Blackstone Stout Night! I’ve Got A Golden Ticket!

March 3, 2013Leave a comment

If there is any better way to throw a beer tasting event by handing out “Golden Tickets” I have yet to see one. Blackstone restaurant in Iowa City, IA held their Stout Night last night by giving golden tickets to customers who paid $25 to enjoy different stouts. Which leads to this:

A great lineup of brews to accompany a few appetizers made for a great night of fun. The lineup of beers was headlined by North Coast brewings’ Barrel-Aged Old Rasputin XV. At 11.9% ABV it was definitely a sipper but the scary thing about this beer is how smooth and drinkable it is. Nice chocolate flavor that goes perfectly with the vanilla flavor that comes from the barrel aging. Terrific beer to go with Blackstone’s chocolate ganache cupcake. Before I jumped on the North Coast pour I started with Toppling Goliath Brown Sugar. Not a stout, I know, but I’m really glad Blackstone decided to have this in the lineup to showcases some Iowa beers. This brown was a bit different from most browns I’ve had as it had a much deeper roasted flavor than others. Very enjoyable and I hope to have access to this brew in the future. Next, I moved on to Green Flash Double Stout. I had yet to have this beer and to enjoy it on tap was very rewarding. This is what a stout should be like; rich, smooth, creamy, and very drinkable. Not boozy like some double or imperials, just bold and flavorful.
Bell’s Expedition Stout was up next and beside the Old Rasp this was probably the highlight of my night. Roasted malts, chocolate, and coffee dominate the palate with this beer. 10.5% ABV is in the aroma more than the taste making this dangerously drinkable. Awesome beer!

Overall, my wife and I give this a big thumbs up and are looking forward to more events at Blackstone. The wait staff, the menu, the beers all make this a great place to enjoy an evening of eating and beer drinking.

Beer Review #97: 3 Floyds Gumballhead

February 25, 2013Leave a comment

American-style wheat beers had become relatively insignificant to me as I delved deeper into the craft beer world. I would often run into watery, flavorless, trivial American-wheat beers still wanting to give them a fair shake and then after trying, realizing why I should avoid them. I started my love of craft beer drinking Boulevard Wheat and I will still go back to that beer, it is maybe one of the most popular American wheats out there and a great stepping stone from the Buds, Coors, and Millers, have the world into the realm of craft beer. That all changed on a Saturday in Chicago, IL.

My wife’s family had a weekend planned in the Windy City and since my Dodgers were in town to face the Cubs it was the perfect opportunity to take the kids to a ball game. Beautiful weather, a couple of beers, the smell of stale piss, and hot dogs, made for a great day. Towards the end of the game my brother-in-law, Clem, asked if I would be interested in hitting a few bars around Wrigleyville. He was familiar with the area, and I wasn’t, so we got the ok from the rest of the family and started our wonderful beer journey. We hit up Goose Island and then went to what is known as an Iowa bar?, Merkles (www.merkleschicago.com). Seeing a sign advertising $3 draws of Dogfish Head Aprihop made it a relatively easy decision. Anyway……. after a few Aprihops I decided to try Gumballhead, this was before 3 Floyds blew up as a brewery, and I was blown away by it! Calling it an American-wheat is kind of misleading as this beer packs a pretty amazing hop punch, not much wheat present in this beer, maybe a bit on the palate at the end of the beer, but I don’t care, this a very drinkable, thirst quenching, brew. From the brewery:

An American Wheat Beer brewed with red wheat and boat loads of amarillo hops gives this summer brew a lemony finish. The slight haze in the bottle is from the bottle-conditioning, where yeast is added to the bottle for a secondary fermentation. Gumballhead is a Skingraft Comics hero. Check out Skingraft Comics and Records at http://www.skingraftrecords.com. Cheers!

I realize I brag up 3 Floyds a lot on this blog, but I think it is totally justifiable by the product they put out. Nothing is half-assed, just full-out great beer. If you haven’t tried their products yet, buy whatever you can and just appreciate the fact that you can get your hands on their products because they are one of, if not, the best thing going today.

REVIEW

Style: American Wheat

ABV: 5.5%

Purchased at: Merkle’s bar, but now head to Madison or Chicago or just go to Munster, IN.

Pour: Cloudy yellow pour with a thick white head.

Aroma: Citrus hops stand out.

Flavor: Citrus hops stand out, a tad bitter but mellowed by the malt. Not much wheat flavor.

Ratebeer.com rating: 98/100

Beeradvocate.com rating: 94/100

Overall: A-

My recommendation: Like I said above, buy any and all 3 F’s products.

Beer Review #96: Sun King Osiris Pale Ale

February 20, 2013Leave a comment

My first trip to Indy was a few years ago during the Big 10 basketball tournament and one of the most memorable parts of that trip was a visit to the brand new Sun King brewery (www.sunkingbrewing.com). What made this place stick out to me was that they were just starting out and happened to be having a tasting event that day. For $10 we got 10 tickets, which means 10 drinks, as well as the opportunity to sit and visit or look around the brewery. As people were leaving they would give us their tickets which meant more beers for us. Needless to say, we got a little bit of buzz going but I remember the beers being very good.

Sun King doesn’t distribute outside of Indiana, yet, but my brother-in-law would bootleg Sun King products back to Iowa when they would return home to visit. Osiris isn’t a pale ale that is lighter in flavor, this pale ale bites back a bit with a nice resinous hop presence followed by some sweetness to balance it out. From the brewery:

Osiris Pale Ale is an assertive American Pale and is not meant for the timid. Crafted by our Brewers for our Brewers, Osiris blends three choice varieties of American hops to create a spicy, citrus hop punch that is sure to satisfy any hop head. Every batch of Osiris is dry-hopped towards the end of fermentation for maximum hop flavor, aroma and character.

Sun King products come in 16 oz cans with very cool artwork. Like the description says, an assertive American Pale. Nice citrus hops flavor with a nice bitter finish. A very easy beer to drink, well crafted by Sun King. I’m hoping they continue to push out great beers and eventually make it to a closer market for Eastern Iowans to enjoy.

REVIEW

Style: American Pale Ale

ABV: 5.6%

Purchased at: Somewhere in Indiana

Pour: Light orange pour, nice white head.

Aroma: Citrus hops, a little pine, a bit of yeast.

Flavor: Reisinous hops, citrus, and a nice bitter touch.

Ratebeer rating:91

Beeradvocate rating:90

Overall: B

My recommendation: Once again, they don’t make it this far west but hopefully they will be able to make it to Chicago soon.

Dubuque Beerfest Review

February 17, 20133 Comments

Saturday February 16th brought the 2nd annual Dubuque Beer Festival located in the Mystique Ice Arena. Last year’s event was a huge success and from the looks of crowd yesterday, I would say year 2 was just as successful. Lots of high points from the day as well as some things that I think they can work on overall. Thanks to my brother-in-law Tyler for getting us the tickets!

The Good
*Live music makes beer events that much better, and the Lonely Goats did not disappoint playing a nice mix of music that paired well with the overall vibe of the day.
*Food- I think a must at any festival, and one thing that the Dubuque Beerfest did better than Coralville’s BrrrFest is having different meat and cheese vendors dishing out samples but also a restaurant parked in the back serving huge burgers, wings, and more.

*Bent River Brewing – stole the show again. Jalapeño Wheat, Uncommon Stout, Raspberry Wheat, Dry-Hopped Pale Ale, all sampled by me and overall the best beers available. I even asked one of their guys to mix their stout with the raspberry wheat for a 1/2 and 1/2 and they happily obliged to create a beer that was the best thing I tasted all day. These guys are the real deal and I’m looking forward to seeing their products on the shelves in Eastern Iowa.

*Potosi Brewing – I’ve been critical of their beers in the past and haven’t really enjoyed much of what they have offered but yesterday they had everyone of their beers on tap and also brought along their Hopsmith IPA, one of their newest offerings. The aroma of this beer was fantastic, with hops greeting you strongly. A very good brew.

*Grumpy Troll- Always like to try beers from these guys based out of Mt. Horeb, WI. Fun guys to talk with and always some fun beers to try.

THE NOT SO GOOD

*Bottled beer vendors- too much of this. I can go buy bottled beer from many of the vendors in the store, I was hoping to see a bigger selection of brewers bring in fresh kegs for us to try instead of opening bottles and giving us a very small sample.

*More Iowa and Wisconsin breweries – Coralville’s BrrFest had a ton of small Iowa breweries and while Dubuque’s had a few, I was hoping for more. I would have liked to see Madhouse, Worth, 515, Confluence, CIB, etc. coming from Iowa and Ale Asylum, Capital, Central Waters, New Glarus pulled down from Wisky, just didn’t happen.

*Toppling Goliath – they were advertised but were not there. My brother-in-law has yet to try their beers and I was bragging them up pretty good, but for whatever reason, they didn’t show.

Overall a great experience, caping the night off with a trip to Monk’s Cafe for a beer and I am looking forward to year 3 of the Dubuque Beer Festival.

Review of BrrrFest 2013!

February 5, 2013February 6, 20134 Comments

The city of Coralville’s 2nd annual BrrrFest will once again go down as a major success. It brought a smile to my face to see thousands of fellow beer lovers lining up donning different beer shirts, pretzel necklaces, and other random beer paraphernalia. Lots of smiling faces waiting in eager anticipation for the doors to Marriott Convention Center to open and the for the beer tasting to begin.

Upon entering the first thing that caught my eye was how marvelous the guys from Peace Tree Brewing (Knoxville, IA www.peacetreebrewing.com) were dressed! Looking like guys from the prohibition era trying to smuggle in some booze to the event, bravo to them! I went right up to their booth and enjoyed their imperial stout and then followed with some their Hop Sutra. Both tasty brews and a great way to start the festival.

I really wanted to get into Toppling Goliath’s (www.tgbrews.com) line before it started going out the door. Luckily, I was one of 4 people in line and got to try their Pseduo Sue/Pompeii beer, which was remarkable. After that, jumped back in for a couple Golden Nuggets and things are looking good and not too hazy yet. Finishing up with TGbrews I headed over to one of my favorites from last year, Bent River Brewing (www.bentriverbrewing.com) out of Moline, IL. I was glad to see they had their stout and jalapeño wheat with them so I got one of each of those. Pepper beers can be hit and miss with me but Bent River hits a home run with these jalapeño brew. Their stout isn’t labeled coffee, but man, intense coffee flavor making this one of my all-time favorite stouts.

From there I had to get over to Madhouse’s booth (www.madhousebeer.com) and dip into their Templeton Rye Barrel-Aged stout.

The line was pretty long, and a lot of people were going with the barrel-aged. A nice full pour and the aroma of vanilla, chocolate, and booze was immediate. I let it set for a bit to get it as close to room temperature as I could, but this wasn’t a day for waiting around, first drink, nice, smooth, vanilla flavor followed by the bourbon. Not overally strong, an easy drinking barrel-aged brew. After another one of these I followed up with a couple of Hopbursts and found my wife and friends for a bit of a breather. Now, here is when it would be great to have some local restaurants have booths with food available. I would have loved to have had a slider from Red’s Alehouse or Short’s Burgers to accompany my Hopburst, but I’m guessing this is where the Marriott has full control and only allows their vendors to have food. Hoping to see some development with this down the road.

After a nice little gathering session, one of my buddies told me I need to get over to Chefs In Black’s table (www.cibbrewery.com) because they were pouring some unique brews. A beer I went back to 3 or 4 times was their Orange Scorpion. At 7.2% ABV this beer is made with the world’s hottest chilie, the “Trinidad Scorpion”. It tasted somewhat like a really good farmhouse ale and then the chilie pepper kicked in; not too hot, just the perfect amount of heat. This beer is a real winner; loved it!

After CIB I made my way to Nebraska Brewing Company and really enjoyed their IPA. I was hoping for some of their Reserve Series, but no go there. Found Backpocket’s table and enjoyed a couple helpings of their Double IPA, Machete. Was disappointed that they weren’t going to do a bomber release of it, I think it will just be on tap. I also forgot mention Great Rivers’ booth, things were getting a little out of focus when I got to them, but their West Coast IPA and Red Band Stout were both very enjoyable.

Overall, great experience. I didn’t get to visit all the booths, so if there are things I didn’t mention here, please feel free to post a comment on what you liked/disliked. The only things I was disappointed in was the lack of food vendors and the fact I didn’t get in line quick enough to try Toppling Goliath’s Assassin pour. Everyone in the party I was in said they are already looking forward to next year. Some hits, some misses, but mostly a great time with great beer. Can’t wait until 2014!

My favorite brews: (no particular order)
*PseudoSue/Pompeii Mix from Toppling Goliath
*Golden Nugget by Toppling Goliath
*Peace Tree Hop Sutra and Imperial Stout
*Nebraska Brewing Company IPA
*CIB Orange Scorpion
*Bent River Stout and Jalapeño Wheat
*Madhouse Templeton Rye bourbon barrel-aged Imperial Stout + Hopburst
*Backpocket Machete

Beer Review #95: New Belgium Lips of Faith Brett Beer

February 2, 20133 Comments

It has been one week since Brrr Fest and I know a review should have been posted by now, and I promise to get to that as soon as I gather all my notes, but until then, another beer review sounds good to me.

I was pretty stoked to try New Belgium’s Lips of Faith collaboration with Lost Abbey brewing. Brettanomyces is a very popular buzz word in the world of craft beer today because of the complexity it can bring to a beer. For those who don’t know what Brettanomyces are, it is a form of wild yeast and to put it bluntly, can really make some tasty beers. The flavors and aroma of Brett beers is usually described as “funky” and you find this in most “sour” beers, which is a style that is becoming wildly popular. I’m a beginner in this style and have found I really enjoy them.

From the brewery:

New Belgium Brewing and The Lost Abbey brewery from San Marcos, California have a shared passion for a variety of things, not the least of which is the wild Belgian yeast brettanomyces. So they decided to join forces and collaborate. Lost Abbey Collaboration is brewed simply with pale malts accompanied by Target, Centennial and Sorachi hops for a hint of citrus. Focusing on their mutual respect for the ingredient, the spotlight shines on the brettanomyces, where a full brett fermentation offers bold pineapple overtones and funky, sour edge. The beer is a shining, golden shade and is warming and dry. Lost Abbey Collaboration is available on draft and in 22-ounce bombers.

Onto this beer. With Lost Abbey in on this beer, I was expecting big things. Upon opening the bottle you are drilled with that funky aroma that comes with brett beers and a bit of pineapple and citrus smell. A nice golden pour with a white head. Excited for the first sip and…….. it falls completely flat! Maybe a bit of citrus, light breadiness, but no sourness whatsoever. Was looking for a lot more with this beer. I’m thinking I might have let it sit too long, or possibly a bad bottle, but this is one I will revisit down the road.

REVIEW

STYLE: Sour/Wild Ale

ABV:7.5%

PURCHASED AT: John’s Grocery

Pour: Yellow/Gold pour with a huge white head.

Aroma: Grapefruit and funky brett smell.

Taste: It tasted flat. A tad citrus, but not much else.

Overall: C-

My Recommendation: I think I might have had a bad bottle or it was sitting a bit too long, I will try this one again and multiple people on Twitter have commented it’s must try on tap.

Beer Review #94: Bells Brewery This One Goes to 11 Ale

January 21, 2013January 21, 2013Leave a comment

A buddy of mine lucked into this beer at a Hy-Vee in Cedar Rapids. He saw it behind the counter and luckily the woman working had no clue that she wasn’t suppose to sell it and let him purchase a six pack of this beer and he was nice enough to share a bottle with me.

Categorized as an American Strong Ale or an Imperial Red This One Goes to 11 was rather obscure on the market this year. I know this beer comes with a hefty price tag but I do think a wider release of this beer would be great because this beer packed a ton of flavor and would be a definite buy again. Nice thick head with tons of lacing, the aroma of the centennial, simcoe, and mosiac hops stand out with grapefruit and citrus, followed nicely by the caramel and toasted aromas of the malts. Flavor resembles the aroma with a deceptively smooth finish.

Bells really brings their A game with this beer and they continue to impress with their limited release beers. Not as talked about as Hopslam is when it comes out, this beer should be on your list of beers to try, especially if you are into reds, ambers, or Belgian strongs, but watch out for that ABV, it can sneak up on you.

From the brewery:

“This One Goes to 11 Ale opens with bright, juicy aromas such as tropical fruits & ripe cherries, largely derived from massive kettle & dry-hop additions of Southern Hemisphere hop varieties such as Galaxy, Motueka, and Summer. The citrus & resinous pine notes of the Pacific Northwest hop family are also well represented, making their presence known through Simcoe, Citra, and the newly released Mosaic varietal, just to name a few. A wide range of specialty malts anchor the hops to this IMPERIAL RED ALE, contrasting the assertive bitterness & juicy aromatics with a robust, toasty depth of flavor. Fermented with Bell’s signature house ale yeast, This One Goes to 11 Ale finishes with a lingering warmth.”

REVIEW

STYLE: American Strong/Imperial Red

ABV:11%

PURCHASED AT: A Hy-Vee in Cedar Rapids.

Pour: Amber pour with a thick white head; great lacing on the glass.

Aroma: Grapefruit, caramel, toffee.

Taste: Very well balanced between the hops and malts, very drinkable for 11% beer.

Overall: B+

My Recommendation: Find it, try it. A great beer to try and if you are new to this style this is a good place to start.

Beer Review #93: Revolution Anti-Hero IPA

January 14, 2013Leave a comment

With the craft beer world blowing up and breweries popping up everywhere it can be very difficult to try all the great stuff that is currently out there. Luckily, having a few friends who travel as much or more as myself to different areas in the midwest I am able to secure a few beers that aren’t available in Eastern Iowa. One such location that has a plethora of newer craft breweries is in Chicago. One such brewery is Revolution Brewing Company. Opened in 2010 and producing 50 different beers a year, Revolution is kind of the new kid on the block but they aren’t holding back. Revolution not only is making good beer but if you check the brewpub menu they are doing everything from burgers and steaks to chicken and waffles.

From the brewery:

An American hop assault for all the ambivalent warriors who get the girl in the end. “Look, I ain’t in this for your revolution, and I’m not in it for you, princess.”

For me, this was a well balanced IPA. The sweetness up front kind of turned me off for a bit but then after a few more drinks the sweetness was balanced perfectly with the hop bitterness. Coming in 12 oz cans, the artwork on the cans itself is worth checking out, but stay for the beer, it is quite good!

REVIEW

STYLE: India Pale Ale

ABV:6.5%

PURCHASED AT: Bootlegged by a friend.

Pour: Orange/amber pour with a medium white head. Lacing sticks heavily as you drink.

Aroma: Piney, citrus hop smell.

Taste: Very sweet first few drinks that are balanced with the hops; a nice IPA.

Overall: B

My Recommendation: If in the Chicagoland area and want to try something local, Revolution would be a great place to start!

Top 25 Beers of 2012 (available in Eastern Iowa) part 4 of 5

January 1, 2013January 1, 20132 Comments

Happy New Year everyone! Hoping everyone got their Brr Fest tickets! Looking forward to seeing fellow craft beer lovers January 26th! Moving right on with the list:

Bell’s Hopslam – 10% ABV – Imperial IPA

One of the most anticipated releases of the year and it is coming around the corner here in Eastern Iowa. This time last year Hopslam was probably of the best beers we could get our hands in Eastern Iowa and I expect the same this year. Looking forward to the release parties that accompany this brew to Eastern Iowa. Can’t wait! From the brewery:

Starting with six different hop varietals added to the brew kettle & culminating with a massive dry-hop addition of Simcoe hops, Bell’s Hopslam Ale possesses the most complex hopping schedule in the Bell’s repetoire. Selected specifically because of their aromatic qualities, these Pacific Northwest varieties contribute a pungent blend of grapefruit, stone fruit, and floral notes. A generous malt bill and a solid dollop of honey provide just enough body to keep the balance in check, resulting in a remarkably drinkable rendition of the Double India Pale Ale style.

Toppling Goliath Golden Nugget – 7.2% – India Pale Ale

For the 2nd time, a Toppling Goliath brew has hit the Top 25 list. A great accomplishment for a small Iowa brewery, and with the bottling coming in soon I can only imagine even better and bigger things from this fantastic brewery! 2013 might be the year of Toppling Goliath brewery!

This spectacularly golden, medium bodied IPA was crafted from a winning combination of Golden Promise malt and Nugget hops.

Fall in love with the big hop aroma of our Golden Nugget as it mingles with fragrances of citrus and evergreen, followed by a floral sweetness. Tropical fruit flavors entice your taste buds before immediately captivating you with a bold, hop forward taste and a pleasant bitterness that lingers in the finish.

Summit Oatmeal Stout – 4.7% – Sweet Stout

I was introduced to this beer at Stone City restaurant near Anamosa, a place where the beer selection is minimal, so I tried this and really loved it. Consistency of a Guinness with more flavor, this stout hits my list, but can be tough to find around the area. The one downfall is that it is only available on draft, no bottles. El Bait Shop in Des Moines had it on nitro tap for a while, and it was fantastic! There seems to be a lack of really good stouts on tap lines throughout the Eastern Iowa area, save for Guinness, so this would be a great addition for any bar/restaurant to have, especially during the winter months ahead. From the brewery:

While it may resemble a popular Irish Stout, our Oatmeal Stout is quite different. Most notably it’s sweeter. Chocolate, coffee and caramel flavors round out this smooth, full-bodied beer.

Goose Island Bourbon County Stout – 15% – Imperial Stout

Another highly anticipated release beer that really can pack a punch with the high ABV. A nice winter sipper and even though it is brewed by the evil AB-InBev, this is a must try brew. From the brewery:

“I really wanted to do something special for our 1000th batch at the original brewpub. Goose Island could have thrown a party. But we did something better. We brewed a beer. A really big batch of stout-so big the malt was coming out of the top of the mash tun. After fermentation we brought in some bourbon barrels to age the stout. One hundred and fifty days later, Bourbon County Stout was born-A liquid as dark and dense as a black hole with a thick foam the color of bourbon barrels. The nose is a mix of charred oak, vanilla,carmel and smoke. One sip has more flavor than your average case of beer. It overpowers anything in the room. People have even said that it’s a great cigar beer, but I haven’t yet tried a cigar that would stand up to it.” Brewmaster Greg Hall;
IBU’s 60-High Color – Midnight
Was 11% abv,
2007 and 2008 – 13% abv
2011 – 14.5% abv
2012 – 15% abv

Bells Special Double Cream Stout – 6.1% – Sweet Stout

The third stout to hit this part of the top 25 is one that is constantly available in my fridge. A great beer to accompany the cold weather and the snow Bells paints the perfect picture for what a stout should be; tan head, aroma of chocolate and coffee, and the sweet, creamy flavor that accompanies great stouts. Terrific beer! From the brewery:

Sweeter and smoother than Kalamazoo Stout. A beer for special winter occasions. Great with chocolate desserts. Available October-March.

Top 25 Beers of 2012 (available in Eastern Iowa) Part 3 of 5

December 28, 2012December 28, 20122 Comments

I hope everyone had a great Christmas and got to drink some wonderful beers. I’m hoping to get this list done by New Year’s Day so here we go with part 3 0f 5.

NEXT 5

Stone Ruination 10th Anniversary IPA – Imperial IPA – 10.8%

Yes, another Stone brewery beer is on this list. But that has to tell you how great their beers are and how lucky we are to have them on our liquor/grocery store shelves in Eastern Iowa. This beer was my favorite of the year until I ran into their Enjoy By IPA, but still an amazing beer. Huge citrus hop presence in the nose and the flavor is much the same. It was one of those beers that you were lucky to try one, but if you saw 20 bottles you should buy the whole lot. Description from the brewery:

And as Stone Ruination IPA turns 10, we thought we’d make ourselves a nice little birthday present to celebrate. But what kind of selfish jerks would we be if we didn’t share?! Behold, the Stone Ruination Tenth Anniversary IPA. (Clever name, eh? That’s why us folks in the Marketing Dept. get the big bucks!) It’s an amped-up version of Stone Ruination IPA, with a bit more malt to bring the abv up from 7.7% to 10.8%, and a very heavy dose of hops. “Classic” Ruination uses 2.5 pounds of hops per barrel–which is more than double the amount we use in any other of our core beers–but for Stone Ruination Tenth Anniversary IPA, we went double again, using an impressive 5 pounds of hops per barrel, including about a pound each of Citra and Centennial in the dry hop. (Hell. Yes.)

Suggested Pairings, provided by “Dr.” Bill Sysak
Appetizers: Kimchee, ceviche, bacon-wrapped jalapeños (or habaneros)
Entrées: Salt and pepper shrimp, jambalaya, roasted pork chops with apple sauce, pineapple curry
Desserts: Apple pie with caramel sauce, toffee bars, spiced carrot cake
Cheeses: Aged Cheddar, Parmigiano-Reggiano, Roquefort, Mimolette
Cigars: Ashton Classic Majesty, Litto Gomez Diez, Don Pepin Garcia Blue Label Invictos Corojo Robusto

Evil Twin Biscotti Break – 8.4% – Imperial Porter

A perfect beer to drink during the winter months in Iowa. Nice robust flavors of nuts, biscuits, coffee, dark chocolate, and malts. The flavor is sweet, caramel and coffee dominate with a nice bitter finish. I’ve seen mixed reviews on this one and the price tag is relatively hefty, anywhere from $15-$20 for a bottle, but definitely worth seeking and trying in my opinion. From the brewery:

Editors note: the first edition was brewed at Fanø Bryghus, Denmark for the Beer cruise Rome-Barcelona, June 2011 and held 7.5% ABV.

Porter made with espresso, vanilla and toasted almonds for the Beer cruise Rome-Barcelona, June 2011. Italy has a certain “je ne sais quoi” – fab food culture, highly decadent history of art and cool countryside. Some might argue the people are loud and flamboyant, they steal our women, and their soccer players melodramatically flop on the pitch. Listen – that’s all part of the secret Italian ingredient – keep it cool, confident, arrogant and extravagant. Forza Italia!
Malt beverage with almonds, vanilla beans and coffee added.

Founders Double Trouble – 9.4% – Imperial IPA

Another relatively new brewery in Eastern Iowa this year that has multiple beers on my list. I think it goes to show that local breweries are going to have to up their game a bit to compete for shelf space with the craft beer greats such as Founders and Stone. Powerful double IPA with strong citrus flavor. Very drinkable and be cautious as it comes in at 9.4% ABV. Great stuff, can’t wait for spring release! From the brewery:

An imperial IPA that was brewed to turn your world upside down. Hops have got you coming and going. Pungent aromatics up front paired with a malt balanced backbone and a smooth bitter finish. 86 IBUs.

Sierra Nevada Hoptimum – 10.4% – Imperial IPA

The first time I had this beer I was enjoying one with my brother. His first comment upon opening the beer is that it smelled heavily of weed, which I guess must be a good thing, because this beer blew me away. In your face hop presence in both aroma and flavor. A very aggressive beer, not for virgin craft beer drinker. From the brewery:

A group of hop-heads and publicans challenged our Beer Camp (#19) brewers to push the extremes of whole-cone hop brewing. The result is this: a 100 IBU, whole-cone hurricane of flavor. Simply put- Hoptimum: the biggest whole-cone IPA we have ever produced. Aggressively hopped, dry-hopped and torpedoed with our exclusive new hop varieties for ultra-intense flavors and aromas.

Hops, hops and more hops are the stars of this big, whole-cone Imperial IPA. Resinous ‘new-school’ and exclusive hop varieties carry the bold and aromatic nose. The flavor follows the aroma with layers of aggressive hoppiness, featuring notes of grapefruit rind, rose, lilac, cedar and tropical fruit – all culminating in a dry and lasting finish.

Beer specs:
ABV: 10.4%
Original Gravity: 22.8 Plato
Final Gravity: 4.5 Plato
Bitterness Units: 100 IBU
Color: Orange Amber
Bittering Hops: German Magnum
Aroma Hops: Simcoe & New Proprietary Variety
Dry Hops: Simcoe & New Proprietary Variety
Torpedo Hops: Citra & Chinook
Malts: Two-row Pale, Golden Promise, Munich & Wheat
Yeast: Ale

Great River Redband Coffee Stout – 6% – Stout

Brewed in the great state of Iowa used with their local coffee shops coffee beans this an intense coffee stout. Huge coffee flavor that pairs perfectly the dark chocolate and roasted malts in this stout. Nice bitter finish that lingers for a bit. A great beer, and glad to have this made in Iowa. From the brewery:

We love our local roaster’s New Orleans Iced Coffee so much we decided to use their beans in our brew. Redband Stout is made with Indonesian and Ethiopian beans using our 18-hour cold brew extraction method, resulting in a satisfying brew with intense coffee aromatics. The marriage of two of our favorite beverages.