Topic Archives: Imperial Stout

Posted in Mother Earth Brew Co, New Releases

Mother Earth Coconut Cake Imperial Stout joins 4Seasons Series

Mother Earth Coconut Cake Imperial Stout

Forget lighter beers as spring rolls around. Mother Earth Coconut Cake Imperial Stout is bucking the trend. In this case, warmer weather means barrel-aged.

Mother Earth’s 4Seasons Series arrives quarterly release that represents some of the best and unique creations in their brewing lineup. This imperial stout is brewed with toasted coconut, chocolate, vanilla, and lactose, and as a final flourish – aged in bourbon barrels.

“… What you’re getting here is a very complex ale with oak, caramelized sugar, and coconut dominating the palate, with a silky mouthfeel and dessert-like finish…” – Chris Baker, Director of Brewing Operations

Mother Earth Coconut Cake Imperial Stout is available for a limited time in 16-ounce cans.

Style: Imperial Stout (w/ Coconut. Chocolate. Vanilla. Lactose. Barrel Aged. Bourbon.)
Availability: 16oz Cans
Debut: Late March 2021

11.8% ABV

Posted in Monday Night Brewing, New Releases

Monday Night Benevolent Overlord joins Black Tie Series

Monday Night Benevolent Overlord

Monday Night Benevolent Overlord joins the Atlanta-based brewery’s Black Tie Series today.

This more “formal” series from Monday Night is home to heavy-hitting beers like Fistful of Cake Imperial Stout variants, Barrel-Aged Drafty Kilt, and Space Lettuce Imperial IPA.

Benevolent Overlord is a double mash imperial stout, brewed with hazelnuts and coffee.

Loaded with coffee and hazelnuts, complemented by flavors of milk chocolate and vanilla. At 12.2% ABV, this boozy beer will impress the most discerning rulers.

Monday Night Benevolent Overlord is available in 16-ounce cans in both of the brewery’s taprooms starting January 22nd.

Style: Imperial Stout (w/ Coffee. Hazelnuts.)
Availability: 16oz Cans.
Debut: 1/22/21

12.2% ABV

 

Posted in Coming Soon, Don't Miss This, Sierra Nevada

Coming Soon: Sierra Nevada Barrel Aged Peanut Butter Cup Narwhal

Sierra Nevada Barrel Aged Peanut Butter Cup Narwhal

October 2012 was when the beer world first got a taste of Narwhal Imperial Stout. The beer joined Sierra Nevada’s “High Altitude” Series, shortly after the brewery had debuted another huge stout – 30th Anniversary Imperial Stout. Soon, it looks like another Narwhal will be spotted – Sierra Nevada Barrel Aged Peanut Butter Cup Narwhal.

This is far from the first variant of Narwhal that Sierra Nevada has released. The brewery’s Trip in the Woods Series has seen Barrel-Aged Narwhal with red and black currants, as well as Barrel-Aged Cocoa Coconut Narwhal.

As for  Barrel Aged Peanut Butter Cup Narwhal., the artwork is all we have right now, presumably brewed and both Chico, California and Mills River, North Carolina locations, and at a minimum – available in both gift shops.

Hold tight as this flavored Narwhal Imperial Stout dives to new depths, an abyss that’s rich with cocoa nibs, peanut butter flavor, and hints of vanilla from bourbon barrels. No need to unwrap candies, power the legendary dessert right into your glass.

Barrel-Aged Peanut Butter Cup Narwhal Imperial Stout is a 16-ounce can or bottle release.

Style: Imperial Stout (w/ Peanut Butter. Cocoa Nibs. Barrel Aged. Bourbon.)
Availability: 16oz Cans or Bottles.
Debut: TBA

12.7% ABV

Posted in Headlines, Wild Heaven Craft Beers

Wild Heaven debuts a rare collaboration with Bulleit Bourbon

Wild Heaven Bulleit Collaboration

Nearly 10 years ago, the craft brewing world was just a fraction of what it is now. IPAs were see-through and the more bitter they were, the better. Beer style guidelines were still very much a thing, and barrel-aged beers were gold. “Bourbon Barrel-aged” was all you needed to emit a Pavlovian-style response to the thirsty beer geek. It proved your street cred.

A lot has happened since those days, besides the obvious 10,000 brewery swell from coast to coast. IPA has gone through quite a few phases. Sour beer has made a big name for itself. Food and candy now have a near-permanent home in many brew kettles. Barrel-aged beer never went away, but feels a bit like it’s not the cool kid in school anymore.

At Wild Heaven in Atlanta, barrel-aging was never a trend, it’s something brewmaster Eric Johnson just did. Quite artfully, I might add. Hell, the brewery was at least 3-4 years into operations before releasing their first IPA because Johnson wanted intention as well as science to have roles in the beer’s creation. Not some trend mandate. Simply stated, doing something just to do it isn’t in his vocabulary (unless it’s drinking).

A Bourbon Opportunity

Bulleit Frontier Whiskey has become a household name in Kentucky Bourbon over the past decade. You’d be hard-pressed to find a bar that doesn’t have Bulleit on their shelf. If you were a brewer hoping to snag some wet barrels to throw your imperial stout into, you were out of luck.  Years ago, founder Tom Bulleit told Beer Street Journal almost all of the distillery’s wet barrels were shipped to Scotland. Frankly, the idea of aging beer in Bulleit barrels seemed foreign to him at the time when we asked about it. Over the past year, that mentality has changed.

The distillery and the brewery incidentally share the same distributor in the Peach State, Georgia Crown. GC brought the barrel opportunity to Wild Heaven who eagerly agreed.

Other than collaborations with Guinness in 2019, this Bulleit and Wild Heaven creation is just the second barrel-aging collaboration that Bulleit has done (that we know of).

It’s 2020, and you COULD throw everything from chicken wings to gummy bears in a Bulleit barrel, rip off some throwback 90’s cartoon artwork, and call it a day. Again, that’s not Eric Johnson’s style, and probably not Bulleit’s either. “I wanted to go with beers that would really compliment the wood and the original spirit,” Johnson says.

The Beers

Two beers are born out of this collaboration, using both Bulliet 95 Rye and Bulleit Bourbon barrels. Each one a classic beer style crafted to express what beer and bourbon can create together. “I liked the idea of pairing a big Scotch ale that featured dried dark fruits, smoky peaty notes, and hints of molasses with the warm spiciness with the Rye barrels.” The original bourbon barrels were home for months to an imperial stout that leans hard into rich chocolate and coffee. 

“That one drinks like vanilla chocolate milk and is just downright dangerous,” Johnson adds.

The first of the two releases is 95 Shilling, aged in Bulleit Rye. 16-ounce cans and very limited draft debut this week.

437 Miles South Imperial Stout (the distance from the brewery to the distillery), aged in original Bulleit Bourbon debuts in December.

This is part one of a two-part series on collaboration. Image: David Cone Films

Posted in Founders Brewing, Coming Soon, Headlines

Founders KBS Maple Mackinac Fudge is coming in October

Founders KBS Mackinac Fudge

Founders KBS Maple Mackinac Fudge, a variant of the well-known Kentucky Breakfast Stout, debuts in October.

This is just the second variant the brewery has released of KBS after KBS Espresso debuted earlier this year. This edition is brewed with Mackinac Fudge Coffee and maple syrup, then aged in oak bourbon barrels.

READ MORE: FOUNDERS KBS SERIES

“We’ve been enjoying beers brewed with the Mackinac Fudge coffee in our taproom for years, and now we’re finally bringing that treatment to KBS. It takes the chocolate flavor traditionally found in KBS to a whole new level.  Add in a hint of maple syrup and now you have an elegant, yet explosive new flavor experience.” – Brewmaster Jeremy Kosmicki.

Founders KBS Maple Mackinac Fudge will be available in the taproom on October 8th, shipping nationally shortly after, with the exception of Mississippi. The estimated retail price is $24 dollars/4 pack.

Style: Imperial Stout (w/ Coffee. Maple Syrup. Barrel Aged. Bourbon.)
Availability: 12oz Bottles. Limited Release.

Debut: Early October 2020

11% ABV

 

Posted in Three Taverns Brewery, Coming Soon

Three Taverns Double Snack debuts this weekend

Three Taverns Double Snack

Decatur, Georgia’s Three Taverns Double Snack debuts in large bottle format this weekend – formerly known as Midnight Snack.

Double Snack’s base in a bourbon barrel-aged imperial stout, brewed with coffee, cherry, chocolate, and hazelnuts.

If you like dessert flavors, bourbon, and coffee, this beer will blow you away!

This 12.5% alcohol by volume decadent beast is available for pre-sale on the Craftcellar app starting today, for pickup this weekend.

Style: Imperial Stout (w/ Hazelnuts. Coffee. Cherries. Chocolate.)
Availability: 750ml Bottles. Limited Release.
Debut: 6/6/20

12.5% ABV

Posted in Creature Comforts, Coming Soon

Creature Comforts ‘Well, I Declare’ coming in March

Creature Comforts Well, I Declare

Creature Comforts Well, I Declare debuts in March.

The base beer for this upcoming release is an imperial stout, brewed with toasted pecans, cocoa nibs, and aged on American oak spirals. Creature Comforts really wanted to showcase the pecan crop from Fort Valley, Georgia based Pearson Farm.

The cocoa nibs are sourced from Condor Chocolates in the brewery’s hometown of Athens.

500-milliliter bottles of Creature Comforts Well, I Declare will be available at the brewery on March 14th.

Style: Imperial Stout (w/ Toasted Pecans, Cocoa Nibs. Aged on Oak Spirals)
Availability: 500ml Bottles. Brewery Only.
Debut: 3/14/20

12% ABV