The Beer of the Week

As a former law student on both a budget and a diet, I decided to indulge once a week in my love for craft beer.  The result was a weekly ritual involving an in depth look into the specific beer I chose.  While no longer on a budget, occasionally on a diet, and having grown so fond of the weekly ritual, I have kept it going!  The following are my picks for The Beer of The Week.  I urge you to go out and support craft beer, both locally, nationally, and internationally.  Most importantly, find that time during the week to sit, relax, and indulge!  Cheers!

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Beer of the Week 256 - 8/8/2018: FiftyFifty Imperial Eclipse Stout - Joseph Magnus (Vintage 2017)

Another week, another FiftyFifty Eclipse variant.  This time, FiftyFifty used Joseph Magnus bourbon barrels.  Considering I was not familiar with this brand of bourbon, it was refreshing to see FiftyFifty using brands that were newer to the bourbon world (as they were re-established in 2015 after originally being established in 1892).  

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Beer of the Week 255 - 8/1/2018: FiftyFifty Brewing Imperial Eclipse Stout - Evan Williams Bourbon (Vintage 2017)

It’s been nice to see these more readily available on the East Coast.  Since BOTW 173′s use of Four Roses Bourbon Barrels, I’ve been trying to snatch up as many of these as I can.  This iteration utilized the same base beer, but was aged in Evan Williams Bourbon barrels.

Next week, I will be highlighting another Eclipse variant using barrels from another brand of bourbon.

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Beer of the Week 254 - 7/25/2018: High Water Brewing West Meets East

Revisiting a brewery from San Leandro, CA, who also provided BOTW 227, and BOTW 243.  

West Meets East pays tribute to the age old harmonious relationship of the Yin and Yang.  They added fresh kiwi and kumquats, from the groves of California, to their golden ale that was aged in wine barrels for one year.  The result is a bright and flavorful juxtaposition of sour and sweet with spicy and palate refreshing qualities.

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Beer of the Week 253 - 7/18/2018: Toppling Goliath XHops - Gold

The XHops series from Toppling Goliath Brewing Company is an ever-changing collection of experimental beer.  Using constantly changing hop combinations not found in other Toppling Goliath brews, each batch marks a new chapter in their journey to create the perfect pale ale.

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Beer of the Week 252 - 7/11/2018: Oskar Blues Ten Fidy -  Bourbon Barrel Aged

Does this one look a little familiar?  Perhaps from BOTW 62?  

Aged through four seasons and from a blend of the top bourbons around, this Ten Fidy has morphed into a monster of cranked up flavor.  Espresso, burnt sugar, rich chocolate, caramel notes are now driving alongside the vanilla, oak, bourbon from the barrel and been smoothed out during maturation.  Even at 12.9% (75 IBUs) it is cool and drinkable, letting each sip add more and more complexity.

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Beer of the Week 251 - 7/4/2018: Almanac Beer Co. Nectarine Cobbler

*NOTE: As I was celebrating America so hard last week, I forgot to post this BOTW.  Week late, but never without good beer.*

Happy Independence Day!  To celebrate the occasion, I went for a beer as American as, well nectarine pie.

Nectarine Cobbler is Almanac’s version of dessert in a glass.  They started with yellow nectarines from Blossom Bluff Orchards, grown in high-summer along the banks of King’s River in California’s Central Valley.   Four pounds of juicy stone fruit was added to each gallon of sour blonde ale and aged in oak barrels.  They spiced the blend with cinnamon, ginger, coriander, and vanilla bean to recall the aroma of a freshly baked nectarine cobbler resting on the windowsill.

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Beer(s) of the Week 250 - 6/27/2018: 1) Voodoo Brewing Grande Negro Voodoo Papi aged in Bourbon Barrels; 2) Voodoo Brewing Black Magick aged in Bourbon Barrels; 3) Voodoo Brewing Зангиеф (Zangief)

250 weeks and way more than 250 beers later, we’ve reached Beer of the Week 250!  Hard to believe I reached this milestone after starting this whole Beer of the Week project back in 2010.  To celebrate this momentous occasion, I decided to crack open 3 big boys from what I consider to be the best brewery in Pennsylvania - Voodoo Brewing.  

First up is Grande Negro Voodoo Papi aged in Bourbon Barrels from Voodoo’s Barrel Room Collection.  The base beer, Grande Negro Voodoo Papi, is Voodoo’s Big Black Voodoo Daddy (see BOTW 185) brewed with local maple syrup, organic cocoa nibs, cinnamon, peppers, and Madagascar vanilla beans.  It is then aged in a particular type of barrel depending on which direction Voodoo wants the flavors of the beer to go.  This particular release, which clocks in at about 12.5% ABV, was aged in Heaven Hill Bourbon barrels, and was released in November of 2017.

Next up is Black Magick aged in Bourbon Barrels from Voodoo’s Barrel Room Collection.  The base beer is Voodoo’s much revered Back Magick (see BOTW 69 Part 2).  For the past several years, Voodoo has been aging Black Magick in various barrels and releasing it as a part of their Barrel Room Collection releases (see BOTW 200).  This batch of Black Magick saw a new barrel treatment and spent 20 months in Four Roses Bourbon barrels.  Voodoo’s big, bold Russian Imperial Stout, which is about 12% ABV, expresses rich, cohesive notes of vanilla, fudge, toasted oak and bourbon.

Last, and certainly not least, is Зангиеф (Zangief) and is a completely new beer from Voodoo.  Over 24 months ago, Voodoo’s head brewer, Curt, set out to brew the biggest, baddest stout they’ve ever put out at Voodoo.  After tinkering with a recipe for months, he finalized the grain bill and Zangief was born.  Weighing in at a hefty 14.6% ABV, this bold, thick, viscous Russian Imperial Stout spent 19 months in High West Whiskey barrels and boasts notes of roasted coffee, caramel, vanilla, baker’s chocolate, oak and bourbon.

Thanks to all the great beers and brewers out there that got me to 250!  Here’s to 250 more!

Cheers!

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Beer of the Week 249 - 6/20/2018: Troegs Impending Descent

This colossal, palate-numbing Imperial Stout is brewed with six different malt varieties to unleash a barrage of chocolate, vanilla, dark fruit and coffee on the tongue. Copious amounts of American hops impart a serious dose of grapefruit rind and pine resin, resulting in a labyrinth of complex flavors and aromas.

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Beer of the Week 248 - 6/13/2018: Dancing Gnome Lustra

Dancing Gnome is seriously killing it with its new releases lately.  This is one of them.  See also BOTW 234.

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Beer of the Week 247 - 6/6/2018: Insurrection AleWorks Maple-Bourbon  Bocctahhe

Russian Imperial Stout aged in Maple Bourbon Barrels

Points to anyone who knows Russian and can tell me what  Bocctahhe means in English!

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Beer of the Week 246 - 5/30/2018: Woodland Empire Ale Craft The Barrel Fiend Club: Plumberry 

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Beer of the Week 245 - 5/23/2018: Fat Head’s Hop Stalker

Doooooooon’t worry, I had this one fresh!

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Beer of the Week 244 - 5/16/2018: Stone Mikhail

Bourbon Barrel-Aged Russian Imperial Stout with Espresso.

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Beer of the Week 243 - 5/10/2018: High Water Brewing Central Valley Breakfast Sour

Central Valley Breakfast Sour is brewed with fresh grapefruit, pears, and lychee  from California’s Central Valley then aged in used wine barrels for one year.  It is a bright and beautiful golden sour with an abundance of fresh pressed white grapefruit juice.  The tart beginnings are rounded by the lusciousness from the pears and the delicate, exotic perfume of the lychee fruit.  A great ale to enjoy with brunch or anytime of the day.

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Beer of the Week 242 - 5/3/2018: Toppling Goliath Hopsmack!

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Beer of the Week 240 - 4/18/2018: Bell’s Black Note Stout 2017

I missed last week’s post since I was travelling.  Decided to open something harder to find for #240:

One of the most sought-after stouts in Bell’s history, Black Note Stout blends the complex aromatics of Expedition Stout with the velvety smooth texture of Double Cream Stout and ages the combination in freshly retired oak bourbon barrels for months. The resulting harmony of flavors captures the finest features of all three components: malty notes of dark chocolate, espresso & dried fruits, all buoyed by the warmth and fragrance of the bourbon barrel. 

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Beer of the Week 241 - 4/26/2018: Anchorage Brewing Co. Easy Evil

Saison brewed with 10,000 lbs of black raspberries. Anchorage brewed this special beer for the band MOS GENERATOR.