People ask, “Chris, how do I get my beer into the Five Beers to Know This Week?” and the quick answer is to just email me your beer news. Everything sent over is considered. Simple. But of course there are ways to stand out from the pack, like a cool new ingredient, interesting backstory or WWE references. The next question I get a lot is “Will you accept bribes?” This always takes me aback. Come on now. How could you even ask such a thing? Absolutely! This is CBB after all (Covert Bribery Business). Beer in the mail, a free trip, family heirlooms — we’re not too picky. Just be sure to go through the proper bribery channels, such as a web of shady business associates, foreign agents and/or dimwitted family members. The veterans of Five Beers to Know use a combination of the three. Eventually it will just be sitting on my doorstep, which could be suspicious, but I always wear a fake mustache and eye patch when I get my mail. So, it’s safe. Here are your five totally unsuspicious beers to know this week.
New IPA featured in Coronado Brewing Art Series
As summer approaches, San Diego’s Coronado Brewing is offering beer drinkers another tasty IPA in a can with the release of its next Art Series beer, Marine Dream IPA. The Coronado Art Series is an annual collection of four beers that feature custom beer label art by a local artist. This year’s artist – Kelcey “KFiSH” Fisher – is a street artist and muralist known for his distinct style featuring unique patterns, detailed brushstrokes, and soft primary hues. The yearlong collaboration with KFiSH debuted earlier this year with Coco Chaos IPA – Marine Dream is now the second beer in the series with the last two beers scheduled for September and December releases.
Marine Dream is a hazy IPA brewed with oats and London III yeast for a pillowy mouthfeel and an abundantly tropical flavor profile. It was brewed using a blend of Citra, Mosaic and Vic Secret hops, and sits at a very drinkable 6.5% ABV. “Marine Dream was originally brewed as a small-batch R&D beer that quickly grew in popularity for us,” noted Mark Theisen, Head Brewer, Coronado Brewing Company. “It’s always fun bringing small-batch beers back for fans on a larger scale, and in packaged formats.”
Pike Brewing supports LGBT community with Pride Ale
Now on draft at The Pike Brewing Pub and Tankard & Tun in Seattle, Pike Pride Ale was brewed in support of Gay City and in celebration of Seattle’s LGBTQ+ pride. This special one-off beer is a crisp and lightly hoppy tangerine pale ale was dry-hopped with Mosaic, comes in at 5.0 percent, and will be available only on draft. Among other Washington locations, Pike Pride Ale will be featured on the June Beer Flight at Lost Lake Café; poured during Pride weekend at Purr, Teku Tavern; and featured at 5 Point Café’s iconic Pride Parade after-party. During Pride Week (June 18-24), Pike is encouraging every location serving Pike Pride Ale to donate $1 per pint to support Gay City with the goal of raising $5,000.
Shannon Brewing Co. focuses on blackberries in new wheat beer
The Shannon Brewing Co. in Keller, Texas, has a portfolio of award-winning, all natural, easy-drinking beers. “Our beer is Fire-Brewed using pure spring water, whole grain, whole flower hops,” notes Founder Shannon Carter. Shannon Blackberry Crystal Wheat, available in kegs and 12 oz cans is a Kristallweizen — a wheat beer that has been clarified through its centrifuge. This base beer is infused with real blackberries, giving it a lovely blackberry flavor and an amazing purple color. The sugar from the blackberries ferments out making the beer very refreshing with a subtly dry fruit flavor and great color. The recipe took home the 2018 Best Wheat Beer at the Hops & Props Beer Fest as well as the Best of Show People’s Choice.
Dust Bowl Brewing releases third beer in Lateral Series
Dust Bowl Brewing Co. released Lateral 3, the third in a series of hazy IPAs from the Northern California craft brewery. Packaged in pint cans, the Lateral Series offers beer fans a different take on the popular hazy IPA style with each release. “For the third addition to the Lateral Series we wanted to move toward more citrus/orange character and away from the tropical that shows in Lateral 1 and 2,” shares Don Oliver, Brewmaster. “We switched up the yeast and hopping and opted to head into a double IPA territory at 8.5% ABV.”
Lateral 3 falls into the specialty can release category for Dust Bowl Brewing Co. and is mostly pre-sold to wholesalers. The latest in the series is expected to hit retailers the last week in May, just in time for summer. At 8.5% ABV, Lateral 3 boasts a higher than typical alcohol content for a hazy IPA. In keeping with Brewmaster Oliver’s notable style, the alcohol is well-hidden for a smooth finish. The can label features signature styling from Philadelphia artist, Bryce Gladfelter. Hop-centric playing cards featuring the number in the series along with color blocking create eye-catching consistency for the consumer.
Upslope Brewing’s small batch Tropical Fruit Sour
Boulder, Colo., based Upslope Brewing Co. announced its latest small-batch style as part of its popular Lee Hill Series of brews — Volume 16: Tropical Fruit Sour Ale. The 16th installment of Upslope’s Lee Hill Series of beers, which are released quarterly, the Tropical Fruit Sour Ale is a combination of four individual sour brewing projects, ranging from six months to two-years-old. Inspired by the classic Hawaiian juice blend, known as POG juice, this golden sour is blended with more than 500 pounds of passionfruit, blood orange, and guava. Expressive notes of each fruit and a touch of sweetness balance the full acidity of this aged and fruit-forward brew.
“The 16th installment of the Lee Hill Series was an exciting foray into blending and re-fermentation. Our Lee Hill brewing team tasted over 30 unique barrels of sour beer created over the last 3 years to hone in the final blend and then went wild adding our favorite tropical fruits for re-fermentation” said Upslope’s head brewer, Sam Scruby. “The zippy acidity balances out the savory sweetness, and I thoroughly enjoy how no single fruit dominates the blend.”
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