Imperial Stout

Surly Barrel-Aged Darkness, A Release Potential

Surly Barrel-Aged Darkness, a rye whiskey barrel-aged variant of the wildly popular imperial stout looms in 2015.

Our 2015 vintage bottling of Darkness features a screeching bat-nightmare by local artist Brandon Holt. No creature is more adept at navigating in the Continue Reading →

Badass Label Art: Surly Darkness 2015

The artwork for Surly Darkness 2015 is here. The artwork changes every year – each time with a new local artist that creates something dark, twisted, and well – awesome.

This years artwork is created by Brandon Holt, and features a Continue Reading →

Posted in Don't Miss This, SweetWater Brewing

SweetWater Bourbon Barrel Aged Imperial Stout, October 4th [UPDATES]

In regards to the Stout release party on October 4th:

After SB 63 went into effect, SweetWater introduced a few tour options. Tour & Tasting, and Tour, Tasting, and Souvenir beer. (So did every Georgia brewery.)

Until the legalities are sorted out, SweetWater is going back to the pre-July 1st days, and the party will have one price for entry – $10. That includes a tour, free samples, tasting the Bourbon Barrel Aged Stout, S’mores bar, the Falcons game on TV, and the first 100 guests will get a stylin 16 oz Bourbon Barrel Aged Imperial Stout snifter.

Bottles will be available at retailers the next day, 10/5.

In the meantime, check out Beer Street Journal’s coverage of the DOR memo and issues surrounding the DOR activities.

About the beer… 

SweetWater Bourbon Barrel Aged Imperial Stout bottles will be released Sunday, October 4th.

Aged 6 months in Jack Daniels, Old Forester, and Heaven Hills barrels, this sumptuous imperial has notes of chocolatey-bourbon goodness as a part of SweetWater’s big bottle Cork and Cage series.

SweetWater brewed up an original imperial stout recipe specifically developed for the bourbon barrels. After fermentation, the beer was transferred to the bourbon barrels and for 6 months. When the aging process was complete, the imperial stout was blended back together, and voila! SweetWater Bourbon Barrel Aged Imperial Stout was born.

SweetWater Bourbon Barrel Aged Imperial Stout will be available in 750 milliliter bottles.

Style: Imperial Stout (Barrel Aged. Bourbon)
Availability: 750ml Bottles, Corked & Caged.
Release: October 4, 2015

11.3% ABV

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

New Belgium Hop Stout Joins Hop Kitchen Series

New Belgium Hop Stout joins the brewery’s Hop Kitchen Series here at the end of September.

New Belgium Hop Stout is described by the brewery as one of the “burliest” beers in the Kitchen Series. The 8% imperial stout boasts a bitter 100 IBU (international bitterness units) rating. That’s imperial IPA territory.

“We wanted a wickedly hoppy and deeply malty stout to celebrate the fall season,” said Grady Hull, Assistant Brewmaster of New Belgium Brewing. “Hop Stout draws you into the malty woodwork of a traditional stout and then the hops storm in. It’s a really incredible, complex beer for those seeking a little more adventure with the change of seasons.”

New Belgium Hop Stout is a draft only offering, hitting taps now until it runs dry.

Style: Imperial Stout
Hops: Equinox, Chinook and Willamette

Availability: Draft
Release: Late September, 2015

8% ABV, 100 IBUs

by Reid Ramsay
Posted in Headlines, Surly Brewing

Surly Barrel-Aged Darkness, A Release Potential

Surly Barrel-Aged Darkness, a rye whiskey barrel-aged variant of the wildly popular imperial stout looms in 2015.

Our 2015 vintage bottling of Darkness features a screeching bat-nightmare by local artist Brandon Holt. No creature is more adept at navigating in the Darkness than a bat. Emerging from a deep and ancient cave, this year’s twisted nocturnal creature has evolved a et of adaptations well suited to detecting and devouring uncommon nourishment.

Notes of chocolate, coffee, dried tart cherries, and raisins emirate from his lair. If you can evade the talons and teeth, the think body of this Russian imperial stout finishes sweet, with a piney resinous character.

Surly Barrel-Aged Darkness will most likely join Surly Darkness 2015 on the release day, October 24th, 2015.

While the brewery has mentioned the Darkness release, they have not yet announced details surrounding the barrel-aged bottle release.

Style: Imperial Stout (Barrel Aged. Rye Whiskey.)
Availability: 750ml Bottles
Release: TBA (as it has not been announced as a part of Darkness Day 2015 Lineup)

?? ABV

Ed Note: Changed bottle size from 22oz to 750ml 

by Reid Ramsay
Posted in Defiance Brewing Co., New Beers

Defiance Brewing Fuzzy Knuckles

Defiance Brewing Fuzzy Knuckles

by Reid Ramsay
Posted in 405 Brewing Co., New Beers

405 FDR Imperial Stout

405 FDR Imperial Stout

by Reid Ramsay
Posted in Coming Soon, Creature Comforts

Creature Comforts See the Stars, Aged in Maple Syrup Bourbon

Creature Comforts See the Stars, a new maple bourbon barrel aged imperial stout, releases September 12th.

The brewery experimented with this beer before the brewery officially opened. Co-founders Adam Beauchamp and David Stein maple-treated Corsair barrels. The end result was fantastic, so the recipe has been upscaled for a public release.

Creature Comforts obtained Willet bourbon barrels and sent some to Mac’s Maple, a maple syrup farm in New Hampshire. After four months, the barrels were drained and sent to the Athens, Georgia brewery.

Creature Comforts See the Stars will be available at a special event at the brewery on September 12th, 2015. No distribution. Tickets are available through  the brewery’s website. 

Style: Imperial Stout (Barrel Aged. Maple Syrup. Bourbon.
Availability: 750ml Bottles
Release: 9/12/15

13% ABV

by Reid Ramsay
Posted in Headlines

Badass Label Art: Surly Darkness 2015

The artwork for Surly Darkness 2015 is here. The artwork changes every year – each time with a new local artist that creates something dark, twisted, and well – awesome.

This years artwork is created by Brandon Holt, and features a bat. A nightmare-bat.

Our 2015 vintage bottling of Darkness features a screeching bat-nightmare by local artist Brandon Holt. No creature is more adept at navigating in the Darkness than a bat. Emerging from a deep and ancient cave, this year’s twisted nocturnal creature has evolved a et of adaptations well suited to detecting and devouring uncommon nourishment.

Notes of chocolate, coffee, dried tart cherries, and raisins emirate from his lair. If you can evade the talons and teeth, the think body of this Russian imperial stout finishes sweet, with a piney resinous character.

Surly Darkness 2015 is a 22 ounce bottle offering, typically released close to Halloween each year.

Style: Imperial Stout
Availability: 22oz Bottles, Draft. Limited.
Release: TBA

?? ABV

Check out past years of Darkness labels- 2014, 2013, 2012, 2011

by Reid Ramsay