943. Fretboard Brewing – The Fretboard Experience Brut DIPA
Dec31

943. Fretboard Brewing – The Fretboard Experience Brut DIPA

It’s New Year’s Eve. I took the day off of work today and homebrewed a double batch of a Russian imperial Stout. I’ve got a bourbon barrel ready for it to go in. So, it’s been a long day, and I just picked up some Chinese food for dinner. So I’m ready to settle in, have some food, enjoy this beer and watch the ball drop. My sister picked up this beer on a recent trip and brought it when she came to visit...

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927. 2nd Shift Brewing – Brewcocky Imperial IPA
Feb03

927. 2nd Shift Brewing – Brewcocky Imperial IPA

My wife discovered Marie Kondo this week, so I had to spend my day going through my closet and drawers throwing out old clothes. So I was ready for a beer this evening. I picked up some sushi and cracked open this beer my sister brought me from St. Louis. The can says, “Brew Cocky is another IPA I came up with that is brewed with loads and loads of Falconers Flight Hops that we use in an inappropriate, gratuitous manner and make...

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919. Narrow Gauge – OJ Run Imperial IPA
Nov01

919. Narrow Gauge – OJ Run Imperial IPA

Things have been pretty busy around here the last few weeks, between our kids’ activities, our Halloween party, and we are now preparing our kitchen for a renovation. I’m sitting here cleaning our cabinet doors, and decided to have a beer. I wasn’t familiar with this beer or brewery, but this is one of the beers my sister brought me a couple months ago from St. Louis. Location: Poured from the can into a TEKU pint...

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917. Founders Brewing – Barrel Runner IPA
Sep07

917. Founders Brewing – Barrel Runner IPA

Its a nice evening out, and I’m enjoying the last bits of 80 degree weather we’re having here in central Illinois before it drops into the 40s this week. I bought this beer a few weeks ago before a pirate murder mystery we were hosing and because Founders usually makes good Barrel aged stuff. This one sounded really interesting and the label/theme was perfect for our party. One of the best beers I ever had was a barrel...

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913. Ex Novo Brewing – Dynamic Duo IIPA
Jul31

913. Ex Novo Brewing – Dynamic Duo IIPA

As I mentioned in my last post, we’ve spent the last several days in and around Portland, Oregon. My awesome friend @Bettywriter let my wife and I stay at her place overlooking the Willamette River. We explored Portland, the Columbia River Gorge, and the coast. It’s been awesome, but tomorrow we’re headed home. I just finished up the last of the Tropic Pines Juicy IPA 4-pack I had, and now I’m finishing up the...

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900. Dogfish Head – 120 Minute IPA
May12

900. Dogfish Head – 120 Minute IPA

It’s been a super busy Saturday, starting with my son’s soccer game at 11:30. Then we went straight to my daughter’s dance performance at 1 o’clock, and then to my son’s baseball game at 3:15. After all of that, I needed a beer, and since I hit number 900, I though I’d crack something a little special open. I bought this 120 Minute IPA a few weeks ago when I saw them at the liquor store. It felt a...

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897. Sierra Nevada – Hop Bullet Double IPA
Apr01

897. Sierra Nevada – Hop Bullet Double IPA

It’s Easter Sunday and almost the end of spring break for the kiddos. My dad stayed with us most of the week to watch the kids while we were gone at work during the day, so it allowed us have a few date nights this week. Now that we’re finished with family stuff, I thought I’d chill out for a little bit and edit home movies and have a couple beers. I picked up a 12 pack of this beer a few weeks ago. My wife has...

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895. Pelican Brewing – Beak Breaker Double IPA
Feb25

895. Pelican Brewing – Beak Breaker Double IPA

It’s my wife’s birthday today, and to celebrate, we’ve been working around the house. She’s continuing to work on staining our staircase and other things, and I’ve been working on different parts of the house. I needed a break, and decided to crack open a beer. This is one of the beers my friend Betty sent me around the first of the year. She visited the brewery and decided to send me several of the ones...

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885. Drake’s Brewing – Denogginizer Imperial IPA
Dec27

885. Drake’s Brewing – Denogginizer Imperial IPA

It’s been a busy several days going back home to St. Louis and rushing from family event to family event on Christmas. It was great to see my grandparents though, as they’re both in their 90’s. Tonight, I’m getting ready to watch the Mizzou football bowl game against Texas in the Texas Bowl. I’ve been eyeing this beer since my sister brought it back from California for me this past summer. I’ve seen...

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869. Sierra Nevada/Boneyard Beer – West Coast-Style DIPA
Jul09

869. Sierra Nevada/Boneyard Beer – West Coast-Style DIPA

It’s been a pretty busy weekend. My son had baseball games on Thursday, Friday, Saturday, and he has one later today. I’m also in the process of renovating our basement bathroom. So, now that I’m waiting for spackle to dry, I thought I’d crack open a beer. This beer was sent to me by Sierra Nevada to promote their Beer Camp Across the World 12 pack. The can says, “We just love brewing hoppy beers”...

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860. Lagunitas – The Waldos’ Special Ale
Jun02

860. Lagunitas – The Waldos’ Special Ale

Summer is off and running. My son had his first golf lesson tonight, and as we waited, several parents grabbed Coronas from the clubhouse. So, when I got home and my daughter threw a fit because I bought a Happy Meal for my son and nothing for her, I grabbed this big beer. I was excited to find a six pack of this beer at the local liquor store around the end of April. My only challenge has been trying to keep them away from my wife...

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855. Drake’s Brewing- Aroma Therapy 3X IPA
Apr15

855. Drake’s Brewing- Aroma Therapy 3X IPA

It’s been a busy day with my son’s soccer game this morning and then baseball practice this afternoon. We finally got home and relaxed, and I decided to crack open a beer. I’ve had my eye on this one in the beer fridge since I got it from my sister for Christmas. She picked it up on a trip to San Francisco this past fall. I’d seen several people post beers from Drakes on Instagram, so I was glad I got a chance...

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845. Mother Bunch Brewing – Imperial Hoppymoto IPA
Feb04

845. Mother Bunch Brewing – Imperial Hoppymoto IPA

TGIF! It’s been a pretty busy week this week. We got a dog on Wednesday, so a lot of our time in the evening has been occupied with him. With everything going on, my diet has not gone very good. So, since it’s Friday, I thought I just go ahead and have this big beer. After having the aged Full Sail Slipknot Imperial IPA yesterday, I figured I better finish as many of the IPAs I have in the fridge as I can. My sister gave...

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844. Full Sail Brewing – Slipknot Imperial IPA (2010)
Feb03

844. Full Sail Brewing – Slipknot Imperial IPA (2010)

I just got back from a work happy hour and had a couple of IPAs. When I got home, I had a craving for another IPA. I found this tucked away in a cabinet the other day. It was given to me by John Harris (now of Ecliptic Brewing) when I brewed with him in Portland, during my Cuisinternship. I visited the real Brewmaster’s reserve beer cooler and he sent me home with several beers, including this beer. Location: Poured into a...

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842. The Alchemist – Heady Topper
Jan22

842. The Alchemist – Heady Topper

It’s a fairly lazy Sunday afternoon. I’m sitting here editing family vacation videos, and the program I’m using decided to crash. So, especially since the new diet starts tomorrow, I thought I’d grab a very good beer out of the fridge. When my dad and sister asked me for a wish list of beers for Christmas, this beer was one of them at the top. I’ve heard quite a bit about this beer, and wanted to try it...

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839. Russian River – Pliney the Elder
Jan15

839. Russian River – Pliney the Elder

An ice storm has hit the midwest, and so we stayed home today and cleaned around the house. I thought I’d reward myself by cracking open this beer. My sister was in San Francisco a few weeks ago attending both a 49ers and Raiders game in her quest to attend an NFL game in every NFL stadium. She asked if there were any beers in the area I’d like and this was it. She managed to get 2 bottles of it for me! Huge thanks to my...

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814. New Glarus Brewing – Scream IIPA
Jul25

814. New Glarus Brewing – Scream IIPA

Last weekend my friend Steve convinced me to go with him up to New Glarus Brewing Company, so he could buy some of their Spotted Cow. A friend of his wants him to brew a clone of that beer for his wedding, and he’d never had it before. It was an awesome trip, and I bought a bunch of beer to bring back with me, including this one. I really enjoy their fruit beers, so I was curious to see what one of their IPAs would be like....

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809. Spiteful Brewing – Working for the Weekend Double IPA
Mar13

809. Spiteful Brewing – Working for the Weekend Double IPA

I’m doing SXSW again at home this year, and so, just like at SXSW, I’m having a few beers. I had a couple of Hop Slams at lunch, so I thought I’d have this with dinner. I picked up a four pack of this a few weeks ago during a work trip up to Chicago. The label has some interesting artwork, so along with the name, the fact that it’s a double IPA, and I really enjoyed their Spiteful IPA , I was looking forward to...

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792. Evil Twin Brewing – Molotov Cocktail Imperial IPA
Dec05

792. Evil Twin Brewing – Molotov Cocktail Imperial IPA

It’s been a pretty relaxing Friday night. We couldn’t really go out and do anything, since my son has been sick the last four days, and we needed to stay home tonight. I finished up my review of Dogfish Head Sixty-one, and I’m settling into watch a movie and do another review. I’d heard of Evil Twin Brewing, and was looking forward to trying it, but couldn’t find it anywhere near me. However, when I was...

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767. Oddside Ales – Paranoia Imperial India Pale Ale
May16

767. Oddside Ales – Paranoia Imperial India Pale Ale

It’s been a pretty decent Saturday afternoon. I got to sleep in a little bit, and then we went to the gym. I got a little work done around the house, before we had to go get pictures taken with my son’s baseball team. now I’m working on the house, and decided to take a break and have this beer. I picked it up last fall when my family and I took a trip up to Western Michigan. before we left town, I picked up several...

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