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!

Time to Crack Deez Nutz

The squirrels have been busy this winter hiding their nuts. Today as the snow melted, I found one before they reached it. Now I get to enjoy it!

Deez Nutz is a peanut butter stout from Heaving Brewing in Gretna, Nebraska. A nice blend of roasted peanut and chocolate notes in a medium body. The finish is dry, and the roastiness lingers in this 6.9% ABV stout. I tend to like the drier peanut butter stouts than the sweeter ones.

I am happy to see Heaving Brewing already has some to-go beers. It made my day today!

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!

Rock Song, Cigar, or Oatmeal Stout?

A great Stout to enjoy on a cold, winter’s night

You would be correct if you answered yes to all of the questions! I have a feeling that Sweet Euphoria from Pint Nine Brewing Company was named after the song by Chris Cornell knowing James Watson’s music background!

This full-bodied Oatmeal Stout is super roasty and creamy. Check out that beautiful thick, tan head on this Stout; quite impressive, isn’t it! The mouthfeel is incredibly soft and allows coffee, chocolate, and nutty notes to come through. This Stout is a decent warmer coming in at 7.3% ABV.

So the next time you see a Euphoria fragrance commercial, think to yourself, I bet that is the feeling you get after having the Sweet Euphoria Oatmeal Stout.

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!

Treat Yo'Self

Need something to warm you up from a day of sledding?

The holidays are upon us and that means it is time for some decadent winter brews. Divots Brewery has created a Gingerbread Stout called Treat Yo’self that falls right in line!

This milk stout is dessert in a glass with a good punch of cinnamon and ginger. The honey and maltiness of this stout give you molasses characteristics especially upfront. The finish has a bit of spicy character to it which more in likely is the hops making their presence known.

I would definitely prefer this stout over a piece of cake or cookies for that holiday dessert! Winter brings great opportunities to enjoy some amazing flavorful brews. Hope you enjoy finding some!

Cheers!

An Early Visit From the Easter Bunny

Table for one please

I have many connections, but when the Easter Bunny sent me a message saying I have the most decadent coffee, coconut, and chocolate treat for you. Well my response was - I am in!

Much to my surprise, I was treated to an Hawaiian Trifecta from Boiler Brewing Company from Lincoln, Nebraska.

My ultimate trifecta - coffee, chocolate, and coconut

The trifecta comes from the three flavors of coffee, coconut, and chocolate. The nose on this beer absolutely reveals the coffee and chocolate! The coffee flavor rushes in with chocolate throughout. Midway through the coconut and sweetness of this beer takes over. The finish is very smooth and leaves those beautiful coffee notes.

This stout is so good. A very approachable one at 6% ABV. My recommendation to you is skip dessert and pour you a nice glass of the Hawaiian Trifecta!

Cheers!