What follows below is from a press release. This is now the third year of the Brewhouse Rarities series. To me this is an interesting way to ensure innovation and variety in your portfolio. Not all of the Brewhouse Rarities have been slam dunks, but many have been quite tasty. Your mileage may vary on what the ratio of slam dunks to duds has been. What are some of the favorites that have come out of this series? For me they'd include: Pineapple Saison (served out of a fresh pineapple!), Easy IPA, the Roggenbier from September, and the Cherry Berlinerweiss from the 2012 series. Let us know in the comments what you think.

Flying Dog Announces 2014 Brewhouse Rarities Series

Each year, the staff of Flying Dog Brewery climbs a mountain to talk beer.  

Gambrill State Park is part of the Catoctin mountain range and offers a historic overlook that is home to Flying Dog’s annual Brewhouse Rarities pitch session.

Every July, the entire brewery gathers and teams of employees – from production to accounting to sales and marketing – pitch their ideas for the next year's lineup.

“Pitches range from unearthing ancient beer styles to experimenting with new and innovative ingredients,” Flying Dog Brewmaster Matt Brophy said. “It’s always incredibly inspiring to hear our entire brewery’s collective creativity.”

Brophy and his team of brewers evaluate each pitch and choose the next year's releases. 2014 has now been decided and includes: 

  • Mango Habanero IPA

  • Mint Chocolate Stout

  • Ginger Beer

  • Agave Lager

  • Lemongrass Rice Ale

  • Hoppy American Wheat

  • Honey Ale

  • Dopplebock

Starting January 1, Flying Dog will release a new beer every six weeks exclusively in mid-Atlantic markets. All releases will be on draft only with the exception of the Mint Chocolate Stout, Agave Lager, Hoppy American Wheat, and Dopplebock. Those will be on draft and in 6-packs.