Beer!

[Ryan Ruck]

Got an email newsletter about this beer from one of the number of places I get them from and was very eager to find this when I read the description.

Sure enough, found a bottle at Jungle Jim's earlier today and just had to try it out tonight.

This one is Clown Shoes' Rexx

We like dinosaurs. We especially like Rexx, our prehistoric pal who wears clown shoes, drinks bourbon, and spends his doomed days in exile from the other Tyrannosauruses, choosing to romp with friendlier beasts. Rexx, we dedicate this Imperial Red Ale aged in Heaven Hill and Four Roses bourbon barrels to you buddy.

Poured a very dark red-brown into a Snifter with almost no head. Given the style and 12% ABV, let this warm up a bit. A very nice dark fruit and bourbon scent with some caramel and vanilla. Very appealing! Great bourbon taste up front with sweet caramel, fruits, a little oak and a very slight bitterness on the finish. Quite boozy thanks to the 12% ABV. Honestly, this is a lot more complex and there's a lot more going on but I'm not good enough to pick it all out. VERY good brew! Another great offering from Clown Shoes.

[Ryan Ruck]

Made a trip to Party Source yesterday to continue laying in my supply of Oberon for the cold months and spotted a new beer from Party Source's own Ei8ht Ball brewery.

This is called Sell Out, a new pumpkin ale from them.

So, I grabbed a growler of it!

Sell Out is a 7.5% pumpkin ale made with lactose to give it that "whipped cream on pumpkin pie" kick and Mitch put real pumpkins in the tank. This is definitely gonna be a crowd-pleaser, so stop down to the tap room and get you some!

Pours a cloudy orange-brown into a Shaker with fairly small, khaki head. Very pungent pumpkin and spice scent. The taste is just as strong as the smell. Heavy raw pumpkin flavor. More so than most pumpkin beers I've had. The pumpkin spice is also very heavy. Underlying malt notes. Fairly sweet. I do get a little of the lactose described but it is very minimal. Body is on the thinner side. Has a decent 7.5% ABV. Even though it doesn't dethrone Pumking or Punkin, this is quite good in it's own right. My only complaint would be that it would have been cool to have more of a lactose/cream flavor to it.

[Ryan Ruck]

This next one I picked up a little while back. It is a bourbon barrel aged wee heavy ale from Christian Moerlein called Elevin/162

Christian Moerlein Brewing Co. was founded 162 years ago in Cincinnati’s historic Brewery District by Beer Baron Christian Moerlein. Eleven years ago, greater Cincinnati resident Greg Hardman purchased Christian Moerlein in order to bring back Cincinnati’s grand brewing traditions. Eleven/162 is a smooth, malt-driven Scottish Wee Heavy Ale, meticulously aged in Smooth Ambler Bourbon Barrels. The sweet notes of grain and dark fruit combine with the oak and bourbon to produce a beer worthy of celebrating these two auspicious anniversaries. While this strong Scottish ale was historically bottled in 6 oz. bottles - hence the term ’wee heavy’ - we’ve opted to provide enough for you to celebrate with friends.

Poured a very dark brown into a Tulip glass with a minimal off-white head. This is supposed to be served in a Thistle glass but I don't have one so, the Tulip is the next closest in form. Has a very mellow and delicious bourbon scent with a touch of malt. Has a great malt and bourbon flavor! A bit of a sweet, dark fruit undertone as well. A touch boozy. Body is pretty heavy. Has a robust 10% ABV. Very mellow and smooth. This is a damn fine brew from Christian Moerlein!

[Ryan Ruck]

Up now is one I just picked up the other day. It's another release from Rhinegeist called Saber Tooth Tiger.

Saber Tooth Tiger is a Prehistoric IPA that attacks the senses with potent notes of Papaya, Mango and Peach yet finishes it’s prey (your palate) with a crisp clean citrus bitterness. Malts: 2 Row Pale, Pilsner, Flaked Rye. Hops: Bravo, Amarillo, Simcoe.

Poured a solid, clear gold into a Shaker with a smallish, gold-tinged, white head. Smells of a combination of floral and fruity hops. The taste on this is a creamy malt well balanced with a moderately bitter hop flavor. A little tropical fruit flavoring. Medium lingering bitterness. Body is on the medium side but has a bit of a dry finish. The 8.5% ABV is well hidden. A very good, solid Double IPA from Rhinegeist!

[Ryan Ruck]

I saw this one when I was out earlier today and just couldn't resist having it tonight.

This one is Anderson Valley's Pinchy Jeek Barl, Wild Turkey bourbon barrel aged pumpkin ale.



Poured a dark red-brown into a Shaker with a thick light brown head. This smells really good! A very nice mix of bourbon and pumpkin with a bit of cinnamon. Tastes just as good as it smells! A really great oakey, bourbon flavor is center stage and, the pumpkin and spices follow up nicely. Fairly sweet with a decent malt background. Body is on the medium side and very smooth drinking. Has a solid 8.5% ABV which leaves a good warmth. I think I'd definitely put this in my top 5 favorite pumpkin beers.

[Ryan Ruck]

Just opened a bottle of Three Floyds Lord Rear Admiral (aka Lord Admiral Nelson) Extra Special Bitter Ale.



Poured a golden brown into an English Pint with a large golden head. Strong apricot smell with some other fruity hop scent and malts mixed in. The flavor has a lot of citrus hop taste but very minimal bitterness. If you were going off the smell, you'd expect more bitter bite to it. Also has sweet toffee and malt as well as a slight boozy flavor which is a little surprising given it's relatively mild 6.5% ABV. Body is on the thicker side of medium. Very interesting brew, in a good way. Won't be a regular but interesting nonetheless.

[Ryan Ruck]

MadTree Brewing here in Cincinnati usually sells their brews in cans. Recently they had a limited bottle release of a beer called Joon, a Kölsch style beer.

Joon, with its unmistakable citrus and pine characteristics, is the solution for those longing to be amidst the evergreens. Aged in Watershed Bourbon Barrel Gin barrels with juniper berries and ginger, this refreshingly tart beer takes a break from traditional bourbon barrel beers, lifting it to another level.

Pours a pale gold into a Kölsch glass (or one really, really close to it) with a sizable white head. Immediately noticeable in the smell is a tart funky note. In the taste I get a combination of oak, juniper, a touch of gin, as well as a very mild tart funk, far less than the smell would lead you to believe. Mildly sweet. Body is on the lighter side of medium and smooth. RateBeer and Beer Advocate both show an unknown ABV and one source said 4.7%. I think it's a bit stronger than that. If I had to guess, seat of the pants, I'd say it's in the 6% range or even possibly pushing 7%. Can't say I've had a beer with these flavors before. Pretty darn good!

[Ryan Ruck]

I've had this one kicking around for a little bit... Evil Twin's Molotov Cocktail Single Simcoe Hop Edition Imperial IPA.

Despite the crudeness it is tricky to make an effective Molotov cocktail. Despite the unruly nature of the rebel it is very tricky to resist accepted conventions. Molotov Cocktail is a tour de force in rebellious hoppiness, it’s a spark for action and by far one of the most anti-authoritative beers ever made by Evil Twin Brewing.

I reviewed the original Molotov Cocktail a while back. Will be interesting to see how this one compares to the other...

Poured a slightly darker gold into a Shaker with a small-medium gold-tinged white head. Smells of tropical fruit and citrus hops as well as a little bit of malt. Quite sweet and a touch bitter. Flavors are a lot like the scent but with more malt noticeable. Body is thick but this finishes on the dry side. There is a little bit of an alcohol flavor but nothing to give away that this is a heavyweight 13% ABV. This is really quite a good offering from Evil Twin!

[Ryan Ruck]

One last review for the long weekend...

Got a bottle of The Brew Kettle's Kitka Chocolate Coconut Milk Stout. The last of a 6er I picked up when American Patriot was in town and passing through. Drank the other 5 but didn't feel like doing a review when they were consumed.

The Brew Kettle is a brewery from the little town of Strongsville, Ohio. Pretty sure this is the first brew of theirs I've had before. If this is representative of their other offerings, they are a pretty decent brewery!



Poured a very dark brown, almost black, into a Shaker with a thick light brown head. The nose on this is pretty much sweet chocolate and roasted coconut just like the name states. This is a simple brew that tastes just like it smells. But, just because it is simple, doesn't mean it is bad... On the contrary, this is a very good drinking beer! Probably should be drinking this in the middle of Summer rather than near the end. The body is a bit thick. This one is 5.8% so it's no slouch. Not a bad thing to be said about this. Good brew for a barbecue or warm summer evening.

[Ryan Ruck]

It's been a bit since I've had anything from Weyerbacher but tonight I'm having a bottle of their Tiny Belgian-Style Imperial Stout



Pours an oily black into a Snifter with a fairly big, dark brown head. Allowed to warm slightly due to the higher 12% ABV. Smells of smokey chocolate, roasted coffee, and alcohol. The taste is much like the smell but has an interesting Belgian spice twist with slight nuttiness. Boozy. This doesn't make any attempt to hide the alcohol. The body is very heavy and thick. Very complex tasting and quite good!

[Ryan Ruck]

Picked up a new beer from Party Source's Ei8ht Ball Brewing tonight.

It is an American Brown Ale called Cat Lady.

Poured a red-brown into a Shaker with a medium sized golden head. Smells of roasted coffee and malts. Heavy malt flavors with a little sweet chocolate, bitter coffee, and nut. Thinner body and slightly on the fizzy side. 5.5% ABV. Sticky finish. Tasty! Quite a solid beer, especially if you like the maltier stuff!

[Ryan Ruck]

Picked this one up when I picked up Cat Lady.

This is the newest release from Stone's Stochasticity Project - Your Father Smelt Of Elderberries American Strong Ale.

Hearken, ye merry craft-ale imbibers, as we present thee an ale inspired by medieval England. This re-creation of a medieval English ale is a brew the Knights of the Round Table would have heartily enjoyed. A strong beer, it has intense bready malt character accompanied by herbal, earthy hop notes and mild smokiness. The addition of elderberries imparts subtle blueberry-like flavor, while flaked oats and pale, amber and smoked malts mirror grains used by English brewers hundreds of years ago. It’s a beer inspired by the Middle Ages, but perfect for enjoying in the 21st century.

Poured a dark, red-brown into a Snifter with a minimal off-white head. The scent overall is a bit faint but I get malt, berries, and a relatively strong alcohol smell. Taste is malty with dark fruit and a little smoke. A bit sweet. The alcohol is not nearly as present on the taste as it is in the smell. There's a slight bitterness that comes up on the end with a warming that follows. Body is on the thicker side and the finish is dry. 10.3% ABV. Not bad at all but I think I would have liked this more without the bitter flavors. They seem out of place in this.

[Ryan Ruck]

Got a new one out from Three Floyds!

This is their Calumet Queen Kölsch.

The trip from Köln to Munster, Indiana just got a lot shorter thanks to our Calumet Queen Kölsch-style ale. If this crisp refreshing ale is good enough to be named after Alpha King's bride then it's good enough for all. Prost!

Poured a pale gold into a Kölsch-ish glass with a great big white head. Has a light and crisp scent of citrus, sour apple, and malt. The taste is malt heavy with lemon and some yeast. Body is thin and crisp with a dry finish. A light 5% ABV to match the body. Not overly complex but like the description says, good drinking for warmer weather!

[American Patriot]

lol, elderberries.

[Ryan Ruck]

The name hooked me.

[Ryan Ruck]

Up for review tonight is a very special brew I wanted to review now since we're officially in the Fall season!

This is a homebrew from our very own American Patriot so you won't find this one on store shelves. It was hand delivered by the maker himself on his way to his ocean-going adventures.

This is American Patriot's Patriotic Pumpkin Ale.

This was brewed last year and involuntarily allowed to age. Bottle had sediment on the bottom so I made sure to agitate it thoroughly because that's how I roll. Poured a hazy, ruddy-brown with a fluffy, light tan head. The smell is raw pumpkin, malt, and spices. The taste is just like how it smells with an emphasis on the malt and a sweet brown sugar note. All of the flavors are balanced and compliment each other well making for a great tasting pumpkin ale! Body is medium-thin and finishes semi-dry and a little sticky. I'm guestimating the ABV on this is somewhere in the 5-6% range. As I said, a really good beer made all that more special with the hand crafted touch.

Thanks for the good beer AP!

[Ryan Ruck]

Another special review up for tonight though not nearly as special as Patriotic Pumpkin.

Just opened up a bottle of Bells 30th Anniversary Ale Imperial Stout.

I didn't think that given the notoriety of Bells' 30th anniversary we'd be getting much, if any, of their 30th Anniversary Ale down here so I tapped my Michigan source for assistance. Unfortunately, he missed it and it was all sold out before he could get any.

Thinking all was lost, imagine my surprise when Party Source sent out their weekly beer newsletter yesterday and said not only did they have the 30th Anniversary Ale but they had entire 6 packs of it with no purchase limits!

Immediately stopped by after work and nabbed 2 6ers. At $18 per 6 pack, I'm hoping it's worth it but judging from the near 100% score on RateBeer, I'm pretty sure it is.

In 1985, Larry Bell set out on a quest for better beer with his 15-gallon soup pot.

Thirty years later, we will release our 30th Anniversary Ale.

An American Imperial Stout, Bell’s 30th Anniversary Ale is also a nod to another beer and one of the earliest examples of the style released here in the United States, Bell’s Expedition Stout.

“This beer is a testament to three-plus decades of hard-work. It honors all that has helped us get to this point – hard work, quality and authenticity,” said Larry Bell, Bell’s President and Founder.

“It reminds us of where we’ve been, how we’ve grown over the years, the challenges we’ve faced and at the same time, looks forward to what comes next,” he added.

Flavors of dark chocolate and fruit meld to create a full-bodied, roasty stout.

A fair amount of Polaris hops lend a brightness and a nice character that will help carry the beer in its early stages making it incredibly drinkable and interesting. Malt characteristics will continue to develop over time, so that beer drinkers who choose to cellar it can enjoy the beer for years to come.

This big, strong celebratory beer (11% ABV) will be released in September coinciding with our 30th anniversary celebration.

It will be available in bottles (6-packs) and on draught. The label will feature a special seal designed and made specifically to commemorate and celebrate our anniversary.

Allowed to warm up a little. Poured a thick, inky black into a Snifter with minimal dark brown bubbles for a basically non-existent head. Roasted coffee and chocolate dominate with a little smokiness and some alcohol. The taste is rich chocolate, malts, roasted coffee, and a touch of vanilla. Has just a little bitterness to set off the rest of the flavors. The 11% ABV is very well hidden. Body is quite heavy and full. Bells turned out a delicious brew for their anniversary celebration! Don't think they could have done any better.

[Ryan Ruck]

First tonight is one I just picked up from Party Source the other day when I got the Bells 30th Anniversary.

This is a collaboration between Stone, Monkey Paw, and Juli Goldenberg called 24 Carrot Golden Ale.

So new it only has one review on RateBeer!

Winner of Stone’s 2015 American Homebrewers Association competition. Brewed in collaboration with Juli Goldenberg & Monkey Paw Pub & Brewery. A carrot cake-inspired Belgian-style ale brewed with carrots, cinnamon, raisins & vanilla bean.

On opening it, the bottle practically exploded with the smell of fresh carrot cake. Very potent! Could smell it from about a foot and a half away. Poured golden into a Shaker with a medium golden-white head. On closer examination there is also a noticeable Belgian spice scent to it. The taste on this is quite fascinating! It starts out tasting like a Belgian, then moves to the flavors typical of carrot cake like carrot and cinnamon, and finishes with a lactic cream cheese icing like flavor. Has a medium body. This is very easy drinking which is dangerous because this has a 9.5% ABV! Bravo to the creator(s) for coming up with such a unique beer!

[Ryan Ruck]

Next up this evening is one from a brewery I've never tried before, Knee Deep Brewing. And this is their Breaking Bud IPA.

Old school meets new school in this fresh approach to the classic IPA. At 50 IBU’s and 6.7% ABV, Breaking Bud features the restrained bitterness and alcohol of a classic IPA with newer tropical fruit hop flavors and aromas of Mosaic. Also in the hop mix are Simcoe and CTZ, creating layers of mango, passion fruit, pine and dank. A malt bill with a pinch of crystal malt and a hefty dose of flaked wheat keeps the beer crisp while adding flavor complexity. Cheers to the past, present and future!

As a fan of Breaking Bad, the label caught my eye so I had to give it a try.

Poured a dark and hazy gold into a Tulip glass with a semi-large white head. Big tropical fruit hop notes on the nose, sweet smelling. The taste is grassy and citrusy with very mild, subtle bitterness and a nice malt undertone. Just a little sweet. Body is on the thicker side and has a sticky finish. 6.5% ABV. A very easy drinking and inoffensive IPA! The brewers did a fine job of making a very tasty yet approachable IPA!

[Ryan Ruck]

This weekend is a weekend of anniversaries!

Last up for review tonight is a new release from Rhinegeist. It's their 2nd anniversary Deuce Anniversary IPA.

Our second anniversary red IPA hits strong with a one-two punch of heady malt, backed up with serious Galaxy and Citra for tropical notes of peach, mango, and papaya.

Poured a dark, golden brown into a Tulip with a decent sized off-white head. A definite tropical fruit hop scent with a little malt. Taste is a lot like the smell. The roasted malt flavor is strong. Also on the sweet side. Body is on the heavier side of medium. 7.5% ABV so a bit more punch than the Breaking Bud IPA. Another very well balanced and easy drinking IPA! Good showing by Rhinegeist!