Shmaltz Brewing Releases Coney Island Barrel-Aged Human Blockhead

New York, NY – August 7, 2012 – Shmaltz Brewing Company, ringleader of the sideshow-inspired Coney Island Craft Lagers®, is excited to announce the third seasonal release of Coney Island Barrel-Aged Human Blockhead®. Weighing in at 10.83% ABV, this burly Imperial American Bock has aged over five months in Buffalo Trace Kentucky Straight Bourbon Barrels. While the original Human Blockhead® was conceived as a tough-as-nails strong lager, Barrel-Aged Human Blockhead® is the evolution of a true professional; bearing the signature richness of Munich and Vienna malt, but emerging from the barrel softened and silky, with hints of maple, caramel, and vanilla. With such a limited-edition production run, Barrel-Aged Human Blockhead® is as rare and special as it is highly coveted.

Coney Island Barrel-Aged Human Blockhead® is the seventh release in Shmaltz’s Limited Engagement Barrel-Aged series, and took home a Gold Medal at the World Beer Championships in 2011. The series also includes 2010 Great American Beer Festival Silver Medalist HE’BREW R.I.P.A. on Rye; 2011 World Beer Championships Gold Medalist HE’BREW Vertical Jewbelation; and HE’BREW Genesis 15:15, a 15% ABV barleywine brewed with grapes, figs, dates, and pomegranates. The Limited Engagement Barrel-Aged series not only represents some of Shmaltz’s most decorated beers, but also boasts the highest consumer ratings from BeerAdvocate.com and RateBeer.com. The latter recently ranked Shmaltz Brewing as one of the “Top 50 Brewers in the World” for 2012. With the release of Barrel-Aged Human Blockhead®, Shmaltz Brewing continues to design unique and sophisticated beers that can stand with the world’s best specialty beverages.

Fusing Old World brewing traditions with bold, flavor-driven American ingenuity, Coney Island Human Blockhead® and Barrel-Aged Human Blockhead® are two examples of how Shmaltz has lifted lagers to the creative height that ales have enjoyed in the American craft beer movement. After selecting Coney Island Craft Lagers® as “Best in Show” at their inaugural BevStar Awards, Beverage World Magazine noted, “in a segment largely dominated by ales… Shmaltz has demonstrated how creative one can be when pushing the limits of lager.” The Chicago Tribune also praised Shmaltz’s artistic vision and pioneering spirit in a recent article, declaring, “the Coney Island series has put [Shmaltz] on the leading edge of craft lagers." Not surprisingly, Coney Island Human Blockhead® has garnered top awards across the country since its debut in March 2009. In its first bout against other strong lagers at the 2009 United States Beer Tasting Championships, Human Blockhead® was designated the Loose Lager Grand Champion and wound up taking the Bock/Doppelbock Grand Champion prize the following year. Human Blockhead® went on to win Silver Medals at both the 2010 and 2011 World Beer Championships. 

Like all the Coney Island Craft Lagers®, Human Blockhead® pays tribute to the eclectic performance culture of Coney Island, New York. The Human Blockhead stunt, developed by renowned magician and sideshow entertainer Melvin Burkhardt, is upheld today by performer Donny Vomit –– the namesake and image on the Human Blockhead® bottle label. Known for his spellbinding stage antics with his trusty hammer, sixty-penny nail, and the occasionally power drill, Donny is thrilled to be featured on the Coney Island Craft Lagers® bottle. “As a kid, I always thought it would be cool to have an action figure made after me, but having a kickass beer is a whole lot better,” says the man behind the mustache.

Coney Island Barrel-Aged Human Blockhead® is nationally available in 22 oz. bottles and limited draft at specialty shops and select bars from August 2012 – October 2012. A portion of the proceeds of Coney Island Craft Lagers® help Coney Island USA, a 501(c)(3) Arts Non-Profit, fulfill its mission to defend the honor of lost forms of American popular culture in Brooklyn’s historic Coney Island neighborhood.