Hot 25 of ’13: Part 2!

25Continuing 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 sueonly 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**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**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

tank 7**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**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!

25Deviating 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**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

mornin' delight**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

backwoods**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**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

enjoy by**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!!!!

Brrfest

 

 

 

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

chocolateBoulevard Brewing company will be releasing two beers for their ryeSmokestack 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

shmaltz

 

 

 

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

hop sutraThe 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

FoundersSomething 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!

stone enjoy byMore 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

Hopslam Rollout News; Oskar Blues distributions news (not good)

hopslamEastern Iowa, we are not too far away from Hopslam! releases! Here’s the latest from Bell’s and Reds Alehouse. The following comes from Bells Brewery blog.

Hopslam will start shipping to areas in Michigan the week of Jan. 6. It will begin shipping to Illinois, Indiana, Wisconsin, Iowa, Minnesota, North Dakota, Missouri, Ohio and Arizona the week of Jan. 13. It will then start shipping to Florida, Alabama, Georgia, South Carolina, New York, North Carolina, Virginia, Washington DC, Kentucky and Pennsylvania the week of Jan. 20.

Wanting to hit a Hopslam! party? Here’s what Reds Alehouse in North Liberty has in store! (Credit @chinslovesiowa for the pic. Or visit Flannigans in Coralville.

BdFBIvACQAAKVQy

oskar bluesIn other Eastern Iowa beer news. Another big time brewery’s first quarter release has somehow left Iowa on their distribution map, but hopefully this is one we see sooner than later because they are pumping out some of the best beers around. Here’s more from Oskar Blues:

 Oskar Blues Brewery has announced a handful of new market launches right out of the gate for 2014. First quarter new markets include a re-introduction to Idaho (Craig Stein Beverage), Minnesota (Original Gravity group of distributors), Kansas, Nevada and Delaware, along with increased distribution in southern Alabama.

This announcement follows a 37 percent (32,000 bbls) increase in 2013 while adding Michigan and Indiana. Oskar Blues also filled distribution voids in Central California, Eastern North Carolina and the balance of Tennessee and Kentucky in late summer of 2013.

Oskar Blues Brewery packaged 59,000 bbls in 2011 and doubled that production, reaching over 119,000 bbls in 2013. That growth has been fueled by the addition of the second Tasty Weasel Taproom and Brevard, NC, brewery, which began brewing in December 2012. The Oskar Blues Brevard Brewery shipped more than 46,000 bbls in their first year of operation as East Coast distribution grew throughout the year.

In addition to capacity increases, Oskar Blues added key player Lou Romano as National Sales Director in October and promoted Chris Russell to Business Development Director, in preparation for 2014. These two industry veterans lead a staunch group of regional managers and a sales force that has grown to over 45 strong.

Update on new Dubuque Brewery: Jubeck New World Brewing

jubeckI just received the following email from Dave at Jubeck New World Brewing:

  Jay and I have been busy working to bring Jubeck New World Brewing into existence since the completion of our successful (Thank You!!) Kickstarter compaign wrapped up at the end of May. We thought the year’s end would be a good time to give you all an update on the progress so far and what is done and what needs to be done.  As I finished my draft, I realized it’s probably too long and TMI for a lot of our busy friends, so let me summarize here:

  • We have a space: 115 W. 11th St., formerly the location of the Asian Grocery, the 1000 ft2 between the Aragon Tap and the old Asian Gourmet Restaurant.
  • The place had been gutted, so we’re starting from scratch on the build-out.   
  • Build-out is proceeding – we have the place framed out and are in the process of rough plumbing/electric/ventilation work.
  • We’re doing most of the work ourselves and have a lot of work to do; if you’re inclined to lend a hand, please let us know!
  • We’re shooting to have the place ready in March.  Hopefully our licensing will have come through by then too so we can start making beer!
  • Thanks again – this would not be happening without you!

A few more details:  

    Jay and I settled on our location after considering many other properties along the Main/Central corridor and in the Warehouse District.  We settled on 115 W. 11th.  It’s on the north side of 11th between Main St. and Iowa Street.  Our space is 1000 square feet on the street level, with a full, open basement underneath.  We selected this site for numerous reasons:  we liked the location, relatively close to lower Main,  the Warehouse District, Bluff St. etc., and right around the corner from all of the great businesses that have sprung up on Upper Main and the Summer Farmer’s Market.  We’re in a neat historic building with a great landlord Ken Lin that has a lot of enthusiasm for his property, the area and our business.  We’re really happy to be working with him and he’s been helpful at every turn.  The size of the space is on the small size, but having a nice usable basement with a new cement floor and drain will allow us to have our fermentation, cold storage and keg storage down there, making more room for all of you upstairs!

    Ken’s plan for his building is to invest in renovation to make it a nicer space in the long haul, so when the last tenants moved out, he gutted the place to make structural repairs.  He left the old tin ceiling, took the old lath and plaster off the walls exposing the brick beneath, and removed layers of flooring to get back down to the original hardwood.  This will in the end yield a really nice place with a historic feel, but has required quite a bit more work from us for the planning and build-out phases of our venture.

    We took possession of the space at the end of August.  At that time, we only had a shell – there was no water, electric, gas, heat, ac, nothing.  We got a few outlets and electricity turned on , got our plans drawn out, got everybody at the City (Zoning, Building Services, Health, ADA, etc.) to say “yes” in principal, got our building permit and went to work.

    Since then, we’ve made good progress, hit some temporary road blocks, and learned a thing or two about what it takes to put together a commercial space.  So while it’s going a little slower than we had originally hoped, we’re still super excited about how the space will be and looking forward to the day that first batch is happily boiling in the brew kettle.

    A quick summary of the work done since we took possession:

  • Tear out of old ductwork, lines, fixtures no longer in use, and overall clean up of the place
  • The entire facade was replaced, complete with nice new big windows and entry door.
  • The old tin ceiling was blasted and painted and the expsosed brick walls sealed.
  • Subfloor and framing of bathrooms, brewing area, bar area and stairway completed.
  • New furnace and ductwork in.
  • Gas lines run, gas reconnected and HEAT ON! (just in the nick of time).
  • Basement floor epoxied.
  • Old windows closed up and insulated.
  • Rough plumbing drains and vents.

 

Next on the build-out agenda:

  • Finish rough plumbing, wiring and ventilation (contractors).
  • Drywall.
  • Install cold room in basement.
  • Build shelves in bar area and other storage.
  • Install bar top and tables.
  • Tile brewing area and bar area.
  • Mud, paint drywall.
  • Hang vent hood, plumbing fixtures, electrical fixtures.
  • Install bathroom floors.
  • Hang ceiling in bathrooms and over fermentation area in the basement.
  • Install BREWING SYSTEM!

 

    So, yes, there’s a lot to do yet, but it’s all headed in the right direction.  At the present, a lot depends on getting our contractors in to finish the rough mechanicals so we can start putting it all back together.

    I was intentionally a bit more descriptive in the “to do” list than I might have been for this reason: if anyone has time or talents they’d like to volunteer to help out on one of these jobs, we’d be very happy to have you.  I should mention that we’ve already had several brave and helpful individuals down to help for an hour or a day or more – thank you very, very much.

    Even though we are still a few months before we get down to actually start brewing beer, it’s already been quite a trip.  Jay and I are excited about how things are unfolding and it is more clear to me everyday that this is going to work and that you, the community, and the City are on our side.  This is, at once, pleasurable, gratifying and humbling.  It is my sincere hope that when you find yourself on 11th St. surrounded by friends and tasting that first pint, you won’t be disappointed.

    Happy Holidays and Best Wishes for the New Year,

    Dan