One of the most iconic beer brands around has something special up its sleeve with Guinness 1759 this fall. 1759 is a limited edition amber ale based on a 200-year-old recipe using a blend of traditional beer malt and peated whisky malt, along with Guinness yeast. Named for the year that Arthur Guinness signed the lease for St. James' Gate in Dublin, and clocking in at 9% ABV, this should please those loyal to the Guinness brand and beer connoisseurs alike.
As black as midnight, Sierra Nevada already has a winner on its hands in Narwhal, their Imperial Stout. But Barrel-Aged Narwhal raises the bar, mellowing some of the beer's flavors while intensifying others. After aging in Kentucky bourbon barrels, this 12.9% ABV beast has plenty of bark, but very little bite. It's smooth, sweet, and mellow till the last pour. Available nationally, but in small quantities, making it nearly as rare as its namesake.
Evil Twin Brewing isn't afraid to up the ante, that's why they decided that their Imperial Stout, Even More Jesus, could get even bigger. Double Barrel Jesus takes that beer and combines it with Muscovado Sugar and ages it in bourbon barrels. The result is a rich, pitch black stout with loads of flavors like chocolate, coffee, dark fruits and vanilla. And at 12% ABV, it has the potential to provide a nearly spiritual experience.
Smoked beers, known as Rauchbier in Germany were almost non-existent in the United States until 1988, when Alaskan Brewing set the standard with their Alaskan Smoked Porter. Since then, it's received over 30 National and International awards, and is one of the most decorated beers in the history of the Great American Beer Festival. The dark, robust porter is a perfect pairing with smoked salmon, cheese, or just to warm up a bit on a cold night.
Already known for their solid stable of year-round beers and award winning brew pubs, Beachwood Brewing continues to impress with their barrel-aged program. One of the first bottled beers in the program is Sadie, a dark ale aged in bourbon barrels for 12 months. Sadie is a sweet, smooth drink, with plenty of caramel and vanilla and just a touch of oak. It's another hit for one of the most underrated breweries on the West Coast.
We love when everyday objects are reinvented in smart and refined ways. That's why the Soma limited edition water filter is a must for every home. The shatter-resistant glass carafe was artfully blown in Germany to look stylish on your kitchen table. Soma's filter cleans your water without using petroleum-based plastics or leaving behind nasty black flakes. Instead, the coconut shell filters are certified by the Water Quality Association and can be conveniently delivered to your door on a subscription. Best of all, every filter sold donates clean drinking water through charity: water.
Just because they aren't as visible as the rest of your clothing doesn't mean your underwear should be drab and boring. So in collaboration with Young & Sick — the artist responsible for album covers for everyone from Foster the People to Maroon 5, MeUndies has created Faces, a new limited edition print that's wearable art for you to step your underwear game up with. This underwear not only looks great, but is made with Modal fabric which is twice as soft as cotton, a non-restricing waistband that follows the contours of your frame, and the superior quality you've come to expect from the MeUndies brand.
For the past year, Stone Brewing has made fresh beer a priority with their Enjoy By series of IPAs. Now, they are turning the tables with Stone Enjoy After 10/31/15 Brett IPA. This beer has Brettanomyces added, a wild yeast that, over time, brings about some complexities that you won't get when it's fresh. That's why Stone recommends you drink this one next fall, after keeping it out of sunlight and between 50-70 degrees. Of course, feel free to crack it open whenever, but understand that it won't be fully carbonated yet, and probably won't have reached its full potential.
When a high-five isn't enough, look no further than Sky-Five IPA from Bauhaus Brew Labs in Minneapolis. This new brewery is quickly becoming known for their German-inspired beer styles, but show they can knock an American IPA out of the park as well. It's a sweet, zesty, hop-forward offering, balanced out nicely by German and British malts. Packaged in these eye catching cans, it's no wonder Bauhaus is a brewery on the rise.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
Even after more than a quarter century of quality brewing, it's nice to remember where you started. That's why Deschutes Brewery in Oregon released Black Butte XXVI — a special anniversary Imperial Porter. The special edition of Black Butte is always worth celebrating, and this year is no exception. Brewed with cocoa nibs, pomegranate molasses, and Oregon cranberries — and then aged in Bourbon barrels for six months — it's good enough to save for a special occasion of your own.
