Stone will be the latest brewery coming out with a sessionable IPA as their Go To IPA is slated to hit markets in March this year. The advertisement below gives you an idea of what to expect from the this brew. Also coming in the next few months will be another can option coming from Founders. This time it’s their Centennial IPA hitting the canning line.
Got news? Drop me an email!
Shout out to the folks at Coralville Brrr Fest this past weekend. Had another really good time and finally got to meet a few beer folks I’ve tweeted with frequently in the past. A lot of excitement for Eastern Iowa beer lovers again this week with the releases of Toppling Goliath XHOPS Orange and Zeelander. I have a couple of each in my fridge and will dig into them during the Iowa game tonight. Onto the list!
**Boulevard Saison-Brett**
If I remember correctly I enjoyed this for the 1st time during the warm month of August. I had just finished doing some random yardwork around the house and poured this brew. It was almost a goose bump moment when I took a nice long drink, I then immediately drove to a few Hy-Vees around the area and bought a bunch more bottles. Boulevard says it’s okay to cellar this beer if you want more of the “brett” to show through, and that’s what I’ve been doing but the temptation to bust out a few more is always there. More from the brewery:
Saison-Brett, based on our very popular Tank 7, is assertively dry hopped, then bottle conditioned with various yeasts, including Brettanomyces, a wild strain that imparts a distinctive earthy quality. Though this farmhouse ale was given three months of bottle age prior to release, further cellaring will continue to enhance the “Brett” character, if that’s what you’re after.
RATEBEER: 100/100
BEERADVOCATE: 96/100
**Schlafly American IPA**
Schlafly had been a hit and miss brewery with me until I tried their Tasmanian IPA and then their American IPA; both fantastic brews. American IPA barely beat out the Taz as I thought the Taz got a tad to sweet the longer it sit. Both are great, but Taz is nearing the end of its market time for the year and now we get to enjoy the American IPA. One great brew to another. From the brewery:
Exploding with hop flavor and aroma, this citrus/piney/floral ale has enough of a malt backbone to stand up to the intense bitterness.
RATEBEER: 98/100
BEERADVOCATE: 92/100
**Founders All Day IPA**
Session IPAs are getting more and more pub as more and more breweries start to make them. However, no one has hit the nail on the head as Founders did with their All Day IPA. Cans and bottles, this IPA comes in at 4.7% and you consume quite a few of these without the normal result that an IPA brings such as puking all over a nice white carpet, waking up on a cold basement floor, pissing your pants (Mr. Haywood) …. you get where I’m going. This has become so popular we can expect the first (I believe) 15 pack of beer available coming this spring/summer. My go-to tailgate for Iowa Hawkeye football games. From the brewery:
The beer you’ve been waiting for. Keeps your taste satisfied while keeping your senses sharp. An all-day IPA naturally brewed with a complex array of malts, grains and hops. Balanced for optimal aromatic and a clean finish. The perfect reward for an honest day’s work and the ultimate companion to celebrate life’s simple pleasures.
RATEBEER: 96/100
BEERADVOCATE: 86/100
**Toppling Goliath Kentucky Brunch**
I’m not sure there will be any sense of normalcy when it comes to crowds when Toppling Goliath does a special release, but at the 2013 Kentucky Brunch release times were still relatively normal. A huge crowd, yes, busy bar, but for the most part, containable. And even though I didn’t get to try it on tap (ticket #117), I was able secure 2 bottles. Saved for my wedding anniversary and shared with my wife (who loved it more than I was hoping), this brew met all the hype and I can’t wait to go to Decorah the next TG does a release. (Can I put up a tent in the parking lot?) From the brewery:
Beer Aged in Whiskey Barrels with Coffee.
RATEBEER: 100/100
BEERADVOCATE: 100/100
**Founders Breakfast Stout**
A silky, creamy, stroke of genius. The “big” stout that got me to appreciate what a higher ABV stout can bring. Chocolate, coffee, roasted malts and the fact that Founders pretty much says I can enjoy this for breakfast, = great beer. Founders might be one of the best things to happen to Eastern Iowa beer shelves because of the amount of great stuff they supply. More from the brewery:
You’ve got to love coffee to truly appreciate this phenomenal brew. Brewed with an abundance of flaked oats, bitter and sweetened imported chocolates, Sumatra and Kona coffee. We’re actually not sure if this is some type of coffee cake or a beer. Either way you can drink this ale with a fork. Breakfast Stout has an intense fresh roasted coffee nose toped with a cinnamon colored frothy head that seems to never fade and makes you wish breakfast could last forever.
RATEBEER: 100/100
BEERADVOCATE: 100/100
One more list of 5 to go! Do my first 20 come anywhere close to yours? What have I missed or did I come pretty close to yours? Would love to hear your thoughts.
That’s right, 15 packs. Here’s more from the brewery:
We’re excited to announce 15-pack cans of All Day IPA will begin shipping to our distributor partners in March, replacing All Day IPA 12-pack cans without raising the suggested retail price.
This is the first time a major craft brewery has put out a 15-pack.
“We are able to offer 15-pack cans due to production efficiencies from packaging cost savings,” said Co-Founder Mike Stevens. “We’re excited to pass the savings on to our customers as a way of saying thank you for their reception of All Day IPA.”
Developing the All Day IPA recipe was no easy task. “We recognized the need for a full-flavored IPA with a lower ABV,” said Co-Founder Dave Engbers. “The challenge was creating a beer that had intense hop aromatics balanced with the malts without packing a big ABV punch.”
Following a limited release in 2012 due to hop shortages, we were able to send All Day IPA to all of our markets in February 2013, and it quickly became our leading seller. We moved the beer from our seasonal to our year-round lineup in July of last year. All Day IPA was the first Founders product to be released in cans; 12-pack cans of the beer hit the market in August 2013.
All Day IPA is a 4.7% ABV session ale, brewed with Simcoe and Amarillo hops and measuring out at 42 IBUs. We set our minds to brewing this beer because we wanted an American IPA that worked with an active lifestyle. It has won numerous awards, including a silver medal in the session beer category at the GABF in 2010 under a working name and, most recently, a 2014 Good Food Award.
We’re calling this new All Day IPA 15-pack a “Brewer’s Dozen”.
Centennial IPA, the newest addition to our canned offerings, will remain in 12-packs. All Day IPA will still be available in the traditional six-pack bottles in addition to 15-pack cans. Other beers from our portfolio may be canned, as well, but those brands have yet to be determined.
Huge week in Eastern Iowa for beer lovers as Bells Hopslam, Stone Enjoy By, and TG Sue, Zeelander, and more Xhops were announced! Tough to beat week! We are also a few months for some KBS which will cause great excitement as well. Here we go with Part 3:
**Toppling Goliath Sosus**
A huge year to say the least for the folks brewing in Decorah. Bottling line finally up and going and releases of Kentucky Brunch, Mornin’ Delight, XHops, and Sosus have them one of the most talked about breweries in the country. Early in ’13, Sue and Sosus were released simultaneously and people went crazy for it, and still do. This Imperial IPA focuses on the mosaic hop bringing out citrus and tropical fruit notes along with some dankness that make this an easy pick for the Hot 25 in Eastern Iowa! More please! From the brewery:
In his most notable mosaic work, Sosus of Pergamon depicts doves sunning atop a golden chalice. The image was said to be so enticing that real birds flew into it while trying to reach their stone companions. This single-hop showcase is inspired by the beauty of divinity of the Sosus mosaics. Just as the doves discovered their golden nectar, discover the irresistible nature of the Mosaic hop.
RATEBEER: 100/100
BEERADVOCATE: 98/100
**Deschutes Fresh Squeezed**
One of the newer breweries to hit the market this year was Deschutes. With offerings such as their Black Butte Porter, Mirror Pond Pale Ale, and Obsidian Stout, they were a welcome to the shelves of Eastern Iowa. But my favorite, (haven’t tried Abyss yet) has been their Fresh Squeezed release. And the best news is, this will become a new year round offering from them. Here’s more from the brewery:
This mouthwateringly delicious IPA gets its flavor from a heavy helping of citra and mosaic hops. Don’t worry, no fruit was harmed in the making of this beer.
Ratebeer: 98/100
Beeradvocate: 92/100
**Founders Double Trouble**
This list is looking a little IPA heavy, but there have been some great ones coming our way. Founders has been really good to us and I think at times, it is taken for granted. Their porter is easily one of my favorite standard porters and All Day IPA has become a mainstay in my fridge. Double Trouble comes packing the hops and it delivers! A lot of grapefruit comes from this one balanced nicely by just the right amount of malt. Excellent brew! More 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.
RATEBEER: 100/100
BEERADVOCATE: 94/100
**Braissere Dupont Avec Les Bons Voeux**
As I continue to make my through the saison styles (just had my first Hill Farmstead which was amazing!) I keep coming back to Tank 7 and this brew from Braissere Dupont. The beer guy at John’s Grocery in Iowa City recommended it to me one day and I keep going back to it since then. Everything you want in a saison comes in this beer; lemony, pepper, grassy, barnyard, and refreshing. It’s all here, give this a try! More from the brewery:
Bons Vœux (Good Wishes) is a blond high fermentation beer , re-fermented in the bottle. Founded in 1970 , this beer was offered earlier this year to the most loyal customers of our brewery ( hence the name “With the best wishes of the brewery Dupont “). The success this beer earned lead to it being made commercially, while retaining its original name. Although very popular, it was brewed in limited quantities, the bottles reserved many months in advance. A coppery blond beer with aromas of hops for the Bon Voeux is a beer tasting combining mellow bitterness and fruity. Our selection of yeasts and a long maturation phase with hopping gives it flavor and a characteristic and complex taste. The true fermentation in the bottle , which can be extended very long in your cellar, resulting in a balanced and harmonious beer, surprising and complex aromas.
Ratebeer: 99/100
Beeradvocate: 93/100
**Madhouse Barrel Aged Stout**
Introduced to me at last years Brr Fest in Coralville, IA this is the perfect introductory beer to the barrel-aged styles. So smooth and creamy, Madhouse used Templeton Rye barrels to age their stout and pulled off an excellent roasted, smoky, a bit boozy barrel aged imperial stout. Madhouse was originally located in Newton, IA but will be opening up shop in Des Moines, IA soon.
Ratebeer: 76/100
Beeradvocate: 88/100
Saw the following information on http://www.craftbeer.com. Pretty exciting news as we will be getting another fantastic IPA year round! Here’s more from CraftBeer.com:
Fans spoke, the brewery listened. Fresh Squeezed IPA will make its way into the brewery’s year-round portfolio for 2014. This refreshing brew will be released in March in 6-packs and draft to all markets as part of the Bond Street Series. This IPA is a “citrus bomb” in every way: three types of malt and a whole lot of Citra and Mosaic hops made this a fan favorite from the very beginning.
One of the largest changes to the beer menu for 2014 are three 22-ounce mainline offerings available year-round starting at the end of March. Distributed primarily in the Mountain and Pacific regions, these beers includePine Mountain Pilsner, Armory XPA and the classic Cinder Cone Red (yea! It’s back!!).
Other notable beers coming up for the year include:
- Belgian IPA, featuring Galaxy hops, which will be available in 22-ounce bottles and draft from May-September as part of the Bond Street Series;
- Not the Stoic, a Belgian-style Quad, brand-new addition to the Reserve Series;
- More Reserve Series love from Mirror Mirror (last release in 2009) all the way to favorites like The Dissident, The Abyss and the brewery’s 26th anniversary brew, Black Butte XXVI;
- New Nitro Draft program (yum!) featuring brews throughout the year such as Obsidian Stout, Red Chair, Cinder Cone Red, Armory XPA and Jubelale; and
- After a successful launch in 2013, the brewery’s “session style” Deschutes River Ale will now be available in 12-packs for fans in Utah and the Pacific Northwest.
I just received the following correspondence regarding the 2nd annual Dubuque Brewfest set for Saturday, February 15th.
2014 Dubuque On Ice Brewfest
Saturday, February 15
Mystique Community Ice CenterDubuque On Ice Brewfest is sure to satisfy your palate. Guests are welcome to come sample a variety of unique craft beer, wine, craft liquor, local coffee, specialty cheeses, sausage and chocolates at the Mystique Community Ice Center. Meet one-on-one with brewmasters while sampling a craft beverages, tasty treats, and enjoying live music. FEATURED BREWERIES
Testimonials From
Last Year’s Brewfest
“Dubuque was a fun time for my family and I had a great time at the festival,”Russ Klisch, Owner/Brewer
Lake Front Brewery-Milwaukee“Congratulations on a terrific Brewfest, we had a blast…..It looked like it was very well managed and received
by the community and I
know it will continue to grow”,
Terry Mozena, Premier Bank“The beer selection was great, and it was well organized. I’ll be back
next year.”
MK-DubuqueSaturday February 15
Mystique Community Ice Center
1800 Admiral Sheehy Drive Dubuque, IowaNoon to 1:00 pm
VIP Early Entrance1:00-5:00pm
Vendors OpenNoon-4:30 pm
Music: The Lonely GoatsTickets:
$35 General Admission
$50 VIP Ticket Noon EntranceThe list of breweries this year include the following with more possibly to be named later:
Potosi Brewing
Galena Brewing
Grumpy Troll Brewing
Jubeck New World Brewing
Bent River Brewing
One Barrel Brewing
Backpocket Brewing
Capital Brewing
Blue Cat Brewpub
Schlafly
Millstream Brewing
Great River Brewing
Tallgrass
Goose Island
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!!
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!
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 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
