So many beers, So little time…With so many craft breweries, releasing so many beers, we thought it might help to provide a weekly update on all the new beers  that are hitting the streets …..So welcome to this week’s edition of Newbies – your guide to great new craft beer releases!

Ninkasi Goes Prismatic With Sterling (Eugene, OR) – Ninkasi Brewing Company has just announced the next installment of its Prismatic Lager Series. “Sterling Pils is a Ninkasi twist on the Northern German-style lager, in which we employ traditional techniques with North American ingredients,” explains Jamie Floyd, Ninkasi founding brewer. “We are excited to release our third Prismatic Lager Series brew, continuing a tradition of thirst-quenching, drinkable beers for all occasions.”The Prismatic Lager Series, established in 2011 with the release of Ninkasi’s Helles Belles, was created to highlight Ninkasi’s offerings that are Northwest embellishments of traditional lager styles. Sterling Pils will be available in both bottles and on draft throughout all of its distribution areas.

Cellar Reserve Returns with Oud Bruin (Victor, ID) – Grand Teton Brewing is planning a May release for Oud Bruin Belgian-Style Ale, the second installment of their 25th anniversary Cellar Reserve trilogy. First brewed in 2007 as a tart refreshing summer beer, Oud Bruin sour brown ale was fermented with a Flemish blend of yeast and bacteria cultures. Because it’s unfiltered, flavor will continue to develop and become more complex when cellared. Oud Bruin Belgian-Style Ale is a one-time release available May 15 in kegs and bottle-conditioned 750 mL cases.

Maui Collabs With Lost Abbey (Lahaina, Maui, HI) – The Maui Brewing Company  will soon be releasing their unique collaboration with Tomme  Arthur’s Lost Abbey, which is brewed using 100% local Maui raised lemongrass! Lemongrass Saison is a 5.5% ABV beer utilizing White Wheat, Oats, Pilsner malt, Lemongrass, Citra, and Nelson Sauvin hops. This first limited release of 2013 is a “must-have,” and it will be available starting mid-April in 12 oz cans and on draft.

Winning Homebrewers Get Their Shot (Boston, MA) – Samuel Adams has announced that their much-anticipated Samuel Adams 2012 LongShot Variety Six-Pack will be hitting the shelves this month, highlighting the efforts of three winning homebrewers who will see their hard work brewed, bottled, and distributed nationwide. The winners, Connecticut resident Zack Adams’ Magnificent Seven and California resident James Schirmer’s Beerflower Wheat, triumphed over nearly 1,000 competing homebrews to become the 2012 Samuel Adams LongShot American Homebrew Contest winners. In addition to these winning brews, the variety pack will also include Samuel Adams Employee Homebrew Winner Dave Anderson’s Strawberry Lager.

River North Dubbels Down (Denver, CO) – It’s no secret the River North Brewery loves its Belgian yeast, and their newest release doubles down on that affection. River North Dubbel is a traditional Abbey-style brew that delivers all the dark fruit notes typical of monastic dark beers. Deep yet drinkable, River North Dubbel  clocks in at 7.4% ABV,  and will debut this Saturday, April 20 at 1pm in the Denver taproom. Both draft pours and bombers-to-go will be available. Eighty cases were bottled in total, the remainder of which will ship to Denver metro-area stores the following week.

The Russians Have Landed (Escondido, CA) – San Diego-based Stone Brewing Co. has just released two versions of the company’s coveted imperial stout: 2013 Stone Imperial Russian Stout and 2013 Stone ESPRESSO Imperial Russian Stout. As 2013 is an odd-numbered year, Stone is revisiting its “Odd Beers for Odd Years” program that began in 2011. The series introduces new or “odd” versions of Stone Imperial Russian Stout in tandem with the classic version during odd-numbered years. Stone Imperial Russian Stout is one of their most popular beers. The recipe was created by Stone Co-founder and President Steve Wagner in 2000 and has changed little from the first brew. The 2013 Stone ESPRESSO Imperial Russian Stout is an augmented version of Stone Imperial Russian Stout brewed with espresso beans from San Diego’s Ryan Bros. Coffee.