Big Beer Series: Tripel releases 8/16

As we look for inspiration for new Big Beers, the tendency has always drifted towards the next thing or an unusual ingredient. One style we had never done, which makes it seem like we overlooked something kind of obvious for 20 years, was the Belgian tripel. If you've had some of the classics of the style, then you know what to expect.

The golden color is misleading, causing the new tripel drinker to expect something subtle, if not downright benign, but that couldn't be further from the truth. Sweet, round and full of fruity esters from our distinctive Belgian-style yeast strain, Smuttynose Tripel is a perfect for sipping but also highly versatile at the table, pairing well with anything from salads and fish, to richly spiced entrees.

We'll be releasing 22-ounce bottles of Tripel for $6 at Smuttynose on August, 16 at 11am and shipments will begin that Monday, August 18.

See you at the Farm!

Smuttynose Tripel Stats

8.2% abv 25 IBU 19° Plato
Malts: North American 2-Row, Aromatic, Wheat, Carapils
Hops: Sterling
Other Ingredients: Clear Belgian-style candi syrup
Yeast: Trappist Ale Yeast

Big Beer Series: Frankenlager

Smuttynose Frankenlager is on its way to a beer store near you, if it isn't there already. 

Smuttynose is on the verge of opening our long-awaited new brewery at Towle Farm in Hampton, but we have been brewing for a little while now, putting our brand new equipment to work. Frankenlager, an India Pale Lager, is the first Big Beer to come from our new home, which means our brewing staff has been able to make decisions that weren’t possible before. 

When you pour Frankenlager into a glass, you’ll be struck by its deep golden color, clarity, a signature grapey aroma and clean malt character.

Our new, automated, German brewhouse gives us excellent controls over mash profiles, so we’ve decoction-mashed this beer, which helps with the extra clarity, but more importantly, adds the unique grape-like character. It’s a traditional German technique for lager brewing and we’re very excited to be able to use it here. A more efficient boil means a cleaner malt taste and a brighter, smoother beer. By automating, we control all the times and temperatures.  On a brewhouse like this, it really is all about the recipe. Our new centrifuge spins out residual yeast and solids to the level we choose, which also means that we reduce waste, while cleaning up the visual appearance of our beer, another significant step forward.

Don't forget, we begin brewery tours on May 31, 10am at the new brewery.  We'll see you soon!

Frankenlager Vital Stats

6.1% abv   60 IBU   15° Plato

Malt: North American 2-Row

Hops: Bittering- Magnum, Flavor and Dry Hop- Saphir

Yeast: WLP-920 Old Bavarian Lager

Suggested Food Pairings: Spicy dishes such as curries, chicken satay with peanut sauce, spicy tamales

Smuttynose Beer Release Update, 4/1/14

Just a quick update on our release schedule for the year. Despite the date of this posting, this is all very true, very real information. You can tell because it's not really funny to begin with. There have been a few schedule changes that are the result of a few delays in the commissioning of our new brewing equipment at the new Towle Farm brewery.

We'll have a blog post with a Towle Farm update later this week. In the meantime, here is the new calendar. 

A few Big Beers got rearranged. 

-Frankenlager was pushed back about two weeks as it took us a bit longer to get the new brewhouse up and running, which is important because this lager was decoction-mashed. The decoction process takes more time, but is well worth it for Frankenlager for two reasons. 1) It adds a better range of flavors and 2) after years of very manual, somewhat imprecise decoction mashing at Heritage Avenue, our new brewhouse enables us to hit all the volumes and temperatures any beer requires.  Very cool.







-We swapped Tripel and Farmhouse Ale in the release order.  With all the extra time requirements
on our staff (planning for the new brewery's public opening, launching Bouncy House IPA in May, getting production up and running at the new brewery), this made a lot of sense for a lot different reasons, not the least of which is that we've brewed Farmhouse Ale before so, we know how it will be brewed and we have labels for it.

-Rhye IPA was removed from the Big Beer Series because of all the other changes in the release schedule.  While we don't have plans to announce at this moment, it will be back in the future. 

Last but not least, we've got some fun Smuttlabs surprises in the works and we're about to begin bottling the first beers on the new bottling line. so stay tuned to this blog and our social media for updates!

Smuttynose Release Details for January-March 2014

The first quarter if 2014 is destined to be a busy time for Smuttynose.  We're getting our new production facility up and running, redoing all our packaging for the new equipment,  populating a new website and getting all these new beers ready to go.  The schedule is pretty busy, but we believe these beers are worth all the work

2014 Imperial Stout bottles are available now at Smuttynose and should be hitting stores beginning this week.  This year's version is quite drinkable out of the gate, but will improve with some time in a cool, dry basement.

Friday, January 31 we'll be releasing 2014's Noonan Black IPA at Smuttynose, while shipments to wholesalers begin February 3, regardless of whether or not the groundhog sees his shadow. They'll retail at our standard six pack price.

The following Friday, February 7, marks our first Smuttlabs release of 2014; Red Wine Barrel Aged Winter Ale.  It'll be packaged in 375ml, crown-finished bottles, priced at $9 each. 

The second test brew of Bouncy House debuts at Smuttynose on Friday, February 14 at 4:30pm.  Like the first release, bottles are $3 for 22 ounces. Shipments begin the following Monday. We don't have the final details on this version yet, but we'll post here once they're finalized.

Monday, February 17 is the first day of shipments for 2014 Smuttynose Wheat Wine.  Our Big Beer Series Subscribers members-only release social at Smuttynose on Saturday, February 22.

Friday, March 7, brings another Smuttlabs bottle release; Apple Brandy Barrel-Aged Imperial Stout bottles will be available at the brewery beginning at 4:30pm.  There are only two oak barrels of this beer in existence and we will be shipping limited amounts to the trade, so supplies will be very limited.  The 375ml, crown-finished bottles will are priced at $14 each.

As always each wholesaler's order and delivery schedule determines when a particular beer will hit the shelves and taps in a particular market.  We do our best for timely delivery.

Newness Update

The weather is certainly crisping and brisking up as we move closer to Thanksgiving and bask in the glow of another Boston Red Sox World Series championship.  The beards they've got going are pretty awesome too; it's like a natural kinship shared with our brewers.

If you need more Granite State goodness to fill your glasses this fall, then look no further because we've got a bit of everything for you to choose from. 

Option #1) The return of Smuttynose Barleywine to the Big Beer Series:  This year's release (10.6% abv) will begin shipping on November 11.  We took a few years off from making barleywine and it's back this year with a leaner malt profile and slightly lower bitterness.  This means more drinkability (hooray!) for sweater weather and beyond. We may also have filled some oak barrels for future deliciousness opportunities.

Options #2) In the opposite direction of Barleywine is Bouncy House (4.9% abv), our next Short Batch release.  A light-bodied, light-colored, quaffable, hoppy American ale brewed with Warrior and Calypso hops in the kettle and Citra and El Dorado in the fermenter for dry-hopping.  We'll be packaging Bouncy House in the second week of November with a final release date yet to be determined.  There are only 30 barrels of this beer and we want to know what you think once it's out, so hit us up over Facebook, Twitter or Instagram.

Option #3) Smuttynose Winter Ale (5.8% abv), our take on Belgian dubbel, is just getting to markets now.  We love telling people that this beer is completely spice-free, which allows the spicy Belgian yeast notes and fruity malt flavors to shovel their way to your taste buds. Smuttynose's art department has also created posters, coasters and glassware for select bars and restaurants, so keep your eyes peeled.

Last but not least, it's not too late to see where the magic has been happening for nearly twenty years at our home on Heritage Avenue in Portsmouth.  We're still offering brewery tours on Fridays at 5:30pm and Saturdays at Noon and 2pm.   They're free and you can make a reservation online, to make sure you've got a spot on the tour of your choice.

Straw Barb, Big A, Scotch Ale and Keg Socials

Big A IPA (9.8% abv), Our international award winning double IPA, begins shipping on September 16. It'll be available on draft and in four packs of 12 ounce bottles. If you want a preview of it, stop by Smuttynose for a little beer shopping or a brewery tour.

Straw-Barb Short Weisse (3.5% abv), our strawberry rhubarb Berliner Weiss, has made it through the TTB approval process! Bottles will be available starting at Smuttynose on September 20 and the rest of the batch will begin shipping on September 23. The bottle conditioned 750ml bottles will retail for $12 at Smuttynose. Still no word on how the Jamie Bissonette collaboration beer is working its way through the system; we'll share updates when we have them.

Smuttynose Scotch Ale (8.2% abv) begins shipping October 7. Rich, malty and slightly smoky, this year's batch has a percentage of red wine barrel-aged Scotch Ale blended in. Shipments begin October 7, but if you have trouble finding our Big Beers, you can always subscribe to the series.

Other news:  We've been hosting casual keg socials at our new home in Hampton. They're nothing fancy; have a beer, take a look around and enjoy a civilized transition into the weekend. We announce each social over Facebook and Twitter a day or two before they happen. In fact, there's one tomorrow (September 6) at 4pm.

2013 Smuttynose Farmhouse Ale

Shipments begin on May 28!!!

Farmhouse ales are less of a style and more of a loose branch on the beer family tree, originating in the agrarian borderland shared by France and Belgium.  When farm owners needed to provide nourishment and compensation to seasonal farm workers, beer was an obvious part of the package, since they were already growing many of the ingredients.  The humble origins of these beers meant that they were brewed with whatever ingredients were on hand.  This lack of convention has lead to breweries that specialize in or even focus exclusively on saison-style beers, like Oxbow in Maine and Fantome in Belgium.   We don't work on a farm now, but we will be before the year is done.  In this spirit of change, we've tweaked the Farmhouse Ale a little bit this year, adding a small amount of sage.  The result is slightly amplified fruit character, so don't be afraid that we've completely recreated the beer.   As always, Smuttynose Big Beers are released in limited amounts.  The next two releases are Homunculus, in early July and Rhye IPA, a new release featuring copious amounts of rye malt and the Falconer's Flight hop blend, in August. Farmhouse Ale Stat Box 7.0 % abv 15 IBU Starting Extract: 13° Plato Malts: North American 2-Row, Wheat Hops: Saaz Other Ingredients: Sage Yeast: White Labs WLP-565 Belgian Saison Yeast  Food Pairings: Saisons are really excellent at the table; Saison Dupont is often cited as one of, if not the best pairing beers in the world.  Smuttynose Farmhouse Ale doesn't have such a claim to fame, but you can certainly enjoy it with almost anything light from salads or fish to chicken or wild mushrooms.

June 2013 Smuttynose Releases

Just a quick update from production, for those of you who like looking forward to what's next...

2013 Farmhouse Ale (~8.7%), our next Big Beers Series release, begins shipping the week of Memorial Day, so it'll likely hit shelves and taps in early June.  We've tweaked the recipe this year with an addition of sage.

Next up, in early or mid June will be another 30 barrels of Durty (~9%) the hoppy, brown ale from our Short Batch Series.  This time around, all the flavor hop additions will be made with Falconer's Flight, a unique hop blend from HopUnion which includes Citra, Simcoe, Sorachi Ace and a few proprietary and experimental varieties.  Like the rest of our Short Batch releases, bottling will be very limited, with the bulk of bottles being available at Smuttynose.  We don't have an exact release date yet, so stay tuned to Facebook and Twitter for updates.

Vunderbar Pilsner six packs and kegs are shipping now and Summer Weizen should be in all markets.  If you can't find them at your local beer store, ask for them!  

Finally, we're happy to show off our new Big Beer Series glassware.  It holds a full pint and the artwork would be perfect for your bicep, if you want a sweet armband tattoo (let us know if you actually get one).  You can get them at Smuttynose right now, though they'll soon be in the retail store at Portsmouth Brewery.  MSRP, $6.

Cheers!

Brown, Belgian and Bourbon-barreled: welcome Zinneke to the Big Beer Series!!

Zinneke

2012 Smuttynose Big Beer Series Release #6

"Zinneke" (pronounced zinn-eh-kuh), Smuttynose's new Belgian stout and Big Beer Series release, will begin shipping to wholesalers on November 12!   

This relatively new sub-style combines Belgian, American and English influences to create a beer whose total is more than equal to the sum of its parts.  Here’s how Zinneke breaks down and adds back up.

Part 1) Start with a strong stout.  This is the Big Beer Series after all… 

Part 2) “Belgianize” it by altering the grain bill and fermenting the wort with a Trappist yeast strain. We backed off the heavy caramel and roasted malts to create a more complimentary flavor profile for the yeast, which contributes fruity esters and leaves a light body for deceptive drinkability.

Part 3) Put some wood on it!  10% of the batch was brewed early and aged in bourbon barrels for 10 months.  Why? because it adds complimentary vanilla and toasted oak flavors to what’s already there.  Think of it as an infusion of awesomeness!

These three parts combine to create a beer with dark color and light body with prevalent flavors of dark fruits, vanilla and toffee, while subtle chocolate flavors appear in the finish.

This deep brown-colored beer has lots of dark fruit flavor and a nice chocolate highlight in the finish.  We'd suggest pairing it with creamy desserts, roasted vegetables and rich, roasted meats, like duck.

What in tarnation is a "Zinneke?"

The name of our new beer is endearing Brussels slang that originally described the mongrel dogs that lived around the River Zenne during the Middle Ages.  The multi-cultural residents of Belgium’s capitol city, have since reappropriated the term as a tongue-in-cheek nickname for themselves.

 

TRIVIA: Zinneke began life as Short Batch #10: Belgian Stout in September 2010, but like several other of its series-mates, it has graduated to a larger release.

Vital Stats

8.4% abv 50 IBU
Starting Extract 18.9° Plato

Finishing Extract 3.75° Plato

Malts: North American 2-Row, Carawheat, Munich 10L, C-120, Chocolate, Roasted Barley, Brown
Hops: Magnum, Glacier
Mojo: Dark #2 Belgian Candi Syrup

Yeast: WLP-500 Trappist Ale Yeast

Batch Size: 200 barrels (6200 gallons)

Raise the Haggis! Scotch Ale is back!

Exactly one week from today (on September 24),  Smuttynose Scotch Ale will begin shipping for the first time in four years.  Since 2008, we've heard a constant, yet subtle, din of voices trying to resurrect its thistled visage (I'm looking at you specifically, Martha).

If you're not familiar with Scotch Ales as a beer style, they're all about malt sweetness and smoke (at least in the US).  This has lead to a common misconception that all ales brewed in Scotland fit this description, though a closer examination of brewing history shows that Scottish brewers have always brewed a range of styles, including IPA as well as other lighter and more subtle styles.  History is interesting, but some details will always be forgotten; as such, you'd be hard pressed to find a traditional American-style Scotch Ale that doesn't use some portion of smoked malt. 

Smuttynose Scotch Ale is still smoky, though we've substituted beechwood-smoked malt for malt smoked with peat, the "traditional" American choice.  The change results in a softer smoke character that we prefer. 

Another non-traditional aspect of 2012's Scotch Ale, is that it's a blend of non-barrel-aged and barrel-aged beer.  Many moons ago, (all the way back in March), we brewed a small 30 barrel batch of Scotch Ale, which was then aged in red wine barrels for about six months, before being transferred into the main batch just before bottling.


As always, each wholesaler's Scotch Ale allotment will ship with their first order after the 24th.  We will also have bottles for sale at Smuttynose, in addition to a small number of brewery-aged 2008 Scotch Ale bottles recently released from our stash.  Feel free to stop by between 9am-4pm, Monday through Friday as well as during our tour hours which are Friday from 5:30-6:30 and Saturdays at 11am and 1pm.

The Stat Box  
8.2% abv
28 IBU

Starting Extract: 18.05° Plato 
Finishing Extract: 3.1° Plato

Malts: North American 2-Row, Munich, Carastan, Chocolate, Smoked Malt
Hops: Willamette
Mojo: Red Wine Barrel Magic
Yeast: WLP-001 California Ale Yeast
Batch Size: 200 barrels (6200 gallons)

Suggested Food Pairings:  Mutton, smoked fish, empanadas and, of course, haggis.  The malt character in this beer gives it the ability to stand up to spicy foods while the smoke character will pair well with other smoked flavors or with creamy desserts like flan.

Gravitation: A Powerful Attraction

2011 Smuttynose Big Beer Series Release #6

Belgium is known around the world for its six unique abbey breweries.  Inside the monastery walls, Trappist monks oversee production of rich, fully flavored beers that range from light in body and alcohol to strong, rich and dark.  These sacred beers are known by the names enkel or single, dubbel and tripel.  Singles are the lightest in both color and alcohol and can be seen as analogues to triples, which are also light bodied and colored but can be quite sweet and as strong as 10%.  Dubbels can be simply described as Belgian brown ales; they exhibit a rich, malty flavors, spicy yeast notes and typically range from 7%-9%.  Dubbels haven’t had a stronger counterpart until the relatively recent arrival of Quadrupels, or “Quads.”

With alcohol contents as high as 12%, “Quads” are the richest of the rich and the boldest of the bold and Smuttynose Gravitation is no exception.  Deep chestnut colored, with rich toffee and caramel malt flavors, Gravitation isn’t just sweet and boozy.  The use of special, imported Belgian malts and raisin paste contribute unifying fruitiness that brings harmony to the other two flavor groups.  The prominent malt character makes Belgian-style quads an excellent candidate for aging, as long as you store your bottles upright in a cool, dark space.

Food Pairings

Gravitation is a hearty and hefty beer, so it’ll pair well with foods that are intensely flavored and heavy.  Earthy foods like wild game and bleu cheeses stand up to Gravitation’s intensity by playing against the sweet malty character.  If earthy isn’t your thing, seek out dishes that are fatty, tart or a combination of the two; foods like pork belly, mushroom ragout or rabbit with kriek, a classic dish of Belgian beer gastronomy. 

Stat Box

12.5% ABV 

25 IBU

Starting Extract: 24.9  Finishing Extract: 3.0 

Malts: North American 2-Row, Cara-Red, Aromatic, Special B, C-60, Wheat

Hops: Sterling

Special Guests: Demerara Sugar, Amber Belgian Candi Syrup, Dark Belgian Candi Syrup, Raisin Paste

Yeast: White Labs WLP-500 Trappist Ale

Production Size: 150 barrels (4650 gallons)

2011 Gravitation will begin shipping during the week of September 19, 2011.

Harvesting Farmhouse Ale

2011 Smuttynose Big Beer Series Release #5

New Hampshire has always been seen as a very grounded state and its residents are known for their pragmatism and practical view of the world.  These characteristics can also be found in the agrarian region around the Belgian-French border region, the birthplace of a loose family of beers known as “farmhouse ales.”  In fact, this salt-of-the-earth origins gives farmhouse ales a unique breadth of permissiveness not seen in any other beer style.

While most beer styles are quite rigidly defined, saisons and biere de gardes (the two recognized styles of farmhouse ales) can use nearly any type of grain, hop or spice; some expressions are sweet and floral while others can be bitter and dry.  The style’s permissiveness arose from necessity.  Farmers would brew these beers with whatever ingredients they had on hand to provide refreshment and nourishment for “Saisonnaires,” seasonal farm hands who provided extra labor during the growing and harvesting seasons. 

The brewers at Smuttynose have been most captivated by the unique yeast strains that imbue saisons and biere de gardes with their signature characteristics.  When brewing Smuttynose Farmhouse Ale,  our staff supplements the natural enzymes found in the malt with an extra dose of amylase, which breaks complex sugars into simple, fermentable ones.  This means nearly every bit of starch has been converted to sugar and consumed by the yeast during fermentation.

As with past releases, the 2011 expression of Farmhouse Ale is a strong, unspiced saison, but it has been tweaked a bit.  We dropped the starting gravity from 17º Plato to 15º Plato, which means there are less sugars in the wort at the start of fermentation.  This results in a slightly less alcoholic beer, but fret not dear readers; the beer tastes better!  By reducing the alcohol presence, the other subtle flavors can mingle together to create a delicate, nuanced flavor experience.

Stat Box

8.2% ABV

15 IBU

Starting Extract: 15ºPlato  Finishing Extract 0ºPlato

Malt: Pilsner, Aromatic, Wheat

Hops: Warrior-Bittering, Liberty and Sterling-Finishing

Special Guests: Cane Sugar-to lighten the body, Amylase Enzymes-to increase fermentability

Yeast: White Labs Belgian Saison I  WLP565 

Production Size: 150 barrels (4650 gallons)

Farmhouse Ale has an immense versatility when introduced to food pairings.  Its subtle complexity means you can put it next to almost anything, except the most intensely flavored foods.  From traditional western European peasant foods like cassoulet, roasted fowl, root vegetables and pickled food stuffs to less obvious pairings like ceviche, sushi and brandade, chances are you can create a delicious pairing with whatever you have on hand as well!

In a brewery full of turophiles, we had no shortage of cheese pairings for such a versatile beer, but the best options were earthy, nutty and more firm in texture; cheeses like manchego, aged gouda and morbier 

We hope you enjoy our newest offering in the Big Beer Series.  Gravitation, our Belgian Quad, should be out in mid-September.

The Homunculus Cometh

The Homunculus Cometh!

2011 Smuttynose Big Beer Series Release #4

Homunculus, the newest addition to the Big Beer Series portfolio, is also the first beer to move up from our single-batch, draft-only Short Batch Series.  Inspired by “Houblon Chouffe” from Belgium’s Brasserie d’Achouffe, our beer was first brewed in 2007 and was called “The Gnome.”  This was a great name for an individual, draft-only release.  Once the decision was made to scale-up to a Big Beer size, we decided to change the name in respect of Achouffe’s branding and image.  We chose “Homunculus” not only because it’s loosely synonymous with “gnome,” but also because of the word’s absurdity.

So what is a Homunculus?  The term, Latin for "little human,” shows up in disciplines as diverse as psychology, alchemy, and biology.  As you can see from the label art, we were captivated by the biological roots of the term.  Before lenses could be ground and microscopes could be built (circa 1600), medieval scientists constructed many theories to explain the origins of human life.  “Preformationism,” widely accepted at the time, proposed that each new child grew from invisible, miniature versions of themselves (homunculi). 

Enough genetics, let’s hear about the beer!  Like the label says above, Homunculus is a hoppy, Belgian-style golden ale. A special yeast strain created a generous alcohol content of 9.9% a.b.v.  The simple grain bill of 2-Row, Weyermann Carahell, and some cane sugar lends some sweetness, but also a lightness of body.  Bravo hops are used exclusively at the beginning of the boil for a moderately aggressive 45 IBUs, while late boil additions of Sterling contribute a subtly spicy hop flavor.  We’ve already got the makings of one tasty beverage, but Homunculus' real moxie comes from its pungently aromatic dry-hopping.  We infused 150 barrels of beer (4650 gallons) with 176 pounds of Nugget hops and 264 pounds of Sterling hops.  That's nearly 3 pounds of hops per barrel of beer! 

We'll begin shipping Homunculus the week of July 11 and it should begin appearing in stores not long after that.  

Stat Box

9.9% ABV

45 IBU

Starting Extract: 20˚ Plato   Finishing Extract: 2˚ Plato

Malt: North American 2-Row, Weyermann Carahell

Hops: Bittering-Bravo, Flavor-Sterling, Dry-Nugget and Sterling

Yeast: White Labs Trappist Ale Yeast, WLP-500

Special Guests: Cane Sugar, to lighten the body.

Production Size: 150 barrels (4650 gallons)  

Homunculus should pair well with a wide range of dishes.  Its juicy fruit character will accentuate earthy foods like terrines and pâtés, sausages or hearty stews.  Homunculus also has enough acidity to stand up to white, creamy pasta sauces and grilled salmon.  For cheese courses, we suggest nearly any choice except blue cheeses.

What's Golden, Malty, and Frequently Seen With Goats?

Nearly three months after its brew day, Smuttynose Maibock is bottled and conditioning in our warehouse.  Maibock is the third Big Beer release of 2011 and marks the second time we've run 22-ounce bottles on our new filler.  This year's release tips the scales at 8.7% abv and will begin shipping out the week of May 9.

Maibock was decoction mashed just like every other year and this traditional German technique really pulls some extra deliciousness to the front of this beer.  The rich, almost grapey malt character pairs amazingly well with Herbs de Provence Chevre from New Hampshire's own Heart Song Farm, one of the pairings we'll be featuring in our "Granite State of Mind" salon at the year's SAVOR event in Washington DC.  If you won't be able to attend the event, we suggest pairing Maibock with traditional German pork dishes, wursts, schnitzels, and so on.

Finally, I can share that we'll be brewing Homunculus during the second week of May.

Cheers,

JT

2011 Imperial Stout and a few other notes

We're sad to say that the release of our 2011 Imperial Stout, the second release in this year's Big Beer Series has been pushed back.  Shipping will now begin on March 14.   This is a part of our marketing ploy to compete with Guinness.

Also, I want to remind you that it's not too late to sign up for the The Big Beer Series Subscription.  Some newer subscribers have asked which beer will be the first of their subscription.  That's be determined by when you sign up.  If we've already released a Big Beer, then we can't include it in your subscription.  If there's a beer you know you definitely want, then don't delay, sign up today!

We will be participating in the 15th annual NERAX festival.  If you're a real ale lover, please stop by the George F. Dilboy Post of the Veterans of Foreign Wars in Somerville, MA sometime between March 30 and April 2.  In addition to sending a firkin of Shoals Pale Ale, we're very proud to be sponsoring pint glasses this year.  We've designed a great Smuttynose/NERAX imperial pint glass that will available for rent or purchase exclusively at the festival.  Check out http://www.nerax.org/ for more info.

Finally, Portsmouth Craft Beer Week is fast approaching.  We've got a slate of events leading up to Portsmouth Brewery's Kate the Great release on March 7.  We will be offering a 2pm Smuttynose tour on March 7.

That's it for today.  Hopefully, I'll have a positive new bottling line update about the new filler tomorrow.

Have a great Wednesday,

JT

2011 Barleywine

We'll be shipping out 2011 Barleywine, the first release of the 2011 Big Beer Series.  Here are some ramblings about the beer.  I hope you enjoy them a fraction as much as you will enjoy the beer itself.

            The history of Barleywine is the subject of much discussion; consensus has yet to be reached on the origins of the name or the style.  One thing we do know is that Bass brewed “No. 1 Barleywine,” in 1903, making the first beer to publicly use that name.  Otherwise, we only know that the tradition of British-brewed strong ales goes back for centuries.

            While the American tradition doesn’t go back nearly as far, barleywines have also been a mainstay of our craft brewing culture, which is rooted in the English tradition.  The earliest American barleywine, Anchor Brewing’s Old Foghorn, was first brewed in 1975 and soon other California breweries followed suit, brewing these strong malty ales as special releases, increasing hopping rates to leave their own uniquely American stamp. 

            We first brewed Smuttynose Barleywine around 1998, a time when strong beers of 8 or 9 % were still quite rare and had an aura of danger and mysteriousness about them, like most of the women in James Bond movies.  While the tastes of craft beer diehards have changed, our Barleywine hasn’t.  It’s a beer you can depend on, like grilled cheese and tomato soup on a cold winter’s day.

            We start with over one and a half tons of malt to brew about 775 gallons of Barleywine.  That same amount of malt yields more than twice as much Finestkind IPA.   European specialty malts contribute body and rich toffee and candy flavors that are complemented with the svelte taste of Santiam and Galena hops.

There are few better combinations that pairing Smuttynose Barleywine with delicious artisanal cheese.  We’re especially fond of crystallized, aged Gouda and Clothbound Cabot Cheddar from Greenboro, VT.  If cheese isn’t your thing, you can pair spicy against Smuttynose Barleywine with a habanero apple crisp with a caramel drizzle or use the beer to poach pears with ginger.  Trust us, you won’t need vanilla ice cream!

ACCOLADES

“This 11%-ABV slightly hazy, copper, thick-headed treat tasted like orange candy slices basted with hop oil, which might not sound good but, oh, it was!”  

Washington City Paper; May, 2010

Named to GQ Magazine’s “50 Beers to Try Right Now”  April, 2010

STAT BOX

11.6% ABV

65 IBU

Malts: North American 2-Row, Crisp Pale Ale, Caramunich, Aromatic, Special B, Carahell 2 DH

Hops; Simcoe, Santiam, Galena;  Dry-hop Centennial

Yeast;  California Ale

Smuttynose Baltic Porter; 2010 Big Beer Series #8

Baltic Porter is out in stores and bars now, so it seems there's no better time than the present to share some information with the blogosphere.

Smuttynose Baltic Porter

23° Plato

40 IBU

9.02% ABV

Malt:  Cargill 2-Row, Munich 20L, Weyermann Carahell, Crisp C-120, Baird’s Carastan, Crisp Chocolate, Crisp Black

Hops: Sterling

Yeast:  White Labs Old Bavarian Lager

The most unique aspect of our Baltic Porter is that we ferment and bottle-condition it with lager yeast, in the Eastern European tradition.  Smuttynose Baltic Porter, like all of our lagers undergoes a full cold-conditioning program, which goes longer than most because we don’t filter any of our beers.  Our lager yeast strain flocculates pretty well for a lager strain but it still takes time, so this beer has plenty of age on it (at least a month and a half). 

Like any new additions to our Big Beer Series, Baltic Porter started out when we looked at what sort of big styles were being brewed by others but that we weren’t brewing.  We already had the usual suspects, Imperial Stout, Barleywine, Wheat Wine, S’Muttonator Doublebock and so on.  Baltic Porter seemed like a great way to do something else dark but we wanted to find a way to put a twist on it.  In researching/tasting Strong Baltic-style porters, we saw that a number of the European ones were fermented with lager yeast, because that’s the yeast they already have in their brewery.  Most brewers know that it’s easier to keep your number of yeast strains streamlined.  So lager yeast it was.  The strain is the same one we used in the much-missed but less-purchased Portsmouth Lager.

Smutttynose Baltic Porter is extremely smooth out of the gates but it also ages quite nicely.  And we should know; we just transferred some from two Sam Adams Utopias barrels that had been aging for about two years. 

Thanks for your interest.  Wheat Wine, the final beer of the 2010 Series, will be leaving the building on Monday, December 13.  Despite its recent gold medal win at Mondial de la Biere in Strasbourg, France; it will go on hiatus for 2011.