And if you've been hiding under a rock: Big Island and Little Island

And if you've been hiding under a rock: Big Island and Little Island Releases

 

It's finally here: our most robust, hoppiest offering of the year: The Big Island. If you are among the uninitiated, this is our Imperial Pale Ale. We're talking huge malt backbone and a balanced finish for 10% abv and a 100 IBUs (a big dose of Columbus and Cascade hops), served in a 13 oz. goblet to keep your reflexes intact.

 

Here's the story on the Little Island: So when we brew the Big Island, the resulting grain bed has enough fermentable sugars in it to brew another beer: and thus the Little Island was born from the second runnings of the Big Island mash.. This year's Little Island has grown up a bit when compared to Little Islands of yester year. Technically a Pale Ale with prominent Cascade Hops, the Little Island weighs in at 6.1% and 35 IBUs.

 

Which is for you? Only one way to find out. See you soon!





Attention Bourbon Barrel Aged IPA Fans

Attention Bourbon Barrel Aged IPA fans: You may want to mark your calendar. Correction: you will want to mark your calendar. Six months from now we will be releasing our next batch of Bourbon Barrel Aged IPA. If you had any of the last  Bourbon Barrel Aged IPA, you know why there is that little sense of urgency in this post. Consider yourself in the loop!

Valentine's Day Cask Conditioned Extravaganza!

Valentine's Day Cask Conditioned Extravaganza!

There is every chance that this is going to be one of the best, most flavorful, most mostest bestest tasting cask conditioned ales we've ever put on: and for Valentine's Day to boot. This is a cask of Mocha Stout infused with coffee and organic cacao nibs (unprocessed chocolate). We'll be running it through the hand pump beer engine for a hearty and heartwarming traditional pour for a pint or two to get your Valentine's Day plan off and running! Open at 2. See you then if not sooner.

Gold and Two Silver Medals at World Beer Championships

So you like Island Brewing Company’s Jubilee Ale and have been known to order a Blackbird Porter and/or a Starry Night Stout on occasion? This just in: your taste buds and those of a world champion beer judge have a few things in common when it comes to what makes a good beer great.

So say the results in from the World Beer Championships, held in Chicago, Il. Founded in 1994, the event is America’s oldest international beer competition and is open to all commercially produced beers from around the world, regardless of US distribution. It is a medal-based competition that awards its medals based on a blind tasting out of a 100-point quality rating scale.

The Jubilee scored a 92 for an exceptional rating and Gold Medal, inspiring some prose that would make an English major jealous: “Deep copper brown color. Aromas of dried fruits, roasted nuts, cocoa, and toast with a supple, dry-yet-fruity medium-to-full body and a roasted grain, jicama and peppery hop finish. A spot-on old ale with lots of flavor and balance.”

Both the Blackbird Porter and Starry Night Stout rated an 89 or highly recommended rating for their Silver Medals. Judges noted the Blackbird Porter’s “Deep copper brown color. Layered aromas and flavors of over-toasted bread, baker's chocolate and roasted zucchini with a supple, dryish medium body and a round, nutty, husky grain and hay accented finish. A nice food beer.”

The Starry Night Stout stood apart for its “Dense aromas of melted toffee, espresso, toasted pumpernickel and creme brulee, with a silky dry-yet-fruity medium-to-full body and root vegetable and roasted nut driven finish with mild lettuce-like hops. Very nice.”

Very nice indeed.

http://tastings.com/scout_beer.lasso?id=201073

http://tastings.com/scout_beer.lasso?id=201072

http://tastings.com/scout_beer.lasso?id=201071

Island Brewing Company makes DRAFT magazine's Breweries to Watch in 2013

We're that nice combination of pleased and stoked to have gotten a little shout out in DRAFT magazine's piece on Breweries to Watch in 2013! There are some great breweries on this list and to be on it is a nice way to start the new year! Check it out at
http://draftmag.com/features/2013-breweries-to-watch/

Starry Night Stout now in bottles!

And in the more cosmic convergence category: the Starry Night Stout in all its GABF and World Beer Cup winning glory just rolled off the bottling line. 6.8% ABV, 50 IBU Foreign-style stout. Big roast flavors and a perfect stocking stuffer to boot!

A beer a long time in the making: Our Barrel Aged Kriek!

Proud to announce a beer that's been in the work a long time and one that we're really excited about: our Barrel-aged Kriek! This is a blend of two different barrel aged ales with sour cherries added.


The first barrel was filled in December 2009 with a dark Holiday Ale of 9% ABV. The second barrel was filled in June 2010 with a strong Brown Ale of 7% ABV. As these slowly aged, wild yeast influence took over, further fermenting the ale while adding new flavors as well.

In November 2011, we added 45 pounds of sour cherries to each barrel, similar to the Belgian process of producing traditional Kriek beers. Following this final fermentation, Our Kriek-style ale features flavors of tannins from the oak, acetic and cherry-pie like yeast derived flavors, along with a fruity sweetness balanced out by the use of fruit. This is a beer over 3 years in the making, to be enjoyed at your leisure with good company. Cheers!