Homebrewing At Its Finest - Xocoveza Mocha Stout

     As an ode to homebrewing in America, Stone allows the winner of the annual American Homebrewers Association competition to have their recipe brewed and distributed by Stone!! This years winner was Chris Banker with his Xocoveza (sho-co-vay-za) Mocha Stout, a brewers nod to Mexican hot chocolate... Even though Corona, molé, and Patrón are the more "prized" commodities of Mexico, if the opportunity to enjoy some of their hot chocolate - Don't pass it up!! Sidenote: Why is Patrón such a highly sought after tequila in America?? It can't be its high quality, but could it be because of DJ Class?! 'Cause that's the only reason I can think of, but if so, well done Class!! Alright, back to the brew at hand... Chris wasn't the only one included on this collaboration, as Cerveceria Insurgente was also brought into the equation to attest to it's traditional Mexican flavor profiles... Since So-Cal was the source for their ingredients, they took it a step further and used strictly Mostra Coffee products for their coffee elements, as well as ChocoVivo for their cocoa elements!! Though I'm not a native of California, I am half Mexican and am also a homebrewer, and was thus further drawn to getting this bomber after the relationship I felt to it simply after  reading it's back label... I haven't gotten around to brewing a stout, but when I do, hopefully it's as tasty as this beer is sounding to be!!

XII's - Timber Beast X Velvet Merlin

Choosing a 12 ounce brew as opposed to larger bottles is both harder and easier… It's more difficult in the sense that there are fewer niche styles that are offered in the smaller servings, but that also makes it easier because there are fewer to choose from… I've also realized that the smaller serving brews are somewhat telling of the breweries efforts on the whole… It's not always the case, but it seems that if a brewery doesn't offer a decent beer in their "standard" selection, what they brew in small batches will rarely impress...

Solemn Oath Brewery - Undisputed Heavyweight Ticklefight Champions Of The World

     A rainy day with an open itinerary is almost a form of divine intervention which beckons one to enjoy indoor activities... While many breweries offer outdoor seating, I have never seen one that is entirely outdoor, thus it makes it pretty safe to assume any brewery one chooses to attend will be able to accommodate on a rainy day... This particular day brought my companion and I to Solemn Oath Brewery in Naperville, Illinois, a desirable destination after thoroughly enjoying their "Kidnapped By Vikings" nearly a year prior... It's somewhat tucked away in an industrial parking lot, but the giant roll up door with their logo is a dead giveaway as to the location...
     Upon entering the brewery, it left much to be desired as far as a "welcoming" setting is concerned, as it's again, very industrial in its' look and feel, and lacks homeyness... The bar-top was fairly standard, but the "lounging" area was quite compact and the only table tops offered were overturned barrels... Which was a nice touch, but a few spots to sit would have been a nice option for us patrons... The wall opposite the bar contained the "BFF Blackboard," which hosted a slew of names accompanied by a number... It's purpose was that when you attend the bar without your favorite drinking buddy, you can kindly show them they were dearly missed by buying them a beer for the next time they show up!! Adjacent to both the BFF board and the bar was the brewing room, accommodating many stainless steel fermentors, as well as an oak cask which presumably hid a tasty concoction that's picking up many desirable flavor elements... Once we had completed the short tour that we had helped ourselves to, it was time to indulge in a few cold ones...