Clearly prairie brewers like their buffalo, as two of the region’s craft breweries are releasing beer named after the majestic, almo-made-extinct-by-humans beasts. Plus I have a bit of other beer news for you.

First to the Bisons.

• This week, the folks at Ribstone Creek are announcing a new seasonal beer, Lone Bison IPA, which should hit stores/pubs in early March. They tell me it is 7.4% ABV, 65 IBUs and is unfiltered. Sounds promising. Apparently they are debating introducing an IPA as part of their regular line-up of beer and so this might be a test drive to see how well it goes over and whether the recipe works or not.

• Lone Bison comes hard on the heals of Big Bison ESB, which will be released in Winnipeg tomorrow by Fort Garry Brewing. This British-style bitter is 5.5% alcohol and is stated to have 45 IBUs. Expect bottles in Alberta in the coming weeks.

• Paddock Wood has been a flurry of activity this month. They have released two beer, including the latest version of Heartstopper and a barrel-aged ramped up version of Red Hammer which they call Sledge Hammer. Clocking in at 9% Sledge was aged in oak barrels for 10 months. On top of those two beer, I am finding references to Yakima and Wheat Beast IPA currently being available on the brewery growler system. Can’t give you any more information than that about them, however, at this time.

• And finally on the rumour front, I am hearing that Alley Kat’s next Dragon DIPA will be Purple Dragon. No word on the hop variety this time, making this tidbit rather unhelpful.

Okay, not one of my most thoroughly researched news update posts (really, Jason, how hard would a couple of emails have been?). Life has been busy this week. So that is all you get for now. More updates as I bother to get around to them.