Cincinnati Beer Week 2013: Embree’s Northern Dark Baltic Porter

Before I begin this review, I would like to give a heads up that this particular beer will most likely only be available to Ohioans, specifically Southwestern Ohioans. However, I am hopeful that this review will spark the interest of our national audience and perhaps even inspire them to take a little (or long) trip to the Midwest. I will promise you that it will be an awesome time! Maybe even a little too awesome seeing as The Business Insider just released its 2013 must hungover cities in the US and I am proud/embarrassed to say that five cities in Ohio made the top 25, making Ohio the most hungover state in the country! Shout outs: Akron, Cleveland, Toledo, Columbus, Cincinnati.  Read More

Boulder Beer – Rum Barrel Porter

ABV: 6%

Boulder Beer Company’s Rum Barrel Porter is another addition to their unique taproom-only offerings. I suspect this is not only a limited release but a nano batch as their regular lineup does not include a Porter. Oftentimes the more creative libations can only be found in a brewery’s taproom, so visit your local taproom often.

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Porch Sessions: Meet Your Brewer John Fiorilli Vine Street Pub and Brewery

Porch Sessions are meant to take you behind the scenes of your favorite breweries to meet the people who make your beer possible. This week we were lucky enough to hang with John Fiorilli the head brewer of Vine Street Pub and Brewery.

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Three Floyds Brewing Co. | Zombie Dust

ABV: 6.4 | IBU: 60

3 Floyds Brewing Co.’s Zombie Dust has become the only beer I MUST track down any time I’m back home in Kentucky, or fortuitously find myself … Read More

Vail Big Beers Belgians and Barleywines Festival Photo Gallery

As we mentioned on Monday the Vail Big Beers Belgians and Barleywines Festival was Legend… wait for it… dary it was LEGENDARY!  So we thought we’d share with you a few pictures that really helps to tell the full tale of exactly just how awesome it was.  These brilliant shots were taken by Erin Horn. Enjoy!

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Leinenkugel’s Snowdrift Vanilla Porter

Most Midwesterns are familiar with Leinenkugel Brewing Company. They’re the pride of Chippewa Falls, Wisconsin and brew some pretty unique beers.

Leinenkugel is out with a new winter porter with a slight twist – vanilla. Read More

Getting a Woody – Founders Backwoods Bastard

Welcome to the second installment of Getting a Woody. In this article we will dive into the wide world of Bourbon Barrels. As stated in the last Getting a Woody, Bourbon Barrels were one of the first barrels used to age beer. Aging beer in these barrels creates a harmony between the wood and the beer producing slight hints of bourbon, oak, vanilla, and smoky flavors. Some great examples that have gonethrough this process are Bourbon County Stout from Goose Island, The Lost Abbey Angel’s Share, Odell’s Bourbon Barrel Stout, and Founders Kentucky Breakfast Stout. Today, we look at another beer from Founders Brewing that has enjoyed aging in Bourbon Barrels.

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Sixpoint Brewery – Resin

ABV – 9.1%

IBU – 103

Upon cracking the top of this slender, green can, the snappy scent wafts up to warn the drinker: this is no lager. The first taste is a bit of a shock – though the carbonation is fairly mild – and this beer lets you know precisely what 103 IBU means. However, once a few more sips pass over your palate, Sixpoint Brewery Resin‘s zesty bitter grapefruit juice flavor begins to shine through. This is the beer I buy to take to a party, and upon arriving, proceed to hide it in the back of the fridge so I’m not forced to share. Read More

Trinity Brewing Oh Face Saison

Style: Saison
ABV: 4.8%

Background

Here in Colorado the temperatures have dropped into the negatives the past couple days. So you would think that I would reach for a dark and heavy stout but no I went straight for the light refreshing characteristics of a Saison, Trinity Brewing Oh Face. Oh Face is part of Trinity’s Office Space-themed beers and is a complex saison that is fermented with brettanomyces then brewed with spelt, oats, rye, and wheat. Finally, it is spiced with pumpkin and lavender. If things go well, this beer should be showing me its oh oh oh face if you know what I mean. Read More

Big Beers Festival in 140 Characters or Less

Last weekend I had the great pleasure of going to the Big Beers, Belgians and Barleywines Festival in Vail, CO. 13 of us from Northern Colorado loaded into a caravan and headed up the mountain for the 13th annual fest. That’s right, lucky 13. What could go wrong there? Read More

Beerstagrams 1/11- 1/18

This week’s Beerstagrams belong in a create-your-own-six-pack. First, Tristan and friends show us around the Big Beers Festival. Vail isn’t just for skiers anymore– the beer connoisseurs put their snifters to work checking out the latest from homebrewers and industry gurus. Special appearances by Dry Dock, Caution Brewing, Elevation Brewing and (of course) Avery Brewing. Next, take a trip across the pond as my company pays tribute to our resident Brit. Yes– we drink at work. Yes– you should be jealous. Yes– Robby’s homebrew was delicious. And finally, good luck not drooling all over your keyboard when you check out the beer inspired dessert submitted by Allison Hardy (sous-chef at Circle City Sweets in Indianapolis, IN).

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Flying Dog Brewery – Raging Bitch Belgian Style IPA

ABV 8.3%,

60 IBU

The scene was Lebowskifest 2009 (Louisville, KY). My friend and I had just finished riding our bikes across the Commonwealth just in time to meet up with our fellow Dudeists at the annual meeting celebrating all things Lebowski. In the parking lot of the Executive Lanes, a young man smoking an electronic cigarette (a relatively new concept at the time) approached us, and offered us a beer form his portable cooler. He cracked open bottles of a Belgian Style IPA that reinvigorated by tongue, which was falling asleep after a few Miller High Lifes. He touted the beer as the best thing he had ever tasted, a bold statement both then and in hindsight.

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Homebrewing Spaghetti

I just finished up a big plate of spaghetti, so let me start out by making a few simple comparisons with homebrewing to set the stage.

Stouffer’s frozen spaghetti = Mr. Beer Kit
Boxed spaghetti noodles and canned pasta sauce = Extract brewing
Homemade noodles and meat sauce from scratch = Full-grain brewing

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Uinta Brewing – Hop Notch IPA

ABV – 7.3%
IBU – 82

Let’s face it, it’s hard to find a microbrewed beer that isn’t just downright good. As a general rule, if it’s ONLY available in a six pack, you’re probably pretty safe when it comes to taste and quality. A unique or catchy name gets one bonus point. Make it come from somewhere else and BOOM, you have the perfect basic microbrew equation – the Uinta Hop Notch IPA, an equation used and perfected by many of the vastly growing microbreweries. Why then, even when absolutely enjoying the culmination of doing the math correctly, does a very small part of the back of my brain begin to utterly loathe it? What could have possibly gone awry?

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Ultimate 6er – Winter Warmers

The mercury isn’t just low in the chamber, it has actually frozen. It’s the middle of January, and it is bitter, bitter cold outside. So how in the world will you make it through the winter if you can’t hang out on your porch? By staying inside where there is heat and drinking some winter warmers, of course!

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Stone Brewing Co. – Double Bastard Ale

11.2% ABV

The name of this beer says it all. Imagine if Snooki and Kanye had a child together (maybe the most terrifying thing I have ever conceived…) and then Kanye left during his/her/it’s youth. What would the product be? The most menacing and arrogant adolescent ever. Double your arrogant DNA, and you get double the devil child. Stone Brewing Co. doubles their Arrogant Bastard Ale and boggles the mind with their palate smashing Double Bastard. Read More

Arcadia Brewing Company – The Big Finish Ale

ABV: 5%

I was about to run to the store when there it was, The Big Finish Ale, staring me in the face. This gem has been hiding in my fridge since the day after Thanksgiving, when my boyfriend, brother and I stopped off at Arcadia Brewing Company on our drive home. There are several reasons why this beer is awesome:

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Kiuchi Brewery – Hitachino Nest Real Ginger Brew

Who said being a ginger was a bad thing? Well, it wasn’t me. Especially after experiencing the unique flavors of Hitachino Nest Real Ginger Brew from Kiuchi Brewery. A virgin to ginger beer, this brew definitely holds up to its name with strong notes of ginger roots in both the taste and the smell. It also has a great hoppy flavor for those who like IPA’s and light refreshing beer.

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Homebrew 101 – Equipment and Prepping to Brew

Most people know how to cook. In fact a lot of people excel at this skill, but if asked if they could make a drink from scratch using raw ingredients, most would pass. Well never fear fellow beer lovers, beer is no harder to make at home than Ramen. With some basic equipment, patience, and curiosity, you can make some amazing beers at home. First up in the series: Equipment & Sanitation

In order to make beer, there are some items that are must haves, and quite a few items that are optional but will make life easier if you have them, most of which come in handy during fermentation and bottling. Once you have the basics down, you can then explore into some equipment for more advanced brewing, but we will cover those when we reach that part of the series.

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Anchorage Brewing Co. – Whiteout WitBier

Whiteout WitBier – Anchorage Brewing Company

6.5% ABV

Even though a few days late for a New Year’s celebration, Anchorage Brewing Company‘s Whiteout WitBier is a bottle that is worthy of popping at any momentous occasion. This decidedly funky Witbier pairs perfectly with your most outRAGEous party. Put on your favorite party hat, crank up the jams and get after it! Read More