Oak Aged

Weyerbacher Insanity Returns

Weyerbacher can do some magical things with oak barrels.  A couple of weeks ago, Heresy (Old Heathen Stout aged in Kentucky bourbon) came back to the shelves.  Joining Heresy is Insanity.

Insanity is a barleywine, namely Weyerbacher’s Blithering Idiot aged in Continue Reading →

New in Bottle – Rogue John John Ale

John John Ale has everything to do with Rogue’s Dead Guy ale, but with a twist.  John John is a bit of  an internal collaboration.  It’s  Dead Guy Ale aged in Dead Guy Whiskey barrels.  Yes, Rogue also makes whiskey.

Brewmaster Continue Reading →

Founder’s Nemesis CONFIRMED!

Founder’s Brewing has been a VERY popular addition to the Atlanta beer scene in 2010.   Some of the limited offerings came and went in a matter of hours – namely Backwood’s Bastard.  Well, if you missed that rarity there Continue Reading →

Weyerbacher Heresy is Back!

After a  6 month hiatus, Weyerbacher Heresy is back!  Heresy is part of the oak aged line up from Weyerbacher, released seasonally in February.

Weyerbacher Brewery out of Easton, PA is a bit of a pioneer in American bourbon barrel aging. Continue Reading →

CASK ALERT! Oak Aged Terrapin Rye Squared

I just finished a call with Terrapin with some fun news.  First and foremost, you can look forward to a cask with new releases.  Especially with the seasonal series.   Up next? Terrapin Rye Squared.

Rye Squared is Terrapin’s next seasonal, Continue Reading →

Posted in Founders Brewing, New Releases, Rare Opportunity

Founder’s Kentucky Breakfast Stout ARRIVES!

Yeah small batch releases seem to be all the rage these days.  Some find it frustrating.  I find it fun.  The next small batch beer is floating around Georgia, waiting to be spotted. It’s Founder’s Kentucky Breakfast Stout, or KBS.

KBS is an Imperial Stout brewed with coffee and vanilla and aged in oak bourbon barrels for a full year.  Chocolate is also added.  The official release day is as close to the Ides of March as possible (March 15th.) For Founder’s the closest day to party is Saturday, March 13th – and of course the party is planned.  If you aren’t lucky enough to make it to Michigan, you can have a bit of your own launch party here in Atlanta.  Savannah Distributing – the distributor of choice by Founder’s is already hinting at sightings in Georgia, emphasizing its small batch limitations.

Taste?  Imagine chocolate, coffee (espresso?), vanilla, bourbon, oak, and wood.  It’s balanced, full, smooth, complex, delicious.

KBS is brewed once a year.  Availability is in 12 oz bottles.  Draft offerings not specified.

11% ABV

Sightings to follow.   Be sure to follow @ATLBeerMaster on Twitter…

3/11 – 12 Noon – In stock at Hop City.  4 pks – 19.99.  Limit 2 per customer…

3/12 – Sold out, Green’s on Ponce

3/16 – Tapping @ Brick Store Pub.  Must ask for it, not on menu.

3/20 – Still flowing at The Porter Beer Bar…

5/18 – Taps 7 pm at Cypress Street for Atlanta Beer Week w/ food pairings!!

by Reid Ramsay
Posted in Great Divide, Seasonal Return

Great Divide’s Espresso Oak Aged Yeti

This is a beer that makes my mouth water every time I read the label.  It’s Great Divide’s Espresso Oak Aged Yeti.  This Yeti is a stout aged on oak chips with espresso coffee.   It first debuted last year in 22 oz bombers and was an instant hit.  Luckily for your palette, the Yeti has returned.

In this bottle you’ll taste subtle vanilla oak, and  some bittersweet chocolate.  Espresso Yeti is roasty, creamy, and smooth.  If you are a fan of coffee and chocolate in your stouts, don’t pass this one up.

Espresso Oak Aged Yeti isn’t the only Yeti in Great Divide’s lineup.  Yeti appears as simply the Imperial Stout, Oak Aged Yeti and Chocolate Oak Aged Yeti (which is also extremely delicious.)   These limited offerings can be spotted in 22 oz bottles seasonally also.

Espresso Oak Aged Yeti is available February — March in 22 oz bottles — retailing around $9.99. Rare draft offerings also, sightings to follow.

9.5% ABV

75 IBU’s

by Reid Ramsay
Posted in Seasonal Return, Weyerbacher

Weyerbacher Insanity Returns

Weyerbacher can do some magical things with oak barrels.  A couple of weeks ago, Heresy (Old Heathen Stout aged in Kentucky bourbon) came back to the shelves.  Joining Heresy is Insanity.

Insanity is a barleywine, namely Weyerbacher’s Blithering Idiot aged in oak bourbon.  Blithering Idiot is full of caramel malts, subtle alcohol (for being 11%), slightly sweet, slightly fruity.  After the oak aging, Insanity carries those elements from the barleywine plus vanilla, bourbon, and oak.  I’ve become a huge fan of oak aged beers.

11.1% ABV

Serve in a tulip glass, or snifter, around 50 degrees F.  Suitable for cellaring.

Availability – 12oz 4 pks, and Draft.  Seasonal.

by Reid Ramsay
Posted in New Releases, Rogue Brewing

New in Bottle – Rogue John John Ale

John John Ale has everything to do with Rogue’s Dead Guy ale, but with a twist.  John John is a bit of  an internal collaboration.  It’s  Dead Guy Ale aged in Dead Guy Whiskey barrels.  Yes, Rogue also makes whiskey.

Brewmaster John Maier and Rogue Spiritsmaster John Couchotgot together to a series of John John Ales.  This series will feature some of Rogue’s most popular ales aged in whiskey barrels – Dead Guy being the first up.  A 3,100 gallon batch of barrel aged beer will produce 1357 cases.  The flavor of John John depicts the malty character of Rogue Dead guy, but will the aromas of whiskey, and a palette of vanilla and oak.

Ingredients –

Hops – Saaz, Willamette, Rogue Micro Farm Hop Yard Revolution Hops

Malts – Carastan, Rogue Micro-Barley Farm Dare & Risk Malts

Yeast – Pacman Yeast & Free Range Coastal Water

Availability – 22oz Bottles, Draft – Limited time.    Tower – In Stock, Hop City – Today

by Reid Ramsay
Posted in Founders Brewing, New Releases, Rare Opportunity

Founder’s Nemesis CONFIRMED!

Founder’s Brewing has been a VERY popular addition to the Atlanta beer scene in 2010.   Some of the limited offerings came and went in a matter of hours – namely Backwood’s Bastard.  Well, if you missed that rarity there is yet another for you to jockey for – Founder’s Nemesis.  Started arriving in Atlanta today!

If you take a look at Founder’s website it is nothing short of ambiguous about what Nemesis actually is.  From their description –

“What you have here is a rarity. A special, one-of-a-kind ale that is only made once a year. Sometimes that’s all. Forever. No more. Nada. Limited-time only. You never know what you’re gonna get. But you can be sure that it’ll be damn tasty.”

2009 marks the first release of Nemesis.  It will be brewed in VERY limited batches and sold in bottles.  This year’s run will apparently be a Maple Bourbon Barrel Aged Wheat Wine.   The oak barrels were used to aged Michigan maple syrup at one point, as they were also used to age bourbon.   Estimated ABV 12+% ABV.

Official Description –

“The 2009 release of Nemesis is best described as a Maple Bourbon barrel aged wheat wine holding 12.5% abv and 70 ibu’s. The barrels have been resting deep in the mines of Grand Rapids for nearly 9 months which have been most effective in developing a great product. The Bourbon barrels we used in this creation were once used to age Maple syrup from northern Michigan, then emptied, and procured for our use in aging this beer. The combination of American oak, Kentucky Bourbon, Michigan Maple syrup and our golden/tan wheat ale has provided a delicious malty sweet ale distinctive of strong vanilla and bourbon notes.”

Sightings – The Porter Beer Bar (via @curtdawsey)  9 pm 2/16. (SOLD OUT)

Tower ATL ( Buckhead) – Had a few earlier today. 2/17  Must ask employee for bottles.

Green’s (Buf Hwy) – 4 pks – 17.99, low quantity. 2/17, 5.45 pm  (via  @Matthew_Kiefer)

by Reid Ramsay
Posted in Seasonal Return, Weyerbacher

Weyerbacher Heresy is Back!

After a  6 month hiatus, Weyerbacher Heresy is back!  Heresy is part of the oak aged line up from Weyerbacher, released seasonally in February.

Weyerbacher Brewery out of Easton, PA is a bit of a pioneer in American bourbon barrel aging.  Heresy is Weyerbacher’s Old Heathen Imperial Stout that was aged in Kentucky bourbon barrels.  The end result is Heresy  – a fantastic beer with aromas, of vanilla, cocoa, and and coffee beans.  Not to mention the oak tones, and vanilla that make it smooth on the palette.

Again, Heresy is a seasonal release in 12 oz 6 packs and limited draft offerings.

8% ABV

Hop City  – In Stock

Tower  – In Stock

Greens – Awaiting Confirmation

by Reid Ramsay
Posted in Casks, Terrapin Beer Company

CASK ALERT! Oak Aged Terrapin Rye Squared

I just finished a call with Terrapin with some fun news.  First and foremost, you can look forward to a cask with new releases.  Especially with the seasonal series.   Up next? Terrapin Rye Squared.

Rye Squared is Terrapin’s next seasonal, after the wildly successful Wake & Bake.  Rye Squared is a beefed up version of the year round Rye Pale Ale.  As Terrapin describes it – “Double the malts, double the hops, double the flavor of the original Rye Pale recipe.”   Here is your ingredient rundown –

Hops – Magnum, Fuggle, East Kent, Golding, Cascade,  Dry hopped w/ Amarillo

Malts – 2-Row Pale, Munich, Malted Rye, Victory Malt, Honey Malt

Rye Square is 9.5% ABV and cellars well!

Rye Squared 2010 will be debuting on Cask at Midway Pub in East Atlanta 2/1/10  @ 6 pm.  This featured cask is an oak -aged version of Rye Squared.

Midway Pub

552 Flat Shoals Avenue Southeast
Atlanta, GA 30316-2065
(404) 584-0335

by Reid Ramsay