Chocolate

Posted in Birdsong Brewing Co., Seasonal Return

Peppers & Bourbon: Birdsong Turtles on Pterodactyls returns on Valentine’s

Birdsong Turtles on Pterodactyls,  a small batch release series returns to spotlight on Valentine’s Day.

Truly a beer name you won’t forget, with a flavor you won’t forget, Turtles on Pterodactyls is first and foremost in imperial stout aged in bourbon barrels. When the beer was first released 4 years ago, that’s exactly what it was. Now there’s more turtle and more Pterodactyl. Birdsong has added cinnamon, coffee from Central Coffee Company, cocoa nibs, and serrano peppers into the recipe.

One day, friendly Dino turtles were caught in a volcanic corruption – the dangers time to be slow and steady. Fortunately, the vigilant Pterodactyl Rescue Squad noticed just in time! The dactyls swoops down with a thunderous call! And hitched the turtles to the rescue vests. Hot lava covered the earth but the turtle dudes were safe and sound. Want to be a pterodactyl? Harness their brave and gentle spirits but sharing this beer with a dinosaur loving friend. Cowabunga!

Birdsong Turtles on Pterodactyls is a part of the brewery’s Take Flight Series. 16-ounce cans are available in the taproom when it opens on February 14th.

Style: Imperial Stout (w/ Coffee. Cinnamon, Cocoa Nibs. Serrano Peppers. Barrel Aged. Bourbon.)
Hops: Columbus
Malts:2 Row, Marris Otter, Roasted Barley, Chocolate, Caramel 60, Carmel 120, Black

Availability: 16oz Cans, Draft. Brewery release.
Latest Return: 2/14/19

8% ABV

by Reid Ramsay
Posted in Great Divide, Don't Miss This, New Releases

New Yeti Sighting: Great Divide Chocolate Cherry Yeti

Great Divide Chocolate Cherry Yeti is the latest “Yeti” to join the on-going series.

The Denver, Colorado-based brewery’s Yeti Imperial Stout is easily one of the most well-known for the style in the U.S. Since its inception, the “Yeti Clan” as the brewery calls it, has grown to include Oak Aged, Chai Yeti, Vanilla Oak Aged Yeti, and Barrel Aged Yeti. As 2019 gets rolling, Great Divide has released a new edition – Cherry Chocolate Yeti.

This release uses the epic Yeti Imperial Stout base and blends sour cherries and cacao nibs.

The roasty malt backbone of Yeti melds perfectly with the cherries and cacao to make this one a smooth sipper. A Yeti in a cherry orchard can be a great thing!

Great Divide Chocolate Cherry Yeti is available in 12-ounce bottles and draft.

Style: Imperial Stout (w/ Cocoa Nibs. Cherries.)
Availability: 12oz Bottles, Draft.
Debut: Late January 2019

9.5% ABV

by Reid Ramsay
Posted in Terrapin Beer Company, Seasonal Return

Terrapin Liquid Bliss (chocolate peanut butter porter) returns

Terrapin Liquid Bliss, the brewery’s chocolate peanut butter porter is making a return this year.

Some of you might remember this peanut buttery release as Terrapin Side Project #14 from 2014.

The cocoa nibs are the same found in Moo-Hoo from Olive & Sinclair in Nashville, Tennessee. Combine that with peanut butter powder, and dessert is served. A powdered form of peanut butter is used because fats and oils from regular peanut butter would make the beer oily, and flat when you pour it.

The brewery is releasing about 800 barrels across their entire market, making it a fairly limited release.

Terrapin Liquid Bliss is available in 12-ounce cans and draft.

Style: Porter (w/ Cocoa Nibs, Peanut Butter)
Hops: US Golding
Malts: 2-Row Pale, Wheat, Crystal 86, Crystal 120, Chocolate, Chocolate Wheat, Black

Availability: 12oz Bottles, Draft. Year Round. Entire Terrapin Distribution.
Latest Return: January 2019

6% ABV

by Reid Ramsay
Posted in NoDa Brewing, Coming Soon

The chocolatey-est, most peanut buttery NoDa Brewing beer returns on January 25th

NoDa Captain Peanut Butter’s Chocolate Revenge returns to the brewery’s lineup again on January 25th.

The Charlotte, North Carolina based brewery touts this release as the “The chocolatey-est, most peanut buttery” version of this beer to date. NoDa Captain Peanut Butter’s Chocolate Revenge is an imperial porter brewed with cocoa nibs and peanut butter. You really can’t go wrong with chocolate and peanut butter.

A big, malty and smooth Imperial Porter brewed with a massive load of cocoa nibs to give dark chocolate notes and roasted peanut butter to add a rich twist to this imposing dark beer.

NoDa Captain Peanut Butter’s Chocolate Revenge is a taproom-only release, in 16-ounce cans on January 25th at 2 pm.

Style: Imperial Porter (w/ Cocoa Nibs, Peanut Butter.)
Availability: 16oz Cans. Taproom.
Debut: 10/25/16
Latest Return: 1/25/19

9.2% ABV

by Reid Ramsay
Posted in EPIC Brewing Company, Don't Miss This

Epic Quadruple Barrel Baptist is big, bold, and blew us away

In the world of imperial stouts filled with various dessert-like additions, Epic Quadruple Barrel Big Bad Baptist stands alone. This big bottle of ridiculous is how you make a decadent pastry stout.

Big Bad Baptist was supposed to be released under another name – Jack Mormon Imperial Stout, back in 2011. Epic Brewing made a barrel-aged imperial stout brewed with Jack Mormon roasters coffee. Unfortunately, the state of Utah rejected the “Mormon” name, even though it was a homage to their coffee roaster.

Brewery co-founder Dave Cole is a California Baptist and decided to integrate his real-life “Big Bad Baptist” roots into the name.

In that first year, Big Bad Baptist scored a 100 on RateBeer.com, and still maintains that high mark today.

Since the launch, variants of this coveted imperial stout have been released, including a Double Barrel, Triple Barrel, and Big Bad Baptista Imperial Stout. Each one takes a creative step forward. Now there’s Epic Quadruple Barrel Baptist and it really is the best Baptist we’ve ever had.

The brewers at Epic racked their imperial stout to both whiskey and rum barrels. Meanwhile, the team barrel-aged their own coffee beans, coconuts, and almonds. Basically, the only thing that’s not barrel-aged is the cocoa nibs. You might read all that and think, there’s just too much going on here.

You’re not wrong. There are some imperial stouts out there that are packed with chocolate, vanilla, strawberries, lactose, even cookies, and cereal. Some taste great. Some of these coveted imperial stouts are just muddled in flavor. That’s how Epic got this beer right. Scroll up and read everything the brewery put in the beer. Now read the next paragraph.

Every flavor is present in every sip. Your first taste starts with this rich, chocolaty imperial stout which gives way to a balance of subtle almond, coffee, and coconuts that finishes with a mix of vanilla oak and toasted rum sugar. That’s what blew us away. All these flavors are very much there in a beautiful balance, from start to finish. To us, that’s the crossroad of imagination and brewing talent. Epic didn’t just throw all the buzz-worthy additions to a barrel-aged imperial stout and expect a line outside. This is a symphony of barrel blending, and we were some morose tipsy folks when the bottle ran dry.

Epic Quadruple Barrel Big Bad Baptist is available in 22-ounce bottles – an extremely limited release hitting distribution now.

Style: Imperial Stout (w/ Chocolate. Barrel Aged Coffee. Barrel Aged Coconut. Barrel Aged Almonds. Barrel Aged. Whiskey. Rum.)

Hops: Nugget, Chinook, Cascade.
Malts: Muntons Maris Otter Malt, Briess 2-Row Brewers Malt, Crystal Muntons, Weyermann Light Munich Malt I, 2-Row Chocolate Malt 2-Row Black Malt, Roasted Barley.

Availability: 22oz Bottles. Extremely Limited Release.
Debut: Late Oct/Nov 2018

12% ABV

by Reid Ramsay
Posted in Firestone Walker Brewing, Coming Soon

Firestone Walker Mocha Merlin is back in cans for fall

Firestone Walker Mocha Merlin is back in Paso Robles, California based brewery’s lineup again for fall.

In 2014, the brewery released a Velvet Mocha Merlin, an oatmeal stout is infused with coffee beans and cocoa nibs. That beer appeared as a part of The Winter Bundle that year. Assuming the beers are related, Mocha Merlin follows the same creamy, coffee path.

The brewery’s can lineup includes DBA, Pale 31, Union Jack IPA, Easy Jack IPA, Pivo Hoppy PIls, Luponic Distortion and new Leo v. Ursus.

Firestone Walker Mocha Merlinis available for a second time 12-ounce cans and draft.

Style: Oatmeal Stout (w/ Coffee, Cocoa Nibs)
Availability: 12oz Cans, Draft
Debut (Cans): Fall 2017
Latest Return: October 2018

5.5% ABV

PIC: Beer Street Journal

by Reid Ramsay
Posted in The Unknown Brewing Co., Coming Soon

Unknown Brewing The Teleporter debuts in cans for the first time

Unknown Brewing The Teleporter will be available in cans for the first time on September 28th.

The brewery’s robust porter is brewed with cocoa nibs from Asheville, North Carolina’s French Broad Chocolates and coffee from Enderly Coffee Company.

These ingredients give this beer a wonderful nose of coffee and chocolate, a creamy tan head, and rich mocha taste.

Look for Unknown Brewing The Teleporter in 16-ounce cans in the brewery’s taproom in Charlotte, North Carolina starting September 28th.

Style: Robust Porter (w/ Coffee. Chocolate. Lactose.)
Availability: 16oz Cans, Draft.
Debut: 9/28/18

7.2% ABV

by Reid Ramsay