Revolution Deth By Cherries 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, 13.1%
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 Deth By Cherries. Deth's Tar is Revolution's barrel-aged Imperial Oatmeal Stout, and the base for their Deth by Cherries, Cafe Deth, VSOD, Double Barrel VSOD, and a handful of variants that were tap-only.

The can reads: "Unfermented tart cherries add a mild acidity and subtly rounding sweetness to our Deth's Tar Barrel-Aged Imperial Stout. Flavors and aromas of bourbon and oak meld harmoniously with the fruit, each balancing the other. Enjoy now or store cold." 

The appearance is basically mantit for hipster tat to Deth's Tar. It looks stocky, probably under-dressed in clothes slightly oversized. It waits patiently in line. It's black. Wait...

Revolution Deth By Cherries 2017

This smells amazing, by the way. Take everything that could be better about Deth's Tar, dial up the chocolate, and throw in the cherries. My untappy notes said, "surprisingly balanced and barrel forward. Cherry w/ dark truffle, wood tannin, light kiss of bourbon and vanilla. Nice alcohol, whiskey." I DO get a lot of wood and barrel on the nose. The woody notes are really surprising. I also get a lot of chocolate a la those chocolate truffles. The cherry note on here is natural and integrates with the raisin notes from the whiskey. It definitely inspires some cherry-chocolate liquor comparisons.

So how does it taste? Well, amazing. This is really a pleasure to sip. The depth and duration are huge, and the layers are complex. The finish smacks you with vanilla and bourbon, and then lingers with warming alcohol heat and spice. The front end is loaded with fudge, chocolate truffles, bourbon, and then cherries. The cherry sweetness really shows up in the middle, with slightly tart natural cherries. I'm getting a lot of cherry skins, raisin-cherries, and light acidity. It never drifts into sour territory, and the cherry note is very much restrained. Unlike numerous other cherry beers (many featured previously on my blog), this never dabbles in cherry pie filling.

Fruited stouts are the type of thing that can divide a beer community. I would say this is one of the better ones. Aggressive sips are revealing for me some of that splintered wood and raw barrel power you get in the base. There's some anise hugging the edges of this too. I bet this ages pretty good for a few years. As it sits out, I get more fruit. Full-bodied, complex, long duration, good depth, good sipping beer...front loaded fudge/chocolate...fruity mids...fade out to vanilla, bourbon, and spice/heat.

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

Cherry pie, be gone! The fact that "cherry pie" or "cherry pie filling" are completely absent from my review should be a positive thing for 99% of beer drinkers. This is a legit fusion/addition of cherry to an amazing base beer, and the big ass wood, barrel, anise, bourbon, and Stout presence holds up and integrates well with the lightly tart cherry notes. Revolution, I tip my hat to you.

Random Thought: So where does this stack up as a variant? Or just in general? For me....I would go DBVSOD > VSOD > Deth By Cherries > Cafe > Reg. I understand RevBrew is doing a currants variant next year, I'm sure that will be awesome.

Pipeworks Cherry Murderous "The Lookout" English Barleywine Style Ale brewed with Cherries

Brewed By: Pipeworks Brewing in Chicago, IL  

Purchased: 22oz bottle (Batch #755) bought at Bottles & Cans in Chicago, IL; 2015 (bottled 07.02.2015)

Style/ABV: English-Style Barleywine/Fruit Beer, 9.5%
Reported IBUs: ?

Pipeworks has arrived...and it's been a while since I have reviewed anything from them. So here we go. I've previously reviewed the regular Murderous, as well as the barrel-aged Murderous. I think this is a pretty average beer, so I'm curious to see how the cherries work out. About Pipeworks:

Pipeworks has humble roots. The brewery was founded in Chicago in 2011 by Beejay Oslon and Gerrit Lewis. The duo were both homebrewers that met while while working at West Lakeview Liquors. In 2011, they began to raise money for their brewery using the online Internet site, Kickstarter. Olson and Lewis were both educated at De Struise Brewery in Oostvleteren, Belgium. With that knowledge, and the money from their kickstarter, Olson and Lewis created a unique brewery that is smaller in size, and intended to brew smaller batches of beer. The company's motto is "small batches, big beers." And indeed, since the brewery has been around, they've been releasing a lot of one-offs and small batch releases. The goal is to release a new beer every week. You can read more about the brewery at their website HERE.

The Cherry Murderous "The Lookout" bottle reads: 

"Rejoice in the return of your best friend! Your trusty lookout had not been completely lost, although different now from time spent apart, he still sees all through midworld. Albeit with a tinge of red washing over his view. Rest him on pommel or table, and let The Lookout guide you on your journey. "

Pipeworks Cherry Murderous

This is a thick, slow-pouring, hazy beer. It's unfiltered and riding some line between brown/orange/red, with a thick orange head that doesn't last for very long. Overall though, it looks good, and it looks the part for the style. 

Oh man, that aroma. This doesn't really smell the part of an English-style Barleywine. It smells like a malty bock mixed with Sam Adams' Cherry Wheat. I'm actually a fan of the Cherry Wheat, but that comment is going to read like a slap in the face for many. The cherry aroma does leave you with the impression of cherry skins, some cherry fruits, and some cherry pits. It drifts into medicinal territory at some point, and there's a lot of toasty and caramelized Bock-esque malt notes. If you handed this to me in a blind tasting, I'd be hard-pressed to come up with Barleywine.

This is a mess, but it is less of a mess than I expected. The cherries actually add a nice layer of complexity to the otherwise lackluster base beer. This is sweet and heavy, and you feel like it needs a few years to thin out. But the good news is the cherries add some nice, deep fruity notes. I'm getting cherries, cherry pits, cherry skins, cherry pastries, cherry candies, and some nice Quad-like stone fruits. This almost veers into the land of Belgium, but is grounded with a malt base that is toast, toffee, toasted nuts, and caramelized sugars. The cherries stand out as a counterpoint to the otherwise sweet and one-dimensional base. I think this is the best take on The Murderous I have had.

At 9.5%, I'm not getting much in the way of alcohol. This is full-bodied, and fairly thick stuff. This isn't overly complex, and the sweetness is only barely offset by the cherries. Still, this has great depth, with each sip lasting for quite some time. You get a nice two-dimensional blast of cherry flavors, followed by that malty base. It dabbles in Quad land but is strictly pseudo-English. It feels kind of Bock-like to me, actually. So I guess we can go to Germany on this wild ride.  

Rating: Average (3.25/5.0 Untappd)

I'm feeling a Light Average on this. This is by far the best take on The Murderous, and I really have no reason to pick up the base beer after drinking this. I'd love to grab another bottle of this Cherry Murderous to age, but the demand is still too high. I'd like to see Pipeworks brew this again. I think they can clean up the base a bit, attenuate the beer a little more (get this up to 11%+), and maybe throw in some hops or something. I don't know. 

Random Thought: I'm really happy to see Pipeworks doing as well as they are. I know I am slacking in my reviews, but focusing on graduate school for the betterment of myself takes precedence over beer reviews. Having said that, I cracked into the most recent batch of Pipeworks' Blue Lady and it was fan-freaking-tastic. This brewery is going places, and I am happy to have had a chance to watch them grow up over the past couple of years. 

Lost Abbey Red Poppy Ale

Brewed By: Port Brewing/The Lost Abbey in San Marcos, California 

Purchased: Single 12.7oz bottle (375ml) bought at Friar Tucks in Urbana, IL; 2014 

Style/ABV: Flanders Red Ale, 5.0%
Reported IBUs: ?

This beer hurt my wallet. Hopefully it will also hurt my enamel. About the The Lost Abbey: 

The Lost Abbey is part of the Port Brewing Company, and is located in Stone Brewing's old brewery location. The Port Brewing Company/Lost Abbey emerged from Pizza Port in 2006, and now operates independently. There is a lengthy history page on The Lost Abbey's website. The main story goes: back in the day, Vince Marsaglia (owner and co-founder of Pizza Port) was interested in brewing American-made Abbey style beer. In 1997, Vince joined forces with brewer Tomme Arther who worked to brew some awesome Belgian beer at Pizza Port. In 2005, when Stone Brewing moved from their San Marcos location, Vince, Tomme, Vince's sister Gina, and Jim Comstock founded the Port Brewing Company. Port Brewing opened in May of 2006, and the rest is history.

Today's beer, the Red Poppy Ale, is a "celebration of sour cherries." This beer is brewed from a brown ale base, and is aged in oak barrels for over 6 months. This American-Style Flanders Red is released in limited amounts, and costs an arm and a kidney.

Lost Abbey Red Poppy Ale

On the pour: a rich and hazy, dark brown, red-tinged body. This one kicks up two fingers of deeply brown-tinted, reddish head. The head has good retention, with a pinky's worth hanging around. This beer is also appropriately carbonated. It looks like it has had that barrel clinic, and this would fit right in among a lineup of Flemish Reds. 

There is great scratch and sniff action here, with deep layers of oak, sour cherries, and wood barrel on the nose. There are deep malts in here, with caramel sugars, cola, and cherry sweetness. The deep malts play off Brett funk, weird band-aid funk, and acidic pop. I'm getting red apple cider vinegar, acidic wood, and tart cherries. There are cherry tannins in here, with cherry skin, and some light jammy fruit notes. This aroma is actually quite complex, and surpasses some recent sours I've had, including the Love Child No. 4.

Hmmm...this is, all things considered, kind of a restrained beer. I'm getting nice lactic sourness, with some apple cider vinegar, sour cherries, and granny smith apples. There are some nice oak and Brett notes that round things out, with good wood in the mix. The back end is actually quite soft and malty, with more wood, Brett funk, oak, cherries, cola, and even some caramel sugars. At this point, this isn't the enamel-ripping monster I expected to get it. It's kind of balanced and constrained with the fruit maybe adding some sour notes and sweetness to the overall mix.

All things considered...this is light and drinkable for the style, with a medium-light mouthfeel. At 5.0% this is basically non-intrusive and non-alcoholic. Palate depth is okay and complexity is pretty high. This isn't overtly sour or aggressive...it's kind of balanced and constrained. Up front: tart cherries, sour cherries, lactic acid, sour wood, apple cider vinegar and sour apples; the mids roll into sour cherries, jammy fruits, growing malt sweetness; the back end drops oak, band-aid funk, wood, sweet caramel, and a nice dry finish that leans on the malts. Nice.  

Rating: Above-Average (4.0/5.0 Untappd) 

I'm feeling a Light Above-Average here. This is really good and has nice complexity...I just wish it was a little more assertive. It could even benefit from more overt fruit notes. I think in that respect, this beer falls short compared to something like...Goose Island's Madame Rose. Or even their Juliet or Gillian. If you are going to go with the cherries...really embrace the fruit. This beer's maltier leanings mean it will pair well with grilled meats, duck, and maybe even a slice of cherry pie to really bring that cherry flavor home.

Random Thought: As a Bears fan, I am concerned right now. That is all.

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. 

Samuel Adams Cherry Chocolate Bock

Brewed By: Boston Beer Company in Boston, Massachusetts 
Purchased: 12oz bottle from the 2013 Sam Adams Winter Classics variety pack bought at Binny's in IL; 2013
Style/ABV: Dunkler Bock, 5.8%

Reported IBUs: 11

Continuing with tonight's twofer, I have the main attraction in the 2013 Winter Classics variety pack...the Cherry Chocolate Bock. About Sam Adams:

The Boston Brewing Company/Sam Adams is, of course, the brain child of Jim Koch (and Harry M. Rubin and Lorenzo Lamadrid). Founded in 1984, Jim Koch got the ball rolling after college when he decided to resurrect and brew his favorite family recipe. That recipe belonged to his great-great grandfather, Louis Koch, and dates back to the 1870s (where it was brewed in a St. Louis brewery). That infamous family brew is the Sam Adams Boston Lager, of course. You can read more about the history of the Boston Brewing Company HERE, or check out their website HERE.  

The Sam Adams Cherry Chocolate Bock is a cherry-infused twist on the brewery's traditional Chocolate Bock, which has become a holiday favorite. This beer is brewed with a malt base of two-row pale, Caramel 60, and Munich 10. It's hopped with Tettnang Tettnanger and Spalt Spalter hops, and features the addition of cocoa nibs and cherries. The beer is aged on a bed of cocoa nibs, and cherries are added during the mash. 

The Cherry Chocolate Bock pours into a cola-black body (with lots of ruby red and brown tones), and kicks up a finger of tan/brown head. As the head drops off, you're left with some nice lacing. The beer retains its opacity in bright light, with a dark black/brown body. I guess we'll go on to the aroma...

Samuel Adams Cherry Chocolate Bock

SPEAKING OF cola, this beer smells like Cherry Coke. It's been a looooonnnngggg ass time since I've cracked into a non-diet Cherry Coke. And that's what this smells like. Now, full disclaimer, I'm one of a handful of fuckin' weirdos that really likes the Sam Adams Cherry Wheat. That beer is hated by most and loved by few. The Cherry Chocolate Bock has the same type of cherry aroma. In addition to the cherry on the nose, you also get rich chocolate, cocoa, malty sweetness, caramel sugars, and molasses. The nose is super sweet. There's a hint of vanilla on the nose as well. 

While I wasn't a huge fan of the Chocolate Bock, I have to say...this beer is amazing. It's a total guilty pleasure, like fruity drinks and mojitos. There are layers upon layers of decadent, sugary cocoa in this beer. It's sooooo sweet, like Cocoa Krispies meets Count Chocula sweet. They should serve this beer with a complimentary bong. You get rich cocoa, chocolate, caramel, comforting white chocolate and vanilla...and the whole thing is accompanied by that artificial-tasting cherry that you get in the Cherry Wheat. It's a cherry flavor that would make the Lambic-producers of Belgian cry. It's offensively artificial, but brilliantly plays things Cherry Coke straight. If you can't extrapolate some childish joy from this over-the-top-Saturday-morning-cartoon of a beer, then you are a no-fun mother fucker and I don't want to get high and watch cartoons with you. 

Sam Adams did this one proud. I think the quoted caloric content per 12oz bottle is like 237 calories. At 5.8% (DAE beer math???), that means this stuff is loaded with sugar. Yum. This beer is super drinkable at 5.8%, but has a medium-full mouthfeel. Sure, it's clean like a Lager and supported with lots of carbonation...but there's residual sugars that coat your lips so you can give unsuspecting people who are hanging out under the mistletoe some unsolicited kisses. Like my drunk uncle. Palate depth is good, complexity is pretty much sugary cocoa and artificial cherry fuck-all. You get malt richness, cocoa, and caramel up front; that rolls into sweet cocoa, chocolate, vanilla, artificial cherry; the back end is all about the chocolate and Cherry Coke. This is way better than Ben & Jerry's Cherry Garcia, and twice as sweet. 

Rating: Divine Brew (4.5/5.0 Untappd)

YOU WHAT A Light Divine Brew?!?1 This is a Dunkler Bock me and my dong could get down with. This beer is going to be polarizing, just like Power Rangers and Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles. I can't think of a better addition to the holidays though. This beer would make a great dessert, or pair well with some dry chocolate cake or cherry pie. And we all know cherry pie is the worst pie. A lot of people are going to shit all over this beer for being one-dimensional, or too sweet, or for having that obnoxious artificial cherry flavor. And you know what? They might be right, but if you want to see a bunch of no-fun neckbeards, roll over to BeerAdvocate and read the reviews for this beer. You can practically hear the man titties slapping together with each keystroke pressed. 

Random Thought: And t-t-t-t-t-that's all, folks! My final thought is this: the Sam Adams variety packs are hit and miss, but this year's Winter Classics is a good investment. Now I just need to find a 6-pack of the Cherry Chocolate Bock.

Bell's Cherry Stout

Brewed By: Bell's Brewery, Inc. in Kalamazoo, Michigan  

Purchased: 12oz bottle from a 6-pack bought at Binny's in IL; 2013 (bottled 10/08/2013)

Style/ABV: American Stout, 7.0%

Reported IBUs: ?

Thank the good lord that today is hump day! About Bell's:

Bell's Brewery is one of the biggest names in craft beer. Once you get past the Sierra Nevada, New Belgium, and Stone phase, you start hearing about breweries like Bell's. Bell's began as a home-brewing supply shop, founded by Larry Bell, back in 1983. Bell's sold its first beer in September 1985. The brewery has humble roots like many of the first craft breweries, and the beer was originally brewed in a 15-gallon soup kettle. The beer was originally self-distributed, bottled, and delivered by hand during the company's first four years. In 1993, Bell's became the first brewery in Michigan to open an onsite pub. The brewery currently has two facilities, one in Kalamazoo, and one in Comstock Township, Michigan.

The Cherry Stout is a classic, perennial Stout. Or at least formally so. In 2012 there was a shortage of cherries, and the brewery was unable to make this beer. The beer is back for 2013. Punching in at 7.0% ABV, this beer is brewed with 100% Montmorency cherries grown in the Traverse City region of Michigan. 

Bell's Cherry Stout 

The beer pours into a dark black, opaque body that has some ruby red tonez on the edges in bright light. I kicked up a finger of rich, dark head. The head is the best part about this beer, with thick density and a rich brown color. There's some lacing, and head retention is nice. Good looking beer.

On the aroma: big roast, and tons of sweet molasses, caramel malt, and chocolate/cocoa sweetness. I'm getting a lot of rich cocoa sweetness on the aroma. There's a hint of acidic berry on the aroma, which is the usual aromatics you get with a cherry-spiked Stout. I don't know if I would peg the cherry on the aroma in a blind tasting. There's some hint of depth with the roast, a bit of toast, and some coffee and coffee creamer as well. Let's dig in.

Everything about the aroma is flipped on the taste. Aggressive cherry hits you up front with that acidic berry taste that almost borders on tart. The cherry/fruit flavor is pretty aggressive up front, especially at colder temperatures. As this beer approaches warmer temps, you pick up lots of roast and chocolate/cocoa. I'm getting some molasses, coffee, and plenty of cherry-chocolate and cherry-truffles. The finish is roasty. 

This gets a lot better as it warms up, so drink this warm. The mouthfeel here is dense and full-bodied, even with the helpful carbonation and sharp berry acidity that cuts through the thick Stout body. The 7.0% is completely below-the-radar. Palate depth is good, complexity is okay. You get cherry/berry kick with Stout-like roast and chocolate up front; that rolls into roast, coffee, chocolate/cocoa; the back end trails the roast, throws in some molasses and toast, with lingering cherry sweetness and a roasty finish. Not bad.

Rating: Above-Average (4.0/5.0 Untappd)

This is a Decent Above-Average. Very nice stuff for a love-hate twist on the classic Stout. You either dig the addition of the cherries, or you don't. That said, this beer is the perfect Autumn Stout, and would pair well with ice cream, dry chocolate desserts, purple potatoes, steak or pork, and a rich/savory sauce that has a sweet edge. You could also pair this beer with steak and butter with some greens. Fantastic stuff, and I'm glad to see it come back for this year.

Random Thought: As it goes, I'm about to watch last Sunday's episode of the Walking Dead. Wish me luck...

Boulevard Bourbon Barrel Quad (2013 BBQ)

Brewed By: Boulevard Brewing Company in Kansas City, Missouri

Purchased: 750ml bottle (2013 Vintage) bought at Fischman Liquors and Tavern in Chicago, IL; 2013

Style/ABV: Quadrupel, 11.8%

Reported IBUs: 26

With the recent news that Boulevard is being sold to Duvel, people have been freaking out, man. And I don't know why. Duvel hasn't fucked up Ommegang, and Duvel itself is an awesome beer. With that said, about Boulevard:

Boulevard Brewing Company hails out of Kansas City, Missouri. They have a very nice website that is cleanly formatted, informative, and is not loaded with Java and Flash scripts. The company was founded officially in 1989, but began in 1988 when founder John McDonald began construction of the brewery. In 2006 the brewery had a major expansion, which allowed for additional brewing capacity. You can find more info on the brewery's history HERE. According to Wikipedia, Boulevard is the largest craft brewer in Missouri, and the 10th largest craft brewery in the United States.

This Bourbon Barrel Quad is part of Boulevard's Smokestake Series, and is a Limited Release beer. Punching in at 26 IBUs and 11.8% ABV, this beer is loosely based on the Smokestack Series' The Sixth Glass. This beer is aged in oak bourbon barrels for up to three years, and then cherries are added for some extra flavor and kick. The beer is then blended (16% Ale, 84% Ale Aged in Bourbon Barrels with Cherries) to perfection. This one features your usual trimmings: a base of Pale Malt, Cara 300, Munich, and Malted Wheat; Magnum and Styrian Golding hops; and Dextrose, Brown Sugar, Dark Brown Sugar, and Candi Syrup. I'm excited so let's glass this up.

Boulevard Bourbon Barrel Quad

The beer pours into a murky, effervescent, swamp-red-brown MAROON color. I kicked up two fingers of tan, off-white head. Initially, the head wasn't sustaining, but now a pinky's worth is just hanging around. In bright light the beer is a juicy/swampy orange color, with lots of streams of tiny carbonation rising upwards. There's lacing and some glossy alcohol legs. When you get into three-year-old-barrel-aged-beer territory, you're not going for looks. And looks can be deceiving. That girl with some road ware? Way more fun than that shiny Escalade straight off the lot.

There's a lot of Bourbon and cherry on the aroma. Maybe I shouldn't be surprised at the amount of cherry on the nose...the cherry does work in tandem with the dark fruits and overripe Quad-fruit aromas. You definitely get some Belgian yeast and spice-perfume on the aroma, with some clove, hints of white sugar, and banana. There's a lot of sugar on this beer's aroma: candi sugar, hints of a darker brown sugar, and lots of fruity/cherry sweetness. 

So...this beer is pretty much what it advertises. A shot of thin Bourbon with lots of cherries. The cherries themselves are not artificial or medicinal, but rather bright and acidic, playing off the Quad and the barrel. You get plenty of cherry, overripe dark fruits, some Bourbon, a little booze and even a hint of burn, and plenty of hints of brown sugar and Belgian spice. As I swish this around in my mouth, I pick up on some of the candi sugar and dark fruits, and some woodiness pops up here and there.

I can't help but compare this offering to the Ommegang Three Philosophers. That beer is the epitome of Belgian Quad excess, and what delicious excess it is. This beer right here, the 2013 BBQ, is very good. But is it divine? The mouthfeel here is medium-full, thinned out a bit by the Bourbon/barrel, and supported by lots of carbonation. For 11.8%, this beer is stupid drinkable. Also consider that this is aged in bourbon barrels, and has lots of heat on the back end. This is like the anti-Deth's Tar, which became a bit cloying and boozy in the final stretch. Palate depth is okay, and complexity is good. There's some heavy hitters in this category/style, what can I say. You get a blast of perfumey sweetness and cherries up front; that rolls into heavy sugars, brown sugar, and bourbon; the back end layers in some vanilla, oak, wood, and more cherry sweetness. There's some bourbon and alcohol burn on the back, and it's welcomed. The finish is boozy and dry. Belgian spices/dark fruits come and go. 

Rating: Above-Average (4.0/5.0 Untappd)

I'm feeling a Strong Above-Average on this. The slightly thinner mouthfeel coupled with the above-average complexity leave me wondering how something like the Three Philosophers or Rochefort 10 would taste if aged in a bourbon barrel on cherries. But hey! At least his beer has me dreaming. Let me clarify: this is not a bad beer by any means. It's above-average. It's worth buying, at least once, even if the 15-20 dollars per bottle is kind of pricey. I would pair a beer like this with dessert. Dry chocolate cake...yum. You could also pair this with grilled meats and cheeses, or anything that plays off of chocolate and cherries. Really good stuff, not divine.

Random Thought: I opted to get some stuff done tonight rather than watching the Bulls game. I know, I know, "I guess I'm not a true Bulls fan." Whatever. It's game one after a whole lotta hype. And D Rose is just getting back into the swing of things. We have a long way to go.

Pipeworks Cherry Truffle Abduction

Brewed By: Pipeworks Brewing Company in Chicago, IL  

Purchased: 750ml bottle (Batch #204/205) bought at West Lakeview Liquors in IL; 2013 (bottled 9.??.13)

Style/ABV: Imperial Stout, 11.0%
Reported IBUs: ?

It's NOT Unofficial Pipeworks Thursday™...in fact, it's early Sunday. What am I even doing here? I should be watching football, but I had to take a break to pen some thoughts on this beer. About Pipeworks:

Pipeworks has humble roots. The brewery was founded in Chicago in 2011 by Beejay Oslon and Gerrit Lewis. The duo were both homebrewers that met while while working at West Lakeview Liquors. In 2011, they began to raise money for their brewery using the online Internet site, Kickstarter. Olson and Lewis were both educated at De Struise Brewery in Oostvleteren, Belgium. With that knowledge, and the money from their kickstarter, Olson and Lewis created a unique brewery that is smaller in size, and intended to brew smaller batches of beer. The company's motto is "small batches, big beers." And indeed, since the brewery has been around, they've been releasing a lot of one-offs and small batch releases. The goal is to release a new beer every week. You can read more about the brewery at their website HERE.

The back of the Cherry Truffle Abduction states:

"Humans, humans, humans... Your delicacy suites you like vanilla to a beastly beer. You wear your fragility with nature's grace, like cherries in the fall. Destined to be plucked, squeezed, and made vital in some cosmic concoction. Subit to our dark rich cherry Abduction. Submission is your natural state. It is in fact, what Drew us to you."

Pipeworks Cherry Truffle Abduction

This beer pours into a dark, black body, and kicks up two fingers of rich, dense, sustaining brown head. The head is sustaining nicely, with a pinky of thick foam hanging around. When you swirl the beer in the glass, sticky brown head coats the sides, along with some glossy alcohol legs. It's a nice looking beer.

The aroma on this beer is awesome. This beer has a lot more fruit on the nose than the Raspberry Truffle and Orange Truffle did. I'm getting rich and velvety chocolate, cacao, truffle, some roast/coffee, and boozy complexity...and BIG cherry, berries, fruit, and chocolate-dipped cherries. There are big chocolate-dipped cherries on this beer's nose, and it is fantastic.

I'm going at this a little cold right now, but fear not, I will sip on this until it warms. At the moment, I'm getting rich roast and chocolate, and TONS of fruity cherry. There's big cherry, berries, and acidic fruits. I'm also getting some coffee, and some boozy complexity. Let's see how this tastes in a few minutes.

As this warms up, not a whole lot changes...you get a lot more of the big, malt body, and you pick up a little more coffee and roast. At 11.0%, this is a big beer, but it's never cloying or obnoxious. The mouthfeel is full-bodied, and drags nicely, with good carbonation and some acidic berries and cherry fruit to move thing along. Palate depth is outstanding, especially for a Stout with cherries, and this has good complexity. I love fruity Stouts, but they can be hit and miss. This one hits, with rich malts, chocolate, coffee, and roast up front; that rolls into huge cherry, cherry-chocolate, coffee, berries, fruits; the finish is lingering cherry, coffee, and booze. 

Rating: Divine Brew (5.0/5.0 Untappd)

I'm feeling a Decent Divine Brew on this. This is better than the Orange Truffle Abduction, and probably works better than the Raspberry Truffle Abduction too. I don't know if this is better than the Coffee Break Abduction, but it's hard to top coffee and the Abduction stout base. This is good stuff...a good beer to sip on, or to pair with some dry chocolate cake, or ice cream. The beer finishes just slightly sticky-sweet, and yeah. For such a young brewery finding their niche, I can only imagine what Pipeworks will be doing in a few years. There are better cherry Stouts out there, but this is a fantastic local option for Chicago. Get on this.

Random Thought: The Lions won, but both the Vikings and Packers lost. Here's to hoping the NFC North goes 2-2 this week.

Big Sky Kriek Ale

Brewed By: Big Sky Brewing Company in Missoula, Montana

Purchased: 750ml bottle from Binny's in IL; 2013 purchase, 2010 Vintage (0864 of 3600)

Style/ABV: "Kriek" / Fruit Beer, 10.0%

Reported IBUs: 15

Every now and then you take one for the team....tonight's beer was in the clearance section of Biiieennie's. 2010 Vintage, green bottle and all. So I rolled the dice without reading any reviews. Let me back up for two seconds before I dive into this beer. About Big Sky:

Big Sky Brewing is the largest brewery in Montana, and distributes beer to 23 states. They produce 33,000 barrels annually, and have been around since 1995. The brewery was founded by Neal Leathers, Bjorn Nabozney, and  Brad Robinson. As with most of these origin stories, Brad and Neal were homebrewers. In the early 90s they worked at a Sportsmen's Surplus and High Country Sports, and they met Bjorn. Unimpressed by the local beer, Brad and Neal began to explore beer more widely, and became interested in opening their own brewery. With Bjorn's business chops, the trio brewed their first batch of beer in mid-June of 1995. The company was a draft-only brewery for its first five and a half years, until January 2003 when they moved to a larger brewing location. To read more about the brewery, check out their history page HERE.

Now...I do like Big Sky. Their Moose Drool is a very nice beer, and is probably due for an updated review. But tonight's beer is a hot, confused mess from the get-go. Billed as a Kriek, the bottle states that this beer starts as a Belgian Style Golden Ale, is then aged with organic cherries from the Orchard at Flathead Lake, and is then aged with more cherries for 3-months-plus in French oak wine barrels. It's unclear if this is even has wild yeast, and the 10% ABV is crazy stacked. The base beer is a Belgian Strong Ale...but this does use Pale and Malted Wheat malts, and Hallertau Tradition hops. The reviews haven't been so great, but I'm approaching this like a fruit beer. Here's to hoping this is just a bad Kriek and not a bad beer.

The cork came off with a satisfying, "POP!" It was followed by a chimney of smoke, and all I could think was, "I'm glad I opened this over a sink." Yeah...this one gushed, so I rushed to pour it into my glass. The rushed pour probably exaggerated the head, as I kicked up 2 to 3 fingers at first, but it RAPIDLY dissolved with audible, violent fizzing. The whole beer is fizzling away, in the bottle and in the glass. In lower light, the body is a swampy brown/red/purple, with a red/brown-tinted head. When held to a bright light, the body is a murky/swampy orange, with lots of carbonation streaming upwards. There is a ring of head hanging around the top, and of course there are legs on this. The amount of carbonation still streaming upwards is crazy....I'm surprised this beer didn't go rogue and blow up like a grenade. Dem champagne bottles.

All you need to know about this beer is revealed by the aroma. This smells much more like Dogfish Head's Fort than it does a Kriek. I'm sorry, but advertising IS part of presentation and that does matter. Sprite-like carbonation is dancing off the surface of this, tingling my nose. It's like touching your nose to an old CRT-TV, or feeling a light mist. I'm getting nice fruit: cherries, raspberry, cherry skins, light honey, malt sweetness, and a touch of pleasant/mild wood. There's even a hint of oak on the nose. The nose smells fine...

Big Sky Kriek Ale

...the taste is definitely sub-par. My initial thought is, "oh hey, this is slightly oxidized." Why? How? What? I guess it has been 2 or 3 years, and this beer wasn't stored in ideal conditions by any means. You get astringent Windex up front, with some cough syrup cherry on the back. Between those two horrors is a beer that has potential. I'm getting nice raspberry, cherry, raspberry puree, some tea/herbal character, and hints of faded wood. It's wine-like at times, in fact. But those nice features fade into failure and broken dreams. You're reminded of those nights when your Russian babysitter would drink bottles of cough syrup, pace around the house cursing in Russian, and then spray you with Windex. 

For a hand grenade, the carbonation doesn't really follow through. Yes, this is tingly and spritzy like a Belgian Ale, but it's kind of dull. The mouthfeel is medium-full, with unfortunate stickiness, unpleasant astringency, and yeah. The 10.0% ABV isn't the roadblock, it's the beer. Ergo, complexity and palate depth are both between "meh" and "who cares." You get sweet malts, Windex, and cherry astringency up front; this follows with reasonable cherry/raspberry puree...and then fades to cough syrup dreams (without the fun dreams you get if you drink lots of cough syrup). 

Rating: Below-Average (2.0/5.0 Untappd)

I'm feeling a Strong Below-Average here. I'm not a big fan of drain pours, but fuck me. Life is short, man. This is 10.0%!!!! And it's not that shitty of a night. If I wanted to get wasted, sure, this would be okay...but so would malt liquor. I'm not even going to recommend food pairings. Don't buy this beer! Even if you see it discounted for $Free-ninety-five. Don't do it! Go buy up a sixer of Moose Drool instead, because that beer is...the tits. 

Random Thought: This is a Fruit Beer. A Fruit Beer. A beer made with fruit, aged in barrels. #LEAVEBELGIANALONE

New Belgium Transatlantique Kriek (Lips of Faith - 2013)

Brewed By: New Belgium Brewing Company (with Brewerij Boon) in Fort Collins, Colorado

Purchased: 22oz bomber from Binny's in Illinois; 2013

Style/ABV: Fruit Lambic/Kriek, 8.0%

Reported IBUs: 8

For tonight's beer, New Belgium teamed up with the folks at Brewerij Boon (makers of Boon Kriek and Boon Framboise) to make a spontaneously fermented lambic ale with cherries. About New Belgium:

New Belgium is based out of Fort Collins, and opened in 1991 when founder Jeff Lebesch took his home-brewing into the commercial world. For reference, New Belgium is the thrid-largest craft brewery in the United States. You can read more about New Belgium if you check out their website.

This is a big beer, clocking in at 8.0% ABV. If you roll over to New Belgium's Transatlantique Kriek page, you can get the breakdown of this beer. This beer is a blend of two beers, a 45% ale with cherries added to "55% ale." The ale with cherries is a spontaneously fermented lambic ale made with Polish cherries, aged in oak vessels at the Boon brewery (in the Lembeek region of Belgium). The "55% ale" is a "full-bodied golden lager to round out the light-bodied kriek." All-in-all, this uses Willamette hops; pale, red wheat, carapils, and roasted barley malts; lager yeast[?]; and Wise cherries. The flavor profile is described as sour with green apple, lactic, acetic/vinegar, and biley. Let's see how this one works out...

New Belgium Transatlantique Kriek 2013

This beer pours a comical soda-red color, like Big Red, with one to two fingers of fizzly, pink head. There's a lot of effervescence, as you can see carbonation streaming upwards. The head peaces out pretty quickly, leaving a filtered, bright red beer in bright light. Depending on the lighting, the head is more red/pink/white. Apples...how about them.

The aroma is a bit more nuanced than I was expecting. I'm definitely getting some woody oak, barnyard, Brett funk, hay blanket, bile, and mild vinegar sourness. There's some apple skin, cherry skin, tart fruit skins...and then a layer of sweeter cherries. There's maybe a hint of leather...I already prefer this to the Boon Kriek. 

This tastes like a muted sour, with earthy Brett funk, light oak/wood, bready malts, toffee/caramel, and some light nuttiness coming forward. You get lightly sour/acidic cherries, apples, and vinegar up front, with more malt in the middle. There's some cherry pie sweetness in the mix, with pie filling, and sweeter cherries. I'm also getting some light solvent-booze on this. 

This has light carbonation, with a light-full to medium-light mouthfeel. Palate depth is kind of meh, complexity is good. It's very drinkable for 8.0%...with just a hint of alcohol heat. This one seems to get bogged down a bit, and veers into watery territory...then it snaps back. You get tart cherries up front, immediately followed by bread/toffee/caramel and sugary cherries; that rolls into some light bile, Brett, earthy funk, cherries, oak/wood/leather; the back end is sweeter cherries, lingering toffee/bread. 

Rating: Average (3.0/5 Untappd)

I'm feeling a Strong Average on this beer. This is kind of okay...enjoyable at times, but not blowing me away. It's a bit strange to pull out some solvent/fusel alcohol on this, and the fruit could stand out more. The funk is nice, and the amount of sourness seems appropriate. I guess, at around 14-17 dollars a bomber, I couldn't recommend this over the various Belgian offerings you would likely be able to find. However, the amount of work required to make this beer does seem to warrant the price. I'm not even mad. This beer is kind of wine-like, so I'd pair it with a steak, strong cheeses, tartar, maybe a burger with mushrooms, and maybe even some mussels. The La Folie brought the sour...this one needs to bring the cherries. 

Random Thought: Though, I should give this beer credit for not veering into artificial sweetness/fake cherry land. The cherries in this taste legit, and are never cough syrupy or medicinal (in my opinion). Maybe I'll try this again sometime down the road... 

Central Waters Brewers Reserve Bourbon Barrel Cherry Stout (2013 vintage)

Brewed By: Central Waters Brewing Co. in Amherst, Wisconsin

Purchased: 12oz single bottle bought at West Lakeview Liquors in Chicago, IL; 2013 

Style/ABV: Imperial Stout, 10.0% [???]

Reported IBUs: ?

Today was one of those days. It was cold out, it was long, I was sleepy, and the Blackhawks lost. Thankfully, tonight's beer isn't Peruvian Morning. About Central Waters: 

Central Waters was founded in 1996 by two friends, Mike McElwain and Jerome Ebel. The two bought an old brick building in Junction City, Wisconsin. During the next two years, the two restored the building, and put in brewing equipment. A few months later, Paul Graham joined the brewery. After three years under the original ownership, the brewery was sold to brewer Paul Graham and home-brewer Clint Schultz. On the brewery's five-year anniversary, Central Waters purchased a new brew house because the old location was having issues with equipment and age. In 2006, Clint Schultz left the brewery. The brewery is currently owned and operated by Paul Graham and Anello Mollica. To read more about the brewery, check out their history page.

Tonight's beer is also part of Central Waters' Brewer's Reserve Series. The Bourbon Barrel Cherry Stout features 75 pounds of tart Door County Cherries added to each oak barrel and aged for 6 months. The base beer is their Imperial Stout. Let's see how this one stacks up.

Central Waters BBA Cherry Stout

This one pours a black color with some hints of reddish-brown/cola in bright light. This kicked up a finger of thin, fizzling, tan/brown head that quickly dissolved. There's some legs and lacing; the usual.

As with the Peruvian Morning, the aroma on this beer is awesomely complex and bold. If only it was just smells. I'm getting big bourbon, whisky, woody oak, vanilla, and booze on the nose. Beneath/around that is some nice tart fruit, cherries, berry, and hints of earthy coffee and other earthy vibes. It's a nice aroma.

Wow. It's a real shame I was only able to secure two bottles of this...(caveat emptor: drink this fresh, otherwise you lose that awesome cherry kick). This is a lovely beer, with tart cherry sweetness, light roast, and plenty of bourbon/wood/barrel character to make the beer interesting. It's complex, flavorful, and a great sipping beer. I'm getting bourbon, wood, earth/leather, cherries, tart berries, vanilla, chocolate, molasses, sticky sweetness, light brown sugar, and huge coconut. 

This beer is cherry-forward, features a medium-full mouthfeel, and has moderate carbonation. The finish is sticky and sweet, and at somewhere around 8-10%+ ABV, this is the perfect sipping vehicle. Palate depth is good, complexity is also good. Anyone complaining that this isn't balanced is missing the point a cherry barrel aged stout. You do get some booze heat on this, and the barrel character is strong...but the cherry cuts through it all. Up front is big cherry, barrel, bourbon, oak, wood, coconut; this rolls into leather/earth, more cherry, tart berry, chocolate; the back end is molasses, brown sugar, coconut, sticky sweetness, brown sugar, lingering cherry, bourbon, and some heat. Sticky/sweet/dry finish.

Rating: Divine Brew (4.5/5 Untappd)

I'm feeling a Light Divine Brew on this...this is sexy stuff, and this is why Central Waters is slowly gaining a cult following of dedicated drinkers. When they hit a dinger, it's usually a home run. And then you have the fucked up mess that is Peruvian Morning...I'm hesitant to even purchase that beer again. This beer is a nice mesh of cherries and barrel character, with a subtle Stout base. I'd pair this with a cigar, chocolate cherry cake, coffee braised meats, pork, sweet barbecue, gamey cheeses (goat cheese comes to mind), or with some poutine. All around, pretty good stuff. Grab a bottle or two if you can, and drink it fresh.

Random Thought: It's too bad about Central Waters' quality control issues. I hope they figure that out soon.

Goose Island Madame Rose

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

Purchased: 22oz bomber bought at Jewel-Osco in Chicago, IL; 2012 (bottled 7/31/12)

Style/ABV: Flanders Oud Bruin/American Sour Ale, 7.1% 

Reported IBUs: 25

Tonight I'm looking at Goose Island's Madame Rose. This beer is a "Brown Ale aged in French oak Cabernet Sauvignon barrels with the addition of Michigan cherries and heavily inoculated with Brettanomyces." Goose Island suggests giving this beer to Bordeaux enthusiasts, and beer drinkers fond of Belgian Kriek and Flanders Brown Ales. This beer is sort of like a Flanders Brown, but not really. Anyway, 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, 2012, 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. 

Since this beer is sort of Flanders Brown/Oud Bruin-inspired (with that Kriek thing), I'll go ahead and jot down what I've found on Oud Bruins. Flanders Brown Ales/Flemish Brown Ales/Oud Bruin/Old Brown Ales is a Flemish style of beer indigenous to East Flanders, which dates back to the 1600s. The Dutch name, "Oud Bruin/Old Brown," refers to the long brewing/aging process, which can take up to a year, plus additional time spent in secondary fermentation. The beer can also be bottle aged for extended periods of time. The extended brewing/aging allows the beer to pick up natural/wild yeast, which develop the sour characteristics typical to this style. This beer is typically not aged in oak (unlike the Flanders Red Ale); this beer is usually aged in stainless steel vessels. Traditionally/typically, the wild yeasts Saccharomyces, Lactobacillus, and Acetobacter all contribute to this style's flavor. This beer can also be brewed with a sour mash to help develop the sour character.

According to The Beer Connoisseur, because the Oud Bruin is often aged in stainless steel rather than oak, the brewing process is more controlled (since stainless steel doesn't harbor live bacteria, and the souring yeasts often come from controlled sources). As such, Oud Bruins may be used as base beers for fruit Lambics (like Krieks). You can consult the style guidelines, but overall, the Flanders Brown Ale is less acetic, and maltier than a Flanders Red, and the fruit flavors are balanced with the malt.

All things considered, I don't think the Madame Rose is quite a straight up Flanders Brown. Goose Island mentions Belgian Kriek when they describe this beer. Belgian Kriek is a style of beer where Lambic is fermented with cherries. The Madame Rose is a "Belgian style brown ale," fermented with wild yeast, and aged on cherries in wine barrels. It seems a lot like an Oud Bruin, aged on cherries (like a Kriek), with a bit of an American twist. Clocking in at 7.1% ABV, and packing 25 IBUs, this beer is brewed with Fuggle hops; and 2-row, caramel, wheat, dark chocolate, and victory malts. This beer is bottle conditioned, and will develop in the bottle for up to 5 years (and maybe longer?). Suggested food pairings for this beer include red meats, rich chocolate desserts, and aged cheddar. 

Goose Island Madame Rose

This one pours out a brown/purple color that is very cola-esque. I barely kicked up a pinky's worth of struggling, bubbly, brown head. The head has settled into a funky, murky, cauldron effect...it's like the beer version of the designs on a cappuccino. Bright light highlights the swampy/murky and brown/unfiltered body of this beer. The head is ivory/tan, and you can see a lot of carbonation in the form of tiny bubbles.

The aroma here is really nice, and I'm glad I've been on a bit of a sour/wild/Brett kick lately. This beer has some nice underlying Brett notes, with some band-aid and worn leather. I'm also getting sour cherries, sour, a dash of apple cider vinegar, and a ton of wood/Cabernet, and maybe a dash of woody oak. Other aromas include apples, berries, must, a hint of acetone. The dominant aromas are sour cherries, Brett, and huge Cabernet/wine/wood. This one definitely leans towards sour on the aroma (at this point in time).

Even in the eight months since I've last had this, this has changed towards more sour, with just a hint of sour candy ala Warhead/Sour Patch Kids. Overall though, it's more tart, with some apple cider vinegar, acetic Cabernet, and nice malt and sweet cherries to smooth things out. This is finishing uber dry. I'm getting wood, wine, and cherry skin/tart up front. There's some must, and worn leather in here, along with a ton of cherries. Cherry skin, meaty cherries, and a flash of cherry pie filling. You get some caramel/toffee/bread malt sugars in here balancing everything out, but after the hint of sweet cherries, this veers towards tart again and finishes dry.

This is very drinkable, even refreshing, and the 7.1% is absolutely non-existent in this. The mouthfeel is medium to medium-full, and this has lots of tartness, with flashes of sour, and big acetic Cabernet/oak/wood. There is some sweetness abound as well, but it all finishes super dry. Palate depth is good, and complexity is good. This has some nice potential to age. Up front is fruity cherries, cherry skin, hints of sour candy; this rolls into malts and leather; the back end is trailing malt and sweetness with a fade to dry finish.

Rating: Above-Average

I gotta go with a Strong Above-Average on this. This would be a great Cabernet substitute, and the oak/wood/cherry thing would go great with red meats. I would love to pair this with some flank steak, filet mignon, or even a medium-rare burger with some aggressive cheese. The only caveat to this beer is the availability. I won't even complain about the price, which ranges from 18 to 25 bucks a bottle, depending on if you hit up Binny's vs. the mom and pop shops. I stumbled upon this at Jewel...and paid around 20 dollars a bottle. For something aged in wine barrels on cherries, the price seems about right. I'd trade for this or seek it out. I reserve the right to revisit this and re-rate this. 8 months ago, this was a light Above-Average. In a year or two? Who knows.

Random Thought: Another week, another snow storm. We are supposed to get pounded with 4 to 8+ inches of snow tomorrow! Woo! During rush hour too. That's good and bad...it's good in that I will likely open a wintery beer. I do want to move forward to Spring, however.