Penn Brewery Launches Two New Beers & the 'Malt Minute' Video Series

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Feb 27, 2012, 08:25 ET

PITTSBURGH, Feb. 27, 2012 /PRNewswire/ -- Penn Brewery is pleased to announce the launch of two new beers, Overlook IPA and Cool River Kolsch-style, as well as the debut of its new online video series entitled the "Malt Minute."

Penn's New Beers

"Overlook IPA is the latest introduction to Penn's expanding family of ales, joining Allegheny Pale Ale, Harvest Rye IPA, and Nut Roll Ale," said Sandra Cindrich, Penn's President and CEO. "Cool River is the first Kolsch-type beer made by Penn," Cindrich added. "It's brewed in the style of the classic Kolsch beer originating from Cologne, Germany."

Penn Overlook IPA (Photo) - a clean, hoppy, American-style IPA with a smooth mouthfeel. It's brewed with two-row barley malt and American hops, including Zeus and Northern Brewer varieties. It has an attractive light-copper color and a prominent aroma, with an ABV of 6%.

Overlook IPA is named for the popular Pittsburgh vantage point atop Mt. Washington, which overlooks the city and its Three Rivers. Its label design captures this quintessential image of Pittsburgh.

Cool River Kolsch-Style (Photo) is a crisp, clean beer with a subtle fruit fragrance. It's pale golden in color and delicate in flavor, with subdued hoppiness and a 4.5% ABV. Cool River's refreshing tang makes it an excellent summer beer. Its packaging pays homage to Pittsburgh's Three Rivers and summertime fun on the water.

Overlook IPA and Cool River Kolsch-style will be available on draft and in 12 oz. bottles in Penn's Gourmet Selection variety pack beginning in March and May, respectively.

Penn's "Malt Minute" Online Video Series

Each "Malt Minute" segment in the new series features one of Penn's brewers discussing a pertinent craft beer topic, ranging from overviews of various beer styles, their attributes, and their history to explanations of common craft beer terms such as "IBU." Each installment runs between 60 and 90 seconds in length, and new segments will be introduced every other week. Pittsburgh-based agency Warhola Productions produces the videos.

According to Linda Nyman, Penn Brewery's Marketing Director, "The concept for the 'Malt Minute' video series was born from feedback from Penn consumers. So many of them told us that they wanted an easy way to learn more about craft beer basics - the different styles, the brewing and fermentation methods, the ingredients - and we wanted to share that information in a format that would be engaging and simple to understand.

"'Malt Minute' videos are meant to communicate basic sound bytes and 'fun facts' in a lighthearted, informal format that doesn't require a big time investment from the viewer," said Nyman. "They're not videos about Penn Brewery's beers in particular, but about the craft beer world in general. They offer viewers a quick way to build knowledge of that world."

Viewers will be able to find "Malt Minute" segments at http://www.maltminute.com, YouTube, Facebook, Twitter, and via e-mail blasts to viewers who register on the Penn Brewery site to receive them.

The first "Malt Minute" episode will highlight the Marzen style of beer and air online on March 1.

Penn Brewery, opened in 1986, is Pittsburgh's oldest and largest brewery. It specializes in award-winning German-style craft beers sold in Pennsylvania, New York, Massachusetts, Ohio, Georgia, Maryland, North Carolina, Virginia, West Virginia, Florida, and Illinois. The Brewery is located in Deutschtown on Pittsburgh's North Side, in the mid-nineteenth-century landmark E&O Brewery Building.