Craft beers to know this week! …. San Diego’s The Original 40 Brewing Company, voted as ‘Best Brewpub 2024’ by readers of San Diego Magazine, has released a West Coast IPA called Three & A Half that pays homage to the reviewers on Untappd who post about a beer being “the best they’ve ever had” but still giving it a 3.5 rating on the 1-to-5 scale.
Three & A Half also uses HopXL, a pure hop water-soluble extract, for the first time. It provides depth and intensity to the Citra hops’ flavor and aroma.
“Continuing our R&D and innovation is always an exciting proposition,” said Head Brewer Zack Kaplan. “There is no better style of beer than West Coast IPA to try something new. With the addition of HopXL, Three & A Half really showcases the incredible versatility and depth of Citra hops.”
Original 40’s latest beer has tasting notes of tangerine, pineapple, and lychee, along with hints of citrus zest and pine resin. It has a medium body and a dry finish, while pouring a brilliant golden hue crowned by a frothy head. Three & A Half is 7.0% alcohol-by-volume (ABV).
Original 40 won Runner-Up honors for ‘Best Brewery 2024’ from San Diego Magazine as well. Winners were announced this month in the publication’s Best Restaurants 2024 issue. Kaplan is a six-time Great American Beer Festival (GABF) winner, garnering medals most recently in 2019 while serving as the head brewer at Migration Brewing in Portland, Ore. The La Jolla native has won two Gold Medals, one Silver Medal, and three Bronze Medals overall at GABF.
Pike Brewing partners with The Ol’ Crimson Booster Club for new lager
Pike Brewing is now promoting the release of Ol’ Crimson Legendary Lager, a crisp and crushable lager beer brewed in partnership with The Ol’ Crimson Booster Club and the Cougar Collective.
Ol’ Crimson Legendary Lager is a classic American lager brewed with Washington grown Lyon Pilsner malt and Cashmere hops from the Yakima Valley to create a clean malt body and a light, refreshing hop finish and an approachable 4.8% ABV. A portion of proceeds from the sale of Ol’ Crimson Legendary Lager will benefit the Cougar Collective, a non-profit alumni group that supports academic and athletic programs at WSU.
“As a proud Washington brewery, we’re always looking for ways to celebrate the cultures and communities across our great state,” said Charles Finkel, Founder of Pike Brewing. “With Ol’ Crimson Legendary Lager, we’ve crafted a thirst-quenching lager that all Washingtonians can enjoy while giving back to the Cougs and supporting their athletes.”
“Ol’ Crimson Legendary Lager is going to be a game-changer,” said Luke Wetzstein, Board Member with the Cougar Collective. “Cougs from all walks of life stepped up to offer their knowledge and expertise to make this happen. When we joined forces with Pike Brewing and the Board of Directors of the ‘Ol Crimson Booster Club, we knew we had created something truly special.”
“The Ol’ Crimson Flag is recognized the world over as a symbol of the deep rooted resilience and commitment of undefeated Cougar fans,” said Kira Bottles, Board Member with The Ol’ Crimson Booster Club. “We don’t succeed without engaged and supportive partners who care deeply about student-athlete representation in college athletics. After 24 seasons, this new partnership allows us to support those student athletes through additional unique Washington State passions.”
TailGate Brewery conjures Juice Wizard
Tennessee’s TailGate Brewery, an independently owned craft brewery known for a diverse craft beer lineup and made-from-scratch pizza, announces the launch of Juice Wizard IPA (6% ABV). Juice Wizard is the first release of TailGate Brewery’s Wizards’ Order IPA series, a rotating lineup of IPAs that will be available at all eight of TailGate Brewery’s vibrant locations and at retailers across Tennessee.
As the first character to hit coolers across the state, Juice Wizard uses its powers for good. Embark on an epic journey with aromas of zesty orange and peach on a medium-light bodied IPA; then travel through an enchanted forest of flavor, characterized by firm bitterness and juicy flavors of citrus, mango and berries underpinned with resin and pine.
The new Wizards’ Order is a fellowship of rotating IPAs, each seasonal release offering a new flavor chapter from Nashville’s favorite independently owned craft brewery. No spoilers as to what will come next in the series, but fans can expect a new release with the advent of each season (every 90 days). The series continues with new character developments in August and November this year.
“Our taproom-only IPA series are constantly rotating, and highly sought-after,” said TailGate Brewery sole owner and original founder, Wesley Keegan. “We’re excited to bring that art-forward, flavor-forward ethos out to retail across Tennessee with our newr Wizards’ Order IPA Series.”
Visit a local craft beer retailer to bring the magic of Juice Wizard IPA home with you, or enjoy it at a TailGate Brewery taproom location. We recommend pairing it with Hot Honey Pizza, crafted from mozzarella, pepperoni, sausage, jalapeños and house hot honey drizzle. The bold flavors of Juice Wizard IPA stand up to this pizza’s spice and rich flavors, forging a courageous combination.
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