Beer!

[Ryan Ruck]

The other day when I was in Kroger I spotted a new Founders brew I hadn't had before and hadn't seen when I picked up the Sumatra Mountain from Jungle Jim's so I grabbed some.

This is their Dark Penance Imperial Black IPA

A heavy malt foundation includes Crystal malt for sweetness and just enough Midnight Wheat malt to push the color to black. The bitterness is huge, but balanced by malt sweetness and alcohol burn. The hop flavors and aromas range from citrus to floral to pine thanks to a delicious blend of hand-selected Chinook and Centennial hops.

Poured a very dark red-brown into a Shaker with a dense and substantial, light brown head. Big tropical fruit and citrus hop scent with notes of sweet caramel and roasted malts. This claims a big 100 IBU rating but although the piney bitterness is sharp on the outset it mellows quickly thanks, likely, to the roasted malts. Has a bit of sweet chocolate as well. Body is on the thicker side and sticky. Has an ABV of 8.9% but I don't get the claimed alcohol burn, maybe a little warming on the finish. A bit more bitter than I usually prefer for my beers but an excellent example of a Black IPA!

[Ryan Ruck]

Going to review a couple local brews tonight starting with one from Northern Kentucky brewer, Braxton. Can't remember if I've reviewed anything from them before.

With the warm weather here without a doubt now, I figure now is a good time for this one.

This is their Kentucky Home Mint Julep Style Beer

There’s magic in that moment. As the thoroughbreds stride from the paddock to the post parade, the crowd rises, the state is still, and everyone sings together “My Old Kentucky Home.” It’s not the only tradition on the first Saturday of May. There’s the roses, the most exciting two minutes in sports, and the Mint Juleps. Man, are there Mint Juleps. It’s with that spirit of togetherness and tradition, we’re proud to call the Commonwealth our Kentucky Home. And for you, we’ve brewed this batch in honor of this event on the first Saturday of May.

This is a tip of the cap to the traditional Kentucky Derby Mint Julep. We’ve aged a golden ale in bourbon barrels infused with mint. Kentucky Home takes the best parts of the beautiful ale and the influence of a Mint Julep. With notes of a beautiful bourbon and oak, this will be served in a commemorative glass with a special mint garnish.

Poured a clear, medium gold into a Lager glass with a good sized, gold tinted head. The smell is a blend of mint, sweet malt, and a little oak. The mint and bourbon are very noticeable in the taste and are followed up by the malts. Slightly creamy but light bodied. Only has a 4.8% ABV. Very unique taste! Not bad at all!

[Ryan Ruck]

The second local brew up tonight is from MadTree, their Nucleus Braggot.

Braggot Style Ale brewed with Honey, Cacao Nibs, Roasted Chicory, and Fig Puree.

Let’s get to the heart of the matter. This small-batch braggot is the collaborative result of two Ohio craft producers, one North and one South. Throughout history, beekeepers have created new, smaller honey bee colonies from two separate larger colonies with a focus on the queen, the nucleus of the hive. In that same spirit, this Braggot is crafted with rich malts, spices, and fruits to pair with 600 pounds of Ohio wildflower and buckwheat honey that is sure to warm your soul. This is MADCRAFT NUCLEUS.

Poured a deep red-brown into a Snifter with a medium, cream colored head. Smells of sweet honey, caramel, cocoa, a bit of bourbon. Definite bourbon flavors with honey and alcohol. The alcohol flavors are thanks to its 11.9% ABV. Body is surprisingly thin for the robust alcohol content. Pretty darn good but, for my high test beers I do prefer a heavier body.

[Ryan Ruck]

Just opened a bottle of Stone's 20th Anniversary Encore Series: 6th Anniversary Porter while I've got the grill going.

We celebrated our first five years in business by releasing anniversary India pale ales, with each subsequent IPA brewed to be hoppier and more intense than the previous. For our 6th anniversary in 2002, we extended this concept by making an intensified version of Stone Smoked Porter. We cranked up the malts and hops a notch or three and conditioned it on French and American oak, which accentuated our porter’s distinctive smokiness and amplified its chocolate and roast coffee flavors while also adding subtle notes of toffee, cherries, dried berries and vanilla. We’re proud to give those who missed out—as well as those who didn’t—a fresh shot at experiencing this smoky, dark-as-night wonder.

Poured a deep brown into a Shaker glass with a huge, dense light brown head that, interestingly, got gradually lighter as it subsided. Smells of smokey roasted malts, slight earthy hops, with a little chocolate. Very noticeable roasted malt flavoring with sweet chocolate and woody notes. Finishes with a touch of hoppy bitterness, just right so that it accents instead of being offputting. A nice 8% ABV with an appropriate medium-heavy body. Really great brew from Stone!

[Ryan Ruck]

Next up this evening is one from Rogue that I picked up a couple months ago. It was the last bottle of its kind on the shelf so I pretty much had to get it.

This is their Morimoto Imperial Pilsner



(PS I pretty much could have taken this picture since I'm drinking this out of an identical Lager glass)

Golden in color with a dry hop floral aroma and intense hop bitterness supported by a big malty backbone which culminates into a hedonistic mouthfeel. Yee haw!

Comes in a fancy, very heavy glazed ceramic bottle! Poured a very pale gold into a Lager glass with a medium, fluffy white head which receded quickly. The scent is faint but smells of grain, honey, floral hops. The taste is sweet with large honey, tropical fruit, and malt flavors that transition to a very mild hop bitterness on the finish. The flavor is far more robust than the scent and much better than most Pilsners. Has a 8.8% ABV that is well hidden. Body is on the heavier side of light. A really high quality brew from Rogue worth the try!

[Ryan Ruck]

Hmmm... Interesting...

I do have a Sodastream but, 4.5% is on the weak side.

Eh, if I see it here in the US, I'll have to give it a try.

End Of The Pub? Classic Sodastream Gadget Can Now Instantly Turn Water Into Beer

SODASTREAM launches new Beer Bar accessory that transforms tap water into an instant home-crafted brew.

June 6, 2016

If you love an ice-cold pint of beer all of your dreams may have just come true.

You can now forget heading to the local for an overpriced ale by simply turning your tap water into beer.

The classic Sodastream has just been transformed into a mini brewery thanks to the launch of a new Beer Bar kit.

The Beer Bar enables you to create crafted beer in seconds by simply adding a unique Blondie concentrate to Sparkling Water.

And the best part is, you can brew three litres of lager for around £2.

With 4.5% alcohol content, Sodastream says its brew also tastes as good as pint in your local.

Speaking about the dream invention Daniel Birnbaum, Chief Executive Officer of SodaStream said: "We are excited to launch a brand dedicated to serving the global growing trend of home crafted beer,

"Our core carbonation technology and distribution infrastructure provide a great platform for us to extend our business into this emerging category, and we choose to do so with a dedicated beer brand."

Before you get too excited about drinking all that beer, the kit is currently only available in Germany and Switzerland.

Although there's no official date for a UK launch it's expected to arrive in other countries by the end of this year.

If that rumour does comes true it could be on a lot of Christmas present wish lists.

[Ryan Ruck]

Over the last couple days I've had a couple Rhinegeist brews and just haven't had the time to post them up while I drink a third Rhinegeist beer.

First up is Fluxion Belgian Style Pale Ale.

A close cousin to Fiction, this Belgian-style XPA showcases Hallertau Blanc and Huell Melon hops, offering notes of honeydew, honeysuckle, and tropical fruit.

Poured a pale gold with a big white head into a Tulip glass. Has a smell of Belgian spice, slight funk, and biscuty malts. Taste is tropical fruit hops, Belgian spice, malts, and a very tiny bitterness. A respectable 6% ABV and a body on the thinner side. A really great drinking beer for the really pleasant evenings we've had around here the last couple days!

[Ryan Ruck]

Next up is Haka Pale Ale.

A pale ale that takes a Southern Hemisphere twist, using American hops in the kettle and dry hopped with loads of Nelson Sauvin hops from New Zealand after fermentation.

Called a Pale Ale but poured a near amber into a Tulip with a good sized, gold tinged white head. Smells mostly of tropical fruit hops. Taste has a blend of sweet malts as well as tropical fruit and citrus hops with a bit of banana emphasis. Light-medium body and a 5.7% ABV. Another great beer to kick back with outside on a wonderful evening!

[Ryan Ruck]

Tonight's beer is Rhinegeist's B Side India Pale Ale.

Last year, I reviewed their A Side.

Last year we teamed up with Shake It Records to collaborate on a Record Store Day IPA and dubbed it A Side. We had so much fun brewing and grooving and pouring beers in Northside that we figured we’d make it a tradition! Flip it to the B Side IPA (6.8%, 65 IBU). Australian Vic Secret and Ella hops marry with Idaho 7 to deliver a cacophony of pine, resin, tropical fruit, grapefruit and star anise out to the aromatic middle of woop woop. Pop the cap, set the spin, and beatbox your grin to these fair dinkum beats of the banana benders.

Poured a medium gold into a Shaker glass with a large, dense white head. Smells of citrus hops and a little bit of malt. Has flavors of sweet biscuit malts blended with fruity hops. A moderate but inoffensive bitterness that works pretty well. Comes in at 6.8% ABV and has a body I'd call medium but on the lighter side. Pretty good but I think I like Fluxion and Haka a bit better.

[Ryan Ruck]

Tonight I'm having a beer I had a long time ago, back when you could still buy limited release beers on eBay as "collectable".

The last time I had this it came in bomber sized bottles. Dogfish has downsized this to standard 12oz bottles now.

This is Dogfish Head's Fort

The world's strongest fruit beer, brewed with Oregon and Delaware raspberries.

Picked this up several months ago when Party Source got a very limited number of these. Limit was, unfortunately, 1.

Poured a hazy amber into a Shaker glass with a large, golden-white head. Bits of stuff floating around in it. Smells of raspberries, booze, malts, and a slight funk. Unsurprisingly, a big, sweet raspberry flavor. Flavor also has grainy malts and alcohol befitting it's ginormous 18% ABV. The body is equally big and almost seems syrupy. Also unsurprisingly, has a warming finish. Make no mistake, doing anything but sipping this is signing your death warrant! This is a pretty darn good brew, alcohol content notwithstanding, but is definitely something to be experienced because of it.

Maybe it's for the best that this isn't bomber sized any more.

[Ryan Ruck]

Just picked up tonight's beer the other day. It's a new release from Southern Tier, their Salted Caramel Imperial Stout.

The last salted caramel brew I had from Anderson Valley wasn't bad but I have high hopes from Southern Tier since they are always putting out outstanding brews!

Imperial Stout brewed with Himalayan Pink Sea Salt, caramelized sugar, and natural flavor.

Poured a deep, dark black into a Snifter with a moderate sized brown head. Strong aroma of sweet caramel malts. The taste will absolutely knock your socks off! An amazing rich blend of chocolate and salted caramel. Simply delicious and just as I expected from Southern Tier! Zero alcohol taste despite the 10% ABV so be real careful with this one! Body is full and on the heavier side. Absolutely treat yourself to this if you've got Southern Tier available near you.

[Ryan Ruck]

With the official start of Summer this past Monday, I figure it is fitting to review Rhinegeist's Summer Pale Ale that I just picked up.

What better way to celebrate the gorgeous weather than with our Summer Pale Ale? This single hopped ale features the Australian Summer hops offering up fruity notes of apricot and melon.

Poured a very pale, clear gold into a Shake with a big, white head. Has a light, fruity hop smell with just a touch of cereal grain. The taste is a really nice balance of malt and hop with very little bitterness. A little lemon citrus. Thin body with a dry finish. A reasonable 5.5% ABV. A very easy drinking, warm weather beer! Good stuff!

[Ryan Ruck]

Tonight I am sampling another Summertime beer for the Independence Day weekend.

This time it is a new offering from Bell's, Poolside Cherry Wheat.

Another ale fermented with Montmoreny cherries, Poolside is a light bodied wheat ale that blends clove and tart cherry flavors for a summer session beer.

Pours a ruddy golden into a Shaker with a foamy white head. Strong Belgian spice aroma. The taste is wheat, Belgian spices, and a hint of sweet cherries. Body is medium and comes with a 5% ABV. Could stand to punch up the cherry a little bit. It's not going to replace Oberon in my refrigerator but this is a pretty good brew!

[Ryan Ruck]

The beer tonight is a fairly new offering from Rogue called Cold Brew IPA which they say is an IPA made with cold brewed Stumptown coffee.



Pours a clear, golden-brown into a Shaker with a big, dense golden head. Smells lightly of fruity hops and earthy coffee. Tastes of mild roasted coffee and malts with a little bitter after taste. Fairly sweet overall. Body is medium heavy. Has a 6.9% ABV. Overall, pretty good coffee beer!

[Ryan Ruck]

The new beer tonight is a new one from Rhinegeist I picked up a couple days ago called Trips, a sour ale.

Brewed to celebrate our third orbit around the sun, we’re charting tarter territory with Trips. This sour ale features the addition (during fermentation) of sour cherries and currants for a maelstrom of fruit and sour power. Trips is neon pink, sour, and hypnotic.

Poured a bright and clear red, like cranberry juice, into a Snifter and had a medium sized, pink head. Slight sour smell on the nose. Some caramel malts and berries as well. Tart cherries dominate and some oak flavors follow. 7.5% ABV but the alcohol hides well. Light and fizzy with a dry finish. Very tasty! A good, easy drinking hot weather refresher!

[Ryan Ruck]

New beer time!

A new one from Maui Brewing Co. which, I think, is new to this area. At least I don't recall seeing any of their stuff.

This is their Coconut Hiwa Porter.

Our Coconut Porter is a classic robust porter spiced with all natural toasted coconut. It is black in color and crowned with a creamy, dark tan head. It begins with a malty-toasted-coconut aroma followed by a rich, silky mouthfeel with tastes of dark malt, chocolate, and hints of coffee. It then finishes with flavors of toasted coconut and hoppy spice to balance the finish.

Pours a deep black into a Shaker with a huge, light brown head. Smells of roasted coffee, chocolate, and malts. Not much coconut but it is there. The taste is a lot like the aroma but the coconut is a bit more pronounced. That said I'd like more of it in there and maybe a little less roasty boldness. That may be personal preference though as I like a lot of coconut flavor in beers advertising coconut. Moderate sweetness. The body is big and rich. A solid 6% ABV. Very good barbecue beer! Not inexpensive however. A 4 pack was like $10.

Kona's Koko Brown still holds my top slot got the coconut flavoring I like. It's also more affordable. This is a solid #2 though. Very good tasting!

[Ryan Ruck]

The beer up tonight is a six pack I picked up a couple weeks ago. Had a couple before tonight but just hadn't had a chance to review it.

Like Poolside, this is another new one from Bell's - Quinannan Falls Special Lager.

Born in a dream, Quinannan Falls Special Lager Beer refers to a mythical place in the boreal north. While the waterfall may exist solely in Larry Bell’s imagination, the beer he remembered drinking there is now quite real. Quinannan Falls possesses the crisp, dry bitterness you’d expect from a German pilsner, but the use of highly aromatic hops from the Pacific Northwest in both the kettle & dry-hop evokes the fragrant pine forests that inspired this beer.

Pours a clear, very bright gold into a Lager glass with a big, white head. A sweet, floral and citrus hop scent with a little malt. The taste is a combination of sweet, biscuity malts and a very tame hop bitterness with a citrus twist. Light, crisp, and dry. A reasonable 6.3% ABV. Good stuff for the Summer!

[Ryan Ruck]

Beer tonight is an aptly timed and named, new offering from Clown Shoes - Third Party Candidate.

With the slogan “Keep America Clean: Vote Filthy”, Clown Shoes has launched a campaign to get Phil into the White House, even if only to use the bathroom there. Phil owns a higher IQ than John Travolta in Phenomenon, has perfected more dance moves than Beyoncé, breaks more concrete slabs with his forehead than Chuck Norris in his prime, surfs ninety foot waves on a longboard, and he can sing with greater sweetness than angelic choir boys pouring their hearts out as they render Ave Maria.

Poured a hazy gold into a Lager glass with a big, fluffy white head. Smells of dank, tropical fruit hops. Taste is fruity hops with an emphasis on melon, some sweet malts, and a light bitterness. Body is fairly heavy and syrupy for a lager. 7% ABV but the alcohol is hidden well. Definitely more IPA than Lager. A good, easy drinker! Not a favorite but a solid beer.

[Ryan Ruck]

Next up is one from Prairie I picked up a couple months ago.

It is one of their brews that is supposed to be very well regarded - Bomb!

Bomb! is an imperial stout aged on espresso beans, chocolate, vanilla beans, and ancho chile peppers. All the flavors meld to create a truly unique beer. The peppers add just the right amount of heat to compliment the intense coffee and chocolate flavors.

Poured inky black into a Snifter with no head. Allowed to warm slightly due to the 13% alcohol content. Has an aroma of coffee, cocoa, a little oak, and a distinct spicy pepper smell. All of the above are in the taste with a bit of caramel and vanilla too. A slight heat from the peppers. Pretty sweet. A medium-heavy body. As mentioned this is a big time 13% ABV but practically none of it comes through in the flavor. This one will sneak up on you! A very rich taste. This is, indeed, quite a good brew!

[Ryan Ruck]

With the God awful heat and humidity we've been having and unable to resist the Christmas In July line, tonight I'm opening up a bottle of Listermann Bourbon Barrel White Death.

Interestingly I did not pick this up over the Winter. Jungle Jim's had this on their shelf some time in May. Go figure...

Malt beverage brewed with Saigon cinnamon, fermented in Kentucky bourbon barrels.

Poured a deep amber into a Shaker with a small-medium golden head. A very nice bourbon and cinnamon spice smell with a little malt. Cinnamon and boozy bourbon flavors dominate but come with vanilla, oak, and sweet malt. Very tasty! A medium body with 7% ABV. Good now and would definitely be good in the middle of Winter. Hopefully some will actually be on the store shelves then.