More Must Have New Releases

Here’s a look at some beers that have just been released that you might want to get your palate around:

Stone Double Bastard: We’ve said it before and we’ll say it again.  This monstrous beer is out now.  Released on election day, it’s a different kind of bastard.  Over 10% ABV and a deep malty underpinning supports and ginormous hops profile.  Released in 22-ounce bottles and 3-liter jeroboams, the Double Bastard is rearing its head today at Belmont Station in Portland, Oregon and By the Bottle in Vancouver, Washington.  Belmont Station is celebrating this release on election night from 6-8PM with a variety of other Stone treats as well, including Stone Pale, Stone IPA, Ruination IIPA, and the Stone Smoked Porter in bottles!  By the Bottle will be hosting a Double Bastard tasting on November 12th as well.  Gotta love it!

Anchor Our Special Ale: Better known to most as the “Christmas Ale” this heartily spiced, rich ale was released yesterday.  The secret recipe and chestnut body make this beer as magical as festivus was when you were young. Intended to be savored or cellared, the ale is a clear sign that the season of great festivity is upon us. One of the best features during the frosty months of late fall and winter, the Anchor Christmas ale, now in it’s 34th season has featured a different tree on its label each year.  The tree is an ancient symbol used to celebrate the winter solstice.  Click here to view all of the artful trees since 1975.

Moylans White Christmas:  Changing styles year to year, 2008’s White Christmas from NorCal’s Moylans Brewery is a crisp, spiced winter lager.  In the past the White Christmas was featured as a Belgian Wit, a Holiday Bock and a Double India Pale Ale.  Always, spicy, always delicious, the White Christmas comes to you from the folks who do a variety of styles ranging from the smooth and chocolaty Dry Irish Stout to bombastically hopped Hopsickle Triple IPA.  In the future, look for a Brewpublic visit to the brewery in Novato, CA where brewmaster Denise Jones makes some of the best beers in the country.

Hopworks Noggin Floggin’ Barley Wine:  We just had the opportunity to sample this again last night at H.U.B. and it just keeps tasting better each time.  A glowing amber body with a soft white head covers the fruitily hopped caramel maltilicious warmer with a perfectly balanced body.  Still, at 9.6% ABV, this is a beer to sip slowly and enjoy thoroughly.  As it warmed up in the glass, so did we.  Notes of cherries, oranges, and grapefruits meld with candy apples and toffee.  The result is a bolder interpretation of the already scrumptious Hopworks DOA strong ale with a boisterous hop character and a gleeful holiday attitude.  Available in limited quantities in bourbon casks and with the employment of dry hops, this work of art is a great reason so toast to the season.

Ice Harbor Sternwheeler Stout: Not as hefty on the alcohol as the aforementioned choices, the Sternwheeler is a big boatload of flavor paddling down your gullet.  From Kennewick, Washington and the finest brewery in the Tri-Cites comes this deep, dark English-inspired stout replete with Cascade, Centennial, and Willamette hops.  The finished product is the perfect dark chocolate pairing or even as the pool for a vanilla coconut ice cream float (in much the same way as Rogue’s Shakespeare Stout is). This bottled beaut is best observed under a blanket next to a special someone by candle light or in the throes of holiday gloom.  In other words, it deserves your attention as a multifunctional, robust character in the world of winter wonderment. Ice Harbor beers, though not yet available for distribution in Oregon or California can be found in Washington at places such as By the Bottle.  Tell ’em we sent ya, and don’t forget the dark chocolate.

This is a look at just a few of the beers we’ve been loving lately.  If you have any suggestions, please leave a comment or stay tuned for more.