We spoke with Great Falls Brewing Co. Head Brewer and Director of Brewing Operations Jonas Griggs about Lazy Hazy Housy.

BC: Who came up with this beer’s recipe?
The original recipe was created by the previous brewer in my position, but while the name has been kept the same, the recipe has been changed from top to bottom.

BC: What’s your favorite aspect of this beer (flavor, aroma, etc.)?
My favorite aspect of this beer is its balance. It finishes a bit more dry than your usual NEIPA offerings, and I believe that is what makes it so drinkable.

BC: Where does this beer’s name come from?
The name was created by our owner, Chris Tripler. It references the Housatonic River that flows nearby.

BC: Can you describe this beer in 10 words or less?
Juicy, tropical, pillowy, hazy and balanced.

BC: What's a good food pairing for this beer?
I think, as with most IPAs, this beer pairs well with strongly flavored food, be it smoky barbeque or spicy chicken wings.

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We spoke with Grist House Craft Brewery Co-Owner and Brew Master Kyle Mientkiewicz about Fire Fest Reserve 2021.

BC: Who came up with this beer’s recipe?  
The Grist House brew team.

BC: What’s your favorite aspect of this beer (flavor, aroma, etc.)?  
How the various barrels each contributed unique flavors that melded well with the base stout.

BC: Where does this beer’s name come from? 
Our Fire Festival that we host every year in December. Fire festival is an event celebrating beer, fire and enjoying the outdoors.

BC: Is this your “desert island beer?”  
No, this is a cold weather hibernation beer.

BC: Can you describe this beer in 10 words or less? 
Foo-king delicious!

BC: What's a good food pairing for this beer? 
S'mores over the fire.

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We spoke with Bravus Brewing Co. Founder & Head Brewer Philip Brandes about Gravitas Non-Alcoholic Barrel-Aged Bourbon Stout (2021).

BC: Who came up with this beer’s recipe?
That would be me!

BC: What’s your favorite aspect of this beer (flavor, aroma, etc.)?
The complexity of the beer as it warms up in your glass. It goes through so many different flavors – chocolate, cherries, bourbon, vanilla and oak the warmer it gets.

BC: Where does this beer’s name come from?
Gravitas means “dignity, seriousness, commanding respect” and so to me this was a perfect name for a beer in a category that often does not command respect from fellow beer drinkers.

BC: Is this your “desert island beer?”
Yes, although (full disclosure) I wouldn’t mind an alcoholic version of this beer!

BC: Can you describe this beer in 10 words or less?
It’s a like taking a raspberry cordial and barrel-aging it!

We spoke with Arches Brewing Brewer Bradford Shoemaker Talks Lost the Plot.

BC: Who came up with this beer’s recipe?
This one was mine.

BC: What’s your favorite aspect of this beer (flavor, aroma, etc.)?
This beer has all the chewy, fruitcake notes I’d look for in a good English barleywine, but with enough hop bitterness and restrained alcohol to not limit me to small sips.

BC: Where does this beer’s name come from?
Arches has been embracing a new limited-release program, brewing a lot of ‘real ales’ specifically for cask, and we’ve been having a lot of fun with British idioms. ‘Lost the Plot’ means "to become confused or crazy."

BC: Can you describe this beer in 10 words or less?
Dessert crust, toffee, dried dark fruit, bitter, earthy, romantic, posh.

BC: What's a good food pairing for this beer?
Aged English cheddar is bold enough to stand up to the firm bitterness and alcohol while also complementing with nutty, fruity and tangy flavors.

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We spoke with Wallenpaupack Brewing Co. Head Brewer Logan Ackerley about For the Love of Lager: Zwickelbier.

BC: What’s your favorite aspect of this beer (flavor, aroma, etc.)?
This is one of my favorite beers we’ve made so I love pretty much everything about it. This was our first attempt at a decoction mash and I can’t believe the depth of malt flavor we got out of a grist of 100% Vienna malt. The natural carbonation also makes this one of our smoothest-drinking lagers to date.

BC: Where does this beer’s name come from?
This beer was the first in our new series called “For the Love of Lager.” I love brewing all styles of lager, and our customers really seem to enjoy them as well. So, we decided to just make a rotating series where we brew lager styles from all over the world.

BC: Is this your “desert island beer?”
Absolutely. This is definitely a desert island beer for me. It is seriously drinkable but has just the right amount of malt and hop character to keep it interesting.

BC: What's a good food pairing for this beer?
I always try to incorporate beer into my cooking and one of the better pairings I’ve done was with this beer. I smoked some bratwurst, braised some onions in the beer and served it all on a bun with a cold pint on the side.

We spoke with Urban South Brewery Head Brewer Alex Flores and Lead Brewer Eric Epps about Raspberry Flapjack.

BC: Who came up with this beer’s recipe?
Alex: This beer was inspired by all of the delicious fruited sours out there! We wanted to make something unique, and we love to work with maple syrup at the brewery; this seemed like a no-brainer! 

BC: What’s your favorite aspect of this beer (flavor, aroma, etc.)?
Alex: I love the way it starts savory from the maple syrup but finishes tart and refreshing from the raspberry puree! It never feels too heavy.
Eric: The sweet maple syrup with the raspberry puree. Gives you a nice raspberry pancake vibe with a drizzle of some sweet maple syrup.

We spoke with Urban South Brewery Head Brewer Alex Flores and Lead Brewer Eric Epps about White Oak.

We spoke with Low Road Brewing Owner and Head Brewer Lynette Shoaf about Black Soul RyePA.

BC: What’s your favorite aspect of this beer (flavor, aroma, etc.)?
My favorite aspect of this beer is that I can bring out the hop bitterness, or the maltiness, in this beer depending on what I’m in the mood for just by pouring it into a different glass. Black IPAs respond really well to the style of glassware used... more than some other styles. Most of the time I prefer a straight pint, but a tulip glass really brings out that hop aroma and flavor.

BC: Is this your “desert island beer?”
It is definitely toward the top of the list. At 7.5% ABV though, it’s definitely not an all-day drinker.

BC: Can you describe this beer in 10 words or less?
I only need one. “Complex.” That’s it.

BC: What's a good food pairing for this beer?
We have a regular food truck at the taproom that serves a bacon-jam burger. It has a rich, caramelized bacon and onion spread on top of a juicy burger on a sourdough bun. This beer goes perfectly with that burger!

New Realm Brewing in Atlanta, Georgia has announced the release of two new 19.2-ounce cans featuring a DIPA called Tank Dog. Full details are below.

ATLANTA, GA – When life barks, BITE BACK! New Realm Brewing is set to release their latest innovation, a single-serve 19.2oz Imperial IPA series called Tank Dog. Unleash your inner beast with both a Hazy Imperial IPA, and a West-Coast Style Imperial IPA. Both Tank Dog varieties are hop-forward, with significant yet balanced bitterness and a bit of alcohol warmth that will leave you begging for more.

At 9.6% ABV, Tank Dog Hazy Imperial IPA is double dry-hopped, making it supremely hop-forward with intense pineapple, tropical fruit, citrus, and dank notes. Expect a ludicrous amount of hop flavor balanced with a subtle sweetness.

The second Tank Dog release is perfect for drinkers who crave the pleasant bitterness of a classic West Coast-style Imperial IPA. Dry-hopped at 3lbs of hops per barrel, the West-Coast Style Tank Dog is made with Centennial, Simcoe, and Australian Vic Secret hops, a combination unique to New Realm. West-Coast Tank Dog pours clear yellow gold and brims with tropical fruit, pronounced floral, citrus rind, and dank aromatics making it a delicious and dangerously drinkable Imperial IPA.