New Years Holiday Pint Night Celebration Time!

Hear ye, hear ye!

Join us for our final Pint Night of the year blowout special!  Each of the beers featured from Stillwater Brewery has an exceptional rating on ratebeer.com and beeradvocate.com, with a combined average score of 93!  I will list the ratings along each beer name as follows:

• Stillwater As Follows Belgian Strong Golden Ale -- RB (97); BA (92)
• Stillwater Debauched Farmhouse Ale with Juniper Berries -- RB (98); BA (87)
• Stillwater Cellar Door Witbier Saison Hybrid -- RB (97); BA (90)
• Stillwater Stateside Saison -- RB (97); BA (89)
• Stillwater Why Can't IBU Belgian IPA -- RB(96); BA (88)
• North Coast Old #38 Irish Dry Stout

Ratings this high are hard to come by, which is why we aren't in the habit of listing them.  We think our dedicated customer base deserves an exceptional experience to close out a fine year.  It has been a pleasure serving the lot of you, and Mike and I look forward to serving you for another wonderful year.  Make sure to join us for the celebration!

Christmas Pint Night Holiday Bonanza!

Greetings dear readers, and a Merry Christmas to you!  Today we celebrate the festivities of the season with a bounty of holiday-themed brews:

• New Albanian Naughty Claus Christmas Ale
• Breckenridge Christmas Ale
• Great Lakes Christmas Ale
• Schlafly Christmas Ale
• Southern Tier Krampus Imperial Helles Lager

Each of these beers brings a mouthful of Christmas cheer.  The Schlafly Christmas is nutty, semi-sweet, and spicy -- perfect for the holiday.  The Krampus is a seasonal rebuttal to traditional spiced Christmas ales by offering a piney, hoppy burst of flavor.  The other ales are just now being tapped, so their tastes will be a delightful mystery to us all!

It's a holly jolly Pint Night here at the Liquor Barn; be sure to join us starting at 4:30 pm for the festivities!

Homebrewers News: Amarillo Hops Are In!

That's right folks. We have been out of this intensely popular hop for about a year and it was past time for it to arrive. Come in and pick up this hop that is the main attraction in beers such as Three Floyds Gumballhead, Rogue Yellow Snow IPA, Dogfish Head 60 Minute IPA, and Green Flash Hop Head Red.

New Beer Arrivals

Greetings folks! We have some new beer arrivals this week that are sure to tickle your fancy. Dogfish Head Piercing Pils has arrived in 4 Pack Bottles at $9.99. This refreshing Pilsner combines Pear Tea, Pear Juice, and Saaz hops to create a refreshing beer that is a nice change from the thick, dark beers of Winter. Speaking of thick and dark beers, Stone Smoked Porter with Vanilla Beans has also arrived on our shelves. This delicious beer combines strong flavors of chocolate and vanilla with more subtle flavors of smoke and roasted coffee. At $6.99 a 22oz, this beer is steal. Stop in today and check out these two new additions.

Weekly Beer Reviews

Flying Dog Easy IPA

This is the lone exception to our ATG night. It has been a while since we have tapped a Flying Dog, and that will only get harder as Flying Dog limits their stock that comes into Kentucky. The nose is intriguing with hints of mango, lemon, and oranges. That fruitiness dissipates quickly and is replaced with a smell reminiscent of a Hobby Lobby during Christmas with tons of fake pine and licorice. The taste is bitter immediately off the front with hints of grass. Onions and minerals shine through before the finish brings forth strong flavors of lemon pith, oranges, and onions. Hints of white cheddar round out this easy drinking yet hoppy IPA.

Mike and Tyler's Rating - 8.5/10


Against The Grain Rico Sauvin IPA

There was some curiosity as to the spelling of the name. Many immediately jump to the 90's hit. Yet it also is due to the use of Nelson Sauvin hops. This beer was described as being very fruity, yet we detected very little fruit throughout the entire beer. The nose has hints of onions and citrus, but remains very one dimensional and light. The taste is all onions and garlic up front with flavors of bitter soap rounding out the front. The finish continues that bitterness with hints of grass. Strong flavors of fried onions crop up and make this beer quite different than what was offered before.

Mike and Tyler's Rating - 7.75/10


Against The Grain The Brown Note

This easy drinking Brown Ale from ATG joins our tap wall, and at $6.99 a growler it is quite the steal. The nose has hints of roasted coffee, cream, vanilla, and maple syrup. These aromas combine well and make the nose quite pleasant. The taste has an immediate taste of bitter stale water. That mellows some and offers up flavors of coffee and marshmellows. The finish is quite creamy and displayed flavors of dark chocolate, grapefruit, and hints of sesame seeds. While it isn't overwhelming with flavor, it still does what it aims for incredibly well.

Mike and Tyler's Rating - 7.75/10


Against The Grain MacFannyBaw Rauchbier

This beer is probably the most interesting of the beers we have tapped this week. It is a smoked beer that uses tons of Peat and Beechwood smoked malts. If that wasn't enough, they add Alderwood smoked sea salt to the beer...then age it in Angel's Envy Bourbon Barrels. All of this culminated in this beer. The nose is quite smoky, though I detected tons of sterile gauze, throat spray, and rubbing alcohol. Light hints of peppers are also picked up as the aroma begins to dissipate. The taste is interesting with tons and tons of smoke. The sterile gauze shows up in the flavor too, with lighter hints of peanuts and maraschino cherries. The finish is salty with hints of pool water, country ham, vanilla, and cheddar. This beer is mostly what you want from a Smoked beer, but the assault of flavors doesn't always blend well together.

Mike and Tyler's Rating - 8/10


Against The Grain Citra Ass Down!

We weren't 100% sure we would receive this delightful IPA until a fresh keg showed up on a truck delivered to us. It has a great name, and the beer is pretty darn good too. The nose is interesting with hints of pineapple juice, citrus, lime zest, and armpit. Lighter aromas of fabric softener and grapefruit are picked up as the beer sits for a moment. The first sip provides a slap in the face of lemon, soap, and pine flavored hops. Lighter hints of toast and seaweed strike before the finish. The finish is bitter and dry but provides flavors of pine and lemon. This definitely stole the show at Pint Night.

Mike and Tyler's Rating - 8.75/10

Against the Grain Pint Night

Hello Folks!  Winter is officially still one week away, but it definitely feels like it's already here!  And what better way is there to fight the chill, than to snuggle up next to a homey, local beer?  So we are featuring Against the Grain Brewery to warm your insides on a cold night:

• Against the Grain Macfannybaw Rauchbier
• Against the Grain Citra Ass Down! India Pale Ale
• Against the Grain Rico Sauvin India Pale Ale
• Against the Grain The Brown Note Brown Ale
• Flying Dog Rarities Easy IPA

Quite a creatively-named, diverse selection!  Of course, three IPAs are always better than one.  Also notable is the  Macfannybaw Rauchbier, which is a smoked, German-style ale; it should provide the needed warmth your innards need after a crappy cold week, so I suggest starting with a dose of it before the others.  And despite its name, The Brown Note is actually very quaffable and tasty.

Fine craft beers, a friendly atmosphere, and warm company does the soul much good at this time of year, so join us tonight for Pint Night, starting at 4:30 PM.

The Best Soda to Cure a Hangover

Thanks to Melinda Simpson for another fascinating article!

No one likes a hangover, I'm not afraid to come right out and say that.  But out of every soda in the entire world, which has the best ability to rid oneself of the dizziness, nausea, and headaches of a long night of debilitating alcohol consumption?  Scientists have determined which soda has the best balance of sweetness, crispness, and magical mystery chemicals needed to cure the dreaded hangover!  Is it a soda easily and readily available to all of us?  Click here to find out!

Schlafly Beer Reviews

Schlafly Winter ESB

I am sure some of our readers have just sighed or scoffed at the sight of a seasonal ESB. I did the exact same, as did Tyler. We poured this beer and immediately were intrigued with the aroma of citrus, pine, sweet corn, raisins, and canned pears. With some beers, the greatness stops once the cup moves from the nose to the mouth. Cling peas, pine resin, lemon, lime, grapefruit, and rye assaulted our tastebuds with an explosion of hops worthy of an IPA. The finish continued that grapefruit taste with light malt flavors of minerals, cornflakes, and wheat bread. This was a pleasant surprise from an unlikely source.

Mike and Tyler's Rating - 8.5/10


Schlafly Coffee Stout

The stouts have been slowly making their way on tap as the bitter cold of December starts to settle in. This one isn't as heavy as your usual suspects, but it still packs quite the aroma. Black roasted coffee, ashes, and brown sugar combine to make this beer smell exactly like a cup of joe. The taste is smooth with strong flavors of roasted coffee and cream. The finish is a bit more robust and provided strong hints of espresso, dark chocolate, vanilla, and roasted coffee. This beer goes down easy and has a great flavor for those who love a good coffee stout.

Mike and Tyler's Rating - 8.5/10

Dark Horse Pint Night

Welcome to the Liquor Barn St. Matthews blog!  Tomorrow's Pint Night will feature a brewery that is new to us, Dark Horse Brewing.  Without further ado, let me introduce our offerings:

• Dark Horse Scotty Karate Scotch Ale
• Dark Horse 4 Elf Christmas Ale
• Dark Horse Perkulator Coffee Doppelbock
• Country Boys Knotty Pine Imperial IPA
• Stone Götterdämmerung Imperial IPA

The Dark Horse beers are all delicious and perfect for the season, while the Knotty Pine and Götterdämmerung will provide your much needed hop fix.  We intend to have new glassware available as well, perfect for that tight, unfilled corner in the back of your cabinets.

Don't let the dreadful weather get you down, and don't let it get Pint Night down either!  Bundle up and come on over to try some fine brews this Friday, starting at 4:30 PM!

Goose Island Beer Reviews

Goose Island Honker's Ale

I am sure everyone has had this beer. After all, this is Goose Islands flagship beer. However, this fresh keg is worth another sample of this beer. The nose is floral with aromas of citrus, lavender soap, and cracked pepper. The nose disappears quickly though, leaving no time for dallying. The taste is slightly bitter with hints of raspberries, soap, and lemon pith. The finish has flavors of lavender, grapefruit, and hints of perfume. The entire beer is quite floral bringing about thoughts of Spring. This is a very easy drinking beer with a dose of tasty hops.

Mike and Tyler's Rating - 8.25/10


Goose Island 312 Urban Wheat Ale

Next we review Goose Islands everyday American Pale Wheat Ale. The nose is quite light with soft, floral notes. Hints of banana, spaghetti sauce, lime peel, and clove intermingle to create a subtle but pleasant nose. The taste has a creamy mouth feel for how light of a beer it is. Soft flavors of lime juice, honeycomb, sweet white corn, and grapefruit juice provide a nice opening. The finish is practically non-existent with only trace hints of hazelnuts and mineral water. This is certainly no Bell's Oberon, but it is better than this beer usually is.

Mike and Tyler's Rating -6.75/10


Goose Island Ten Hills Pale Ale

We seem to be having a theme here from all of the Goose Island beers, as every single one has had an underwhelming aroma to it that doesn't linger long. This one is no different with light hints of marshmellow fluff, alpine air, and rose petals. The taste catches you off guard with a strong dose of bitterness. That mellows a bit and provides flavors of bubblegum and lemon. Floral and herbal notes are also picked up at the front. The back is lighter with hints of mineral water, sourdough, and oats. Still, this beer packs enough hop punch to intrigue some of the hop lovers out there.

Mike and Tyler's Rating - 7.5/10


Goose Island India Pale Ale

 We move on to Goose Islands English-Style IPA. The nose has plenty of hop presence with hints of armpit and pine present. Lighter hints of honey and hay rounded out a pleasant nose for this IPA. The first taste is all red berries with hints of lemon drops, lime, and mint. These flavors disappear quickly and are replaced with a bitter, toasty finish. This beer has a great flavor to it, but those flavors disappear all too quickly for my liking. It is certainly a nice Winter IPA.

Mike and Tyler's Rating - 7.75/10


Goose Island Sofie Saison Ale

This has always been one of my favorite Goose Island beers, and this isn't the keg to change my perception. The nose is subtle with aromas of sour grapes and bruised granny smith apples. Lighter hints of sweat socks, wheat bread, and coriander appear throughout the nose too. The taste is quite tart with strong flavors of sour grapes, sour apples, and lime zest. The beer gets a bit creamy towards the end with effervescent flavors of apple must and white wine vinegar. This is a perfect example of a Saison.

Mike and Tyler's Rating - 9/10


Goose Island Bourbon County Stout

This is a big Imperial Stout, that is for sure. It pours like motor oil and coats the glass like a red wine. The nose is intense with aromas of candied ginger, raisins, bourbon, and brown sugar. More subtle aromas of black cherries, vanilla, dark chocolate, and chili peppers emerged as well. The taste is sweet up front when its cold (that sweetness dies some if you let it warm up) and presents flavors of fudge, candied raisins, red hots, and chicory. The finish is smooth as silk and blends its collection of flavors quite well. Smoke, cracked black pepper, dark chocolate, brown sugar, oatmeal, and cream formed to make quite the diverse finish.At 15%, this one sure packs a wallop, but the quality shows.

Mike and Tyler's Rating - 9.25/10