We just received some IPA news from Elysian Brewing Company. They plan to get a bit manic about IPA in the coming months.

Also, Avatar Jasmine IPA (one of Mrs. Beerblog’s most favorite beers ever) is about to make its return and is getting a facelift. The brewery reports that after a little hiatus due to difficulties securing quality jasmine flowers, Avatar Jasmine IPA will soon be returning to taps and shelves.

Here is the information about the manic IPA series straight from Dick Cantwell, brewmaster at Elysian:

I was trying to come up with some clever way to introduce this story. I thought about creating a metaphorical image to describe the many unexpected, interesting, brilliant and bizarre things I’ve heard Dick Cantwell say over the years. You see, Dick first told me about the 12 Beers of the Apocalypse a few months ago. Once written, that introductory paragraph seemed really self-indulgent. In fact, so does this one.

The 12 Beers of the Apocalypse is a cool enough idea that I should just back off and let the story tell itself. As everyone knows, the Mayan calendar marks 2012 as the last year for humanity’s existence. Below is the official announcement about the Elysian Brewing Company’s celebration of the end of the world.

AN APOCALYPTIC BEER ADVENTURE

In a year-long run-up to the end of all time (according to the Mayan calendar), Elysian Brewing Company and Fantagraphics Books, both of Seattle, are planning a series of twelve beers, issued on the 21st of each month in 2012 and featuring the label artwork of Charles Burns. Taken from Burns’s weirdly apocalyptic work “Black Hole,” the labels will adorn Elysian’s “Twelve Beers of the Apocalypse,” featuring the creativity and unusual ingredients for which its brewing team is known. What twelve beers would you brew (and drink) if you knew they would be your last?

First up in January is NIBIRU, named for the mysterious planet X supposedly on a collision course toward Earth. The Elysian / Fantagraphics Nibiru will be a Belgian-style Tripel flavored with an infusion of yerba maté. Combining the tasty esters of Belgian yeast and the compelling tea-like flavors of the South American herb mixture, the beer will weigh in at around 7.6% alcohol by volume. A mixture of German Northern Brewer, Czech Saaz and American Amarillo hops round out the uniqueness of this first beer of the Apocalypse. Oddly enough there’s another apocalyptic-themed Nibiru out there: a super volcano currently burbling most dangerously beneath Yellowstone National Park. It too is scheduled to end life as we know it very very soon.

February 21 will usher in RAPTURE, an ale of opulent proportions flavored with heather tips. Unlike the various Rapture events predicted by pseudoscientists and alarmist evangelicals, the beer will be very real and frankly delicious, combining the floral fragrance and slight bite of high country heather with Northwest Glacier hops in another 7% abv beer. FALLOUT follows in March, right around the time of the vernal equinox. Fallout will be a pale ale made with green cardamom.

As Earth’s last year unfolds, other beers will appear as if by dangerous magic. Persimmons, chilies, raisins, blood oranges, rosemary and other herbs will be integrated into ales, lagers and Belgian styles using the finest local and imported ingredients. These limited brews will be available in bottles and draft and at select bars and bottle shops.

We will celebrate as they are released – on the 21st of every month in 2012 – with events at one or the other of Elysian’s three Seattle pubs and at Fantagraphics headquarters in the Georgetown neighborhood. Once they’re gone, these beers will never be brewed again. Then again, come December 21, that will be the least of our worries.

REMEMBER: THE END IS BEER.

While the world waits with bated breath for the release of Jolly Roger Christmas Ale from Maritime Pacific Brewing, the Ballard brewery announced today the upcoming release of its Harvest XPA. (Expect to see Jolly Roger around Thanksgiving, or so we’ve been told.)

Maritime Pacific will release the beer at the Jolly Roger Taproom in Ballard on Halloween night (October 31st). Look for the Harvest XPA at pubs and alehouses around the greater Seattle area beginning on November 2nd.

The beer is described as a harvest Pale Ale that “exudes freshness” and was brewed with copious quantities of fresh Amarillo hops harvested at Gamache Farms in Toppenish, WA. This is the first time in three years that Maritime Pacific has brewed the Harvest XPA.

Here is the official press release from Maritime Pacific.

October 24, 2011– Maritime Pacific Brewing Cmpany is releasing its latest special offering, Harvest XPA, on Halloween night

ANNOUNCEMENT
Seattle, WA – Maritime Pacific is celebrating All Hallow’s Eve by treating everyone with the release of their latest special offering, Harvest XPA, in the Jolly Roger Taproom on Halloween night. The special Harvest Pale Ale will be available in draught on November 2nd at select pubs, taverns, and alehouses throughout Seattle and Tacoma.

Harvest XPA exudes freshness! It is brewed with 100 pounds of freshly harvested Amarillo hops from the Gamache Farms, as well as the finest Organic malts the Northwest has to offer. The carefully selected malts give the Harvest XPA a light amber hue as well as subtle caramel notes while the Amarillo packs the palette with loads of citrus flavor. At 5.5% ABV and 45 IBU, it is the perfect session ale for hop heads as well as people seeking ales made with local, fresh ingredients.

A crowd favorite, this is the first time the Harvest XPA has been brewed in 3 years. It is also the first time that it has brewed with all Organic Malts from Great Western Malting in Vancouver, WA. Head Brewer, Corey Blodgett, believes, “If you are going to brew a true harvest ale, you should at least use Organic ingredients when at all possible.” The beer release will take place on October 31, 2011, in the Jolly Roger Taproom starting at 5 pm with the tapping of the inaugural firkin. Come and join the celebration.

Maritime Pacific and The Jolly Roger Taproom, located near Historic Ballard, is a small, family-owned brewery featuring hearty fare as well as world-class ales and lagers. The 40 barrel brewhouse produces over 6,600 barrels per year for its taproom and for distribution throughout the Puget Sound and the Spokane area.

The Jolly Roger Taproom features eleven (11) different Maritime beers at all times with two (2) cask conditioned ales on the beer engines. Happy Hour runs from 3 to 6 pm daily, with a great menu of food and $3 pints. The Taproom is located at 1111 NW Ballard Way, is kid friendly, and its hours are: Monday through Wednesday from 11:00 to 10:00; Thursday from 11:00 to 11:00; Friday and Saturday from 11:00 to Midnight; and Sunday from Noon to 9.

Cheers!

For More Information Contact:

• website
• Twitter.com/MaritimePacific
• Facebook.com/pages/Maritime-Pacific-Brewery/130576053648026

 

Winter is on the way. No doubt about it. The nights are getting long, the sun is sinking in the south, and local breweries are beginning to release their winter seasonal beers—those robust, malty beers that fill our bellies and warm our spirits. Elysian was first out of the gate (as far as we know), having already released BiFrost Winter Ale. Read about it.

Today we have some more winter beer releases to announce, including Pike Brewing’s Auld Acquaintance Holiday Ale, Pyramid Breweries’ Snow Cap Winter Warmer, Silver City Brewery’s Winter Bock, Maritime Pacific Brewing’s Jolly Roger Christmas Ale, Boundary Bay’s Cabin Fever, and Big Time’s Old Wooly. We also have news about two release parties that sound like jolly-good fun. Use the comments forum below to share any other winter beer release information.

Pike Auld Acquaintance

Dean Mochizuki, the head brewer at Pike Brewing, took over the reins from Drew Cluley a few months ago, becoming the new Head Brewer at the esteemed downtown brewery. This year Dean is putting his mark on Pike’s Auld Acquaintance Holiday Ale, which will be released this Friday at the Pike Pub.

Pike Brewing describes Auld Acquaintance as a holiday session beer, weighing in at an unseasonable 5.5 percent ABV. “Auld Acquaintance is slightly darker than in years past from the addition of a new variety of malt that yields a pleasing toasty deep amber… For additional spice, Dean added a small amount of flaked rye malt. For a more intense, luscious, subtle orange character, he chose both Curacao and sweet orange peel. These, coupled with Goldings hops for flavor, and Challenger hops to finish, and nutmeg, cassia bark (cinnamon), and coriander, deliver a very balanced complexity to Pike’s Auld Acquaintance.”

Pike invites you to the Pike Pub in Seattle to meet Dean Mochizuki and try this year’s Auld Acquaintance. The party takes place this Friday, September 30, from 4:00 p.m. to 6:00 p.m. in the Pike Pub Museum Room. $1.00 Pints of Auld Acquaintance served with Pike Pretzel Bites.

Pyramid Snow Cap Winter Ale

Back in the olden days, this was one of the first Washington winter beers to hit the streets. Yes, children, there was a time when winter beers were very, very rare. This is the 25th release of Pyramid Breweries Snow Cap Winter Warmer. You are welcome to hold whatever opinion of Pyramid you like, but the release of Snow Cap has been a seasonal ritual around Seattle since the dawn of the modern craft beer era. To commemorate the 25th release, Pyramid is having a big party at the Pyramid Alehouse in Seattle on Saturday, October 8th. The event features live music from The Young Evils, Kay Kay and his Weathered Underground, and KEXP DJ Greg Vandy. Get more details at the event website. http://www.pyramidbrew.com/snowcapparty Follow the event on Twitter at #snowcap25

Silver City Winter Bock

Silver City Brewery‘s Winter Bock debuts in bottles and on draught starting on Monday, October 9th. This beer won a gold medal at the 2011 North American Beer Awards. It weighs in at seven percent ABV. According to Silver City, “Winter Bock’s blend of five different German and domestic malts lend a deep, rich color and mild roast character to this classic winter lager. Just as old world brewers aged their beer in snow-covered cellars, Silver City stores Winter Bock for five weeks at near freezing temperatures.”

The Top Three

Two years ago we ran a poll here on the Washington Beer Blog asking people to select their favorite winter beer. The top three responses were Boundary Bay Cabin Fever (22 percent of the votes), Maritime Pacific Jolly Roger (18 percent), and Big Time Old Wooly (15 percent).

Boundary Bay Brewery told us that the official date for the release of Cabin Fever is Monday, October 24th. As the date nears, we’ll let you know what we learn about finding it on tap, but expect to see it in the bottleshops not long after the official release.

Maritime Pacific Brewing’s nod to the season is perhaps the most beloved of all Seattle winter beers. In 2009, amid the brewery’s relocation project, Jolly Roger was a bit late getting to the shelves. It was like the world stopped spinning. People freaked out. Drum roll, please. This year Jolly Roger will be release in bottles the last week of October. The draft product will come out just before Thanksgiving–as it should be now and for evermore.

Big Time Brewery’s Old Wooly isn’t a normal winter beer. It’s a barleywine. Still, its annual release on December 1st is highly anticipated by Seattle area beer geeks. We equate it with winter so it is therefore a winter beer. It typically weighs in at 8.5 – 9.5 percent ABV, which really isn’t that much stronger than its wintery cohorts.

Use the comments section below to tell us about your favorite winter beer. Also, let us know if you have any news about other pending winter beer releases.

American Brewing Company in Edmonds hit the ground running. Although they’ve only been open for five short months, the beers taste like American Brewing has been doing it for years. Of course this is due, in large part, to the fact that Skip Madsen is the one brewing the beer. Skip has been brewing amazing beers for years with breweries like Pike and Boundary Bay, among others. Read our previous stories about American Brewing.

Yesterday American Brewing Company announced that they will begin bottling Breakaway IPA. Next Wednesday the bottles go on sale in the taproom in Edmonds. Thereafter, Breakaway IPA will be available at bottleshops and better beer retailers around the greater Seattle area, assuming they don’t sell out at the brewery. Here is the announcement from American Brewing.

At almost 5 months from our opening date, we will begin bottling Breakaway IPA on Monday, July 25th!

DON’T MISS OUT on the opportunity to purchase one of the very first bottles of American Brewing Company’s beer.  We’ve got the coolest labels ever (shout out to Taphandles in Seattle), and you’re gonna want to save the bottles just to be able to say you have one of the “originals” – someday they’ll be collectibles!

BE READY to join us on Wed, July 27th for:

• Cask Release night – Skip will tap a new cask conditioned beer at 5:00 PM
• Bottles Start Selling – Buy 22 oz bottles of Breakaway IPA in our tasting room
• Hot Dog Buffet – the ever popular dogs with all the fixings

This is as much a history lesson as it is an introduction of a new beer. Snoqualmie Falls Brewing Plant 1 Powerhouse IPA is out there. Very soon (if not already) you will find it on shelves at grocery stores and bottleshops, and also on tap at bars around the area. Most local beer-lovers are familiar with Avalanche and Spring Fever, the winter and spring seasonal offerings from Snoqualmie Falls. The release of Plant 1 Powerhouse IPA is part of a plan at Snoqualmie Fall Brewing to introduce an additional two seasonal beers each year.

Snoqualmie Falls Plant 1 Powerhouse IPA is the first summer seasonal. Each summer Snoqualmie Falls Brewing will create a new beer and name it after something of historic significance to the town of Snoqualmie and the surrounding area. Often thought of as a scenic tourist opportunity, Snoqualmie Falls (the waterfall) and its two powerhouses have provided electricity to the region for over 100 years. Show of hands: who knew that? Like I said, this is a history lesson.

An Engineering Marvel

As a Seattle native, I have always known about the powerhouses at Snoqualmie Falls, but did not know about their historic significance until a few months ago when I watched a PBS special about the construction of the Plant 1 Powerhouse.

Built in 1898, it was an engineering marvel of its time. As construction of the Plant 1 Powerhouse was underway, really smart and important people paid very close attention to what was happening at Snoqualmie Falls. Some of the best engineering minds of the day contributed to its construction. Plant 1 operates at the base of the falls, embedded in rock 270 feet below the surface. Perhaps even more significant than its place in hydro-electric history is its place in Seattle history. They built Plant 1 to fuel the continuing industrialization of a young Seattle.

Who knows what Snoqualmie Falls Brewing will name the summer beer next year? Presumably it will provide another interesting history lesson. Maybe they’ll go with something less scholarly and more cheeky, like Twin Peaks Pale Ale or Log Lady Lager.

About the Beer

By design, I do not typically concern myself with reviewing beers. That is, I do not provide a thumbs-up or thumbs-down review. I believe that every beer has its virtue and ultimately its goodness depends on your own opinion. I don’t want to break that tradition, so I will describe Plant 1 Powerhouse IPA by comparing it to Snoqualmie Falls Wildcat IPA, the brewery’s regular IPA offering and one of my personal favorite IPAs. Plant 1 Powerhouse IPA has a bigger malt backbone: less dry, more sweet. While significant, the aromatic hop character is perhaps not as joyfully overwhelming as that of the Wildcat IPA. That is, it doesn’t jump out of the gym but it’s got plenty of hops. If you are familiar with Rande Reed (Brewmaster at Snoqualmie Falls) and the beers he brews, you will not be surprised to discover that Plant 1 Powerhouse IPA is very well balanced.

Find Plant 1 Powerhouse IPA and give it a try. Personally, I think that in order to fully appreciate a draft beer, you need to sample at least 16 ounces of it. For bottled beer, 22 ounces usually suffices.

I should also point out that Snoqualmie Falls Plant 1 Powerhouse IPA (with a different name) will be the year-round house beer at the North Bend Bar and Grill. That makes me very happy because the North Bend Bar and Grill is one of our favorite places to stop when heading back down the mountain.

The Other New Seasonal Beer

The other new seasonal beer will be an autumnal release. Last year’s Triskaidekaphobia was the an anniversary beer brewed in the fall to celebrate the brewery’s thirteenth birthday. Eric Carels of Snoqualmie Falls Brewing tells me that moving forward the autumn beers will continue to relate in some way to the brewery’s anniversary.

The plane is about to leave the hanger. Wingman Brewers, Tacoma’s fledgling brewery, just announced the official release party via their Facebook page. Join Wingman at the Red Hot Tacoma (Washington Beer Blog sponsor) on Thursday, April 21st at 6:00. Wingman Brewers also plans to participate in New Guys Night at Brouwer’s Café on Saturday, April 23rd.

Wingman will pour its Ace IPA and P-51 Porter at both events.

Who are the Wingmen?

Four friends, all Tacoma natives, started wingman Brewers: Ken Thoburn, Derrick Moyer, Daniel Heath, and Jason Sabol. Out of the gate, Wingman is a self-described small-batch brewery. They plan to start small and grow into the business of making beer professionally.

The brewery’s name and image is homage to Ken Thoburn’s grandfather. “My grandfather was in World War II in the Pacific,” Thoburn told the Tacoma News Tribune in a January article about Wingman Brewers. “He was a painter. Being at war was difficult for him to paint, so he took part in nose art … where they would paint sides of planes. One … time I was with him, he showed me this photo album of all these pictures.”

The artwork, the planes, and the history inspired Thoburn and his buddies. Many of the planes that Thoburn’s grandfather painted likely rolled out of assembly plants in Seattle. Airplanes are in our DNA around here and the Washington Beer Blog heartily welcomes another aviation-inspired brewery.

I love the tap handles.

Today we are happy to share some important information with you: exactly where you can find Beer Church Pale Ale. The beer we brewed with Schooner Exact Brewing to benefit Pints for Prostates is now being delivered to bars around the Seattle area. All the kegs of Beer Church Pale Ale have been spoken for. (Click here to see our previous posts.)

The establishments listed below not only agreed to pour the beer but also pledged to donate a portion of the proceeds from the sale of Beer Church Pale Ale to Pints for Prostates. This was a requirement we placed on any bar wanting to serve the beer. In these fiscally challenging times, we were sincerely touched by how eagerly people pledged their support. We were also touched by the outpouring of support and the sheer number of people who showed up at last Friday night’s release party at the West 5, where our crew drank 141 pints in record time.

We know where Beer Church Pale Ale will be on tap (the list is below) but exactly when it will be on tap is a bit tricky. And of course we have no idea how long it will last once it is tapped. Before you make a special trip, check with the establishment to confirm that it is currently pouring. If you follow Beer Church on Twitter or Facebook, we will post specific information as it becomes available. Again, a big shout-out to all of the bars that stepped up and agreed to help us support Pints for Prostates. Also, a big shout-out to Schooner Exact Brewing for all of their hard work brewing and moving the beer.

Where you can get Beer Church Pale Ale

Check with each location to find out if the beer is currently pouring. If you follow Beer Church on Twitter or Facebook, we’ll post information as it becomes available.

Barking Dog Alehouse
705 Northwest 70th Street
Seattle, WA 98117
(206) 782-2974

Beveridge Place Pub
6413 California Avenue SW
Seattle, Washington 98136
(206) 932-9906

Black Raven Brewing
14679 NE 95th Street
Redmond, WA 98052
(425) 881-3020

Christo’s on Alki
2508 Alki Avenue SW
Seattle, WA 98116
(206) 923-2200 ‎

Dog and Pony Alehouse
351 Park Avenue North
Renton, WA 98057
(425) 254-8080

Elliott Bay Brewery Pub
4720 California Avenue SW
Seattle, WA 98116
(206) 932-8695

Hopvine Pub
507 15th Avenue East
Seattle, WA 98112-4512
(206) 328-3120

Latona Pub
6423 Latona Avenue NE
Seattle, WA 98115
(206) 525-2238

Malt & Vine
16851 Redmond Way
Redmond, WA 98052
(425) 881-6461

Naked City
8564 Greenwood Avenue North
Seattle, WA 98103
(206) 838-6299

Porterhouse Pub
2329 California Ave
Seattle, WA 98116-2402
(206) 932-2575

West 5 Lounge
4539 California Ave SW
Seattle, WA 98116-4110
(206) 935-1966

Dick Young was a pioneer in the local beer industry. I first met Dick at a beer festival shortly after he opened Dick’s Brewing Company back in the early 1990s. He slapped a Dick Danger sticker on my chest and thereby dubbed me one of his Beer Test Dummies, or something like that. I immediately liked him. He was a great guy: a serious man’s-man.

Since his untimely death in 2009, everyone has been on pins and needles to see how things would shake out at the Centralia-based brewery. Dick’s daughter is now firmly at the helm and the ship seems to be on course. Today Julie Young announced the release of Dick’s Dedication Series: a series of beer that will honor the memory of her father. Here is the press release:

For Immediate Release

Dick’s Brewing Company announces the release of Dick’s Dedication Series

Centralia, WA:  The Dick’s Brew Crew is proud to release four new beers in honor of the late Dick Young, Founder and Brewmaster of Dick’s Brewing Co.  These were four of the last beers that Dick Young had a hand in creating before his untimely death in 2009.

The Dedication Series includes; Imperial IPA, Imperial Red Ale, Scottish Style Ale and what we call Double Danger, an Imperial Dark Ale.  The Dedication Series will be available in 22oz bottles and also on draft starting April 1st, 2011.  With each beer coming in at over 8% abv, and each with its own unique twist, we feel Dick would be proud.  We were thrilled to have Lisa Morrison, published beer writer/communicator/evangelist to write a few words about each beer.  And this is what she had to say,

Imperial IPA – tired of Imperial IPAs that leave behind a lip-smacking sweetness? This Imperial IPA strikes back with a huge dose of all Columbus hops that lends it a spicy, slightly citrusy zing.  It’s a force to be reckoned with!

Imperial Red – Not your everyday amber-colored ale, it might be hard to wrap your head around Imperial Red.  Maybe it’s the rush of caramel and brown sugar that flood your senses; or the Vanguard hops with herbal, earthy notes and a touch of lively citrus to keep it all in balance.

Scottish Style Ale – A straight –ahead malt-bomb of a beer with a smooth finish.  Made with just enough smoked malts to give it a hint of smokiness, our Scottish Ale pours a pretty copper-brown but is tough enough to stand up to anything – kit optional!

Double Danger – Dick Danger Ale was founder, Dick Young’s favorite beer, and Double Danger offers a second helping of everything Dick loved.  Dark and foreboding in the glass, It’s sweet up front but with a sneaky bitter-hop finish, making this Danger Ale doubly delicious.

Dick started brewing as a home brewer 1984. Around the same time, he sold brewing supplies from N.W. Sausage and Deli and made beer in the back when not busy.  After about 8 years, Dick had to decide whether to quit or make it legal! So then began the 2 year application permit process and Dick started brewing for real in 1994.  Cheers to Dick!

For more information contact Julie Young at (360) 736-7760

The elusive Coco Jones is about to make a rare appearance. I’m not talking about my disowned second cousin, Ms. Coco Jones. Last I heard, cousin Coco was still doing two shows a night in Vegas, proudly walking on the wild side. Nope, not that Coco Jones. Today we are talking about Black Raven Brewing Company’s Coco Jones Coconut Porter.

Today Black Raven Brewing announced the pending release of this much beloved brew.

Straight from the Raven’s mouth:

Coco Jones Coconut Porter

Release Date: Tuesday March 15th

The ever elusive Coco Jones will be making a brief appearance again at the Raven’s Nest taproom at Black Raven Brewing Company. Brewed as a brown porter with the addition of freshly toasted coconuts after fermentation. Flavors of caramel, chocolate and toasted coconut mingle together in perfect harmony.

2010 Gold Medal winner at the World Beer Cup

Category: “Herb and Spice Beer”

Growler fills will be available!

Hurry because this beer will sell out fast based on previously released versions.