Hot 25 of ’13 Part 3

January 21, 2014Leave a comment

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

Dubuque Brewfest Set for Saturday, February 15th

January 17, 2014Leave a comment

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 Center

Dubuque 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-Dubuque

Saturday February 15
Mystique Community Ice Center
1800 Admiral Sheehy Drive Dubuque, Iowa

Noon to 1:00 pm
VIP Early Entrance

1:00-5:00pm
Vendors Open

Noon-4:30 pm
Music: The Lonely Goats

Tickets:
$35 General Admission
$50 VIP Ticket Noon Entrance

The 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

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

Shmaltz Brewing Enters Iowa

January 7, 2014Leave a comment

Just received a text from my buddy the Beer Counselor, letting me know that Benz Beverage Depot has just received a shipment of beer from Shmaltz brewing.

Here is what they have in stock:

Genesis
Messiah
Bittersweet Lenny’s RIPA
Hop Manna
Death of a Contract Brewer

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

Founders Imperial Stout hitting Shelves 1/7/14

January 6, 2014Leave a comment

Something to help Eastern Iowans get through this extreme cold might be found at your liquor store. According to a tweet from @johncysliquor, Founders Imperial Stout will be hitting Eastern Iowa shelves on Tuesday, January 7. More info on this terrific brew from the brewery:

A fine companion to end a meal or relax in front of the hearth with, this robust ale will cellar well for years. Brewed with ten varieties of malted barley this stout is extremely smooth, complex and rich in body. We recommend serving at cellar temperature. Sit back and enjoy its richness and complexity, you’re about to drink the ultimate winter warmer.

RATEBEER: 100/100
BEERADVOCATE: 97/100

Stone Enjoy By 2-14-14 Coming to Iowa 1-15-14!

January 4, 2014Leave a comment

More Stone Enjoy By will be making its way to Eastern Iowa shelves with the estimated arrival date of January 15th! Here’s more from beerpulse.com:

Escondido, CA) – Stone Brewing Co. is now going big with its newest edition of Enjoy By 02.14.14 IPA.

The company is adding onto the previously announced list of several states for 02.14.14 IPA distribution with the beer now making its way to more than half of U.S. markets.

It will ship next week with availability expected to begin the following week.

Check out the full list of markets below.

LOCATION ETA STATUS HASHTAG

Arizona 01/15/14 Fermenting #EnjoyBy #AZ

Connecticut 01/15/14 Fermenting #EnjoyBy #CT

Delaware 01/15/14 Fermenting #EnjoyBy #DE

Florida 01/15/14 Fermenting #EnjoyBy #FL

Georgia 01/15/14 Fermenting #EnjoyBy #GA

Iowa 01/15/14 Fermenting #EnjoyBy #IA

Illinois 01/15/14 Fermenting #EnjoyBy #IL

Kansas 01/15/14 Fermenting #EnjoyBy #KS

Massachusetts 01/15/14 Fermenting #EnjoyBy #MA

Maryland 01/15/14 Fermenting #EnjoyBy #MD

Maine 01/15/14 Fermenting #EnjoyBy #ME

Michigan 01/15/14 Fermenting #EnjoyBy #MI

Minnesota 01/15/14 Fermenting #EnjoyBy #MN

North Carolina 01/15/14 Fermenting #EnjoyBy #NC

Nebraska 01/15/14 Fermenting #EnjoyBy #NE

New Hampshire 01/15/14 Fermenting #EnjoyBy #NH

New Jersey 01/15/14 Fermenting #EnjoyBy #NJ

New York 01/15/14 Fermenting #EnjoyBy #NY

Pennsylvania 01/15/14 Fermenting #EnjoyBy #PA

Rhode Island 01/15/14 Fermenting #EnjoyBy #RI

South Carolina 01/15/14 Fermenting #EnjoyBy #SC

Southern California 01/15/14 Fermenting #EnjoyBy #SoCal

Tennessee 01/15/14 Fermenting #EnjoyBy #TN

Texas 01/15/14 Fermenting #EnjoyBy #TX

Virginia 01/15/14 Fermenting #EnjoyBy #VA

Vermont 01/15/14 Fermenting #EnjoyBy #VT

Washington 01/15/14 Fermenting #EnjoyBy #WA

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