Destihl Dosvidanya Vanilla Rye 2017

Brewed By: Destihl Restaurant and Brew Works in Normal/Bloomington, Illinois 
Purchased: 500ml (1 pint, .09oz bottle) bought at Destsihl in Bloomington, IL; 2017 (batch date: 2017)

Style/ABV: American Barrel-Aged Russian Imperial Stout, 12.5%
Reported IBUs: 83

Rumors of infected bottles of Destihl's DVR make a man do crazy things, like actually drink the beer you bought. About Destihl: 

Destihl is a brewery (Bloomington) and brewpub (Normal, IL & Champaign, IL) based out of the Midwest. Specifically, the middle of Illinois in the middle of the United States. Daaaa midwest. The brewery was founded by CEO & Brewmaster, Matt Potts, in 2007. Like many brewery founders, Potts started out as a homebrewer, and would eventually trade his law school education and law practice for those sweet barley suds. Destihl currently brews a myriad of regular and barrel-aged beers, including an increasing portfolio of tasty sour brews. For more info, check out their website. 

So Dosvidanya is Distihl's big barrel-aged Russian Imperial Stout. It is clearly inspired by beers like Bourbon County Brand Stout, but has its own unique flavor profile. The Vanilla Rye was a special 2017 release along with the brewery's 10th Anniversary Special Release of Dosvidanya. This is a "Russian Style Imperial Stout brewed with vanilla aged in rye whiskey barrels." The bottle says, "10th Anniversary special release 2007-2017." The back says:
 
"In 2007, we opened our first brewpub in Normal, Illinois with a mission to brew beer styles that are bold and flavorful. Staying true to that mission, this special batch of Dosvidanya was brewed at our old production brewery as a farewell to that facility and aged at our new brewery as a celebration of that expansion and our 10th anniversary. We've come a long was and learned a lot in our first decade. With this release, we raise our glass and look forward to another 10 years. Cheers!"  

Destihl Dosvidanya Vanilla Rye 2017

Breaking news: this looks Stout-like. I'll give a shout out to the bottle, which is awesome. The blue wax is fucking cool, man. This also has good head retention and isn't totally lifeless. The aroma here is awesome. You get Lindor chocolate balls, and the vanilla leans towards the sweet and fruity with raspberry and berries. The berry/vanilla-chocolate sweetness invites raspberry truffles and chocolate truffles. 

The taste is pleasantly rich (and not infected, praise be). The rye profile and bourbon come out first, followed by dense chocolate, fudge, vanilla, and then some nice drying dark chocolate cake, more earthy roast, coffee, and rich earthy chocolate truffles. The finish on this is fantastic. It's deep and rich like when you bite into a nice piece of chocolate cake. That lingering dry chocolate profile hangs around in your mouth adding to the duration and palate experience. It is tempting to go in for another sip, but you want to enjoy that lingering finish just a bit longer. As I sip this more, I pick up more of the alcohol and spirit.

You know, I like this a lot. I don't think this is a game changer or anything crazy, but it is dialed in and perfectly executed. It is not quite Vanilla Rye good, but hey, not many beers are. And I don't need this to be Vanilla Rye. Like I said, the duration of this beer is amazing. Palate depth is pretty solid too, with bourbon and chocolate up front; rye and vanilla mids; and that bumpin' chocolate cake finish. It brings a full body, and rides the 12.5% ABV just right. 

Rating: I'm feeling a Strong Above-Average (4.25/5.0 Untappd)

Random Thought: There is a paradoxical irony about this beer, because while I don't think it is a game changer, it is still vastly underrated. Which is good, for me, the local Destihl customer. Stay away beer nerds. 

Revolution Ryeway to Heaven 2017

Brewed By: Revolution Brewing Company in Chicago, IL

Purchased: 12oz CAN from a 4-pack bought at Revolution Brewing Tap Room in Chicago, IL; 2017

Style/ABV: American Barrel-Aged Rye Ale, 13.0%

Reported IBUs: 20

Every now and then a beer comes along that is one-dimensional in its execution but basically drops a bomb on the style. This is that beer. Prepare your insulin. Prepare your anus. Ryeway to Heaven is "Brewed with over 60% rye, this limited production rye ale has a seductively ample body which suggests sweetness while retaining a dry finish. Aged 12 months in American Rye Whiskey barrels, this “Ryewine” as we call it, is wholly unique in its malt and barrel-derived complexities."

Ryeway pours into a distinctly worn, amber-red body, kicking up a finger of tan head. This was pretty lively when I cracked the can, which is not a bad thing by any means.

Revolution Ryeway to Heaven 2017

The aroma on this beer is just...ridiculous. You get big barrel up front which adds burnt sugars, oak, vanilla, and caramel. There is a distinct maple syrup and marshmallow scent, with rye, honey, Graham cracker, and pecans. It's not unlike smelling creme brulee, but with a kiss of alcohol. I'm reminded of pecan pie and Baklava as well. There are also fruity notes, with some cherries dancing around in the mix.

On the taste: straight away you notice the T H I C C and huge mouthfeel. The taste boldly mirrors the nose, with marshmallow and maple leading the way as the main characters. Hints of pecan pie, creme brulee, and Baklava dance with alcohol and bourbon, vanilla, oak, light char, caramelized sugars, and Graham cracker. There is some honey sweetness and a dash of rye spice to round everything out.

This is a full-bodied, beautiful sipping beer. Palate depth and duration are both very high. This is complex insofar that it has great depth for what it is, which is an over-the-top "rye wine" aged in rye whiskey barrels. On the beer spectrum this is firmly in the realm of sweet, sugary, and boozy. Still, there are layers of goodness here, with marshmallow and maple up front; the mids roll into all those beautiful barrel/char/oak/burnt sugar flavors; the back end drops cherries and alcohol, and lots of rye spice. The reminders of various pastry desserts are present throughout.

Rating: Decent Divine Brew (4.75/5.0 Untappd)

Ryeway is a baller sipping beer...it's basically liquefied pastries in a can. No complaints from me. Hopefully next year RevBrew makes more of it.

Random Thought: Now I'm tasting some good Baklava...mmm...Baklava

Destihl Dosvidanya Rye 2017

Brewed By: Destihl Restaurant and Brew Works in Normal/Bloomington, Illinois 
Purchased: 500ml (1 pint, .09oz bottle) bought at Destsihl in Bloomington, IL; 2017 (batch date: 2017)

Style/ABV: American Barrel-Aged Russian Imperial Stout, 12.5%
Reported IBUs: 84

Tonight's beer is part of the increasingly interesting Midwest portfolio of stellar BA stouts. I've been sleeping on this one for a few years, but the word really needs to get out. About Destihl: 

Destihl is a brewery (Bloomington) and brewpub (Normal, IL & Champaign, IL) based out of the Midwest. Specifically, the middle of Illinois in the middle of the United States. Daaaa midwest. The brewery was founded by CEO & Brewmaster, Matt Potts, in 2007. Like many brewery founders, Potts started out as a homebrewer, and would eventually trade his law school education and law practice for those sweet barley suds. Destihl currently brews a myriad of regular and barrel-aged beers, including an increasing portfolio of tasty sour brews. For more info, check out their website. 

So Dosvidanya is Distihl's big barrel-aged Russian Imperial Stout. It is clearly inspired by beers like Bourbon County Brand Stout, but has its own unique flavor profile. The Dosvidanya Rye is another wrinkle to the Dosvidanya lineup, featuring 2-row malt, chocolate malt, roasted barley, wheat, black malt, caramel malt 120, munich malt, victory malt, extra special malt, rice hulls, and of course rye whiskey barrels.

Destihl Dosvidanya Rye 2017

The appearance of this beer is dark, and it manages to produce Stormy Daniels amount of head. There's a fair amount of lacing, and I'm not just talking about her outfit. The legs are abundant, but what really works here is the beer's gentle demeanor. From the onset the bottle art conveys a sweet gentle tone, but lurking beneath is a brutalist concrete interior, hardened mentality, and cutthroat soldier. You have to be tough as nails to handle all four and a half eight inches of el presidente. Or whatever. 

I would say this is one of the more aromatically interesting stouts I've had in a while. The nose conveys rye, dark cherry notes, fudge, oak, chocolate, nice layers of wood, and some hints of coffee. Missing from the nose is overt raisin and whiskey tones, which you often find in these stouts. It's a welcomed change of pace.

The taste is a complex fusion of rye whiskey barrel, cherry-fudge, chocolate dipped cherries, layers of wood, almost-cherry-skin without any hint of sour, chocolate-forward coffee without any artificial or adjunct chocolate notes, gentle alcohol kisses, and a lot of complex caramel notes. It's a very constrained and mature interpretation of the style.

My untappy notes say: "Next best deviant after the og. Tons of chocolate, rye, coffee, licorice, vanilla, macaroon, wood, spice. 3d and complex like anal." I of course penned that slightly tipsy at Dosvidanya day. But to give credit to myself, I think that is mostly fair. I'm not getting quite as much vanilla or macaroon at the moment, but the licorice is a natural comp to the big cherry notes in this beer. This is full-bodied, complex stuff. It has good depth, complexity, and structure. The way this lingers on your palate reminds me of Deschutes' The Abyss. It kind of has a bitter, cherry-forward, caramel-driven finish with hints of rye. It doesn't finish overly sweet, and it leans away from the barrel/spirit sweetness and instead favors complexity and flavor. Again, this is a very mature stout. I'd say up front I'm getting chocolate, black cherries, chocolate-cherry-coffee; the mids drop rye and licorice and the viscosity picks up; the back end starts with aggressive layers of wood and barrel, and fade into lingering rye and cherries and caramel and dryness. 

Look...before I drop the score...this is riding the line between a strong above-average and light divine brew for me. I think there are a lot of amazing barrel-aged stouts presently available, and I would not hesitate to recommend this beer. BUT BUT BUT what makes this beer ESPECIALLY INTERESTING is the presence of the almost-jammy-but-not-at-all-sour fruity cherry notes. It's just a super unique, uncommon flavor not present in 99% of barrel-aged stouts. And that not only counts for something, but it makes this variant especially unique and interesting. I've emphasized on this blog before how I think review scores are basically bullshit and that people need to move in the direction of nuance with beer. There is nothing I've tasted quite like the Dosvidanya Rye 2017. It's almost flirting with something like Goose Island's Backyard Rye, only way more complex. And I really dig that. I'm curious to see how this ages, but as it stands on this present date: 

Rating: LIGHT LIGHT Divine Brew (4.5/5.0 Untappd) 

Random Thought: Destihl has figured out the stout game, but they are really lagging behind with cool glassware. As I am aware, there is no Dosvidanya glassware. And that is ridiculous considering they have made 'Dosvidanya Day' an event. ISO: kick ass Dosvidanya glassware.

Pipeworks The Money (CA$H 4 Golden Ale aged in Elijah Craig 12 year old Bourbon Barrels)

Brewed By: Pipeworks Brewing in Chicago, IL  

Purchased: 22oz bottle (Batch #473/474) bought at West Lakeview Liquors in Chicago, IL; 2015 (bottled 08.??.2014)

Style/ABV: Belgian Golden Strong Ale, 13.0%
Reported IBUs: ?

It's not Pipeworks Thursday™ but who gives a shit. Way back when I reviewed that CA$H Money, and the Elijah Craig 12 Year is delicious. So how about "Our "Ca$h 4 Golden Ale" aged in Elijah Craig 12 year old Bourbon Barrels." Oh yes please. 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.

Pipeworks The Money

This pours into a golden/honey-colored body, kicking up a finger of restrained, white head. This looks like a Belgian Ale that has been through the bourbon ringer. It is slightly hazy but still really well-carbed. Even Snoop was like dayummm. BJCP - bongs, jello, cash, paninis. 

Let's not pretend Allagash and the Bruery haven't done this already, but this mashes pineapples and white saffron and wheat-apples and grapes (you know, that Strong Ale base) with oak, vanilla, a pound of white sugar, bourbon spice, cinnamon, and some light barrel. It has that Belgian nose, and smells like any Tripel or what-have-you crammed into a barrel. 

Oh dayum, son. This is straight up fantastic, bringing tons of bourbon flavor to the fold with big vanilla, maple syrup, cinnamon/brown sugar, and then tons of apples, saffron, grapes, tannic and grainy gooseberries, overripe bananas, juicy stone fruits, and appreciable pineapple. This lays on some nice bitterness, and while this is super sweet it feels mature. This is going to be an inherently sweet beer, as are White Oak and any other similar offering. 

This is sneaky like a Golden Strong/Tripel, and you don't taste any of the 13%. The only suggestion of alcohol comes from the saccharine assault and bourbon character. This is full-bodied, big, boozy, and has good duration for the style. Palate depth is good, complexity is middle-of-the-road (but pretty good for this style). This beer is my jam. This style is my jam. You get an explosion of tropical fruits, saffron, apples, and grapes up front; that rolls into more pineapple, apple, saffron, bourbon, some spice; the back end drops a little alcohol, oak, barrel, and finishes nicely for something as big and sweet as this. I like this a lot. 

Rating: Above-Average (4.5/5.0 Untappd)

I'm feeling a Strong Above-Average on this beer. I'm so proud of Pipeworks, growing up to be on the same level as breweries like Allagash or The Bruery. Okay, I'm not not 100% serious. That would be the overstatement of the year if I was. Shoving any beer into an Elijah Craig 12 Year barrel is like using Citra hops or a drone strike. It's cheating. Anyway, this is good stuff and my only regret is it doesn't have the production of something like a White Oak. I wouldn't go food crazy with this beer...sip on it, enjoy.

Random Thought: I really wish I knew anything about bourbon and/or whiskey but I don't. I also don't have the money or cache to hunt down elusive bourbon whales. Thus, my thoughts on bourbon are shit just like this blog. If you are reading this, have all my apologies. 

Goose Island Bourbon County Brand Stout Vanilla Rye (2014)

Brewed By: Goose Island Beer Company in Chicago, Illinois

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

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

Reported IBUs: 35

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

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

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

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

Goose Island Bourbon County Brand Stout Vanilla Rye (2014)

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

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

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

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

Rating: Divine Brew (5.0/5.0 Untappd)

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

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

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

Jackie O's Pub & Brewery Hop Ryot

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

Purchased: 12oz CAN from a 6-pack bought at And Beer in Athens, Ohio; 2014 

Style/ABV: Rye IPA, 6.5%

Reported IBUs: ?

When in Rome, Part 2...about Jackie O's Pub & Brewery:

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

The Hop Ryot is a Rye IPA that utilizes rye malts and Simcoe hops. Like the Mystic Mama, this pours into a golden-orange body that is hazy and unfiltered. Unlike the Mystic Mama, this produces two fingers of dense, long-lasting, creamy whipped head. The head is probably the result of the rye malts, and is leaving tons of lacing. 

Jackie O's Pub & Brewery Hop Ryot

On the aroma: big rye spice, orange, rye bread, rye crackers, and tons of rye. This really nails the rye in the aroma, and the faint orange hops that are riding underneath make you want to take a sip...yum.

This follows through in the taste, delivering on everything you got in the aroma. Right away you get blasted with big orange and some grapefruit, and then the beer lays out rye spice, rye bread, rye cracker, and tons of rye and orange. It's pretty much typical of the style, with incredible balance and super clean and on point hops. 

This beer is so simple and refined it is criminal. The balance between the rye and the citrus hops is perfection, the palate depth is perfect, and yeah. There's little to complain about here, as this delivers a crisp and carbonated medium-light finish across your tongue, with good bitterness and nice rye spice to boot. The alcohol is even spot on, with a hint of booze but no heat. The only hesitation is that this isn't particularly complex or mind-blowing...it just kind of hits you with orange and grapefruit up front; drops some nice rye spice in the mids; and drops some more rye spice, rye bread, cracker, and lingering bitter hops in the back. The finish is dry and leaves you wanting another sip, but I wonder if this beer will stand out in my mind in a few years down the road. I guess only time will tell. 

Rating: Average (3.5/5.0 Untappd)

I'm feeling a Decent Average on this. This is teetering between Average and Above-Average, as I really do like the balance that Jackie O's has struck between the rye malts and the hops in the beer. This beer would be awesome to pair with a pretzel bun burger with mustard, or German food. And really, being a refined and well-crafted beer is high praise. This might just be something to keep in your fridge year-round, especially if you live in Ohio. 

Random Thought: Jackie O-yeah, we got more of these coming down the pipeline. 

Against the Grain Kentucky Ryed Chiquen

Brewed By: Against the Grain Brewery (and Smokehouse) in Louisville, Kentucky   

Purchased: 750ml (1 pint 9.4oz) bottle bought at Friar Tuck in Urbana, IL; 2014 

Style/ABV: Rye Beer, 8.6%

Reported IBUs: 27.4

When life gives you lemons, buy that tarred and feathered beer...seriously, this bottle is obnoxious! I've seen waxed beers, I've seen foiled beers, but I haven't seen a beer that is tarred and feathered. About Against the Grain Brewing: 

The Against the Grain Brewery and Smokehouse is a brewery (and smokehouse) that was founded back in October 2011. The brewery is located in the southeast corner of Louisville Slugger Field at the corner of Jackson and Main Street, in Kentucky, and is run by four dudes who are cooler than you. For more information, check them out on Facebook or check out their website. 

Tonight's beer, the Kentucky Ryed Chiquen, is a "rye beer aged in rye whiskey barrels." The bottle reads: "Cluck Cluck. The Chiquen has come home to roost! You asked for anything but chicken...so here you go! An original rye amber ale recipe aged in rye whiskey barrels hatched right here in Kentucky! Kentucky Ryed Chiquen is malty and mellow, but has quite the barrel-aged bite." This one is described as an amber ale brewed with rye malt. And, of course, the rye whiskey barrels. This features Marris Otter malts, rye malts, caramel rye malts from Germany, and English Nugget and Kent Goldings hops. The barrel used here is a Redemption Rye barrel from Strong's Spirits. Let's see what we got...

Against the Grain Kentucky Ryed Chiquen

This pours into a really nice, two-tone, amber-orange body, with some nice rounded brown and orange tones. I got a couple of fingers of caramel-tinted head, and there is nice lacing and head retention at work here. This also appears to be appropriately carbonated. The feathered bottle wasn't too hard to work with either...no harder than wax, and less annoying than glued on wax.

On the aroma: a lot of funky sweetness. I'm getting the wood and barrel, which is reminiscent of oak...but I'm also getting a funky note that reminds me of Brett. I wonder if this was infected, intentional or otherwise. If this was infected, I doubt it will be to the beer's detriment...but we will see. I'm also getting a lot of nutty notes on the aroma, with some caramel, and some weird pineapple sweetness. Again...Brett? This smells big...let's see how it tastes. 

Yup...dat Brett infection. Again, the Brett actually works with the barrel and the whiskey, and provides some funky balance to the malt sweetness and gentle oak/wood notes I am getting in the back. It reminds me of something from the Prairie wheelhouse, with Brett notes that play off the oak and also drop some fruity hints. I'm getting pear, pineapple, caramel, oak, wood, nice gentle barrel, sweet toasted grains and coconut, and some hints of cane sugar. There are some complex shades of darker sugars in here, and lots of grain/coconut. The rye notes in here mostly come across with the grain and the barrel....I'm not really getting a ton of rye in here. In that regard, this beer fails to deliver. But it's still pretty damn tasty...

I'm really conflicted, because I think this is good and laid back...it actually reminds me of a nice Belgian Ale, or something like Orval...only with a tropical island vibe. This is medium-light bodied with good levels of carbonation. Things move along smoothly here, and you would never guess this is 8.6%. The Brett probably helped clean up some of the residual sweetness...notably absent here is the big rye spice, but you do get some rye barrel, and you do get some nice wood/oak/barrel notes. The whiskey in here is a faint afterthought, but that's not problem. This has good depth and complexity. Up front: caramel sweetness, some hops, pineapple, fruit, Brett; the mids roll into really nice grain, coconut, oak, caramel sugars, wood, barrel, faint rye, and some oak/Brett funk; the finish mellows out into really nice grain/coconut/wood/oak/Brett, with lingering caramel and whiskey sweetness...and then fade to dry. Just...really laid back and nice.

Rating: Above-Average (3.5/5.0 Untappd)

I'm feeling a Light Above-Average on this. I really like this, despite the fact that it doesn't quite deliver on its promise of rye. Okay...so maybe that's a deal breaker for other people. I'm an opportunistic beer drinker. I love the fact that this was infected by Brett. I think the Brett + Barrel + base beer here = winner winner, chicken dinner. That's where your chicken is. So whether this is an accidental success or not...it's a good beer. Fruity, malty sweet, and mild barrel/spirit character make this both palatable and easy going. I want this on my tropical island to pair with some mango salsa chicken, or my sweet barbecue ribs. I think this would go great with a nice pork dish. Maybe even spam. Yum.

Random Thought: I <3 ATG

Sierra Nevada's Beer Camp 2014: CANfusion Rye Bock (brewed with Oskar Blues Brewery in Longmont, Colorado/Brevard, North Carolina)

Brewed By: Sierra Nevada Brewing Company in Chico, California 
Purchased: Single 12oz CAN from the 2014 Beer Camp bought at Jewel-Osco in Chicago, IL; 2014 (PKG 05/03/14)
Style/ABV: Rye Bock, 7.2%

Reported IBUs: 45

What is Beer Camp? It is Sierra Nevada's celebration of craft beer and the numerous breweries across America that make that craft beer. For 2014, Sierra Nevada collaborated with 12 different breweries to make 12 different beers. They also have a Beer Camp Across America Beer Festival, which will stop at seven different cities and feature many different breweries and beers.

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.

The CANfusion Rye Bock is a beer brewed with Oskar Blues Brewery. Do you like to get it in the can? My can reads: "Brewed in collaboration with Oskar Blues, the pioneers of great craft beer in a can, this partnership was a perfect fit - we're mutual members of the canned craft club and North Carolina neighbors. A dry hop rye bock, CANfusion blends features from across the brewing spectrum: spicy rye, tangy wheat and bright citrus-like hops. The complex malt body launches a peppery blast that's balanced by the fruity and floral Australian Ella hop varietal. CANfusion is a true synergy of friends and flavors." 

CANfusion Rye Bock - that's how I roll

This one pours an absolutely drop-dead gorgeous orange color, with two to three fingers of orange-tinged head. The head is hop-fueled, and leaves nice lacing. The body is a hazy orange color, with medium carbonation. The head settles into a nice cauldron effect. 

The aroma here features big tangerine, citrus spice, orange spice, rye, perfumed apricot, caramel, and intense fruity sweetness. There's also big passion fruit, papaya, mango, and tropical fruit. 

The taste here features big caramel sweetness, tropical fruits, and rye. The blast of tropical fruits goes from berries and passion fruit to caramel and Bock-malt sweetness with raisin and apple notes. Nice rye spice comes along for the ride. There's a big range of fruit notes and malt/caramel fruits: cherries, apples, orange, tropical fruits....it's complex. As this warms boozy and bready rye notes come out.

This is medium-bodied and malt driven, with a nice hoppy balance. You do get some booze here, but it's not a bad thing. Good palate depth and crazy divine complexity drives this beer. I would totally buy more of this. Up front: tropical fruits, passion fruit, rye; that rolls into apples, caramel sguars, Bock sweetness; the back end has trailing hops and sugars with fantastic coating on the palate. Wildly complex...truly original.

Rating: Above-Average (4.5/5.0 Untappd)

I'm feeling a Light Above-Average on this...almost leaning towards that divine brew. Wow, this is just an interesting hybrid beer that is uber complex. The sweeter hop notes in here would pair with lighter spicy foods, maybe a nice shrimp or fish taco. 

Random Thought: I really like the boom in craft canned beers. 

Two Brothers 17th Anniversary Rye Ale

Brewed By: Two Brothers Brewing Company in Warrenville, Illinois

Purchased: 22oz bomber bought at Andersonville Wine & Spirits in Chicago, Illinois; 2014

Style/ABV: Rye Beer/Ale, 8.5%
Reported IBUs: 65

Another year...another anniversary. It was a little over a year ago that I reviewed the Two Brothers 16th Anniversary Ale. Last year's beer was just okay, and frankly, it kind of set the tone for the year that Two Brothers had. I'm hoping that tonight's beer is a bit more interesting. We'll see, right? About Two Brothers:

Two Brothers are based out of Warrenville, Illinois, a town not far from Chicago. Two brothers was founded in 1996 by brother Jason and Jim Ebel. Their brewery and Tap House Restaurant are both located in Warrenville. Their distribution and production seems to be increasing with each year, and along with their beer you can buy home brewing equipment and supplies at the Tap House Restaurant. If you get the chance, swing by and check out their Roundhouse. It's an awesome joint, and needs all the love it can get. For more information, check out their about page/website.

This Rye Ale is brewed with Thai Basil and Milk Sugar. Punching in at 8.5% and 65 IBUs, the back of the bottle reads:

"Anniversaries cause us to pause for reflection and this year we are especially proud to have helped shape an industry that brings people enjoyment through flavor and good times. Every day we look forward to creating new beers and being a part of an ever growing community of brewers.

Our 17th Anniversary Rye Beer has been aged in oak barrels to lend complex flavors of vanilla and spirits. We added lactose sugar to soften the palette and finished the beer with fresh, sweet Thai basil to give a bold floral zest to the aroma. We're glad to have had you along for this great seventeen year ride. There is plenty more to come!"

You read that right, by the way. This one is oak-barrel aged. Yum. I'm curious to see how this stands up to one of my favorite beers ever, the Two Brothers Cane and Ebel. 

Two Brothers 17th Anniversary Rye Ale

This one pours out with a lot of rapidly-forming head. It's almost as heady as Duvel or something infected (knock on wood that this is not that). The head is thick like root beer floats -- think the topping when you pour soda over ice cream. It looks like it too, with tan/gray tones. The body of the beer is murky brown in low light, and when held to a bright light the body takes on a reddish-amber/auburn color. There's mid-sized carbonation bubbling away as well. Head retention is impressive, and so is the lacing.

I don't even know what I'm smelling on the aroma....I'm getting rye, basil, juniper, watermelon (wut), melon, melon seeds, fruity salad notes, and a weird spicy funk. There's like a curry note in here....and then lemon balls. Or lemon/lime candy. It's that Asian guava candy, which I've made reference to before in another beer which I can't recall. Lastly...I'm getting some wood on the aroma, but no oak. 

Ah, you do get some oak on the taste. That's refreshing, to say the least. This is surprisingly complex, albeit incredibly subtle. That subtle thing was the reason that The More The Merrier was shit on by reviewers, despite being a solid beer. Anyway, I'm getting a lot here. There's some nice oak, vanilla, woody barrel, rye spice, rye, basil (big, big basil), fruity sweetness, guava, melon, watermelon, fruit salad, fruit seeds, light tartness, and some big bitterness that takes over towards the back. As the bitterness hammers your palate you're left with some nuttiness, medium roasted grains, and lingering coconut. To say this beer is complex is an understatement.

This is my kind of beer. This is a sipper with a lot of stuff going on. I actually really like this...and I think this is a big improvement over the unnecessarily boozy 16th Anniversary Ale. This is a medium-bodied beer with plenty of carbonation, and the beer is nicely attenuated with a shift towards bitter and dry on the back. Palate depth is outstanding with long duration, and the complexity is something to admire and think about. Like seriously...what is going on here. Up front is a tart blast of melon, watermelon, fruit seeds, fruit salad, basil, big spice, rye spice, sweet rye, sugar; the mids roll into some of that oak, with woody tannin showing up to fuck shit up, with more rye spice and basil; the back end features growing bitterness against nutty and sweet malts, and then the malts turn grainy with coconut and dryness. This is just...lovely stuff. 

Rating: Divine Brew (4.5/5.0 Untappd)

Ughhhh...this a Light Light Divine Brew. I'm so hesitant to elevate this to that status, because honestly, I don't even know what the fuck I have here. Is this a Rye Beer? Is it a Specialty Ale? Who cares, really. Honestly, I would have never expected Two Brothers of all breweries to roll out a Rye-Basil-Milk Sugar beer aged in oak barrels. That takes a brazen approach to brewing. This beer is a crap-shoot, but the end result is fantastically complex and big and bold. I will pick up another bottle of this if I see it on shelves. I'm about to pair this with some moo shu beef taco things, but I suspect this complex brew would pair well with delicate meats like duck, peppery chicken or turkey, and maybe even something as simple as a rye bread sandwich. I don't know for sure, but I am enjoying this.

Random Thought: The glassware was completely coincidental, but that bottle cap/glass combo. Dayum. Also, this beer is really good. It would be a shame if they never brew it again.

Pipeworks Reaper vs Unicorn Ryewine

Brewed By: Pipeworks Brewing in Chicago, IL  

Purchased: 22oz bottle (Batch #221/222/223) bought at Binny's in IL; 2013 (bottled 10.[7/8/9].13)

Style/ABV: Ryewine/Barleywine, 10.0%
Reported IBUs: ?

In this week's Unofficial Pipeworks Thursday™ we are looking at the Reaper vs. the Unicorn. I'm not sure who to root for this time around, but my hunch is the unicorn. 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 Reaper vs Unicorn is a Ryewine/Barleywine thing. The bottle reads:

"The unicorn may have finally met its match in Death Incarnate. But hold your horned horses, because the unicorn lives to rye another day! What a sickle joke! But, we aren't tricking you, this barleywine is a real treat, with a rich malt skeleton and a more than paranormal amount of hops. If you're going to harvest soul-y one beer this season, don't fear the Reaper..."

Pipeworks Reaper vs Unicorn Ryewine

The beer pours like an Imperial Red Ale, which makes a lot of sense if you've had the Sam vs Unicorn or Santa vs Unicorn. Barleywine? More like an Imperial Red. In lower light, this beer's body is a dark red/muddy brown color, and kicks up two to three fingers of super dense, bready, caramel-amber head. The beer dons a juicy, murky, reddish-orange body in bright light. The head is all caramel/amber, with hints of orange. It's an Imperial Red! There's tons of sticky lacing on this, and some glossy legs.

I'm getting big resinous pine, resinous citrus, and woody resin. There's a lot of rye spice on the aroma as well, with some bready rye, rye bread, and lots of peppery rye. There's some caramel as well. The nose is super hoppy, but it's resinous hops...resinous grapefruit, citrus, and orange.

This reminds me more of the Santa vs Unicorn than the Sam vs Unicorn. For whatever reason, this one doesn't have any assertive carbonation helping things along (which is weird because the beer still has a big, lively head and lacing). The malt is blunted here, and there's a lot of it. You get big rye, caramel, and sweet malt sugars (brown sugar?). There's a lot of rye spice in the mix, and lots of resinous hops. I'm getting resinous/woody pine, citrus, grapefruit rind, and tangerines. There's some peppery-rye-booze on the finish.

The lack of carbonation doesn't hurt the drinkability here, even at 10.0%. But I find myself pining for it a bit. This is a medium-full to full-bodied beer, with lots of sweet malt body and tons of resinous hops. Palate depth is okay, and complexity is also okay. You get lots of sweet, rye-forward malt up front; that rolls into big resinous/woody hops; the back end features peppery spice and some booze. 

Rating: Average (3.0/5.0 Untappd)

I'm feeling a Light Average here. I don't know if this beer was intentionally supposed to feature this little carbonation, or if it didn't attenuate far enough, or the conditioning didn't go right. Who knows. Either way, this isn't a bad libation. You get lots of the Rye and malt sweetness. It drinks like an Imperial Red Ale. I would pair this beer with a burger, wings, or other aggressive American foods. You could pair this with anything spicy as well. This one was okay, the Sam vs Unicorn was much better.

Random Thought: TGIF, bitches! 

Pipeworks Pineapple Bling

Brewed By: Pipeworks Brewing in Chicago, IL  

Purchased: 750ml bottle (Batch #200) bought at Binny's in IL; 2013 (bottled 9.9.13)

Style/ABV: Belgian Golden Strong Ale, 10.5%
Reported IBUs: ?

For this weeks Unofficial Pipeworks Thursday™, we are rolling all gangsta. Tonight's beer is a riff on the CA$H 4 Golden Ale, with the addition of...pineapples and lime juice! We'll see how that works 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.

I always wondered, and maybe some famous rapper who stumbles upon this shitty blog can help me out...do you pour the champagne on the titties before or after you skeet on them? I feel like you would pour the champagne on before, right? Because afterwards, it just gets messy. But then again, maybe champagne has awesome skeet-removing properties. Either way...the back of the bottle reads:

"AU! Pawn yo chains, grillz, and candy coated helicopters, but hold onto your Pineapple Bling, 'cus it's always in Belgian style. This ain't a fool's golden ale, but a glittering brew sportin a pilsner malt base booted up with rye, german and northwest hops. The yeast is the number one stunna, struttin tropical fruit notes and a tart dry finish complimented by pineapple and lime juices. This ale is worth it's weight in gold..en ale."

Pipeworks Pineapple Bling

The beer pours into a really sexy, golden-yellow body with a finger of hazy, white head. The body is hazy and well-carbonated, and the head settles into a sea foam coating. In bright light, the beer is pretty much yellow. This beer may be the purest representation of yellow I've seen in a beer. There's a ton of carbonation in this, with tiny streams of bubbles rising upwards. Head retention is solid, and there is some lacing and legs.

I'm getting vanilla, clove, and juicy citrus on the nose. I'm also getting big cakey notes, and sugary vanilla cake sweetness. In addition to the vanilla and cakey sweetness, you get A TON of coconut on the nose. Vanilla coconut cake, eat your heart out. 

This tastes much like the CA$H 4 Golden Ale, only a bit less dense...I'm picking up on some pineapple/lime juice, but it's very subtle. Otherwise, the beer brings lots of dense malt sweetness to the forefront, with cakey density and clove juxtaposed with citrus/pineapple/lime, and lots of coconut and vanilla. This is still lighter and more refreshing this time around, which is probably courtesy of the juice....but maybe the recipe was tweaked too.

Despite the cakey sweetness and malt density, this beer is a bit more grounded than the CA$H 4 Golden Ale. This beer is on the higher end of medium-full bodied, but it has good drinkability (especially at 10.5%) thanks to tons of carbonation, and lots of citrus juice. Speaking of citrus juice, as I work through this, I'm picking up more and more of the lime/pineapple juice. Palate depth is outstanding, but the complexity is low. Up front is Pilsner malt, cakey density, vanilla, clove, coconut; that rolls into big clove, coconut cake, and citrus/lime/pineapple juice; the back end is trailing pineapple juice and lime, with a dry, Pilsner-esque finish. 

Rating: Above-Average (3.5/5.0 Untappd)

I'll go a Light Above-Average here. This is a big improvement over the CA$H 4 Golden Ale, and this beer is very drinkable. The big coconut/vanilla works perfectly with the pineapple/lime, and this beer has a real summer and tropical vibe. I would pair this beer with a Hawaiian style burger or chicken sandwich, or some tacos. You could also stack this up with some strong cheese, meats, and your usual Belgian Ale food pairings. Solid stuff, and a big improvement over the base beer.

Random Thought: I'm ready for the weekend, and hopefully some football redemption. 

Pipeworks CA$H 4 Golden Ale

Brewed By: Pipeworks Brewing in Chicago, IL  

Purchased: 750ml bottle (Batch #132) bought at Binny's in IL; 2013  (bottled 5/8/2013)

Style/ABV: Belgian Golden Strong Ale, 10.0% 
Reported IBUs: ?

Heyyyy, it's Unofficial Pipeworks Thursday™. That means good times ahead, I hope. Actually, I am confidently optimistic tonight, as the Denver Mannings beat the defending Super Bowl champs. The real question is why is John Fox even coaching? We all know what's actually going on. If you're a Denver fan you have a lot to look forward to...just hope they don't botch basic coaching decisions in the Playoffs like they did last year. Anyway, 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.

Finally Pipeworks brews a beer that understands me. At first I thought this beer was a clever play on the shitty Cash4Gold commercials that plagued Midwest radio and late night TV for the past few years, but this beer is clearly gangsta like Snoop Lion. I wish I wasn't pimping so hard, but sometimes slapping bitches is more important than drinking beer. Imagine where I'd be if I could catch a break. The back of the bottle isn't quite as gangsta as Snoop, but some egregious grammar errors do boost street credit: 

Gangsta

"Pipeworks is bringing the bling with Cash 4 Golden Ale. This Belgian inspired ale aint frontin, with it's Pilsner malt base and hint of rye. Czech Saaz, German Tettnanger, and a blend of Pacific Northwest hops are stuntin. But the number one stunna here is the Belgian yeast, stepping with notes of pineapple, tropical fruit and a dry tart finish. We think this beer is the shiznit. Real talk!"

Let me get my gat glass. This is probably my favorite style of beer, and I'm happy to report that this beer is true to the style in appearance. The beer pours into a super hazy, lemon-yellow/straw color, and kicks up tons of fluffy, wispy  white head. The head is thick and sustaining, and in bright light you can see streams of carbonation violently erupting upwards. This beer would make Duvel blush. The beer looks much the same in bright light, with a hazy straw/yellow body, a rocky white head, nice lacing, and some yeast suspended in the body. 

Pipeworks CA$H 4 Golden Ale

The aroma features tons of tropical fruits, with big pineapple, peach, some mango and papaya, and hints of coconut. You get mad tropical vibes off this, and this smells like something that would go well with Summer. I'm getting some lemon zest on the nose as well, along with a hint of peppery spice. There's a touch of white cake/bread/biscuit/Pils malt in the mix as well. Big peaches.

Hmmm...so curb your expectations, because this isn't Duvel. At 10.0%, this beer REALLY dials up the malts, and there's big hop/Pils bitterness to round things out. This is dense and sticky even, but I'm not finding it difficult to drink. Still, I wonder if the intention was to make something a bit more attenuated? We'll never know. HAVING SAID ALL THAT, this is pretty good. You get bready malts up front: I'm getting white cake, vanilla, vanilla wafer  and creamy bananas. There's some peppery spice in the mix, with some pepper/rye. And there is some nice fruitiness that shows up as you get pineapple, lemon zest bitterness, and tropical fruits. I'm getting egg whites and sugar on the finish, Pils malt dryness, and some hop bitterness. There's also a dash of booze in this.

For a Belgian Golden Strong, this is dense and full-bodied in terms of mouthfeel. There is creamy, supportive carbonation, but I would still describe this beer as "cakey with a slightly bitter and dry finish." Palate depth is good, complexity is alright. At 10.0% you get a bit of booze, but this rides the line between being drinkable and being a total fucking nightmare. You get bready, Pils-driven malt sweetness up front, with cake, bananas, and creamy vanilla; that rolls into tropical fruits, spice, some clove, more Pils malt, and some bitter dryness; the back end is lingering bitter dryness, dry Pils malt, and some heat. This is a heavy-handed beer, but it just gets by without being obnoxious.

Rating: Average (3.0/5.0 Untappd)

I'm feeling a Strong Average on this. This beer isn't really true to the Golden Strong Ale style, but it never claimed to be. Regardless, this is a heavy-handed beer that is drinkable and enjoyable, but rides the line between being a cloying mess. If they took this up one more notch it wouldn't work. But what you have here right now is a dense, cakey beer, with some good malt complexity and nice supporting hops. This has cakey, tropical fruit vibes...and would pair well with a mango or papaya sauce, coconut, coconut curry, wings, Caribbean jerk, or anything with a spicy, tropical twist. This one is worth checking out if you are a Pipeworks fan, but this is low-priority stuff as far as Belgian Golden Strong Ales are concerned. 

Random Thought: I am so excited for Sunday. I will be watching 12 hours of football, and it will be awesome. There will be beer.