Received the following correspondence from Betsy at the Cellar Peanut Pub in Oskaloosa, IA! Sounds like a fantastic time!
Hello! This is Betsy with The Cellar Peanut Pub in Oskaloosa. I
wanted to let you know that Exile Brewing Company will be at The Cellar Peanut Pub for a tap takeover this Friday, November 15. On tap:
Ruthie
Gigi
Hannah
Oktoberfest (seasonal)
Rauchbier (seasonal)
Isabelle (seasonal)
Support Iowa beer and local establishments!
Come one come all! Blackstone restaurant in Iowa City, IAwill be having a Founders Brewing tap takeover on Thursday, November 21st. The list of beers available is very impressive. The event begins @ 4:00 and they are tapping a KBS keg at 5!!! Hope to see everyone there, below is the announcement, thanks to Sam @Blackstone!
List of beers:
1. Dirty Bastard
2. Harvest Ale
3. Centennial
4. All Day
5. Red’s Rye
6. Backwoods Bastard
7. Breakfast Stout
8. Curmudgeon
9. Nitro Pale Ale
10. Kentucky Breakfast Stout (WOOOO HOOOO!!!!)
It took some work on our reps part but she secured us 1 KBS!
Here are the details:
Thursday, Nov 21.
All will be tapped by 4:00, except KBS which we plan to tap at 5:00.
It is all open to the public, both dining room and bar sides.
Reps from Fleck and Founders will be here passing out beer schwag.
We will feature some sort of entree special as well that our kitchen is working up.
Although this release will be very limited Deschutes has announced that their 2013 release of The Abyss Barrel-Aged Imperial Stout will indeed be distributed to 23 states they distribute to. If you see it, drop me a line to let everyone know where it is available! Cheers!
The Abyss:
Ratebeer: 100/100
Beeradvocate: 100/100
More on the release courtesy of beerpulse.com.
We wanted to give you all a heads up to let you know that The Abyss 2013 launch is set for November 14th at our pubs in Bend and Portland. From 11 am ’til close, enjoy samples, snifters and special food menu items made with this dark and delicious beer. Take home bottles and swag for yourself and your craft beer loving friends and enjoy vertical flights from previous years to compare to the 2013 version.
Don’t live in Bend or Portland? Be on the lookout for The Abyss at your local grocery stores, liquor stores, bottle shops, pubs and bars that carry Deschutes Brewery’s specialty beers all year round. A limited amount will be shipping out to all 23 states in our distribution footprint from our brewery warehouse the week of November 18th. Please ask for it at your favorite craft beer locations and watering holes and if you are having a hard time locating this beer, try using our beer finder tool.
Haven’t heard of The Abyss? This imperial stout is filled with dark malts, brewers’ licorice and black strap molasses and is then “dry hopped” with vanilla beans and cherry bark making it rich and complex. Top that off by aging this precious liquid in bourbon, Oregon oak and pinot noir barrels for a taste you will never forget. Age a bottle upright in your cellar (or dark, cool closet) for a year or two…or three, and enjoy with food, friends and family! And be sure to tune in to our website and social media channels on the 14th for a behind-the-scenes look into The Abyss.
It’s the time of the year when fresh hop beers starting making their way to the shelves. If you aren’t familiar with what a fresh hop beer is, here’s a quick little breakdown.
Fresh hop — sometimes called “wet” hop — beers only happen once a year, when hops are harvested in late August well into September.
Most of those hops are dried, which preserves them so brewers can use them throughout the year. But increasingly, a percentage of hops never make it to the drying kilns. These hops go directly from bines to brew kettle — sometimes within just hours — to become the main attraction in fresh hop beers. (Incidentally, bines are different from vines. Bines wrap themselves around a support, while vines use tendrils or other means to cling to supports.)
If I could recommend one for you to try this year, I would go with Founders Harvest Ale. Easily one of my favorite fresh hop beers and one I would like to keep stocked well into November.
A nice medium white head to go along with the golden/orange color. Fantastic aroma of grapefruit, orange, and pine. Not as big of a malt backing as some IPAs (which I prefer) but there is a subtle existence there. Grapefruit and orange start out in the flavor profile, followed by minimal sweetness from the malts and then the wonderful resinous pine flavor smacks you in the mouth. Here’s what the brewery had to say about their beer:
This liquid dream pours a hazy golden orange straw color with a large puffy white two-finger head. First sip of this beer rewards with a super juicy hop presence bursting with fresh orange and lemon citrus then continues to introduce toasted malt undertones.
REVIEW
STYLE: IPA
ABV: 7.6%
PURCHASED AT: Hy-Vee Marion, IA
POUR: Golden/orange pour with a medium white head.
AROMA: Grapefruit, orange, lemon, and pine.
TASTE: Lots of citrus fruit, a bit of sweetness and then the hops take over.
Ratebeer.com rating: 99
Beeradvocate rating: 95
Overall: A
My recommendation: Fresh Hop beers are meant to be drank fresh. If you’re an IPA fan this is a must have and you have to get it soon! Terrific brew!
Both of these beers from Deschutes should be on your shelves or will be within the next few days! Here’s more on both beers from Deschutes’ website and beerpulse.com.
The highly celebrated Hop Trip has been enjoyed by Deschutes Brewery fans for nearly a decade and is once again offered in 12-ounce bottle 6-packs as part of the Bond Street Series lineup. Why the longevity for this particular brew? Not only does it taste fantastic, but there’s a great story. The brewery team rushes over to the Willamette Valley each year to pick, bag and load up fresh whole flower hops. They quickly return to Bend, Oregon and dump these freshly harvested jewels into the brew kettle. The result? A perfect pale ale with a uniquely citrus punch and fall spice flavor. 5.5% Alcohol by Volume (ABV); 38 IBUs
Beeradvocate: 93
Ratebeer: 97Chasin’ Freshies, dubbed after the ski town pastime of chasing fresh powder on the slopes, hit the scene last year with some well-carved turns. Rather than the heirloom Cascade hops of the 2012 version, the brewers changed things up for 2013 and feature the fresh and bold Amarillo hops in this IPA. Fresh hop beer lovers will appreciate the bold, juicy aroma and flavor that comes but once a year. 7.2% Alcohol by Volume (ABV); 65 IBUs
Beeradvocate: 84
Ratebeer: 88
Both of these beers from Deschutes should be on your shelves or will be within the next few days! Here’s more on both beers from Deschutes’ website and beerpulse.com.
The highly celebrated Hop Trip has been enjoyed by Deschutes Brewery fans for nearly a decade and is once again offered in 12-ounce bottle 6-packs as part of the Bond Street Series lineup. Why the longevity for this particular brew? Not only does it taste fantastic, but there’s a great story. The brewery team rushes over to the Willamette Valley each year to pick, bag and load up fresh whole flower hops. They quickly return to Bend, Oregon and dump these freshly harvested jewels into the brew kettle. The result? A perfect pale ale with a uniquely citrus punch and fall spice flavor. 5.5% Alcohol by Volume (ABV); 38 IBUs
Beeradvocate: 93
Ratebeer: 97Chasin’ Freshies, dubbed after the ski town pastime of chasing fresh powder on the slopes, hit the scene last year with some well-carved turns. Rather than the heirloom Cascade hops of the 2012 version, the brewers changed things up for 2013 and feature the fresh and bold Amarillo hops in this IPA. Fresh hop beer lovers will appreciate the bold, juicy aroma and flavor that comes but once a year. 7.2% Alcohol by Volume (ABV); 65 IBUs
Beeradvocate: 84
Ratebeer: 88
Found the following on Facebook. A sweet poster showing the releases and months for Boulevard Smokestack series.
The following news is courtesy of http://www.beerpulse.com:
Press Release:(Chicago, IL) – This month, Goose Island Beer Company is unveiling four Belgian-style wild ales from its diverse and creative portfolio. The Chicago-based beer company will debut two completely new barrel-aged farmhouse ales called Gillian and Halia, and release the 2013 vintage of the much sought after sour ales, Lolita and Juliet.
With select national availability, these Goose Island creations will be part of the brewery’s Vintage Collection, which includes award-winning beers like Sofie, Matilda and Pere Jacques. Each of the barrel-aged ales features a unique story, locally sourced fresh fruit and exceptional, complex flavor profiles.
• Gillian was inspired by an amuse bouche that was often prepared by the wife of Goose Island Brewer Keith Gabbett. New for 2013, Gillian is a Belgian Style Farmhouse Ale that brings together fresh ingredients sourced locally from family farms in Michigan and Illinois. Gillian is partially aged in wine barrels with 10,000 pounds of strawberries, 4,000 pounds of honey and white pepper. Its refreshing effervescent body is slightly tart and is complemented by a
pronounced white pepper note that folds nicely into the sweeter hints of strawberry and honey. Gillian is 9.5% alcohol by volume and develops in the bottle for up to 5 years.
• Halia, Hawaiian for “remembrance of a loved one”, was brewed by Goose Island Brewer Brian Taylor in memory of a dear friend who loved peaches. New for 2013, Halia is a Belgian Style Farmhouse Ale aged in wine barrels with 12,000 pounds of fresh peaches, sourced locally from a family farm in Michigan. The result is a bright, effervescent beer with a soft, hazy body that finishes slightly tart and a little sweet with the pleasant character of ripe, juicy peaches. Halia is 7.5% alcohol by volume and develops in the bottle for up to 5 years.
• Juliet is fermented with wild yeast Brettanomyces, and aged in wine barrels with 9,000 pounds of blackberries, sourced locally from family farms in Michigan. Tart and fruity, with complex notes of wood, tannin, dark fruit and spice, Juliet is a unique choice for beer and wine drinkers alike. Inspired by the sour beers from the Cantillon Brewery in Belgium, we named Juliet after the sister of the owner and fourth generation brewer of Cantillon – homage to a gracious host on many travels to Belgium. Juliet is 8.0% alcohol by volume and develops in the bottle for up
to 5 years.
• Lolita is a rose-colored Belgian Style Pale Ale fermented with the wild yeast Brettanomyces and aged in wine barrels on 30,000 pounds of fresh raspberries, sourced locally from a family farm in Michigan. Aromas of fresh raspberries, bright jammy fruit flavors and a crisp, refreshing body make Lolita ideal for beer drinkers fond of Belgian Framboise. Lolita is 8.2% alcohol by volume and develops in the bottle for up to 5 years.
“We’re incredibly proud of the depth and breadth of our barrel-aging program and excited to introduce two new and incredibly tasty beers to our fans with Gillian and Halia,” said Brett Porter, Brewmaster for Goose Island Beer Company. “The passion our brewers have for innovative brewing is unparalleled and it’s evident in their new creations.”
The sours are part of Goose Island’s wine barrel-aging program, which began in 2007 with a small 10-barrel batch of Juliet. The brewery has introduced several more beers aged in wine barrels since then including the award-winning Lolita, Madame Rose and Sofie. Goose Island now ages a variety of styles in thousands of barrels each year. Over the course of a year – the brewers at Goose Island sample, score and test beer from the barrels on a weekly basis – waiting for the flavors to peak before creating the final blend.
Black Friday usually has mothers’ and wives dragging their spouses out in the wee hours of the day to shop for the holidays. This year, it might be easier to get the fellas out and about as Goose Island will release their much anticipated Bourbon County Stout beers and variants on Black Friday. Here’s more from http://www.beerpulse.com.
(Chicago, IL) – Goose Island Beer Company announced its lineup of Bourbon County Brand Stout variants for the upcoming winter season on Friday. More details below…
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This Black Friday, November 29, Goose Island Beer Company will be releasing this year’s much anticipated Bourbon County family.
The original bourbon barrel aged stout, Bourbon County Brand Stout, will be available in limited quantities in ALL STATES, where legal.
Bourbon County Brand Coffee Stout is made with our neighbors and collaborators Intelligentsia Coffee with Los Inmortales coffee beans from El Salvador. Available this year in 4pks in limited quantities.
New releases this year include:
Bourbon County Brand Barleywine:
Aged in third use bourbon barrels (previously bourbon and Bourbon County Brand Stout)
Available in 4pks in limited quantitiesBackyard Rye Bourbon County Brand Stout:
Aged in Templeton Rye whiskey barrels with fresh mulberries, marionberries, and boysenberries
Available in 22oz Bombers in even more limited quantitiesProprietor’s Bourbon County Brand Stout:
Available ONLY IN CHICAGO, thanks for all the support over the past 25 years.
Aged in Templeton Rye whiskey barrels with coconut toasted by our brewers
Available in 22oz Bombers in VERY limited quantities
A 10 minute drive from the Baron’s house in Mount Vernon lies the newest endeavor 
from the Swift family (Red’s Alehouse, Blackstone, etc) in Solon, IA, Big Grove Brewery. I’ve been there numerous times now as it has become my destination of choice. Take a right off of Highway 1 on main street in Solon and you will see Big Grove. Usually packed and the bartenders constantly draining the tap lines with wonderful beer, this place has become a hotbed really quick.
On my visits I’ve tried and enjoyed most of the beer that Big Grove makes on site. They also have a terrific lineup of guest taps featuring some the best craft breweries in the country. I’ve enjoyed their wheat, ipa, porter, and their Dirty Little Secret which is an American strong ale with a bit of raspberry; all very good. They are constantly brewing new beers so check out their Facebook page here: https://www.facebook.com/pages/Big-Grove-Brewery/623843234297773
I also usually end up drinking a few Toppling Goliath pseduoSue’s which they’ve had on tap on multiple occasions.
As far as food goes, this might be one of the best restaurants around. I’ve enjoyed and would order again the following:
*Deviled Eggs – yes deviled eggs.
*Korean style wings and regular buffalo – the Korean wings pack some subtle heat but are so flavorful and go well with an IPA.
*Potted Pig – liked a whipped pork pate – so good with mustard and pickles (and of course beer)
*Burger – juicy and delicious
*Buttermilk Fried Chicken Sandwich – my go to. I alway order extra housemade pickles. This is the best chicken sandwich you will ever eat.
*Pulled pork sandwich – sweet with some heat. Awesome sandwich. 
*Tator Tot Casserole – Amazing!
Mac and cheese – some of the best I’ve had. My kids love it as well.
The menu constantly changes with the seasons as they try do stay local and fresh which is greatly appreciated.
Bottom line: This place is a must try. The best thing going around the area.
