Beer!

[Ryan Ruck]

Kicking back after a heck of a week and trying something from a new brewery.

Tonight it's 10W-40 German Chocolate Cupcake from Hi-Wire Brewing in Asheville, NC.

Inspired by rich and decadent German chocolate cake, this extra special batch of our 10W-40 Imperial Stout boasts huge notes of cake batter, sweet cherries, pecan dust, and vanilla.

Poured pitch black into a Snifter with a medium sized, dark brown head. Smells of cocoa, coconut, and a little bit of roasty malt. All of the smells come through in the flavors and are accompanied by creamy lactose. I don't get much in the way of cherries though. Body is appropriately heavy and comes with a respectable 8% ABV. Quite a tasty brew!

[Ryan Ruck]

Enjoying a new Three Floyds brew with Live PD tonight.

Topless Wytch Baltic Porter

This strong Baltic-style Porter has a rich, velvety mouthfeel with notes of bakers chocolate and molasses.

Poured a deep ruddy brown into a Snifter with a medium sized copper-brown head. Has an aroma of sweet chocolate, a bit of roasted malt, coffee and a slight spruce smell. Flavors of sweet chocolate, slightly bitter coffee, and oak. Has a medium body and a 9% ABV. Pretty tasty brew!

[Ryan Ruck]

Tonight's brew comes from Listermann - Chickow! Strong Ale.

https://www.thegnarlygnome.com/2014/...digit-chickow/

Chickow! Is to Cincinnati beer as the Carew Tower is to Cincinnati as a city. It’s a staple of beer drinkers… Getting it’s own national holiday, and a league of extraordinary drinkers that are in a club to celebrate it’s very existence. The original formula is as popular as it’s many variants that you’ll see pop up at Listermann/Triple Digit on draft and in bottles from time to time…

Poured a deep brown into a Snifter with a large khaki head. Very strong hazelnut scent combined with sweet chocolate and caramel. Tastes exactly like it smells, which is absolutely delicious! Finishes slightly boozy thanks to its 10% ABV. Has a nice, full body. Dangerously drinkable with the flavors and the 10% ABV! A damn fine beer indeed!

[Ryan Ruck]

Tonight's new brew is from The Bruery - Bakery - Coconut Macaroons Imperial Stout

Bakery – Coconut Macaroons, a Bourbon Barrel-aged Imperial Stout with coconut and natural vanilla flavor added, as the first offering to come out of its new series of pastry stouts.

Craving macaroons? This Imperial Stout has been aged in bourbon barrels with added coconut and natural vanilla flavors fit to satisfy any craving.

Poured pitch black into a Snifter with a very large, dense brown head. Allowed to warm a bit. Smells of chocolate and coconut. Slightly floury. Smells very good! A lot going on with the taste, in a good way! Coconut, chocolate, vanilla, oaky bourbon, and a bit of booziness. Has a very hefty 13% causing the booziness and a very thick, creamy body. A very tasty brew. Not sure it's worth the $8/pint but it's really good.

[Ryan Ruck]

Having a new Three Floyds brew tonight - Blot Out The Sun Imperial Stout

“Since the dawn of time it has been mankind's dream to blot out the sun.” – C. Montgomery Burns.

Style: Imperial Stout
ABV: 10.4%
IBU: 97

Poured ink black into a Snifter with nearly no head. Allowed to warm a bit. Was a bit surprised to get a such a heavy citrus hop scent. Also smells of chocolate, brown sugar, and roasted malt. Has an interesting flavor combination of roasted malt, sweet chocolate, but also a slight hop bitterness. A bit boozy thanks to it's 10.4% ABV. Medium heavy body. A hoppy imperial stout... Very interesting combination.

[Ryan Ruck]

Better late than never but, happy National Beer Day!

[Ryan Ruck]

Up for tonight's brew is another in the Sierra Nevada Trip In The Woods family. This one is Vintage Bigfoot bourbon barrel aged barleywine.

Good things come to those who wait, especially when it comes to our cult classic Bigfoot Barleywine-Style Ale. A combination of one, two, and three-year Kentucky bourbon barrel-aged Bigfoot, this Vintage Bigfoot is a Goldilocks of a blend that's just right. Hop bitterness mellows considerably, allowing the malt character to shine. Flavors of raisin, burnt sugar and dark fruit come forward with distinct oak and vanilla aromas. Grab this elusive beast while you can; it won't be around for long.

Poured copper brown into a Snifter with a medium sized off white head. Rich smell of dark fruits, sweet caramel malt, vanilla, and oak. Noticeable caramel malt flavor with some muted hop bite along with oaky bourbon that comes across moderately boozy. Medium-heavy bodied with a substantial 12.1% ABV. Quite a tasty brew! Definitely recommended!

[Ryan Ruck]

Trying two brews from two new-to-me breweries tonight!

First up is from Ohio and is Platform Peanut Butter Fudge Puff

Limited release collaboration with Schmidt’s Sausage Haus Columbus! Built in tradition and then brewed with a modern day twist, this classic Spring-inspired Maibock incorporates real homemade fudge and peanut butter. Inspired by one of the most legendary desserts in Columbus, the Schmidt’s Cream Puff! Get yours while supplies last! OH-IO.

Poured a deep and dirty blonde into a Shaker glass (Dimpled Mug or Stein recommended) with a smallish golden head. An unmistakable aroma of both chocolate and peanut butter! Smells like a Reece's Cup! Tastes a lot like a Reece's Cup too! Has a bit of malt flavoring to go along with it though. Medium bodied and a 7.1% ABV. Definitely a tasty brew!

[Ryan Ruck]

Beer 2 tonight is from Wyndridge brewery in Chicago and is their Barn Dog Imperial Porter.

Come and get it, old sport! Wyndridge Farm Brewing brings you Barn Dog, a farm-crafted chocolate vanilla imperial porter. Barn Dog is a good-natured, hard-working porter for a refined palate. Crafted with Madagascar vanilla beans and Ghana cacao nibs, Barn Dog is a rich, dark smooth, and exceptionally delicious brew. One sip and this porter will have you drooling and wagging your tail.

Poured black into a Shaker glass with a medium sized tan head. Smells of sweet chocolate with a hint of vanilla, coffee, and roasted malts. Taste is much like the smell with a little bitterness. Medium-heavy bodied with a 7% ABV. A solid drinking, tasty brew! Also, quite reasonably priced at $10 for a 6 pack from my local brew stop.

[Ryan Ruck]

Having another new Braxton/Graeter's collab tonight. This time, Key Lime Pie Berliner Weisse.

This iconic Summer treat is brewed with vanilla beans, cinnamon and zesty key lime juice to create a delicate, sweet and sour harmony. Soured in our brew kettle for 18 hours, providing just the right amount of tang to complement a creamy mouthfeel. A dessert-style Berliner Weisse that is distinctively and aromatically complex, just like a fresh slice of heavenly Key Lime Pie.

Poured a hazy gold into a Shaker glass with a medium white head. Distinct lime citrus scent. Flavors of lime, a definite cinnamon taste, and a little creamy vanilla with some graham. Slightly and appropriately tart. Body is on the light and crisp side. Might be nice with a slightly thicker, more pie-like body like their recent milkshake IPA I had. Has a 4.5% ABV but could stand to see that punched up a bit. Overall pretty tasty though and a good drink while we've got some rather unseasonable warmth right now.

[Ryan Ruck]

Late steak dinner and enjoying another brew from Clown Shoes that will complement it nicely!

This is their Coconut Sombrero Mexican-Style Chocolate Stout.

Ingredients: Coconut, lactose, vanilla, chocolate and rye malts

The nice part about the Luchador wardrobe is the versatility. Comfortable, breathable, devastating in the ring, and ruthlessly efficient when the occasion calls for beach volleyball. This variation of our Mexican-Style Chocolate Stout adds Coconut into the mix for a smooth and sweet seasonal twist alongside the classic roasted malt and chocolate flavors that define our Sombrero series.

Pours very dark into a Shaker glass with a good sized khaki colored head that's quite persistent. Aromatic roasted coconut and chocolate scent. Flavors of the scent with a sweet lactose to accompany them. A nice 7% ABV and, a rather robust and creamy body. Really good drinking and should go awesome with the steak when it's done.

[Ryan Ruck]

Wrapping up the short week with a new brew from Great Divide out of Denver, CO - Yeti Imperial Stout - Chocolate Cherry.

Chocolate Cherry Yeti is the newest version in our revered Yeti Series. We’ve tweaked the hop bitterness for this special release and then added sweet and sour cherries and cacao. The roasty malt backbone of Yeti melds perfectly with the cherries and cacao to make this one smooth sipper. A Yeti in a cherry orchard can be a great thing.

Poured black into a Snifter with a big, dense, dark brown head. Smells of roasted malts, chocolate, and slight cherry sweetness. The flavor is a combination of the same with the roastiness and chocolate coming through the most. Has a nice hefty body with a 9.5% ABV. An excellently executed brew!

[Ryan Ruck]

Wrapping up the week with a big brew from Evil Twin - 120 Days Dry Aged Stout



Poured black into a Snifter with a large, dark brown head. Allowed to warm up some. An aroma of chocolate, molasses, roasted malts, and alcohol. The taste is very smooth but has a very noticeable alcohol warming. Flavors like the smell with a roastiness that lingers. The body is big and heavy. This brew clocks in at 17.5% ABV which might be one of the highest ABV brews I've had. I'd have to look. Despite the high alcohol content, like I said, it is very smooth. At $8 for a pint, it ain't cheap but it's pretty awesome to try.

[Volk]

Wrapping up the week with a big brew from Evil Twin - 120 Days Dry Aged Stout



Poured black into a Snifter with a large, dark brown head. Allowed to warm up some. An aroma of chocolate, molasses, roasted malts, and alcohol. The taste is very smooth but has a very noticeable alcohol warming. Flavors like the smell with a roastiness that lingers. The body is big and heavy. This brew clocks in at 17.5% ABV which might be one of the highest ABV brews I've had. I'd have to look. Despite the high alcohol content, like I said, it is very smooth. At $8 for a pint, it ain't cheap but it's pretty awesome to try.

17.5 % ABV is rather high alcohol content, lol.... But you say it's smooth, I'll have to try to check it out.

[Ryan Ruck]

17.5 % ABV is rather high alcohol content, lol.... But you say it's smooth, I'll have to try to check it out.

Very smooth! Check your local import beer section since Evil Twin is out of Denmark.

[Ryan Ruck]

Wrapping up a rather hellacious week at work with an, out of the ordinary for me, import brew from Unibroue out of Canada. This is their Ale Gâteau Forêt-Noire.

To celebrate our twenty-fifth anniversary, we created a unique sumptuous ale and renewed with our tradition of brewing Unibroue anniversary beers. Our master brewer unleashed his creativity to dream up this special brew, with this idea in mind: "you can’t have an anniversary without a cake".

This anniversary brew offers roasted malt aromas, dark chocolate flavors and delicate fruity accents that lead to a slightly tart finish. Our liquid "Black Forest Cake" is bound to offer a tasting experience made up of pure delight. Let’s toast to this celebration.

Ale brewed with spices, tart cherry juice and with natural flavor added.

Poured brown-black into a Snifter with a large golden-tan head. Smells of dark fruits, slightly tart cherry, and sweet malt with some Belgian yeast. Flavor is caramel and chocolate sweetness, mildly tart cherry, with slight spicy yeast. Medium-heavy body with a nice 10.5% ABV to go along with it. A bit carbonated. Very tasty!

[Ryan Ruck]

Been unbelievably busy with work the last couple weeks so haven't had much online time but, tonight is the start of a week off!

Kicking it off with an IPA from a new local brewery.

This is Streetside Brewery's Suh, Brah?



Got to appreciate a brewery that can poke a little fun at the hipster stereotype.

Starting with an intense nose of stone fruit, grapefruit and light pineapple, the aroma is rounded out by the citrusy and piney notes from our double dry hop of Simcoe Hops. The flavor leads with a soft pineapple/peach flavor, dank undertones of pine and citrus, finishing with a fluffy, almost creamy body.

Hops: Simcoe, Citra

Poured a hazy, medium gold into a Tulip with a decent sized white, foamy head. Big citrusy aroma with just a little sweet malt. Lots of citrusy hops in the taste, seems like a lot of grapefruit, but not really all that bitter. A little malt is there too. Fairly full bodied with a 6.7% ABV. Very drinkable, which is good in this stupid hot weather we're having. Solid showing for an IPA!

[Ryan Ruck]

Wrapping an exhausting week with a hard to get, and much sought release form Clown Shoes - Hammer Of The Lion

Ingredients: Chocolate malt, oats, lactose, aged in rum, brandy, and bourbon barrels

The Hammer of the Lion is a fearsome weapon, but the lion wields this tool for justice. Our first barrel-aged release in 16oz cans, Hammer of the Lion is a blend of an American Imperial Stout and a Wee Heavy Ale that were barrel-aged in Rum, Brandy, and Bourbon barrels. Pronounced notes of malt sweetness and dark chocolate combine with a complex profile of barrel flavors for a rich and full-flavored experience.

Pour is pitch black into a Snifter with a medium head. Allowed to warm a tad. Very rich and inviting scent of roasted malt, oak, molasses, sweet chocolate, a bit of alcohol, and a ton of other stuff you could probably pick out if you took the time. Tastes of chocolate, sweet malt, oak, whiskey, a touch of brandy, and some alcohol. Medium bodied with an 11% ABV. A very fine brew indeed!

[Ryan Ruck]

It was a bit hot in the 90s today but humidity was pretty low (for us) at about 45% so was able to finally get some needed stuff done outside.

So, going light and semi-local for tonight's brew - Country Boy Key Lime Cougar Bait



Pours a light blonde into a Shaker with a medium white head. The aroma is light but is dominated by lime with some malts. Taste is tart lime and biscuit malts. Body is light and crisp with a reasonable 5% ABV. Not a super complex brew but solid drinking on a hot Summer day!

[American Patriot]

"Cougar Bait" LOL