Mike Loves Beer -

Cigar City Marshal Zhukov Release on Saturday

July 22, 2010

This Saturday Tampa’s own Cigar City releases what is probably my favorite brew of theirs, Marshal Zhukov’s Imperial Stout. But not only that but they will be releasing an extremely small quantity of Double Barrel Aged Marshal Zhukov. There is a very small amount so if you plan on going you better get there early. Plus there is a strict 2 bottle limit per person.

Also for the special occasion Cigar City will be pulling out some very cool kegs to help celebrate. They were just announce today as the following.

White Oak Aged Jai Alai IPA
The Sound of Big WOOD Vanilla Aged Scotch Ale (Big Sound Scotch Ale aged in Brandy Barrels with Cherry Wood and Vanilla Beans)
The Sound of Big NUTS Vanilla Aged Scotch Ale (Big Sound Scotch Ale aged in Brandy Barrels with Pecans and Vanilla Beans)

Tickets for the Double Barrel Aged Zhukov are going out at 11 am with them starting to give them out at noon. Barrel Aged Zhukov is $20 a bottle with regular Zhukov being $13.

The southern part of #FlaBrew will be represented in full force as I will be traveling up with my good friends Phil and Kelly from Dos Beerigos, Joel from Brewkkake and Casey who you may know as Evil Twin from Dos Beerigos. So if you see any of us please do say hello.

Stone 14th Anniversary Emperial IPA

July 22, 2010

/ Beer Review /

1 Comment

Name – Stone 14th Anniversary Emperial IPA
Country – United States
Type – English IPA

Appearance – Poured a mostly clear golden orange color but there was some haze to it. Big fluffy white head that leaves some lacing on the glass.

Smell – As with almost all Stone brews, here come the hops! Big citrusy/lemony hops dominate the nose with some pepper like spices in there as well.

Taste – More citrus and lemon hops with some very grassy and earthy hops as well. But they seem to all balance each other out with not one being more dominate than the other. There is a pepper like bite and then a yeasty character to it as well. If you are looking for a strong malt backing you are going to get much here.

Stone doing an English style ale really excited me when it was announced. Now after all the wait I finally got a bottle. The English character of the hops is there for sure but this is Stone we are talking about so you know there is going to be a lot of hops. And honestly I know most people will not agree that this is true to the English IPA style but I loved this. They put a twist on the style and made it their own. Happy Anniversary Stone and thank you for another great brew.

Overall Grade – A-

Hoppin Frog Outta Kilter

July 21, 2010

/ Beer Review /

8 Comments

Name – Hoppin Frog Outta Kilter
Country – United States
Type – Scotch Ale

Appearance – Pours a clear amber/red color with a big bubbly off white head.

Smell – Awesome nose here. Lots of malts and caramel with some nutty and bready notes as well.

Taste – Very sweet and caramel like malts here again. A little oakiness in there along with a slight Scotch taste. There is some hop profile that just peaks out for a second then goes back into hiding.

One of the pick ups on my little beerventure I went on Friday. The name is Outta Kilter and I think this beer was outta this world. Absolutely lovely. This is a great American version of a Scotch ale, probably my favorite so far. Hoppin Frog needs to make that one more hop and come on down into South Florida. I will be a very happy man when that happens and I can get a beer like this more regularly. Again sorry for the bad pictures. The batteries on the camera went and had to resort to the ever amazing camera of the iPhone.

Overall Grade – A