Archives for May 2018

(COOPERSTOWN, New York) – A revered Belgian tradition – the artful blending of different beers to create unique, transcendent flavors – has a new home in the New World. Brewery Ommegang of Cooperstown, NY is pleased to announce the launch of Blenderie Ommegang, a project focused entirely on very small-batch blended beers.

Ommegang’s experiments in blending began back in 2002 with the release of Three Philosophers, a beer which thrust its brewers into a fascinating world in which the balance of flavors and harmony of experience depend as much on the blend as on the brewing processes. The brewery has since released a number of blended beers, most recently Double Barrel Dubbel, a combination of barrel-aged dubbels, and Saison Rosé, a blend of two very different saisons. The brewery’s flagship blend is Pale Sour, a mix of stainless steel-aged lactic sours that has quickly become one of its best-selling beers.

“We strive to make exceptional beers for the world’s most discerning drinkers,” said Ommegang Brewmaster Phil Leinhart. “With blending, we can create flavors and layers of complexity that are otherwise impossible to achieve. We’re all very excited about this project.”

The first two releases in the series feature Brewery Ommegang beers blended with beers from Liefmans Craft Blenders in Belgium and Firestone Walker Brewing Company’s Barrelworks in Buellton, California, two of Ommegang’s sister breweries in the Duvel Moortgat family. “With access to a range of beers from world-class breweries, we can multiply the possibilities and take full advantage of the amazing talents within the family,” explained Ommegang President Doug Campbell.

Blend No. 1 is Faith & Fortitude, an elegant combination of aged sour ales and farmhouse saisons. The 6.5% ABV beer pours a bright gold with a fluffy white head. Notes of apricot, citrus, and tropical fruits mix with just a hint of barnyard funk. Faith & Fortitude is medium bodied, effervescent, and has a slightly dry finish.

Blend No. 2 will be Zen & Zymurgy, a mixed fermentation sour with a delicate saison base and four distinct yeast cultures. The barrel-aged 5.7% ABV beer is honey-colored, with aromas of sweet fruit, lemon and oak and tart flavors of fruit, malt and Brettanomyces. Zen & Zymurgy is light and effervescent, with a dry finish.

Blenderie Ommegang beers will be available for purchase only at the brewery’s newly expanded and renovated facilities in Cooperstown, NY, on tap and in 750ml bottles. Faith & Fortitude will debut at SAVOR: An American Craft Beer and Food Experience on Friday and Saturday, June 1-2, in Washington, DC, and will be offered to the public on June 16. Zen & Zymurgy will be introduced at the Firestone Walker Invitational Beer Fest on Saturday, June 2 in Paso Robles, CA, and will go on sale in August. More Blenderie Ommegang releases will be announced later this year.

About Brewery Ommegang
Founded in 1997 on the site of an old hop farm near Cooperstown, NY, Brewery Ommegang brews imaginative beers in a wide variety of styles, with particular emphasis on Belgian brewing traditions. For more information, visit ommegang.com, or follow us on Facebook at facebook.com/Ommegang.

MOUNT PLEASANT, South Carolina — Weihenstephan, the World’s Oldest Brewery, and Sierra Nevada, one of America’s pioneering craft brewers, have released their eagerly-anticipated Hefeweissbier, “Braupakt” through a series of road show unveiling events in New York, Chicago, San Francisco and Los Angeles.

“We knew we had something special when we began this journey of collaboration,” said Marcus Englet, Export Sales Director at Weihenstephan. “Our aim is to never stop evolving, and sharing ideas with Sierra Nevada allowed us to create a new beer that reaches a new audience of consumers. We’ve been excited to experience our customer’s reactions firsthand throughout the United States.”

The first reviews are in and Braupakt is confirmed a winner to US consumers:

Braupakt offers a well-rounded mouthfeel and is darker in color than the typical Hefe. The flavor from the yeast is spot on tradition and marries perfectly with the subtle aromas and spice from the West Coast hops.

The taste starts with banana and clove and a softy slightly sweet breadiness, then strong orange, grapefruit and pine come in and briefly take over till the clove and banana come back and join in with the citrus and pine.

Very hazy golden amber color with a huge delicate white fluffy head. There are bright aromas of clove, banana, bubblegum, and wheat, in that order. Best clove aroma that I have experienced. The taste was a balance of wheat, clove, banana, and fruity esters. Faint citrus was also present but way in the background. There was a clean bitter finish that was a counterpoint to the wheat and seemed to be the American influence. An outstanding pillowy soft feel. Fantastic.

Braupakt is now available across the United States at major chain grocery retailers as well as independent grocers and beer retailers. The beer can be found at https://www.weihenstephaner.com/product-finder/. A six-pack suggested retail price is $10.99.

Weihenstephan and Sierra Nevada are both known for their respective styles, and spent time meticulously developing the recipe, ultimately creating the fruity-hoppy Braupakt. The name Braupakt (literally translated; Brewery Pact), plays on America’s “bro pact” vernacular for fraternal allegiances and the label features the imperial Bavarian bear sporting a “hang loose” gesture.

Analysis data (approximate information):
Original wort 14.5%
Alcohol content ~ 6.0%
Malt: wheat malt, light and dark barley malt, caramel malt
Bitter value: ~ 35 IBU
Fits exotic and spicy-hot dishes with fish, meat and seafood.

About the Bavarian State Brewery Weihenstephan:
The Bavarian State Brewery Weihenstephan, founded in 1040 as a monastery brewery of the Benedictine monks, is now a state-owned enterprise, which is run by private-sector standards. Hidden behind the historic walls of the brewery is state-of-the-art technology, which draws on current scientific findings in beverage technology. Together with nearly 1000 years of experience and traditional brewing techniques, premium beers of the highest quality are created, which receive the most coveted awards at the international beer competitions every year. For more information please visit www.weihenstephaner.com.

About Sierra Nevada:
Sierra Nevada Brewing Co. of Chico, California, and Mills River, North Carolina was founded in 1980 as the 42nd brewery in the United States (compared to 5,300 breweries today) by Ken Grossman. As one of the first craft beer breweries in the US, Sierra Nevada was instrumental in the boom of today’s US beer scene. In just a few years, the brewery, with its innovative and high-quality craft beers, has become one of the largest and best-known breweries in the USA. More information on www.sierranevada.com.

GRAND RAPIDS, Michigan — Founders Brewing Co. announced today that they will release Barrel Runner as the fourth installment in the 2018 Barrel-Aged Series. Barrel Runner, a mosaic-hopped ale aged in rum barrels is preceded by Dankwood, Backwoods Bastard and KBS in the series. This is the first time the brewery has released a rum barrel-aged beer in package.

“I drink tiki cocktails probably more than I should and looked to them for inspiration when creating Barrel Runner,” said Brewmaster Jeremy Kosmicki. “You get a lot of bright, tropical character from the abundance of Mosaic hops plus a nice kick of oak and rum from the barrels. Add a tiny umbrella and you got yourself a beer perfect for enjoying poolside.”

Inspiration for barrel-aged beers can come from the most unexpected places and Barrel Runner is proof of that. Sweet and hoppy, rich and bright – this rum barrel-aged imperial IPA brewed with Mosaic hops will make you believe you’re in the tropics. 11.1% ABV,

Barrel Runner will be available in 4-packs of 12 oz bottles and 750mL bottles beginning in June through August. It will have an SRP of $14.99/4-pack and $11.99/750mL bottle. Fans will be able to find Barrel Runner in both Grand Rapids and Detroit taproom locations beginning on June 22, 2018.

About Founders Brewing Company
Established in 1997 by two craft beer enthusiasts—Dave Engbers and Mike Stevens—with day jobs and a dream, Founders Brewing Co. brews complex, in-your-face ales, with huge aromatics and tons of flavor. Founders ranks among the top 10 largest craft breweries in the U.S. and is one of the fastest growing. The brewery has received numerous awards from the World Beer Cup and the Great American Beer Festival and RateBeer and BeerAdvocate users often rate its beers among the best in the world. Located in downtown Grand Rapids, Michigan, Founders is a proud member of the Michigan Brewers Guild. For more information, visit foundersbrewing.com or follow Founders on Twitter, Facebook, Instagram, and YouTube.

About the Barrel-Aged Series
Crafting legendary barrel-aged beers is an exercise in patience. We start by brewing complex, world-class beer worthy of time in a barrel. Then, our experience and years spent mastering our craft means we know exactly when it’s been aged to perfection. After one sip, you’ll know – it was worth the wait.

SAN DIEGO, California — Mike Hess Brewing(MHB) of San Diego is excited to announce their partnership with the San Diego County Fair and the release of the Fair’s collaboration beer for 2018, Tangerine A-Fair IPA, a refreshing mashup of MHB’s renowned San Diego–style India Pale Ale with a “roundhouse kick” of real tangerine fruit. Tangerine A-Fair is available immediately—and for just a limited time—throughout San Diego County, on draft and in 12oz six-packs.

Tangerine A-Fair clocks in at 7.5% ABV and features tangerine added to Sterling, Cascade, Citra, and Mosaic hops throughout the brewing process, resulting in a slightly hoppy, citrusy, and refreshing IPA that perfectly accompanies a beautiful summer day, at the beach or at the San Diego County Fair. The artwork for Tangerine A-Fair features a throwback carousel unicorn, tying MHB’s line of mythical mascots with a long history of fairground tradition.

“We couldn’t be more excited to get Tangerine A-Fair out to our fans”, said Greg Hess, MHB National Director of Sales. “Last year, fairgoers crushed our blood-orange IPA, Into the Sunset, and I think this year, they’ll be even more excited. This beer is super crisp, perfectly fruited, and refreshing. Our brew team did a great job as usual. And working with the San Diego County Fair has been a very rewarding experience; their thoughtfulness, attention, and support is unparalleled.”

Jennifer Hellman, Marketing Director at Del Mar Fairgrounds, is just as excited: “The team at MHB exceeded our expectations last year, and we are really excited for this year’s release. We know attendees are going to love enjoying the beer at the Tangerine Unicorn Bar on the main avenue and around the fairgrounds!”

Look for Tangerine A-Fair cans—featuring fully removable Open Mike­® ends for a fuller, sensorial beer-drinking experience—at all San Diego County Vons and Albertsons stores. Look for it on draft around San Diego County; at all three Mike Hess Brewing locations in Miramar, Ocean Beach and North Park; and of course, at the 2018 San Diego County Fair at Del Mar Fairgrounds.

About Mike Hess Brewing
Mike Hess Brewing celebrates their 8 year anniversary at HessFest, a beer festival block party on June 9th in North Park. One of the region’s first canning breweries, they have won numerous awards for their beers—34 in the past five years—including two Gold awards at the prestigious World Beer Cup (Habitus, Rye, 2014, Claritas, Kolsch-style, 2016). They operate three family and dog friendly locations in San Diego, including their world-class brewery and tasting room in beautiful North Park, their original location in Miramar and their coastal tasting room in Ocean Beach.

About the 2018 San Diego County Fair
Get ready for treats that will tempt all of your senses! “How Sweet It Is” is the theme for the 2018 San Diego County Fair, presented by Albertsons|Vons. Visitors will discover, with kid-in-a-candy-store wonder, just how sweet the Fair truly is. This magical candy land opens at 4 p.m. June 1 and runs through July 4 (the Fair will be closed on Mondays and Tuesdays in June). You’ll leave the ordinary world behind the minute you step into this magical sweet spot overflowing with opportunities to truly savor summer with the excitement of a wide-eyed kid. The San Diego County Fair is the largest annual event in San Diego County, and one of the top five fairs in the United States and Canada, drawing approximately 1.6 million visitors annually.

BEND, Oregon — Sometimes the stars align and two forces are brought together to create special things. GoodLife Brewing is super stoked to announce a very cool project with national recording artist G. Love. We are collaborating with him to release a limited edition seasonal release of G. Love’s Special Sauce IPA.

Years ago, when Curt Plants first heard G. Love play, he was immediately blown away by the soulful sound of his voice and was hypnotized by the sound coming out of the guitar and harmonica. Fast forward 15 years, and G. Love and Special Sauce played at GoodLife Brewing and here is how the story goes: Played at the brewery last note rang, after the show, drank into the wee hours and from Philly to Bend, talking craft beers and good vibes, concocted this dankest Special Sauce known to man-kind.

“When we started talking to G. about recipe development, he said he wanted a danky hop bomb, while at the same time not overly bitter. So, we pulled out all the stops on this one. Using 5lbs of hops per barrel, together we concocted the dankest of the dankest IPA’s known to mankind” says GoodLife Brewing Co-Owner Ty Barnett. Using Mosaic, Idaho 7, Mandarina Bavaria, Centennial, Columbus, and El Dorado hops, G. Love’s Special Sauce IPA rings it at 7% and 70 IBU’s.

G. Love got his start with music at age nine when he recorded his first song and has since recorded and played with Slightly Stoopid, Jack Johnson, and The Avett Brothers just to name a few. In addition to music, G. Love has long been a fan of craft beer and it all started when he brewed a batch of beer during his junior year of high school, and he hasn’t stopped supporting the industry since. G. Love said “Ever since 1990, when I brewed my first batch of IPA for a junior year chemistry class, I’ve been a huge fan of the ever evolving, artisanal craft beer movement. We continue to support locally made beers on our tour rider Coast to Coast. It’s been a life long aspiration to collaborate with a brewery to make this Special Sauce. When I tasted their brews, met the team at GoodLife Brewing and heard how Curt Plants had been a passionate supporter of my music, I knew I had found a home for my dream. I’m beyond thrilled to bring our delicious concoction to the world and can’t wait for y’all to try this danky dankster of a beer.”

For the release of the collaboration, we’ll be doing the GoodLife Brewing Presents G. Love’s Special Sauce IPA PNW Beer Release Tour with Live Shows and Beer Release Parties at the following places:

G.Love’s Special Sauce PNW Beer Tour – Live Shows & Beer Release Parties

6/16- Sun Valley, ID Pavilion
6/17- Bend, OR- GoodLife Brewing’s 7th Anniversary Party
6/19- Eugene, OR- The Bier Stein
6/20- Portland, OR- Rontoms
6/21- Seattle, WA- Brouwer’s Cafe
G. Love’s Special Sauce IPA will be available in limited quantities in Oregon, Washington, Idaho, California, Vermont, and Chicago from June thru September. G. Love’s Special Sauce IPA will be available in 1/6 BBL’s, 1/2 BBL’s, and six packs of cans.

About GoodLife Brewing Company
As brewers of hand crafted ales, we are outdoor enthusiasts who look forward to sharing our craft beers that are most balanced and of the highest quality. GoodLife Brewing Company has been making award-winning beers since 2011 in its home of Bend, Oregon. GoodLife’s “Adventurous Ales” are Descender IPA, Sweet As! Pacific Ale, Comatose Imperial IPA and a selection of seasonal beers. In addition to making beer, GoodLife enjoys giving back to the community by supporting many local and national non-profit organizations. Play hard, live easy and enjoy GoodBeer for GoodLife! For more information, visit www.goodlifebrewing.com.

About G. Love
G. Love proudly describes himself as a road dog who “will be touring until I fall off the earth” and plans to keep on pushing with Special Sauce from stage to stage. Whether his next record makes one dollar or a million isn’t a big concern to him. Anything he releases stands as a huge success because he made a gritty, honest album or track with the intention to “keeping it raw, keeping it immediate, keeping it real.” It’s an approach that he has honed over the years: “be original and be true to what you do.”

ATLANTA, Georgia – SweetWater Brewing Co.’s latest release, Twisted Fish Crystal Pilsner, was brewed with and for Building Conservation Trust, the Coastal Conservation Association’s National Habitat Program. As one of the five beneficiaries of the brewery’s annual Save Our Water campaign, BCT competed against the other non-profits in a social media campaign, winning the opportunity to create a beneficial brew.

For every case of Twisted Fish sold, $1 will be donated to fund projects that benefit sustainable fisheries and recreational anglers, creating and restoring habitats and advancing the science of marine conservation. This is in addition to SweetWater’s donation of $100,000 every summer to clean water and natural habitat protection initiatives around the nation. The limited edition pilsner will be available in 16 oz cans and on draft beginning May 21. For more information on Building Conservation Trust, visit buildingconservationtrust.org.

Twisted Fish Crystal Pilsner uses traditional Czech yeast and fermentation temps, with traditional and non-traditional pilsner hops – Crystal, Citra and Mandarina add a juicy aroma and flavor profile more typical of IPAs, mixed with spicy and herbal notes from the Hallertau for complexity.

• Malts: Pilsner, Carapils, Vienna
• Hops: Hallertau Mittelfruh, Citra, Mandarina Bavaria
• Dry Hops: Crystal, Citra, Mandarina Bavaria
• Yeast: Czech Pils
• ABV: 5.3%
• IBUs: 30
• 4 pack 16 oz cans and on draft

ABOUT SAVE OUR WATER: 
SweetWater Brewing Co’s “Save Our Water” program is an annual advocacy, awareness and fundraising campaign that includes a $100,000 donation from the brewery granted among five partner organizations: Waterkeeper Alliance, Ducks Unlimited, Trout Unlimited, CCA’s Building Conservation Trust, and Bonefish & Tarpon Trust. This year, a portion of sales from SweetWater’s “Protect Natural Habitats” Variety Pack will be included in the campaign. On retail shelves early May through late August, this special 12-pack (bottles or cans) includes fan favorite brands 420 Extra Pale Ale, Goin’ Coastal IPA with pineapple, TripleTail tropical IPA, and the brand new summer seasonal, Tropical Lover Berliner Weisse.

SweetWater founded the “Save Our Water” program in 2006 with its local Chattahoochee Riverkeeper in Atlanta, and has grown to include other partners as the brewery’s distribution footprint has grown into 22 states. In 2016, SweetWater broadened the annual Save Our Water campaign to include five non-profit partners whose missions are to conserve and protect natural habitats and clean water initiatives. Each year, in addition to their $100,000 donation, SweetWater asks fans to join in the effort with their own donations to the partner organizations, resulting in a cumulative total of over $1 Million for clean water initiatives around the nation.

To learn more about SweetWater and the Save Our Water campaign, please visit www.sweetwaterbrew.com/saveourwater.

Nutista — a new and innovative nutbutter company in Carlsbad, California — is launching a new product in collaboration with Escondido, California’s Stone Brewing.

Nutista/Stone Tangerine Express IPA nutbutter is named for Stone’s popular fruit-enhanced IPA. It is made with blanched almonds, dry roasted peanuts, golden light dry malt, brewer’s yeast, Himalayan sea salt, and tangerine and pineapple, two fruits that are also used in Stone’s Tangerine Express IPA.

Nutista sold its first creations in late 2017 and shares a connection with Stone: the company was founded by John Huber, Tristen Cross and Stone co-founder Greg Koch. A longtime advocate for healthy eating and all-natural foods, Koch began experimenting with nut spreads six years ago. He partnered with Cross and Huber to do for mass-market nutbutter what Stone did for “fizzy yellow” industrial beer.

“I look at nutbutter with a craft brewer mentality,” Koch says. “We’re making things ourselves and creating new versions that never existed. And we’re doing it with carefully chosen ingredients, creativity, rigid adherence to quality, and a vigorous pursuit of incredible flavor.”

Starting May 17, Stone and Nutista fans across the U.S. can purchase the new Nutista Tangerine Express IPA creation at www.nutista.com and www.shop.stonebrewing.com . The product will also be available at all Stone Company Stores starting May 17. Nutista’s other products can be purchased at the company’s web site and at these specialty grocery stores in Southern California: Jimbo’s Naturally (San Diego), Erewhon Markets (Los Angeles) and Clark’s Nutrition & Natural Foods Market (Los Angeles, Palm Springs).

Nutista products contain no added cane sugar or palm oil and are made in Carlsbad. They are slowly made in small batches (about 150 pounds) by a stone-ground method. “We do things the hard way, but the right way,” Huber says. “Stone-grinding is a time-consuming process, but it delivers a flavor and texture that comes roaring through when you taste it. You can’t get that quality with conventional modern-day methods.”

Nutista’s core lineup features three blends:
The Nut Job – Made with raw cashew, sprouted almond, dry roasted peanut and Elliot pecan
The Mountie – The same four nuts as Nut Job with an addition of real New England maple syrup
The Monkey King – A classic flavor combo made with real bananas and roasted peanuts

“Our goal,” Cross says, “is to make nutbutter much more accessible, fun, and delicious. So we make innovative, nutritious flavors that have culinary flair and are super clean. They’re crafted from the very best ingredients we can find — no matter what the cost — and made without any unhealthy ingredients.”

This is the second collaboration Nutista has done with Stone. In March the company released a limited-release Nutista/Stone Totalitarian Imperial Russian Stout product that echoed the flavors of Stone’s popular extra-strength stout. It was built with an array of ingredients inspired by or used in the beer including Belizian cacao, Brazilian coffee, and an array of darkly roasted malted barley.

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Nutista Tangerine Express IPA nutbutter tasting notes:
Appearance: Tan with fine speckles of orange.
Texture: Creamy and pourable, ideal for dipping or drizzling.
Aroma: Roasted peanuts followed by bold citrus and buttery nuts.
Taste: Bright tangerine and pineapple backed by pale malts, decadent nut butter, and a hint of brewing yeast.
Overall: A tropical nutbutter with a wonderfully complex mix of bold and bright citrus and nut flavors.

Stone Tangerine Express IPA tasting notes:
Appearance: Light golden with slight haze.
Aroma: Bright pineapple and tangerine combined with fresh citrus and tropical hops.
Taste: Intense layers of fresh fruit and bright hops, with juice and pith notes and a long finish.
Palate: Crisp, clean, refreshingly bitter. A pithy fruit quality and a satisfying back-end IPA bitterness.
Overall: A complex IPA with fresh hoppy dankness and bitterness, rounded out with just-picked fruit.

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About Nutista Authentic Stoneground Nutbutters 
Say: /nuh•tea’•stah/. Experts in all things nutty and born in 2017, Nutista is on a mission to make nuts more fun and accessible for all. Cofounders Tristen Cross, John Huber and Greg Koch make small-batch, all-natural and innovative nutbutters designed for healthier and tastier living. Nutista creations are made by stone-grinding methods and crafted with passion, carefully sourced ingredients, and as much time as it takes. (“And nuttin’ else.”) Nutista products never include added cane sugar, palm oil, or artificial ingredients. For more information on Nutista Authentic Stoneground Nutbutters, visit Nutista.com.

About Stone Brewing
Founded by Greg Koch and Steve Wagner in 1996, the groundbreaking San Diego-based Stone Brewing is the 8th largest craft brewer in the United States. An award-winning industry leader, Stone has been listed on the Inc. 500 | 5000 Fastest Growing Private Companies list 12 times and has twice been called the “All-time Top Brewery on Planet Earth” by BeerAdvocate magazine. Stone is the first American craft brewer to independently build, own and operate its own brewery in Europe (Berlin, Germany), and also has a production brewery in Richmond, Virginia. Known for its bold and largely hop-centric beers, Stone has earned a reputation for outstanding and unique beers and an unwavering commitment to sustainability, business ethics, philanthropy and the art of brewing — and pledging to never, ever sell out to the man. For more information visit stonebrewing.com

NEWPORT, Oregon — This month, Rogue releases 10 Hop IPA, an imperial IPA made with 10 varieties of hops grown at Rogue Farms in Independence, Oregon, including two new hops: Keven and Adair.

10 Hop IPA is the pinnacle of Rogue’s Hop Family series. Brewed with Rogue Farms Liberty, Newport, Revolution, Independent, Freedom, Rebel, Yaquina, Alluvial, Keven, and Adair hops, 10 Hop IPA is full of tropical aromatics and notes of pine. Growing hops gives Rogue complete quality control, but more importantly, the ability to brew beers that best exemplify Oregon terroir.

Known as “More Hops,” Brewmaster John Maier wanted to brew an IPA that would round out the Hop Family series of beers and highlight the crops at Rogue Farms. “The eight hops we grew before made great beers, but we needed a few more,” says John. “We started growing Keven and Adair hops to round out the profile of 10 Hop IPA, adding citrus and melon aromatics (from the Keven hops) and notes of lemon, lime, and dill (from the Adair hops). I love being this involved in the hop growing process, and working with our farmers; it lets me truly grow the ingredients I need to innovate.”

Use the Rogue Finder to find 10 Hop IPA near you. For the full farm experience, beer lovers can have a pint at Chatoe Rogue, a Rogue tasting room located on the farm. Guests can see the hops, fruits, vegetables and botanicals grown by Rogue Farmers before they’re used in beers.

About Rogue Ales & Spirits
Rogue Ales & Spirits, the only farmer-brewer-distiller-cooper in the United States, was founded in Oregon in 1988 as one of America’s first microbreweries. Rogue has won more than 1,900 awards for taste, quality, and packaging, and is available in all 50 states as well as 54 countries. Proudly rooted in Oregon soil, Rogue’s beers, spirits, and sodas are made with ingredients grown on Rogue Farms in the Tygh Valley and in Independence, Oregon. Rogue Spirits are hand-distilled on a 550-gallon still in Newport, Oregon, aged in the thick ocean air of the Yaquina Bay and bottled by hand. Since 2008, Rogue has remained committed to sharing the terroir of Oregon hops, barley, rye, wheat, honey, cucumbers and pumpkins one acre at a time by growing its own.

COOPERSTOWN, New York — 2018 is a year of expansion for Brewery Ommegang. The brewery is introducing a variety of new beers and undertaking a major renovation of the visitors’ center. Now, Ommegang is thrilled to announce the installation and commissioning of a new canning line and the launch of the brewery’s first on-site-only can release, the New England-style IPA Neon Rainbows, which to-date has been available only in very limited quantities on draft.

Neon Rainbows follows Hopstate NY as the second release in the brewery’s Farmstead Series, beers that draw inspiration from Ommegang’s home on the 140 acre site of the former Lynes Hop Farm in Cooperstown, NY. The double dry-hopped NEIPA began as a one-off experiment for the brewery’s legendary Belgium Comes to Cooperstown festival, but it quickly became a local favorite. Originally brewed in tiny 15-gallon batches for special events, the brewery’s new canning line will now allow for production batches small enough to ensure this delicate beer is delivered to visitors to the brewery at peak freshness.

Bursting with juicy tropical fruit flavors and aromas and paired with a pillowy mouthfeel and low bitterness, Neon Rainbows is 6.6% ABV and 45 IBUs. The beer is brewed with pilsner malt and flaked oats for a smooth malt profile and creamy body. Neon Rainbows is so named for the rainbow of hop varietals in the recipe. The beer’s aroma features tropical fruit, pineapple, mango, and strawberry with hints of melon, and the hop profile is juicy and citrusy thanks to Magnum, Mosaic, Simcoe, Citra, Centennial, Topaz in primary hopping, and Mosaic, Simcoe, Citra, Topaz dry-hopping.

The first canned run of Neon Rainbows will deliver 16 oz. four-packs for sale only at the brewery on Saturday, May 26 at 11 am with a one case per customer limit.

The maiden canning run for the new system was on Tuesday, April 24, when Ommegang’s Nirvana IPA was packaged in 16-ounce cans for the very first time. “Different beer styles have different packaging formats that suit the style and the most common drinking occasions,” explained Rick DeBar, Ommegang’s Technical Manager. “For hop-forward beers and others that tend to travel with our drinkers to mountain tops, beaches, concerts and beyond, cans are an ideal format. Not only do they provide additional protection against light strike, but they’re more environmentally friendly on multiple levels as well, something we always strive to take into account.”

A canning contract with Utica’s FX Matt Brewery has enabled Ommegang to have both Witte Wheat Ale and Nirvana IPA in cans for distribution in New York for the past two years, but the desire to produce cans in Cooperstown began more than four years ago.

“We’ve been talking about canning our beers for a number of years, and with the help of FX Matt, we were able to get two of our most popular warm weather offerings into cans while we looked for the right canning line for our facility. It took us more than a year to find a supplier that could build us the line we wanted, meeting our strict quality standards while also integrating with the space we have available in our packaging hall,” says DeBar.

Ommegang’s new canning line accommodates 12, 16 and 19.2 oz cans and produces about 40 cans per minute. It occupies a compact space within the brewery’s packaging facility, even tying into the existing bottling line once the cans are filled and sealed.

“Having a smaller canning line enables us to produce small runs and to experiment with a variety of beers in this packaging format,” says DeBar. “It also help us ensure that cans will always be fresh since there won’t be large volumes sitting on shelves.”

Current Ommegang beers in cans are Nirvana IPA, Witte, Fruition, and Short Sleeve Saison, all canned at FX Matt and available in NY. Ommegang has several other canned beers in the works for 2018 and will share details of those beers throughout the year.

About Brewery Ommegang
Brewery Ommegang opened in 1997 to brew imaginative craft beers across a variety of styles, with particular emphasis and respect for Belgian brewing traditions. Ommegang brews nine ales year-round, as well as an extensive and innovative range of seasonal and specialty ales. The beers have won a national following by connoisseurs of fine beer and are distributed in 46 states and internationally. Ommegang is located on a 136-acre farmstead in Cooperstown, New York and offers free daily tours and inexpensive tastings as well as a 75-seat café, a well-stocked brewery store, and an annual calendar of public events including a summer concert series and a legendary beer festival, Belgium Comes to Cooperstown. Ommegang is open every day of the year except for Thanksgiving, Christmas Eve, Christmas Day, New Year’s Day, and occasional special event days. For more information, contact info@ommegang.com, call 1-607-544-1800, or visit www.ommegang.com. Ommegang is a member of the Duvel family of fine beers.

SAN LEANDRO, California — Like the soulful melody of a song that you can’t stop singing, 21st Amendment Brewery is pleased to bring back its mind-blowing summertime sour, Watermelon Funk.

This limited-editionInsurrection Series beer is brewed with 100% fresh watermelon puree, kettle soured with lactobacillus for bright, tart, citrus notes, and entices your palate with the spicy farmhouse aroma of its French Saison yeast strain. A transformation of the brewery’s summertime favorite, Hell or High Watermelon Wheat, this beer turns up the dial at 6.7%ABV and a Funk Factor of 11.

“I first made this beer in 2004 when Vinnie Cilurzo, co-founder of Russian River Brewing Company, and I decided to funkify Hell or High Watermelon Wheat in a chardonnay barrel. The entire process took about two years but the result was something right out of a James Brown song.” said Shaun O’Sullivan, Co-Founder and Brewmaster of 21st Amendment Brewery. “We’ve evolved the processsince then by kettle souring the beer and fermenting it with a saison yeast strain, which has only enhanced its soulful street cred.”

With a tart, slightly sour mouthfeel, syncopated sweet notes and downbeat aromas, WatermelonFunk will keep your taste buds grooving. “This is a beer that will get the party started,” adds Nico Freccia, Co-Founder of 21st AmendmentBrewery. “The packaging is vibrant and colorful, the beer itself is thirst-quenching, and like Lady Liberty on roller skates, this beer will keep you on your toes.”

A limited amount of Watermelon Funk will be available in six packs and on draft in all 21A distribution markets this May, including AK,AZ, CA, CT, DE, FL, GA, ID, IL, KY, MA, MD, ME, MN, NC, NH, NJ, NV, NY, OH, OR,PA, RI, SC, VA, VT, WA and Washington D.C.

About 21st Amendment
In 2000, Nico Freccia and Shaun O’Sullivan opened the doors to the 21st Amendment brewpub in San Francisco’s historic South Park neighborhood with Freccia managing the restaurant and O’Sullivan spearheading the brewing process. In addition to quickly becoming one of the city’s favorite pubs, 21st Amendment began expanding beyond the Bay Area by helping to pioneer the movement to canned craft beer. In 2015, they opened a Brewery & Tap Room inSan Leandro where most of their beers are made and canned. Known for artistic packaging, witty names and delicious brews, 21st Amendment offers year-round selections, seasonal offerings and its Insurrection Series of small-batch, limited releases. Sold in 27 states, 21st Amendment is among the top 50 craft beer breweries in America.