I haven’t done a Drink This! write up in a while and after finishing off the 2nd beer of the collab between Marto Brewing and Dimensional Brewing I thought it would be the perfect time to talk about these 2 outstanding beers.
First off, I need to thank Zach Crawford for getting me a bottle of each of these brews. There’s always that beer guy in the back of my head telling me to cellar for a while and then kick them out randomly but I don’t have the will to do so…
Here’s the release info on these two collab beers courtesy of Marto’s Facebook page:
Two beers brewed by two breweries using the same ingredients and methods, designed to be mixed together.
Ok, yes, designed to be mixed together, only I didn’t, and I loved them both. So, after I give you my break down of each beer, if did blend the two I would love to hear your thoughts. Marto 300 West first!
300 West (Marto) – this beer comes in at 12.8% aged in Rabbit Hole bourbon barrels with maple syrup, cinnamon, and vanilla beans. Sometimes with cinnamon added to beers I can be a bit apprehensive as it can be an overwhelming adjunct, but not with this beer. The balance was spot on and maple and barrels are a match made in heaven. Add that cinnamon spice at the end and you really have a delicious, decadent beer, perfect for this time of year!
300 East (Dimensional) – this beer comes in at 12.8% aged in Blaum Brothers bourbon barrels with peanuts, peanut butter malted milk balls, marshmallow, and vanilla. Had this post Thanksgiving meal and it was the perfect dessert! I got a bit of the peanuts/peanut butter malted milk but the star of the show in this beer was the marshmallow! Once again, the balance of the beer was wonderful. Not one dominant flavor but a sample of each adjunct hitting you at different times. Damn tasty!
Overall: I love when Iowa breweries do collabs together, and when they go big like Dimensional and Marto did here the results can be amazing like they were with this series of beers! Definitely beers you can cellar, but definitely beers that you can drink right now, wish I had a few more! Turn the house lights off, light up the Christmas trees, fireplace going, soft music in the background and Drink These beers! Cheers!
Dimensional Brewing in Dubuque, IA is kicking off the month of March with a bang as they are set to release two beers! Tickets for their popular “Can-D-Bar’ will open Sunday, March 6th @ 7 p.m.! The following week will see the debut of “neat” imperial stout for a tap room only release starting at 11 a.m. on Saturday March 12th! Details below! Cheers!
It’s time for us to get our Barrel Aged March on. We are excited to bring back B.A. Can-D-Bar & to introduce you to our best nonadjunct B.A. Stout to date. We will be doing this release similar to our most recent releases. Please read the following details carefully.
B.A. Can-D-Bar is a 11.35% imperial stout aged for 14 months in Blaum Bros. Distilling Co. Bourbon Barrels and then rested on Coconut and Cacao!
– Tickets for B.A. Can-D-Bar will be sold online via Etix at 7pm on Sunday, March 6th. Please look for an event page to be posted soon. We will supply a link to etix on the event page.
– B.A. Can-D-Bar will be sold in 2, 500ml bottle packages.
– The limit is one set per order.
– If you score a ticket for B.A. Can-D-Bar bottle pick up will begin on Saturday, March 12th at 11am at the taproom.
– Proxies are allowed for pick up. They must have a screen shot or printed copy of the buyers ID and Etix ticket to be scanned upon pick up.
Introducing “neat”
-neat is a big thicc 11.8% stout aged in a Blaum Brothers Rye barrel for 13 months and that’s it! This Rye Barrel Aged Stout has created such a harmonious blend of the beer & barrel that we can’t wait to send your taste buddies into a state of nirvana.
– This Rye barrel aged Stout will be available in 500ml bottles.
– Due to the low bottle count, we will be releasing this beer first come, first served at 11am on Saturday, March 12th at our taproom.
– Limits will be determined upon turnout and final bottle count.
– For those of you lining up, we will open the garage early for pre game shenanigans because we love you.
Another year in the books, and like every year since I’ve been doing this blog and releasing my Top 10 I was once again blown away by the amazing beers that our Iowa brewers and their staff have made for us this year! Not only that, the resiliency shown by breweries/restaurants/bars during the past few years cannot be overlooked and huge thank you to all service industry workers! Cheers to you! Onto the TOP 10! LIST CRITERIA *Beer must have been brewed in Iowa *Beer must have been released in 2021 *Annual releases not counted unless a new adjunct had been added to that particular beer
Like every list, I know opinions will differ and I’m looking forward to reading what your top 10 list was for this year! Once again, so many beers, so little time, and I know I wasn’t able to even scratch the surface as to the beers I wanted to try!
**Big Grove Richard the Whale Chocolate Coconut Cake– – this year’s “Golden Ticket” beer during the Richard the Whale release, and like every year, it does not disappoint. Chocolate and coconut shine as this is wonderfully balanced, great for any time of the day, another win for Big Grove with this beer!
**Lion Bridge Silvia – Farmhouse ales are a style that goes overlooked and thankfully is making their way back to some breweries, and Lion Bridge not only made a great one, but possibly my favorite beer of the year. It was a perfect accompaniment to the Thanksgiving dinner table..not just one bottle either…If you’re a saison/farmhouse ale fan this is one to definitely try!
**Pulpit Rock Island Life – first enjoyed on a guy’s trip to Decorah and was blown away by the wonderful tropical flavor this beer brought. Maybe the setting had a lot to do with it, but I’m pretty sure it’s just a great beer to drink!
**Gezellig Long Story Short – 4.9%– smoothie sours/seltzers were all the rage in the beer world this past year and Iowa breweries sure made a whole lot of good ones. One of my favorites comes from the lovely folks in Newton, Iowa at Gezellig. Strawberry starbursts and pomegranate helped make this a flavor packed brew!
**Lua Brewing Dawn – 13.5% – part of last year’s “Resolution” I set for myself was trying to make it to Central and Western Iowa more often to taste what the breweries are pushing out there, especially the ones that don’t get much distro to Eastern Iowa..I kind of failed in that endeavor, however, I did get to Des Moines a few times and was able to procure some Lua brews! One that really stood out was this imperial stout. Coffee and a hint of vanilla make this decadent brew stand out, and hides that ABV very well! Looking forward to more from Lua in 2022!
**Clock House Brewing Barrel Aged Peanut Panic Porter – 12% – the base beer was one of my favorites in 2020 and then adding it to barrels and resting it on peanuts, cocoa nibs, and vanilla really added more depth to an already wonderful beer. The misconception from some was that this was a peanut “butter” beer, not the case, straight up peanuts and the balance of the flavors comes through remarkably!
**Adventurous Easy Peel (triple dry hopped Mosaic)- 8.3% – the 2nd Easy Peel I’ve had this year and I think the Mosaic barely beats out the El Dorado for me. Both very good and the combo of the mosaic hops and cryo mosaic hops really stands out. Excellent beer, any of the Easy Peel beers from Adventurous would be a safe bet!
**Lion Bridge Percussive Maintenance Macaroon – 11% – Chocolate and coconut paired with a great barrel is hard to go wrong and Lion Bridge balances this beer perfectly. There are some beers that you’ll always remember opening and pouring and this is definitely one of those for me. One to sip on yourself or share with someone you care about….a moment making beer for sure! One of the best of the year!
**Lua Pushpop: Because My Heart is in Iowa – Lua Pushpops can be hard to come by if you live in Eastern Iowa, luckily they sometimes drop a few beers off at Tin Roost in North Liberty to get us a taste here in Eastern Iowa. Mango and cherry beer, super thick and delicious. Lua dominated the slushie/sour landscape in the beer world! A trip to Des Moines in needed soon!
**Dimensional You Down with OCP – 13.1% – Pastry stouts can be hit and miss with me. Many are too sweet for my liking, and the adjuncts are too dominate over the base beer, but not with this one…Dimensional added 100 lbs each of oatmeal cream pies, oatmeal cookies, and toasted coconut to this big beer and it worked wonderfully. Not too sweet at all, in fact, if the 13.1% wouldn’t drop me I could easily see myself sipping on glass #2 letting the beer warm me up in the Iowa winter!
Some beer news out of Dubuque, as Dimensional is getting ready to release two new beers to us in the coming weeks! Here’s what’s on the horizon courtesy of Dimensional’s Facebook page:
We are jolly to say we have TWO barrel aged beers that are ready to come out of their long slumber in barrels. We will be doing this release the similar to way we did Anny/Lampy Rub release. Please read the following details carefully. *Hank(2021) is a 13.5% imperial stout aged for 14 months in Blaum Brothers Bourbon Barrels and then rested on peanuts, marshmallows and Cacao! Hank is a beautifully blended, rich stout that perfectly balances the adjuncts with the bourbon notes from the barrel. – Tickets for Hank will be sold online via Etix at 7pm on Sunday, December 12th at this link: https://www.etix.com/ticket/p/6555720/ – Hank will be sold in 2, 500ml bottle packages.- The limit is one set per order. – If you score a ticket for Hank, bottle pick up will begin on December 18th at 11am at the taproom. – Proxies are allowed for pick up. They must have a screen shot or printed copy of the buyers ID and Etix ticket to be scanned upon pick up. *Flabongo: Blend One is a 6.9% kettle sour that was aged in a Blaum Brothers Gin barrel and then infused with pineapple, pink guava and orange puree. This tropical cocktail inspired liquid will definitely take you a warm place! – This gin barrel aged smoothie sour will be available in 750ml bottles. – Due to the low bottle count, we will be releasing this beer first come, first served at 11am on December 18th at our taproom. – Limits will be determined upon turnout and final bottle count. – For those of you lining up, we will open the garage up around 9am to keep ya’ll from getting frost bitten. Facebook event page will be up soon.
Dimensional Brewing out of Dubuque released a sneak peek of a new beer they are brewing with Clock House Brewing out of Cedar Rapids. If you are a pop tarts lover, this is going to be a must try brew! Here’s more on “Toaster Treats” pastry sour courtesy of Dimensional:
Today we’re sending TOASTER TREATS, our collab with Clock House Brewing to the dosing tank to sit on a ridiculous amount of strawberry toaster pastries!
Look for this tasty toaster treat in cans and on tap later this week!
What a year it has been! With all that is going on our local breweries still put out a ton of amazing beers and this was the toughest “Top 10” I’ve had to come up with. As the year winds down, a heartfelt thank you to all the brewery/restaurant workers out there working their butts off to get us excellent beers and delicious food while trying to keep their businesses afloat. Keep supporting local people!
List criteria: *Beer must have been released in 2020 *Iowa brewed only *Annual releases not counted unless a new adjunct was added to the beer
I know that I’ve missed many, my goal in 2020 was to get to as many Iowa breweries as possible and I was able to get to many that I hadn’t been before and hopefully that trend continues in 2021. After you read my list I would love to hear what your Top 10 is this year! Follow me on twitter @iabeerbaron or join the Iowa Beer page on Facebook. Cheers to you all!
*Richard the Whale Vietnamese Coconut Coffee – 12.5% – the last few years of the Richard release, the golden ticket addition has added excitement but also even more creativity from the BG brewers and crew to up the ante every year to produce an amazing beer and this year was no different. The balance between the coffee and coconut blends perfectly with barrel and the vanilla rounds it out perfectly. A truly decadent and delicious beer. To quote Virginia Madsen from “Sideways”, “You know, the day you open a Richard the Whale Vietnamese Coconut Coffee….that’s the special occasion”.
Big Grove Richard the Whale Vietnamese Coconut Coffee
*Lion Bridge Off Grid – 6.6% – there may not be a better beer to showcase the trying year many people have faced in 2020. Off Grid was brewed after the derecho storm left many in the Cedar Rapids area without power, shelter, etc. Brewing with generator power, not only did Lion Bridge get beer to us, they gave us one of the best IPAs brewed in Iowa in 2020 and I hope we get a taste of it again in 2021….minus the derecho.
Lion Bridge Off Grid
*Barn Town Nelson Sauvin Neon – 6.5% – as Barn Town’s Neon is becoming more available in Eastern Iowa, it has certainly taken its place amongst my ever revolving beer fridge as a staple. However, Barn Town decided to showcase different hops in their popular IPA and after tasting Nelson Sauvin Neon, dare I say I want more of this version? I love Nelson hops and the addition of this adds a nice peppery finish to an already delicious citrus IPA.
*Lua Algorithm – 4% ABV – trips to Des Moines in the last year certainly have been more common to get some to go beers from many of the breweries in that area and one certain stop has been Lua. Lua’s lineup of beers range from wonderful pilsners, hoppy IPAs, BA stouts, and one their extremely popular Pushpop lineup of brews! There were many that I really enjoyed but Algorithm was the one that stood out to me most. The combo of orange, mango and peaches can be enjoyed any time of the day! Lua is currently doing curbside only for the foreseeable future so make sure you place an order with them and pick up some amazing beer and food!
*Clock House Peanut Panic Porter – 5.5% – Clock House has had an amazing year with their beer releases and with the addition of a canning line they can get us our favorites more efficiently and timely. Of all the beers I’ve had of theirs this year, (I think I’ve had them all), their Peanut Panic Porter stood out. I’m a huge porter fan, Founders Porter is still one of my all-time favorite beers, and when Clock House added peanuts to this beer I was sold. Now, this isn’t a overly sweet “peanut butter” beer, this is boiled raw peanuts and some added cocoa nibs making this one of the best porters I’ve had and definitely the best peanut porter I’ve ever had. Still on tap I believe, give it a shot!
*Big Grove HDTV – 9.2% – galaxy hops gone mad! Big Grove took their popular Color TV and added a bunch more galaxy hops to it to give us this baby! A wonderful welcome addition to Richard the Whale day, HDTV is not only delicious, but it’s deceptively drinkable coming in at 9.2%. You still may be able to find cans of this in the wild or certain bars (Club 76 has it on tap).
Big Grove HDTV
*Single Speed Barrel-Aged Double Donuts – 10% – aged in Cedar Ridge single malt whiskey barrels? Yes please! Single Speed took inspiration from their popular Zach’s Mexican Donuts, threw it in some amazing whiskey barrels and barrel-aged Double Donuts was born! Luckily I have a few cans left of this and I have every intention to sit by the fireplace and watch the snowstorm blow in tomorrow night and sip and enjoy this wonderful brew!
*Pulpit Rock Double Dave-O – 7.6% – I remember having this beer way back in January at Marquee Pizza in Coralville during their anniversary celebration. Marquee always did a great job getting Pulpit Rock on tap (Thanks Sam!) when many places couldn’t and I remember thinking that it’s going to be nice being able to visit here, have some great food and sip on some Pulpit beers…..things have changed a bit because of the pandemic but Pulpit sure has adapted to the changing times and have done an amazing job getting their cans available in certain locations around Eastern Iowa (Need Pizza + Reds Alehouse). Double Dave-O stood out because of the hop profile. Citra and mosaic, two of my favorites made this a quenching IPA leaving me wanting another one!
Pulpit Rock Double Dave-O
*Dimensional Imperial Cinna-Man Bun – 11.7% – there are some beers that you can be a little hesitant to order because you’ve already played it out in your head how it was going to taste. With this particular beer, I thought for sure it would be way too sweet for me with over the top cinnamon, admittedly I was completely wrong. Dimensional brought balance to a beer that could have gone the complete opposite direction, especially for a pastry stout. Another great fall/winter beer to sip on, wish I had some more of it!
Dimensional Imperial Cinna-Man Bun
*Clock House Sweet Innocence – 5.2% – 42 lbs of black cherries added to this kettle sour which made for a truly refreshing beer to sip on on hot ass August night in Iowa. This is a beer that I hope to see again during the warmer months and if you haven’t tried it, if Clock House does release it again, it’s worth the trip to Cedar Rapids!
Clock House Sweet Innocence
There is the list! It’s always fun to compile but never easy to narrow down! With such a trying year in the beer/restaurant industry it is amazing on how these breweries have adapted to keep their businesses alive and to also keep us stocked with beer. A huge cheers to all of them and I hope you continue to support your local brewery and businesses. I know I probably missed your favorite of the year so please let me know what your list looks like! Cheers!
What better way to ring in December than with your very own Iowa Beer advent calendar! I was lucky enough to take part in helping pick out some amazing Iowa beers to include in this awesome calendar made by Glyn Mawr Winery in Mount Vernon, IA and now you have a chance to get one for free! Here’s what you need to do:
*Visit Glyn Mawr’s Facebook post and respond to it with your favorite Iowa brewed beer and also tag and friend and you will automatically be entered. Visit their Facebook page by clicking HERE!
*Visit Glyn Mawr’s Instagram account and respond to the post with your favorite Iowa brewed beer and also tagging a friend. Click HERE to go to their Instagram account!
*Winner will be randomly drawn and notified. Proxies are allowed for pickup, just notify myself or the winery for that!
About the calendar: We tried to include as many different Iowa breweries as possible and also tried to include as many different styles of beer as possible. There are so many great beers being brewed and I think we have a great collection included in this calendar!
GIVEAWAY TIME!! You guys have BLOWN US AWAY with pre-orders, so we have decided to have a GIVEAWAY for one of our Craft Iowa Beer Advent Calendars! ($85 value!)TO QUALIFY: COMMENT below with your favorite IOWA craft beer, and TAG a friend that might want to get in on one of our calendars before they sell out! Check out the list of breweries we have included: @clockhousebrewing, @fsbtaproom, @singlespeedbrewingco, @dimensionalbeer, @gezelligbrewing, @thewbrew, @biggrovebrewery, @tgbrews, @5ivecitiesbrewing, @reunionbrewery, @exilebrewingco, @backpocketbrewing, @sutliffcider, @lionbridgebrew, @iowabrewingco, @wilsonsorchardia We will pick a winner this weekend! It will be available to pick up 11/25, 11/27, or 11/28!ALSO, we only have 10 CALENDARS LEFT, so get online and pre-order yours today!
We are nearing the 2 year mark of Dimensional brewing supplying Iowa beer lovers with their tasty and creative beers and you know this group is going to celebrate their anniversary! Before posting the details of their upcoming anniversary and releases that go with it, a big time congrats to the folks at Dimensional, another great example of a brewery that adapted when COVID hit and continued supplying us with excellent beers!
We will have new 4-packs, an individual can, limited birthday glassware, some rotating special taps, new hats, new apparel, Live Music, heated outdoor seating, and the release of Barrel Aged Can-D-Bar. Barrel Aged Can-D-Bar is an Imperial Stout aged in @Blaum Bros. Distilling Co. 12year Knotter Barrels for 14 months, 1 day, and 14 hours. We then pack an obscene amount of toasted coconut and cacao to make this a barrel aged, liquid, chocolate/coconut candy bar.BA Can-D-Bar will be available for purchase via an online ticketed format. Please follow this event page for further details. Including a link for BA Can-D-Bar, Proxy information, beer details, and party details.You may party whether you purchase Can-D-Bar or not. You may also pick your purchases up without partying if this is your wish. No matter your choice, please recognize and adhere to all of our regular COVID-19 expectations. Please treat our Dimensional family and guests the way they want to be treated. Thank you. Stay safe. We can’t wait to see you. Cheers!
This category of stouts will not include imperial/barrel aged/pastry/adjunct except coffee! Those will be broken down into another category down the road! Thanks to everyone who has participated in the voting and to the brewer’s making the beer! Cheers!
Stout is a dark, top-fermented beer with a number of variations, including dry stout, oatmeal stout, milk stout. The first known use of the word stout for beer was in a document dated 1677 found in the Egerton Manuscripts, the sense being that a “stout beer” was a strong beer, not a dark beer.
From BA: NEIPA is essentially an unfiltered IPA or Double IPA that’s been aggressively hopped. Appearance ranges from slightly hazy or cloudy to opaque or muddy. Dry-hopping, the use of high-protein grains (flours, flaked oats, wheat), certain yeast strains, water chemistry, CO2 levels, and other techniques may also contribute to the beer’s haze and mouthfeel. But the overall goal is typically a hazy, juicy IPA packed with fruity and floral flavors
Facebook event page will be up soon.
You guys have BLOWN US AWAY with pre-orders, so we have decided to have a GIVEAWAY for one of our Craft Iowa Beer Advent Calendars! ($85 value!)
TO QUALIFY: COMMENT below with your favorite IOWA craft beer, and TAG a friend that might want to get in on one of our calendars before they sell out! 
ALSO, we only have 10 CALENDARS LEFT, so get online and pre-order yours today!
iabeerbaron.com 