Here we are...one year later after our first Flight of Darkness Tuesday Tap Takeover at The Iron Press. Once again we have been working our winter magic to warm up your bodies with a crazy selection of big, dark, and of course, BOOZY brews to slosh in and around your taste buds! We have teamed up with Orangey and Philippe, which you guys should all know from Craft Beer Culture and pretty much getting tipsy with all of us one time or another.
Without further ado, here is the list that is going to make everyone black out. Oh man...
1. More Cowbell Milk Stout – 5.9% ABV | Nitro | Milk Stout – Tustin Brewing Company - This milk stout is smooth, creamy, and sweet. We’re pouring this on Nitro which really helps bring out the “milky” creaminess that defines the style. It’s the perfect cure for what fever “ales” you.
2. Black Marlin Porter with Chipotle – 6.7% ABV | 42 IBU | American Porter - Ballast Point Brewing - A hoppy twist on the classic English Porter. A blend of roasted and caramel malts gives this beer a smooth, chocolaty, caramel profile while a healthy dose of American hops makes it worthy of its San Diego roots. Chipotle peppers were added for good measure, which you’ll definitely notice after a second or two.
3. Sublimely Self Righteous with Cherries – 8.7% ABV | 90 IBU | Black IPA– Stone Brewing Company - Don't think we forgot about you hopheads! This Black IPA from our friends at Stone is an aggressive reminder that we’re still on the West Coast. This also isn’t just any ol’ batch of Sublimely Self Righteous. They added cherries which gives it a finish that nobly attempts to balances its 90 IBU bitterness.
4. Bourbon Barrel-Aged Drakonic – 8.7% ABV | Imperial Stout - Drake's Brewing Co. – For an Imperial Stout, Drakonic is relatively smooth and drinkable while retaining strong flavors of licorice, chocolate and coffee. The additional bourbon-barrel aging takes it to a whole other level. If you’re a fan of oak-aged beer, this one’s for you.
5. Victory At Sea – 10% ABV | Imperial Porter – Ballast Point Brewing - Two of the world’s oldest beverages join forces to conquer your palate. Victory at Sea is a velvety Imperial Porter with pure vanilla flavor that matches perfectly with the hand roasted Caffe Calabria coffee that goes into it. The cold brewed coffee lends a subtle roasted flavor to this robust imperial porter.
6. Old Viscosity – 10% ABV | Imperial Stout – Port Brewing Company – “This is definitely not your Dad’s 30 weight!” A dense Imperial Stout, Old Viscosity is a special blend of both the fresh and bourbon barrel-aged version of this beer. The resulting ale has incredible depth and huge body making it a guaranteed sipper for even the most veteran of beer drinkers.
7. Santa’s Little Helper – 10% ABV | Imperial Stout – Port Brewing Company – “Everything but the kitchen sink.” We thought it would be fun to taste the difference between Santa’s Little Helper and Old Viscosity. In our eyes, this counter-part is roastier and more bitter, similar to coffee. It has an assertive malt bill that includes pretty much everything from Premium Two-Row to Black Barley. We recommend drinking this in a flight alongside Old Viscosity to taste two amazing interpretations of the same style.
8. Judgment Day – 10.5% ABV | Quadrupel - The Lost Abbey – Inspired by the Trappist tradition, this Quad is brewed specifically for the end of the world. Since none of us know when that’ll be, Lost Abbey recommends we all stock up on this beer. Don’t worry though; we can drink plenty of it now too. “Semper Preparatus” never tasted so good.
9. 2010 Bourbon Barrel Aged OE – 12% ABV | Barleywine – Tustin Brew Co. – OE Barleywine has a special place in our heart. TBC has been making this incredible brew for a few years now and we think it’s time for it to stand next to the greats. This beer is big, boozy, and rich but what else have you come to expect at this point? We highly recommend tasting this side by side with Bourbon County Barleywine.
10. Bourbon County Brand Barleywine – 12.1% ABV | Barleywine - Goose Island – A new offering in Goose Island’s highly renowned barrel program, Bourbon County Brand Barleywine is rich, oaky, and downright delicious. The bourbon really shines without adding too much heat from the alcohol, leaving plenty of room for the amazing malt flavor which is reminiscent of toffee and caramel. At 12.1%, this is surprisingly drinkable but be forewarned, it’ll getcha.
11. High West Manhattan-Barrel Aged Big Deluxe – 12.4% ABV | Imperial Oatmeal Stout – Ritual Brewing Co. - As the name suggests, this is one big Oatmeal Stout. The style is usually brewed around 4% - 6% ABV and this one comes in at over 12%. This beer is really unique in that it was aged in barrels that were previously home to High West’s 36th Vote Barreled Manhattan. The Manhattan’s inclusion of sweet vermouth makes it different from the Bourbon-Barrel aged variety. “Big” thanks to our friends at Ritual for this one.
12. Bourbon County Brand Stout – 15% ABV | Imperial Stout - Goose Island - It takes 150 days to make this elixir of a beer. It absolutely reaks of the bourbon barrels that it spent that time in, obviously in the best way possible. The nose is a mix of charred oak, vanilla, caramel and smoke. In the words of Brewmaster Greg Hall, “One sip has more flavor than your average case of beer. It overpowers anything in the room. People have even said that it’s a great cigar beer, but I haven’t yet tried a cigar that would stand up to it."
13. Pugachev's Cobra – 16.5% ABV | Imperial Stout – Hangar 24 Craft Brewery - Get ready for an assault on your senses. This is a dark and rich beauty of a beer, literally bursting of chocolate, vanilla, oak, licorice and bourbon. Three different dark roasted malts and rich maple syrup are combined in a truly unique brewing process to create complexity and depth. Once fermented, it was aged for eight months in freshly emptied bourbon barrels which you will definitely be made aware of on first sip. This is the perfect dessert beer and we recommend pairing it with the special sweet concoctions that’ll be coming out of The Iron Press kitchen.
14. Grey Monday - 18.25% ABV | Imperial Stout – The Bruery – Around this time last year, Reserve Society members received a special variation of the revered Black Tuesday. Often referred to as “Nutella Black Tuesday”, Grey Monday is an insanely rich beer that literally drips of bourbon. This variation is special in that it’s brewed with Oregon-grown, roasted hazelnuts. This is The Bruery’s Ode to the Stout and the addition of hazelnuts really adds a decadent touch.
See you guys Tuesday, December 17th, 2013 AD from 5 PM PST to 10 PM PST!
Smoochies, Len & Jerry