Founders Double Trouble

"Go bold or go sober." This simple motto is our personal rallying cry. Founders Brewing Company in Grand Rapids, Michigan was facing near bankruptcy just a few years ago. They started out making solid, ordinary beers, but these offerings had not really found them an audience. On the brink of a financial collapse, they decide to go bold and make the type of extreme brews that had originally inspired them to open a brewery. Since then, Founders has been a wild success.

Double Trouble is an Imperial India Pale Ale, which is code for "IPA on steroids." Need the stats? 9.4% alcohol by volume and 86 IBUs (a measurement of bitterness from the hops.) It pours a brilliant golden color with a foamy white head. Aromas of citrus, pine and peach are mouth-watering. The dominant flavors are of pink grapefruit and grass. I would venture that it is the sauvignon blanc of beers. Double Trouble is a perfect balance of sweet, tart and bitterness that is truly refreshing. The finish is long with the hop bitterness crackling on the back of your tongue. It is the perfect quaffer to match up with beef brisket, grilled lamb or a rich blue cheese. This is a seasonal release from Founders, so you better snag some while you can still find it.

Birra Moretti La Rossa

Hailing from just outside of Milan in Bergamo, Italy, Birra Moretti is one of Italy's most popular and respected breweries. It was founded in 1859 by Luigi Moretti and by the following year, his beers were available for purchase. The brewery was acquired by Heineken in 1996, which helped Birra Moretti distribute its products to over 40 countries. Their La Rossa is a doppelbock, which is a lager made with twice the amount of malted barley.

La Rossa pours a slightly hazy, rich vermilion with an ivory head in the glass. Aromas of brown sugar, roasted malts and caramel blend nicely together. Toffee, caramel and cherry flavors are counterbalanced by notes of spicy, herbal hop bitterness. The finish is moderately long with a malty sweetness. At 7.2% alcohol by volume, it is a substantial brew that is more of a sipper.

If you decide to pair this with food, La Rossa is a match for linguini with clams, roasted duck, Limberger cheese (if you are brave enough) or dark chocolate mousse.

Flying Dog Double Dog Double Pale Ale

Flying Dog Brewery was one of the first so-called microbreweries to break through during the craftbrew craze of the 1990s. Even from its humble beginnings as small brewpub in Aspen, Colorado, Flying Dog has strived to make high-quality ales for every palate. Often, that resulted with them to going rogue and creating some of the most extreme brews around. This is certainly the case with the series of "Wild Dog Releases," of which their Double Dog Pale Ale was their inaugural offering. In fact, this brew was so popular that Flying Dog brought it back by popular demand and permanently added it to their arsenal of beers.

Clocking in at a stunning 11.5% alcohol by volume, Double Dog is a big brew even by extreme brew standards. Translated: If you aren't careful, it will be an early bedtime for you. It is dark orange in color with a slight haze and typical carbonation. The aromas of astrigent pine and grapefruit are quite pronounced. Flavors of caramel, tart citrus (bitter orange peel) and raisin dominate throughout. It has a sweet, almost sticky mouthfeel that leads to a dry, boozy finish. At 85ibus, the bitterness is very noticeable. Almost a barleywine, Double Dog Pale ale will surely let you know that you are experiencing an extreme brew. A nice match with a blue cheese like Stilton.

Weyerbacker Sixteen

The description of Weyerbacher Sixteen on the label reads "Dark braggot ale brewed with honey." "What is the world is a braggot?" you may be wondering. A braggot is a variety of mead, which is a blanket term for anything brewed with honey and water. More specifically, a braggot is a brew made with honey and malted barley, sometimes with hops.

When I poured it, the first thing that I noticed was a hot, boozy aroma wafting from my glass. What had I gotten myself into? A brew that clocks in at a robust 10.5% alcohol by volume. It was at that moment that I made a mental note to myself to stay away from any open flames in order to prevent a fireball from shooting out from my mouth. After letting it open up for a few minutes, aromas of brown sugar, caramel, toasty bread, prunes and honey began to emerge. Most evident on the palate were flavors of figs, candied walnuts, raisins and maple syrup, which mingled effortlessly with the potent alcohol and honey backbone. The finish was extremely sweet with a slight bit of roastiness from the malt. I can honestly say that I have never tried anything quite like Weyerbacher Sixteen. I recommend buying a 4-pack while it is still available (hurry!!!) It is definitely worth a shot so you can check off braggot off of your "Beer Bucket List." Drink one now and cellar the other three bottles for 2 to 3 years (if you have the discipline and patience.)

Duck Rabbit Milk Stout

Founded in 2004, North Carolina's Duck Rabbit Craft Brewery is a bit late to the craftbrew movement. Duck Rabbit specializes in producing dark ales, which uniquely sets them apart from their competition. Their flagship beer is the highly-regarded and coveted Milk Stout. That particular style of beer is a twist on the traditional stout because of the addition of lactose sugar. The result is a sweeter, creamier beer with more body and a considerable silky mouthfeel.

The beer pours an inky, opaque black color that is complimented by a thick, creamy beige head. Aromatic notes of cocoa, espresso and campfire are vivid and abundant. Sweet, creamy flavors soon evolve into not-so-subtle hints of bitter coffee, baker's chocolate and burnt marshmellow. The finish is lengthy and smooth. A 5.7% alcohol by volume, it is much more of a "belly bomber" than a "liver bomber." Potential food pairings are with hearty North Carolina-style barbecue, a buttery aged cheddar or a generous slice of tiramisu.

Blowing Rock High Country Ale

Nestled in the picturesque Blue Ridge Mountains in western North Carolina comes Blowing Rock High Country Ale from Boone Brewing Company. It is an American-style pale ale, which means it is a hoppier version of the style originally developed by the British in the early 1700s. Pale ales first gained popularity as a "session ale," which is best described as "when you're drinking more than one."

The brew pours a clear, light amber color with an ivory head and moderate carbonation. Aromas of fresh-baked biscuits and sweet citrus are most evident with a slight whiff of honey. The flavor profile is dominated by light caramel and lemon flavors. Hop bitterness is counterbalanced by maltiness and a lingering, non-cloying residual sweetness on the finish.

It is a good match for burgers from the grill, a mild cheddar or as a thirst-quencher after mowing the lawn. An easy drinker, Blowing Rock High Country Ale will hit the spot when the mercury climbs north this summer.

HOMEBREW: Gippel Tripel

Bubble, bubble, toil and trouble... After waiting many months and exhausting the last threads of patience in our bodies, we are proud to officially unveil our newest arrival: "Gippel Tripel." This is certainly no typical Belgian-style triple ale. We go bold or go sober, so we souped this bad boy up... We tricked it out with two pounds of clover honey, bitter orange peel, sweet orange peel, lemon peel, coriander and then we dry-hopped it with some spicy, aromatic Saaz hops. In the secondary fermentation stage, we added a generous amount of Champagne yeast to accentuate the citrus flavors and to give it a crisp, dry finish. It is a sure-fire winner and a potential Summertime "patio pounder."