ATLANTIC BEACH BREWING FIRST BOTTLE RELEASE, NOVEMBER 3, A REAL EYE-OPENER
Atlantic Beach, FL: Giving new meaning to "wake up and smell the coffee" is the first bottle release from Atlantic Beach Brewing Company, the Cafecito de Cuba, a bold, Cuban coffee-inspired Imperial Stout. The beer will be available in 22-oz. bombers on November 3, beginning at 11am.
According to Rory Malloy, the brewery's Operations Manager and Brewmaster, the beer was brewed with Cafe Bustelo® Supreme espresso coffee, cold brewed in the beer from the fermenter. The unique feature of Cafecito Cuban coffee is the sweet "crema" that floats over the strong coffee. Not to be confused with milk-based "cream," the crema is a foam made from sugar, briskly blended with coffee-- in this case, Demerara Sugar Crema (also known as espuma or espumita). All of that might be a mouthful, and Malloy describes the beer as having a "nice warmth," with notes of stonefruit, chocolate, caramel, brown sugar, and tobacco. Further, he says, although the crema is a large part of what makes the beer, it is not overly sweet, and it is backed by the substantial body and mouthfeel of the beer. The Imperial Stout clocks in at 10.8 ABV and 47.6 IBU.
Malloy admits to be being a "coffee nut," with a coffee pot, a Keurig machine, an espresso machine and a French press in his home kitchen. The inspiration for the Cuban-themed coffee beer came not only from his love of coffee, but also from his previous home base in Tampa, which included frequent visits to Ybor City, known for its Cuban heritage.
The bottles will only be available in the brewery tap room, Malloy adds, for exclusivity for the benefit of on-site customers and Mug Club members. Note that the release is bottle-only.
Atlantic Beach Brewing added a line of bottling equipment to its brewery in August, with small bottle runs of its core beers currently being used as field samples. The bottling program will increase from there, with additional bottles being available in the tap room.
Mug Club members will be able to purchase bottles a day early, on November 2, when the tap room opens at 4pm. On Friday, November 3, the brewery will open early -- at 11am -- for sales to the general public. Cost per bottle is $15, with a three-bottle limit.
Sounds like a real eye-opener!
In other Atlantic Beach Brewing news, the brewery recently announced its Wednesday pilot batch series. Beginning on November 8, a new weekly small batch brew will hit the taps. The one-barrel pilot system allows Malloy to experiment and "have some fun" with creating new beers. Using the pilot system as a "getaway," Malloy is looking forward to brewing anything from cream ales and lagers to funky farmhouse saisons, different kinds of IPAs, and everything else. Expect the first few pilot releases to include sours and saisons, which Atlantic Beach Brewing will pour at the Annual Florida Brewers Guild Barrel-Aged, Sour and Cider Fest on December 9 at Intuition Ale Works.
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| Photo by Linda Johnson |
Atlantic Beach Brewing Company is located at 725 Atlantic Blvd., Units 3 & 15, Atlantic Beach.
Cheers!
Linda Johnson,
Certified Cicerone®