So many beers, So little time…Newbies is your essential map to the “best of the best” and the hottest new craft beers rolling out each week, and this week, we’re all about the seasonals … From Avery’s New World Porter to the massiveness of The Maharaja, we’ve got all kinds of new releases you’re going to want to chase down.

So welcome to another edition of Newbies–your ultimate guide to great new craft beers!

We Will Berry You! (Seattle, WA) – Elysian Brewing has announced the next in their brilliant Oddland Series and we’d buy it just for Seattle artist Jim Woodring’s playful label. Oddland Ginger Berry Brown Ale is an 8% ABV brown brewed with raspberry, blackberry, and boysenberry and a thorny touch of ginger. It will be available in 22 oz. bombers and on draft in February.

New Holland Sours (Holland, MI) – It’s not often that Michigan-based New Holland Brewing Company gets the blues but they’re planning to soon. Part of the brewery’s Cellar Series, Blue Sunday Sour is an ale aged in wine barrels and they’ll be releasing this year’s vintage in bottles on January 12.

Two Winter Favorites Return to Avery (Boulder, CO) – Two of Avery Brewing’s most popular releases are once again hitting retail shelves and we’re pretty damned excited about it. The Maharaja Imperial IPA is brewed in several small batches each year during the winter months. This latest batch (with more than five pounds of hops added per barrel) clocks in at a “grand” 10.25% ABV and marks the 18th release of the beer. Avery’s trademark winter Porter is also getting out there soon. This year’s edition is still brewed using massive amounts of black specialty malt, but in a departure from previous versions, is decidedly more hop-driven. Released each winter season for the past 17 years, New World Porter has widely been recognized as one of the pioneers in the realm of Black IPAs and Cascadian Dark Ales.

Founders Gets Smoked! (Grand Rapids, MI) – Founders Brewing Company will be introducing something new in February. The latest addition to the brewery’s experimental Backstage Series, Founders Smoked Porter is brewed with a combination of beech wood-smoked barley and oak-smoked wheat malt along with a generous helping of chocolate malt. Limited bottles of Founders Smoked Porter will only be available in Michigan and draft will be available in most of the brewery’s markets.

Long Trailing (Bridgewater Corners, VT) – Long Trail Brewing has just announced the newest addition to their Brush & Barrel Series. Culmination is a rich Imperial ale – a dark chocolate porter brewed with freshly roasted cacao, which balances the beer’s 9.3% ABV massiveness.

A Cold Snap Coming (Boston, MA) – The Boston Beer Company is rolling out their new spring seasonal. Samuel Adams Cold Snap is a crisp, refreshing Belgian‐style white ale that’s brewed with a golden wheat and a lively blend of exotic fruits and spring spices. At 5.3% ABV, Samuel Adams’ newest is a medium‐bodied ale with a floral and spicy character and it’s out there now.