Full Sail Brewing Wassail

Written by Peter Genovese for The Star-Ledger

The label on Full Sail’s Wassail says it’s “concocted by our massive brewforce of 47.”

Like that part.

The label describes it as “a ridiculously tasty winter ale.”

Not so fast.

This winter warmer (7% ABV) from the Hood River, Ore.-based “specialists in the liquid refreshment arts since 1987” pours a deep coppery brown.
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Ye Old Scribe’s Where’s the Seasonal Beer Report

Jolly Pumpkin Artisan Ales
Dexter, Michigan

Can you say, “head?” When poured there was little beer: foam coats the glass and hangs, hangs, hangs on. In the glass: all pillow head. Mrs. Scribe was mad when Scribe looked at all that head with envy and said, “If only….” Malt and alcohol nose. Sour. Is this supposed to be Flemish? Mahogany brown,

Dark malts and alcohol coat the mouth. Not as much carbonation in the mouthfeel.

From their site:

“Noel de Calabaza – Deep mahogany and malty, layered hops, figs, raisins, sugar plums, cashews betwixt rum laden truffles.”

If this were an attempt at Belgian, as some claim, it should be on da bloody bottle! Mention that. Skip the hop BS. If there had been a hint of this on the bottle Scribe may have reconsidered. But not much.

There has to be some black patent in here and maybe some brown malt. If that sour sense is the hops, change the damn hops! Bottle label says “multi-layered hops.” What %$#@! hops?

If ya wanna pucker then sucker this one down. But as far as being “Christmas,” “seasonal,” or all that interesting?

Bah humbug.

Sierra Nevada 30th Anniversary: Brewery to Celebrate with Four Collaborations

Ken Carman, for professorgoodales.org

2010 is the 30th anniversary of Sierra Nevada in Chico, California, and they will mark this anniversary all year long by celebrating the new wave of brewing that started even before Sierra was founded.nation. Sierra Nevada joins other new and better brew pioneers to benefit select charities. Obviously beer drinkers across the country will also benefit and, obviously, celebrate.

Here’s a list of the first four…

Beer #1: Fritz and Ken’s Ale. A collaboration with Fritz Maytag
Beer #2 Jack and Ken’s Ale. A collaboration with Jack McAuliffe from New Albion Brewing.
Beer #3: Charlie Fred and Ken’s Ale. A Collaboration with Fred Eckhardt and Charlie Papazian.
Beer #4: Sierra Nevada Brewers Reserve Ale.

The first four beers planned for this series of collaborative projects with America’s craft-brewing pioneers: Fritz Maytag of Anchor Brewing.


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Club Update: Escambia Bay Brewers

Pensacola Area

The January Club meeting will be held at Ozone Pizza at 4:00pm on Sunday January 17th. Bring Beer!

The Club’s website now has a revolving calendar that shows the upcoming months and has a link to previous months. It will be updated shortly with known events throughout the year. Please take the time to go to the site and familiarize yourself with it http://www.escambiabayhomebrewers.org/. The Happenings tab shows the future and past events that we have participated in. We will be adding to the website throughout the year to enhance its content. Let us know if there is anything you’d like to see on the site that isn’t currently on it.

The grain orders will be available for pickup on, or after, New Year’s Day.
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Beer Profiles: The Saranac Winter Collection

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Profiled by Ken Carman

Every year the F.X. Matt Brewery; who brews the Saranac line, packages a 12 pack of 6 winter beers. (They also sell a similar summer season 12 pack.) Matt has brewed well over 100 different styles and specialty beers under the Saranac name; probably far more than any brewer of their size who was in business long, long before the craft brewer revolution. All that from a brewery older than Yuengling; if you count the few brief years before they were purchased by the Matt family and renamed West End Brewing Company, then F.X. Matt, or just Matt Brewing. Though one could argue the brewery produced what would be called “craft beer” now occasionally throughout their history long before that trend hit the American market… their current craft beer adventure really began for the brewery back in the 80s when F.X. was challenged by a German brewer; while driving the autobahn, to make beers as good as brewers in Germany did. F.X. took the challenge seriously: hence Saranac.

Here are this year’s six winter beers, four of them are brand new.

Black Lager
Winter Lager
Big Moose Ale
Belgian Ale
Rye IPA
Maple Porter

My wife and I; both BJCP judges, briefly assessed all six. Please: this is not meant as a score sheet or close to it; just general observations. In the following order: from beers we found less appealing to the best: one that should win a lot of awards.

Maple Porter

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“World’s Strongest” Beer with 32% Strength Launched


Managing director James Watt

As reported by the BBC

A controversial Scottish brewery has launched what it described as the world’s strongest beer – with a 32% alcohol content.

Tactical Nuclear Penguin has been unveiled by BrewDog of Fraserburgh.

BrewDog was previously branded irresponsible for an 18.2% beer called Tokyo, which it then followed with a low alcohol beer called Nanny State.

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