Breaking News-Founders KBS tapping events

https://www.handfamilycompanies.com/kbs

Beer Of The Day: 2017 Barrel-Aged Darkness -

BOTD: 2017 Barrel-Aged Darkness
Surly Brewing Company ( Minneapolis, MN)
( http://surlybrewing.com/ )

Russian Imperial Stout
12% ABV
Barrel-Aged

"...This massive Russian Imperial Stout brings waves of flavors; chocolate, cherries, raisins, coffee, and toffee. Barrel-Aged Darkness is a limited edition variant that spent over three months aging in Woodford Reserve Rye Whiskey barrels"

So what's with all the Stouts? 

-----------------

This is an Epic of Discovery. Like the first human to explore a trackless jungle, I don't know what I'll find around each bend in the river, each clearing, what makes a previously unheard noise or unseen image as it comes into view. I can only journal what I find at each step of the journey, wherever it leads....

This day it lead to Darkness. One of my faithful Brew Review Crew members unearthed this particular sample and shared it with me before we descended into a spell of Lovecraftian madness...

The black container, covered with arcane graphics was intriguing; opened and poured into a waiting snifter, it offered up a viscous black liquid topped with stiff brown foam. This impenetrable liquid was scented with molasses, dark malts, and oak. Consumed, it felt rich, almost syrupy, sweet with a subdued bitterness. Dark roast malts predominate, the very essence of Stout-ness. It showed a very intentional, and seductive, combination of Barrel Aging and Imperial Gravity to create a draught fit for a barbaric king, glowering down at his kneeling subjects from the top of his jungle pyramid throne, their fate and his inextricably entwined, determined by his ability to consume this otherworldly brew and Live....

(once my head cleared, the purple prose vanished quickly, like the foam on a cheap Lite beer)

Find It. Buy it. Try it.

No. Buy two, drink one, save one.

My Rating: 4.75

Untappd: 4.47

Prost!

Beer Of The Day: Apollo. The Beer, not the Program

BOTD: Apollo
Wild Onion Brewery (Lake Barrington, IL)
( http://onionbrewery.com/ )

" bourbon barrel aged small beer/stout."

6.5% ABV

Stout; Barrel aged

I have had encounters with Wild Onion beers before, and was particularly impressed by their Drago Russian Imperial Stout. Another Stout from the Onion, and barrel-aged to boot? Let's see how it stacks up.

In full disclosure, I do like barrel-aging. Done right, it is the Bacon of Brewing - it makes everything better. Almost Always. Stouts aged in Bourbon barrels are a fantastic combination and have proven to be some of my perennial favorites, right at the pinnacle of the Beer-a-mid.

This one was served draft, in a snifter. The pour was black, with a modest tan head. Inhaling does not reveal many secrets. Not highly carbonated, not too warm, and not too high an ABV. This was not revealing much more than a modest dark roasted grain aroma. It took the first draught to find out what was going on. Bourbon and malt predominate, not overly bitter, smooth, not syrupy - it is after all a "single-strength" stout. The barrel-aging was right on, and makes an "ordinary stout" into a "BCBS-lite", with much of that oaky stout goodness without the high ABV. You get much of the flavor without the need for a taxi. I like this. If you see it, buy it, and keep it in front. Don't save it, enjoy it!

My Rating: 4.5 / 5

Untappd: 3.9 / 5

Prost!

Beer Of The Day: Brickstone Anniversary X - Sad Trombones

BOTD: Brickstone Anniversary X
Brickstone Brewery (Bourbonnais, IL)
( http://www.brickstonebrewery.com/ )

Barleywine
10.5% ABV
Out of Production / Limited Availability

Having recently enjoyed the Brickstone After World, the chance to get a now-aged Barleywine from this spunky Bourbonnais Brewery was rife with anticipation. And at process approaching $1/oz, expectations run high.  I had had it once before when it was new, and draft, and had given it a 4 / 5 at that time. How would it have aged?

Poured from a 22oz. Bomber into a snifter. Pours amber, with a firm, tan head. Heavy accumulation of yeast on the bottom stirred up in the pour.

Light in flavor and aroma for a strong / barleywine style ale. On reflection, it seemed like there was some wheat added somewhere, or a sanitation problem, with some spicy clove notes in the background. Mouthfeel was more like a bock or doppelbock, malty, not fruity, and not heavy as one would expect for a beer of this age and gravity. You end up with a lingering, bitter finish, so the Hops haven't given up the fight.

I like a good barleywine, and this was, when new and draft. Not a bad beer, just not as good as it needed to be. As a now shelf-aged $18.00 bomber, I would pass. Cue the sad trombones....

My Rating: 3.75 / 5
Untappd: 3.71 / 5

Prost!

Beer Of The Day: Coffee End Of Days - Is this The One?

BOTD: Coffee End OF Days
Pipeworks Brewing (Chicago, IL)
( http://pdubs.net/ )

Imperial Milk Stout
10.5% ABV

22oz Bombers
Available at Binny's Beverage Depot, 11.99
Oddly, not listed on Pipeworks' web site.....

"Imperial Milk Stout brewed with chili peppers, cinnamon, vanilla, chocolate and Dark Matter Coffee"

After finding the Prairie Bomb! not peppery enough, and the Cappuccino Stout not Coffee enough, how about THIS stuff?

Well, I'm guessing that it has been a while since Pipeworks brewed this, as it's not listed on their website currently (caveat - may not have the same flavor as when "fresh". Doesn't mean worse, or better. Just different). And it's an Imperial, meaning I expect more. Of everything.

Poured black into a tulip glass, getting a nice brown head that dissipates quickly. Aromas are understated, roasted malt and some dark coffee predominate, along with....something else. The chilis?

A tasty coffee stout flavor, a little sweet, with a warm chili finish. The labelled Vanilla is not obvious, blending with the milk stout malt sweetness.

If you are a Stout fancier, if you find one, buy one. If you hate All Things Spicy, pass. Enjoy.

My rating: 4.25 / 5

Untapped: 4.03 / 5

Beer Of The Day: Lagunitas Cappucino Stout - Coffer or Beer? Why choose?

BOTD: Lagunitas Cappucino Stout
Lagunitas Brewing Company (Petaluma, CA / Chicago, IL )
( https://lagunitas.com/ )

Coffee Stout
9.1% ABV
22oz Bombers
Widely Available "in season"



"Brewed with boatloads of roasted coffee in each batch for that extra Krunk… "

Well, I didn't ask for an Krunk. Sounds like something I'd scrape off my boot. (Just another chance to demonstrate my non-hipster-ness). I was interested in a good coffee stout. So on receipt of this bounty, I poured it into a Pint glass and watched the nice tall, firm tan head form; took a whiff of the roasted-malty-aroma; and took a sip. Hmmmm. Mostly malt is evident, the coffee seeming to impart more a dark roast bitter edge to the beer rather than overt coffee flavors. The beer off the top benefited from extra creaminess due to the nice foam layer. If you like your beer like you like your coffee, black & bitter, give it a try. A great value for the price, but probably not the Coffee Stout you've been waiting for all your life.

My Rating: 3.75 / 5
Untappd: 3.83 / 5

Prost!

Saturday Science: Barrel Aging

Why does it cost so much and taste so good?

https://companyweek.com/company-profile/brewing-report-the-economics-of-barrel-aging

Beer Of The Day: Skull Hammer - Where On the Beer-A-Mid?

BOTD: Skull Hammer
Finch Beer Company
( https://www.finchbeer.com/ )

DIPA; 8% ABV

"...New England Style IPA that is more sweet than bitter, this head banger hammers down with the juicy blend of everyone’s favorite hops including Citra, Mosaic, & Simcoe. "

I like IPAs. I really like DIPAs. Many craft beer nerds agree, to the extent that some people are SOOOO OVER IPAs and bitterness. Yeah, whatever. Drink what you like, and ignore the trends.

So here we go with another DIPA. Where does it fall on the scale? Should I run out and buy it, hoard it, savor it, ignore it? 

Imaging if you will a Pyramid of Beers. A Beer-A-Mid, if you will.

The base is broad, and as perceived goodness goes up, the Beer-A-Mid narrows, only a rarefied few can be at the peak. In the golden age  of craft beer, many are tried but few are truly chosen. I would place this entry in the top third of the Beer-A-Mid, in good company, but not go-out-and-buy-some-amazing. Why?  Read on.....

Served from a can, chilled, poured into a snifter. Pours golden, slightly hazy, with a firm white head, good carbonation. Nice, citrusy hop nose, and a hop blend of fruity and piney in the first  and subsequent, with a slight but not unpleasant acidic tang at the back of you mouth. It finishes grapefruit-bitter. Hop-forward, light in character for a DIPA, not as citrus and cloudy as most NEIPAs, this is a solid but not "Ooh....Aah....." example entry in the DIPA Derby. I would place it in the upper third of the Beer-A-Mid. If you're into hops, give it a try. Just don't go too far out of your way to get it.

My Rating: 4.0 / 5

Untappd: 3.73 / 5

Beer Of The Day: Prairie Bomb!

BOTD: Prairie Bomb!
Prairie Artisan Ales (Tulsa, OK)
( http://prairieales.com/ )

Imperial Stout; 13% ABV

"Bomb! is an imperial stout aged on coffee, chocolate, vanilla beans, and ancho chili peppers. The peppers add just the right amount of heat to complement the intense coffee and chocolate flavors"

This is a Bomb!, but is it Da Bomb, or will it bomb?  Let's do some research and find out which of my Trite appellations apply.

Imperial stouts pair well with other string dark flavors, and I've reviewed a few infused or brewed with coffee, cocoa nibs, vanilla beans and others that complement dark roasted malts. This will be the first with the addition of Ancho chilis. Adding "hot" spices can be a boon or a bane depending on your tolerance for and liking of, peppers. How will it balance out here?

Poured from a 12 oz bottle into a snifter. Pours black with a brown head. First whiff and the coffee aroma comes through with....something extra...the chilis? Just a hint, mind you. It has a rich mouthfeel you expect from an Imperial Stout, full with coffee and dark chocolate flavors and bitter edge to balance out the malty sweet. I did not get any overt chili flavor however, and even on repeated sips, no real heat came through, a relief to the spice-averse, but surprising given its bill of ingredients. I think it is "in there", just far enough in the background but not enough to call attention to itself, smelled more than tasted.

A solid entry in the strong stout derby, and one that would go nicely in the beer fridge. If you see one, try one.

My Rating: 4.25 / 5

Untappd: 4.33 / 5

Prost!

Beer Of The Day: After World

BOTD: After World
Brickstone Brewery (Bourbonnais, IL)
( http://www.brickstonebrewery.com/ )

Barleywine; Barrel-aged. Limited Reserve Series (2017)
14.2% ABV

Barrel Aging is the Bacon of the Beer world. It makes good things better. A barrel aged barleywine? I'm game.  Give me a long and unstructured winter evening, a comfy chair, a remote control, and my notebook, please.....

Served from a 22oz. bomber, poured into a 33cl goblet. Pours dark amber, with little head that disspates quickly, not uncommon for stronger, aged beers. Modest aromas make me think I should have let it warm a bit before I poured it, but you do get a whiff of barrel and rich malt. Feel is rich but not syrupy. Flavors are characteristic of a barleywine, caramel/toffee-like, starting slightly sweet, with a little alcohol warmth from the high gravity, and finishing with a lingering bitterness. Barrel aging has allowed the taste to mature without adding too much oak. Overall a respectable but not amazing example of an American barleywine.  With the price of a bomber nearing $20  at some retailers, you might want to try others first.


My Rating: 4.0 / 5
Untappd: 4.02 / 5

Prost!

Beer Of The Day: Fimbulvinter - Another Great Gold Top

BOTD: Fimbulvinter
Avery Brewing Co. (Boulder, CO)
(https://www.averybrewing.com/)

Belgian Strong Ale
16.9% ABV

"A Rum barrel-aged Belgian-style strong ale, our rendition of a “Quintupel” with spiced rum flavor"

I am a big fan of Avery Brewing, and their tap room in Boulder is one of my Happy Places. I've had the pleasure of being served by Adam Avery at their GABF booth for a tapping, so when I saw a new Gold Top bottle on the shelf I had to do some Science right away.

It didn't disappoint. If you see it, buy it. Maybe save it for a year or 5. If you can wait that long. I couldn't.

Self-described as a Belgian "Quintuple" (Nerd Alert - Belgian beer categories include Dubbel, Tripel, Quadruple, but no Quintuple....) that was aged in Rum Barrels. For good strong beers, barrel-aging almost always makes it better.

Poured from a bottle into a snifter. Pours dark golden with an aggressive carbonation forming a tall light tan head - be patient. Aroma has hints of rum, caramel, and vanilla which form into a rich, complex flavor. When you say Belgian Strong ale, I expect to note the unique belgian yeast dark fruit flavors to some extent, but here they are sublimated into the high gravity and rum barrel aging. A 16.9% ABV indicates a hefty malt bill in the brew, and the flavor backs that up, more like a good barleywine in its profile. After several sipps you can finish the pour, and you will feel the warming notes of this high ABV ale. For a barrel aged brew it was not too "oaky" - barrel tannins were nor prominent, and overall there was a nice balance between Barrel and Barley. Sip and Enjoy.

My Rating: 4.5 / 5
Untappd: 4.17 / 5

Prost!

Beer Of The Day: Villanous (IPA)

BOTD: Villanous IPA
Around The Bend Beer Company
(http://atbbeerco.com/)

6.3% ABV

FOUR yeast strains? Alrighty then.

I am openly hopophiliac - and I rarely find an IPA that I can't appreciate. This one was in cans in the cooler section of my local stockist and seemed a suitable candidate for both science and refreshment. It was also from a local brewery whose products I'd not yet sampled.

Ensconced in my easy chair, I poured it into a tulip glass and was greeted with a modest hop aroma on the piney side, and a flavor that was not as hop-forward as many - more malt character than may in this crowded segment, characterized by lingering sweetness and a bitter finish. Their website indicates that they use multiple yeast strains in this brew, but what effect was intended or achieved remains a mystery. It really came across as unremarkable, not nearly the hopcentric Villain it claimed to be. I wonder, were it's best days behind it? Or was I just hoping for more.

My Rating: 3.75 / 5
Untappd: 3.72 / 5

Prost!

Beer Of The Day: Son Of Juice - A chip off the old Hop block?

BOTD: Son Of Juice
Maplewood Brewing and Distilling (Chicago, IL)
(http://www.maplewoodbrew.com/home/)

IPA; 6.3% ABV

"...A hazy IPA dripping with fruit juice notes. Pilsner malt and oats make a perfect canvas for loads of mosaic, simcoe and nugget hops"

Poured from a can into a tulip pint glass.  Pours a cloudy light yellow with a firm white head.  A pleasant light citrusy nose is followed by a nice mild (modest IBU) IPA flavor, not high in bitterness. The mouthfeel is light and refreshing and finishes on the sweet side. A solid entry in the cloudy / New England IPA derby, this is refreshing and grapefruity. I hope I can still find it when the weather warms up and it really shines. Available in cans in Chicago area retailers.

Apparently this is derived from Maplewoods "Juice Pants" IPA, which reportedly changes its hop bill with each brewing. More research required ....

My rating: 4.0 / 5

Untappd: 4.05 / 5

Prost!

Beer Of The Day: Escape From Stateville - but not until after you've finished this beer.

BOTD: Escape From Stateville
MyGrain Brewing (Joliet, IL)
(http://www.mygrainbrewing.com/)

Milk Stout; 8% ABV

"...Chocolate Stout with Walnut and Marshmallow"

(Photo of Tommy Touhy, beer bootlegger, Capone rival, and actual escapee from Stateville. Which has nothing to do with this post)

Served in a snifter (as part of a flight). Pours black, with a light tan head.

The marshmallow sweetness comes first, part of a rich, creamy, sweet draught. This is a good build on their Stateville Stout base, with the added elements blending neatly to create a more distinctive and richer beer than a garden variety Milk Stout. This is a standout on their tap list. Go get some - available draft onsite and in carry-out Crowlers. Take one home with you, invite a friend, and have it for dessert, you won't regret it. With a scoop of good vanilla, perhaps? ;-)

Now, when will they release the barrel-aged variant? We're waiting......

My Rating: 4.25 / 5
Untappd: 3.98 / 5


Prost!

"A is for Ale....."

The Beer Fan's ABCs

It all begins with Ale.

If you grew up in the United States prior to 1990, ale was something consumed warm by people in the UK, and by costumed characters in black and white adventure movies shown late at night on high-numbered TV channels. Beer meant lager, and lager meant beer, and in terms of total percentage of US market share, that is still more true than not. But in the large and diverse craft beer segment, the opposite is true. If you've had any craft beer at all, you've more than likely had an Ale, and if you are the kind of person who is likely to be reading content like this, more than a few.

So what's the difference, and should I care?

Short answer is no, shouldn't matter, drink for the flavor. If that satisfies your curiosity, go ahead and skip to the next Beer Of The Day Review. If, as I suspect, you've gotten this far because you want to know, read on.

It's all about that yeast, 'bout that yeast, 'bout that yeast...

All brewing depends on the action of yeast in converting sugars to alcohol and CO2. The effect of this magical process was understood long before the science of it. When brewers began propagating yeast to use in brewing these early strains they would find that they did their job at "room temperature", creating a large foamy head in the fermenter and when it's sugary meal was consumed, the yeast fell to the bottom and laid dormant. These strains are referred to as "top fermenting". Somewhere in the 1400s, brewers in what is now Germany 

made popular the practice of storing (lager means, roughly, to store) their beer in cool caves. This practice led to the development of strains of yeast that fell to the bottom (You guessed it, "bottom fermenting") but kept working in these cold conditions, producing the style now familiar to millions. Tradition dictates that certain styles of beer be produced as Ales , and others as Lagers. And while it does affect the flavor profile, it is entirely possible to produce an Ale with many of the flavor characteristics of a good lager, and vice-versa. Try a nice chilled Kolsch or Cream Ale sometime and put this to the test. Better yet, don't get it too cold, and enjoy the flavor more ;-).

Homebrewers produce far more Ales than lagers due to the comparative simpilicty of Ale production, being produced without the need for special refrigeration - warmer than your refrigerator but cooler than that corner in your basement - and as a side benefit, it is also ready to consume in less time.

At the end of the day, whether the yeast works best on top in the warm or on the bottom in the cold is only one of dozens of factors determining how you enjoy the final product. While there are significant differences in the biology of the yeast and the details of production, both can be enjoyed within the broad spectrum of craft beer.

Prost!

Saturday Science

https://beerconnoisseur.com/articles/17-must-try-beers-whiskey-advocates

Beer Of The Day: Bourbon County Brand Stout (2017) - Find It. Buy It. Save it for later.

BOTD: Bourbon County Brand Stout (2017)
Goose Island (Chicago, IL)
(http://www.gooseisland.com/our-beers/bourbon-county/bourbon-county-brand-stout-2017)

Imperial Stout; 14.1% ABV

(Bourbon-Barrel-Aged)

"A liquid as dark and dense as a black hole with thick foam the color of a bourbon barrel. The nose is an intense mix of charred oak, chocolate, vanilla, caramel and smoke."

(Released November 2017). Poured from a bottle. Pours black, with a modest brown, quickly dissipating head.

Nose of Bourbon and Oak. Thick, rich, slightly alcohol on the first sip, with oak tannins at the finish. Reminds me of an imported high cacao dark chocolate or a rich espresso coffee served black, in all the right ways.

Superb.

This is worth about 3 of our regular beers in ABV, and serves a full 16 oz. pint, so tread lightly. But Oh So Worth It.  Pout it into your favorite snifter and savor it. This is dessert in a glass.

Your local stockist might still have one or two of these stashed behind the counter. Buy it.

If you imagine a pyramid of beers - let's call it the beer-a-mid - this would occupy one of the spots in that pyramidal peak.

I once had a friend tell me "I've got a fridge full of beers you recommended and they're all awesome, but I have nothing to drink tonight, because I'm saving these...

This is one of those beers. Let it mature, and save it for a special occasion. Like Thursday.

My Rating: 4.75 / 5
Untappd: 4.52

Beer Of The Day: Stateville Stout. It is precisely what it is...

BOTD: Stateville Stout
MyGrain Brewing (Joliet, IL)
(http://www.mygrainbrewing.com/)

Milk Stout; 7.4% ABV

"A sweeter addition to our lineup, Stateville Stout is brewed with Dutch chocolate malts and just a touch of hops, then finished off with Lactose to give it that extra kick of sweetness."

Served in a snifter (as part of a flight). Pours black, with a light tan head.

Modest nose of roasted malts; A rich, sweet stout with a silky mouthfeel. A good example of what a milk stout should be, displaying the lactose (and therefore unfermentable) sweetness you expect. A very competent entry in the Milk Stout Stakes. Try it. Available draft onsite and in cans locally. Check your Binny's.

My Rating: 4.0 / 5

Untappd: 3.83 / 5

Prost!

Beer Of The Day: Freudian Spell Check - Sometimes a beer is just a beer

BOTD: Freudian Spell Check
MyGrain Brewing (Joliet, IL)
(http://www.mygrainbrewing.com/)

Black IPA; 6.9% ABV

"Freudian Spell Check is hopped with a combination of Hüll Melon and Palisade hops to give it a unique, fruity aroma and flavor backed up by a malt bill filled with a generous helping of chocolate and roasted malts."

Served in a snifter (as part of a flight). Pours black, with a light tan head.

The predominant aroma is of roasted malts, appropriate to being Black; but not much in the way of Hops, as one would expect of all things IPA. They become more prominent after the swallow, when a lingering bitterness takes over. There is....something else going on here...not sure if it is intended or not; hop-selection-related or not. Hmmmmm. An unremarkable brew.

My Rating: 3.75 / 5

Untappd: 3.66 / 5

Prost!

Beer Of The Day: Bavarian Destroyer - "Do it!, Do it now!!!"

BOTD: Bavarian Destroyer
MyGrain Brewing (Joliet, IL)
(http://www.mygrainbrewing.com/)

Weizenbock; 8% ABV

"Just when it starts to get cold outside, The Bavarian Destroyer comes to town to heat things up! A beast of a beer, our flagship Weizenbock is brewed with a rich blend of European malts, a touch of traditional hops, and German yeast. The result is a smooth, satisfying beer, with notes of banana, vanilla, and clove."

Served in a snifter (as part of a flight). Pours very dark, with little head.

There are a number of good imported hefeweizens available these days, characterized by their light and spicy flavor, light golden hazy character. A refreshing summer brew. There are also any number s of doppelbocks available, with their strong ale character and corny (but required, at least in Germany) -ator names. This is both, and neither.

If a hefewiezen and a doppelbock had relations, this would be the product. Kudos to MyGrain for exploring a rare style, and executing it successfully. You get some of the expected hefe clove & spices with a darker, stronger malty character. It is not what you're used to, but I think you'll enjoy it.

And forgive me if I read the name of the beer but hear it in the voice of a famous Austrian-American. And now you will too......

My Rating: 4.0 / 5

Untappd: 3.68 / 5

Prost!

Inquiring Minds Want To Know...The Price of Beer

Planning on international travel this year? Vacationing on another continent? Business travel to a foreign home Office?

Read before you go:

http://www.businessinsider.com/how-much-beer-costs-around-the-world-2017-11

Science Day!

The Brew Review Crew is practicing a little unlicensed Zymurgy today in the kitchen. Stand by for updates....

I have had about half of these brews but not posted any reviews. This must be rectified...

THE BEST COLORADO STOUTS TO KEEP YOU WARM UNTIL SPRING

https://303magazine.com/2018/02/best-colorado-stouts/

Beer Of The Day: When I Have Time

BOTD: When I Have Time
MyGrain Brewing (Joliet, IL)
(http://www.mygrainbrewing.com/)

Belgian Quad

"Fall and Winter are the perfect time to sit back and relax with friends and family with a big, strong beer. When I Have Time has just the right amount of kick balanced with a caramel and toffee sweetness to make any get-together memorable."

Served in a snifter (as part of a flight). Pours dark amber, with little head and a slight haze.

I like a good quad, Belgian ales are noted for their unique flavor profiles based on their unique yeast strains and brewing techniques, and a good quad is deceptively strong and fruity, almost winelike.

Not this one.

I was expecting more than it had to give. Instead of plum and currants, I tasted a stronger but not quite barleywine-level ale with a slight lingering bitterness but little to no dark fruit flavors.

If you're on site, try it in a flight, but pass on the pint.

My Rating: 3.5 / 5

Untappd: 3.75 / 5

Prost!

Beer Of The Day: Where Have You Bean - "A Coffee and a Beer? Yes, Please"

BOTD: Where Have You Bean
MyGrain Brewing (Joliet, IL)
(http://www.mygrainbrewing.com/)

"What is better than the weather beginning to break, than a nice cup of joe, and a bold* beer? How about a combination of both! Where Have You Bean, is a combination of dark roasted malt & locally used Ten Drops Coffee. They blend together to give a bittersweet dark chocolate and caramel flavor that will make you all kinds of warm and fuzzy inside."

Coffee Stout. Served in a snifter. Pours, Very Dark (Espresso Roast) Brown, with a light tan head. Approaching the glass the beer reaches out with tasty coffee notes over the expected roasted malts. Nice but not overly rich mouthfeel, it drinks easily like that first cup in the morning (sigh). Very nice coffee-forward coffee stout, above average entry in the field. If you are a stout fan or a coffee fan (preferably both), getcha some.... I would buy some for the beer fridge if I saw it at my local retailer (as crowded with stouts as it already is....).  A very solid entry. Try it.

My Rating: 4.25 / 5
Untappd: 4.03 / 5

Prost!

Beer Of The Day: Iron & Steel

BOTD: Iron & Steel
MyGrain Brewing (Joliet, IL)
(http://www.mygrainbrewing.com/)

"A big, bold beer named for the iron and steel workers that built Joliet into the city it is today. A generous grain bill with plenty of Munich malt and flaked wheat give this beer a pillowy mouthfeel, while the heaping portions of Azzaca, Mandarina Bavaria, and El Dorado hops throw a bomb of citrus on the back end."

Served in a snifter. Pours clear amber with a thin white head. Hops clearly evident on closer olfactory exploration, as one would expect. Hop varieties tend to the resiny/piney side of the spectrum. The first sip hits you with a tough of malt sweetness quickly overwhelmed by hoppy bitterness. Not a trend follower, this is not cloudy or citrusy - points for going their own way here. A solid if unremarkable entry in the DIPA Derby, well suited to those of us who enjoy high IBU flavors. MyGrain has hit this style profile dead-center.

Avaialable onsite (draft), and carry-out as Crowlers and Kegs. MyGrain is just getting their Chicago area distribution going, so keep an eye out or ask you stockist to get some on the shelf. Located in the Joliet Union Station building, it can be easily reached by commuter train, so take you time and try a flight. ;-) (See separate venue review for full report)

My Rating: 3.75 / 5

Untappd: 3.66 / 5

Prost!