800. Founders Brewing – Kentucky Breakfast Stout 2009 KBS
It’s been a long week at work, since one of the hospitals I oversee public affairs for opened a new patient wing. Since it’s a Friday night and a milestone beer, I thought I’d grab something from the special section of the beer fridge. Before I cracked it open, I had to do a bit of research to see what year KBS this was… so thanks to the beer geeks out there who posted the info letting me know it was a 2009....
778. Goose Island – Lolita (2013)
This past Monday, I had to go back up to Mayo Clinic to see my cardiologist. the good news is that my heart is back to a normal size and I can start to ween off the medications (over the next couple years). The bad news is that he’s concerned about my weight gain and cholesterol. Admittedly, I’ve not been good about eating well this past year. He recommended I start dieting immediately, so I did. I’ve been very good...
777. Against the Grain – Kentucky Ryed Chiquen
As I mentioned in my last post, I was up in Chicago for work today, and on my way home, I decided to stop in Lexington, IL at Kemp’s Upper Tap. This small bar in a small town always seems to have the best beers around. It must help that one of the big local craft beer distributors is located just up the street from them. When I saw this beer on the list, I knew I had to get it. I’d heard about how good it was, and then...
760. The Grand Canyon Brewing Co. – Shaggy Bock
This is another beer that was sent to me by Grand Canyon brewing Company. much like the last one I had, this one includes a flavor bomb. Since I didn’t have any luck with the last one, I figured I had better cracked this one open sooner rather than later, even though it is a bock and should age pretty good. Location: Poured into a pint glass at my home in Bloomington, IL. Numbers: 6.75% ABV, ~200 Calories Appearance & Aroma:...
756. The Grand Canyon Brewing Co. – Winter Bourbon Barrel Bomber
I received this beer from the brewery last year and saw that it had a “flavor bomb” on the inside. Therefore, I decided to wait a while and let the flavor soak into it a little bit – especially since it was a bourbon barrel flavor. I finally opened it tonight after watching the local team (Illinois State University) lose in the national championship today. I’m working on work stuff tonight but thought...
715. Right Brain Brewery – Looping Owl
We’re up in St. Joseph, MI for an extended weekend and a friend who lives nearby recommended The Buck for dinner. She told me they had good food and an incredible beer list. It was a good chance for me to try a few local beers I wouldn’t be able to get back at home. My friend Joe went to Traverse City and stopped at this brewery and had good things to say, so I thought I’d give one of their beers a try. Location: On...
697. Tyranena Brewing – Rocky’s Revenge Bourbon Brown
My wife and I are up in Rochester, MN this evening because I have a checkup at Mayo Clinic. It’s been a little over a year since my heart surgery, and we’re here to see if my heart is shrinking back to normal size. Tonight, we went back to The Loop, a restaurant we hit the night before my surgery last year, because I remembered they had good food and a pretty good local tap list. I’d never heard of Tyranena Brewing...
258. Founders Brewing – Backwoods Bastard Rereviewed
Thank God it’s Friday. It’s been a full day at work, and then my son’s baseball team had practice tonight. I’m an assistant coach, so I had to help. When I got home, I had to dig up a huge crown of Cascade hops. Since we’re moving soon, I wanted to bring them over to the new house and plant them. After all that work, I decided it was time for a very good beer – especially since I haven’t had many...
693. Goose Island – Bourbon County Brand Vanilla Stout 2010
My wife and kids are at religious education tonight, so I’ve got the house to myself. I’ve been bringing beers in from the garage, since I had to empty the beer fridge, because we’re moving. I was able to snag this a few years ago at the local liquor store before they became so impossible to find. It’s been sitting at the bottom of the beer fridge for a few years now. The bottle says, Each year at the Festival...
681. Weyerbacher – Heresy Imperial Stout aged in Oak Barrels
We’re sitting down to watch the second Hunger Games movie and having dinner. I’ve already had New Glarus Cherry Stout earlier today, so I thought I’d stick with the stouts, and go a bit bigger. I believe this is one of the beers my friend Travis gave me in a mixed 6-pack he brought back from his trip to Virginia Beach last year. Location: Poured into a snifter glass at my home in Bloomington, IL. Numbers: 8% ABV,...
679. Olde Hickory Brewery – Daniel Boone Ale aged in Oak Barrels
It’s been a long, tough day, cleaning, prepping the house, and meeting with our realtor. But today, we now have a for sale sign in our yard. We’re nervous as hell about moving, and to take the edge off, I decided to open up this big beer. This is another beer my sister brought me from her trip to Asheville, NC. It had a price tag of $8 on it. The label is a bit cheesy, but I hope you can’t judge this beer by its...
660. Goose Island – Bourbon County Brand Barleywine
I’ve had multiple beers tonight during our Tales, Taverns & Towns tour of Chicago. Our last stop of the night was Sheffield’s, and I discovered the “Beer School” room, which had some awesome beers. Since I figured this was my last beer of the evening, I went big with this one. I love their Bourbon County Brand Stout, so I was looking forward to trying this one. Location: On tap and served in a small snifter glass...
654. Local Option Bierwerker – Morning Wood Oak Aged Amber
We’re in Chicago this weekend on a bit of a beer excursion. My wife’s sorority sister runs tours of Chicago through her business – Tales, Taverns & Towns – and organized a reunion for the women who were in the sorority with her (and their spouses). We don’t get up to Chicago often, and so I was looking forward to this opportunity to try some beers from many of the breweries that have popped up there...
615. Wrecking Bar Brewpub – Dry Hopped & Cedar Aged Denamelizer IIPA
I’m in Atlanta, GA visiting my friend Joe, and we’re at The Wrecking Bar Brewpub for a couple beers and a snack before dinner. After I had the Jemmy Dean Breakfast Stout, my friend Joe recommended I try their Denamelizer IIPA. However, I noticed on the corner of the menu, that they had the dry hopped AND cedar aged version of this beer… in the cask! I think Joe was a bit jealous and wanted to change his order after...
613. Highland Brewing – Barrel Aged Imperial Kashmir IPA
As I mentioned in my last couple posts, I’m in Atlanta, GA, visiting my friend Joe, who took me to Taco Mac. After having a couple local beers, including Monday Night Brewing’s Drafty Kilt and Red Brick’s Hoplanta, we headed down to The Fred. It’s a speakeasy kinda place with some good beers, including Red Brick’s Smoked Vanilla Gorilla Porter that I started with. I’ve had several beers from...
589. Dogfish Head Craft Brewery – Burton Baton
Its one of the first Saturdays that we have nothing we have to do, so my wife and I are relaxing on the back deck. The moment just called for a beer, so I reached into the beer fridge to see what I could come up with. This is one of the big beers my friend Travis gave me from his vacation to Virginia Beach about a month ago. I’ve been wanting to try this one for a long time… ever since I homebrewed my own wood aged IPA. To...
564. Russian River Brewing – Supplication Ale
I found out I’m going to need mitral valve repair heart surgery this coming Friday, so I’m digging in the beer fridge for a few good ones before I have to head to Mayo Clinic for the surgery. I picked this one up in Seattle when I was there a few months ago, and brought it back on the plane with me. The bottle indicates it’s aged in Pinot Noir barrels with cherries added. It says its aged in the barrel 12-15 months...
505. Cathedral Square – Bourbon Barrel Aged Holy Moly
As I mentioned in my review of Urban Chestnut’s Thrale’s, I’m in St. Louis for the holidays and we’re at International Tap House (iTap) in Soulard to watch the Mizzou-Illinois basketball game. We’ve already had a couple of beers while watching the game, as well as some awesome BBQ from Bogart’s down the street. I wanted to go for a local beer I couldn’t get elsewhere, and this looked like the...
500. St. Louis Brewery / Schlafly – 2008 Schlafly Reserve Barleywine Style Ale Aged on Oak
As most of you know, I celebrated the halfway to 1000 beers point with a bit of an online celebration – giving away bike chain bottle openers and cards. The other thing I did was have a poll to select which beer I should enjoy for #500. Withe the help of a tweet from @Schlafly, this beer easily cruised to the top spot. So, as promised, I cracked this one open at the end of the celebration week and enjoyed the halfway mark....
471. Elliott Bay Brewing – Heaven Hills Bourbon Barrel Imperial Stout
As I mentioned in my last post, I’m in Seattle for work and am having dinner with my cousin at Elliott Bay brewpub. I started with their dry hopped IPA, and had their excellent fish tacos (which were a bit unevenly matched). After dinner, as well as some great family conversation, we both finished with one last beer. I’ve always been a fan of bourbon barrel aged Imperial Stout, and saw they had this one in the cask, so I...
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