Retro Beer Company Launching in Dubuque, IA June 2nd!

 

999401_521468181258814_1893418816_nGet ready Dubuque. We are ready to celebrate with you. Retro Beer will be launching in Dubuque, Iowa at various locations the week of June 2nd! We would love for you to come out and meet the Retro Beer team. Here are two events we would like to invite you to:

  • Hartig Drug in Dubuque will be hosting a beer tasting on June 5th from 4-6pm.
  • On Friday, June 6th we will have a tent at the Dubuque Relay For Life from 5-10pm giving away free promotional items such as Retro Beer bottle opener key chains and T-shirts! Come say hello.

1619362_659154430823521_2454454448649266294_nGo to the link below to learn about the rest of launch week, and be sure to follow us on our Retro social media sites! 

Retro Beer Launch Week: https://www.facebook.com/events/588174581290784/

Relay For Life_ Retro  Beer

Q: How did Retro Beer Company come to be?

Put simply, we are three friends that wanted to make a difference in the world and have fun doing it. We were literally sitting around a table drinking beer one night, and we talked about how we can make a difference. This led to our idea to launch a beer that gives back.

 

Q: 100% of your profits go to local causes, was this the initial intent when you started?

No, we originally were thinking we would do 10% or 20% like others have done, but after talking with some distributors and retailers, we figured out quickly this was not enough to make a difference. We went all in at 100%.

 

Q: You guys will be going to Dubuque, IA soon, what attracted you guys to Dubuque?

We were attracted to the rivertown story that Dubuque has to offer. A town full of history, hard working people, and good ol’ Midwest values. Dubuque has a great community and great craft beer focus. Dubuque is just like Retro Beer in that we have a local community focus and a great craft beer!  We felt like our Retro values of community, generosity, and philanthropy would really resonate with the people here. We also wanted a market that represents America in the best possible way. If our message resonates here, it will work in other cities  where people care about each other and care about giving back as well.

There is a booming craft beer focus in Dubuque. We believe this is the place to launch our purpose for great craft beer enthusiasts. One thing about Iowa is….they love their beer!

 

Q: How would you describe your beers? What styles do you offer?

Our first beer launching on June 2nd is our Give-a-Shift Czech Style Pilsner. It is a crisp Pilsner that tastes great after a long day. Our hope is consumers will always enjoy more than one beer, which helps out our causes even more.

 

Q: Will there be any new beers coming in the future?

Yes, we already have our next beer named and are working on bringing it to market in the fall. For-the-Record Belgian Ale is a palate satisfying, not too overpowering, quality Belgian Ale. It has a high level of hops but the flavor is nicely balanced out for a smooth flavor.

 

Q: Will your beers be on tap at various Dubuque locations or be available in bottles?

It will only be available in bottles to start because we found out that you need to commit to large minimum keg quantities from keg suppliers. Since we are just launching we are not ready for that yet, but we hope to be soon.

 

Q: What beers, brewers, or breweries were your inspiration?

We really like Lagunitas and are inspired by their focus on quality beer.  We also draw inspiration from some of the great Retro beers like PBR, Coors, Guinness, and the original craft beer, Sam Adams.

 

Q: Is there anything else the public needs to know about Retro Beer Company?

I know it is cheesy but our tag line really says it all…Retro Beer Company, ”Shifting the purpose behind beer!”

 

Huge Green Flash Hop Odyssey Update: 2014 Releases

green flashHuge update on Green Flash future releases for their Hop Odyssey series. This update is courtesy of http://www.beerpulse.com. Short version:

White IPA
Available: Jun-July

Citra Session
Aug-Sept.

Cedar Plank
Oct.-Nov.

Symposium IPA
Oct-Nov.

It sounds like Eastern Iowa should have all of them except maybe the Cedar Plank as that sounds a bit more limited, but I could be wrong on that front.

Long version courtesy of http://www.beerpulse.com:

(San Diego, CA) – Green Flash Brewing Co. announced this week that the latest beer in its Hop Odyssey / Epic Journey (which is it?) series will make its taproom debut on June 3rd. Distribution will follow soon thereafter. There are still three more beers to be released in this collection later in the year. Below is a sneak preview.

WHITE IPA
EPIC JOURNEY, LIMITED RELEASE
While developing the recipe for our White IPA, we lined up malted wheat and more than a dozen hop varieties to select the three hops with the most citrus character: Simcoe, Amarillo and El Dorado. A citrus hop explosion leaps from the glass with big tangerine aromas up front, while hop flavors of bitter orange zest dominate and linger to the finish.

INDIA PALE ALE
IBU’S: 95 ABV: 7.0% AVAILIBILITY: JUN-JUL

CITRA SESSION
EPIC JOURNEY, LIMITED RELEASE
Our Citra Session™ IPA is brewed with high-quality Marris Otter and Vienna malt but the flavor is dominated by the Citra hops introduced throughout the boil and again in the dry hop for maximum aroma intensity. Notes of lemon, orange and grapefruit make this hop-laden brew a perfectly potable summer session IPA.

INDIA PALE ALE
IBU’S: 40 ABV: 4.5% AVAILIBILITY: AUG-SEP

[No Label Approval Yet]

CEDAR PLANK
EPIC JOURNEY, LIMITED RELEASE
Cedar Plank™ Pale is the result of fresh innovation applied to San Diego favorite, 30th Street Pale®. This well-hopped brew is aged with Spanish Cedar, which imparts an intense cigar-box cedar aroma. Peppercorn spiciness and tannins from the wood enhance the bitter hop flavors with a long, lingering finish. A refined twist on a best-selling local beer.

INDIA PALE ALE
IBU’S: 44 ABV: 6.0% AVAILIBILITY: OCT-NOV

SYMPOSIUM IPA
EPIC JOURNEY, LIMITED RELEASE
Originally created for the 2008 Craft Brewers Conference, Symposium IPA™ was brewed in true San Diego form, with input from several local brewers. Extravagantly hopped with Simcoe, Tomahawk, Amarillo, Cascade and Centennial layered throughout the brewing process, this beer is pale copper and medium bodied.

INDIA PALE ALE
IBU’S: 75 ABV: 7.0% AVAILIBILITY: OCT-NOV

Southern Tier Update, Millstream’s newest Xtreme Release

southern tierI just received word from a very reliable source that Southern Tier Brewing coming to Iowa has been put on the backburner until at the earliest 2015. A lot can change between now and then but that is the latest word on their distribution to Iowa. Still waiting on more for news on Oskar Blues, Lagunitas, Alaskan, and a few others. Hope to see a few new brews on the shelves this summer, if not, Eastern Iowa shelves have a abundance of terrific brews on the shelves.

 

dogs on skisOne brewery we can always rely on is Millstream. They will be releasing their newest Xtreme Series brew soon and it is going to be a Black IPA called Dogs on Skis. Here’s more about this beer from www.millstreambrewing.com.

This beer takes on the characteristics of both a very hoppy IPA and a Stout all in one beer. It showcases the malty, coffee, roasted notes as well as the bitterness that continues to play in an IPA.   We also partnered up with one of our local favorite bands, Dogs on Skis, to come up with this special beer!        

8% ABV     87 IBU     20 OG         5.5 FG
Malts:  2 Row, Munich 20L,  ESM         Hops:  Millennium, Cascade,
Chocolate, Black Wheat, Roasted                 Willamette, Mt Hood

                                               Available June – August

New Stone Stochasticity Project beer hitting shelves June 2nd

stoneThe following information comes courtesy of http://www.beerpulse.com.

(Escondido, CA) – In hopes that Stone Brewing Co. manages to escape the Cocos Fire unscathed, the company is planning a special release for the first week of June. Stone Stochasticity Project Quadrotriticale slated for a June 2nd release. Below is some marketing copy on the beer.

A lost member of the Stone Vertical Epic Ale series:
When testing the inherent makeup of the quadrupel—the warmest and darkest of Trappist monastery beer styles—we added triticale, a hybrid grain combining the pleasant flavor of wheat with the elemental durability of rye. We originally explored this nouveau twist on a traditional style in 2010, when brewing a test batch of a potential beer in our Stone Vertical Epic Ale series. Brewmaster Mitch Steele reached for and subsequently improved on that pilot recipe, bringing it to life as part of the Stone Stochasticity Project. The result is a quad that’s lower in sweetness, but rich with dried fruit and spice nuances.

Stone Saison coming in Mid-April

stoneTheir first real “seasonal” beer according to beerpulse.com is coming this April. More from beerpulse.com:

Though the company has released beers like Double Bastard Ale on an annual basis, it has been steadfast that those not be considered “seasonals.” That changes with Stone Saison which is branded as a “spring-to-summer” beer according to marketing materials.

As a Saison fan I’m very excited to see what Stone brings to the table with a Saison. Their Matt’s Burning Rosids was very good, very smoky, and pretty heavy on the ABV being in a 22 oz bomber. With the Saison 6-packs I’m hoping for a more moderate 6% ABV and having a few after the first few morel mushroom hunting sessions of the spring. Here’s more from Stone:

In spring 2011, Stone bought the farm, literally, taking over 19 acres of fertile Southern California soil where we now grow pristine fruits, vegetables, herbs and more for our Stone Brewing World Bistro & Gardens restaurants. A taste of our homespun farm-to-table is provided in this farmhouse ale stoked with lemon zest, lemon thyme and lavender straight from Stone Farms. This spring-to-summer saison is citric and herbal on the palate with a dry, peppery finish. Thanks to the infusion of fresh West Coast ingredients, Stone Saison isn’t your everyday saison. It’s our saison — 100% Stone. Celebrate the sunny season with an authentic taste of our farm and, with it, our commitment to quality.

New to Shelves this Week: Off Color, Stone RIS, Peace Tree

off colorSome brews and breweries hitting shelves and tap lines this week have quite a few people excited. I was lucky enough to be at the Sanctuary in downtown Iowa City last Tuesday and got to try Off Color Brewings Dino’smores! An imperial stout that really gives you the marshmallow/graham cracker/chocolate that I was hoping to taste.  Really, really enjoyed it. It would be the perfect accompaniment to a nice fall evening! I know Off Color has Dino’smores on certain taplines (Reds Alehouse,Sanctuary) but I’m not sure who else has it. Scurry and Troublesome from Off Color are available as well but I can’t tell you exactly who has them, I would contact your liquor store. Here’s more on those 3 Off Color beers, if you see more from them or know who else has their bottles/taps, drop me a line. Thanks!

Off Color Dino’smores: 
Ratebeer: 94/100
Beeradvocate: 91/100
Style: Imperial Stout
From the brewery:
Imperial Marshmallow Stout brewed with graham crackers, cocoa nibs, & vanilla beans

Off Color Scurry:
Ratebeer: 84/100
Beeradvocate: 84/100
Style: Altbier
From the brewery:
Honey beer with molasses and oats 
Don’t let the color scare you. This surprisingly dry beer retains all the aroma and nuance of honey (from bees) and molasses (not from bees) creating the perception of sweetness through cool, controlled fermentation. Because we’re sweet enough dammit. 

Off Color Troublesome:
Ratebeer: 87/100
Beeradvocate: 87/100
Style: Gose
From the brewery:
Most brewers spend a lot of time and effort keeping lactobacillus out of their breweries; it was the first thing we brought in (it still has to stay in the corner though). We blend together two different beers to make Troublesome. The first is a somewhat uninteresting wheat beer and the second is an overly acidic & funky beer fermented solely with lactobacillus. We blend the two beers together with coriander and salt at the tail end of fermentation to create a mild, lemony tartness and a fuller sensation of mouthfeel. And yes, it’s hard to make.

no coastAlso coming this week is Stone Russian Imperial Stout and Peace Tree No Coast. I haven’t had either of these beers yet so I’m really excited to give them a try. The Stone RIS and Peace Tree beers should be available for purchase tomorrow, not sure on when/if we will see them on tap. Here’s more on these two beers.


Stone Russian Imperial Stout:

Ratebeer: 100/100
Beeradvocate: 97/100
Style: Russian Imperial Stout
From the brewery:
“There’s no question that Stone Imperial Stout is revered among enthusiasts,” states Stone CEO Greg Koch. “I know, because I’m one of ’em and I can hardly wait for it to come out each year!” Some may think that a late Spring release for a special brew of this sort is an odd time for it to come out onto the market. Koch justifies this with the rationalization “What better than a warm time of year to come out with a brew that tastes great as it warms up!” That’s because “ice cold” is certainly not the appropriate way to serve the beer. Nearly without exception, the darker, richer and more alcoholic a brew is, the warmer the serving temperature should be. The Stone Imperial Stout label describes the brew as being “intensely aromatic (notes of anise, black currants, coffee, roastiness and alcohol) and heavy on the palate…expect this mysterious brew to pour like used motor oil and taste even heavier! Serve at 55 degrees.”

Oskar Blues Heading to Iowa?

oskar bluesJust received the following picture from a friend on twitter. If you read carefully the bottom of the first paragraph that is posted you will see the following, “Oskar Blues will also add distribution in Missouri, West Virginia and IOWA in 2014.”

oskar

Some great news here if it holds up, let’s hope it does, especially since we got the big N-O from Odell for distribution. Here is a quick list of beers available from Oskar Blues:

YEAR ROUND BREW
*Dales Pale Ale
*Mama’s Little Yella Pils
*Old Chub – Scottish Strong Ale
*Deviant Dales –  IPA
*G’Night – imperial red
*Gubna- Imperial IPA
*Ten Fidy – Imperial Stout

Beer Review #115: Boulder Beer Shake Chocolate Porter

shakeWhat makes being beer drinker great is getting to try all the fantastic styles that are out there. I’ve spent a lot of my beer drinking time (and money) going after some of the big barrel-aged beers, imperials, and doubles that sometimes it feels great to just sit back and revisit some of the styles that have been around for while. With the eruption of craft beer on the market I love when breweries revisit and tweek or shake-up (no pun intended) classical styles. Boulder Brewing (www.boulderbeer.com) has done just that by taking what was their original porter and putting a little spin on it.

This chocolate porter can play into any part of your day. A nice breakfast brew with your coffee and pancakes, a nice midday brew with a bowl of soup, a nice supper of a ribeye and potatoes, or even better, perfect with that brownie and vanilla ice cream. A dark black pour with chocolate and caramel sweetness, this brew incorporates chocolate wheat into the mix. If you’ve had Young’s Double Chocolate Stout or Sam Smiths Organic Chocolate Stout then you will really enjoy this brew. Here’s more from the brewery:

 Our twist on the traditional american porter, Shake chocolate porter is black in color with rich, dark chocolate aromatics and flavors and subtle coffee-like notes. This unique brew blends five different grains, including Chocolate Wheat, that along with cacao nibs create a devilishly delicious chocolate finish with a velvety mouth feel.

 When you open up a rich, chocolatey brew like this you usually aren’t able to have 2-3, but with this one, you can easily put down a few and feel pretty good about yourself. No forced drinking with this one. I’m not too familiar with Boulders’ offerings but I know they really connect with this brew.

REVIEW

STYLE: Porter

ABV: 5.9%

PURCHASED AT: Johncy’s, North Liberty, IA

POUR: Deep black pour with a medium tan head.

AROMA: Chocolate and coffee dominate.

TASTE: Chocolate really shines through from the cocoa nibs.

Ratebeer.com rating: 97

Beeradvocate rating: 88

Overall: B

My recommendation: Really great for a dessert beer, but also works well on its own.

Stone Go To IPA, Founders Centennial Cans coming soon!

Stone will be the latest brewery coming out with a sessionable IPA as their Go To IPA is slated to hit markets in March this year. The advertisement below gives you an idea of what to expect from the this brew. Also coming in the next few months will be another can option coming from Founders. This time it’s their Centennial IPA hitting the canning line.

Got news? Drop me an email!

stone

Founders Imperial Stout hitting Shelves 1/7/14

FoundersSomething to help Eastern Iowans get through this extreme cold might be found at your liquor store. According to a tweet from @johncysliquor, Founders Imperial Stout will be hitting Eastern Iowa shelves on Tuesday, January 7. More info on this terrific brew from the brewery:

A fine companion to end a meal or relax in front of the hearth with, this robust ale will cellar well for years. Brewed with ten varieties of malted barley this stout is extremely smooth, complex and rich in body. We recommend serving at cellar temperature. Sit back and enjoy its richness and complexity, you’re about to drink the ultimate winter warmer.

RATEBEER:           100/100
BEERADVOCATE: 97/100