Beer and Wine Weekly Update, March 16, 2015

By Joey Bowling, Beer and Wine Manager

Hello Beer & Wine aficionados! I just wanted to take a minute to tell y’all about some new things coming your way. The new season of Game of Thrones begins in early April, and I’m sure all of you beer and fantasy fans are already eagerly awaiting the coinciding release of Ommegang’s Three-Eyed Raven! I know we are.

From Ommegang Brewery’s website:

“Three-Eyed Raven harbors a deep dark brown, almost jet-black color with a light tan head. Yeast forward aromas are packed with peppery phenolics and fruity esters. Despite what you might expect from a dark hued beer, the flavor brings to mind a traditional Saison; a light, malty body with a hint of sweetness, and roast accentuated by herbal and spicy hops, yet underpinned by pleasant yeastiness. Finish is crisp, with lingering notes of herbal hops and Belgian yeast.”

This Dark Saison Ale, which comes in a 750ml cork and wire bottle and weighs in at 7.2% ABV, will be here in plenty of time for your viewing party. But be sure to get some when it lands, as it is a limited release.

Any hop maniacs out there? Check this out: Sierra Nevada, always very near and dear to my heart, has recently released their Hop Hunter IPA. What makes this so special, you ask?

From Sierra Nevada’s website:

“Hop Hunter IPA harnesses the complex flavors of just-picked hops through an all-new method of steam distilling wet hops before they even leave the fields. This revolutionary technique captures and intensifies the natural flavors, creating a unique and intensely aromatic beer. Our custom process gathers pure hop oil which, when combined with traditional whole-cone hops in the brew kettle and in our Hop Torpedo, makes for an incredible IPA experience.”

Looking for something a bit lighter? New to our shelves is the Oskar Blues Pinner, a sessionable IPA, in 6 pack cans. Just in time for spring! Oh, glorious spring.

From the Oskar Blues’ website:

“How do you cram as much hop & malt flavor and aroma as possible into a beer but make it crushable too? That’s the challenge we answered with PINNER Throwback IPA. At 4.9% ABV and 35 IBUs, this drinkable IPA uses several varieties of hops to target the ever-evolving flavor. With tropical fruits, citrus juices, pineapple and spice berry up front in the aroma and flavor, the biscuit & toasted bread at the back balance out all the hops and make a great finish to go on to your next can of PINNER. It’s the perfect beer for a little sip, sip, give.”

Well, that’s all for now. Until next week, Qapla’! –jb.