Collaboration Release: San Diego County Session Ale

On Monday, August 23rd, Stone released their latest collaboration between…

Ballast Point / Kelsey McNair / Stone San Diego County Session Ale

QUICK FACTS
Brewers: Kelsey McNair, Homebrewer
Colby Chandler of Ballast Point Brewing & Spirits
Mitch Steele of Stone Brewing Co., San Diego

Alc/Vol: 4.2%
Bottle Size: 12oz
Brew Date: July 14th, 2010
Release Date: August 23rd, 2010

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About the collaboration:

Kelsey McNair brewed the champion beer at the Stone 2010 March Madness Homebrew Competition & AHA Rally.   The judges were so impressed with his intensely hoppy session brew, that they selected his beer to be brewed at Stone as one of the collaboration beers.

In addition, as the winner, Kelsey was given the opportunity to select a 3rd collaborator. He selected Colby Chandler of Ballast Point Brewery, located in sunny San Diego. In true collaboration, it was decided to brew the collaboration beer at Ballast Point’s Linda Vista brewery

Sales will be limited to three 12oz bottles per person. Check out the following link for more information about this beer

New Beers (Smuttynose)

2010 Really Old Brown Dog, our newest release in the Big Beer Series, is making its way to all of distributors during the week of August 23. David Yarrington, our Director of Brewing Operations (DoBrO) says that this beer is right where he wants it to be. “The port-wood aging features prominently this year,” he says, “I can’t wait to see how this one ages.” This year’s release comes in at 10.9% ABV and will available wherever you find Big Beer Series releases. “ROBD” is packaged in 22-ounce bottles and 5.16-gallon and 15.5-gallon kegs. All packages are conditioned for maximum ageability.

Pumpkin Ale should be in stores as you are reading this. Don’t be alarmed if the packaging looks different; the new look six packs and bottles came from F.X. Matt Brewing, who contract-brewed all of this year’s Pumpkin Ale bottles for us. We can assure you that the beer is the same as you remember.

Vunderbahr Pilsner, the eleventh release in our Short Batch Series, has been kegged, and at press time, is waiting to be shipped to our wholesalers. Our final yield was 27 15.5 gallon kegs and 60 5.16 gallon kegs. The final allocations are still being determined. The 5.1%, low-bitterness, highly dry-hopped pilsner is unfiltered.

S’Muttonator Double Bock will be the September Big Beer release. In the mean time, the brewing team are beginning to plan out this year’s Winter Ale.

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Notes from the Mash Tun (Portsmouth Brewery)

It seems like every time we talk to Tod, the first thing he mentions is how crazy things are in the brewhouse downtown. Beers are just whizzing through the draft lines and the Three T’s (Tod, Tyler, and Tyson) are doing their best to keep up.

August 4th saw a surprise tapping of 5 gallons of Kate the Great. The beer was gone in about two hours. A notice went out on the Brewer’s Blog.

The wheat beers continue to roll on with a new addition to the repertoire. A non-smoked Dunkleweizen has been brewed in accordance with the traditional German methods. Another batch of the slightly-soured, salty, coriander-ey Gose is in the works and the Summer Rye will also be back.

Bottle Rocket IPA has been the hit of the summer and as such, its availability fluctuates, but don’t worry hopheads, there will always be something laden with the green goodness to wet your whistles.

Tod is also happy to report that 14 barrels of Oktoberfest are quietly lagering away in anticipation of a mid- to late September release.

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Record Setting Week (Smuttynose)

We set a new shipping record during the week of July 31, shipping 16,710 case equivalents of beer. This measurement includes all packages from cases to kegs and casks. A big thank you to our head brewer, Greg Blanchard, who put in lots of extra effort to coordinate all the shipments.

Brewery Tours:
A Great Educational Experience! Come see what’s on tap at Terrapin!

When: Wed, Thurs, Fri & Sat 5:30 – 7:30pm.

Let our knowledgeable tour guides show you around the Brewery while you sample our awesome selection of beers! The latest and greatest is (almost!) always pouring and our souvenir pint glasses are only $10. There’s also live music, a great outdoor space, corn hole, hops growing, and – as always – good people!

Hop Harvest Festival

Terrapin will be hosting our 1st annual “Hop Harvest Festival” on Saturday, September 25th from 4:30 to 7:30 at the Brewery. Join us for a special unveiling of our new wet hopped beer “So Fresh and So Green, Green” as well as sixdifferent casks ales – each hopped with a different hop varietal, a mini farmers market and concessions by one of Athen’s finest farm to table food carts.

A special guest from the hop industry will be on hand to educate all of you beer lovers on the many wonders of the hop flower. We hope you will join us for this very special event at Terrapin!

Beer Releases:

Go, Go Hopzilla! ~

Side Project number 12, a beastly Double IPA, is explosive with 110 IBU’s! Hopzilla, which is made with Maris Otter malt to back up the bitterness , is guaranteed to leave you trembling at the knees. With all of this hop-a-licious goodness in one bottle, it more than deserves its iconic title!

The Monster of the Monster Beer Tour!~

Terrapin’s Monster Beer Tour is about to get hoppy with the next installment of Big Hoppy Monster, a monstrously-tasty Imperial Red Ale. Fall is the perfect time to enjoy this tantalizing, hoppy ale with the enormous malt backbone. All of this hoppiness in one bottle should be illegal. Watch out… this monster bites!

Pumpkinfest!~

Back by popular demand, Pumpkinfest has now become our fall seasonal beer! Pumpkinfest is an Octoberfest style Lager brew made with over one pound of pumpkin per barrel as well as lots of yummy spices. This one will have your taste buds thinking your drinking a pumpkin pie. Have yourself a taste and see what all the hype is about!

Do You have the Golden Ticket?~

Sound Czech will begin production shortly, but there is still no word on the two Golden Tickets that are floating around the state of Georgia right now! Help us figure out who the winners are by opening the boxes of Iron Tankard and Double Feature you have at home! We know the box is pretty but you might be sitting on a Golden Ticket! Sound Czech highlights the rockin’ days the Georgia Theatre had as a highly- acclaimed music venue. Check stores in the coming months for this newest installment of Terrapin’s Georgia Theatre Sessions.

“Oxymoron” 2010 Midnight Brewing Project~

Spike visited our friends at Left Hand Brewing Co. in Longmont, Colorado in July to brew the newest collaboration in the Midnight Brewing Project. This year’s brew, “Oxymoron”, is described as a Teutonic India Pale Lager and promises to have your taste buds spinning with delicious contradictions. “Oxymoron” will be available for a limited release in 22 ounce bottles later this summer.

~Let’s Talk Beer!~
We love to hear what you have to say about our beer! Send us your stories and compliments about your Terrapin experience and each month a winner will be chosen. Winners receive a free t-shirt and a posting in our newsletter. This month’s winner is Patrick Doyle from Atlanta, GA!

Thank you for all your support.

Cheers,

Spike and John
Terrapin Beer Company

What’s on Tap:

• Boston Beer Company is defining the beer recipie for the collaboration with Weihenstephan.
• Beer Lover’s Choice is heating up, it’s a close race thus far between the American Rye and the Belgian IPA. The winner will be the next addition to the Samuel Adams family of beer.
• OctoberFest has started shipping, along with the fall Harvest Collection variety pack.
• Longshot winner will be selected in September at the GABF in Denver, Colorado.

We’re torn…we need your help.

Tasting and voting continues in the 6th annual Beer Lover’s Choice competition. It’s too early yet to call a winner. We’re not privy to the totals, but rumor has it that the American Rye is slightly ahead at this point without all precincts reporting. We’re split, I love the rye while Bert favors the Belgian IPA.

Voting continues through September so make sure your voice is heard. To learn more about the brews or to find out where to go to cast your vote visit our Beer Lover’s Choice Page to find a judging event near you.

Fall in love with Fall

Not that we’re ever ready for summer to end, but there has always been one great reason to look towards the fall: Samuel Adams OctoberFest.

Well this year, we can give you another great reason: Samuel Adams Harvest Collection Variety Pack. We’re talking about some damn good beers in this 12 pack: 2 bottles each of some our absolute favorite styles:

Boston Lager, OctoberFest, Dunkelweizen, Irish Red, Black Lager, and our new Harvest Pumpkin Ale.

Definitely one to stock up on in our opinion!

Beer of the Month: Sam Adams Irish Red
Finishes smooth. Samuel Adams Irish Red is brewed with two-row Harrington, Metcalfe, and Copeland pale malts, and Caramel 60 malt. The blend of pale malts provides most of the body and backbone of the beer, while the generous portion of Caramel 60 contributes to the deep red color and caramel sweetness that defines the style.

To balance all of that sweetness, we use earthy East Kent Goldings and English Fuggles hops. Their subtle bitterness and aroma provide a delicate complexity to the brew. 

Samuel Adams Irish Red finishes smooth and leaves you wanting to take another sip. See more at www.samueladams.com

Quote of the Month:

“From man’s sweat and God’s love, beer came into the world.” – Saint Arnold of Metz, The patron Saint of Brewers

Brewery Tour Information:
In our opinion, there is no better Samuel Adams experience than the one you get here at the Boston Brewery. Come learn the Samuel Adams history, learn about the brewing process and, of course, taste some of our award winning beers.

TOUR HOURS

• Monday – Thursday: 10am – 3pm
• Fridays: 10am – 5:30pm
• Saturdays: 10am – 3pm

Directions:

• 30 Germania Street
• Boston, MA 02130
• MBTA Orange Line – Stony Brook Station

Tours start approximately every 45 minutes. Each tour has limited space, so be sure to arrive early! Saturdays are especially busy and we often fill all available tour spaces by early afternoon. Please note that we now open at 10am on Saturdays.

Good Gourd

Style: Imperial Pumpkin Ale
ABV: 8.5%
Aged on Ceylon, cinnamon, Jamaican All Spice, Zanzibar Cloves and Nutmeg
Availability: Originally intended for bottles, but will be on Draft at the Cigar City tasting room only.

Jose Marti

Style: American Porter
ABV: 8%
Availabilty: Bottles and Draft,

This beer, is basically an aggressively hopped robust porter was named for the Cuban national hero who also spent a significant amount of time right here in Tampa and gained prominence in Latin American literature from the poetry, essays, and publications he contributed to in his lifetime. Look for this it to be out in the coming weeks.

Fall’s HEX is soon to be cast across the land. You too will be caught in the spell.

A malth amber ale with hints of toffee and caramel with a slighty smokey finish.  Here are the details:

• Type: Ourtoberfest
• Yeast: German Ale
• Hops: Apollo, Hallertaur
• Malts: Pale, Vienna, Crystal, Cherry wood smoked malt, Malted Rye
• ABV: 5.4
• Gravity: 14.00 Plato
• Bitterness: 25
• SRM: 18

Night of the Living Dead Variety Pack

A macabre medley of monstrous mixtures in a box that goes bump in the night!

This variety pack contains the following beers:

• #9 – Not quite pale ale
• HEX – Oktoberfest
• H.I.P.A – IPA
• Fall Odd Notion – Green Apple Wit

For nearly 1000 years, monks have been brewing ales behind monastery walls. Their closely guarded traditions and techniques produced styles of beer unlike anything else in the world. These unique Trappist-style Abbey ales are known for their uncompromising quality and compelling flavor.

In 2011, Sierra Nevada and the Trappist-Cistercian Abbey of New Clairvaux are working to bring this centuries-old tradition to America with Ovila—the nation’s only authentic Trappist-style Abbey Ale.

This series of three Belgian-style Abbey ales is made in accordance with the centuries-old tradition of the monks. Each beer will be only be available for a limited time and will rotate through the seasons. The first beer in the series, scheduled for release in March, will be a Belgian-style Dubbel brewed with authentic Trappist yeast. The second beer in the series, scheduled for release in July, will be a Saison, the traditional Belgian-style farmhouse ale made in honor of the Monk’s dedication to labor in the fields surrounding their abbey. The third will be released in time for the holidays. It will be a Trappist-style Quadrupel rich with dark fruit flavors and the unique wine-like characters of these strong Abbey ales.

Proceeds from this project will benefit the monks of the Abbey of New Clairvaux in their efforts to rebuild an architectural marvel—a 12th century, early-gothic Cistercian chapter house—on their grounds in Vina, California a few miles north of Sierra Nevada’s home in Chico. The medieval chapterhouse—Santa Maria de Ovila—was begun in 1190, near the village of Trillo, Spain. Cistercian monks lived, prayed, and worked there for nearly 800 years. In 1931, California newspaper magnate William Randolph Hearst purchased the abbey and shipped it to Northern California. Hearst’s plans were never realized, and the stones fell into disrepair. In 1994, the Trappist-Cistercian monks of the Abbey of New Clairvaux, gained possession of the ruins, and began the painstaking stone-by-stone reconstruction of the historic abbey.

About Abbey of New Clairvaux
Located in Vina, California, the Abbey of New Clairvaux is a Cistercian Abbey of Strict Observance (Trappist). The abbey was founded in 1955 on 590 acres of Leland Stanford’s famed Vina Ranch. The monks follow the Rule of St. Benedict—Ora est Labora (Prayer and Work) and spend their days in prayer, meditation, and tending to the labor of the working farm located at the abbey. http://www.newclairvaux.org/

About Sierra Nevada Brewing Co.
Founded in 1980, Sierra Nevada Brewing Co. is one of America’s first microbreweries and remains highly regarded for using only whole-cone hops and ingredients of the finest quality. Sierra Nevada has set the standard for artisan brewers worldwide as a winner of numerous awards for their line of beers and ales including the flagship Pale Ale, Torpedo, Porter, Stout, Kellerweis, four seasonal beers, Estate Ale, Harvest Ale series and a host of draft-only specialties.

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Fort Collins, CO – August 2010 – Hoptober Golden Ale, New Belgium Brewing’s fall seasonal, has returned for its second season. Introduced in 2009, Hoptober was met with great interest because of complex hop profile and depth of flavor. With five hops and four malts, Hoptober is a medium-bodied ale with a creamy mouthful.

Hoptober is made up of Centennial, Cascade, Sterling, Willamette and Glacier hops, while pale and wheat malt are mashed with rye and oats. Its creative elements spark a bonfire of citrus notes, fruity cheers and a bold finale.

“The wide array of hops creates a series of flavors that slowly unfold on the palate,” said Bryan Simpson, New Belgium spokesperson. “This beer embodies the shift to fall with its bountiful taste and blend of ingredients.”

Ed Dopman, San Francisco Beer Ranger and champion of the 2009 Ultimate Beer Ranger Challenge, recommends pairing Hoptober with Italian fennel salami and Taleggio cheese on sourdough bread.

“The five hops used in Hoptober provide just enough bitterness to cut the buttery, meaty flavors of Italian fennel salami, Taleggio cheese and sourdough bread,” said Dopman. “The four malts used in brewing this golden ale also give just the right body to stand up to the autumn wind, while remaining delicate enough to quench one’s thirst after a bike ride.”

Hoptober has 40 IBUs and is six percent ABV. It is available August through November in most states where New Belgium is sold.

About New Belgium Brewing Company
New Belgium Brewing Company, makers of Fat Amber Ale and other Belgian-inspired beers, began operations in a tiny Fort Collins basement in 1991. Today, the third largest craft brewer in the U.S., New Belgium produces seven year-round beers; Fat Tire Amber Ale, Sunshine Wheat, Blue Paddle Pilsner, 1554 Black Ale, Abbey, Mothership Wit and Trippel, as well as a host of seasonal releases. In addition to producing world-class beers, New Belgium takes pride in being a responsible corporate role model with progressive programs such as employee ownership, open book management and a commitment to environmental stewardship. For more information, visit www.newbelgium.com.

Graffiti artist Antonio “Shades” Agee will begin the mural the first week of August. The public art piece, which will span a 200-foot-wide brick wall, is being commissioned by Northern United Brewing Company, which produces and bottles beer in collaboration with Grizzly Peak Brewing Company and Jolly Pumpkin Artisan Ales in Ann Arbor and North Peak Brewing Company in Traverse City.

Shades plans to depict the flavor of Ann Arbor on the massive exterior of Grizzly Peak, while also incorporating the logos of Northern United Brewing Company. Visitors to downtown Ann Arbor will be able to watch the artist hard at work using spray cans and rollers on small segments of the wall, but will not see the finished piece until the official unveiling on Aug. 26.

“The fabric will come up, and the community will get to see the piece for the first time,” said Marsha Chamberlin, President/CEO of the Ann Arbor Art Center.

After the reveal, the party will move over to the Art Center, where ticket-holders will be treated to sophisticated snacks from Grizzly Peak, exclusive craft beer from North Peak Brewery, DJ music, and a special auction including limited-edition works created by Shades especially for the event.

All proceeds from the evening will benefit the Art Center, thanks to the generosity of Northern United Brewing Company owners The Czaplickas, Lobdells and Carlsons.

“They are so committed to the arts,” Chamberlin said. “It’s a wonderful thing when a private sector business comes forth with such an imaginative way to donate to the Ann Arbor Art Center. We are incredibly grateful to have companies like this in our community.”

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Tickets to Reveal are $45; with an early bird special of $35 through Aug. 15. To purchase tickets, visit www.annarborartcenter.org. The Art Center is located at 117 W. Liberty in downtown Ann Arbor.

ABOUT

Shades
Shades, a.k.a Antonio Agee, was born and raised in Detroit, and began his artistic career tagging buildings in the Cass Corridor. Since then, graffiti has emerged from the underground, and now Shades is commissioned to paint projects around the world. Visit www.shades313.com.

Northern United Brewing Co.
Northern United Brewing Co. has breweries in Ann Arbor, Dexter and Traverse City, and makes and bottles beers under the Jolly Pumpkin and North Peak labels. The company also makes Bonafide Wines, and is launching a line of craft-distilled spirits this winter under the brand name of Civilized.

The Ann Arbor Art Center
The Ann Arbor Art Center, located at 117 W. Liberty St., is a non-profit organization dedicated to engaging the community in the education, exhibition and exploration of the visual arts. Offering studio art classes, workshops, exhibitions, summer camps and more, the Art Center is celebrating its 100th year of being the place where creativity and community meet. www.annarborartcenter.org.

News from Rockart Brewery

Visit us at the River Festival @ the Recreation Field in Montgomery Ctr. Vermont on Aug 28 from 4-11 to benefit the Missisquoi River Basin Association. Along with Rock Art brews you’ll be able to enjoy the sounds from the Missisquoi River Band, Sweet Jayne, Canyonero and TeBeDee! Just $5.00 to enter and enjoy the music all day!

The next beer festival we will be attending is at Mt. Snow over Labor Day weekend.

Newest Release: PUMPKIN IMPERIAL SPRUCE STOUT

This brew was inspired by our friend John Little.

It’s a big stout brewed in the colonial fashion with large amounts of pumpkins and spruce tips added to the kettle for flavor and bittering qualities. The pumpkins complement the malt flavors and are used to add sugars to the mash. Whatever you do, do not think this is going to taste like pumpkin pie. For a “”SLOW” experience pair with BBQ venison loin, extra sharp cheddar cheese, vegetarian chili, fresh warm soft pretzel dipped in a honey mustard or grass fed beef stew.

8% abv 50 IBU available in 22 oz and on draft in a few restaurants.

BREWERY PLANS

We are moving forward step by step with our new brewery location. I plan to have some great updates to share next month!

TOURS!!!

We would love to have you visit us Monday or Tuesday from 9 to 5:30, Wednesday through Saturday from 9-6. We offer tasting W-Sat until 5:30 and tours are Friday and Saturday @ 2:00 and 4:00. You will find the best selection of Rock Art brews and some wonderful Vermont cheeses and other products.

This month we are donating proceeds from the tasting glasses to the Cystic Fibrosis Foundation.

http://www.rockartbrewery.com
Rock Art Brewery
254 Wilkins St.
Morrisville, VT 05661