Monday, May 28, 2012

"Week of Wood" at Black Star

Okay, after you've stopped giggling like Beavis and Butt-Head over the name of the event, you'll realize that you really, really want to hit Black Star Co-op every night this week, beginning tonight. Check out the descriptions:
Many of you remember the great beers from last year’s Week of Wood event we had in August. Well get ready for the 2012 edition! We’ll celebrate the presence of wood in craft brewing by tapping a special keg (or two) each day of the week, starting Memorial Day, Monday May 28, through Sunday June 3.
The lineup has been finalized! Check each day to see what barrel-aged goodness we’ll be tapping. If you can’t make it in for a specific tapping, come in when you can. These kegs should be on for a few days.
Mon May 28 – Dogfish Head Palo Santo Marron
Rich Imperial Brown Ale aged in special wood from Paraguay that gives this big brew very unique and complex qualities. (12% ABV; Milton, DE)
Tue May 29 – CASK of 2010 BrewDog Paradox Smokehead
Scottish Imperial Stout aged in oak barrels that aged Smokehead, Ian Macleod’s Single Islay Malt Whisky. (10+% ABV; Fraserburgh, Scotland)
Wed May 30 – Ranger Creek Bourbon Barrel Aged Mesquite Smoked Porter
Featuring malt smoked in-house over Texas mesquite wood, their Porter then aged in their own Texas Bourbon barrels. We’ll also have bottles of their Small Batch No. 1, Oak Aged Rye OPA. (7.5+% ABV; San Antonio, TX)
Thu May 31 - Jester King Whiskey Rodeo
The first batch of their Mikkeller collaboration (originally called Weasel Rodeo); a complex Imperial Oatmeal Stout w/ smoked malt, chipotle peppers, and Vietnamese coffee; but this version is 100% aged in Jack Daniels and Buffalo Trace barrels. Whiskey Rodeo also features some Lopi Luwak, the exquisite weasel/civet coffee! We also offer bottles of Beer Geek Rodeo, which you can take home to enjoy. (12% ABV; Austin, TX)
Fri Jun 1 – Southern Star Buried Hatchet Stout w/ Coffee & Oak
A special version of their Buried Hatchet (arguably an Imperial Porter), kegged w/ coffee and oak. (8.3% ABV; Conroe, TX)
Sat Jun 2 – Great Divide Oak Aged Yeti & 18th Anniversary Ale
Their Yeti Imperial Stout aged w/ French and American oak, cellared in the keg since November 2011 for extra smoothness.
A bigger version of their award-winning Denver Pale Ale with plenty of American and English hops, then aged in French and American oak to round out the edges and provide a touch of vanilla. (9.5%, 10%ABV; Denver, CO)
Sun Jun 3 – 2011 New Belgium La Folie Sour Brown (& Ooh La La!)
Nicknamed “Rodenbach of the Rockies”, this is a Flanders-style sour ale blended from beers aged 1-3 years in French wine barrels with wild yeasts and bacteria. What’s more, we’ve cellared it an additional year, AND we’ve been holding onto a keg of Ooh La La to pair with it; also from the Lips of Faith series, it’s like an Imperial Framboise (raspberry lambic), released once for Valentines’s Day 2011. (6%, 8.5%ABV; Fort Collins, CO)
Cheers, and may you and yours have a woody week!

Wednesday, May 23, 2012

Austin Chronicle "Beer Flights," May 11

I just realized that I forgot to post my most recent "Beer Flights" column from the May 11 Austin Chronicle. Please give it a read.

Monday, May 21, 2012

Saint Arnold Releasing Homefront IPA on Thursday

I've always admired those who are willing to sign on the dotted line and risk all to protect us, and that has deepened ever since I started working for a state senator who makes veterans her number-one issue. Here's a way to give back to them and enjoy it at the same time. Press release from Saint Arnold:
Homefront IPA Release
Thursday, May 24
Our single batch special release Homefront IPA will be coming out in 22 oz bottles only for Memorial Day weekend. It is a hop forward IPA with orange peel and orange zest. 100% of the profits from this beer will be going to Operation Homefront, an organization that provides emergency financial and other assistance to families of service members and wounded warriors.
Learn more about Homefront IPA here.

Sunday, May 06, 2012

Live Oak to Start Bottling Soon!

This is a great day in the history of Texas beer. According to my Facebook friend Tony Drewry, Live Oak Brewing — which, in my humble opinion, is the best brewery in Texas — is going to start bottling soon. Tony posted this picture to Facebook.