Berghoff Oak-Aged Stock Ale Coming In April

“We’re thrilled to expand our appeal with Stock Ale, a forward-thinking collaboration that represents the future of the Berghoff brand,” says Minkoff, whose family has owned General Beverage Distributors in Wisconsin for the past 80 years and purchased the Berghoff brand in 1994. “We are brewing four new seasonal offerings, all of them catering to the modern beer drinker. We hope they will proudly display Berghoff’s versatility by updating historic recipes and brewing techniques, while carrying on a century long commitment to using exceptional ingredients.”

Through careful study of stock ale recipes of centuries past, the new Berghoff Stock Ale closely follows the tradition of these heavily hopped and aromatized brews with minor tweaks for modernization and improved drinkability. The hoppy, malt-y ale is fermented with toasted oak spirals for a soft vanilla aroma and slightly crisp finish that registers at 10% ABV. Berghoff Stock Ale uses the classic combination of 2-Row Pils, caramel and black malts, along with some Belgian brewer’s brown sugar to lighten the body. The 2014 line of specialty release beers, including the new Stock Ale, will demonstrate the ways Berghoff continues to stay true to its traditional German roots while also catering to the wants and needs of an increasingly demanding craft beer audience. Stock Ale will be available on draught and in four packs at top craft beer bars and shops throughout Illinois, Wisconsin, Michigan and Indiana. The next beer in the Berghoff limited release line will be introduced in June.

Minkoff consulted with brewing experts Randy Mosher and John Hannafan to create the recipes for the top-notch German-style beers that where brewed at the Stevens Point production facility, located in Stevens Point, Wisconsin. Mosher is an acknowledged craft beer expert, whose books include Tasting Beer (Storey, 2009) and Radical Brewing (Brewers Publications, 2003.) An accomplished designer, he also contributed to Berhgoff’s new packaging and brand messaging. Hannafan, who until recently ran his own successful Chicago-based brewery and brewing consultancy firm, is now the director of education at the world-renowned Siebel Institute of Technology in Chicago.
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