Hoping to make my first trip to Quarter Barrel Arcade Brewery in Cedar Rapids this weekend and making a few pit stops at Lion Bridge and maybe a journey to Big Grove for a growler fill or 3. It should make for a great super bowl weekend. Some new beers will soon be gracing our shelves, some sound pretty unique and worth trying. Here we go:

*Green Flash Cosmic Ristretto – this is a baltic porter with Espresso beans and will become part of Green Flash’s new year-round lineup starting this month. It will be available in 22 oz bottles and clocks in at 8.2%. More on this brew from Green Flash:

Marvel at its rich black appearance with bruleed edges and mocha-colored beer foam. Breathe in its coffee aroma and sweet malts, and savor its smooth, espresso, chocolate flavor.

 

*Boulevard Frequent Flier Session IPA – Frequent Flier is the new name for their Pop-Up session IPA with a slight adjustment in the recipe along with new logo and its availability in cans. It checks in at 4.4% ABV.

*Crooked Stave – a ton of Crooked Stave releases upcoming. I’m not quite sure on their availability for us in Iowa but I will keep you posted with news on their releases. Lots of info on the releases of: Persica, Motif, L’Brett, Petite Sour, Salvador Cybies, Silly Cybies, Serenata Notturna, Hop Savant, Colorado Wild Sage, Surette, Nightmare On Brett at mybeerbuzz.blogspot.com here.

*Ballast Point Watermelon Dorado and Thai Chili Wahoo – two new beers from Ballast Point that sound interesting. First is Watermelon Dorado, a double IPA brewed with….you guessed it! Watermelon! It checks in at 10% and sounds pretty damn refreshing. More on this beer courtesy of Ballast Point:

 

This Double IPA is not one to back down from big flavors. Mash, kettle, and dry hopping blend to create a huge hop profile that is balanced with a blast of watermelon.

Thai Chili Wahoo is wit beer brewed with thai chili, lime and ginger and checks in at 4.5%. More on this beer from Ballast Point:

Our Thai Chili Wahoo is a favorite in our tasting rooms for its complex balance of ingredients. Citrus and spice have long been a part of our Wahoo White. In this edition, we added a dose of Thai chilies, even more head from ginger, and a counterpunch of lime. The flavors in this beer need to be experienced first-hand, so grab one and try it for yourself.

*Lagunitas Aunt Sally – last but not least is the beer I’m most looking forward to besides Crooked Stave. Aunt Sally from Lagunitas Brewing is a sour ale that is dry-hopped and comes in at 6.2%. For those wondering….I believe it’s a kettle sour…I’m still looking forward to it! Stay tuned for more on this brew!

 

**Anything I’m missing? Drop me a line @benmed15@yahoo.com. Love to hear from Iowa breweries as well as bars for upcoming events! Please let me know and I will post your info! Thanks!