(South Burlington, VT) – A brief update from Magic Hat Brewing‘s Dave Weissman:
I just wanted to share the news of our newly designed Spring Fever Variety 12-pak, available now through the end of March. Accompanying the perennial favorite #9 is the return of Circus Boy and Vinyl along with the newest entry for our I.P.A. on Tour program, Demo. Without further adieu, here’s what to expect…
Vinyl is a scrumptious spring lager with a deep amber hue, sweet malt taste and a slight balancing hop touch. This beer is produced using a lager strain of yeast and is fermented at the low end of ale fermentation temperatures, allowing the beer to maintain its easy-drinking lager-like characteristics.
Demo is a deliciously dark lick of an India Pale Ale. Its medley of roasted malts and heady hops will have your senses dancing to the beat of a different I.P.A.
Unfiltered and unfettered, Circus Boy is a unique and refreshing American-style Hefeweizen. Be amazed by the return of the flavorful haze of this wonderful wheat beer.
[Disclaimer: Beernews.org is a leader in craft beer news and is the original source of this article. If you would like to check out more, please visit the original site. Thanks!]
(Boston, MA) – This week, the Harpoon Brewery released the latest installment of their 100 Barrel Series, Harpoon Catamount Maple Wheat. This is the 35th offering from Harpoon’s 100 Barrel Series, the brewery’s line of unique, handcrafted limited batch beers. The Catamount Maple Wheat was brewed using pure Vermont maple syrup.
Catamount Maple Wheat is a full-bodied, smooth wheat ale. The original version of this beer was brewed in the winter of 2009 by Harpoon Vermont sales representative John Baker. Harpoon brewer Brett Simmons based his 2011 version on John’s recipe, with some tweaks to make it his own. It is brewed with a combination of wheat malt, pale malt, caramel malt, and mildly hopped with Willamette. The balance of malts and hops allows the distinct flavor and aroma of real Vermont maple syrup to take the lead. The maple sweetness and body that blankets this velvety amber beer showcases one of New England’s most beloved traditions.
“I was pleased to have the opportunity to brew the 2011 edition of Catamount Maple Wheat,” says Brett Simmons, Harpoon brewer of this 100 Barrel Series beer. “As a Vermonter, it’s nice to be able to utilize ingredients that are produced locally.” The maple syrup used in the beer was sourced from Baker Farm in East Dummerston, VT – the family farm of John Baker – and Scrag Mountain Sugar House in Waitsfield, VT.
“The maple syrup from local farms, adds subtle caramel and maple notes and provides a wonderful natural sweetness and soft mouthfeel. To balance out the sweetness we used Willamette hops, which have low IBU’s and a mild aromatic profile. This hop varietal allowed the maple syrup to remain at the forefront. The color of the Grade B syrup and caramel malts give this beer a stunning deep amber color,” Brett added.
The Catamount Maple Wheat is an ode to the state of Vermont and the craft beer drinking culture that thrives there. In June of 2000, Harpoon purchased a brewing facility in Windsor, VT and brews roughly 40% of their annual barrelage in the state. Visitors are welcome daily to visit the brewery in Windsor and sample Harpoon’s locally-brewed beers straight from the source.
Harpoon introduced the 100 Barrel Series in 2003 to showcase the individual brewing talents of their brewers. Every couple months, a different Harpoon brewer is invited to choose a style of beer, formulate the recipe, and brew the beer. That brewer’s signature can be found on the bottle label. The beers in the series are one-offs; they are brewed in limited batches and are available only until the batch sells out. Since the series began in May of 2003, 35 different styles of beer have been brewed. For a complete list of beers that have been released as part of the 100 Barrel Series, visit www.harpoonbrewery.com.
The Harpoon 100 Barrel Series Catamount Maple Wheat is available in 22 oz. bottles with limited draft availability.
Brett suggests pairing the Catamount Maple Wheat with pork tenderloin, barbecue, crème brulee, and vanilla ice cream topped with warm Vermont maple syrup.
Harpoon 100 Barrel Series Catamount Maple Wheat Beer Specifications:
ABV: 6.75%
O.G.: 15.9
I.B.U.: 20
EBC: 40
About the Harpoon Brewery:
The Harpoon Brewery was founded by beers lovers, Rich Doyle and Dan Kenary. In 1986 Harpoon was issued Brewing Permit #001 by the Commonwealth of Massachusetts, since it was the first brewery to brew commercially in the state after a dormant period of about 25 years. Harpoon’s line of craft beer features its award-winning IPA and UFO Hefeweizen beers, along with four special seasonal selections. In 2000 Harpoon purchased a second brewery in Windsor, VT, making Harpoon the 10th largest craft brewer in the US. Harpoon has since introduced two lines of limited edition beers, the 100 Barrel Series and the Leviathan Series, as well as the all-natural Harpoon Cider made from freshly pressed, local apples. For more information about Harpoon beers and visiting the breweries, visit www.harpoonbrewery.com.
[Disclaimer: Beernews.org is a leader in craft beer news and is the original source of this article. If you would like to check out more, please visit the original site. Thanks!]
(Boston, MA) – Harpoon Brewery has selected a new seasonal to appear in its summer mixed 12-pack.
Harpoon Bohemian Pilsner will join Harpoon Summer Beer, Harpoon UFO White and Harpoon IPA in the variety pack appearing in April. Availability for the package is expected to run through August. Bohemian Pilsner will not be sold separately.
Neck label: “Our Bohemian Pilsner is crafted using traditional Czech hops and an authentic Bohemian Pilsner yeast. This crisp, clean beer is a refreshing summer brew.”
[Disclaimer: Beernews.org is a leader in craft beer news and is the original source of this article. If you would like to check out more, please visit the original site. Thanks!]
(Hooksett, NH) – White Birch Brewing got two more labels approved this week.
(At least) two new White Birch beers should hit shelves next year: Barrel-Aged Night Falls American Wild Ale and Hop Session Ale. Hop Session looks to be something like a West Coast-style hoppy beer. Night Falls is a bit more mysterious but uses dark malts according to the label.
Also of note…from Facebook today, “Today we’re doing a special project beer which will be aged in our trusty pinot barrels and further conditioned with a blend of brettanomyces from our wild farm.”
[Disclaimer: Beernews.org is a leader in craft beer news and is the original source of this article. If you would like to check out more, please visit the original site. Thanks!]
(Woodbridge, CT) – Got some tips from Brewer / Sales Rep, Matt Westfall this week . . .
The bad news is that New England Brewing will cease calling its Imperial Stout, “Imperial Stout Trooper,” this year. The people behind the Star Wars brand contacted the brewery a while back about the label and they conceded the name though they will still make the beer. The good news is far outweighs the bad for NEB fans as the brewery has a lot in store for 2010. Here is a sneak peak at the brewery’s schedule:
February – Gold Stock Ale
March – Ghandi-Bot Double India Pale Ale + Bourbon Barrel Aged Stout Trooper
April – 668 “The Neighbor of the Beast” – Belgian Strong Pale
May – Tequila Barrel Aged Double IPA
June to August – Alpha Weizen
September – Wet Willy Scotch Ale
October – More Ghandi-Bot + a TBD seasonal
November – Flanders Oud Bruin
December – Imperial Stout (Trooper)
+ Other fun draft offerings mixed in
Westfall notes that Ghandi-Bot, 668, and Alpha Weizen will make it into cans this year. Gold Stock will be draft only and the rest bottled.
[note: in my fruitless search for a large-sized brewery logo, I found what appears to be a mock-up of a Sea Hag label that never saw the light of the day. Heavybag Media is the company responsible for New England Brewing's marketing campaign.]
[Disclaimer: Beernews.org is a leader in craft beer news and is the original source of this article. If you would like to check out more, please visit the original site. Thanks!]
Harpoon Brewery and Island Creek Oysters brew a limited edition Oyster Stout
Boston, MA (January 19, 2010) – On Thursday, January 21st, Harpoon brewer Katie Tame will begin brewing the 30th installment of the Harpoon 100 Barrel Series, the brewery’s line of limited edition beers.
Joining Katie on the brewhouse platform will be Skip Bennett, owner of Island Creek Oysters, shucking hundreds of freshly harvested oysters straight from Duxbury Bay to add to the brew. The Harpoon Brewery and Island Creek Oysters have teamed up to create the Harpoon 100 Barrel Series Island Creek Oyster Stout. This beer represents a celebration of New England as it incorporates local, quality oysters from Duxbury, MA paired with fresh, handcrafted beer brewed in Boston, MA.
The one-of-a-kind, limited-batch creation has a rich body and a smooth feel derived from a combination of roasted barley and chocolate rye malts. The roasted notes of the stout blend beautifully with the briny, mineral flavors of Island Creek Oysters, which were added to the brew moments after being harvested in Duxbury Bay. An addition of hops adds a hint of bitterness and aroma to balance the sweetness from the malt combination. This beer is best enjoyed in a pint glass with a plate full of Island Creek Oysters.
Brewed by Harpoon Brewer Katie Tame using Island Creek Oysters harvested by Founder, Skip Bennett, the idea of the Island Creek Oyster Stout was created organically after years of sharing freshly harvested oysters over locally brewed pints of beer together. Historically, oysters have had a long association with stouts. One theory suggests that the pairing originated centuries ago in an old English town with a plethora of great breweries and oysters.
“Everyone at Island Creek Oysters is honored to have this opportunity to partner with our friends at the Harpoon Brewery after years of working together and create something unique that we’re all so proud,” explained Skip Bennett. “To be able to continue to partner with a like-minded brand that sources local ingredients and has strong ties to the community is truly a pleasure.”
“It is exciting to work with the people at Island Creek who, like us, are enthusiastic and passionate about the freshness and quality of their product,” remarked Katie Tame. “This beer is not only a merging of two great New England offerings, it is also a merging of history. Stouts have long been paired with oysters, though seldom brewed with them. This is our contemporary twist on an age-old tradition. We hope beer and oyster lovers have as much fun drinking it as we had brewing it.”
The Harpoon 100 Barrel Series Island Creek Oyster Stout will be available in early February 2010 in 22 oz. bottles and on draft at select retailers and restaurants throughout New England. This beer is best enjoyed in a pint glass with a plate full of Island Creek Oysters.
About Island Creek Oysters
Skip Bennett, owner and founder of Island Creek Oysters, planted his first oysters in 1992 after three years growing quahogs in Duxbury Bay. After years of trial and error, and some undeniably delicious oysters, Island Creek Oysters has grown into one of the largest and most reputable aquaculture businesses in the US, selling nearly five million oysters a year around the world. Intense care is given to every step of the process; from hatchery to harvesting. Because of Island Creek’s commitment to excellence, the National Shellfish Association named Island Creek Oysters the best oyster in America. For more information, or to purchase oysters for home delivery, please visit www.islandcreekoysters.com.
[Disclaimer: Beernews.org is a leader in craft beer news and is the original source of this article. If you would like to check out more, please visit the original site. Thanks!]
