Let’s start off this week’s email with some killer news: ADVENT BOX PRE-SALES START THIS WEEK!!! We’re very excited to bring back this crowd favorite holiday program. And guess what? This year we’re making even more boxes available! With that in mind, we did sell out last year… so don’t end up with just coal in your stocking and buy one soon. Boxes will be available for pick up by Friday, November 19th.
If you’re looking to wet your whistle this week, you’d be hard pressed to find a better all rounder’ than the Hitmaker Kolsch. Super light and approachable, this is definitely one of my favorite brews & takes on the style in town. B-52’s Tubular makes its debut on the tap wall this week. Bright citrus notes are complimented with rich malt tones and a balanced hop profile… aka mega crushable. Since we’re only midway through October, we’ve gotta keep it going with another festbier. Thankfully the party keeps a’ rolling with Hi Sign’s take on Oktoberfest. Its a real treat to bring y’all these fun one-offs. So hurry up on down and grab ya’ a pint!
On the package side of things we’ve got many fresh drops to talk about. First off, honorable mention goes out to our friends at Red Horn brewing. This week marks their first batch of package beer in the market, and we have all three options in stock. Currently the hop harvest is happening and we’re excited to have two fresh hop brews from Austin Beerworks & 3 Nations. We’d also like to congratulate Hedgehog for starting to can their beers, of which we have Car Hop & Hop and a Skip. Don’t miss those new releases from Untitled Art, Jester King, Circle, and The Bruery too!
In the wine department we show no signs of slowing down. This week’s new gems are all about the transition into fall. Being that October is Texas Wine month, you can support this budding industry and your taste buds by taking home either of the new Lost Draw selections. The Sangiovese has lush inky blue fruit notes with a tea like herbaceousness to keep things balanced. Their Petit Meunier is hands down the best sparkling wine from Texas I’ve ever had. Cochennet Gamay, Find Your Happy Place, and Open Face’s Maharaja are three reds done in a style i’m completely in love with- fresh, fruity, vibrant and oh so fun. You’ll definitely want some of these on hand for Thanksgiving. Wanting something bigger and bolder? Vinca Minor red blend is old vine (75+ year) Zinfandel & Carignan from Mendocino. Its an elegant take on everything we love about big California reds.
Are you looking for some extra coin in your pocket or spending more time with Austin’s best beer selection? Well you’re in luck! We are currently in search of part time help in the evenings and on the weekends. If you’re interested feel free to stop in the store for a chat or email me, justin@whichcraft.com.
New month, new brewery. Folks, we’re stoked to have our friends at Willard’s Brewing in Pflugerville as our brewery of the month. For JUST $8.99 a six pack we have their Fistful of Fury Hazy IPA, Forbidden Helles Lager, and Oktoberfest. They’ll also be in on the 22nd for a pint night. Don’t miss it!
Later, y’all.
New & Returning Beers & Seltzers This Week
Back in Stock – Blue Owl Bob’s Fine Pilsner, Brazos Valley Headed Out West, Westmalle Tripel, Real Ale Blakkr, Jolly Pumpkin Bam Biere, Symbol Lammas Red Hazy IPA.
Red Horn Wonder Boy – It’s wondrous, the delicate and delicious balance of spicy and fruity esters in Wonder Boy Hefeweizen. This smooth, rich yet refreshing ale is our Texas twist on a favorite style. Soft white wheat, bready Vienna malt, and crisp Pilsner malt build the backbone, but our unique German yeast does the heavy lifting. Prosit! 5.4%ABV
Red Horn Hap Slappy – Nearly every craft beer fan that we speak to says they judge a brewery by its IPA. Well, we don’t see why we should be held to any lesser of a standard! Order up a HapSlappy and you won’t be let down. Brewed dry, HapSlappy has a crisp malty finish and balanced by an extremely palatable 75 IBUs from a burst of late kettle hops. Utilizing the unique characteristics of northwest American hops, HapSlappy achieves a citrusy, piney, and earthy balance. We finish this beer with whole leaf hops after the boil in a pressurized hop back system to give HapSlappy IPA a nose and flavor unlike the rest. 7%ABV
Red Horn Trail Runner – Trail Runner Golden Ale is our easy drinker! A perfect sipper to refresh after a run around Brushy Creek, a bike ride down Parmer Lane, a morning full of yard work, or a long day at the office. This crisp session ale is brewed to be subtly complex and incredibly approachable. We use a blend of German Pilsner and American Two Row Barley with a dash of light crystal malt to give TrailRunner a crisp yet malty finish. A dash of zesty and citrusy American finishing hops round out the palate. 5%ABV
Tupps Full Grown Jack – With the addition of pumpkin spices, this huge, full-flavored imperial stout just grew a little bigger. Crack it open before he takes your head. 12.1%ABV
21st Amendment Hell or High Mango – As the days get shorter, Lady Liberty glows at our sunset gate with her welcoming arms. A light and refreshing straw-colored beer, fruity and sweet, brewed with real mango’s, brimming with tropical floral notes. You’ll feel transported to an oasis during the orange and red leaves of fall. 4.9%ABV
Brooklyn Black Chocolate Stout – Originally our Brewmaster Garrett Oliver’s resume beer, Black Chocolate Stout is now a wintertime favorite among beer fans worldwide. Rich roasted malts come together to create an unmistakable dark chocolate flavor perfect for special occasions and late nights by the fire
Flying Embers Bubbly Brut – Introducing Kombucha Bubbly, fermented with real botanicals and champagne yeast then aged to perfection in Chardonnay wine barrels. This elegant alchemy results in a silky, sophisticated and beautifully balanced libation. 6.9% ABV
Owl’s Brew Boozy Tea Spiced Chai & Cranberry – A style perfect for the season. This limited edition Boozy Tea is made from fresh-brewed organic chai spices (cinnamon, ginger, cloves and cardamom) with a splash of apple and cranberry. 4.8% ABV
Odell Positive Latitude – Change your state of mind and come with us on a journey to a Positive Latitude. Loaded with passion fruit and juicy hops that amplify the tropical notes, this Imperial IPA will whisk you away on your next adventure. 8% ABV
Blue Owl Spiced Apple Fizz Seltzer – Brewed with apple, cinnamon, ginger, clove, and allspice, Spiced Apple Fizz has all your favorite fall flavors but with a light, and bright bubble that will have you fall-ing in love with seltzers all over again. 5% ABV
The Bruery Boysenberry Frucht – The latest fruit treatment in our Frucht series bursts forward with clusters of juicy boysenberries. This American Wild ale earns its notes of funkiness and natural wood character from resting in oak foeders. A balance of berry tartness and subtle floral-like sweetness round out this prost-worthy beer. 5% ABV
The Bruery Offshoot Pathways – The path to innovation is best travelled with friends— which is why we partnered with our friends at Yakima Chief Hops in Washington to use their experimental Cryo Pop hops (TRI-2304CR). Working closely with their R&D team, we developed this trailblazing Hazy IPA bursting with aromas of peach skin, creamy citrus, ripe pineapple, and fresh coconut that pours a perfectly hazy orange. The flavors follow suit with a hops-and-yeast based tropical medley of piña colada, orange peel, tangerine, grapefruit, and just a hint of freshly-cut grass. Enjoy the path less taken. 7% ABV
Dutchess Vale Pale Ale – Vale Pale Ale is a Fall seasonal Pale Ale with a rich golden hue and a spectrum of lush hop and malt expressions. Brewed with a base of Marris Otter and Pilsner Malt and notable accents of Munich, Spelt, Wheat and Oats and generously hopped with Azacca, Ekuanot, and Galaxy – Complex layers of the whole fruit basket emerge from juicy Peach, Guava and Mango to ethereal Papaya and Passionfruit on the finish. Married with clean woodsy notes of evergreens and a crisp backbone of bitterness, Vale is a complex yet effortlessly balanced and joyful Ale to celebrate the changing of seasons. 5% ABV
Equal Parts Gorlami Italian Pils – Gorlami is an Italian style pilsner brewed with German Pilsner malt, German Hops, German yeast, American water, and then dry hopped with more German Hops. Somehow dry hopping it makes it Italian style. We don’t know, we are just gonna go with it. Anyway, if you’re stuck somewhere and they’re only speaking in Italian, just say “Gorlami” and they’ll know instantly that you want a great pilsner. 5.1% ABV
Jester King Biere de Coupage – When it comes to our palates, they really love the meld of fresh, spicy, peppery, earthy, bitter farm beer with mellow funk and balanced acidity. Bière de Coupage is very much a best of both worlds beer for us, and one that we always look forward to releasing. 5.6% ABV
Jester King Oregon Hophouse – They’re excited for you to try this traditional farm beer brewed with well water, local grain, and native yeast, which highlights the terroir of The Oregon Hophouse! Hop terroir beer is a growing industry trend we’re happy to support. Special thanks to Patrick Leavy of The Oregon Hophouse to his multi-decade commitment to agriculture, quality, and organic growing. 6.9% ABV
Maine Beer Co Mo – A pale ale with a flavor profile of tangerine, apricot and orange with notes of passionfruit, pine and malt sweetness. 6%ABV
Untitled Art S’more Stout – Imperial Stout with Blackberry and Blueberry Puree, Cacao Nibs, Maple Syrup and Milk Sugar. 9% ABV
Untitled Art Mango Strawberry Lemonade Seltzer – This cider uses a blend of bittersweet apples and real cranberry juice for a tart yet light and refreshing beverage. Enjoy on its
Untitled Art Pineapple Papaya Lime Sour – Berliner Weiss Style Ale with Pineapple Puree, Red Papaya and Lime Juice. 6% ABV
Untitled Art Tropical Smoothie Seltzer – Hard Seltzer with Vanilla, Passionfruit, Peach & Pineapple fruit added. Collab w/Omnipollo 5%ABV
Untitled Art Juicy IPA – Rotating Hop juicy IPA. Version 11. 7% ABV
903 Home School Stout – Homeschool is an imperial stout boosted by additions of vanilla and coconut (a real teacher’s pet if you ask us). An inviting aroma emanating from this beer’s dark brown depths will lead you into its pool of bittersweet roasted malts, creamy coconut and sweet vanilla. 10.5% ABV
3 Nations Supa Fresh IPA – Fresh Strata hop IPA with a flavor profile of pineapple citrus and stone fruit on dark notes. 6.5% ABV
Martin House Twang A Rang – Mango Chile Sour 6.5%ABV
Modern Times Laser Rain – This cider uses a blend of bittersweet apples and real cranberry juice for a tart yet light and refreshing beverage. Enjoy on its
New Wines This Week
(On-Premise Consumption or Off-Premise To Go)
Lost Draw 2019 Sangiovese – Sangiovese is a relative newcomer to the Texas viticulture scene, however, the national grape of Italy and the heart and soul of Chianti has been producing world class wine from deep in the heart of Texas. Ruby red with bright cherry aromas that complement undertones of leather and anise. On the palate, this wine is dry and mellow with smooth tannins that make for a crowd pleasing, food friendly wine. 13.5% ABV
Lost Draw Pinot Meunier 2020 – This fun, Bubble Yum colored, fizzy wine is bursting with roses and raspberries. One hundred percent Pinot Meunier (the other grape Champagne can be made of) makes a delightful sparkler with bright acidity and fresh flavors. 11.2% ABV
M.F. W. Cochonnet Gamay 2019 – Inspired by the delicious, quaffable wines drank while playing pétanque with friends on sunny afternoons in France, we are excited to introduce Cochonnet! Sourced from growers we have worked with for years, Cochonnet is made with all organic or biodynamic grapes, fermented with native yeasts, and bottled in a 1L with a screw cap for a great price so you can drink it all day long.
Cochonnet Gamay is sourced from younger vine Gamay on granitic sand soils. The grapes are all harvested is by hand, only indigenous yeasts are used, and the wine undergoes a classic, partial whole-cluster fermentation with levage in cement for 8 months, yielding a bright, peppery rendition of Gamay perfect with a chill. The wine is very aromatic, displaying lively notes of red fruits, white pepper, with a juicy mouthfeel with plenty of zest and energy. 13% ABV
(l)Equinox Winery Find Your Happy Place Red 2020 – Find Your Happy Place is the story of a spaceman that has travel the universe to find his happy place! This beaujolais style wine is made from Pinotage as a base varietal blended with Carignan & Grenache Noir. This is the second in the pool series, meaning it is very fun with light extractions of color and an easy fresh fruit flavor; whole bunches, partial carbonic maceration. A fresh and fun red wine for a transition into fall. 11.5% ABV
Open Face Wines Skin Contact White 2020 – Varietals: 40% Chardonnay, 40% Semillon, 20% Albriño. Co-Fermented. This delicate white wine has bright acid and fun lemon notes. 11.2% ABV
Open Face Wines Maherajah Red Blend 2020 – Equal blend between whole cluster Zinfandel & Gamay with extended maceration. Native yeast fermentation; 6 months neutral oak, unfined; 35 yr old Zin is dry farmed organically with no till from red rocky slopes of the top of Mt. Konockti in Lake County, CA. 20 yr old Gamay comes from Rebecca’s organic, dry farmed, no-till vineyard with steep slopes in Umpqua Valley south of Willamette.
Vinca Minor Mendocino Red Blend 2019 – Redwood Valley, Mendocino. Their point of view of Mendocino’s incredible viticulture history. Zinfandel and Carignan. Sourced from 75 year + vineyards and fermented with a small percentage of whole cluster. This wine was allowed to age in older french oak for sixteen months. 13.5 abv // 750 cases produced
New Draft Beers This Week
(On-Premise Consumption or Off-Premise Crowlers)
Hitmaker Kolsch – Light, crisp, refreshing, with subtle hop characters. 5%ABV
Hi Sign Festbier – Hi-Sign’s take on the October classic. 5.4%ABV
Texas Keeper August Cerise– Dry, heirloom apple cider. Double fermented w/ sour cherries. 8.4%ABV
B-52 Tubular– Our Classic West Coast Style IPA that’s dry-hopped with boatloads of Chinook and Southern Cross hops which provide zesty citrus, herbal pine, and peppery characteristics with a crisp bitter finish.6.5%ABV
Parking at WhichCraft Mueller? The garage behind us on McBee is free to use.
