Dustin Brau, CEO and brewer at Lucan, Minnesota’s, Brau Brothers Brewing Company says in an e-mail that their new Rainwater Stout should be ready for release in early December.

Here’s what he has to say about the beer:

“Definitely one of our bigger beers.  Clocks in at just under 10% ABV.  Brewed late this summer, this ale spent months on Madeira Oak for added complexity.  Something a bit new for us, it will be bottled in 750mL bottles.”

Brau adds that on December 5th, there will be a group-brew at the brewery to make the winner of the Brau Brothers’ homebrewing contest.

“We’ll be brewing Elisha’s Old Ale,” Dustin Brau writes.  “For those not in the know, a terrific homebrewer (Sioux Falls’ Elisha Page) submitted this beer for the South Dakota Homebrewers Challenge and it was a unanimous winner.  We’ll brew and age a single batch which will go on tap at all the participating bars and restaurants in South Dakota.  Just guessing it will be ready to be tapped later this winter.  Everyone is welcome to help brew, however please email me an rsvp so I have a rough idea of turnout.  We’ll supply lunch and maybe we’ll have a beer, who knows.”

-Tim Hynds

The 2009 edition of Schell’s Snowstorm continues the trend of the New Ulm, Minn., brewery kicking out a top notch winter seasonal.

This year’s version of the beer – the style and recipe changes each year – is a Baltic porter. And, Schell’s take on the style is at once flavorful and delicate. I consider it a very accessible version of the style, but one that devotees of big malt beers can still enjoy.

However, if you are looking for a malt powerhouse, you will be disappointed.

Snowstorm pours a deep, opaque mahogany with a tall tan head that leaves lots of lacing on the glass. The beer’s initial aroma is of roast malt with some sourdough notes. Those aromas are combined with some  light cherry cola and gravelly hop scents.

Snowstorm’s initial flavor is moderate roasty malt with a modest bit of toffee sweetness.

Roasty malt flavors ramp up at mid-tongue, but is balanced with floral hop flavors that show at the sides of the tongue. Some moderate cherry cola (but not the cloying cola sweetness) flavors and anise make an appearance here.

Mouthfeel at mid-tongue is rather spritely, making the beer feel less heavy in the mouth than its flavors would otherwise lead you. It’s a feature that makes this brew go down rather easily and keeps Snowstorm from becoming a 40-weight version of the Baltic porter style.

Hop bitterness picks up slightly at the back of the throat and the malt takes on a dark fruit flavor (think light raisin and black cherry) with moderate to heavy malt roastiness.

The moderately long finish on this Baltic porter is rather dry and keys on roasty malt supported by floral hops.

I consider the 2009 edition of Snowstorm to be on the the lighter end of full flavored and medium bodied. It is highly recommended as a flavorful, but not heavy take on the Baltic porter style.

I’d love to let you know the beer’s alcohol by volume content and other stats, but Schell’s website still lists the 2008 Snowstorm (a fine Weihnachtsbier). In fact, Internet information says this beer isn’t scheduled to be released until Sunday (Nov. 1, 2009). My guess is that this beer will hover around 6% ABV. I’ll update with a comment when the information becomes available.

Schell’s Snowstorm was purchased at Miller Liquor in North Sioux City, SD.

-Tim Hynds

From a press release -

(LONGMONT, CO) – Left Hand Brewing Company’s seasonal Warrior IPA disregards your notions about what an IPA should be. Bold, vibrant and beautifully aromatic, Warrior IPA is brewed only once a year using fresh flower Colorado-grown Cascade hops flown in from Rising Sun Farms in Paonia, as well as varieties from the brewery’s own hop fields.

True to the brewery’s philosophy, a strong malt foundation complements the bright floral hoppiness, allowing for a well-balanced assault on your palate.

Warrior IPA is a full-bodied, bronzed beauty that swings at you with 60 IBU’s and 6.6% ABV. Respect her and she will respect you.

Available in 22 oz bombers and kegs for the fall season. Distributed throughout Colorado, Arizona, New Mexico, Nebraska, Oklahoma, Kansas, Kentucky, Indiana, Ohio, Michigan (western only), Wisconsin, Minnesota, Missouri, Illinois, Rhode Island, Massachusetts, New Jersey, Pennsylvania, Virginia, New York, Alaska, Alabama (draft only), Florida, Tennessee (Nashville only), Georgia, North Carolina, and select European countries.

About Left Hand Brewing Company
Celebrating sixteen years of brewing a well-balanced portfolio of craft beers, Left Hand Brewing Company is located at 1265 Boston Avenue in Longmont, Colorado. The brewery has received 16 medals at the Great American Beer Festival and 8 medals at the World Beer Cup, and its beers are now available in 26 states.

Snippets from a Brau Brothers Brewing Co. press release -

We’ve got something special in the fermenter.  A big stout over 9% ABV. It’s aging as we speak on Madeira Oak. Love for this ale to be out for Christmas; it will depend on how well it matures.  More details to follow…

SheepHead will be available year-round!  Because of the tremendous response to this ale, we would be dumb to retire it.  It will have its own six pack; bear with us while we move it from a Single Batch sixer to a SheepHead sixer.  If someone tells you that it’s a seasonal, tell them they’re wrong.  On a related note, Ring Neck Braun Ale is creeping into stores.  Check out the website for a full description, it’s a great fall beer.

HopFest is October 10th, 11 am – 8 pm. After that, the BrauHaus is having karaoke until Ken kicks us out.  Planning for HopFest is going well as we try our best to pretty the place up.  We added six additional tap lines to accommodate Purple Sting, Fresh Hop, Ring Neck, etc.  We will not have on-site camping this year due to the pond construction project.  The pond is dug, full of water, and looks great.  However, the area around it will be landscaped next spring and is a bit messy.  On-site camping will return next year!  That’s a highlight and we look forward to bringing it back.  Plenty of hotel space is available in Marshall and Redwood Falls, including Jackpot Junction.

The BrauHaus is hosting a beer dinner on Friday, October 9th, starting at 6:30pm.  A four course dinner prepared by Chef Jay Rechtzigel paired with beers brewed down the block.  I’ll be presenting, and it should be a blast!  This is a great way to kick off HopFest and the best part is the price – $25 for food and beer!  Very limited seating, call for reservations  (507) 747-2796.

Finally, we really appreciate everyone who has taken the time to drive out and visit the brewery.  We encourage you to tour the brewery if you haven’t already.  We do not charge a penny for tours; however we are going to start something new.  We are asking for a $3 /person donation, 100% of which will go to local Lions Clubs for community projects.  We are Lions ourselves, and the Lions organization is a huge asset for area small towns; almost every community project around here is supported by Lions dollars.  The donation is not mandatory; it’s just a great way to support the small towns that support Brau Beer!  Give us a call or email Mary to book your tour.

Date: 08/03/2009 09:09 AM

DENVER (AP) – Brewer Molson Coors said Monday its second-quarter profit doubled as it raised prices and cut costs, despite selling less beer.

Meanwhile, profit at Molson’s joint venture with SABMiller’s U.S. unit – called MillerCoors LLC – rose 75 percent to $304.9 million.

(more…)

* See this entry

Date: 07/30/2009 10:04 AM

CAROLINE WINTER
Associated Press Writer

BERLIN (AP) – Rainy weather, smoking bans, an aging population and a preference for more health-conscious fare have put a stout dent in the sale of beer in Germany, leaving the nation’s brewers ailing, a report said Thursday.

Sales of beer – a veritable staple in Germany for centuries – dropped from January to June to their lowest level since the government’s Federal Statistics Office began keeping tabs on such figures in 1991.

(more…)

I’m currently on assignment at the State Softball Tournament in Ft. Dodge and having a slack Wednesday, I decided to head on down South to Ames.

I’m glad I did.

Cyclone Liquors had just gotten in some new beers, most notably several offerings from Durango, Colorado’s SKA Brewing Co. I’m looking forward to drinking some of their Buster Nut Brown Ale.

Also in was Shiner’s Smokehaus, a mesquite smoked helles-style beer, advertised as their summer seasonal. A rauchbier as a summer seasonal????? This should be interesting.

I also picked up some of Millstream’s Hefe”R”Weissen, an offering from the Amana, Iowa, brewery that is in it’s second year of being brewed. Last year, the beer was called simply Hefeweissen. Cool Holstein cow graphics and the new name are fresh for summer 2009.

I also learned that Bear Republic’s beers have been available in Iowa for “about three months”, according to the Cyclone Liquors clerk. Funny, I’ve never seen them listed in the Iowa Alcoholic Beverages Division’s “high proof beer” list. I picked up bombers of Racer 5, Hop Rod Rye and Big Bear Black Stout.

Of course no trip to Ames is complete without a stop at Olde Main Restaurant and Brewery. Food, good as usual. Tried their summer seasonal, Lemon Time, a lemon flavored beer. It was a light, refreshing brew with a good balance of lemon and beer flavors. I had a hard time trying to figure out what the base beer was, but it had a body that reminded of a kolsch, and flavors that seemed (other than the lemon) a bit wheat-ish. Maybe Dinkey Wheat with added lemon??? Whatever, it’s a nice beer available only on tap. It beats the heck out of this stuff.

-Tim Hynds

From the newsletter of St. Paul’s Summit Brewing:

“On the heels of our very successful Horizon Red Ale introduction, the brewers have elected to incorporate some organized chaos into the system. It’s called The Unchained Series. What’s this? (Well, all I can say is that from this point the brewers are on their own!)

Honestly, it’s all about the Summit Brewing team having some unbridled fun. Each brewer will choose a unique, not-your-everyday style of beer that they’ve been dying to brew and drink themselves — without regard to pesky sales or administrative constraints. Each style will be limited release, with one coming out about every four months. It’s totally up to the brewers (maybe we should have called it the Blind Faith Series). Enjoy! I know I will.”

According to the newsletter the first beer in the series will be a Kolsch.

-Tim Hynds

Brau Brothers Brewing Co., Global Distributing and the Big Sioux Brewing Society in Sioux Falls, are co-sponsoring a homebrew contest.

The winner will get to brew their beer at Brau Bros’  Lucan, Minn., brewery and see it sold on draft at the six bar locations that are hosting the first rounds of the contest.

In the Sioux City area, first-round homebrew judging will be held at 5pm-ish June 9, at Raziel’s, 13 West Main, Vermillion, SD. Brau Brothers Brewing will be at the event to sample the company’s beers.

In addition to Raziel’s, first round contests will be held at bars in Brookings, Yankton, and three different bars in Sioux Falls.

-Tim Hynds

Word comes this afternoon from Allagash that there are only two more days until the release of the first offering in 375 ml limited-release series.

Gargamel is a Belgian-style sour ale inoculated with brett and aged 18-months in oak over raspberries.

A note from the brewery says it’s available starting May 7 at the Portland, Maine, brewery. Limit two bottles per person.

-Tim Hynds