San Diego, CA – November 27 , 2012 To celebrate the end of a record-breaking year Karl Strauss is releasing its limited edition holiday ale, Mouette à Trois. The spiced fruitcake ale will be featured at the company’s holiday party, Brewfestivus, to mark the end of a benchmark year.  2012 has been an exceptional year for the company; beer sales are up 27% post-brewery expansion, their new brewery restaurant is setting sales records of its own, and the expansion into Northern California has far exceeded projections. “We’ve been nonstop for a long time and after all of the hard work everyone’s put in this year, we’re looking forward to celebrating the holidays with a new beer and a rockin’ party” says Paul Segura, Karl Strauss Brewmaster.
 
Brewfestivus—a craft beer and ugly sweater party for the rest of us—will take place inside the brewery on Friday December 7, 2012.  “So many people told us what a great time they had at last year’s party that we decided to make it an annual event,” says Segura. Tickets for this limited capacity event are $40 and include a commemorative glass, seven winter-warmers, street tacos, specially made Pubcakes, and a takeaway 22oz bottle of the limited release holiday strong ale, Mouette à Trois.  Prizes will be awarded for the ugliest holiday sweater so dress to impress.  

Mouette à Trois, the third installment in the company’s award-winning 12 Days of Christmas series, will be one of the strong ales featured at Brewfestivus.  To create the fruitcake flavors, the base of the beer is a Belgian dubbel with apricot and cherries added during the boil to create a ripe fruitiness.  The beer is spiced with a traditional fruitcake blend of cinnamon, nutmeg, vanilla, orange peel, and clove.  Brandied oak chips were added after a warm fermentation to give the beer a toasty, lingering finish.  “We really wanted this beer to taste like the best parts of your grandma’s fruitcake. The aroma is rich with orange peel and oak.  You get a lot of the Belgian character and clove up front.  The cinnamon, nutmeg, and vanilla round out the beer and leave you with that holiday spirit,” says Segura. The result is a complex fruitcake-like ale that will pair well with rich holiday dishes and desserts. 

For more information about Mouette à Trois or to purchase tickets to Brewfestivus, visit www.karlstrauss.com. Share it, cheers.

Mouette à Trois – Holiday Fruitcake Ale
Specs: 8.5% ABV – 35 SRM – 10 IBU

Label Copy:
Mouette à Trois est la meilleure bière que vous avez jamais goûté ou notre nom n’est pas Karl Strauss.  Mouette à Trois, meaning Three Seagulls, is the 3rd installment in our less than literal “Twelve Days” series of holiday ales. Brewed with fresh apricots, cherries and a blend of spices, the resulting strong ale is Belgian Dubbel meets fruit cake. Rich layers of candied fruit and warming spices are punctuated by notes of toffee and fresh-baked bread. Aging on brandy-cured French oak adds hints of vanilla that linger through a warming finish. Don’t. Even. Think. About. Regifting.

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