Boulevard-Orval collaboration and other news

News from the breweries:

Boulevard Brewing has announced Jean-Marie Rock, brewmaster at the Belgian Trappist brewery Orval will team up with Boulevard brewmaster Steven Pauwels to create a small production, limited release beer. The joint effort, a first for the Midwestern brewery, will take place during Rock’s late October visit to Boulevard’s Kansas City facility.

The brewers, both native Belgians, will produce an imperial pilsner similar to a lager brewed by Rock at the start of his career. It will, according to Pauwels, be a tribute to pilsner beers; full flavored and refreshing, brewed with 100% Pilsner malt and 100% Saaz hops, using time-honored techniques.

“The beer will be made in a very traditional way,” said Rock. “The methods by which it will be brewed, fermented, and lagered are no longer employed, though they made this beer fantastic. It is time to get a beer like this back in a glass.”

Stone Brewing has expanded distribution into 33 states, adding Connecticut last month and Louisiana this month. Louisiana will be celebrating the arrival of Stone oct. 20 with “72 Hours of Arrogance.” “Stone is the opposite of the beers that we have down here,” said Dan Stein, of Stein’s Market and Deli. “We’re talking about big, strong, hoppy, bold beers.”

Stone Brewing installed two new 400-barrel fermenting vessels in their Escondido, California, in September to boost annual capacity by 7,000 to 8,000 barrels per year.

Widmer Brothers Brewing has made Cherry Oak Doppelbock, the first release in the brewery’s new Brothers’ Reserve limited-edition series. The Brothers’ Reserve line gives founders and brothers Kurt and Rob Widmer a chance to play with new styles and premium ingredients. The 22-ounce bottles retail for around $7.95.

Cherry Oak Doppelbock, 9% abv with 40 bitterness units, is cold-fermented with dark sweet and red tart cherries, then conditioned on new, heavily toasted American oak. Each release bears the name of the brother who inspired its creation. In the case of Cherry Oak Doppelbock that’d be Kurt, who hand-signed 50 bottles for consumers to discover as a way to commemorate the series’ launch.