Black Friday Goose Island Bourbon County Pint Night Spectacunanza!!!!!

Ladies and gentlemen, tonight is a special night.  We will be releasing the much sought after Goose Island Bourbon County Stout series, and to celebrate it and the zaniness of the holiday season, we will have our own keg of Bourbon County Stout to enjoy.  Make sure to get here early enough to enjoy it however, as it is expected to sell fast!  We also have a plethora of Goose Island beers on tap:

• Goose Island Bourbon County Stout
• Goose Island Sofie Saison 
• Goose Island India Pale Ale
• Goose Island Honker's ESB Ale
• Goose Island Ten Hills Pale Ale
• Goose Island 312 Wheat Ale
• Southern Tier 2XMas Spiced Ale

As if there wasn't enough to do already, now you have to stop in and try these amazing seasonal beers from the famous Chicago brewery.  We'll also have impeccable Goose Island chalices for sale; their beauty and elegance will brighten any home this holiday season.

The holidays are only now beginning, so don't get tuckered out yet!  Save some energy for our Black Friday Pint Night Spectacunanza, brought to you by Goose Island!

Weekly Beer Reviews

Country Boy Cougar Bait American Blonde Ale

The first of our Country Boy Beers on tap, the first ever in fact, is this American version of a Blonde Ale. The nose is intriguing with soft aromas of rice, roast beef, green onions, wheat, and sour notes. The nose smells right, but the flavor is all wrong. Corn assaults your tastebuds from the get go with other flavors of roast beef and watermelon being prevalent. The finish is crisp and has flavors of cornflakes with milk, leeks, and mineral water. This mishmash of flavors without the subtle sour grape and coriander flavors present in most Blonde Ale's makes this a very weak offering.

Mike and Tyler's Rating - 4.5/10


Country Boy Cliff Jumper IPA

The next in the lineup of Country Boy beers will delight some of our hop heads. This IPA has an interesting aroma of citrus, lemon peel, strawberry preserves, soap, and a dash of fungal tome (old book binding). This is a nice entry to this decent IPA. The taste is full of lemons and soap up front, with softer flavors of cough syrup and bubble gum detected on the tongue too. The bitterness starts after those flavors and sticks around throughout the entire finish. Flavors of split peas, wood chips, and mint make for an interesting finish. A good every day IPA, but I have definitely had better single IPA's.

Mike and Tyler's Rating - 7/10


Country Boy Forkin' Gourd Pumpkin Porter

Another Pumpkin rears its head. I know many of you all are souring on these Thanksgiving beers, but how many times do you see a local iteration? The nose is robust with aromas of blackened steak, oatmeal, cinnamon, tobacco smoke, and pumpkin spice. This smattering blends surprising well together. The taste is spicy with flavors of coriander, cardamom, nutmeg, and brown sugar. Towards the end flavors of smoke and oatmeal rear up. The finish is rather bland after that initial rush with flavors of pumpkin spice, mint, and bran. Not a bad Porter, though very little Pumpkin was picked up.

Mike and Tyler's Rating - 7.25/10


Country Boy Amos Moses Brown Ale

We round out this lineup with an American Brown Ale. After the previous 3 being disappointing offerings for their respective style, Tyler and I didn't have high hopes for this one. Perhaps that helped. The nose gave off aromas of cologne, soap, cocoa, caramel brownies, and roasted chestnuts (on an open fire no less!). The initial surge of flavor is quite light with only hints of lemon, soap, and minerals. The finish is quite tasty with hints of lemon zest, cocoa, ashes, and burnt wheat toast. Not the best Brown Ale we have tapped recently, but it still provides tons of flavors that blend well together.

Mike and Tyler's Rating - 7.75/10

Country Boy Pint Night

Hello all, incoming Pint Night post!  Tonight we are featuring Country Boys, straight out of Lexington.  Behold our offerings of the night:

• Country Boy Amos Moses Brown Ale
• Country Boy Forkin' Gourd Pumpkin Porter
• Country Boy Cliff Jumper IPA
• Country Boy Cougar Bait American Blonde Ale

Country Boy Brewing opened in February 2012 and has been vital in the beer revolution of Lexington, KY. Country Boy brews fresh, minimally processed beers using the finest ingredients. Always willing to try new things- The Country Boys have made beers with local fruits, vegetables and hops.

We will have Country Boy pint glasses available for purchase, so make sure your hands are empty and ready to purchase new and exciting glassware!

Break the malaise of the shopping season by stopping in to sample tasty local beers tonight!

Bell's Pint Night

Hey folks, incoming late blog post, so I'll make this quick.  This week will feature Bell's Brewery, along with some other, very special brews:

• Bell's Best Brown Ale
• Bell's Oberon American Pale Wheat Ale
• Bell's Christmas "Scottish" Ale
• Bell's Double Cream Stout
• Bell's Expedition Russian Imperial Stout
• Great Lakes Oktoberfest
• Southern Tier Oat Oatmeal **DISCONTINUED**
• Green Flash Green Bullet Triple IPA
• Schlafly Tasmanian IPA

As you can see, the Bell's line-up is quite incredible, particularly for this time of year.  The Southern Tier Oat is now discontinued, so this is the last chance you have to enjoy this creamy, full-bodied stout.  The Green Bullet Triple IPA is a fruity, hoppy, and powerful example of the style.  The Schlafly Tasmanian IPA arrived today as a staggeringly delightful surprise, as it is phenomenal.  As you can see, the selection is amazing, so come!  Come and taste these delightful beers!

Upcoming Pint Nights

Greetings everyone!  Today I present you with a list of all the Pint Nights that we will be having throughout the rest of the year. Behold!

11/15/13 -- Bell's Brewery
11/22/13 -- Country Boy Brewing
11/29/13 -- Goose Island Brewery
12/06/13 -- Dark Horse Brewing 
12/13/13 -- Against the Grain Brewery
12/20/13 -- Christmas Ale Pint Night
12/27/13 -- Stillwater Brewery

Clear your calendars, because it looks like you now have plans for the rest of this year's Fridays!

Weekly Beer Reviews

Red Hook Audible Pale Ale

I haven't had a Red Hook beer since I was an infant in the World of Beer. I tried a Longhammer back when Blue Moon (sans fruit) was my beer of choice. It was so hoppy then that my friend and I had to throw it back in shots. 5 years later, and this beer is so light I can barely smell it. Soft hints of grass and cream combine with a mere whisper of pine resin. The taste, after that bit, is no surprise. Light hints of corn and sand combine with floral notes. The finish is reminiscent of corn flakes with milk. This beer is definitely more of a Spring beer and not terribly exciting. Still, it is a bargain at $6.99 a growler.

Mike and Tyler's Rating -  4.5/10


North Coast Wintertime Winter Warmer

The Winter beers have begun to arrive starting with this Winter Warmer out of California (ironic, no?). The nose is pungent with hints of swamp grass, wet potting soil, roasted coffee, and a hint of nutmeg. The taste brings about thoughts of stale air, roasted coffee, and sage. The finish finally brings that malty presence that I so desire on a Winter Warmer. Thick flavors of milk chocolate, hazelnuts, frito's, and cream make for a pleasant finish to an otherwise odd beer. It is just a tad too sessionable in flavor and alcohol.

Mike and Tyler's Rating - 7/10


Evil Twin Falco IPA

We begin the Evil Twin beers from Denmark with their American-Style IPA. The nose has subtle aromas of peach, lemon zest, and dish soap. Even softer hints of hay and melon are picked up as the beer sits for a moment. The taste is extremely bitter with strong flavors of lemon pith, pine resin, grass, soap, and perfume. The finish continues that strong bitterness and brings about flavors of lemon, pine nettles, coffee tannins, and lime pith. This beer is sure to appeal to many different IPA fans, but it definitely is geared toward the Bitter Bomb lovers.

Mike and Tyler's Rating - 8.25/10


Evil Twin Yang Imperial IPA

We move on to the next beer from Evil Twin. At 10%, this beer is intense. The nose is very aromatic with hints of sweaty armpit, herbal notes, wapooret, pine, caramel corn, mango, and orange. It is definitely quite potent even on just the nose. The flavor is intense with hints of mango, pine resin, and pineapple. Softer flavors of grass, alcohol, lemon pith, and lemon zest are all present. The finish is a little more subdued with flavors of pine nettles, beef fond, peppercorns, and bitter herbal notes.

Mike and Tyler's Rating - 9/10


Evil Twin Molotov Cocktail

The Yang would be intense enough for any breweries crown of their Hoppiest Beer. But Yang has nothing on Molotov Cocktail in terms of intensity and potency. The nose is has strong aromas of pineapple, pine, oranges, leather, mint, and bubble gum. The flavor is slightly sweet and incredibly intense up front with hints of fruit medley, cherry puree, mango juice, pineapple, pine, and tea tannins. The finish is fruity with hints of banana, oranges, pine, mint, green onions, and balsamic vinegar. This beer is incredibly intense...and at 13% ABV it is enough to floor anyone. Drink with caution.

Mike and Tyler's Rating - 9.5/10

Evil Twin Pint Night

Good day folks.  This week will feature beers from a brewery that is new to us:  Evil Twin Brewing out of Denmark.  Hold on to your hats:

• Evil Twin Falco IPA
• Evil Twin Yang Imperial IPA
• Evil Twin Molotov Cocktail Double IPA
• Red Hook Audible Pale Ale
• North Coast Wintertime Winter Warmer

As the Autumn leaves fall, my mind wanders to thoughts of coniferous forests bearing firs, spruces, and pines, with its crisp, piney scents.  How appropriate that we are featuring IPAs from the chilly latitudes of northern Europe, which should evoke the tastes of the pine forest.  They should be unique experiences; we have never gotten Danish beers on tap!  The Wintertime and Audible Ales round out the seasonal theme.

We may have pint glasses from the brewery, so stay tuned for an update confirming or denying this.

An exciting and premier Pint Night awaits you, so come in and snuggle up next to our warm growler wall this Friday.

Weekly Beer Reviews

Greetings folks! I apologize about the lack of reviews in the last few weeks. Business here has picked up and vacation doesn't help much. But they are back and better than ever! So, enough with my simpering, here come the reviews:


Three Floyds Robert the Bruce Scottish Ale

It has been a while since this one has graced the wall. That is due in part to its overabundance for nearly a year. Enough was enough. Now we welcome this wayward beer back into the fold. The nose is a little harsh at first with a strong hint of vinegar and brown sugar. That quickly mellows and gives off sweet aromas of licorice, cream, and walnuts. The taste goes just like the nose, with the front being unimpressive. White corn and toast make you wonder where those heavy malts went...until the finish settles in. The finish has strong flavors of grapefruit, corn flakes, golden grahams, and milk. With the weather getting colder, this will help round out those warm evenings next to the fire...or the heating vent in my case.

Mike and Tyler's Rating - 7.25/10


Southern Tier Harvest

Make no mistake, the harvest ales are flying onto our shelves. The wall is no different. This will be our second keg of Southern Tier's Harvest Ale. Unlike the first, this one has impressed fairly well. The nose is pungent from the get go with hints of orange zest, pine, grapefruit, lemon juice, and green onions. Unlike with some of your IPA's though, the malt presence is practically non-existent in smell or taste. The first flavors provide hints of green onions and oranges. The finish has orange cream, pears, and hints of perfume that is a nice finisher on this fantastic and easy drinking ale.

Mike and Tyler's Rating - 8/10


Three Floyds Alpha King Pale Ale

This beer has been MIA since the Zombie Apocalypse Night on the 13th Day of July of the Year 2012. It returns now and is as affordable as ever. The nose is interesting with a smattering of aromas that include mint leaf, soap suds, lime, seltzer water, orange mango juice, and Big League Chew gum. This explosion of hops continues through the flavor. Small hints of  lime, kiwi, and papaya mixed with stronger flavors of pineapple and Dr. Pepper. The finish is bitter and soapy with flavors of grass, mango, and earth notes. This beer is a nice switch from the Zombie Dust without losing too much of the hops.

Mike and Tyler's Rating - 8.25/10


Three Floyds Dreadnaught Imperial IPA

I am sure many of you hop heads have been dreading the imminent stout season, but let me provide this beer to drown your sorrows in. The nose is diverse with strong aromas of cracked pepper, oranges, grapefruit, garlic, onion, grass clippings and...axle grease. Give it a whiff if you don't believe us. The taste is strong, though not boozy. Flavors of green onions, mango, orange, grass, and lemon zest pop out everywhere and provide a punch in the mouth of hops. The finish is all lemon...pith, zest, and juice. It also adds a hint of that cracked pepper. This one definitely has a load of hops and alcohol, but it blends into a truly fantastic brew.

Mike and Tyler's Rating - 9.5/10

Three Floyds Pint Night

Happy days are here again!  If you thought the Three Floyds Zombie Dust was a treat, then Christmas has come early for you indeed:

• Three Floyds Robert the Bruce Scottish Ale
• Three Floyds Alpha King Pale Ale
• Three Floyds Dreadnaught India Pale Ale
• Southern Tier Harvest Ale

This trio of fabulous beers is sure to please.  This batch of Dreadnaught is simply phenomenal, and resonates with intense flavor.  The Southern Tier Harvest adds both to our collection of that brewery's beers, and to the seasonal brews.

This week the beer really is too good to miss, so get in here and taste it!