Lompoc Brewing and The Meadow come together for a Beer and Chocolate Pairing

Courtesy of Lompoc Brewing Co

PORTLAND, Ore. – Beer and chocolate go hand in hand every day: whether roasty and smooth, puckering and butter, dark or bright, chocolate and beer often share similar taste profiles that pair exceptionally well. To showcase this, Lompoc Brewing has partnered with The Meadow for a Beer and Chocolate Pairing event on May 23 from 4 to 6pm at Sidebar, Lompoc’s barrel tasting room at 3901 N Williams Ave. Admission is $10 on-site, which includes the following three pairings:

Pairing #1: Proletariat Red & Pump Street Bakery Sourdough & Sea Salt Chocolate
The Beer: Deep chestnut in color, this beer has a toasted malt quality with biscuit undertones leading to notes of caramelized pear and cinnamon. This complex brew ends with sweet malt flavors that mellow into a mild hop finish. 6.2% ABV

The Chocolate: From Pump Street Bakery in Suffolk, England, this chocolate features a unique combination of two signature products: dark chocolate and sourdough. Sourdough crumbs and a touch of sea salt add crunch and a smooth, malty flavour to Venezuelan chocolate.

Pairing #2: Cherry Bomb Smoked Red Ale & Askinosie White Chocolate with Nibs
The Beer: A collaboration for International Women’s Collaboration Brew Day with Burnside Brewing, 10 Barrel and Heater Allen, this red ale is crimson in color with a strong smoked flavor and aroma. Cherry smoked malt was used in the mash and in-house smoked dried

cherries were added to the bright tank. There is a mild hop profile. 3.7% ABV

The Chocolate: Askinosie Chocolate in Springfiled, MO, handcrafts this single origin white chocolate with 34% cocoa butter, which Askinosie presses themselves from cocoa beans sourced directly from farmers in Davao, Philippines. This single origin cocoa butter is integrated with certified organic cane sugar and goat’s milk powder to create real, bean-to-bar white chocolate. Roasted cocoa nibs are then added to the back of the bar. The cocoa nibs are from the same batch of beans used to make the bar itself, so in just one bite you can taste the entire story—from sourcing to production.

Pairing #3: 2011 Bourbon Barrel Aged Old Tavern Rat & Francois Pralus Cuba
The Beer: A dark amber colored barleywine that was brewed in 2011 and aged for two years in Heaven Hill Bourbon Barrels. 9.4%

The Chocolate: This chocolate comes from François Pralus, a master chocolatier and one of the few in France to manufacture his own chocolate. His Cuban chocolate is spicy, with a hint of licorice, slightly peppery, and long on the finish. Cuba is known for being a colorful island. Think about its coffee, cigars, rum and music, then try this Cuban chocolate; you will understand its beauty and the complexity of its aromas.

About Lompoc Brewing
A long-time Portland craft beer fixture established in 1996, Lompoc (pronounced Lom-Pock, not Lom-Poke) creates seven flavorful year-round beers, plus a ridiculous number of seasonals. You can find Lompoc in 22 oz bottles and on draft at locations around town, and at its five neighborhood pubs: Fifth Quadrant and Sidebar in North Portland, Hedge House and Oaks Bottom in Southeast, and the Lompoc Tavern in Northwest. Learn more at:

www.lompocbrewing.com.

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About The Meadow
The Meadow specializes in artisan salt, the world’s great chocolate bars, bitters and other gourmet items for the bar and kitchen; it also carries a close selection of Oregon and European wines and vermouths. The Meadow has a shop on N MIssissippi Ave and NW 23rd Ave. Learn more at

www.atthemeadow.com.

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Session Cream Summer Ale Joins Full Sail Brewing's Session Beer Series

Courtsey of Full Sail Brewing Co

Session Cream Summer Ale Joins Full Sail Brewing’s Award-Winning Session Beer Series

Hood River, Oregon (May 14, 2015) – Next in Full Sail Brewing’s Session Series lineup is the newly released Session Cream Summer Ale. It’s a classic American beer in a classic American bottle just in time to celebrate American Craft Beer Week (May 11-17). This golden ale has a creamy head and a smooth, sweet disposition – just the ticket on a hot summer’s day. Session Cream Ale pours with a rich golden hue with aromas of citrus and herbal hops backed with a smooth malty/sweet mid-palate, finishing cleanly with hints of citrus and caramel. I scream, you scream, we all scream for Session Cream! Session Cream is available in 12-packs and on nitro-draft all summer long. ABV 5.4%, IBU 26.

Courtesy of Full Sail Brewing Co

“Ten years ago Full Sail introduced Session Lager reflecting our view that beers should be inclusive and celebrate camaraderie without extremes or gimmicks,” said Irene Firmat, Full Sail Brewing Company’s CEO & Founder. “Grateful that many beer lovers agree with us, and with ‘sessionable’ beers suddenly all the rage, there’s never been a better time to expand Session’s universal appeal. Our new Session Series gives Session fans three additional ways to enjoy ‘Session-ability’ as their tastes (and the weather) change.”

Courtesy of Full Sail Brewing Co

 Since their 2005 launch, Full Sail’s Session beers have earned a slew of shiny awards and trophies including 35 gold medals. Recently, Full Sail’s Session lagers swept the 2014 World Beer Championships with each beer earning top honors including a gold medal for both Session Premium Lager and the newly released Session Export. Session Fest, Session Black and Session IPA were honored with silver medals. After all, why have a beer when you could have a Session?

Courtesy of Full Sail Brewing Co

About Full Sail Brewing Company:
Founded in 1987, the independent Full Sail Brewery is perched on a bluff in Hood River, Oregon, overlooking the most epic wind and kite surfing spot in the world. Over the last 28 years, Full Sail has collected more than 300 national and international awards for their beers and sustainable practices, including 150 gold medals, and was recently named Craft Brewer of the Year by Beverage World Magazine for their years of “sustainable stewardship, quality, consistency and operational ingenuity.” Among the company’s most popular brews are Full Sail Amber, IPA, Pilsner, Pub Series, Session Lager, Session Black and Session Series beers. At this very moment their specialists in the liquid refreshment arts are crafting barley and hops into your next beer. The Full Sail Brew Pub is open seven days a week. Swing by for a pint, grab a bite, tour the brewery, or just soak up the view. 

Website: www.fullsailbrewing.com

Facebook: www.facebook.com/pages/Full-Sail-Brewing-Company/60072986984

Twitter: www.twitter.com/FullSailBrewing

Instagram: www.instagram.com/fullsailbrewing#

Beers, Barrels And No Boundaries

No-Li to Finish Spokane Craft Beer Week with a Bang

Courtesy of No-Li Brewhouse

Spokane, WA (May 13, 2015) - Spokane’s first ever Craft Beer Week is off to a brilliant start!  

 

Yesterday, No-Li kicked off their in-house events with the Collaboration Celebration.  13 breweries shared 7 collaboration beers with the world - and the world loved it!  The beers ranged from a Belgian golden strong and a Raspberry Gose to No-Li’s own Taylor Shellfish collaboration Oyster Stout. “It was really a celebration of Spokane craft beer culture,” says Tony Gonzalez, No-Li Business Manager.  “We probably had over 200 people show up and most, if not all of the breweries blew their kegs. Now we know we’ll need more beer for next year!”

We might have reached the halfway point of Spokane Craft Beer Week, but the party has just begun.  Still to come...No-Li’s No Boundaries on the River Small Batch Festival 3.0!  With a sold out crowd set to roll in on Saturday at 11am, attendees will have the chance to enjoy 12 rare, barrel-aged, experimental, and infused No-Li beers.

With just a couple of days before the festivities...the remaining 6 beers are ready for their close up!

1. Refueler: This Wheat Whiskey barrel-aged Spin Cycle Red is highly drinkable with imparted sweet coconut and vanilla flavors on top of the rich malt, caramel and dried fruit notes.
2. Spokane-Style Irish Coffee: Wheat Whiskey barrel-aged Rise & Grind perfectly balanced with toasted malts, creamy oats, oak, vanilla, and sweet whiskey flavors.
3. Barrel Wrecked: Classically smooth Wrecking Ball Imperial Stout carefully aged in Dry Fly Triticale Whiskey barrels for enhanced vanilla, oak and whiskey character.
4. Thrill Seeker: Aged in Dry Fly Triticale Whiskey barrels, Jet Star Imperial IPA has an amped up body and decadent flavors of pine, citrus, resin, vanilla, oak, and whiskey.
5. Bigger Bang Barley Wine: Honey, caramel, and a warming alcohol sensation complement vanilla, oak, and whiskey flavors picked up during aging in a Dry Fly Wheat Whiskey barrel.
6. Van Lambert Sour Cherry: 900 lbs. of Bodacious Berries’ cherries provide sweet and tart flavors that mingle with Mosaic and Eldorado hops as this sour ages in Townshend Cellars wine barrels to provide a champagne-like essence.

About No-Li Brewhouse

Born & Raised in Washington’s Inland Empire, No-Li Brewhouse is an internationally award-winning brewery, crafting Spokane-Style beers with No Boundaries: innovative beers brewed with locally sourced ingredients. No-Li has won fourteen international awards, including a gold medal from the 2012 Great American Beer Festival. For more information about the beers, brewery and the pub, visit:
www.nolibrewhouse.com.
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Left Hand Brewing Releases New Perennial Session IPA

Courtesy of Left Hand Brewing Co

LONGMONT, CO • May 11, 2015 – Left Hand Brewing Co. introduces Introvert Session IPA for American Craft Beer Week and just in time for summer! Left Hand encourages you to session your introvert, tapping into your more creative and relaxed self, recharging with this harmoniously balanced IPA.  Introvert Session IPA will be a year-round offering in six-pack and draft.

Opinionated and hopped-up, Introvert can easily be misunderstood for having a strong personality. But this artistically complex IPA seeks balance and creative harmony with a low abv at just 4.8% and a relaxed pace. The beer’s brilliant gold color hints at the character inside, revealing a well-versed hop blend of CTZ, Centennial, Cascade, Chinook, Sterling, and Comet. Hop aromas of tropical papaya and kiwi with woodsy pine reveal the balanced honey malt and a clean bitter finish within.

Introvert was developed over the course of six months, testing multiple batches with accounts and fans for feedback, selecting the best hop personalities. Introvert IPA will be a unique compliment to Left Hand’s 400 Pound Monkey, offering fans year-round availability of both an American and an English-Style IPA.  Also this summer, Left Hand will release three other 22oz IPA offerings in their Big Mo series including Homefront IPA, Twin Sisters Double IPA and Warrior Fresh Hop IPA. 

Courtesy of Left Hand Brewing Co

Introvert Session IPA release events start on Monday, May 11^th and include a release party in their Tasting Room on Wednesday, May 13^th and a three day bar crawl in Denver, Boulder, and Fort Collins from May 14-16^th.  The beer will be available in stores on May 11^th in select states and is expected to be available across Left Hand’s 34 state footprint by mid-summer.  Sometimes you’re not in the mood for what everyone else is having … gather your closest friends and explore the possibilities. #SessionYourIntrovert

About Left Hand Brewing Company

Celebrating twenty-one 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 24 Great American Beer Festival medals, 9 World Beer Cup awards, and 7 European Beer Star awards. Famous for their Nitro series, Left Hand Brewing was the first craft brewery to release a bottled nitrogenated beer.  Left Hand’s collection of perennial and seasonal beers are available in 34 states & DC. “Sometimes you’re not in the mood for what everyone else is having.”

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Everybody's Brewing Announces Local Logger Lager Cans

Courtesy of Everybody's Brewing Co

White Salmon, WA (May 12, 2015) - Everybody's Brewing will be adding a third style of beer to their can lineup with the addition of the Local Logger Lager.  The cans will be available first at their Brewpub in White Salmon, WA starting May 15th, followed by the Portland premiere at Belmont Station on May 26, and a second release at Hollywood Beverage on May 29th.
 
The Local Logger Lager is 4.8% ABV, 28 IBU’s, and is described by Everybody’s Brewing as “A crisp, effervescent beauty.  Not too hoppy, but not too light.  The perfect balance of flavor and refreshment.”  Previously available exclusively on draft, this balance is why it has become a fixture at many bars throughout the Northwest.

Traditionally known for their flagship Country Boy IPA, the Local Logger Lager has also become a standout in their lineup.  “The Lager continues to show impressive growth for us”, said owner/brewmaster Doug Ellenberger.  "Breweries shy away from Lagers because they take so long to make, but the extra touch they take is why I have always loved the style.  We take a traditional German approach to our lager, using only Saaz hops, and a finely tuned malt bill.  The result is a clean, refreshing beer.  It’s an easy drinking Lager that we’re really proud of”.

Everybody's Brewing recently found itself in the national spotlight following a report from the Brewers Association that highlighted the success of their current 6 packs, the Country Boy IPA, and the Little Sister ISA.  According to the report, Everybody's Brewing had the 8th highest sales volume of the 140 breweries nation-wide that released packaged beer for the first time in 2014.  Ellenberger believes the new can will keep their impressive momentum going. “The new cans look great, but we believe it’s whats inside the packaging that really keeps people coming back for more.  Let’s just say we’re planning for a long, hot summer of Lager drinking.”   

Courtesy of Everybody's Brewing Co

About Everybody’s Brewing: Founded 2008 in the Southwest Washington town of White Salmon, Everybody’s Brewing focuses on session style beers with full, complex flavors.  Finely crafted beers, locally-sourced, delicious food, and outdoor seating with a stunning view of Mt. Hood make Everybody's Brewing a must stop attraction in the Columbia River Gorge. 

Beers Made By Walking Announces New Spring and Summer Hikes In Oregon

Courtesy of Beers Made by Walking

Beers Made By Walking Announces New Spring/Summer 

Hikes Throughout the State of Oregon

Now in its fifth year, Beers Made By Walking (BMBW) returns to the Pacific Northwest with a new series of public hikes with brewers in three distinct regions of Oregon. BMBW invites brewers to go on nature hikes and make beer inspired by plants found on the trail. The 2015 series of hikes take place in Bend/Central Oregon, the Eugene area, and in Portland’s Forest Park.

Courtesy of Beers Made by Walking

Each hike is free and open to the public. Hikers are accompanied by a local brewer who must create a hike-inspired beer later this summer. These place-based beers serve as drinkable, landscape portraits of the trails that are walked. In the late Summer and Fall, the beers are served at special tapping events throughout Oregon, and proceeds benefit the environmental organizations that lead the hikes. Below is a list of hikes for the upcoming season:

Bend and Central Oregon Hikes

BMBW has teamed up again with the Oregon Natural Desert Association in Bend to host a series of three hikes in past and present wilderness proposal areas. Brewers attending hikes include Crux Fermentation Project, Worthy Brewing, and Deschutes Brewery. The first hike is coming up on Wednesday, May 20th. Registration for hikes opens one month before the hike date. Please see details about each hike on the registration page.

• May 20, 9am - 2pm - Register Here - Scout Camp Hike with Crux
• June 12, 9am - 2pm - Register Here - Badlands Hike with Worthy Brewing
• July 24, 8am - 5pm - Register Here - Black Mountain Hike with Deschutes Brewery
  
  

Courtesy of Beers Made by Walking

Eugene Hikes

After working with Eugene-area breweries for three years BMBW is pleased to to team up with McKenzie River Trust (MRT) to launch the first Eugene-focused Beers Made By Walking program. MRT will lead three hikes with six breweries and one cidery. Hike registration goes live approximately one month before the hike date, and the first hike is on June 4.

• June 04, 6-8pm - Register here - Berggren Watershed Conservation Area with:
  Claim 52 Brewing, Elk Horn Brewery, Falling Sky Brewing, and Viking Braggot Company
• June 27 - Info here - During the Living River Celebration on Green Island with:
  Agrarian Ales and Oakshire Brewing
• July 30, 6-8pm - Register here - Hagen’s Confluence Farm on Fergguson Creek with:
  Plank Town Brewing and WildCraft Cider Works

Courtesy of Beers Made by Walking

Portland Hikes in Forest Park

Beers Made By Walking has partnered with Portland's Forest Park Conservancy for an ongoing series of monthly hikes with brewers in Forest Park, the largest forested in-city park in the United States. Each month, brewers explore a new trail and create beer inspired by the identified plants. Hike registration goes live one week before each hike. The remaining hikes in the series include:

• June 13, 9am - 12pm - Register Here- Springville Hill with:
  Ecliptic Brewing and Hopworks Urban Brewery
• July 17, 12pm - 3pm - Register Here - Cascade Views with:
  The Commons Brewery, Hopworks Urban Brewery, and Upright Brewing
• August 22, 9am - 12pm - Register Here - Balch Creek with:
  10 Barrel Brewing, Hopworks Urban Brewery, and Widmer Brothers Brewing
• Sept 18, 12pm - 3pm - Register Here - Ancient Forest Preserve with:
  Hopworks Urban Brewery and Humble Brewing
  
  

  

  Courtesy of Beers Made by Walking

About Oregon Natural Desert Association:

Oregon Natural Desert Association (ONDA) exists to protect, defend and restore Oregon’s high desert. Our vision is to see millions of acres of beautiful and ecologically vital public land permanently protected, home to diverse populations of wildlife, and available for people to enjoy forever. Working in partnership with more than 4,000 members and supporters, ONDA is the only group dedicated exclusively to the conservation of Oregon’s high desert rivers and landscapes. http://onda.org/

About McKenzie River Trust

Since 1989, The McKenzie River Trust has worked collaboratively with willing landowners to protect clean, free-flowing rivers, plentiful salmon runs, and vibrant farms and forests that provide livelihoods and habitat. Our conservation portfolio includes over 4,000 acres of floodplains, wetlands, oak woodlands, and working farms and forests in eight different watersheds across our region. Using a non-regulatory approach to land conservation, we take on the responsibility of ensuring that the land and its conservation values will be protected forever. For more information about the McKenzie River Trust, visit mckenzieriver.org.

About Forest Park Conservancy:

The Forest Park Conservancy protects and fosters the ecological health of Forest Park, maintains and enhances the park's extensive trails network, and inspires community appreciation and future stewardship of the splendor of this iconic, urban wilderness as a gift for generations. http://www.forestparkconservancy.org/

About Beers Made By Walking:

Beers Made By Walking is a program that invites people to step outside and see the place they live in a new light. We invite brewers to take nature walks and make beer inspired by the plants identified on the trail. Since 2011, we have worked with over 90 breweries in Oregon, Colorado, North Carolina, and Washington. Our hiking and tasting events act as educational and fundraising programs for environmental organizations in the regions we serve.

Ecliptic/Wicked Weed/Stone Points Unknown IPA Released Today

Courtesy of Stone Brewing Co

A Barrel-Aged Beer LITERALLY Unlike Any Other: 

Ecliptic/Wicked Weed/Stone Points Unknown IPA

 

ESCONDIDO, CA (May 11, 2015) — In recent years, barrel-aged beers have become some of the world’s most coveted creations. Crafting them typically involves sequestering heavy stouts or barley wines in whiskey barrels for long periods of time. It’s a straightforward and successful method utilized by many in the brewing industry. But sticking to “straightforward” isn’t what Stone Brewing Co. is about…especially when it comes to Collaboration beers. Starting today, fans can look forward to a truly unique West Coast imperial IPA blended with a Belgian-style tripel that was aged in reposado tequila barrels previously used to mature red wine. That limited offering, Ecliptic/Wicked Weed/Stone Points Unknown IPA, (made possible with the help of two renowned craft breweries) will start arriving in 22-ounce bottles and on draft to select retailers in markets where Stone beer is sold.
 

Courtesy of Stone Brewing Co

Craft beer enthusiasts have a quartet of noteworthy brewers to thank for this one-of-a-kind brainchild, starting with Stone Brewmaster Mitch Steele. When considering who to team with for the latest Stone Collaboration, he looked to two polar-opposite points spanning the American brewing landscape—Portland, Oregon and Asheville, North Carolina. Like Stone’s San Diego County home, these locales are considered hotbeds of craft beer ingenuity, thanks in part to the respective contributions of John Harris from Ecliptic Brewing, and brothers Luke and Walt Dickinson of Wicked Weed Brewing. The former held court as one of the Pacific Northwest’s best and longest-tenured brewers for a quarter century before opening Ecliptic, while the latter are the creative duo behind one of North Carolina’s most experimental, buzzworthy brewing outfits. These brewing powerhouses from points far removed joined forces to take this collaborative recipe to points unknown.

“I don’t think I could have asked for a more talented and fun group of collaborators to work with,” said Steele. “John is one of my oldest friends in the industry, and I really respect the ingenuity Luke and Walt have shown through the beers coming from Wicked Weed. When we were exploring recipe ideas, it was unknown for all of us exactly how well a double IPA would play with a Belgian tripel, but we decide to give it a shot. Now, having tried the final beer, we are really impressed with its uniqueness and complexity. It turned out to be a great representation of all our philosophies.”

The beer incorporates two disparate styles—a hop-forward, distinctly American IPA and a fruity Belgian tripel, both brewed with blue agave nectar—with influence from red wine- and tequila-saturated oak. It begs the question: What does this taste like? Tropical fruit aromas and flavors come courtesy of hop bursting, which is used to extract maximum character from a mixture of Amarillo, Calypso and Jarrylo hops late in the brewing process. The hoppiness is given brilliant depth care of banana and estery qualities produced by a Belgian yeast strain during the tripel’s fermentation. Subtle tannic, berry-like flavors and additional red wine notes are present from the triple-use barrels. Amazingly, the flavors blend seamlessly without competing in the glass.

To fully experience the massive hop presence, Ecliptic/Wicked Weed/Stone Points Unknown IPA should be enjoyed fresh; however, the beer may also be stored at proper cellaring temperatures (55°F or lower). How long can it be aged? It’s hard to say. And what will it taste like? Just as the case was when it was first brewed, we don't know, so consider its aged manifestation yet another point of the beer’s intriguing unknowns.  

Courtesy of Stone Brewing Co

Ecliptic/Wicked Weed/Stone Points Unknown IPA Quick Facts:

Name: Ecliptic/Wicked Weed/Stone Points Unknown IPA
URL: Stonebrewing.com/collab/pointsunknown
Stats: 9.5% ABV, 72 IBUs
Availability: Limited 22-ounce bottles and draft, beginning May 11
Hops Bill: Magnum, Styrian Celeia; Amarillo, Calypso, Jarrylo
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 (coming soon): Alberta and British Columbia, Canada; Japan; Singapore; and United Kingdom
Find Beer: find.stonebrewing.com

 

About Stone Brewing Co.

Founded by Greg Koch and Steve Wagner in 1996, San Diego-based Stone Brewing Co. is the 9th largest craft brewer in the United States. Stone has been listed on the Inc. 500 | 5000 Fastest Growing Private Companies list 10 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 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 late 2015. 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 Co., please visit stonebrewing.com or the company’s social media sites: Facebook, Google+, Instagram, Pinterest, Twitter and The Stone Blog.

 

 

Firestone Walker Set to Release 2015 Stickee Monkee “Central Coast Quad On May 23rd

Courtesy of Firestone Walker Brewing Co

 BACK IN THE MONKEE BUSINESS

2015 Stickee Monkee “Central Coast Quad” Set for May 23 Release

Paso Robles, CA: You could call it a bunch of Monkee business—a beer meticulously brewed in the classic Belgian Quadrupel style, but aged for more than a year in retired bourbon barrels to create a stylistic outlier now known as a “Central Coast Quad.”

Such is the unlikely provenance of Firestone Walker’s 2015 Stickee Monkee, which is set for release on May 23. The 2015 vintage marks just the second bottled release of Stickee Monkee, following up on last year’s inaugural release.

“Some folks have questioned the moniker ‘Central Coast Quad’ that we assigned to Stickee Monkee, but we stand by it,” said Brewmaster Matt Brynildson. “We brew this beer true to the Quadrupel style right up until we rack it to barrels for our own local California Central Coast twist.”

He added, “The 2015 vintage turned out awesome, and I think a lot of people will go apes***t when they taste this Stickee Monkee.”

Brynildson said that the base recipe of Stickee Monkee aims to hit all of the targets of the hallmark Quadrupel style in terms of alcohol, residual sugar, and overall body. Accordingly, the beer is brewed with Belgian candi sugar, which drives the beer’s color and caramelized character.

“Belgian candi sugar is like something you want to pour on your waffles in the morning, and it’s what gives Belgian Dubbels and Quads their signature molasses sweetness,” Brynildson said.

As for aging the beer in bourbon barrels from Woodford Reserve, Elijah Craig and Four Roses, Brynildson believes it’s a perfect complement to the Quadrupel style. “The wood adds just enough interesting flavor and oak astringency to counterbalance the sweetness and keep it from being cloying,” he said.

In their youth, Quadrupels are known for exhibiting a signature spicy Belgian yeast quality. But when aged, the yeasty quality yields to more boozy sherry-caramel notes. “You don’t really get that youthful yeasty quality with Stickee Monkee,” Brynildson said. “Upon release, it’s more along the lines of a Quad that has been properly aged for five years.”

The name Stickee Monkee is a nod to the native Sticky Monkey flower that thrives in the mountains along California’s Central Coast, as well as a shout-out to the Belgian monks who pioneered the Quad style. 

The 2015 Stickee Monkee is limited to 3,500 cases of 22-ounce bottles. It will be available in select markets across the United States. The suggested retail is $16.99.

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Vote Now On Samuel Adams Re-Brewing Beers From Their Vault

Courtesy of Boston Beer Co

back by popular demand: samuel adams re-releases drinker favorites for limited time

Craft Beer Lovers Make Their Voices Heard By Voting To Bring Back Two Brews For National Distribution in 2016

BOSTON, May 11, 2015 – Over the years, the brewers at Samuel Adams have released hundreds of beer styles, and crafted more than 60 styles last year alone. Although they may not all be in current rotation, they are far from forgotten. Craft beer drinkers reach out to the brewers daily with pleas to bring back their favorite Samuel Adams styles, and beginning today they can help make that happen. Based on the input of beer drinkers everywhere, Samuel Adams brewers will pull recipes from their “vault” and ultimately choose two winning brews to be re-released nationally for a limited time. Through online and in-person voting, drinkers will determine which two brews will emerge from the Samuel Adams “vault” for national distribution in early 2016.

Here’s how craft beer drinkers can make their voices heard:

• Starting May 11th, craft beer drinkers can visit http://www.samueladams.com/drinker-favorites to select their four favorite brews (out of 16 possible options), that they’d like to see back on shelves. Drinkers can return once a day to vote for their favorites. 
• After voting closes on May 25th, Samuel Adams will tally the votes and brew the four beers that get the most votes.
• The four finalist brews will be poured in July and August at the Boston Brewery and select beer festivals nationwide, and a final round of online voting will take place during the summer, where drinkers can vote for the two final winning brews.
• The two beers that get the most votes will be declared winners and re-released in the January 2016 Samuel Adams Variety Pack.

“We’ve been brewing boundary-pushing beers for over 30 years, but with innovation comes the inevitability of having to tuck away the recipes for some our favorite brews to save for another day,” said Samuel Adams founder and brewer Jim Koch. “We hear from our drinkers nearly every day asking us to re-release their favorites, so we’re excited to make these brews available once again on a national level.”

The 16 brews from the Samuel Adams “vault” include:

• Black & Brew Coffee Stout (2011*)
• Black Lager (2004)
• Blackberry Witbier (2008)
• Honey Porter (2002)
• Mighty Oak Ale (2011)
• Pale Ale (1999)
• Brown Ale (2005)
• Cranberry Lambic (1990)
• East West Kolsch® (2011)

·         Revolutionary Rye® Ale (2010)

• Rustic Saison (2011)
• Scotch Ale (1995)
• Vienna Lager (2002)
• Weiss Bier (2001)
• Golden Pilsner (1996)
• Hefeweizen (2003)

*First brewed

Craft beer lovers can visit SamuelAdams.com/drinker-favorites for more information and to vote for their favorite brews from the Samuel Adams “vault.”

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, four vessel brewing, 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 single focus. Although Samuel Adams beer is America's leading craft brewer, 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.