Imperial Stout

Now Shipping: Sierra Nevada Rain Check

Sierra Nevada has all but wrapped up the build of their east coast location in Mills River, North Carolina. Like any project, especially construction, there were delays. One of the biggest issues – rain. A lots of it. When you Continue Reading →

Posted in Don't Miss This, Westbrook Brewing Co

Sneak Peek: Westbrook Chocolate Bourbon Mexican Cake

July sees the release of Westbrook Brewing’s (Mt. Pleasant, SC) Barrel Aged Mexican Cake. While the release date for the 2014 stock hasn’t been announced yet, the brewery is already putting Cake into barrels for 2015

One of the barrels coming next summer is Westbrook Mexican Cake aged in Pritchard’s Double Chocolate Bourbon barrels. The Kelso, Tennesee distillery uses cocoa nibs from Nashville’s Olive & Sinclair to create a small batch, highly sought after, chocolate bourbon.

Westbrook Double Chocolate Bourbon Barrel Mexican Cake should arrive in July, 2015.

Olive & Sinclair also provides cocoa nibs for recent Terrapin Beer Company releases, like Guano Loco, White Chocolate Moo Hoo, and Liquid Bliss.

Style: Imperial Stout (w/ Cocoa Nibs, Vanilla Beans, Cinnamon, Habanero. Barrel Aged.)
Availability: 22oz Bombers, Draft. Limited Release, May.

10.5% ABV, 50 IBUs

pic via Westbrook

by Reid Ramsay
Posted in Coming Soon, Headlines, New Belgium, Perennial Artisan Ales

New Belgium & Perennial Team Up on New Lips of Faith

New Belgium (Ft. Collins, CO) teams up with St. Louis, Missouri’s Perennial Artisanal Ales in a new edition from the Lips of Faith. Salted Belgian Chocolate Stout is headed your way in the near future.

The team berated a Belgian-style stout with a touch of chocolate and salt. 22oz of dessert in a bottle.

Dessert is best poured. And the brewers at Perennial agree. So we dreamt up a beer that would bering together chocolate sweetness, Belgian yeast, deeply roasted malts and just the right shake of salt to pour a creamy stout worth of a cherry on top. 

New Belgium/Perennial Salted Belgian Chocolate Stout will be available in 22oz bombers and draft.

Style: Belgian-Style Imperial Stout (w/ Chocolate, Salt)
Availability: 22oz Bombers, Draft.
Arrival: Late September, 2014. (Oct for most markets)

9% ABV

by Reid Ramsay
Posted in Port Brewing Company, Seasonal Return

Port Brewing’s Bourbon Barrel Santa, Now Smaller

Port Brewing/Lost Abbey (San Marcos, CA) will release Bourbon Barrel Aged Santa’s Little Helper again on July 19th, 2014.

This year, the boozy beer will arrive in 12.7oz bottles. A good move too, as the beer is aggressive and the smaller format makes it more manageable. Plus, small bottles allow for wider distribution.

A robust beer with tones of sweet malt, dark cocoa and notes of deep bourbon, Santa’s Little Helper is the perfect accompaniment to fruitcake during a California Christmas in July.

If you are near the brewery on July 19th, there will be two release event sessions,  11am – 3pm and 4pm to 8pm. See their website for more details.

Style: Imperial Stout (Barrel Aged. Bourbon)
Availability: 12.7oz bottles.
Release: 7/19/14

 

 

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

Now Shipping: Sierra Nevada Rain Check

Sierra Nevada has all but wrapped up the build of their east coast location in Mills River, North Carolina. Like any project, especially construction, there were delays. One of the biggest issues – rain. A lots of it. When you are a brewery, adversity pretty much means there is a beer to commemorate your hardships, and that’s where Rain Check Spiced Stout was born. Rain Check is first and foremost an imperial stout, brewed with ginger, brown sugar, molasses, and lime.

Rain Check Spiced Stout is our answer to the merciless wet weather that plagued and slowed the construction of our new brewery in Mills River, NC. This dark, rich, and roast beer helps us forget the delays- a Rain Check we’ll take anytime. 

Sierra Nevada Rain Check Spiced Stout will be packaged in 12oz bottles.

Style: Imperial Stout (Ginger, Brown Sugar, Molasses, Lime)
Availability: 12oz Bottles, Draft.
Distribution: TN, VA, GA, NC, SC
Arrival: 6/9/14

8.9% ABV

by Reid Ramsay
Posted in Cigar City Brewing, Coming Soon, Headlines

Drool Worthy: Cigar City Caffe Americano Double Stout

Cigar City Caffe Americano Double Stout appeared earlier this year on draft at the brewery. The imperial stout is decadent, brewed with coffee, vanilla, and chocolate. Oh, and aged in rum barrels. Let the fight for it begin…

Traditional Caffe American is made by adding water to espresso. We break all the rules with this Double Stout. We refuse to add water to our beer after fermentation, but have noissues adding beer to our espresso. This deep, dark stout exhibits rich espresso and coffee notes, which are contributed by the generous use of roasted barley and locally roasted espresso. That simply is not enough for us. We also add roasted, raw chocolate and a hint of vanilla to this big bodied stout. Then, just for fun, we age it in rum barrels. Dodge the red eye and take a shot of the dark.

Cigar City Caffe Americano Double Stout will be released in 750ml bottles.

Style: Imperial Stout (w/ Coffee, Chocolate, Vanilla. Barrel Aged. Rum.)
Availability: 750ml Bottles, Draft. Limited
Arrival: TBA

 

by Reid Ramsay
Posted in Jackie O's, New Beers

Jackie O’s Bourbon Barrel Dark Apparition

by Reid Ramsay
Posted in Don't Miss This, New Releases, Off Color Brewing

Off Color’s Marshmallow Graham Cracker Beer Bottled

Off Color Brewing (Chicago) Dinosmores has finally found it’s way into bottles.

The imperial stout has a little history, actually. It was first brewed with Amager Brewery, and West Lakeview Liquors in Chicago. It was voted best beer in the brewery’s Brewpub Shootout when it was paired with dinosaur shaped s’mores. Eventually the beer was named for a little of the food and beer the flavor is inspired by. Make sense? Didn’t think so. Story aside, this is beer you don’t want to miss.

Style: Imperial Stout (w/ Graham Crackers. Vanilla Beans. Cocoa Nibs)
Availability: 12oz Bottles, Draft

10.5% ABV

by Reid Ramsay