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."

HOMEBREW: Snowday Stout

It has been a long and bitterly cold winter. However, the Brewski Brothers have been keeping warm by brewing and indulging ourselves in some of the finest beers in the world. Since most of Columbus is shutdown today due to inclimate weather, it is only fitting that we introduce a new homebrew: Snowday Stout. Brewed with Maker's Mark bourbon, french press espresso, organic maple and agave syrups, this oak-aged black beauty will be one to savor for many snowdays to come.

We're back... and with a little homebrew

Well, it's been way too long of a hiatus. My lazy ass hasn't posted anything in over a year. And Rob... well dude's been lazier than me. On the bright side, our collective laziness has inspired many great homebrews and left plenty of time to drink some of the best beer there is to offer. So, about this homebrew. Well, like most we offer, it's a little different. This poor little beer is doomed to be tormented. We start with the basic concept of a Belgian-style tripel, but with some lemon and orange peel added as well as copious amounts of honey. All the other Belgian beers will mock it for its eccentricity.

To make matters worse for this beer, it is doomed to be tormented on the playground, for its name rhymes with a part of female (or male i suppose) anatomy. No, her name isn't Dolores... What we have here is "Gipple Tripel". Gipple, Gipple bo bipple, me mi mo.... you get the rest.

Like any poor teen, though, the awkwardness of puberty declines, and when this beauty is fully mature she will be dazzling. Updates are sure to come, but for now she's still in primary fermentation. After that will come secondary where she'll be dry-hopped and have more honey added.

Now, while brewing this beer, Rob and I had the pleasuring of sampling a rare beer in Hoptimum from Sierra Nevada. A double IPA that uses all whole cone hops and comes in at a huge 100 IBUs and 10.4% ABV. The beer pours a clear amber/orange with a frothy white head. The aroma is not as overwhelming as I had anticipated. Lots of resiny hops, mango, slight citrus, and some pine. The flavor is very aggressive with a very initial bitterness that really lingers and doesn't leave much room for a malt backbone. The hops are very astringent with only a slight sweetness coming through. The beer isn't quite balanced, but it certainly doesn't lose any points for this, as Sierra Nevada wants this to be a hop forward and aggressive beer. Two thumbs up, very nice, great success!

Rogue Dead Guy Ale

Hooray!!!  It's once again football season.  It's that magical time of the year where I can't wait to watch my favorite teams and cheer them on to victory.... or wait 'til three weeks into the season to find myself already cursing the coaching and overpaid athletes that ruin my weekend because they suck and cause me undue stress because I am too avid of a fan.

Well anyway... more often than not I find myself having a few drinks while watching the game.  But I don't like to be burdened down with high gravity, complex beers.  There's a time and a place for them and, in my opinion, during a football game is not one of those times.  I need a good session beer that is not lacking flavor, but isn't going to make me quit after drinking one or two of them.

Here's Dead Guy Ale from Rogue.  A delightfully refreshing Maibock.  The beer pours a slightly hazy, light amber color with a very creamy, yellowish head.  The aroma is caramel and grassy with a tinge of yeast to it.  The flavor is a lot of sweet malt with some orange, a slight fruitiness, and an excellent dry, hoppy finish.  I'm not really sure this is much like a German Maibock, but it is still a refreshing, delicious beer that I tend to find myself grabbing just before the game.  Give it a try.