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Beers to know this week, featuring zombies, a pickle and Sheetz

September 18, 2020Chris Crowell

When all else fails (and it all has), there is always beer. New beers, even. Too many to possibly count, but with all else having failed, we have time to try. Here’s some of this week’s cool new beers and notable seasonal releases.   

Lone Tree hypes Hop Zombie IPA

Lone Tree Brewing is now accepting online pre-orders for the 2020 batch of Hop Zombie IPA. This fan favorite Imperial Red IPA will tap at Lone Tree on Hop Zombie Day, slated for Oct. 31, 2020.

Each year there are a handful of devoted souls who arrive in the wee hours of the morning to guarantee themselves a chance at the most anticipated Lone Tree release of the year. This year, Lone Tree is honoring the first ten people in line with free limited edition Hop Zombie glasses.

Hop Zombie IPA is a complex, bold IPA that’s deep red in color with rich malts balanced by huge hop flavor and aroma created by eight different hops— Citra, Columbus, Cascade, Mosaic, Simcoe, Amarillo, Centennial, and Motueka.

Hardywood Park Craft Brewery teams with Sheetz on a watermelon wheat ale

Sheetz, a major Mid-Atlantic restaurant and convenience chain, announced its first-ever watermelon wheat ale. Dubbed “Project Watt-Ahh-Melon Ring,” this limited-edition craft beer was brewed in partnership with Hardywood Park Craft Brewery based in Richmond.

Available for a limited time only in select Sheetz stores across Virginia and North Carolina, the beer was brewed with Sheetz watermelon gummy rings to produce a light and refreshing tart watermelon wheat ale. Using over 50% wheat and over 100 lbs of gummy rings, Project Watt-Ahh-Melon Ring finishes at 5.3% ABV. Four packs of sixteen ounce cans of Project Watt-Ahh-Melon Ring will retail for only $7.99. A small batch craft beer, Project Watt-Ahh-Melon Ring will be available while supplies last and will not be restocked once sold out.

“At Hardywood, we have a deep affinity for pushing boundaries and creating bold and complex flavor and aroma profiles in beer that create memorable experiences for our fans,” said Hardywood Brewmaster/Co-Founder Patrick Murtaugh. “When Sheetz came to us with the concept of making a beer that would not only pay homage to their signature gummy watermelon rings but actually use them as an ingredient, we jumped at the opportunity! We have long admired Sheetz and their commitment to quality and innovation. We could not be more excited to be working with them on Project Watt-Ahh-Melon Ring!” 

Almost time to find Urban Artifact’s Xmas Pickle

Xmas Pickle

Pickle started back in 2016, when Urban Artifact‘s two brewers at the time, Bret & Josh, were coming up with ideas for taproom only holiday beers, and co-owner Scotty brought up the old German tradition of hiding a pickle in a Christmas tree. It seemed like a no-brainer. Gose beer as the base; with its natural salinity and sour flavor, was the perfect match for cucumber and dill. The execution of this concept would be rather simple.

But did anyone actually want a pickle flavored beer? The three of them decided, this beer was probably going to flop, but it would be quite a good time watching people try a pickle beer with their friends and families around the holiday season. So the Pickle beer was born.

To their surprise, it instantly became the most asked about Urban Artifact beer. What started as nothing more than a holiday joke, has spiraled into a cult favorite.

“Every year we’ve brewed more Pickle than the year before, and every year it sells out to pickle fans faster than we can produce it. Eventually we moved the release of Pickle to line up with BBQ season and began canning and producing even more of this beer. However, we have just not been able to keep up! In light of this pickle we find ourselves in, we’ve decided to move this beer back to its holiday roots.”

Cascade’s latest cans: Pistil Whipped and Sang Rouge

Cascade Brewing

Cascade Brewing has packaged two of its Northwest Sour Ales––Pistil Whipped and Sang Rouge––in 12-ounce cans for the very first time. Both beers will be available in single 12-ounce cans and four-packs beginning Thursday, Sept. 17, at the Cascade Brewing Barrel House and The Lodge at Cascade Brewing and via limited distribution.

“We’ve seen incredible enthusiasm for our sour beers in cans since launching the program back in January, so we’ve decided to continue expanding our canned offerings with these new releases,” said Kevin Martin, Cascade Brewing Director of Brewery Operations. “Clearly the benefits of the can format resonate with craft drinkers, and we are happy to meet that growing demand. We will continue to offer our bottle-conditioned Northwest Sour Ales in 500ml bottles as the best packaging for long-term aging and quality preservation, while the can packaging is ideal for sours ready to be enjoyed fresh.”

Originally brewed for Cascade Brewing’s Sour Flower Fest, Pistil Whipped [pictured] is a blend of sour blond ales aged in oak wine barrels with late infusions of saffron and chamomile. Pouring a rich golden-yellow from the saffron’s distinct color, this unique botanical blend captures saffron’s earthy, hay-like spice character with gentle floral and honey notes from the chamomile tea (7.7% ABV).

Perrin’s Party Box includes Anniversary Amber Ale

Perrin party box

September is Perrin Brewing Company’s anniversary month — its eighth — and as their annual anniversary event, Backyard Bash, could not go on as usual this year, the brewery has crafted a new way to celebrate with this Bash Your Own Backyard Party Box To-Go.

Each Bash Your Own Backyard Party Box To-Go includes a 6-pack of limited release Anniversary Amber Ale. This Amber Ale uses five unique specialty malts and German Ariana hops for a complex malt-forward Amber, with notes of gooseberries, black currant and a pleasant hop aroma. 

The box also includes custom Perrin merch including two stainless steel cups, two Bash Your Own Backyard koozies, a treat from Nothing Bundt Cake, and promotional offers from local vendors. Since local live music is a beloved tradition at Perrin’s annual anniversary celebration, the Party Box also includes a “Bash Your Own Backyard 2020” playlist featuring the funkiest, grooviest bands who have played past Backyard Bashes. 

New Realm’s Variety Pack gets ready for fall

New Realm fall variety

For the third release in New Realm’s Variety Pack line, they introduce the Fall Edition, in which you can quench your cool weather thirst in four different ways. This box is full of crushable, seasonal, and classic flavors you won’t want to miss.

In this Fall Variety Pack, you’ll find fan favorites such as #1 selling Hazy Like A Fox IPA, a New England-style hazy brew brimming with fruity notes and Hoptropolis IPA, an American IPA that bursts with tropical flavors. In addition, consumers will find their annual Märzen-style Oktoberfest Lager, Bavarian Prince, which is brewed in the German tradition with a rich malty, biscuity, and toasty taste. Rounding out the pack is Pilotlight Coffee Porter, which has been a fan favorite in their taprooms and is being offered exclusively in this variety pack.

“In addition to our #1 and #2 selling IPAs, we’re including some awesome seasonal exclusives. Bavarian Prince Oktoberfest is one of our most popular limited release beers. We’ve had to rebrew it three times in 2020 due to the overwhelming consumer demand. Lastly, Pilotlight Coffee Porter is one of the first beers we brewed back in late 2017, and it was previously only available for a limited time in our restaurants,” said Bob Powers, Co-founder and Chief Sales and Marketing Officer.

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