New Beer Friday - September 14 Edition

By Chris Siciliano

We're less than halfway through September and of course that means that nearly all the Oktoberfest beers have already been released. For a detailed explanation on how that can be, check out this Hey Kevin, an oft overlooked one-time Buzz feature which has since run its course. Why? Well, truth be told, the man behind Hey Kevin is wanted by the law and has since split town, current whereabouts unknown. No worries, though. Wherever Kevin goes, New Beer Friday is never far behind.

New (and Returning) Beers

• Frakenmuth Oktoberfest, $1.69/12oz - "A super-premium lager with a reddish color, a toasty malt character and dry taste of hops. The beer made famous by the Munich Oktoberfest" (source).
• New Holland Dragon's Milk, $100.00/3-liter bottle - "The beer you hold in your hand, Dragon’s Milk Ale, is a crown jewel of New Holland Brewing Company. It is the unrivaled result of painstaking processes – both creative and scientific. We could tell you about the centuries-old tradition of the term, Dragon’s Milk, or we could tell you about the history, craftsmanship and challenges of what’s important, the beer inside this bottle. Roasty malt character intermingled with deep vanilla tones, all dancing in an oak bath. Pairings: red meat, smoked foods, balsamic, rich cheese & dark chocolate" (source).
• Southern Tier Pumking, $7.89/22oz - "Pumking is an ode to Púca, a creature of Celtic folklore, who is both feared and respected by those who believe in it. Púca is said to waylay travelers throughout the night, tossing them on its back, and providing them the ride of their lives, from which they return forever changed. Brewed in the spirit of All Hallows Eve, a time of the year when spirits can make contact with the physical world and when magic is most potent. Pour Pumking into a goblet and allow it’s alluring spirit to overflow. As spicy aromas present themselves, let it’s deep copper color entrance you as your journey into this mystical brew has just begun. As the first drops touch your tongue a magical spell will bewitch your taste buds making it difficult to escape the Pumking" (source).
• Left Hand Oktoberfest, $1.99/12oz - "Biscuity, malty goodness dominates upfront while the noble pedigree hops lend a properly spicy, dry finish. Zicke zacke, zicke zacke, hoi, hoi, hoi. Time to roast your chicken and upend your stein before the air gets crisp, the leaves flame and fall and the skies fade to black" (source).
• Henry Weinhards Redwood Flats Amber, $1.29/12oz - "Amber Ales are mostly an American invention. And with its beautiful copper color and subtle hop aroma, our Redwood Flats Amber is our traditional take on a modern American classic. Featuring a unique blend of American hops and malts, Redwood Flats Amber is bold and assertive, with a strongly hoppy flavor that’s easy to drink and even easier to love" (source).
• Henry Weinhards Woodland IPA, $1.29/12oz - "Originally developed for British sailors stationed in India, IPAs were aggressively hopped to help prevent spoilage on long ocean voyages. Now that spoilage isn’t as big a problem, we’ve eased up on the hoppiness just a hair to let the caramel malts shine through. It’s a big beer with big flavor that really lets you appreciate hops in all their glory" (source).
• Sierra Nevada Tumbler, $1.59/12oz - "As the nights grow cool, the leaves on the valley oaks begin to turn and fall. In honor of this yearly dance, we bring you Tumbler Autumn Brown Ale and invite you to enjoy the show. We use malt within days of roasting at the peak of its flavor to give Tumbler a gracefully smooth malt character. So pour a glass, and grab a window seat to watch as the leaves come tumbling down" (source)..
• Stone 16th Anniversary IPA, $7.59/22oz - "We've been loving creating Collaboration beers with great creative brewers from all over the world these last several years-unique beers that would never have existed without the free-flowing imagination and idea generation of the collaborative process. However, when it comes to the Stone Anniversary Ales, it's all us. Yet, it is indeed still a collaboration with great creative brewers (if we do say so ourselves). We're talking about our own brewing team, of course. And while some of our beers, anniversary and otherwise, have been designed by a single person, the Stone 16th Anniversary IPA was definitely a team effort. This year our brewing team was inspired by some exotic-ish additions of the lemony persuasion. Yes, it's a Double IPA (can you really say you're surprised?), but as we strive to do with all our Stone Anniversary Ales of the let's-take-this-IPA-in-a-new-direction variety, we've brewed up a Stone-worthy divergence from tradition. The amount of rye malt we used isn't quite enough to warrant the appellation "Rye IPA," but it still adds hints of spiciness that contrast deliciously with the tropical fruit flavors and aromas of the Amarillo and Calypso hops. Add a few European specialty malts, some lemon verbena, and three more hop varieties to the mix, and you have a highly complex brew melding both bitter and fruity hop notes with rich toasted malt character punctuated by nuances of spicy rye and subtle lemon" (source).
• Weihenstephaner Oktoberfest, $1.69/12oz - "A full rich bodied, hoppy, seasonal lager. Especially brewed for the Festbier season. This beer truly represents the Bavarian way of celebrating. Deep gold color, great mouthfeel and lots of flavor. Prost!" (source).
• Blue Point Oktoberfest, $1.69/12oz - "Blue Point Octoberfest is another palate-pleasing seasonal brew. Originally brewed in 1810 to celebrate the betrothal of the Crown Prince of Bavaria, Blue Point continues the celebration by traditionally brewing this special malty amber lager every October. Octoberfest lager is stored cold for 2 months to ensure its distinct smooth flavor. Tap a pint and celebrate the season!" (source).
• Blue Point Pumpkin Ale, $1.69/12oz - "According to Linus there are 3 things never to discuss with people: religion, politics, and the Great Pumpkin. Our Pumpkin Ale, on the other hand, has made quite a buzz from New Hampshire down to Florida. Every season has its pleasures. Harvest your own with our Pumpkin Ale and reap all that Autumn has to offer. Brewed with pumpkins from only the most sincere patches, this seasonal brew is golden orange, crisp and delicious, with an innocent hint of cinnamon and nutmeg that articulates our favorite season. Gather with friends and family and enjoy the change of seasons while savoring a pint of Pumpkin Ale. Just like the leaves, it’s gone after Thanksgiving" (source).
• Short's Autumn Ale, $1.99/12oz - "Autumn Ale is a London Extra Special Bitter (ESB) that is true to style. It has a medium body, amber color, and full flavor. This beer exhibits a balance of initial, malty sweetness with subtle, lingering, floral hop bitterness, resulting in an ideal bridge between malty and hoppy beer styles. Although it is named Autumn Ale and seems perfect as a fall beer, we have always featured it year round on tap at our pub. It was the first Short’s beer to receive a medal at the Great American Beer Festival, earning a silver medal in 2006. For the past three years, we’ve released it in bottles as a fall seasonal" (source).

Picture of the Week

Hanging from a cabby's rear-view mirror,

New York City, 9/12/12.
(Is that you, Kevin?)

Cheers!