Students from San Diego-based Southwestern College’s Fermentation Science Program have collaborated with NOVO Brazil Brewing Co. to create Tzunúm, an Australian Pale Ale that is available on draft only at the brewery’s Imperial Beach location.
Tzunúm marks the first time students of the program have brewed outside of the classroom and in a professional brewery. The program started in Spring 2018 with a lecture class, and the first brewing lab was held in Fall 2019 with a small, five-gallon system.
Tzunúm, which is Mayan for hummingbird, was named by the students for its lightness and summer-y features. It has a light golden color, steady white head, and a 5.5% alcohol by volume (ABV). The beer is slightly hazy, and it features a citrus and fresh lime zest from a single hop of Wakatu.
“It was such a privilege to see the eager students get actual hands-on experience in a professional setting,” said NOVO head brewer Guilherme Hoffman. “It was a great, exciting moment for these beginner brewers, and I can’t wait to be a part of more projects with them.”
Only one keg was created in NOVO Imperial Beach’s nano brewery, and Hoffman expects sales of Tzunúm to not last through next week (last week). The participating students were Amanda Esquivel-Chacon, Fred Hafer, Zackary Lieras, and Matthew Pineda.
“NOVO Brazil has been an amazing supporter and partner of our program, and we are very grateful for this amazing experience for our students,” said David Hecht, Ph.D., a professor of chemistry at Southwestern.
NOVO Imperial Beach opened in November at the south end of San Diego Bay with views of the Coronado Bridge and downtown skyline in the distance. The restaurant features 64 taps, serving all NOVO beers and its other lines of beverages: NOVA easy kombuchas (hard and non-alcoholic), California Spritz beer cocktails, and hard seltzers.
Sierra Nevada starts 2023 with limited edition Hazy series
Sierra Nevada Brewing Co. announced the brand’s first drop of 2023: an all-new limited-edition Hazy series, that brings a range of unique and fresh Hazy options for beer fans to explore throughout the year.
The very first iteration of the series will include a new Juicy Little Thing (6.5% ABV). Brewed using a specialized yeast strain and Sterling, Citra, El Dorado, and Mosaic hops, this new beer leads with prominent tasting notes of stone fruit, apricot, tropical fruit, and citrus. Created by the brewing company that released the first nationally distributed Hazy IPA back in 2018, this new hazy is the perfect way to kick off the new year and is bursting with flavor.
Hazy IPA lovers can enjoy this special edition until early spring, until the next mystery Hazy Series hits shelves.
Half Full Brewery creates two beers for local supermarket chain
Cingari Family ShopRite, a supermarket chain based in Connecticut, sought out neighbor Half Full Brewery to create two unique beers for all Cingari Family ShopRite stores across Connecticut.
“Our collaboration with the Cingari Family and Grade A is our most rewarding collaboration to date due to its focus on local,” says Conor Horrigan, Founder of Half Full Brewery. “The process started by bringing together two local community businesses to figure out what the local consumer would want, building recipes around that, and then leaning on local graphic designer Chris Sainato to design a package to match. Through the adept creative direction of the Cingari’s and recipe writing of our brewers, we were able to deliver two beers that will excite the palate without emptying your bank account.”
The Grade Above Golden Ale is brewed with a light malt backbone for a hint of toasty, biscuit flavor, and has a light blonde hue. It is an easy-drinking and approachable brew suitable for any type of beer drinker and all occasions.
The Grade Above IPA is hopped generously in the boil and during fermentation with 5 different varieties of hops, allowing a complex range of flavors and aromas. Bitterness from the hops balances out the slight caramel flavor from the malt, while still finishing with a crisp mouth feel. The dry hop additions lend notes of tropical citrus and aromatic pine with floral undertones.
Weldwerks Brewing adds three core beers as part of big distribution push beyond Colorado
This year, Colorado’s WeldWerks Brewing is leveling up. It plans to increase its focus and reach in 12 states (California, Connecticut, Iowa, Massachusetts, Minnesota, North Carolina, New Jersey, New York, Ohio, Pennsylvania, Rhode Island, and Wisconsin). In addition to increased distribution outside of Colorado, WeldWerks has honed in on select core beers that will be available year-round and quarterly. Specifically: Juicy Bits, Extra Extra Juicy Bits, and Weld Pilsner as year-round offerings. The brewery will also release a quarterly sour ale, such as its immensely popular Bamm Bamm Rubble Rubble, and a quarterly Hazy IPA, like Evil Haze Factory, both available through March.
Second Chance Beer collaborates with All My Friends Are Rappers for Black History Month beer
Second Chance Beer Co. has collaborated with the All My Friends Are Rappers brand for the second year in a row to brew All I Want, a hoppy Kolsch style beer in honor of the upcoming Black History Month. The mission of the limited release is to develop more awareness and educational opportunities in the craft beer industry for underrepresented communities.
All I Want, which will be available on draft and in four-packs of 16-oz cans, is 4.6% alcohol by volume (ABV) and contains a citrus zest hop aroma along with a crisp malt finish. Head Brewer Marty Mendiola initially worked with All My Friends Are Rappers Executive Director Kemet Ackee last January to create the beer. Ackee is a San Diego native and nine-year Army veteran, who also is a member of Second Chance’s brewing, brand ambassador, and beertender teams.
All My Friends Are Rappers was founded by Ackee in 2020 after he retired from the Army and returned to San Diego from Fort Bragg, N.C. The company’s mission is to promote positivity, self-expression, creativity, and talent throughout the community.
“I thank Second Chance for giving me the opportunity to work in an industry I love while supporting my other passions of inclusivity and art,” Ackee said. “I am excited to bring this beer back to the community after its inaugural run in 2022 and celebrate all that is good in our communities.”
Dust Bowl Brewing packages The Gold 1 Blonde Ale
Dust Bowl Brewing Co. kicks off the new year with the release of The Gold 1 Blonde Ale in six pack / 12oz. cans. The packaged offering comes on the heals of the draft introduction in the fall of 2022. At 4.5% ABV, the year-round, core beer adds another easy-drinking option to Dust Bowl’s extensive portfolio.
Brewmaster, Don Oliver, shares, “This is a crisp beer for everyday drinking. It’s very approachable and great for social settings. The Gold 1 provides a great option for those that seek a lighter style craft beer.”
The Blonde Ale recipe, in fact, won a gold medal at last year’s California State Fair Commercial Craft Beer Competition, which helped set the stage for an extensive marketing campaign to roll out The Gold 1. Retailers will be supported with a range of merchandising items, including farming and outdoor lifestyle imagery, display materials, coasters, glassware and more. The packaging features a bold, simple approach to catch consumers’ attention. The beer name and colors embark on a California vibe in poppy gold and blue.
Pike Brewing ready for winter’s short and long days
Pike Brewing‘s head brewer Leslie Shore and her team introduced The Long Dark Barrel-Aged Stout and Short Days Double Hazy IPA this month. The Long Dark Barrel-Aged Stout is a big, rich, full-bodied stout that packs a punch at 13.3% ABV. Aged for 36 months, this beer boasts notes of port, baked dark fruit, molasses, brown sugar, raisins, figs, and vanilla. This very limited release is available now in 4-packs of 12oz cans and on draft.
The Short Days Double Hazy IPA is sunshine in a can. Made using Centennial Simcoe, Mosaic, and Cascade hops this expressive hazy IPA has aromas of fruit, melon, and flowers. This easy drinking beer is hop focused, medium bodied highlighting the flavors of orange, cantaloupe, and honeysuckle with a smooth finish. 8.2% ABV. This limited release hazy IPA will be available late January through March in 6-packs of 12oz cans and on draft.
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