Beer!

[Ryan Ruck]

Beer tonight is one from Elysian, whom I haven't had anything from in quite a while.

This is their Elysian Punkuccino Coffee Pumpkin Ale.

A pumpkin ale with the attitude of a world-weary barista, Punkuccino packs a short shot of Stumptown coffee toddy in your pint with a shake of cinnamon and nutmeg.

Poured dark brown into a Shaker with a sizable, dense light brown head. Light smell of roasty coffee, cinnamon, and nutmeg. Has flavors of the scent with a little bit of cocoa and vanilla. Medium bodied with 6% ABV. Pretty good stuff and easy drinking!

[Ryan Ruck]

Tonight's brew is a highly sought after beer I've been wanting to get a hold of after a while.

Finally snagged a bottle Founder's Canadian Breakfast Stout!

Imperial Stout brewed with Chocolate and Coffee, aged in Maple Syrup-Bourbon Barrels. CBS was born when we stumbled upon some bourbon barrels that had previously housed maple syrup. We opted to put the same base beer as KBS, an imperialized version of Breakfast Stout, in the maple barrels and, after one taste, we knew we had something special. Rich maple syrup, roasted coffee and velvety chocolate meld together in what can only be described as a transcendental drinking experience.

Poured as black and thick as used oil into a Snifter with a big, dense, dark brown head. Allowed to warm a bit. Has a robust scent of roasted coffee, chocolate, oak, a touch of maple, and a hint of alcohol. The taste starts out mellow and sweet then you get the big bourbon, coffee, maple, and chocolate. Finishes with a deep warmth. Body is big and heavy with an equally big 11.6% ABV. Unbelievably easy to drink and invitingly so. Really delicious and completely worth the $25 for the bottle. If you can get a hold of this, try it!

[Ryan Ruck]

Tonight's new brew is 1 of 2 released from local brewer Listermann today.

Both IPAs, one West Coast and one East Coast.

Needless to say...





Tonight I'm going West Coast with Pac

West Coast IPA brewed with Citra, Simcoe, and Centennial. Now let me welcome everybody to the wild, wild, west.

West Coast? East Coast? How do you settle this new IPA debate? You go back to the 90s when rap was having the same argument. Listermann might not have solved any of these nagging IPA superiority questions, but when they released their dueling 4 packs of West and East coast IPAs, they certainly got the city’s attention.

Pac is the West Coast to Biggies East Coast. The beer is packed full of Citra, Simcoe and Centennial hops, with a clean bright body and a light but bracing bitterness that reminds you what IPAs are supposed to be if you live on the West Coast.

Poured dark gold into a Tulip with a big, golden white head. Great big citrus hop scent with a touch of grain and caramel malt. Definite, moderate citrus bite on the front and finishes up with a slight caramel malt flavor. Fairly light bodied with a respectable 7% ABV. Pretty easy drinking and tasty for a West Coast IPA, which tend to be more bitter.

[Ryan Ruck]

Doing Listermann's Biggie East Coast IPA tonight!

Juicy Hop bomb that is easy to drink. Like the style that its made for, its hypnotizing hazy and mo’ hops don’t mean mo’ problems. Packed full of Mosaic, Citra and Amarillo hops. I love it when they call me big hoppy.

West Coast? East Coast? How do you settle this new IPA debate? You go back to the 90s when rap was having the same argument. Listermann might not have solved any of these nagging IPA superiority questions, but when they released their dueling 4 packs of West and East coast IPAs, they certainly got the city’s attention.

Biggie is the East Coast to Pac’s West Coast. It takes things in a different direction than its companion, using a mean dosage of Mosaic, Citra and Amarillo to bless your glass with a hazy, soft bodied citrus fruity blast of hops.

Poured hazy, opaque medium gold into a Tulip glass with a big, foamy white head. Has a big tropical fruit hop scent with maybe a bit of orange and even pineapple. Flavor is sweet melon along with some biscuit malts and finishes with a very light hop bitterness. Medium bodied with a 7% ABV. Very smooth and easier drinking IPA! Both Biggie and Pac are great examples of their respective IPA styles and would be good for an introduction to them.

Just like with the music, I do like Biggie a bit more than Pac.

[Ryan Ruck]

Wrapping up this work week with a new Sierra Nevada Trip In The Woods. This one is the Tequila-Barrel-Aged Otra Vez version.

For this limited offering we pushed beyond the typical barrel-aged beer theory. We got our hands on some Reposado Tequila oak barrels and then aged our new Otra Vez Gose with Lime and Agave. This Trip in the Woods starts out tart yet juicy, with hints of lime. For the finish? The unmistakable silkines of a classic Reposado.

2018 release 2 of 3 | 6.4% ABV | Aged 6 months in Reposado barrels

Poured bright gold into an English Pint with a large, white head. Big tart smell with clear lime and tequila. Has a light and crisp taste with lime, tequila, oak, and finishes malty. As mentioned, this is light and crisp bodied with a decent 6.4% ABV. Pretty tasty and an interesting take on a brew! You don't run across too many barrel aged Goses let alone tequila barrel aged ones. A nice combo that turns out a refreshing brew. I do think this would have been better off released in the middle of Summer instead of now while it's 25 degrees outside.

[Ryan Ruck]

While watching the drunk drivers on tonight's episode of Live PD talking about their "Two beers" they've had, I am have this beer - Bell's Arabicadabra Coffee Milk Stout.

A little brewers' magic transforms locally roasted Arabica beans and a variety of specialty malts into a creamy, intense coffee stout. Enjoy before it disappears.

Arabicadabra is brewed with a cold coffee extract made at the brewery using a combination of fair trade, organic Nicaraguan coffee beans and Sumatra coffee beans. Lactose is also used for creaminess (those with dairy allergies or sensitivities should take note). It was inspired by Milchkaffe, another specialty Bell's beer.

Poured pitch black into a Shaker glass with a good sized, brown head. Rich smell of roasted coffee and lactose. Not complex but smells great! The taste is just like the smell. Again, not complex but dang good! A little typical coffee bitterness. Body is medium heavy. The ABV comes in at a slightly disappointing 5.5%. I'd expect a bit higher out of a stout. Still though, very tasty beer!

[Ryan Ruck]

Having some Clown Shoes tonight to wrap up the work week!

This one is Luchador en Fuego

Our third anniversary beer up-sizes Chocolate Sombrero, using extra ancho chile and adding chipotle pepper. We aged the brew 100% in Wild Turkey and Heaven Hill bourbon barrels. May it leap onto your palate majestically, like a luchador who flies into the ring from atop the highest rope.

Poured deep black into a Snifter with a medium sized tan head. An aroma of molasses, coffee, cocoa, oaky bourbon, and just a hint of chipotle. The flavor is roasty with chocolate, lactose, bourbon, and oak. Finishes with a very subtle pepper bite. The body is nice and heavy with an appropriate 11% ABV! Really great brew!

[Ryan Ruck]

This Saturday evening I'm about two sample two new brews!

First up is a limited release from Listermann in collaboration with Jungle Jim's of Cincinnati, an international supermarket and the place where I get most of my beers.

This is Cannoli Of The Jungle (no RateBeer or BeerAdvocate page it's so new). They also supposedly have Chocolate Strawberry Cannoli Of The Jungle but I must have overlooked that so I'll have to go back.

Imperial pastry stout with vanilla, almonds, lactose, and natural flavors added

Poured black into a Snifter with a brown, thin topping for a head. Smells slightly doughy with sweet chocolate and vanilla. The aroma on this is on the lighter side. The flavor is a lot like the smell full of rich, sweet chocolate and creamy vanilla. Don't get any of the almond. The body is very full and the ABV comes in at 8.5%. Quite the decadent and tasty brew!

[Ryan Ruck]

Next up tonight is another local brew, this one from a brewery I haven't sampled before. I snagged it because it was another collaboration with another Cincinnati fixture, Klosterman Bakery.

This is Fretboard's Klosterman Rye Bier.

Klosterman Rye Bier is a copper colored lager with hints of spice and flavors and aroma’s of rye bread that comes from a blend of caraway seed added to the beer. Fretboard brewed this beer in collaboration with Klosterman Baking Company, which specializes in true hearth style breads. One of their most popular brands is Cincinnati Rye, a true German rye bread with tones of spice and caraway seed. Fretboard reached out to the bakery for some inspiration on a new beer and both teams decided on a true German rye bier.

Poured dark, clear golden with a very large, gold head into a Shaker glass. Lots of rye in the smell with some slight caramel malt to go with it. Tons of rye in the flavor with yeast to go with it. Medium-light bodied with a 5.2% ABV. Not at all a complex brew but, it tastes and drinks great!

[Ryan Ruck]

New beer up with tonight's episode of Live PD, a brand new release from Clown Shoes.

Snow on the Maple Tree Imperial Stout

Inspiration guides us, here at Clown Shoes. When I tried this Imperial Stout, a quiet, serene feeling spread through me. A vision of a Japanese maple tree weathering a snow storm presented itself. Looking closer, I saw frolicking Manchurian cranes in Clown Shoes. Weird. Yes! But nice! Aged in Bourbon Barrels that had premium maple syrup aged in them as well, this beer is a beautiful compliment for a winter night.

Poured black into a Snifter with a fairly thin light brown head. Allowed to warm. Big sweet maple scent with some oak and vanilla. A little bit of alcohol as well. Great big, sweet maple syrup flavor! The maple syrup is accompanyied by coffee with a hint of bitterness, some cocoa, oak, and malt. Very smooth drinking with a heavyweight body and 11.25% ABV. Very dangerously drinkable! If there was a beer to give the much vaunted Founders CBS a run for its money, this would be it! There's a reason Clown Shoes is one of my favorite breweries! If you can snag this, I highly recommend it. A nice drink for a cold and rainy Winter night.

[Ryan Ruck]

The beer up for tonight is yet another hard to get release. This time another from Epic Brewing and is their Quadrupel Barrel Big Bad Baptist

ABV varies: 10.3% - 12.7%

Imperial stout aged in whiskey & rum barrels with roasted cocoa nibs, almond flavor, barrel-aged coffee beans, barrel-aged coconut and barrel-aged almond.

We’ve taken barrel-aging to a whole new level by aging shaved coconut, almonds, and Blue Copper’s Colombian coffee beans in fresh whiskey barrels, while our Imperial Stout ages separately in both rum and whiskey barrels. Then, our brewers hand blend each batch creating the most complex and outrageous version of Big Bad Baptist we have ever made.

Poured pitch black into a Snifter with a great big, dark brown head. Allowed to warm. The aroma starts with big oaky rum and peaty whiskey and, is followed up by some rich, sweet cocoa and a little bit of coconut. Smells amazing! The taste is equally good as it tastes just like it smells. Absolutely delicious! The body is quite heavy and this vintage rings in at 11.2% ABV. Probably one of the best beers I've had, no lie!

[Ryan Ruck]

Going local tonight with Listermann again and their Orange Mocha Frappuccinos!!

Having a little fun with a Zoolander reference.

Milkshake IPA brewed with Centennial, Amarillo, Mandarina Bavaria, oranges, chocolate, and coffee.

Poured dirty blonde into a Tulip glass with a sizable foamy golden-white head. Big orange citrus flavors with a slight hint lactose and cocoa. The taste is, amazingly, actually very Orange Mocha Frappuccino like! Even more amazingly is the thick and creamy body that does an equally good job pretending to be Orange Mocha Frappuccino-like! Super drinkable and frankly tasty! I actually would not have imagined it living up to its name like it does.

[Ryan Ruck]

Going to be enjoying a rare release from Dogfish tonight as the winter storm builds up and howls outside (winds are steady upper teens, low 20s right now and the snow is about to start).

This is Raison D'Extra

Our Raison D'Etre, with a little extra. This immodest brew, made with an obscene amount of malt, brown sugar and raisins, takes Belgian-style browns to new heights.

Raison D'Extra's little brother Raison D'Etre was brewed to be the ultimate beer partner for steak. Plump raisins and beet sugars give the beer a similar DNA and color to red wine.

D'Extra takes this concept to the next level. What 120 Minute IPA is to 60 Minute IPA, D'Extra is the D'Etre. We're pushing the limits of what a Belgian yeast can do (and we've discovered that's somewhere in the ballpark of 15% to 18% ABV!)

D'Extra is extremely complex and a great candidate for aging. Sip on one with a loved one now, and stash a few in your beer cellar! As Dogfish Head founder Sam Calagione says, "This puppy's only getting better with age."

Pours ruddy brown into a Snifter with a very thin tan head. Allowed to warm a bit. Smells of raisin, sweet brown sugar, caramel malt, and alcohol. Has flavors like it smells starting with raisin, then caramel malt, and finishes with oak, ,sweet brown sugar and alcohol. Body is heavy to go with the 16% ABV. Slightly harsh on the flavor which has me wondering if aging will mellow it. It's only a 4 pack (which cost $35!) but I think I'm going to have to set the rest back to see. Pretty tasty but I think it will get better after at least a year.

[Ryan Ruck]

Going to review another new brew tonight. This one a little less expensive than Raison D'Extra...

This one is Oskar Blues' [url=https://www.ratebeer.com/beer/oskar-blues-death-by-coconut/261714/]Death By Coconut/url]

Originally a collaboration with Shamrock Brewing Co. Intense pure liquid cacao flavors swirl with popping coconut aromas, all supported by a semi-sweet porter made from loads of our dark chocolate and extra dark caramel malt. This limited release specialty comes around once a year to satisfy that sweet tooth, so get ’em while you can before they disappear. At 6.5% ABV and 25 IBUs, this choconut goodness will have you yellin’ "Pass. Dash. Hit." all winter long.

Poured very dark brown into a Shaker with a medium sized, light brown head. Smells of sweet chocolate and coconut with some roasted malts to go along with it. Lots of coconut in the flavor! Also has a tad bit of sweet chocolate to go along with it. Not complex flavoring but mighty tasty if you like coconut! Light-medium bodied with a nice 6.5% ABV. Solid, tasty brew! Would like to have this come Summer but it looks like it's limited release.

[Ryan Ruck]

Going with Clown Shoes tonight to wrap up the work week - La Pingüina En Fuego

People have been asking us to make a truly spicy chile beer, so we finally complied. Aged in rum barrels with habaneros, this version of Chocolate Sombrero is on a mission from God (to ingnite your palate).

Poured dark black into a Snifter with a small, light brown head. Smells of chocolate and roasted malt along with a hint of rum and spicy pepper. Sweet cocoa on the start followed by malt and a little fruity habanero and then finishes with light spiciness. Medium-heavy bodied with a nice 9% ABV. A tasty brew with a little bit of a kick!

[Ryan Ruck]

Going bit for tonight's brew with Epic's Big Bad Baptista Imperial Stout

Big Bad Baptista is inspired by traditional Mexican coffee, Café de Olla, which is served with cinnamon and piloncillo, an unrefined sugar. The Cinnamon adds another layer of complexity and accentuates the earthy character of Mexican Coffee, but more importantly, it captures the essence of a place and its culture. As beverage geeks we wanted to pay homage to that rich tradition and offer our unique take.

Big Bad Baptista is a combination of Vanilla, Cinnamon, Mexican coffee roasted by Blue Copper, and Solstice Chocolate cacao nibs. It’s luxurious to say the least, with a pleasant warming sensation generated by the cinnamon and alcohol. Enjoying the interplay of chocolate, malt, oak, and spice is the perfect way to spend a cool evening, with friends around a fire.

Poured pitch black into a Snifter with a medium sized, brown head. Allowed to warm some. Big scent of cocoa, roasted malt, oak, and a hint of cinnamon. Taste is slightly bitter roasted coffee, a bit of lactose, some oak wood, and some cinnamon in the background. Body is full and creamy with a 10.2% ABV. Supremely drinkable and extremely tasty! A brew that lives up to the hype!

[Ryan Ruck]

Having some Dogfish tonight with their Siracusa Nera Imperial Stout.

Combining a roasty Imperial Stout with a jammy Syrah wine, this beer is bold and complex. Notes of coffee, dark chocolate and anise from a blend of roasted malts meld with flavors of plums, cherries and stewed fruits from Syrah grape must in this jet black stout. Aged on American oak to add some light toasty vanilla to the mix.

Poured black into a Snifter with a thin, tan head. Allowed to war a touch. Smells of grapes, cherry, chocolate, roasted malts, and oak. Quite a complex nose! Flavors of smokey malts, cocoa, oak, and some dark fruits. Medium-heavy bodied with a 10% ABV. Nice brew for sure!

[Ryan Ruck]

Cleaning out some singles in the fridge to make room for new stock. I've got a couple I picked up on my Idaho road trip I never got around to so I think I'll go through those tonight.

First up is Bitch Creek ESB from Grand Teton Brewing.

Bitch Creek perfectly balances big malt sweetness and robust hop flavor for a full bodied, satisfying mahogany ale. Like the stream for which it is named, our Bitch Creek ESB is full of character... Not for the timid.

Poured deep, copper into a Shaker glass with a large, copper tinged head. Has a sweet caramel malt smell as well as some piney hops. Flavor of roasted malts and some fruity hops. Finishes slightly bitter. Medium heavy body with a nice 6.0% ABV. Not complex but a very solid beer! Would go very well with a steak!

[Ryan Ruck]

Next up tonight is another from Grand Teton, Old Faithful Pale Golden Ale.

Our Old Faithful Ale is a pale golden ale with a crisp body and light malt sweetness. We cold-conditioned this ale to give it a pleasantly smooth character and dry palate. The Willamette and imported UK Goldings hops give this beer a light floral hop aroma making it exceptionally easy to drink.

Poured clear gold into a Shaker glass with a medium sized white head. Has a light, fruity/citrus smell and some biscuity malts. Flavor is a tad lacking but I get biscuity malts with a very light citrus hop. Body is pretty thin but it comes in at 5.3% ABV. Kind of a so-so brew. Not nearly as good as the Bitch Creek though.

[Ryan Ruck]

The last of my road trip brews left is Moose Drool Brown Ale from Big Sky Brewing.

Moose Drool is our Brown Ale. Far and away the best selling beer brewed in Montana, Moose Drool is chocolate brown in color with a creamy texture. Our brown ale is a malty beer with just enough hop presence to keep it from being too sweet. The aroma also mostly comes from the malt with a hint of spiciness being added by the hops. Moose Drool is brewed with pale, caramel, chocolate, and whole black malts; and Kent Goldings, Liberty, and Willamette hops. It has an original gravity of 13 degrees Plato, and is 4.2% alcohol by weight, 5.3% by volume. Note: ABV went down to 5.1%.

Poured dark brown into a Shaker glass with a medium sized khaki colored head. Has a slight roasty and chocolate malt scent. Has a bit of roasted malt in the flavor with slight cocoa and smokiness. Has a medium weight body and this bottle says it comes in at 5.2% ABV, unlike the description. Pretty tasty! I think I like this one the best of the bunch!