That Ish Be ReDANKulous!!

     Having recently relocated and found new employment, I've been afforded the opportunity to try some of the best beer the midwest, and debatably the world, has to offer... I'm incredibly fortunate in that aspect, and even more-so that I get to share these special beverages with an abundance of beer enthusiasts... Though the new scenery is awesome, I just haven't been able to find the "sweet spot" when it comes to locating the finest craft brews in town!! Not that what I've found isn't up to par, I'm just realizing that I've possibly been spoiled at my previous residencies - At least as far as locating the best place to pick up countless intriguing bombers is concerned!!

     With that being said, I tried out a new spot to see what they had to offer, and I was, again, slightly underwhelmed in regards to their bomber selection... I must say though, if I was looking for a nice scotch or whiskey - This was ABSOLUTELY the spot I would head to!! I searched the aisles for a quick while and perused them diligently, when finally the owner asked if I had anything specific in mind... I responded that I was simply browsing and continued to keep checking things out... Shortly after our interaction, he reemerged at the end of the aisle after walking to the back room and held up Founders' "ReDANKulous" and then simply asked, "Is this the one??" And that it was... I took one look at the name and it drew me in, once I realized the label's design was composed of finely ground herb, I simply had to have it... Even though, I didn't LOVE this particular places beer selection, I'm definitely not going to write it off anytime soon after they presented me with this gem!!

Soundset 2015 - Shakopee, MN

     As any veteran Soundset goer will tell you, good weather at Canterbury Downs is never a guaranteed thing... Though some years have been nice, there is the occasional overcast and tornado threat... This year's treat was consistent rainfall... Nothing horrific, and at some times it added an almost majestic quality to watching your favorite artists fiercely spit bars while the rain falls upon them their whole set... But did that stop anyone from not enjoying their Soundset experience?! Well obviously some, but a high percentage of those that showed up stuck it out for the long haul and enjoyed it all the while...

     Having been to other festivals: Warped tour, Curiosa, Riotfest, Paid Dues and Rock The Bells, I can confidently say that Soundset is my favorite of them all... Granted I am biased, as Minnesota is my home state, but it's more than that... It's a TRUE Hip-Hop festival in purest sense - there's B-Boys & B-Girls, graffiti, DJ's, emcees, beat boxers, as well as skateboarders, and a car show... Not to mention the fried cheese curds were fucking delicious, and Fulton brewery's "Lonely Blonde" blonde ale and "Once Upon A Vine" IPA were excellent local offerings as well... The roster is another consistent draw in, as it was once predominantly midwest acts but has since grown to include some of the hottest and classic names in the Hip-Hop world!!

XII's - Threadless X London Balling

     This time I wanted to do something other than the traditional bottle for twelves... After my stay in Colorado, I realized that I had been a "bottle snob" for entirely too long!! How could I have assumed that canned beers were subpar to a bottled beer, but then be ecstatic about a certain beer on tap that's essentially canned in a cooler behind the scenes?! How foolish of me... What really swayed me while in Colorado is that, even though it's an outdoor fitness fanatics wet-dream, not much is better than enjoying a nice cold brew after accomplishing a hike or while cruising down the slopes in the mighty Rockies!! I mention "not much" because it's also nice to be able to burn some of the planet's finest herb without all the stupid social stigma that accompanies it elsewhere... BUT - With those luxuries come the responsibility to enjoy them properly, thus you can't be bringing glass bottles to some of the most amazing mountain-land in the world!! Hence my recent appreciation of those breweries who are electing to can beers for those types of occurrences... Oskar Blues, Dry Dock, Sanitas and Upslope come to mind when I think of my favorite canned selections from Colorado's outstanding microbrew scene...
     Illinois is likely the closest behind Colorado as far as the microbrew scene is concerned, with Michigan trailing slightly behind them rounding out the top three... Those not being facts, just a guesstimate from what I've gathered from my travelings... So while looking for an Illinois brew, Finch's IPA collaboration with Threadless was an easy selection due to Threadless being quite an interesting and attractive company for artists the world over... For those who are unfamiliar, their products are made from art and graphics that have been submitted and voted on by the general public!! Founder Jake Nickell doesn't just take artists' work and create products for the sole use of the company, he's set up a payment structure in which the artist receives monetary compensation for their work!! It's currently set so the artist receives a 20% cut of the unit price, with the minimum being $1... A nice way to give back to the artist(s) involved since it can be basically anybody who has submitted work, as opposed to companies only working with other already accomplished artists or companies... Makes me wonder if the graphic for the can was chosen via submission??
     Since I've yet to do a writeup on a canned beer, I thought this to be a perfect opportunity to do so... Also, having just been exposed to Against The Grain's brews in the form of their delicious "Kentucky Ryed Chiquen," it was a no brainer to indulge in their barrel aged barleywine... Plus, the fact that it's in a rather unfamiliar shaped bottle was entirely too fitting for this month's edition of "Twelves..."

Fuck It, Dude... Let's Go Bowling...

     In 1998, Joel and Ethan Coen first released their comedy "The Big Lebowski" at the Sundance Film Festival... Story goes, it received mixed reviews at film festivals and major theatre debuts, but has since evolved into a cult classic!! It has gained such a large following that there is now an annual "Lebowski Fest," which is essentially a viewing and bowling party themed around the characters and situations within the movie... Hosted originally in Louisville, Kentucky in 2002, it has since spread to many metropolitan cities nationwide...
     The movie's cast is low-key phenomenal, (Jeff Bridges, John Goodman, Steve Buscemi, Philip Seymour Hoffman, John Turturro, Tara Reid, Mark Pellegrino, and even Red Hot Chili Peppers' bassist Flea - to name a few) as each character executed their roles in exquisite fashion... Of equal preeminence was the movie's score, consisting of excellently placed tracks which brilliantly accompany each character or situation... The plot, however, seems to be one of the least celebrated aspects of the film... It's Pulp-Fiction-esque, in regards to it having multiple underlying story lines applicable to each individual character, all adding bits and pieces to the overall plot, which, in the end is ultimately secondary to all the comical anecdotes each character encounters...
     Since it's central storyline has never been the most celebrated aspect of the film, I believe it's the love for the characters that has truly been embraced by the "Lebowski communities" everywhere... So much so, that Pipeworks Brewing in Chicago has brewed a Lebowski inspired White Russian Imperial Milk Stout!! Russian stouts aren't typically creamy in nature, but when modeling a beer after a White Russian, it only makes sense... Now join me in indulging in the aptly named "Hey, Careful Man, There's A Beverage Here!!"

Nothing Like A Stick To The Nuts On All-Star Weekend

Many moons ago I had my first affair in the craft beer world with Rogue's "Hazelnut Brown Nectar…" I credit that brew alone with being the one that got me interested in the craft beer world and everything that it has to offer… Needless to say, I now have an affinity for nut brown ales, as they are extremely nostalgic to me… So much so, I made sure my first home-brewed beer was a honey-nut brown ale!! I had other experimental trials in my home-brews, but the one I was most excited about was the one I screwed up during the bottling stage… It was supposed to be my "Peanut Butter Chocolate Milk Porter," but after reading that I could use maple syrup as my conditioning agent, I chose to take that option over the tried and true priming sugar… It turned out to be a complete failure as my brew was severely under-carbonated and tasted like weird chocolate milk… That was the last time I had thought about peanut butter in a beer… Then I came across "Stick To The Nuts!!"

When my eyes first grazed the bottle, I was immediately drawn to it's graphic due to the hockey influence of their brewery's name - "SlapShot…" As one of my previous articles states, hockey and beer is the perfect marriage!! The graphic has a little peanut hockey player as well, further intriguing me to the quality of its' contents… The only downfall I could find upon my initial inspection of the bottle was it's from Chicago, and not that Chicago is a bad place, but I'd assume the brewery is full of Blackhawks fans… But with this being All-Star weekend, I figured I could put my distaste for the 'Hawks aside and enjoy a hockey influenced brew in the spirit of the best sport in the world!! Also, as much as I'm NOT a 'Hawks fan, I respect the players of the game, and the fact that they have five individuals from their roster in the All-Star competition is no small feat…

So with a small, weird sense of disloyalty, I chose to enjoy this brew as I watched the final day of the All-Star weekend… Hopefully I'll be able to find out what a beer brewed with peanut butter is TRULY supposed to taste like… And for the record, I'm only hoping "Team Toews" wins due to them having Minnesota's Ryan Suter on their roster!!

Deceiving Looks - Master Of Disguise

Stone has always been a brewery that pushes the brewing envelope, especially when it comes to IPA's, as they brew more of that style than any brewery that I'm aware of… They don't discriminate though, as last year they released a pair of smoked porter varietals, and then asked for consumers input as to which one they preferred better… I preferred the vanilla version over the chipotle version, but both were delightful concoctions… I must also give them a nod for encouraging consumer feedback and participation, which is evident in their porter experiment, as well as their recent Xocoveza collaboration with a homebrew competition winner!!

This particular brew caught my eye because I've never even heard of a stout that's not dark in color… It made me think of how Black IPA's were a recent trend, and the back of the beer even mentions how they've been accepted as somewhat normal in the realm of IPA's… I've always had an affinity for the darker styles, so I've wanted to try every Black IPA I could get my hands on… Making me think - If a Blonde Stout is anywhere near as good as most of the Black IPA's I've consumed, it's sure to be a real treat!!

2015 - The Year Of The Squarian

Happy New Year!! Welcome to 2015, "The Year Of The Squarians" as dubbed by The Kid With The Green Backpack - XV… If you're unfamiliar with the work of XV, I suggest getting acquainted with the music of this young Kansas resident via your favorite music source!! With the new year, the common accompaniment are resolutions, typically a few things in each individuals life that they wish to achieve in the coming 52 weeks… Though I rarely wait 'til a certain date to induct change into my life, this year I decided it was time I make a change and I gave myself a resolution - DRINK MORE BEER!! It may seem to be a juvenile resolution, but it's a reasonable one that can be somewhat easily accomplished and is inherently fun!! To clarify, by "more" I'm speaking in terms of variety and style, not an increase in total beer consumed… I rarely consume more than a bomber in a standard session, and hardly ever pick up anything larger than a 4-banger - MAYBE the occasional 6'r making its way into the fridge… Picking up smaller quantities at a more frequent rate will allow me to try more brewer's products more frequently, whilst not overindulging in alcoholic beverages… So to those who've decided this will be the year they have the rock hard body they've always wanted - More power to ya, and I hope to catch ya at the beach!! You bring your six pack, I'll bring mine…

The Perfect Marriage - Hockey & Beer

     Though winter is officially upon us, and the general consensus is that people wanna stay inside during the next few months, things are slightly different when being from Minnesota... It's a beautiful thing that an ice rink during the winter months is as common a sight as a baseball diamond during the summer - And I state that with no exaggeration... There's a public outdoor rink for just about every lake in the state - 10,000 for those who don't get out of their bubble too often... Along with hockey, there's yet another joy in life that's best savored cold - BEER!! As just about any hockey player will tell you, hockey and beer are an extremely common union, a belief that reaches much further than the state lines of Minnesota... Probably also helps in explaining why so many hockey players have false teeth somewhere in their dental repertoire... Though it's much more sensible to enjoy a case of relatively cheap beer when playin' some stick on the pond, enjoying a nice craft brew once the skates come off is never a penalized play...

XII's - 72 Imperial X Christmas Ale

 Breckenridge Brewery - 72 Imperial [Small Batch Series - Chocolate Cream Stout] (12oz ---> Lefthand Pint Glass : 7.2 ABV : 11 IBU)

  This beer was for some reason singled out at my local store and was the only one available on the shelf… There could be a few reasons as to why, but it seems they're usually placed there after having been available for a while, (over a year) or, what I assumed happened to this beer, one of the 4/6 pack became victim to a break and they had to be sold as individuals… If this happened to be a beer with some age on it, hopefully the 7.2 ABV helped it age gracefully…

  The large car graphic wrapping around almost the entire bottle insists the "72 Imperial" is somewhat of a classic vehicle, and a small amount of research uncovered it is exactly that, a Chrysler to be more specific… To add a nice touch to the "72" theme, the '72 Imperial fittingly had a 7.2 liter V-8 engine as well… Also, since it's a chocolate cream stout brewed in Colorado, they chose to use Rocky Mountain Chocolate Factory's "dark chocolate" in the brewing recipe…

Salty & Sweet - Salted Belgian Chocolate Stout

New Belgium Brewing X Perennial Artisan Ales - Lips Of Faith Series: Salted Belgian Chocolate Stout [Stout Brewed With Chocolate] (22oz ---> Left Hand Pint Glass : 9% ABV : 35 IBU)

There are few things in life as satisfying as watching Minnesota hockey and enjoying a finely crafter brew… They're out there, but the list is fairly short… And much the like the fashion world, with the changing of seasons, breweries also begin to release "season specific" styles, and hockey season is a good indicator that winter warmers are soon to be bountiful in any liquor store… With it still being fall, I figured a "Belgian" chocolate stout would be a light introduction before I dove fully into the winter beer mindset… But when the holiday season fully kicks into gear and Grandma makes her sugar cookies with a Hershey kiss on top, they wouldn't be heavenly without the dose of salt she adds to the recipe to balance out the sweetness… Thus, a salty chocolate stout is one I'm in no hurry to pass up!!

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...

Red Grapes X White Beer

Dogfish Head - Red & White [Ale brewed with coriander & orange peel with pinot noir juice added with 11% aged in pinot noir barrels and 89% aged on oak barrel staves] (750ml ---> Dogfish Head Curved Pint Glass : 10% ABV : 35 IBU)

Obviously, I'm a fan of good beer, and I'm also a fan of good wine... So when wine grapes are utilized as an addition to beer, I see the potential for extremely great things!! This particular brew is one I'd been longing to indulge in for quite some time, and after having the exceptional evening at work I had encountered, popping the top of this beauty is much easier and far more rewarding than the scenarios of arson that have continually plagued my thoughts since I clocked out… So to end my rant about my employer, let us move onto this brew calling my name from the fridge… With a fairly aggressive pour, a rocky, two inch, off-white head sat atop an extremely cloudy blood orange hued brew… The head faded moderately quickly and left behind hardly any lacing, but a decent retentive cap decided to linger… On the nose is the immediate presence of pinot noir, as well as a fair amount of soft citrus, and some tamer dark berry traces… Upon tasting, a fair amount of spice was immediately picked up, which could be either the yeast strain or the coriander, but that faded quickly as the mellow citrusy sweetness made it's appearance…

Yeti Stouts - "I believe..."

Image borrowed from www.knoxbeercrew.com

     Anyone who's spent a decent amount of time in the Denver area has more than likely seen Great Divide's sticker with the words "I believe" accompanying a "yeti" like figure floating around somewhere... Any craft beer head in the area has also more than likely tried this somewhat "staple" of a beer... Great Divide is a brewery I never made it to while I was in the area, but I enjoyed their beers, and of course made sure that a Yeti was indeed on the list... In fact, I enjoyed quite a few of those before being exposed to an Oak Aged Yeti, and consuming that was pure delight... This all occurring before I had begun doing any sort of lengthy write-ups, but hindsight tells me it would have been beneficial to have taken the time to simply jot some notes during their consumption... Regardless, Great Divide has continued to do small batches of their Yeti, with each batch brewed a touch differently, as to influence the flavor profile to adjust slightly, all while maintaining the backbone that makes this beer so prolific in CO's craft community...

     In this write-up I'll highlight two small batch representations of the Yeti, the "Chocolate Oak Aged Yeti," as well as the "Oatmeal Yeti..." I won't be enjoying them simultaneously, as I believe comparing two tangent brews of the same original could very well overlap each other's flavor profiles, thus making the review less "true..." Not to say I'd never indulge in two similar beers at the same time, but for the sake of the Yeti, I believe it deserves a fresh palate for each brew... So if you're ever looking for a nice winter warmer to enjoy this coming season, and a Yeti is available to you, pour one of those and enjoy one of the better stouts brewed in America!!

Black Magic - Warlock

     October is arguably the best month of the year, and no not just because of the Walking Dead beginning once again... It could be the beautiful changing of the leaves, Halloween, the NHL season beginning, or MLB ending, all great attributes indeed, but for craft beer enthusiasts, October typically equates to pumpkin beer!! Just about every brewery out there will undoubtedly release a pumpkin influenced brew of some form during this month, and just about every microbrewery out there will also be depleted of those brews in quick fashion...

     Pumpkin beers having never been a favorite of mine, well, pumpkin flavored anything for that matter, but last fall I definitely acquired a taste for them after indulging in quite a few of Upslope and Dry Dock's pumpkin offerings... This years first acquisition is Souther Tier's "Warlock," as it was recommended to me recently, and I just so happened to come across it... I've seen plenty of folks enjoying their "Pumking" on social media, but was unaware they brewed both beers until I saw the Warlock's label... I'd assume the Warlock is believed to be the better of the two offerings, as it's part of the "Blackwater Series..."

XII's - The Perfect Crime X Hop Burn Lo

     Most often, I'd assume due to generally higher ABV's and extra brewing costs, small batch brews that brewers decide to bottled for individual sale are bottled in 16oz, 22oz, and 750ml sizes… Not to say specialty brews can't ever come in packs or 12oz containers, it's just more common to see the truly small batch brews sold individually in larger bottles… These things also lead me to assume that any small batches put in smaller containers could often become overlooked by craft drinkers, which is a sad thought… Thus I've decided to post reviews of beers in containers 12oz or less, each month on the 12th… I truly believe it'd be a shame to let any sort of pretension stand in the way of potentially discovering any brews that just so happen to be divided into smaller containers… I will be attending a wedding this upcoming 12th, thus I'm releasing this overview early, but "XII's" will become a regular posting, so please enjoy the read and stay tuned for more!!

Out Cold X Grainstorm: Black Rye IPA

     By now, just about everybody recognizes Zach Galifianakis, or for those less familiar with the comedian turned actor/pop-culture icon - The goofy guy from The Hangover Trilogy... And with the changing of the seasons, I reach to my DVD collection and retrieve "Out Cold," EASILY my favorite movie that he's cast in, as well as a topic for debate as my favorite comedy of All-Time!! In 2011 he also played roles in "Bubble Boy," "Corky Romano," as well as "Heartbreakers," whatever the fuck that is... Aside from being a favorite from the collection, it holds a fair amount of nostalgic value as well, as I enjoyed many joyous nights with old hockey pals watching this movie!!

     Along with the changing of seasons, the beers get darker and movies such as "Out Cold" help one get mentally prepared for the cool weather in our future... The opposite being true for y'all Southern Hemispherians(?)... But with the cooler weather approaching, winter activities are also on the horizon as well!! I was lucky enough to have once spent a winter south of Denver, and it was a delight having the Rocky Mountains available to ski and snowboard whenever the snow began!! Granted half the time I went, I was trying to keep up with an Olympic rated skier, which forced me to ski outside of my level to keep up, but my snowboarding skills developed at an accelerated rate because of it... Not without a little collateral damage of course, but no bones were officially declared broken, so all's well that ends well...

Hop Kitchen #7 - Hop The Pond

New Belgium - Hop The Pond | Hop Kitchen #7 [Double India Pale Ale] (22oz ---> Dogfish Head Curved Pint Glass : 8% ABV : 80 IBU)

     Whilst browsing the bombers, I was in the mood for something fuller and darker, as to welcome the fall... But with my recent affinity for drawing cartoon characters from my childhood, I couldn't pass up this DIPA simply due to the bearded-rabbit-hop-armadillo-pirate on the label!! Shortly after this write-up is completed, I plan on indulging in an art session to "funk out" my own version of this charismatic lil' creature... It's title "Hop The Pond" comes from it's recipe being composed of ingredients from North and South America, Europe and Australia as well!! Not yet having had a chance to travel to anywhere outside of North America, I figured that enjoying a beer composed of ingredients from outside this vicinity was a good start!!

Saison du Buff - Do you even lift, bro?!

Dogfish Head X Stone Brewing X Victory Brewing - Saison du Buff [Ale brewed with parsley, sage, rosemary & thyme] (12oz ---> Dogfish Head Curved Pint Glass : 6.8% ABV)

  Always when searching for the next beer to try, I look for some sort of spark, that little something that engages me, and beer brewed with "parsley, sage, rosemary & thyme" did exactly that!! Secondly comes the fact that it's a collaboration brew between three excellent breweries, Stone recently celebrating their 18th Anniversary (Congratulations to them!!) Although, I note Stone's anniversary, I obviously picked up the Dogfish Head release, stating this because each brewery brews the beer with the same recipe and ingredients, but releases them individually... Fittingly, Riot Fest begins tomorrow and there I will get to see the subject of a previous article, Anthony Green, perform with his previous band Saosin; thus I chose to enjoy a saison on the eve of the event…

  For anybody who doesn't recognize the significance of "parsley, sage, rosemary & thyme," I'll leave that ambiguously in the air… BUT - For any who do recognize it, just know it was a nostalgic thing for me, as it brought me back to road-tripping with my mother at a young age, so needless to say passing up this beer would feel like I'm dishonoring my mother in a sense!!