Tuesday, February 16, 2016

Tis The Seasonal


Most craft beer aficionados know to grab the seasonal brews as quickly as possible. One reason is that they are possibly the freshest beers that we have available. More importantly, all seasonal brews are available for a very limited time, in equally limited quantities. And while beer seasons don't exactly align with the calendar seasons, enjoying a spring seasonal while it's snowing outside is a nice way to improve your mood.

Part of the appeal of craft beer is the range of products they produce. A craft brewer might have a dozen or so beers available all year, with at least that many brewed for seasonal availability. Because production is small, at least when compared to the national brands, they have more flexibility.

Another part of the appeal is the backstory, along with the idea that you're dealing with individuals. Founded by Greg Koch and Steve Wagner in 1996, San Diego-based Stone Brewing Co. is the 9th largest craft brewer in the United States. Stone has been listed on the Inc. 500 | 5000 Fastest Growing Private Companies list 11 times, and has been called the “All-time Top Brewery on Planet Earth” by Beer Advocate magazine twice. The multifaceted company will be the first American craft brewer to own and operate a brewery in Europe, and is also building a production brewery and destination restaurant in Richmond, Virginia. Brewing at both locations is anticipated to begin in early 2016. Known for its bold, flavorful and largely hop-centric beers, Stone has earned a reputation for brewing outstanding, unique beers while maintaining an unwavering commitment to sustainability, business ethics, philanthropy and the art of brewing.

That brings us around to this week's New Product, Stone Pataskala Red X IPA.

Pat-ASK-ala? Pata-SKALA? Pa-TASK-a-la? While those in the know favor the third pronunciation, no matter how you say it, this is a unique red IPA. The beer was first brewed in September 2015 to support music and arts education programs in Pataskala, Ohio, where Stone co-founder Greg Koch grew up. People there loved it, so we added the beer to our seasonal lineup. The deep crimson hue is courtesy of a fairly new special German malt variety by BESTMALZ called Red X. Dry-hopped with Mosaic, Cascade and Amarillo hops, this beer is incredibly citrus-forward, rounded out with biscuit and toffee notes. We think you’ll find this red IPA to be quite deliciously satisfying, no matter how you choose to pronounce it. 7.3% ABV, 75 IBU's. Get it while you can!

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