Big Grove Tap Invasion @Mosleys 6/25 for “Pig Pedal Classic Bike Ride”; 12 TAPS!

June 20, 2016June 20, 2016Leave a comment

Big Grove Brewery will be invading Mosleys this Saturday June 25th as part of the Pig Pedal Classic Bike Ride. This ride raises money for Children’s Cancer Connection and Mosley’s is one of the stops on the tour. Here’s more info on how to become part of this great fundraiser:

Click the registration link below! Ride to raise money for a great cause and wrap it up with a Hog Roast and live music included with registration. Hosted by Mosley’s Barbecue and Provisions, the 1st Annual Pig Pedal Classic is for all skill levels with the goal to raise a pigload of money for Children’s Cancer Connection. It’s going to be a party – register via the link below!
Timeline:
• 8:30: Registration at Mosley’s
• 9-9:30: Pre-Party/Breakfast, 9:30 leave *Breakfast Included
• Hilltop Tavern (9:45 arrival, 10:30 leave)
• Reds (11:15 arrival, 1:00 leave) *Lunch available for purchase
• 30hop (1:30 arrival, 2:30 leave)
• Mosley’s (3:00 arrival- party all night)
• 3:30 band Catfish Murphy starts at Mosley’s
• Hog Roast included with admission starts at 4:00
• Raffle

Along with those stops, at Mosleys, Big Grove Brewery will be taking over the lines with these 12 offerings:

Arms Race
Que Sera w/Rhubarb
Que Sera
Que Onda Rojo
Boomtown
West Main Wheat
BGB IPA
DeFacto
Barleywine
Espresso Russian Imperial Stout-featuring Harfusa Espresso from JBC
Nitro Coffee Stout-Asopcafa Colombia
Dirty Little Secret

Not only can you get some BGB beers at Mosleys but they will be offering a variant of Que Sera at each stop on the ride. Here’s what each bar will offer:

Hilltop-Cucumber Mint
Mosely’s-Rhubarb
30Hop-Raspberry Honey,
Reds-Strawberry Rhubarb & Basil

A Quick Trip To SingleSpeed Brewing Company

June 14, 2016June 14, 2016Leave a comment

IMG_3175.JPG.jpeg This past weekend my wife and I were traveling to Dike for a fundraiser and decided to set some time aside to travel to downtown Cedar Falls to visit SingleSpeed Brewery. I had never been to SingleSpeed but only had their white IPA at a beer festival, which I found refreshing, so I was looking forward to checking out another Iowa brewery.

Downtown Cedar Falls is quite lovely, my first trip, local shops and restaurants and best of all…a brewery. Very quaint and comfortable upon entering with quite a few people getting growler fills to take home and enjoy on what was a hot Saturday afternoon. I didn’t have time to take a tour or eat but I was able to get a flight of brews.

Here’s what we tried:
*Brewed X2 – imperial coffee brown ale
*Victory Dance – IPA with citrus and tropical flavor. Very refreshing.
*Tip the Cow – espresso milk stout.
*Mosaic – single hop series brew.

All were very enjoyable. Really dug the Victory Dance and could have enjoyed quite a few of those but the star to me was the Mosaic! Part of their Single hop Series, this pale ale showcased the tropical fruitiness of this great hop! Loved this beer, very drinkable!

Single Speed will be opening up another brewery in what was the Wonder Bread building in Waterloo. I believe they will still operate out of their Cedar Falls brewery as well. More on the new brewery here.

An overall fun albeit quick trip to this brewery. Very excited for their future and what they will offer when the new brewery is complete. Would love some of that Victory Dance and more from the Single Hop Series. Well done SingleSpeed, excited for my next trip to Cedar Falls!

Beer Camp Across America Coming to Reds Alehouse Tuesday June 14th

June 13, 2016June 13, 2016Leave a comment

reds Sierra Nevada’s popular Beer Camp Across America hits Reds Ale House taplines tomorrow night! (Tuesday June 14th). The 6 one-time only beers are West Latitude, Stout of the Union, Moxee-Moron, Family Values, Pat-Rye-Ot, and Sweet Sunny South. Get to Reds tomorrow night and check them out! More info on the press release below!

Drink This: Pulpit Rock Loopy Lynn Double IPA

June 7, 2016June 7, 2016Leave a comment

pulpi I should have probably done a post about something a bit easier to get a hold of, but I think many Iowa beer lovers make the trek to Decorah a few times a month to get the latest and greatest for TG, so why not talk about the latest double IPA I really enjoyed that you can get in Decorah as well?

This past Friday night at Blackstone in Iowa City, there was a Pulpit Rock tap takeover. One of the newest and hottest breweries in Iowa filled the lines at Blackstone with liquid gold. I was very excited to try the Joy of Almonds, which was on nitro, and that didn’t disappoint. Sometimes I think nitro can take away from the flavor of the beer, but not for this one. The other big beer I was excited about was the special release of Loopy Lynn. Loopy Lynn is double IPA dry hopped with Citra and Eureka hops. I was lucky to even get a glass as I arrived at 5:30 for a 5:00 tapping and almost missed out (Thanks Sam!).

Loopy Lynn has that huge aromatic citra nose and the hazy golden/orange pour looks like a glass of orange juice. The beauty of this double IPA is that the flavor lasts from first sip to last swallow. Lingering flavor of grapefruit, orange, and a bit of pine from the Eureka added to the “dankness” that makes this a dangerously drinkable 8.14% double IPA.

Decorah has been a beer destination for some time now with Toppling Goliath, now Pulpit Rock adds to that trip. Make sure to stop in. This is old news for some, but make sure you stop in and try the goods at Pulpit.

Only a few places in Eastern Iowa that have had Pulpit on tap has been guest lines at Lion Bridge, Iowa Brewing Company and the folks at Need Pizza. Or, just take a drive to Decorah and indulge in both great breweries there! The hashtag from the folks at Pulpit is perfect: #stinkjuice. Drink this #stinkjuice!

Trio of Prairie Beers to be Released this Month!

June 2, 2016June 2, 2016Leave a comment

prairie artisan ales Prairie will be releasing 3 beers this month. 2 of which we’ve seen and 1 that is new and going to be added to their year round lineup. Here are the brews:

**Prairie Americana -Meet Prairie Americana, our dry hopped farmhouse with Brett. Start thinking of the prominent hop aroma and flavor of an IPA. Top that with Brett, and you have an American style Brett ale with approachable hop characteristics and a tart finish. Now, stop thinking and grab a glass. Prairie Americana will be available in 16.9oz bottles and on tap.

**Prairie Paradise– It’s about to get really hot outside. How about a cold glass of refreshing Imperial Stout. Yep, you heard that right. Brand new to our line up is Prairie Paradise. We took a stout, gave it a hint of vanilla and a good deal of toasted coconut and created one season defying, genre bending brew. Imperial stouts are usually thought of as a cold weather beer, but here the coconut and vanilla blend push the image of the stout into a year round, all season style. Prairie Paradise will be available exclusively on tap and in kegs.

**Prairie Apple Brandy Noir – We are also bringing back an old favorite. Prairie Apple Brandy Barrel Noir is coming back for another go around! So, if you missed it the last time, now is your chance to go out and experience a great variation on the barrel aged Imperial Stout. Smooth and boozy, Apple Brandy Noir is heady enough to lure you into its lair but sweet enough to not overpower the complexity of the stout. Barrel aged in Apple Brandy Barrels, this brew is full of chocolate notes, with hints of apple, oak, and brandy. This is a beer to cherish, because it won’t be around for long. Apple Brandy Barrel Noir is a special limited release, found only in 12oz bottles.

Beer List for Pulpit Rock Pop-Up Taproom @Blackstone

June 1, 2016June 1, 2016Leave a comment

pulpi Very excited for this Friday night as Pulpit Rock will be bringing some beers to Iowa City for a Pop-Up Taproom Takeover at Blackstone in Iowa City. Sam Hall once again making it happen by getting one of Iowa’s newest and hottest upcoming breweries to take over his lines at Blackstone. I hope to see some people there, if you attend, stop by and say hi! Here’s the list:

Preikestolen – American Blonde Mother
Mai-I – Maibock
Whistle While You Wit – Witbier
5th Ave – West Coast Style IPA
Saftig – East Coast Style IPA
Loopy Lynn – New Double IPA
Doc Rem’s – English Mild
Pour-Over Porter – Robust Porter w/Coffee
For the Joy of Almonds – Oatmeal Stout with toasted coconut, almonds & cacao nibs

Northside Oktoberfest set for Saturday September 24th!

June 1, 2016Leave a comment

northside octoberfest Official Press release:

Northside Oktoberfest

Sat, Sep 24 from 12pm – 3pm

at Northside Market Place

The Northside Oktoberfest benefiting Iowa City area non-profits showcases the Bohemian nature of the Northside Marketplace with great craft beers, neighborhood food, beer games, Iowa football and much more! Join us on Saturday, September 24th, as we take over the streets of the Northside, just blocks north of downtown Iowa City.

Early Bird Tickets NOW available! $55 for BrewMaster tickets & $40 for General Admission (see each price for details). Tickets will increase September 1, 2016.

Northside Oktoberfest will feature over 500 beers from over 50 breweries! Here are just a few: Big Grove Brewery, Millstream Brewing Company, Merchant du Vin -Specialty Beer Importer since 1978, New American Brewing Co, Bell’s Brewery, Inc., Cedar Ridge Distillery, Founders Brewing Co., August Schell Brewing Company, Central Waters Brewing Company, Confluence Brewing Company, 515 Brewing Company, Kalona Brewery, Buck Creek Companies, Peace Tree Brewing Company, Lakefront Brewery, Zipline Brewing Co., Boulder Beer Company, Sutliff Cider, Boulevard, Boone Valley Brewing, New American Brewing Co

New for 2016! As an added perk for 2016, your Oktoberfest ticket provides you with one complimentary ticket to the 2016 Telenet UCI Cyclo-Cross World Cup. These professional men’s and women’s cyclo-cross races will take place after Oktoberfest at the Johnson County Fairgrounds, at 3:30 and 5 p.m. The Telenet UCI World Cup races are a global addition to the already well recognized and attended annual Volkswagen Jingle Cross Cyclo-Cross races. Las Vegas, Nevada, and Iowa City, Iowa, are the only two North American locations for this popular UCI cyclo-cross series, and the races will be broadcast live by NBC Sports and internationally by Telenet to more than 35 countries. Your complimentary admission (valued at $15) includes all-day access to this event, where food, a beverage garden and live entertainment will be available.

The City of Iowa City will provide complimentary parking garage access for the entire day! Complimentary shuttles to and from the fairgrounds will begin operating at 2 p.m. and run through 10 p.m.

Thank you our sponsors John’s Grocery and Little Village Magazine.

*Please note: This is a rain or shine event- No matter the weather the beer still gets poured! (There will be no ticket refunds)

Tickets

General Admission

General Admission tickets include: 12pm-3pm tasting time (full access to all samples available), custom tasting glass, UCI Cyclo Cross ticket, and free parking in Downtown ramps!

$40.00

$43.47 with fees (print at home and mobile)

Buy Tickets

BrewMaster

BrewMaster tickets get you entrance to the festival one hour early (11:00 a.m.), an upgraded tasting glass, and the ability to taste Real Ale samplings

$55.00

$59.40 with fees (print at home and mobile)

Coralville Hy-Vee Hosting Ballast Point Sampling June 10th 4-6

May 31, 2016Leave a comment

Another beer sampling coming your way on June 10th from 4-6 p.m. at Coralville Hy-Vee. This sampling will be some tastes of Ballast Point’s fine brews. The waiver is below:

A Tappening: Port of Dubuque Final Beer Vendor List

May 27, 2016Leave a comment

Here’s who will be appearing on at “The Tappening” on June 11th in the Port of Dubuque. A pretty solid looking list. Haven’t seen what specific beers will be brought but a nice Iowa representation along with 7G and Johnson Brothers. Hope you can make it!

Another Road Brewing

Backpocket

Ballast Point

Baraboo Brewing Co

Bells

Bent River Brewing

Big Grove

Blaum Bros. Distilling Co

Confluence Brewing

DeSchutes

Exile Brewing

Franklin Street Brewing Co

Front Street Brewing

Galena Brewing Co

Generations Brewing Company

Goose Island

Great River

Green Flash

Iowa Brewing CO

Jubeck Brewery

Kalona Brewing Co.

Lion Stone

Millstream

Mississippi River Distilling Co.

Odell

Oskar Blues

Paradise Distilling

Potosi Brewery

Rockford Brewing Co.

Shock Top

Sierra Nevada

Stella Artois

Summit

Surly

Tallgrass

Third Base Brewery

Turner Alley

Release Roundup: Odell, Lagunitas, Avery, Founders Brewing

May 25, 2016May 25, 2016Leave a comment

Some future release news of beers that will be hitting our Eastern Iowa shelves in the future. First, we start with Odell.

**Odell Brewing Lone Comet IPA** – Odell giving us another IPA that will be using only Comet hops. It will check in at 6.5% and come in 12 oz bottles. (mybeerbuzz.com)

**Odell Brewing Mountain Standard Black IPA** this beer will be released in 12 oz cans and come in at 8.1%. More on this brew from Odell:

As winter sets in we embrace the darkness with this Double Black IPA—released as Daylight Savings falls back to MST. We brew it with hops handpicked on Colorado’s Western Slope. The assertive American hop profile and roasted malt character balance perfectly with just a touch of bitterness. Go ahead. Give in to the dark side.
Available yearly from September through December

**Lagunitas 12th of Never Ale** – Lagunitas Brewing finally starting to package in cans with 12th of Never Ale. A hop forward 5.5% brew that will have a different saying on top of each can. Here’s more courtesy of mybeerbuzz:

I’m excited to give you your VERY fist look at a new can (yes cans!) coming from Lagunitas. This is the new 12th of Never Ale and the neame refers to Lagunitas Brewing’s desire to be the last (or second-to-last) craft brewery in America to can their beers. This hop-forward beer will hit 5.5%-AbV and you’re looking at the 12oz can. Each of the designs below will feature a different saying at the top of the can and these cans look like they will be packaged in both Petaluma, CA and Chicago, IL. Stay tuned here for release details (I’m hearing the cans will be purple).

**Lagunitas Stoopid Wit** – what sounds like a hopped up Belgian-wit is coming from Langunitas. Stoopid Wit will be a limited release and come in at 4.8% ABV in 12 oz bottles.

**Avery Barrel-Aged Coconut Porter** – a beer that will no doubt be a highly anticipated release and will fly off the shelves, Avery will be packaging this beer in May and should hit shelves shortly after. This is the bourbon barrel version as there is also a rum barrel version. It will check in at 9.5% ABV and come in 22 oz bottles. Stay tuned to more on this release. (mybeerbuzz.blogspot.com)

**Founders Pale Joe w/Coffee** – 5.4% pale ale infused with coffee is going to hit the bottling line. Here’s more from Founders on this brew:

A light, golden ale brewed using high end, lightly roasted, fruit forward coffees that don’t get too bitter or astringent. Brewed with Kenya Windrush and a Tier 3 experimental coffee roasted at Ferris, right here in town.