Ommegang Cup O' Kyndness

'Our Scotch Ale contains Pilsner, Munich, caramel & smoked malts, and roasted barley. It's gently hopped and flavored with heather tips. Lightly malty, notes of grassy heather, a wee bit of smoke. 750 ml bottles and draft. 6.8%' - Ommegang.com

Thankfully Cup O' Kyndness doesn't have the saccharine overdose of most Belgians, which was a concern of mine when I picked it up. The 'wee bit of smoke' (you guys just had to use 'wee', huh?) is actually pretty strong, which worked well with the heavy caramel and slight alcohol bite. I think Cup O' Kindness could benefit from a bit more body and a thicker head, but that might just be approaching winter stout cravings. Just a little watery for my tastes, not a deal breaker. It does taste Scottish, which is in itself a success for a blend between Scottish and Belgian beers.

Overall I liked it, but I don't think it this beer something I would pick up often. Due to the fact that Cup O' Kyndess is a limited beer, this sounds like a one time deal for me.

Stone 14th Anniversary Emperial IPA

'We went to England this past spring as self-styled “IPA Hunters” on a mission to learn more about the confusing and often contradictory history of India Pale Ale – to look for some certainty where those before us have found mostly mystery and mercantilism. While our success in this pursuit is open to debate, there can be no question that we returned home inspired by the ghosts of Burton and by the experience of poring over 150-year old brewer’s logs handwritten in (India?) ink. Stone Brewing Co., after all, traces its lineage back to the British Empire’s brewing history: we make ales, and all of our original offerings used traditional British styles as a jumping-off point. If this seems a roundabout way of letting you know that, yes, we are in fact brewing another IPA to mark our Anniversary, well, so be it. 

This one however, promises to be different! From the imported white malt to the “Burtonised” water to the rare yeast strain to the most pungent hops Kent has to offer, we used all British ingredients to brew our “Emperial” IPA.* While we may have brewed Stone 14th Anniversary Emperial IPA with our own distinctively modern, San Diego-style touch, what good is history if you can’t rewrite it to suit your tastes?

In this case, our tastes called for highly intemperate quantities of Target, East Kent Goldings, and Boadicea hops, bestowing upon this dry-bodied ale a powerfully spicy, earthy aroma. On the palate, peppery hops assert themselves early and often, with malt sweetness making a brief appearance before being beaten back by a long, complex, and decisively bitter finish. What better way to contemplate the fate of empires past, present, and future?' -Stone Site

'Consume fresh or age in the hull of a seafaring vessel for a year or more' -The label


That is certainly one verbose description, which will definitely be longer than anything I have to say. I am a lazy blogger these days, as you can tell.


My coworker Emily purchased a bottle of this for me when we had finished a pretty tough project, so we had a 'meeting' at the end of the week to try it out. This brew has a huge, yeasty head which compliments this thick and vibrant IPA very well. I tasted strong citrus (lemon and orange zest) and some of the pepper that the description goes on and on about. Nice and tart, with a bit of that 'tongue shock' I am always seeking in an IPA. The aftertaste is clean but lingering and the overall experience was very robust and well, tasty. The craftsmanship of the Emperial IPA actually surpasses the high standards I have for Stone, which surprised me quite a bit. I kind of hate when a limited edition beer is as excellent as the Emperial, as this will probably be a one time experience for me unless I pick some more up relatively soon. Maybe I should add that to my Google calendar while I am thinking about it....

Minhas Rhinelander Original

'For many years, the Rhinelander Brewery in far northern Wisconsin brewed Rhinelander Beer. This traditional German lager was favored by the immigrant inhabitants of the area. In 1967, when the Rhinelander Brewery ceased production, Minhas Craft Brewery continued this fine brew to satisfy the substantial following this brand had built over the years. Rhinelander has a clean flavor and a pleasant malty aroma with a Rhine taste and brief finish.' Minhas website

I enjoyed Minha's Mountain Creek Lager, so I picked up this sixer in Louisville over the weekend after filling my basket with glorious bourbon. I cannot say I was impressed. This beer has a soapy head, is too lightly hopped and bland, but it does taste clean. Rhinelander is alright for a cheapy, but not something I would purchase again given other options, including Minhas other brews. That being said, Rhinelander's great logo and low price point ($3 for a six pack) just might make me go back on my word and give it another try one day.

Musical pairing- ELO's Greatest Hits

Olde Johnnie Ale by Cold Spring Brewing Co.

Syrupy malts, tastes like a cheap brown ale (not a knock, as I am not hating this beer), definitely mass produced. Yeasty head, despite a lack of carbonation and a nice amber color. For $3, this 'double pint' isn't a bad investment if you are looking for something to finish your night with, but I couldn't see drinking these all night. Lower standards, and prices, win out here.

This beer definitely lends itself to many frat boy nick names. So if you already have a nice micro-brew in hand and you are looking for a cheep night cap, then grab some 'Olde J', 'Johnnie O', or plain old 'OJ' at bargain bin prices. It's definitely better when you are already halfway there.

IPA Laundry Fest Part Two- Left Hand 400 Pound Monkey English Style IPA

Left Hand Brewing Co.- You are pretty good. This beer is not. I don't know if the bottle I purchased is off, but this was a skunky, bland mess. I am sorry guys, but I won't get too descriptive. When I get descriptive and the beer is bad, brewmasters email me. But yeah, I am choking this down.

IPA Laundry Fest Part One- Dark Horse Double Crooked Tree India Pale Ale

This beer looks like freshly pulped apple cider, so I expected a dense, flavorful experience as soon as I began pouring this bad boy. Sticky hops, malty to the extent that the word 'enzymic' popped into my head, and slightly woody. 13.6% alcohol content is masked by the flavors, to the point that I didn't realize the ABU was that high until I looked at the bottle halfway through. This is a thick one, and definitely for beer enthusiasts only, which is pretty standard for double IPAs. I like it, but I wish it was cheaper (I paid $4 in store for this 12 ounce bottle, and have seen similar prices in the Chicago area), but you certainly get a quality product with Crooked Tree.What you have here is a powerful, heady brew. Don't operate machinery.

Side note: Not a fan of the label, does someones nephew do this shit on MS Paint?

Musical pairing: The Small Faces- Ogden's Nut Gone Flake

Hamm's Golden Draft

What, you guys didn't think I was going to get all sophisticated, did you?

It is hard to find any information on Hamm's online, it seems to be MillerCoors' dirty little secret. There are fan pages, there are clubs, there is even a monument to the Hamm's Bear in St. Paul, but no official website. 2010.

You can go back a year or so and read my glowing praise of Hamm's regular if you like. I enjoy cheap beer (for the most part) and Hamm's is one of the cheapest and tastiest of the variety. In the extremely overpriced city of Chicago I was able to buy a sixer of HGD with a five dollar bill and still have change left over.

Hamm's Golden Draft is noticeably maltier than its non golden counterpart. Unfortunately, that is about the only difference between the two beers. I can't say that I enjoyed HGD over its regular cousin, but I would definitely recommend it over a similar trailer-chugger like Busch.

And now I leave you with a video-

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!

O'Fallon 5 Day IPA

'We dry-hop this American Style India Pale Ale with seven grains and four domestic hop varieties by adding dry whole hops to the finishing tank so the beer rests "on top" of the hops for five extra days! Malty sweetness up front with big cascade and glacier hops in the finish -- a wonderfully drinkable IPA!' -Ofallonbrewery.com

Midwestern pride has become a big factor in my beer purchasing, that and buying from the 'little guys', so O'Fallon was a no brainer because with them I get both! Not to mention the great experience I had with their pumpkin ale a few months back. So how is the 5 Day IPA? Well, its good, but I don't see it winning any awards for artistry.

That sounded like a slight, which is unfair. I suppose I have gotten used to breweries showcasing how fancy they can be, especially with the IPA. With this particular brew you get a nice no frills ale with some nice sticky hope to it that really is as 'drinkeable' as the description would lead you to believe. Fancy that, a beer description with some actual truth to it! I liked this beer and plan on drinking some more at a later date, I just wasn't 'wowed' by it.

Good stuff, I hope to enjoy the entire O'Fallon line at some point. Break out the lawn chairs!

Flossmoor Station Master Wheat

'A golden, flavorful, and crisp light ale brewed with 33% wheat malt, our Station Master Wheat is distinguished by a hoppy yet smooth taste with a malty body and a subtly spicy aroma.' -Flossmoorstation.com

I was very excited to see this bottle at my local Whole Foods so I grabbed it right away. Earlier in the winter I was able to find a bottle of Flossmoor's IPA, which was pretty good, but I neglected to blog that. Sadly, I wish I had given the IPA the write up it deserved (some other time, Flossmoor) because my experience with the Station Master is not as favorable.

I am not a big fan of 'light ales' and would never have known this was classified as such if I hadn't looked this brew up on the Flossmoor website just now (and if it was on the label, it might have swayed my purchasing decision). Drinking the beer, I knew right away what it was though. Watery, without much in the way of hops and spices and an overall disappointment.

I really do not want to tarnish Flossmoor as a brewery, because they have some great things going for them, I just didn't like this beer one bit. When I tried their 'milky way stout' in the Goose Island Stout Fest last year it was great, the beers at their brewpub were excellent, the IPA they bottled was damn good! Station Master is just one mis-step for them, and that's just my opinion, the brew has won awards and all that. I'm sure my next write up for them will be much more favorable. See you next time!

-Musical Pairing: The Clash-Combat Rock (great band, bad record)

Founders Backwoods Bastard

Founders makes a lot of extremely great and inspiring beer, Backwoods Bastard Bourbon Barrel Aged Ale isn't one of them. Overly malty, sticky and not very good. A beer that tastes milky and also has prevalent yeast and alcohol just isn't a good mix. It took me six months to finish this six pack, which is a personal record. Every time I popped the cap off one of these bad boys I hoped (like an idiot) that this beer would magically improve over time. It didn't.


I can't even find this beer on their website, which leads me to believe this was a seasonal or one off. Good, the terror is over!

Breckenridge 471 IPA

'Hoppy? Brother, 471 IPA redefines hoppy. 471 is a small batch, limited edition ale that was created by our Brewmaster to separate the weak from the strong. 471 is a double IPA, that combines Pale, Munich, Caramel-30, Carapils and Torrified Wheat malts, with Chinook, Centennial, Simcoe and Fuggles hops. It has a big sweet mouthfeel, followed by more hoppiness than you've ever had at one time. Enjoy.' -breckbrew.com

I wasn't big on Breckenridge's Oatmeal Stout that I put up a few months ago, but the word in other blogs I read is that this IPA is killer. I am going to have to agree with my blog buddies on this one, this brew is great.

I haven't had much of a craving for hoppy beers lately after the overload I put myself through in the summer, but there was still much to be enjoyed about this beer. 471 IPA is a real smooth drinker for an IPA, it seems to hit that line right before an IPA gets 'too hoppy'. I think this would be a great introductory beer for someone trying to get into hoppier beers as this IPA has plenty of malts to mellow it all out. This beer didn't have any kooky motif or the outrageous flavors that you often expect from a microbrew, but to tell the truth I found that rather refreshing. A great rounded beer that I can see myself drinking quite a bit of, on any occasion, any season.

Founder's Breakfast Stout

'You've got to love coffee to truly appreciate this phenomenal brew. Brewed with an abundance of flaked oats, bitter and sweetened imported chocolates, Sumatra and Kona coffee. Breakfast Stout has an intense fresh roasted coffee nose toped with a cinnamon colored frothy head that seems to never fade and makes you wish breakfast could last forever.' -foundersbrewing.com

Founder's really does not fuck around. This beer tastes like how I always imagined the perfect black cup of coffee to taste, but those never live up to my expectations. I am not a big coffee drinker, but I certainly have given it a go on numerous occasions to no avail. Founder's Breakfast Stout is that idealized 'cup of joe' that I could never find, with some chocolate, malts and liquor thrown in it. This is a great sipper after a huge meal, especially after a stressful week. I'm going to save a few of these puppies for a rainy day.

I have another Founder's beer I plan on doing a write up for soon that will basically be the exact opposite of this rave review. Checks and balances, you know. Stay tuned, all twelve of you!

Musical Pairing: The Clash- London Calling (How you get a rude and a-reckless? Don't you be so crude and a feckless! You been drinking brew for breakfast? Rudie can't fail, no, nooo)

Dark Horse One Oatmeal Stout Ale

'Number one in a series of five stouts produced to help ease you through the cold and grey midwestern winters. This beer is full bodied with hints of chocolate, roasted barley, coffee flavors and a nice creamy head.'
-darkhorsebrewery.com

When I picked up this four pack I didn't know what to really expect. As you can see the bottles are as plain as you can be and the cardboard they were packaged in was completely blank. Until I went to the brewery's website I was unaware that this was a seasonal beer in Dark Horse's 'Holiday Stout Series', a series which has some intriguing beers in it. I am ok with sparse packaging, especially with what I can only assume is a newer brewery.

Keeping with the bland aesthetic, the beer itself turned out to be little more than your standard oatmeal stout. I was expecting more because of the fact that it is seasonal, which usually gives the brewmaster a little more freedom to go 'crazy' with the recipe, but this beer wasn't bad by any stretch. In fact I would say it was my expectations alone that made me slightly disappointed with this beer. There is nothing wrong with being a typical oatmeal stout, if you are a fan of the style, but sometimes you expect a little extra. It just seemed to me that this beer trotted out the 'usual suspects' as far as ingredients go.

At the risk of sounding like a high school guidance counselor- this beer shows 'potential' for the rest of the holiday stout series that Dark Horse is doing, as it would have been great with a little tinkering with the recipe, which the other beers seem to showcase. I personally plan on 'researching' the 'Fore Smoked Stout' sometime this winter. Ok, I'll stop with the quotations now.

Musical Pairing: Badfinger- No Dice (Good record, but man I thought some of these songs were the Beatles when I was a kid!)

Goose Island 10/12/08

Hey Guys, hows it going? I know I haven't been posting much, sorry about that. I have been 'busy' writing and playing Warhammer Online. Lame, I know. Last weekend myself, Kristina, Ben and Chad tried to go to Kuma's Corner to have some incredible burgers but they had a TWO HOUR wait. So we opted to go to Goose Island, a choice I was of course pleased with. Ben and I bought some pitchers and he took some photos with his I-Phone. This is going to be a bare bones post, but at least its something!


'Liquid Inspiration Stout 5.9% ABV
Trying to think of a name for the new brew on the eve of the beer premiere, our pub brewer opened a bottle of Goose Island Summertime for “liquid inspiration” and behold the name was born. An “American-style” Stout, with medium malt sweetness, a moderate hop bitterness but, with high hop flavor and aroma. Served in a Pint glass.'
-Goose Island.com

What is it about stouts that make them taste better in the fall and winter? Right now Chicago is enjoying the two week window we get in between Summer and Winter and this stout definitely did the trick. Liquid Inspiration might be a little thinner than most stouts but it is chock full of the nutty flavors you would expect. Not the most artistic stout on the market, or even on Goose Island's menu, but it is a great beer for the Fall transition. This pitcher went fast and was pretty cheap at $12 (I think, might have been $14).

'Harvest Ale 5.7% ABV
As summertime fades, the sun shines less bright, and evening comes a little sooner. Harvest time arrives – it’s a time to reap the benefits of a great summer. Fresh picked cascade hops from Washington and the richest Midwestern malts makes Goose Island Harvest Ale an extra special beer worthy of your devotion. Served in a Pint glass.'

I am not an 'ESB guy' but sometimes the mood strikes me for one. Actually, that has been happening a lot lately so maybe next year you will see me waving the ESB flag around like I did for IPAs earlier this year. Who knows what I will do next, I am an idiot.

This beer has some sticky, sticky hops to it that either make it or break it for you. I found it appealing but I know Ben didn't like how this beer basically sucked all of the moisture out of your mouth. I can tolerate that, but it kind of was hard to get through a pitcher of this stuff. I would follow this beer up with something lighter and more 'refreshing' if I was at home, but the two of us had drank a pitcher each on a Sunday afternoon so it was hard to fit more beer inside us. I find the Harvest Ale to have an earthy, herb(y?) taste to it that almost feels as if it should be healthy or something.

Oh yeah, those are shot glasses you see too. We got hammered! Actually, we did. I think we drank until two AM or so. If you own a white minivan on the south side and you woke up monday morning to find your back bumper with puke all over it, that was Ben. Sorry for that, I feel responsible.

Steel Reserve

'Steel Reserve is sold in single-serving 40 U.S. fluid ounces (1.183 L) bottles. It also is distributed in single-serving 24 U.S. fluid ounces (710 mL) cans (often referred to as "tall boys"), 22 U.S. fluid ounces (also commonly referred to as "deuce deuces")(651 mL) bottles, 16 U.S. fluid ounces (473 mL) cans in packs of four or six, and 12 U.S. fluid ounces (355 mL) cans in packs of six or twelve. The manufacturer describes the taste as "exceptionally smooth," however it may be said that its appeal lies in its attractive price, high alcohol content, and stylish packaging. Steel Reserve is commonly referred to as "Last Reserve", "Steel Rod", "Rod Job", "Steel Silver Rod", "Steel Black Rod", "Rodney", and also "The Skyscraper". -Wikipedia.org

This beer was recommended by a friend of mine with a laugh and now I see that he was trying to pull a prank on me. This isn't actually beer, its a beer scented all purpose cleaner. I might keep a few cans around to clean the stove in a pinch but there is no way I will ever, ever, ever drink one sip of this 'beverage' again. Jesus fucking Jones this is bad! I don't even know what to say, this beer tastes like a combination of spoiled malts, ethyl alcohol and distilled rat bladder. I choked one of these monsters down but I feel as if two would have made me violently ill. Blecchhhhhhhhhh!

Musical Pairing: Buck Cherry- Black Butterfly (the worst rated album on allmusic by the worst band I could think of)

O'Fallon Pumpkin Beer

'5.6% ABV Like pumpkin pie in a bottle...we add 120 pounds of real pumpkin to the three-barley mash and then season the finished beer with cinnamon, nutmeg and cloves.'

      -OFallonbrewery.com

My friend Steve has been raving about this stuff for awhile, but I was skeptical myself. This may have been because I really don't care for pumpkin products or I just don't trust Steve. Either way- I was wrong to dismiss this beer out of hand.

You can really taste the spices right off the bat with this brew. In fact I find the pumpkin to be very muted until the aftertaste hits you, the spices have a nice healthy kick to them. My palate picks out the cinnamon first and that leads nicely to a blend of the nutmeg and herbs. It really is a well crafted beer, which I was not expecting because the label looks to be designed by someones ten year old kid in Microsoft Paint. Well appearances are more often deceiving than not and this beer is a perfect example of that. 

Now if you excuse me I have to go drink the rest of these puppies with a quickness. More updates tonight, its going to be one of those nights. 

Musical Pairing: Dinosaur Jr- Green Mind (Great fall album, lousy cover!)

Tommyknocker Butt Head Bock

'This award winning doppelbock (8.2% alcohol by volume) lager is brewed with a generous supply of Munich, carapils, caramel and chocolate malts and is fermented with Bavarian lager yeast. The resulting caramel sweetness and rich mouthfeel are complimented by the mild bittering of German Hallertau hops. 1997 Great American Beer Festival Silver Medal. 1998 Westword Mag. "Best Of". 1999 NABA Silver Medal. 2002 NABA Bronze Medal. 2002 US Beer Championship Best of Rockies. 2003 GABF Gold Medal. '
- Tommyknocker.com

Well guys, that sure is a lot of medals! I have to admit I did enjoy this sixer quite a bit (thanks dad!). The 'Bavarian yeast' they speak of is very prominent in this brew, but it somehow does not overpower the other flavors. This puzzled me a little bit, how do you make beer with any semblance of balance with this much yeast? That usually overpowers the entire beer, but not in this instance. Its a mystery.

Anyhow- I can see why Tommyknocker 'Butt Head Bock' won a few of those awards as it has a very distinct taste going for it. Hoppier and less malty than most Bocks, which I found to my liking, Butt Head pulls away from its peers in small deceptive ways thats make a big difference in the end result. I could taste the caramel straight away but never really had a sense of chocolate in the mix at all, which is for the better in my opinion. This is a good beer and one that might take a few more six packs of 'analysis' before I can really pin down what makes it so damn unique. Definitely a good beer though and from a style that I usually am wary of.

Musical Pairing: Elbow- the Seldom Seen Kid (a mis-match of musical styles stirred together in a pot that somehow works extremely well. Plus, its relaxing.)

Fat Weasel Ale

Pretty good stuff made exclusively for Trader Joe's (I think) by Steinhaus Brewing Co. I was convinced this was one of their many 're-labels' of another beer but I cannot find any definitive information online about Steinhaus either way. If you do not know what I mean Trader Joe's often repackages already available products with some clever name and then sells them at a lower price point. I know their 'Black Toad Ale' is actually brewed and bottled by Goose Island. They do this with a lot of products, not just beer. Anyway back to the Fat Weasel!

Fat Weasel has a great price point of $5.99 a six pack for a beer that stacks up with a lot of higher priced micro brews. This brew is of no specific 'genre' of ales as far as I can discern and is quite simple and mild on the taste buds. Maltier than a lot of ales I have been drinking lately but never nearing the whimsical realm of 'malt liquor' this beer is a smooth drinker. The hops are muted but still have a big presence in the aftertaste, which I also found to be a bit starchy. This is a nice beer for the fall, thats for sure.

Fat Weasel is a great example of a 'fridge filler' at its price point and drinkability. I wouldn't pick up a sixer of this stuff expecting to explore new beer territory, but its a good time and a steal at the price!

Musical Pairing- Badfinger: Best Of (very listenable power pop and also $5.99)

North Coast Red Seal Ale

'Malt and hops are beautifully married in this full-bodied, copper-red Pale Ale. Red Seal is generously hopped for a long, spicy finish. An excellent accompaniment to grilled meats and rich sauces. '

- From Northcoastbrewing.com

Sorry about the picture, it was getting late in the evening and I should have used a flash. Please forgive me.

My buddy Ryan brought over a sixer of this stuff to watch Sox game (his cable wasn't installed yet, so I win a six pack of beer!). This is another gem from North Coast. Red Seal Ale is a sophisticated, flavorful beer with a nice malty/spicy finish to it that really made my night. I can see myself drinking a good amount of this stuff once the leaves start falling from the trees. The hops were right where you want them for a red or pale ale- you can definitely still enjoy a meal while having one or two of these and not having your taste buds overwhelmed. This is a good one, I highly recommend it.

Musical pairing: Suede- Suede