Imperial Stout

December: Oskar Blues Rum Barrel Ten Fidy

Oskar Blues Rum Barrel Ten Fidy is on the horizon – another in the family “Fidy Family” of imperial stouts.

The base beer, Oskar Blues Ten Fidy, is one of the most well-known imperial stouts in the beer business. The barrel-aged edition Continue Reading →

Amazing beer name: Unknown Brewing Dos AKs

Probably one of the best beer names we’ve heard all year. Unknown Brewing Dos AKs.

We’ve spent time around Charlotte, North Carolina’s Unknown Brewing. One fact most assuredly comes to mind. They are weird. We mean that in the most endearing way. Continue Reading →

Posted in Nebraska Brewing, New Releases

Nebraska Little Betty Imperial Stout debuts in cans

Nebraska Little Betty, the brewery’s Russian imperial stout, will debut in cans on Friday, November 11th.

The Papillion, Nebraska brewery is opting for aluminum for this seasonal. This robust imperial stout is the base beer for a line of Reserve Series variants like Black Betty (aged in bourbon).

Our take on a robust Americanized Russian-Style Imperial Stout. Moderately hopped to liven up a richly malted classic. This is the base beer for our insanely popular barrel aged Reserve Series variants.  You’ve worked hard.  You’ve earned this.

Nebraska Little Betty Imperial Stout will be available in 12 ounce cans starting Friday, November 11th.

Style: Imperial Stout
Hops: Chinook, Columbus, Cascade, Liberty
Malts: Pale, Chocolate, Caramel 60, Caramel 80, Black Malt

Availability: 12oz Cans, Draft. Seasonal release.
Debut (Cans): 11/11/16

9% ABV, 83 IBUs

by Reid Ramsay
Posted in Sierra Nevada, Headlines

Sierra Nevada Trip in the Woods Barrel Aged Narwhal goes national

Sierra Nevada Trip in the Woods Barrel Aged Narwhal is hitting shelves nationally.

Variants of this type are typically only found at Sierra Nevada’s taprooms. This time, you are in luck. Narwhal, the brewery’s imperial stout has been spending some time in bourbon barrels with red and black currants – both types of gooseberries. Red currants are a bit like muscadine grapes in flavor. Black – a bit like concentrated blackberries.

We age this rich, chocolatey Imperial Stout in bourbon barrels with a mix of both red currants and black currants for a pop of sweet and tart flavor. The deep, rich notes of the stout blend well with the berries in barrels to create complex flavors of coca and coconut with a mellow fruit undertone.

The base, which is barrel-aged Narwahl, is a big, boozy imperial stout. The berries muted the boozy aspects of this beer a bit. While we can’t say we are experts on red vs. black currants, this beer seems to be very black currant heavy. The mix of berries, chocolate and bourbon, turn this beer into a something of a cocktail, or dessert. You be the judge.

Sierra Nevada Trip in the Woods Barrel Aged Narwhal is avaialbe in limited quantities in 750 milliliter bottles.

Style: Imperial Stout (w/ Red Currants, Black Currants. Barrel Aged. Bourbon. )
Availability: 750ml Bottles, Corked & Caged. D
Debut: November, 2016

9.8% ABV

by Reid Ramsay
Posted in Headlines

December: Oskar Blues Rum Barrel Ten Fidy

Oskar Blues Rum Barrel Ten Fidy is on the horizon – another in the family “Fidy Family” of imperial stouts.

The base beer, Oskar Blues Ten Fidy, is one of the most well-known imperial stouts in the beer business. The barrel-aged edition of Ten Fidy is highly, highly sought after. As you read this, a coffee laden, Barrel-Aged Ten Fidy is hitting the Colorado and North Carolina tap rooms.

Now, Oskar Blues Rum Barrel Aged Ten Fidy lies on the horizon. No need to talk this one to death. This is all the things you love about Ten Fidy, plus rum. Drool worthy for sure.

19.2 ounce cans for this lovely as well. The brewery has not yet announced this beer.

Style: Imperial Stout (Barrel Aged. Rum.)
Availability: 19.2oz Cans
Debut 12/16/16

 

by Reid Ramsay
Posted in Wicked Weed Brewing Co, Seasonal Return

Wicked Weed Dark Age, a 12% monster rears its head again

Wicked Weed Dark Age is a big barrel-aged offering from the Asheville, North Carolina brewery. Early 2016 saw the first bottles for this monster, and incidentally, this beer geek pleasing stout was one of the first beers released at WIcked’s downtown brewpub.

There have been a lot of wild and funky beers hitting the market from Wicked Weed lately. This release is a bit of a break from the funk. Dark Age is a bourbon barrel-aged imperial stout. It’s big – 12.7% alcohol by volume.

Humanity’s path out of the Dark Age is one without end. This path carries us away from the mystical to the measurable, from the magical to the mathematical, and is a meticulous tale of progress from madness to method. Yet, we still find wonder in the Magic, and the extraordinary potential in the Mystery. Out of this yearning for the old ways, Dark Age Imperial Stout emerges from the whisky barrel, it’s dark malt complexity and bold, yet balanced, sweetness, softened by its mystical evolution in oak.

Wicked Weed Dark Age is a 12.7 ounce bottle offering. Hitting shelves across the brewery’s entire market now.

Style: Imperial Stout (Barrel Aged. Bourbon.)
Availability: 500ml Bottles
Latest Return: November, 2016

12.7% ABV

Image via Wicked Weed

by Reid Ramsay
Posted in The Unknown Brewing Co., Don't Miss This, New Releases

Amazing beer name: Unknown Brewing Dos AKs

Probably one of the best beer names we’ve heard all year. Unknown Brewing Dos AKs.

We’ve spent time around Charlotte, North Carolina’s Unknown Brewing. One fact most assuredly comes to mind. They are weird. We mean that in the most endearing way. So many folks take beer so damn seriously. Unknown just loves being a part of the industry.

More on the weird situation. Unknown’s Day of the Dead Beer Series has seen the likes of La Jordana del Escorpion en Fuego Hacia la casa del Chupacabra muerto, a beer brewed with 99 food-grade scorpions, and “El Corazon Que Sangra Morado”, or “The Heart That Bleeds Purple.” Continuing down that tasty, odd ball path is Unknown Brewing Dos AKs.

Even before we explain the beer, we can’t we but giggle a little bit with the name. Say it a few times out loud and you’ll start to get it. (HINT: Stay thirsty my friends.) The base beer is an imperial stout, fermented with a blend of ale and Mexican lager yeast. Those two yeasts ferment at entirely two different temperatures, resulting in a blend of flavors.

Additionally, the beer features cacao nibs, chipotle peppers, poblano peppers, and cinnamon. The specialty grains used mimic the favor of raisins. The brewery even brewed the beer with mariachi music in the background. It’s brewing. They damn sure have fun with it.

Flavor. This isn’t your run of the mill stout, there is a lot going on. Chocolate, cinnamon, and a touch of smoke from the chipotle peppers. Try it with some vanilla ice cream.

Unknown Brewing Dos AKs is available in 22 ounce bottles and draft starting November 2nd, 2016.

Style: Imperial Stout (w/ Cinnamon, Cocoa Nibs, Chili Peppers, Coriander.)
Availability: 22oz Bottles, Draft.
Debut: 11/2/16

9.2% ABV

PIC: Beer Street Journal

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