Will start of this weeks post updating the Founders release. There will still be the release parts at Reds Alehouse in North Liberty, (www.redsalehousenl.com) but Founders products won’t be in Eastern Iowa stores until the 20th. If you see it beforehand, please let me know. Onto what’s new on shelves.

Schlafly Irish Extra Stout– not really new, but I forgot to post on this last week. For this beer, think Guinness but with an 8% ABV. Sounds tasty! Here’s the brewer’s description:
“This full-bodied and full-flavored rich, dark ale has a malty sweetness balanced with plenty of hops to create the perfect stout.”

Available in 12 oz 6 packs.

O’Fallon B.D.S. Belgian-Style Dark– Brewer’s description:
“We brewed this Belgian-style dark ale (ALC:10% by VOL., SRM: 20, IBU:42) in July, 2010 and transferred it several weeks later into freshly drained Port barrels. For the next 11 months the beer worked in and out of the French oak barrels as the temperature in the brewery fluctuated with the seasons. In June 2011 we bottled the beer and put it aside to allow the flavors of the wood and the beer to marry and mellow. The result is spicy-sweet with hints of raisin and caramel that mingle with the dark fruit notes and oak from the barrels. We love this unique brew and hope you will too!”

Available in bombers.
*If you see anything new on the shelves please let me know or if you try ones that I have listed let me know what you thought of them. Drink up.

A few more beers hitting the shelves this week in the Eastern Iowa area. Some of these were released last week, but I missed the releases on those. The first beer to talk about is Leinenkugels’ Summer Shandy. (www.http://www.leinie.com ) The commercial description is pretty weak, but here it is:
“Beer with natural lemonade flavor.”
Released very early this year due to popularity last year, you can find this beer in 12 pack cans or 6 pack bottle 12 oz.

Beer #2 is one that I’ve been waiting for, for a long time. Samuel Adams Noble Pils. This was their spring seasonal last year, and the great news is that this is now going to be a year-round product. A fantastic pilsner that uses 4 hop varieties. Excellent stuff! Here’s the product description:
“2009 Beer Lover’s Choice Contestant – Sample A. Similar to a traditional Czech Pilsner, our Samuel Adams Pils is brewed with a blend of 5 Noble Hop varieties from each of the world’s only remaining Noble Hop growing regions. The spicy, herbal and citrus hop character is well-balanced by the Weyermann Bohemian Pilsner malt, adding honeyed malt character and full body without sweetness.”

New Belgium has released two more beers to go along with their Lips of Faith series. The first one is their Cocoa Mole. Description: “Say hola to a spiced up ale full of cocoa and ancho, guajillo, chipotle peppers. But don’t fear the heat, because plenty of caramel and chocolate malts bring a smooth, complex flavor. Scents of cinnamon when poured will have your saying “¡Ole For Mole!” Sounds fantastic! Can’t wait to get my hands on a bottle.

The 2nd beer from New Belgium this week is Bier De Mars. Description: “Biere De Mars is New Belgium’s exploration of the classic French and Belgian brews celebrating the half-winter, half-spring month of March. Our bottle-conditioned version, however, goes where no BIERE DE MARS has gone before. After gazing at its cloudy, yet glowing orange hue, prepare yourself for a celestial collaboration of oats, wheat, barley malt and lemon verbena, all of which is set into orbit by unidentified flying yeast strains.”

That’s it for this week, please pass along any notes as where you can find these beers and any tasting notes. These are all available at John’s Grocery and various Hy-Vees in the area.