Beer!

[Ryan Ruck]

After starting to ship on the 10th, it finally hit the shelves here in Ohio Wednesday! And just in time for San Diego Comic-Con!

It's Stone's w00tstout!

It’s been four years since this otherworldly stout burst out of our collective proverbial chests. Four years since the primally viscous first release ooze-snaked across the galaxy. This specialty imperial stout draws its huge flavor from wheat (that’s Wil, natch), pecans and bourbon barrels (two homages to Drew’s home of Kentucky) and Greg’s lifelong quest for pushing the limits of “why the hell not?” to make bigger, bolder beers. The result is a mind-blowing amalgamation of intense yet smooth flavors, perfect for a warm summer evening, a cozy winter’s night or the approaching destruction of the entire human race (be it externally or internally inflicted).

For this year’s bottle art, we were thrilled to entrust the task to heralded comic book writer and artist Walt Simonson. He was gracious enough to work with us in exchange for our donation to The Hero Initiative, a charity organization that provides retirement funds for golden-age comic book artists.

Poured deep black into a Snifter with a moderate sized dark tan head. Allowed to warm a bit. Smells of boozy bourbon, oak, sweet cocoa, and a slight nuttiness. Flavors of bourbon, oak, cocoa, malt, pecan, and caramel. Reasonably sweet. The 13% ABV is very present. An appropriately heavy body. Yet again, w00tstout is awesome!

[Ryan Ruck]

Got another new brew I picked up when I bought the w00tstout, a new release from Dogfish Head called Lupuluaü IPA.

What began as an exploration of all things hazy and pale, Lupuluaü morphed into a coconut-centric IPA. We combined Pils malt with flaked barley, rolled oats, and malted and raw wheat to bring the haze. Then we brought coconut to the party in 3 different ways with toasted organic coconut, dehydrated coconut water and an experimental hop variety that provides a unique coconut aroma.

Poured hazy golden into a Shaker glass with a large white head. Smells of tropical fruit hops, sweet malts, and a little bit of coconut. Has flavors like it smells with the coconut much more pronounced. Only very slightly bitter but much outweighed by the sweetness. Slightly boozy with a 7.3% ABV. Medium-heavy body. Nice beer for the warm weather. Too bad it's too nasty out to enjoy kicked back outside...

[Ryan Ruck]

New beer up tonight is a fairly recent release from Three Floyds called https://www.ratebeer.com/beer/three-...oxic Maltz</b> Belgian Strong Ale.

Fruity banana esters and clove with more subtle herbal, citrus, and sweet bread notes. This medium bodied Belgian strong ale is malty sweet at first with a bitter warming finish. Brewed with our friends in the band Exodus. If you hit the floor you can always crawl!!

Poured dark copper-gold into a Tulip glass with a robust golden-white head. Notable Belgian spice aroma with banana and sweet malts. Very malty flavor with bread, banana, and Belgian spice. Body is fairly thick. The 9.2% ABV comes through in the warming finish. Pretty tasty brew!

[Ryan Ruck]

Tonight's new beer is an offshoot of Stone's RuinTen Triple IPA, RuinTen Triple IPA with Orange Peel & Vanilla Bean.

Loud and aggressive in hops, Stone RuinTen Triple IPA has earned a rabid following of hopheads who clamor for its return each year.

Thanks to its mega-hopped success, we created its very own recipe remix—featuring orange peel and vanilla bean. Categorically speaking it’s a modern-day, more electric and eccentric take on an orangesicle. The introduction of these two newbie ingredients still delivers the original’s beloved whopping amount of hops but their pure, raw presence turns it into one silky, sweet jam session of flavor.

Poured amber-gold into a Shaker glass with a very large golden-white head. Big aromas of orange citrus and rich vanilla. Tastes of orange citrus hops, sweet vanilla, and caramel malts. Medium bitterness that lingers. Body is fairly thick and the 10.8% ABV is masked well. Pretty good take on RuinTen!

[Ryan Ruck]

New beer tonight is a new release from Rhinegeist called ChesterCherry Saison.



Poured ruby red into a Tulip glass with a decent sized pink head. Smells of malt, Belgian spices, and slight black cherry. Has flavors like the smell with semi-tart cherry most prominent. The body is light and crisp and it finishes dry. Has a light 4.5% ABV. I, personally, like this brew. It's quite refreshing for this muggy Friday night after finishing cutting the grass.

[Ryan Ruck]

Tonight I'm having a new beer from a brewery that is semi-local and which I have not had any of their offerings...

This is The Java Man Cometh from The Dayton Beer Company.

A flavorful chocolate coffee stout. Brewed with 3 different kinds of chocolate, coffee beans, and cold brewed highlander grogg coffee to add layers of deep complex flavor. Huge flavors and aroma of coffee dominate your senses making this beer enjoyable anytime throughout the day. Moderate bitterness balances this beer nicely.

Poured dark black into a Shaker glass with a very thin light brown head. Robust smell of roasted coffee, cocoa, and some smokiness. Flavors of semi-sweet cocoa, a little lactose, and plenty of bitter coffee. Finishes moderately bitter and lingers. The body is medium-light and has a 7% ABV. I like this one quite a lot! A nice showing for a new-to-me brewer.

[Ryan Ruck]

Tonight's new brew isn't from a new brewer, but is a new brew.

In fact, it's an anniversary beer to celebrate the 21st anniversary of Stone Brewing, Hail To The Hop Thief

The big wide world inspires our imagination and fuels our passions. Anything from music, film, beer, literature, architecture, food, engineering, poetry…all art forms essentially, including more beer. We steal with any and all things that possess the one value that we hold most dear: authenticity. The important thing of course is that ‘It’s not where you take things from – it’s where you take them to.’ So, what are we saying about this beer, exactly? We gave it our take. We took all there is to love about the IPA, got creative, dry-hopped it a lot, left it unfiltered and shared it openly in the hopes that in some way it may, in turn, inspire you. Hail to The Hop Thief, an original.

Poured a darker golden into a Shaker glass with a good sized golden white head. Smells of sweet malt and a blend of tropical fruit and floral hops. Tastes of cereal, caramel, citrus, and moderately bitter resin. It doesn't start bitter but increases and has a lingering finish. The 9.8% ABV isn't hidden and also comes through in the flavor. The body is thick and smooth. A nicely done DIPA for Stone's 21st!

[Ryan Ruck]

Even though it's been a cold (didn't get above 55) and blustery (winds have been a constant 5-20MPH) day, I'm going to have a new fruit-centric beer tonight.

Another new one from Stone but one in their recent metal music themed collaborations. This one was made with the help of Beavertown and Garage Project and is called Fruitallica.

Glorious-crank-it-to-‘11’-cacophony is what happens when intense tropical fruit gets a flashpot addition of pyrotechnic heat from habanero. The result is a literal world tour, as three globe-trotting breweries collaborated on this immensely thunderous soundstorm of a beer.

Masters of brewing Beavertown (UK) and Garage Project (New Zealand) worked with us in San Diego to brew this double IPA with a power trio of kiwi, yuzu and habanero. Yuzu and habanero, sure, but who knew kiwi fruit could be so metal. Add in a colossal hop character to ride the lightning of the subtle but fiery heat. Hops, fruit, heat…And Juiciness For All.

Call up your mosh mates, crank up the tunes, throw this beer in the fridge and chill ‘em all.

Poured medium, hazy gold into a Shaker with a big white head. Has an aroma of citrus and tropical fruit hops with a bit of sweet, wheaty malt. Definite flavors of citrusy yuzu and sweet kiwi. A very, very slight smokiness thanks to the habanero which brings also brings some heat. A fair bit of wheat malt and some alcohol flavoring thanks to the 8% ABV. Medium bitterness. Body is on the heavier side of medium. Pretty good and easy drinking DIPA. I like this better than their 21st anniversary DIPA.

[Ryan Ruck]

Starting Season 3 of Narcos which dropped yesterday so since I'm doing nothing else, going to get an early start on the beer consumption.

Tonight's beer is one that's been released previously by Bell's (I'm assuming annually) but, in all the years I've been a Bell's drinker, I never knew it was a thing.

Tonight's brew is Bell's Octoberfest Beer Marzen.

It's actually fitting for tonight since it's yet another cool and rainy evening.

Crafted as a flavorful session beer and perfect for autumn, Octoberfest spends a full six weeks fermenting.

With herbal hop aromas, this balanced amber lager focuses on lightly toasted malt that lends body without too much sweetness. Perfect for a week-long wedding celebration in Germany or the start of the Michigan autumn.

Poured a dark amber into a Pilsner glass with a large white head. Smells of caramel and biscuit malts. Tastes the same as it smells with bready and sweet caramel malt flavors. Body is somewhat light and crisp. Has a reasonable 5.5% ABV. This won't knock your socks off but it's a decent Marzen/Octoberfest beer.

[Ryan Ruck]

It's a 3 day weekend so I'm going to do another review.

This time from one of my favorites, Clown Shoes! This is their Black Currant Saison.

Our first guest brew! This was a really easy invite, as Clown Shoes head brewer Dan Lipke is a long time friend and a brewer we look up to. Formerly of the Ipswich Brewery, we give Dan a lot of credit for helping us in the early days of Notch. And Dan did not disappoint us with his guest beer! A classic Saison yeast meets Black Currant puree and Galaxy hops. It’s tart, wildly flavorful, and pink!

Poured dark, ruby red into a Tulip glass with a foamy pink tinged head. Smells of Belgian spices, berry, and a slight funk. Taste is a lot like the smell with a very mild citrus bitterness. Body is watery and fairly thin. An appropriate 6% ABV to go with it. Very easy drinking beer. Another one that won't really wow you but makes a good showing.

[Ryan Ruck]

I just finished a dinner of some brisket I smoked (but thought it could have been better) and am feeling like something full that's a good match so, I figure it's a good opportunity to open up a bottle of Southern Tier's Sapsquatch Barleywine, a barrel aged barleywine.

Introducing Sapsquatch, an elusive ale brewed with maple syrup. It spent 12 months “in the woods” developing strong character in three ways. One third of the beer was kept in bourbon barrels. Another third aged in bourbon barrels that once held maple syrup. The remaining liquid was aged on hand charred oak staves that spent time in Southern Tier Distilling Company’s American Whiskey. Sapsquatch is truly a complicated beast.

Poured dark brown into a Snifter with a small, khaki head. Allowed to warm up some. Has an aroma of dark fruits, oak, bourbon, molasses, and a bit of alcohol. Definitely a rich and complex nose. The taste is very sweet and very boozy. Very notable maple syrup and bourbon. Also a very nice blend of oak, caramel, molasses, and dark fruit. Body is very heavy and full with a robust 14.9% ABV to match. This is definitely a damn fine brew! Once again Southern Tier does not disappoint!

[Ryan Ruck]

Today Big Brown Santa dropped off a special delivery!




A 12 pack sampler of the 4 offerings from 2nd Amendment Brewery of Lake Barrington, Illinois.

So tonight I've opened up the first of the 4, Gun Craft M4 Amber Ale.

The M4 carbine is highly maneuverable carbine, deployed and preferred throughout the world it protects communities, households and whole nations. The M4 is compact, lightweight and is extremely easy to fire all day long. the M4 rifle’s advantages allow it’s operator to accurately and rapidly engage targets without being weighed down. This Amber Ale is brewed with premium pale, amber malts and lightly hopped for a robust, balanced malt-focused flavor. It’s lightweight with modest alcohol and extremely easy to imbibe, so you can enjoy all day long just like the rifle of freedom it’s named after.

Poured a dark amber into an English Pint with a medium sized golden head. Smells of sweet caramel and cereal malt. The taste has a definite emphasis on the malt with a slightly bitter hop back note that lingers through the finish. Not overly flavorful. Body is slightly watery but medium weight overall. Has a 4.6% ABV. Comes across as a basic, easy drinking Amber Ale but I don't think, aside from the can art, you'll find it especially memorable.

[Ryan Ruck]

Next in the Gun Craft lineup will be FAL Belgian Style Black Ale.

The FAL is considered the ultimate in 7.62 battle rifles: earning it the nickname "The Right Arm of the Free World" Being the first real black rifle developed after WWII with centuries of Belgium craftsmanship behind it it’s no wonder over 90 countries have adopted it. Gun Craft Belgian Style Black Ale is just as smooth and refined as the rifle it;s named after. This Belgian Style Black Ale is made black, but smooth and refined using roasted malts (Midnight Wheat) that doesn’t create the bitter notes of most heavily roasted malts. The refined nature of this beer, its subtle Belgian yeast character and malt notes that impart slight cocoa along with roast coffee flavors.

Poured nearly black into a Trappist glass with a small, dark brown head. Smells of light Belgian spice, roasted coffee, and yeast. The flavor is sweet overall and just like it smells. The taste does come across more strongly than the smell. Body is light-medium and this has a 4.7% ABV. Quite tasty! I like this better than the M4.

[Ryan Ruck]

Next up I'm giving the 2nd Amendment Red IPA a try.

The 2nd Amendment Red IPA is the libation of patriots. A Red IPA to honor the blood shed to create this great constitutional republic. The nation that has lifted the world to new heights. The cornerstone protecting all freedoms in America. Without it, life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness would only be a dream.

This Red IPA is brewed with four premium malts that give this IPA it’s red hue and distinct caramel malt notes. Rising to meet that malt backbone is the blend of Columbus, Simcoe, and Mosaic hops. The tropical fruit notes are some of the complex flavors you’ll find contributed by the late kettle hop additions. This mashup of styles comes to us courtesy of the US Craft Beer Revolution and freedom to brew what we want.

Poured a ruddy brown into a Tulip glass with a sizable golden-brown head. Strong piney hop scent accompanied by caramel malt. The taste is interesting. A bit hoppy with tropical fruit notes but not all that bitter and also a bit of sweet malt. Slightly grassy finish. Something else going on in the taste I'm having trouble nailing down... Medium bodied with a 6.5% ABV. Not bad!

[Ryan Ruck]

Tonight I'm going to give the 4th variety of the Gun Craft variety pack a try. This is the Tactical American Pale Ale.

Everything we do in life is a tactical decision. Why should your choice in beer be any different. You don’t have to be a highly trained special operator to know an exceptional brew. Whether you’re a genuine three percenter’ or simply strive to seek the higher ground of self mastery. Then Tactical brew is the Elixir for you. Keep your powder dry and stay tactical you beer warrior! This American Pale Ale is brewed with the highest quality malt and hops blended to a precise caramel malt character. A clean bitterness from the US Magnum hops, delicious Citra hop flavors and aromas of grapefruit, melon and lime. This is a brew that won’t back down and will keep you standing your ground.

Poured a pale, clear gold into a Lager glass with a big white head. Strong tropical fruit and citrus hop scent with some sweet caramel malt. Taste is like the smell. Only slightly bitter which is a nice change of pace compared to most American Pale Ales I've had that seem to try to be as bitter as possible, which has caused me to not be a huge fan of the type. Light and crisp body with a 5.5% ABV. Very nicely done APA!


So, overall impression of the Gun Craft variety pack... Pretty good! I don't know that it was worth the $71 shipped I paid. I'd have felt a little better if it were just the $42 I paid for the 12 pack but with shipping. $25-$30 would have been a nice comfort spot if local purchasing. That said, it is nice to support a fledgling brewer, especially one that is pro 2nd Amendment!

In terms of favorite, I'd rank them as follows:

1) FAL
2) Tactical
3) 2nd Amendment
4) M4

[Ryan Ruck]

Since it's the start of a 2 week vacation, I'm going to give another new brew a try.

This is one from Listermann that I picked up today, Shamrock Shake Irish Cream Stout. Yeah, go figure it would be on shelves on the first day of Fall.

What happens when you make a liquid version of a bowl of a certain favorite children's cereal? According to Eric's Cereal Blog, it's a bottle of our Shamrock Shake.

Shamrock Shake's appearances are as mystifying and magical as a leprechaun's From Half St. Patty's Day to Anniversary Parties and everything in between, you never know when Shamrock Shake is going to make an appearance.

Make sure to follow us on social media to know when this bear is going to make an appearance, as well as our barrel aged version!

Poured black into an English Pint with a large dense light brown head. Cream and roasted coffee scents accompanied by sweet chocolate caramel. Flavors of roasted coffee, cocoa, and cream finishing with a slight minty note. Body is appropriately heavy but the 5.5% ABV is a little on the light side, in my opinion. A really good brew that tastes exactly like something named Shamrock Shake should!

[Ryan Ruck]

The brew up tonight is one I just picked up yesterday. It's from Northern Idaho brewery Laughing Dog and is their Sneaky Pete Imperial IPA

Sneaky Pete is a blend of five hop types: Simcoe, Glacier, Centennial, Vanguard and Hallertuaer, with Simcoe playing the dominate role at 30%. In addition, three separate malts were used: Honey Malt, Rye Malt, and Munich Malt. The brew has a copious aroma of white grapefruit, citrus overtones, a complex rich middle and long flavors in the finish; a real beauty. Finished with wild clover honey.

Poured a deep copper into a Shaker glass with a very large, golden head. The smell is a combination of floral and tropical fruit hops as well as some sweet caramel malt. The taste is piney but not overly bitter, just slightly so as it is balanced by the good sized malt content and, finishes with sweet honey. Body is thick and creamy with a nice 10% ABV. The flavors aren't super complex but this is a really damn good Imperial IPA! So far I've really liked everything from Laughing Dog I've tried!

[Ryan Ruck]

New brew review tonight is a brand new release from Quaff Bros. This is a collaboration they did with Yellow Springs Brewery called Picture Of Nectar, a Saison aged in Cabernet barrels.

A collab with Yellow Springs featuring their Captain Stardust Saison in Quaff Bros Cabernet wine barrels that turned out to contain some Brettanomyces.

Poured a dirty blonde into a Tulip glass with a sizable, foamy white head. Smells of tart fruit, a bit of funky Saison, and slight grape must. The taste is, interestingly, not nearly as tart as the smell would lead you to believe though it is slightly. Flavors of oak, Cabernet, and malt with a lightly bitter finish. Overall the flavors some across as a fair bit weaker compared to the rather robust aroma. Body is fairly thin but this has a 8.5% ABV, larger than you'd think. Interesting and not bad but, don't think it's worth the $20 for the bomber I paid.

[Ryan Ruck]

Tonight's new beer is so new there isn't a RateBeer page for it yet.

This is a Rhinegeist collaboration brew brewed with Boston brewery, Castle Island, called Feeling Good, a New England IPA.

This NE style IPA is packaged in what looks like a 22oz bottle, which is a surprise for the NE IPA style… at least around here. It seems like so far everyone who is packaging these beers is sticking with the more common 16 ounce pint cans to get them into our fridges with as little light interference as possible.

To learn a little bit more about the beer itself, let’s look a little closer at the label:

That rush, that glow. High fives, sunset, blasts of sea air – the search for the perfect wave. We riffed the haze with our Boston brosephuses at Castle Island, delivering a supple NE Style IPA with a nor’easter of hops. On comes the ethereal gloam.

The beer is a nice, solid 8.5% ABV and is listed as 50 IBUs – though you know that goes with NE IPAs. There is a high likelihood that not only will this not taste like 8.5%, I imagine the 50 IBUs will be hidden behind some nice fruitiness.

Poured a pale, clear gold into a Shaker with a big white head. Very strong fruity hop aroma with a bit of sweet malt in the background. Taste is much like the smell with a little vegetal flavoring with only a slight bitterness. Body is medium and creamy. Has a 8.5% ABV that is well hidden. Pretty tasty and easy drinking IPA! I like it!

[Ryan Ruck]

The beer for tonight is one I got several weeks back and have been wanting to try for a while.

I figure the last nice weekend outside of the year is a good reason. 71 degrees with a light breeze. Tuesday we're supposed to have a high of 58 and rainy. So tonight I've tossed a steak on the grill and opened a bottle of Dogfish Head's Oak Aged Vanilla World Wide Stout.

Brewed with a ridiculous amount of barley, we’ve now taken this Dogfish Head classic and aged it on oak with real vanilla beans! With a little tender love and care we foster this beer from smooth, sweet wort into the big, bad blackened stout it always longed to be. Its bold, port-like complexity goes great with (or as) dessert.

Poured black with a thin, brown head. Allowed to warm a bit. Very noticeable vanilla scent with some chocolate, alcohol, and a bit of smoke. Rich flavors of oak, vanilla, caramel malts, and a decent alcohol bite thanks to the 17% ABV which doesn't attempt to hide at all! No surprise it finishes with a bit of warmth. The body is slightly lighter than I expected but is still medium heavy. A definite sipper. Not inexpensive at $10 for a 12oz bottle but a real treat to have!