A Preview of Lompoc's 2013 Holiday Beer Lineup

Recently the fine folks of Lompoc Brewing hosted a tasting preview of their soon-to-be-released Holiday Beer Lineup at their Side Bar establishment .  We were treated to nearly all of this years lineup including the ever-popular C-Sons Greetings Imperial IPA.  As always, the lineup this year does not disappoint as it features a great array of styles, from lager to barrel-aged barleywine.

An item of interest though is that instead of brewing 8 Malty Nights this year they opted for it’s usual alternate Holiday Cheer.  I’m OK with either but from what I hear there have been heated debates on which beer should be a regular in the lineup.  There was talk of the possibility we could see a barrel-aged version of each brew every other year, along with a regular version of it’s counter part.  I’m sure that scenario would keep everyone happy and the arguments to a minimum.  All in all it’s a fun lineup to taste your way through, and I believe there will be something for everyone during this holiday season.

They will all be available on draught at all the Lompoc pubs beginning December 3rd.  Bottles of Barrel Aged Old Tavern Rat will be available for purchase at the Sidebar beginning on the 3rd as well.  C-Sons Greetings, as in years past will be available at all the usual Lompoc’s retail spots.

Here’s a preview of Lompoc’s soon-to-be-released Holiday Beer Lineup:

LOMPOC BREWING

2013 HOLIDAY SEASONALS

Cherry Christmas 2013 | Specialty Blend

Fermented in a wine tote with 200 pounds of sour cherries.

 

Jolly Bock | Lager

Jolly Bock was brewed with a generous amount of Munich malt to develop the deep amber color and rich malt flavor. The malty flavor is balanced with a spicy hop bitterness. 7.3% ABV

 

Brewdolph | Belgian Style Red

Featuring a malty and creamy body, Brewdolph was brewed with the Belgian Ardennes yeast strain and boasts a mild fruitiness and a spicy clove character. 7.7% ABV

 

Holiday Cheer | Robust Vanilla Porter

Holiday Cheer combines big chocolate flavor and a full body with mellow vanilla notes, complements of whole vanilla beans in the conditioning tank. 6.8% ABV

 

 

C-Sons Greetings | Imperial IPA

Brewed and dry-hopped with all seven “C” hops, this Imperial IPA boasts a deep copper color with a piney, citrusy, floral and resinous aroma. Enjoy full hop flavor with a rich caramel malt finish and an endless developing hop presence. 8% ABV

 

Old Tavern Rat | Barleywine

Dark amber in color, Old Tavern Rat was aged for almost a year prior to its release. It has a strong bitterness that is balanced with the sweetness of caramel and toffee flavors. 9.4% ABV

 

Bourbon Barrel Aged Old Tavern Rat | Barleywine

Originally brewed in December 2011, this dark amber colored barleywine was aged in Heaven Hill Bourbon barrels for 22 months, then cellared for an additional two. It boasts a soft oak character with raisin and fig notes. 9.7% ABV

 

 

Revelry Red Ale | Specialty Blend made exclusively for the 2013 Holiday Ale Festival 

This custom blend takes our Big Bang Red aged in Big Bottom Whiskey barrels with 80 pounds of sour cherries for nine months, and blends it with Big Bang Red aged in Maryhill Winery Port barrels for 11 months. The resulting beer is crimson in color, malty in body with notes of cherry and oak, and finishes slightly tart. 8% ABV

 

Blitzen | Spiced Golden Ale

Bright gold in color, this ale is infused with coriander, dried apricots and Centennial hops and features an aroma of hops and apricots. The flavor mixes bready wheat malt character with underlying notes of spicy coriander. 4.6% ABV

 

Happy Holidays!