Anytime coffee and vanilla are two of the main flavors in a beer, it gets our attention. Victory at Sea Vanilla Coffee Porter from Ballast Point Brewing not only boasts those two popular flavors, but manages to meld them seamlessly into an all-around smooth and tasty beverage. It's robust with just enough sweetness and packs a punch at 10% ABV. And now it's available for the first time in six packs, making it even tougher to pass up.
Life imitates art, or beer imitates art, with this seasonal gem from Three Floyds Brewing in Indiana. Moloko Milk Stout was named after, and has a label inspired by the famous drinks served in the Korova Milk Bar in the iconic film A Clockwork Orange. And there is art inside the bottle as well, as Moloko is brewed with golden naked oats and lactose milk sugar, providing a roasty, slightly sweet and well balanced stout.
One of the most sought after whiskies of 2013 is back for another brief appearance. Bowmore Devil's Casks Whiskey caught the attention of many with its first batch and the second is just as special. It's again been matured in first fill sherry casks, giving it a unique, rich flavor. The first recorded distillery on Islay is said to only be providing 90 cases of batch 2, so keep your eyes peeled.
Sometimes the best recipes are tucked away at home, and need exposure to really shine. Xocoveza Mocha Stout is an example, as this year's winner of the American Homebrewers Association-sanctioned competition provided the recipe for this tasty collaboration with Stone Brewing, who assisted in the process and gave it the wider audience it deserves. It's meant to mimic a Mexican hot chocolate, and hits the mark with chocolate, nutmeg, and just enough chile pepper to provide some warmth at the end of a sip.
It's no secret that some of the best IPAs come from the West Coast. Many are big and bold but not enough are both great and easy to drink. Point The Way IPA is Golden Road Brewing's ode to Los Angeles, where they brew it and several other beers. The 5.9% beer was re-imagined last year by a brand new brewmaster and is now finds itself in the class of some West Coast heavyweights. An optimal sipper for the beach, or any occasion where a crisp, clean IPA is called for.
We spend about a third of our time sleeping, so the mattress you sleep on every night is incredibly important. But when you lie on a bed for five minutes in a mattress showroom, it's impossible to judge how you'll sleep through the night - and the commissioned salesperson hovering doesn't help. Casper was designed with the bedroom in mind, not the showroom, and features premium latex foam for cooling and memory foam for comfort and support. In fact, you can avoid the showroom altogether as Casper comes compress-shipped right to your door. Make sleep a priority again with this impeccably designed, outrageously comfortable, and hand-crafted mattress made in the U.S.A.
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Old Forester is the only bourbon brand still in existence that was produced before, during and after Prohibition. Old Forester Birthday Bourbon pays homage to the brand's founder, George Garvin Brown, and in the past dozen years has been a special, annual release every fall. This year's expression was bottled at 97 proof, with plenty of sweet vanilla and maple syrup flavors, making it another great tribute to a pioneer in the bourbon industry.
There aren't very many breweries with as solid of a reputation for brewing Imperial Stouts as Goose Island in Chicago, and the latest to hit shelves continues that tradition. The Muddy is a new Imperial Stout celebrating the 1940's blues scene in Chicago, brewed with black licorice and Belgian dark rock candi sugar. The 9% ABV hides nicely in this rich, chocolatey brew along with some dark fruit and subtle licorice notes — making it an ideal sipper heading into fall.
Homemade country wine, herbs, spices, and moonshine. It might sound like some sort of redneck death punch, but in fact, it's really tasty — as the original red Spodee showed us. Now White Mule Farms is back with Spodee White, a lighter, more tropical version of this 36-proof hooch. In addition to the wine and moonshine, this unique drink is made with pineapple and toasted coconut, giving it a fruity flavor that's great with a fizzy mixer like ginger ale, in a Tiki cocktail, or just served chilled over ice.
Take a step away from traditional pumpkin beers this fall and seek out Autumn Maple from The Bruery. Brewed with cinnamon, nutmeg, allspice, vanilla, molasses, maple syrup and 17lbs. of yams per barrel, it's not lacking in flavor and punch. A great pairing for a fall feast or let the 10% ABV help warm things up a bit on a cool fall evening.
To celebrate the journey of a special batch of Ardbeg Whiskey, which has spent nearly three years orbiting the globe aboard the International Space Station, Ardbeg is releasing a new batch of Supernova, their super-peaty whiskey that hasn't been bottled since 2010. Previous iterations were the peatiest Ardbeg has ever released and the new batch follows suit, delivering a cloud of smoke along with a sweet oily finish. A unique beast that not unlike a Supernova, could be gone in a blink.
Maple syrup. Bacon. Coffee. All staples of any truly tasty breakfast — and now you can get a taste of all three flavors without the excess calories with Maple Bacon Smoked Coffee. Available in one-pound bags, in both whole bean and ground form, this unique brew is created by pouring maple bacon flavoring over the slow smoked beans, allowing them to soak up the flavors that result in a sweet, savory drink that'll leave your kitchen smelling wonderful no matter what you're eating.
It's no surprise to see two breweries collaborate on a special beer, but when a brewery pairs up with a clothing company, you can be sure the collaboration is unique. The Carhartt Woodsman Beer, brewed by the folks at New Holland Brewing in Michigan sees two companies teaming up that are more similar than you may guess. This barrel-aged pale ale showcases locally-grown Cascade hops with just a touch of oak and sweet malt for an incredibly sessionable beer. A celebration of craftsmanship on Carhartt's 125th anniversary.
As home-brewers know, a brew day can be a lot of work, but is almost as fun as enjoying the finished product. Part of the hassle though, is dealing with the bulky equipment that goes along with the process — especially if you're brewing a double batch — during and after a brew. The Double Barrel Home-Brewing Kit from Box Brew not only cuts out the clutter, giving you room to operate, but also looks more like classic laboratory equipment than just a bunch of plastic buckets. Brew two batches at a time with this 2-gallon kit, which also comes with 8 reusable cobalt blue flip-top bottles, 2 1-gallon glass fermenters, and an auto-siphon system to quickly transfer beer between vessels.
Unless you live in NYC or the Bay Area, odds are you haven't had the pleasure of sipping on a cup of Blue Bottle Coffee. But now, thanks to their new subscription service, you can enjoy their fine brews no matter where you live. You can choose to receive your beans in 6-oz, 12-oz, 24-oz, or 36-oz increments, and get your choice of three subscription options: the Origin, which changes bi-weekly and includes a different single origin coffee every time, the Blend, which is a rotation of the company's drip coffee blends, or the Espresso, which is a rotation of espresso blends, with the occasional single origin thrown in for variety. It's like having a shop right in your kitchen.
The brewers at New Belgium and Perennial Artisan Ales believe that dessert is best poured — and their brand new collaborative release is proof. Salted Belgian Chocolate Stout is both decadent and desirable, brewed with belgian yeast, roasted malts, and a shake of salt to balance things out. The 9% ABV, pitch black, sweet chocolate treat arrives this month from two respected breweries.
The Fall season sees temperatures beginning to drop, leaves changing color, and most importantly, a steady stream of great new whiskey releases. Heaven Hill releases Parker's Heritage every fall, a special series named for Master Distiller Parker Beam, who was diagnosed with ALS several years ago. This year for the first time, Parker's Heritage is not a bourbon, but instead is a 13-year-old Wheat Whiskey that is bottled at a hefty 136.2 ABV cask strength. What emerges is a big, bold whiskey with a long, spicy tail. And $5 from every bottle sold goes directly towards ALS research and treatment.
As craft brewers continue to try and top each other with the latest extreme brew, it's nice to see a new beer that keeps things simple. Mosaic Promise from Founders Brewing does just that, highlighting a single malt — Golden Promise — and a single hop — Mosaic. Just released in limited markets across the US, Mosaic Promise not only is a simple, refreshing IPA, but also benefits a good cause, as proceeds will benefit ArtPrize, the world's largest art competition that just happens to take place in Founders backyard in Grand Rapids, Michigan.
As we usher in the fall season, the inevitable onslaught of Pumpkin beers are upon us. And whether you roll your eyes at the seasonal change of pace or welcome it with open arms, Pumking from Southern Tier Brewing is not to be ignored. This fall, Pumking arrives with the same classic fall flavors like cinnamon, nutmeg, and of course pumpkin — but boasts a brand new label for the 22oz bottle this year. The king of Pumpkin beers is back, but will be gone before you know it.
As the thirst for Rye Whiskey escalates among spirits appreciators, it's getting tougher and tougher to find one that is good, available, and affordable. Old Scout Rye Whiskey from Smooth Ambler fits that profile to a tee, as the distillery quickly climbs the ladder of reputation in the industry despite only being around since 2009. Their Rye Whiskey is 7 years old, uses 95% rye in the mashbill, and clocks in at 99 proof — making it an excellent candidate to drink neat or to add to your next Old Fashioned.
