Imperial Stout

Posted in Stone Brewing Co., Don't Miss This, New Releases

Stone Farking Wheaton w00t Stout 2017 hits shelves

Stone Farking Wheaton w00tstout 2017 has returned to shelves this month. This year marks the fifth release of this geek collaborative.

In 2013, Greg Koch of Stone Brewing teamed up with Will Wheaton (aka Wesley Crusher from Star Trek: Next Gen) and Fark.com founder Drew Curtis. The collective created Stone Farking Wheaton w00tstout, an imperial stout with pecans and rye malt that was partially barrel aged.

2014 brought w00tstout 2.0, and a new actress into the collaboration, Aisha Tyler.

The imperial stout finish is softened by the wheat presence, and nuanced by pecan and bourbon soaked oak. A fun break from the lighter beers of summer. Yes, you could cellar it, but keep in mind, it’s quite good fresh.

This barrel-aged palate-saver has been a favorite among our fans—and us—since its inception in 2013. Pecans, wheat, flaked rye and bourbon-soaked wood provide this whopping, complex superhero version of an imperial stout with a profound complexity that makes it ideal for cellaring—if you can wait that long. Now, we can’t say this beer bestows superpowers, exactly, but your taste buds may just be fooled into believing as much.

Stone Farking Wheaton w00tstout 2017 is a 22oz bottle and draft offering.

Style: Imperial Stout (w/ Pecans, Rye, Barrel Aged. Bourbon)
Hops: Target
Availability: 22oz bombers, Draft
Distribution: AL, AR, AZ, CA, CO, CT, DC, DE, FL, GA, IA, ID, IL, IN, KS, KY, LA, MA, MD, ME, MI, MN, MO, MT, NC, NE, NH, NJ, NM, NV, NY, OR, PA, RI, SC, TN, TX, VA, VT, WA and Puerto Rico

Arrival: July, 2017

13% ABV, 65 IBUs

Stone Farking Wheaton w00tstout 2016 Trooper

PIC: Beer Street Journal

by Reid Ramsay
Posted in Jester King Brewery, New Releases

Jester King Cherry Funk Metal, a fruited sour stout

Jester King Cherry Funk Metal debuts July 7th.

Earlier this year when the Austin, Texas based brewery was blending Funk Metal (a sour barrel-aged stout), they split off a portion of the blend. That blend was re-fermented with Balaton cherries.

Jester King Cherry Funk Metal will be available in 750 milliliter bottles, available starting a 4 pm on release day. $22 dollars each.

Style: Sour/Wild Ale (w/ Cherries)
Availability: 750ml Bottles (1,300 available)
Debut: 7/7/17

9.5% ABV

Image: Jester King 

by Reid Ramsay
Posted in Burial Beer Co, Seasonal Return

Burial Seasoned Skillet (aka barrel aged donut stout) heads to bottles

When Burial Beer Co.’s Skillet Donut Stout has gotten some barrel-aged treatment in the past as a draft only rarity. Finally last May, the brewery bottled it for the first one. This June, Seasoned Skillet bottles will be available at the brewery once again.

Burial Seasoned Skillet is a Barrel-aged riff on Skillet Donut Stout, one of the brewery’s most popular beers. It’s an oatmeal stout brewed with molasses, milk sugar, and a 50/50 blend of Big Trouble and Hologram Counter Culture Coffee.

The finishing touch is the 9 months in Willet Bourbon barrels. (Last year was bourbon barrels.)

Bottles of Burial Seasoned Skillet go on sale again June 3rd at the brewery in Asheville, North Carolina.

Style: Imperial Stout/Oatmeal Stout (w/ Coffee, Lactose, Molasses Sugar. Barrel Aged. Bourbon.) 
Malt: 6-Row
Hops: Nugget

Availability: 750ml Bottles
Latest Return: 6/3/17

9% ABV

by Reid Ramsay
Posted in New Holland Brewing, Coming Soon, Headlines

Campfire beer. New Holland Dragon’s Milk Reserve S’mores is coming soon

New Holland Dragon’s Milk Reserve S’mores is coming to the coveted “Reserve” series in the near future.

By now, the Holland, Michigan based brewery’s Dragon’s Milk, an imperial stout aged in bourbon barrels, is pretty iconic. For years, New Holland has been releasing a year-round imperial stout, which has garnered a bit of a cult following. For many, a barrel-aged imperial stout knows no season.

Rewarding that love of big stouts, the brewery created the Dragon’s Milk Reserve Series, a special series that takes Dragon’s Milk to new heights. Entries into the series include the ridiculously tasty Coconut Rum, Vanilla Chai, and hitting shelves now – Mexican Spice Cake. Soon, your campfires can be enhanced by S’mores Dragon’s Milk Reserve.

This future 11% alcohol by volume imperial stout boasts hints of toasted marshmallow and graham cracker (plus, it’s aged in bourbon).

Hints of toasted marshmallow and graham cracker compliment the chocolate character of Dragon’s Milk, giving this Reserve a flavor reminiscent of campfires and summer nights.

New Holland Dragon’s Milk Reserve S’mores will be available in 12 ounce bottles and draft. The brewery has not yet announced this release.

Style: Imperial Stout (w/ Marshmallow, Graham Cracker. Barrel Aged. Bourbon.)
Availability: 12oz Bottles, Draft.
Debut: TBA

11% ABV

by Reid Ramsay
Posted in Founders Brewing, Headlines

Founders KBS rises again. One of the best years we’ve ever tasted

Founders KBS. Still one of the most widely known beers in America. As we roll into the spring filled days of April, KBS is making its national return.

In case you are someone that has never had the joy of Founders KBS, make it your goal this year.

According to Founders, Kentucky Breakfast Stout (KBS) is the most sought after beer they produce in their Grand Rapids, Michigan home. (Counter argument: whisper the letters CBS near a beer geek and see what happens.) The phenomenon can be traced back to over a decade ago.

Around 2001. 

Over the years of covering KBS releases at Beer Street Journal, we’ve mentioned little pieces of the story of how this beer came to be, and it all starts in 2001. Co-founder Dave Engbers was eating chocolate covered espresso coffee beans that a taproom regular had given him. After washing the beans down with a porter, the meshing of coffee, chocolate, and beer nuances gave him an idea.

2003. 

The brewery’s other co-founder Mike Stevens called the Jack Daniels distillery and asked for used bourbon barrels to fill with beer. According to Founders, that was a bit of a silly thought in the early 2000s. Those first barrels were filled with Breakfast Stout, another fan favorite, and left to age. The duo were close to mimicking the flavors in found in that taproom epiphany from the previous year. Something was still missing.

The birth of KBS.

We’d like to tell you there was some sort of “Birth of Christ” moment that brought Kentucky Breakfast Stout into the world. Ultimately, like every brewery tweaking recipes it was a few simple changes – the addition of espresso beans and chocolate to a new imperial stout base. The beer phenomenon was born.

The meteoric rise to fame eventually sent the barrel-aging underground to a nearby gypsum mine that Founders uses to age KBS for a full year. What was once just two barrels has grown to 1,000s in order to quell the thirst of the barrel-aged loving horde. Even with a football field’s worth of oak, that still won’t be enough.

2017.

Write this down. The 2017 edition of Founders KBS is stunning. Stop listening to some know-it-all that will try to tell you that this beer wasn’t as good as it was (insert year here.) With any barrel-aged beer, there will ALWAYS be minor flavor fluctuations. This isn’t pale ale we are talking about here. This year’s release is big on vanilla flavors, that turn over to a symphony of chocolate and coffee, finishing with a lingering alcoholic heat. This is the good you need in your life.

Founders KBS debuts nationally once again starting April 1st in both bottles and draft. New for 2017 – 750 milliliter bottles.

Do us a favor. Don’t sit on this beer. Don’t wait for some special day in the future that may never come. Open it with friends or loved ones. No better time like today.

Style: Imperial Stout (w/ Coffee. Chocolate. Barrel Aged. Bourbon.)
Availability: 12oz Bottles, 750ml Bottles, Draft.
Latest Return: 4/1/17

11.8% ABV

Image: Beer Street Journal

by Reid Ramsay
Posted in New Holland Brewing, Headlines, New Releases

New Holland Dragon’s Milk Reserve Mexican Spice Cake debuts in special series

New Holland Dragon’s Milk Reserve Mexican Spice Cake join the special “Reserve” series of beers starting in April.

This series is centered around the brewery’s Dragon’s Milk, a bourbon barrel-aged imperial stout. You might see the subtitle “Unlimited Release,” as it’s year-round.

The Dragon’s Milk Reserve Series is known for different spins on the brewery’s barrel-aged imperial stout, like Rum Barrel Coconut, Vanilla Chai Spice, and a high alcohol by volume Triple Mashed. Soon, look for New Holland Dragon’s Milk Reserve Mexican Spice Cake will join the coveted lineup.

The “Mexican Cake” flavor has become a popular one in beer, combining flavors of cinnamon, chilis and vanilla. New Holland aged this beer for 3 months  in bourbon barrels, with toasted chiles, cocoa nibs, vanilla beans and cinnamon. A real popular beer every time It has been offered.

“The chocolate character in Dragon’s Milk is enhanced by the soft chili heat and mellowed out by the flavors of vanilla and cinnamon. It’s simply delicious and continues to show how well Dragon’s Milk can play with new flavors..” – Joel Petersen, VP of Beer Marketing

New Holland Dragon’s Milk Reserve Mexican Spice Cake is available in 12 ounce bottles and draft for a limited time, starting April 1st.

Style: Imperial Stout (w/ Vanilla Beans, Cinnamon, Chilis, Barrel Aged. Bourbon.)
Availability: 12oz Bottles, Draft.
Debut: 4/1/17

11% ABV

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

Want to drink a cookie? Southern Tier Thick Mint can make that happen

Southern Tier Thick Mint, a new imperial stout by the New York based brewery, has shipped for the first time.

The brewery’s Blackwater Series is home to some of the most well known beers in the industry. Creme Brûlée, Choklat, & Mokah imperial stouts are just a few examples. Spring brings Girl Scout cookies, and Southern Tier has a perfect beer pairing.

Southern Tier Thick Mint mimics one of the most popular Girl Scout cookies out there, Thin Mints. (For some reason we always find them in people’s freezers.) The 10% alcohol by volume imperial stout is brewed with cocoa nibs and mint. Another dessert beer cometh.

If the past has taught us anything, it’s this. When Southern Tier makes a flavored imperial stout, flavor is what you are going to get. While Thick Mints is truly like drinking a cookie, the brewery showed enough restraint to where it pairs well with its inspiration, while being very drinkable on on its own.

We made big ways when we introduced Choklat in 2007. Since then, our affection for decadent, flavorful, dessert-like beers and a zeal to venture into the far corners of the flavor world, have been the drivers in our endless quest to brew the perfect indulgence.

Southern Tier Thick Mint is now available in 12 ounce bottles and draft.

Style: Imperial Stout (w/ Chocolate, Mint.)
Availability: 22oz Bottles, Draft.
Debut: March, 2017

10% ABV

PIC: Beer Street Journal 

by Reid Ramsay