There is something undeniably alluring about a stout.  The pitch black liquid that blocks all light, the tan head, the visible visible silky smoothness of the liquid, and the smokey malt aroma make this style of beer a favorite among many.  Of course, within the style are sub styles, as has been discussed before on this site.  One such style of stout is the dry stout, or Irish dry stout, made popular by Guinness.  Typically, this style lacks much of the sweet characteristics in other stout varieties, and thus is often offensive to many a beer drinker. So on a recent trip to Kansas City, I found myself at a bar with my wife.  Her friend, who is waitress at the bar, offerred discounted drinks on tap.  The selection wasn't great, so I settled upon Boulevard Brewing Company's Dry Stout.  It had been six years or so since I had sampled the beer, and had completely forgotten the nuances. As the beer was set down at the table, the appearance alone piqued my anticipation.  The undulationg service made the think tan head look incredibly smooth.  I picked up the brew and indulged my nostrils.  Yes I was in the mood for this ...

I have been accused of not liking and/or being overly critical of IPAs (India Pale Ales).  Neither statements are true, but the latter is close.  In reality, I love the style.  A well balanced IPA in any season is delicious and refreshing.  I am not overly critical of beers within the style, but I am critical of IPAs, as I am with any style.  I might come across as aggressive, simply there are more IPAs to judge than other styles, if not in the US, at least in my region of the country. As with any culture, abundance leads to finicky habits, as is the case with the IPA.  America has become hooked on this revived style, and have flooded the shelves with many, many varieties.  As a result, I have a wider range to from which to judge superiority.  Simply put, they all be good, but they are not all the best. While I was in KC, I really indulged in beers that are not typically available in Northwest Ohio, and really became quite fond of beers from the St. Louis based, Schlafly.  While I was looking through some randomly assorted single 12oz bottles, my eye hit upon a bottle of ...

Many readers of this blog may consider Schlafly beer to be a beer store staple, but for this beer geek residing in the outskirts of beer-distribution-doldrums, Schlafly is exotic.  So while vacationing in Kansas City, MO, I decided to pay homage to the conservation state and drink and stock up on plenty of her beer.  Recently I reviewed Schlafly's Quadrupel from it's bottle conditioned series. For it's oaken barrel series, Schlafly chose to brew an Oak Aged Barleywine and a Barrel Aged Imperial stout.  Normally I would not go out of my way for oak aged beer, as it at times has seemed to be a trend that was bit capitulated to beer trend, but I couldn't resist the fantastic boxes that the beer came packaged in.  Of course it is the actual beer that I love so much, but at the same time I appreciate a well packaged beer.  I picked up the 2007 series with jubilation...the beer had sat undisturbed in the dark for nearly a year. Schlafly Reserve Barleywine Style Ale: First off, let me say I am a pretty big fan of Barleywine.  Even on a hot and humid summer day in Missouri, I do not mind the heavy ...

Last week the Mrs., the kiddos, and myself packed up the minivan and headed to Kansas City, MO for a well needed (and deserved!) vacation.  The amenities many vacations offer the average vacation goer (a break from the norm, rest/relaxation, time with friends and family, extreme humidity, etc.) were all offered and accepted by our clan, with one addition...new beer scenery. For the most part, within the craft beer scene, beer is regional.  Forsaking global market for quality and individuality, US craft brewers are aware that their product will not grace every shelf of every grocery store or bottle shop in the country.  They are largely dependent on word of mouth, trading, and wanderlust beer geeks, such as myself, for their product to reach palates outside of their distribution area.  For folks like you and I, leaving our neck of the woods lends itself to the excitement of drinking something new. Thus said, the next few beer review will focus on a few notable brews who share their birthplace with the sublty philosophical Mark Twain, Missouri. Many of the beers that I drank last week were from the St. Louis Brewery, AKA 'Schlafly.' When I first walked into the delightfully unassuming liquor store, ...