Imperial Stout

Foothills Sexual Chocolate returns in late January

Foothills Sexual Chocolate, the Winston-Salem, North Carolina based brewery’s imperial stout, returns January 30th, 2016.

The famed imperial stout has been brewed since 2007 and contains organic Peruvian cocoa nibs.

A cocoa infused Imperial Stout. Opaque black in color with a dark brown Continue Reading →

Spotlight: Payette Brewing Twelve Gauge

Payette Brewing Twelve Gauge, the brewery’s highly touted barrel-aged beer, has made a 2015 return. This is the third time the brewery has released this beer.

Payette Brewing Twelve Gauge is an imperial stout aged in a mix of bourbon and Continue Reading →

Posted in Don't Miss This, Foothills Brewing, Seasonal Return

Foothills Sexual Chocolate returns in late January

Foothills Sexual Chocolate, the Winston-Salem, North Carolina based brewery’s imperial stout, returns January 30th, 2016.

The famed imperial stout has been brewed since 2007 and contains organic Peruvian cocoa nibs.

A cocoa infused Imperial Stout. Opaque black in color with a dark brown head. Big chocolate aroma with notes of espresso, blackstrap molasses, dark sweet toffee and dark fruit. Smooth dark chocolate backbone with complex notes of coffee, dark toffee and dark fruit.

Foothills Sexual Chocolate will be available in 22 ounce bottles and draft. There will be some limited distribution.

Style: Imperial Stout (w/ Chocolate)
Availability: 22oz bottles, Draft
Latest Return: 1/30/16

9.75% ABV, 85 IBUs 

by Reid Ramsay
Posted in Green Man Brewing, Seasonal Return

Green Man The Dweller available in 4 packs in January

Green Man The Dweller Imperial Stout will be available in 4-packs starting in January.

One of the Asheville, North Carolina brewery’s most highly rated offerings, this imperial stout attempts to set the bar for the style.

Robust and warming, this 10% monster of a beer has deep notes of roasted coffee, dark chocolate and burnt toffee.  The thick and viscous body suits sipping beside a fire on a wintery day.

Green Man The Dweller will debut on January 22, 2016. Those at the brewery on New Year’s Eve can try a sneak peek of the upcoming release.

Style: Imperial Stout
Availability: 12oz Bottles, Draft. Seasonal
Return: 1/22/16

10% ABV

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

Cigar City Sardo Numspa, Inspired By Devil’s Food Cake [Released]

Cigar City Sardo Numspa, inspired by devil’s food cake.

The Tampa, Florida based brewery attempts to create a decadent dessert beer offering by brewing an imperial stout with hazelnuts, cacao nibs, and vanilla.

Inspired by Devil’s Food Cake, we brewed this high gravity stout with real roasted hazelnuts, two different varietals of cacao nibs, Indonesian vanilla, and rested it on cypress wood. Named in honor of the best devil from the 80’s, the deal, sweet, Sardo Numpsie.

Sardo Numpspa was Charles Dance’s character in the Eddie Murphy movie, The Golden Child. Game of Thrones fans will know Charles Dance as Tywin Lanister.

Cigar City Sardo Numspa is 22 ounce offering. On sale in the brewery’s tap room as on December 23rd.

Style: Imperial Stout (w/ Hazelnuts, Cacao Nibs, Vanilla Beans. Aged on Cypress)
Availability: 22oz Bottles, Draft.
Release: 12/23/15

?? ABV

by Reid Ramsay
Posted in Avery Brewing, Headlines

Avery Vanilla Bean Stout, aged in bourbon barrels launches year-round

Avery Vanilla Bean Stout, is the newest addition to the Boulder, Colorado brewery’s year-round lineup.

If the name alone doesn’t have you salivating, here’s the rundown. Base beer is an imperial stout, brewed with whole vanilla beans, aged in bourbon barrels. The best part – you’ll have access to this beer whenever your want it.

A double dose of vanilla derived from both fresh Bourbon barrels and the trio of Tongan, Ugandan, and Mexican whole vanilla beans is complemented by the essences of chocolate, caramel and molasses to round out this luxurious silky stout.

Avery Vanilla Bean Stout is a draft, and 22 ounce bottle offering year-round. The beer starts shipping for the first time mid-December. (Distro below)

Style: Imperial Stout (w/ Vanilla Beans. Barrel Aged. Bourbon.)
Availability: 22oz Bottles, Draft. Year-Round
Distribution (1st Shipment): AZ, CA, CO, FL, GA, IL, KS, KY, MA, MI, MN, MO, NC, NJ, NM, NY, OH, OK, OR, PA, SC, VA, WA, WI, WY

Release: 12/13/15

9.2% ABV

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

Spotlight: Payette Brewing Twelve Gauge

Payette Brewing Twelve Gauge, the brewery’s highly touted barrel-aged beer, has made a 2015 return. This is the third time the brewery has released this beer.

Payette Brewing Twelve Gauge is an imperial stout aged in a mix of bourbon and whiskey barrels. (Wish we could tell you which ones, but lawyers, copyrights, etc.)

By our estimates, Idaho has less than 50 breweries in total. Around 10 of those are in Payette’s home of Boise. That leaves just a handful of Idaho born and brewed barrel-aged beers to be had. Folks in states filled with breweries like California, Illinois and Colorado are spoiled. Perhaps that’s why this beer is such a gem.

While Beer Street Journal isn’t in the business of rating beer, Payette Twelve Gauge imperial Stout was an exciting beer for us to try. Let’s face it, bourbon barrel aged anything gets our attention. Secondly, we don’t find ourselves in reach of beers from Idaho very often. Nice to see what land of potatoes and gemstones has to offer.

Twelve Gauge is a 22oz bottle offering, along with limited draft, released on around Black Friday each year.

Style: Imperial Stout (Barrel Aged. Bourbon)
Availability: 22oz Bottles, Waxed capped.
Release: Black Friday, 2015

10% ABV

by Reid Ramsay
Posted in Coastal Empire Brewing Co, New Beers

Coastal Empire Midnight in the Garden

Coastal Empire Midnight in the Garden

by Reid Ramsay
Posted in New Releases, Orpheus Brewing

Orpheus The Ferryman Imperial Stout ships this week

Orpheus The Ferryman Imperial Stout bottles ship out the first week of December. The imperial stout is brewed with hazelnuts and vanilla beans.

Approach Charon, and pay the price to be taken the land of emptiness and silence. Stare deep into The Ferryman, and be transfixed by the blackness of this Imperial Stout, while the enticing, rich aroma of chocolate, hazelnuts, and vanilla pulls you in, soothing you to stillness.

Atlanta artist Tanner Wilson created the artwork for Orpheus The Ferryman Imperial Stout.  Available in 22 ounce bottles and draft.

Style: Imperial Stout (w/ Hazelnuts, Vanilla Beans, Candi Sugar)
Hops: Apollo
Malts: Golden Promise, Munich, Simpsons DRC, Honey Malt, Simpsons Honey Brown, Chocolate Wheat, Roast Barley, Black, Flaked Barley

Availability: 22oz Bottles, Draft. Limited.
Release: December, 2015

10.5% ABV

by Reid Ramsay