Welcome to Growlers: your weekly roundup of news, events and specials from Little Rock’s breweries and taprooms. Little Rock’s beer scene is growing and improving at a rapid pace, and we’re dedicated to keeping you up to speed on all of it. Here’s what’s happening this week:
Without a doubt the biggest beer event of the week will be at Stone’s Throw Brewing on Saturday from 4 p.m. until 10 p.m. The brewery is turning three years old, and to celebrate, it’s hosting the 2016 Block on Rock festival. Five bucks gets you in to one of the biggest block parties of the year, featuring live music by The Big Dam Horns and Smittle Band as well as nine food trucks, from The Southern Gourmasian to Slader’s Alaskan Dumpling Co. And lest you think there will only be one beermaker in attendance, no fewer than seven Arkansas breweries and Rock Town Distillery will also be there serving up their creations. This has been a wonderful party the past two years, and it looks to be more of the same this year. Proceeds go to benefit Preserve Arkansas.
Stone’s Throw also has a couple of other events this week, including its regular, five-course beer dinner at The Southern Gourmasian on Tuesday night. Tickets are $50 for one person, $90 for two, and are still available. Also, this Friday Stone’s Throw will release its barrel-soured Amarillo Warrior imperial IPA in the taproom.
Lost Forty Brewing has its Oktoberfest coming out today in its Fresh Cut series. The Hunter is a 6.1-percent ABV Marzen style beer made with Hallertau Mittelfruh noble hops. The beer’s release party is today at 4 p.m., and Lost Forty will have some food specials on hand to pair with The Hunter. Of course, six-packs and growlers will be available.
As usual, Rebel Kettle has two special beer releases on tap this week, and these two sound really tasty. Its “Growler Tuesday” offering this week is the Day Walker IPA, made with coffee, orange and vanilla. This brew comes in at 6.8% ABV. And its Thursday taproom release is called First Taste of Love. It’s a dry-hopped strawberry saison made with Nelson-Sauvin hops that bring forward flavors of strawberries and white wine. That one is a 5% ABV brew.
Vino’s Brewpub has its summer seasonal on tap today called Rainbow Wheat, a 5% ABV German hefeweizen beer. You can expect the usual Vino’s lineup in addition to the Rainbow Wheat
Flyway Brewing in North Little Rock has put its Albatross double American pale ale back on tap. At 7.5% ABV, it’s a bit on the heavy side. Now that Albatross is back, Flyway is offering a limited time “Hop Flight” for $7. That will get you four 5-ounce pours of hop-forward beers: the Pintail Session IPA (5.5% ABV, 44 IBU) with Citra hops, the Early Bird IPA (6.3% ABV, 60 IBU) with Centennial hops, the Albatross (7.5% ABV, 85 IBU) with Chinook hops, and the Nine Killer Imperial IPA (9.9% ABV, 99 IBU) with Amarillo and Simcoe hops. Flyway recently updated its hop technique for the Nine Killer, so stop in to try the new version.
Blue Canoe Brewing Company is putting its Paddler back on tap this Wednesday. This American pale wheat ale comes in at 5 percent ABV. Also, Blue Canoe will be one of the breweries featured at the Block on Rock party, and the team is bringing its Old Blue beer wagon. Old Blue is a 1961 International Harvester with four beer taps on the side of the wagon. Blue Canoe is working on a surprise beer for next week.
Don’t forget, the Great Arkansas Beer Festival is less than two weeks away at the Statehouse Convention Center. Tickets are $30 for general admission and $50 for VIP. There will be dozens of craft beer offerings available from Arkansas and around the United States.
Do you have some beer news you would like to share with us? Email me at steve@rockcityeats.com.
