Hot 25 of ’13: Part 2!

January 16, 20143 Comments

Continuing on with my picks for the best beers in Eastern Iowa in the year 2013, I will start with another offering from Toppling Goliath. Now be warned, this won’t be their last entry either. They are one of the hottest and most sought after breweries right now and rightfully so. Back to the list………..

**Toppling Goliath pseudoSue**
A no-brainer really. I’ve talked this beer to death and I think that the only thing I can say is that I can’t wait for the day that I can get this anytime, any day, I want. This is one of my favorite all-time beers. The comparisons between this and Zombie Dust continue with beer geeks that have had both. I can honestly say, that I would much rather has Sue than Zombie, and I’m not being homer. I think this is the better beer overall. Here’s more from brewery:

This single hop ale showcases the Citra hop. Named for the largest T-rex fossil ever discovered, she roars with ferocious aromas of grapefruit, citrus, mango and evergreen. Delicate in body with a mild bite in the finish.

Ratebeer: 100/100
Beeradvocate: 100/100

**515 Brewery O.J. IPA**
Ok, ok, I know that Clive, IA isn’t exactly Eastern Iowa, but piss on it, this is my blog and it’s close enough. I was lucky enough to stop by 515 Brewery in Clive (www.515brewing.com) on a trip back from Kansas City. I got a flight of brews and enjoyed them very much, but the O.J. was the one that shined for me. This beer is scary drinkable. Refreshing, crisp, clean, with the perfect amount of hops. An awesome beer! Hopefully 515 will soon have growler fills (fingers crossed) or even start bottling (down the road???) so more people can enjoy their brews. But if the Des Moines area, this place is definitely worth the trip!

Ratebeer: N/A
Beeradvocate: N/A

**Evil Twin Barrel-Aged Biscotti Break**
This brew definitely came with a hefty price tag. I wasn’t able to secure one in Iowa but found the last bottle at a Steve’s in Madison, WI. I balked a bit at the $25 price tag, but went ahead with purchase, after my wife told me to just do it so I wouldn’t talk about not getting to try it. Great wife. Anyway, I’ve seen this on a lot of “Best Of 2013” lists. If you enjoyed the regular Biscotti then this is your next step. If you could get two, then lucky you, one now and one in a year or two. From the brewery:

Imperial Biscotti Break aged on Bourbon barrels for 9 months.

RATEBEER: 99/100
BEERADVOCATE: 99/100

**Boulevard Tank 7**
This beer has been on our shelves for so long, and saison/farmhouse ales aren’t as glamorous as Imperial IPAs or barrel aged beers, but man, I love a great saison, and this is a great saison. This is a brew that is good anytime of the year. If you are looking to get into a new style of beer, try saisons. There are so many good ones that we have on our shelves (2 more will appear on my list:) that there is no excuse not to try them. More from the brewery:

Most breweries have at least one piece of equipment that’s just a bit persnickity. Here at Boulevard it’s fermenter number seven, the black sheep of our cellar family. Ironically, when our brewers were developing variations on a traditional Belgian-style farmhouse ale, the perfect combination of elements came together in that very vessel. You could call it fate, but they called it Tank 7, and so it is. Beginning with a flavorful surge of fruity aromatics and hoppy, grapefruit notes (Amarillo hops), this complex, straw-colored ale finishes long, dry and spicy.

RATEBEER: 99/100
BEERADVOCATE: 93/100

**Bells Two Hearted Ale**
It’s been around a while. It’s still one of the best beers we have available year round on our shelves. This beer gets overlooked a lot of the time with all the anticipation of limited releases or seasonals, but when in doubt, you can always go to Two Hearted Ale. I used to pass this beer up, way back in the day, not taking the fish on the cover serious as a possible good-tasting brew. Don’t make the mistake of judging a beer by its cover because this is one tasty brew. I have since grown to love that fish. More from the brewery:

India Pale Ale style well suited for Hemingway-esque trips to the Upper Peninsula. American malts and enormous hop additions give this beer a crisp finish and incredible floral hop aroma.

RATEBEER: 100/100
BEERADVOCATE: 95/100

So there’s the next ten. I am on my way tonight to Big Grove Brewery in Solon to try their new Citra hopped pale ale. I’ve heard nothing but great things and some have even said that it is better than……GASP……PSEUDOSUE!! DOUBLE GASP!! If that’s the case then they might have kick me out of the joint because I’m not leaving! CHEERS!!

The Hot 25 of 2013 PART 1!

January 13, 20146 Comments

Deviating a bit from my last posts as the best “new” beers of the year, I’m going back to a topic that usually gets a lot of great beer talk going throughout the Eastern Iowa beer lovers: The Best Beers of 2013!

Now, all of these beers have to have been available for purchase at any Eastern Iowa beers stores, brewpubs, or breweries. There are a few that stayed on from last year and some brand new ones this year. Overall, it was a really great year for beer in Eastern Iowa and the future continues to look promising. These are all beers I’ve TRIED this year, I have some that are still in the cellar that haven’t been cracked, so I might have left some off. Feel free to email me your list of the best in Eastern Iowa or your state this year! I’ll do this in 5 installments, so without further ado…….

**Big Grove Brewery Good Day to DIPA**
My favorite release so far from the folks in Solon, IA. A wonderfully balanced double IPA that gives you the citrus, reisonous pine, and the balance of the malts that we seek in our double IPAs. If you haven’t visited this place, the beer is excellent and food is just as good. A must visit location if you are in the Cedar Rapids/Iowa City area. A dynamite combo is this double IPA with their Korean Chicken wings. My mouth is watering!

RATEBEER: N/A
BEERADVOCATE: N/A

**Toppling Goliath Mornin’ Delight**
I’m not sure if I’ve wrote about a beer as much as I have about Mornin’ Delight. The original release garnered a bit of publicity, but it has blown up into much more since that wonderful Saturday morning in Decorah. This and the Kentucky Brunch release might highlight my favorite beer moments of 2013! The trade demand out there is incredibly high for this brew so if you still have a bottle of the greatness, count yourself lucky!

From the brewery:

Brewer’s Choice, debuted at Great Taste of the Midwest 2011. A Russian Imperial Stout. Breakfast of champions, just add pancakes. Made with real maple syrup and a super secret brewers’ ingredient.

RATEBEER: 100/100
BEERADVOCATE: 100/100

**Founders Backwoods Bastard**
When I think of the fall/winter season this is the first beer that pops into my head. One of the first real “big beers” to hit the chilly months and it is the perfect accompaniment to a chilly autumn or brutally cold winter day. Didn’t finish your case of this? No worries, it ages pretty damn nice as well. From the brewery:

Big and delicious for your ’perty mouth. Expect lovely, warm smells of single malt scotch, oaky bourbon barrels, smoke, sweet caramel and roasted malts. A bit of earthy spice and a scintilla of dark cherries. It’s a kick-back sipper made to excite the palate.
RATEBEER: 100/100
BEERADVOCATE: 96/100

**Goose Island Bourbon County Brand Stout**
As much as I try not to support Anheiuser Busch, I just can’t ignore this brew. It really is that damn good and the variants I’ve had are also excellent. I was fortunate enough to be in East Dubuque, IL area during the release and walked right in to get my allotment. If you haven’t visited Family Beer and Liquor the management there are some of the nicest, most helpful people around. Black Friday will never be the same! 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;
RATEBEER: 100/100
BEERADVOCATE: 100/100

**Stone Enjoy By….**
For my last beer on this installment I go with one of my all-time favorites. Say what you will about Stone, they turn out some fantastic beers and this one is my favorite. A brewery that isn’t scared to push the envelope and give us beer drinkers a unique experience which we enjoy 9/10, hits a major home run every time with this brew! And the good news? We should be seeing more of this on our shelves next week! From the brewery:

You have in your hands a devastatingly fresh double IPA. While freshness is a key component of many beers- especially big, citrusy, floral IPAs- we’ve taken it further, a lot further, in this IPA. You see, we specifically brewed it NOT to last. We’ve not only gone to extensive lengths to ensure that you’re getting this beer in your hands within an extraordinarily short window, we made sure that the Enjoy By date isn’t randomly etched in tiny text somewhere on the bottle, to be overlooked by all but the most attentive of retailers and beer fans. Instead, we’ve sent a clear message with the name of the beer itself that there is no better time than right now to enjoy this IPA.

RATEBEER: 100/100
BEERADVOCATE: 96/100

There’s part 1 of “THE LIST”, stay tuned to more in the next few weeks! Don’t agree or do agree? I would love to hear your thoughts, unless you’re an uppity prick, then nevermind!

Here’s Who’s Coming to Coralville Brrr Fest!!!!

January 10, 20142 Comments

The following list was just released for this who want to know who will be at Brrr Fest this year; looking at the list, should be a another great year!

Participating Breweries:

515 Brewing Company

August Schell Brewing Co

Backpocket Brewing

Baraboo

Bell’s Brewery

Bent River Brewing Co

Big Grove Brewery

Blue Cat Brew Pub

Boulevard Brewing

Broad Street Brewing Co

Chefs In Black (CIB)

Confluence Brewing

Court Avenue Brewing Co

Empyrean Brewing Co

Exile Brewing Co

Founders Brewing Co

Goose Island

Granite City

Jolly Pumpkin Artisan Ales

Kalona Brewing

Keg Creek Brewing Co

Lost Duck Brewery

Madhouse Brewing Co

Mason City Brewery

Millstream Brewing Co

Nebraska Brewing Co

New Belgium Brewing

O’Fallon Brewery

Peace Tree Brewing Co

Potosi Brewing Co

Raccoon River Brewing Co

Schlafly

Sprecher Brewery

Steven’s Point Brewery

Summit Brewing Co

Sutliff Cider

Tallgrass Brewing Co

Twisted Vine Brewery

Van Houzen Brewing Co

West O Beer

Worth Brewing Co

Cedar Ridge Winery

Boulevard Rye and Rye and Chocolate Ale returning

January 8, 2014Leave a comment

Boulevard Brewing company will be releasing two beers for their Smokestack Series in the next coming months. The first one is their Rye on Rye, here’s more on that beer from the brewery:

Why Rye? A fair question, given this assertively flavored grain is more often associated with whiskey than with beer. Even in that arena, it has largely been eclipsed by corn and barley, the sources of bourbon and scotch, respectively. But when we procured some seasoned rye whiskey barrels from our friends at Templeton Rye, we asked ourselves, “Why not?” Why not brew a rich, tawny rye ale, then mellow it in the warmth of charred oak rye whiskey casks? Thus, Rye-on-Rye: a marriage of very similar, yet very different embodiments of this unique, distinctive grain. Two kinds of malted rye provide a spicy sweetness, giving way to notes of caramelized wood and the citrusy tang of Perle, Magnum and Saphir hops before easing into a dry, lingering finish. Rye-on-Rye’s body and character make it the equal to any sort of hearty stew or aged cheese. At the risk of seeming redundant, might we suggest pairing it with a classic pastrami-on rye? A rye beer with a hint of rye whiskey aroma, alongside a rye bread sandwich. Why not?

RATEBEER: 99
BEERADVO: 94

The second release after a two-year hiatus is their Chocolate Ale, which will follow the Rye on Rye. Here’s more from the brewery:

One of the brightest stars in a city filled with culinary treasures, Christopher Elbow has been hand-crafting masterpieces in chocolate for more than ten years. In that time the reputation of his artistic delicacies has spread around the globe. Elbow’s sweets are distinguished by their use of unusual and sometimes surprising flavors and ingredients; in that adventurous spirit we joined forces to bring you a very special Chocolate Ale. Chocolate Ale is full of surprises, beginning with a glowing amber hue. The aroma is given over to earthy, fruity cocoa, with just a hint of hops. Smooth layers of dark chocolate intertwine with threads of caramel, vanilla, and nutty malt as the flavor warms and rounds to a bittersweet finish.

RATEBEER: 95
BEERADVO: 85

Peace Tree Hop Sutra Returns

January 6, 2014Leave a comment

The following is courtesy of beerpulse.com and Peace Tree brewing’s website:

(Knoxville, IA) – Peace Tree Brewing announced this week the upcoming return of Hop Sutra Double IPA and more. Check out the latest via the company’s email newsletter…

—

We’re currently (pronounced, “anxiously”) awaiting the arrival of our very first centrifuge. A centrifuge is a large piece of equipment that separates solid matter from the beer by spinning as it’s being transferred from the fermenter to the bright tank. This piece of equipment should help us increase our production capacity through higher yields and shorter conditioning periods. Also, the centrifuge should help with product quality and shelf life, so we can give you the freshest beer possible.
______

Thank you for all of your support throughout the release of our Templeton Red! We’ve bottled two batches of it already and it’s been selling out quickly across the state!

Our third and final batch of the season will be making its way into bottles – and finally to out-of-state accounts later this month.

We’ve already started filling fresh Templeton Rye barrels, so you can plan to see it again next winter!
______

For those of you hop-huggers out there, Hop Sutra – our Double IPA – has been brewed and is scheduled to make a long-awaited return to store shelves by January 20th.

For those who haven’t tried it, this Double India Pale Ale is brewed with over 1-1/2 times the barley and 2-1/2 times the hops of our Hop Wrangler for a bold flavor and aroma and an ABV of 9%. It’s a favorite amongst the Peace Tree crew, and we hope you’ll feel the same!

HOP SUTRA
RATEBEER – 96
BEERADVOCATE – 88

Update on new Dubuque Brewery: Jubeck New World Brewing

December 30, 2013Leave a comment

I just received the following email from Dave at Jubeck New World Brewing:

  Jay and I have been busy working to bring Jubeck New World Brewing into existence since the completion of our successful (Thank You!!) Kickstarter compaign wrapped up at the end of May. We thought the year’s end would be a good time to give you all an update on the progress so far and what is done and what needs to be done. As I finished my draft, I realized it’s probably too long and TMI for a lot of our busy friends, so let me summarize here:

We have a space: 115 W. 11th St., formerly the location of the Asian Grocery, the 1000 ft2 between the Aragon Tap and the old Asian Gourmet Restaurant.

The place had been gutted, so we’re starting from scratch on the build-out.

Build-out is proceeding – we have the place framed out and are in the process of rough plumbing/electric/ventilation work.

We’re doing most of the work ourselves and have a lot of work to do; if you’re inclined to lend a hand, please let us know!

We’re shooting to have the place ready in March. Hopefully our licensing will have come through by then too so we can start making beer!

Thanks again – this would not be happening without you!

A few more details:

   Jay and I settled on our location after considering many other properties along the Main/Central corridor and in the Warehouse District. We settled on 115 W. 11th. It’s on the north side of 11th between Main St. and Iowa Street. Our space is 1000 square feet on the street level, with a full, open basement underneath. We selected this site for numerous reasons: we liked the location, relatively close to lower Main, the Warehouse District, Bluff St. etc., and right around the corner from all of the great businesses that have sprung up on Upper Main and the Summer Farmer’s Market. We’re in a neat historic building with a great landlord Ken Lin that has a lot of enthusiasm for his property, the area and our business. We’re really happy to be working with him and he’s been helpful at every turn. The size of the space is on the small size, but having a nice usable basement with a new cement floor and drain will allow us to have our fermentation, cold storage and keg storage down there, making more room for all of you upstairs!

   Ken’s plan for his building is to invest in renovation to make it a nicer space in the long haul, so when the last tenants moved out, he gutted the place to make structural repairs. He left the old tin ceiling, took the old lath and plaster off the walls exposing the brick beneath, and removed layers of flooring to get back down to the original hardwood. This will in the end yield a really nice place with a historic feel, but has required quite a bit more work from us for the planning and build-out phases of our venture.

   We took possession of the space at the end of August. At that time, we only had a shell – there was no water, electric, gas, heat, ac, nothing. We got a few outlets and electricity turned on , got our plans drawn out, got everybody at the City (Zoning, Building Services, Health, ADA, etc.) to say “yes” in principal, got our building permit and went to work.

   Since then, we’ve made good progress, hit some temporary road blocks, and learned a thing or two about what it takes to put together a commercial space. So while it’s going a little slower than we had originally hoped, we’re still super excited about how the space will be and looking forward to the day that first batch is happily boiling in the brew kettle.

   A quick summary of the work done since we took possession:

Tear out of old ductwork, lines, fixtures no longer in use, and overall clean up of the place

The entire facade was replaced, complete with nice new big windows and entry door.

The old tin ceiling was blasted and painted and the expsosed brick walls sealed.

Subfloor and framing of bathrooms, brewing area, bar area and stairway completed.

New furnace and ductwork in.

Gas lines run, gas reconnected and HEAT ON! (just in the nick of time).

Basement floor epoxied.

Old windows closed up and insulated.

Rough plumbing drains and vents.

Next on the build-out agenda:

Finish rough plumbing, wiring and ventilation (contractors).

Drywall.

Install cold room in basement.

Build shelves in bar area and other storage.

Install bar top and tables.

Tile brewing area and bar area.

Mud, paint drywall.

Hang vent hood, plumbing fixtures, electrical fixtures.

Install bathroom floors.

Hang ceiling in bathrooms and over fermentation area in the basement.

Install BREWING SYSTEM!

   So, yes, there’s a lot to do yet, but it’s all headed in the right direction. At the present, a lot depends on getting our contractors in to finish the rough mechanicals so we can start putting it all back together.

   I was intentionally a bit more descriptive in the “to do” list than I might have been for this reason: if anyone has time or talents they’d like to volunteer to help out on one of these jobs, we’d be very happy to have you. I should mention that we’ve already had several brave and helpful individuals down to help for an hour or a day or more – thank you very, very much.

   Even though we are still a few months before we get down to actually start brewing beer, it’s already been quite a trip. Jay and I are excited about how things are unfolding and it is more clear to me everyday that this is going to work and that you, the community, and the City are on our side. This is, at once, pleasurable, gratifying and humbling. It is my sincere hope that when you find yourself on 11th St. surrounded by friends and tasting that first pint, you won’t be disappointed.

Happy Holidays and Best Wishes for the New Year,

Dan

Best “New” Beer of the Year: Fruit Beer

December 29, 20133 Comments

I sort of fell behind on this endeavor so you can expect a more updates in the next few days. For today’s entry, we are looking at some fruit beers. A style that some love and some hate, but a style that has started taking off. Looking through my list, I had many more of these this year than I originally thought. Finalists for this years best “New” fruit beer where:
*New Glarus Strawberry Rhubarb
*Founders Rubeaus
*Hoppin’ Frog Turbo Shandy
*New Glarus Apple Ale

I had my first New Glarus Apple Ale last weekend and really thought it was delicious, but it’s going to come in 2nd to another New Glarus brew. This years best “New” fruit beer is……………

New Glarus Serendipity

Serendipity has a beautiful ruby-red pour with a nice off-white head. Cherry aromas dominate but hints of apple also come through. The flavor is remarkable. The sweetness from the apples combined with the tartness of the cherries and cranberries make this accident very forgivable. Here’s more from New Glarus on this brew:

Happy Accident Fruit Ale Severe Drought, we shared the farmer’s horror as Wisconsin’s cherry crop failed! Dan bought what cherries he could. The apple crop fared better. Then joy! A grand Wisconsin cranberry harvest. What will Dan brew with Apples, Cranberries and Cherries? Oh my! You hold the happy accident of Wisconsin’s favorite fruit aged in oak with an almost magical wild fermentation. Serendipity is a wondrous celebration that sparkles your senses and dances across your palate. A kaleidoscope of flavors discovered by accident in a sour ale! Cheers to the unexpected. Vielen Dank!

**If this is a brew much too sweet for you, I recommend mixing it with an imperial stout for nice fruity touch! **

2013 New Fruit Beer of the Year: New Glarus Serendipity
ABV: 5.1%
Ratebeer: 100
Beeradvocate: 96

Best “NEW” Brew of the Year: Double IPA

December 11, 2013Leave a comment

Continuing on with the “best of the year”posts keep in mind these are beers that I’ve had for the 1st time ever this year and we are moving onto the double/imperial IPA category. A very tough category to pick one winner as I had quite a few brews on my list. But, after weighing each carefully I came to a conclusion that some might not agree with, especially since Pliny the Elder did not win as I enjoyed that brew for the first time this month. Now, I’m not saying Pliny isn’t a good beer, it’s actually an excellent brew, I just happened to enjoy the one I picked a bit more.

A brewery that seems to do no wrong when it comes to beers and one that is so in demand it is hard to find anything of theirs outside of Chicago, 3 Floyds Brewery has been dominating ratings, taste buds, and the IPA/Double IPA category. With fine ales such as Dreadnaught, Arctic Panzer Wolf, and the ever elusive and constantly sold out Zombie Dust, they are top-tier in this category (and others). Just when you think that they couldn’t do any better they bring to you my Double IPA of the year…….Apocalypse Cow!

The label is what catches your eye, and if you are familiar with 3 Floyds, you know they make killer labels. Now, what makes this brew a little bit different from other double IPAs, is that it is made with lactose. Lactose is what gives milk stouts their sweet, creamy richness. I was kind of apprehensive before cracking this bottle for that reason but after that first sip all of that went out the window. Sweet, but not too much, a lot orange juice flavor for me, and the creaminess from the lactose made this a wonderfully easy drink which is relatively frightening considering the 11% abv. Some negative reviews I’ve seen have knocked the sweetness, but I didn’t think it was nearly as sweet as others said. A beer to seek out to say the least. Here’s more from the brewery:

This complex double India pale ale has an intense citrus and floral hop aroma balanced by a velvety malt body which has been augmented with lactose milk sugar. With this different take on an IPA we have brewed an ale that is both pleasing to drink and, once again, “not normal.” Cheers! 100 IBU 11.0%ABV

I dont’ see this one as often, it is only a limited release during the summer, but if you see it, but it, (actually buy as many as you can), and enjoy as much as I did.

2013 New Imperial IPA of the Year: Three Floyds Apocalypse Cow
ABV: 11%
Ratebeer: 99
Beeradvocate: 94

BEST “NEW” Brew of the Year: Imperial Stout

December 8, 20132 Comments

A friend of mine, The Beer Counselor, suggested that I post best new brews that I experience for the first time this year by category. It sounds easy enough but when I went through the list of brews I had it turned out to be quite challenging.

For the first installment I went through my list of Imperial Stouts. I’m going to do a separate entry for barrel-aged so I can automatically take them out of this category. I thought that would make things a bit easier. My list included:
*Toppling Goliath Assassin
*Dogfish Head Bitches’ Brew
*Backpocket 1st Anniversary Stout
*New Holland Dragon’s Milk
*Mikkeller Black Hole
*To Ol Goliat
*Stone Farking Wheaton WOOtstout

And then I came to the winner. It’s really hard not to pick Toppling Goliath’s Mornin’ Delight. Not only is it my winner in this category, but it might be my favorite beer of all-time. I’ll never forget the first time I had it, the release at Toppling Goliath tasting room in Decorah. I rode up with a few friends expecting to get a pretty tasty brew, but instead I was blown away by a complex, flavorful, imperial stout that I couldn’t get enough of. I said it then, and I’ll say it again, this beer is breakfast in a bottle. Coffee, chocolate, maple syrup. An amazing brew that I hope I am lucky enough to get to try again in 2014.

BEST NEW IMPERIAL STOUT EXPERIENCED FOR THE 1st TIME: Toppling Goliath Mornin’ Delight

Beer Review #114: Bent River Jingle Java Holiday Stout

December 1, 2013Leave a comment

The time of year when you just want to jump into your recliner, turn the fireplace on, watch some football and enjoy a nice, thick stout is upon us. Craft brew enthusiasts are currently going crazy over many things imperial, especially stouts. Now, I don’t want to sound hypocritical, I love me some KBS, I was the first in line at Family Beer and Liquor on Black Friday to get Goose Island Bourbon County Stout, but there are days when I’m craving just a good old-fashioned, sessionable stout, and that’s exactly what Bent River (http://bentriverbrewing.com/) given us (again!).

For some of you this beer might seem a tad too sweet to deem it “sessionable”, as it has vanilla, pecans, and rum added to it so it might be a dessert beer for some of you and I do know that it pairs very well with pumpkin pie, but I could easily down a few of these on a long winter’s day. Here’s more from the brewery:

This highly anticipated seasonal beer marks the beginning of the holiday season for many. Our coffee stout is enhanced by adding vanilla, caramel, pecan, cinnamon, and rum. These festive flavors are the only sweet treat Santa really needs!

Available now through mid-January at Bent River Moline, Bent River Rock Island. NOW IN 6-PACKS!

If you are a bar looking to carry Jingle Java Holiday Stout, please contact Vanguard on the Iowa side and Stern Beverage on the Illinois side.

It really is a great stout for the holidays as you get all the spices and flavors that scream “holiday” right in your glass/bottle. The vanilla adds a hint of sweetness and the coffee and chocolate really shine in this brew. Add a bit of smokiness from the roasted malts and you have a real winner of beer here. Only available until mid-January I suggest giving this brew a shot if you’re a stout fan.

REVIEW

STYLE: Stout

ABV: 6.5%

PURCHASED AT: Hy-Vee Marion, IA

POUR: Deep brown pour with a small tan head.

AROMA: Vanilla, rum, coffee dominate the aroma.

TASTE: Coffee, vanilla, chocolate and smokiness from the malt.

Ratebeer.com rating: 84

Beeradvocate rating: 85

Overall: B

My recommendation: If you need a break from the big imperials this is the perfect beer to take that break with, enjoy it for dessert, watching the game, or it would be even better for breakfast! Cheers!