There are no limits or rules to our brews as long as a tasty beer is placed in our hands. Here are some of the latest releases and news from the world of beer.
There are a few places you’d never expect to throw back a cold one and church is definitely at the top of the list. That’s about to change. To attract a younger crowd, a few churches across the country have started serving beer and even holding services at local pubs. At Calvary Lutheran Church in Fort Worth, Texas they’ve adopted the new saloon service strategy, calling it Church-in-a-Pub. Phil Heinze a pastor at the church says, “I’m interested in having people have significant relationships around Jesus. And if it turns out to be craft beer, fine.” We like the way you think Phil.
Chocolate and beer. It’s any sane person’s dream. Terrapin Beer Co. is making your dreams come true this season. Their latest release, White Chocolate Moo-Hoo, is a combination of real white chocolate and Terrapin’s original Moo-Hoo Chocolate Milk Stout. It’s like an adult version of your favorite afterschool drink. Each bottle of the 6% ABV beer has been hand dipped in wax to create a unique look. Look for it to appear in stores next week.
Full Tilt Brewing is channeling their inner chocolate lover as well, but this one comes with a cookie. They’re launching their Berger Cookie Chocolate Stout today at The Admiral’s Cup in Baltimore. The beer is inspired by Baltimore’s famous dessert, the Berger Cookie, which the city has been baking since 1835. The stout is rich and creamy with a strong cookie smell you can’t resist. Cookies and beer? We’re into it.
Starting in September, pumpkin beer dominates the fall beer selection. We’re not complaining, however, a little diversity is always welcome with our cold weather drinks. Harvester Brewing has made a play to stand out in the crowd with their new veggie inspired Squash Ale. Made from an Oregon squash harvest that was sliced, diced, and slow roasted for five days, the beer is also lightly spiced with cinnamon and nutmeg. Bottles of the new brew will be available starting next week in Oregon and Washington, the rest of us are out of luck.
They’re known for keeping us toasty warm during the winter and now Patagonia is taking on a new challenge: brewing beer. Partnering with New Belgium Brewing, the clothing brand will be releasing a special edition brew called California Route. The beer is being brewed in honor of the company’s 40th anniversary, and is named after the route taken by the first climbers of Mount Fitz Roy in 1968. Patagonia founder Yvon Chouinard was one of those climbers and the mountain is the inspiration for the company’s logo. The beer is malty made with earthy hops and other organic ingredients. Now if we could only get a free six-pack with every Patagonia purchase, we’d be really happy.
One of the biggest challenges of home brewing is the amount of time it can take. What if you could brew whatever kind of beer you’re craving in an hour? Taking a page from the George Forman grill, set up the PicoBrew and forget it (or stare at it every five minutes until your beer is ready). With the world’s first fully automatic all grain brewing system, we essentially have an espresso maker for beer. And it’s not just for homebrewers. Breweries looking to test out a new beer idea without using their huge equipment can also use the PicoBrew. This can only lead to more amazing beer for us and we’re pumped. After finishing off a very successful Kickstarter campaign, the PicoBrew is available for pre-order for the start of 2014 The price tag ($1799) sounds steep, until we consider the amount we are already spending on beer somebody else made. Count us in on the PicoBrew.