When Urban Artifact announced their ‘Flash Lamp’, Tart Wit Ale (you can read about that beer here) it left a noticeable void in their can releases for the year.  They were keeping their lips sealed about what might be filling it, and if my guess is correct, I think we now know what that beer will be.

Urban Artifact BrewingUnderstanding Their Lineup

It’s been hard to keep up with the flurry of fantastic releases from Urban Artifact this year – but when you take a couple steps back to get a bigger picture of them all, it becomes a little easier.

  • Barrel Aged Line
    • These are super special releases, done whenever they are ready.
  • Urban Legends Series
    • There is going to be around one of these a month from here on out – it’s where you find those famous ‘Midwest Fruit Tarts’ along with some fun stuff that is rumored to be letting loose this winter – so stay tuned.
  • Seasonal Goses
  • Perennial Releases
    • Then there’s the standby’s – this is where you find Finn, their core Berliner Pale Ale, alongside the Wild IPA Phrenology and then Flash Lamp, and this new mystery beer which will rotate with each other (I’ll get to that)

It’s a TON of releases, and like I said, hard to keep up with.  The important part though (for today) is that line at the end – the perennial releases.  We know that Flash Lamp stays around for half of the year – March-October – so what happens after that?

Owler happens.

Urban Artifact Owler

Owler is a tart, vanilla brown ale that uses 2lbs of vanilla beans to smooth out its malty, roasty backbone.  It’s 6% ABV and has a ph of 3.7.  When you read the purple label you can learn a little more about ‘Owling’.

The coveted wool of 1600s England inspired the practice of Owling.  Working in the cover of dark, Owlers smuggled sheep on boats to Europe for chic clothing companies.  Smuggle a 6-pack to your next event!

That doesn’t tell us too much about the beer, though.  If my detective work is correct though, we should be a mere few weeks away from seeing this in stores, and in the Urban Artifat taproom, so as soon as I get my hands on it, I should have a better description of what the beer tastes like.

Stay tuned!

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