Goose Island Brewing (Chicago) will kick off their new Goose Island Imperial Series with an IPA dubbed The Illinois.

The imperial IPA is full of big “c” hops (for those none beer geeky folks, those pretty bold hops).  While an officially press release from Goose Island is pending, expect this beer to release on February 24th, 2014.

Style: Imperial IPA
Hops: Chinook, Cascade, Citra, Meridian

Availability: 12oz Bottles, Draft. (Tentative)

9% ABV, 95 IBUS

via Goose Island's Imperial Series Kicks Off with "The Illinois" | Beer Street Journal.

North Coast Barrel Aged Old Rasputin Released | Beer Street Journal.

Interested to go but no transportation @ this time.

Style: Imperial IPA
Hops: Chinook, Falconer’s Flight, Saaz

Availability: Draft only
Release: 1/25/14

8.4% ABV

Red Hare Thrice Hopped Rabbit's Reserve | Beer Street Journal.

Terrapin Beer Co’s (Athens, GA) Rye Squared has a boozier, bigger family member on the way. It goes by the name of Rye-Cubed.

This initial idea was to square the Rye Squared ingredients, that was until they thought about the math. Brewmaster and co-founder “Spike” tells Beer Street Journal:

We were trying to figure out how to cube the ingredients. Basically, we are doubling everything going into Rye Squared. It will be big. Very big.

At 10.3% ABV, big is an understatement. Terrapin Rye Cubed will be “destroying palates from Athens to Tokyo” in June, 2014.

Style: American Strong Ales (w/ Rye)
Availability: 12oz Bottles, Draft
Arrival: June, 2014

10.3% ABV

Terrapin Doubles (Cubes) Rye Squared For Bigger Hangover | Beer Street Journal.

Side Project #22 “MoonRay” is already in planning, with the test recipe being tweaked as you read this. Per brewery co-founder “Spike” Buchowski, he intends on making this beer a bit like the chocolate orange candy. (the chocolate that splits open like orange slices).

He hopes to the do this with the addition of orange peels, chocolate malt and cocoa nibs. The weizenbock yeast will give the beer a touch of banana flavor too.

Expect this offering by Summer, 2014

Style: Weizenbock (w/ Chocolate, Oranges)
Availability: 22oz Bombers, Draft
Arrival: TBA

8.34% ABV

Terrapin Side Project #22: MoonRay | Beer Street Journal.

Elysian Split Shot Espresso Milk Stout combines the talents of Elysian Brewing and Stumptown Coffee in a beer you don’t want to miss.

You first saw Split Shot in 2012, when it was made the official beer of Seattle Beer Week. Here in young 2014, Elysian promoted to spring seasonal.

Style: Milk Stout (w/ Coffee)
Hops:
Malts: Northwest pale, C-15 and C-45 dextrine malts, Franco-Belges kiln coffee malt, Black, Roasted and Chocolate malts and flaked oats.

Availability: 12oz bottles, Draft. Nitro Draft. All of Elysian’s Distribution Network

7.25% ABV

Elysian Brings Back Coffee Milk Offering | Beer Street Journal.

Troegs Brewing is planning a new dessert imperial stout in bottles. Chocolate and raspberries become one in Troegs Jovial.

The base beer for Jovial is an imperial stout brewed with dark chocolate and raspberries. Troegs fermented Jovial with a Belgian yeast, for an additional flavor twist.

Jovial is an enticing Imperial Stout fermented with Belgian yeast and brewed with dark chocolate and tart raspberry. Brimming with optimism, Jovial reveals its enduring charm and infinite merriment with each passing sip.This beer is highly carbonated: Hold chalice and pour into center of the glass to release the yeast’s complex character.

Troegs Jovial Stout will be bottled in 375ml bottles. Release details to be announced soon.

Style: Belgian Imperial Stout (w/ Dark Chocolate, Raspberries)
Availability: 375ml Bottles.
Arrival: TBA

10% ABV

Chocolate and Raspberries Collide in Troegs “Jovial” | Beer Street Journal.

Grab a slice. The Cigar City Brewing/Terrapin Beer Co collaboration Southern Slice has arrived. One of many collaborations by the two breweries (especially Terrapin’s “Spike”) Southern Slice is a dunked lager that is designed to taste like a popular southern delicacy.

The group wanted to capture the taste and flair of pecan pie. After deciding to use a dark lager as a base, vanilla beans and pecans were give the beer a pie like flavor. Look for it starting now in 750ml bottles.

Style: Dunkel Lager (w/ Vanilla Beans, Pecans)
Availability: 750ml bottles. Limited one-time collaboration.

?? ABV

Terrapin & Cigar City's "Southern Slice" Released | Beer Street Journal.

Those astute folks that have seen the boxes for Jailhouse 22oz bottles have probably seen mention of the beer over the past couple of years. Glenn Golden and the brewing team have had planned to release this beer for quite sometime, but never could fit it into the schedule.

Restraining Order Porter is brewed with local figs, giving the beer a dark fruit note. This isn’t your average porter. RO is less dry then your standard porter, with a flavor developing through each sip.

Look for this beer to hit shelves in a few weeks, and again in November, 2014.

Style: Porter (w/ Figs)
Availability: 22oz Bombers, Draft. Winter seasonal

6.5% ABV

Jailhouse Brewing Releases Restraining Order Porter [VIDEO] | Beer Street Journal.

The second release in Coronado Brewing’s Coronado Collection is Barrel Aged Old Scallywag.

Style: Barleywine (Barrel Aged)

Availability: 22oz Bombers. Limited Release.

via Coronado Barrel Aged Scallywag Barleywine | Beer Street Journal.

Clown Shoes Brewing (Ipswich, MA) will be bringing you a barrel aged barley wine to celebrate their fourth year of craft brewing.

You might not be among the 1011 billionaires on the planet, but the brewery wants you to drink like one. This English-style barley wine (more maltier, sweeter then American barley wines) is aged in European cognac barrels, so grab a snifter and feel fancy.

Billionaire will be offered in 22oz bottles.

Style: Barleywine (Barrel Aged, Cognac)
Availability: 22oz bombers
Arrival: December, 2013

12% ABV

Clown Shoes Readies Their 4th Anniversary Brew | Beer Street Journal.

The next release of Deschutes The Abyss looms. The highly touted imperial stout arrives again in the brewery’s pubs on November 14th. Shortly after, on the 18th, The Abyss hits distribution throughout Deschutes 23 state footprint.

Deep, dark Imperial Stout, The Abyss has almost immeasurable depth and complexity. Hints of molasses, licorice and other alluring flavors make it something not just to quaff, but contemplate.

The Abyss is animperial stout is filled with dark malts, brewers’ licorice and black strap molasses and is then “dry hopped” with vanilla beans and cherry bark. It is finished in bourbon, Oregon oak and pinot noir barrels

Style: Imperial Stout (w/ Molasses, Licorice. Barrel Aged)
Availability: 22oz bombers, Draft. Limited.
Arrival: November 14, 2013

11% ABV

Deschutes The Abyss: November 14th | Beer Street Journal.

Lazy Magnolia Brewing (Kiln, MS) has a new seasonal this winter, Black Creek Southern Style Imperial Stout. This stout touts flavors of coffee and chocolate, keeping you nice and toasty on a cold southern night.

Black as the bayou on a moonless winter night, our Southern Style Imperial Stout begins with aromas of dark chocolate and coffee, with a complexity of roasted barley and caramel flavors on the palate. With a deceptive light body, this Imperial Stout is sure to keep you warm on the coldest Southern winter night.

Black Creek will be available in 12oz bottles and draft.

Style: Imperial Stout
Hops: Nugget, Willamette, & Mt Hood

Flavor: Dark Chocolate, Caramel, Mild Bitterness, Coffee
Arrival: TBA

8.5% ABV, 55 IBUs

Lazy Magnolia Has a New Imperial Stout This Winter | Beer Street Journal.

The world now has a new strongest beer, weighing in at 67.5% ABV. That’s 2.5% stronger then the current record holder by the same brewery, Armageddon.

The beer heavyweight is called Snake Venom, brewed by Lewis Shand and John Mackenzie’s Brewmeister Brewery in Scotland. A blend of smoked peat malt, and two varieties of yeast are used to create this potentially flammable brew.

This ABV race kicked off a few years ago with Brewdog’s Sink the Bismarck. That brew weighs in at 41%. Then came the End of History at 55% ABV. Bottles were placed [shoved] into taxidermied squirrels.

Then came Brewmeister’s Armadgeddon, the current record holder by at 65% ABV. Until now.

What does 67.5% ABV taste like? “hoppy, malty and very pleasant”. Each 275ml bottle retails for about $80 U.S. dollars.

Worlds Strongest Beer Now 67.5% ABV | Beer Street Journal.

Three Taverns Brewery (Decatur, GA) is prepping a new Belgian-style Imperial Stout. This is the brewery’s third offering, and will feature muscovado sugar. (An unrefined brown sugar.) The beer should clock in around 9%.

Three Taverns just opened their tap room over the weekend in Decatur, Georgia. (Beer Street Journal Video coming soon.)

Currently fermenting in the brewhouse is Feast Noel, the brewery’s fourth offering and first Christmas release. The base beer is quadrupel, brewed with various Belgian-style Christmas spices.

The beer will be found on tap, and will be the second release in 750 ml bottles, right behind Theophan The Recluse.

Note: Updated the beer name, and 750ml details. 

via Three Taverns "Feest Noel" Arrives in November | Beer Street Journal.

Clown Shoes Brewing continues to fight evil with Hammer of the Holy. This sure to be amazing stout has been aged in 40 year old Jamaican rum barrels with holy water. Yes, holy water.

Much like previous release Vampire Slayer, this beer fights evil with the addition of holy water added to the boil. [No, I don’t think that boiling holy water diminishes the beer’s ability to cast out evil.]

But wait, there’s more. The malt was smoked with vampire killing stakes. So, grab a glass and cast out some demons. Hopefully taking a few of those Twilight losers with you.

Style: Imperial Stout (w/ Holy Water. Barrel Aged. Rum)
Availability: 22oz bombers
Arrival: TBA (Hopefully for Halloween)

11% ABV

Clown Shoes Uses Holy Water, Rum Barrels | Beer Street Journal.

Red Hot Mama The Red Hot Mama from Yakima was one bad Itch, running through fanners like they were her personal toys. She especially had her way with our old buddy Vinny from Van Horn Farms and left him drained in the field as she hitched her way out of town with a dress full of fresh hops. This Red Hot Mama was not one to mess with. She hooked up with a Harley gang, and made her way down to Atlanta looking bra soul to steal. She met her match with El Danko, and the two of them got nasty in the brewhouse together; clothes and hops were flying all over the place. The load of fresh Centennial hops were dropped, and Head Brewer Nick Nock scrambled to use ‘em as they smelled extra dank! After hosing off, El Danko showed her the door. He knew he didn’t have enough left in him for another round. Ride on, Red Hot Mama. Girl, you sure look good to me!

Style: Imperial Red Ale
Availability: 22oz bombers, Draft
Arrival: TBA

8.6% ABV

SweetWater Has a Red Hot Mama | Beer Street Journal.

Wow!

Hair of the Dog’s “Dave” went in sale at the brewery in Portland, Oregon today.

You might say, who cares. Well, your wallet might. A bottle of it will run you around $2000 dollars.

The 29% Barleywine was made in 1994, by the freezing technique that you see used in eisbocks. By freezing off the water, the remaining liquid is higher in abv.

Obviously, over multiple freezes you are losing sellable volume. Making what is left behind even more valuable.

Today, the rarity went on sale for a hefty price tag. Apparently there is a $500 discount if you drink it on site.

P.S.- that’s for 12 ounces.

The $2000, 12 Ounce Beer | Beer Street Journal.

Red Brick Brewing (Atlanta) just shipped 20th Anniversary Imperial Stout. This is the first time the brewery has used Buffalo Trace bourbon barrels. After draining 20th Anniversary, the brewery refilled the barrels with a full bodied barleywine, to sit for about 6 months, debuting as a part of the Brick Mason Series in January, 2014.

via Red Brick Now Barrel Aging New Barleywine | Beer Street Journal.