Just in time for Oktoberfest season, Milwaukee’s Central Standard Craft Distillery is releasing the latest installment in its Brewmasters Brandy Series of collaborations with breweries.
This limited edition bottling hits retail shelves on Oct. 1 and combines Central Standard’s North Brandy with Hofbräu Munchen’s Doppelbock seasonal Hofbräu Delicator, which is bottled as Hofbräu Winter Spezial in the United States.
This collab is the first in the series to include an international partner. In this case, it’s the more than 400-year-old Bavarian brewery Hofbräu, which is known for its huge annual beer festival in Munich. Of course, it’s also known for its beer and its American brewery/restaurant venues.
“For our latest Brewmasters-series release, we wanted to make it a truly global collaboration,” says co-founder Evan Hughes. “And no better brewery to partner with than Hofbräu München, the top name in German brewing and owner of the most famous beer hall in the world."
Restaurateur Hans Weissgerber III, who runs the Old German Beer Hall and the Estabrook Park Beer Garden – both of which feature Hofbrau beer – agrees.
“When I had my very first taste of it, I knew I wanted to bring it to Oktoberfest in Munich and share it with the world,” says Weissgerber. “It’s just that good.
"Combining the heritage of the Hofbräu München Brewery and the hand-crafted spirit of the Central Standard Distillery creates a truly must-try collaboration.”
According to Hughes, the beer brandy has notes of dark chocolate, cherry and dried fruit. It is the first in the Brewmaster Series to combine two liquids. Until now, the collabs have involved aging one liquid in a barrel that previously held another.
“This new beer brandy really embraces the Germanic roots of Milwaukee, Wisconsin and the Midwest,” says Hughes. “Teaming with Hofbräu München and specifically their Winter Spezial Delicator made the ideal match for our North Brandy.”
The brandy is available in 750ml bottles priced between $24.99 and $29.99.
“When we’re sold out, we’re sold out,” says Central Standard Chief Commercial Officer Jim Kanter.
Prost!
Born in Brooklyn, N.Y., where he lived until he was 17, Bobby received his BA-Mass Communications from UWM in 1989 and has lived in Walker's Point, Bay View, Enderis Park, South Milwaukee and on the East Side.
He has published three non-fiction books in Italy – including one about an event in Milwaukee history, which was published in the U.S. in autumn 2010. Four more books, all about Milwaukee, have been published by The History Press.
With his most recent band, The Yell Leaders, Bobby released four LPs and had a songs featured in episodes of TV's "Party of Five" and "Dawson's Creek," and films in Japan, South America and the U.S. The Yell Leaders were named the best unsigned band in their region by VH-1 as part of its Rock Across America 1998 Tour. Most recently, the band contributed tracks to a UK vinyl/CD tribute to the Redskins and collaborated on a track with Italian novelist Enrico Remmert.
He's produced three installments of the "OMCD" series of local music compilations for OnMilwaukee.com and in 2007 produced a CD of Italian music and poetry.
In 2005, he was awarded the City of Asti's (Italy) Journalism Prize for his work focusing on that area. He has also won awards from the Milwaukee Press Club.
He can be heard weekly on 88Nine Radio Milwaukee talking about his "Urban Spelunking" series of stories.
