Stone Farking Wheaton – W00TStout Returns In July 2015?

May 13, 2015Leave a comment

The reason the question mark is behind it is because I haven’t heard if it’s hitting all of Stone’s distribution or if it is a limited release. I would love to see this one back, either way, here’s the release courtesy of mybeerbuzz.blogspot.com.:

Here’s your first look at the 2015 packaging as Stone Farking Wheaton W00TStout returns. This Drew Curtis / Wil Wheaton / Greg Koch co-brew will continue to use cocoa, pecans, wheat & rye and it will still be partially aged in Bourbon barrels. For 2015, the guys added in a version of last year’s vintage that was aged in Bourbon barrels for a year and a new label designed by Dave “The Reverend” Johnson. This beer will be packaged in 22oz bottles for a July release and the beer comes in a bit higher this year at 13.5%-AbV

Madhouse Brewing Sour Release Party set for Friday May 15th

May 13, 2015May 13, 2015Leave a comment

Saw the following on Facebook. The folks at Madhouse are really getting people buzzing with their sour releases and I’ve heard great things so get there if you can and support an Iowa brewery (feel free to grab me a bottle, can’t make it 😦 Here’s the release:

Yes folks… this is actually happening!! This Friday, Madhouse Brewing Co. will be releasing the first three beers in our line of sour/Brett beers. They will be available in the taproom on draft and in 750ml bottles in very limited quantities. These sour beers are oak-barrel fermented with our house blend of yeast including Brettanomyces and Lactobacillus and then aged for complex flavors and a tart and dry finish. The brewers at Madhouse have been drinking and experimenting with sour beers for over 2 years now, and these beers are the result.

Sam Adams Vault Vote: Is there one you’d like to see back?

May 11, 2015Leave a comment

Samuel Adams is having an online voting competition taking place where users can vote for up to (4) styles of beers that they’ve retired to bring back. There are currently 16 beers to choose from. Is there one specifically you’d like to see? Is there a beer, not just a Sam Adams beer, that has been retired that you would like to see brought back? Would love to hear responses on this. Personally, I always enjoyed Stone Levitation, was sad to see it go. Here’s the link:

http://www.samueladams.com/drinker-favorites

Odell and Avery next to enter Iowa?

May 10, 2015May 10, 2015Leave a comment

Rumors flying on beeradvocate, specifically from BottleCaps80, that Odell Brewing and Avery Brewing will have representatives in our great state next week trying to work out distribution deals to enter Iowa. Avery has been rumored since the beginning of the year and speculation with Odell has continued since they are in the Dakotas, Minnesota, and Missouri. With both of these big dogs in the craft beer world on the verge of entering our market, shelf space once again becomes a hot commodity in Iowa and more decisions for beer lovers is always welcome.

With that too, which breweries are going to get overlooked. There are a few that come to mind that I’ve passed up since they’ve entered our market but if both Odell and Avery enter, we have some the best options for craft beer in the country. A good problem to have for us, some breweries on our shelves might not be too happy. Cheers!

Sierra Nevada Trip to the Woods Series – Barrel Aged Lime Ale coming soon

May 8, 2015May 8, 2015Leave a comment

The following information comes courtesy of mybeerbuzz.blogspot.com:

I’m excited to be he first to bring you the first bottle coming to the Sierra Nevada Trip In The Woods series. This previously draft-only series will now hit bottles with Barrel-Aged Lime Ale. This ale is aged in Tequila barrels, it will be packaged in 12.7oz bottles and the beer will hit 9.3%-AbV.
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This article was first posted on mybeerbuzz.com.

UPDATE: Looks like this will just be a NC + CA release.

Coming Soon: Stone Points Unkown IPA, Quarter Barrel, Deschutes, Big Grove, Lion Bridge, 3rd Base + Another Road

May 5, 20151 Comment

There will be a few new bottles hitting shelves in Eastern Iowa soon. Go along with what our local breweries have been pushing out and some things already on the shelves that are tasting mighty fine, I’d say we are sitting pretty good in our Midwest Beer Heaven. With Big Grove making a new double IPA every 2 weeks (Death was excellent), Lion Bridge going oak-aged IPA and a new Citra IPA coming this weekend, and Another Road and 3rd Base doing a collab IPA, it isn’t going to be hard to support our local breweries and stopping in for a pint or two while we go shopping for a few six packs. Anyway, on with the list!

*Stone Points Unknown IPA – a collab beer along with Wicked Weed Brewing and Ecliptic, Points Unknown will be a double IPA barrel aged belgian style tripel aged on Tequilla barrels and will come in at 9%. Here’s more from Stone on this release:

In creating our latest collaboration beer, It wasn’t easy deciding how best to pool the resources of brewers from three spatially distant points within the brewing universe: Portland, Oregon brewing legend and Ecliptic Brewing founder John Danis, and Luke and Walt Dickinson, the hop-and-funk brewmaster duo behind Asheville, North Carolina’s Wicked Weed Brewing. It seemed no single beer could adequately convey all that they and Stone Brewmaster Mitch Steele bring to the brewhouse. So, this veritable triad of power opted to brew TWO beers: a traditional Belgian-style tripel and a West Coast imperial IPA. Doing so allowed them to work within the parameters of all styles while taking things in interesting directions, adding a touch of Southern Califomia style and petting into the spirit! The tripelwas transferred into barrels that originally housed red wine before finding a second life as vessels for aging tequila. Four months later,that beer was excavated, then blended at a one-fifth to four-fifths ratio with the freshly brewed double IPA to create the beer you now hold: a hind of the traditional and the new, presenting a variety of diverse flavors that coalesce into something more unique than any one beer our trio could have conceived. Its eventual flavors were a mystery to even the group of master brewers who created it, but now they await the palates of those thirsting to venture to points unknown within the rapidly expanding craft beer galaxy. In other words: You.

*Quarter Barrel Brewing, Cedar Rapids – very excited to see that Quarter Barrel will have 3 of their beers available at Benz Beerfest this Saturday in Cedar Rapids. If you will be in the area this weekend, make sure you stop and grab a ticket (if still available)!

*Deschutes Foray IPA – this belgian style IPA will be released this month coming in at 6.4% in 22 oz bombers. Here’s more from Deschutes:

Foray is all about the journey. Belgian yeast delivers hints of apple and pear which blend with the citrus hop aroma for a clean even finish. So no matter where you’re heading, this a trip worth taking.

Malt: Pilsner, Carapils
Hops: Nugget, Amarillo, Mosiac, CTZ, Galaxy
Other: Belgian Yeast Strain

Big Grove Brewery – A lot going on one of my local breweries. Bill and crew have been nailing it with their beers and their latest venture, 8 Horsemen of the Hopocalypse, will be sure to please hopheads all around! Death was terrific and I saw Bill’s schedule posted on Facebook, hope he doesn’t mind me sharing, but here’s what’s in store at Big Grove:

With most of Death missing, presumed drunk, it’s time to start ramping up to the next Horseman. War rides in 12 days.

We’ll cover your hop fetish for the interim period. IPA, Arms Race, Buster, and Red Headed Stranger online this week (I hope).

Batch 300 will show up soon too. I’m thinking of this as a tag line: “It ain’t sloppy bein’ hoppy.” I’ll have to see what Lion Bridge Brewing Companyhas to say about it…

*Lion Bridge Brewery – one new beer already tapped, Trudy, and it’s very good! And another coming this weekend! Here’s what’s happening at Lion Bridge:

Trudy (Oaked IPA, 6.0%) – Named in honor of our favorite dog who is omnipresent at our favorite independently owned beverage depot (Benz Beverage Depot). Releasing to coincide with the 11th year of the wildly successful Benz Beerfest. Slightly more body and caramel backbone than a standard IPA, this beer was heavily hopped with Wakatu and Topaz. The result was then aged in stainless steel tanks with light toast French Oak Spirals. This rustic, yet elegant brew has an aroma of candied orange and grapefruit zest with a slightly tannic mouthfeel backed by notes of vanilla and tropical fruit.

And what has me really excited is their brew Citra IPA, Yard Sale!

Remake of Disaster at Meux this morning because I didn’t get enough before. & Dry Hoppin our new Citra IPA,“Yard Sale”.

*Another Road Brewing and Third Base Brewing Collab IPA – still waiting word on when and where this beer will be available. Excited to see what Jim and Alex cooked up for us! Stay tuned for more!

Updated Boulevard Release Schedule: New Beers Listed

April 30, 20152 Comments

Boulevard Brewing just released their updated 2015 release schedule with some new beers added to their already busy new beer release schedule. The new beers of note are:

CORE SEASONAL

Funky Pumpkin – Sept. and Oct. release

Snow and Tell – Nov. and Dec. release

SMOKESTACK SPECIALTY

Imperial Stout X – Tart Cherry – Sept.

Imperial Stout X – Coconut – Dec. release

Here’s the full schedule:

A Trip to KC and some BBQ at Q39

April 27, 20151 Comment

A planned weekend in Kansas City for a beer festival turned into experiencing the best bbq I’ve ever eaten in my life. A group of family/friends and I had planned a weekend centered around the Parkville Micro Beer Festival in Parkville, MO which is about a 15 minute drive to KC. Luckily, having friends in the area who love them some BBQ, they were able to get us reservations at a newer bbq place called Q39. http://www.q39kc.com/ Upon looking at the menu online I was pretty excited to get to visit this establishment.

Kansas City is known for barbecue and I was kind of surprised to see a new restaurant attract so many people when they have quite a few BBQ landmarks in the Kansas City area. Luckily our table was ready promptly at 6:15 and the beginning of a massive pig out by the Beer Baron was about to commence.

The appetizers alone were worth going for. The smoked chicken wings were terrific. Good smoke flavor with sticky/sweet bbq sauce. Very meaty, they do not mess around with the size of your wings. We also ordered the white bean pork belly cassoulet which was outstanding as well.

At a bbq joint it can be so hard to choose what you want to eat. I love ribs, I love pulled pork, and I love brisket and sometimes choosing can be difficult, but luckily Q39 had the President’s Platter. Pick 3 of 4 smoked meats and 2 sides for $20. A bargain. My wife and I split and went with the 3 meats mentioned above, along with some green apple coleslaw and potato salad. The brisket was the GREATEST brisket I’ve ever had, hands down. Fork tender, juices running, smoke and just barely drizzled with house made sauce. The ribs fell right off the bone and actually tasted just as good the next day reheated. Between bites of those two and shoveling forkfuls of pulled pork into my mouth I was actually able to find room for a cold beer. When in KC, Boulevard is King. Went with one of my favorites, Tank 7, to wash down this masterpiece meal.

If ever in the Kansas City area, this place is must stop, especially if you are seeking BBQ. You will be put into the most wonderful food coma you’ve ever been in. Stay tuned for the Parkville Micro Beer Festival review!

Madhouse Brewing Releasing Sour Beers starting in May

April 22, 20151 Comment

Madhouse Brewing Company out of Des Moines will start releasing sour beers coming this May according to their website. Here’s more courtesy of Madhouse’s webpage:

SOUR/BRETT BEER

Madhouse sour beers are uniquely American. We do not try to replicate European styles, but instead use the New World tradition of borrowing Old World techniques from countries including Belgian, Germany, and France to produce innovative new beers. Our sours are made with a unique house blend of yeast (including Brett) and lactic acid bacteria.

COMING MAY 2015!!

Satori Saison- Tart and funky saison.

A.M. Haze- Dry hopped with Amarillo and Mosaic.

Sour Diesel- Dark sour ale.

Blue Dream- Blueberry sour ale.

Coming to Shelves: Left Hand getting into the Session IPA, Boulevard Tell Tale Tart

April 17, 20151 Comment

*Left Hand Brewing will be the latest brewery to add a session IPA to their lineup when they release Introvert Session IPA. The following comes courtesy of beerstreetjournal.com:

An ale with hop aromas of tropical papaya and kiwi with woodsy pine, balanced by honey malt and a clean bitter finish.

Left Hand Introvert Session IPA will be available in 12oz bottles, and draft.

Style: IPA
Availability: 12oz Bottles, Draft.
Release: TBA

4.9% ABV

*Boulevard Brewing has really been busy this year as they are set to release another new beer to their Smokestack Series offering. Tell Tale Tart will be hitting shelves this June and will be available in 12 oz 4 packs. Here’s more from the Boulevard website:

When we first shared our 2015 release calendar back in December, we indicated that we were planning to brew at least twelve new beers this year. What we didn’t share is that we had a couple of test beers in the development phase that we weren’t quite ready to discuss.

We’ve recently received label approval from the TTB for one of these projects and are very excited to share some preliminary details for a brand new beer, Tell-Tale Tart.

Joining our year-round lineup of Smokestack Series four packs, Tell Tale Tart is presented as “a slightly sour ale” that derives pleasant, refreshing lactic acidity from brewhouse souring, a process of lowering the pH during the brewing process. The brewhouse souring method results in a crisp, clean acidity that serves as a contrast to a soft, subtly sweet malt character contributed by our base pale malt and Munich malt.

Once Tell-Tale Tart has completed the bottle conditioning process, we’ll be able to share more specific sensory notes.

Tell-Tale Tart is slated for a June release and will ultimately be available year round in four packs of twelve ounce bottles. Stay tuned for more news!