The day starts off @3PM with my favorite Texas beer (and in my top 5 favorite beers all-time) Saint Arnold's Pumpkinator (imperial stout, 10% ABV). What is this beer? Simply stated pumpkin pie in a bottle with chocolate added. The beer screams of fall flavors with overwhelming aromas of spice - cinnamon, ginger, allspice, cloves and chocolate. The taste is much the same with a pleasant addition of heat from what I can only gather is chili pepper. It's a big bold black beer with full body and finish much the same as it's aroma. This beer is dry-spiced in a similar process to dry-hopping (hops added during secondary fermentation the result being no bitterness only aroma) so it smells and feels like your grandma's kitchen during Thanksgiving. I absolutely love it and don't worry if you don't buy it, I'll be around to drink it haha! If you grab one let it warm up in your hand a little bit to help bring out the spice!....p.s. A little trivia...Pumpkinator was originally DR#9....if you look in the trees on the label, on the right side hidden in the branches you will see "DR9"....pretty cool!
The next part of the hour involves a vertical (or parallel in this case) of the new Bishop Barrel program Saint Arnold's started last year. We are offering two beers (both bottles AND the only bottles available today). The first is Bishop's #2 (old ale, 7.8% ABV) based off Saint Arnold's Christmas Ale. Here's the twist, it's aged in Chardonnay barrels with wild cherries. So what you get is a bit of a funkier Christmas Ale...some acidity from the wine, some sourness from the cherries...I'd prefer to call it more tart than sour reminiscent of Oud Bruin but sweeter, but it does have a sour taste so be warned. So if you're a sour/tart fan I'd definitely recommend it. I really love this beer for the boldness it takes in trying to convert a classic.
The next Bishop's Barrel is the newest addition, Bishop's #3 (imperial stout, 8.7% ABV). Simple straight forward no nonsense bourbon barrel stout. You're going to get a lot of bourbon - vanilla, wood, slight tartness with the chocolates and burnt sugars you'd expect from a Russian Imperial Stout. This is a new beer for me and hopefully I'll get to snag one.
It's important to note that The Bishop Barrel program is ONLY available at on premise locations (meaning it can only be sold at bars where alcohol is consumed on premise; so no liquor stores). We have two cases of each so it will go quickly. Make sure you don't miss either!!!
I'll be back with an blurb on the next two beers, Divine Reserve 12 and 13, and a little explanation of cask beer. Hope you're enjoying the blog! Please feel free to send me your comments! See you soon! KB
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