Another new entry in the Savannah Craft Brew Fest (www.savannahcraftbrewfest.com) is from a brand new Savannah brewery.
Coastal Empire Beer Co. will debut its Savannah Brown Ale, the first in a line of beers that company partner Kevin Haborak says will initially only be available in kegs. There are a number of brown ales in the fest — which will give you an opportunity to compare this new beer from our hometown.
A first taste can be scored on Sunday, Aug. 28, during a Beer Week kick–off event at The Distillery. The beers are currently being contract brewed, but Haborak says he hopes to get a local brewing operation off the ground in Savannah. The brewery is represented in Georgia by Savannah Distributing Co.
Tampa, Fla., Cigar City Brewing will also make its debut in Georgia on fest weekend (Sept. 2-4). This long–awaited and popular brand has a huge following among craft beer devotees. Of the beers being poured, be sure to sample Cubano Espresso Maduro.
This beer begins as an oatmeal Brown Ale — but is then aged on #3 Espresso blend coffee beans with chicory from Naviera Coffee Mills — a Tampa coffee roaster. Dark, rich and refreshingly biting, the beer has pronounced coffee notes, obviously, and a ton of character.
Thomas Creek Brewery of South Carolina captured last year’s professional brewer’s “best of show” with its Class Five IPA. The brewery is back with a good selection of its core beers — and a beer from its new Atypical Series, Conduplico Immundus Monachus (Latin for “double dirty monk”). The beer is an imperial style of the brewery’s Belgian–style Porter. Jammed into the bottled are lots of roasted, chocolate, nutty and malty flavors — balanced by a fruity tartness
It will no doubt be blazing hot, so seek out a sample of Dogfish Head Namaste, a Belgian–style White Ale made with dried organic orange slices, fresh cut lemongrass and a bit of coriander. It’s another example of what pioneering brewer Sam Calagione brings to the industry from his Delaware brewery.
Real hopheads will want to sip Dogfish 90 Minute IPA. As if it’s not a hop monster already, the beer will be served through a Randall, a super–hopping appliance that will infuse flavor straight from hop buds to the beer. Pouring through a Randall is the brewer’s equivalent to Chef Emeril Lagasse’s BAM of hot spices!
