8/6/10 FIRST FRIDAY CASK: OAK AGED BIG ISLAND!

For this months First Friday celebration we will be rolling out the last cask of this year's BIG ISLAND IMPERIAL PALE ALE! This special cask has been lovingly aged on American Oak for the last six months, lending a complex depth of flavor not usually found in most beer. This mighty beverage (weighing in at near 10% ABV and over 100 IBUs) is always a crowd pleaser, so come sample a glass Friday, we expect it to go fast! Cheers -IBC

First Friday Cask: (Oaked) Christmas In July!!!

We here at the brewery are excited about this month's First Friday Cask Ale: Oak Aged Holiday Helper! You heard right, we are pulling out the last of our 2009 vintage Holiday Ale which has been meticulously aged on French Oak chips for over 7 months! As well as being cask conditioned (unfiltered and full of live yeast, lightly carbonated), Holiday Helper is a dark black ale featuring large amounts of caramel and chocolate malt which are balanced with the complex flavors associated with oak-aging. Weighing in at 9.2% ABV and 70+ IBU Holiday Helper is a real treat in the summer, swing on by and try some as it is sure to sell out quick! Cheers -IBC

First Friday Cask Ale: Triple Dry Hopped IPA 6/4/10!

Down here at the brewery we are excited about the upcoming Carpinteria First Friday celebration and the release of our next cask conditioned ale, a triple dry hopped IPA! This cask ale is unfiltered, features a naturally light carbonation, and in the British tradition, is served at ambient/cellar temperature. The flavor profile features a big Cascade and Columbus hop bitterness and flavor, along with the citrus inspired aroma of additional Cascade hops. Furthermore, the hoppy goodness is balanced by a complex malt bill featuring heirloom Maris Otter barley. Cask IPA clocks in at 61 IBUs and 6.3% ABV. Sounds like a tasty brew... see you Friday for a first taste!

Coming Friday 5/7/10: Cask Conditioned BIG ISLAND!

This month's First Friday Celebration is just around the corner, and we are planning on rolling out a reserve cask of our celebrated Imperial Ale THE BIG ISLAND! Big Island, our annual spring seasonal, has been delicately aged in our cask for the last three months, allowing the malty and hoppy flavors to blend and balance. In addition, this unfiltered and naturally carbonated ale weighs in with 9.4% ABV and a scale topping 101 IBUs of bitterness, complimented nicely by a huge and malty grain backbone. Big Island will be served in 12oz glasses for $6, $4 for our Island Nation members, and is expected to sell out quickly, as we only have an extremely limited quantity. Hope to see you on First Friday (or sooner)! Cheers! -IBC

Coming Friday 3/5: CASK VANILLA BEAN STOUT!

We are again rolling out a cask from the cellar for Carpinteria's first Friday celebration! This month's offering is our delicious Vanilla Bean Stout! The backbone of this ale is our esteemed winter beer, Starry Night Stout, a rich and roasty foreign style stout weighing in at 7% ABV and 50 IBUs. When fermentation is nearly complete, we rack the ale into a cask and add a whole vanilla bean. After a lengthy maturation process, the jet-black ale takes on the subtle flavors and nuances of the vanilla bean for a unique and delicious treat of a beer! In addition, we will be hosting a chocolate and beer pairing that night, featuring the chocolates of Chocolats du CaliBressan (one made with our original Starry Night Stout). We can't think of a better way to kick-off the weekend than with a combination of chocolate and vanilla stout! Hope to see you here. Cheers! -IBC

First Friday Cask IPA

For this month's first Friday we will be rolling out another cask of real ale! This months little creation is a triple dry-hopped Island Pale Ale (IPA). In addition to the double dry-hopping process our regular IPA goes through this cask ale was dosed again with a generous amount of aromatic Cascade hops, imparting a citrusy aroma. Along with the aroma hop addition, a pronounced bitterness and a balanced malty backbone round out the flavor profile of this beer. Also, since this is a true "real ale" it is served unfiltered, naturally carbonated, served at ambient temperature and the flavor is sublime. Swing in Friday, as these casks tend to sell out in a single night. Cheers -IBC