Beer!

[Ryan Ruck]

Unbeknownst to me until I spotted it on the shelf at Kroger, local brewery Braxton has teamed up with Graeter's for a second ice cream inspired beer - Braxton/Graeter's Blueberry Pie Brown Ale.

Braxton Brewing Company and Graeter's Ice Cream have teamed up to create another special beer - this time for a good cause.

Braxton and its wholesale partners have pledged to donate $10,000 to The Cure Starts Now, which raises money for cancer research.

The ale is inspired by Elena's Blueberry Pie ice cream, a flavor named for 6-year-old Elena Desserich, who lost her battle with cancer in 2007. Now Graeter's offers the flavor once a year to raise money for The Cure Starts Now.

Poured a deep copper-brown into a Shaker glass with a medium size golden-white head. Great big scent of blueberry you can smell from 2' away! Also smells of graham cracker and a little bit malt. Sweet. Tastes just like blueberry pie! Has a very slight bitterness on the finish that does seem a little out of place but, that's picking nits since it's barely there. Body is medium and is a bit fizzy. Has a very subtle 7% ABV. Like the last Graeter's collab, this one is also quite tasty!

[Ryan Ruck]

New beer tonight, in the spirit of Oktoberfest, is called DankeChain Oktoberfest from local brewery West Sixth.

Our Oktoberfest is a traditionalGerman-style lager that’s moderate strength and malt focused. You will find a clean, crisp beer with rich malts and toasty caramel notes, deep copper in color and a perfect accompaniment to the scents, flavors and accents of Fall.

ABV: 5%
HOPS: Hallertauer
MALTS: Munich, Caramel, Melanoidin
YEAST: House Lager

Poured copper brown into a Shaker glass with a smaller white head. Smells of sweet caramel malt and honey. The flavor is a definite malt bomb! Flavors of caramel, honey, and yeasty bread. A nice full body with a decent 5% ABV. This is a really great example of an Oktoberfest!

[Ryan Ruck]

This Friday night's beer review is a new release from Rhinegeist I just picked up called Press Tart Berliner Weisse.

We joined forces with 16-Bit Bar to create Press Tart, a Berliner Weisse packed with marionberries and blueberries, brewed in celebration of the gaming gurus' 2nd birthday!

Poured blood red into a Shaker glass with a big red-pink head. Flavors of sweet and tart berries, slight malt. The flavor isn't all that complex and is just like it smells but it is very darn tasty! Nice tartness! Body is medium but the ABV only weighs in at 4.4%. Could stand to be a little stronger. Like I said though, definitely the type of tart beer I like!

[Ryan Ruck]

Since my last review was so much earlier, I feel like doing another of another Rhinegeist! This time their Stryker Imperial IPA.

Stryker has returned to overtake your senses with its citrusy hop punch. This Triple IPA is big, balanced, and comes straight from the mastermind of our brewer, Aaron Stryker.

Poured dark gold into a Shaker glass with a big white head. Has a sweet floral and fruity hop scent with some caramel malt. The taste is a bit tropical and a bit citrus fruit with some biscuit malt and a bit of alcohol. Fairly sharp bitter start that lingers, claimed "100+" IBU. Decently big body with a 9.3% ABV. More bitter than I usually prefer but a solid Imperial IPA.

[Ryan Ruck]

This Friday evening I'm having a new beer form a new brewery. The brewery is Flying Monkeys out of Canada and the beer is their Paranormal Imperial Pumpkin Ale.

Doused with exotic warm spices, Paranormal evokes the aromas of pumpkin pie, graham cracker crust, and the toasty aura of autumn. Pouring with an otherworldly orange glimmer, Paranormal channels the subtle blend of cinnamon, ginger, nutmeg and allspice in the spirited body of a 10% alc./vol. beer. Brewed with roasted pumpkin and spices, Paranormal’s rich mouthfeel and a slightly hazy body emerge from a realm where substance and shadow cross.

Poured a ruddy brown into a Shaker glass with a big golden brown head. The smell is quite different from a number of other pumpkin brews I've had thanks to what seems to be a generous helping of ginger. The heavy ginger is also accompanied by quite a bit of cinnamon and just a bit of pumpkin. The flavor is also ginger heavy with the pumpkin following up. The cinnamon is also there along with some nutmeg and graham cracker. Very rich flavored! The body is hefty with an equal 10.1% ABV. Very tasty and perfect for this time of year!

[Ryan Ruck]

Tonight's new brew is a new release from Dogfish Head that's recently hit shelves. This is their Liquid Truth Serum IPA.

You can handle the truth! MYTH: IBUs (hop bitterness) can only be achieved in the boil. TRUTH: Uh-uh! The truth is, Dogfish Head has been doing innovative things in the world of hopping since we opened in the mid-90s. From our continual hopping method found in our 60 Minute, 90 Minute and 120 Minute IPAs to our latest innovation of post-boil hop additions found in our Liquid Truth Serum! Our unique process involving pelletized, powdered, leaf and liquefied hops makes for a blissfully inefficient IPA that's truthfully hoppy without being deceptively bitter. You'll find the perfect match of citrusy and tropical notes, making for a zesty finish ... honest.

Poured medium gold into a Tulip glass with a decent sized white head. Very citrusy and fruity hop scent along with a little bit of caramel malt. Malty tasting and slightly sweet balanced with fruity hop, mild bitterness. A very slight bitter taste that lingers. Mostly light and carbonated body with a decent 6.8% ABV. Pretty decent and easy drinking IPA!

[Ryan Ruck]

This Friday night's brew, while I'm busy binge watching the new Punisher series (), is a Stone collab, Merc Machine Double IPA.

Juicy and tropical. A Hop-forward, bitter, and fruit driven classic West-Coast Style IPA combined with haze and the juiciness of current East-Coast IPAs.

Poured dark gold into a Shaker glass with a big, persistent golden white head. Very tropical fruity hop scent combined with a slight caramel malt note. The taste is mostly melon, apricot, and some sweet honey but also has a little malt. Very light bitterness. Body is soft and creamy. Has a nice 9% ABV. Very easy drinking, tasty IPA!

[Ryan Ruck]

Bud Light Sends Minneapolis Brewery A Cease And Desist From The Renaissance

December 1, 2017



Their beer may not be the greatest, but damn this is well played by Bud Light.

Modist Brewing on Friday launched a new double IPA called the "Dilly Dilly" – a hat-tip to Bud Light's recent medieval banquet-set commercial that mocks the craft beer craze.

Well, the new beer didn't go unnoticed by Anheuser-Busch, the makers of Bud Light, who sent the North Loop, Minneapolis brewpub a cease and desist.

But in a brilliant twist, they delivered cease and desist via a Town Crier, who read it from a scroll.



"Let it be known that any beer shared between friends is a fine beer indeed and we are duly flattered by your loyal tribute," he says.

'However Dilly Dilly is the motto of our realm, so we humbly ask that you keep this to a limited edition.

"This is by order of the king, disobedience shall be met with additional scrolls, then a formal warning, then a private tour of the Pit of Misery."

He finishes by extending an olive branch to the bar, offering two Modist employees tickets to Super Bowl LII – where they can enjoy some Bud Light.

Modist marketer Dan Wellendorf shared the post on his Facebook page, commenting: "What happens when your (slightly naive) ideas turn into Bud Light execs and their ad agency staying up all night to come up with a script and then flying someone out of New York at 8 o'clock in the morning to be there for your beer release and then give you a cease and desist letter and tickets to the Super Bowl."

For those of you unfamiliar, here's the original ad. Dilly Dilly!

[Ryan Ruck]

I know it's been a while since I've done a review, mostly because I've been enjoying my homebrew. Which everyone seemed to like. It's amazing how fast 5 gallons of beer can go!

But, I recently made a beer run and picked up a couple new brews. One of which I've been really wanting to try since I picked it up earlier this week.

It is a new seasonal from Southern Tier called Cinnamon Roll.

In this brew, lightly toasted malts with subtly spicy hops blend into cinnamon flavors and creamy lactose sugar. Their coalescence is so uncannily close to fresh baked cinnamon rolls that it was impossible to name this beer anything other than Cinnamon Roll Imperial Ale! Pairs perfectly with Eggs Benedict at brunch, after dinner, or next to the fire for an unforgettable nightcap.

At first when I saw this I thought to myself, "So this claims to taste like cinnamon roll? That's a pretty bold claim for a beer..." But then I realized this was from Southern Tier so I was anxious to see just how well they pulled it off. Judging from the 90% on RateBeer, I'd say they must have done okay!

Allowed to warm up a bit because, who eats cold cinnamon rolls? Poured cinnamon brown into a Shaker glass with a large, dense tan head. Has a rich, sugary sweet, creamy, and cinnamon aroma. It certainly smells like cinnamon roll... And it really tastes like one! Taste is just like the smell. Heavy on the cinnamon, bready, caramel, with a creamy note just like icing. Definitely great for sipping to enjoy the full flavor. A nice weighty body with an appropriate 8.6% ABV. Really damn tasty desert beer!

Take this to heart, if Southern Tier says something tastes like pumpkin pie or cinnamon roll, believe them.

[Ryan Ruck]

Tonight's review is another newly acquired brew. This one is from Rhinegeist and is a new release called Oddjob.

A double IPA, our bravely hopped Oddjob is brimming with Galaxy, Simcoe, and Mosaic hops, reverberating with notes of pine, resin, blood orange, and ruby red grapefruit. Aha!

Poured a medium gold with a big, foamy white head. Smells of sweet tropical fruit hops. Flavors of citrus fruit, caramel malt, and has a light bitterness. Pretty well balanced! Body is heavy-medium weight with a nice 8.3% ABV that does not come out in the taste. Easy drinking! Chalk up another pretty good IPA from Rhinegeist!

[Ryan Ruck]

We've gotten a decent coating of snow, on the grassy areas mostly thanks to the warm temps the last several days, but now the temps are crashing and a rather robust wind is now coming in from the northwest. So it seems like a good opportunity to grab my woobie and a good beer and kick back to watch Dunkirk to wrap up the day's festivities.

So what better to open up on a cold and blustery night than a bottle of Sierra Nevada's Trip in the Woods: Barrel-Aged Cocoa Coconut Narwhal.

Narwhals are things of legend, myth, and mystery. Every so often, a rare specimen surfaces for a moment, but then dives back into the deep, never to be seen again. This very special version of our Narwhal Imperial Stout was brewed with toasted coconut and then left to mature in Kentucky bourbon barrels for nearly a year. To the barrels, we added additional coconut and cocoa nibs to create a uniquely rich and decadent stout. Catch a glimpse while you can before this rare treat slips below the surface forever.

Properly allowed to warm a bit. Poured dark black into a Snifter with a large, light brown head. Very rich aroma of bourbon, charred oak, roasted malt, coconut, and sweet chocolate. Bold flavors of boozy bourbon, chocolate, and a slight bit of coconut. The body is nicely full to match the richness and this has an appropriately robust 11.9% ABV. A really very fine brew!

[Ryan Ruck]

I suppose this will be my last review of 2017... So, it's going to be one for a very highly regarded brew, one that I happened across last week in fact and, in a somewhat more difficult to find bomber version.

This is Founders' Backwoods Bastard.

Big and delicious for your ’perty mouth. Expect lovely, warm smells of single malt scotch, oaky bourbon barrels, smoke, sweet caramel and roasted malts. A bit of earthy spice and a scintilla of dark cherries. It’s a kick-back sipper made to excite the palate.

Watching Blade Runner 2049 as I do this review.

Poured a ruddy brown into a Tulip (closest I've got to the recommended Thistle) with a large, golden-brown head. Allowed to warm some. Has a smell of oaky bourbon, peaty scotch, sweet caramel malt, and dark fruits. The taste is mild, smokey peat whiskey, slight vanilla, oak, and caramel malt. All of the flavors are fairly moderate individually but blend for a very fine richness. The 11.2% ABV lends to a finishing warmth. Very heavy bodied. An excellent brew from Founders!

[American Patriot]

Did you keg your beer, Ryan?

[Ryan Ruck]

Did you keg your beer, Ryan?

Yep! Kegged, over-carbonated, de-carbonated a bit, and then consumed entirely.

[Ryan Ruck]

Stone Looks To Make A Strong Political Statement With ‘I’M PEACH’ Double IPA

December 13, 2017

We live in turbulent times. The United States is more polarized politically then it has in years. By the looks of it, Stone Brewing will be making a bold political statement in the form of a beer – Stone I’M PEACH Double IPA.

Stone Brewing looks to make a political statement in 2018. Stone I’M PEACH Double IPA is coming next year.

We live in turbulent times. The United States is more polarized politically then it has in years. By the looks of it, Stone Brewing will be making a bold political statement in the form of a beer – Stone I’M PEACH Double IPA.

In case you missed the not subtle note in the name – I’M PEACH aka IMPEACH. It doesn’t take a genius to figure out they are alluding to President Trump. Read the allusion in the beer’s description:

It’s what a lot of us are thinking. We want to shout I’M PEACH from the rooftops. Yet, we’re afraid of the potential alienation from select peach-hating members of our friends and family. We want to call fro and I’M PEACH, but we’re afraid that we’ll look soft. Peach soft, like some freedom hating sissy, right? Nope. Not in our world. We know peaches are for the righteous. We’ve seen the light of their sweet juicy glory and how they pair excellently with the standup character of an American IPA. It’s not just right for you, it’s right for the country. You’re proud of our beautiful nation. You support good taste. Have an I’M PEACH party and we’ll unite hops, peaches, and each other.

Not much subtlety found there.

While presidential impeachment is not currently on the calendar, Stone I’M PEACH Double IPA is slated for release in May, 2018.

Well, I guess I can add Stone to my list of breweries I will not patronize due to rampant libtardism.

They get to join:

- Urban Artifact, local brewer that likes to allow/organize Antifa meetings at their taproom
- Revolution Brewing, owner is a self avowed Socialist

[Ryan Ruck]

It's been a while since I've done a review. Mostly since I haven't had any beer since the 1st of the year. Been trying out keto diet to drop some pounds my being lazy has put on. Not sure if I'm having much success though... Regardless, there's been too much good beer released recently to continue to go without.

So tonight, while enjoying the crazies on Live PD, I'm going to open up a bottle of a new Clown Shoes release called Porcine Unidragon.

This is Blaecorn Unidragon made with Beechwood Smoked malt, which adds a natural meaty note (there is no actual meat in the brew). Aged 100% in bourbon barrels. Little piggies run, squeal to the heavens: Clown Shoes wishes you luck.

Poured pitch black into a Snifter with almost no head. Allowed to warm slightly. Smells of smokey oak, vanilla, sweet cocoa, and boozy bourbon. The taste does indeed have a bit of a smoked meat-like note that is accompanied by some sweet chocolate, oak, vanilla, boozy bourbon, and a light bitterness in the background. All of the flavors compliment themselves quite well! Very full bodied to match the equally full bodied 12.5% ABV. Yet another excellent brew from Clown Shoes!

[Ryan Ruck]

First beer up tonight is a very limited release from Bell's I was lucky to get my hands on. The price of admission was not cheap at $25 for a 4 pack () but I'm hoping it's worth it!

This is their Whiskey Barrel Aged Cherry Stout.

Aged for up to 12 months in whiskey barrels, our signature Cherry Stout evolves into something even more flavorful and complex. Notes of oak, vanilla and dark chocolate are intertwined with tart Michigan cherries in a stout that seduces the palate.

Poured deep black with an extremely thin tan head into a Snifter. Heavy whiskey, oak, chocolate, caramel, and alcohol smell with the slightest bit of cherry. Flavor is mildly tart cherry with oaky whiskey, toasty malts, and a little sweet cocoa. Full bodied but not super heavy. Has a robust 9.3% ABV. A very good, sipping beer and great release from Bell's but, if I'm being honest with myself, not worth the price of admission I paid. I would have felt better at $12-$15 for a 4 pack.

[Ryan Ruck]

Next up tonight is a can of another Braxton/Graeter's collab release that just came out.

This time it's Braxton/Graeter's Black Raspberry Chocolate Chip Milk Stout.



Graeter’s Ice Cream and Braxton Brewing Co. Release Black Raspberry Chocolate Chip Stout

Graeter’s Ice Cream, family owned craft ice cream manufacturer since 1870, and Braxton Brewing Co., a local brewing company, have partnered to release a unique ice cream-inspired stout. This Black Raspberry Chocolate Chip Milk Stout is a first for both brands, bringing Graeter’s and Braxton Brewing Co. fans together with one unique adult beverage. On February 3rd, the collaborative beverage will be introduced at a Tapping Party at Braxton Brewing Co. and is set to hit Kroger and will be available at participating Kroger stores and many favorite independent area retailers, as well in the greater Cincinnati, Dayton, Lexington and Louisville areas beginning February 6th.

The one-of-a-kind Black Raspberry Chocolate Chip Milk Stout is a creatively crafted beverage inspired by one of Graeter’s oldest traditional flavors. Black Raspberry Chocolate Chip is an ice cream featuring black raspberries from Oregon’s Willamette Valley and gourmet bittersweet chocolate chips. With Graeter’s exclusive black raspberry puree, Braxton Brewing Co. crafted this one-of-a-kind milk stout, a dark brew with notes of roasted barley and a creamy texture. This sweet treat will only be available for purchase for a limited time.

“We’re excited to partner with another local family company to create something truly unique,” shares Richard Graeter, CEO of Graeter’s Ice Cream. “As a Cincinnati-grown company ourselves, we’re proud to support not only local companies, but also craft brands that are just as passionate about preserving their authenticity as we are.”

“Collaborating with the Graeter’s team on this project has been a dream come true,” said Jake Rouse, Co-Founder and CEO. “Over the past six months, our teams have taken this project from imagination to one of the best tasting stouts we’ve ever created. We hope this is the first of many collaborations between the Braxton and Graeter’s Family and can’t wait for consumers to get their hands on this beer.”

Regina Graeter’s original recipes and old-world French Pot process have stood the test of time – even as mass-produced ice cream floods the market. This innovative collaboration between Graeter’s Ice Cream and Braxton Brewing Co. is an ode to her time-tested recipes, taken to an even higher level by the addition of Braxton Brewing Co.’s passion for crafting the perfect beer.

Poured a ruddy-brown into an English Pint with a good sized, tan head with a purple tinge. Smells of roasted malts, cocoa powder, and raspberry. Lots of blackberry flavor with sweet chocolate malt and lactose. Medium bodied with an appropriately creamy texture. ABV is a healthy 7%. Probably the best of the Braxton/Graeter's collabs yet!

[Ryan Ruck]

Having a new release from Southern Tier tonight! This is their Manhattan American Strong Ale.

Ale brewed with cherry juice and aged in bourbon barrels. The first release from Southern Tier Brewing Co.’s Barrel Works Series.

Poured a ruddy brown into a Snifter with a moderate, khaki colored head. Allowed to warm some. Smells of sweet cherry cola, a bit of vanilla, and boozy bourbon. The taste is much like the smell with some oak flavors, and very good! Very heavy alcohol taste in part to it's big time 14.1% ABV. Full bodied and heavy but finishes on the dry side. A great, big brew from Southern Tier!

[Ryan Ruck]

Tonight's beer is a special release I had to mail order but could not pass up!

It is a Star Trek themed anniversary beer, Shmaltz Star Trek The Next Generation Captain's Holiday 30th Anniversary Ale.

You don’t have to be a Starfleet Captain or negotiate a difficult trade agreement between the Gemarians and the Dachlyds to deserve a little rest and relaxation. In the Star Trek™: The Next Generation episode “Captain’s Holiday”, the crew convinces Captain Picard to take a much needed vacation on the pleasure planet Risa. Number One (Commander Riker) tricks the Captain into buying a small statue called a Horga’hn when he arrives. After being accosted by a steady stream of women, he is told that displaying the statue in public suggests he is seeking Jamaharon. Whether for Jamaharon or simpler moments of pleasure, our tropical getaway should be perfect for kicking back and escaping the stresses of everyday life here on Earth. Enjoy the lemon, lime and orange citrus hop flavors of Captain’s Holiday Ale and engage in a well deserved vacation with every sip.

Poured a dark gold into a Tulip glass with a moderate golden-white head. Has a robust citrusy fruit smell with a little bit of tropical fruit and sweet caramel malt. The flavor has a slight hoppy bitterness but is balanced by sweet biscuit malt. Has grapefruit, lemon, and orange citrus flavors. Body is thin and finishes crisp and dry. The 4.8% ABV is a little light. Pretty decent brew but I think would work better in the warmer months.