Author: iabeerbaron

3 New Schalfly Beers Coming: Grapefruit IPA, Noble Lager, Expo IPA

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schaflySchlafly will be releasing 3 new beers, 2 of which will be a part of their year-round lineup, and the Noble Lager will be in rotation for the lager series. With the success of Tasmanian IPA and American IPA Schafly continues to impress with their ipa releases and if you’re a fan of Sculpin’s Grapefruit Sclupin I’m guessing the grapefruit IPA release will make you happy. Thanks to beeradvocate member Bottlecaps80 and thewineandcheeseplace.blogspot.com here’s more info on these 3 new releases. Stay tuned on exact release dates for these 3 beers.

grapefruitGrapefruit IPA:

Schlafly Grapefruit IPA is all about the delight of citrus, using real grapefruit as well as citrusy aromatic hops to create a delightful refreshing IPA experience.  Available year round

Noble Lager:noble later

Schlafly Noble Lager has a full-bodied malt character with the perfect balance of hop bitterness and a floral aroma, creating an exceptional example of the classic traditional lager that’s rich, slightly sweet, crisp and clean.  Part of our rotating lager series.

schlafly expo

Expo IPA:

Schlafly Expo IPA delivers the best of all worlds with a fusion of global ingredients from the foremost sources to create a harmoniously delicious world class ale.  Available year round.

Reminder: Northside Oktoberfest Set for October 3rd, tickets still remain

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northside octoberfest

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

The Northside Oktoberfest benefiting Iowa City area non-profits showcases the Bohemian nature of the Northside Marketplace with great craft beers, neighborhood food, beer games, Iowa football and much more! Join us on Saturday, October 3rd as we take over the streets of the Northside, just blocks north of downtown Iowa City to celebrate the 20th year of the Iowa City Brewfest! We will be featuring over 500 beers from around the block to around the world!

Tickets available here:
http://downtowniowacity.com/pages/events/northside-oktoberfest.php

Ticket prices increase on Sept 1

Sierra Nevada Releases Beer Camp 2016 Info

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beer campThis year Sierra Nevada is teaming up with 30 breweries across to country to come up with their popular Beer Camp collaboration 12 pack. No information yet on the style of beers that will be produced but below is a list of breweries who will be in on the collaboration. Stay tuned for the list of beers in the coming months. Here’s more from Sierra Nevada:

COLLABORATION 12-PACK

Inspired by rock ‘n’ roll Super Groups, we’re teaming up with 30 talented breweries to make six Super Groups of our own. Sierra Nevada, along with these bands of brewers, will create an all-new mixed pack of beers that showcases the art, spirit and attitude of American craft beer.

NORCAL

  • Bear Republic Brewing Co.
    Healdsburg, CA
  • Maui Brewing Co.
    Maui, HI
  • Faction Brewing Co.
    Alameda, CA
  • Magnolia Gastropub and Brewery
    San Francisco, CA
  • Mad River Brewing Co.
    Blue Lake, CA
  • Sierra Nevada Brewing Co.
    Chico, CA

SOUTHWEST

  • Beachwood BBQ & Brewing
    Long Beach, CA
  • Port Brewing Co./The Lost Abbey
    San Marcos, CA
  • Bagby Beer Co.
    Oceanside, CA
  • Societe Brewing Co.
    San Diego, CA
  • Smog City Brewing Co.
    Torrance, CA
  • Sierra Nevada Brewing Co.
    Chico, CA

PACIFIC NW & ROCKIES

  • Bale Breaker Brewing Co.
    Yakima, WA
  • Barley Brown’s Beer
    Baker City, OR
  • Melvin Brewing Co.
    Jackson Hole, WY
  • Black Raven Brewing Co.
    Redmond, WA
  • Odell Brewing Co.
    Fort Collins, CO
  • Sierra Nevada Brewing Co.
    Chico, CA

MIDWEST

  • August Schell Brewing Co.
    New Ulm, MN
  • Dark Horse Brewing Co.
    Marshall, MI
  • Sun King Brewery
    Indianapolis, IN
  • Perennial Artisan Ales
    St. Louis, MO
  • Half Acre Beer Co.
    Chicago, IL
  • Sierra Nevada Brewing Co.
    Mills River, NC

NORTHEAST & MID-ATLANTIC

  • Dogfish Head Craft Brewery
    Milton, DE
  • Devils Backbone Brewing Co.
    Roseland, VA
  • Lawson’s Finest Liquids
    Alameda, CA
  • Stoudts Brewing Co.
    Adamstown, PA
  • Trillium Brewing Co.
    Boston, MA
  • Sierra Nevada Brewing Co.
    Mills River, NC

SOUTHEAST

  • Funky Buddha Brewery
    Oakland Park, FL
  • Wicked Weed Brewing
    Asheville, NC
  • Austin Beerworks
    Austin, TX
  • Bayou Teche Brewing
    Arnaudville, LA
  • Creature Comforts Brewing Co.
    Athens, GA
  • Sierra Nevada Brewing Co.
    Mills River, NC

Stone Enjoy By 10-31-15 Coming to Iowa this Month

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stone enjoy byThe every popular Enjoy By series will be making it’s way back to the lovely state of Iowa this month. Packaging date according to mybeerbuzz.blogspot.com looks to be September 25th and hopefully we see it very soon afterwards. It will once again be available in 22 oz bombers and 12 oz six packs. Here’s more about the Enjoy By Series:

You have in your hands a devastatingly fresh double IPA. While freshness is a key component of many beers- especially big, citrusy, floral IPAs- we’ve taken it further, a lot further, in this IPA. You see, we specifically brewed it NOT to last. We’ve not only gone to extensive lengths to ensure that you’re getting this beer in your hands within an extraordinarily short window, we made sure that the Enjoy By date isn’t randomly etched in tiny text somewhere on the bottle, to be overlooked by all but the most attentive of retailers and beer fans. Instead, we’ve sent a clear message with the name of the beer itself that there is no better time than right now to enjoy this IPA.

Stone Enjoy By 11.21.15 BLACK IPA coming to Iowa?

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enjoy byThe markets haven’t been released yet but following suite from the hit Enjoy By Series, Stone will be releasing an Enjoy By 11.21.15 BLACK IPA soon! It will come in 22 oz bombers and will check in at 9.4% ABV. Stay tuned for release details and markets, let’s keep our fingers crossed that Iowa will be one of those markets because I would love to try this beer!

Beer Review #122: Boulevard Funky Pumpkin

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bullyAhhh pumpkin beers…..Everyone’s favorite style…..well, maybe not. But, I can’t lie, I do enjoy a pumpkin brew everyone once in awhile, especially on a crisp Iowa fall day. I can understand the people who don’t like them either, I’ve found myself scoffing at a few pumpkin offerings trying to figure out what exactly the brewer was trying to do to make their pumpkin beer stand out from the others and I mostly realize that they aren’t. That’s what I liked about Boulevard’s Funky Pumpkin, it’s relatively unique twist on a pumpkin beer.

Maybe having this beer during the Iowa game last Saturday made it taste better but the cinnamon, nutmeg, and ginger spices meshed well with a slight pumpkin flavor, the tartness, and the Brett to give it a little funk. Identified as a spiced sour, this could be the perfect mix for Brett-heads and pumpkin fans alike!

Here’s more on this brew:

Funky Pumpkin is our unique spin on a pumpkin beer. Spiced with nutmeg, cinnamon, allspice and ginger, the final beer is a blend of brewhouse soured beer and beer aged in a stainless steel tank with brettanomyces. Tart and slightly earthy, Funky Pumpkin features a subtle toffee/caramel malt character that allows pumpkin pie spices to shine.

Boulevard’s ever-expanding portfolio continues to impress me and to me, this is a standout pumpkin beer that’s on Eastern Iowa shelves right along with Schlafly. Singles are available if you’re scared to commit to a sixer…give at least one bottle a try!

STYLE: Spiced/Pumpkin
ABV: 5.8%
PURCHASED AT: Hy-vee
POUR: Hazy apricot color, medium sized white head
AROMA: pumpkin, cinnamon, nutmeg, and just a bit of that sourness. 
TASTE:  start with the sour upfront and then you get cinnamon and a bit of sweetness to counteract the sour. 
RATEBEER.COM RATING: 78/100
BEERADVOCATE RATING: 87/100
OVERALL: B

My recommendation: One of the more unique pumpkin beers you will find and this one happens to be very drinkable. We don’t have Warlock, Pumpking, Punkin, and even if we did I’d still find myself sipping on one of these every fall. 

Big Grove Brewery Beer Dinner Course Menu release info:

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big groveSo far they’ve released two courses that will be available during their Sour Beer Dinner set for Monday, September 14th. The following is courtesy of Big Grove’s Facebook page. I’ll keep posting updates as they become available. My mouth is watering already:

Big Grove Sour Dinner, Course 1 (in three parts):

Welcome beer – Kroul’s Progeny (Raspberry 2013).

1. Green tomato cured scallop ceviche, textures of ripe tomato, parmesan broth.
2. Sweet corn soup, goat cheese creme fraiche, house bacon, chive.
3. Amberjack crudo with watermelon, jalapeño, olive oil, cilantro fleur de sel.

Paired with Big Grove Desperate Measures Strong Golden Sour.

September 14, Big Grove Sour Dinner, Course 2:

Drie Fonteinen Intense Red

Foie Gras terrine, cherry gelee, bourbon caviar, luxardo cherry, brown butter, hazelnut, and house-made brioche.

September 14, Big Grove Sour Dinner, Course 3:

Crooked Stave St. Bretta Pomelo

Smoked red snapper, summer squash, green grapes, toasted seeds, cucumber gazpacho anduluz.

September 14, Big Grove Sour Dinner, Course 4:

Drie Fonteinen Golden Blend

Olive oil poached halibut cheek, egg yolk pasta, roasted piquillo peppers, mussels, chorizo, preserved lemon, saffron mussel broth, oregano.

September 14, Big Grove Sour Dinner, Course 5:

Drie Fonteinen Hommage

Duo of duck; seared breast, crispy confit leg, roasted and pickled beets, ancho chile, blackberry, basil.

Kalona Brewing Beer Dinner + Concert with Brendan James set for Tuesday Dec. 8th

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kalonaKalona Brewing will be hosting a beer dinner Tuesday, December 8th and also will be hosting a concert featuring Brendan James. Here’s more from Kalona on this special event:

Join the Kalona Brewing Company for an exclusive event, a five-course dinner followed by an intimate concert with Brendan James on Tuesday, December 8th. This special event is limited to 75 guests and will sell out quickly.

Brendan’s songs have landed spots on over 15 major television shows BrendanJamesPosterKBCPresentsand feature films and he’s achieved the #1 Singer Songwriter spot on iTunes, multiple times. He has formed relationships with music legends Carly Simon and Cat Stevens, enjoyed on-stage experiences with the likes of John Legend, John Mayer, and Paula Cole. His new EP, The Howl, is bigger, badder, and dancier than anything he’s attempted to date. See more of Brendan’s music at http://www.brendanjames.com/video/

Tickets must be pre purchased over the phone at 319-656-3335 or in person at Kalona Brewing Company. Cheers!