Recently while shopping at my local beer store, I picked up a small 330 ml flip-top bottle of Spike & Jérôme’s Cuvée Délirante, previously reviewed on draft by Mike. The beer is a collaboration from Georgia’s Terrapin and Switzerland’s Brasserie des Franches-Montagnes (BFM), and is described as a Rum Barrel aged Rye Barley Wine. Enjoying most Barleywines in general, and barrel aged beers as a whole this sounded like one worth trying.
One of my favorite breweries that simply doesn’t distribute to Philadelphia is Ska Brewing Company in Colorado. They make, in my opinion, one of the most delicious hoppy IPAs out there, Modus Hoperandi. When I was on vacation I picked up two 12 ounce bottles of their Pinstripe Red Ale, which is part of their flagship line.
Yards Brewing Company, straight out of the heart of Philadelphia, and an integral part of Philly Beer Week (plug!), deliver nicely with their Extra Special Ale (ESA). This ESA was originally intended to soothe the palates for the cask-ale connoisseurs but became a standard edition to their flagship lineup.
The Harpoon Brewery out of Boston, Mass. delivers yet another take on the Imperial (Double) IPA-style with their Leviathan. Brewed and available only since 2008, this has become a year-round staple to their flagship collection, and at 10% ABV, makes a great alternative to their others beers.
Rounding out my series from the Buckbean Brewing Company is their Schwarzbier-style beer, Black Noddy Lager. At 5.2% ABV this low-alcohol brew has a sessionable ABV but perhaps what holds this back from being a true session beer is the style and flavors.
