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So many beers, So little time! Oskar Blues is lowering the alcohol content on a new, nitro-canned version of one of their most popular beers. We’ve got that provocative story for you, plus some other cool new releases from Anchor Brewing and Goose Island that you’ll want to get your sweaty little hands on.
Funkwerks Does Fours (Fort Collins, CO) – For three years now, Funkwerks has been bottling solely in 750 ml bottles. But thanks to an expansion, the award-winning, Saison-focused brewery is now packaging their popular Tropic King and their flagship Saison in smaller and more convenient 330 ml bottle 4-packs. “Smaller bottles additionally help in maintaining freshness,” explains Co-Owner/Co-Founder Gordon Schuck. “If people are opening a larger bottle and saving half of it for a later time, the beer will lose its carbonation and quickly oxidize with more air left in the bottle.”
Border Crossings (Escondido, CA) – Stone Brewing’s latest release is a three-way collaboration with international implications. Chris Banker/Stone/Insurgente Xocoveza Mocha Stout is a creative take on Mexican hot chocolate that was originally developed by San Diego homebrewer and Communications Officer for the Society of Barley Engineers Chris Banker, who submitted his recipe at this year’s Stone Homebrew Competition & American Homebrewers AssociationRally and won the opportunity to have his beer brewed by Stone and distributed nationally.Given the cross-cultural twist and Stone’s proximity to Baja California’s burgeoning craft brewing scene, Tijuana-based Cervecería Insurgente was then invited to be a part of the collaboration that eventually led to this 8.1% ABV Milk Stout infused with coffee, vanilla, cocoa, peppers, cinnamon, and nutmeg. Xocoveza Mocha Stout is now available nationwide in limited 22 oz. bottles and on draft.
Time to get to the Highlands (Portland, OR) – It’s “kilts up” and haggis time at Portland Brewing and their newest fall seasonal is bringing a taste of the highlands home.Filled with rich notes of toast and caramel, Noble Scot is a 6.5% ABV Scottish Ale that’s sweet, smoky, complex, and full-bodied – and it’s available now in 22 oz. bottles, 12 oz. 6-packs, and on draft.
NITRO Goes National (Longmont, CO & Brevard, NC) – Fresh off a limited Old Chub Scotch Ale Nitro launch at the Craft Brewers Conference in April, Oskar Blues Brewery has begun distributing their nitro-infused Scotch Ale in 16.4 oz. cans nationally. The nitro version of Old Chub has been modified to 6.9% ABV for the bigger cans, while the original Scotch Ale in 12 oz. cans will remain at 8% ABV. The reason for the change was that the 16.4 oz. nitro can’s lower ABV allows for a full pint pour. The new nitro cans are now shipping to all 35 states that Oskar Blues distributes to, alongside the original 12 oz. Old Chub cans.
Estonian Island Hopping (San Francisco, CA) – Although Anchor Brewing’s most recent addition to their Zymaster Series shipped some weeks ago – we just received a bottle – we want to call your attention to it. Inspired by Anchor Brewmaster Mark Carpenter’s journey to this Estonian island in the Baltic Sea, Anchor’s No. 6 Saaremaa Island Ale is a 6% ABV medium-bitter pale ale with Old World hop flavor and aroma. And it was brewed using native yeast that he clandestinely brought back from his Estonian beer journey.
