Barrel Aged

Posted in Monday Night Brewing, Don't Miss This, New Releases

Throwout the playbook on barleywines. Monday Night Entente Cordiale just changed the rules

For years now we’ve tried various attempts at brewers recreating the famed “chocolate orange” dessert in fermented form. Quite a few came close. Monday Night Entente Cordiale gets it right.

First of all, throw out everything you know about a barleywine. You won’t need that info here. Sure, Monday Night Entente Cordiale is a barleywine, or at least was – at one point in time. What is it now? A symphony of nuanced flavors that hide the 13% alcohol by volume perfectly.

“Every bit of this beer is intentional,” says Peter Kiley, Monday Night’s Head Brewer. “We didn’t just have some empty barrels and decide to throw something into them.”

As a kid, Kiley loved the Chocolate Orange candy, especially around Christmas. They are pretty big in England, plus the base beer being an English-style barleywine, the idea was already taking shape. Monday Night’s first barleywine appeared back in 2014, at the hands of the brewery’s creative (experimental) brewer, Josh Johnson. “It came out great,” Kiley says, but like everything else we are doing, it about finding the time to scale up the recipe and do it right.

Kiley stuck with thoughts of Chocolate Orange dancing in his head, and Johnson with his English-style barleywine, Monday Night Entente Cordiale was born.

Every addition to Entente plays into the stylistic weakness. Barleywines are big and boozy and hard to approach for some. Cognac barrels plus some fresh orange zest add a citrusy flavor to the big caramel notes of the base beer. The almost creamy, dessert-like flavor is thanks to whole cocoa nibs and vanilla beans Entente Cordiale was laid to rest for months on.

Kiley and Johnson absolutely nailed it. For years we’ve drank various beers inspired by the Chocolate Orange candy. Many come close. Monday Night achieved it in the most unlikely way, with the most unlikely style. No imperial stout or even English-style porter here. A barleywine that is high on the alcohol by volume but you wouldn’t know it, that tastes like a creamy, subtle mix of the chocolate orange candy or dare we say it – Grand Marnier.

All in all, that what you can expect from Monday Night’s new Garage facility. Creative, deliberate beers. “The Garage will be innately polarizing,” says Kiley. “People will most likely love it or hate it.”

Monday Night Entente Cordiale has limited availability in market now, on draft and 750-milliliter bottles.

Style: Barleywine (w/ Cocoa Nibs. Orange Zest. Vanilla Beans. Barrel Aged. Cognac.)
Availability: 750ml Bottles, Draft.)
Debut: Christmas Week, 2017

13% ABV

About the name: Entente Cordiale was a series of agreements signed on April 8, 1904 between the United Kingdom. Ireland and the French Third Republic which saw a significant improvement in Anglo-French relations.

by Reid Ramsay
Posted in Schlafly Brewing, Don't Miss This, New Releases

Far from evil & damn tasty: Schlafly The Devil’s Farmhouse

Schlafly The Devil’s Farmhouse joins the Rare Ibex Series on December 22nd.

Schlafly Brewery is one of the biggest names in Saint Louis, Missouri brewing. The 26-year-old brewery is known for a great many beers, but none so hard to come by as the Ibex Rare Series. Don’t feel bad if you aren’t too familiar with Schlafly Ibex. They are truly limited to just a few thousand bottles, whenever a beer decides that it’s ready.

For the second time this year, the Ibex Rare Series has born another unique fruit – The Devil’s Farmhouse. The name doesn’t conjure up thoughts of Christmas, but the design and rarity are indeed perfect for the season. Something truly special, worth sipping with loved ones.

A plethora of malts, including rye, wheat, and dark malt is what the Brettanomyces has been feasting on for over a year. This is no ordinary farmhouse ale. It’s every bit as dark, brooding and complex as the devil himself, hardened by 18 months of aging in wine barrels with sweet red cherries and black currants. Every sip is a wave of farmhouse Bretty funk, tart, and fruity flavors, with the slightest hint of oak. You are sipping little nuances of oaky time, captured in a sexy 750-milliliter bottle.

No this isn’t a beer for mass consumption. Nor is it something easily replicated. It’s beer and brewer passion, elevated. In this case, the devil is truly in the details.

Schlafly The Devil’s Farmhouse will be available starting December 21st in the brewery’s tap room, plus limited distribution, $30 dollars each.

Style: American Wild Ale (w/ Black Currants. Cherries. Wine Barrel Aged.)
Availability: 750ml Bottles. Limited release.
Debut: 12/22/17

7.5% ABV

by Reid Ramsay
Posted in The Bruery, Coming Soon, Don't Miss This

The Bruery PB & Jelly Thursday is coming to the Reserve Society in 2018

The Bruery PB & Jelly Thursday will be available to the Reserve Society members in 2018.

The “Weekday” Series is home to Grey Monday, Black Tuesday, and Mocha Wednesday, each of variable rarity. Last year The Bruery’s Reserve Society was home to PB & Thursday, a variant of barrel-aged Black Tuesday brewed with peanut flour. Basically peanut butter Black Tuesday.

Next year, Reserve Society members can claim The Bruery PB & Jelly Thursday. This sandwich inspired spin on Black Tuesday is brewed with peanut flour, boysenberries, and salt. The end result has to be the most alcoholic peanut butter and jelly sandwich every made (in beer form) clocking in at 19.2% alcohol by volume.

It won’t stick to the roof of your mouth, but it will impart layers of peanut character and fruity sweetness to the bourbon notes of our revered, barrel-aged imperial stout.

The Bruery PB & Jelly Thursday will be available in 750-milliliter bottles only to those in the Reserve Society in 2018.

Style: Imperial Stout (w/ Peanut Flour. Boysenberries. Barrel Aged. Bourbon.)
Availability: 750ml Bottles.
Debut: 2018

19.2% ABV

by Reid Ramsay
Posted in Hoppin' Frog Brewing, Don't Miss This

Big frog. 17.4% Hoppin Frog Barrel Aged Gavel Slammer debuts on Black Friday

Hoppin Frog Barrel Aged Gavel Slammer will be available on Black Friday. 

Huge. Best descriptor for this big beer. On Black Friday, Hoppin Frog Barrel Aged Gavel Slammer. The 17.2% alcohol by volume dark has been aged in brewery selected whiskey barrels.

Barrel-aged over-the-top ale like no other, with a truly magnificent character from aging in select whiskey barrels. Rich, aromatic, lively and dark, with layer after layer of roasted, toasted, and caramelized malts, beautifully balanced from the oak barrel. We’ve done our part, slamming the hammer down for freedom from alcohol limits.

Hoppin Frog Barrel Aged Gavel Slammer will be available in 12-ounce bottles at 10 am on November 24th.

Style: American Strong Ale (Barrel Aged. Whiskey.)
Availability: 12oz Bottles. Brewery only release.
Debut: 11/24/17

17.4%, 65 IBUs

by Reid Ramsay
Posted in New Holland Brewing, Don't Miss This

A whopping 20% ABV & aged in rum, New Holland 20th Anniversary debuts soon

New Holland 20th Anniversary Ale debuts on Black Friday.

2017 marks the Holland, Michigan based brewery’s 20-year mark. Two decades begs for a big beer and the brewery delivered.

New Holland 20th Anniversary is a strong ale that weighs in at a full 20% alcohol by volume, that has been aged in rum barrels for almost a year.

“We aged this ale in rum barrels for almost a year, and the results are phenomenal. The rum character really shines through and complements the beer.” Jason Salas, Brewery Production Manager

New Holland 20th Anniversary will be available at the brewery’s Michigan locations in 22-ounce wax-dipped bottles on November 24th.

Style: American Strong Ale (Barrel Aged. Rum.)
Availability: 22oz Bottles, Draft. Limited Release
Distribution: No
Debut: 11/24/17

20% ABV

Image: New Holland

by Reid Ramsay
Posted in Don't Miss This

NEED. Cigar City Double Barrel Vanilla Imperial Milk Porter debuts Saturday

A new drool-worthy barrel-aged release is coming to Tampa, Florida this weekend. Cigar City Double Barrel Vanilla Imperial Milk Porter.

Back in 2011, Cigar City released Imperial Milk Porter, that had been aged in Stranahan Whiskey barrels. That beer was a creamy, boozy, dream of a beer. Still one of the best beers we’ve had in 10 years here at Beer Street Journal.

Sadly, that beer had to go away after Breckenridge Brewing formed an exclusive partnership with Stranahan. No more whiskey barrels would be headed to the Sunshine State.

This weekend a new beer that sounds awfully like the sexy that was Imperial Milk Stout will rise – Cigar City Double Barrel Vanilla Imperial Milk Porter. The 12.7% alcohol by volume milk stout has been aged in both vanilla bourbon and straight bourbon barrels.

According to the brewery, Double Barrel Vanilla Imperial Milk Porter will be available in 22-ounce bottles in the taproom starting Saturday, November 4th.

Style: Imperial Milk Stout (w/ Lactose. Barrel Aged. Bourbon.)
Availability: 22oz Bottles
Debut: 11/4/17

12.7% ABV

by Reid Ramsay
Posted in Evil Twin Brewing, Headlines, New Releases, Westbrook Brewing Co

WHALE: Evil Twin Double Barrel Aged Imperial Mexican Biscotti Cake Break debuts

Evil Twin Double Barrel Aged Imperial Mexican Biscotti Cake Break, a double-barreled variant of the epic mash-up release, is now available in bottles. 

This beer is a mashup that started off the coast of South Carolina. Mount Pleasant, South Carolina’s Westbrook Brewing was also one of the U.S. homes to Evil Twin Brewing on a contract basis. Each of the two breweries have a very popular dessert-style beer offering. Evil Twin’s is Biscotti Break, an imperial stout with flavors mimicking the coffee shop dessert. Westbrook celebrated an anniversary a few years ago with Mexican Cake Imperial Stout. As it turns out, that beer was so popular the brewery has been releasing it annually ever since.

Ultimately pretty epic. Evil Twin Imperial Mexican Biscotti Cake Break

Since both beers were brewed in the same house by friends, last year Evil Twin and Westbrook combined the two together creating Imperial Mexican Biscotti Cake Break. The best of both worlds in under one cap. Needless to say, your palate had a lot to sort out with each beautiful sip.

Popping up now is the epic mashup that has seen multiple barrels – Evil Twin Double Barrel Aged Imperial Mexican Biscotti Cake Break.

The imperial stout brewed with coffee, cinnamon, almonds, cocoa nibs, vanilla and habanero peppers has been resting in both bourbon and marsala wine barrels, resulting in an even more complex beer than before. It’s enough to make any barrel-aged beer fan sweat.

Evil Twin Double Barrel Aged Imperial Mexican Biscotti Cake Break will be available in 22-ounce bottles in very limited quantities. The first bottles surfaced around Halloween.

Joining this double barrel bottle of ridiculous is Evil Twin Maple Bourbon Barrel Aged Imperial Mexican Biscotti Cake Break. 

Happy Hunting.

Style: Imperial Stout (Coffee, Cinnamon, Almonds, Cocoa Nibs, Habanero Peppers. Barrel Aged.)
Availability: 22oz Bottles
Debut: Late October/November 2017

10.5% ABV

by Reid Ramsay