PORTLAND, Ore. – Cascade Brewing has released Roadside Chai 2018, its second sour ale project packaged in new 250 ml slim cans; Encyclopedia Botanica debuted the 250 ml can in late October. The new format represents the brewery’s recommended individual serving size of its Northwest sour ales. Cascade Brewing will continue to package its beers—including Roadside Chai—in 500 ml bottles and draft kegs as well.
“Earlier this year we released our first barrel aged sour beer in a can and the response was overwhelmingly positive,” said Greg Laird, co-owner of Cascade Brewing. “We’re excited to introduce a 250ml slim can to our lineup and offer our fans a modern alternative to the standard can, one which allows them to enjoy their favorite sour beer in smaller quantities.”
Roadside Chai features a sour red ale aged in oak wine barrels and foudres for up to two years then infused with a house-made masala chai spice blend. Like the traditional masala chai (meaning “spiced tea”) served from roadside stalls across India, this limited release offers flavors of black tea, cinnamon, clove, peppercorns, cardamom, ginger and vanilla complemented by the roasty, dark fruit notes of the base beer (8.5% ABV).
The 250 ml cans will be distributed through Cascade Brewing’s distribution network in cases of 24 (six four-packs); single cans will also be available at the brewery’s two Portland-area pubs: Cascade Brewing Barrel House at 939 SE Belmont St. and The Lodge at Cascade Brewing at 7424 SW Beaverton Hillsdale Hwy.
About Cascade Brewing
Founded in Portland, Oregon in 1998, Cascade Brewing is a pioneer of the sour beer renaissance, innovating the Northwest Sour Ale in 2006. The brewery’s portfolio of distinctive sour ales features fruit-forward, barrel-aged ales with complex flavors and aromas derived from the acid, the fruit and the residual flavors present in the aging barrels. An emphasis on year-to-year variation captures the unique subtleties of each year’s fruit growing season, leading sour beer connoisseurs around the world to seek out Cascade’s Northwest Sour Ales. The brewery also brews a broad range of non-sour styles with the same level of quality and creativity that has become synonymous with the Cascade Brewing brand.