Revolution Café Deth 2017

Brewed By: Revolution Brewing Company in Chicago, IL
Purcased: 12oz CAN from a 4-pack bought at Revolution Brewing Tap Room in Chicago, IL; 2017
Style/ABV: American Barrel-Aged Oatmeal Stout, 14.8%
Reported IBUs: 27

In keeping with my plan to review Revolution's 2017/2018 lineup of barrel-aged beers, I'm looking at the 2017 vintage of Revolution's Café Deth. Café Deth is "Deth’s Tar Barrel-Aged Imperial Stout with assertive coffee aromatics." The can reads: "A weaponized quantity of freshly roasted whole bean coffee from independent Chicago roasters imbues our Deth's Tar Barrel-Aged Imperial Stout with assertive coffee aromatics without overshadowing the base beer on the palate. Pair with rich food or enjoy on its own. Keep cold. Enjoy now. We mean it."

inb4 this pours like every other stout. There is some residual oils on the surface of the beer, perhaps from the coffee. The aroma here is magical. It's like mounds bars on Twix on a frappuccino. The coffee profile is so smooth, and rich. There's no weird fruitiness, green pepper, or acrid coffee. The bourbon and barrel pops on the edges, but this is about the coffee and chocolate front and center.

Revolution Café Deth 2017

At near 15-percent this is almost liqueur-esque. The mouthfeel and thickness are in the realm of KBS or CBS. That is to say, not quite as thick as some of the extreme stouts available in 2018, but still pretty darn thick. The taste drops tons of mounds bar, malt balls, frappuccino and mocha, hazelnut, toffee, and caramel. The bourbon takes a back seat to the coffee, chocolate, and base. There's a growing bitterness as you sip this, which is reminiscent of the base.

I oscillate how I feel about this beer, but here's the deal. This is full-bodied (not the fullest body), with good depth and average complexity. I don't think this aims to be some sort of renaissance beer, it is just trying to do the mocha-frappuccino thing well. And it does. Up front is chocolate, frappuccino, mocha; the mids roll into those nutty notes with hazelnut, some macaroon, malt balls, and the mounds bar; the back end is where some complexity emerges with bitterness, barrel, dryness, the spirit showing up, and the base beer. 

Rating: LIGHT Above-Average (4.75/5.0 Untappd)

I love coffee beers, so I stocked up on this stuff. Having said that, I kind of prefer V.S.O.D. and D.B.V.S.O.D. to this. I know those are entirely different beasts, though. Is Deth by Cherries better than the Café Deth? That's the million dollar question, I think. Anyway, this is certainly on par or better than a beer like KBS. But now that KBS is a shelf turd does it really matter? I'm just happy that the availability of this BA coffee stouts is expanding.

Random Thought: I need to do a proper send-off for my car...

2017 Goose Island Bourbon County Brand Coffee Stout - a divisive beer that reminds me of Prop '16

Brewed By: Goose Island Beer Company (owned by AB InBev) in Chicago, IL 

Purchased: 16.9oz bottle bought at Binny's in Chicago, IL; 2017

Style/ABV: Russian Imperial Stout, 12.9%

Reported IBUs:60

It's been a long time since I've featured Goose Island's Bourbon County Coffee Stout on this blog. I wanted to briefly throw out my thoughts on this year's vintage, because it seems to be pretty hit and miss with people.

So first and foremost, let's note that this year's BCBS coffee is brewed with Intelligentsia Black Cat Espresso. Every year Goose uses a different coffee blend:

The pro and con of using a different coffee blend every year is that you get some very different tasting vintages. I seem to recall the 2015 coffee having more citrusy notes. I think a lot of people really cling to the 2012 and 2014 vintages. And yeah, just every year you get a slightly different beer because the coffee is different.

So here's the deal with the 2017 vintage...aside from pouring out and looking like BCBS (nothing new here), the aroma on this beer is a blend of velvety smooth Mexican chocolate, bourbon, raisins, vanilla, and ash. 

And that really carries through in the taste. This is an EARTHY and ASHY beer. I'm guessing a lot of that is due to the blend of coffee they used. There's almost a level of spice and heat present in the beer. Like, I'm tasting super earthy Mexican chocolate in this. And when you combine the hints of ash and heat with t

2017 Bourbon County Brand Coffee Stout

he slight alcohol burn inherent in this beer, it really feels like a Mexican stout. The spice flirts with cinnamon, and the base beer (BCBS Vintage 2017) is a chocolate bomb. It reminds me of the chocolate you might dip your churro in. A lot of people are reporting green peppers in this beer. I'm definitely getting some earthy, peppery notes, but it is more of a chili note. Maybe an Anaheim chili or a poblano note. Green pepper is a very distinct note in beer, typically associated with stale coffee. And that's really not what I'm getting here, but hey that is just my basic bitch palate. 

In terms of everything else....this is Bourbon County so you should know what to expect. There's the big base beer, which is assertive and sweet and bourbon-y. This year's vintage is all about the chocolate right now. So there's a prominent chocolate presence over-the-top. For whatever reason, the BCBS Coffee 2017 is a little thinner than the other variants. I'm guessing that is due to the blend of cold pressed coffee. It also has a slightly lower ABV than the base. It's still medium-to-full-bodied with good complexity and depth. And overall, this really unfolds in waves with lots of chocolate and ash up front; spice and peppery heat and alcohol and barrel in the mids; the lingering finish is smokey. It's basically like they accidentally brewed Prop 16. Again.

Rating: DECENT Above-Average (4.5/5.0 Untappd)  

Full disclaimer: I'm one of the fucking weirdos that LOOOVVESS Prop '16. If you found Prop '16 off-putting and/or disgusting, you will hate this beer. If you hate peppery notes or ash notes in your beer, you will hate this beer. The ash notes definitely drift into that cigar-y, smoked tobacco, smoked cigarette realm. And that's not gonna work for a lot of people. For me, I could see myself pairing this beer with some grilled steaks or a cigar. Fajitas even. It's too bad this beer was so limited and unavailable, because I think it has serious food potential. But as it is now it's a super hard beer to acquire and will likely be opened at bottle shares and loved by some and totally shit on by others. So good job Goose Island, and also fuck you.

Random Thought: A cursory observation is we should commend Goose Island for taking risks with new coffee blends every year. And we should criticize Goose Island for making so little of the coffee that you have no real good way of getting enough of this stuff to do verticals or to pop these bottles liberally with food. I mean there was SOOOO much regular BCBS available this year....why not give the people what they want. Oh well.

Goose Island Bourbon County Brand Coffee 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 11/07/2014, #1329)

Style/ABV: Barrel-Aged American Coffee Stout, 12.6% 

Reported IBUs: 60

Due to the incredible hype, I missed out on the 2013 Bourbon County Coffee. The last vintage I cracked was back in 2012, and it was fantastic. Here's to hoping the 2014 is as good. 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 Coffee Stout is brewed with Intelligentsia, as per usual. This year's blend features Zirikana coffee beans, from Rwanda. Suggested flavors from the Zirikana beans include lime zest, black tea, and a crisp grape in the finish. Aside from that, the Boubcon County Coffee is brewed with 2-Row, Munich, Chocolate, Caramel, Roast Barley, and Debittered Black malts; Columbus hops; and punches in around 60 IBUs and 12.6%. The bottle says this "develops in the bottle for up to 5 years," but I would suggest drinking your coffee stout sooner than later.

Goose Island Bourbon County Brand Coffee Stout 2014

If you don't know what Bourbon County looks like when you pour it, look at the image to the right or google it. And then drain pour all your beers. Seriously, I don't even know anymore. The beer does appear to have some coffee oils in it, which is my useful contribution for this one.

Also, as you might expect, this smells like an explosion of aromatic coffee. The coffee on the aroma is super sharp and bright, with (good) acrid bitterness, intense coffee berries and citrus, and intense raw coffee that is unlike anything you find in most other coffee beers. It's like grinding coffee and sticking that aroma into your beer. Along with the coffee is rich chocolate, bourbon, vanilla, and intense base beer. It smells magical, like a fusion of Bourbon County with the finest freshly ground coffee.

This is incredibly rich, and that base beer is just fantastic dropping intense fruity notes this year, with bourbon, chocolate, brownies, and treacle sweetness that is unmatched. The coffee itself is bright and fruity, with some acidity. Coffee is highly preferential, so I get why some people aren't feeling the vibe from this year's coffee choice. I actually really like this, and I'm enjoying the berry and citrus notes from the coffee, which give the beer a fruit-like element. The coffee still drops bitter roast and deep earthy/dirt notes towards the back end, and there is a lot of thick chocolate and bourbon dancing throughout. The coffee definitely plays up the fruit though. It kind of reminds me of the Backyard Rye, which isn't a bad thing at all. 2014 is without a fruit variant, so this is good middle ground...if you're into that sort of thing. I'm picking up some nice booze on the back end of this as well, but that is also probably due to the fact that I'm chasing the Begyle Barrel Aged Imperial Pajamas.

At 12.6%, this is incredibly thick. I was concerned about the lower ABV on the 2014 BCBS, but those fears have officially been laid to bed. This is a dense, full-bodied, sticky beer. Palate depth is high, and the complexity is pretty grand. Full disclaimer: I don't think this is as good as the 2012 vintage. BUT, this has great integration of the 2014 Bourbon County base beer (which is more fruity than past vintages) and the coffee which has bright and floral fruit notes itself. This is an enjoyable beer. Up front: silky chocolate, coffee, berries, citrus, fruity sweetness, intense sugars; that rolls into more coffee beans, some earthy coffee, more intense sweetness, bourbon, sugars, underlying fudge; the back end trails with coffee, sweetness....a lot of sugar up in here. This is sweeter than the 2014 Prop. But it's fantastic. 

Rating: Divine Brew (4.5/5.0 Untappd)

I'm feeling a Decent Divine Brew on this. I get the people who aren't feeling this year's coffee...as a coffee addict, I'm actually on board with this. This beer is incredibly silky, and it's a true sipper. If you can hang with the coffee they used, you're going to be in for a treat. If you don't like the coffee in this beer, trade it for some of the BW. Food pairings here include not much, because this is solid as a sipper. Maybe ice cream?

Random Thought: Is anyone else sick of hoppy beers? Oh wait, no, no we aren't. Because it is 2014, and there are an abundance of non-hoppy beers everywhere these days. 

Sierra Nevada Coffee Stout

Brewed By: Sierra Nevada Brewing Company in Chico, California 
Purchased: 12oz bottle from the 2014 Snowpack purchased at Binny's in Chicago, IL; 2014
Style/ABV: Coffee Stout, 6.2%

Reported IBUs: 53

DAE Cerro Nevarros? I do. For $14.99 the 2014 Snowpack was too cheap to pass up. This year's Snowpack features their Porter, Pale Ale, Boomerang IPA, and Coffee Stout. About Sierra Nevada:

Sierra Nevada are one of the big players in craft brewing, and one of the first craft breweries to arrive on the craft beer scene. If you check out their history page, you will see that founder Ken Grossman began his quest to build a brewery in 1976. In 1980, Ken Grossman and co-founder Paul Camusi brewed their first batch of Sierra Nevada Pale Ale. According to Wikipedia, Sierra Nevada's Pale Ale is the second best selling craft beer behind Boston Lager. Sierra Nevada is the sixth largest brewing company in the United States as well, cranking out over 750,000 barrels in 2010. For more info, check out their website.

Coffee Stouts are maybe my favorite thing ever, so I have some pretty high expectations with this one. The Coffee Stout punches in at 6.2% with 53 IBUs, and is brewed with Nugget hops; Two-row Pale, Caramel, Chocolate, Wheat, and Brown malts; and cold brewed coffee and lactose. 

Sierra Nevada Coffee Stout

This pours into a near-black body, kicking up a finger of dark brown head. Bright light betrays some of those brown tones around the edges, but this is basically opaque through and through. Head retention is good, with solid lacing. 

The aroma here: coffee, hazelnut, mocha, coffee + creamer, a little espresso, and lots of filter coffee and coffee that has been leftover in the filter. There is also a substantial amount of lactose on the nose, with hints of creamer, vanilla, and milk.

This pretty much follows the nose to the tee...leading off with lots of sweet coffee, filtered coffee, espresso, ground coffee, and some hazelnut sweetness. Along with the coffee onslaught is a lot of hints of mocha, creamer, lactose, and sweet notes. The sweet notes include some sugars and hints of dark fruits...beneath the coffee is some hints of roast complexity, but this is mostly a sweet coffee ride.

This is pretty straightforward, but gets credit for being medium-full at just 6.2%. The palate depth here is really good, but this isn't the most complex beer in the world. This pretty much rides sweet coffee up front, with tons of coffee, espresso, and hazelnut; the mids roll into some creamer, lactose sugars, mocha, and earth/tobacco; the back end trails with lots of coffee sweetness, and has a bit of roast. The theme here is sweet and coffee. A part of me wonders if this beer would be elevated if it had a little more roast or dark malt complexity to balance out some of the sugars.

Rating: Above-Average (4.0/5.0 Untappd)

I'm feeling a Light Above-Average here. This is a really solid coffee stout, especially at the ABV, but I do think it could be a bit more complex. Still, this is a great addition to the winter pack, and also a tasty beer. I would pair this with some dessert....maybe some dry chocolate cake. Yum.

Random Thought: The 2014 Snowpack doesn't have any mind-blowing beers, but it does feature four very good beers. I'd say it is worth the $14.99. 

Mikkeller Beer Geek Breakfast

Brewed By: Mikkeller in Copenhagen, Denmark (Brewed at Lervig Aktiebryggeri)

Purchased: 12oz single bottle bought at West Lakeview Liquors in Chicago, Illinois; 2014

Style/ABV: Oatmeal Stout, 7.5%

Reported IBUs: ?

This beer and the Beer Geek Brunch have been on my to-do list for a long time, but damn these are expensive singles. About Mikkeller: 

Mikkeller is that European brewery that does things like an American craft brewery. The brewery was founded in 2006 by Mikkel Borg Bjergsø, a humble math and physics teacher who enjoyed craft beer and homebrewing. Mikkel and his childhood friend Kristian Keller bought a few American books about brewing, and began brewing beer and entering it into competitions (and winning!) for two and a half years. Eventually, Mikkel and Keller began brewing beer at the Danish microbrewery Ørbæk, and Mikkel's twin brother Jeppe began selling their beer at his beer shop. Mikkeller's first big break came with their infamous "Beer Geek Breakfast." Since then, the brewery exports beer to over 40 countries, and brews the majority of their beer at de Proef Brouwerij in Belgium. However, Mikkeller is also nicknamed the "phantom" or "gypsy" microbrewery, as they brew at a number of host facilities in many different countries; they have also brewed over 100 different beers in a wide variety of styles. You can read more about the brewery here. 

The Beer Geek Breakfast is an Oatmeal Stout brewed with coffee. According to Ratebeer, the ingredients include water; pils, oat, smoked, caramunich, brown, pale chocolate and chocolate, roasted barley, and flaked oats malts; centennial and cascade hops; ale yeast; and gourmet coffee.

Mikkeller Beer Geek Breakfast

As you'd probably guess, this beer pours jet black kicking up a finger of dark, mocha-brown head. There are fantastic alcohol legs, even at 7.5%, and greasy head leaves dark residual coats on the glass. There's something about seeing a hearty Stout that makes me happy, I wish my sponsor understood.

Even at slightly cool temps, this beer is exploding with aromatics. It's like opening up the cupboard that houses the coffee in the break room at work. I'm getting stale coffee, biscotti, mild coffee acidity, slight tang from the acidity, cherries, chocolate, chocolate-dipped cherries (duh), and some rich nutty notes. Peanuts and pecans come to mind. There's that oatmeal note on the nose as well....just a complicated myriad of good smells. 

The taste follows through with some of the nose, only with a slightly diminishing body. Honestly...I'm gonna let this warm up a bit, as right now I'm getting a lot of bitter hops and bitter coffee. You'll have to take my word that after this sentence I went to shower.....and I'm back. Yeah, as this warms up some of the coffee notes start to unravel a bit, with bitter, stale coffee. I'm getting biscotti, bitter coffee, spent coffee in the filter, woody notes, ash, dirt, some roast, and super bitter baker's chocolate. Cocoa, the legit stuff.

This is a medium-full bodied Stout, thanks largely in part to the coffee which cuts through the body like a sword. When you add the carbonation to the coffee, it really thins the base beer out, for better or worse. Palate depth is good, but complexity leaves a bit to be desired. At this point I'm well-versed in coffee Stouts, so I feel comfortable saying this could dial things up a bit. It's just kind of one-note. I do like how the 7.5% is completely hidden. Up front: acidic and tangy coffee, some fruity notes, hops, bitter coffee; the mids roll into more bitter coffee, woody notes, dark baker's chocolate, cocoa, dirt/ash; the back end is trailing bitterness, with more stale coffee, dirt/ash, and bitter. Not enough diabetus tones.

Rating: Average (3.5/5.0 Untappd)

I'm feeling a Strong Average here...the aroma promises so much, but I'm not feeling the vibe so much in the taste. This is a nicely executed, bitter coffee Stout. If you like that raw, bitter coffee note...this will be right up your alley. It actually reminds me of real cocoa, the bitter stuff. Baker's chocolate. I wonder if this beer would pair well with chocolate, or something sweet like vanilla ice cream. I'd even suggest pairing this with biscotti. I guess you could also pair this with breakfast trimmings, the coffee stands out loud and proud.

Random Thought: It's Brunch time, right?

New Glarus Coffee Stout

Brewed By: New Glarus Brewing Company in New Glarus, Wisconsin

Purchased: 12oz bottle from a 6-pack bought at Woodman's in Kenosha, WI; 2014 

Style/ABV: American Stout, 4.8% 

Reported IBUs: ?

Mmmm mmm love those trips across the border. About New Glarus:

New Glarus is the rare, gorgeous "Midwest" brewery, founded in 1993 by Deborah Carey, the first woman to found and operate a brewery in the United States. She raised the capital for the start-up as a gift to her husband, Dan Carey, who is New Glarus' brewmaster and co-owner. Dan Carey has a long history working in the brewing industry, including an apprenticeship at a brewery near Munich, Germany and a job as the Production Supervisor for Anheuser-Busch. The brewery began as an abandoned warehouse using old brewpub equipment. In 1997, Dan Carey purchased coper kettles from a brewery in Germany. In May 2006, New Glarus opened their new (current) facility on a hilltop in the village of New Glarus. The facility looks like a Bavarian village, and is gorgeous. The expansion has allowed the brewery to continue to increase their production, and expand their operations. For more information, check out their brewery page or Wikipedia. 

The Coffee Stout is a Winter Seasonal, and lawdy cheesus, what a good choice this beer is. Who doesn't love coffee stouts? (The answer is Hitler, that's who). Anyway, this beer is brewed with Wisconsin water, roasted malts, American hops, and organic coffee from Just Coffee Co-Op. Are you as excited as I am? 

New Glarus Coffee Stout

This one pours the part of a Stout...black, opaque body...you know the drill. There's some brown tones visible on the edges of the glass, and the beer kicks up two fingers of creamy, dense, tan head. As the head drops off you're left with nice lacing and sea foam covering that is spotty like...well, we won't go there.

The aroma here is big toast, caramel, chocolate, cocoa, and coffee. Again...this is a very New Glarus approach to the style, with an emphasis on the sweeter, German-style malts.

The taste delivers the goods, with big coffee hitting your palate in a big way. The coffee is assertive, fresh, vibrant, and fucking good if I had to get crass. It's a ground coffee flavor, with some mild earthy notes and some hints of wood and creamer. It never gets into espresso range, and it's not quite sweet enough to be hazelnut. Along with the coffee is tons of toast, cocoa, caramel sweetness, and malty sweetness that screams "New Glarus made this beer." It's good though.

This is medium to light-bodied, and at 4.8% or whatever, this is super drinkable. Palate depth is good, and complexity is pretty good for the style. You get a lot of roast, toast, and munich malts up front; that rolls into big earthy coffee, coffee, more roast, and some wood/vanilla; the back end has lingering coffee, caramel, some hints of chocolate...it finishes earthy and dry, with the coffee. It's good, but not amazing.

Rating: Above-Average (4.0/5.0 Untappd)

I'm feeling a Light Above-Average on this. What I find impressive is that this beer is around ~5.0% ABV and it still packs as much flavor as it does. And it does get better as it warms...so drink this one warm. Still, there are many coffee stouts out there, and this one can only go so far in a very competitive pack. Having said all that, I would have no problem pairing this beer with chocolate desserts, burgers, or even a steak. It's a good beer and easily one of my favorite New Glarus offerings. I hope they brew this again, and I would buy this again.

Random Thought: Yuuup...there's more coming, but I think that's all for tonight. 

Founders KBS (Kentucky Breakfast Stout)

Brewed By: Founders Brewing Company in Grand Rapids, Michigan

Purchased: 12oz bottle from a 4-pack bought at Piccadilly in Urbana, IL; 2014 

Style/ABV: Barrel-Aged American Stout, 11.2%

Reported IBUs: 70

Beer hype is a weird thing. Tracking down a bottle of KBS this year was darn near impossible. I didn't chase many Tweets -- I made the effort to drive out to just one of my local Binny's, only to discover they cleared the handful of bottles on hand ten minutes before they officially were supposed to start selling the beer. 

Comparatively, tracking down a bottle of KBS in the Chicagoland area was harder than finding Hopslam or Bourbon County Stout. I'm not complaining, Founders has a huge release event for this beer and word on the street is you can find this beer in Michigan. I'm just saying, there's a lot of hype at work here.

And people are totally behind the times. I understand that with each passing year craft beer grows a little and gains new followers, and those followers join the rat race to track down #epicwhalez or whatever. "But that's not how you stay ahead of the curve," notes someone, somewhere, as they drink a coffee stout from some brewery you haven't heard of yet. Anyway, about Founders:

Founders is the holy grail of Michigan brewing. Based out of Grand Rapids, Michigan, Founders was founded in 1997 by Mike Stevens and Dave Engbers, and produces some of the best beer in the world. If you haven't heard of Founders...well, what are you doing? Get on that, now.

Contrary to what you might expect, the KBS is not brewed using the Founders Breakfast Stout base. And by the way, the Breakfast Stout is one of the best beers you can buy, and it seems plentiful these days. No, the Founders KBS is brewed with massive amounts of coffee and chocolate, and then cave-aged in oak bourbon barrels for a whole damn year. This one punches in at 11.2% and pack 70 IBUs. Coffee, chocolate, bourbon...what could go wrong. 

Founders KBS (Kentucky Breakfast Stout)

Big shocker here: the KBS pours into an opaque, pitch black body, kicking up a finger of brown head. As the head drops off, you get nice lacing. And there are some legs. Woo. 

I'm not going to lie to you, the aroma on this beer is magical. I've had a lot of coffee stouts over the past few years, and the aroma on KBS rivals just a handful of beers. There's big hazelnut, espresso, macaroons and coconut, slight acidity from the coffee, chocolate, oats, and some booze. Yeah, there's booze on the nose. There is some light oak and bourbon sweetness on the aroma, and tons of rich oats, chocolate, and coffee. The coffee is stupid in your face, and it is awesome.

While the bourbon takes a back seat to the coffee in the aroma, it definitely does not hold back in the taste. This beer has tons of bourbon that coats your mouth. You also pick up hints of wood and barrel. Along with the bourbon is intense coffee goodness, oats, chocolate, espresso, roast, and some big hazelnut character. There's a macaroon and coconut thing going on too, along with dark fruits hiding beneath the surface of the base beer that will likely unravel with age. There's also a lot of straight up whisky on this fresh bottle, notably in the back. The whisky comes with all the whisky trappings, include hints of raisins.

This is a full-bodied, big beer. On one hand, it's a sipper, and on the other hand, the coffee cuts through the alcohol like crazy. 11.2% ain't nothing to fuck with, and yet I find this surprisingly quaffable. I just want to pour a bottle of this to pound with some pancakes or whatever. It's truly a "breakfast stout," and I expect the BJCP to roll that category out in 2020 or whenever. This beer has a perfect mouthfeel, but the complexity leans towards chocolate-coffee-bourbon. It's a very simple beer in its execution...but sometimes getting back to the basics is how you gotta roll. Palate: up front is huge chocolate, coffee, oats, and bourbon; the mids go bananas with insane coffee, hazelnut, macaroons, coconut, espresso; the back end features waves of lingering chocolate and coffee, and then you get nice whisky burn on the finish along with lingering coffee and barrel. The finish isn't too hot, it's not too sweet...it's pretty damn near perfect. 

Rating: Divine Brew (4.5/5.0 Untappd)

I'm feeling a Strong Divine Brew on this. For a barrel-aged coffee beer, this is damn near perfect, minus some potential for a touch of added complexity. It's not quite as good as the Bourbon County Coffee, but then that beer is a whole different beast. The KBS has a simplicity about it....chocolate, coffee, whisky, macaroons, and coconut. It's not here to waste your time with hop kisses, dark fruits, molasses, or other roasted goodies. No sir, this is a breakfast beer straight up and simple. I would pair this beer with chocolate chip pancake, french toast, bacon and eggs, doughnuts, and anything breakfast. Seriously, I know drinking with breakfast is taboo, but this beer BEGS to be paired with breakfast.

Random Thought: BJCP, call me plz. We need to talk about breakfast beers. 

Evil Twin Imperial Doughnut Break

Brewed By: Evil Twin Brewing (Westbrook Brewing) in Copenhagen/Brooklyn

Purchased: 22oz bottle bought at Binny's in Chicago, IL; 2014

Style/ABV: Imperial Stout/Porter, 11.5%

Reported IBUs: ?

Tonight's beer is the definition of excess. An 11.5%, "Imperial Porter," brewed with coffee and natural flavors. Doughnuts? Mmm, doughnuts. About Evil Twin: 

Evil Twin is a Gypsy Brewery founded by founded by Jeppe Jarnit-Bjergsø (brother of Mikkel Borg Bjergsø) in 2010. Like his twin brother Mikkel, Jeppe is a teacher, and a homebrewer who was tired of the mainstream offerings. In 2004, Mikkel went off to pursue brewing, while Jeppe opened up a bottle shop. In 2010, while teaching a homebrewing, Jeppe decided to sell and distribute the beer he was brewing via his bottle shop. Jeppe moved to New York in 2012. For more info, check out this interview/history here. 

The Evil Twin Imperial Doughnut Break is part of the Biscotti Break series. I love the Imperial Biscotti Break and the Imperial Biscotti Break Natale, so I'm expecting good things tonight. The back of the bottle reads:

"Did Imperial Biscotti Break also make your sugar levels rise and the bitter sweet flavors of coffee, almonds, and chocolate very sentimental - now we topped it off with insane amounts of doughnuts. This all time American favorite is making it's way back into the spotlight and we at Evil Twin Brewing are not letting a tasty trend pass us by without taking it to the next level. Drink it with great gusto - Forza Doughnuts."

Evil Twin Imperial Doughnut Break

This "dry-doughnuted" beer pours out exactly like its aforementioned peers: pitch black and opaque in body, with a finger of creamy/dense, mocha-brown head. Bright light confirms the same. Head retention is actually okay with a centimeter of sea foam coverage hanging around, and glossy alcohol legs and mocha residual coat the sides of the glass when you swirl this.

I'm into the aroma and I haven't made a single glazed joke yet. That in itself is worthy of some sort of accolade. The aroma is massive and complex, with huge coffee, chocolate, chocolate Long Johns, espresso, ash/dirt, dark fruits, booze, tobacco, woody intensity, and doughnuts. There's a lot going on in the aroma, between the coffee and intense roast/chocolate and doughnut sweetness.

Like the regular Imperial Biscotti, this beer is massive and chewy and bad for your diabetus. I don't even want to know how many calories this is doing me in for. Right up front is a huge blast of rich baker's chocolate, tobacco, doughnut thickfreakness, ash, earthy roast, and roast. I'm picking up a ton of coffee, earthy ash, roast, and creamy espresso in here. As I really camp on this beer, I'm getting some hints of dark fruits -- namely raisins and cherries -- and there's plenty of booze in here. This is somewhat potent. Way in the mix is some almonds and biscotti. What surprises me about this beer is how earthy it is up front. The doughnuts impart a tobacco note and it is dense and wowza. 

I'm still not sure if this is better than the regular Imperial Biscotti...that beer is just divine. I do like this though. It's a full-bodied beer, with a thick and chewy mouthfeel. There's tons of residual sweetness and sugar that will coat your mouth, but this isn't a Southern Tier beer. You do pick up on some of the alcohol, but at 11.5% I would kind of expect that. Palate depth is really good, and complexity is outstanding. Up front: roast, ash, earthy coffee, coffee, doughnuts, Long Johns, and HUGE tobacco. The mid-palate hits a sweet doughnut note with chocolate, baker's chocolate, dark fruits, woody notes, and velvety smooth espresso. The back end features lingering coffee, lingering tobacco, ash, and some lingering dark fruits and alcohol. The finish is pretty clean for an 11.5% diabetus cumshot Stout. Gonzo style. Ladies. 

Rating: Above-Average (4.0/5.0 Untappd)

I'm feeling a Strong Above-Average on this. This is about on par with the Natale, but not as good as the regular Imperial Biscotti. Curiosity is getting the better of me, and I really want to see how the barrel-aged version of the Imperial Biscotti tastes, but I digress. Don't pair this beer with food...not even dessert. This beer has enough calories to serve as dessert. If you must, pair it with ice cream like a 4-year old, or pair it with a nice earthy cigar. I don't remember how much this cost, and it's probably better that way.

Random Thought: Seriously though, I think the only variant of this I haven't had is the Bourbon Barrel Aged Imperial Biscotti...I passed up on a bottle because of the price, but I may have to try it. 

Nøgne Ø Dark Horizon Fourth Edition

Brewed By: Nøgne Ø in Grimstad, Norway

Purchased: 8.5oz/250ml bottle bought at Binny's in IL; 2013 (2013 Vintage)

Style/ABV: Imperial Stout, 16.0%

Reported IBUs: 100

Nøgne Ø means "naked island," and isn't some cool drone metal band from some frozen European country. Nevertheless, I have been meaning to put them on the radar, and I am doing so tonight in pretty epic fashion. Or so I hope. About Nøgne Ø:

Nøgne Ø is a brewery based out of Grimstad, Norway. The brewery was founded in 2002 by homebrewers Gunnar Wiig and Kjetil Jikiun. The name Nøgne Ø, which translates to "naked island," is a poetic term used by the poet Henrik Ibsen to describe the stark, barren landscapes visible in the rough sea off Norway's coast. The founders co-opted the term, because they felt it was symbolic for their passion to share their beer. Sort of like a flasher, only with beer and not balls. This "uncompromising brewery" loves Marris Otter malt and American hops. With a passion to show you their goods and brew bold beer, what could you complain about?  

The Dark Horizon is a highly sought after, limited-release beer. The first Dark Horizon was released back in 2007, and won a Gold at the World Beer Cup 2008 in San Diego, California. The Dark Horizon Fourth Edition is a one-off brewed with Grimstad water, malted barley, Muscovado sugars, coffee, hops, and yeast. Punching in at an impressive 16% and 100 IBUs, this is a big big beer. The best before date is: "22.08.22." 

Nøgne Ø Dark Horizon Fourth Edition

The beer pours into a dark black, opaque body, and struggles to produce a finger of dark brown/tan head. It looks like an Imperial Stout that is punching in at 16%. You catch some brown on the edges in bright light, and beer has glossy alcohol legs and mocha-brown residual that coats the glass when you swirl the beer. Head retention is surprisingly okay, with some sea foam coating that keeps popping back up.

The aroma on this is huge...I would expect nothing less for such a strong beer. I'm getting lots of dark fruits, raisins, berries, and that meaty-raspberry aroma you get on these amped up beers that push the 15% envelope. I'm getting big cherries in here, and big berry-coffee aromas. The aroma is surprisingly smooth, with hints of coffee and chocolate, woody mocha and creamer, Frappuccino, dark grain, and espresso acidity. There's also some brown sugar on the nose as well.

So this is how I imagine Avery's The Beast would taste, if it was a Stout and was brewed with coffee. This starts out with dark fruits, Muscovado sugars, brown sugar, raisins and cherry sweetness. Mid palate dials up big coffee with mocha, wood, alcohol soaked raisins and cherries, HUGE HOPS that are nondescript, burgeoning chocolate-dipped peanuts, nutty notes; the back end punches in more nutty, chocolate-dipped peanuts, with lingering dark fruits and brown sugars, light soy sauce, and a huge boozy punch that warms you up. I don't know where the 100 IBUs went, but you don't get any of that here. In fact, the hops are entirely lost among the dark sugars, coffee, and giant malt bill. And that's how it should be.

I feel like I just drank this beer a few days ago. I'm referring to the Dogfish Head Worldwide Stout, which this reminds me very much of. That's fantastic company to be grouped with. Both beers are huge and malty and feature boozy fruits, and they both feature that chocolate-dipped peanut thing that is fantastic. This one is a little more fruity and has much less dark grain, and the coffee in here really pops. The coffee is a little more subtle in my opinion, with that coffee-mocha, coffee-chocolate, and chocolate dipped peanuts character. You do get some soy sauce and brown sugar as well. The mouthfeel is full-bodied but nicely carbonated. Honestly, this drinks super smooth for 16.0%, even with the noticeable boozy warming and light alcohol burn. This is a 32 proof beer. Palate depth is outstanding, as is complexity. There's a lot going on here: brown sugar, raspberry, meaty dark fruits, berries, and chocolate giving way to coffee up front; the mids dial up huge coffee, mocha, creamer, wood, alcohol soaked cherries and raisins, hop character without the hop flavor, burgeoning chocolate and chocolate-dipped peanuts; the back end drops a nutty, chocolate-peanut on you, with some lingering boozy dark fruits and growing alcohol. The finish is sticky, boozy, and dry.

Rating: Divine Brew (5.0/5.0 Untappd)

I'm going to go with a Decent Divine Brew for this. The coffee is what makes this beer work, I think. It's just fantastically layered, with tons of complexity and big flavors that work well together. So yeah, big thumbs up. It's worth the price tag, even if it's a tiny bottle. Would I age this? Honestly, I don't know. This is drinking pretty good right now, and you know that coffee is going to drop off. If you do age it, make sure you try it fresh. Food pairings here would be dry chocolate cake or bust. Don't pair this with food...this is a beer meant to be sipped on. Just enjoy this. I mean, you paid for it.

Random Thought: I need to figure out what to do with all my beer glasses...

Half Acre Big Hugs Imperial Stout

Brewed By: Half Acre Beer Company in Chicago, Illinois

Purchased: 22oz bomber bought at West Lakeview Liquors in Chicago, IL; 2014 (2013 vintage; December 15 release)

Style/ABV: Russian Imperial Stout, 10.0%
Reported IBUs: ?

Tonight's beer is dedicated to my cats, and all cats out there. Cats are awesome. DAE cats? I cat. About Half Acre:

The Half Acre Beer Company was founded in October 2006, which is young for craft beer in general, but great for the local Chicago scene. The founders of Half Acre started out by working with the Sand Creek Brewery in Black River Falls in Wisconsin. They eventually developed their Half Acre Lager, and began distributing and selling it in Chicago during the August of 2007. The beer was successful enough that Half Acre was able to buy out a space in the Bucktown area of Chicago. With continuing sales, Half Acre was eventually able to purchase equipment from Ska Brewing Co. and moved to their current location on Lincoln Avenue on the north side of Chicago. Half Acre has been brewing at their Chicago location since 2009, and seems to be really expanding in both amount of distribution and popularity. Check out the full story HERE, and check out their website for a low-down on all their beers and info. 

The Big Hugs is a cuddly, coffee-infused Russian Imperial Stout that Half Acre began brewing five years ago. This beer has become famous for its vibrant and cuddly artwork, but word is that the actual beer is pretty good too. This RIS features the addition of coffee from Dark Matter Coffee for that Imperial-Coffee-Stout-breakfast-twist. This beer is like cats in the wall. You just don't understand them, Dee. "Cats do not abide by the laws of nature, alright. You don't know shit about cats."

Half Acre Big Hugs Imperial Stout

The beer pours very much like every other stereotypical RIS: that is to say, opaque, black, and with two or three fingers of brown/mocha head. Head retention is very nice, with a centimeter hanging around, and as the head drops off it leaves some really nice lacing. Bright light confirms the same thing.

On the aroma: good things. This has a velvety smooth aroma, with big ash, roast, campfire, and s'mores. I'm reminded a bit of the S'more Money, S'More Problems. There's some earthy tobacco and dirt, baker's chocolate, and mocha-coffee on the nose. The more I dig into the aroma, the more I get dry/woody baker's chocolate, and big emerging coffee, espresso, and mocha. It smells really good.

I'm happy that this beer has a fairly hefty mouthfeel, it ought to at 10%. The taste is a nice continuum of the aroma, with luscious s'mores, ash, roast, earthy coffee and roast, dry baker's chocolate, hints of espresso and mocha, and woody dry sweetness. There are some hints toward lactose in here, with some shades of coffee creamer and cream. And you get some light, berry-like acidity from the coffee, with some coffee tannin and coffee carbonation.

This isn't the most mind-blowing coffee beer you can get, but it really does a good job at masking the 10% alcohol while providing enough mouthfeel to add the fullness necessary for the style. The mouthfeel is medium-full to full, with moderate palate depth and duration, and pretty above-average complexity. There's enough going on here to keep you engaged. Up front: velvety smooth mocha, chocolate, coffee, earth/ash, and huge ass s'mores; that rolls into more s'mores, woody dry chocolates, lactose, coffee, espresso, bitter, roast, espresso; the back end trails with bitterness and dry chocolate. You get lingering espresso, coffee, and coffee-berry acidity. The finish is ultimately pretty dry. Really nice. 

Rating: Above-Average (4.0/5.0 Untappd)

I'm feeling a Strong Above-Average here...no ragrets. As I continue to sip this, I'm picking up some boozy complexity ala Rum or Bourbon, with hints at raisins and other complexities. It's a really nice, well-made brew. That's all you really need. I like how the coffee in this beer is very integrated. This isn't a coffee show, this is an Imperial Stout with strong coffee character. I also really enjoy the velvety, woody dryness that this beer has. It's very enjoyable. Food pairings: dry chocolate cakes, ice cream, baklava, tiramisu, chocolate chip pancakes, and raunchy burgers with aggressive cheeses.  

Random Thought: Unlike yesterday's beer, the Big Hugs is worth all the $10 or so you'll pay for it.

AleSmith Speedway Stout

Brewed By: AleSmith Brewing Company in San Diego, California

Purchased: 750ml bottle bought at Friar Tuck Beverage in Urbana, IL; 2013

Style/ABV: Imperial Stout, 12.0%

Reported IBUs: ?

I have no idea when AleSmith started distributing to Illinois, but I'm not complaining about it! About AleSmith: 

AleSmith Brewing Company is a brewery based out of San Diego, California. Founded in 1995 by Skip Virgilio and Ted Newcomb, the brewery was purchased in 2002 by brew master Peter Zien. The brewery is famous for their Speedway Stout, and reknown as one of the top breweries in the United State. For more information, check out their website.

The Speedway Stout is a big ass beer. Punching in at 12.0% ABV, this beer is brewed with "pounds of coffee" for added kick. The back of the bottle is a little more informative. According to the bottle, the coffee comes from Ryan Bros. Coffee, Inc. With that said...let's get this in a glass.

AleSmith Speedway Stout

This beer is easy on the appearance...that is to say, it pours into a pitch black, opaque body, and kicks up three fingers of dark, coffee-brown head. The head is sustaining very nicely for a 12.0% ABV beer, and as it falls off there is some epic lacing forming on the side of the glass. Bright light confirms the same damn thing.

The aroma here is super earthy...the coffee they opted to go with for this beer is earthy, earthy stuff. I'm getting earthy coffee, dirt, earthy roast, espresso, spent coffee, bitter black chocolate, baker's chocolate, a nutty/toasted almond aspect, and some boozy dark fruits (berries, hints of boozy raisins and plums, complex shit). It's a huge aroma.

It's not like I needed to review this beer, because it's critically acclaimed and has already received heaps of praise, but this beer does not disappoint. The mouthfeel is thick and expansive like chocolate milk, and the duration is insane. There's also a welcomed, boozy warming in my belly...so good for these cold, snowy, winter nights.  The taste is a wash of earthy coffee, coffee in a filter, dirty espresso, dirt, and huge baker's chocolate/dark chocolate. There's still a nutty/toasted almond thing going on, and there's big layers of roast/toast/dark sugars. I'm getting some burnt sugars and s'mores, and some of that "campfire" flavor I used to note in RISes back in the day. There's also some hints of chocolate-dipped raisins and other dark fruits in the mix, with some seductive booze playing in the back. This is a fancy beer.

Quality stuff here...and to think, this is just the base beer for other sick, barrel-aged creations. I am jelly, but I am also encouraged that I may find those beer in my distro. This is some full-bodied stuff, and yet it is drinkable thanks to ample carbonation and a silky smooth body. Palate depth is off the charts, with a huge duration, and complexity is pretty high. At 12.0% you can crush this, but you should probably slow down. Earthy roast, earthy coffee, and earthy chocolate explode up front; that rolls into some bitter coffee, espresso, nondescript hop noise/bitterness, and more baker's chocolate; the back end trails with some nuttiness, complex roast and dark sugars, and some dark fruits, chocolate, and boozy complexity. The finish ends with lingering coffee/roast/booze and oh my.

Rating: Divine Brew (5.0/5.0 Untappd)

I'm feeling a Decent Divine Brew on this...this is just a fantastic Stout, and I know this beer has potential for improvement when you barrel age it and all that stuff, but let's not do apples and oranges comparisons. Considering that a 750ml bottle of this cost me like...I dunno, 10 dollars or something absurd, you can do no wrong here. Pair this beer with char-grilled meats, ribs, steaks, chocolate or vanilla desserts, and strong cheeses. Really good stuff, the mouthfeel makes this beer.

Random Thought: Fak u 2-day work weeks. Srsly. 

Evil Twin Imperial Biscotti Break Natale Pretty Please With A Cherry On Top

Brewed By: Evil Twin Brewing (Westbrook Brewing) in Copenhagen/Brooklyn

Purchased: 22oz bottle bought at Fischman Liquors and Tavern in Chicago, IL; 2013

Style/ABV: Imperial Stout/Porter, 11.5%

Reported IBUs: ?

Oh lawdy, look at that beer name. I didn't know that Evil Twin named their beer after post rock bands. About Evil Twin: 

Evil Twin is a Gypsy Brewery founded by founded by Jeppe Jarnit-Bjergsø (brother of Mikkel Borg Bjergsø) in 2010. Like his twin brother Mikkel, Jeppe is a teacher, and a homebrewer who was tired of the mainstream offerings. In 2004, Mikkel went off to pursue brewing, while Jeppe opened up a bottle shop. In 2010, while teaching a homebrewing, Jeppe decided to sell and distribute the beer he was brewing via his bottle shop. Jeppe moved to New York in 2012. For more info, check out this interview/history here. 

Tonight's beer is a twist on the Imperial Biscotti Break. The back of the bottle reads:

"The Holidays brings out the best in some people. However if the Holidays also is a tough one for you, this beer will definitely sweeten dark times of endless caroling and difficult domestic obligations. Did Imperial Biscotti Break also make your sugar levels rise and the bitter sweet flavors of coffee, almonds and chocolate very sentimental - this one has a sour cherry on top. Forza Imperiale."

Imperial Biscotti Break Natale

Sour cherries in my Imperial Stout, what? Why? I dunno. The beer pours all Stout-like. That is to say, quite black, with a pinky of dark brown/coffee/tan head. The head drops off into a hazy cauldron effect, and a brown ring hangs out on the edge of the glass. There's some serious lacing and legs on this. Holding the beer to a bright light confirms much of the same story. I'm gonna stop describing Stouts at some point.

Something is definitely going on with the aroma, because you pick up strong raspberry puree, tart cherry, cherry/raspberry, berry, and other fruit notes. I'm still getting a ton of roast and earthy coffee on the aroma. There's also some stale biscuit/Biscotti, and a hint of chocolate and almond. It's a departure from the regular Imperial Biscotti Break, but the base beer is still present.

This beer is sticky, with sticky cocoa kisses. The cherry in this plays a subtle role but I'm finding it quite enjoyable. There's a lot of molasses in here, along with lots of sugars, and -- surprisingly -- a decent amount of booze. Where is the booze coming from? There's a lot of coffee and cocoa sweetness, and the molasses and brown sugars reach some dark depths. The sour cherry flavor kind of permeates throughout, with some cherry truffle showing up, and chocolate dipped cherries making an appearance. The cherries play off the booze, giving this a pleasant and maybe welcomed hard edge.

Like the regular Imperial Biscotti Break, this has motor oil, full-bodied thickness, and coats your mouth with sweet, sticky goodness. It's sugary and boozy, and deserves to be sipped at 11.5%. It's drinkable though. Palate depth is great, and complexity is...okay. As this warms up, the base beer really peaks through with those almonds and Biscotti, and rich chocolate and coffee. You get sweet molasses, cocoa, and cherries up front; that rolls into coffee, cherry truffle, roast, boozy sugar; the back end has more booze, booze-cherries, and tons of baker's chocolate and dark chocolate. I don't even know what to think about this one, but I like it.

Rating: Above-Average (4.0/5.0 Untappd)

I'm feeling a Strong Above-Average on this. The addition of the cherries seems to heighten the alcohol in this, and that is occasionally distracting. Also, this beer is a little Dr. Jekyll, and a little Mr. Hyde. At colder temps, you get more tart/sour cherry, but you lose the divine base beer. As it warms up, the base beer starts to peak out, but the cherries fade a bit. Then again...I don't know. This is just a solid, solid Imperial Stout. Maybe it is encroaching on divine territory, I do really like this. Food pairings here include ice cream, cherry chocolate cake, a cigar, sipping it solo, or using this beer as a sauce or glaze. This has potential to be paired with something savory, like beef brisket or braised beef, or pork. This is definitely worth checking out, but fruit stouts always have mixed reviews.

Random Thought: Although I'm a Bears fan forever, I also have a soft spot for the Carolina Panthers. A long time ago I did a grade school project on the team, and since then I've always rooted for them. While the Bears and Panthers are both competing for a wild card spot (as well as their respective division), I was very happy to see the Panthers beat the Patriots, even if it came off a controversial call.