Stone Xocovesa
Our chocolaty, winter-spiced mocha stout is back. This insanely delicious take on Mexican hot chocolate is crafted with cocoa, coffee, pasilla peppers, vanilla, cinnamon and nutmeg.
I arrived at Old Town Beer Exchange in downtown Huntsville eager to find a good beer to review. My malty sweet tooth was in control, so when I saw Florence's Singin' River had a doppelbock out, I immediately knew I would be taking a crowler of Orchestrator home with me.
Shortly after getting home, the crowler was popped open and the clear copper brew was poured into a glass. I may have been a bit timid with the pour but I expected a little bit more than the very thin cap which never quite melted away. It seemed to be mostly made up for the fact that it left plenty of white lacing on the glass.
I got a general sweet smell when I first brought the pint glass to my face. As I drank more, I could discern caramel and a bit of booze. I'm a bit disappointed by the lack of aroma. I decide to leave the crowler on the counter to warm up in hopes of eliciting a stronger aroma on my second glass. Sure enough, the aroma bloomed as it warmed. The caramel still dominated, but I started to pick up some vague dark fruit aromas (kinda plum-ish) along with a char affectation to the caramel sweetness. The warming definitely helped. It wasn't a night and day difference, though. The second glass seemed like a more fuller experience.
Beer is made of these core ingredients: barley/malt, hops, water, and yeast. In this blog post, I'll be writing about malt and some of what I've been reading in Robert Moser's Tasting Beer. First off, barley is the grain of choice for making beer, although other options exist. But regular old barley isn't in a good condition for releasing starches for making alcohol. Barley first needs to be malted.
First, barley is soaked in water for about 24 hours, or until it reaches 45% water content. The grain is pulled from the water and allowed to cool and dry. During this process, the grains will start to sprout. This growth and cracking of the shell is vital to getting what brewers want from the malted barley. The grain is then kilned to complete the drying process and to roast the grain to the desired darkness. It is possible to create two different malts of similar color but different flavors by varying the moisture content during kilning. If roasted dry, there will be a sharp, biscuit-like toastiness. If roasted moist, there is more of a toffee-like richness.
Our chocolaty, winter-spiced mocha stout is back. This insanely delicious take on Mexican hot chocolate is crafted with cocoa, coffee, pasilla peppers, vanilla, cinnamon and nutmeg.
Ben & Jerry’s and New Belgium Brewing are coming together in a sweet partnership to help fight climate change.
How did we end up in this situation? Plenty of blame to go around for sure, but we're going to have to formulate our way out of this mess. Beer climates change, seasons creep but the liquid must remain cyc. Hey man, it is all about the %*@#ing formulation. Now that's Mad Science.
Officially licensed by Cackalacky®, Inc, and brewed in the spirit of fun and collaboration by our friends at Fullsteam Brewery in Durham, NC, Cackalacky® - "The Beer" - is a "hoppy & zippy" ginger-spiced pale ale that’s enjoyable on its own as well as a perfect complement to savory eats.
Deep, rich and roasty, this festive porter balances a smooth malty sweetness with an earthy hoppiness, this holiday classic has become a favorite among our winter seasonal brews. (Description provided by company)
Our Sparkling Ale is the brewers’ take on a rare historic Scottish style. Golden in color and effervescent it combines subtle notes of Noble hops with pale and acidulated malts to create a slightly floral character and a dry finish. (Description provided by company)
Smooth, rich, and dark with the robust flavor and creamy texture of chocolate. This subtly sweet brew is slowly aged on a bed of cocoa nibs from Ecuador, imparting flavors of chocolate, honey, and vanilla. (Description provided by company)
This Coffee IPA is the perfect choice if you find yourself awoken by the sound of thunder…especially while sitting around, wondering how far off said thunder is from your current location. (Description provided by company)
Why not blend Nintendo/Mario with beer?
An American style Indian Pale Ale with fresh hops brewed into it.