Manhattan, KS — Tallgrass Brewing Company announces its brand release calendar for 2017, which includes new additions to its year-round portfolio, seasonal offerings and Explorer Series lineup of “occasional” specialty beers, plus a a few extra releases that will see limited distribution in its 18-state region. Brands are listed below in order of shipment schedule.
Kicking off the New Year and the 2017 Explorer Series is King Buffalo (10.5% ABV), an imperial stout in 4-packs of 12 oz. cans. Sitting on a throne of dark roasted grains, King Buffalo is loaded with the same coffee and chocolate notes of our original Buffalo Sweat, but it’s deeper, darker, richer and more complex. King Buffalo is slated to begin shipping to distributors in early January and will be available through March.
New to the core lineup is Raspberry Jam (4.3% ABV), a Berliner Weisse that will be available in 6-packs of 12 oz. cans. Raspberry Jam was first developed the Tallgrass Tap House brewpub and appeared as part of the Explorer Series in 2016. Its crisp natural tartness is balanced by the addition of raspberries to create a light-bodied, refreshing sour wheat ale. Raspberry Jam is slated to begin shipping to distributors in late January and early February. It will be available as a year-round release.
Initially released in 2011 and put on hiatus during 2016, Velvet Rooster (8.5% ABV) will crow once more as a Tallgrass seasonal offering in 6-packs of 12 oz. cans. This Belgian-Style Tripel Ale — the first ever in a can — boasts big fruity esters, slight spice and a candy-like finish. Velvet Rooster is slated to begin shipping to distributors in mid-February, and will be available through April.
The second release in Tallgrass’ Single Hop IPA Series, Styrian Wolf IPA (6.5% ABV) will appear in 6-packs of 12 oz. cans. This IPA showcases a Slovenian hop with intense fruity and floral notes, flavors of sweet tropical fruits and a complex, melon-like aroma with hints of elderflower and violet. Styrian Wolf IPA is slated to begin shipping to distributors in early March and will be available through July.
The Grizz (9.5% ABV), a Double IPA which kicked off the 2016 Explorer Series in January, comes out of hibernation with a new formula and bolder hop character than its original incarnation (additional details forthcoming). It will be packaged in 4-packs of 12 oz. cans and is slated to begin shipping to distributors in late March and early April. The Grizz will be available through June.
First released in summer 2016 as an experimental draft-only release that was met with raving enthusiasm from fans, Key Lime Pie (4.2% ABV) will return as a summer seasonal in 6-packs of 12 oz cans. An American sour blonde ale brewed with lime peel, Key Lime Pie is true to its namesake, recalling the sweet, tart and refreshing dessert in beer form. It is slated to begin shipping to distributors in mid-April.
After its initial success in the 2016 Explorer Series, the Flyin’ Hawaiian Tropical Double IPA will soar once more in 4-packs of 12 oz. cans in the 2017 Explorer Series. Brewed with Columbus, Mandarina Bavaria, Pacific Gem and Falconers Flight hops, the Flyin’ Hawaiian boasts a tasty interplay between flavors of dark berries, citrus and tropical fruit. It is slated to begin shipping to distributors in late June.
Tallgrass also is introducing a Reserve Series of specialty beers with limited distribution in 19.2 oz. stovepipe cans and kegs. The first, slated for release in March, is a Belgian-Style Golden Strong Ale (8.2% ABV) aged in oak barrels with tart cherries and raspberries. The second, a Tallgrass 10th Anniversary Ale, is slated for release in August. Details on the 10th Anniversary Ale will be released at a later date.
A few more items to note: All Tallgrass brands will transition into 12 oz. cans throughout the first quarter of 2017. Year-round and seasonal brands will be in 6-packs of 12 oz. cans, while Explorer Series releases will be in 4-packs of 12 oz. cans.
Two hoppy core brands are sporting tasty new formulas. Longtime flagship brand 8-Bit Pale Ale is now brewed with Columbus, Cascade, Centennial and a boatload of tasty Mosaic hops. A new iteration of Top Rope IPA with Columbus, Centennial, Simcoe and Ekuanot hops will begin appearing in Q1.