This is the Snobby Beer review of Marshal Zhukov’s Imperial Stout from Cigar City Brewing in Tampa, Florida. This massive beer clocks in at 11% ABV. They release this beer in the summer, knowing that it will peak during the cold winter months. Does it even get cold in Florida??

From the Cigar City website:

“This Russian Imperial Stout is dedicated to Georgy Zhukov, arguably one of the finest generals of World War II. Opaque black in color, with notes of espresso, chocolate, dark toffee and hints of backstrap molasses. The English hop varietals provide a subtle herbal dryness, and finishes with a hearty slap of roasty espresso. Pair Marshal Zhukov’s with Mushroom Solyanka, dark chocolate, cherries and ground wars in Russia.

We brew and release Zhukov’s in the summer knowing that a beer of this heft reaches its full potential a few months after release. So save a bottle for the cold winter!”

Questions? Suggestions? Let me know what you think! Grab a beer and leave a comment.

This is the Snobby Beer review of 1000 IBU American Imperial IPA from Mikkeller. That’s right, this beer has a theoretical IBU score of 1000! The beer caused a bit controversy when it was released due to the idea that there is a maximum perceived IBU that beer can have, which is generally accepted to be around 100.

This is a special edition beer review – normally I would never review a 2 year old IPA but this one piqued my interest!

This video features Joshua Hatfield and Michael Leonardi. Thanks, guys!

Questions? Suggestions? Let me know what you think! Grab a beer and leave a comment.

Me at the brewpub the night before Dark Lord Day

Only part of the Dark Lord Day 2012 Line

Dark Lord Day 2012 Map

Our DLD buddy, Dave, and his allotment

Three Floyds Brewing Tank

Special thanks to Joshua Hatfield for providing the majority of these photos!

This is the Snobby Beer review of Gilgamesh from Upland Brewing Company in Bloomington, Indiana. Gilgamesh is a sour beer aged in bourbon barrels – wait, a bourbon barrel sour beer? That’s right! Upland is a small brewery and is most known for their lambics and other sour beers.

This video features Joshua Hatfield and Michael Leonardi (who provided the beers). Thanks, guys!

From the Upland website:

“Continuing our adventure into the realm of sour ale brewing, we designed a recipe to create an Upland version of a traditional Flanders Red. Melding flaked maize into a turbid mash and adding Belgian candi sugar during a long kettle boil, we prepared this ale for epic proportions. We then incorporated wild yeasts and other acetic and lactic acid producing microorganisms for a year-long oak fermentation in bourbon barrels, which had previously been utilized to age beer. The journey was worth the hardships.

10.5% ABC, 21 IBUs, 24.4 S.G.”

Questions? Suggestions? Let me know what you think! Grab a beer and leave a comment.

From the New Belgium website:

“La Folie Wood-Aged Biere, is our original wood-conditioned beer, resting in French Oak barrels between one and three years before being bottled. Peter Bouckaert, came to us from Rodenbach home of the fabled sour red. Our La Folie emulates the spontaneous fermentation beers of Peter s beloved Flanders with sour apple notes, a dry effervescence, and earthy undertones.
New in 2010, we’ll do a single bottling of La Folie for the year. Collect the 22oz unique to 2010 designed bottle and start a yearly wood-aged collection of goodness.

Just the facts Ma’am…

ABV –  6.0%
IBU –  18
Calories –  200
Hops –  Target
Malts –  Pale, Munich, Carpils, C-80, Chocolate
OG –  15.2TG –  3.2″

Questions? Suggestions? Let me know what you think! Grab a beer and leave a comment.

As you probably already know, Dark Lord Day occurred last Saturday at Three Floyds. It was nothing but good times (video coming soon). What made it even better was the bottle share that occurred the night before at the Hampton Inn in Munster, Indiana which is just down the road from Three Floyds. It’s sort of a tradition to have a ridiculous beer tasting on the eve of Dark Lord Day, and I can safely say that this year was the most epic tasting I’ve ever been to. A really incredible amount of rare beers were opened and shared, and I would like to thank anyone and everyone who was apart of this!

The Bruery Black Tuesday Vertical - 2009 thru 2011

Here's the table... this wasn't even all of the amazing beers that were popped

A bunch of drunk'uns. I don't remember this being taken... A little embarrassing - haha

More drunk'uns.

This is the Snobby Beer review of Citra DIPA from Kern River Brewing Company - or is it the Snobby Fag review? This video features Gus Stathes from The Beer Fag! Gus is a good guy who likes good beer.

Citra DIPA is an American Imperial India Pale Ale that has Citra and Amarillo hops. This beer is highly regarded and distribution is extremely limited – in fact, the most recent release was available only at the brewery!

From the Kern River website:

“Citra
A double IPA that is hazy pale in color with a strong pungent aroma that comes from large amounts of Citra hops. The alcohol content is 8%.”

Questions? Suggestions? Let me know what you think! Grab a beer and leave a comment.

This is the Snobby Beer review of Excelsior! Brute from Ithaca Beer Company. Brute is an American Wild Ale brewed with 3 types of Champagne yeasts, as well as Brettanomyces and probably some other “bugs”. This funky/sour beer is very limited, and is no longer available on the shelves. This is sort of a special beer review just for the lols.

Thanks to Darren Link from Brewtensils for sharing this beer with me!

From the Ithaca website:

“Golden Sour Ale
Availability:SOLD OUT

Brewed with vintage local hops, American Barley, Wheat and Corn, Brute is fermented on Oak for many months with Brettanomyces, then finished with a blend of three Champagne yeasts. Enjoy the turbid citron hue, mature aroma, brash tartness and dry, quenching sparkle.

ABV: 7 %

Malt: Pils, White Wheat, Acidulated, Red Wheat, Raw Wheat and Corn.

Hops: Aged NY Willamette, Aged NY Hallertau, Aged NY Cascade”

Questions? Suggestions? Let me know what you think! Grab a beer and leave a comment.

It’s my pleasure to be posting the 2012 Big Beers and Barley Wines Beer Fest video! The event features some of the best and rarest beers in the world, and 100% of the proceeds go to benefit the Resident Home Association. It’s an amazing event, and all of us at The Next Wave had a great time working on the video.

See you on October 6!

This is the Snobby Beer review of Bourbon Barrel Aged Plead the 5th from Dark Horse Brewing Company in Marshall, Michigan. This beer is a special release and not part of their normal seasonal lineup, and I was fortunate enough to be able to share this beer with Darren Link from Brewtensils, a home brew shop that is part of Belmont Party Supply. You may have seen the written review of the normal Plead The 5th that I posted a little while ago. I also posted a video of when I received this beer in a trade.

How does this beer measure up to other Bourbon Barrel stouts? How does it compare to regular Plead the Fifth?

From the Dark Horse website (about regular Plead the 5th):

“Plead the 5th Imperial Stout
It’s big and full bodied with lots of roasted malts and blanced with heavy hops to put this imperial in a league of its own.”

Questions? Suggestions? Let me know what you think! Grab a beer and leave a comment.