After a couple of weeks off, we head into the long weekend with a curated selection of our four favorite beers from the last few weeks and plenty of college football. So without further ado, let’s get into them.
Old Irving- Gammelhjärtad (13% ABV Barrel Aged Cuvee)
In all honesty, I’m not sure I know how to pronounce the name of this beer and it’s easily the hardest I’ve ever had to spell. But it’s worth it. This beer is a blend of maple and port barrel aged barelywine with rum barrel-aged imperial milk stout. I get a vinous port nose with a maple palate that adds texture and a velvety mouth feel to the beer. The finish is full of cherry with soft hints of toffee and leather. Hard to pronounce, easy to drink.
Hop Butcher for the World- Cool Bay (6.5% ABV Hazy New England IPA)
As the summer winds down, we’ve been sure to savor days on the lake. I cracked this one on a warm Saturday and it hit the spot. I get an orange kiwi nose laced with zesty orange. A light, fluffy, and crushable body that finishes with orange and grape.
Hop Butcher for the World- Kielbasa King (7.5% ABV Double New England IPA)
Regular readers of this blog know I’m a big fan of all things Hop Butcher and the return of Kielbasa King is the always a sure to buy for me. I’ve had several batches of this beer now and they’ve all been great, but this most recent batch really stands out. I get a huge, dank, berry nose that bursts out of the can. A light, wheaty, herbaceous palate that is full of gummy citrus. The finish is full of bright tangerine and grape. All hail the King.
Side Project- Forever Darkness (19% ABV Barrel Aged Imperial Stout)
We saved the best for last. Forever Darkness- the biggest and dumbest beer of them all. A collab from Side Project and Anchorage Brewing Company (two of the very best breweries in the country), is a Triple Barrel-Aged stout. It spend 8 months in Willett Rye barrels, 12 months in Willett bourbon barrels, and then 16 more months in Willett Rye barrels.
At 19%, this beer is like Mike Tyson and Butterbean had a baby. A delicious, wonderful, boozy baby. I get a ridiculous boozy chocolate and tobacco nose. The palate is blackstrap molasses and the softest trace of cinnamon. And finally, a smooth, warm fudge finish. Unbelievably smooth, dangerously drinkable for the ABV. Up there with the greatest and best beers of all time.
And just like that, another week in the books. Labor Day always feels like the last weekend of summer (did you know summer doesn’t technically end until September 22nd?). We hope you get a chance to check out a few of these beers and savor the long weekend. Until next time, cheers!
