Portland, Maine-based Gritty McDuff’s is releasing a new IPA (“Gritty’s 21 IPA”) in celebration of the start of their 21st year of brewing. While the beer is already available in a few supermarkets in the area (and beyond), the real celebration will kick off at the Gritty’s Portland brewpub on December 21st when the brewery taps the first official kegs during the company’s festive “Beerthday” celebration on Sunday the 21st.

From the official press release: Maine craft brewer Gritty McDuff’s Brewing Company (www.grittys.com) has launched its 21st year of brewing award-winning beers by introducing its exceptional new anniversary beer: Gritty’s “21 IPA.”

Gritty’s 21 IPA is currently available at beer retailers throughout Maine. Beginning in early 2009, the 21 IPA also will be available to bars, pubs, taverns, restaurants and beer retailers throughout the rest of New England, New Jersey, Pennsylvania and Florida.

Gritty’s 21 IPA is a unique marriage of American hops, with a British body utilizing English 2-Row Pale Malts brewed in the India Pale Ale style. Significant amounts of Munich and Cara malts give the beer a rich, golden hue.

Brewed in small, 50-barrel batches, 56 pounds of Cascade hops are used in each batch. Both Willamette and Warrior hops are added at the finish to produce a beer which begins with a hoppy aroma and taste that lead to a sweet finish.

The beer has a specific gravity of 1069, an ABV of 6.8%, and an IBU of 60.

Gritty’s 21 IPA debuted at the 2008 Maine Brewers Festival in early November, and earned rave reviews from attendees. In a setting that featured Maine’s best beers from some of the state’s most respected brewers, 21 IPA proved to be an instant crowd favorite: the Gritty’s team ran through two kegs of 21 IPA at the one-day festival, and was the first beer of the day to run out.

“We’re proud of the enthusiastic feedback we’ve received from our customers over the past 20 years,” said Richard Pfeffer, Publican of Gritty McDuff’s. “It has been a genuine privilege to brew hand-crafted beer for a growing number of beer-lovers. Our 21 IPA continues our Gritty’s tradition of brewing beers that appeal to serious and casual beer fans alike.”

Gritty McDuff’s 21 IPA is now available in Hannaford supermarkets throughout Maine, as well as in a growing number of supermarkets, beer and wine shops, convenience stores, and other beer retailers in Maine.

I’ll certainly be there and hope to see you all at the “Beerthday”. If you see me, be sure and wave! Cheers.

I certainly don’t want to steal any thunder or enthusiasm away from the awesome photo contest Alan (A Good Beer Blog) and Stonch (Stonch’s Beer Blog) are colaberating on, for sure, but I couldn’t help but point out an gorgeous photo essay the folks at sloshspot have put together (one incredible piece of link bait which I am happy to keep going). Entitled Around the World in 116 Beers, contributor “rtcrooks” has compiled fantastic photographs representing all the countries he could find which produced beer, and what the most popular domestically produced beers were in those countries. Some Examples:

Dominica Republic: Presidente

Georgia: Kazbegi

Anyway – Even if I try and describe the list in further detail, I won’t begin to do it justice. So just do yourself a favor and check out the original post (and then do yourself another favor and enter Alan and Stonch’s contest). Cheers.

[images via sloshspot]

I discovered the Draft Magazine Top 10 Winter Warmer list today (thanks to a tweet from @flyingdog) and, well, I’m a sucker for top 10 lists. The reported top winter warms are:

1. Dogfish Head 120 Minute IPA
2. Santa’s Little Helper Imperial Stout by Port Brewing Co.
3. Double Dog Double Pale Ale by Flying Dog Brewery
4. He’brew Jewbelation 12 by Shmaltz Brewing Co
5. Monk’s Mistress by Midnight Sun Brewing Co
6. Old Stock Ale by North Coast Brewing Co (which I thought said “Old Sock Ale” the first time I read it and was very disappointed to read that I was wrong…)
7. Thirteen by Weyerbacher Brewing Co
8. Alpha King by Three Floyds Brewing Co
9. Doggie Claws by Hair of the Dog Brewing Co.
10. and Mephistopheles’ Stout by Avery Brewing Co

Unfortunately I’ve only had one or two of the beers on this list myself (which just means I have more work to do as the days get shorter and colder) so I can’t comment on most of them, but a few beers come to mind that aren’t on the list which should be (Brooklyn Black Chocolate Stout, for starters). Can you think of anything that should have made the list? Let’s hear it in the comments!