Whale Hunting

Recently, Andy and I had an epic little tasting of some very rare and truly world class brews (read: whales). First up was a beer that Andy brought, Goose Island's King Henry, a 13.4% English Barleywine.

Goose Island King Henry

King Henry is kind of a big deal. One of the highest rated barleywines (#1 on Beeradvocate.com and #3 on RateBeer.com), as well one of the highest rated beers period (#7 on Beeradvocate.com), King Henry was released late last year. The big hype surrounding this whale is that it was aged in the same barrels as one of the most sought after beers of all time, Bourbon County Brand Stout Rare (Imperial Stout, 13%). These same barrels were first home to the most sought after bourbon as well, Pappy van Winkel 23. Needless to say, we were both very excited to finally give this beer a try. It was a very rich and decadent brew, full of smooth toffee, vanilla, dark chewy fruit, and bourbon, all seamlessly melded together to create a nearly flawless offering. Thanks again to Andy for giving me the chance to try it, I was beginning to think I never would.

Next up was a beer released about a month and a half ago at Three Floyds Brewpub, their Conquistador de Muerte (Milk Stout, 8%). To make this beer, Three Floyds took their Moloko milk stout and aged in Woodford Reserve bourbon barrels with ancho and guajillo peppers for two years.  The particular bottle we enjoyed was #307 of 405.

Three Floyds Conquistador de Muerte

We were both excited, yet apprehensive to try this beer, mainly because Andy has had Three Floyds Cognac Dark Lord de Muerte, their Dark Lord Russian Imperial Stout aged in cognac barrels with similar chili pepper treatment, and said that it was dangerously close to being too spicy. This de Muerte poured as black and viscous as motor oil, with no head to speak of. The nose was reminiscent of chocolate Tobasco, but everything came together in the taste, with smooth chili peppers, chocolate, light bourbon vanilla, and toffee rounding out this fantastic beer.

All in all a great chance to have some good beer, and I'm really looking forward to opening some more rare and delicious bottles with Andy in the future.

Half Acre Brewery Tour

For our next brewery tour, Kristin and I went to Half Acre Beer Company in Chicago this past Saturday in the early afternoon. It was kind of a last minute decision, as we were on our way to Local Option (a Chicago craft beer bar Andy has profiled before) to watch the Notre Dame vs. Stanford game. Even though it was last minute, we're glad we stopped, as it was the best brewery tour we've been on yet.

In line for the tour!

Every Saturday at 1pm, Half Acre admits 60 guests at a price of $10 each to come on an hour and a half to two hour tour of their brewery. Though a little skeptic of the $10 price tag, Kristin and I soon realized this was the single best deal we've come across in a long time. This modest fee gives you a Half Acre pint glass, 3 pints of beer (from which you had 4 options) over the course of the tour, and a very intimate (in a good way) experience with how Half Acre runs their brewery.

First off, let's mention the beer, which I should add is top notch. We each had a pint of Daisy Cutter (American Pale Ale, 5.2%) and Ouija Pilz (Czech Pilsner, 5.7%). Daisy Cutter is Half Acre's most well known and best selling beer, as it should be, sitting just below Three Floyds' Zombie Dust and Hill Farmstead's Edward in my favorite beers in the style.  This was our first time having Ouija Pilz, and I have yet to look at reviews on it, but I thought it was a very delicious and representative take on the style, while Kristin preferred her Daisy Cutter.

Half Acre Daisy Cutter

Our tour lasted about an hour and thirty minutes, though it may have been longer had we not left immediately at its conclusion in order to make it to local option and see the game. The two tour guides (unfortunately I forget their names ) tag-team led us through the typical brewing process, while periodically adding details about what makes Half Acre the place it is. They were both a lot of fun, and made the tour enjoyable and understanding even for those not familiar with the brewing process.

Central Waters Brewer's Reserve Bourbon Barrel Stout

I can't help but mention our great time at Local Option, where we got to watch the game and I got to enjoy a Central Waters Brewer's Reserve Bourbon Barrel Stout (Imperial Stout, 9.5% - a long time want of mine), and Kristin had a Three Floyds Arctic Panzer Wolf (Double IPA, 9%) All in all a great Saturday, and I highly recommend stopping by Half Acre for some growler fills, cans, or if you are able to, their Saturday tour!

LaSalle Grill hosting Dark Horse Beer Dinner

We are just 10 days away (October 25th) from another great beer dinner at LaSalle Grill in South Bend. These are now a fairly common occurrence from them, as they take great food and craft beer quite seriously. I would reiterate the details, but I blew up the flyer so you can see for yourself...

IPA Fun

Recently, I've had the fortune to come across and trade for a handful of world class IPAs and double IPAs. Most of these were acquired through trading on beer website forums (specifically Beer Advocate). For the last decade, hops were showcased prevalently on the West Cost, with breweries like Stone (Ruination IPA), Russian River (Pliny the Elder, Pliny the Younger, Blind Pig) and Alpine (Bad Boy, Nelson, Exponential Hoppiness) producing huge hop bombs that do far more than showcase the bittering properties of our favorite vine, the hop. While we've been blessed to enjoy world class IPAs from Three Floyds, most areas of the Midwest and East Coast were void of world class pours of this delicious style - until recently. The curious thing about the IPAs I've had the privilege to enjoy recently, is that they come from a very unsuspecting place: Vermont.

Ephraim

Two of the brews I've gotten to enjoy come from my absolute favorite brewery, Hill Farmstead. Located literally in the middle of Nowhere, Vermont (well, Greensboro actually - but you do need to drive down a lengthy dirt road to get there), owner and master brewer Shaun Hill has been brewing up quite a buzz in the craft beer scene for the last year. After only one year of operations, Hill Farmstead was voted the 5th best brewery in the world according to ratebeer.com. Most beer enthusiasts who have had his beer agree, myself being counted in that number. Mr. Hill's IPAs are never bottled, only served on draft or in growlers, in order to ensure they are consumed when they are at their freshest and most delicious. The two double IPAs I've had recently from Hill Farmstead are Ephraim (DIPA, 9.8%) and Society & Solitude #5 (DIPA, 7.8%). Ephraim is one of Shaun Hill's most famous creations, an absolutely gargantuan double IPA packed with flavors of grapefruit, tangerine, mango, and a light pine, all supported by a hefty caramel backbone. The other double IPA, Society & Solitude #5, will only be brewed once as part of an ongoing experimental IPA series. Society #5 is brewed to showcase the magnificent citrus qualities of New Zealand hope varieties. Utterly drinkable given the ABV, Society #5 bursts with grapefruit and oranges, while bolstered with a light sweetness (the malt backbone was practically inexistent). I can unequivocally say this was the best beer I've ever had, and I couldn't decided after the last sip if I was happy I had the opportunity to try it, or sad knowing I would never have it again. Either way, it will be the benchmark by which I judge all other double IPAs in the future.

Society & Solitude #5

Another Vermont brewery making serious waves is The Alchemist, located about an hour Southwest of Hill Farmstead in Waterbury, VT. The Alchemist is most well known for its flagship double IPA, Heady Topper. Only distributed in cans, Heady Topper has garnered enough accolades to become the third highest rated beer in the world on Beer Advocate. A well deserved spot, as Andy noted after he tried his first one last week:

Heady Topper

One of the interesting things about Heady Topper is that the brewers encourage you to drink it out of the can (it even says so ON the can!) in order to maximize its flavor. I'd have to agree, I poured a Heady into a glass once and it was just not as good. I typically have a steady stream of Heady Topper coming in every month, so if any readers ever wish to try this masterpiece, shoot me an email!

Broo Doo

While Vermont is churning out some second-to-none beer right now, we can't forget about the IPA king in our own backyard, Three Floyds. This month, Three Floyds monthly release is its wet-hopped IPA, Broo Doo (IPA, 7%, brewed with freshly picked whole cone hops).  Delicious and bursting with citrus and hop aromas, Broo Doo is another great installment in Three Floyds repertoire of fantastic hoppy beers. Though I have never had it, Andy has me very excited for Founders own wet-hopped IPA, Harvest Ale (IPA, 6.5%). Both Harvest Ale and Broo Doo will be available in our area within the next two weeks!




So that's my segment honoring the juicy hop. Thanks for reading my short novel, and I encourage you to seek some of those beers out. And as I said before, if any readers ever wish to try some of them, I might just have a few if you ask! Cheers.

Founders Bolt Cutter Release Details

Today, Founders released information concerning the upcoming release of its commemorative 15th anniversary ale, Bolt Cutter (American Barleywine, 15%). This is shaping up to look like a pretty phenomenal ale, with portions of it being aged in bourbon barrels and maple syrup bourbon barrels, while the remainder was fermented through normal processes.  Fermentation and blending has been finished for several months, but Founders has held on to the bottles and kegs to allow them to mature. If I say so myself, that sounds incredibly delicious.

The release is set to occur on multiple levels. First, this Saturday (October 6th) at 11am EST, tickets will go on sale that will allow you to purchase an allotment of two Bolt Cutter bottles on a specified date between Sunday, November 11th and Friday, November 16th (my birthday!!!). If you are lucky enough to score one of these tickets (250 for each day, they will go FAST), you can go buy your two bottles on the day you are assigned (and ONLY on that day). Tickets will be sold here: Bolt Cutter Ticket Sales

The next release of Bolt Cutter will be on draft at Founders 15th Anniversary Party on Saturday, November 17th at 11am in their Grand Rapids taproom. This is a free event that will operate as first come first serve. I would certainly expect this event to be crowded with a sizable line, so if you do plan on attending, arrive early.

Finally, bottles of Bolt Cutter will see normal Backstage Series distribution (this ale is in fact being considered their next installment in the series) as of November 19th. This means it will be a limited release, but should not be impossible to track down. With a little proactivity and patience, you should be able to find yourself a bottle or two.

So there you have it! Between now and December there are quite a few special releases from multiple breweries being distributed in the area. Happy hunting!

Bell's Eccentric Cafe Visit

What's up everyone? Yesterday, I took a trip up to Bell's in Kalamazoo to have dinner with my girlfriend, Kristin, at the Eccentric Cafe. This was our second trip there, and it did not disappoint. The Cafe has a great atmosphere, and attracts craft beer enthusiasts and craft newcomers alike.

The tap list was very impressive!

After situating ourselves at two recently vacated spots at the bar, we ordered our first drinks. Kristin started with a glass of Two Hearted (American IPA, 7%), while I had much more I wanted to try. Because I was driving, I stuck to some smaller, but still delicious glasses to maximize what I got to enjoy.  My half flight consisted of Bourbon Barrel Batch 9000 (American Strong Ale, ??%), Bourbon Barrel Cherry Stout (Fruit Stout, 10.4%), and This One Goes to 11 (Imperial Red Ale, 11%).

Pint: Two Hearted; Flight (left to right): BB Batch 9000, BB Cherry Stout, This One Goes to 11

The Bourbon Barrel Batch 9000 was far and away my favorite beer of the day - really great bourbon vanilla, molasses, plum, and chocolate. This One Goes to 11 was very enjoyable as well, but more on that later. Bourbon Barrel Cherry Stout was not my pint of choice, and I was just not a fan of the mixture of cherry flavor and bourbon barrel aging. We then ordered some dinner. Kristin got the Pulled Pork Sandwich while I enjoyed the Smoked Chicken Sandwich. Both turned out to be pretty tasty. I do however wish I had ordered the Jambalaya as I had done the first time (delicious!!). After wrapping up the meal, we each ordered one more beer. I opted for the Raspberry Ale (not pictured, but very tart and delicious - I'm a big sour fan), while Kristin got a Two Hearted from the firkin.

Two Hearted on cask!

I will definitely say this, Two Hearted really does taste better than anywhere else, both on cask and draft, at the Eccentric Cafe. I'm guessing it is the fact that it is incredibly fresh, but it blows any bottle or draft of it I've had in South Bend out of the water. Much more juicy, and full of grapefruit and citrus flavor. As we left, we stopped into the General Store located out front, and I grabbed a Hopslam poster for myself, and a 6 pack of This One Goes to 11 for Andy. There seemed to be a handful of cases of "11" left in the back, but I would certainly call before planning a trip up there any time soon to make sure they have it. This beer will also see limited distribution, most likely this coming week.

All in all, a great way to spend a beautiful Saturday evening. The drive isn't too bad, about an hour and twenty minutes using the main roads out of South Bend. I highly recommend making the trip up one afternoon with a few friends to grab a flight or a few pints and a meal. If you would like to check the tap list before you make the trip, you can go to Bell's website via this link - http://www.bellsbeer.com/eccentric-cafe/beers-on-tap/. Navigating through the site will provide you with a food menu as well.

Cheers, and I hope you all make the trip one day!

Founders Breakfast Stout at The Mark (NOW) and Bleachers (9/28)

Founders Breakfast Stout was recently tapped at The Mark in Eddy Street Commons. I unfortunately didn't write down the taplist, but Three Floyds Arctic Panzer Wolf was also on tap, with an additional keg waiting in the wings. Also worth noting is Three Floyds Dreadnaught on tap across the street at O'Rourke's Irish Pub.

Also, it looks like Bleachers in Mishawaka on Grape Road will be tapping Breakfast Stout and have a little release party at 6:30 PM this Friday (9/28). $5 pints!

P.S. - Currently enjoying a Three Floyds Rye da Tiger, their new Rye Double IPA. You can find this at the City Wide on Grape Road and the Belmont Bev. next to Notre Dame's campus. Highly recommended! The rye provides a nice spiciness on the finish. Cheers!

Hoppin' Frog Barrel Aged BORIS Oatmeal Imperial Stout

My next review brings us to a beer I had to search long and hard to find in South Jersey, but seems to be very readily available in the South Bend area. Good thing too, because Barrel aged BORIS is a great bourbon barrel aged stout. Look for this gem at the City Wide downtown, and the City Wide on Grape Road.

Style: Double / Imperial Stout

Brewery: Hoppin' Frog Brewery

Serving Type: 22oz bottle into a snifter

ABV: 9.4%

Appearance: This beer is like motor oil. Completely pitch black, with a minimal head that quickly recedes to thin rim. The viscosity on this brew is very high, and this beer has some serious legs as well (alcohol residual on glass). 

Aroma: A really nice mocha comes out of the glass to start, followed by a vanilla creaminess. Some dark chocolate hangs around. A boozy bourbon sweetness watches over the whole affair, but without being discouraging. A little bit of roastiness rounds out the nose.

Taste:  Bourbon/whiskey vanilla is very up front, but not overpowering. The mocha coffee backdrop from the nose takes over from the booziness as the glass warms. Truly, half through the glass I feel like I am drinking a Starbucks iced mocha. A light booziness and brownie chewiness sits on the back of my palate through the end of the sip. 

Mouthfeel: This beer is a definite sipper. Really thick and very much like a milkshake. You'll be working on a glass of this for an hour - not because it's hard to put down, but because the flavors and heaviness of the body require you to go slowwww. Not much heat from the barrel aging, just enough to remind you to enjoy it and take your time.

Overall: After the second time trying this beer, I enjoy it a lot. I'll definitely get another bottle at some point in the near future, and I encourage you to do so as well!

Grade: A-

Special Bell's Tapping at Bar Louie (Mishawaka, IN)

Our friends over at Bar Louie in Mishawaka are throwing a little all day bash tomorrow including the likes of "The Oracle" and "Hopsolution," among others. Hopsolution will be a new one for me, although I'm sure it's rareness will really shine through. The Oracle on the other hand, well, it's every bit as incredible as people claim it to be. The Oracle is easily the best Double IPA in the Midwest, and would certainly hold its own against any of the delicious West-Coast DIPAs. Don't believe me? Good. I don't want you to drink it anyway. In fact, forget I said anything.

From the FB Event...

"HOP into Bar Louie this Thursday to drink some outstanding limited IPA's from Bell's Brewery! The beers will be tapped as soon as Louie's doors open at 11am. And the party will go on until the doors close or the beer runs out! Come on out and try the always amazing classic Two Hearted Ale. Also on tap will be 2 limited releases from Bells. Hopsolution IPA, which rarely makes it way out of their brew pub these days, and The Oracle Double IPA, which as been described by me as "drinking liquid gold". Even if you cannot make it, please pass this event on to some of your beer drinking friends who might like to attend."

This may be the last time you see Hopsolution in this area, and The Oracle won't be back until next year, so get it while you can...

Three Floyds Moloko Milk Stout

For my first beer review, I'm going with a seasonal release from Three Floyds, the Moloko Milk Stout. Moloko is currently on shelves in our area, specifically with a numerous amount at the Martin's on South Bend Ave. and Ironwood. For those wondering, other Three Floyds currently on shelves there are Alpha King, Pride and Joy, Calumet Queen (Kolsch, 22oz), and Zes Zes Zes (Saison, 22oz - review to come).

Style: Milk Stout
Brewery: Three Floyds Brewing Co.
Serving Type: 22oz bottle, FFF Teku
ABV: 8%

Appearance: Moloko offers the quintessential stout pour with a midnight black body and two fingers plus of fluffy khaki head. This beer leaves minimal lacing save for a few patches on the glass. Head subsides to a film then a light rim fairly quickly

Aroma: Chocolate and coffee roastiness burst from the glass. Really, really nice dark roasted malts with a light char. A little bit of dark fruit (raisin namely) sits in the background.

Taste: Bitter chocolate and coffee come up front. Bitterness isn't your typical dark chocolate you'd find in most stouts, but has a slight citrus aspect to it - I would expect nothing less from Three Floyds than to shower a beer in aromatic, juicy hops. Chewy raisin comes along mid palate. A nice lactose sweetness encompasses the entirety of the palate, while the brew finishes with a sweet mocha.

Mouthfeel: Velvety smooth, and fantastic carbonation. Really refreshing, but with a heavy enough body to encourage you to sip this (as it warms, the dark fruits on the taste materialize more thoroughly).

Overall: A really great milk stout, and another great offering from Three Floyds. This beer is an August only release, and like other Three Floyds beer, it won't stay on shelves long, so grab it while you can!

Note: Moloko was on tap at The Mark in Eddy Street as of two days ago... I will confirm this for anyone looking to grab this beer in an even velvetier state than from the bottle.
Also, I had the privilege to make it to Three Floyds to grab a bottle of Cognac Barrel Aged Moloko (which I will review shortly) and Conquistador de Muerte - Moloko aged in Woodford Reserve bourbon barrels with ancho and guajillo peppers (holding onto this one to share with Andy).

Grade: A-

Introduction

Hello fellow beer enthusiasts!

Recently, Andy asked me to start helping out with TheBeerIsGood, and post some beer related news, events, reviews, brewery visits, and general beer talk. After frequenting the site for a number of months now, I happily obliged.

I am currently a masters student at Notre Dame, and graduated undergrad here in May. Among other great experiences, attending school in the area introduced me to fantastic beer (first craft beer was Gumballhead, and I was immediately in love). Over time, I've become very involved in the craft beer scene and it has become a definite passion of mine. Hopefully through my posts I can channel some of that enthusiasm to all of you! Most of my posts will involve beer reviews, breweries and craft beer bars I have the luxury to visit, and interesting craft beer events occurring in the area (and sometimes Chicago).

For anyone that uses the site, you can find me on Beer Advocate under the username, cfrances33. As I said, I'm very excited to start posting, and I look forward to helping support the craft movement!

Cheers!

Colin

P.S. When posting and enjoying a beer, I'll likely add a "now enjoying." So for my first post, I am now enjoying a Three Floyds Alpha King!

LaSalle Grill Beer Dinner Featuring Flat 12

LaSalle Grill (South Bend, IN) is at it again with another great Beer Dinner planned for August 30th. This seems to be a regular concept for them, and I've been hearing nothing but great things. This time around, they are teaming up with my friends at Flat 12 to pair with some delicious-sounding food. The cost is $65 per person, and reservations can be made by calling 574.288.1155.

Oskar Blues in Chicago

For those that follow thebeerisgood on Facebook, you may have seen that I was recently bought by Oskar Blues to mention that their beer is available in Chicago now. They sent me a mixed package of their products which included Ten FIDY, Deviant Dales, Old Chub, Dales Pale, G'KNIGHT and Mama's Little Yella Pils.

You know me, if I don't like something, I will probably not write about it, or will be brutally honest. This beer they sent me, it doesn't suck! In fact, it's quite the opposite, it's pretty fucking good.

So yeah, this beer is now available on tap, and in cans around the Chicago area, as of August 22nd. I was lucky enough to hit Binny's South Loop on the way back to South Bend from a work trip, and they had mountains of it, including Deviant Dales, Old Chub, Dales Pale, MLY Pils, and and Gubna. All of these beers were extremely good, even the Pils, which I generally don't like. The beer that stole the show for me though, Ten FIDY. Not only was this my first time having this, or the first Imperial Stout I've had from a can, but probably one of the best Imperial Stouts I've ever had. I can't say enough about it, it's really great. Unfortunately though, Binny's did not have Ten FIDY in stock, so my quest to buy up about 20 cases of it went unfulfilled. Rest assured, I'll be back.

So if you are anywhere in the Chicago area, or plan to be soon, make sure to get some, it's in your best interest.

Potowatomi Zoo Brew Reminder

This is just a reminder and a quick update - don't miss out on this year's Zoo Brew. Your humble beer blogger (Ok, humble isn't the right word) has been honored with an invitation to be one of the beer judges for the event, which I happily accepted.

If you're on the fence, please know that this is the largest fund raiser of the year, every year, for the zoo. Every dollar they receive makes an impact, and helps maintain an important piece of our community.

Date: September 8th, 7-10PM
Ticket Price: Designated Drivers - $25, Zoo Members - $35, Everyone else - $40

Check out the Zoo Brew webpage for further details and to purchase tickets, which did sell out last year... see you there!

Bell's Oracle has landed!

It's been quite some time since I posted due to my busy schedule, but things are starting to quiet down, and I plan to hit this mother with full force once again. I recently consulted The Oracle and the advice I was given was to get back to basics, focus more on this site, and spread the good word of craft beer to the believers and non-believers alike, so that's exactly what I'll do.

Speaking of which, The Oracle from Bell's is out now. Unlike last year, bottles are only available in Michigan, but 1/4 barrels have hit the South Bend area beer scene. If you haven't heard of The Oracle, or have never tried it, suffice it to say it's amazing. I can't think of a single Double IPA brewed in the Midwest that I like better than this one (although some come close). For me, it's even better than Hopslam, less sweet due to not having honey, and a bit more dry.

So this goes against my better judgement of keeping the locations of Oracle on tap a secret, but below is where you can find it, and when. Stop by these places, get a glass (or 5, if you aren't driving) and find out what The Oracle wishes to reveal to you.

The Mark (South Bend) - Right now!!
Fiddler's Hearth (South Bend) - Right now!!
Constant Spring (Goshen) - Right meow!!
Bar Louie (Mishawaka) - September 20th (More on this in a bit)
The Pub (Granger) - September 7th (More on this in a bit)
Bleachers (Mishawaka) - August  31st

So that accounts for most of the barrels I know to exist in this area. I haven't heard, but wouldn't be surprised if Chubby Trout received one as well, so keep an eye out...