Beer!

[Ryan Ruck]

Tonight's brew comes courtesy of my Colorado connection and comes from Weldwerks Brewing Company. This is their Coffee Peanut Butter Vanilla Imperial Stout.

Imperial Milk Stout brewed with Peruvian Coffee from Zoe's Cafe, Peanut Flour, Milk Sugar and Madagascar Bourbon Vanilla Beans

Poured black into a Snifter with a smallish, short lived light brown head. Allowed to warm some. A noticeable smell of peanut butter and cocoa along with some roasted coffee. The flavor comes in much more complex than the smell leads on! The taste is a great blend of peanut butter, very rich vanilla, cocoa, and some medium roast coffee all finishing slightly boozy. A wonderful flavor profile! The body is fairly heavy and the ABV comes in at a nice 10.8%. Really great brew!

[Ryan Ruck]

I picked up tonight's brew a couple months ago. It's a collab between Listermann and Windmill (whom I haven't had anything from before). This is Listermeme Milkshake IPA

Milkshake double IPA with Sabro, Simcoe, Pineapple, Coconut, Vanilla, and Lactose.

Poured a hazy gold into a Shaker with a medium sized white head. Has a heavy tropical fruit smell accompanied by light coconut and malt. The flavor is pineapple, coconut milk, sweet vanilla, and light malt. Medium-heavy body with an equal 8.5% ABV. Pretty tasty!

[Ryan Ruck]

Going local once again to night with one from MadTree whom I haven't had anything from in a while. This is a collab with Grateful Grahams called S'More Gratitude Imperial Stout.

A rich yet balanced stout from a collaboration with local vegan dessert maker Grateful Grahams this beer has vanilla beans and lactose as well as cocoa powder and cacao nibs from local chocolatier Maverick Chocolate. Inspired by the classic campfire treat, this beer brings all the goodness with a lot less mess. Go ahead and get s'more.

Poured black into a Snifter with a large, brown head. Smells of sweet cocoa, vanilla, and just a bit of graham malt. Flavors of chocolate, lactose, vanilla, and smokey malts. The body comes in thinner than I expected with medium weight with an equal 7.5% ABV. Not quite as sweet as I expected either. Overall, pretty tasty but would like to see a heavier body and sweeter flavor profile for a brew that boasts a s'mores like experience.

[Ryan Ruck]

Kicking off my last weekend before on call week, and after having an unpleasant day, with a top notch brew!

Tonight's is another in Epic's Big Bad Baptist family - Big Bad Baptist Reserve.

Big Bad Baptist Reserve is a blend of the three different 2017 Big Bad Baptist projects. This imperial stout with coffee, cacao nibs and coconut is aged in Whiskey and Rum barrels before being packaged in a limited run of 600 cases of 22oz bottles

Poured ink black into a Snifter with a medium sized, brown head. Allowed to warm some. This has a nice strong scent of oaky whiskey, roasted malt, coconut, along with a bit of sweet toffee and chocolate. The flavor profile closely matches the scent profile in great proportions! The alcohol comes through pretty clearly. Has a heavyweight body with a robust 11.6% ABV. Just like the rest of the Big Bad Baptist brews I've had, this one is excellent!

[Ryan Ruck]

I'm bidding farewell to the weekend, with an on call week bearing down on me, tonight with a new brew from a new to me brewery.

Tonight I'm having Pumpkinville Latte from Ellicottville Brewing.

https://www.ellicottvillebrewing.com...inville-latte/

Ellicottville has long been a fall destination for leaf peepers and adventure seekers. Adding to the attractions and our best-kept secret is Pumpkinville. What a better way to share this hidden gem than with a beer! Brewed with locally sourced ingredients, including locally-harvested pumpkin, fresh-roasted coffee bean, and finished with seasonal spice & aroma. Big, bold & balanced flavor.

Poured deep amber into a Shaker glass with a small, golden-white head. A great aroma of straight up pumpkin pie with graham, pumpkin, and cinnamon. The flavor also comes across as very accurate to pumpkin pie with faint light roast coffee and cream. The body is medium and soft with a 6.5% ABV. Got to say, this is definitely one of the better pumpkin beers I've had and I've always thought pumpkin brews are one of the tougher ones to get to taste good.

[Ryan Ruck]

Having another new one in the 10w-40 from Hi-Wire Brewing!

This is their 10w-40 Oaked Chocolate Macaroon Imperial Stout.

Oak-aged Imperial Stout brewed with chocolate, vanilla, coconut & lactose.

Poured black into a Snifter with a large, dark brown head. Allowed to warm some. Smells of cocoa, roasted malt, a little coconut, and oak. The flavor is chocolate, coconut, vanilla lactose, and charred oak. Has a heavyweight body and a respectable 9.2% ABV. Another great showing in the 10w-40 family!

[Ryan Ruck]

Starting the weekend off with something local and seasonal. This is Listermann's Schwarzbier.



Poured black into a Shaker with a large tan head. The aroma is light but I get roasted malt and smoke. The flavor is pretty straightforward and just like the scent with roasted malts and a bit of char. Solidly medium weight body and a 5.5% ABV. Not really a complex brew but tasty and quite drinkable.

[Ryan Ruck]

Another Listermann start to the weekend!

Having a nice tall glass of Hatorade - Fruit Punch.

Berline Weisse brewed with Electrolytes

Yes, it's got what plants crave!

Poured bright red into a Shaker glass with a sizable pinkish head that sticks around a while. Has a malty, fruity, and tart scent. The flavor starts of with a definite Gatorade Fruit Punch flavor with mild tartness and saltiness, finishes with wheat malt. Body is light, of course, and has a reasonable 4.3% ABV. Easy drinking and tasty! Quite the brew!

[Ryan Ruck]

New brewery, new beer tonight!

The brewery is R. Shea Brewing and the beer is Full Containment - Project Dark Angel

Caramel Macchiato Triple Oatmeal Imperial Stout - "Residents, the Evil has been expunged from the soil of our Great Land. Our guns have finally fallen silent after launching the 11th salvo containing two top-secret biological agents meant to destroy all remaining infestations. You are now free to return back to society. We thank you for your service."

I feel like I've missed a backstory.

Poured deep, deep brown into a Snifter with a moderate sized tan head. Allowed to warm some. A very definite caramel macchiato scent with some malt to go with it. Super rich flavors of chocolate, coffee, and caramel. Quite sweet and boozy. The body is a big heavyweight with an equally heavy 14% ABV, explaining the booziness. Quite a decadent beer and a good first impression from this brewer!

[Ryan Ruck]

Going back to Connecticut Valley to try one of their NEIPAs. Tonight it's their X-1 Experimental Series.

X1 is the first in our Experimental Series and we are starting it off by breaking the sound barrier. Soar to new heights with this New England style Double IPA. The X1 showcases the Mandarina Bavaria hop so you can enjoy the sweet citrus notes that this hop has to offer. The aroma of Tangerines and gooseberries invites you to the amazing taste of Mandarin orange and lime. This is one that will have you wanting more and looking to the future of what our X series has to offer. It is limited quantity and taproom only.

Poured a hazy gold into a Shaker with a large, foamy white head. Has a tart citrus, sweet tropical fruit, and light malt smell. The Mandarin orange and lime come through in the flavor along with a bit of berry and some bready malt. The body is medium weight with a 6.3% ABV. A very easy drinking and tasty IPA!

[Ryan Ruck]

Sadly I'm on call this week but this week calls for good alcohol so tonight I'm having a new, limited release from Clown Shoes: Josh the Boss Hog Barleywine

Our friends at WhistlePig only release a new version of The Boss Hog every so often. A world-class distiller testing the limits of technique and style with a limited release over a decade in the making? Here, take all our money. When the opportunity presented itself to age a beer in barrels that held their latest release of The Boss Hog, you could say we were a little excited. We’ve always admired WhistlePig’s whiskey and our shared commitments to pushing the boundaries of our respective crafts, and it felt right to combine forces for a truly special barrel-aged release.

This Barleywine aged in the same Japanese Umeshu barrels that aged The Samurai Scientist, the sixth release in WhistlePig’s Boss Hog series. With the strong umeshu and rye whiskey notes imparted to these barrels after aging each for over fifteen years combined, head brewer Dan Lipke crafted Josh the Boss Hog specifically with these barrels in mind. Full-bodied malt sweetness and the addition of plum puree in the brewing process made this rich base beer an ideal candidate for added layers of complex flavors from its time in these barrels. Cheers to WhistlePig, and to all the Boss Hogs out there.

Poured a deep, hazy, amber-brown into a Snifter with a moderate sized white head. Has a rich smell of oak, sweet dark fruit, and whiskey. The flavor has all the profile of the smell. The whiskey and oak come through amazingly! Really makes me want to try some of this WhistlePig Boss Hog whiskey, very tasty! The body is appropriately heavy for the style and this packs an 11% ABV. Yet again, Clown Shoes turning out a masterful brew! A great brew if you're a whiskey fan.

[Ryan Ruck]

The on call continues and today was hopping. So I'm finally settling down with a local brew tonight. I'm having Grainworks Blue Skies Hero Brew.

https://www.msn.com/en-us/video/peop...es/vi-BB12Wplp

Brian McGinnis is the head brewer and co-owner of Grainworks -- whose commemorative 6-packs of Blue Skies Hero Brew feature local heroes who gave their life for their country. The beer gets its name from the Blue Skies for Good Guys and Gals Warrior Foundation It's co-founder Dave Hart approached Grainworks with the idea.

An American Amber style ale, this beer is brewed as a patriotic partnership between Blue Skies for the Good Guys And Gals Warrior Foundation and Grainworks Brewing Company. Crisp, with light caramel notes.

I picked this up a couple months back. When I got it I only saw the 6 packs with the labels I got. If I knew they had more I would have tried to hunt them down so I had them all.

Poured a clear, solid gold into a Shaker with a large white head. Doesn't have a complex nose on it, just a bit of sweet malt and a faint fruit hop. Has flavors of cracker, light fruit, and slight bitterness. Has a fairly light and crisp body and brings an appropriate 5% ABV. Not a brew that's a great work of art but is a solid, easy drinking brew that shows even the most regular of craft beers are head and shoulders above the macros. And kudos to Grain Works for spotlighting some great heroes!

[Ryan Ruck]

Starting off the weekend with a brew appropriate for plague ravaged America () featuring a plague doctor character on the can. From Around The Bend Vera Cream Ale.

We all know how wonderful pistachios are. Pistacia vera (genus/species) have been used in culinary applications for thousands of years. For a much shorter period, innovative brewers have employed this tantalizing drupe (that’s right, technically not a nut) to add a luscious character to many styles of beer. Our delicate cream ale really lets the pistachio flavor shine through as the star. The use of Caravienne malt adds a touch more body than some other cream ales along with a pale golden hue. At just over five percent, this is a session beer you’ll want to get crackin’ with.

Poured clear, medium gold into a Shaker with a sizable, foamy white head. Very light scent consisting of mostly malt but with a little pistachio. A definite flavor of pistachio in the taste with a good bit of malt. The body is medium and fizzy with a 5% ABV. Not as creamy as I'd expect for a cream ale but the pistachio works surprisingly well to make a solid drinking brew. Not bad.

[Ryan Ruck]

Starting the weekend off with a local brew I picked up a couple months ago. This is Love In The Tub Stout from Taft's.

Rich peanut butter and dark chocolate mingle with espresso and vanilla bean, producing the perfect dessert stout. Proceeds go to the Taft's Team Relief Fund, which helps our staff who are unable to work at this time. Contains lactose and peanuts.

Poured pitch black into a Snifter with a sizable, brown head. Definite aroma of peanut butter, espresso, and chocolate malt. All of that comes through substantially in the flavor with a substantial roastiness. Light coffee bitterness on the finish. Has a fairly robust but smooth body and an 8.5% ABV to go with it. Very tasty beer!

[Ryan Ruck]

Another sad weekend before on call week so I must cheer up with some good beer!

Tonight I've got Platform's Barrel Aged BonBonerie Imperial Opera Cream Stout.



Poured pitch black into a Snifter with a very thin, dark brown head. Allowed to warm some. Has an aroma of deep, rich chocolate, some mild oak, roasted caramel malts, and a touch of boozy bourbon. The flavor on this is equally decadent as the way it smells. Big sweet chocolate syrup, boozy bourbon, oak, and caramel. Heavy bodied and weighing in at 10.1% ABV. Really great desert beer for following up a nice steak and potatoes dinner!

[Ryan Ruck]

It's on call weekend but that doesn't mean a good brew can't still be enjoyed!

In honor of our recent Friday The 13th... Listermann Saturday The 14th Team Building.





Poured black as night with a light brown sizable head that persisted a while. Has an aroma of cocoa, peanut butter, and roasted malt. Lots of chocolate malt and peanut butter in the taste but also has an interesting subtle hop finish. The body is medium weight and creamy coming in at 7.3% ABV. A very interesting flavor profile and look for a NEIPA. Pretty good, if not confusing.

[Ryan Ruck]

I spent Thanksgiving down in Gatlinburg with some extended family. While down there I picked up some "local" brew (local being Nashville).

I've got a 6 pack of Tailgate Brewery's Peanut Butter Milk Stout.

Ingredients: Magnum hops; Pale, Caramel-65, and Chocolate malts; Roasted barley; Artificial peanut butter flavour added after fermentation

Available all year. A dark, full bodied stout with a peanut butter and chocolate malt aroma. Moderately sweet with peanut butter and chocolate malt flavours. Creamy notes soften roasted coffee flavoured qualities.

Tailgate Peanut Butter Milk Stout won World's Best Experimental Flavoured Beer at the 2015 World Beer Awards.

This may have been sold at 6.2% abv at some point.

Poured black into a Shaker with a thin, light brown head. A distinct peanut butter and chocolate malt smell just as described. The description is just as accurate for the taste with more peanut butter and chocolate malt with the aforementioned roasted coffee. The description differs on the body profile. They call it "full bodied" but I found it a bit thin. I also feel like the 5.2% ABV should be punched up for a stout. Overall, pretty good with good flavoring.

[Ryan Ruck]

Now that I've recovered from last night (), I'm starting the new year and weekend off with a brew from Listermann I picked up before Thanksgiving. It's their release of Operation Flintlock, which I've had before, but is a new variant I haven't - Operation Flintlock - Caramel Marshmallow.



Listermann sends 10% of their Operation Flintlock sales to Toys For Tots!

Poured opaque black into Snifter with a sizable, tan head that's pretty persistent. Has a great smell of roasted coffee, caramel, and a little vanilla sweetness. Those scents come out in the flavor along with a bit of cocoa though it seems a little lighter on the caramel than the smell would lead you to believe. The body is medium-heavy and creamy. The ABV on this weighs in at 6%. Just like the regular Operation Flintlock (and just about everything Listermann puts out), this is some good stuff!

[Ryan Ruck]

I picked this up a bit ago and decided to give it a try tonight. The first time I tried a brew from Sonder, with their Key Lime, I was pretty impressed so we'll see how this Imperial Otto Tiramisu Stout is.

Double tiramisu stout with rich hints of chocolate, vanilla, and coffee.

Poured black into a Snifter with a medium sized, light brown head. Has rich chocolate and roast coffee prominently on the nose along with some booziness. All of this comes through in the flavors very nicely along with the richness of the Madagascar vanilla beans. Heavy weight body with a robust 11% ABV. Sonder impresses again!

[Ryan Ruck]

So, since I'm finally decently settled in the new house, decided it's time to start reviewing new brews. I haven't really stopped buying so I have a mountain to get through.

Picked this up at the height of COVID!



Fvck COVID 2.0 from Ale Asylum in Wisconsin.

Poured bright gold with a moderate head into a Shaker glass. A very pine hoppy and slightly malty scent. Not very complex, lots of hop. The flavor is citrus and pine hop with a very little caramel malt but it all seems pretty watered down because of the thin body. Fairly bitter. Has a 5% ABV. Not being a fan of bitter beers, this didn't really wow me and the really thin body didn't help it. A bit mediocre to be honest. Hey, just like this whole scamdemic!