2beerguys beer blog

Beer Release info from Smuttynose and Portsmouth Brewery (NH)

News from Smuttynose and Portsmouth Brewery (NH)

New Beers (Smuttynose)

2010 Really Old Brown Dog, our newest release in the Big Beer Series, is making its way to all of distributors during the week of August 23. David Yarrington, our Director of Brewing Operations (DoBrO) says that this beer is right where he wants it to be. “The port-wood aging features prominently this year,” he says, “I can’t wait to see how this one ages.” This year’s release comes in at 10.9% ABV and will available wherever you find Big Beer Series releases. “ROBD” is packaged in 22-ounce bottles and 5.16-gallon and 15.5-gallon kegs. All packages are conditioned for maximum ageability.

Pumpkin Ale should be in stores as you are reading this. Don’t be alarmed if the packaging looks different; the new look six packs and bottles came from F.X. Matt Brewing, who contract-brewed all of this year’s Pumpkin Ale bottles for us. We can assure you that the beer is the same as you remember.

Vunderbahr Pilsner, the eleventh release in our Short Batch Series, has been kegged, and at press time, is waiting to be shipped to our wholesalers. Our final yield was 27 15.5 gallon kegs and 60 5.16 gallon kegs. The final allocations are still being determined. The 5.1%, low-bitterness, highly dry-hopped pilsner is unfiltered.

S’Muttonator Double Bock will be the September Big Beer release. In the mean time, the brewing team are beginning to plan out this year’s Winter Ale.

************************************************

Notes from the Mash Tun (Portsmouth Brewery)

It seems like every time we talk to Tod, the first thing he mentions is how crazy things are in the brewhouse downtown. Beers are just whizzing through the draft lines and the Three T’s (Tod, Tyler, and Tyson) are doing their best to keep up.

August 4th saw a surprise tapping of 5 gallons of Kate the Great. The beer was gone in about two hours. A notice went out on the Brewer’s Blog.

The wheat beers continue to roll on with a new addition to the repertoire. A non-smoked Dunkleweizen has been brewed in accordance with the traditional German methods. Another batch of the slightly-soured, salty, coriander-ey Gose is in the works and the Summer Rye will also be back.

Bottle Rocket IPA has been the hit of the summer and as such, its availability fluctuates, but don’t worry hopheads, there will always be something laden with the green goodness to wet your whistles.

Tod is also happy to report that 14 barrels of Oktoberfest are quietly lagering away in anticipation of a mid- to late September release.

**********************************************

Record Setting Week (Smuttynose)

We set a new shipping record during the week of July 31, shipping 16,710 case equivalents of beer. This measurement includes all packages from cases to kegs and casks. A big thank you to our head brewer, Greg Blanchard, who put in lots of extra effort to coordinate all the shipments.