Tag: iowa beer

Great Divide coming to Iowa via Johnson Brothers

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great divideA couple of great sources have told me that Great Divide is coming to Iowa and being distributed by Johnson Brothers. The official announcement should come around September 18th. More good beer to hit our shelves soon! Yeti was one of the first Imperial Stouts I’ve ever had and I had it from the source. Baseball trips to Denver would find us rushing across the street to Great Divide to enjoy a pint or 10 on their patio. Looking forward to more! Here’s more about Great Divide:

ABOUT

During the late 80s, Brian Dunn spent 5 years overseas building farms in developing countries.  Having grown up in a family that appreciated good food and drink, Dunn expanded his knowledge and passion for beer during his travels.  Dunn eventually returned to Colorado, started homebrewing and went to graduate school.  Upon graduation in 1993, when Denver’s craft beer scene barely existed, he set out to found what would eventually become one of America’s most decorated and celebrated craft breweries.

Beginning with a marketing study and a business plan, Dunn saw an opportunity in Denver’s Ballpark Neighborhood to brew uniquely balanced, flavorful beers.  With financial help from family, friends and a loan from the City of Denver, his dream of brewing commercially became reality in 1994.

The brewery started small and in the beginning Dunn was the only full-time employee…brewing, bottling and selling to accounts all in the same day.  As the brewery grew, the beer spoke for itself.  Dunn’s beers were balanced, flavorful and representative of a lifestyle that is uniquely Colorado.  While Great Divide’s ethos may be globally-inspired, our beers are distinctly Denver.

Since 1994 we’ve brewed all sorts of exciting beer styles, added lots of brewing capacity and we’ve assembled a great staff.  In 2001, we bought our building – which used to be an old dairy processing plant – and set out for over a decade of exponential growth.

Thanks to our 45 hardworking, creative and passionate employees, Great Divide has grown into what it is today: winner of 18 Great American Beer Festival medals, recipient of 5 World Beer Cup awards, 12th in Ratebeer.com’s 2013 “Best Brewers in the World,” Ratebeer.com’s 2013 Top Brewer in Colorado, and 7th in Beer Advocate’s 2010 “All-Time Top Brewers.”

Join us for a beer at 22nd and Arapahoe in downtown Denver. We do it because we love it – come see how.

And the beers: 

http://greatdivide.com/beers/#all

Distribution News: Fireman's Brew Heading to Iowa

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fireman's brewI’m a little late to the party with this bit of news since I’ve been out of the country for a bit but I found this piece of news on http://www.beerpulse.com. More breweries headed to Iowa, keep it coming!

(Los Angeles, CA) – Fireman’s Brew, a Los Angeles-based craft beer company founded by two firefighters, today announced that it is continuing to rapidly expand its distribution footprint across the nation into three new states: Virginia, Iowa and Oklahoma. Through newly signed distribution agreements with Virginia Imports (VA), L&L Distributing (IA) and Quality Beverage (OK), Fireman’s Brew award-winning beers will soon be available at on-premise and off-premise locations throughout each state.

This news follows on the heels of the company’s successful rollout into six new states including: Arizona, Nevada, Colorado, Illinois, Nebraska and Rhode Island over the past nine months. In addition, Fireman’s Brew recently took home top honors at the 2013 San Diego International Beer Competition, earning a Gold Medal Ribbon for its signature Brunette (Doublebock) in the German-Style Bock category and a Silver Medal Ribbon for its Blonde (Pilsner-Style Lager) in the American-Style Lager category.

“2013 continues to be an amazing year of growth and achievement for Fireman’s Brew,” said Rob Nowaczyk, founder of Fireman’s Brew. “In just over six months, we’ve successfully launched Fireman’s Brew into Nebraska, Nevada and Rhode Island. And now with the addition of Virginia, Iowa and Oklahoma, we’re continuing towards our goal of developing Fireman’s Brew into a national brand. We’re excited for the opportunity to team up with our new distribution partners and connect with craft beer enthusiasts in each of these new markets.”

Already one of the fastest growing craft beer brands in its home state of California, Fireman’s Brew newly expanded distribution network provides an opportunity for the company to reach thousands of on-premise and retail outlets throughout each state. Through the agreement, Fireman’s Brew distribution partners will distribute Fireman’s Brew signature beers in 12-ounce bottle six-packs, twelve-pack samplers and kegs including:

– Fireman’s Brew: Blonde (Pilsner-style Lager; 5% ABV)
– Fireman’s Brew: Brunette (German-style Doublebock; 8% ABV)
– Fireman’s Brew: Redhead (Amber Ale; 5.5% ABV)

“We’re excited to partner up with Fireman’s Brew and launch their brand into the great state of Iowa,” said Tim Lanphier, president of L&L Distributing. “Our craft beer market continues to flourish, and with the company’s three great tasting beers, compelling brand story and firefighter community tie-in, they’re going to be an excellent addition to our growing craft beer portfolio.”

Conceived by two Los Angeles-based firefighters after extinguishing a brushfire in the local mountains, Fireman’s Brew grew out of their vision to create a premium line of handcrafted ales and lagers that would quench their thirsts after an exhausting day on the firelines. Fireman’s Brew collection of micro-brewed beers are created using only the finest of all-natural ingredients to deliver bold, full-flavored, traditional tastes and easy drinking refreshment. In addition, the company is committed to giving back to the firefighter community upon which it was founded by donating a portion of company proceeds to the National Fallen Firefighters Foundation – the nation’s leading non-profit organization dedicated to honoring fallen firefighters and providing assistance to their surviving families.

 

Distribution News: Fireman’s Brew Heading to Iowa

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fireman's brewI’m a little late to the party with this bit of news since I’ve been out of the country for a bit but I found this piece of news on http://www.beerpulse.com. More breweries headed to Iowa, keep it coming!

(Los Angeles, CA) – Fireman’s Brew, a Los Angeles-based craft beer company founded by two firefighters, today announced that it is continuing to rapidly expand its distribution footprint across the nation into three new states: Virginia, Iowa and Oklahoma. Through newly signed distribution agreements with Virginia Imports (VA), L&L Distributing (IA) and Quality Beverage (OK), Fireman’s Brew award-winning beers will soon be available at on-premise and off-premise locations throughout each state.

This news follows on the heels of the company’s successful rollout into six new states including: Arizona, Nevada, Colorado, Illinois, Nebraska and Rhode Island over the past nine months. In addition, Fireman’s Brew recently took home top honors at the 2013 San Diego International Beer Competition, earning a Gold Medal Ribbon for its signature Brunette (Doublebock) in the German-Style Bock category and a Silver Medal Ribbon for its Blonde (Pilsner-Style Lager) in the American-Style Lager category.

“2013 continues to be an amazing year of growth and achievement for Fireman’s Brew,” said Rob Nowaczyk, founder of Fireman’s Brew. “In just over six months, we’ve successfully launched Fireman’s Brew into Nebraska, Nevada and Rhode Island. And now with the addition of Virginia, Iowa and Oklahoma, we’re continuing towards our goal of developing Fireman’s Brew into a national brand. We’re excited for the opportunity to team up with our new distribution partners and connect with craft beer enthusiasts in each of these new markets.”

Already one of the fastest growing craft beer brands in its home state of California, Fireman’s Brew newly expanded distribution network provides an opportunity for the company to reach thousands of on-premise and retail outlets throughout each state. Through the agreement, Fireman’s Brew distribution partners will distribute Fireman’s Brew signature beers in 12-ounce bottle six-packs, twelve-pack samplers and kegs including:

– Fireman’s Brew: Blonde (Pilsner-style Lager; 5% ABV)
– Fireman’s Brew: Brunette (German-style Doublebock; 8% ABV)
– Fireman’s Brew: Redhead (Amber Ale; 5.5% ABV)

“We’re excited to partner up with Fireman’s Brew and launch their brand into the great state of Iowa,” said Tim Lanphier, president of L&L Distributing. “Our craft beer market continues to flourish, and with the company’s three great tasting beers, compelling brand story and firefighter community tie-in, they’re going to be an excellent addition to our growing craft beer portfolio.”

Conceived by two Los Angeles-based firefighters after extinguishing a brushfire in the local mountains, Fireman’s Brew grew out of their vision to create a premium line of handcrafted ales and lagers that would quench their thirsts after an exhausting day on the firelines. Fireman’s Brew collection of micro-brewed beers are created using only the finest of all-natural ingredients to deliver bold, full-flavored, traditional tastes and easy drinking refreshment. In addition, the company is committed to giving back to the firefighter community upon which it was founded by donating a portion of company proceeds to the National Fallen Firefighters Foundation – the nation’s leading non-profit organization dedicated to honoring fallen firefighters and providing assistance to their surviving families.

 

Beer Review #107: Goose Island Sofie Paradisi

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sofieWhen AB-InBev bought Goose Island a few years back, I vowed to stay away from their beers solely on the basis of any trying to support craft breweries. It hasn’t been all that difficult to do, except for the occasional Bourbon County Stout, Matilda, or Sofie. But now, after trying Sofie Paradisi, the task may prove to be more daunting than originally thought.

I know  many of you will scoff at the idea of not drinking Goose Island just because InBev owns it now, and that’s fine, to each his own. But when a beer gets this much pub and chatter about it, you just have to get your hands on it. Well, I wasn’t able to find this beer anywhere in Iowa, but on a recent trip up north to Madison my wife and I stopped and ate at the Craftsman Table and Tap (http://www.craftsmantableandtap.com/) in Middleton, WI.  A really great beer menu to go along with some fantastic food (I recommend the pulled brisket sandwich and a side order of cheese curds) my eyes darted right to where the listing for Sofie Paradisi was. YES! Finally!

The difference between Goose Island Sofie and Goose Island Sofie Paradisi uses grapefruit instead of orange peel. The grapefruit is definitely in the nose along with the earthiness that accompanies a saison style brew. Along with grapefruit rind you get yeast, grassiness, and a little hop bitterness. Overall, a highly drinkable beer. More from the brewery:

60% Ale Aged in barrels with grapefruit rind and juice, 40% Ale (Base Sofie)

Now the question is…which one is better? If you’ve had both feel free to cast your vote below. I’m still up in the air, I would love to have Paradisi a few more times before giving my final verdict.

REVIEW

Style: Fruit Beer/Saison

ABV: 6.7%

Purchased at: Craftsman Table and Tap; Middleton, WI

Pour: Golden pour with a thick pillowy head.

Aroma: Yeast, grapefruit, earthiness

Flavor: A bit of oak, grapefruit, yeast, a bit peppery

Ratebeer.com rating: 97

Beeradvocate rating: 95

Overall: A-

My recommendation: A perfect summer beer. Really would love to get my hands on a few bottles of this. Terrific brew!

Madhouse Brewing Belgian Golden Ale releases next week!

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madhouseThe next part of the successful Madhouse Brewing (www.madhousebeer.com) Venture Series is due to hit Eastern Iowa shelves next week. Their summer seasonal Belgian Golden Ale will be making its way to Eastern Iowa. From the Madhouse Brewing Facebook page:

This Belgian Golden Ale features the Nelson Sauvin hop from New Zealand. This hop variety is named for its aromatic similarity to Sauvignon Blanc wines. This creates a complex aroma which mixes the spice and clove from the Belgian yeast with tropical fruit and citrus from the hops. This beer finishes clean and crisp to make it the perfect summer release. 

I’m really excited for this release as I’ve been exploring more Belgian style brews lately. Also, if you haven’t had their Maple nut-brown, I’ve seen some bombers still on the shelves. I really enjoyed that beer, give it a shot! Support Iowa craft beer!

Latest on Deschutes heading to Iowa

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deschutesHere is the latest update on Deschutes Brewery hitting the Eastern Iowa market. If you want to learn more on the beers that this brewery puts out, head on over to www.deschutesbrewery.com. The following comes from http://www.beerpulse.com. Here ya go:

IOWA! (July 20-25) We’re excited to begin selling our beer in your fine state at the end of July. We’re kicking things off at the Cityview Beer Fest with Deschutes beer officially for sale on Monday, July 22nd. Stay tuned for event details at: http://www.deschutesbrewery.com/events and look for our team in Des Moines, Iowa City and Cedar Rapids.

—

FLAVORS OF THE SEASON

TWILIGHT SUMMER ALE
Break out those lawnmowers, BBQ’s and camping gear, because it’s ti me for the return of the summer beers. Twilight Summer Ale is a great compliment to those warm days and long nights where whole flower Amarillo, Northern Brewers, Cascade and Tettnang hops blend perfectly with sweet malts for a sensational seasonal ale. This clever, straw colored ale makes you think that you’re sippin’ on pure sunshine in a glass. Grab a 6-pack or two to share this summer ale with those you love most!

SEASONAL
5.0% ABV | 35 IBU’s
Availability: May-September in 6-packs, 12-packs and draft where Deschutes beer is sold

FRESH SQUEEZED IPA
Perfectly named, this beer tastes like freshly juiced hops with a hint of malt to provide the perfect balance of flavors and aromas. Citra and Mosiac hops give the beer its tangerine AND citrus-like flavors and are a perfect combination to create a “fresh hop” flavor without using fresh hops. Enjoy a pint of this magnificent IPA on your back porch, with friends or with your favorite home cooked meal and SQUEEZE every last drop from your bottle…

BOND STREET SERIES
6.4%ABV | 60 IBU’s
Availability: June-September in 22-oz bottles and on draft where Deschutes beer is sold

BLACK BUTTE XXV
Happy 25th Birthday to us! This luscious dark imperial porter has a dried fruit sweetness from figs and dates, chocolate notes from cocoa nibs, a slight tartness from added currants, and a hint of vanilla from Bourbon barrel aging. Grab a snifter at our pubs’ 25th Birthday Celebrations on June 27th or grab a bottle at a bottle shop near you. Since we are still aging this delicious brew, specs will soon be available on our website. Cheers to 25 years of craft beers!

RESERVE SERIES
ABV and IBU’s TBD
Availability: Limited availability in 22-oz bottles and on draft where Deschutes beer is sold beginning late June

Beer Review #99: Goose Island Bourbon County Stout

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bcsThe very first barrel-aged beer America stills stands strong today as Goose Island’s Bourbon County Stout continues to make beer headlines nationwide as one of/if not the best barrel-aged beer around. I got up very early on a cold Iowa Tuesday morning to capture the prize of a few four-packs of this brew, and was glad I did. As I have slowly evolved into a barrel-aged beer lover, I’ve come to appreciate what the booze offers a really good crafted stout. Earlier in my beer drinking days, I would have scoffed, and possibly spit this beer out proclaiming it to be too boozy and downright undrinkable, but now, I relish the opportunity to taste the vanilla from the bourbon and oak flavor from the barrel.

Goose Island has made many headlines in the beer world this last few years as the Evil Empire that is AB-InBev bought them out, and as much as I avoid buying the big 3, I’ve also come to appreciate that Goose Island hasn’t sacrificed their quality of product with the buyout…. yet, and I hope they never do.

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.”

I will be letting a few four packs age and hopefully at some point I can put together a vertical tasting of this beer, but as I was sipping the last one, (about 2 weeks ago), and as it warmed, it might have been the best barrel-age I’ve tasted. The aroma of the vanilla shines through the longer this beer sits, and as I finished the last half of it, it started tasting like a liquid form of an almond joy candy bar. Anyone else get that flavor? Such a great beer to sit and sip on, especially on a cold winter night! The alcohol warms you up nicely but does not overpower the fantastic flavor of this wonderfully well-crafted brew.  Cheers!

REVIEW

Style: Imperial Stout

ABV:15%

Purchased at: Hy-Vee

Pour: Viscous black pour, very thick.

Aroma: Bourbon sweetness, vanilla, coconut.

Flavor: Chocolate flavor, the bourbon is there, coconut is well. Liquid almond joy (that can get you drunk)

Ratebeer.com rating: 100/100

Beeradvocate.com rating: 100/100

Overall: A

My recommendation: A fantastic beer, proceed with caution as a few of these could put you on your ass pretty quick. If you are not into barrel-aged beers this would be something great to try with a group of people at a tasting event.

Top 25 Beers of 2012 (available in Eastern Iowa) Part 3 of 5

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top 2

I hope everyone had a great Christmas and got to drink some wonderful beers. I’m hoping to get this list done by New Year’s Day so here we go with part 3 0f 5.

NEXT 5

 

stoneStone Ruination 10th Anniversary IPA – Imperial IPA – 10.8%

Yes, another Stone brewery beer is on this list. But that has to tell you how great their beers are and how lucky we are to have them on our liquor/grocery store shelves in Eastern Iowa. This beer was my favorite of the year until I ran into their Enjoy By IPA, but still an amazing beer. Huge citrus hop presence in the nose and the flavor is much the same. It was one of those beers that you were lucky to try one, but if you saw 20 bottles you should buy the whole lot. Description from the brewery:

And as Stone Ruination IPA turns 10, we thought we’d make ourselves a nice little birthday present to celebrate. But what kind of selfish jerks would we be if we didn’t share?! Behold, the Stone Ruination Tenth Anniversary IPA. (Clever name, eh? That’s why us folks in the Marketing Dept. get the big bucks!) It’s an amped-up version of Stone Ruination IPA, with a bit more malt to bring the abv up from 7.7% to 10.8%, and a very heavy dose of hops. “Classic” Ruination uses 2.5 pounds of hops per barrel–which is more than double the amount we use in any other of our core beers–but for Stone Ruination Tenth Anniversary IPA, we went double again, using an impressive 5 pounds of hops per barrel, including about a pound each of Citra and Centennial in the dry hop. (Hell. Yes.)

Suggested Pairings, provided by “Dr.” Bill Sysak 
Appetizers: Kimchee, ceviche, bacon-wrapped jalapeños (or habaneros)
Entrées: Salt and pepper shrimp, jambalaya, roasted pork chops with apple sauce, pineapple curry 
Desserts: Apple pie with caramel sauce, toffee bars, spiced carrot cake 
Cheeses: Aged Cheddar, Parmigiano-Reggiano, Roquefort, Mimolette 
Cigars: Ashton Classic Majesty, Litto Gomez Diez, Don Pepin Garcia Blue Label Invictos Corojo Robusto

evil twinEvil Twin Biscotti Break – 8.4% – Imperial Porter

A perfect beer to drink during the winter months in Iowa. Nice robust flavors of nuts, biscuits, coffee, dark chocolate, and malts. The flavor is sweet, caramel and coffee dominate with a nice bitter finish. I’ve seen mixed reviews on this one and the price tag is relatively hefty, anywhere from $15-$20 for a bottle, but definitely worth seeking and trying in my opinion. From the brewery:

Editors note: the first edition was brewed at Fanø Bryghus, Denmark for the Beer cruise Rome-Barcelona, June 2011 and held 7.5% ABV. 

Porter made with espresso, vanilla and toasted almonds for the Beer cruise Rome-Barcelona, June 2011. Italy has a certain “je ne sais quoi” – fab food culture, highly decadent history of art and cool countryside. Some might argue the people are loud and flamboyant, they steal our women, and their soccer players melodramatically flop on the pitch. Listen – that’s all part of the secret Italian ingredient – keep it cool, confident, arrogant and extravagant. Forza Italia! 
Malt beverage with almonds, vanilla beans and coffee added.

double troubleFounders Double Trouble – 9.4% – Imperial IPA

Another relatively new brewery in Eastern Iowa this year that has multiple beers on my list. I think it goes to show that local breweries are going to have to up their game a bit to compete for shelf space with the craft beer greats such as Founders and Stone. Powerful double IPA with strong citrus flavor. Very drinkable and be cautious as it comes in at 9.4% ABV. Great stuff, can’t wait for spring release! 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.

 

 

hoptimum
Sierra Nevada Hoptimum – 10.4% – Imperial IPA

The first time I had this beer I was enjoying one with my brother. His first comment upon opening the beer is that it smelled heavily of weed, which I guess must be a good thing, because this beer blew me away. In your face hop presence in both aroma and flavor. A very aggressive beer, not for virgin craft beer drinker. From the brewery:

A group of hop-heads and publicans challenged our Beer Camp (#19) brewers to push the extremes of whole-cone hop brewing. The result is this: a 100 IBU, whole-cone hurricane of flavor. Simply put- Hoptimum: the biggest whole-cone IPA we have ever produced. Aggressively hopped, dry-hopped and torpedoed with our exclusive new hop varieties for ultra-intense flavors and aromas. 

Hops, hops and more hops are the stars of this big, whole-cone Imperial IPA. Resinous ‘new-school’ and exclusive hop varieties carry the bold and aromatic nose. The flavor follows the aroma with layers of aggressive hoppiness, featuring notes of grapefruit rind, rose, lilac, cedar and tropical fruit – all culminating in a dry and lasting finish. 

Beer specs: 
ABV: 10.4%
Original Gravity: 22.8 Plato
Final Gravity: 4.5 Plato
Bitterness Units: 100 IBU
Color: Orange Amber
Bittering Hops: German Magnum
Aroma Hops: Simcoe & New Proprietary Variety
Dry Hops: Simcoe & New Proprietary Variety
Torpedo Hops: Citra & Chinook
Malts: Two-row Pale, Golden Promise, Munich & Wheat
Yeast: Ale


great riverGreat River Redband Coffee Stout – 6% – Stout

Brewed in the great state of Iowa used with their local coffee shops coffee beans this an intense coffee stout. Huge coffee flavor that pairs perfectly the dark chocolate and roasted malts in this stout. Nice bitter finish that lingers for a bit. A great beer, and glad to have this made in Iowa. From the brewery:

We love our local roaster’s New Orleans Iced Coffee so much we decided to use their beans in our brew. Redband Stout is made with Indonesian and Ethiopian beans using our 18-hour cold brew extraction method, resulting in a satisfying brew with intense coffee aromatics. The marriage of two of our favorite beverages.

Millstream Brewing Brewmasters Extreme Series Lineup for 2013

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The following comes from Millstream’s website http://www.millstreambrewing.com/Brewmasters_Extreme_Seri.html.

Some new sounding beers being added to their Brewmasters’ Extreme series.

Here is what we have for the 2013 line up:

January – ?
March – Wit-less Hop Meister
June – Big Honey Hefeweissen
September – Pumpkin Imperial Stout
November – Blitzed Bliteen Baltic

Sounds interesting! Makes me look forward to next fall for their Pumpkin Imperial Stout!