Category: iabeerbaron

Breweries and Beers Announced for 2020 BrrrFest!

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We have an early list of breweries and beers that will be available at the 2020 Coralville BrrrFest thanks to the folks at flitebrite. You can access and create your untappd wishlist for the event by clicking here

Here’s the list, I’ll continue to post updates as they come in. Cheers!

-515 Brewing Company
*Dunkel on the Haterz
*Mexican Spring
*OJ Gets Lei’d
*Poobah of Passe
*Puppy Jake
-5ive Cities Brewing Company
-7 Hills Brewing Co.
*Baca Inocula
*Betty’s Private Reserve
*Bi-Polar Vortex
*Bold Blavatsky
*Cerebral Haze
*Muddy Tugger w/Bourbon Barrel Aged Maple Syrup
-Alluvial Brewing Company
-Backpocket Brewing
-Barn Town Brewing
-Bent River Brewing Company
*Barrel-Aged Marshmallow Stout
*Chocolate Covered Banana
*Lactobaxpress
*Liquified
-Big Grove Brewery
*Buster
*Cask Sera w/white peppercorn + pineapple
*Easy Eddy Strawberry Pineapple Milkshake
*Experimental Sour w/passion fruit, raspberry + vanilla
*Justice for Barb
*Richard the Whale Vanilla Coconut
*Snowbird
*Static
*White Stout
*Xibalba Wade Wisely
-Boone Valley Brewing
-Brightside Aleworks
-Carroll Brewing Company
*Black Lager
*Carroll Red
*India Pale Ale
*Mild
*Tokyo Pils
-Cedar Ridge
-Clock House Brewing
-Confluence Brewing
-Contrary Brewing
*Finger Licken’ Good
*German’s Chocolate Cake
*Punch You in the Eye
*Zoom Doggy (w/maple & cinnamon)
-Court Avenue Brewing Company
-Crawford Brew Works
-Dimensional Brewing
*Dad Bod
*Denim Venom
*Easy Steve
*Gussied Up
*Jumbled Up: Hazel
*Sweet Acoustics
-East Grove Meadery
-Exile Brewing Company
-Fat Hill Brewing Company
-Fenders Brewing
*Morning Ride
-Firetrucker Brewery
*Black Magic Coffee Stout
*Brigade Ale
*Burnout Brown
*Destination IPA East Coast Style
*Tropical Burn Mago DIPA
-Fishback and Stephenson Cidery
*Maple Starship
*Salty Poser
-Fox Brewing
–Franklin Street Brewing
-Front Street Brewery
–Gezellig Brewing Company
*From Zero to Iffy
*Hug Deal Gone Sideweiss
*Tank in the Frank!
-Green Tree Brewing
-Iowa Brewing Company
*Barrel-Aged In-Tents w/ Trung Nguyen Legendee Coffee
*Barrel-Aged OREOja
*Bohemian Rapids
*Cousin Eddie’s Breakfast Ale
*David Hefehoff
*Double Barrel Hang Fire
*Eagle Lime
*Jinkies! – Lotus, Exp. 07720, Exp. 09326
*Oja’s Peanut Butter Cup Porter
-Jackson Street Brewing
*4 Non Blondes
*Hell’s Half Acre Stout – French Toast
*Imperial Chocolate Peanut Butter Treat
*Nannerbock
*Sioux City Sours & Barrel Aged Stouts
-Jefferson County Ciderworks
-Kalona Brewing Company
-Keg Creek Brewing Company
*Brick Red Ale
*Illuminator VII
*Kashmir Kush DIPA
*Mas Mexican Style Lager
*Moongold Apricot
*Rehashed IPA
-Lake Time Brewing
*Funfetti
*Haze of Our Lives
*Lost Dutchman
*Oreo Speed Wagon
*Peanut Butter Porter
*Welcome to the Jungle Juice
-Lark Brewing Company
-Limestone Brewers
-Lion Bridge Brewing Company
-Millstream Brewing Company
-Mississippi River Distilling
–Mistress Brewing Company
-NoCoast Beer Co.
-Parkside Brewing Company
*Belly Dancer Chai Stout
*Kyle
*No Scurvy
*Raspberry Mother
-Peace Tree Brewing Company
-Pivo Brewing
*Balltown Salted Caramel Dark Chocolate Brownie Milk Stout
*Dorchester British Best
-Pulpit Rock Brewing Company
-Quarter Barrel Arcade & Brewery
-Reclaimed Rails Brewing 
-ReUnion Brewery
*Cosmic Creamsicle Juice Factory
*Imperial Banshee (2019)
*Ocean Sprayed Cranberry Gose
*Reunion Lager
*Rock ‘N Roll Bus Driver
*Tank Puncher IPA
-Second State Brewing
*Schwarzbier
*Vienna Lager
-SingleSpeed Brewing 
*A-Two-Hoo
*Gable
*Hard Won Not Done
*Slightly Heightened Conversation V2.0
*Tip the Cow
*Tip the Cowconut
*Two Cows (Walk into a Barrel)
*Victory Dance
-Thew Brewing
*Candy Double Tappa
*Hello Hazy
*Lit Up Like A Christmas Tree
-Third Base Brewing
*At the Heart of Winter
*Smoak ‘Em If You Got ‘Em
-Toppling Goliath Brewing
*Cherry Fandango
*Dorthy’s New World Lager
*Dragon Fandango
*King Sue
*Mornin’ Delight
*Pompeii
*Pseudo Sue
*Supa’ Sumo
*Term Oil
-Torrent Brewing Company
-Twisted Vine Brewery
*5 Horizons Black Lager
*Cali-Steamer
*Snowlicious
*Twisted Blonde
*Westown IPA
*Whadda Juicebag
-West O Beer
-Wild Culture Kombucha
-Wilson’s Hard Cider
*Old Blue
*Pina de Iowa
*Sutliff Hard Cider
-Worth Brewing

 

Drink This! Lion Bridge Home Baked 2020

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We are in the middle of Lion Bridge’s Barrel-Aged January and last night I was able to get a sneak peek of one of, if not, their most sought after beers, Home Baked! (Thanks Lange Brothers!).

I wouldn’t say last year’s release of Home Baked was a surprise hit since all of what Lion Bridge releases is of the best quality, but I think after a few social media posts, untappd check ins, and Iowa Craft Beer Crew posts this beer hit “best of Iowa” status quickly and the demand went through the roof! Attention from the 2019 version continued through the year and the countdown to today’s release (1/15) began! Here’s the deets from LB on their brew:

Dessert for your desert island. Fudge and saigon cinnamon meld with a little bit of hazelnut goodness to produce something we liken to a cookie in beer form

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I was lucky enough to be a +1 at the early release for Lion Bridge’s CSA members and eagerly watched with bated breath as the beer tender poured my beer. Served at the perfect temperature, maybe even let sit a bit after the initial pour, the aromas of hazelnut and cinnamon hit your nose immediately. The first sip is cinnamon with the roasted hazelnut, almost a coconutty taste to it followed by hit of fudge. The second sip…. pure decadence!

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The beauty of this beer is that not one adjunct dominates the flavor, they all mesh perfectly well and you get a hit of each with every sip. This is a beer to seek out, to beg a buddy to mule for you if you can’t get to CR, to pray to the beer gods that one winds up in your kitchen ready to be poured. Every sip comes with a smile!

This is one of the best beers that is brewed in Iowa…without a doubt and this year’s version may even be better than the 2019. Lion Bridge does it again…place of employment is canceled today, beer releases at 3:00 p.m…..hmm.. it looks like the beer gods want me to get more of this I believe! See you there and Drink This!

Abu Nawas drops: Limited Decadent brews!

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A big Decadent drop coming this week from Abu Nawas and in that drop are some extremely limited brews. Check out the list and have a great weekend!

Decadent:

  • Decadent Ales Orange Cream Pop 16oz CAN – All Citra dry-hopped IPA with a proprietary blend of sugars, Madagascar vanilla bean and a touch of orange zest. 7.1% ABV.
  • Decadent Ales Passiflora 16oz CAN – Passiflora is the South Pacific version of our Multiflora DIPA. Brewed utilizing a blend of New Zealand hops, this brew produces notes of guava, citrus, and passionfruit. 9.6% ABV.
  • Decadent Ales Coconut French Toast 16oz CAN – DIPA brewed w/ Vermont Maple Syrup, Coconut, stovetop caramelized sugars & cinnamon. Hopped w/ Simcoe and Mosaic. 8.6% ABV.
  • Decadent Ales Coco Ecto 16oz CAN – IPA with Orange, Tangerine with a hint of coconut makes this “ecto” brew stand out from its companions. 8.7% ABV.
  • Decadent Ales Coconut Almond Macaroon 16oz CAN. Double Dry-Hopped All-Mosaic IPA brewed with Coconut & Almond. 8.2% ABV.
  • Decadent Ales Coconut Citrus Citra16oz CAN – Triple Dry-Hopped All-Citra IPA brewed with Coconut & Citrus Fruit. 10.8% ABV
  • Decadent Ales Blueberry French Toast 16oz CAN – Double India Pale Ale with blueberries, maple syrup, and cinnamon. 8.6% ABV.
  • Decadent Ales Raspberry French Toast 16oz CAN – Double India Pale with raspberry, maple syrup, and cinnamon added. 8.6% ABV.
  • Decadent Ales S’mores 16oz Can – All Mosaic Double Dry-Hopped DIPA brewed with Graham Crackers & Marshmallows. 9.1% ABV.
Decadent NY Exclusive:
  • Decadent Ales NY Vanilla Latte 16oz CAN – IPA with cold-brewed coffee and Madagascar vanilla bean. 7.2% ABV.
  • Decadent Ales NY Opulence 16 oz CAN – Opulence is our flagship double dry-hopped IPA. Notes of grapefruit, orange and pear and white grape dance on the palate while undertones of caramel complement the citrus aroma. 8.3% ABV.
  • Decadent Ales NY Nebulous 16oz CAN – Double IPA focusing on the Galaxy hop – double dry-hopped and balanced by a variety of supporting hops. 8.9% ABV.
  • Decadent Ales NY Double Whipped Strawberry Cream Pop 16oz CAN – Hazed up version of Strawberry Cream Pop – extra strawberry added. 7.4% ABV.
  • Decadent Ales NY Apple Crumb Cake 16oz CAN – IPA designed to bring out all the fall flavors reminiscent of an apple crumb cake: Apple puree, Lactose, Cinnamon, and Vanilla bean are combined for a sweet and decadent ale. 7.5% ABV.
  • Decadent Ales NY 72 Nelson 16oz CAN – DDH DIPA with Nelson Hops. 8.4% ABV.

Beer Baron’s Top 10 Iowa Beers of 2019!

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Another Top 10 list coming at you as I present to you, dear reader, my top 10 “Iowa Beers” of 2019! Once again, this list is of beers released in 2019, Iowa brewed, and with annual releases (Richard the Whale, GAZPROM!) they aren’t counted unless the brewery releases a beer with that base and a new adjunct to it. I’ve missed out on many beers this year, one being the B.A. Cake Walk from Pulpit which many of you were lucky enough to try. Another great year in Iowa Beer as our breweries keep turning out amazing things!

I’d also love to hear your Top 10 beers of the year, so shoot back on me here or on the Iowa Beer page on Facebook or follow me on Twitter! So, after tedious nights of drinking amazing beer, here’s my top 10 (in no particular order)!

**Big Grove Brewery Richard the Whale Hazelnut + Chocolate -11.5%- this is a beer that was overshadowed by the golden ticket release of Richard Coconut Vanilla, and maybe rightfully so as that beer is amazing, but if you have a bottle of this, drink it! You’d be hard pressed to find a beer with that much hazelnut flavor that is balanced perfect with chocolate. Big Grove continues to shine with their Richard series!

**Confluence Brewing Smoothest Road Hazy Triple IPA- 10% – Confluence teamed up with Weldwerks Brewing to come up with this Triple and they really nailed it. Smoothest in the title and that’s exactly what can be said about a triple that drinks like a regular hazy. Delicious and easy drinking, watch out for that 10% on this baby! Keep this coming Confluence!

**Clock House Brewing Pineapple Witch Slap– 6% – what a great year for Clock House as Todd and crew have been busy cranking out some delicious beers and even a few can/crowler releases. One of the most notable for me was an off shoot of their popular Witch Slap IPA, Pineapple Witch Slap. All the greatness from Witch Slap with some fresh tasting pineapple added to it. What I like the best in adjunct beers is when it doesn’t taste artificial, and this beer was the perfect example. Fresh pineapple, the perfect beer for a warm day or any day for that matter!

**Lion Bridge Brewing Home Baked – 11% – this was the beer that started off my 2019 and to top this beer would be quite an accomplishment! I must be a sucker for hazelnut in my stouts, and add some cinnamon and fudge and you have one of the best beers ever brewed in Iowa!

**Toppling Goliath Double Dry Hopped King Sue-7.8% – I’m not sure when this was actually released so if it was early then 2019, my bad. But, I recently had my first bottle of it and it has to be up there with the best IPAs brewed in the state. Delicious beer!

**Dimensional Brewing Imperial Peanut Butter Cup – 10% – was lucky enough to get this on tap on trip to Dubuque. If you did peanut butter porters/stouts then this is one you need to try. Not overly sweet either, that can be a deal breaker for me. Dimensional continues to do great things after celebrating their 1 year anniversary!

**Big Grove Richard the Whale Vanilla Coconut – 11.5% – one of the best beers of the year no doubt! The “golden ticket” beer has exceeded the hype. The coconut shines, and once again not too sweet. I don’t know how Big Grove can outdo themselves again next year, but I’m sure they will. A beer of the year nominee!

**Pulpit Rock Gravy Boat – 7.1% – I know it’s not the B.A. Cake Walk that would make everyone’s list if you tried it, but Pulpit is continually making great beers of almost every style. Their sours/stouts/pils/pastry stouts/IPAs are all delicious. Gravy Boat is an IPA that I could drink many of, and in fact, many of these pairs well with some Need Pizza!

**Clock House Snozberry Sour – 5% – one of the best kettle sours I’ve ever had as Clock House loaded this baby up with blueberries, raspberries, and blackberries. Sessionable and not overly tart. This would be ideal on a hot summer day!

**Lion Bridge Double Maple GAZPROM! – 12% – barrel aged January was amazing in 2019 and expectations have been set high for 2020! One of the highlights along with Home Baked was Double Maple GAZPROM! They upped the maple dosage and turned this into an even more decadent delight!

Well, there’s this year’s list…..Once again, sooooo many great beers being produced in our lovely state that it is hard to get your hands on all of them! It’s a great problem to have! Cheers to the breweries and the folks in the brewing industry and thanks to all the readers of this blog and my @iabeerbaron twitter handle, as well as the Iowa Beer Facebook members. I would love to hear your top 10 so give me a shout! Cheers!

 

Richard the Whale 2019 Release Review

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Just when you think Big Grove can’t do any better with a big time release, 2019 Richard comes around! From top to bottom, one of, if not the best release I’ve been to!

It would be hard for a brewery to top what Big Grove did in 2018 with Macaroon Richard and Double Barrel Richard but they pulled it off and the star of the show may be my front runner as 2019 Iowa Beer of the Year and that was Coconut Vanilla Richard.

My buddies and I arrived at around 5:30 and the line was probably 50-60 deep by that point with a big congregation of beer lovers circling the fire pits outside and tasting some great beers. The beauty with some of these releases is people sharing some really hard to find beers while waiting in line with complete strangers. All one big beer loving family. The doors opened at 8 and as you walked in with your precious golden ticket you were greeted by the Big Grove family with a fist bump or a high five. We found some seats, ordered ourselves a Coconut Vanilla and were blown away. Liquid almond joy with a kiss of barrel. Outstanding beer!

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The beer wasn’t the only star of the show as a brunch buffet that included fresh shucked oysters, homemade bagels and lox, a Richard donut wall, bacon, potatoes, sausage, etc. is what really puts this release over the edge. Throughout the morning you would see Big Grove brewers and employees talking and interacting with many of their customers.

A four pack, glass, a pour, brunch, golden ticket, and a friendly ambiance and overall wonderful experience are what makes this a can’t miss event every year. Cheers BG crew, can’t wait to see what’s in store for 2020!

 

Your Iowa Beer Guide to Black Friday!

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If you are out and about this coming Black Friday there are quite a few options from the beer community to take advantage of. Can releases, bottle releases, and speciality tappings a plenty!
*If you know of an event that I didn’t post up please drop me a line and I’ll add it to the list! 

**Lion Bridge Brewery – Oakonut Delight release. 1 case per customer per purchase starting at 11 a.m., but if you get back in line you can get more! Imperial stout aged in whiskey barrels with coconut, chocolate, and caramel!  

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**Confluence Brewing – If you are in the Des Moines area Confluence has a stellar Black Friday lineup.
-Letter of Marque Rum Barrel Aged DIPA W/ Coconut
-Kiano’s Cut Rye Barrel Aged Rye DIPA
-Conifer Ginelly Gin Barrel Aged Saison W/ Cranberries & Spruce
Tips
-Ghostly Presents Tequila Barrel Aged W/ Agave & Peppers
Doors open at 11 AM. No bottle limits. Enjoy $2 off pours of everything in our taproom until noon!

 

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**Bricks Bar and Grill – Bourbon County and Black Friday go hand in hand and what better way to take a break from the early morning shopping and stop by Bricks for a 2020 BCS or variant. Here’s what Bricks will have on the lines:

Featuring Five BCBS beers on draft ~ 2018 BCBS Original ~ 2018 BCBS Bramble Rye ~ 2019 BCBS Original ~ 2019 BCBS Cafe De Olla ~ 2019 BCBS Mon Cheri
Blind Auction for 2 2015 BCBS Rare Bottles ~ 4 2012 BCBS Coffee Bottles

~Breakfast Taco Bar~

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**Iowa Brewing Company – a big day of bottles for Iowa Brewing Company as they are set to release Barrel-aged OREOja Baltic Porter that is finished in Templeton Rye whiskey barrels with “America’s Favorite Cookie.” This and the Hurricane Season will be available Friday the 29th @ 11AM only at the Iowa Brewing taproom.

thew**Thew Brewing Company – Thew will be continuing their “Dark Beer” week on Friday with a whole bunch of tappings. Here’s what they have going:

On tap Friday:
– Darkest Corners (barrel-aged imperial stout)
– Double Tappa (imperial brown ale)
– Old Man Strength (barrel-aged old ale)
– Black IPA
– Imperial stout
– Belgian strong

Bottle release deets courtesy of Thew:

We’ve had an old ale aging in a Weller barrel from Buffalo Trace and we’re anxious to share it with you. Old Man Strength will be packaged in 22 oz. bomber bottles and wax sealed.

Thew Crew members will have two bottles each reserved. You may pick your bottles up beginning Wednesday. Member bottles will be held until Friday, December 6th.

For the general public, release will start at noon on Friday. $20/bottle, 4 bottle per person limit.

In addition to Old Man Strength, we’ll have:
– Firkin of Double Tappa with Coconut
– Randall with Helianthus (sunflower saison) infused with fresh cranberries

 

**Quarter Barrel – Darkest Peru Russian Imperial Stout aged 9 months in Wild Turkey Bourbon barrels with Peruvian Coffee, Peruvian Cacao, and Huacatay (Peruvian Black Mint) will be sold in 4-packs @ The Quarter Barrel Arcade & Brewery! 

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**Big Grove Brewery and Bootleggin’ Barzini’s have teamed up for an exclusive barrel-aged barleywine release only available at Barzinis on Black Friday. This barley wine is aged in Cedar Ridge single malt whiskey barrels and will come in a 375 mL bottle. Barzinis will also have their Bourbon County release.

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**Marto Brewing Company – Marto will be releasing All the Bean Things which is their
first in house collaboration that was brewed with  Barn Town Brewing!
A  13.1% imperial stout brewed with Ugandan vanilla beans, Caturra Coffee Roasting Co. – A Subsidiary of Coffee King, Inc Mexico Altura coffee beans, & Ghana ABOCFA cacao beans roasted by Just the Nib in Lincoln, NE.
Available on tap & limited crowlers to go. $18 per crowler.

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**Clockhouse Brewing – From Clockhouse:

They say, “We all need a little more fruit in our diet.” So we loaded our kettle sour with Raspberries, Blueberries, and Blackberries. The perfect trifecta for starting your post thanksgiving diet.

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**Need Pizza – Need tapping some heavy hitters on Black Friday!

2018 Bourbon County Bramble Rye
2019 Madhouse El Jefe
Pours and crowlers available while they last!

Thew Brewing Dark Beer Week Lineup! Begins 11/26!

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Thew Brewing will be hosting their dark beer week beginning on Tuesday, November 26th! They will be releasing a new beer every day including a bottle release on Friday of Old Man Strength which is an old ale aged in Weller barrels. Here’s their lineup for a beer packed week:

Tuesday: Release of Thew Kickoff imperial stout, 11 AM Kickoff

Wednesday: Hop Next Door Tour! Thew will be infusing a pale ale with hops from Local Pour Street Food. Local Pour will then make a fondue with that beer. You can have the beer at Thew, get your receipt stamped and then take it next door to Local Pour for a discount on the fondue.

Friday: Noon release of Old Man Strength. Firkin of Double Tappa (imperial brown ale) w/coconut. Randall with Helianthus (sunflower saison) infused with cranberries.
Iowa game at 1:30 p.m. with BOGO on select beers.

Saturday: opening bottles of Darkest Corners, 11 PM Kickoff, 11 AM Kickoff

Packed lineup from Thew and you gotta love the collab work with Local Pour. Check them both out!

Dimensional Brewing Celebrating 1 Year Anniversary w/ week long tappings!

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Happy Anniversary to Dubuque’s Dimensional Brewing Company. It was a year ago when I was lucky enough to check the place out at their soft opening and you just knew they were going to be successful. This week they will be tapping some speciality beers, something new every day, so make sure you go check them up. Here’s their lineup!

🎂🎂It’s our Birthday Week, so we are tapping new beers every day leading up to our big Birthday Bash on Saturday!🎂🎂

🍻New Beers on tap🍻

Wednesday
Atlast Hefeweizen- 5.7% 9 IBU A different recipe than Key City. This Hefeweizen has added some smoothness and a more pronounced banana presence. The Beer was named after the business that was occupying Dimensional Brewing Company prior to the changing of the guard. (Available to go Wednesday)

Robot Voice -NEIPA- 6.6% 26 IBU Brewed with Galaxy, Citra, and El Dorado hops. This is the first time DBC has used Galaxy hops in a beer. We had to showcase the Galaxy. (Available to go Saturday)

Thursday
90 Mile Smile- Sour Gose 4.7%. Raspberry/Lime Margarita Gose in collaboration with our friends at Pulpit Rock from Decorah, IA. It’s fruity with a the right amount of lime and a slightly salty finish, just like a margarita! 90 Mile Smile was named for the approximate distance between the 2 breweries and the anticipation of the tasty beverages at the end of those 90 miles. (Available to go Saturday)

Friday
Bubble Baths With Nelson- NEIPA 7.2% 26 IBUs- Brewed with Nelson Sauvin and Citra hops. This is the first time DBC has used Nelson hops in a beer. We had to showcase the Nelson. (Available to go Saturday)

Saturday
The UnderCAKEer – Imp. Stout 12.2%- German Chocolate cake inspired Imp. Pastry stout brewed with cocoa nibs, pecans, coconut and lactose. We brewed this beer with Barn Town Brewing at Barn Town. (Draft Only)

Sweet Acoustics- Imp. Stout 13.5%- Imperial Stout w/ Madagascar vanilla beans added. Taste this beer cold and then periodically as it warms to experience the beer to its full potential. (Available to go Saturday)

Gussied Up- Imp. Stout 13.5%- Imperial Stout w/ Jumble coffee, toasted coconut, vanilla, and cinnamon. This beer will also have different tasting notes at different temps. You will be able to detect each of the flavors in this beer without being overpowered by any one ingredient. (Available to go Saturday)