Grizzly Growler

I finally made it into the Northside Kettlehouse to check out their Barrel Aged Cold Smoke, and I’m sure glad I did. It took a year of aging in bourbon barrels before the beer made it to tap, and the result is a 9 percent alcohol by volume Cold Smoke that has the sting of [...]

I love Double Haul, definitely one of my favorite beers. I’ve had it on draft, on nitro, out of a growler and out of a can, but I’ve never had the barrel-aged version until now. The Northside Kettlehouse has it on tap, and it’s a must try for anyone who loves Double Haul, burbon or [...]

It’s like wine … It’s like bourbon wine … IT’S LIKE BOURBON WINE!!! Yes, friends, Blacksmith Brewing has re-unleashed their Barleywine. After a year of aging in bourbon barrels in the deep, dark recesses of their Stevensville brew house, this sweet, substantial concoction is back and (truly) better than ever! According to the bartendress of the eve, [...]

In the “golden age” of beer, as one of my friends has dubbed the current beer epoch we’re living in, you sometimes stumble on a little bit of classical art in a world of experimentation. As brewers throw every imaginable concoction into whiskey barrels or red or white wine barrels, we’re all learning together what [...]

I love wild, sour ales. I can’t stress that enough. I’ve been holding onto bottle of Russian River Brewing Company’s Supplication since Christmas, waiting for the right opportunity to sip on it with a good friend. That day arrived when some dear friends stopped over on their way moving from Madison, Wisconsin, to Tacoma, Washington. [...]

Seeing all those pioneering craft brewers and home brew legends standing next to each other on the iconic-at-birth Sierra Nevada Brewing Company site dedicated to the project is amazing. Ken Grossman, the man who picked craft brewing up from the ashes left over from the close of the first pioneer Jack McAuliffe to found Sierra [...]

If pressed, I’ll usually tell people my favorite single beer that I return to time and time again is North Coast Brewing Company’s Old Rasputin Russian Imperial Stout. For several years, my best friend and I would get up at 6 a.m. on Sunday mornings and prepare a huge breakfast for 60 + people. We’d [...]

Good things seem to be underway in Lakeside this month and next. Not only is Old Stache’ back on tap at Tamarack Brewing Co., but they have a brewer’s dinner coming up March 11. Here are the details: Once again, Craig and Roger are working their magic to bring us another amazing Brewer’s Dinner! They [...]

I ran this a while back, but I want to see if I can get some more votes and comments. Tell me what you think! What would you like to see more of in 2010. Session beers or oak barrel aged? Prost, GG

Just to be fair to all the readers in the Grizzly Growler blog world, I’m going to do a Super Bowl Beer National Edition, State Edition and a Local Edition this year. I’ll start with National Edition, and we’ll hit the more wide-spread varieties. This year’s matchup between the Indanapolis Colts and the New Orleans [...]