Beer lovers have more to love about upcoming movie The Hobbit: The Desolation of Smaug, a three-bottle set of Hobbit beer. Fish Tale Brewery of Olympia, Washington, USA released an Belgian Style Tripel called Bolg in 22 oz bottles.
I sent the elves out to Seattle to get one of the first bottles of Bolg, and here’s my review…
The Hobbit: An Unexpected Journey has movie tie-in merchandise for everyone, except for beer drinkers, until now. This week Fish Tale Brewery of Olympia, Washington, USA released an Imperial Pils called Gollum Precious Pils in 22 oz bottles. This part of a three-bottle set of Hobbit beer.
I sent the elves out to Seattle to get one of the first bottles of Gollum Precious Pils, and here’s my review…
It’s about time that we had some decent Hobbit beer! New Line Cinema partnered with FishTale Ales of Olympia, Washington, USA to produce a line of strong beers – a Pils, a Stout, and a Belgian Tripel.
I was fortunate enough to get my hands on one of the first cases shipped. They should be available in the Western USA at the end of August and other parts of the US by early September.
I’ll be reviewing each Hobbit beer. Subscribe so you don’t miss them.
Gollum Precious Pils (click for my review) weighs in at 9.5% ABV and 85 IBU. It is a strong Imperial Pils, with flavors as smooth and crafty as Gollum himself. Like the ring which Gollum pursued for the rest of his life, his “precious” pils, if your quest leads you to it, could extend your life too! (at least we’d like to think so) It will, at a minimum, make your journey a little more enjoyable!
Smaug Stout is also 9.5% ABV and 65 IBU. Smaug Stout is styled after a classic Russian Imperial Stout, but with a subtle hint of Habanero chilis to remind you of the fire and danger awaiting you in your journey to The Lonely Mountain. Pronounced notes of Coffee and Chocolate balanced with Northwest Hops and a touch of heat produce an exceptional imperial stout, a worthy reward for your hard-fought journey.
Bolg Belgian Tripel at 9.5% ABV and 35 IBU. An Orc chieftain who ruled for 150 years, Bolg would drink his grog of choice and no one would tell him otherwise – a flavorful strong Belgian Tripel. Some said it refined an otherwise gruesome character.
I stopped by Schooner Exact Brewery in Seattle for lunch today. I got to peek into the barrel room. Hoppy Holidays was tucked away a few weeks ago in a half-dozen bourbon barrels. When it reemerges in December it will be Hoppy the Woodsman! (See my review of both beers here.)
Schooner Exact has been barrel-aging Hoppy Holidays since 2008. This year’s Woodsman is aged in bourbon barrels from Heaven Hill Distilleries, a private family-owned and operated distillery headquartered in Bardstown, Kentucky.
In 2012, Schooner Exact expanded their barrel-aging program to an Imperial Porter and a series of Sour beers. Today, I tasted their Barrel-aged Raspberry Brown. A complex, tart and refreshing beer. To make sure the Sour beer yeast do not invade Hoppy Holidays’ barrels, the Sours are stored in a separate room at the opposite end of the brewery.
