Chocolate

Posted in The Bruery, Don't Miss This

The Bruery 9 Ladies Dancing, inspired by tiramisu debuts

The Bruery 9 Ladies Dancing is officially the 9th edition of the brewery’s on-going 12 Beers of Christmas.

Back in 2008, the Placentia, California based brewery launched the series with Partridge in a Pear Tree, a Belgian-style strong dark ale. If you try to buy that now, you might spend nearly $1,000 dollars trying to obtain it.

The idea is not only to celebrate Christmas, but also for the beers to be cellared until the completion of the series. Don’t let that stop you from drinking any of them now, though. Life is short.

The Bruery 9 Ladies Dancing is inspired by tiramisu dessert. The base imperial milk stout is brewed with cacao nibs, vanilla and coffee.

Here’s a pick me up for the latest verse in our “Twelve Days of Christmas” series. Inspired by flavors and ingredients found in tiramisu, including ladyfingers, 9 Ladies Dancing mimics the Italian dessert by whipping together flavor combinations and layers of its own. This includes notes of vanilla, chocolate and coffee – clearly the leading ladies in this rich, dessert-like beer.

The Bruery 9 Ladies Dancing will be a 750 milliliter bottle release staring in November, 2016.

Style: Imperial Milk Stout (w/ Vanilla Beans, Cacao Nibs, Coffee.)
Availability: 750ml Bottles, Draft. One-time Release.
Debut: November, 2016

11.3% ABV

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

One of the most labor intensive beers out there has to be Rogue Rolling Thunder

Rogue Rolling Thunder, is a barrel aged imperial stout. Think that’s not very unique in the beer industry these days? When it comes to this beer, think again.

For the barrel-aged beers you’ve had in the past, the process looks like this – buy wet bourbon whiskey barrels, brew a big imperial stout. Place in barrels. Wait. Bottle.

For Rogue to do the same thing… they just wouldn’t be Rogue. This is the “Rogue” way to release a barrel-aged imperial stout. Grow your own hops and malts in nearby Independence and Hood River, Oregon. Mash in on a new brew at your brewhouse in Newport, Oregon. Take some of that beer mash and distill in into white whiskey. Cooper your own barrels. Char those barrels. Age your whiskey those barrels. Take the whiskey out, and put your homegrown, imperial stout in those barrels. Age, and bottle.

Absolute insanity. Also, a way to take “craft” to the next level.

Rogue Rolling Thunder Imperial Stout is a culmination of their own farmers, brewers, coopers, distillers, and by-hand swing top packaging team. Brewed with eight different grains, Rogue Liberty and Freedom hops, plus brown sugar, dark cherries, vanilla and chocolate. Then aged for six months in Dead Guy Whiskey barrels.

Rolling Thunder is on shelves now, but limited. A big, luscious beer with dessert-like qualities, full of chocolate, vanilla and of course, whiskey flavors. Rogue wasn’t stingy on the size either. Drink this beer with friends. Keep in mind the homegrown ingredients and talents spanning hundreds of miles across Oregon it took to make this beer.

Rogue Rolling Thunder is available in 1 liter swing top bottles, in limited quantities starting July 15th. and if you are lucky, still waiting for you on a shelf near you.

Style: Imperial Stout (w/ Brown Sugar, Dark Cherries, Vanilla Beans, Chocolate. Barrel Aged. Whiskey.)
Availability: 1 Liter Swing-Top Bottles
Debut: 7/15/16

11.8% ABV

by Reid Ramsay
Posted in The Bruery, Headlines

The Bruery Share This Mole is the next “Share This” beer

The Bruery Share This Mole will be the next chapter in the brewery’s “Share This” series.

Back in June, The Bruery released the first beer in the lineup of collaborative and charitable stouts – Share This Coffee Imperial Stout. Not only is the beer great for sharing with friends, but it also gives back.  From each bottle purchased, one dollar is donated to  Free Wheelchair Mission’s efforts in the Philippines. The non-profit organization provides wheelchairs at no cost to people with disabilities living in developing nations. The partnership with The Bruery will provide 550 people in the Philippines with new mobility. That beer generated some $50,000 dollars for the non-profit.

The Bruery Share This Mole Imperial Stout is brewed in collaboration with Chef Anne Conness, whose creative dishes can be found at the local restaurant  Sausal. Being surrounded by some amazing Mexican food as well as Chef Conness, a mole stout was and easy choicee.

Mole Imperial Stout is brewed with a blend of ancho and chipotle peppers, plus vanilla, cinnamon, and cacao nibs.

To help The Bruery develop an authentic flavor profile they worked with Chef Anne Conness, herself a Certified Cicerone®. After a lot of hard work (and some delicious tamale pie), Share This: Mole was born; an Imperial Stout with ancho chilies, chipotle peppers, cinnamon, vanilla and cacao nibs.

The Bruery Share This Mole Imperial Stout will be available in 750 milliliter bottles for a limited time on November 11th. 

Style: Imperial Stout (w/ Cinnamon, Vanilla Beans, Cacao Nibs, Chili Peppers.)
Availability: 750ml Bottles
Debut: 11/11/2016

11.1% ABV

by Reid Ramsay
Posted in Sixpoint Craft Ales, Don't Miss This

Sixpoint 5 Beans, an exotic spin on the imperial porter

Sixpoint 5 Beans, the next iteration of the brewery’s “bean” nomenclature, is headed to shelves.

The New York based brewery started the “beans” series with 3 Beans back in 2013, a Baltic porter brewed Stumptown Coffee Beans, Mast Brothers cacao beans, and Romano beans in the beer’s mash. The final beer was aged on toasted oak.

Then came 4 Beans, which brought vanilla beans into the fold as bean number 4.

Sixpoint 5 Beans has joined the family lineup, featuring cacao, coffee, romano, and vanilla beans, plus one more – black cardamom. The oily, smokey pod adds an exotic flair to this already strong ale.

We gathered 5 BEANS from the bazaar to create a cultural phenomenon; a melting pot of cacao, vanilla, coffee, and cardamom creates our original Turkish inspired porter. It’s Mad Science.

Sixpoint 5 Beans is available in 12 ounce cans starting in late October, 2016.

Style: Baltic Porter (w/ Romano Beans, Vanilla Beans, Cacao Nibs, Coffee, Black Cardamom.)
Availability: 12oz Cans
Debut: Late-October, 2016

10% ABV

by Reid Ramsay
Posted in New Belgium, Headlines

Meet New Belgium Chocolate Chip Cookie Dough, the next ice cream inspired beer

New Belgium Chocolate Chip Cookie Dough hits shelves by month’s end. This is the second ice cream inspired beer, and collaboration with the ubiquitous Ben & Jerry’s.

This time last year, New Belgium released the very first Ben & Jerry’s partnership release – Caramel Brownie Brown Ale. The beer was paired with a Ben & Jerry’s special release ice cream by the same name to pair along with it. The beer was good. So was the ice cream, if you could find it. We never did unfortunately.

Things are different in 2016 with New Belgium Chocolate Chip Cookie Dough Ale. If you didn’t know, Chocolate Chip Cookie Dough is B&J’s number one selling ice cream flavor. It is also the most readily available flavor. See where we are going with this? Unless you live on your own island, there is a beer and ice cream pairing in your future.

Now, about this beer. Please never expect a beer to taste exactly like the food that inspired it. Most are flavor interpretations. Go in with that expection, and you’ll have so much more fun with beer.  The base for this Cookie Dough is a blonde ale, brewed with cocoa nibs, brown sugar and vanilla beans. The flavor dotes more on the “dough” aspect of the ice cream, rather than the full-on richness of the dessert. Great by itself, and even better if you calorically spluge on the ice cream as well. Go ahead. No judgement here.

A portion of the proceeds from the New Belgium Chocolate Chip Cookie Dough Ale will be donated to Protect Our Winters, a non-profit organization that raises awareness of climate change.

The brewery’s Folly Packs will see the beer first, followed by 6-packs going into November, 2016.

Style: Blonde Ale (w/ Cocoa Nibs, Vanilla Beans, Brown Sugar.)
Availability: 12oz Bottles, Draft. One-Time Release
Debut: Late October, 2016

6% ABV

by Reid Ramsay
Posted in Goose Island Brewing, Coming Soon

Goose Island Bourbon County Maple Rye Stout has been left to age

Goose Island Bourbon County Maple Rye Stout will not be a part of the brewery’s Bourbon County Series this year. The brewery will be leaving it to age in barrels longer.

The Bourbon County Series returns on Black Friday each year. In recent years the lineup has expanded with a few new variants. Among those Proprietor’s edition aged in maple syrup bourbon barrels, to be released solely in Chicago. The 2016 lineup will include Bourbon County Stout, Bourbon County Barleywine, and Bourbon County Coffee Stout.

After a few barrel pulls, the brewing team has determined Goose Island Bourbon County Maple Rye Stout won’t be ready for the light of day in 2016. The beer needs more time before considering whether to release it.

This edition features the base imperial stout, aged in both bourbon and rye whiskey barrels with maple syrup, cacao nibs, and chipotle peppers. When and if it will ever be released remains to be seen.

Style: Imperial Stout (w/ Maple Syrup, Cacao Nibs, Chipotle Chili Peppers. Barrel Aged. Rye Whiskey.)
Availability:
Debut: No Date Set

13% ABV

Ed note: Corrected the barrels used in Proprietor’s 2016 to reflect bourbon. 

by Reid Ramsay
Posted in Goose Island Brewing, Don't Miss This

Goose Island Bourbon County Stout Proprietor’s early? Join this lottery

Goose Island Bourbon County Stout Proprietor’s 2016 will be available to a select few a week early this year. All you have to do is win the lottery.

Next month marks the return of Goose Island Bourbon County Brand Stout nationally, hitting taps and shelves on while everyone shops on the infamous Black Friday. Those located in Chicago get an extra treat – Goose Island Bourbon County Stout Proprietor’s. Available in Chi-town on one day only.

Beginning October 18th and running through Tuesday, October 25th, Goose Island will run a lottery. Winners selected by the system will get two tickets for the Bourbon County Stout Proprietor’s release. Each ticket will allow the guest to purchase 1 bottle of Proprietor’s, as well as select Bourbon County vintages, as well as attend the celebration in the Barrel Warehouse. You can entry the lottery once per day.

About this year’s Goose Island Bourbon County Stout Proprietor’s.

This year’s edition will not feature scotch whisky barrels. The brewery has whisky barrels, but opted to go the traditional bourbon route for 2016. BCBS “Prop” features the imperial stout aged in bourbon barrels that previously aged maple syrup, along with chipotle peppers and cocoa nibs.

Goose Island Bourbon County Stout Proprietor’s is only available on Black Friday in Chicago.

Style: Imperial Stout (w/ Chipotle Peppers, Cocoa Nibs, Maple Syrup. Barrel Aged. Bourbon.)
Availability: 16.9oz Bottles. Limited.
Debut: Black Friday, 2016

?? ABV

by Reid Ramsay