To all our valued fans and supporters:
It has come to our attention that two separate issues have arisen within online beer groups in regards to recent bottled product released. While there are no issues with the quality of the liquid, whatsoever, we felt it necessary to clear up some confusion.
First, in regards to our most recent release of Raspberry Eisbock, some fans have noted flavors of cherry in this particular batch. While this is not inherently a problem, it was brought up in the context of a consumer who has an allergy to cherries and other stone-fruit. We have gone back and tasted this latest batch and did detect a flavor that comes across as slightly reminiscent of tart cherry. HOWEVER, there is no actual cherry in this beer. We have been alerted to someone on our team mentioning the addition of cherry to this batch. That information has been confirmed as NOT true. Regardless, we make it a point to be as transparent as possible in regards to ingredients that could potentially lead to health concerns. The consumer who brought up the original concern was contacted directly and the issue was handled in that specific instance several days ago.
So, to reiterate, there is NO cherry in Raspberry Eisbock.
Second, in regards to our recent Solstice bottle release, some fans have raised questions in regards to the dating of specific bottles. This release of our Bourbon Barrel Aged Barleywine was billed as a new batch/new release, yet featured the date “2014” on the bottle. Obviously we see how this could be confusing. We never intended to specify the years of the bottled beers in any release information, as these are all new batches, never before released to the public. To break it down, this particular batch was brewed in December of 2014, racked into Bourbon barrels several months later in 2015, then racked out of barrels, brightened, carbed, and bottled the first week of December 2016, in time for Solstice. It sat and abnormally long time on the wood, because it was deemed too young to bottle and release in 2015 (having only spent a few months in barrels at that point). We also brewed a batch in February of 2016 that was put into barrels a few months ago, although that will not be ready until next year.
What it comes down to is semantics. This beer in question WAS brewed in 2014, but did not see the light of day until being packaged a few weeks ago in 2016. Many breweries put the year of release on the bottle, but that was not the case with this beer.
So, to reiterate, YES, this IS a new batch of Bourbon Barrel Aged Barleywine – it just sat for an exceptionally long amount of time in barrels before being released. We all agree the label could have been more specific. We've noted that for the future. However, the label is not wrong, and it is not old stock.
Sometimes it's easy to get caught up in the fervor of the moment. Remember that we are a small, family-owned brewery with over 70 dedicated team members who all share a deep passion for what we do. We understand why you take it personally – beer has that power. We will not, in the future, feed the rumor mill. We will be happy to address any concerns any of our fans may have, and in the same respect, if we deem something important enough to discuss more in detail, we will do so on a larger scale.
We will continue to stick to our mission of brewing Beers with Distinct Personalities™ - beers we love and are proud of, and hope that you enjoy them as much as we do. This is our passion, and thank you for sharing it with us.
From all of us at Kuhnhenn Brewing Company: Thank you and Merry Christmas and Happy Holidays.
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