Molly's Spirits and Crooked Stave Artisan Ales in Denver, Colorado have announced a collaboration beer called Strawberry Shortcake Pastry Sour. Full details on this delectable release are below.

DENVER – Originally slated for Denver’s famed Collaboration Fest, Molly’s Spirits and Crooked Stave Artisan Beer Project have released their 2020 collaboration beer, Molly’s Strawberry Shortcake Pastry Sour. The beer is available at Molly’s Spirits now for $16.99 for a six-pack. Crooked Stave released a limited amount of six-packs in its Denver taproom on Wednesday and will release a limited amount of six-packs at its Fort Collins taproom on Friday.

Molly’s Strawberry Shortcake Pastry Sour, pink in color, is a delightful and decadent sour that is bursting with sweet fruit notes. It is packed with fresh strawberry notes, vanilla and a tiny hint of coconut on the finish. The tartness is balanced with some lactose that makes the beer reminiscent of this popular summer dessert.

“We love collaborating with our Colorado craft breweries, and we have admired and respected Crooked Stave for years. Our goal was to create a beer that reminds the drinker of the classic strawberry shortcake, and we absolutely nailed it,” said Tony Doria, Molly’s Spirits beer manager. “It is like enjoying a strawberry shortcake on a perfect Colorado spring day.”

Flying Dog Brewery in Frederick, Maryland has announced the release of a new summer seasonal mixed-pack called SPF 1000 Summer Variety Pack. Full details are below.

Frederick, Md. – Flying Dog Brewery today announced the release of the company’s summer variety pack, SPF 1000. The SPF 1000 summer variety pack includes 12 oz. cans of Thunderpeel, Numero Uno and the brewery’s recent seasonal release, Pool Hopping.

“We’ve created a summer variety pack with a killer combination of crushable beers for your warm weather fun,” said James Maravetz, VP of Marketing at Flying Dog Brewery. “Refreshing, juicy, and crisp, these beers are the perfect companions for summertime adventures that require copious amounts of sunscreen.”

Crafted to be enjoyed on the sunny deck of your choosing, Pool Hopping (5.4% ABV) - a newly designated deck beer - is a stripped-down summer ale that offers a big juicy hop presence complimented by a moderate body and low bitterness.

Thunderpeel (6.2% ABV) is the brewery’s intensely-aromatic take on the New England IPA. Unfiltered and hazy, Thunderpeel offers low bitterness and high juiciness – the perfect IPA, even for people who don’t think they like IPAs.

StillFire Brewing in Suwanee, Georgia has announced the return of its popular Quarantine Survival Beer as well as a new brew called The Fresh Prince of Bel(gian)-Air. Full details are below.

BACK BY POPULAR DEMAND!
QUARANTINE SURVIVAL BEER
We will have another very limited batch of our Quarantine Survival Beer available SATURDAY starting at noon with a portion of proceeds from each beer going to pay local restaurants who are delivering meals to hospital workers through the nonprofit, The Meal Bridge. A limited quantity of 4-packs will be available for reserve online Friday at CraftCellr.com for Saturday pickup.

STAY FRESH WITH OUR NEWEST RELEASE!
The Fresh Prince of Bel(gian) Air is rumored to make you involuntarily start doing the Carlton dance at random times in random places with its fragrant pear, apple and white pepper nose that draws you in with the perfect balance of malt, fruit, alcohol and spice. We’ll be chillin’ out maxin’ real cool with this newest release starting FRIDAY!

Baxter Brewing Co. out of Lewiston, Maine has announced a new seasonal beer called Out of Range, which is brewed with blueberries. Full details are below.

We all love the allure of escape. Whether eluding our daily stressors, the responsibilities of adulthood or how to embark on the upkeep of our social lives, we all look to get away sometimes. Today, escape could not be more on the forefront of our collective minds. Here in Maine nature abounds, and gives us comprehension to the notion of wanderlust and being out of reach, a sense of escape just outside the front door.  

While escape is not quite as simple these days, we strive to give you a piece of what makes us love our home so much, a piece of what makes us distinctly Maine. From scenic beaches to quaint, old towns, the mountains and rivers that sculpt the land’s natural beauty, Maine is the perfect place to be out of range.  And thus we decided to create a brew that will help you find your quiet place to recess in comfort. 

Hollows & Fentimans of Hexham, England, United Kingdom has announced that its popular alcoholic ginger beer will now be available in the U.S. Full details from Artisanal Imports, its exclusive importer, are below.

North America – Artisanal Imports is excited to announce that Fentimans Botanically Brewed Drinks of Hexham, United Kingdom has brought its alcoholic beverage Hollows and Fentimans Ginger Beer back to the United States and is now available for purchase through Artisanal Imports.

Fentimans has been botanically brewing premium-quality adult beverages using the finest ingredients since 1905. All of its beverages, including soft drinks, mixers, tonics and standalone alcoholic beverages, are vegan-friendly, gluten-free with no preservatives and are made with the knowledge and expertise passed on from generation to generation in the Fentimans family. Fentimans’ premium products can be found in over 80 countries worldwide, a testament to the high level of quality its customers have come to appreciate and expect.

Baxter Brewing Co. in Lewiston, Maine has announced new beer delivery and monthly subscription offers. Full details from the brewery are below.

To make their beer even more accessible to fans across Maine, the Baxter team has added a delivery route from Augusta to York, Tuesdays through Fridays, in addition to their no-contact curbside pick up. The Lewiston brewery, which started in 2010, has also announced new monthly subscription beer packages. Fans can sign up for the Distinctly Baxter Subscription Box online and choose from a variety of packaged brews, including exclusive releases, year-round favorites, kegs, and crowlers. The Baxter team hopes these new measures will allow them to share their passion for craft brews and adventure with beer lovers everywhere, despite physical distancing. 

We spoke with Pontoon Brewing Owner Sean O'Keefe and Brewmaster Chris Baratz about Barrel Aged Brownie Batter Batch Blend #1.

BC: Who came up with this beer’s recipe? 
I (Sean) came up with the recipe and name for the beer. My love for rich and thick pastry stouts paved the way for this beer. Chris then took this recipe and fine-tuned it into the beer it is today. Both of us worked together closely in the barrel selection, blending ratios and all variant flavors as well. 

BC: What’s your favorite aspect of this beer (flavor, aroma, etc.)? 
The body, balance and the lack of adjuncts to make the flavor profile of brownie batter. The barrel then rounds out the edges with some micro-oxidation to create a very balanced and refined final product with good oak tannins and the spirit characteristics. Blending has become the essential part of this project. 

BC: Where does this beer’s name come from? 
It comes from the fact that it straight-up tastes like brownie batter. We get asked all the time what brownie batter, chocolate, or adjuncts we use in the beer and it’s awesome to say that it’s all the work from the malt, water, hops, yeast and barrel/spirit character.

BC: Is this your “desert island beer?” 
Maybe our “dessert” island beer! It’s definitely a sipper so it might work well for a desert island!