Wednesday, January 27, 2016

Ghostfish Brewing Announce Details For Their 1st Anniversary Celebration Event

Seattle, WA – Ghostfish Brewing announced today the details for their 1st anniversary celebration event scheduled for Saturday, February 6, 2016 in their taproom at 2942 1st Ave. S in Seattle’s Sodo district. This special event will take place from 2-10pm and is open to the public 21 years of age and older. In addition to an amazing lineup of beers, Wood Shop BBQ and Hallava Falafel food trucks will be on site.

Leading up to this event, the brewery has been sharing memories and milestones from the past year through their social media channels, reminiscing about the hectic but exciting days prior to opening the brewery. Ghostfish Brewing is also orchestrating an interactive scavenger hunt that involves eleven retailers of Ghostfish beers and rewards the most active players with Ghostfish swag.

“Getting to this point involved a lot of blood, sweat & tears, and our dedicated fans have been with us since day one. This is a chance to celebrate with them and say thank you in a big way!” said Randy Schroeder, co-owner.

In honor of this momentous event, Ghostfish Brewing will be releasing a limited quantity of their 1st Anniversary Russian Imperial Stout in 22 oz. bottles. This beer will be available for sale in the brewery taproom and a limited number of bottle shops throughout Western Washington. The 1st Anniversary Russian Imperial Stout is brewed with malted and roasted millet, roasted buckwheat, purple corn, cane sugar, and hopped with Chinook and Willamette hops. It has a heavy body and immense depth of flavor, with real chocolate and mocha flavors and some dark fruit notes reminiscent of red wine.

“This is a real sipping beer. A big beer with big flavors and is not to be taken lightly”, said Brewmaster Jason Yerger.

To find all Ghostfish beers near you: http://ghostfishbrewing.com/retailers

To participate in the scavenger hunt: http://ghostfishbrewing.com/events/2016-scavenger-hunt

 For more information about Ghostfish Brewing, visit ghostfishbrewing.com. You can also follow Ghostfish on Facebook at Facebook.com/ghostfishbrewingcompany and Twitter @ghostfishbrewco.

About Ghostfish Brewing Company

Ghostfish Brewing is the first and only dedicated gluten-free craft brewery located in Washington state. Since opening in February 2015, Ghostfish Brewing has been exploring the uncharted waters of never before-used brewing techniques and testing the limits of what can be created without wheat, barley, rye or oats. In addition to Peak Buster Double IPA, Ghostfish brews four year-round beers; Watchstander Stout, Vanishing Point Pale Ale, Shrouded Summit Witbier, and Grapefruit IPA. The production brewery and taproom are located at 2942 1st Ave. S., Seattle, WA.

Learn more at ghostfishbrewing.com

Hopworks Urban Brewery Releasing Rise Up Red India Red Ale

Courtesy of Hopworks Urban Brewery
Portland, Ore. - Hopworks Urban Brewery (HUB) today announced the February release of its award-winning seasonal beer Rise Up Red India Red Ale. This classic Northwest-Style Red is available in four-packs of 16oz. cans, 22oz. bottles and on draught throughout HUB’s distribution area, and on tap at both Hopworks brewpubs. 

Courtesy of Hopworks Urban Brewery
Rise Up is deep mahogany in color, full-bodied, and balanced with a blend of organic caramel malts and a touch of organic chocolate malt. Hopped to the rafters with locally grown hops that showcase citrus and resinous flavors, the beer is also dry-hopped for an extra blast of hop aroma. The beer checks in at 65 IBUs and 6.1% ABV.

Rise Up Red won a gold medal at the 2009 Great American Beer Festival. It is one of the first beers brewed at Hopworks and its release is highly anticipated at Hopworks’ brewpubs each year.

Rise Up Red is part of the Hopworks NW Legends Series, which highlights local histories and folklore through the release of seasonal beers. The label artwork prominently features Mt. Hood, Portland’s neighboring mountain, along with the hidden image of a true NW legend. Rise Up Red replaces Organic Abominable Winter Ale in the seasonal rotation and is followed by Pig War White IPA. 
Courtesy of Hopworks Urban Brewery

About Hopworks Urban Brewery
Hopworks Urban Brewery strives to revolutionize and inspire the brewing industry with practices that drive quality, protect the environment and improve the community we live in. Utilizing organic malts and a combination of locally-sourced, organic and Salmon Safe hops, the company’s 20-barrel brewery produces 16,000 barrels of beer a year for HUB’s two brewpubs and for distribution throughout the Northwest. Hopworks is a family-owned and operated business, the first Certified B Corporation brewery in the Pacific Northwest, a gold-level bike friendly business, and is recognized as one of Oregon’s Best Green Companies. Visit Hopworks online at HopworksBeer.com and follow us on Twitter, Facebook, and Instagram.

Coronado Brewing Company To Release Fan-Favorite Sock Knocker IPA

Courtesy of Coronado Brewing Co
Sock Knocker returns in February 2016 as part of Coronado's seasonal-release Crown Series


CORONADO, Calif. - January 27, 2016 Coronado Brewing Company is set to release fan-favorite Sock Knocker IPA in February as a part of the brewery's Crown Series. Craft drinkers have now come to anticipate this beer's annual release, but this year the company plans to switch things up. Coronado Brewing will be releasing the beer for the first time in six-packs as part of its spring seasonal release program, stretching February to April. It's received a 97 overall score on RateBeer and has become one of the top selling releases for the company year after year.
 
Sock Knocker pours golden orange, with a hoppy, citrus flavor that lingers well into the finish. Amarillo, Centennial, Columbus and Simcoe hops unite to create an immensely floral, botanical nose and a veritable explosion of citrus and pine on the palate. With an even more obscene hop overload than Coronado's infamous Idiot IPA, Sock Knocker is an India Pale Ale truly deserving of its imperial crown.
Courtesy of Coronado Brewing Co
 
Stingray IPA specs: 
Style:                  Imperial India Pale Ale
ABV:                  8.5%
Bitterness:          90 IBU
Package:             22 ounce bottles, 12 ounce bottles in 6-packs, draft
Release:              February 2016
Malts:                  2-row, Wheat, Biscuit 
Hops:                  Columbus, Centennial, Simcoe, Amarillo

Where to find Sock Knocker:
Sock Knocker IIPA will be available in 12 states: Arizona, California, Colorado, Connecticut, Hawaii, Illinois, Massachusetts, Michigan, North Carolina, Nevada, New Jersey, Ohio, Pennsylvania, Rhode Island, and Wisconsin. It will also go to British Columbia, New Zealand, Spain, Sweden, Taiwan, and Japan.
Courtesy of Coronado Brewing
 About Coronado Brewing Company: In 1996, when craft beer was still a foreign term and San Diego County was home to only a handful of breweries, the Chapman brothers Ron and Rick opened a brewpub in their hometown of Coronado. Today CBC stays true to their San Diego roots, brewing abundantly hoppy West Coast-style ales, which are available today in nineteen US states and ten countries. In addition to the long-established pub in Coronado, the company opened a tasting room inside their newly built San Diego production facility in early 2013, and a tasting room and restaurant in Imperial Beach, California in 2014. Coronado Brewing Company was honored in 2014 with one of the brewing industry's most prestigious awards-World Beer Cup Champion Brewery and Brewmaster for a Mid-size Brewing Company.
 
Links:
Instagram: @CoronadoBrewing
Twitter: @CoronadoBrewing 
#MermaidSighting 

Monday, January 25, 2016

Stone Brewing Rereleases Stone 12th Anniversary Bitter Chocolate Oatmeal Stout

Courtesy of Stone Brewing Co
Stone 12th Anniversary Bitter Chocolate Oatmeal Stout
Celebrate Stone’s 20-year history with the 20th Anniversary Encore Series

ESCONDIDO, CA (Jan. 25, 2016) – This year marks Stone Brewing’s 20th year of brewing bold, flavorful and memorable craft beers and with this monumental occasion comes a tribute to fans for their two decades of steadfast support. The Stone 20th Anniversary Encore Series will reintroduce previously brewed fan-favorite beers, each for a limited time, throughout the anniversary year. The first in the celebratory series for 2016 is Stone 12th Anniversary Bitter Chocolate Oatmeal Stout, making its comeback this week in 22-ounce bottles and on draft at select retailers, restaurants and bars in markets where Stone beer is sold.

Courtesy of Stone Brewing Co
In 2008, as the 12th anniversary approached, hops were in scarce supply. The brewing team embraced the worldwide hop shortage and brewed something rich and malty, pulling bitterness from pure cacao added at the end of the boil in place of hops. At the time, it was a rare venture into a realm explored less often by our brewers, and the outcome was highly acclaimed by fans (and still is to this day). Eight years later, Stone 12th Anniversary Bitter Chocolate Oatmeal Stout has been rebrewed to the exact specifications of the original recipe and features artwork evocative of the first time it hit store shelves. The onyx-colored, malt-forward stout offers a thick, rich, roasty mouthfeel and sensual chocolate flavors and aromatics.



The Stone 20th Anniversary Encore Series lineup can be found online here. In addition to rereleasing eight fan-favorite beers this year, Stone Brewing will salute its 20 years with commemorative bottle caps and online stories designed to inspire the public to reminisce about their own Stone moments at Stone20th.com. The historical timeline will develop throughout the year, chronicling the company's two decades, and fans can share their personal Stone memories throughout the year using #Stone20.

Courtesy of Stone Brewing Co
Just like the original batch, Stone 12th Anniversary Bitter Chocolate Oatmeal Stout may be enjoyed fresh or stored for several years. With age and proper cellaring temperatures, the bitterness will subside, resulting in a more refined beer that showcases sweet chocolate flavor.

Courtesy of Stone Brewing Co
Quick Facts
Name: 20th Anniversary Encore Series: Stone 12th Anniversary Bitter Chocolate Oatmeal Stout
URL: stonebrewing.com/encore12th
Stats: 9.2% ABV, 55 IBUs
Availability: Limited 22-ounce bottles and draft, beginning January 25
Hop Varieties: Summit, Galena, Ahtanum and Willamette
National Distribution: AK, AL, AZ, CA, CO, CT, DC, DE, FL, GA, HI, IA, ID, IL, IN, KS, KY, LA, MA, MD, ME, MI, MN, MO, MT, NC, NE, NH, NJ, NM, NV, NY, OH, OR, PA, RI, SC, TN, TX, VA, VT, WA and Puerto Rico
International Distribution: Australia; Alberta and British Columbia, Canada; Germany; Japan; Korea; Singapore; Sweden; Thailand; United Kingdom 


Courtesy of Stone Brewing Co
About Stone Brewing
Founded by Greg Koch and Steve Wagner in 1996, San Diego-based Stone Brewing is the 9th largest craft brewer in the United States. Stone has been listed on the Inc. 500 | 5000 Fastest Growing Private Companies list 11 times, and has been called the “All-time Top Brewery on Planet Earth” by BeerAdvocate magazine twice. The multifaceted company will be the first American craft brewer to build, own and operate its own brewery in Europe, and is also building a production brewery and destination restaurant in Richmond, Virginia. Brewing at both locations is anticipated to begin in spring 2016. Known for its bold, flavorful and largely hop-centric beers, Stone has earned a reputation for brewing outstanding, unique beers while maintaining an unwavering commitment to sustainability, business ethics, philanthropy and the art of brewing. For more information on Stone Brewing, please visit stonebrewing.com or the company’s social media sites: Facebook, Google+, Instagram, Pinterest, Twitter and The Stone Blog.
 

Left Hand Brewing Introduces Hard Wired Nitro Coffee Porter

Courtesy of Left Hand Brewing Co
Seasonal Nitro Coffee Porter available Early Spring

LONGMONT, CO • January 25, 2016 – Pour Hard! Left Hand Brewing Co. introduces the first seasonal to the Left Hand Nitro Series with Hard Wired Nitro Coffee Porter. Following a hard pour and rippling cascade, Hard Wired Nitro is your favorite cup of coffee woven into a smooth and creamy nitro porter, with chocolate malt, coffee and toffee notes. Offered in 6pk and draft, Hard Wired Nitro will be released at the Left Hand Tasting Room in Longmont on January 29th.

Brewed with 650 pounds of custom Hard Wired coffee per batch, Hard Wired Nitro is a gratifying blend of your morning cup of coffee and your 5 o’ clock beer. “Several varying roasts of coffee were carefully taste tested by the brewing team until the perfect complement to the malts was found.” shared Matt Thrall, Director of Brewing. Innately predisposed to be smooth when poured hard, Hard Wired builds a pillowy, toffee-sweet head. Coffee and flavors of caramelized sugar, cacao and hints of blueberry lead to a light, smoky finish in this 6% porter. Famous for Milk Stout Nitro, Hard Wired is the fourth Nitro installation for the brewers of America’s original Nitro bottle. Hard Wired Nitro is available in limited quantities for early spring, distributed throughout Left Hand’s 35 state footprint this February.

Courtesy of Left Hand Brewing Co


About Left Hand Brewing Company
Celebrating twenty-two years of brewing a well-balanced portfolio of craft beers, Left Hand Brewing Company is located at 1265 Boston Avenue in Longmont, Colorado. Left Hand is one of the most honored and recognized breweries in the state, with over 27 Great American Beer Festival medals, 9 World Beer Cup awards, and 9 European Beer Star awards. Famous for their Nitro series, Left Hand Brewing established America’s original Nitro bottle with their popular Milk Stout Nitro. Left Hand’s collection of perennial and seasonal beers are available in 35 states & DC. Employee Owned, Righteously Independent.

Samuel Adams Nitro Beers Launch Nationwide

Courtesy of Samuel Adams
Nitro White Ale, IPA and Coffee Stout Hitting Shelves 


BOSTON, January 25, 2016 – Water. Malt. Hops. Yeast. These are the four traditional ingredients in beer. With the new Samuel Adams Nitro Project, the brewers want you to experience a fifth ingredient: nitrogen, in place of carbonation. After experimenting with countless iterations and test batches in the nanobrewery at the Sam Adams Boston Brewery, the brewers are excited to announce the release of the first three brews from the Samuel Adams Nitro Project – Nitro White Ale, Nitro IPA, and Nitro Coffee Stout. Nitro beers are most commonly associated with stouts, but the brewers stretched the boundaries and started nitrogenating a variety of styles. There are very few breweries that offer nitro beers to drinkers at all, and virtually none that offer a variety of nitro beers in cans on an everyday basis. Nitro beers seemed, to the brewers at Sam Adams, like the perfect way to fundamentally transform the flavor profiles of a variety of beer styles. To fill you in on what makes this project different, the brewers share everything you need to know about the Nitro Project:

What is a nitro beer?
The ‘nitro’, of course, is short for nitrogen gas. All beers contain a significant amount of carbon dioxide (CO₂) when the beer is carbonated as part of the brewing process, but nitro beers use a combination of both nitrogen and carbon dioxide. Nitrogen is mostly insoluble in beer, so the resulting bubbles are smaller and create the rich, creamy texture familiar to nitro beers. On the flip side, beers that use CO₂ generally have larger bubbles and a more pronounced acidity and carbonated texture. Think of the difference between carbonated water and still water.  Both are water but the taste experience is radically different.  When a nitro beer is poured, it creates a beautiful cascade down the side of the glass, a thick, creamy head and a smooth mouthfeel.

What beers are debuting in the Samuel Adams Nitro Project?
The first three of more beers to come!
Courtesy of Samuel Adams

Nitro White Ale is a smooth, velvety, medium-bodied brew. Orange peel, coriander and Grains of Paradise lend hints of orange and peppery spice, and the first sip reveals these flavors alongside a light wheat character. When poured, Nitro White Ale shows off a billowing white head and a pillowy body that softly cascades into bright gold. (5.5% ABV)
Courtesy of Samuel Adams

Nitro IPA is boldly bitter yet smooth. The brew has an initial cap of creaminess, which gives way to hop intensity gathered from Amarillo, Centennial, Galaxy, Polaris, Simcoe, and Zeus hops. The hop varieties lend resinous pine, citrus and floral notes to the amber-bodied brew. (7.5% ABV)
 
Courtesy of Samuel Adams

Nitro Coffee Stout is a jet black brew with a rich, robust character. Dark roasted malts create notes of bittersweet chocolate with hints of dark fruit. Sumatran Mandheling and Indian Monsoon Malabar coffee add a deep roast dimension to the brew. (5.8% ABV)

 How does nitro work on tap and in cans?
When a nitro beer is poured on tap, it requires a specially-designed nitro faucet. These special faucets have internal plates or “sparklers” with small holes drilled in them, and when the beer is forced through the holes at high pressure, it produces tiny bubbles which create the trademark nitro cascade. The tight bubbles create a creamy, uniform, thick head on the beer. To produce the high pressure, nitro beer is forced out by a nitro gas blend, which is typically 75% nitrogen and 25% CO₂.  Because the pour is so important, the brewers stress that nitro beers require a perfect marriage between brewer and bartender. The brewer perfects the recipe in order to gain the desired flavor profile, and the bartender must have the proper draft line and equipment in order to create the cascade and the best possible drinker experience.

In cans, a hollow, cylindrical plastic widget, which the brewers refer to as the nitrogenator, is used to replicate this distinctive nitro delivery. Once the can is popped open, the pressure from the nitro is so intense, the brewers recommend pouring immediately into a glass and pouring straight down the center of the glass for the best possible experience. The result is a mixture of the small bubbles and the liquid in the glass.

What does Samuel Adams founder and brewer Jim Koch have to say about the Nitro Project?
“We started experimenting with nitro beers in the mid 1990’s when we brewed a Boston Cream Ale and over the years, I’d estimate we brewed more than 50 beer styles and worked with 200 recipes to ultimately create these three unique beers. We quickly discovered that you can’t just put any beer on nitro.  We needed to develop recipes where nitrogen was the unexpected fifth ingredient and brought out the desired flavor profile of the brew.  For example, with the IPA, the lack of carbonation reduces the perceived bitterness by cutting the acidity (carbonation produces carbonic acid on the tongue, nitrogen doesn’t) so without the carbonation we really had to amp up the amount of hops we used.  We’re excited for drinkers to finally get a chance to try our Nitro beers and experience the cascade – which is like a science experiment in a glass.”

Where can drinkers find the Sam Adams Nitro Project brews?
Nitro White Ale is available nationwide on draft. Nitro White Ale, Nitro IPA and Nitro Coffee Stout will be available in 4-packs of 15 oz. cans beginning in February for a suggested retail price of $8.99-$10.99 (all prices vary by market).

ABOUT THE BOSTON BEER COMPANY:
The Boston Beer Company began in 1984 with a generations-old family recipe that Founder and Brewer Jim Koch uncovered in his father’s attic. Inspired and unafraid to challenge conventional thinking about beer, Jim brought the recipe to life in his kitchen. Pleased with the results of his work, Jim decided to sample his beer with bars in Boston in the hopes that drinkers would appreciate the complex, full-flavored beer he brewed fresh in America. That beer was aptly named Samuel Adams Boston Lager, in recognition of one of our nation's great founding fathers, a man of independent mind and spirit. Little did Jim know at the time, Samuel Adams Boston Lager would soon become a catalyst of the American craft beer revolution.

Today, The Boston Beer Company brews more than 60 styles of beer. It relentlessly pursues the development of new styles and the perfection of classic beers by searching the world for the finest ingredients. Using the traditional four vessel brewing process, the Company often takes extra steps like dry-hopping, barrel-aging and a secondary fermentation known as krausening. The Company has also pioneered another revolution, the 'extreme beer' movement, where it seeks to challenge drinker's perceptions of what beer can be. The Boston Beer Company has been committed to elevating the image of American craft beer by entering festivals and competitions around the globe, and is one of world’s most awarded breweries at international beer competitions. As an independent company, brewing quality beer remains its primary focus. Although Samuel Adams beer is America's leading craft beer, it accounts for only one percent of the U.S. beer market. The Boston Beer Company will continue its independently-minded quest to brew great beer and to advocate for the growth of craft beer across America. For more information, please visit www.samueladams.com.