Oskar Blues, House of Blues create brewhouse special

Goofer Dust is a traditional hexing material, used in Southern voodoo rituals as a ward against Hellhounds. Self-taught Southern folk artist Lamar Sorrento, who designed the artwork for the beer label, came up with the name while riffing on the smooth potency of this brew. So leave it to Oskar Blues Brewery to craft Goofer Dust Brewhouse Special Pale Ale, a super-smooth pale with lemon, pine and citrus flavors, that will be sold at House of Blues music venues across the country starting this month. The combination of hot live music at House of Blues and cool sipping Oskar Blues ale should ward off any hounds of hell who’d dare to show their slobbery muzzles.

The ale is brewed with Pale and Abbey malts and features Falconer’s Flight and Lemondrop hops. Goofer Dust comes in at 6.1 percent ABV and 40 IBUs, making it an easy-drinking American Pale Ale that pairs perfectly with hot live music.

“At House Of Blues we’re all about creating great fan experiences–not only with our performances on stage but with our performances with food and beverage. Goofer Dust Pale Ale will fit right in for our guests,” says Eric Stenta, House of Blues Vice President of Food and Beverage.

A crew from House of Blues brewed the beer with a Oskar Blues brew team at the pilot brew house in Lyons, Colo. The beer was packaged in both 16-ounce cans and draft, and is currently on its way to the 12 House of Blues locales. The Original Oskar Blues Grill & Brew has been hosting live music acts for more than 18 years, and tunes are a huge part of the brewery’s vibe, in all Oskar Blues locales.

Sorrento, who hand-painted the original artwork for the beer’s can label and tap handle and signage, has murals and art adorning the walls of Oskar Blues’ Tasty Weasel Taproom in Longmont, as well as that of several restaurants in the area.

“In creating this beer, everyone involved got intimate with the ingredients,” says Oskar Blues head brewer Tim Matthews. “We smelled an array of hops and tasted an array of malts. Suddenly it clicked, just like reaching that perfect amount of spice in the kitchen.”