Category: Beer

Stone Bringing Back Unfiltered IPA: Enjoy By 09/05/16 Coming August 1st

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unfiltered.pngA beer I was unable to land the last time it was released will be making another appearance on our shelves here in Eastern Iowa starting August 1st. Stone Enjoy By 09/05/16 Unfiltered IPA will be available in 12 oz and 22 oz bottles and check in at 9.4%.

The last time this was released it didn’t last long on the shelves so make sure you get to your local bottle shop quick to snag a few! Here’s more from Stone on this release:

STONE ENJOY BY 09.05.16 UNFILTERED IPA

#NOFILTER FRESH

In most cases, skipping a step is a bad thing. Not this time. This version of Stone Enjoy By IPA omits the part where we filter out the extra yeast, hop sediment and proteins that build up in beer as a natural result of the brewing process. Though it may sound like it, this missed step was no misstep. By letting this IPA go unfiltered, its peach and tropical fruit hop flavors are amplified while its golden-hued color takes on a hazy appearance. Like its filtered counterpart, this IPA is brewed specifically NOT to last, and is shipped immediately to ensure hopheads get their hands on it as soon as possible.

Drink This: Crooked Stave L’Brett d’or

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l'brett d'or.jpgThank the Beer Gods for Abu Nawas! They are responsible for getting Iowans a chance to try Crooked Stave whose beers always challenge and satisfy the palate.  Crooked Stave specializes in barrel aged sours, wild ales, and saisons. When there’s a Crooked Stave delivery day, I’m usually in line to pick up a few bottles and I just so happened to be at Winestyles at the Iowa River Landing in Coralville doing a little beer shopping when I came upon their L’Brett d’or. Dry hopped sour aged in oak barrels? Yes please! Here’s more on this beer:

A dry hopped surreal golden sour ale aged in oak barrels that comes in at 7% ABV.

There have been a few variants released of L’Brett d’Or, none I’ve seen in Eastern Iowa but this dry hopped is excellent in many ways.

#1: This is the perfect gateway beer for those who are not 100% into sours/wild ales yet. It’s not too tart, don’t get me wrong, tartness is there, but an acidic vinegar bomb it is not. It’s sweet enough for fruit fans to get on board with and the Brett is very present but doesn’t dominate the flavor.
#2: For Brett fans, once you open up that bottle and get the aroma of Brett and oak you will be ready to dig into this beer. The sweetness of peaches and apricots mesh perfectly the with oak and you get a little bit of an herbal taste that I’m guessing comes from the hops.

#3: The complexity of flavors: As this beer warms a bit it brings out the peaches and apricots as I said above but there is some green apple and faint balsamic vinegar.

Would I buy again? Absolutely! I was happy to share this with some people but regret that I didn’t buy another bottle to selfishly drink by myself. I really want more of this and it would pair perfectly with a warm Iowa 4th of July weekend.

I’m not sure if Winestyles still has it in stock but check out Benz in CR as well, they carry quite a few Crooked Stave beers. If you find some, let me know where it’s at because I need more! If you are not satisfied with it and purchased multiples, get a hold of me and I’ll buy the rest from you. Get out there and Drink This!

Drink This: Pulpit Rock Loopy Lynn Double IPA

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IMG_0349.JPGpulpiI should have probably done a post about something a bit easier to get a hold of, but I think many Iowa beer lovers make the trek to Decorah a few times a month to get the latest and greatest for TG, so why not talk about the latest double IPA I really enjoyed that you can get in Decorah as well?

This past Friday night at Blackstone in Iowa City, there was a Pulpit Rock tap takeover. One of the newest and hottest breweries in Iowa filled the lines at Blackstone with liquid gold. I was very excited to try the Joy of Almonds, which was on nitro, and that didn’t disappoint. Sometimes I think nitro can take away from the flavor of the beer, but not for this one. The other big beer I was excited about was the special release of Loopy Lynn. Loopy Lynn is double IPA dry hopped with Citra and Eureka hops. I was lucky to even get a glass as I arrived at 5:30 for a 5:00 tapping and almost missed out (Thanks Sam!).

Loopy Lynn has that huge aromatic citra nose and the hazy golden/orange pour looks like a glass of orange juice. The beauty of this double IPA is that the flavor lasts from first sip to last swallow. Lingering flavor of grapefruit, orange, and a bit of pine from the Eureka added to the “dankness” that makes this a dangerously drinkable 8.14% double IPA.

Decorah has been a beer destination for some time now with Toppling Goliath, now Pulpit Rock adds to that trip. Make sure to stop in. This is old news for some, but make sure you stop in and try the goods at Pulpit.

Only a few places in Eastern Iowa that have had Pulpit on tap has been guest lines at Lion Bridge, Iowa Brewing Company and the folks at Need Pizza. Or, just take a drive to Decorah and indulge in both great breweries there! The hashtag from the folks at Pulpit is perfect: #stinkjuice. Drink this #stinkjuice!

Trio of Prairie Beers to be Released this Month!

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prairie artisan alesPrairie will be releasing 3 beers this month. 2 of which we’ve seen and 1 that is new and going to be added to their year round lineup. Here are the brews:

**Prairie Americana -Meet Prairie Americana, our dry hopped farmhouse with Brett. Start thinking of the prominent hop aroma and flavor of an IPA. Top that with Brett, and you have an American style Brett ale with approachable hop characteristics and a tart finish. Now, stop thinking and grab a glass. Prairie Americana will be available in 16.9oz bottles and on tap.

**Prairie Paradise– It’s about to get really hot outside. How about a cold glass of refreshing Imperial Stout. Yep, you heard that right. Brand new to our line up is Prairie Paradise. We took a stout, gave it a hint of vanilla and a good deal of toasted coconut and created one season defying, genre bending brew. Imperial stouts are usually thought of as a cold weather beer, but here the coconut and vanilla blend push the image of the stout into a year round, all season style. Prairie Paradise will be available exclusively on tap and in kegs.

prairie**Prairie Apple Brandy Noir – We are also bringing back an old favorite. Prairie Apple Brandy Barrel Noir is coming back for another go around! So, if you missed it the last time, now is your chance to go out and experience a great variation on the barrel aged Imperial Stout. Smooth and boozy, Apple Brandy Noir is heady enough to lure you into its lair but sweet enough to not overpower the complexity of the stout. Barrel aged in Apple Brandy Barrels, this brew is full of chocolate notes, with hints of apple, oak, and brandy. This is a beer to cherish, because it won’t be around for long. Apple Brandy Barrel Noir is a special limited release, found only in 12oz bottles.

Beer List for Pulpit Rock Pop-Up Taproom @Blackstone

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pulpiVery excited for this Friday night as Pulpit Rock will be bringing some beers to Iowa City blackstonefor a Pop-Up Taproom Takeover at Blackstone in Iowa City. Sam Hall once again making it happen by getting one of Iowa’s newest and hottest upcoming breweries to take over his lines at Blackstone. I hope to see some people there, if you attend, stop by and say hi! Here’s the list:

Preikestolen – American Blonde Mother
Mai-I – Maibock
Whistle While You Wit – Witbier
5th Ave – West Coast Style IPA
Saftig – East Coast Style IPA
Loopy Lynn – New Double IPA
Doc Rem’s – English Mild
Pour-Over Porter – Robust Porter w/Coffee
For the Joy of Almonds – Oatmeal Stout with toasted coconut, almonds & cacao nibs

Northside Oktoberfest set for Saturday September 24th!

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northside octoberfestOfficial Press release:

Northside Oktoberfest

Sat, Sep 24 from 12pm – 3pm

at Northside Market Place

The Northside Oktoberfest benefiting Iowa City area non-profits showcases the Bohemian nature of the Northside Marketplace with great craft beers, neighborhood food, beer games, Iowa football and much more! Join us on Saturday, September 24th, as we take over the streets of the Northside, just blocks north of downtown Iowa City. 

Early Bird Tickets NOW available! $55 for BrewMaster tickets & $40 for General Admission (see each price for details). Tickets will increase September 1, 2016.

  • Northside Oktoberfest will feature over 500 beers from over 50 breweries! Here are just a few: Big Grove Brewery, Millstream Brewing Company, Merchant du Vin -Specialty Beer Importer since 1978, New American Brewing Co, Bell’s Brewery, Inc., Cedar Ridge Distillery, Founders Brewing Co., August Schell Brewing Company, Central Waters Brewing Company, Confluence Brewing Company, 515 Brewing Company, Kalona Brewery, Buck Creek Companies, Peace Tree Brewing Company, Lakefront Brewery, Zipline Brewing Co., Boulder Beer Company, Sutliff Cider, Boulevard, Boone Valley Brewing, New American Brewing Co

New for 2016! As an added perk for 2016, your Oktoberfest ticket provides you with one complimentary ticket to the 2016 Telenet UCI Cyclo-Cross World Cup. These professional men’s and women’s cyclo-cross races will take place after Oktoberfest at the Johnson County Fairgrounds, at 3:30 and 5 p.m. The Telenet UCI World Cup races are a global addition to the already well recognized and attended annual Volkswagen Jingle Cross Cyclo-Cross races. Las Vegas, Nevada, and Iowa City, Iowa, are the only two North American locations for this popular UCI cyclo-cross series, and the races will be broadcast live by NBC Sports and internationally by Telenet to more than 35 countries.  Your complimentary admission (valued at $15) includes all-day access to this event, where food, a beverage garden and live entertainment will be available.

The City of Iowa City will provide complimentary parking garage access for the entire day! Complimentary shuttles to and from the fairgrounds will begin operating at 2 p.m. and run through 10 p.m.

Thank you our sponsors John’s Grocery and Little Village Magazine.

*Please note: This is a rain or shine event- No matter the weather the beer still gets poured! (There will be no ticket refunds) 

Tickets

General Admission
General Admission tickets include: 12pm-3pm tasting time (full access to all samples available), custom tasting glass, UCI Cyclo Cross ticket, and free parking in Downtown ramps!
$40.00
$43.47 with fees (print at home and mobile)
Buy Tickets
BrewMaster
BrewMaster tickets get you entrance to the festival one hour early (11:00 a.m.), an upgraded tasting glass, and the ability to taste Real Ale samplings
$55.00
$59.40 with fees (print at home and mobile)

A Tappening: Port of Dubuque Final Beer Vendor List

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tappeningHere’s who will be appearing on at “The Tappening” on June 11th in the Port of Dubuque. A pretty solid looking list. Haven’t seen what specific beers will be brought but a nice Iowa representation along with 7G and Johnson Brothers. Hope you can make it!

Another Road Brewing

Backpocket

Ballast Point

Baraboo Brewing Co

Bells

Bent River Brewing

Big Grove

Blaum Bros. Distilling Co

Confluence Brewing

DeSchutes

Exile Brewing

Franklin Street Brewing Co

Front Street Brewing

Galena Brewing Co

Generations Brewing Company

Goose Island

Great River

Green Flash

Iowa Brewing CO

Jubeck Brewery

Kalona Brewing Co.

Lion Stone

Millstream

Mississippi River Distilling Co.

Odell

Oskar Blues

Paradise Distilling

Potosi Brewery

Rockford Brewing Co.

Shock Top

Sierra Nevada

Stella Artois

Summit

Surly

Tallgrass

Third Base Brewery

Turner Alley

Release Roundup: Odell, Lagunitas, Avery, Founders Brewing

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Some future release news of beers that will be hitting our Eastern Iowa shelves in the future. First, we start with Odell.

mountain.jpeg**Odell Brewing Lone Comet IPA** – Odell giving us another IPA that will be using only Comet hops. It will check in at 6.5% and come in 12 oz bottles. (mybeerbuzz.com)

**Odell Brewing Mountain Standard Black IPA** this beer will be released in 12 oz cans and come in at 8.1%. More on this brew from Odell:

As winter sets in we embrace the darkness with this Double Black IPA—released as Daylight Savings falls back to MST. We brew it with hops handpicked on Colorado’s Western Slope. The assertive American hop profile and roasted malt character balance perfectly with just a touch of bitterness. Go ahead. Give in to the dark side.
Available yearly from September through December

lagunitas**Lagunitas 12th of Never Ale** – Lagunitas Brewing finally starting to package in cans with 12th of Never Ale. A hop forward 5.5% brew that will have a different saying on top of each can. Here’s more courtesy of mybeerbuzz:

I’m excited to give you your VERY fist look at a new can (yes cans!) coming from Lagunitas.  This is the new 12th of Never Ale and the neame refers to Lagunitas Brewing’s desire to be the last (or second-to-last) craft brewery in America to can their beers.  This hop-forward beer will hit 5.5%-AbV and you’re looking at the 12oz can.  Each of the designs below will feature a different saying at the top of the can and these cans look like they will be packaged in both Petaluma, CA and Chicago, IL.  Stay tuned here for release details (I’m hearing the cans will be purple).

**Lagunitas Stoopid Wit** – what sounds like a hopped up Belgian-wit is coming from Langunitas. Stoopid Wit will be a limited release and come in at 4.8% ABV in 12 oz bottles.

avery coconut.jpeg**Avery Barrel-Aged Coconut Porter** – a beer that will no doubt be a highly anticipated release and will fly off the shelves, Avery will be packaging this beer in May and should hit shelves shortly after. This is the bourbon barrel version as there is also a rum barrel version. It will check in at 9.5% ABV and come in 22 oz bottles. Stay tuned to more on this release. (mybeerbuzz.blogspot.com)

pale joe**Founders Pale Joe w/Coffee** – 5.4% pale ale infused with coffee is going to hit the bottling line. Here’s more from Founders on this brew:

A light, golden ale brewed using high end, lightly roasted, fruit forward coffees that don’t get too bitter or astringent. Brewed with Kenya Windrush and a Tier 3 experimental coffee roasted at Ferris, right here in town.