Barley Island’s Brass Knuckles Oatmeal Stout gets good ink in the Chicago Tribune. “Among several winners, my favorite came from Barley Island Brewing Co., a small brewery in Noblesville, Ind., that distributes in just two states beyond its home turf: Illinois and Kentucky. Barley Island's Brass Knuckles Oatmeal Stout offers a fantastically roasted coffee-chocolate body with a mild creaminess from its oats. At 4.9 percent alcohol, it is deeply sessionable.”
Tastes:
- Broad Ripple Brewpub Apple Chucker – The menu says “Midwest heirloom apple juice was added during the boiling of this amber ale. The cider imparts a tartness that blends beautifullyu with the Crystal Malt’s sweetness. ABV 5.5%”. Apple is indistinct. Sort of a slightly fruity Mild or Southern Brown. Solid. Will be a hit.
- Rock Bottom, 86th St, Indy Old Curmudgeon – Double (or a bit less) IPA with Chinook and Amarillo hops. 7.7% ABV. With three weeks of aging, it has a floral orangey aroma and corresponding tastes. Very smooth-edged and drinkable, especially for such a big beer.
- RB 86th Seasonal Stout – An Imperial Stout at 7.6%. Small persistent tan head. Order early to let it warm up. Bittersweet chocolate and graininess from big malt bill.
- Rock Bottom, Downtown Indy, Old Curmudgeon – Imperial Red (maybe). Like Jerry says, “It's a strong ale that is red and ridiculously hopped!”. ABV in the 7s. Amarillo and
Atomiumhops. Way more drinkable than most Double Reds. (er, make that Ahtanum. Thanks. Glad someone reads this) - RBDI Naughty Scot – When this was released on Nov 11th we said “Creamy yet with a lightness. Seems like a cross between a Scottish and a Porter rather than a gigantic Scotch Ale. Malt trumps hops. Warms to give a stronger, almost Barley Wine, quality. 8.9%. A+”
After a month’s more aging it’s turned into almost an Old Ale. Dark brown but still easily see-thru. Little aroma. Hits directly on the tongue with punches of alcohol, malt, whisky, malt, blue fruits, and malt. Bitter finish on back of tongue while the front of the tongue still has a drying old aleness. Still A+ - Upland Dantilon – Nose is pure lambic yeast. So is the taste. This style doesn’t really allow for other, say fruit, flavors.
- Upland Strawberry Lambic – No red in color. Very sour on the cheeks. Quickly goes from a strawberry sweetness to a big lambic sour to lingering lambicness. Nice. Representative of Upland’s offerings.
- Three Floyds / Dogfish Head Poppaskull – Bright yellow with a creamy thin head. Funk in nose and Belgian in taste. A+ for complexity.
- New Holland Brewing Imperial Hatter IPA – Bold, raisiny. Sweet trumps bitter in the end. Still, easy drinking.
- New Holland Barrel Aged Dragons Milk – Smooth, nay, silky. Melt-in-your-mouth type of silky. A sweet stout with side notes of oak and vanilla. A+
Jason has a large article in Indy’s Metromix about the Tomlinson Tap Room and the 8 new brewpubs.
If you live in Michiana you need to be reading Eric Strader’s Beer Nuts blog in the Elkhart Truth. This week he looked at where to find Bell's Batch 10,000 on tap.
If you live further west, you need to be reading Scot Bort’s All Hopped Up column in the Post Trib. This week he has a video about Crown Brewing’s Grand Poobah Russian Imperial Stout – both the new batch and the earlier batch that was aged in a Woodford Reserve barrel for 8 months. Next month a wood-aged blond dopplebock.
http://blogs.post-trib.com/bort/2010/12/cb-grand-poobah.html
Draft Magazine’s 12 breweries to watch in 2011 includes Sun King.
Upland’s Winter Warmer Barleywine is back on the shelves. 8.5%. Schwarz Black Lager is due out in January.
New Holland’s Brewers’ Whiskey is available in bottles (in Michigan). Made with beer wash. article
CNBC takes 2 minutes to show The Art of Scotch Tasting.
The famed Brickskeller pub in Washington DC is going to close on December 18th.
1 comment:
Atomium hops? Is that radioactive Ahtanum??
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