American Craft Beer The Best Craft Beer, Breweries, Bars, Brewpubs, Beer Stores, And Restaurants Serving Serious Beer.
Widmer Brothers’ 2018 lineup not the usual suspects
With 2017 now well in the rear-view mirror, American breweries are positioning themselves with new additions to their portfolios that they hope will bolster their bottom line. And here’s just some of what Widmer Brothers Brewing has planned for 2018.
Building upon their more than three decade’s long Portland Oregon heritage, Widmer Brothers is introducing two new promising series this year…one that builds upon one of their longest running flagship beer…the other which showcases their new small-batch experimental brewery.
The Hefe X Series
Building on the popularity of Hefe, Widmer Brother’s award-winning American-style Hefeweizen, the Hefe X Series will feature 13 experimental Hefe variations that Widmer’s brewers have developed in their experimental division.
The first Hefe X Series release is a Mosaic hopped version with a decidedly hazy tropical character and smooth citrusy mouthfeel. In addition to Hefe X Mosaic in bottles, this series will also include 12 draft-only variations sold exclusively at the Widmer Brothers Pub which sits adjacent to their new experimental brewery.
“Hazy beers are all the rage right now, and with Hefe, we’ve had a true hazy beer since 1986. The idea behind the Hefe X series is to bring that signature haziness of Hefe to life in a hoppier way, while remaining true to the original,” said Widmer Brothers Innovation Brewmaster Parker Penley. “We’ve always loved the bright haze of Hefe, and wanted to bring to bottle something that provided that same haziness in a hoppier version.”
Portland Pub Series
The Portland Pub Series will highlight beers born out of its Innovation Brewery, Widmer Brother’s new small-batch operation housed in their historic Russell Street location in Portland.
All of Portland Pub Series beers began as experimentals launched at their pub that fast became fan favs, leading Widmer Brothers to expand their availability to bottles in 2018.
Joining Hefe X in the Portland Pub Series are Russell Street IPA, PDX Pils and Steel Bridge Porter. And each beer features new packaging in 2018 that celebrates their Pacific Northwest hometown with colorful illustrations.
“The Innovation Brewery gives us a chance to experiment and truly get feedback direct from the public about what they love,” said Penley. “Each of these four beers have been big hits in our pub, so it made sense to combine the four as part of our Portland Pub Series.”
Two fan favorites from years past will also be refreshing Widmer Brothers’ seasonal lineup this year…
Deadlift Imperial IPA
Originally brewed in 2010 under a different name, Deadlift Imperial IPA is an intense 8.6% ABV imperial India Pale Ale brewed with a dynamic quartet of Nelson Sauvin, Cascade, Willamette, and Alchemy hops, all tethered to a sweet caramel malt backbone. Deadlift will be available in 6 packs, 12 packs, and draft in the spring.
Green & Gold Kölsch
Born from a love of Portland soccer, Green & Gold Kölsch is a refreshing 5.2% ABV golden-colored ale with a dry, crisp finish that was originally introduced as a limited release at the Portland Timber home games in 2013 and 2014.
