Ranger Creek to Release Love Struck Hefe
31 Jul 2014 --- Way back in 2009, Ranger Creek was just an idea, and the owners of the brewery were just enthusiastic home brewers.
They began entering homebrew competitions to test out recipes and hone their craft. The second competition they entered was the Dixie Cup in Houston, one of the largest homebrew competitions in the country. To their surprise, they took home a gold medal for their hefeweizen. This win was a huge achievement that got the home brewers just cocky enough to start their own brewery.
Ranger Creek’s new summer seasonal is resurrecting this historic homebrew recipe. Love Struck Hefe is brewed in the traditional German style with a healthy dose of Texas attitude. A traditional weizen ale yeast gives this 5.4% ABV brew a nice banana nose, balanced with clove. Consistent with German tradition, it was mashed to bring out a deep, golden color along with a touch of malty sweetness. The brewery also altered the San Antonio water to match the water profile of Munich, which accentuates the German Hefe flavors. Love Struck’s name is inspired by the Stevie Ray Vaughan song, which gives the beer an electric, summer time energy. Like a traditional hefeweizen, the yeast should be roused before serving resulting in a cloudy appearance.
Love Struck Hefe will be available in draft and package from July through September. Fine craft beer bars in San Antonio, Austin, and Dallas will carry it on tap, including Flying Saucer, Big Hops, Craft Pride, Whip In, and many more. It will also be available in 4-packs of 12 oz long neck bottles at Central Market, Specs, Whole Foods, Total Wine & More, Sunrise Minimart, select HEBs, and fine independent retailers. Limited edition authentic German Hefe glasses and commemorative t-shirts will be available at the brewery.
This beer follows Ranger Creek’s release of Strawberry Milk Stout as their spring seasonal. In total, 6 batches of Strawberry Milk Stout were brewed this year to keep up with the huge demand, which is a 300% increase over last year. The brewery and their amazing volunteers hand cut over 3,000 pounds of strawberries. This year’s batch of Strawberry Milk Stout was the fastest selling beer that Ranger Creek has released to date.
