Madhouse Brewing Releasing Sour Beers starting in May

April 22, 20151 Comment

Madhouse Brewing Company out of Des Moines will start releasing sour beers coming this May according to their website. Here’s more courtesy of Madhouse’s webpage:

SOUR/BRETT BEER

Madhouse sour beers are uniquely American. We do not try to replicate European styles, but instead use the New World tradition of borrowing Old World techniques from countries including Belgian, Germany, and France to produce innovative new beers. Our sours are made with a unique house blend of yeast (including Brett) and lactic acid bacteria.

COMING MAY 2015!!

Satori Saison- Tart and funky saison.

A.M. Haze- Dry hopped with Amarillo and Mosaic.

Sour Diesel- Dark sour ale.

Blue Dream- Blueberry sour ale.

Hitting Shelves: Wasatch, Green Flash Silva Stout, Oberon Returning, Madhouse El Hefe

March 12, 20151 Comment

Some new beers will be hitting Eastern Iowa shelves soon. 2 new releases, one of which will be extremely difficult, and an old standby returns. If you know of any new beers hitting shelves feel free to drop me a line! Here we go:

Wasatch Polygamy NITRO Porter – this beer will be available in 12 oz bottles and will be a new year round release for Wasatch brewery. Here’s more on this beer courtesy of Wasatch and thefullpint.com:

To date there are less than a handful of breweries successfully packaging nitrogenated craft beers.

“Getting nitrogen to pour properly in a bottle is about a hundred times more challenging than nitrogenating a keg.” Schirf said. “I could not be prouder of our guys putting their cumulative brewery experience of more than a hundred years together and pulling off a game-changing achievement in the craft brewing industry. You really have to try it to fully appreciate the love.”

The Wasatch Polygamy Nitro Porter aroma comes off as cocoa in the nose from the use of chocolate malt. The silky smooth texture and mouthfeel is provided by fine nitrogen bubbles.

To enjoy the ultimate experience of nitro beers, it requires an aggressive approach. “Pour it harder into your favorite glass and enjoy watching a bazillion little nitrogen bubbles make their way to the top of the glass,” brewmaster Dan Burick says. “Watch the beautiful dark mahogany fluid that Polygamy Porter is cascading through the rising bubbles. This necessary foreplay creates a dense head of foam that invites you to enjoy a silky smooth Porter.”

Wasatch Brewery has been bottling a four percent session Polygamy Porter since 2001. Recognized at World Beer Cup and winning gold and silver awards in the session category. The name and edgy taglines – Take some home to the wifes! Why have just one? I’ve tried polygamy. – have grabbed the attention of craft beer drinkers over the years. It is not difficult to see it was time to add to the fun.

Green Flash Silva Stout – a beer I’m really excited for is Green Flash’s Silva Stout. This is their double stout aged in oak bourbon barrels and comes in at 10.1%. Everything I’m reading online tells me this beer will for sure hit the Des Moines market with Doll in April but be extremely limited; I haven’t heard about when/if Eastern Iowa will see this brew. Here’s more from Green Flash:

Our Double Stout ages in oak bourbon barrels, and artfully emerges as Silva Stout. This midnight black ale features elegant notes of oak, vanilla, dark chocolate, coffee, roasted barley and ripe cherry. Round and delicately balanced in body, each sip envelops the palate with its impressively complex craft composition.

BLACK ALE AGED IN BOURBON BARRELS

IBU’S: 45 ABV: 10.1

Bells Oberon Returns March 23rd – an always popular beer for the late spring/early summer months here in Iowa is Bells Oberon. This American Wheat beer will make its return on March 23rd. More from Bells:

Bell’s Oberon is a wheat ale fermented with Bell’s signature house ale yeast, mixing a spicy hop character with mildly fruity aromas. The addition of wheat malt lends a smooth mouthfeel, making it a classic summer beer.

From thebeerstreetjournal.com:

Oberon release day was so popular the last few years, that a pint was poured every 15 seconds for 15 hours.

**Madhouse Brewing El Hefe** – A beer I’m very excited to try comes to us from our friends at Madhouse Brewing! El Hefe is a Mexican stout brewed with chili peppers, cacao nibs, vanilla beans, and cinnamon sticks, and barrel aged. Extremely limited bottle release but check it out at their taproom THIS WEEKEND!

Wood-Aged Weekends: Presented by Madhouse Brewing Company

February 18, 20151 Comment

I just received the following email from Madhouse Brewing. The food sounds amazing and the beer sounds even better. Check it out if you are in the area!

When: Fridays, 5-9pm.

Where: Madhouse Brewery, 501 Scott Ave Des Moines, IA 50309

What: This winter, Madhouse will be releasing 4 barrel-aged beers in subsequent weekends, each representing a particular country of origin. These brews will be available on tap throughout the weekend of their release (Thurs-Sat), and thereafter will be available in 750ml bottles at Madhouse Brewery. (el Hefe will be distributed to select retailers on a very limited basis)

The Friday evening of each weekend, HoQ restaurant will be onsite serving paired dishes from 5-9pm. Food options will cost around $6 and the cuisine will draw inspiration from the featured beers country of origin.

Feb. 20: Mussel Frites paired with High Tucker Belgian Dark Ale

Feb. 27: Seafood Shepherds Pie paired with London Harlot English Stock Ale

March 6: Potato Fritters paired with Weak Ender Scotch Wee Heavy

March 13: Big Steak Tacos paired with el Hefe Mexican Stout

Also Check out our Deal on Living Social Here!

For more info-

Brewing phone- 515-988-5535

info@madhousebeer.com

Thoughts from the Brrr Fest

January 26, 2015January 26, 20153 Comments

Another successful Coralville Brrr Fest is in the books and it’s amazing how much better the beers and breweries are now then when this started 4? years ago. So many excellent breweries bringing their best beers and adding the Mellow Mushrooms pizza was a nice touch as well. Pizza and beer, tough to beat. I tried many outstanding beers on Saturday but here are the ones that stuck out for me: **515 Brewing – OJ IPA and Mediocre Pale Ale – I’ve had OJ a few times and enjoy it every time. Dave from 515 mentioned something about this batch being messed up but I thought it tasted excellent as always. The mediocre was an excellent surprise. Mosaic hop was showcased making this an awesome pale ale. **Big Grove Brewing – Progeny and Mellow Drama – I’ve had progeny before but for some reason it was tasting extra good on Saturday. I was getting ton of peach flavor and had to go back for seconds. The Mellow Drama is a collab beer with other Iowa breweries. Very smooth and delicious. **Exile Brewing – Beaknik Sour – tons of cherry in this beer and with Exile bottles hitting Eastern Iowa I would love to see a bomber of this brew show up on our shelves. Excellent stuff. **Galena Brewing – Brett Michels Saison – despite the name I really enjoyed this saison. Tons of spice on this saison making it wonderfully refreshing and flavorful. Would love to see this in bottles! **Lion Bridge Brewing – GAZPROM! and Maple Disaster – GAZPROM! is a barrel aged russian imperial stout with maple syrup added. A very smooth RIS and the syrup adds just the perfect amount of sweetness. Would love more of this! The maple disaster is a barrel aged brown porter with maple syrup. This beer was so good I had to the brewery the day after just to get some more. Great things happening at this brewery! **Madhouse Brewing – VIP – although it wasn’t on tap I still need a pour of this brew. My favorite Madhouse offering and thankfully I have a few bottles in the cellar yet. **Third Base Brewing – Another Passe IPA- glad to see this on the tap lines as I had it at the brewery a few weeks ago and really enjoyed it. Third Base flies under the radar a bit but I find myself taking the whole family for some good food and tasty brews. **West O Brewing – Coco Stout – the gold medal winner lived up to that honor pouring a wonderful thick stout that was full of flavor. An excellent stout. **Overall, another terrific experience. The breweries were all very friendly and engaging. This event keeps getting bigger and better so make sure you secure a ticket next year, because if this year is any indication, there will more and more excellent brews to try.

Madhouse Brewing Barleywine Release Party Nov. 20 info

November 14, 20141 Comment

2014 Madhouse Barleywine Release Party

Where: Madhouse Brewing Company. 501 Scott Ave. Des Moines, IA. 50309

When: Thursday, Nov. 20^th. 6-10pm.

What: Madhouse will be hosting an open house to celebrate the release to two barrel-aged Barleywines:

2014 Barleywine. Aged 10 months in Tennessee whiskey barrels. 10.5% abv. Aromas of butterscotch, whiskey, caramel and oak. Rich and creamy texture with flavors of brown sugar, fig, molasses, and baking spice.

2014 Gnarlywine. Barelywine aged 20 months in Jasper Winery Port barrels. 13.0% abv. Dark fruit and currant aromas blend with caramel and chocolate flavors.

This will be the first opportunity to purchase bottles of these products. Tastings and pints will also be available. We will also be opening remaining bottles of 2013 Barleywine for sampling.

Extras-

Bottle Share: Guests are encouraged to bring bottles of home-brewed or commercial examples of their favorite Barleywine for sharing.

Meats and cheese samples will be available which are selected by Madhouse staff to pair with Barleywine.

Music provided by DJ Brodacious

For more info-

Brewing phone- 515-988-5535

info@madhousebeer.com

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

Madhouse Iowa Hops IPA Release Party Info

December 6, 2013Leave a comment

Just 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.

Madhouse Brewing Belgian Golden Ale releases next week!

June 19, 20133 Comments

The 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!

iabeerbaron’s 10 Beers for Summer

May 29, 20133 Comments

The weather is getting warmer, the grass has just been mowed, and there are various meats sizzling on the grill. You’re conflicted as you reach into your beer fridge and try to decide what beer to go with. Do you go with a lighter pils, a higher ABV IPA, or a dark, thick, stout? The answer? All three are perfect for summer weather! Now I know that most people like to have sessionable beers for summer, but don’t think that a stout doesn’t go down smooth and refreshing on a nice summer evening, or that a big IPA can’t be enjoyed on your deck as you watch your kids play. I could go the route of listing a bunch of sessionable beers but let’s make it fun throw everyone in the pool. All styles are fair game this time of year, and here is my breakdown of what to enjoy this summer. (All available in Eastern Iowa). Sidenote: I know that I most likely left out some beers unintentionally so feel free to add your favorites.

10. Madhouse Hopburst
Brewery: Madhouse Brewing
City: Newton, IA
Style: American IPA
ABV: 7.2%
Website: www.madhousebeer.com
A wonderful American IPA brewed right here, in the great state of Iowa. A great balance of malt and hops make this an easy pick for a very enjoyable summer beer. Enjoy this beer with a bratwurst loaded with sauerkraut, spicy mustard, and onions or a thick ribeye cooked medium rare. Perfect!

9. Millstream Big Honey Hefeweisen
Brewery: Millstream Brewing
City: Amana, IA
Style: Weizen Bock
ABV: 9.2%
Website: www.millstreambrewing.com

Another Iowa brewed beer making the list and this is a big boy! A huge aroma and flavor of bananas, rounded out by cloves and tons of honey make this a fantastic beer for a crisp fall day/evening, but also makes for the perfect ending to a warm summer day as well. Enjoy this beer with a big scoop of vanilla ice cream to end the evening.

8. Bells Oberon
Brewery: Bells Brewery
City: Kalamazoo, MI
Style: Wheat Ale
ABV: 5.8%
Website: www.bellsbeer.com
Moving onto a more “sessionable” and distinct beer for the summer. Bells Oberon ale is usually on everyones’ summer list when it’s time to talk summer beers, and rightfully so. Citrus and spice flavor make this a very refreshing summer beer pick. Pair this with some grilled fish and a tomato avocado salad and all will be well with your day.

7. Lost Coast Tangerine Wheat
Brewery: Lost Coast Brewery
City: Eureka, CA
Style: Fruit Beer
ABV: 5%
Website: www.lostcoast.com

Summer can’t be complete without a trip out west to California. A staple in my fridge throughout the summer months is Lost Coast’s Tangerine Wheat. Not only do I enjoy one or two of these but it is the perfect beer to have on hand for the BMC drinkers to enjoy as well. It seems that most BMC loyalists will always welcome a fruit beer, not sure why, but anyway, this brew has a low ABV and a refreshing tangerine presence. Tough to pair fruit beers but a light salad with a tangerine wheat vinaigrette would do nicely or some shrimp tacos with spicy salsa.

6. Saison Dupont Farmhouse Ale
Brewery: Brasserie Dupont
City: Tourpes-Leuze, Belgium
Style Farmhouse/Saison
ABV: 6.5%
Website: brasserie-dupont.com/
I have really taking a liking to saison styles in the last 6-7 months and it’s all thanks to this beer. Saison Dupont has everything you need in a saison: barnyard qualities, grassiness, banana, black pepper spice, and citrus. Amazing beer for a summer day. This beer would go perfect with a herb seasoned beer can chicken stuffed with lemons and onions!

5. Founders All Day IPA
Brewery: Founders Brewing
City: Grand Rapids, MI
Style: IPA
ABV: 4.7%
Website: www.foundersbrewing.com

Association sessionable to IPA isn’t usually ones’ first thought. But Founders Brewing has created a beer that will appease both hopheads and also people who want to sit around at a camp out and drink a six-pack or two of really good beer. Take it on a picnic with a bucket of fried chicken and coleslaw!

4. Summit Oatmeal Stout
Brewery: Summit Brewing
City: St. Paul, MN
Style: Sweet Stout
ABV: 4.7%
Website: www. summitbrewing.com

A popular summer destination for my family is supper at The General Store Pub in Stone City, IA. Why? Good bar food, a great locale, and Summit Brewing Oatmeal Stout on tap! A wonderfully, creamy stout, easy to drink and hard to put down your glass. Goes well with some fried foods or just on its own.

3. Boulevard Tank 7 Farmhouse Ale
Brewery: Boulevard Brewing
City: Kansas City, MO
Style: Farmhouse
ABV: 8.5%
Website: www.boulevard.com

A beer that is moving up my “favorites” list is Boulevard’s Tank 7 Farmhouse Ale. Boulevard hits an absolute home run with this brew, and coming in a 8.5%, a bomber of this, an all-beef hot dog with sauerkraut, jalapeños spicy, mustard, dill pickle relish, and an L.A. Dodger game will do just fine.

2. Green Flash Imperial IPA
Brewery: Green Flash Brewery
City: San Diego, CA
Style: Imperial IPA
ABV: 9.4%
Website: www.greenflashbrew.com

Man do I love this beer. The description of this beer says, “It’s all about the hops!” and there’s no doubt about it. An in-your-face Double IPA with amazing citrus flavor that is slightly balance by malts. My favorite Green Flash beer so far. Smokey, sticky, mouth-watering BBQ ribs and a bomber of this Imperial IPA make for quite an evening.

1. Toppling Goliath pseudoSue
Brewery: Toppling Goliath Brewery
City: Decorah, IA
Style: American Pale Ale
ABV: 5.8%
Website: www.tgbrews.com

Described as an American Pale Ale this beer has more hop presence than some IPAs on the market. If you are craft beer lover from Iowa I’m guessing you’ve had this beer, if not, you must try! All craft beer lovers for that matter! Toppling Goliath is starting to put their name on the craft beer map nationally and this is one of the beers responsible for that. Hard to come by in bottles for the time being but hopefully soon they will be cranking them out quick enough to meet or come close to the demand. Second to none and goes great with some spicy chicken wings, a medium cooked hamburger with grilled mushrooms and swish or just enjoy this work of art by itself.

**Once again, a fun list to come up with, a fun list to drink, but I know I left some beers out. Feel free to add comments and let me know what your favorite beers of summer are. Cheers! **

iabeerbaron's 10 Beers for Summer