Weekly Online Newsletter Vol.17
We have a lot to be grateful for in 2015………
We toast our customers, suppliers, and the American system of alcohol distribution.
We thank you for your business and hope to share success in 2016.
Happy New Year!
Weekly Online Newsletter Vol.16
Bergseth Bros. strives to satisfy our customers and suppliers while providing challenging employment opportunities and a new warehouse investment. Our team at Bergseth Bros. is honored to work for all of you. It is from you we receive our inspiration and encouragement to excel and improve.
Bergseth Bros. is proud to have distributed beer in our region since our start in 1946. Please choose us for your needs this season and next year. We toast our customers, suppliers, and the American system of alcohol distribution. We thank you for your business and hope to share success in 2016. Merry Christmas & Happy New Year!
Cheers!
Weekly Online Newsletter Vol.15
One of my favorite memories as a youngster was having breakfast with my father. Most often it was something quick and easy. I would eat as fast as I could before I rushing outside for the school bus waiting at the end of the driveway. Quite often, we ate sliced grapefruit with a little sugar sprinkled on top. When I tried the new Rebel Grapefruit IPA for the first time, I was whisked back to the memory of eating grapefruit with my father.
This IPA does a great job of balancing the hop character with the citrusy acidity of the grapefruit with a backbone of subtle malt character – Heck, I may even have one for breakfast!
TASTING NOTES
Brewed with real grapefruit for an added punch of citrusy goodness that amplifies the tropical fruit and citrus notes from the hops. A hint of juiciness rounds out the bitterness and brings a refreshing finish to this bold, bright, thirst-quenching IPA.
6.3% ABV, 52 IBUs, 8 SRM
BREWING NOTES
Available now on Draught – Package coming in January
Please check with your sales person on availability and pricing (please note some products are not available in certain markets)
Weekly Online Newsletter Vol.14
We are excited to announce two new products at Bergseth Bros., Coney Island Hard Ginger Ale and Not Your Father’s Ginger Ale. Both of these products are exceptionally made but distinctively different. Coney Island Hard Ginger Ale is a smooth, clean, sweeter tasting product. Not Your Father’s Ginger Ale is a fuller, dryer-style with definite hints of ginger. I can see many people drinking these products at their family gatherings this holiday season – Don’t forget you can always substitute your favorite “ginger ale” recipes with the hard version for the adults!
Coney Island Hard Ginger Ale
A Bright and crisp traditional Hard Ginger Ale with balanced sweetness and a clean finish.
ABV 5.8%
Not Your Father’s Ginger Ale
Tasting Notes: A masterfully-balanced ginger and citrus body, with hints of black currant lending complementary floral and fruity spice notes.
ABV 5.9%
I’ve included a brief history on Ginger Ale from the Ginger Ale Authority:
The History of Ginger Ale
Ginger Ale has a long history, spanning over three centuries and two continents. While it is impossible to nail down the exact date of its creation, ginger ale history likely started out as a homemade concoction in England and Ireland around the 1840s. More like a ‘ginger-ade’ than a soda; these beverages resembled homemade tonics and could likely be described as sugar water with a kick of ginger root. Make no mistake; these were not your mainstream Coca-Cola-style sodas.
Naturally, the beverage made its way across the Atlantic to the eastern coast of the United States and ginger sodas were popping up in New York City by 1850. By the 1860s, Ginger Ale was beginning to develop into what we now call the ‘Golden’ style. Golden ginger ale had a very sweet and bubbly texture, with a strong ginger punch. Vernors claims to be one of these first brands. The story goes that Pharmacist James Vernor left an experimental barrel in his barn in 1862, just before joining the Union Army in the Civil War. Upon his return in 1866 he tasted the barrel-aged flavor and, ta-da, “Golden” Ginger Ale was born! http://gingeraleauthority.com/
NEVER miss a “pint” of news from Bergseth Bros. Like us on Facebook & Follow us on Twitter
Please check with your sales person on availability and pricing (please note some products are not available in certain markets)
Cheers!
Weekly Online Newsletter Vol.13
‘Tis the season for some winter warmers – beers released around Christmas time for sipping over the cold months ahead.
A few of these beers might satisfy your Christmas cookie cravings; they have hints of oatmeal and nutmeg, cinnamon and ginger, others are toasty and dark with a bit of smokiness. However, most are simply well-made ales with rich malty flavors and enough alcohol to warm you up. There are quite a few winners here – I hate to remind you (and myself), but winter is just beginning, and a few of these beers might help us make it through the long winter ahead.
Blue Moon Gingerbread Spiced Ale: Not too long ago, we asked fans to suggest ingredients for a new limited winter release that would best fit the season. After lots of great suggestions and tastings with fans, Gingerbread Spiced Ale came out on top. With tastes of ginger, cinnamon, and molasses, it’s clear why they chose this wintery brew.
5.9% ABV, 16 IBUs
Samuel Adams Winter Lager: German brewers may have been on to something centuries ago when they created bold, rich bock beers for the winter. For our beer, we brewed a dark wheat bock subtly spiced with fresh ground cinnamon, ginger & orange peel for a deep, smooth flavor and malty finish that will warm you on a cold winter’s night.
5.6% ABV, 22 IBUs, 25 SRM
Samuel Adams White Christmas: As crisp as the first snowfall of the year, this unfiltered white ale is blended with holiday spices including cinnamon, nutmeg, and orange peel. The familiar citrus and wheat characters of the ale are complemented by the warmth of the spices for a festive brew that’s perfect for the season.
5.8% ABV, 8 IBUs, 6 SRM
Samuel Adams Merry Maker: This rich dark gingerbread stout entices with the aromas of the holidays. The flavor of gingerbread comes alive, beginning with the smooth sweetness and heartiness of dark roasted malts and a touch of wheat. But it’s the intensity and spices of cinnamon, clove, nutmeg, & ginger that add a wicked kick for a jolly playful brew full of merry mischief
9.0% ABV, 25 IBUs, 75 SRM
Summit Winter Ale: One taste and it’s easy to see why the Brits call this style Winter Warmer. Nutty, roasted malt flavor with hints of coffee, caramel, cocoa and a dash of hop spice.
6.5% ABV, 40 IBUs, 54 SRM
Fargo Brewing Company Roustabout Oatmeal Milk Stout (winter seasonal): This Oatmeal Milk Stout pours a beautiful, creamy black with a thick tan head that lasts in the glass. The aroma is filled with and milk chocolate character. The body is smooth and rich, with very low bitterness and a subtle sweetness from milk sugar. The flavor is dominated by chocolate and coffee notes, the beer finishes smooth, sweet, and satisfying.
6.3% ABV, 22 IBUs
Lagunitas Brown Shugga’: Our winter seasonal that falls into the realm of “Dangerously Slammable”, this brew is especially irresponsible. Brown Shugga…How come you taste so good?
9.9% ABV, IBU 51
Schell Snowstorm 2015 Wallonian-Style Brown Ale: The Snowstorm of 2015 draws inspiration from the artisanal and experimental traditions of the Wallonian brewers to create a malt focused brown ale with hints of nut, biscuit and stone fruit
6.2% ABV
Schell Chimney Sweep Schwarzbier: Schell’s Chimney Sweep is dark and mysterious, with an intriguing wisp of smoke. A chimney sweep has long been considered a source of good luck. Schell’s Chimney Sweep draws inspiration from these lucky individuals and the rich dark lagers of Upper Franconia in Germany. A black lager with a roasty maltiness, sturdy hop bitterness and an underlying subtle smokiness.
5.2% ABV, 31 IBUs, SRM 48
Empyrean Winter Axis FestivÀle: Hoppy Holidays return in the 2015 version of FestivÀle! An English-style IPA, it’s smooth with flavors of biscuit upfront paired with a balanced hop bite in the finish.
6.8% ABV, 62 IBUs
Please check with your sales person on availability and pricing (please note some products are not available in certain markets)
CHEERS!
Online Weekly Newsletter Vol. 12
We’re very excited to announce the release of Lagunitas Brown Shugga’ Sweet Release 4/6pks…
Brown Shugga, a seasonal brew from Lagunitas, was created in 1997 as the result of an attempt to rescue a failed batch of Olde GnarlyWine Ale by adding “boatloads of brown sugar”—or so the story goes, anyway. It was a hit and they’ve made it every year since with only one exception (the moving year). Lagunitas, then in the process of building a new brew house, realized that they didn’t have the facilities to brew both their regular beers and Brown Shugga (which requires more time to make than the others). In its place they released an excellent IPA that they named Lagunitas Sucks Holiday Ale, with an apology for not brewing Brown Shugga printed on every bottle: Lagunitas Sucks was so popular it’s now a year-round beer.
Brown Shugga – it’s less sweet than you’d expect, smooth and biscuity-tasting with a subtle brown sugar flavor and piney hops that kick in with a bitterness that intensifies for two or three seconds before starting to fade. When the beer is cold the hop bitterness is the dominant flavor, but it mellows out as it warms up, letting the malts come through more.
Watch the Virtual Tasting from Lagunitas: Press Play Button
According to the bottle: “We believe this Special Ale is Something Unique. Feeding Brown Cane Sugar to otherwise Cultured Brewery Yeast is a’kin to feeding Raw Shark to your Gerbil. It is unlikely to ever occur in nature without Human Intervention. And it looks weird besides. But it has happened and now it’s too Late.”
Please check with your sales person on availability and pricing (please note some products are not available in certain markets)
CHEERS!
Weekly Online Newsletter Vol. 11
FINNEGANS, the first ever beer company to donate 100 percent of its profits, added a brand new beer to its roster last summer , Dead Irish Poet now comes to life every October – January.
The Dead Irish Poet extra stout was crafted, brewed and packaged thanks to the incredible support of 260 backers in a Kickstarter campaign held last summer. FINNEGANS worked closely with Damian McConn, head brewer of Summit Brewing Company to create the new brew. The extra stout has a rich body and bold flavor, with hints of dark chocolate, espresso and cherries. Inspired by the history of McConn’s homeland, the extra stout is a throwback to pre-World War I beer from Southern Ireland.
Holding true to its name, the Dead Irish Poet has higher alcohol content of 7 percent and a smooth yet brooding, dark taste. The stout pays homage to great Irish writers like James Joyce, William Butler Yeats and Oscar Wilde.
The Dead Irish Poet is available on tap and a part of the Saintly Sampler Pack: a 12-pack containing 6 Dead Irish Poets, 3 Irish Ambers and 3 Blonde Ales. Perfect for holiday parties and autumn bonfires, there’s something for everyone in the Saintly Sampler Pack.
“The flavor profile on this beer is out of this world,” says Jacquie Berglund, the rambunctious FINNEGANS CEO. “I am not a stout drinker, but I love this beer. It’s a stout that any beer drinker will love, especially at this time of year. And it’s only available for a limited time so beer drinkers and FINNEGANS supporters have got to get their hands on it before it’s gone.”
It’s a great time of year to meet the Dead Irish Poet and drink your favorite of the FINNEGANS beers. November 1 through December 31 FINNEGANS loyal distribution partners match all sales profit donations in the company’s annual Drink Like You Care campaign.
FINNEGANS has donated over half a million dollars over the past 14 years and continues to find innovative and inspiring ways to give back. For more information on the Dead Irish Poet and FINNEGANS visit www.finnegans.org.
Available in the Saintly Sampler 12 Pack and Limited draught 1/6bbl & 1/2bbl
Please check with your sales person on availability and pricing (please note some products are not available in certain markets)
CHEERS!
Weekly Online Newsletter Vol.10
The fall weather has arrived and flavors of cinnamon, ginger, all-spice and nutmeg continue to run through my thoughts – Thankfully, it’s not too late for pumpkin beers. One of my favorite beers to marry with these flavors in our autumn food is Jack’O Traveler Pumpkin Shandy.
Jack’O Traveler Pumpkin Shandy embodies the darker side of Shandy complete with a perfect balance of real pumpkin and everyone’s favorite autumn spices. This wheat beer is brewed with fresh pumpkin so you know you’re in for a real treat. Try some today – taste and embrace the fall season.
Malt Varieties: 2-row malted barley, malted wheat
Hop Varieties: Hallertau Hallertau
Special Ingredients: Real pumpkin
Alcohol: 4.4% ABV
IBUs: 7
Driven by an obsessive love of high jinks, the Jack-O Traveler spent his days cooking up mischief for everyone who crossed his path. One of his favorite pranks involved tricking unsuspecting bar patrons into buying him beers and then skipping out just when it was his turn to buy a round.
So clever was Jack, he even scammed the devil himself into granting him a reprieve from hell. Unfortunately for our Traveler, when his shenanigans finally caught up with him and he died, the man upstairs wanted nothing to do with Jack either.
It’s said that after Jack was barred from heaven, the devil gave him a burning coal, which he promptly put into a carved pumpkin to light his way. Legend has it that he wanders the earth to this day, searching for innocent bystanders to hoodwink into buying him his favorite beer, a pumpkin Shandy.
Jack-O Traveler is an alluring wheat beer illuminated by the tastes of fall. He strikes a perfect balance between bright refreshment and seasonal spice. Jack is brewed with fresh pumpkin, for a delicious dark-hued, Shandy-inspired beer.
Available in package and on draught 1/6bbl & 1/2bbl
Please check with your sales person on availability and pricing (please note some products are not available in certain markets)
CHEERS!
Online Weekly Newsletter Vol.9
We’ve seen the tremendous success of Not Your Father’s Root Beer in recent months within Bergseth Bros. territory. It’s quite astonishing how fast this brand has grown locally and on the national level. We’re very excited to announce the addition of Not Your Father’s Root Beer on draught and in cans!! Keith Bergseth, General Manager of Bergseth Bros. stated, “In less than a year NYFRB bottles has become one of the top selling SKUs. To support the success of this brand, new line extensions have been offered. Not Your Father’s Root Beer Draught and Cans are an excellent addition to this family.”
Not Your Father’s Root Beer is the result of ambitious creativity, a rich family brewing heritage, and tireless commitment to premium American Craftsmanship. After Tim Kovac and his son experimented with brewing as a hobby for several years, Tim formally committed to the craft in 2010 by opening Small Town Brewery in Wauconda, IL. His brewing focus developed as he unearthed his unique family brewing history which dates back to his great grandfather – an English ship captain – in the 1600′s. Utilizing his ancestors brewing practices – which included fruit-based recipes consisting of specific herbs, flowers, and various fruits versus hops – has inspired Tim’s passion for deriving innovative offerings, such as Not Your Father’s Root Beer, from modern brewing’s heritage and underpinnings.
Not Your Father’s Root Beer is a category-defining Ale brewed with unique spices. An unrivaled evolution of timeless American root beer in taste and color. Not Your Father’s Root Beer, 5.9% ABV, has earned a “World Class” rating of 98 on Beeradvocate. Brewer Tim Kovac’s creativity and painstaking commitment to flavor complexity result in an unmistakable offering that masterfully blend hints of sassafras bark, wintergreen, anise and vanilla. A smooth and balanced ale. Not Your Father’s Root Beer has a broad appeal from discerning craft beer drinkers to non-beer drinkers.
Watch the Video Below To Discover the Tradition of
Small Town Brewery with Brewmaster Tim Kovac
Not Your Father’s Root Beer Now Available On Draught and In Cans!
Also Coming Soon Not Your Father’s Ginger Ale, sometime late November.
Please check with your sales person on availability and pricing (please note some products are not available in certain markets)
CHEERS!
Weekly Online Newsletter Vol.8
Today I’m excited to introduce a new product to Bergseth Bros. – GUINNESS Nitro IPA. By bringing Guinness-style nitrogenation to an IPA, the Irish brewer has created a hop-forward India Pale Ale with the qualities of a classic Guinness pint — namely balanced flavor and aroma, creamy mouthfeel and a perfectly formed and long-lasting head of dense bubbles.
It can be a challenge to reinvent the wheel when your business was formed in the year 1759. To withstand the changes through these 256 years one learns to do things exceptionally well and this is exactly what Guinness has accomplished with its world class Stout. Locked into a 9,000-year lease when founder Arthur Guinness began operations at St. James’s Gate Brewery in Dublin, Guinness is dedicated for the long term.
Known for its black, velvety stout, Guinness has ventured out to brew other beer styles and its latest project is a brand new IPA that is served on nitro in lieu of normally only using carbon dioxide. The new can of Guinness Nitro IPA uses the same delivery method as that of can of Guinness Draught Stout with the use of its widget. This technology was introduced in 1988 and gives Guinness Draught its famous smooth, velvety texture all in a portable container. “Guinness perfected the art of adding nitro to beer,” states Keith Dunne, Guinness Beer Ambassador. This delivery of using a blend of both CO2 and N2 is said to produce approximately 240 million bubbles from a single can of Guinness.
Guinness Nitro IPA was developed by a select group of brewers from the famous St. James Gate Brewery located in Dublin, Ireland. More specifically this beer is part of “The Brewers Project” that is brewed at Brewhouse No. 4. This group of brewers is in charge with Guinness’ creative development that channels its energy into the Brewers Project. These brewers were recently tasked with brewing a brand new IPA that was led by brewer Luis Ortega whom developed this new IPA recipe. Below is a video from Guinness that describes this tenuous process.
GUINNESS Nitro IPA Behind the Beer – Video
“IPAs are complex and hoppy, but for some beer drinkers the bitterness can be too much,” explained Ortega, the brewer who created this beer’s recipe. “We aimed to make a balanced, smooth beer. Guinness perfected nitrogenated beer more than 60 years ago, so we believed we could really add something new to the style. There’s plenty of hoppy flavor, with citrus aroma to the fore, but the nitrogen rounds it all out. The mouthfeel is fantastic, and the use of Guinness yeast gives it an echo of the character of our famous stouts.”
From Stout to IPA – The GUINNESS Story
Guinness Nitro IPA Stats: 5.8% ABV 44 IBU
Serve: Best enjoyed straight from the can or served from the tap in a Guinness Gravity glass
Can: Straight pour into a Guinness Gravity Glass
Draught: Traditional two-part pour using a Guinness Gravity Glass
Currently Available in 4/6 Cans – Draught available soon.
Please check with your sales person on availability and pricing (please note some products are not available in certain markets)