Schlafly Reserve Barrel-Aged Imperial Stout

'A roasty, rich and malty Imperial Stout with a strong dose of caramel, oak, and Bourbon character. This is a perfect beer to pair with hearty, cold-weather dishes, smoked meats, and virtually any dessert (especially chocolate).' -schlafly.com

I would like to start this post off by thanking a few of my friends from STL for nabbing me bottles of this now and then. Thanks to Ryan, Marissa and Ben! Keep the beer coming, suckers.

And what a beer this is! I am more and more convinced that bourbon aged stouts are my favorite style of beer, at least when I really want to indulge. Schlafly's version does not disappoint at all. This beer had the bitterness you should expect from an imperial stout married with the milkiness gained from the bourbon barrels. It's hard to explain the taste without being extremely verbose, but it I can sum it by stating it is certainly delicious (and probably a bit much for non beer snobs). This is one of those beers that makes you think alchemy must be involved at some step in the process. Where did you acquire your philosopher's stone, Schlafly?

You should probably split the bottle with a friend though, I made the mistake of drinking a bottle by myself and I was acting a little loopy towards the end of the stuff. I distinctly remember annoying my girlfriend and acting like a lunatic in guild chat (World of Warcraft reference, ouch). This is a great beer and one I hope gets some distribution to Chicago soon. Until then, lets keep the St Louis friend pipeline going!

Schlafly Pale Ale

'Schlafly Pale Ale is a rich, amber-colored, medium-bodied, British-style ale with a smooth, mild hop character. Perfect for those hot summer days as well as a cozy winter fire.'


A beer for all seasons? Or only two? I never much believed in the whole "seasonal beer" thing. Hell, I could probably drink homebrew out of a rusty shell casing in the Bikini Islands after a nuclear test, and not really care if it was summer or winter. Coming out of the St. Louis-based Schlafly stable of beers, the Pale Ale brand gives a pretty good account of itself in all seasons. It pours out in a nice amber color with virtually no head and very little carbonation. Taste-wise(how many hyphens can you take!) it has pretty decent hoppy flavor without too much bitterness, and I daresay that it's "easy-drinking". It's a nice, pleasant ale that isn't offensive, yet it's got enough taste to where it doesn't seem like you're drinking Killians out of Solo cups at your little brother's college party. I realize that's not setting the bar too high, but if you enjoy a pretty good pale at an affordable price and you aren't a HUGE beer snob, then I'd recommend one of these bad boys.

Beer Snobbery at the Leary Residence