Shmaltz Brewing Releases Rejewvenator

Clifton Park, NYBehold the ultimate West Coast/East Coast mashup and permanent member of Shmaltz Brewing’s seasonal mishpocha: REJEWVENATOR┬« 2014! Rejuvenate your taste buds with the sacred nectar of California Merlot and New York Concord grapes — both fruits infused to create a truly divine species. Inspired by the spiritual brewing traditions of the monks, and the cherished fruits of the Holy Land, this half Belgian-Style Dubbel Ale, half Doppelbock European Lager, is the only hybrid of its kind in the world. Like the mystical monks, the 8% alc. Dubbel-Doppel makes a clean, quiet entrance — before the dark fruit flavors crescendo into harmonious notes of creamy caramel. For a limited time, ancient traditions sing a modern tune in both 22 ounce bottles and draught at a store/bar near you.

“Brewed with a combination of Abbey and Trappist Belgian ale yeast and European lager yeast, this ale-lager hybrid showcases qualities of two of our favorite traditional styles in the most untraditional way,” says Shmaltz Brewmaster Paul McErlean. “The addition of California Merlot and Upstate NY Concord Grapes brings Shmaltz’s bi-coastal roots full circle and contributes a luscious complexity of vibrant flavors.”

The experimental process of brewing Rejewvenator┬« 2014 begins with 4 specialty malts and 4 hop varieties blending European tradition with brazenly innovative American craft beer flavor and attitude. Cold, bottom fermentation starts with the European Lager yeast, and once the beer warms, McErlean pitches the Abbey/Trappist Belgian Ale yeasts brought in exclusively for this brew. Finally the succulent juice of grapes is infused into the wort (beer) and ferments for several weeks before filtration and packaging. A delicious tribute to the original craft beer warriors, the Monks, and a fitting welcome to warmer days and the new life of Spring and Summer. L’Chaim!

Since 2008, Shmaltz has proudly released standout recipes of this genuinely unique brew, each blending diverse sacred fruits. The 2009 and 2010 (brewed with grapes) versions of Rejewvenator┬« took home two consecutive Gold Medals at the 2009/2010 World Beer Championships, and last year’s Rejewvenator┬« 2013 has a 91-rating on RateBeer.com.

Standout Praise for the Rejewvenator® Series:

“It’s a glorious beer.” –All About Beer (“Beer Talk” Tasting Section)
“Top 10 Summer Beer In & Around NYC.” –L Magazine
“The best summer release that’s against the season is without a doubt HE’BREW’s Rejewvenator.” –San Jose Mercury News
“Truly Unique” -Imbibe Magazine

About Shmaltz Brewing Company
Ranked in 2013 as one of the “Top 100 Brewers in the World” by RateBeer.com, Shmaltz won 9 Gold and 5 Silver Medals in the World Beer Championships in 2012. A recipient of the “Distinguished Business Award” by the Brooklyn Chamber of Commerce, Shmaltz was also included in the “Top 50 Fastest Growing Bay Area Companies” by San Francisco Business Times.

Founder and owner Jeremy Cowan established the company in San Francisco in 1996 with the first 100 cases of He’brew Beer┬« hand bottled and delivered throughout the Bay Area in his Grandmother’s Volvo. He’brew┬« now sells across 37 states, through 40 wholesalers and nearly 5,000 retailers. In 2007, Shmaltz released a new line of craft brewed lagers under the Coney Island┬« banner. The Coney Island brand was recently acquired by Alchemy and Science, a craft beer incubator, owned by Boston Beer (Sam Adams).

After 17 years of being an outspoken cheerleader for contract brewing, Shmaltz recently broke with tradition and opened its own New York State production brewery in Clifton Park, NY, 10 minutes north of Albany’s capital district. Shmaltz’s new home boasts a 50-barrel brewhouse with 20,000 barrels of annual capacity. The new brewery packages 12 and 22 ounce bottles and kegs of their diverse core and seasonal favorites, and hosts fans and beer tourists in their new tasting room for tours, barrel-aged previews, and special releases.

In 2010/11, Cowan published his small business memoir, Craft Beer Bar Mitzvah: How It Took 13 Years, Extreme Jewish Brewing, and Circus Sideshow Freaks to Make Shmaltz Brewing Company an International Success. A free sampling of Chapter One and suggested beer pairings, can be viewed at www.craftbeerbarmitzvah.com. In 2012, Cowan spearheaded the creation of the non-profit New York City Brewers Guild (which manages NYC Beer Week) and served as its Founding President.

Cowan also has presented at the 2013 Craft Brewers Conference, as well as previous Great American Beer Festivals, BevNet’s Brewbound conference, Beer Advocate’s Extreme Beer Festival, the Atlanta and the St. Louis Jewish Book Fairs, and the San Francisco and New York Jewish Museums.

Shmaltz Brewing beers have appeared in such distinguished media outlets as The New York Times, CNN Headline News, Beer Advocate Magazine, NPR’s “Weekend Edition,” Fox Business News, Men’s Health, San Francisco Chronicle, The Jerusalem Report, New York Jewish Week, and Washington Post.