Robin Shepard
Full Mile Beer Comany's weizenbock.
Fans of winter warmers: Don’t miss Full Mile Beer Company’s weizenbock. It’s my favorite of the last 12 months and sets a high bar for the 2022 bock season. This 7.2 percent ABV German-style bock has a high percentage of wheat set against a background of pilsner and caramel malts. Fermented with weizen yeast, it boasts rich banana and clove accents in a wonderful grainy, bready body. It’s a perfect pint for the new year ($6.50/glass or $10/crowler).
Order me pancakes
What is a blended imperial stout? Hop Haus Brewing Company is offering infused variants of its Black on Black, a Russian imperial stout aged for 10 months in Willett bourbon barrels, that finishes at 11 percent ABV ($15/two-pack of 12-ounce cans). At the brewpub patrons can order three variants from the so-called “Thunder Series” ($18/flight). Coffee Thunder is infused with dark roasted coffee from Just Coffee. Coconut Thunder is aged with flaked coconut. Finally, Maple Thunder is aged in maple syrup barrels from BLiS of Grand Rapids, Michigan. Of the variants, Maple Thunder is the most distinctive, with a full body that’s thick and sweet, so much so I was tempted to ask for some pancakes to go with it. Coconut Thunder was my pick for the light nutty toasted accents of coconut that emerge from chocolate malts before a wave of warm bourbon washes all else away in the finish.
Get BAQ
John Russell, brewer at The Lone Girl Brewing Company in Waunakee, released a holiday four-pack of 22-ounce bomber bottles just before Christmas. The boxed set includes barrel-aged Problem Child (an imperial stout), Baby Got BAQ (a barrel-aged quad), Spicy Chocolate Chestnut Porter, and Red Cherry Rye. My pick of the set is the red, a new beer for The Lone Girl. It stands out for its blend of rye whisky spiciness, assertive cascade hops and soft fruity sweetness of Door County cherries. It aged for four months in whiskey barrels from Driftless Glen Distillery of Baraboo. A little like a whiskey old fashioned with citrus, spice and fruit, Lone Girl’s Red Cherry Rye is a wonderful way to relax after a winter meal of comfort food. ($8/glass at the brewpub).
Happy anniversary
Delta Beer Lab just released its Scotch ale, aged 10 months in J. Henry and Sons bourbon barrels. It’s complex and sweet, with toffee and caramel flavors that meld with the barrel’s oakiness, and modestly strong at 7.5 percent ABV. If you miss it on sale around town, it will also probably turn up on tap at Delta’s third anniversary party, scheduled for Feb. 19. It’s sold in single 16-ounce cans ($8-$9/each) and is also on tap at the brewery ($8/10-ounce pour).
Oatmeal chocolate chip cookie in a glass
One Barrel Brewing Company’s Cookie Monster Imperial Milk Stout just appeared on Madison store shelves. This winter, One Barrel ramped up production into four-packs of 16-ounce cans ($13). It’s full of roasted barley and chocolate malt and warm at 8.2 percent ABV. Oats and lactose give it a soft, silky body. It’s rich in sweetness like a pastry stout, yet more balanced and drinkable.
More flights scheduled
Full Mile is also offering variants of its Collusion ($20/two-pack of 16-ounce crowlers). It’s a beer released annually for the brewpub’s anniversary and tweaked each year by aging it in different barrels. The current batch was held for nine months in Basil Hayden bourbon barrels. Blended flights ($12) include one with chocolate and cherry, a second with coconut and vanilla, and a third with orange peel, cardamom and cacao. Of these I enjoyed most the accent of cardamom that creates a peppery hot-and sweet-chocolate combination.
