Ask a large enough sample of brewers and chances are a bunch of Pale Ales will come out on top. It’s certainly true at Fulton. Some of our very first homebrews were Pale Ale, and each of us can trace our earliest craft beer crushes to a Pale Ale or two. And if you sneak into our houses (that’d be weird, please don’t) you’ll find a few in our fridges or at least our recycling bins.
When we visit other breweries, the first beer we’ll look for on the menu is a Pale Ale. The style is a bellwether of sorts. Much like IPA, Pale Ales are a canvas for hops artistry. They can be packed with layers of flavor and aroma, yet they require balance and restraint and are far less forgiving of flaws than IPAs. If a brewery can nail a Pale Ale, you can bet pretty much anything else they brew is going to be spot on as well.
Simply put -- Pale Ale is the quintessential American craft beer, arguably deserving of more credit for the success and growth of our industry than any other beer style. And in an era when breweries seem to be using more candy and cereal than malt and hops in their beers -- we think it’s time to rediscover the Pale Ale.
If you’re still with us, you’re probably thinking: yeah, it’s about damn time Fulton started brewing a Pale Ale again. Glad we can agree on that! But rather than trying to settle on just one recipe, we created the Fulton Pale Ale Project. By definition, the Pale Ale Project is about experimenting and iterating on one of our favorite beer styles, while utilizing only the four traditional categories of beer ingredients: water, malt, hops, and yeast. We’re concocting a litany of expressions of the style, from using some of our favorite Southern Hemisphere hops, to introducing engineered yeast strains, to old school iterations featuring venerable hops like Cascade, Centennial, and Columbus. It’s part brewing plus one part mad science plus zero gimmicks equals all delicious and all fun.
The best news? The delicious and fun part starts now. To celebrate our taproom brewery reopening (again), our first version is on tap in the taproom right now. We’ll be using our newly commissioned 3 barrel taproom R&D brewhouse to continuously churn out new iterations; expect to see one or more on tap at any given time this year. Some will be here and gone in a week; others will be around longer.
The taproom is only the beginning, though. Every few months, we’ll be releasing one of our favorite versions in 6-packs of bottles. The tricky part? The six-packs and labels will change colors with each release, but we’re not printing all of the specifics of each brew on the packaging, so you’ll have to check the Pale Ale Project beer page here on our website to learn more about what’s in each one. The first packaged version will be hitting liquor stores in March.
We're super excited to welcome you all back indoors with us! So get yourself a reservation, mask up, and come visit us!
There's no reason to go thirsty in January when you're drinking with Fulton. Our non-alcoholic Hop Water recently hit our distribution channels, and just in time for those who might be taking a 'lil break this month. But whatever your reason to pick up a Fulton Hop Water, you can kick 'em back without any hesitation knowing that it's zero carbs, zero sugar, and zero alcohol. Zero never tasted so good.
Fulton Hop Water is available where you already purchase Fulton. If your favorite retailer doesn't carry it, ask for it! We also invite you to come pick up a 6pk at the Fulton Taproom with your next to-go order.
Who reading this right now thought 2020 was going to go down the way it has back when we were all making new years resolutions last December? (not us!) 2020 was so chocked-full of zingers out of left field that we sometimes lost our ability to see above the figurative (and literal) fires and smoke to see what we had gained amidst all the loss. That thing we had been stock-piling all year? One word-
Appreciation.
Like you, we filled in all the blanks this year with time spent well. Like, truly well. As in doing the things most meaningful, rewarding, and lasting. We hunkered down, we tightened our figurative belts, we zoomed in lieu of gathering around our dinner tables, stadiums, and favorite venues. We navigated a new world of "unknowing" and we got sharper, stronger, and more appreciative along the way. And it's that last bit that we want to remind you of today, on this last day of this (insert your own adjective here) year:
We are so thankful for you.
We can't do what we do without you. Whether you're a restaurant or bar beer buyer, one of our faithful distributors, a liquor store cashier, or some guy or gal picking up a quick 12pk of Fulton on their way to a distanced backyard hang. We're here today, after this zany year because all of you decided to keep Fulton in your lives. And for that, we are forever grateful.
We hope you bring in the new year tonight with gusto, whatever that looks like to you. Be good to each other out there.
See you next year,
Much love.
It's like UHF + Waynes World + Mystery Science Theater...oh, and with beer. First episode of one of our features we're calling "Beers I Bought" airs tomorrow. Let's get weird!
What do you get when you age an iconic Minnesota IPA in the oak barrels from the world’s largest Irish whiskey maker with ingredients inspired by a legendary cocktail? Well, you’re about to find out soon! For the first time ever we're about to bottle one of our Jameson barrel-aged beers. And while we're ready for an Old Fashioned-inspired beer RIGHT NOW, the oak barrels aren't done sharing their flavors quite yet. Look for the release of "Sweet Child Old Fashioned" in February. Spring, as it turns out, is already looking up.
For those of you who've ordered take out food the past couple weeks or have (very) recently come to visit us outdoors on our patio; thank you. We all know it's been rough this year and it should go without saying (though we're saying it now, again) that your support has meant the world to us. We are here because of you, truly.
For those visiting us soon, our holiday hours are as follows:
Swap the greenery for some snow (hopefully soon!?!?) and some of those picnic tables for a fire pit and what do you have? You have our humble attempt at getting some Winter #PatioVibes. With the new loosening of Covid-19 restrictions to include limited, outdoor seating we're jumping at the opportunity to see people in 3D. The winterized patio will open tomorrow at 4pm. You can book your spot here in advance (walk-ins accepted as space is available).
We can't wait to see you!
Hungry but can't sit down and stay a while with us this weekend? All good (you've got options!). Our Taproom Kitchen is (finally!) open for business. We've got sammies, tacos, snacks, drinks (Non-Alcoholic) and all sorts of goodies for any Fulton Beer lover on your list. You can order via clicking right here.
In the spirit of giving we are throwing in a free Fulton baseball cap for every order over $20 all weekend long. AND you can still get a free can of Hop Water with every entrée ordered. Dang.
Well, that took a while (understatement of the year, ha). But good things are worth the wait and we're here to (finally!) share that the Fulton Taproom Kitchen is open for business (at 4pm). We've got tacos, sammies, snacks and more. And of course there's some crisp, clean Hop Water to wash it all down with. And speaking of which, we're giving away one free can of Hop Water per entree item ordered. Yeah, you read that right.
Thank you, thank you, thank you for supporting Fulton and all independent businesses during these trying times. It's your support that keeps us doing what we do each day and keeps the lights on.
Here's to you!
While we might not be breaking bread this week with all the usual folks that historically 'round our tables, it's no excuse for not celebrating. In a year so upside down in so many ways, we're feeling wildly appreciative of the abundance this year has provided, still. In the face of rising health concerns and additional shutdowns we are reminded that we're still here, still making beer, and thankful for the present (while setting our sights on the future!). You might not be able to enjoy your favorite Fulton draft beers barside at your local watering hole at the moment, but you can take Fulton home with you in many multiples of 12. Whether your stocking up for a dinner with your family bubble or just partying hardy solo-style, we've got you covered (many times over).
We're so thankful for your support through this wicked year. Be safe out there this weekend, Minnesota.
What's a Fulton email newsletter without an "out soon" alert? But wait! You might think, "this stuff isn't new!". But you're only half right. We have swapped the aluminum can for the class of glass. When the Fulton Taproom re-opens (soon!) for take out food you will be able to add these tasty NA seltzers to your order. More on that soon...
We are happy to announce that these crisp 6pks are entering distribution beginning next week. What's that mean? It means you'll be able to pick these up where you purchase Fulton beer and hard seltzers very soon.
The weekend is here! You've got some time to relax, put dinner on auto-pilot (support your local restaurants w/ takeout or delivery!) and you've finally got the headspace for something fun, creative, and above all- satisfying! So get that pizza order placed and get out your cocktail shaker because we've got 8 Fulton Hard Seltzer recipes waiting for you to try right here. For this round, we've created 3 recipes focused on Blood Orange, 3 Lemon Lime, 1 Citrus Ginger, and 1 for our brand new Strawberry Rhubarb flavor. Each is delicious in their own way and totally fun (and easy!) to make at home without special tools or experience.
We hope you find a little escapism while you play around with flavor-making. We'll be releasing more cocktails in the future and we're also excited to see what sort of creativity you've been mixing up on your own. If you have an incredible Fulton Hard Seltzer cocktail in your pocket, share it with us. We might just feature it here.
An unseasonably warm weekend is presenting us with another chance to check some boxes on our “winter ready” list around the house. But more importantly (and certainly more fun), we’re already reveling in taking some time to ourselves to chill out, take a load off, and unwind a bit outdoors. As if the weather wasn’t enough of a good excuse, we’re extremely happy to report 36 more reasons to have more fun this weekend.
If you’ve been to any liquor stores this week you might have been surprised to find that we quietly launched 3 of our hottest Hard Seltzer flavors in single-flavor 12 packs. For Citrus Ginger and Blood Orange these new 12 packs will replace the single-flavor click-top 6 packs you’ve come to enjoy. For Strawberry Rhubarb, the 12pack is all new, like the flavor itself. With more to go around and less trips to the store, we think you’ll have extra time to complete those lists or take a nap. Your choice, of course.
And in case you're extra thirsty or looking to further diversify your flavor options, don't forget our Original and Even More Fun mixed packs. Between the two packs you can find all seven of our current Hard Seltzer flavors. A little something for everyone, we like to think.
When we snuck our Chocolate Oatmeal Milk Stout (COMS for short) into our mixed pack earlier this year we knew right away we'd be bringing it back when the temps dropped again. Well, here we are! With 9 varieties of malted barley and oats, cacao nibs from Ghana, and a touch of lactose added to the kettle our latest offering is a most appropriate seasonal sipper. It's dark (duh!), velvety smooth, subtly chocolately and fit for these chillier times we're currently living in. Look for it beginning next week where you buy Fulton.
Perfect timing.
