Topics on Twin Cities beer, the 2022 CBC and World Beer Cup

The 2022 Craft Brewers Conference took place at the Minneapolis Convention Center (© Brian Brown/Beer in Big D).

Things I knew about Minnesota before visiting the state last week for the 2022 Craft Brewer's Conference (CBC), presented by the Brewers Association, were more or less limited to sports-related items - the Twins, the Vikings, the Wild, and the fact that the Dallas Stars were borne of the Minnesota North Stars.

Vikings were probably most prevalent in my mind, and while there are noticeable elements of Nordic culture - Scandinavian gift shops, the American Swedish Institute, a Leif Erikson statue on the grounds of the State Capitol, the people of Poland and Ukraine are likewise well-represented.

I also learned Minnesota is the home of the Jolly Green Giant and the founder of the Mayo Clinic. In fact, a house that served as W. W. Mayo's first medical practice was also once the home of the Cosgrove family who started the Green Giant Company.

Oh, and if you're into cartography, Interstate 35 (I-35) splits into east and west branches through the Twin Cities of St. Paul and Minneapolis, just like it does here at home for Dallas and Fort Worth.

As for all things beer in Minnesota, what I discovered was an active and vibrant scene. Most beer drinkers have heard of the Summit and Surly brewing companies, but beyond those, Minnesota may be a bit of a mystery - or, at least it was to me. One very pleasant surprise, though, is how you can explore both past and present elements of Minnesota's beer industry.

Highlights of my beer explorations in Minnesota are included below, as is a summary of topics discussed during keynote speeches at this year's CBC and the event's annual State of the Industry address. A quick recap of 2022 World Beer Cup results is provided as well.

Cheers!

State of the Industry

The message conveyed during the annual State of the Industry address given by Bart Watson, chief economist of the Brewers Association, was one of challenges ahead for America's craft brewers.

Craft beer is rebounding as it recovers from struggles caused by the COVID-19 pandemic, yet while overall volume production is bouncing back, only about half of breweries in the U.S. have regained or improved upon 2019 production levels. What this means is, many breweries have now gone a number of years without experiencing any sort of business growth.

Even so, the number of breweries in America continues to increase, though it's notable that the growth curve is now leveling off - only 646 openings were recorded in 2021, continuing a downward trend in new brewery debuts that began around the beginning of 2018.

Data courtesy of the Brewers Association.

The rate of closures continues to remain low - only 186 in 2021, but the expectation is numbers will rise going forward. One reason cited was the end of pandemic-driven government support for small businesses. With the possibility of deferred bills coming due, the question becomes whether breweries on life support will be able to stand on their own.

Moreover, a difficult economic environment will impact operations for many, with supply chain issues resulting in rising costs, which will lead to pricing dilemmas as breweries make decisions as to how much of these increases will have to be passed on to their customers.

There's also the specter of increased competition, though it's not just other beer makers brewery owners have to worry about. Other types of alcoholic beverages are gaining market share and fighting for the same retail space and distribution channels as they vie for consumer dollars.

With that in mind, innovation is a key going forward for breweries hoping to weather the storm. Ideas and approaches spurring past growth will likely need to be refreshed and/or re-invented in order to get things moving forward again.

Watson further called upon attendees to remember that innovation begins with the customer. Brewers must be responsive to the demands of current customers, while also seeking out new ones who many have different preferences with regards to craft beer, and craft beverages in general.

Strong branding and creativity will matter greatly as well, points touched on by other featured speakers at the event. Natalie Cilurzo, co-founder of Russian River Brewing Co. of California, spoke at length about how breweries should have a clear and defined sense of purpose. Further reinforcing this with the right product choices and community involvement helps both customers (brand loyalty) and staff (employee retention) connect to your brewery.

On creativity, Timothy Wu, special assistant to President Biden for technology and competition policy, called the craft beer industry a model for the type of economy the administration wants to promote. Individualism, local identity, and diversity of choice being preferred over the watered-down nature of a consolidated industry and the anti-competitive practices that result. Wu also suggested breweries producing little beyond "trivial variations" weren't on the same page as others when it comes to true creativity and innovation.

Despite these issues, Watson believes craft beer can and will continue to thrive. Breweries have more than proven their resilience over the last two years, and he expects them to rise to the challenges in front of them as the industry soldiers on.

Three local breweries earn World Beer Cup honors

Held for the first time since 2018, this year's edition of the World Beer Cup (WBC) attracted 10,542 entries submitted by 2,493 breweries from around the world (with 57 different countries represented). A total of 307 medals were awarded by judges across 103 style categories. As for the most-entered categories, there was a flip-flop at the top compared to 2018, as "American-Style India Pale Ale," with 384 entries, jumped ahead of "Juicy or Hazy India Pale Ale," with 343.

Among honorees from North Texas, 3 Nations Brewing Co. of Carrollton won its first ever WBC award, while Community Beer Co. of Dallas landed its second, and Rahr & Sons Brewing Co. of Fort Worth its third (click here for a full competition summary).

• 3 Nations Brewing Co., Carrollton: Silver for Devour - Mexican Chocolate in the Chocolate Beer category.
• Community Beer Co., Dallas: Bronze for Bock in the American-Style Amber Lager category.
• Rahr & Sons Brewing Co., Fort Worth: Silver for Hazy Hefe in the South German-Style Hefeweizen category.

Founder Gavin Secchi of 3 Nations Brewing Co. accepts an award for the
brewery's Mexican Chocolate Devour Imperial Stout (© Brewers Association).

Minnesota breweries - yesterday and today

• Of the more than a dozen breweries I visited in Minnesota, three were among the top five producers in the state, though nary a one currently ships their beers to Texas. These included August Schell Brewing Co. of New Ulm, along with Surly Brewing Co. and Fulton Brewery of Minneapolis. Another destination, Fair Sate Brewing Cooperative of Minneapolis, has been available locally since 2020.
  
  Fulton and Surly were two of the more lively locales I checked out, as was Modist Brewing Co., which exists along with Fulton, Inbound Brew Co., and StormKing Brewpub + Barbecue in the North Loop neighborhood of Minneapolis.
  
  StormKing, incidentally, was one of three Twin Cities-area dining establishments purporting to be a purveyor of "Texas BBQ," the others being Animales Barbeque Co. of Minneapolis and Firebox Deli of St. Paul. And while each had some enjoyable offerings, I think it's safe to say nothing quite compares to the source.
  
  Among favorite stops, Surly was at the top of the list, as was a little joint called Yoerg Brewing Co. in St. Paul. This spot resurrects the name and flagship recipe of Minnesota's first commercial brewery, which got its start in 1848. Yoerg's Beer, a steam beer akin to Anchor Steam, is produced just as it was over 150 years ago. The beer also pairs well with The Yoerg Sandwich, a sausage and Swiss selection on rye bread that's been called "The Greatest Blue Collar Sandwich in Town."
  
  

  

  Left-to-right: Surly Brewing Co., Yoerg Brewing Co., Fair State Brewing Cooperative (Photos © Brian Brown/Beer in Big D).

• Speaking of bygone beer days, one thing sorely lacking here at home is the presence of preserved historical brewing structures, something Minnesota has in relative abundance. During my trip north, I discovered seven pre-Prohibition era brewing companies whose buildings have been restored for modern use. One is, of course, the aforementioned August Schell brewery, which dates back to 1860 and is still in operation. Others, with links to their histories, are listed below:
  
  Grain Belt Brewery, Minneapolis - c1891, now home to RSP Architects. 
  Hamm's Brewery, St. Paul - c1865, now home to Saint Paul Brewing and 11 Wells Spirits.
  John Hauenstein Brewery, New Ulm - c1864, now private property/residences.
  Jacob Schmidt Brewing Co., St. Paul - c1855, now home to Schmidt Artist Lofts.
  Jordan Brewery, Jordan - c1861, now home to small, local businesses.
  Joseph Wolf Brewing Co., Stillwater - c1868, now home to Lora Hotel.
  
  

Left-to-right: Jacob Schmidt Brewing Co., Hamm's Brewery/Saint Paul Brewing, Grain Belt Brewery (Photos © Brian Brown/Beer in Big D).

Community premieres sizable new space in Pegasus Park

Public areas at Community include two large taprooms and a spacious
open-air biergarten. All images © Brian Brown/Beer in Big D.

It's a big year ahead for Community Beer Co., as the brewery begins its tenth year of operation in Dallas. And, what better way to kick things off than to open the doors to a new building that anchors what's destined to become a local craft beer showplace.

Community debuted its brand in January 2013, after leasing a 21,600 square foot space on Inspiration Dr. in the Design District. Eight years later, the company announced plans for a big move, with the destination being a 70,000 square foot multi-use facility at 3110 Commonwealth Dr. in Pegasus Park.

"Big," if you haven't caught on by now, is the operative word here. Everything about Community's new home represents a massive upgrade compared to where the company did business before. Downstairs taproom...big. Upstairs taproom...big. Outdoor biergarten...big. Production area...really big. I haven't seen the barrel room/event space, but we'll just assume it's plenty big as well.

In other words, if you're in search of a spot for a large-scale craft beer gathering, Community's got ya covered.

Community standards like Mosaic IPA, Texas Lager and the new Texas-Style Bock
are available on tap or to-go, with cans and crowlers being take-home options.

On top of what there is to see now, there's still more to come. It's all about the beer at present, as patrons can enjoy a pint on the patio or in one of the two taprooms (each of which provides expansive views of the brewhouse). But eventually, further site amenities will include a live music venture outdoors, as well as a full-service restaurant called the Community Kitchen indoors.

Oh, and there's also the promise of wine and distilled spirits one day being created in house as well. In the meantime, though, beverage options consist of more than 15 beers on tap, along with pours of the brewery's Brite Side hard seltzer.

As for an official unveiling, the brewery's Grand Opening Bierfest is set for Saturday, March 5. The festivities will feature live music, food from Chef Kent Rathbun and the release of two commemorative beers. Tickets are on sale now at a cost of $15pp, or $30pp for premier privileges (click here to purchase).

If you can't wait to check things out, know that Community is now open six days a week, with service hours Tuesday through Sunday. Visit the brewery's website at communitybeer.com for more details.

Area brewers recognized at 2018 Los Angeles International Beer Competition

Image credit: Fairplex.

Following an event held the weekend of April 21-22, four local breweries have been recognized for their work at the 2018 Los Angeles International Beer Competition.

The event, which celebrated its 18th year, accepted entries from around the world. Judges were tasked with the evaluation of beers in 95 different categories based on the 2017 Brewers Association Style Guidelines. Honors for North Texas brewers are summarized below, with a complete list of winners to be found by clicking here.

Community Beer Company

• Silver for Citra Slice in the Session India Pale Ale category.
• Silver for Köbesse Kölsch in the German-Style Kölsch category.

Martin House Brewing Co.

• Honorable Mention for True Love in the American-Style Sour Ale category.

Peticolas Brewing Co.

• Bronze for Irish Goodbye in the Irish-Style Red Ale category.
• Bronze for It's Always Something in the Belgian-Style Strong Specialty Ale category.

Rahr & Sons Brewing Company

• Gold for Summertime Wheat in the South German-Style Hefeweizen category.
• Silver for Oktoberfest in the German-Style Maerzen category.
• Bronze for Paleta de Mango in the Chili Pepper Beer category.

Cheers and congratulations to all!

Community introduces Passiflora White IPA

Image courtesy of Community Beer Co.

Being billed as a new, refreshing summer offering, Community Beer Co. of Dallas is set to release Passiflora White IPA.

Named for the passion fruit flower, Passiflora follows the style of a white IPA in that it's cross between an American IPA and a Belgian witbier. In this case, though, Community has put it's on spin on the style by adding a generous amount of passion fruit puree to a beer that's brewed with a blend of Mosaic and Citra hops.

"We're big fans of hoppy beers here at the brewery, and we wanted to brew something that pairs perfectly with summertime weather," says Jamie Fulton, brewmaster at Community. "Passion fruit is a slightly tart, tropical fruit which compliments the flavors and aromas of the hop blend. The signature spicy Belgian yeast ties the whole beer together, resulting in a very drinkable, hop-forward IPA that craft beer fans are sure to enjoy!"

Look for Passiflora White IPA to be available during the summer months, both on draft and in four-packs of 12-ounce bottles. An official launch party for the beer will be held at Community's taproom in the Dallas Design District on Thursday, June 29 at 5 p.m.

Local breweries honored at 2017 Los Angeles International Beer Competition

Image credit: Fairplex.

Winners were recently announced at the 2017 Los Angeles International Beer Competition, with three local breweries garnering recognition.

Now in its 17th year, the Los Angeles International Beer Competition seeks to recognize the finest in commercial beers and is open to any licensed brewery or brewpub from around the world. In addition to entries from 29 U.S. states, beers judged in the 2017 event were received from countries as far away as Croatia and Vietnam.

Drawing from a pool of 1460 entries sent in by 240 breweries, awards were handed out in 95 different categories according to the following breakdown: 88 Gold, 89 Silver, 81 Bronze and 35 honorable mentions.

As for North Texas, area breweries taking home medals are summarized below (click here for a full list of winners):


Community Beer Company

• Gold for Legion in the Imperial Stout category.
• Bronze for Texas Helles in the Dortmunder or German-Style Oktoberfest category.

Lakewood Brewing Company

• Silver for Sin Mint Temptress in the Experimental Beer category.
• Honorable Mention for Bourbon Barrel Temptress in the Wood-and Barrel-Aged Strong Stout category.

Rahr & Sons Brewing Company

• Bronze for Midnight Cab in the Wood- and Barrel-Aged Beer category.

Cheers and congratulations to all!

An historical foray for Stout Day

Copyright © 2016 The Beer Goddess.

Today, it's all about the stout. That's because it's International Stout Day, a celebration of dark, decadent brews that got its start in 2011. So, in the spirit of that, I offer up a short synopsis of stouts that have been available at different times in North Texas history. Hey, it's what I do...I read old books and newspapers to learn how our scene has evolved. Sometimes such explorations also involve the consumption of beer...and more often than not, what I'm drinking is exactly the kind of rich, roasty and/or chocolately brew that inspired the creation of the day.

Cheers!

Drinking stout in pre-Prohibition Dallas

North Texans were drinking stout, or at least a kind of beer that would evolve into what was called a stout (more on that in a moment) as early as 1873. "Brown Stout Porter" could be found for sale at area grocers alongside imported lagers and Scotch ales. Many early listings don't credit the brewer, but C.G. Hibbert of London was likely the bottler of the stout porter advertised, since regular shipments from the firm were arriving at the Port of Galveston during the same period of time.

Dallas Daily Herald (Dallas, Tex.), Vol. 1, No. 42, Ed. 1 Sunday, March 30, 1873, newspaper, Dallas, Texas. (texashistory.unt.edu/ark:/67531/metapth279736/: accessed November 2, 2016), University of North Texas Libraries, The Portal to Texas History, texashistory.unt.edu.

With regards to that other famous stout, Guinness was being sold early on by locals as well (purportedly for medicinal purposes), though it doesn't appear in Dallas newspaper ads until around 1881. Shipments to Galveston show Guinness being sent to Texas by 1865, but it's not clear when it was first stocked in North Texas. Many times the beer was billed as Burke's Guinness Dublin Stout, due to the fact that Guinness didn't bottle its own products until well after Prohibition. Back then, they used a network of bottlers to package and ship their beer to America. Edward and John Burke, who were grandsons of Arthur Guinness, owned one such distribution company and the U.S. was their largest market.

The Dallas Daily Herald. (Dallas, Tex.), Vol. XXIVII, No. 132, Ed. 1 Saturday, April 30, 1881, newspaper, Dallas, Texas. (texashistory.unt.edu/ark:/67531/metapth286467/: accessed November 2, 2016), University of North Texas Libraries, The Portal to Texas History, texashistory.unt.edu

"Imperial" is the new "stout"

It's true! Well, sort of. During the 1800s, stouts actually grew out of a stronger version of porter usually referred to as "stout porter." Nowadays, whenever a brewery releases a stronger version of a particular style, they add the imperial tag (imperial IPA, imperial saison, imperial brown ale, etc.). So, if you think about it, given the seemingly similar style guidelines between porters and stouts, in today's lingo a stout could also be called an imperial porter. Looking at things in those terms, you might say "imperial" is the new "stout."


Big beers were a part of the '90s boom

In the mid-to-late 1990s, when brewpubs dominated the local beer scene after being legalized in 1993, stouts were actually relatively common. Yegua Creek Brewing Co., the area's first brewpub, was probably the first local spot to brew a stout, but at least a half-dozen other brewpubs offered a stout at one time or another. A couple of them were even award winners:

• Copper Tank - Mocha Madness Coffee Stout, gold medal in the Herb/Spice Beers category at the 1998 Great American Beer Festival.
• Two Rows - Imperial Stout, bronze medal in the Imperial Stout category at the 2000 Great American Beer Festival.

Something worth noting about these two beers is that the brewers involved in their creation are still active in the brew scene today. Jon Sims, formerly of Four Corners, Oak Highlands and Texas Ale Project (but, now working at Wynkoop in Colorado), was an assistant brewer at Copper Tank in 1998, while Mike Kraft, currently the director of brewing operations at Wild Acre, was running the brewhouse at Two Rows in 2000.

The first locally-crafted stout beer and whiskey blend?

Speaking of Two Rows, that brewpub might have been considered ahead of its time based on one beer it produced. Years before barrel-aged beers would become commonplace, Two Rows whipped up a beer and bourbon blend called Wild Turkey Stout. If memory serves, it hit taps sometime around 2003, and much like the stronger beers of today, it was served in a smaller vessel due to its higher ABV.

Moving past the new Millennium

After the year 2000, Fort Worth's Healthy Brew included a stout in its organic lineup, while Great Grains of Dallas was brewing Wildcatter's Crude Stout, a recipe they licensed from the by-then defunct Yellow Rose Brewing Co. of San Antonio. The Covey in Fort Worth had one as well, called Smokestack Stout. That beer won a silver medal in the Smoke-Flavored Beer category at the 2009 Los Angeles International Beer Competition. Then, of course, came Snowmageddon, an imperial oatmeal stout that commemorates the great roof collapse that occurred at Rahr & Sons in 2010.

While still being brewed by Yellow Rose Brewing of San Antonio, Wildcatter's Crude Stout

was singled out as a Gold Medal winner by the Beverage Tasting Institute.

Left: Armadillo's Quakertown Stout won gold in the Imperial Stout category at GABF in 2014.

Right: Sasquatch from 903 Brewers won silver in the Aged Beer category at GABF in 2015.

As for the here and now, North Texas currently has a plethora of obsidian offerings. Most are familiar with names like Community Legion, The Temptress from Lakewood and others, but let's not forget about the two locally-brewed stouts that have brought home major awards during the current craft beer renaissance (see details in the caption above). One, that being Sasquatch from 903 Brewers , is likely stalking your local store shelves as we speak. And, the other? That would be Quakertown Stout, the product of Denton-based Armadillo Ale Works...a beer that will re-appear soon.

North Texas continues winning ways at 2016 Great American Beer Festival

Photo © Brewers Association.

The 30th annual edition of the Great American Beer Festival (GABF) is now in the books, and if you've been on social media at all of late you've probably already seen the list of winners. If by some chance you haven't, though, they are summarized below.

Prior to that, though, it's worth noting a few statistics related to the competition. This year, 7227 beers were judged, resulting in 286 medals awarded to winners in 96 categories covering 161 different beer styles. Over 260 judges participated in the evaluation of competition entries, which included an additional 88 in the growing Pro-Am division.

Style-wise, the American-Style IPA was once again the most-entered category, despite a small drop in entries compared to 2015. Other popular categories included Imperial IPA, American-Style Strong Pale Ale, Coffee Beer and Wood and Barrel-Aged Strong Beer. The latter two were new to the top five this year, with American-Style Pale Ale, American Style-Sour Ale and German-Style Sour Ale categories landing in slots just outside the top five in terms of the rankings.

As for North Texas, local breweries had another good showing in 2016, winning five medals overall. In fact, this marks the third straight year that breweries from the Metroplex have won at least five medals at the competition. Among this year's honorees, Nine Band Brewing Co. and Revolver Brewing brought home GABF medals for the first time, while Community Beer Co., Grapevine Craft Brewery and Panther Island Brewing Co. were repeat winners. Pictures of medal-winning breweries, where available, are posted here for your perusal (ceremony photos © 2016 Jason E. Kaplan).

Panther Island Brewing Co./Clifton Ellis: Gold for Just Rye'te (Pro-Am). 

Revolver Brewing: Gold for Anodyne Wheat Wine (Other Strong Beer).

Community Beer Co.: Bronze for Witbier (Belgian-Style Witbier).

Not pictured:

Grapevine Craft Brewery: Silver for Sir William's (English-Style Brown Ale).

Nine Band Brewing Co.: Bronze for Toad Choker Barley Wine (Barley Wine-Style Ale).

For more on the 2016 GABF and the historical performance of breweries from North Texas, click the links below:

• Official press release from the Brewers Association, with a summary of festival statistics.
• Download a list of 2016 winners in .pdf form.
• View a historical chronicle of awards won by North Texas breweries at GABF and the World Beer Cup.

Yessir, it's a new fall seasonal from Community

Image courtesy of Community Beer Co.

Community Beer Co. of Dallas has announced a new addition to its seasonal lineup in the form of Yessir!, a low alcohol pale ale that will join Ascension Coffee Porter in being a fall brewery offering.

Yessir! (5.2% ABV, 32 IBU) is brewed with Eureka and Lemondrop hops, a combination that is said to give the beer an earthy character, with notes of tropical fruit, lemon and mint.

"We are extremely excited to showcase two interesting new hop varieties in this brew, which has a unique depth of malt and a hop character not typically found in beers this low in ABV," said brewmaster Jamie Fulton. "It's positively the perfect cooler weather beer to enjoy as we say goodbye to the dog days of summer!"

According to a press release, Yessir! will be available from mid-August through November on draft and in six-packs of 12-ounce cans. The beer will be sold throughout Texas in all markets that currently receive shipments of the brewery's products.

Community will also celebrate the release of Yessir! on Saturday, September 17, via a unique software-based interactive walking tour of Dallas. More details on that and other launch events will be released in late August by way of the brewery's website and social media channels.

Community to deliver Divinity in August

All images courtesy of Community Beer Co,.

Adding a new edition to the brewery's Barrel-Aged Series, Community Beer Co. will release Divinity, a barrel-aged Belgian-style ale, on a limited basis in August.

Divinity (9.4% ABV, 42 IBU) is the brewery's popular Trinity Tripel aged in a combination of port and whiskey barrels over the course of several months. On top of that, additions of agave nectar, freshly ground ginger and organic lime are infused, adding depth to a beer that is also fermented with Brettanomyces. The resulting brew is said to be light-bodied and refreshing, with a balanced, yet complex flavor profile featuring notes of candied fruit, citrus, oak and spice.

Divinity has added depth from the additions of agave nectar, fresh ginger and lime.

"Divinity is a fantastic addition to our Barrel-Aged Series," said brewmaster Jamie Fulton. "There are so many unique layers of flavors created by the careful melding of ingredients. The final product is really special, and something we're proud of. I don't think there is another beer on the market quite like it."

Look for Divinity to be available on draft in very limited quantities at Community's taproom, as well as at select craft beer accounts throughout the Texas market. A kick-off party to celebrate the official launch will be hosted on August 12th at the brewery, with further details on that to be unveiled during the first week of August by way of Community's website and social media platforms.

Three North Texas breweries win medals at 2016 L.A. International Beer Competition

Image credit: Fairplex.

Results are in from the 2016 Los Angeles International Beer Competition, and three North Texas brewers are among the honorees.

Put on by Fairplex, in association with the Los Angeles County Fair, the commercial beer competition has been going on since 2000. Beers are judged using a blind-tasting method with the goal of awarding medals to the best beers from both domestic and international brewers.

This year, beers were judged in 97 different categories, with gold, silver and bronze medals being possible in each category. However, depending on the amount and/or quality of the entries, medals were not always awarded in every class.

The list of beers recognized from North Texas is as follows (click here for a complete list of winners):


Community Beer Company

• Honorable Mention for Public Ale in the Extra Special Bitter category.
• Bronze for Inspiration in the Belgian-Style Strong Specialty Ale category.
• Silver for Yessir! in the International-Style Pale Ale category.

Lakewood Brewing Company

• Bronze for Sin Mint Temptress in the Experimental Beer category.
• Silver for French Quarter Temptress in the Coffee Beer category.

Rahr & Sons Brewing Company

• Bronze for Oktoberfest in the German-Style Märzen category.
• Bronze for Stormcloud in the English-Style India Pale Ale category.
• Silver for Rahr's Blonde in the Munich-Style Helles category.
• Silver for Texas Red in the American-Style Amber/Red Ale category.

Cheers and congratulations to all!

Community unveils Texas Helles

Image courtesy of Community Beer Co.

In seemingly fitting news, considering the early arrival of warmer temperatures this year, Community Beer Co. has announced it will release a new summer seasonal called Texas Helles.

Brewed using all German malt and hops, Texas Helles is fermented with a traditional Bavarian yeast strain and lagered for six weeks in order to produce a crisp, clean and easy-drinking flavor profile that should make it an ideal match for hot Texas summers.

"We feel Texas Helles is the perfect summer beer," said brewmaster Jamie Fulton. "It is great for cookouts, tailgating, the swimming pool or escaping the heat in the cool comforts of home. We brewed it with an incredible balance of European malt and hops, resulting in a clean and delightfully refreshing brew."

According to a press release, Texas Helles will be available on draft and in six-pack cans during the months of June, July and August across the brewery's distribution footprint. A kick-off party to celebrate the beer's launch will be held at Community's location in the Dallas Design District on Friday, May 20 at 5 p.m. Additional details regarding the roll-out of Texas Helles will shared as they become available on the brewery's website and social media channels.

Community's Barrel Aged Legion better in the bottle

Image credit: Community Beer Company

Appearing in early December, Barrel-Aged Legion is not the first foray into barrel aging for the now two year-old Community Beer Company. In the past, the brewery has released limited barrel-aged versions of their spiced winter brew, Regalement, and their award-winning coffee porter, Ascension. This is in addition to Bourbon Barrel Aged Glenstemmons, a somewhat more widely available treatment of a Scotch ale.

The Legion release, however, represents the first time Community has put out a barrel-aged beer in bottles. It won't be the last either, as additional batches of the Russian imperial stout - aged in various barrels - are expected to be unveiled in the coming months as part of an ongoing Barrel Aged Series to be sold in four-packs.

As for this installment of Barrel-Aged Legion, it reportedly spent around four months in barrels obtained from the Heaven Hill Distillery in Bardstown, Kentucky. When brought together with the beer, these barrels impart the expected elements of oak, vanilla and a hint of charred wood, all of which are somewhat subtle on the nose but certainly more forward in the taste.

In terms of flavor, the underlying malt complexity comes across as a bit subdued at first, but it's something that opens up considerably as the beer warms. A quick swirl helps as well, revealing notes of licorice, roasted malt, chocolate and dark fruit that seem to intensify with each passing sip. Even so, none of these ingredients take on a position of dominance, leading one to appreciate the overall balance of this slightly full-bodied brew. If anything, chocolate overtones fill the finish, which is otherwise warm and smooth with only faint tannins adding a touch of closing bitterness.

Now, as the title above suggests, had this been a review of a tap sample of Barrel Aged Legion, these comments would have been decidedly different. On draft in Community's taproom, the beer was intensely woody with vanilla and oak tannins more or less defining the brew. In the bottle, however, it's an entirely different experience. Blended and balanced are the two words that come to mind first, which falls right in line with what I look for when drinking a barrel-aged beer. Truth be told, I might like the malt to stand up a bit more, but I can also see how others might wish for a bolder boozy tone. Either way, for me the beer is good as it stands now, but it's definitely one worth cellaring to see how it develops over time.

*Originally published on Tenemu.com.

Community taps Lone Star for Barrel-Aged Legion bottle launch

Image credit: Community Beer Company, Lone Star Beverages

It all started back in July, when the Community Beer Company announced the pending release of a new, but as yet unnamed, Russian imperial stout. The brewery canvassed the public for help in naming the new brew, revealing a few weeks later that it had narrowed the choices down to a winning entry submitted by Ben Bascombe. As for the name of the new beer, it would simply be called Legion.

What they didn't tell us right away, was that in the time leading up to the beer's debut at the end of September, they had put a portion of the batch into spent bourbon casks in anticipation of a barrel-aged release to come later in the year. As you've probably already heard, that time is now.

Following two nights of sneak preview tastings at the Community taproom, bottles of Barrel-Aged Legion are set to go on sale next week. Lone Star Beverages in Carrollton has been chosen as the official launch point for the release, and co-owner Rick Ali tells me they'll be getting a significant allocation in the neighborhood of 40 cases.

Noting the established success the original Legion offering, Ali says he's "excited to be a part of this release" and for subsequent products Community will be putting out with their new Barrel-Aged Series. He also recognizes the synergy of partnering with the brewery for this event in saying, "Lone Star has long been a part of the growth of the craft beer scene here in North Texas, and being chosen as the first to offer BA Legion to the public only strengthens the drink local and shop local movement!"

Regarding the beer, which I'm told was aged in barrels from Heaven Hill, I can tell you that a first impression may have you nicknaming it "Woody." While Barrel-Aged Legion is bourbon-forward on the nose with additional elements lingering in the background, the wood and vanilla characteristics are much more predominant when it comes to the taste. The heavy influence of the wood also gives the beer a dry and tannic finish, something which lingers along with hints of underlying roast well into the aftertaste.

So, should you drink it now or drink it later? In answering that eternal question, let me just say that the barrel character is strong in this one. My personal preference would be to give it additional time in the cellar, but of course that choice is up to you.

Lone Star will sell four-packs of twelve-ounce bottles on Monday, December 8. Twenty cases will be released at 9:30 a.m., with an additional twenty going on sale at 4 p.m. (quantities will be limited to two four-packs per person). Visitors to the shop can also expect free tastings of Legion (note samples of Barrel-Aged Legion will not be available), as well as "deep discounts" on that beer and what is arguably Community's flagship, Mosaic IPA.

Best of the fest: Untapped's pivotal pours

Image credit:  Paste Magazine, Lakewood Brewing Co., Community Beer Co., Oskar Blues, (512) Brewing Co., Stone Brewing Co.

For reasons we don't need to get into, this past weekend was my first experience of what may become known as the Untapped phenomenon.  Lines were manageable, facilities ample and there was plenty of good beer to be had.  Outside of that, honestly, I didn't pay a lick of attention to the bands or food trucks.  All I cared about was my 24 ounce tasting card.

As such, we'll dispense with any formalities and move right on through to the pivotal pours (IMHO) of Untapped, Spring 2013.

Like shooting fish in a bourbon barrel

Barrel-aged beers were abundant. Yet, for all the talk about "white whale" beers like Founders Kentucky Breakfast Stout, Firestone Walker Parabola and Green Flash Silva Stout, it was Oskar Blues Barrel Aged Ten Fidy that had me hooked.  Dark chocolate, roasted coffee, vanilla and a gentle, but prominent barrel character came together seamlessly in this tasteful treatment of the brewery's impy stout staple.

Rare breeds

Among casks and specialty one-offs, Stone's deeply herbal, almost minty 16th Anniversary Ale with Green Tea Leaves was a clear standout.  Another was the (512) Cabernet Tripel.  Going in, considering the full-bodied nature of the wine and the delicate balance of flavors in the base beer, I was expecting a tannic mess.  Thankfully it wasn't that way at all, as the barrel flavors proved to be a near perfect complement to the fruity esters of the Belgian yeast.  As for some others, I had high hopes, but they went up in smoke.

Hops on board

In case you haven't noticed, Mosaic and Citra hop additions are all the rage.  Community's Mosaic IPA was a nice example utilizing the first of the two, but my far and away favorite was Lakewood Till & Toil, which employed both of these hip hop varieties.  Bright grapefruit, along with earthy tropical fruits and a peppery kick from the yeast practically screamed refreshment.  Sometimes I talk about how a beer drinks like the style guidelines, but in this case Till & Toil drinks like the hop flavor profiles.  I wonder if the Hop Growers of America are looking for a spokesbeer?

Cheers!