The Weather Outside is Frightful, but this Stout is so Delightful!

There is another round of spring storms tonight. I was able to grab this photo as the rain started to fall. This imperial stout from Lupulin Brewing and Back Channel Brewing Co. has a fun name: Church Basement Pancake Breakfast. I don’t recall ever being in a church basement for a pancake breakfast, but if it is as good as this stout, I missed out on a good thing!

A nice creamy head greets you with coffee, maple, chocolate, and coconut notes. There is a sweetness upfront in the rich, thick body of this 10.5% ABV stout, which finishes with lots of chocolate and coffee. A treat that makes this Monday way better!

Cheers!

Dogfish Head World Wide Stout - 25 Year Anniversary

I was at a local store and saw a 4-pack of Dogfish Head World Wide Stout calling my name! I looked at the ABV of 15.5% ABV and thought for sure that it had to be barrel-aged. That is not the case; there has to be a ton of grain to get this stout to this level of ABV.

There is such an immense chocolate note upfront that is captivating—the decadence of the chocolate warms and finishes in a nice roastiness. The legs on this stout are incredibly clinging to the glass. It was a great experience to enjoy this one!

I look forward to saving the other three and having one each of the following years to see how the flavor changes!

Cheers to 25 years of World Wide Stout!

Hazy and Bright On a Cold Snowy Night

When I think of Deschutes Brewery, the first words that come to mind are “fresh squeezed.” The Fresh Squeezed IPA set a very high bar for Deschutes. When I found this Hazetron Imperial Hazy IPA, it was time to put it to the test!

Today was a snowstorm, and I needed something to remind me of warmer days. Hazetron is a perfect warmer, coming in at 8.0% ABV. The orange and stone fruit notes are what I get upfront. The body is soft, transitioning smoothly to a mild hop finish.

The hop profile consists of Simcoe Cryo and Experimental 630 hops. The one thing that is always difficult is getting a beer, not knowing how long it has been on the shelf. When I made my purchase, I checked the canned date, which was three months. Amazingly, Hazetron is still extremely fresh with no sediment flakes after 90 days!

Give this one a try to shed those winter blues.

Cheers!

The Spumoni of Bourbon County Stouts

It has been many years since I have had Spumoni. It is a layered delight of chocolate, strawberry, and pistachio ice cream. I believe that my grandmother introduced it to me. I do remember the combination of wonderful flavors!

Goose Island’s 2020 Proprietor’s Bourbon County Stout brings those flavors back together in this 14.2% ABV barrel-aged stout! The nose is definitely chocolate with a bit of oak and bourbon. The notes are chocolate-forward with a bit of vanilla. The middle introduces the bourbon. In the finish, I get tart cherry notes and the warmth of this big stout. I couldn’t pick up on the pistachios, but that flavor is usually very subtle in Porters and Stouts.

I am grateful to the friend from Chicago who gifted me this fantastic stout! It has been taken care of very well. This three-year-old stout, I would imagine, has changed from the original release date but has matured exceptionally!

Cheers!

Existential Bliss

Can you ever say you have experienced true bliss? Oh, the moment when the world stops, and there is nothing that can interrupt the way you feel. The first sip of Existential Bliss is that moment!

A collaboration between Humble Forager Brewery and Forager Brewery from Minnesota. This is one midnight dark, thick imperial stout! Chocolate and fudge notes like a brownie greets your tastebuds. The thick mouthfeel kicks in and has those whiskey notes I enjoy very much in a barrel-aged stout. The vanilla notes are less distinct to me, but I catch a glimmer in the finish.

Now to the crazy extremes, these breweries went to create this stout! The beer was aged for 19 months in Buffalo Trace, Bairdstown, Heaven Hill, Willet Rye, and Templeton Rye barrels. They then took vanilla beans from around the world, including Vanuatu, India, Uganda, Madagascar, and Ecuador. Match that up with cocoa nibs from Bolivia, Peru, Ivory Coast, Tanzania, and Fiji. Who goes to those extremes?

The result is an unforgettable 12.5% imperial stout! I have to shout out to my friends, the Buckleys, who allowed me to experience Existential Bliss.

Cheers!

This Monster is as Dark as Midnight

A coloration between Weldwerks and Cerebral Brewing

Halloween is quickly approaching with thoughts of ghosts, goblins, and scary monsters. For those old enough to remember the Thriller video by Michael Jackson, the lyrics of “It's close to midnight … Something evil's lurking in the dark” popped into my head. Fast forward to now, and this beast of an imperial stout is upon you. The dire screams of Monstrous De Medianoche - Monsters of Midnight ring throughout the room. I know there is only one way to sleigh the beast; we must drink it now!

I can’t imagine planning a collaboration where you are planning on barrel-aging the beer for 26 months! Weldwerks Brewing and Cerebral Brewing, both from Colorado, came up with the ultimate plan! Weldwerks’ Medianoche and Cerebral’s Here Be Monsters would be blended and stored in the same batch of 19-year Elijah Craig bourbon barrels. To finish this impressive recipe, each would pick their own adjunct.

The flavor of this beer is incredible! My first thoughts are of a marshmallow, vanilla liquid brownie. The bourbon notes are perfect coming in towards the backend with some oakiness and warmth. The mouthfeel is thick and soft, bringing great enjoyment to all of the flavors of this stout!

The ABV is not listed on the label, but my good friend Carole, who got me this incredible beer, asked Weldwerks, and they said it should be 12 - 14%.

So glad to get the opportunity to try this one!

Cheers!

Night Witch - 2022

The transition to fall and winter means fireplaces and warming Imperial Stouts! Lupulin Brewing from Big Lake, Minnesota, has crafted the temptress known as Night Witch. It is not even Halloween yet, but I will be thinking about this witch for a long time!

This 12% barrel-aged Imperial Stout is a rush of chocolate notes upfront. The middle is roasty molasses wrapped with a splash of bourbon. The body is very silky and has incredible legs.

There are a couple of insanely cool details about this stout. The first is that it was boiled all night. Now I am envisioning witches circling about the boil kettle. The second is this stout was aged in Heaven Hill and Buffalo Trace barrels for 19 months. Now that is a long time to wait, but well worth it!

What another great beer from Lupulin Brewing!

Cheers!

Mornin' Delight

The experience of Mornin’ Delight weekend is like no other!

My first sip of Mornin’ Delight from Toppling Goliath Brewing Co. brought back memories of Saturday morning growing up with mom making French toast and the noise of the percolator brewing coffee. Those two things were like heaven, and so is the imperial stout!

The nose of this stout is a rush of maple syrup aroma in this 2021 bottle of Mornin’ Delight. With this stout being a little chilled, the first taste reminds me of having French toast. As the stout warms, the coffee, vanilla, and chocolate note come through this silky body 12% ABV elixir!

Last year, I got to experience the release of Morin’ Delight. It was a great time meeting so many people from Toppling Goliath! Also, the atmosphere was so much fun! There were craft beer enthusiasts from all over the United States that came to participate in this great tradition!

It was a VIP experience that I will never forget!

Make your way to Decorah, Iowa to visit this amazing brewery.

Cheers!

A Tribute to Betty

Nothing better than a leather couch, fire place roaring, and a glass of 2020 MOAB

What does it take to be The Mother Of All Bettys? It is like saying what doesn’t it take to be the Mother Of Dragons but in a more significant way!

This Russian Imperial Stout from Nebraska Brewing Company is everything you love in Little Betty but amplified 100 times! The nose is bourbon and molasses. The deep, dark chocolate notes are impressive. A bit of dark fruit works its way in with the bourbon that adds to the flavor profile.

MOAB has a full mouthfeel that is also silky. The body is perfect for holding all of the flavors together. You would think that this beer having twice the average amount of malt and being double mashed would be overly sweet. This is not the case with this Stout that is so well balanced. How can that be? A good dose of Warrior hops is the key to balancing out the finish.

Nebraska Brewing Company does a great job barrel-aging beers. In terms of MOAB, the bourbon barrel definitely enhances without overpowering the flavor of this incredible Stout.

The 2020 version of MOAB came in at 13.7% ABV. A warming, fantastic Stout that everyone should experience in their life. If you get the chance, raise a glass and look to the stars remembering every great Betty that has walked this earth.

Cheers!

Ferrari Backpack

The answer is Ferrari Backpack. The question for me would be: What is one thing I own and one thing I will never have.

All joking aside, this imperial IPA is so indulging that you think it is probably only available for the rich and famous. Fortunately, they had this one tap and to-go on my first visit to Toppling Goliath Brewing Co.! A great collaboration with Lua Brewing.

The first thing I noticed when pouring this beer is the rush of tropical fruit aroma! My nose is not the best one around, but this was so distinct! The flavor has packed full of citrus and tropical fruit notes in a very nice soft body. The finish is a little dank with a nice balancing hop bitterness.

The hop blend is made up of Riwaka, Strata, Citra, Sabro, and Amarillo hops. That is a lot to take in! The ABV is at 7.8% but doesn’t seem like it. Such a great IPA!

Cheers!

This Royal Betty Has Nice Legs!

A perfect cold, rainy day that whispers time to enjoy a Little Betty! This imperial stout from Nebraska Brewing Company has been a favorite of mine for several years. It is the base recipe for a whole line of barrel-aged Bettys.

This dark stout has a beautiful, thick creamy head that is visually inviting to what you are about to experience. The rich chocolate notes upfront are incredible! The hint of sweetness in this full-bodied, silky imperial stout fades into a roasty balanced finish. Swirl this stout in a snifter, and you will see some amazing legs!

You would never guess this 9% ABV stout has 83 IBUs! Just an incredible brew that you must experience!

Cheers!

Your Argument is Invalid or is It?

I have been setting sipping and arguing with myself exactly over the flavor profile in this imperial stout. Your Argument is Invalid from Thunderhead Brewing in Kearney, Nebraska is a deep, dark, complex stout. I must admit my nose seems to be off a wee bit with a cold, but the aroma to me is dark fruit, chocolate, oak, and bourbon.

The longer I let this stout warm, the more the flavors are changing. The bourbon is definitely present throughout. The chocolate roastiness mixes in for me. The finish is big bourbon and some bitterness. Mouthfeel is very silky.

This is an 11.5% ABV imperial stout that was aged in bourbon barrels for 12 months. The head is thick and creamy in this bottle conditioned stout. I am not too sure how long this one has been in the bottle, but I would love to set aside one for a couple of years to see how it would turn out!

Winter calls for big beers and this is without a doubt one of them. Cheers!

Super Jubel Imperial Winter Ale

Layers of amazing flavors!

December is a month where I really enjoy finding different winter ales. I am fond of the unique flavors and also the warmth of these beers.

Deschutes Brewery has created this wonderful imperial winter ale that comes in a 10.4% ABV. My nose picks up cherry, grape, and oak notes. There is a nice malt forward sweetness with dark fruit especially plum and date notes for me. Next is this tart spiciness in the backend along with a very warming finish.

Such an intriguing brew! Aged in wine, brandy, and port barrels, you will experience so many different flavors! The thoughts of a night in the woods with snow on the ground, stars in the sky, and Super Jubel in my glass would be a night to remember!

Cheers!

Mucho Grande Flavor

Boiler Brewing Company in Lincoln, Nebraska continues to come up with some of the most unique, flavorful beers and this one is no exception. The Monte Grande is a Russian Imperial Stout with chocolate, coffee, and coconut. The triple crown of flavorful elements that sent my taste buds into a frenzy. The chocolate is well pronounced with a variety of Guatemalan cacao nibs. The chocolate hits you up front and then a nice coconut and coffee finish. I was impressed on how much coffee flavor I got out of this. Truly a king of beers. Cheers!

Iron Strong but Smooth as Silk - Iron Joe

Oak aged with Avoca Coffee

So I first met Iron Joe at a beer fest this winter and immediately loved how unique this beer is from Rahr & Sons Brewing Co in Fort Worth, Texas.  While raising the glass you get a whole lot of coffee aroma along with notes of whiskey and oak.

The coffee flavor is up front right there where you like it. Very silky mouth feel and just a little bite at the end from the barrel aging.  This is such an easy drinking beer even though it is at 8% ABV.

If you get a chance, I recommend trying this one especially if you like coffee beers! 

Looking forward to trying more beers from Rahr & Sons. 

Cheers!

Hey is That Peanut Butter in My Imperial Coffee Porter?

Hands down my favorite Peanut Butter Imperial Porter

Most of you already know that I love a good coffee stout or porter. Now what you may not know is that I am very fond of chocolate and peanut butter together also!  So when I found about the Peanut Butter Victory at Sea by Ballast Point, I had to try it.

The aroma for me is a chocolaty sweet smell. I don't get a ton of coffee aroma from the Caffe Calabria coffee. The flavor is very rich with a lot of chocolate and vanilla up front. In the middle I pick up some coffee notes along with the peanut butter. The back end is very roasty and just a hint of bitterness from the 68 IBUs. 

This 10% Imperial Porter is a great beer on a cold winters night. I enjoyed it immensely! 

Cheers!

The Lord Of Ord

This amazing Imperial Stout is definitely a work of art and could be put on the mantle. The impressive mixture of dark malts and barrel aging creates a immense about of chocolate and coffee flavor. This imperial comes in at 12.6% ABV and is one to enjoy every sip!  Great job Scratchtown Brewing Company - adding another awesome beer to the Sandhill's Finest growing list!