Can you believe next month is our one year anniversary already?? This year has been absolutely fantastic and it has been incredible getting to know so many of you, our loyal customers. We’re celebrating by throwing a birthday blowout party and YOU’RE invited! We’ve partnered with Hops & Grain to throw an anniversary party and tickets are only $15! See details and buy tickets here. Check out the sweet anniversary glass you’ll get free with ticket purchase!
Have you seen or heard about the superb Untapped Festival happening here in Austin on Saturday 4/18? It’s a perfect marriage of craft beer and music, boasting a truly excellent music selection in addition, of course, to the crazy awesome slate of beers. The full list of beer has now been released… see here. Tickets are very reasonably priced & available here.
Sahara’s latest blog post & corresponding curated 6 pack features an insider look at what it takes to study for and pass the Certified Cicerone tasting exam. For those that don’t know, the Cicerone program is the beer equivalent of Sommelier, and the exam features a blind taste test in which the user tastes a beer and has to choose which of two styles it is. Read more here and purchase the blind 6 pack in store today!
Free In-Store Tastings 6-8pm
Thursday, April 9th
We’ll be breaking in new Ballast Point rep Nick Picciandra by tasting out the Sculpin, Grapefruit Sculpin, Longfin Lager and Even Keel Session IPA.
Tuesday, April 14th
Ranger Creek just released their 2015 version of the Strawberry Milk Stout so we’ll be sampling it out in addition to Red Headed Stranger Red IPA, Love Struck Hefe and Small Batch #10, a Belgian-style Tripel with cardamom.
Wednesday, April 15th
The man/the myth/the beard Myk O’Connor will be back at the tasting bar sampling out the latest from Founders Brewing including Black Rye IPA (which will be on sale for only $10 for a 4 pack!), Dirty Bastard, All Day IPA, Porter & Imperial Stout. We’ll also be doing a very special cellar release of Blushing Monk (a Belgian dark ale with raspberries) as well as 2015 KBS! Don’t miss it. We won’t be selling any Blushing Monk or KBS before the tasting starts at 6pm.
Thursday, April 16th
Seth Jones just joined the Utah Brewers cooperative representing Wasatch & Squatters breweries and will be at the tasting bar pouring free samples of a whole host of their beers. Getcha getcha some.
New Beers This Week
Back in stock: To Ol/Mikkeller Betelgueuze, Founders Porter, Stiegl Radler, Great Divide Orabelle Tripel.
Infamous Infamy Olde Ale – A very unique new release from Infamous based on President Thomas Jefferson’s “plug nickel pale ale” recipe from the late 1700s. Smoked oats from Schmidt Family BBQ (one of oldest BBQ families in the state), blueberry honey, and grits combine to make this a big, rich and luxurious ale. 9.5% ABV/Austin, TX/No ratings yet/Availability: plenty
Hops & Grain Greenhouse Batch #18* – The boys @ H&G clearly weren’t joking when they threatened to drop a new batch of Greenhouse every other week a few months ago. The bounty continues with New Zealand Wakatu, Amarillo & Meridian. 7.7% ABV/Austin, TX/*Arriving Friday
Independence RedBud Berliner Weisse – Welcome to your #SummertimeSlammer, one of Zach’s favorite phrases. A 4.5% slightly tart wheat beer in canned 6 packs, this will most likely be a staple of your cooler for pool parties this summer. 4.5% ABV/Austin, TX/No ratings yet/Availability: decent
Oasis Brewing Lake Monster Batch 2 – Oasis TX Brewing just released their second batch of the Lake Monster series, which will always be barrel aged beers of some sort in 4 pack cans. This version is a wee heavy (scotch ale) aged in red wine barrels. It’s quite limited so hurry down!
Lagunitas Undercover Shutdown – Lagunitas brewed this especially bitter ale in remembrance of the 2005 St Patrick’s Day Massacre and in commemoration of their 20-day suspension that followed. The California alcoholic beverage commission conducted an undercover investigation of their brewery, finding them guilty of operating a “Disorderly House.” 9.75% ABV/Petaluma, CA/Ratebeer 98/Availability: plenty
Calavera Mexican Imperial Stout – Calavera is a Mexican craft brewery from Mexico City and just started distributing to the Austin area. The brewmaster is originally from Belgium so tends to make styles with a Belgian pedigree but a Mexican slant. The first release is an imperial stout in 4 packs and singles that has 4 chilis (Ancho, Guahillo, Morita & Chipotle) throw in for a bit of spice. Think of it like Prairie Bomb’s little brother. 9% ABV/Mexico City, MX/Ratebeer 89/Availability: limited
Calavera American Pale Ale – A subtly hopped American-style pale ale using Chinook hops for bittering, and late additions of Centennial and Tomahawk with a smooth malty background. 6.5% ABV/Mexico City, MX/Beer Advocate 81/Availability: limited
Rahr & Sons Regulator Doppelbock – Rahr’s seasonal doppelbock release in bombers took home a bronze medal at GABF this past fall. Intensely malty, rich and roasty. 8.5% ABV/Fort Worth, TX/Beer Advocate 86/Availability: decent
Ranger Creek Strawberry Milk Stout – One of Ranger Creek’s most loved releases, the Strawberry Milk Stout uses 500 pounds of Poteet, Texas strawberries to create a delicious and completely unique beer. The result is a dark, rich, creamy stout with a slight roastiness and undertones of rich chocolate, complemented by fresh strawberry flavor and aroma. 5.6% ABV/San Antonio, TX/Beer Advocate 85/Availability: decent
Ommegang Three-Eyed Raven Dark Saison – The 5th in the Ommegang/Game of Thrones release series, Three-Eyed Raven is brewed with a carefully crafted mixture of specialty malts, including malted rye, midnight wheat (provides depth of color but not the roasty flavor of a dark beer), and dark candi sugar. It’s hopped with Hallertau Spalt Select, Tettnang, and Bravo hops, which give the beer a spicy, fruity character. A fair amount of late-addition hops are added for character. 7.2% ABV/Cooperstown, NY/No ratings yet/Availability: limited
Real Ale Kriek – The latest from the Brewers’ Cut series from Real Ale, the Kriek is a Belgian-style Brown Ale of subtle caramel and dark malt character aged with tart cherries from the Willamette Valley. Available in 4 packs and singles. 8% ABV/Blanco, TX/No ratings yet/Availability: decent
Sierra Nevada Harvest (Idaho 7 Hops) – For a brewery that has been around for nearly 30 years, Sierra continues to innovate and put out new & interesting beer styles. Their Hop Harvest series is 5 different IPAs released annually, and the first features Idaho 7 hops, a new hop varietal. Complex fruity aromas of orange and apricot mesh with hints of black tea-like character and a pleasant fresh herbal bouquet. 6.5% ABV/Chico, CA/Ratebeer 88/Availability: plenty
Weekend Tastings, 6-8pm
Friday
Calavera Mexican Imperial Stout
Sierra Nevada Single Hop Idaho 7 Hops
Infamous Infamy Olde Ale
Southern Tier Where the Helles Summer
Saturday
Calavera American Pale Ale
Ranger Creek Strawberry Milk Stout
Brooklyn Summer Ale
Odell Loose Leaf Session Ale