Deschutes Inversion IPA

Brewed By: Deschutes Brewing Company in Bend, Oregon

Purchased: 12oz bottle bought at Binny's in Chicago, IL; 2015 

Style/ABV: American India Pale Ale, 6.8%
Reported IBUs: 80

The best part about hosting a party is being left with a fridge full of shelf turds. About Deschutes:

The Deschutes Brewing Company was founded by Gary Fish on June 27th, 1988, when they opened the doors to their Bond Street Public House pub. The brewery has since expanded, growing to be one of the top craft beer producers in America. The brewery also operates a pub in Portland, and has a dedicated brewing facility overlooking the Deschutes river. For more information, check out the brewery's website; their Facebook page; their Twitter; or Wikipedia. 

The Inversion IPA is an American-style IPA brewed with Pale, Crystal, Munich, Caramel malts; and features Millennium, Horizon, Centennial, Northern Brewer, Cascade, and Citra hops. 

Deschutes Inversion IPA

This pours into a reddish-amber-copper body that is reminiscent of an IPA for sure. The body is slightly hazy, with yeast suspended in the mixture. There's good head retention, nice lacing, and the head soaks up those amber-red hues. Hue hue. 

This also reminds me of Bell's Two Hearted. There's a strong guava-citrus-orange-tangerine aroma from the outset, and it is wrapped in caramel malt sweetness. This dips into some caramel sugars, sticky hemp, tobacco, and honey.

This isn't bad...but it's not blowing me away. It has a good amount of resin, dank American citrus, weed, tobacco, and rosin. The caramel malts heighten some of the earthy/dank character, and this is pretty much a caramel-hops delivery system.

I'd say this is medium to full-bodied, filling up the 6.8%. Palate depth is good, complexity is okay, and I find this to be very much par the course. At one time this may have stood out, but as it stands it is very much in line with what I've come to expect from the style. Up front: guava, citrus, hemp; the mids roll into sweet tobacco; the back end drops more citrus. Nice bitterness and dryness. 

Rating: Average (3.0/5.0 Untappd)

I'm feeling a Light Average on this. It's not bad but it doesn't stand out among the sea of IPAs. I'm sure this was at one time a banger, but I'd rather drink some Two Hearted or one of the many local IPAs available to me. The good news is that Deschutes has an absolute banger in their Chainbreaker White IPA, which I will review soon. 

Random Thought: The evolution of IPAs is fascinating. 

Deschutes Black Butte Porter

Brewed By: Deschutes Brewing Company in Bend, Oregon

Purchased: 12oz bottle bought at Binny's in Chicago, IL; 2015 

Style/ABV: American Porter, 5.2%
Reported IBUs: 30

The best part about hosting a party is being left with a fridge full of shelf turds. About Deschutes:

The Deschutes Brewing Company was founded by Gary Fish on June 27th, 1988, when they opened the doors to their Bond Street Public House pub. The brewery has since expanded, growing to be one of the top craft beer producers in America. The brewery also operates a pub in Portland, and has a dedicated brewing facility overlooking the Deschutes river. For more information, check out the brewery's website; their Facebook page; their Twitter; or Wikipedia. 

The Black Butte Porter is Deschutes' flagship beer, brewed with Cascade, Bravo, and Tettnang hops; and features Pale, Carapils, Chocolate, Crystal, and Wheat malts. 

Deschutes Black Butte Porter

This looks very much like an American Porter...coffee black with brown tones, a mocha-tan head that is leaving tons of lacing and has good retention. Appearance doesn't matter much in the grand scheme of things, but the production suggests that Deschutes knows how to roll out and execute these simple styles (they do).

The aroma on this doesn't lean towards the heavy roast, but there are some nice coffee notes and a little hint of baker's chocolate. What's interesting about this aroma is the yeasty esters, as this has hints of banana...like...banana Runts. There's some other fruity esters I can't quite place, and lots of dusty coffee and cocoa notes. It smells fairly sweet as well.

This is sweet, easy-going, and fairly straightforward. It reminds me of a Milk Stout in some regards, with sugary-but-not-quite-lactose sweetness, lots of coffee, creamer, hints of vanilla, and lots of fruity esters that hint at bananas, berries, and some toffee sweetness. 

With a medium-body, good palate depth, and moderate complexity...I'm gonna say this is very much par the course. The sweet notes up front, yeasty esters, and coffee mids give way to nice subtle roast, creamer, chocolate, dark fruits, toffee, and berries. But it's nothing stand-out-ish, just very solid bang for buck.

Rating: Average (3.0/5.0 Untappd)

I'm feeling a Decent Average on this. Not really a slight against this beer...but this once staple has a few other classics that can contend, including Great Lakes Edmund Fitz. I am happy to see it in the Midwest, and even happier to see it in my dad's fridge, but this probably wouldn't make it into my rotation. 2real4me. 

Random Thought: Black Butte reminds me of Black Betty all day. 

Deschutes River Ale

Brewed By: Deschutes Brewing Company in Bend, Oregon

Purchased: 12oz bottle bought at Binny's in Chicago, IL; 2015 

Style/ABV: American Pale Ale/Session Ale, 4.0%
Reported IBUs: 28

The best part about hosting a party is being left with a fridge full of shelf turds. About Deschutes:

The Deschutes Brewing Company was founded by Gary Fish on June 27th, 1988, when they opened the doors to their Bond Street Public House pub. The brewery has since expanded, growing to be one of the top craft beer producers in America. The brewery also operates a pub in Portland, and has a dedicated brewing facility overlooking the Deschutes river. For more information, check out the brewery's website; their Facebook page; their Twitter; or Wikipedia. 

The River Ale is a "session" Pale Ale, brewed with Pale, Munich, Carapils, and Crystal malts; and Cascade, Crystal, and Nugget hops. This pours into a dense, hazy, orange body. The head retention is outstanding, and you get lots of lacing, along with ample carbonation. It's just a good looking beer and it sets the tone for the aroma. 

This is like a toned down Two Hearted Ale, with grassy hops, big peach notes, floral lemon, and tons of biscuity-cracker malts. The peach-melon sweetness is welcomed, and this begs refreshing.

Deschutes River Ale

Session Ales were a short lived fad, but this is pretty enjoyable for a 4.0% Pale Ale. It's like a toned down Two Hearted with more sweetness. I'm getting some lemon, orange, and lots of melon-peach sweetness. The hops are grassy, and the malts hint at cracker-biscuit. There is enough hop oil to give this mild resin bite. 

This is simple, drinkable, and blah blah. At 4.0% this is light-bodied, well-carbed, and you really ought to buy this in the 24-pack format. You can drink this while driving your kids to soccer practice, or while fishing, or for hydration while doing all those sports activities that your typical craft beer neckbeard does. For a light Pale Ale, this has good complexity, duration, and mouthfeel...there's a lot of bright citrus notes, melon, peach, and grass. The cracker-biscuit malts work. 

Rating: Above-Average (3.5/5.0 Untappd)

I'm feeling a Light Above-Average here. This is about as nuanced as this style gets, and I like this a lot. If this came in a 15-pack and cans like Founders All Day IPA, I would buy it on the regular. Unfortunately, I have no interest in buying this beer in a 6-pack. But never say never. Pairings: a fresh and bright salad, white fish and potatoes, fishing. 

Random Thought: Mmm shelf turds. 

Goose Island Bourbon County Brand Stout 2014

Brewed By: Goose Island Beer Company in Chicago, Illinois

Purchased: 12oz bottle from a 4-pack bought at Binny's in Chicago, IL; 2014 (bottled on 08/28/2014)

Style/ABV: Barrel-Aged American Stout, 13.8% 

Reported IBUs: 60

I've been all up on the 2014 variants of Bourbon County, including the vanilla, prop, and coffee, so it is high time I review the 2014 base beer. About Goose Island:

Goose Island is a Chicago-based brewery that began as a brewpub on Clybourn, which opened on May 1988. The actual brewery opened on 1995, and is located on the Southwest side of Chicago. The second brewpub, located in Wrigleyville by the Chicago Cubs, was opened in 1999. On March 28, 2011, Goose Island sold 58% of the brewery to Anheuser-Busch. The remaining 42% of the brewery is supposed to be acquired by A-B InBev in the future, and there has been much discussion about the brewery's takeover. On November 16th, founder and CEO, John Hall, announced he would be leaving Goose Island. On January 1st, 2013, Anheuser-Busch "veteran" Andy Goeler will take over Goose Island. Additionally, around the same time as John Hall's departure, resident barrel-program leader John Laffler also announced his departure from Goose Island. There have been many changes regarding Goose Island...so we will see what the future has in store for Goose Island. 

The 2014 Bourbon County Stout punches in at 13.8% ABV, 60 IBUs, and is brewed with 2-Row, Munich, Chocolate, Caramel, Roast Barley, and Debittered Black malts; Willamette hops; and is aged in bourbon barrels. 

Goose Island Bourbon County Brand Stout 2014

If you are unfamiliar with how Bourbon County looks, do yourself a favor and skip the descriptors on sites like BA. All you really need is this formula: [synonym for black] body + [synonym for opaque] + [synonym for brown-colored head] + [comment about alcohol legs]. Like many barrel-aged beers, this one also has pour head retention. It's a barrel-aged stout. Ceasaronis abide. 

The 2014 vintage is a departure from previous year's, with pronounced fruity notes immediately noticeable on the aroma. It smells very much like a stripped down Backyard Rye in some respects, with notes of raspberry, cherry, boysenberry, blackberry, and even some faint raisin. The fruity notes don't offset the fat, usual, Bourbon County aromas; you still get tons of fudge, fat bourbon sweetness, chocolate, brownie, coconut, and macaroons. There's a good amount of turbinado sugar in here as well, with some brown sugar. It's very much a layered and complex aroma, and it's very much a layered and complex beer.

The taste is very much a mirror of the aroma, with intensely fruity, booze soaked notes on the outset. The beer hits you up with tons of barrel, raspberry/boysenberry/blackberry fruit up front, and then dips into the bourbon, chocolate, fudge, and sugary sweetness we've all come to love from Bourbon County. The back end lingers with sticky-sweet sugars, fruits, barrel, some complex roast, and then finishes surprisingly dry. 

This is uber complex, and the 2014 vintage's fruity notes are an enjoyable addition. Palate depth is great, the beer has insane duration, and this is a full-bodied beer. You feel the weight of the 13.8%, and this is definitely a sipper. I'm not going to run through the front-end, mids, and back-end, but this is intensely fruity up front, features a lot of bourbon sweetness and chocolate/fudge/macaroons in the mids, and rolls out more fruits, alcohol, and nice dryness in the back. This is just insanely complex this year with the additional layer of the fruits...and while I have really enjoyed previous vintages that highlighted the fudge/chocolate/brownie/coconut/macaroon aspect of this beer, I think the fruity notes are equally appreciable and will make this an interesting beer to age down the stretch. 

Rating: Divine Brew (4.5/5.0 Untappd)

I'm feeling a Decent Divine Brew on this. I can't really say if this is the best vintage of Bourbon County, because I think a lot of that comes down to individual preference. What I will say is I really appreciate the fruity layers, and I am curious to see if they hold up with age. This is the type of beer you can age...but it is drinking great fresh. You can pair this with ice cream, a cigar, dry cakes, a raunchy burger, or just snifter it and think about it. I also have some Randall plans for this vintage. Mmm. 

Random Thought: Seriously, I'm not looking forward to next year's release. 

Marz Community Brewing Company Bubbly Creek Yuzu

Brewed By: Marz Community Brewing Co. in Chicago, Illinois  

Purchased: 22oz bomber bought at West Lakeview Liquors in Chicago, IL; 2015 

Style/ABV: American Berliner Weiss, 3.0%

Reported IBUs: 10

Chicago breweries have apparently hit critical mass in the past six months, so I feel obligated to try something new. About the Marz Community Brewing Company:

The Marz Community Brewing Company is a brewery based out of Chicago, Illinois. The brewery launched in 2014, and was a project started by brothers Ed and Mike Marszewski, along with a handful of professional and amateur brewers. The website credits several "members of the Colletive," including Alex Robertson, Mike Marszewski, Pete Alvarado, Johanna Wawro, Michael Freimuth, Doktor Kazys Ozelis, Eric Olson, Ed Marszewski, Mike Redwick, Malread Case, Tom Piekarz, Eli Espinoza, and Tim Lange. This is like a football team or film credit roll, and I'm sure their list of contributors will expand. The brewery's POV is that they are a collective comprised of home brewers, professional brewers, and artists, that have united to make small, artisanal batches of beer. And that's all you really need to know. For more info, check out their website or Facebook.

Marz Community Brewing Company Bubbly Creek Yuzu

The Bubbly Creek Yuzu is a Berliner Weiss-style beer brewed with yuzu. And it pours into a hazy yellow-orange body, kicking up a finger or two of that perfectly white, tightly packed, Berliner Weiss head. It's a good looking beer, with lasting carbonation.

On the aroma: a lot of mild-mannered lactic funk. The lactic notes in here include some buttery/oaky sourness sans the barrel of course, with tons of lemon, lemon tree, lemon tree leaves, wet rain, a faint pineapple note, some fruited candies, yuzu, and light wheat. This smells vibrant for a small 3.0% package.

This is actually really delicious, with simple and clean wheat, yuzu, and lemon profile, running against appreciable lactic funk. The lactic funk is well done, and there is nice griping sourness here, but it isn't too sour or too funky. 

For 3.0%, this has a surprisingly substantial body. I'd go as far as to call this medium-bodied, thanks obviously to the wheat. Despite the appreciable body, this is incredibly refreshing and drinkable. Palate depth is great for the style, and complexity is good too. There's a lot of juicy lemons and yuzu up front; the mids roll into a softer and sweeter fruit, with some candied lemon notes and wheat malts; the back end drops mad wheat notes, with some faint cracker/biscuit malts. 

Rating: Above-Average (4.0/5.0 Untappd)

I'm feeling a Strong Above-Average on this. This is a nice offering from Marz, and I hope they keep this around because I would happily pick this up again. Noice. 

Random Thought: I have a bunch of Deschutes' shelf turds that I'm debating to review. 

Jackie O's Pub & Brewery Bourbon Barrel Wood Burner

Brewed By: Jackie O's Pub & Brewery in Athens, Ohio  

Purchased: 375ml/12.7oz single bottle bought at And Beer in Athens, Ohio; 2014 

Style/ABV: American Bourbon Barrel Stout/Smoked Beer, 11.0%

Reported IBUs: ?

I don't know if I have had a Bourbon Barrel aged smoked beer before. About Jackie O's Pub & Brewery:

Jackie O's is a brewery and brewpub based out of Athens, Ohio. The brewery was founded in 2007 by Art Oestrike and his friend, and brew master, Brad Clark. In 2012 when the production facility expanded, brew master Sean White joined the company. For more info, check out their website or Facebook.

The Bourbon Barrel Wood Burner is so OG it doesn't have a website entry. The bottle reads: "Over the years we have brewed a plethora of big stouts and porters, and the idea of brewing an imperial smoked stout was something we had been kicking around for awhile. When an open brew day presented itself, we knew exactly what to do. The base stout focuses on rich caramel and chocolate notes with a deep savory/smokey backbone. The entire batch found its way into bourbon barrels where it rested for over a year. An enticing combination of sweet and savory, with waves of dark chocolate and vanilla that wash over the palate. Cheers to stoking the creative flame in all of us!"

Jackie O's Pub & Brewery Bourbon Barrel Wood Burner

As you can imagine, this pours into some dark, inky body, with a finger of brown head. There is some lacing and alcohol legs...usual stuff from the Stout assembly line. 

The aroma has mad bourbon appeal, with luscious Bourbon County-like chocolate, brownie, coconut, macaroons, and raisins-cherry sweetness. There's some alcohol jumping around in here, but nothing you wouldn't get in the spirit itself. The barrel isn't overtly pronounced, and I'm not getting the smoke on the aroma. 

Wow, this is really good. Like, Bourbon County good. Like holy shit, I was not expecting this banger after the other Jackie O's bottle offerings I have had. This has giant chocolate, brownie, vanilla, complex coconut and macaroon notes, intense oak/bourbon/barrel, and lots of alcohol spiciness. The smoke is more of an afterthought here, and the beer is all the better for it. Between the fruity whiskey notes, the cherry-raisins hints, and the sugary sweetness, this dips into alcohol and smokey spice. This stays away from the intense smoke...this isn't a Rauchbier, there is no bacon...and I'm not even mad. 

This is full-bodied, but the intense bourbon sweetness balances out the alcohol heat. It appropriately feels like an 11% beer, without any baggage. Palate depth is good, with lengthy duration. Complexity is high. I'm not gonna wax poetic, this drops Bourbon County chocolate, macaroons and coconut up front; whiskey sweetness, dark fruits, rum, alcohol spice, and smoke show up in the mids; the back end drives home nuanced barrel, bourbon, and smokey notes. This is fan-fucking-tastic and totally caught me off guard.

Rating: Divine Brew (4.5/5.0 Untappd)

I'm feeling a Strong Divine Brew on this. I would need another bottle or two to convince myself that this deserve the 5.0/5.0, but it feels like it is basically there. It's like Bourbon County with that spicy, smoke wrinkle. This would pair well with a cigar, or just as a sipper like I am sipping now. Fantastic stuff...and just what I was looking for to round out the evening. 

Random Thought: There are many things about craft beer that suck, but one of the top annoyances are all the misconceptions about aging beer. 

4 Hands Peanut Butter Chocolate Milk Stout

Brewed By: 4 Hands Brewing Co. in Saint Louis, Missouri

Purchased: 22oz bomber bought at Binny's in Chicago, IL; 2015

Style/ABV: Milk Stout, 5.5% 

Reported IBUs: ?

A low ABV Milk Stout with shit tons of flavor? Alright. About 4 Hands Brewing Co.: 

4 Hands Brewing Co. are a brewery based out of Saint Louis, Missouri. The brewery was founded in 2011 by owner/president Kevin Lemp. The brewery features a number of brewers, including ex-Goose Island guru, Will Johnston. 4 Hands is all about hand-crafted beers, and they feature a barrel-aging program that uses wine and spirit barrels. Exciting stuff. Definitely check out their website or Facebook page.

4 Hands Peanut Butter Chocolate Milk Stout

The Peanut Butter Chocolate Milk Stout is a twist on 4 Hands regular Milk Stout...which doesn't have much in the way of descriptions. Speaking of that, this pours into your typical Milk Stout appearance, with a black, not-quite-oily, opaque body, and a creamy head. 

On the aroma: tons of sweet lactose, peanut butter sweetness, milk sugars, malt, milk shake like sweetness, some coffee, chocolate, and a little sweet toast. 

This is a sweet beer, but it's really well done. You get a lot of lactose-peanut butter up front, with a nice segue into tons of cocoa, sweet toast, some milky sugars, hints of coffee, and even some hints of dark fruits.

I'm impressed with how dense this is at 5.5%. This has a medium-full mouthfeel, with carbonation that is lively and present, contributing to the beer's drinkability. I imagine this has a fair amount of sugar/calories, but that's okay. Palate depth is good, and this has good duration. This isn't very complex, and the peanut butter isn't as present or pronounced as I was hoping it would be. While you get that peanut butter and lactose punch up front, with some cocoa and toast in the mids, and some coffee in the back...I just want more peanut butter.

Rating: Average (3.0/5.0 Untappd)

I'm feeling a Decent Average on this. It's a solid Milk Stout, and does everything I expect. I wish the peanut butter was a bit more prominent, but otherwise, this is both cheap and enjoyable. I like this enough that I would pick it up again as a local Milk Stout. 

Random Thought: Back to homework. At least there is beer. Mmm. 

Penrose Fractal

Brewed By: Penrose Brewing Company in Geneva, IL  

Purchased: 12oz bottle from a 4-pack bought at Bottles & Cans in Chicago, IL; 2014 (bottled 12/10/2014)

Style/ABV: Belgian India Pale Ale, 6.8%

Reported IBUs: 65

It's been a while since I have had anything from Penrose, and now they are bottling their beer, sooo.....about Penrose:

Penrose was founded by owner Eric Hobbs and partner/Brewmaster Tom Korder in early 2014. The duo are both former Goose Island employees, and they want to focus on brewing Belgian-inspired session ales, oak barrel-aged beer, beers that use alternative fermentation. Located in the lovely town of Geneva, Illinois, the brewery has a local element that is quaint and inviting. For more info, check out the brewery's website or their Facebook page. 

The Fractal is a Belgian IPA brewed with Columbus, Cascade, and Amarillo hops, 2-Row and Carapils malts, and Bastogne yeast.

Penrose Fractal

This is an orange-amber affair, kicking up a finger of candy orange-tinged head that leaves impressive lacing. This one doesn't look to hazy, but it's hard to say if it is filtered.

The aroma is a nice blend of citrus hops, pine, some mild onion/garlic, and lots of Belgian funk. I'm getting clove, yeasty esters, peppercorns, and some biscuity notes. It definitely smells like a Belgian IPA, fusing Belgian yeast with floral American hops. I am excite.

This is pretty solid for the style. I'm not sure where the onion/garlic hop notes are coming from. Maybe my palate is just shot for the night, but yeah. I'm getting a lot of garlic/onion. There are no Summit hops in here either, as far as I know. The good news is I love garlic and onion, and there is also a fair amount of citrus, pine, crisp hop goodness, and some Belgian clove and black pepper/pink peppercorns to go along for the ride. This has some yeasty esters, and enough funk to square it away as a Belgian IPA. It is also fairly easy-going, which I appreciate.

At 6.8%, I'm not getting any alcohol here. Palate depth is good, and this is pretty crisp and refreshing with a medium-light mouthfeel. This has good duration for the style, and has good complexity. As it warms up, it gets a little more Belgian-y, which is nice. Up front: citrus hops, onions/garlic, some burgeoning clove; the mids hit the clove and peppercorns hard, with some biscuit; the back end drives the biscuit and hops home. I actually really like this, but I'm having a hard time finding the nuances that elevate it above other stylistic examples. 

Rating: Average (3.5/5.0 Untappd)

I'm feeling a Strong Average on this beer. This is very solid, and I could see it being something I stock in my fridge semi-regularly. It's not blowing me away, however. Having said that, I think this has serious food potential. I could pair this with some buffalo wings, or maybe some pork tacos. Pretty solid stuff, all things considered, and you can't beat the price.

Random Thought: I am balls to the walls nuts. Yarrr.  

Jackie O's Pub & Brewery Dark Apparition

Brewed By: Jackie O's Pub & Brewery in Athens, Ohio  

Purchased: 375ml/12.7oz single bottle bought at And Beer in Athens, Ohio; 2014 

Style/ABV: Russian Imperial Stout, 10.5%

Reported IBUs: ?

It's cold out, and it is snowing. AKA, the perfect night to crack into a big Imperial Stout. About Jackie O's Pub & Brewery:

Jackie O's is a brewery and brewpub based out of Athens, Ohio. The brewery was founded in 2007 by Art Oestrike and his friend, and brew master, Brad Clark. In 2012 when the production facility expanded, brew master Sean White joined the company. For more info, check out their website or Facebook.

The Dark Apparition is, "The hauntingly good brew in your hand is rife with dark complexities. Seven malts were used to create deep flavors of coffee, chocolate, caramel, and molasses. A hint of bitterness and herbal character from carefully selected European and American hops help support the monolithic maltiness. A truly decadent brew that is intended to be poured into your favorite snifter and given time to warm up from its dark and cool resting place." 

Jackie O's Pub & Brewery Dark Apparition

This pours into a fairly thick, opaque, black body, kicking up three fingers of super fluffy, coffee-foam-colored head. The head retention is fantastic, with foam that could give Guinness a run for its money hanging around for a good amount of time. there's also monumental lacing.

The aroma is cakey and sweet, and has a drier and lighter Porter-like quality at times. I'm getting lots of dusty cocoa, brown bread, brown sugar, and brown cake, the crust of banana bread (which has no banana flavor), some molasses and dark fruits, and lots of waves of coffee. There's maybe a hint of alcohol and a dash of faint cherries.

This is a seductive offering. It's not quite as aggressive as a Ten FIDY or an Expedition Stout, but it as just as thick with intense mouthfeel action. Make no mistake, this has some floral and citrus hops that show up in the low frequencies to deliver hints of cherries and play with the molasses and dark fruits. But this really pounds that milkshake chocolate note up front, with chocolate, cocoa, and nice sweet roast. There's tons of coffee notes as well, with some ash/earthy coffee, and hints of hazelnut. An overwhelming sweetness cuts through the beer, which is a welcomed contrast to bitter bruisers like Old Raspy.

This is pretty delicious, with a thick, full-bodied mouthfeel that almost channels some oatmeal stout vibes. At 10.5%, I'm not tasting much booze. Palate depth is great, with an expansive mouthfeel that has good duration. This isn't overly complex, but it does have some nuances. It's actually really solid for a non-barrel/non-adjunct IRS. I like the sweetness, with the chocolate entourage up front; the roasty and coffee-forward middle; and the dark fruits and hops in the back. It's just tasty stuff, and would make a solid standby for Ohio regulars.

Rating: Above-Average (3.5/5.0 Untappd)

I'm feeling a Light Above-Average This isn't innovative or mind-blowing, but it is an enjoyable and solid Imperial Stout, not unlike Old Raspy or many other beers in this category. I'd pick it up to pair with some dry chocolate cake, vanilla ice cream, or with some grilled ribs. Not bad stuff, and I'm sure the variants of this base beer are yummy.

Random Thought: Busy...busy....busy.

Jackie O's Pub & Brewery Paw Paw Wheat

Brewed By: Jackie O's Pub & Brewery in Athens, Ohio  

Purchased: 375ml/12.7oz single bottle bought at And Beer in Athens, Ohio; 2014 

Style/ABV: American Wheat Ale/Fruit Beer, 9.0%

Reported IBUs: ?

An American Imperial Wheat Ale fermented with Ohio's state fruit, the paw paw? That sounds pretty good. About Jackie O's Pub & Brewery:

Jackie O's is a brewery and brewpub based out of Athens, Ohio. The brewery was founded in 2007 by Art Oestrike and his friend, and brew master, Brad Clark. In 2012 when the production facility expanded, brew master Sean White joined the company. For more info, check out their website or Facebook.

The Paw Paw Wheat is an American Wheat Ale brewed with the paw paw. The paw paw is a tropical-esque fruit that tastes similar to bananas, mangoes, and cantaloupe, with a sweet, wild-wood flavor. It sounds pretty tasty, so let's get this into a glass. 

I love the bottle art, I'm a sucker for all things tiki-tropical. This pours into a lush and radiant bright gold body, with fantastic bronze and yellow tones. The beer is slightly hazy, and kicks up that chalky white-colored head typical to American Wheat Ales. There is some Dalmatian-spotty lacing on my glass, with glossy alcohol legs to boot. 9.0%, here's to you. Cheers. Respect beerz. 

Jackie O's Pub & Brewery Paw Paw Wheat

This has three main aromatics: huge tropical fruits, giant wheat notes, and some booze that points this in the direction of a Weizenbock or maybe a Belgian Strong Ale. I'm getting big pears, mango, tropical citrus, tropical apples, and some funky pineapple. There is definitely some wheat on the aroma, with a little clove funk, and tons of wheat fields. And, as noted already, you do get a touch of Weizenbock booze which is welcomed with this ABV.

Wow...this was not at all what I was expecting. This one is gonna require me to recalibrate, as it is incredibly thick and sweet. It reminds me of a Weizenbock and, oddly enough, strong Lagers. This has tons of wheat malts, with Pilsner-like notes, and lots of fruit. The fruit plays into some of the wheat-alcohol notes, and you get some candy notes, sweet tarts, esters that are suggestive of banana, mango, papaya, sweet melon, honeydew, cantaloupe, and some apple from the wheat.

At 9.0%, I'm not getting much booze, but this is full-bodied and sweet. The wheat adds a lot of body to the beer. This has okay palate depth, okay duration, and okay complexity. It's kind of what you would expect from the description, and that's good for me. Up front: tons of wheat, clove, banana esters, melon, mango; the mids roll into wheat, more esters, more sweet fruit notes; the back end continues to hit the fruit. This is easy-going, and very drinkable for 9.0%.  

Rating: Average (3.5/5.0 Untappd)

I'm feeling a Strong Average on this; 3.5. Almost Above-Average, but I feel like if you are going to jack up the ABV to 9.0%, you had better bring a lot of noise. This just sort of rolls out the promised wheat and fruit notes. It's delicious, easy-going stuff, but the price and ABV handicaps this in some respects. There are other fruity wheat beers out there that are more sessionable, flavorful, and cheaper. Having said that, this beer would pair with some spicy Caribbean flavors, mango, and chicken.

Random Thought: I still have a bunch of Jackie O's stuff laying around...I am excited. 

Goose Island Bourbon County Brand Stout Vanilla Rye (2014)

Brewed By: Goose Island Beer Company in Chicago, Illinois

Purchased: 22oz bottle from Binny's in Chicago, IL; 2014 (bottled on 10/31/2014, #1118)

Style/ABV: Barrel-Aged American Stout, 13.6% (13.8% per their website)

Reported IBUs: 35

Bourbon County Vanilla in Rye Barrels? Yes, please. About Goose Island:

Goose Island is a Chicago-based brewery that began as a brewpub on Clybourn, which opened on May 1988. The actual brewery opened on 1995, and is located on the Southwest side of Chicago. The second brewpub, located in Wrigleyville by the Chicago Cubs, was opened in 1999. On March 28, 2011, Goose Island sold 58% of the brewery to Anheuser-Busch. The remaining 42% of the brewery is supposed to be acquired by A-B InBev in the future, and there has been much discussion about the brewery's takeover. On November 16th, founder and CEO, John Hall, announced he would be leaving Goose Island. On January 1st, 2013, Anheuser-Busch "veteran" Andy Goeler will take over Goose Island. Additionally, around the same time as John Hall's departure, resident barrel-program leader John Laffler also announced his departure from Goose Island. There have been many changes regarding Goose Island...so we will see what the future has in store for Goose Island. 

The 2014 Vanilla Rye is brewed with 2-row, Bonlander Munich, Chocolate, Caramel-60, Roasted Barley, and Debittered Black Malts; features Columbus hops; and is aged in Rye Whiskey Barrels on Mexican and Madagascar vanilla beans. The bottle says this clocks in at 13.6%, the website says 13.8%. Unlike regular BCBS, this has an IBU count of 35. Not sure why, don't care, whatevs. 

The bottle reads: "We first bottled this beer at the countless requests of festival-goers who first tasted it. However, when that last bottle of vanilla BCBS was grabbed off the shelves four years ago, you needed more. We heard you in the brewery, at festivals, and wherever there was an open ear. Well, you weren't alone. To be honest, we needed more too. We couldn't be happier to make this beer again and, most of all, drink it with you once more. Cheers -- Brett Porter." 

Goose Island Bourbon County Brand Stout Vanilla Rye (2014)

This is black, opaque, oily stuff. There are unfiltered chunks of what I assume is vanilla floating around, and the beer leaves glossy alcohol legs and some brown, residual lacing on the glass. It looks the same as every other Bourbon County, with those extra oils...for your skin...in case you decide to pour it on the escort's face or whatever.

On the aroma: intense sweetness, bourbon, waffle cones, vanilla wafers, vanilla beans, and some marshmallow-y notes. This is super raw with the vanilla, and in no way is the vanilla present in the beer artificial. The base beer is surprisingly present in the aroma, with lots of the fruity notes distinct to the 2014 vintage (I need to review regular 2014 BCBS...soon). There's a lot of sugar in here, but the whiskey and rye cuts through a lot of the fat. This is like the strongman of Vanilla beers, thick but muscular.

This is quite impressive to taste, with monster vanilla notes crushing it from the onset and never really letting up. Sure, the bourbon and alcohol make a helpful appearance, and the rye barrel adds tons of complexity. And the base beer shows up with all its nuances. But this is, true to its name, a vanilla show. This has rich vanilla, bourbon, vanilla beans, vanilla wafers/cones, complex sugars that taste like brown sugar, creme brulee, burnt sugars, and toasted marshmallow. The palate duration is insane as this drops vanilla in the front, mids, and back. The back end develops into this rich, creamy, and smooth vanilla note. The alcohol and rye show up in the mids, and the base beer is ever present with hints of complex fruit-sugars, rich chocolate, intense cocoa, truffles, and fudge. The rye barrel continues to be an interesting wrinkle, providing the perfect contrasting spice to the vanilla. 

Obviously this is a sweet, full-bodied beer. Palate depth is insane, with duration that lasts for minutes. This isn't the most complex beer, while also being complex in that the base beer is present, there are shades of vanilla, and the barrel, rye, and spirit do shine. So, despite the sugar and vanilla, you do get some nice nuances. At 13.6%, this is pretty boozy with some welcomed bourbon, rye, and alcohol notes. The alcohol cuts through the sweetness...which is always a sure sign that this beer is a million calories. Calories are flavor though, and up front is intense vanilla beans, vanilla sweetness, wafers; the mids roll into rye, alcohol, bourbon, vanilla, complex sugars, the base beer, brulee, hints of coconut; the back end drops lingering vanilla, and lots of lingering fruit notes. Good shit.

Rating: Divine Brew (5.0/5.0 Untappd)

I'm feeling a Strong Divine Brew on this. If you are in the mood for an aggressive, sweet beer...you can drink this. I think, out of all the Bourbon County variants, this one is going to age the best. As the vanilla drops off, it should meld into the base beer. 

I need to sidebar/tangent here. I think that this beer would not impress me so much if (1) it wasn't aged in rye barrels, (2) it was released any other year. Regarding the first point, this is a beer that works because of the complexity that the rye barrels bring to the beer. This beer needs the rye spice to balance out some of the one-dimensional vanilla notes. Also, regarding point number two, this year's base beer is a little more fruity than past vintages. I actually think the 2014 Bourbon County Stout is stellar, but it doesn't have the coconut/vanilla character that the 2013 and 2012 had due to the addition of some of those fruit notes. For that reason, the Vanilla Rye feels like a great addition to this year's lineup. Furthermore, regular Bourbon County doesn't touch the Rye Barrel...which is so sad. 

Random Thought: If Goose Island does release next year's Bourbon County in 650ml bottles, they should age some of it in rye barrels. Just do it, you InBev shills.