Cool blurb in Men's Health about 8 "extreme beers" to check out. By extreme they mean a high ABV content. I'm not a huge fan of brews with a high ABV, but I might give the Goose Island Bourbon County Stout a try.
"Lately, craft beers’ alcohol-by-volume (ABV) percentages are skyrocketing into unprecedented numbers, turning a 12-ounce brew into a handle of vodka. Extreme beers are the results of breweries across the world trying to one-up each other in experimenting with exotic ingredients and new brewing tactics. By adding more malts and hops to the mix, brewers can up the alcohol content of their beers, making them impossibly strong while trying to maintain some flavor. Casual drinkers may not be able to stomach these new concoctions, but beer buffs and hopheads love them for the tantalizing taste—and killer buzz—they bring.
We asked Beer Sommelier Matt Simpson, who taught Beer Education 101 at Emory University, to sort through a crowded pack of contenders and handpick the eight essential extreme beers you must try. Thankfully, the only cojónes you’ll need to drink them are your own."
1. Brauerei Schloss Eggenberg Samichlaus Bier
This Bavarian doppelbock’s claim to fame is that it was once the strongest beer in the world, which makes sense, because it was also the first extreme beer in existence. Brewed from the historic Eggenberg Castle in Austria every December 6 (Saint Nicholas Day in Europe—you know “Samichlaus” as Santa Claus), the lager dates back to 1980 and remains a seasonal favorite today. “It’s a huge, rich, extremely sweet beer that needs a lot of time to mellow out,” Simpson says. No kidding: Samichlaus ages for over 10 months before shipping out, and can mature for many years if you keep it bottled up. Even though it’s a rare breed, “Sammy is widely available across the entire country at most places that sell really good beer.” (14% ABV, $5-6 per 11 oz. bottle, schloss-eggenberg.at)
2. Goose Island Bourbon County Stout
At only 13% ABV, this pitch-black imperial stout isn’t as high in alcohol content as the other brews on this list, but Goose Island’s gem is so packed with intense flavors that the taste is extreme enough in our book. And oh yeah, Simpson declares it “the best beer on the face of the planet”—so it’s got that going for it. Because each batch is aged 100 days in 18-year-old bourbon barrels, just one sip of the stout elicits hints of burnt oak, bitter hops, chocolate, vanilla, and caramel. Goose Island only whips up BCS once a year from its Chicago brewery, but cases are relatively easy to find throughout the Midwest. (15% ABV, $19 per 4-pack, gooseisland.com)
3. Dogfish Head Worldwide Stout
The first of three Dogfish Head selections on Simpson’s list, Worldwide Stout is a personal favorite of the sommelier. Extremely dark and brewed with “ridiculous amounts of barley,” as it says on the label, the stout has a surprisingly sweet aftertaste to counter-punch the burn that sends a tickle going down your throat. “In terms of crafting a huge, ultra-high alcohol beer with plenty of taste, Dogfish Head always hits it out of the park,” says Simpson. Like Dogfish’s other extremes, Worldwide Stout can be found in most major U.S. markets. (18% ABV, $9 per 12 oz. bottle, dogfishhead.com)
4. Samuel Adams Utopias
Utopias is a notoriously pricey brew, fetching up to $200 for a single 750-milliliter bottle. To some critics of the legendary extreme beer, that’s like emptying your wallet for a vat of Aunt Jemima. While it’s true that Utopias is heavily brewed with maple syrup and other malts, you won’t hear any complaints from Simpson: “It’s fantastic,” he says. “It’s very hot, and it’s huge, but man it’s good.” The reason for the high price tag: Utopias is a whopping 27% ABV, and Sam Adams produces under 10,000 bottles a year. Consider the fact that 13 states have banned it due to strict alcohol laws, and it’s easy to see why Utopias is a hot commodity. “Only the really big producers for Sam Adams tend to get one or two bottles, and those are usually gone via pre-orders months ahead of time,” Simpson says. Your best bet? eBay. (27% ABV, $150+ per 750-mL bottle, samueladams.com)
5. Dogfish Head 120-Minute IPA
Dogfish Head’s signature brew has been called “the Holy Grail for Hopheads,” and here’s why: A typical Coors/Miller/Budweiser lager registers at about 8-10 IBUs—the amount used to measure a beer’s hop bitterness—while this India Pale Ale logs an insane 120. That’s over 15 times stronger than your average American beer, not to mention 4 times as alcoholic. Translation: The 120-Minute isn’t for the faint of heart. It’s probably too overpowering to have by yourself, so split a bottle with a buddy and sip it through a snifter. And don’t worry about taking things slow: You’ll build a mighty buzz way before you finish your half. (18% ABV, $9-10 per 12 oz. bottle, dogfishhead.com)
6. North Coast Old Stock Ale Cellar Reserve 2009
Back in ’09, North Coast Brewing Company, a tiny California microbrewery, took a batch of its Old Stock Ale and aged it in bourbon barrels to create this dazzling barley wine. It tastes just like it smells, with distinct traces of raisins, brown sugar, toffee, and of course bourbon. But Old Stock Cellar Reserve is hardly the booze bomb its ABV (13.2%) indicates—instead, it relies on a smooth, sweet taste to earn high drinkability points. “If you can get past the high price, it’s a really amazing, fabulous beer,” says Simpson. As for its availability, “if we can find multiple cases here in backwards suburban Atlanta, then I’m guessing several other markets around the country carry it as well.”(13% ABV, $22-25 per 500-mL bottle, northcoastbrewing.com)
7. Dogfish Head Olde School Barley Wine
Even though it’s the strongest barley wine in the world, Olde School is tame by Dogfish Head’s crazy standards—a mere 15% ABV. “It has Dogfish’s signature, residual sweetness, and I think that’s because they sort of just let the yeast go, so it ends up with high density,” says Simpson. Perfect for a crisp fall day, the barley wine tastes more like a port or sherry thanks to its sharp flavors of dates and figs. And tempting as it may be to polish off a 4-pack in one weekend, Olde School only gets better with age—so dock a few bottles in the cellar and revisit in 2016. (15% ABV, $5-7 per 4-pack, dogfishhead.com)
8. Nøgne Ø Dark Horizon (2[SUP]nd [/SUP]Edition)
Dark Horizon, a Russian Imperial Stout, is almost as badass as the name of its Norwegian brewer, Nøgne Ø. (It’s pronounced “Nug-nuh,” according to Simpson.) Spicy, smoky, and leathery, it’s got a certain air of mystery that makes it a great find for adventurous beer enthusiasts. Though a newer edition came to America in 2010, stick with the one from 2007, which ages particularly well. “It might be tougher to find these days, because the second edition is a couple years old, but any big cities that support really good craft beer are probably going to have it,” Simpson says. (17.5% ABV, $18-23 per 500-mL bottle, nogne-o.com)
http://news.menshealth.com/extreme-beers/2013/01/08/
"Lately, craft beers’ alcohol-by-volume (ABV) percentages are skyrocketing into unprecedented numbers, turning a 12-ounce brew into a handle of vodka. Extreme beers are the results of breweries across the world trying to one-up each other in experimenting with exotic ingredients and new brewing tactics. By adding more malts and hops to the mix, brewers can up the alcohol content of their beers, making them impossibly strong while trying to maintain some flavor. Casual drinkers may not be able to stomach these new concoctions, but beer buffs and hopheads love them for the tantalizing taste—and killer buzz—they bring.
We asked Beer Sommelier Matt Simpson, who taught Beer Education 101 at Emory University, to sort through a crowded pack of contenders and handpick the eight essential extreme beers you must try. Thankfully, the only cojónes you’ll need to drink them are your own."
1. Brauerei Schloss Eggenberg Samichlaus Bier
This Bavarian doppelbock’s claim to fame is that it was once the strongest beer in the world, which makes sense, because it was also the first extreme beer in existence. Brewed from the historic Eggenberg Castle in Austria every December 6 (Saint Nicholas Day in Europe—you know “Samichlaus” as Santa Claus), the lager dates back to 1980 and remains a seasonal favorite today. “It’s a huge, rich, extremely sweet beer that needs a lot of time to mellow out,” Simpson says. No kidding: Samichlaus ages for over 10 months before shipping out, and can mature for many years if you keep it bottled up. Even though it’s a rare breed, “Sammy is widely available across the entire country at most places that sell really good beer.” (14% ABV, $5-6 per 11 oz. bottle, schloss-eggenberg.at)
2. Goose Island Bourbon County Stout
At only 13% ABV, this pitch-black imperial stout isn’t as high in alcohol content as the other brews on this list, but Goose Island’s gem is so packed with intense flavors that the taste is extreme enough in our book. And oh yeah, Simpson declares it “the best beer on the face of the planet”—so it’s got that going for it. Because each batch is aged 100 days in 18-year-old bourbon barrels, just one sip of the stout elicits hints of burnt oak, bitter hops, chocolate, vanilla, and caramel. Goose Island only whips up BCS once a year from its Chicago brewery, but cases are relatively easy to find throughout the Midwest. (15% ABV, $19 per 4-pack, gooseisland.com)
3. Dogfish Head Worldwide Stout
The first of three Dogfish Head selections on Simpson’s list, Worldwide Stout is a personal favorite of the sommelier. Extremely dark and brewed with “ridiculous amounts of barley,” as it says on the label, the stout has a surprisingly sweet aftertaste to counter-punch the burn that sends a tickle going down your throat. “In terms of crafting a huge, ultra-high alcohol beer with plenty of taste, Dogfish Head always hits it out of the park,” says Simpson. Like Dogfish’s other extremes, Worldwide Stout can be found in most major U.S. markets. (18% ABV, $9 per 12 oz. bottle, dogfishhead.com)
4. Samuel Adams Utopias
Utopias is a notoriously pricey brew, fetching up to $200 for a single 750-milliliter bottle. To some critics of the legendary extreme beer, that’s like emptying your wallet for a vat of Aunt Jemima. While it’s true that Utopias is heavily brewed with maple syrup and other malts, you won’t hear any complaints from Simpson: “It’s fantastic,” he says. “It’s very hot, and it’s huge, but man it’s good.” The reason for the high price tag: Utopias is a whopping 27% ABV, and Sam Adams produces under 10,000 bottles a year. Consider the fact that 13 states have banned it due to strict alcohol laws, and it’s easy to see why Utopias is a hot commodity. “Only the really big producers for Sam Adams tend to get one or two bottles, and those are usually gone via pre-orders months ahead of time,” Simpson says. Your best bet? eBay. (27% ABV, $150+ per 750-mL bottle, samueladams.com)
5. Dogfish Head 120-Minute IPA
Dogfish Head’s signature brew has been called “the Holy Grail for Hopheads,” and here’s why: A typical Coors/Miller/Budweiser lager registers at about 8-10 IBUs—the amount used to measure a beer’s hop bitterness—while this India Pale Ale logs an insane 120. That’s over 15 times stronger than your average American beer, not to mention 4 times as alcoholic. Translation: The 120-Minute isn’t for the faint of heart. It’s probably too overpowering to have by yourself, so split a bottle with a buddy and sip it through a snifter. And don’t worry about taking things slow: You’ll build a mighty buzz way before you finish your half. (18% ABV, $9-10 per 12 oz. bottle, dogfishhead.com)
6. North Coast Old Stock Ale Cellar Reserve 2009
Back in ’09, North Coast Brewing Company, a tiny California microbrewery, took a batch of its Old Stock Ale and aged it in bourbon barrels to create this dazzling barley wine. It tastes just like it smells, with distinct traces of raisins, brown sugar, toffee, and of course bourbon. But Old Stock Cellar Reserve is hardly the booze bomb its ABV (13.2%) indicates—instead, it relies on a smooth, sweet taste to earn high drinkability points. “If you can get past the high price, it’s a really amazing, fabulous beer,” says Simpson. As for its availability, “if we can find multiple cases here in backwards suburban Atlanta, then I’m guessing several other markets around the country carry it as well.”(13% ABV, $22-25 per 500-mL bottle, northcoastbrewing.com)
7. Dogfish Head Olde School Barley Wine
Even though it’s the strongest barley wine in the world, Olde School is tame by Dogfish Head’s crazy standards—a mere 15% ABV. “It has Dogfish’s signature, residual sweetness, and I think that’s because they sort of just let the yeast go, so it ends up with high density,” says Simpson. Perfect for a crisp fall day, the barley wine tastes more like a port or sherry thanks to its sharp flavors of dates and figs. And tempting as it may be to polish off a 4-pack in one weekend, Olde School only gets better with age—so dock a few bottles in the cellar and revisit in 2016. (15% ABV, $5-7 per 4-pack, dogfishhead.com)
8. Nøgne Ø Dark Horizon (2[SUP]nd [/SUP]Edition)
Dark Horizon, a Russian Imperial Stout, is almost as badass as the name of its Norwegian brewer, Nøgne Ø. (It’s pronounced “Nug-nuh,” according to Simpson.) Spicy, smoky, and leathery, it’s got a certain air of mystery that makes it a great find for adventurous beer enthusiasts. Though a newer edition came to America in 2010, stick with the one from 2007, which ages particularly well. “It might be tougher to find these days, because the second edition is a couple years old, but any big cities that support really good craft beer are probably going to have it,” Simpson says. (17.5% ABV, $18-23 per 500-mL bottle, nogne-o.com)
http://news.menshealth.com/extreme-beers/2013/01/08/
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None of the distributors I've spoken to have it. Nodoby can buy a bottle unless they're sitting on top of the shipment as it comes in. Rare doesn't quite do it justice.
