Black Tuesday 2012 (The Bruery)

The acquisition of a “rare” beer is a special treat. But like Uncle Ben once said, “with great power comes great responsibility”. What the hell am I talking about, you might ask. Well, I’m talking about the decision of when to crack open that hard-to-find gem you’ve just spent (usually) a good amount of money on. Do you drink it right when it’s fresh? Or do you set on it for a little bit and save it for a special occasion? Usually I tend to fall into the latter category of beer drinkers. So when we decided to get together for drinks at our house for a close friend’s birthday I saw the perfect opportunity to share one of these special beers.

BLACK TUESDAY is a barrel-aged Imperial Stout from The Bruery. This particular bottle is from 2012 and has a whopping 19.5% ABV. 

Bell’s Special Double Cream Stout (Bell’s Brewery)

Ah, Bell’s Brewery. One of the first Midwest breweries I visited after getting into the craft beer scene. Because of this they will always hold a special place in my heart and give me reason to seek out their stuff when I’m back in Ohio. And that is precisely where I got today’s beer from.

BELL’S SPECIAL DOUBLE CREAM STOUT is an American Stout with a 6.1% ABV.

Campfire Stout (High Water Brewing)

I had originally picked this beer up to drink at movie night with my friends, but after reading the description on the label I realized it would be best suited for a time when I could actually enjoy it (ie a time where I wasn’t already three sheets to the wind). Was it worth it? Let’s find out.

CAMPFIRE STOUT is an American Stout with a 6.5% ABV and 38 IBUs.

Chocolate Sombrero (Clown Shoes)

Clown Shoes, out of Ipswich, Massachusetts, has a reputation that precedes them. Some of this is because of the quality of the beer, some of it is due to the “conversations” that erupted on Beer Advocate due to their beer names. Either way, I was glad their beer was finally available on the West Coast so that I can judge it for myself.

CHOCOLATE SOMBRERO is an Imperial Stout with a 9% ABV.

Pearl Necklace (Flying Dog Brewery)

My MONDAY MORNING QUARTERBACK begins with the a beer from Flying Dog Ales out of Frederick, Maryland. Being that I’m on the west coast it’s kinda hard for me to get beers from the Washington D.C. area. So, I made a compromise and found a beer from the general region.

Let me begin this review by saying that a few years back I found out the hard way that I was allergic to shrimp. And by the hard way I mean while out to dinner with my friend and her parents (who I was meeting for the first time) I learned that I enjoyed the taste of shrimp and that I was allergic to it. At first I had no idea why my tongue was all scratchy and I was having a hard time swallowing, but once I overheard a nearby diner talking about his shrimp allergy it all clicked for me. Cut to today when I decide to try my first Oyster Stout. It seems to me that this is a great way to find out if I’m allergic to all shellfish or just shrimp.

PEARL NECKLACE is an Oyster Stout with 35 IBUs and a 5.5% ABV.

KBS – Kentucky Breakfast Stout (Founders Brewing Company)

With the men’s NCAA Championship on the TV I figured it would be a perfect time to bring out a bottle that I’ve been sitting on a while. A beer that was brewed in Michigan that had the name Kentucky in the title felt very fitting for a night where the University of Michigan battled the University of Louisville. It also didn’t hurt that said beer was considered one of the best in the word.

FOUNDERS KBS – KENTUCKY BREAKFAST STOUT is an American Imperial Stout with a hearty 11.2% ABV and a surprising 70 IBUs.

Indra Kunindra (Ballast Point Brewing Company)

I arrived at Mohawk Bend for “Ballast Point Spirits and Beer Extravaganza!” and was quickly seated. They Ballast Point beer menu listed several beers that I had never had before so it quickly became a numbers game of how much could I drink and still drive myself home at the end of the night. Since I had planned to order food when the rest of my party arrived I didn’t want to ruin my taste buds by going for the Habanero Sculpin so instead I settled on a beer brewed with cumin, curry, and coconut. Good call.

INDRA KUNINDRA is an India Style Export Stout brewed with a 7% ABV.

Pugachev’s Cobra (Hangar 24 Craft Brewery)

For beer number 5 (I didn’t take notes on #4) I got in line with and waited patiently for the release of their big barrel-aged Russian Imperial Stout. And even though they only gave out 6 oz. pours, boy was it worth it!

PUGACHEV’S COBRA is a part of their Barrel Roll Series. This Russian Imperial Stout has a surprising 85 IBUs and a massive 16.5% ABV.

Perseverance Ale (Alaskan Brewing Co.)

To celebrate their 25th Anniversary Alaskan Brewing Company brewed a beer that they deemed PERSEVERANCE ALE. Using local ingredients like birch syrup and fireweed honey, they wanted to create a big beer that could stand the test of time. I let mine sit for about 6 months before trying it and I’ll admit that it held up quite well.

Perseverance Ale is a Russian Imperial Stout with a 9% ABV. 

Roundabout (Mother Earth Brew Co.)

I still had a third of a glass of beer when they called last call, but I knew that I needed at least one more beer. I ordered a taster of their ROUNDABOUT to finish out my time at Mother Earth Brew Co.

Roundabout is a Chocolate Oatmeal Stout with 37 IBUs and a 6.1% ABV.