Caldera Mogli Oak-Aged Imperial Porter: “Caldera’s Mogli was inspired by the loss of a dear friend. This is a chocolate, oak-aged Imperial Porter. Mogli is complex, sweet, chocolately big and full of unconditional love!”

Others…

Widmer Brothers Framboise Saison
Anderson Valley Mowkeef Saison
Crystal Springs Barrel Aged Black Saddle Imperial Stout
Redbud Cuvee Three Belgian-style Ale
Wind River Wyoming Pale Ale
Crabtree Orange Blossom Cezanne Saison
Toppling Goliath Golden Nugget IPA
Madison River Black Ghost Oatmeal Stout
Von Scheidt Dead-Line Stout
The Round Barn Grape Expectations

(Escondido, CA) – Stone Brewing Co. is rolling out yet another collaboration beer, with the “Jason Fields & Kevin Sheppard / Tröegs / Stone Cherry Chocolate Stout” due to hit shelves on July 25.

San Diego homebrewing duo Jason Fields and Kevin Sheppard submitted their Cherry Chocolate Stout for this year’s Stone March Madness Homebrew Competition and AHA Rally, taking top honors out of 40 entries that were judged. As a result, they earned the opportunity to make a dramatically scaled up version with Brewmaster Mitch Steele on the 120-barrel Stone Brewing Co. system.

“We didn’t have any expectations going in,” explains Jason. “We’d just entered the competition just to get some feedback and notes on our beer.” Kevin adds, “The fact that we did win was absolutely surreal.”

“There were A LOT of really good beers that day,” recounts Mitch, one of the judges at the competition. “With each entry, we asked ourselves two simple questions: 1) ‘Is this a really creative beer?’ and 2) ‘Is this a really good beer?’ This one totally fit the bill.”

Once the beer was decided on, an additional brewer had to be selected to complete the collaboration. Deciding to bring in John Trogner, Head Brewer of Pennsylvania’s famed Tröegs Brewing Co., was a no-brainer. “We make a holiday beer called Mad Elf, which uses a ridiculous amount of cherries,” explains John. “Plus, we’ve done a lot of brewing with chocolate. So I’m guessing that had something to do with why I was asked to pitch in.”

The rich, smooth stout was brewed in late April, with a blend of dark-roasted specialty malts, Callebaut chocolate liquor, vanilla beans, and 9000 pounds of dark and tart cherries. “Seeing how much the recipe was blown up to brew it on this system is amazing,” Jason chimes in. “And getting to work with everybody… it’s been so cool.”

“Collaboration beers are a big part of showing what our industry is about,” concludes John. “And it’s a lot like homebrewing: you think up an idea, invite your friends over, and brew it. There aren’t many other industries that can work that way, and I think it says a lot about what we do.”

Single 12-oz bottles (Suggested retail price: $2.49-$3.49)
Available in: AK AZ CA CO DE FL IL KY MA MD MN NC NJ NM NY OH OR PA SC TX VA VT WA
7.3% abv, 37 IBUs
2448 cases produced

Tasting Notes from Brewmaster Mitch Steele:

“The taste is that of a very smooth stout, with an intense tart cherry beginning and a cocoa smoothness dominating throughout the palate. The tartness from the cherries balances out the smooth sweetness, and the addition of cacao and vanilla beans add intricate layers of chocolate and vanilla to the flavor profile. Definitely a beer to savor slowly and evaluate as it warms and changes in your glass.”

About Stone Brewing Co.:

Stone Brewing Co. was founded in 1996 by Steve Wagner and Greg Koch in North County San Diego, CA. It is the 14th largest craft brewery in the United States and has been named “All-Time Top Brewery on Planet Earth” by BeerAdvocate magazine – TWICE! A recently announced $26.6M expansion plan (that includes a hotel among other lofty ventures) is underway, as are developments to become the first American craft brewery to open a brewhouse in Europe. Visit stonebrew.com for more information.

About Tröegs Brewing Co.:

Founded by brothers Chris and John Trogner in 1996, Tröegs Brewery is a small, family-owned specialty brewery. Located in Central Pennsylvania, Tröegs beers are distributed in Pennsylvania, Maryland, New Jersey, Delaware, Virginia, New York, Ohio and Massachusetts. Tröegs Brewery, currently located in Harrisburg, PA is open for tours and tastings every Saturday. Visit http://www.troegs.com to see what else is brewing.

(San Diego, CA) – AleSmith Brewing sent out a newsletter this evening with a few bits of information…

———————————————

We are excited to announce the bottling of single origin coffee versions of Speedway Stout. For those of you that might not know, single origin coffee referring to a coffee or cacao varietal with a single known geographical origin. Sometimes this is a single farm or a specific collection of beans from a single country.

While we’re not quite ready to announce all of the single origin beans that we plan to use, we will be bottling and distributing the first of these variations on our award winning Speedway Stout later this year. What we can tell you is that the very rare Kopi Luwak beans from Sumatra will be one of the first releases. We’ll keep you posted in future newsletters!

Summer YuleSmith Double IPA Release

Hop heads rejoice! Our latest seasonal, Summer YuleSmith Holiday Ale, is currently out and available for purchase. Packaged in a red and blue 22 oz. bottle, Summer YuleSmith is a bold and flavorful Double IPA. An abundance of American varietal hops gives this beer its’ signature flavor and aroma profile, full of citrus, pine, and grapefruit-like characteristics. The hops also lend balance to the malty sweetness, adding to the overall smoothness of the body and mouthfeel.

Look for AleSmith YuleSmith Holiday Ale this summer at finer stores, bars, and restaurants. You can also visit the brewery during our retail hours for Summer Yule bottle purchases.

(Escondido, CA) – Stone Brewing Co. is proud to announce the release of its latest collaboration beer, Baird / Ishii / Stone Japanese Green Tea IPA, hitting shelves today.

Toshi Ishii—former Stone Brewing intern cum brewer (’98-’01) and now owner of Ishii Brewing Co. in Guam—got in touch with Stone Brewmaster Mitch Steele shortly after the Japanese earthquake and tsunami disaster with a proposal to make a beer that could help with recovery efforts. Bryan Baird of Baird Brewing Company in Numazu, Japan was brought on board and ideas were soon flying.

“We wanted the beer to have a Japanese spirit, so we decided early on that we would be using green tea in the recipe,” explains Baird.

“We decided to brew an IPA to accentuate the tea’s herbal character,” adds Steele. “But this won’t be the typical, citrusy West Coast IPA flavor. We’re using Sorachi Ace, a variety of hops originally developed in Japan, as well as Pacifica, Crystal, Warrior, and Aramis, a brand new cultivar from the Alsace region of France.”

All proceeds (minimum $50,000) will be donated to the Japanese Red Cross Society. “We hope that Japan and its people will bounce back from the tsunami tragedy stronger than ever!” exclaims Ishii.

“A collaboration beer like this is a great way to demonstrate to Japan that they’re not alone,” Baird asserts. “They have friends, supporters, and empathizers all around the world.”

Name: Baird / Ishii / Stone Japanese Green Tea IPA

Single 12-oz bottles (Suggested retail price: $2.49-$3.49)
Available in: AK AZ CA CO FL IL KY MA MN NC NJ NM NY OH OR PA SC TX VA VT WA
9.2% abv, 70 IBUs
2966 cases produced

Tasting Notes from Brewmaster Mitch Steele

“Bryan, Toshi, and I tried to select hop varieties for this beer that would blend well with Japanese Sencha Green Tea, and I think we succeeded. Heavy doses of Crystal hops, accompanied by New Zealand Pacifica and the brand new Aramis variety from France provide a wonderful, spicy, herbal hop character that blends exceptionally well with the herbal and grassy Sencha tea flavors. The very late addition of Japanese Sorachi Ace hops provide even more spicy and citrus hop notes. Our Production Team at Stone Brewing Co. is absolutely raving about how fantastic this beer came out. Drink it fresh!”

ABOUT STONE BREWING CO.

Stone Brewing Co. was founded in 1996 by Steve Wagner and Greg Koch in North County San Diego, CA. It is the 14th largest craft brewery in the United States and has been named “All-Time Top Brewery on Planet Earth” by BeerAdvocate magazine – TWICE! A recently announced $26.6M expansion plan (that includes a hotel among other lofty ventures) is underway, as are developments to become the first American craft brewery to open a brewhouse in Europe. Visit stonebrew.com for more information.

(Berkeley, CA) – Bison Brewing is excited to announce the newest release in its draft only “Beer of the Month” series, Saison de Wench.

Brewed in honor of her birthday, Saison de Wench is the first recipe that Bison Brewing’s Ashley Routson (also known as The Beer Wench) had a hand in developing, from start to finish. Starting with Dan Del Grande’s gold-medal winning Farmhouse Ale recipe as a base, the Saison de Wench recipe was inspired by spring flowers, rainbows and unicorns – But more importantly, using botanicals in the brewing process.

Brewed with a classic blend of specialty malts and wheat, Saison de Wench is an unfiltered, slight hazy, medium-bodied ale with a notably floral aroma and herbaceous flavor from the addition of herbs, flowers and spices.

Rose, the flower of June, served as the main focus of the recipe, with over 10 pounds of dried organic roses used in several stages of the brewing process. Floral aromatics were enhanced with the addition of hibiscus, which also gave the beer its pinkish hue and slightly tart flavor. To further increase tartness with a zesty lemon flavor, lemongrass was incorporated into the recipe. Last but not least, in order to enhance the spicy phenols from the yeast, Saison de Wench was spiced with pink peppercorns, a spice made from dried berries that yield pepper-like characteristics.

“ Whimsical notes of rose petals, hibiscus and peppery spice dominate the aroma. Balanced by a soft malt sweetness and moderate hop bitterness, Saison de Wench is refreshingly tart with a dry, spicy finish. Although delicious on its own, Saison de Wench pairs beautifully with delicate seafood dishes, ceviche, sushi, shellfish, fresh cheese, charcuterie, summer salads and chilled soups.” – Ashley Routson, Director of Awesomeness at Bison Brewing.

As with all of Bison Brewing’s “Beer of the Month” release, Saison de Wench is extremely limited and only available on draft. It is recommended that orders be placed as soon as possible.

Healdsburg Beer Company celebrates its third anniversary with the release of “The H Cubed” Anniversary Ale and reflects on over three years as a nano-brewery.

(Healdsburg, CA) – Healdsburg Beer Company is proud to announce the release of “The H Cubed” Anniversary Ale to celebrating its third successful year in business. “It’s basically a riff on a Belgian Tripel,” said founder and brewer Kevin McGee. “We’re going to release it in July, to coincide with the third anniversary of the final licensing of my garage as a commercial brewery.”

“The H Cubed” is made with organic pilsner malt and a few other grains, imported Saaz hops, a good measure of local honey and the brewery’s house yeast strain. “I generally don’t make many high alcohol beers, but I love Tripels and for the anniversary I wanted to do something a little different. I’ve also wanted to work some local honey into a beer for sometime,” McGee said.

Founded by wine industry executive and entrepreneur Kevin McGee in his garage, Healdsburg Beer Company, with annual production of under 1,000 gallons, is one of the earliest breweries of what has become a national nano-brewery movement. “The popularity of nano-brewing is really incredible. When I started the brewery in 2007, I was able to find Two Beers Brewing Co. and Schooner Exact in Seattle, Breaker Brewing in Pennsylvania, Heater Allen in Oregon and maybe one other outfit on the East Coast, but other than the legend of Sam Calagione at Dogfish Head in 1995 that was it. Homebrew forums had no shortage of homebrewers wanting to open tiny breweries, but everyone seemed to think it was impossible.” That has changed. “I get a pretty constant stream of emails and calls about starting a nano-brewery. It’s great to talk to people from all over the country with the passion to get involved in brewing on a scale like this. No one thinks its impossible any more and it’s feeding and being fed by the momentum and power of the craft beer culture. It’s a great time for beer.”

Nano-breweries are generally defined (by vague consensus) as very small production commercial breweries, often operated by people who maintain non-brewing day jobs and serving hyper-local markets. Nano-breweries have experienced remarkable popularity in the past two years, with an unofficial tally (maintained by nano-brewery Hess Brewing) listing over 60 licensed and operating nano-breweries in the United States and over 40 more in planning. New Hampshire has recently enacted a licensing category for nano-breweries and the Federal Alcohol Tax and Trade Bureau recognizes nano-breweries now and even has a FAQ entry for them.

A lawyer by trade and a graduate of the Executive Program at Stanford’s Graduate School of Business, McGee came to starting Healdsburg Beer Company as an extension of his day job in the wine industry. “I had been doing a good deal of business planning and strategy at the time and had already gone fairly far down the rabbit-hole of home brewing.” McGee said. “I inevitably came home and penciled out a business plan for a commercial brewery I could run in my garage. The next day I showed it to my boss, almost as a joke, and he took it seriously and we spent the better part of a day working through it. At the end of the day, we were both pretty excited and thought it was a good idea. I went home and talked to my wife and we decided to go for it. My daughter was only a few months old at the time, but the signal from the baby monitor reached the garage so I was good to go.”

Looking back, McGee makes it clear that, while fun, it has certainly been a great deal of work. “The threshold problem was that no one made nano-sized brewery equipment. You had to design your own brewhouse, go hire a welder to put it together, source components and learn to wire your control panel and also find creative ways to manage fermentation temperatures.” McGee says that was just the start. “Then – the important part – you had to make the whole thing work, and work reliably, to let you brew consistent, exceptional beer. With new recipes. I’ve had a lot of late nights.”

With regard to the beer, McGee counts himself lucky to have a secret weapon – his wife. “As a nano-brewery,” McGee continued, “if you screw up and make something that’s not good enough to sell, you just lost several weeks of production and probably an account. There really isn’t any room for error – you can’t make marginal beer.” McGee’s spouse, Katee Pendergast-McGee, a professional photographer with a strong background in design, has directed and produced all of the imagery and merchandise for the brewery and is an integral part of the recipe development. “She’s got this amazing palate and tastes everything we brew with an eye on ‘do more of this, less of that.’ I’ve tried to mess with her by throwing in other commercial beers from time to time and she’s never been fooled.” The partnership is working, apparently, as each of the brewery’s year round offerings have been awarded medals from the US Open Beer Championship. “We take the beer very seriously.” McGee said. “I believe that at my size I have no excuse to cut any corners. It can be pretty labor intensive.” Apparently the beer drinking public has caught on, and is literally drinking the brewery dry. “I used to keep a keg on tap in the brewery for family and friends who came by – not anymore. Presently, I can meet about 20% of the current demand. In 2010 we tripled what we did in 2009 and we are on pace to double those 2010 numbers this year.”

After more than three years of work and late nights, McGee still says he’d do it again. “It’s been a ton of work, but I’m extremely proud of what we’ve done and the beer we produce. We’ve had such a great reception from the locals and gotten a lot of love from the professional community as well. I feel really honored to be part of the craft brewing community, even if it is just a nano-part.”

About Healdsburg Beer Company.
Healdsburg Beer Company is an independent and family owned artisan brewery. The brewery produces limited quantities of artisan cask ales using only the finest ingredients in laboriously attended to small lots. Healdsburg Beer Company produces three year round offerings, “The Fitch Cask” California Golden Ale, “The Lytton Cask” Robust Porter and “The Alexander Cask” English-Style IPA, as well as a continuously evolving selection of seasonal releases. For more information, come visit us at www.HealdsburgBeerCompany.com.

(San Diego, CA) – After brewing the award-winning Red Trolley Ale for more than two decades, Karl Strauss Brewing Company is ready to unveil the beer’s turbo charged cousin—Off the Rails. Off the Rails is a double version of Red Trolley Ale with more malt, more hops, and more alcohol. This West Coast Imperial Red Ale is full of dark fruit flavors, toffee, and a smooth warming finish.

“Fans have loved Red Trolley since we first brewed it as our holiday beer 22 years ago,” says Paul Segura, Karl Strauss Brewmaster. “Off the Rails is an opportunity to take the flavors people love in Red Trolley and really push the limits by doubling the recipe.” Brewed with an impressive amount of caramel 60 and 80 malts, and a healthy dose of Willamette and Warrior hops, the finished beer has the same flavors as Red Trolley Ale, but with a more assertive and complex malt profile, and a warming increase in alcohol.

Small batches of Off the Rails have been brewed over the past two years for draft only and the response has been overwhelming. “Each time we brew this beer, our fans clamor for more. It’s really rewarding to be able to offer this beer in bottles for the first time,” says Segura. The company is bottling a very limited supply of 200 cases in 22oz bottles for release in early July. The bombers will be available across Southern California in select retail accounts. For more information visit www.karlstrauss.com. Share it. Cheers.

Off The Rails
Stats:
8.5% ABV
32 SRM
40 IBU

Bottle:
After brewing our award-winning Red Trolley Ale for more than two decades, we decided to raise the stakes. Why mess with a good thing? Because it’s that kind of dangerous thinking that leads to the next great beer. For this undertaking, we more than doubled our Red Trolley recipe with massive amounts of sweet caramel malts and earthy Willamette hops. Off The Rails has arrived: A West Coast Imperial Red Ale with rich toffee flavors, undertones of dark fruits, and a derailing hop character. If this is your first time off the rails, hang on with both hands.

About Karl Strauss Brewing Company
Karl Strauss Brewing Company is celebrating 22 years of brewing in San Diego. From humble roots, a big vision, and the desire to share handcrafted beer with America’s Finest, Karl Strauss has grown from one brewery restaurant to a local institution—brewing 34,000 barrels in 2010 and operating six successful brewery restaurants across Southern California. The company has not strayed from its pioneering roots with new releases like Big Barrel IIPA and Whistler Imperial Pils, while still capturing hearts and the 2010 WBC and GABF gold medals for long-time favorites like Red Trolley Ale. With distribution solely in California, Karl Strauss is ranked #44 on the list of the country’s top craft breweries. For more information visit us at http://www.karlstrauss.com/, facebook, twitter, or call the brewery at (858) 273-2739.

Part 2 of today’s new labels..

Firestone XV Anniversary Ale: Look for more info to surface this fall

Stone 15th Anniversary Ale (3 liter – do they do this every year? I can only find a 3 liter for the 5th anniversary & 10th anniversary)

Others…

Rivertown Unit 6 American Hefeweizen
Twisted X Siesta (brewed with Prickly Pear)
Gray’s Harbor Porter
Genesee Beer (40 oz. – not sure if this is new?)
Catawba Valley Firewater IPA

(Chico, CA) – A few details on the Life and Limb 2 collaboration between Sierra Nevada Brewing and Dogfish Head…

The first collaboration took place during the hot summer of 2009. There was a ton of buzz around the original project with many stores (most? all?) getting only one case if any.

The 2011 collaboration took place around May 2nd and, this time, they’re doing it bigger. First, the obligatory label stuff…

Front label:

LIFE – this living ale is naturally carbonated to enhance complexity, refinement, and to encourage aging

LIMB – for the birch and maple trees, whose syrup gives this ale its unique flavor and symbolizes the collaboration between Sierra Nevada and Dogfish Head. We are proud to share our Life and Limb with the thousands of other branches who collectively comprise the craft brewing family tree. Sip slowly with friends and loved ones; savor – because one could do better than be a swigger of birches.

Back label:

Our decision to make this ale together comes from a shared passion for bringing natural beauty into the brewing process. Both of our families own and operate independent breweries and our co-workers, who share this passion, are an integral part of our extended family.

LIFE – For the living brewer’s yeast in every bottle working in vibrant unison to enhance complexity, refinement, and to encourage aging.

LIMB – For the two syrups used in making this ale (maple and birch) which contribute to its unique flavor profile and symbolize this collaboration between Sierra Nevada and Dogfish Head.

This ale is dedicated to the family of craft-brew drinkers worldwide who continue to support the little guys, iconoclasts, entrepreneurs, and pioneers who risk life and limb to shape the craft-brewing community. We are proud to share our two branches with the thousands of other vibrant branches – those of fellow brewers – who collectively comprise the craft-brewing family tree.

Sincerely,

Sam Calagione and Ken Grossman

The 2011 Version:

Here is what we know at the moment…

- it looks like late August/early September for distribution per Sierra Nevada tweet

-last batch brewed in 2009 was released in 24 oz. bottles whereas this label approval is for 750ml bottles / perhaps we will see this packaged in the same fashion as the SN 30th Anniversary beers?

From Dogfish Head blog post:

- once again going to be sold only through Sierra Nevada network

- “much bigger batch” than in 2009 / for context, Mutineer Magazine reported that 400 barrels were produced in 2009 with only 3,000 cases being bottled (in barrel terms, a little over 200)

I’ll see if I can get for hard numbers on the 2011 batch and report out…also, look for updates on the official Life and Limb website (not yet updated for ’11) over the coming weeks and months

Part I of today’s group of new beer labels…

Sierra Nevada Repoterroir: The label description sure sounds similar to what we learned about the mega collaboration with Allagash, Lost Abbey, Dogfish Head and Avery. That beer will be on tap only at the various breweries that took part (still need to confirm that this is the same beer)…

Sierra Nevada Black Hop Rising (Beer Camp #50)

Beck’s Beer: Check out the three wacky labels below. Not sure if this is part of a small promotion or if the company is trying to gain some buzz/press with these designs

Green Flash Belgian style Stout

Shawneecraft Stock Ale
Shawneecraft American Blonde Ale
Shawneecraft Gold Lager
Shawneecraft Nut Brown Ale
Shawneecraft Doppelbock Lager
Shawneecraft Double Pale Ale
Shawneecraft Session Porter

Part I of today’s beer notes…

Laurelwood Brewing: Just in from this evening’s newsletter, “As many have heard Laurelwood Brewmaster Chad Kennedy is leaving to open his own brewery in Bend Oregon. Chad has been with Laurelwood for 8 years and has been a great asset to the company. With Chad’s at the helm Laurelwood has become recognized as one of the great craft breweries not only in the Northwest but in the country. We are sad that Chad is leaving, but very proud of his new adventure! Bend is very fortunate to have one of Oregon’s best brewers coming to their town to bring yet another great brewery to our state! We are very excited for him and wish him the best of luck!”

Kern River Brewing: Per today’s newsletter, “Our Citra Label was officially approved by the TTB. For those that don’t know, we have to go through a label approval process for all of our beers. The government wants to make sure we don’t do stuff like show babies drinking beer or talk about how drunk our beers will get you; of course some companies have fun with the process , Lagunitas’ Wilco Tango Foxtrot for example (you can’t put Whiskey on a beer that does not contain Whiskey). This is also one reason why we don’t bottle many of our seasonal beers, but after so much positive response to Citra, we decided to go ahead an get the label process going. Since our artist for our flagship beers has passed away, our newer labels have gone in a different direction. We plan on releasing Citra later this year and releasing it multiple times every year.”

Rockyard Brewing: Per Facebook, 1,700 bottles of Buddha Nuvo will be packaged next week. Per the Colorado Craft Beer Examiner, “Buddha Nuvo’s malt bill consists of a complex blend of Weyerman Pilsen, Vienna, Rye, and spelt for a golden color. Pumpkin is added during the boil for a smooth texture; several varieties of whole peppercorns are also added to reinforce this 12% ABV saison’s spiciness. During the fermentation process five distinct yeasts will be dropped in to create a spicy and fruity ester profile. After all is said and done the entire batch will be aged on American Oak Chardonnay barrels, six varieties of Brettanomyces, and the rare, alien-looking, fruit known as Buddha’s Hand.” H/T to The Beer Spot.

Port Brewing: Saturday July 16th beer release and party… “2011 Bourbon Barrel-aged Santa’s Little Helper – 22oz bottles; $12 ea; 6 bottle limit”

Great Divide Brewing: Debut of the Belgian Style Yeti takes place on July 1st

Notch Session Ale: Another Brewbound special… “Chris Lohring, the Founder of Notch Session, is releasing his newest beer in bottles since the launch of the brand at the beginning of March. For the first time ever, Notch will package a Saison in 22oz bottles. According to Lohring, he is using the 220z packaging as a market test to see how well recieved the beer is.”

Midnight Sun Brewing: Swan song for Good Mojo…”MON 11.11 – GOOD MOJO ONE DAY ONLY. Good Mojo Belgian Sour Brown Ale is over 10 years old. This IS the last keg of Good Mojo. It’s BTG only – no growlers, no 22s”

Bonus I: Wait, Deschutes sold beer in 40′s at one point?

More new beer labels…

Climax Golden Ale
Climax Nut Brown Ale
Climax Extra Special Bitter
Climax IPA
Hoffman Helles Lager (Climax Brewing)
Hoffman Oktoberfest LAger (Climax Brewing)
Shock Top Pumpkin Wheat (sample only)
Choc Beer Signature Belgian-style Tripel
Rhinelander Chocolate Bunny
Burnside Stock Ale
Burnside IPA
Burnside Oatmeal Pale Ale
Indian Wells Red Dawn
Indian Wells Silver Sun
Indian Wells Death Valley Pale Ale
High Water Pom Cherry Bom
Boss Beer
Black Boss Porter
Hite Pitcher
Hite Dry Finish
Hite Black Beer Stout
Hite Cool and Fresh!

Here’s Part 1 of a 2-Part Tuesday edition of beer notes…breweries west of the Mississippi in this one…

Port Brewing: Above, the story of the La Cruda Porter collaboration. Informative (though a bit long and with early 90s educational video music throughout).

Jester King Craft Brewery / Mikkeller: Per the blog, “Renowned gypsy brewer Mikkel Borg Bjergsø of Mikkeller is planning on visiting Jester King in November to brew a special Texas edition of Mikkeller’s Beer Geek Brunch, which will include the addition of smoked malt and chipotle peppers.”

Odell Brewing: The brewery advises drinkers about carbonation levels in Hiveranno and Woodcut No. 5. They are intentionally released with a low carbonation level and say to age the beers if you want to wait for bottle conditioning to raise the carbonation level.

Firestone Walker: Per The Full Pint, re: one of FW’s new sour projects, “Base beer is a close relative to Solace with 35% of the malt bill being made up of Wheat Malts. The bug blend will most likely be Brett/Lactic. The beer is being housed in French Oak Wine Barrels once home to Viognier. Olalliberries were added to specific barrels.”

Fulton Beer: Sounds like the brewhouse is set to arrive this Friday…

Saint Arnold Brewing: About to release Christmas Ale in July…

Harvester Brewing: The New School Beer Blog reports that Harvester Brewing will become the first American all gluten-free brewery. Colorado’s New Planet Beer has been gluten-free for a while but I’m not sure if they are 100% gluten-free?

Marshall Brewing: Per Facebook, “Announcing Arrowhead Pale Ale – Our first ever summer seasonal! Arrowhead Pale Ale aims to quench the thirst of hot summer afternoons and warm evenings. Arrowhead is an American Pale Ale crafted to provide refreshment as a lighter, highly quaffable ale complimented by unique aromatic citrus notes that both tickle the nose and enliven the palate. Complexity, balance, and softness make Arrowhead Pale Ale a ridiculously easy drinking summer seasonal. Available on draft and in six packs June 29th.”

Bonus I: Sam Calagione dressed as a cheerleader

Bonus II: Oregon Business talks craft beer growth.

Bonus III: More on what’s happening in Wisconsin

Bonus IV: Foster’s rejected a bid on its brand from SABMiller, reportedly over $10 Billion USD…wow.

(Los Angeles, CA) – The ever-growing craft beer scene in Los Angeles is about to get bigger. Come September, L.A. will get a new craft beer brand of its own: Golden Road Brewing in North Atwater Village, CA. The start-up artisanal brewery will aim to begin production of more than a thousand barrels in its first year and grow in the coming years.

At the helm will be CEO and Co-Founder, Tony Yanow (Tony’s Darts Away), who has tapped some of the most talented and well-regarded professionals in the craft brewing industry to bring Golden Road Brewing to full fruition: the dynamic Meg Gill (formerly of Oskar Blues Brewery and Speakeasy Ales and Lagers) is the other co-founder and will serve as President. She will be one of the youngest female brewery owners in the world. Jon Carpenter (formerly of Dogfish Head Brewery) will bring a true mix of art and science to his role as Brewmaster.

“We are all craft beer fanatics and we are all passionate about building a business that produces world class beer here in L.A.,” said Yanow. “Having Meg and Jon as the two cornerstones here, I have great confidence that we can achieve our goals. We’ve got the makings of one hell of a team.”

San Diego native, Jon Carpenter, is excited about moving back to Southern California: “I can’t wait to get back out west and brew some beer. I am sad to leave Dogfish Head but the opportunity to work here and build Golden Road from the ground up was too good to pass on.”

Golden Road will concentrate primarily on brewing hoppy California-style ales and will branch into other styles as well. The team is holding exact product descriptions close to their vests until they perfect their recipes on production scale batches. One things they are not being quiet about is their decision to can beer rather than using the craft standard of bottles. “We’ve already purchased our first canning line,” said Gill. “And we feel great knowing we’ll be putting our products in the right package, so we can deliver flavor, and economy to our drinkers without sacrificing our commitment to quality or the environment.”

“L.A. is one of the fastest growing craft beer communities in the country. We have a few great breweries around L.A. and many up north and down south. We see the beers that are demanded by drinkers but a lot of them just aren’t easily available or accessible to the general public,” said Yanow. “With Golden Road Brewing, we really want to help bridge that gap by providing local, reliably top quality craft beers that people can easily find and will really enjoy.”

Golden Road Brewing will be laid out in a three-building campus at the northernmost tip of Atwater Village. the distinctive primary colored buildings will are easy to spot, just off Interstate 5 and Highway 134. The blue building will be production, the red building will be barrel room and storage and the yellow building will be for offices, on-site sales, and eventually a pub and beer garden. Tours of the brewery will be available to the general public.

Golden Road Brewing is located at 5410 W. San Fernando Road, Los Angeles, CA 90039. The website will be located at http://www.goldenroad.la (parked domain at the moment).

(Escondido, CA) – Some follow up to yesterday’s Stone Brewing update…

Here is the label (bottle) art for Stone Escondidian Imperial Black IPA, the brewery’s fifteenth anniversary beer. Stone’s Graphic Designer, Amy Krone, was kind of enough to send over the bottle art for Stone SoCal Hop Salute Black Double IPA as well. I believe the latter is a National Homebrewers Conference exclusive release. Similar themes going on in these two beers…

(Escondido, CA) – A couple new label approvals for Stone Brewing…

Keg collar approval came in for Stone Escondidian Imperial Black IPA, the name of the Fifteenth Anniversary beer. Citra hops are to be featured in this beer unless something changed recently.

Those attending the National Homebrewers Conference in San Diego yesterday reported drinking a Stone SoCal Hop Salute Black Double IPA for the opening toast though they could be different beers. Outside chance that they got a preview? Stone Co-Founder and CEO, Greg Koch, playfully laid the smack down on those who called the beer a Cascadian Dark Ale on Twitter.

In any event, the anniversary beer will be released on August 15th. At some point, I will post up the bottle label here.

Speaking of previews, Stone distributors were given an opportunity to test out a new freshness application this spring. Stone plans to roll this program out to consumers as evidenced by the recent back label approval for Stone IPA. Drinkers can go online and alert the brewery as to when and where they discover old beer in the marketplace. The link is not yet live.

Another surprise double batch of beer notes (lots going on this week apparently!). Part I….

Photo credit: Betsy Weber on Flickr (Creative Commons)

New Belgium: From Craft Business Daily, “CBD has learned that New Belgium will hit the Washington DC area with a motley crew of distributors: Reyes Family are in for Northern Virginia and D.C. (Premium Beverage) and in 49 counties in Central and Southwestern Virginia (Blue Ridge Beverage Co.) according to a Truth Squadder. But they didn’t only stay with MillerCoors houses, for A-B house M. Price Distributing confirmed that they’ll bring the item in/ around Hampton, Newport News and Williamsburg toward the end of August. We’ve heard whispers of independent houses too in the area, but no confirmations. There have gotta be some overlapping territories. An interesting strategy for sure that will be explained come official announcements.”

Port Brewing: The La Cruda Porter recipe… “Each NHC attendee will receive a bottle. This Friday we’ll be posting a video of the story behind La Cruda Porter and the people who made it. In the meantime, if you’re a homebrewer and you’d like to give the beer a whirl, you will find the recipe scaled down to five gallons below. And if you’re not a homebrewer, you can still try the beer just by dropping by our tasting room where it’s on draft and available in 22 ounce bottles (there’s only just 70 cases though, so if you want some in bottles, shop early).”

Oakshire Brewing: Per the brewery blog, “The next of our Single Batch Beers has arrived and is currently pouring at the tasting room. Blind Date is a Belgian-Style Brown Ale made with Organic Dates. We made Blind Date especially for the first annual Portland Fruit Beer Fest and it was met with amazing compliments. This newest beer is a light bodied brown ale with mild roasty notes from the use of toasted oats. Raisin and date flavors intermingle with the fruity Belgian-yeast strain providing exceptional balance for this 5% abv ale. As always, single batch beers are limited in quantity and draft only.”

The Bruery: Just released its collaboration with Lawson’s Liquids, Acer Quercus, at the Provisions shop.

Sierra Nevada Brewing: A pleasant surprise showed up at the brewery gift shop this week: Beer Camp #13 Old Cantankerous Stock Ale…in bottles.

Jester King Craft Brewery: Further updates on its funk project and the arrival of 60 barrel tanks…

Choc Beer Co.: Wild Brew 2011 bottles are now available.

Rubicon Brewing: Owner, Glynn Phillips, says that “outside sales” have grown 20% annually over the past four years.

Bonus: A relief pitcher for the Seattle Mariners is into homebrewing to the point he wants to eventually start a brewery with his brother near his home in Virginia. NBC Sports also picked up the story.

(San Francisco, CA) – 21st Amendment founders Nico and Shaun need to break out of Alcatraz. And fast. The Hop Syndicate is hoarding hops in a remote warehouse, depriving the People of their right to hoppy, aromatic beer. This is Not Cool. Shaun and Nico have to do something. They need to Free the Hops!

21st Amendment Brewery today announced the release of Hop Crisis, an oak-aged Imperial IPA with big malt flavor at 9.7% alcohol by volume and 94 IBUs (International Bittering Units – that’s bitter!). A few years ago, when hop prices shot through the roof and many brewers were forced to skimp on hops, the folks at 21A decided there was only one thing to do. They made a bigger, hoppier IPA and then aged it on oak for good measure.

21st Amendment co-founder and Brewmaster Shaun O’Sullivan says of the idea behind the beer, “We really wanted to do something different with an Imperial IPA. Aside from the higher alcohol and intense hop bitterness, we felt aging the beer on oak would add some additional layers of flavor. Because oak can overwhelm the hops, we chose a light, subtle oak character to accentuate the dry hop bitterness and add a unique character to the beer.”

“The graphics on our four-pack box tell the story of convicts Nico and Shaun’s adventure to Free the Hops,” noted co-founder Nico Freccia. “A daring escape through the sewer pipe, surfing monster waves while being chased by a great white shark and a high speed getaway on the San Francisco cable car are all part of the adventure,” he adds. “We just really felt we had an opportunity to have some fun with this beer.”

Last year, Hop Crisis won the silver medal at the 2010 Great American Beer Festival in the “Imperial IPA” category against some stiff competition (the third largest of all categories with 96 entries).

Hop Crisis is the second installment (after the highly acclaimed Monk’s Blood) in the 21st Amendment’s Insurrection Series, a limited edition, once-in-a-while, four-pack release of a very special beer that rises up in revolt against common notions of what canned beer can be.

Hop Crisis is available in four-pack cans and on draft starting June 16 at better bars and stores in all fifteen of 21st Amendment’s current distribution territories, which include CA, OR, WA, AK, ID, MN, OH, MA, NY, NJ, DC, MD, PA, VA, and GA. For up to date availability, events and promotions, visit 21A’s website at www.21st-Amendment.com.
About 21st Amendment Brewery

Who the heck are these guys? Hey, we’re Nico & Shaun. We live for great beer. In 1920, there were thousands of breweries across America making unique hand-crafted beer. The passage of Prohibition wiped out this great culture. After thirteen years without beer, the states ratified the 21st Amendment, ending Prohibition in America. At the 21st Amendment Brewery, we celebrate the right to brew beer, the freedom to be innovative, and the obligation to have fun.

Part II of today’s surprise double batch of beer notes. A California-centric edition featuring tidbits on Sierra Nevada, FiftyFifty, Stone, Firestone Walker, AleSmith, Lagunitas and North Coast…along with some bonus material courtesy of The Brewers Association.

Photo Credit: Gotama on Flickr (Creative Commons)

Sierra Nevada Brewing: It looks like the brewery has narrowed down its East HQ search to two locations… The Roanoke Times reports, “The company began looking for an East Coast site several years ago and narrowed the list from several hundred. The Roanoke/New River site and the Tennessee site were ‘head and shoulders’ above others looked at in terms of quality of life, Manley said.”

Blount Today has the latest on the TN hunt. Also of note after that article was published is that the Tennessee Governor signed the beer bill on Friday.

A decision will be made on whether the East thing is happening and, if so, what the location will be in the next month or so.

FiftyFifty Brewing: Brewmaster, Todd Ashman, recently appeared on The Brewing Network. Among the notable discoveries is that this year’s Eclipse pre-release party will be held on December 8th. (Not necessarily related to the party) Ashman has a few things cooking including a small sour program. Nine wine barrels from Napa Valley are currently involved in that. He will also be releasing a beer in the future with the acronym “BART” which will be a blend of Imperial Stout and a Barleywine called Conundrum. He hopes to release that beer at a lower price point than the Eclipse beers.

Firestone Walker: Speaking of sour, per a short interview with Brewbound, “There is some talk of a little sour going around the brewery.”

Stone Brewing: The Japanese Green Tea IPA collaboration with Ishii Brewing and Baird Brewing is tentatively set for a release on July 11th.

AleSmith Brewing: Quick update on the upcoming barrel-aged beer release…”Due to the incredibly positive response to our announcement of the 2009 version of Barrel Aged Speedway being released, we will be reducing the maximum bottle allotment to 2 (two) bottles of Barrel Aged Speedway and 1 (one) bottle of Barrel Aged Decadence.”

Lagunitas Brewing: Is preparing for its bottling line move according to a recent tweet…”June 17th coming; The day we begin the Bottling Line move. T’will be 10 days with no production in mid-June.”

North Coast Brewing: Will soon be expanding its barrel program…

Bonus I: The annual June NASS USDA hop acreage report was made available late last week. With a poor 2009 to 2010 comparison in mind, the number of acres of hops being strung in 2011 is relatively even with the number from 2010. The most significant reduction comes in the form of Willamette hop acreage. According to The Brewers Association, this change is partially due to “continued large removals based on the unwinding of large brewery contracts.” The raw one-page PDF can be found here.

Bonus II: The Brewers Association also released its June legal briefing update (what’s happening in state legislatures around the country).

(Placentia, CA) – Some collaboration news just arrived in the inbox.

According to The Bruery Manager of Sales and Marketing, Benjamin Weiss, the beer will be distributed through The Bruery’s network on a limited basis in 750s. Here is the email he sent out about ten minutes ago…

What happens when you combine two brewers with a love for experimentation on a single beer recipe?

Made with ingredients such as nori, chili peppers, sesame seeds and kumquats and then fermented with a sake yeast, the yet to be named collaborative beer will certainly be something that furthers each brewery’s style-bending reputation and hopefully raises quite a bit of money to help out our fellow beer lovers in Japan by donating a portion of the proceeds from every bottle sale.

Weekend batch o’ new beer labels…

Russian River Don the Younger: No info available on this (and any of these others) yet.

Widmer Brothers Calypso Wheat IPA
Widmer Brothers Himbeer Gose
Widmer Brothers Saison
Harpoon Sour Kiwi Wit
Harpoon Wheat Pepper
Big Al’s Summer Ale
Fox River Buzzin’ Honey Ale
Kirkwood Highlands IPA
Jack’s Abby Brewing
Philadelphia McShea’s old Green Pick Up Pale Ale
Keuka Briglin Road Red Ale
Keuka KBC Pale Ale
Red Lodge Summer Daze
Two Sisters Elk Snout Stout

(San Diego, CA) – A weekend update out of SoCal…

The following is an excerpt from an AleSmith Brewing email newsletter sent out on Friday. As you read on, it’s worth noting that the brewery produced 3,300 barrels in 2010 according to The Brewers Association (New Brewer June ’11).

• AleSmith Brewery Expansion

2011 has been an exciting year here at AleSmith! In January, we took over an additional 4,300 square feet and have started a brewery expansion that will allow us to increase our potential capacity to 7,000 barrels of beer per year.

We also recently added a 1 barrel Sabco pilot system that will help us fine tune recipes and add more beers to the rotating line up of taps in the tasting room. Speaking of the tasting room, with the additional 4,300 square feet, we were able to expand the size of the tasting room and will soon make room for 4 additional taps (bringing the total numbers of taps in the tasting room to 16)!

Coming in the next few months is a new and larger bar for the tasting room and other exciting changes. July will bring us the highly anticipated arrival of our brand new Prospero bottling line.

Be on the lookout for an upcoming blog regarding the new Pilot System!

• Our latest seasonal, Summer YuleSmith Holiday Ale, is scheduled for release in late June. Packaged in a red and blue 22 oz. bottle, Summer YuleSmith is a bold and flavorful Double IPA.

• This coming week will see the release of Barrel-aged 2008 Decadence and 2009 Speedway Stout.

(Escondido, CA) – Here is an early look at the label for Stone Brewing‘s latest collaboration, Japanese Green Tea IPA.

Update: This beer uses Aramis hops (perhaps the first commercial U.S. beer to do so). More info in the update below…

Per the Meet the Brewers night page, “Our latest collaboration is going to be something really special: a green tea IPA with all proceeds helping to raise money for Japanese tsunami relief. We couldn’t be happier to have renowned brewer (and Stone ex-pat!) Toshi Ishii [of Ishii Brewing] back to help out for this one, and we’re excited that Bryan Baird of Baird Brewing will be joining the effort, too. Help us welcome these rock star brewers to Stone on the eve of a monumental brewing day!”

Back Label:

A wonderful spirit of camaraderie, cooperation and mutual support exists in the world of craft brewing. We have harnessed this spirit fully in the crafting of this special collaborative brew dedicated to the resilient people of Japan who are bravely endeavoring to overcome the tragedy of the March 11, 2011 earthquake and tsunami.

We tip our brewing hats to the quiet elgance and humble sophistication of Japanese culture through the judicious addition of Japanese whole leaf green tea to this big, bold, spicy and herbal IPA. Cheers, Japan!

Update: “When our old friends Toshi Ishii and Bryan Baird approached us about brewing something special for Japan relief efforts, we of course jumped at the opportunity. We created this very special IPA, brewed with 100% Maris Otter Malt and Belgian Candi Sugar. Once we decided to tie it all together with the addition of Japanese Sencha Green Tea in a dry-hop, the rest of the recipe came together easily. We included hops that we believe would blend well with the tea flavors, and we went non-traditional, at least in the sense of American IPAs. After bittering with Warrior hops, we used Crystal and New Zealand Pacifica for flavor. And then for the first dry hop, we again used Crystal and Pacifica, and added a brand new hop variety, Aramis, from the Alsace region of France. Then we went all Japanese for the 2nd dry-hop, with Sorachi Ace whole lead hops and the Sencha Tea. It’s always fun to use new ingredients and new hop varieties and for that, I say to Toshi and Bryan: ‘Domo Arigato!’”

Here is today’s small batch of new beer labels out west…

Sierra Nevada Earth Day EPA (Beer Camp #49)
Marin Orange and Black Congrats Ale!
Devil’s Canyon Full Boar Scotch Ale
Silver City Oktoberfest
Hilliard’s Saison
Hilliard’s Amber Ale
Shades of Pale 4 Play Porter