Rebel Kettle Brewing Company will unveil its first canned beer in less than two weeks. The brewery is canning a small batch of its Headbanger’s Ball Double IPA, which is a unique choice for a debut can in that it’s not one of Rebel Kettle’s signature brews. It is, however, a fantastic IPA, one that debuted in late 2016 to a chorus of rave reviews from the beer community. Headbanger’s Ball will only be available in four-packs and only at the taproom beginning Saturday, Aug. 19. Hopheads are sure to be at the front of the line for this release. Since this is only a small batch, it’s possible there will be a cap on how much any one customer can buy. We’ll update you on that next week.
Already anticipating a new Bubba Brews taproom, downtown Hot Springs is about to see yet another Arkansas brewery move in. Core Brewing Company is opening its tenth public house concept at 833 Central Avenue, less than a block away from the Craft Beer Cellar. The location was once home to Banjo Dan’s. Core’s owner Jesse Core says he hope the new public house will be open sometime in October. With Bubba Brews coming soon and Superior Bathhouse Brewery well established, downtown Hot Springs is quickly becoming more attractive to beer fans.
For the fourth straight year, brewers from all over Central Arkansas put their heads together for a collaboration brew to benefit ALS research. This year’s Ales for ALS brew is an American Pale Ale created at Flyway Brewing. It’s going on tap at the ten breweries that helped create it over the next couple of weeks. This week, it’s on first at Flyway on Wednesday, then at Rebel Kettle and Diamond Bear on Thursday. Ales for ALS is a nationwide campaign. Hop growers at Loftus Ranches in Washington state offer a special hop blend to brewers free of charge. In return, brewers give a portion of their sales to the ALS Therapy Development Institute, a nonprofit research ways to treat and potential cure ALS.
There’s been a sudden flurry of social media activity from Slate Rock Brewing, which aims to be the first brewing business in Clark County. The brewery last week posted that it had purchased a mash tun and kettle, and yesterday began making test batches on the new system. There is still a long way to go; paperwork and further construction have to be completed, and Slate Rock’s owners don’t anticipate being open until the end of the year, at the earliest. Still, it is promising progress for an exciting company that will be the first of its kind for miles in every direction.
Speaking of new breweries, Fort Smith Brewing Company has brewed its first two batches and is shooting for an opening day in mid-September. The brewery has all of its permitting necessary to get its three-barrel system operational at its location on Fort Chaffee Road. When it opens, Fort Smith Brewing Company will have four of its own beers on tap and will have space to rotate in some guest brews. Read more about Fort Smith Brewing Company in this week’s article in the Southwest Times-Record.
Pineapple is the theme for this week’s Freshcut Monday release at Lost Forty Brewing. The brewery is releasing its Pineapple Belgian Blonde, a 4-percent ABV blonde ale brewed with a large amount of pineapple juice. This one is getting a pretty wide release; in addition to growlers, crowlers and six-packs in the taproom, Pineapple Belgian Blonde will be available around town at liquor stores and convenience stores. To mark the debut, the kitchen will be cranking out a pizza special made with jalapeno-cheddar sausage and smoked pineapple.
And with all the fruit beer that’s been coming out of Little Rock taprooms this summer, it’s a mild surprise that we haven’t seen more grapefruit beers. The citrus fruit plays wonderfully with hops, something that Stone’s Throw Brewing is taking advantage of for its #NewBrewFriday. Stone’s Throw is releasing a Belgian Grapefruit Shandy, the first time the brewery has released this style. It will be available in the taproom starting at 4 p.m. Friday.
Do you have some beer news you would like to share with us? Email me at steve@rockcityeats.com.
