Our favorite bad boys of beer, BrewDog, have some enticing new brews ready to launch, through May 2011. What should you be looking forward to trying this year?

Alpha Dog
January 1, 2011
This brew is cask-only and, at 3.8% ABV, is the epitome of "session beer." A play on the classic ESB (one of my favorite styles), BrewDog combined sweet Scottish malts and heaps of their favorite US hops. I wonder if any of these casks will make it to my neck of the woods?

I Hardcore You
January 25, 2011
The first collaboration beer to launch this year, I Hardcore You is a blend of BrewDog’s Hardcore IPA and the already ultra-hoppy Mikkeller’s I Beat You, that is then dry-hopped twice. The result is a 9.5% ABV Imperial IPA of epic proportions. I expect this will have quite a kick to it.

IPA is Dead
January 29, 2011
Rather than a single-brew launch, BrewDog is featuring a 4-pack of single hop IPAs, each using the same base beer, weighing in at 7.5% ABV. IPA is Dead will showcase four of BrewDog’s favorite hops varieties from around the world. Will be interesting to discern differences between each brew, separated only by which hops was used.

Alice Porter
February 1, 2011
Beginning with a 300-year-old beer recipe and adding two hop varieties, Alice Porter is reported as being a 6.2% brew tasting of chocolate, dark fruit and richly toasted sugar. Sounds to me like a perfect night cap on a chilly winter night.

Dog A
March 27, 2011
Not much has been leaked on this as of yet, but we do know it will be a 15.1% ABV Imperial Stout. Of course, since it’s coming from BrewDog, there’s sure to be some twist. Can’t wait to see for myself.

Bitch Please
April 2011
I first reported on Bitch Please in October and now we have a better idea of when we can expect to see it. Another collaboration brew, this time with Three Floyds, this is a barley wine hitting 10% ABV. Brewed with New Zealand hops, shortbread, Scottish Highland toffee and peated malt, I expect this to have a flavor and body like no other.

Black Tokyo Horizon
May 2011
When I first heard of Black Tokyo Horizon in December, I couldn’t keep my mouth from watering. A collaboration between three of my favorite craft breweries, BrewDog, Mikkeller and Nøgne Ø, this beer is a fusion of each of their biggest, darkest stouts.

TAGS [ BREWDOG | MIKKELLER | NOGNE O | THREE FLOYDS | CRAFT BEER | BEER LAUNCH ]

Photo: Jayson Mellom/MCT

Raul Cano, a biology professor at California Polytechnic State U, happened upon a 45 million-year-old yeast strain in amber he found while researching in Myanmar back in the 90s. [source: thestar.com] At the time of his discovery, Cano became internationally recognized for finding that microorganisms could indeed be brought back to life, by extracting them from the amber in which they were preserved. Jurassic Park, anyone?

Cano begin collaborating and conducting brewing experiments, using the ancient yeast strains he’s extracted from the amber and grown. Now, Cano has formed Fossil Fuels Brewing Co. with partners Scott Bonzell, Joe Kelley and Chip Lambert and distributes his brews mostly in Northern California pubs. Their main beer is a wheat, followed by their newest addition, a pale ale. Currently they’re working on producing an amber ale and a Märzen.

According to critics, the 45 million-year-old yeast gives the beers a good yet unique taste, described as spicy, like that of cloves, with hints of ginger and pineapple. Interestingly, because of the yeast’s prehistoric genetic makeup, the beer finishes clear, instead of cloudy, due to how the ancient yeast ferments sugars.

Damn, I’d really like to get my hands on some of this.

Cheers to Raul Cano and best of luck in developing many more 45 million-year-old brews!

TAGS [ FOSSIL FUELS BREWING | CRAFT BEER | PREHISTORIC YEAST ]