Whatever else you have going on this week, you won’t want to miss Rebel Kettle’s third birthday party on Saturday. Beer and Loathing in Little Rock is back for a third year, featuring beer yoga starting at 10 a.m. and the main party kicking in at 11 a.m. Rebel Kettle’s barrel-aged booth is back and includes Black Reign bourbon barrel-aged Russian imperial stout, among others. The brewery is also welcoming food trucks Katmandu Momo and the pizza truck from Sauced Bar and Oven. And of course there will be plenty of live music on the stage. Admission to Beer and Loathing in Little Rock is free; you will need to buy beer tickets for $5 each to get a brew. This year, a portion of the proceeds from the party will go to The Brooklyn Legacy, a foundation that supports children fighting cancer. Rebel Kettle will not have a 4:30 Thursday this week as it prepares for the big party Saturday.
The cities of Little Rock and North Little Rock are bringing back the Locally Labeled Pavilion Party for 2019. For those who don’t know, Locally Labeled is a joint project of the two cities to promote the beverage scene in Central Arkansas. Anybody can pick up a Locally Labeled passport and get it stamped at any brewery, winery or at Rock Town Distillery. Those who completely fill out their passport are eligible for some swag. The party for 2019 is Thursday from 6 p.m. until 8 p.m. at the River Market pavilion. There is no admission charge this year.
Here in just a couple of hours, Lost Forty will be releasing its latest Freshcut Monday brew: White Bronco Cara Cara Orange Saison. This 7 percent ABV saison is brewed with fresh-squeezed Cara Cara orange juice and zest. The whole thing gets fermented with a wild yeast strain that Grant Chandler cultivated from Dunbar Community Garden. Lost Forty says you can taste orange, banana, clove and baked bread in this one. This is a very small batch, so you can only get it by the glass starting at 4 p.m. today.
For this week’s #NewBrewFriday release, Stone’s Throw Brewing is bringing back its white IPA for 2019. Winona White IPA is a 6.5 percent ABV cross between a Belgian wheat and an American IPA. Stone’s Throw uses citrus-forward hops for this one to bring out flavors of orange peel and coriander. Winona is named for the lake in the Ouachita mountains that serves as the main source of water for Stone’s Throw’s beers. This hybrid brew goes back on tap at the MacPark location at 4 p.m. on Friday.
Buffalo Brewing Company is gearing up for its expansion in the Heights, at that means some changes at The Water Buffalo location. Owner Nolen Buffalo is closing the store on Mondays so he can work on getting the new taproom ready. The Water Buffalo and the taproom there will be open for regular hours on the other six days of the week. You remember we told you last month that Buffalo Brewing Company will be going next to Burge’s in the Heights later this year.
Flyway Brewing has a classic back on tap. Migrate Pale Ale, a traditional American-style pale ale, is back on the wall again. Migrate was originally one of the flagship beers at Flyway when it first opened. But the rising popularity of Peregrine Pale Ale led Flyway to take it off and free up tap room for other brews. Migrate will be on tap as a seasonal brew going forward.
And lastly, a special kudos to the folks who put on the Hot Springs Craft Beer Festival this past weekend. They first rolled the dice with the weather and caught a big break, with mild temperatures and a light breeze making things pleasant for attendees. They also put together their best lineup of breweries, with dozens of in-state and regional folks on hand. I got to try some of the rural folks for the first time, like Six Mile Brewery in Ozark and Norfork Brewing Company in Baxter County. I also got to try Leaky Roof Meadery out of Buffalo, Missouri, and that is one I will be seeking out in the future. A wonderful job done by all who worked tirelessly to put the festival together.
Do you have any beer news to share with us? Email steveshuler@gmail.com.
RIP Damgoode Pies
November 20, 2023
