Pantera collab, Anchor Brewing innovations and more beers to know this week

If vaccines could be produced at the speed of beer, we’d have the cure for COVIDs 19 through 37 by now. Unfortunately, that’s not the case. On the bright side, beer is still produced at the speed of beer — hundreds of new elixirs to cure what ails us released each day. Here’s a few of the most notable from last week.

Texas Ale Project brews a golden ale with freaking Pantera

When legendary Heavy Metal band Pantera contacted Texas Ale Project about creating a signature beer, the Dallas brewery didn’t hesitate for a second. According to co-founder and CEO Kat Thompson, “when my husband [co-founder and brewmaster Brent Thompson] saw the email, he immediately said, ‘this is Pantera! We have to do this!’” 

The release this weekend included a ticketed event with a virtual Q&A session with Pantera members Rex Brown and Philip Anselmo. Pantera Golden Ale will be distributed across Texas, and the app-based craft beer retailer Tavour will provide access to beer drinkers around the country starting in March.

To give the brew a modern twist, the brewers added Cascade and Citra Hops to their Pilsen Malt base to create a drumbeat of grapefruit on the finish. When the beer is available to purchase, Tavour members who have entered the code will receive a push notification and the option to buy as long as the limited supply holds out. 

Anchor celebrates 125 years with three new beers

San Francisco’s Anchor Brewing Company continued its 125th anniversary celebration with the release of three new beer styles, the first time Anchor has debuted three innovations together: the Tropical Hazy IPA, Crisp Pilsner and “Little Weekend,” which join Anchor’s core portfolio of beers with year-round availability. This is also the first time the iconic brewery has released a Hazy IPA, Pilsner and 100-calorie beer.

“We’ve spent the past year perfecting each beer inspired by feedback and conversations with guests who previously would join us at our Public Taps tasting room in San Francisco to try our experimental styles,” says Pilot Brewer Dane Volek, who leads Anchor’s innovation team. 

Tropical Hazy IPA (6.5% ABV) captures the spirit of tropical getaways with fresh aromas of pineapple, guava, papaya, passionfruit, and mango balanced by complex layers of vibrant hops. Brewed with San Francisco’s incredible water from the glacial Hetch Hetchy reservoir in Yosemite, Anchor’s Crisp Pilsner (5.0% ABV) is sunshine in a glass with its bright gold, brilliantly clear appearance and undeniably refreshing profile. Floral notes are balanced by fresh herbal noble hops for a crisp and clean finish, and drinkers will uncover layers of smooth malt, honey, mild minerality and subtle hop bitterness while sipping this crowd-pleaser. “Little Weekend” is a 100-calorie brew that bursts with juicy mango flavor, an expression of Volek and team’s research to perfect a light, low-ABV beer that doesn’t weigh the consumer down, but still tastes like a beer should.

Ballast Point adds two new year-rounders

Celebrating 25 years of craft beer innovation in San Diego, Ballast Point is pleased to announce the addition of two new offerings to its year-round portfolio: Big Gus and Wee Gus. The crystal-clear duo —a R&D hoppy lager and a clear hazy IPA — mark the first additions to Ballast Point’s portfolio since 2019.

Originally called Hop Soda due to its resemblance to tonic water, Wee Gus is what happens when you brew a beer that looks like an American Light Lager but is aromatic and flavorful with the late addition of hops – while also being crystal clear.  The result is a bright and spritzy, easy-drinking 4.2% ABV hoppy lager. Big Gus is the bigger, bolder brother of Wee Gus and is what happens when brewers swim in the opposite direction of the haze craze. Big Gus has the spine of a traditional IPA with a generous amount of American Amarillo, Cashmere, and fresh handpicked Yakima Valley Mosaic hops and a delicate pilsner malt. 

Steady Hand Beer readies sours for patio season

As the weather warms up, so does the sour game of Atlanta’s Steady Hand. Coming back strong is taproom staff favorite, Las Delicias a 5.8% ABV Fruited Sour with Cascara, Red Tea, Balaton and Montmorency cherries. The inspiration for Las Delicias comes from Miguel Menendez’ Las Delicias coffee farm in El Salvador. Here, the high elevation and volcanic soil create a unique flavor in the Pacamara coffee variety. This particular cascara, outer skin of the coffee bean, is dried in the sun, concentrating its flavor and developing beautiful notes of cherries and dark fruit, wine skins, and floral honey.

The cascara, sourced by local roastery Brash Coffee, lays a wonderful aroma and structure to the beer which complements the fruit. The Balaton cherries chosen for this fermentation elevate the sweet and tart, bursting with juicy, cherry flavor. The beer presents a beautiful, jammy, ripe fruit and tart cherry pie smoothness that harmonizes the light sweet biscuit expression from the malts.

Left Hand Brewing bringing back St. Vrain Tripel

Left Hand Brewing Company, one of the original pioneers in craft brewing, released the first two beers of the dozen brands they are bringing to market in 2021. St. Vrain Tripel makes its long-anticipated return to their lineup as a year-round beer available for the first time ever in cans. Found Fortune Double IPA features a wealth of premium hops and debuts as their first CO2 seasonal of the year.

St. Vrain Tripel has a legacy at Left Hand. Left Hand is located along St. Vrain Creek, a tributary that flows from the Rocky Mountains. The beer is named in honor of their location and the water source that contributes to their recipes.  As one of their most critically acclaimed ales, the last release was rated the #1 American Tripel in a blind tasting by Paste Magazine. Previously only available in bombers, this Belgian-style golden ale with intricate aromas of fruit and spice is now available in can and bottle 6-packs.

“St. Vrain is all about the spicy and fruity Belgian yeast,” says Jeff Joslin, Director of Brewing Operations at Left Hand. “The hops are late in the boil and support the yeast; the grain bill is mostly Pilsner malt to make the beer pale, bright, and beautiful. What you have is a classic beer that overflows with banana, clove, apple, and honey aromas.”

Potosi Brewing, Pink Boots collab coming only via Brew Pipeline

Rosa Stiefel, a new collaboration beer made by Brew Pipeline, Potosi Brewing Co. and Pink Boots Society, is launching this March in celebration of International Women’s Month. This new Hefeweizen, made with real grapefruit, was designed to raise funds for the Pink Boots Society’s scholarship program, supporting their mission to assist, inspire and educate women in the brewing, fermentation and alcohol industries. 

German for ‘pink boots,’ Rose Stiefel is now available in eight initial states including Wisconsin, Minnesota, Colorado, Utah, California, Pennsylvania, Florida and Nebraska. Additional markets will be coming on board this spring before becoming available nationwide in time for summer.

“We are excited to collaborate with Brew Pipeline and Potosi Brewing on the brew and scholarship offerings,” says Jen Jordan, President of Pink Boots Society. “We’re thankful for partnerships like this so we can continue to live out our mission to assist, inspire and encourage women to advance their careers through education.” 

To kick off the fundraising, Brew Pipeline donated $30k from the first 15,000 cases sold to fund four specific Pink Boots scholarships. For every additional case sold, $2 will be donated. The scholarships will be granted over the course of the next 12 months and are earmarked for virtual programs, making the scholarships and opportunities accessible to women across the country. Programs include Portland State University’s Business of Craft Brewing certificate, eCornell’s

1000th batch at released at Iron Hill Maple Shade

Back in 2009 after weeks of cleaning, installation and construction, Chris LaPierre, Senior Head Brewer at Iron Hill brewed the first batch of beer for Iron Hill’s new Maple Shade location. It was the first brewery/restaurant to open in the state of New Jersey in ten years, and the only one within almost 100 miles.

With the pandemic Iron Hill, as most restaurant companies have, had to do a lot of restructuring, and that landed Chris back in Maple Shade and brewing again for the first time in years. As fate would have it, this gave him the honor of brewing the 1000th batch of beer on the same system that he fired up for the first time 12 years ago. “1000 in the Shade” released last week at Iron Hill Maple Shade. With an IBU: 62, ABV: 6.8% it’s an assertively hoppy ale with pine, citrus and floral aromas. A firm but pleasant bitterness is balanced by a full malt backbone and caramel sweetness.

MadTree Brewing debuts year-round easy drinking lager

MadTree Brewing is releasing MadTree Legendary Lager, a new year-round easy drinking lager perfect for storytelling and good times. MadTree Legendary Lager is for the heroes we hold dear and the stories we tell about them — from the everyday people who impact us in extraordinary ways, to the larger-than-life legends who challenge us to think big. Expertly brewed for any occasion and perfect for celebrating the new adventures they inspire. At 4.2% ABV and 12-pack quantity price break, this beer invites everyone to connect with each other telling many stories over beers.

“We’re proud to introduce the first story in the MadTree Legendary Lager series with the heavyweight champ and community hero, Ezzard Charles. ” said Brady Duncan, Co-founder of MadTree. “Throughout the series, we’ll roll out other exciting legends and their story to spark your inspiration and bring you ways to share the legends in your life.” 

Ezzard Charles was a heavyweight champion, Jazz musician, tailor, veteran, community activist and family man. Known in the ring as the Cincinnati Cobra, his talents were unrivaled. His story is Legendary.

A portion of the proceeds from a MadTree Legendary Lager purchase goes directly to Cincinnati Parks Foundation to support Laurel Park, located in Cincinnati’s West End where Mr. Charles grew up, to honor his legacy. Last October, the brewery planted over 100 trees in the park. This is part of MadTree’s 1% for the Planet membership, an organization the brewery is a part of, committing to donate 1% of sales to nonprofits focused on environmental sustainability. This October, at Cincinnati Park’s 3rd Annual Ezz Fest, a statue of Ezzard Charles will be dedicated in Laurel Park, thanks to a generous gift from the Carol Ann & Ralph V. Haile, Jr. Foundation.