Tag: Karl Strauss

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23 Years is Old


Wow. Karl Strauss has been around for 23 years. That is amazing. And breweries do well with anniversaries. A lot of great beers are made for the yearly celebration. Like this one….

“The 23rd Anniversary Old Ale was aged for 12 months in American oak barrels and is the first Karl Strauss barrel-aged beer to be offered unblended. It’s loaded with complex layers of toffee, molasses, dried figs, and toasted oak. A pronounced warming bourbon flavor contributes to the beer’s 12.2% alcohol content—making this strong ale an ideal after dinner sipper or accompaniment to desserts like bread pudding. The company only bottled 413 cases of this beer, encouraging fans to enjoy one now and lay another down several years. “This beer is only going to get better with age,” says brewer Segura. “As time passes, the bourbon character will mellow and more of the dried fruit and vanilla flavors will come out.”

The 23rd Anniversary Old Ale will be available on tap at all six Karl Strauss Brewery Restaurants and select beer bars across Southern California, beginning February 2, 2012

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Off the Rails

The special releases keep coming from Karl Strauss. This one might be interesting to try side-by-side with the original and see how pronounced the differences are.

“After brewing the award-winning Red Trolley Ale for more than two decades, Karl Strauss Brewing Company is ready to unveil the beer’s turbo charged cousin—Off the Rails. Off the Rails is a double version of Red Trolley Ale with more malt, more hops, and more alcohol. This West Coast Imperial Red Ale is full of dark fruit flavors, toffee, and a smooth warming finish.

Small batches of Off the Rails have been brewed over the past two years for draft only…”

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Karl Strauss – Coastal Reserve series

I really enjoyed the Vanilla Porter that KS came out with and the BIPA is a style that I enjoy as well. Toss in the New Zealand hops and I am in.

“Blackball is a Belgian-inspired India Pale Ale with a robust West Coast hop profile. Belgian ale yeast, coriander, and Curacao lend a fruity and spicy character for an ale bolder than your average IPA. A blend of New Zealand and Cascade hops add a vibrant floral aroma and clean citrus hop bitterness that lingers through its crisp, dry finish. Drink up while it’s young, heavily hopped IPA’s are best enjoyed fresh.”

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XMAS BEER – Parrots and Palm Trees

Karl Strauss has taken a page from The Bruery playbook and has embarked on a beach bum version of the 12 Days of Christmas.

Here is their initial offering according to their press release:
“Parrot in a Palm Tree is a big festive beer. Baltic Porters are known for their rich, dark fruit flavors. Loaded with espresso, dark chocolate, and fruit flavors, this northern European style is similar to a less roasty version of a Russian Imperial Stout. To bring out the raisin and plum flavors in the beer, a portion was aged in tawny port wine barrels from neighbors down the street at San Pasqual Winery. “In the last few years we’ve seen a trend toward barrel aging and we thought rather than putting this beer into bourbon barrels, it would pair better with a sweet, fruity tawny port. We called our friends at San Pasqual Winery and the rest is history,” says Paul Segura, Brewmaster for Karl Strauss. After several months in the barrels, the aged beer was blended with a fresh batch creating a subtle oak and port-like finish.

Weighing in at 8.5%, this beer is a great after dinner sipper, pairing equally well with chocolate and fruit desserts. Karl Strauss Executive Chef, Gunther Emathinger, created a special beer-shake to celebrate the release–blending the Baltic Porter and vanilla bean ice-cream for a festive holiday treat. If you have the willpower and patience, this beer will get better with age and can be enjoyed for several years to come.

Parrot in a Palm Tree is the first release in the company’s “Twelve Days of Christmas San Diego Style” series, naming each installment with a wink to life along the coast. The first in a series of twelve, Parrot in a Palm Tree plays off of the 12 Days Of Christmas, with a distinctively San Diego twist. “Living in San Diego we don’t have partridges, but we do have squawking parrots. We thought this would be a fun nod to the locals,” says Paul. Look for the second installment of the series next holiday season”

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Let’s get Oktober started

from the re-invigorated Karl Strauss…

“Karl Strauss Oktoberfest is back! The company’s original award winning seasonal beer is a reminder to Southern Californian’s that fall is just around the corner. “We brew Oktoberfest as a tribute to Karl’s heritage and as a toast to the world’s largest beer party in Munich,” says Paul Segura, Karl Strauss Brewmaster. “This beer has a ton of rich, malty flavor, but it’s smooth enough to be enjoyed by the liter.”

Unlike most beers that begin with base malt and add specialty malts for flavor, Karl Strauss Oktoberfest is made from 100% specialty malts. A flavorful blend of Vienna, Munich, and Carahell malts create a toasty, nutty flavor that is characteristic of the style. To balance out the sweetness from the malts, the brewers stayed true to tradition using imported Hallertau Perle hops for a spicy finish.

After cold fermenting for several weeks, the golden hued lager is cellared at 50-degrees for an additional three weeks, creating an incredibly smooth finish. Weighing in at 5% ABV, this exceptional session lager is a great complement to traditional Oktoberfest fare, including grilled meats, burgers, and of course, sausages.

Due to an increase in demand, the Company will be brewing 33% more Oktoberfest than last year. Karl Strauss Oktoberfest is available in six-packs and on draft across southern California. Whether you’re rocking lederhosen at the bar or celebrating with friends, enjoy this beer while you can because this party only happens once a year. Prost.”

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Sean Suggests for July 2010

As summer rolls across the country with a blanket of heat and humidity, the types of beers that have maximum enjoyment factors are generally more effervescent and light.

This month’s suggestions still fall into light, medium and dark categories but are more tuned to the lighter side. July 2010 Beers

karl-strauss
Sudwerk_Logo
widmer

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(sorta) new from Karl Strauss

pintail

It’s good to see Karl Strauss back in the game rather than resting on their laurels and it’s good to see a pale ale!

“Karl Strauss Brewing Company is releasing the next installment of their seasonal program, Pintail Pale Ale. The company has brewed Pintail Pale Ale for over nine years, however, this is the first time it will be available in bottles.

Pintail is a classic American Pale Ale, loaded with pine and citrus flavors from a blend of Newport and Cascade hops. After fermentation, Pintail is dry-hopped with a pound of Amarillo hops per barrel, for a distinct grapefruit aroma and flavor. The vibrant hoppiness of the beer is balanced by a blend of Carapils and caramel malts, creating a firm backbone to support the lingering, dry finish. Brewer Paul Segura says, “We’ve got a lot of hop heads who love this beer for its intense grapefruit flavors.”