Northside Oktoberfest set for October 3, 2015 in Downtown Iowa City

July 29, 20151 Comment

The 20th year of the Iowa City Brewfest is coming upon us fast! Downtown Iowa City is the place to be on October 3 as the 20th annual Northside Oktoberfest will take place. Here’s more on this terrific beer and food festival for the coordinators:

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, October 3rd as we take over the streets of the Northside, just blocks north of downtown Iowa City to celebrate the 20th year of the Iowa City Brewfes – See more at: http://downtowniowacity.com/pages/events/northside-oktoberfest.php#sthash.65ZPGLlq.dpuf

General admission tickets are $35 and Brewmaster tickets are $50. Brewmaster tickets get you access to over 500 beers, exclusive access to REAL ALE contest samples and voting, 20th anniversary glass and t-shirt. Here is a sample of some of the breweries that will be in attendance:

Northside Oktoberfest will feature 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.
Founders Brewing Co.
Boulder Beer Company
Sutliff Cider
Boulevard
Boone Valley Brewing
New American Brewing Co

– See more at: http://downtowniowacity.com/pages/events/northside-oktoberfest.php#sthash.65ZPGLlq.dpuf

Todd the Axe Man Update

July 24, 20151 Comment

Received the following email from Surly detailing the Todd the Axe Man release. Very excited for this beer to be available in cans! Cheers!

Next week Surly Brewing will be launching a new canned beer – Todd The Axe Man, a west coast-style IPA, http://surlybrewing.com/beer/todd-the-axe-man/

Todd The Axe Man was originally a collaboration brew with Amager Brgyhus in Denmark. Surly’s director of brewing operations Todd Haug visited the brewery in 2014 and brought them the Golden Promise malt Surly uses for several of its other beers, from the UK. Along with Citra and Mosaic hops, they brewed Todd The Axe Man, named by Amager in honor of Todd’s other career as a metal guitarist.

Todd The Axe Man became a firm favorite at the Surly Beer Hall in Minneapolis, so much so that Surly decided to can it. Cans of the new beer will be available across Minnesota, Iowa, Wisconsin and Chicago starting next week.

Artwork can be found here: https://dl.dropboxusercontent.com/u/57697105/Surly%20Brewing/Todd%20The%20Axe%20Man.zip

Surly will be celebrating the launch of Todd The Axe Man on Monday July 27 at Pat’s Tap in Minneapolis from 3pm, http://surlybrewing.com/events/todd-the-axe-man-can-release-party-at-pats-tap/

Coming Soon: Next Boulevard Imperial X Stout, New Oskar Blues IPA, Founders, Great Divide, Alpine coming?

July 23, 20151 Comment

Quite a few tidbits on this Thursday to pass along. The next Big Grove double IPA gets released tomorrow and I’ll also be pouring some fine Big Grove brews tomorrow during ragbrai in Solon, so if you’re around stop by and say hi. Onto the news this week:

**Boulevard Smokestack Series Imperial Stout X Cherry Tart – the next release in the series for Boulevard gets a little sour! They add tart cherries to fermentation. This brew will come in at 11% and will be available caged and corked in 750 mL bottles and be available in September.

**Oskar Blues Blue Dream IPA – the latest release from the brewery as it was recently unveiled at the Brevard, NC facility. Little is known about this release right now except it will be another can offering and will check in at 6.4% abv. Stay tuned for more on this brew.

**Founders Spectra Trifecta – following Mosaic Promise and Black IPA comes Spectra Trifecta. A kolsch style beer, this will be coming in at 5.9% and be available in September. Here’s more from the brewery:

Brewed in the traditional kolsch style, which requires fermenting ale yeast at a colder temperature and give she beer a clean finish without fruity yeast esters. This bright, golden beer is brewed with a trifecta of natural ingredients: earthy, floral and slightly sweet chamomile; a touch of citrusy lemongrass; and a hint of spicy fresh ginger.

**Great Divide Whitewater Hoppy Wheat – the newest seasonal release which was originally a gold medal winner at GABF in 1994 is back in 6 packs of cans and bottles. It checks in at 6.1%. Here’s more from the brewery:

WHITEWATER is an American wheat ale built for exploration. The bold hop profile adds complexity to this crisp, balanced ale, while hints of citrus, light floral notes, and a satisfying bitterness leave a perfect reminder of trails climbed and rapids subdued. Whitewater is the perfect complement to any adventure.

**Alpine Brewing hitting the Iowa Market in August – the beeradvocate forum is bursting with news that Alpine Brewing, which was recently acquired by Green Flash, will start hitting the market (Des Moines specifically) in August. According to some folks from Doll Distribution it will start with kegs and then bottles will roll out in November. I hope this means the same for Eastern Iowa!

*Any news or new beers you want to talk about? Send me a line: benmed15@yahoo.com

Restaurant Review: Mosley’s Barbecue and Provisions; Iowa City, IA

July 18, 2015Leave a comment

A building that once held the bar responsible for many drunken college nights has now been transformed into a modern, inviting, illuminating barbecue joint. As soon as I walked towards the Vine the smell hit me in the face. No, not the smell of stale piss and vomit that one could get a whiff on a weekend, but the wonderful smell of smoked meats. Walking into Mosley’s, takes you back a bit to the Fitzpatricks days and the Old Capitol days but now we are greeted by families, couples, and friends sitting around happily shoveling wonderful BBQ into their faces. The bar looked immaculate
and the glistening taps get your attention right away. Definitely a kid friendly joint which is plus for us, my kids love que and now we have another place to take them. But, oh, that smell! QUE THE SKYNRD!

Mosley’s is brought to you by Matt Swift and Corey Kent, both of whom have had big success in the area with Pullman Diner, Big Grove, Blackstone, 30hop, and of course Red’s Alehouse. Knowing the background of these two and their success it’s hard not to have extremely high expectations for a place, but man o man, they deliver!

Salivating as we get to our table I told my wife to do the ordering as I was up for anything on the menu. 1/2 slab of ribs and the Mosley sandwich which is a pulled pork butt with coleslaw, vinegar and their gold standard bbq sauce. Add a side of coleslaw, mac salad, and house made pickle slices, and wash it all down with a Big Grove Arms Race Pale Ale, we are set! Now the gold standard sauce is a carolina mustard sauce and it was my first experience having such a sauce. It went perfectly with the pulled pork! It was slightly sweet but not overly, great tang from the mustard and it paired well with the coleslaw. AWESOME SANDWICH! The ribs were terrific! Not mushy, completely off the bone. They hold to the bone just enough but once you sink your teeth in, they are tender with a little spice from their vinegar pepper sauce. The coleslaw was delicious and had a bit of sweetness to it. I missed out on the smoked sausage as they were out at that time but that is an item I plan on devouring the next time I visit. Our server was fast, friendly, and knowledgeable and the experience as a whole gets two thumbs up.

This was opening night at Mosley’s and my wife and I are already craving another trip back. The scary thing is that this place will keep getting better and better too which is going to make many BBQ fanatics in this area very happy indeed! Will be back sooner than later……hopefully this weekend again! Cheers!

Toppling Goliath Signs with Johnson Brothers

July 17, 2015July 17, 20151 Comment

Statewide distribution throughout Iowa will start happening as Toppling Goliath Brewery out of Decorah, IA has signed a distribution deal with Johnson Brothers. Including statewide distro for Iowa TG will begin entering the Minnesota market as well.

Johnson Brothers continues to make a splash by getting TG to sign. They’ve gotten Surly, and Great Divide, and many more beers into the Iowa market with more rumored to be on the way.

So, if you area in Iowa hasn’t been able to get TG, that shouldn’t be a problem any more. King Sue and Naughty 90 up for grabs today, hope you get a chance to land a few bottles!

Stone’s 19th Anniversary Beer Set: Thunderstruck IPA to be released in August

July 16, 2015July 16, 20151 Comment

mybeerbuzz.blogspot.com and thethefullpint.com are reporting that Stone’s 19th Anniversary beer coming in August will be called Thunderstruck IPA and will be using all things Austrailian. Hops and malt will be strictly Australian, hops will be galaxy, topaz, ella, and vic secret. Malt will be fairview. August 10th looks to be the rumored release date and it will be available in 22 oz bombers and come in at 9%.

Coming to Shelves: Black Butte XXVII, NB Farmhouse, Next Stone Enjoy By Date, Bells 30th Ann. Imp. Stout

July 14, 20151 Comment

Quite a few tidbits so far this week and some big hitting beers that we will be seeing coming between now and the fall months. A new BBQ joint opening up in the old Old Capital Brew Works site called Mosleys. It’s coming from the owners of Reds/Big Grove/30hop/Pullman so you know it’s going to be legit. Hope to have more info soon after I talk to one of the owners. Onto the news for the week:

*Deschutes Black Butte XXVII – a beer I look forward to every year since their arrival in Iowa has been Deschutes’ Black Butte Porter. A different spin on this imperial porter has it being brewed with rose water, cocoa nibs, pomegranate molasses. Here’s more from Deschutes:

Our 27th Anniversary Imperial Porter was brewed with Theo’s cocoa nibs, pomegranate molasses and select spices, blended with apricot puree, and then aged in bourbon barrels. The result is a truly exquisite ale with bold chocolate character, inspired flavors of fruit, and just a pinch of spice. The perfect way for us to celebrate our golden birthday with you!

Malt: Pale, Wheat, Midnight Wheat, Chocolate, Crystal
Hops: Millennium, Cascade, US Tettnang
Other: Theo Chocolate Cocoa Nibs, Apricot Puree, Pomegranate Molasses
Barrel-Aging: 6 Months in Bourbon (50%)

*New Belgium Long Table Farmhouse Ale – a new beer to the breweries 12 oz releases is a Saison that checks in at 6.2% ABV and will be a seasonal release. More from the brewery:

An ode to the communal Saison, LONG TABLE Farmhouse Ale brings together the juicy flavors of Belgian yeast and Nelson Sauvin hops with the spicy and toasty notes of Munch and Rye grains. Grab a seat!

*Stone Enjoy By 10.31.15 – the latest release on this wonderfully popular beer will start brewing, as of this post in 72 days, 10 hours, and 1 minute. It will be hitting Iowa in both 12 oz and bombers. Here’s more from Stone:

This exquisite liquid patchwork of more than a dozen hops is a devastatingly fresh double IPA. Freshness is a key component of many beers – especially big, hoppy IPAs – but we’ve taken it further, a lot further, with this one. We brewed this IPA specifically NOT to last. We’ve gone to extensive lengths to ensure you get your hands on this beer within an extraordinarily short window, and we’ve sent a very clear message in the name of the beer itself that there is no better time than right NOW to enjoy this IPA!

*Bells 30th Anniversary Ale – 30 years for beers and what better way to celebrate than to pay homage to their Expedition Stout. The 30th Anniversary will be dark fruit filled, roast, and chocolate. A great beer to age due to the dark malt. It will check in at 11% and be available in 6 packs, not sure if sold as singles or not.

Funkwerks Beer Tasting Today (7/14) at Oakland Rd Hy-Vee 4-5:30

July 14, 20151 Comment

Received the following info from Oakland Road Hy-Vee. Sounds like a great opportunity to sample some great Funkwerks beers AND meet the brewery owner! Sorry for the short notice, check it out!

Hello Everybody,

We have a last minute beer tasting to tell you about, stop in tomorrow from 4:00 – 5:30 and sample Funkwerks Beer and visit with the owner of the Brewery. We will offer a 10 % discount on the beer while the sampling is going, as an extra bonus the owner is going to Parlor City after he is done here and if you take your receipt from here down there, they will take half off your first pint of Funkwerks.

Cheers!

Surly “Nein” marks Breweries 9 Year Anniversary

July 8, 20151 Comment

Surly will be celebrating their 9 year anniversary by releasing “Nein”, a beer that was inspired by a visit to Germany that is brewed with oak-smoked wheat malt and fermented with German Hefeweizen yeast and then smoked on charred oak. This beer will be available in 750 mL bottles, the release date and ABV are still unknown and whether Iowa will see any of this at all is still a question. Stay tuned for more on this unique brew. Here’s more on it from Surly:

Who would have thought, when we sold our first keg in 2006, that we would raise our 9th Anniversary glasses in a new brewery, restaurant, and beer hall? So much has changed in such a short time, both at Surly and across Minnesota. The state’s beer scene is exploding and we are proud to have been part of the boom. Two things, however, haven’t changed a bit – Todd’s distinctive take on beer styles and our local artists’ amazing talent. Erica Williams’ meticulous design for NEIN is the perfect match for Todd’s approach to his craft.

New to Shelves: Barrel-aged Buffalo Sweat, Eric’s Ale, Ovila Dubbel, Pecan Pie Porter!

July 6, 2015Leave a comment

Quite a few tidbits to get the week started. So much great stuff going on in the area. Many new restaurants out and open. I’m hoping to hit up the Sausage Foundry in NewBo sometime this week. Steve does great stuff! If you’ve ever had any of the sausage from Lion Bridge, Steve is responsible for those, so get out and support him! Everytime I’m at Lion Bridge I make sure to check what the week’s sausage is and when they had that mushroom sausage available, holy shit, one of the best things I’ve eaten in some time. This week they had Zivawurst, he’s making blueberry sausages using Oregon blueberries, last week he had lamb, polish, cheddarwurst, and I believe chorizo. I can’t wait to get there and buy 2 of everything.

And courtesy of Steve, I recently read about Sauce Bar and Bistro which is located at 1507 C St in CR. It looks like that will be my next date lunch with my wife as their hours are currently only 11-2 but I believe that will change soon. And we have a new double IPA coming from Big Grove this Friday! If you haven’t had Fear get out and try it! A delicious black double IPA, very reminiscent to Blakkr for me. Lion Bridge has their Untitled Saison back on tap and it is tasting mighty wonderful. Quinton has hit a home run with this brew! On with the tidbits!

**Tallgrass Bourbon Barrel Buffalo Sweat**– I think this one will make many people happy. Tallgrass taking their beloved Buffalo Sweat stout and aging it in bourbon barrels. This beer will be available in 12 oz cans and will be available this fall.

**New Belgium Brewing Eric’s Ale** – the sour peach ale returns to shelves (and probably already has) this month! Eric’s Ale comes in at 7% and is a member of New Belgium’s Lips of Faith Series. More from the brewery:

Eric’s Ale, named for long time New Belgium brewer Eric Salazar, combines a dry, sour beer aged up to three years in oak foeders with a semi sweet, higher alcohol base beer. The resulting blend is re-fermented with peach juice, creating a smooth ale with subtle peach tones and a warm, spicy finish. The aroma has pleasant hints of vanilla and tropical fruit, the wood characteristics are present but nicely muted.

**Clown Shoes Coffee Pecan Pie Porter – this beer will hit distro this fall and come in 22 oz bottles coming in at 8% ABV. I’ve really been digging Clown Shoes offerings lately and am looking forward to this one.

**Sierra Nevada Barrel-Aged Ovila Dubbel – the last time Sierra Nevada released this beer it was only available in California. With the expanding footprint and another brewery it looks like this might make a larger distro. Fingers crossed we get to see this in Iowa as this falls’ version will be aged in red wine and bourbon barrels. This brew will check in at 7.5% and will be available in 750ml bottles.