Tag: iowa beer baron

Kalona Brewing adding 4 new seasonal beers to winter lineup

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kalonaKalona Brewing will be adding 4 new beers to their winter seasonal lineup and the cans will be hitting shelves very soon. Here’s what’s coming our way:

Start Up Coffee Stout 7.6% ABV

-Dark as a moonless night with bold coffee flavor equally enjoyable at breakfast, lunch or dinner!

-Brewed with locally roasted organic coffee from Cafe Del Sol in Iowa City.

-One of the Iowa Beer Baron’s Top Iowa Beers of 2014

Available in 1/6 bbl, 1/2 bbl & 16oz 4 pack cans

 

Coconut Abbey – Belgian Style Abbey Ale 9.2% ABV

-Coconut meets a Belgian Style Tripel and combines to make a smooth refreshing taste you won’t find anywhere else.

Available in 1/6 bbl & 12oz 4 pack cans

 

Junior Barrel Aged Stout 5.6% ABV

-We took our Junior Stout and barrel aged it in barrels from our friends at Mississippi River Distilling Company in LeClaire, IA. The barrel aging mellows out the stout and adds vanilla, oak and whiskey flavors.

Available in 1/6 bbl & 12oz 4 pack cans

 

You Be You – Imperial Stout 10.2% ABV

-A dark and robust imperial stout with massively rich malt.

Available in 1/6 bbl & 12oz 4 pack cans

kalona

Surly Abrasive coming to Iowa next week?

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surlyA beer I thought that was released in January sounds like it is going to hit our shelves and taplines next week as Surly Abrasive appears destined for Iowa markets. Talk on forums and boards are saying it will be released next week as the Keg Stand in Des Moines will have a keg available on November 5th. With Ballast Point coming next week as well, this could be an expensive but great month for beer lovers! I’ll post more on Abrasive releases in Eastern Iowa when they become available! Cheers!

Red’s Alehouse Ballast Point Tapping Schedule, TG + Surly, and Bourbon County Happenings

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redsHere is the schedule for Red’s Alehouse tapping schedule for the upcoming release of Ballast Point to the Iowa market as well as Surly/TG progressive tap takeover and a special pre-Thanksgiving Bourbon County tapping. Lots of great things happening at Reds in the upcoming months:

Let me hit ya with some knowledge!!

Tuesday November 3rd:
Ballast Point Brewing & Spirits tapping. First day in Iowa to get yourself some Sculpin, Grapefruit Sculpin, Victory at Sea and more! Beer tapping time TBD

Friday November 13th:
Surly Brewing Company and Toppling Goliath Brewing Co. Pre-Tailgate Party at the Alehouse! Before the Hawks take on Minnesota on Saturday, come party with some of the best breweries these respective states have to offer. Tap lineup will be announced as we get closer to the date, but you won’t want to miss out on this! Progressive tapping starting at 11am.

Wednesday November 25th:
Pre-Thanksgiving Party with Goose Island Bourbon County. 2014 Barleywine, 2011 BoCo, 2013 BoCo, 2014 Boco, 2013 Lolita and more will be tapped at 11am and the party will go until the law states we have to take your drinks away!

BEST.BEER.MONTH.EVER.

‪#‎redsalehouse‬ ‪#‎nocrapontap‬ ‪#‎ballastpoint‬ ‪#‎bourboncounty‬‪#‎welovebeerevents‬

Tallgrass Announces 4 new beers for Explorer Series

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tallgrassTallgrass Brewing will be expanding their Explorer Series lineup by adding 4 new beers. According to thefullpint.com the new beers will hit their distro footprint January-April 2016. Here’s more from thefullpint.com:

Each brand in the Explorer Series will be available in 4-packs of 12 oz. cans and on draft in 1/2 barrel and 1/6 barrel kegs. A mix pack box containing one of each of the Explorer Series beers also will be available April-May. The new brands in the Explorer Series for the first half of 2016 include the following:
  • The Grizz: Fiercely hopped and weighing in at 9.5% ABV, The Grizz is an Imperial IPA with a bright, juicy fruit-like aroma; strong citrus hop flavors and a dry finish. Available January – March.
  • Sweet Tooth: A complex, candy-like Belgian Dark Strong Ale boasting rich malt flavors and dark fruit notes wrapped in the savory-sweet interplay of a salted caramel. ABV 9.2%. Available February – March.
  • Biere de Mars:  A rare style. Traditionally brewed by French farmers in late winter or early spring for quick consumption, the Biere de Mars is smooth, malty and dry, with a toasty, toffee-like quality. ABV 7.0%. Available March – April.
  • Raspberry Jam: A light and refreshing Berliner Weisse, with its crisp natural tartness balanced by the addition of raspberries. Sweet yet tart, with an ABV of 4.3%. Available April – July.
“This next wave of brews represents our love of experimenting with new hop combinations and enhancing big beers with unique flavor profiles,” said Tallgrass founder and CEO Jeff Gill. “It also marks our inaugural foray into mixed fermentation and highlights our passion for creating beers with interesting histories. After launching this series with several barrel-aged beers and a Russian Imperial Stout, we wanted to explore an even wider range of styles and flavors we love.”
 

More information on these upcoming releases, including detailed tasting notes and can designs, will be available in the coming months at www.tallgrassbeer.com.

Beer Review #123: Blackberry Farm Classic Saison

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blackberry farmNot as mainstream sexy as barrel-aged anything, sours, or double IPAs, but I sure do love a great Saison. With Lion Bridge having had 2 excellent saison releases and Big Grove releasing their own Saison, I’ve been spoiled recently and I know found a bottle to join my Tank 7 and Saison-Brett fix.

Knowing I was going to have a group of friends visiting this past weeekend I knew a beer tasting would be inevitable. I really wanted to find something that they would all enjoy and I know we’ve all loved tasting different Saisons in the past. So, with that thought, I headed over to Benz Beverage Depot asked the staff what they recommend and Blackberry Farm was the winner. I recently only heard of Blackberry Farm from some Twitter posts and was liking what I was reading but I didn’t know that they were distributed to Iowa, so it was definitely a pleasant surprise to see them offered at Benz as I haven’t seem them at the Hy-Vees I visit. Another fantastic offering brought to us from the folks at Abu Nawas distributing!

Ok, the tasting was terrific and this beer shined. Citrus on the nose, with earthy hop aroma. Hazy golden pour with a nice thick white head. Lemon zest and apricots dominate the flavor profile with some wheat and earthiness on the finish. With a relatively mild Iowa fall day, this beer really hit the spot and I wish I would have made some shrimp to seafood to pair with it. More on this beer from the brewery:

Saison “Classic Saison” This is a Belgian-style farmhouse ale. The aroma is dominated by fruity esters reminiscent of citrus fruits along with a moderate earthy and floral hop aroma from the use of Noble-type hops in the brewing process. Has a deep gold, hue that is often hazy, and a voluminous head on pouring as a result of the bottle-conditioning and high natural carbonation. The beer is medium-bodied and has a very refreshing effervescence which, along with a fairly low alcohol content of 6% by volume, makes this a beer to be enjoyed on a warm day by itself or with a wide range of foods, whether casual or fine dining. Complex flavors and aromas in this beer are a result of the special yeast used in fermentation combined with the additional complexity added by bottle-conditioning in large bottles for at least six weeks before being released.

I was very impressed with this beer. If you enjoy Tank 7, enjoy Lion Bridge’s Cucumber Saison or their new Sorachi Liberace Saison, Hennepin, and other offerings we can get here than this is a beer for you to try. $14.99 price tag for a 750 corked and caged bottle was well worth and a beer I will definitely revisit. Researching Blackberry Farm has given me a reason to possibly take a visit to Tennessee as they do many special releases as well. Check them out folks, keep their beers coming! 

STYLE: Saison
ABV: 6%
PURCHASED AT: Benz beverage depot
POUR: straw gold with a massive head
AROMA: lemon zest, citrus, wheat
TASTE:  lots of lemon zest, apricots, wheat/earthiness 
RATEBEER.COM RATING: 95/100
BEERADVOCATE RATING: 89/100
OVERALL: A-

My recommendation: If you’re not a Saison fan, you probably don’t want to drop $15 on a 750 ml of this. However, if you dig saisons the $15 is well-worth the price in my opinion. Every trip I make to Benz will consist of a purchase of some Blackberry Farm beer from now on. 

List of After Oktoberfest Parties for this Saturday 10/3/15

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northside octoberfestA few after parties will be happening this Saturday once Oktoberfest draws to a close. A chance to try more beer and here are the places that will be hosting:

Founders and Stone @Sanctuary 5-10pm
405 S Gilbert St, Iowa City, IA 52240
Featuring: KBS, ReDankulous, All Day IPA, Dirty Bastard, Vertical Epic, Ruination 2.0, Delicious IPA, & Barrel Aged Arrogant Bastard

Oskar Blues @Joe’s Place 5-10pm
115 Iowa Ave, Iowa City, IA 52240
Featuring: $4 Pinner Pints & Barrel Aged G’Knight
Come hang out with the OB Brewery Rep

Boulevard @Mosley’s 5-10pm
525 S. Gilbert St, Iowa City, IA 52240
Featuring: Rye on Rye, Collaboration #5, Funky Pumpkin & Tank 7

Peace Tree @Donnelly’s Pub 5-10pm
110 E College St, Iowa City, IA 52240
Featuring: Blonde Fatale & Sour Mash

New Belgium @Blackstone 5-8pm
503 Westbury Dr #1, Iowa City, IA 52245
Featuring: Apple Oscar Ale & LaFolie
Meet the Brewer

Lagunitas @Gabes 8-10pm
330 E Washington St, Iowa City, IA 52240
Featuring: Lagunitas Daytime & IPA
8pm-10pm: The Jumbies on the patio & DJ Lagu inside

New Belgium @The Mill 8-12am
120 E Burlington St, Iowa City, IA 52240
Featuring: LaFolie & Peach Oscar Ale
Meet the Brewer

Bell’s Hopslam only available in cans and keg in 2016

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bellsThe following tweet comes from Bell’s Brewery:

2m2 minutes ago

will only be available in cans & kegs in 2016. Look at this beauty.

And more from their website:

One of our most sought after beers, Hopslam Ale, will be packaged solely in six-packs of 12 oz. cans and kegs when it returns in January for its annual release.

The Double India Pale Ale, brewed with Michigan honey, will not be bottled as it has been in the past.

“With construction here at the brewery on top of an already very busy schedule for our existing Bottling Hall, this was the only way to ensure that this beer got to market as quickly and as fresh as possible,” said Bell’s Vice President Laura Bell.

“Our Canning Line is very well equipped to lend a hand and help get this aromatic beer to our fans and customers so that they can enjoy it as it is intended,” she added.

Our current expansion will almost triple our Comstock Brewery’s footprint once it is completed next year. Part of that construction is a new Bottling Hall that will be able to run at triple the speed of our current bottling line.

Future packaging decisions, beyond 2016, will be decided at a later date and as construction wraps up next year.

Hopslam (10% ABV) will be the sixth Bell’s beer to be packaged in cans. Two Hearted and Bell’s seasonal offerings (Oberon, Best Brown, Winter White and Smitten) are packaged in 4-packs of 16 oz. cans. 

Two Hearted (year round) and Oberon (March – August) are also available in 12-packs of 12 oz. cans.

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

Bootleggin’ Barzini’s Sixpoint Can Release Details!

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sixpoint If you need your Sixpoint fix early and often you need to get to Bootleggin’ Barzini’s in Coralville, Iowa next week. They will be one of the first in Eastern Iowa doing an early Sixpoint can release. They will have Sweet Action, Bengali Tiger, Crisp, Resin, and 4Beans available. They will also be doing a tasting next Thursday (8/27/15) from 5-7 pm and Kevin from Abu Nawas will be present to talk all things Sixpoint and all things Abu Nawas! Stop in, check it out, grab some beer, and support a local beer store and an Iowa distribution company. Cheers!