With thoughts looking to the future of 2021, the brewers and ownership of Ecliptic Brewing Company have released their plans for more beer. Like all breweries, the following announcement is a combination of hope and disappointment, depending on your expectation. After all, much like resolutions change is inevitable. Here’s the breakdown.

All the Time Series

Like the name says, these are beers that will be available throughout the year. Whether it's after shoveling snow, taking a hike, or sitting in the backyard, look for the following beers.

Starburst IPA. “A starburst galaxy produces an exceptionally high amount of stars, similar to how Ecliptic Starburst IPA produces a soaring amount of hop flavor. Brewed with Amarillo, Azacca, Centennial, Citra, Mosaic and Simcoe hops for fresh flavors of citrus, fruit and pine. 100% Pale malt makes for a super clean finish and puts the focus on the hop flavors and aromas. Dry hopped to the end of the universe!”
Capella Porter. “Capella Porter is named after a bright star in the constellation Auriga. Sweet dark malt aromas are followed by a nice medium body. Flavors of chocolate and caramel meld with just a touch of roast. A collection of American hops (Nugget, Chinook, Centennial and Cascade) brighten this lively porter.”
Carina Peach Sour Ale. “Carina Peach Sour Ale takes its name from the constellation Carina, the keel of the ship Argo in the southern sky. Loaded with fresh peach flavor, Carina is a sour ale perfect for any time of year. The use of Pale malt makes for a crisp character, while lactobacillus gives Carina a tart and refreshing finish.”
Tucana Tangerine Sour Ale. “Named after a constellation of stars, Tucana Tangerine Sour Ale is crisp and refreshing, with a touch of tangerine that plays nicely with its well-balanced tartness. The twist of citrus shines bright above the subtly dry finish of this sunset-hued ale.”

New in 2021, Carina Peach Sour Ale and Tucana Tangerine Sour Ale are the latest to be packaged in 16-ounce (pint) cans.

Seasonal Series

Broken down throughout 2021, each the following beers and their respective months of availability are.

Meridian Vanilla Stout (January & February). “Finished with vanilla beans, our stout has a smooth mouthfeel with aromas of resiny hops throughout.”
Flamingo Planet Guava Blonde Ale (March & April)”...an easy drinking blonde ale at 5.5% ABV and is brewed with guava as the 100% pale malt provides a light body and golden color. Lightly hopped with Amarillo and Crystal, this fruit-forward beer is perfect for us entering the spring season.”
Sunray Juicy IPA (May thru July)”...pours a hazy deep golden color with a frothy head that keeps its retention for an extended time. Flavors of citrus first hit your tasted buds followed by a bit of hop bitterness on the back end. SunRay Juicy IPA sits at 6.5% ABV and 45 IBUs.”
Cloud Core Hazy Pale Ale (August thru October). Description is forthcoming once they finalize the beer.
Filament Winter IPA (November & December) ”As the winter sun hangs low in our sky, solar filaments, giant arcs of cool,dense plasma explode from its surface. Filament Winter IPA celebrates this cosmic wonder. Pale, Munich, and Caramel malts create a rich malt character with a honey-like flavor. A bounty of Crystal, Chinook, and Centennial hops combine to lend spicy, citrus hop notes.” -description from 2019 edition of Filament, as 2020 featured Tangerines.”

Of note, Quasar Pale Ale (available in August thru October 2020) has been replaced by Cloud Core Hazy Pale Ale

Limited Release Series

Back again under the label, Limited Release Series, these beers have a reputation for being anemic in their quantity. In addition, series favorites like Vega will (presumably) continue experimenting with different hop varieties and updated with a number sequence (ala Vega #7).

Phaser Hazy IPA. (Look for this throughout 2021). “Juicy and unfiltered, Phaser Hazy IPA stuns with a lively array of fruity hop notes. Phaser features Citra, Azacca, Mosaic, and Motueka hops. ABV 6.5%”
Pyxis Pilsner. (Look for this throughout 2021). Description is forthcoming once they finalize the beer.
Vega IPA. (Look for this throughout 2021). Hop varieties are forthcoming once they finalize each beer. “Like the bright star, Vega, this IPA shines luminous with always evolving variety of hops. Our brewers work to source the most experimental, delicious, and aromatic hops possible. Batches of Vega rotate based on these experiments.”
Altair Fresh Hop Pale Ale. Available during the hop harvest. “The brightest star in the constellation Aquila, Altair uses fresh Amarillo and El Dorado hops to celebrate the annual hop harvest.”(September thru October)
Astra Fresh Hop Lager. Available during the hop harvest. “Astra, the Latin word for star, shines with Cascade and Centennial hops. A crisp, clean lager to celebrate the annual hop harvest.”(September thru October)

Of note, Pyxis represents the newest addition to the Limited Release series.

Special Release/Cosmic Collaboration

Now and then, the brewers choose to produce something that is so limited and so remarkable that if you aren’t paying attention, you’ll miss it. To that end the brewery invites you to look out for.

Oort Imperial Stout. “Oort is named after the mysterious region of our solar system that breeds comets. Massive amounts of roasted barley were combined with three types of caramel malts for a rich, full mouthfeel. Chinook, Cascade and Sterling hops lend a balanced bitterness and subtle hop flavor to this brew that’s as black as the vacuum of space. ” (Available January)
Oort Imperial Stout: Linzer Torte Edition. “This variant of Oort Imperial Stout ale is a special edition for 2021. We took our classic Oort recipe and baked in extra flavors of real raspberries, lemon zest, cinnamon, cloves and hazelnuts, creating a twist on the fruity & nutty flavors of an Austrian Linzer Torte pastry.” (Available January)
Barrel-Aged Oort Imperial Stout. “Named after the mysterious region of our solar system that breeds comets, Oort Imperial Stout has massive amounts of roasted barley combined with three types of Caramel malts for a rich, full mouthfeel. Chinook, Cascade and Sterling hops lend a balanced bitterness and subtle hop flavor. This barrel-aged version slumbered for twelve months, imparting notes of rich, bitter chocolate, vanilla and oak.” (Available January)
Ecliptic + Wayfinder Cold IPA. Description is forthcoming once they finalize the beer. (Available February)
Ecliptic + Chuckanut Vienna Lager. Description is forthcoming once they finalize the beer. (Available March)
Ecliptic + Von Ebert Cosmic Collaboration. Description is forthcoming once they finalize the beer. (Available April)
Cosmos Coconut & Vanilla Hazy IPA. “Lose yourself in the Cosmos while discovering the multiple dimensions of this Hazy IPA. Together, aromatic notes of vanilla and coconut work harmoniously to reveal a flavor that reaches well beyond the universe.” (Available May)
Ecliptic + Georgetown Cosmic Collaboration. Description is forthcoming once they finalize the beer. (Available June)
Ecliptic + Stoup Cosmic Collaboration. Description is forthcoming once they finalize the beer. (Available August)
Eighth Orbit Anniversary Beer. Description is forthcoming once they finalize the beer. (Available October)
Sedna Tiramisu Stout. Here’s a break down from 2019. (Available November)
Orange Giant Barleywine & Orange Giant Barleywine: Pineapple Upside down Cake Edition. Click here to read last year’s announcement. (Available December)

Of note, Callisto Blackcurrant Tripel, IO Experimental Ale, are gone this year. In their place, the brewery has expanded their list of brewery collaborations.

Reserve Series

Finally the brewery is happy to announce the upcoming reserve series. Unfortunately no more details are available to offer. In the past the brewery planned for 2020 the release of Red Wine Barrel-Aged Ecliptic + Russian River Belgian-Style Hoppy Golden Ale, Dry Fly Barrel-Aged Scotch Ale (Triticale and Wheatwine varietals), Bourbon Barrel-Aged Orange Giant Barleywine, and Gin Barrel-Aged Orange Giant Barleywine.

About Ecliptic Brewing

Ecliptic Brewing is a venture from John Harris, an Oregon beer icon whose background is steeped in the state’s rich craft brewing history. The name Ecliptic unites Harris’ two passions: brewing and astronomy. As such, the brewery celebrates the Earth’s yearly journey around the sun through both its beer and restaurant menus. Harris’ signature beers include Ecliptic Starburst IPA, Phaser Hazy IPA, Carina Peach Sour Ale and Capella Porter. For more information, visit: eclipticbrewing.com.

Ecliptic beers are available at the brewery (825 North Cook St), in bottle and on-tap throughout the area, and distributed by: Maletis Beverage (Portland, Salem, Vancouver WA), Bigfoot Beverage (Eugene, Bend, Coast), Fort George Distributing (Northern Oregon Coast, Southern Washington Coast), Hodgen Distributing (Eastern Oregon), Summit Distribution (Southern Oregon), NW Beverages (Seattle, Tacoma), Odom (Eastern Washington, Northern ID), Dickerson Distributing (Bellingham), Crooked Stave Artisans (Colorado), Freedom Distributors (North Carolina), Beer Thirst (Canada) and Tread Water (Japan).