(San Diego, CA) – Karl Strauss Brewing Company is spreading holiday cheer with the release of its Parrot in a Palm Tree Baltic Porter. Brewed to warm you on a cold night, this robust holiday ale takes a seldom seen style to a whole new level.
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.
Parrot in a Palm Tree is available across Southern California in 22oz bottles and on draft beginning late November until it runs out. For a video of the making of the beer and how to create your own Parrot in a Palm Tree beer-shake, visit www.karlstrauss.com. Share it. Cheers.
Label Copy:
In San Diego, we’re not known for our partridges or pears but we can all relate to those noisy parrots and their relentless “caroling”. Parrot in a Palm Tree is a robust Baltic Porter brewed especially for the Holidays. Aged two months in San Pasqual Tawny Port barrels, the resulting brew isn’t for the birds. This winter warmer boasts a complex bouquet of dark fruits, espresso and chocolate, with hints of oak in its warming finish. Raise a glass to 2010 or save a bottle as this limited release will age with the best of them.
Beer Stats:
8.5% ABV
35 IBU
50 SRM
About Karl Strauss Brewing Company
This year Karl Strauss Brewing Company turns the big 2-1, the most important year in a beer drinker’s life. This coming of age will be celebrated throughout 2010 with a diverse lineup of 35 beers, including 6 year-round favorites, 3 seasonal offerings, and a host of innovative special brews. Located in San Diego and distributed exclusively in Southern California, Karl Strauss currently ranks #40 on the list of Top Craft Breweries in the country. In addition to handcrafting quality beers, Karl Strauss is a leader of the beer and culinary connection at their six local brewery restaurants. For more information visit www.karlstrauss.com or call the brewery at (858) 273-2739. http://twitter.com/karl_strauss; http://facebook.com/KarlStraussBrewingCompany