Tag: iabeerbaron

BEST “NEW” Brew of the Year: Imperial Stout

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2013A friend of mine, The Beer Counselor, suggested that I post best new brews that I experience for the first time this year by category. It sounds easy enough but when I went through the list of brews I had it turned out to be quite challenging.

For the first installment I went through my list of Imperial Stouts. I’m going to do a separate entry for barrel-aged so I can automatically take them out of this category. I thought that would make things a bit easier. My list included:
*Toppling Goliath Assassin
*Dogfish Head Bitches’ Brew
*Backpocket 1st Anniversary Stout
*New Holland Dragon’s Milk
*Mikkeller Black Hole
*To Ol Goliat
*Stone Farking Wheaton WOOtstout

And then I came to the winner. It’s really hard not to pick Toppling Goliath’s Mornin’ Delight. Not only is it my winner in this category, but it might be my favorite beer of all-time. I’ll never forget the first time I had it, the release at Toppling Goliath tasting room in Decorah. I rode up with a few friends expecting to get a pretty tasty brew, but instead I was blown away by a complex, flavorful, imperial stout that I couldn’t get enough of. I said it then, and I’ll say it again, this beer is breakfast in a bottle. Coffee, chocolate, maple syrup. An amazing brew that I hope I am lucky enough to get to try again in 2014.

mornin' delightBEST NEW IMPERIAL STOUT EXPERIENCED FOR THE 1st TIME: Toppling Goliath Mornin’ Delight

New To Shelves: Evil Twin Beers

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evil twinHy-Vee on Oakland Road just sent out this message. I’m guessing these beers are going to go very fast so make sure you try to get your hands on these. Here ya go!:

We have another limited beer release for you and if you didn’t  get your hands on some bourbon county stout. This would be a great opportunity to grab a bourbon barrel aged imperial stout. This is Eviltwins Imperial Biscotti Break aged in bourbon barrels for 9 months. This would be great to drink now or sit on for several years. We also have a couple cases of Justin Blabaer, a blueberry berliner weisse. This beer is outstanding and is now retired so get some while it’s available. And as always when you buy 4 or more out of our bomber bottle doors you save 10 %.

 Eviltwin Imperial Biscotti Break Bourbon Barrel Aged 22 oz

21.99 per bottle

 Evil Twin Justin Blåbær (Brunello Wine Barrel Aged) 22 oz

11.99 per bottle

Madhouse Iowa Hops IPA Release Party Info

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madhouseJust received the following email from Madhouse Brewing. Sounds like a fantastic time and I really enjoyed the Iowa Hops IPA last year. Check it out!

It’s time to celebrate! Each December we officially release our Iowa Hops IPA beer at Jasper Winery along with their new vintage wines. Join us Thursday, December 12, 2013, from 6-9pm to celebrate with a free, open to the public, beer, wine, and food tasting experience. We’ll be releasing our 2013 Iowa Hops IPA, made with Iowa grown hops. Jasper Winery will be releasing their 2012 Iowa varietal dry reds wines, including Marquette, Noiret, and Norton. You’ll make your way through the winery visiting tasting stations where we’ll pair wine and beers with food samples from local producers and restaurants. Live music will be provided by Tony Williams. The first 100 people (beginning at 6pm) will receive a complimentary cork screw or pint glass. 

 

New this year: Everyone (21+) who attends will receive a ticket for the chance to win free wine/beer for a year! Prizes will be given including a free case of wine or beer every month for a year. Local grape and hop growers will be on hand to talk about growing these products in Iowa. Special Release Party discounts of 25% off case purchase and 10% off ½ case, night of the event only. 

Beer Review #114: Bent River Jingle Java Holiday Stout

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javaThe time of year when you just want to jump into your recliner, turn the fireplace on, watch some football and enjoy a nice, thick stout is upon us. Craft brew enthusiasts are currently going crazy over many things imperial, especially stouts. Now, I don’t want to sound hypocritical, I love me some KBS, I was the first in line at Family Beer and Liquor on Black Friday to get Goose Island Bourbon County Stout, but there are days when I’m craving just a good old-fashioned, sessionable stout, and that’s exactly what Bent River (http://bentriverbrewing.com/) given us (again!).

For some of you this beer might seem a tad too sweet to deem it “sessionable”, as it has vanilla, pecans, and rum added to it so it might be a dessert beer for some of you and I do know that it pairs very well with pumpkin pie, but I could easily down a few of these on a long winter’s day. Here’s more from the brewery:

This highly anticipated seasonal beer marks the beginning of the holiday season for many. Our coffee stout is enhanced by adding vanilla, caramel, pecan, cinnamon, and rum. These festive flavors are the only sweet treat Santa really needs!
 Available now through mid-January at Bent River Moline, Bent River Rock Island. NOW IN 6-PACKS! 
 
If you are a bar looking to carry Jingle Java Holiday Stout, please contact Vanguard on the Iowa side and Stern Beverage on the Illinois side. 

It really is a great stout for the holidays as you get all the spices and flavors that scream “holiday” right in your glass/bottle. The vanilla adds a hint of sweetness and the coffee and chocolate really shine in this brew. Add a bit of smokiness from the roasted malts and you have a real winner of beer here. Only available until mid-January I suggest giving this brew a shot if you’re a stout fan.

REVIEW

STYLE: Stout

ABV: 6.5%

PURCHASED AT: Hy-Vee Marion, IA

POUR: Deep brown pour with a small tan head.

AROMA: Vanilla, rum, coffee dominate the aroma.

TASTE: Coffee, vanilla, chocolate and smokiness from the malt.

Ratebeer.com rating: 84

Beeradvocate rating: 85

Overall: B

My recommendation: If you need a break from the big imperials this is the perfect beer to take that break with, enjoy it for dessert, watching the game, or it would be even better for breakfast! Cheers!

Bells Brewery Week at Reds Alehouse Dec. 5-13th

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I received the following email from Reds Alehouse with a huge list of events, tap lists, special releases, and much more concerning their 2013 Bells Brewery Week. Here’s a rundown of events:

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This should be a terrific week at Reds and I hope to see a few of you there. The Black Note release is sure to make for a busy evening so get there early, order some terrific food, and have a good time!

Goose Island BCS Event at Oakland Road Hy-Vee

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bcsI just received the following email from the Oakland Road Hy-Vee in Cedar Rapids, IA. Hope everyone gets a chance to get a few bottles of this brew!

Stop by this Friday and get your Goose Island Bourbon County Stout. We will start selling at noon on Friday. This will be limited and on a first come first serve basis. We will also be sampling some other tasty treats from Goose Island. Here is a list of what will be pouring

 

Goose Island 2009 Christmas Ale

Goose Island Matilda

Goose Island Juliet

Goose Island Halia

Goose Island Lolita

Goose Island Gillian

Brr Fest Date Released 2014!

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Brr FestThe following comes from an email sent by Brr Fest committee. Should be another excellent time in Coralville!

 

Save the Date!
Saturday, January 25, 2014
Where: Coralville Marriott Hotel & Conference Center
Time: 1:00pm – 4:00pm

The time has come to start making your
plans for Brrr Fest! Once again, Brrr Fest will feature amazing breweries from across Iowa and the Midwest. But this year the event will take on a new and even more exciting twist! “How is that possible,” you ask? We’ll tell you!
New this year, Brrr Fest beer lovers will have the opportunity to buy bottles of the beers they love most. That’s right. Brrr Fest will be selling beer from select breweries including some limited release* offerings that are very hard to come by. You’ll be able to take Brrr Fest home with you for the first time – awesome! *A working list of beer available for purchase will be available on the Brrr Fest website soon.
Ticket Information:
Regular Entry*: $25
*Includes tasting glass
Brew Master (limited number available)**: $40
**Includes special tasting glass and early admission (12pm)
Tickets go on sale online on BLACK FRIDAY (November 29, 2013) and will soon be available in person (we will send out another note soon to let you know).
We have sold out every year so don’t delay. The Black Friday release is a less than subtle message… Brrr Fest tickets make great gifts! Make sure you get yours early. Remember, proceeds from the event benefit Coralville 4th Fest and the Iowa Brewers Guild… so you are enjoying brew’s for a few great causes! Thank you in advance for your support.
We are looking forward to another fantastic Brrr Fest!
-Brrr Fest Committee

Stone Crime and Punishment hit the Shelves (Limited!!)

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crimeAfter a recent trip to the Marion Hy-Vee I noticed there were three bottles of Stone Crime and Punishment left on their shelf. $18.99 a bottle there and then I just received this email from Oakland Road Hy-Vee:

Can you take the heat? Stop in and grab a bottle while they last!!!!!

We received 6 bottles of each

Stone Crime and Punishment

500 ml bottle

18.99 per bottle

 

Bells Brewery Canning Oberon and Two Hearted Ale

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bellsThe following news comes courtesy of http://www.beerpulse.com. Tailgating just got much more exciting!

(Comstock, MI) – Two Hearted Ale and Oberon Alewill debut in cans beginning in late April, 2014.

They will be available to purchase in 16-ounce four-packs in all markets the brewery currently distributes to.

Both designs will feature familiar images, but the Two Hearted can design will also bring back a local Kalamazoo artist’s illustration from a previously retired label first introduced in the late 1990s.

Future can offerings will include Bell’s Brewery’s seasonal lineup ‑ Best Brown Ale, Winter White Ale and Smitten Golden Rye Ale to start.

“This new option will allow our fans to take our beer to places where glass is not allowed. It opens up a lot of new opportunities to enjoy Bell’s beer and that’s a win for everyone,” said Laura Bell, Bell’s Vice President.

“We are all very excited about this,” she added.

The brewery’s new canning line is part of Bell’s most recent expansion which also includes the addition of twelve 800-barrel fermenters to its Comstock Brewery. The filler will have the capacity to fill 500 cans a minute and is from KHS USA Inc. located just outside of Milwaukee, Wisconsin.

The cans are produced by Denver-based Ball Corporation.