The Northwoods Beer Guy Podcast
We love craft beer! Each week we will taste a number of beers from around the country and give you our thoughts, not only will we talk about the flavor, but also the artwork and anything else that comes to mind.
We will also go on location and visit breweries and try a number of their offerings and give you our thoughts as well.
Come sit around the campfire and join in on the fun!
The Northwoods Beer Guy Podcast
Ep 135 - Stouts, White Stouts, And A Brandy Barrel Surprise
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Think stout has to be dark, heavy, and bitter? We crack open a lineup that challenges the stereotype—white stouts that drink silky and bright, classic nitro smoothness, and a surprise brandy barrel lager that channels a Wisconsin old fashioned.
We start with a final Oktoberfest check-in before diving into lower-ABV stouts, explaining what makes a white stout different and why the flavor cues—vanilla, coffee, white chocolate—can show up without the inky pour. Leinenkugel’s White Mocha Stout and Whole Hog’s Casper White Stout lead the way with balanced vanilla and mocha notes on a pale canvas, proving you can have stout character without the burnt finish. Along the way, we compare nitro vs CO2 mouthfeel using Left Hand’s Milk Stout Nitro and talk about how nitrogen transforms texture into that pillowy, pub-like cascade.
Local love continues with Stone Arch’s Vanilla Oatmeal Stout and Moon Ridge’s Below the Dam, where we weigh expectations vs reality on vanilla, roast, and carbonation. Then comes The Brewing Projekt’s Cow Cow Caramel Macchiato, a salted caramel-forward treat beer that dazzles in aroma and demands slow sipping. For a finale, we pop Lakefront’s Barrel-Aged Holiday Spice Lager—brandy barrel-aged with cinnamon, clove, orange zest, and honey—for a ruby-amber, season-ready sipper that’s smooth, warming, and impeccably balanced.
If you’re stout-curious or just want a fresh angle on winter beers, you’ll leave with a shopping list: start with Casper for your first white stout, keep Leinie’s White Mocha in the fridge, save Cow Cow for dessert, and share that Lakefront holiday lager on a cold night. Got a beer we should try next or a barrel-aged gem we can’t miss? Subscribe, share the show with a friend, and email us at Northwoodsbeerguy at gmail.com with your picks and hot takes.
Thank you for listening to The Northwoods Beer Guy Podcast. If you have a question, comment or would like us to review your beer, please feel free to contact us at northwoodsbeerguy@gmail.com.
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Welcome to the Northwoods Beer Guy Podcast. Hey, ladies and gentlemen, welcome back to the Northwoods Beer Guy Podcast. This is Mike, the Northwoods Beer Guy. And once again, I am joined by Jim. Hey, buddy, how you doing? Doing good, man. We are actually actually back in the studio this week, which it's been a while. So yes, it is. I almost was getting a little lonely down here. Say I almost didn't remember how to hook this stuff up. See, well, good thing you're back. Exactly.
SPEAKER_01See, we are and we're joined by our trusty sidekick too. That's checking everything out.
Last-Minute Oktoberfest: Logboat Märzen
SPEAKER_00You hear her walking around. She's just making sure guarding us, make sure that all the fans don't rush us. Yes. So that's good. Oh, speaking of fans, did you get any comments from anybody? Yeah, actually. Uh well, one comment I did get was actually from Roger. Okay. Uh he he uh did reply about uh spearfish brewing. Oh, nice. When it he had said that they had tried a porter, and I believe he said there was an IP. I'm gonna have to look back. I apologize. I was gonna do that. Uh but he said they were both actually really good. So yeah, it makes it sound like even more like at some point we have to make a trip out there just to check it out. Right. You know, yes. And uh that's one thing I was I was kicking around too. I think when we do visit some places, I might uh we might go live a little bit on some social media just to show the the brewery we're at. Okay, you know, so people get an idea because again, it's uh personally I think it's cooler when you can see it too and then hear what we tried. Yeah, that'd be awesome. So yeah, we're gonna have to we'll knock that uh around and figure out how to do that, but we'll get her done. So perfect. Yeah.
SPEAKER_01And I'll volunteer to go with you just in case. Okay, well, taste make sure that they're not any bad ones out there.
SPEAKER_00That's good because yeah, there could be some. Well, there's usually some bad ones, but hey, I'm here to help. We try and weed them out so our listeners don't have to deal with that. Yes. So what are we drinking today? Well, we we've got kind of a a little bit of a mixed bag, kind of. Okay. Uh, I think the first ones we have are some stouts. Okay, no, they're not. I think these ones are all more kind of for the most part lower ABV, except for one. Yep. Uh that we have one that uh appears to be a little higher.
SPEAKER_01Right. Well, that's that's got our special one.
SPEAKER_00Yes, yes. And now I did find one more Oktoberfest uh when I was in Missouri that we were gonna try. So I don't know if we want to try it right away or if we want to just do it in order of ABV or what uh well let's try your now. Let's knock it out now because we had told everybody we were done doing Oktoberfest, and then I found one more. So all right. Now who is this one by? This is this is by Log Boat Brewing Company, and if I remember right, I believe they are out of is it Columbia, Missouri? Not whole K-N-O-T-H-O-L-E, not whole. Oh Mars on Lager. It's a and I don't know, there's like a witch on the thing, and the label I'm not sure how to describe this. I'll have to post a picture of it. Not exactly sure how you describe that. Is that like a little leprechaun in there? It's something. But the the pipe kind of changes. I don't know what the yeah. Uh ladies and gentlemen, we'll post a picture because I don't know how to describe it. It's interesting. Kind of a different feel to it. Yeah. There's probably some sort of uh reason. Yeah, and I'm not let's hope it doesn't affect the flavor of the beer. Oh, there is, but that's not micro writing. I don't know if you can read it or not. It's right in the can.
SPEAKER_01Here we go. Inspired by Z Germans.
SPEAKER_00Okay.
SPEAKER_01This delicious amber lager will perk your toe straight through the top of your work boot. Best enjoyed around a fire with snacks. Pumpkins, although good, in seed form with a hint of salt, do not make an appearance in this beer. And for good reason. We prefer carving them.
SPEAKER_00Okay. Uh I guess I'm more confused now.
SPEAKER_01It didn't help me at all no.
SPEAKER_00Uh, this is six percent cleared as mud now. Yes, so interesting. Like I said, we will post a picture because it is a neat label on the can.
SPEAKER_01Yeah.
SPEAKER_00So we will try this. And like I said, this I picked up in Missouri, and this is going to officially be, unless we find more, but this will probably be our official last October fest of the season on the podcast.
SPEAKER_01I mean, it it does have the the color.
SPEAKER_00Yeah, it's got that that Mars on color, that's for sure.
SPEAKER_01Almost that amberish right, and the head is a little bit tannish. Yep, yep, that's for sure. So there's a couple good things.
SPEAKER_00Got kind of a multi aroma.
SPEAKER_01There's another. So it's it's trying to be a Marzon. It's trying to be a Marz on.
SPEAKER_00This is one of the ones that is checking some boxes more than the other ones we had tried. Yes. Not not bad. It's it probably it's probably on the upper end for flavor for this year. Right. You know, honestly. Yeah. It tastes okay.
SPEAKER_01It's all right. I mean, it's it's not gonna knock your socks off, but it's it's an okay representation.
Stout Flight Plan And White Stout 101
SPEAKER_00I mean, yeah, it does have a little bit of a kind of a dry finish, kind of a dry finish, you know, or something like that. It was it's like, okay. Uh, but honestly, for for how our uh what does it say on the top of the can? Keep your paddle wet. That's what it says on the top of the can. It goes with the boat long boat. Log boat. Log boat. Log boat, not long, log. Okay. So interesting.
SPEAKER_01So good. What are you gonna give her a score then?
SPEAKER_00I'm gonna go, well, with this one, I'll probably I'm gonna go like a 2.5. Because for this year, that's a pretty good score for Oktobervest. Yep. Uh, I I don't mind it. Like I said, it it definitely has the color and it does have some aroma that kind of surprises me. And and taste-wise, I can you do get a little bit more of more of a malty flavor, which I don't mind, but it does have a little bit of that kind of a dryness to it. Yeah, that's uh that's the only thing. Otherwise, I'd have probably gone 2627, but that dryness, it kind of it's different, I think, for me for an Oktoberfest.
SPEAKER_01Right. And I don't know what that dryness is because we have no real details on it. So I don't know if that's a hoppiness or what that's yeah.
SPEAKER_00I didn't I did a horrible job getting notes on it.
SPEAKER_01So I I couldn't find much, but there's no pumpkin in it, I guess, which is the molness. Right. Yeah. I I I don't know many Marzans that used pumpkin. They the way it was going this year, they should have. Right. So I guess kudos to them for not putting a pumpkin in it. And I'll I'll say the same thing. I'll say a 2.5 because there's no pumpkin in it. There you go. I don't know if that's perfect.
SPEAKER_00Does that help? Yep. Well, slide that back. Well, so now we might as well just jump into these stouts. And like I said, these are not super high octane ones, which is good. Yes. Uh kind of to start of the the stouts that we're gonna be getting into at uh a lot sooner now than later.
SPEAKER_01Yes, and um I happen to have some questions for you too.
SPEAKER_00You couldn't find descriptions, but you could find questions.
SPEAKER_01Yes. So and you're giddy about it. Yeah, these are some good ones. Uh okay. So actually, well, let's see here. Um, so a couple of these are different ones, I think, that we're gonna be going through, and they're white stouts. And what's we haven't done, I don't think we've done a couple, but not many. Yeah. So my question to you is what is the main difference between a traditional stout and a white stout?
SPEAKER_00The white stout is like a regular beer color and the normal stout is dark. Okay, I'll give you half a point for that. Okay. One thing, and now I don't know if this is anything to do with it, but it's to me, it seems like a lot of times the white stouts have more of a like a stronger vanilla flavor. I don't that's probably not part of it, but it seems like that's more of a kind of a predominant flavor where your other stouts are more your cocoa nibs and things like that. You know what I mean? Where it's that darker.
SPEAKER_01Oh, you should have stopped when you had vanilla. Oh. Because the answer was white stout is lighter colored, uses ingredients like coffee, cocoa nibs, and vanilla.
SPEAKER_00Oh, I should have stopped on the yeah.
SPEAKER_01Where the dark stout gets its more of its flavor from coffee, chocolate flavors, dark roasted malt.
SPEAKER_00Okay. Well, I got part of it. Right. Yeah.
SPEAKER_01You were uh I was trying to dig too deep. Right. You had a thousand points and then you went back to like negative 500. Oh, that's not bad. So you were close. Yeah, that's not bad. So let's try uh opener here. All of these, I think. No, not all of them. One, two, three, four, five. Six of these are from Wisconsin.
Stone Arch Vanilla Oatmeal Stout Review
SPEAKER_00Oh, okay. Nice. So only one is not from okay. Of the ones that of the stouts you're gonna be. Oh, the stouts yes. Okay, nice. So I thought that was pretty cool, too. Yeah, that's definitely not something we've done much before. Right. You know? All right. Well, hey, the first one we have is by Stone Arch Brew Pub. I've I've actually been to one, I think there's a couple of them at least, and I've been to one of them. And it's like a restaurant, of course, brew pub, and has they have their own beers. This is their vanilla stout.
SPEAKER_01And then for whatever reason, on the bottle it says oatmeal stout. Huh.
SPEAKER_00A vanilla oatmeal stout, yeah. Well, so I don't know.
SPEAKER_01There you go. Because that's actually two different kinds, right? Well, you would think vanilla stout and an oatmeal stout, and then you would think, but and these guys are out of Appleton.
SPEAKER_00Okay, yep. That's the one I was actually at was in Appleton.
SPEAKER_01Right, okay.
SPEAKER_00And this is six, is it six percent? Five percent, five percent, five percent ABV and twenty-eight IBUs. Yeah, there was not much on the website for description. Okay, did it I guess we do have just a little bit. It's uh a dark, rich oatmeal stout enhanced with pure vanilla, creating an unforgettable flavor. Unforgettable. It is dark, it is definitely looks like a stout, it smells like a stout. It smells like a stout. I almost get a coffee aroma a little bit. Yeah, you can taste you can taste the vanilla, but it's really weak, isn't it? Really weak. It's almost um, even the aftertaste is more like a coffee. Did it say coffee in it anywhere? No, that has more of a coffee flavor to me almost, doesn't that? To you, I mean it's kind of that I mean, there's the the flavor is so muted, it's not there's not a lot of yeah, not a lot comes through. No, I was I guess I was expecting uh what's the vanilla porter like starting Breckenridge or whatever? Breckenridge has one, and then Liney says it's snowdrift. Yeah, but like well, either of those, they have more of a vanilla flavor, I think. This one, it's not bad, but it to me it almost is more coffee-ish. And I don't know where they came up with 28 IBUs.
SPEAKER_01Well, you remember we kind of gave up on trying to figure that out. Yeah, this is not if you're afraid because it's high IBU, it's it's not no, there's no hop at all to it.
SPEAKER_00No, I uh yeah, it's just to be single-digit hops, yeah, yeah. And remember, you need like a supercomputer to try and figure out the hop scale, and I don't think they have it figured out yet. So I guess I'm a little more disappointed than I am. Yeah, I was gonna say I really was expecting more vanilla. Yes, and I keep I know I said it five times already, but it almost is more of a coffee-ish or or more roasted burnt flavor a little bit.
SPEAKER_01Right, because that kind of like takes makes your mouth kind of dry at the very end because it's it's the dryness is pulling whatever you were drinking, is pulling out the moisture in your mouth.
SPEAKER_00It's yeah, doesn't leave you with much. No, and I would drink it. Don't get me wrong, if somebody goes, hey, you want one of these, sure, I'll I'll drink it, but I don't know, it's just not I don't know if I'd want to sit down and drink you know three, four of them. Yeah, I think after after that first one or towards the end of that first one, it might be kind of messing with your taste buds a little bit. You have to drink a bottle of water to yeah, exactly, exactly. What do you think on the score on this one?
SPEAKER_01Well, um when I s read the word, you know, enhanced with pure vanilla, I was really looking for some vanilla flavor, and I don't get much of that. I get like you said, the coffee-ish, something-ish going on there. So I'm gonna go a 2.3. It okay. It's just like super dry. Like, you know, I took a drink and now I'm waiting a few minutes and it's just like drying up my mouth. So I'm not a big fan that way.
SPEAKER_00Yeah, I'm gonna go a 2.2 actually, just for the same reasons. I was again when vanilla is your first word, yes, it should have that flavor. And to me, like I said, it might not be coffee, but that's what it reminded me of. Right. And then it's just that weird something burnt flavor, yeah.
SPEAKER_01Something going on there.
SPEAKER_00Yeah, like I said, it's it's not bad. And I know they're they're not like a huge brewery or anything, you know, and it's it's decent. I like I said, I would drink one, but I wouldn't, I don't know if I'd go back for another one. Right. Yeah, so yeah, so there we go.
SPEAKER_01All right, so here's a true or false question for you.
SPEAKER_00Oh, 50-50 shot.
SPEAKER_01Yep. Okay, as of today, is white stout recognized by as a beer style by organizations such as Beer Jud Certification Program or the Brewers Association?
SPEAKER_00Ooh, this is gonna be a trick question because I'm thinking, okay, I don't know how they break that up as far as is okay, are all stouts like stouts? Then you have subcat because so could this be a subcategory you're saying? So uh I'm gonna say it's because it's new, it's relatively new. I'm just gonna say true, but it's probably false. You are correct, it is false. Say, I knew I was gonna say false.
SPEAKER_01So as of today, it is still not officially recognized by the major organizations. Yeah, by you and I, we recognize them. I think the big shots see that since it's so new, I think.
SPEAKER_00That was my concern was uh I should say I was gonna say false, and I'm like, uh, no, then they probably are on board already, but okay. You only lost 500 points to that one. Yeah, I don't need uh to try and justify my wrong answer anymore because I was close and I I knew it. You know what I'm saying? I had good shots.
SPEAKER_01Well, I know you that's why I try to give you an easy one for you.
SPEAKER_00I appreciate that. Throw the the off the tee for you. Hey, so here speaking of new ones, okay. We have a new line of hoogles.
SPEAKER_01Uh oh, that's good. Yeah, and because they haven't come out with anything new in a while, have they?
White Stout Style Debate And Trivia
SPEAKER_00Not well, not in a stout category, I don't think. And last year, did you remember ever finding the snowdrift vanilla porter anywhere? I never saw it, so I don't know what's going on there, but this will be interesting. So, this is Line and Kugels. This is their new white mocha stout. Oh, that sounds good. Yeah, so let's see. This one is uh 5.6% ABV and 10 IBUs, so it's probably super hoppy. Well, I think maybe they're actually getting theirs correct. They could be, yeah. So the description is this pale colored stout is brewed with pale malts instead of dark roasted malts, giving it a lighter color while still having rich stout flavors. It has decadent notes of white chocolate paired with vanilla, balanced with roasted coffee aromas. This beer is made with oats and wheat that contribute to its body. Oh, well, so that should be interesting. Saying all the right words, yeah, and and it'll be interesting to see how the uh well how it tastes considering it's made with oats and such. Right. And it's in a can, as you heard. Uh and it's I'm guessing they said it's a lighter color. Oh, yeah. Does it not look like a stout? That doesn't look like a stout at all. No. That's kind of interesting. But well, it'll be interesting because I do think we we do have some other white stout. So it's probably in that category of color.
SPEAKER_01But it looks a bit like a lager or a pillow.
SPEAKER_00Yeah, I mean, it looks like some of the some of the Oktoberfest we had this year were lighter than that. But it definitely does not look like the dark stout. Yeah. Ooh, there's an aroma. Not bad. So white mocha. What was this? White mocha stout by Linen Kugels. That's not bad. That's pretty good. It's only 5.6%, so it's not bad. Now, mocha is like a type of coffee, right? Kind of like sort of kind of like a frappuccino, crapuccino. Yes. But uh, I mean you get a coffee flavor, but it's not over the top strong or anything.
SPEAKER_01Yeah, actually, I think the coffee aroma is stronger than the coffee flavor. Yeah, I like that. Wow.
SPEAKER_00I could drink a few of these, I think. This is not bad. Wow, they did a good job. Yeah, I do not mind that. That's uh I know that you know I've said before that Linies seems to be just more in the shandy category. This this is a good beer. I they did a good job on this one.
SPEAKER_01You know, kind of a faintly if they would have a little bit more vanilla flavor, it'd be almost like the snowdrift. Kind of. It's in that same, like almost in that category because the forges and stouts are close.
SPEAKER_00Yeah, I think the snowdrift, if I remember right, had a little bit more of a vanilla flavor. Yes. But this one is I can you get that vanilla, right? You get, I mean, you get the coffee, but it's not, it's almost I hate to say it, it's almost the perfect amount of coffee flavor. Yeah, I mean it's you know it's definitely not over the top. No, not at all.
SPEAKER_01It shouldn't scare you.
SPEAKER_00I don't mind this at all.
Leinenkugel’s White Mocha Stout Tasting
SPEAKER_01I guess the only thing I'm a little bit confused that we don't have anybody to answer the question, but what's the difference in flavor between a white chocolate and a dark chocolate? Oh, sure.
SPEAKER_00Yeah, like as far as being in a beer. Yeah, that's a good question. I mean, does does the color have anything to do with the flavor? Yeah, I don't know. It reminds me of do you remember that beer we had? And I I apologize, I can't remember who if Avery made it or who made it, but we had the one that was like dark chocolate, right? And it tasted like that really that dark chocolate, like when you're eating a dark chocolate piece of candy, and I haven't seen that around for a long time either. But that was really good. But this one, I I like this.
SPEAKER_01This is decent. I would not mind now. Of course, I I bought this one and build your own six pack, so it's the only one I got too. Well, hey, we had no idea. It could have been terrible, you know. Right. So at least now we know it's now we know if we see it again.
SPEAKER_00We could always get it. I'm sure, I'm sure they they must sell it in a six-pack or a twelve package or whatever.
SPEAKER_01I think it was actually in a 12-pack. Oh, okay.
SPEAKER_00At the liquor store.
SPEAKER_01Okay.
SPEAKER_00Score wise, yeah. You're up. I like that. I'm gonna go, I'm gonna go 3.1. Ooh. I like that. I I could drink a few of those. Again, like I said, the the coffee is not overpowering, which I like. Yep. Because sometimes I know we said it before, it's like you're chewing on wet coffee grounds. That's not it. Right. And I do wish, like you, that was a great point about the white chocolate, how that affects things. I can't say we've ever had a beer that specifically said it was made with white chocolate. Right. You know, I did so it'll be interesting to see if that's a new trend or not. And then, like I said, with the that it's brewed with oats and such, I don't know how that changes it. Right. But whatever it does, it I think it's good.
SPEAKER_01Yes. I'm thinking right in there with you. The challenge, you know, is are they it take because I mean if you are blind molded right now, you could not tell if that was a pale color compared to a dark stout. Right. So kudos to them. I mean, it it hits all the wickets from being a stout. The only thing that to me visually is visually the color's different. Right. Yep. So I mean, uh to them, kudos for I mean, they they did it spot on because I think that's really the only difference between a white stout and a dark stout is just basically the color. Yep. But the flavors were all there. Yeah, they were all good. And I and I liked it. I'm gonna go with 3.1 as well. Okay. I thought that was good job.
SPEAKER_00Yeah, way to go lineies, I guess. And if you if you're listening to this, if you could let us know if you bring back the vanilla porter. That would be awesome.
SPEAKER_01Yes. So we got another easy question to give me some easy ones before I get to the hardware.
SPEAKER_00Okay, I appreciate that because I'm doing so well. All right. So is this a 50-50 one?
SPEAKER_01Uh sort of okay, good. International Stout Day is fast approaching. When is it? It's in uh October or November. Ish, yep.
SPEAKER_00You're close. I suppose you want more of a specific November 1st.
SPEAKER_01I don't know. So it is celebrated on the first Thursday of each November every year. Hang on. I gotta look up on the calendar. So that would be November 1st. Oh, dang it. Because I think the first is a Saturday.
SPEAKER_00You are correct. Yep. So that Thursday, so November 6th.
SPEAKER_01Yep. Huh. At least I was in the right month. Yes. Okay. Now the second part of the question in what year was International Stout Day started? Okay. Um I'll give you a hint. It starts at the one.
SPEAKER_00Starts with a two. Oh, so I only had 25, 6ish years or whatever. 2007.
SPEAKER_01Close. Oh, so close. 2011. Oh, dang it. By Aaron Peters, also known as the beer goddess of Southern California.
SPEAKER_00So you and I could just come up with Randall. We're gonna have international barrel-aged Oktoberfest day.
SPEAKER_01Yes. And then if we start it, I think we need to start some of those. See, so we're it it looks like any, but you gotta have the cool name, like the beer goddess. Oh, I got Northwoods beer guy. That's cool. It's cool, but beer goddess. Yeah. Well, we got I gotta see a picture first. Yeah. I there was no picture, just names. Okay. So you were close. I was close. You were very close. So you got both those wrong, so that's minus 2,000. That's all right. I'm used to that. All right. So now what do we got next? All right.
SPEAKER_00Well, hey, we're gonna uh be visiting with Left Hand Brewing Company again. All right. And this is their nitro milk stout. Okay. And this is 6% ABV, 25 IBUs. And the description on this one is experience America's Stout. Milk Stout Nitro is a full sensory experience. Gaze at the mesmerizing cascade of all those tiny nitro bubbles. Yep. Breathe in the aromas of roasted coffee, milk chocolate, brown sugar, and vanilla cream. Savor the super smooth nitro sensation and smile as the perfectly pillowy head coats your upper lip. This portable draft beer experience is good to go. Straight from the can or serve like a pro in a glass. From the bottle, pour hard to release the nitro magic inside. Well, luckily for us, we have a can. We have a can, so make sure you open it close to the microphone. This, of course, should have the widget in there. So here we go. Are you ready? Here we go. There it was.
SPEAKER_01There was a little bit there. It like it exploded quick, did it? Oh, yeah. It it was good to go. Oh, there's some tiny bubbles in there. Look at those little bad boys. Almost looks like chocolate milk. It sure does. All right.
SPEAKER_00That is always the uh cool thing with the nitro is when they have the widget in there and you get the cascading and such.
SPEAKER_01And so it says six percent and twenty five IBUs.
SPEAKER_00But again, I don't know if it's gonna be that high. It has some aroma. You can smell the little bit of the dark roasted.
SPEAKER_01Yeah, the the foam definitely has all the tiny bubbles.
Nitro Milk Stout: Left Hand Breakdown
SPEAKER_00This is this is that pillowy, you know. When when you if you've never had a a nitro beer, that's the one thing the head is super it it's very pillowy, I guess. Very very, very small bubbles, and it's super small. Much different than a regular if you if you're ever at a brewery or whatever and they have a beer on nitro, try it because it totally changes the flavor of a beer. The nitro does. To a good way. A little bit of a sweetness. I think that's more from the head. You know what I mean? But but it does have I I well, I guess they did say they used milk chocolate. Yeah. Milk chocolate, brown sugar, and vanilla cream. So it does have a little bit of a sweetness to it. Still that the dark roasted flavor is present.
SPEAKER_01Yeah. But it's still it's good. Yeah, I mean, I don't smell or taste as much of the coffee. Maybe that's maybe the little dryness on the finish. It could be the the coffee. Yeah, it's uh not bad. I mean, uh, again, I'd drink it again. Yep, it's not it is definitely not bad. I think the nitrile really helps it.
SPEAKER_00Yes. I mean, we've had uh before where we've had we were at a brewery and they had the right their stout on tap, and then they had the same thing on nitro, and we tasted them side by side, and it was dramatically different. How just putting it on nitro instead nitro being nitrogen instead of CO2 for the carbonation totally changed the flavor and it it's pretty crazy. And just the the mouthfeel on a nitro beer, it's way smoother. I know that sounds weird because they're both you know, they're both liquid, but it does. It's it just kind of changes it. It's it's pretty cool. Thank you, Guinness, because they're the ones that started that. Right.
SPEAKER_01So this, I mean, it's this is okay. I mean, I was really expecting a little bit, a little bit more. Yeah, the sweetness does help it. I mean, it's it's okay. I mean, I think I could finish a can, but I don't know if I could do two cans.
SPEAKER_00Yeah, I agree with you. It's the the the flavor is that it's still that kind of that burnt dark roasted flavor. It kind of overpowers it a little more. Yeah, you do have that little bit of a sweetness to it, but I think there it's not enough to kind of overpower that or to make up for that flavor.
SPEAKER_01Yeah. So I guess I'll go with my score first. I was definitely looking for something. I mean, once somebody says nitro, I'm always intrigued because I that then I know we know how good it makes the flavor.
SPEAKER_00Correct. Yep.
SPEAKER_01So I was really looking forward to that. And then when again it used the word vanilla, and we've had some really good vanilla. So the vanilla, the night a lot of things piqued my interest, but I don't know if it really tapped into it. It could, it kind of fell a little bit flat for me. Okay, so I'm gonna go like a 2.6 just because I was a little bit left, a little bit like wanting more, yep, wanting something more.
SPEAKER_00I'm gonna go a 2.4 for the exact same reasons. Okay, I just wish that it maybe covered up that roasted malt flavor a little bit more. Uh, the nitro is awesome, always like that. Yep, you did get a little hint of sweetness, but not with you know, it said milk chocolate, vanilla, brown brown brown sugar, all that. And it again, the kind of the predominant flavor was that roasted malt flavor. So yeah.
SPEAKER_01Yep, I know exactly what you're talking about. All right, back to the easy questions. All right, perfect for stouts. There are no like scientific research for this. I don't want you to get that idea. Okay, so it's uh but there are some people that do claim that these are good for your health. Okay. Can you give me? I've got like three different things that says that it could actually be good for your health. Oh, what it why by drinking a stout, how could that what health benefits could you get? And I found three. So you got you get a multi three different choices you could get by because of drinking stouts, this'll your health will be improved. And what part what what part?
SPEAKER_00Uh oh yeah. Okay, this is uh this must be in the medium section here. Let's say it'll improve your digestive tract. Is it something like that? I mean, is that what you're looking for? I mean that kind of an answer. Sort of, yeah. Yeah, the look on your face is telling me that's way off. Well, because stouts are more malt, they're grain. Gosh. I I'm gonna think about this and get it wrong anyway. So why don't you just hit me with it, Dr. Phil?
SPEAKER_01All right, here we go.
SPEAKER_00I mean, Dr. Jim.
SPEAKER_01So it is said that the flavonoids in dark beer can reduce the risk of blood clotting. Wow. Okay, well, that's a good thing. Also, drinking with meals can also help fight the free radicals that are triggered when the body begins metabolizing food. Wow. All right. And fuel.
SPEAKER_00You were looking way more scientific.
SPEAKER_01This one's probably the best one. Okay. And believe it or not, stouts are considered an aphrodisiac.
SPEAKER_00Huh.
SPEAKER_01So I I get I thought the three there, I thought you were gonna at least hit one of those.
SPEAKER_00So you're saying that we need to have a lot more episodes with our wives down here drinking stouts.
SPEAKER_01Because it says here, and it's sometimes even called Viagra.
SPEAKER_00Okay.
SPEAKER_01Well, so you did extract that one, did you?
SPEAKER_00There you go, fellas. Uh, instead of the little pill, you can buy just uh some stouts and call her good. There's another reason to drink craft beer. There you go. Like you needed another reason, but hey, if you're looking for one, we help we're trying to help our. We entertain and educate.
SPEAKER_01We're trying the best we can, right?
SPEAKER_00Well, hey, let's on that note, let's try another beer. All right. Uh we've actually been to this brewery, Jim. Okay. You and I have. If you remember in Cornell, Wisconsin. Cornell, another Wisconsin on the way to Hayward. All right. This is Below the Dam, an oatmeal stout by Moon Ridge Brewing.
SPEAKER_01Moonridge.
Health Myths, Trivia, And Stout Lore
SPEAKER_00And this is, and yeah, they get a little more specific. 6.04% is. I saw that. I was like, ooh. It's like, whoa. So we're not 6.1 and we're not 6.0. 6.04. So if you're ever in the Cornell area and you stop there, they'd have really good pizza because they use their spent grain in the crust. Oh. And it's actually really good. Okay. So let's see what they said. Below the damn oatmeal stout is a rich and creamy stout with a velvety smooth texture and deep roasted flavors, perfect for those who appreciate a hearty and satisfying brew. Its robust character makes it an ideal choice for cooler evenings or anytime you crave something bold. All right. And now the the tap or the the top, the cap on the bottle is the American flag. Because I think aren't isn't this now a veteran-owned brewery? It could be. I I think so. I can't verify that, but it might be. Okay. And I know that since we were there, they actually expanded.
SPEAKER_01Okay.
SPEAKER_00And you can when you drive by, you can actually see their brewing room and all the tanks and all that in there. When we were there, if you remember, the the bugs were out. Yeah. We were sitting out on their patio, uh, having I think we did a flight, a couple flights, and then we had pizza, of course. Right. And uh, but then the bugs were because it was later in the year and uh such, but yeah, it's it's interesting, it's right on the road when you're going up there. Highway 27. Very dark, very dark here. No, not at all. For six percent, there is no head at all. You can smell the the roasted. Yep. So before I taste it, when they're talking about a bold flavor, and I'm wondering if it's gonna be really that dark.
SPEAKER_01Yeah, this already smells bold.
SPEAKER_00Yeah, it's not bad. I was expecting it to be way harsher. The aroma is much stronger than the flavor. Yeah, that's kind of surprising a little bit. I would like I said, I was expecting it to be way harsher flavor, more of a the aroma is really strong flavor, yeah. Compared to the flavor. That's not bad.
SPEAKER_01This is what below the dam. Okay. The only thing that I'm questioning myself, and I don't have an answer for, right? It almost tastes like it's flat, you know, because there isn't the head. Right. So I don't know, is it taste like flat?
SPEAKER_00The one thing I was gonna say is it almost has a tartness or a sourness a little bit to it. Do you notice that? Where it's almost kind of a I don't know how to describe it. To me, it's like a bitterness, maybe kind of a bitterness. There you go. Like a bitterness to it. But you could be right because there really doesn't seem to be a lot of carbonation to it. Right.
SPEAKER_01That's I was wondering. I'm and I don't know when this was brewed. I don't and I just picked this up this week. So it was a good thing.
SPEAKER_00You just had it for a few days.
SPEAKER_01So I didn't have it very long, so I don't Yeah, that's interesting.
SPEAKER_00Now that you bring it up, because there really isn't a lot of carbonation at all. I mean, I do have a little bit of bubbles in it, right? But not not what you would expect when you just cracked it open. Right. And that could affect that would definitely affect the flavor. Yes, even though I do I do think the flavor's pretty decent. Yep, you know. So I don't Know so where are you going with the number? So we're not including the Oktoberfest in this, right? Right. Oh 2.5 then. Yeah.
SPEAKER_01We'll keep that one out because that one is it's a good beer, but it was not part of the actual category.
Moon Ridge Oatmeal Stout: Cornell Visit
SPEAKER_00Yeah, I'm gonna say 2.5. I do wonder if you're if it could be that that was flat a little bit. Because when I opened it, even it wasn't like a psh, you know, there wasn't a lot of sound a lot of sound to it. So I don't it might be uh had a bad seal, maybe I don't know, right? But I mean still the flavor-wise, it's okay, it's all right.
SPEAKER_01And I was gonna go a 2.4. It's like an okay representation, not gonna blow your socks off. Like either way, whether it was like flat or not. I mean, the flavors all kind of meld together for me. It says rich and creamy. You could say that, I guess. I mean, but it's not really like flavorful. I guess I was looking, maybe that's a better word. I was looking for a little bit more. Uh, not necessarily that roasted malt, but maybe a little bit more of the flavor.
SPEAKER_00Yep.
SPEAKER_01So it just kind of left me looking for more, I guess. There you go. Okay.
SPEAKER_00Yeah, I I totally understand. And I do think that maybe there was something not quite kosher with it, you know. So yeah, it was all right.
SPEAKER_01Yeah. All right. So back to the easy questions. Perfect. I know we're talking back and forth between white stouts and stouts. So another easy question is when what year was the first known use of the word stout for beer?
SPEAKER_00And then my hint is in advertising or or um in written documentation.
SPEAKER_01Written documentation. That's probably going back all the way. My hint is the first number. It is a one. I'm pretty sure that was a one. Yeah, give you all these hints too. Wow. Um, boy, that's or for bonus points, you could tell me the actual name of the document that it was actually mentioned in. You get double the bonus points.
SPEAKER_00Okay.
SPEAKER_01Uh do I get like within a certain date range?
SPEAKER_00Yeah, I could even give you uh within a hundred years. I'm gonna say because I don't think I'm I'm just giving my thought process. I don't because like Guinness, I don't think they ever really refer to that as a stout. So that it's not that far back. I'm gonna say in the I'll say, I'm gonna say 1921, and it was in the the ratification of stout beers.
SPEAKER_01I mean, you were close. You were close. No, I wasn't. So it was noted in the Edgerton manuscript in 1677.
SPEAKER_00So it was way back there.
SPEAKER_01Yep, so it gives you a sense that stout beer was a strong beer, but not necessarily a dark beer back then. The stout meant proud or brave, but later, after the 14th century, it took on the connotation of strong. Oh, okay. See? Interesting.
SPEAKER_00Yeah, no, I and what what was the name of the document you said, Jim? Edgerton Manuscript. You almost got that one right, too. Yeah, I sure did. You were so close. Yeah. No, huh? Yeah, that's interesting. I had no idea that because I don't think a Guinness, well, it's a draught, you know, Guinness draught or whatever, but I don't I don't think they ever really say it's a stout. You know what I mean? So something one of the older breweries is Guinness. Yep. So that okay, maybe, and is it gonna be one of those where oh well it actually was in 1984 when you know so I thought I've mentioned this once to you before, so you probably had a lot of people. I don't think you were talking about the Edgerton manuscript very often. All right, so I have to bust that out so we can see if we can get some more. If you have it, then we should take a look at it. Well, hey, all right, what do we got next? I need another beer. All right. Oh, well now uh oh, what do we got? We have JP's Casper White Stout by Old Hog, which is part of Stevens Point Brewing. Yes. In Stevens Point, Wisconsin. Yep, another Wisconsin beers. I know we've talked about them before, but this is kind of like their remember when when Liney's had Big Eddies, which was kind of their offshoot. Offshoot experimental beers. There you go. And uh the Big Eddies was kind of higher ABV and some other stuff. This is some, I think they do a little more experimenting with the with this brand as well, whole hog. And this is uh their white stout, and it is 6.1%. Yep. And I hope I hope you're sitting down. This is nine IB. Single digits. Single digits. So it's either going to be super hot. No, I ain't gonna be able to do that.
SPEAKER_01We brought we brought it right down right down to the bottom.
SPEAKER_00Yes. So this the description on this one was a white buffalo standing out from the herd of dark stouts. Golden color, Casper melds the creamy mouthfeel and coffee hints of a stout with the unexpected flavors of Pilsner malt, white chocolate, another white chocolate, yep, and vanilla. It's not a misnomer, it's a Casper stand apart. Wow, that's kind of cool. Stand apart. Well, it's got some good words. Oh, this one went when I opened it. So there's probably a little bit better carbonation in this one. A little freshness there. So we'll see. But so this will be interesting, dude, because like I said, I hadn't had many or even heard of many that had white chocolate in it. But this one does, so we'll be able to kind of compare that. So we're actually on our second one now. Yeah. White stouts. And this is is definitely closer to a pilsner color. Yeah, yeah, there you go. Than a the color of a than a stout for sure. Uh not a lot. Not a rollout of aroma. Pretty mellow. You get vanilla. Oh, wow. Wow. That's that's good. You get yeah, you get vanilla in that one all day long. Wow, I could drink a bottle of that. Yeah, I could probably drink two of them, maybe.
SPEAKER_01And it's a low ABV six percent.
SPEAKER_00Six percent, six six point one, yeah. That's that's not bad.
Whole Hog Casper White Stout Shines
SPEAKER_01That's really good. This that might be the best one so far today.
SPEAKER_00This is what I would say. I know I'm skipping ahead, but I would say if you've never tried a white stout, try this one. Yeah, this is good. This is kind of your quintessential white stout.
SPEAKER_01Yeah, I mean, you could probably go back and forth between Linies and this one. Try both, try both, either one of these would I would agree with you. I'm not sure the distribution, but I mean, if you see either one of these, don't be afraid. These are be ones I'd highly recommend.
SPEAKER_00Odds are you're gonna have an easier time probably finding the line and coogles one because they have bigger distribution. Yes, you're right. But if you get a chance to try this Casper, this is good.
SPEAKER_01Yeah, this is I like that. And I guess the the like you mentioned, the the flavors, even though they they're not over the top, but they they stick and linger through the finish, which which I like. I mean, that's a good vanilla flavor that sticks with you. So I don't mind vanilla and I like that flavor.
SPEAKER_00I was gonna say, and that's the flavor that hangs on, it's not that roasted malt, burnt flavor. You know what I mean? Yep, it's yeah, this has got that flavor.
SPEAKER_01You're like, oh, that's that's not bad, you know. And for the finish, that's kind of what you're looking for. If it's a good beer for the finish to hang on there, they that's a real good job here. I agree 100%. 100% on this one. That that's very good. So you want to go first, or is it me?
SPEAKER_00Uh oh, it's you.
SPEAKER_01I went first on the last one. Well, I know exactly. I'm gonna go with 3.2 for me. I think this is probably the best one so far today. It's it's really good. I'm really impressed because we've had a few other point beers that were not over the top in flavor. This one definitely stands out. Oh, yeah. For point brewing, for white stout, for flavor. Really, really good job. Kudos.
SPEAKER_00Now they they do have the the uh JP that you know they had it was a separate brewery, I believe, because we did a tour there at point and they were telling us about it. And I think at one point it was a different brewery. They bought it, brought it in-house, but they also make one that was a chai tea. Oh, okay. And it not that I'm a big tea guy, but you could act, it was actually very good flavor. I was impressed, and it was under the whole hog name as well. Or no, it was under the JP whatever name. Yeah, but I think they've kind of transitioned all that into the whole hog. Well, uh, but this, yeah, I like this, and I'm I agree a hundred percent. I'm doing a 3.2 as well. If somebody goes, hey, you want one of these? Absolutely. Yeah, I really two. I'll take two of them. So it's really good flavor. Yeah, they did a good job. And and like I said, if you've never tried a white stout, if if you can find this or the linies right now, I'd go for those because those are both very good. And I know people when they hear stout, you got that group of people that oh uh they don't coffee cigarettes, yeah. Coffee and cigarettes, not these. You know, these are these are totally different and they're very good. Yes, spot on.
SPEAKER_01All right, let's see here. Um, trying to get a good question for you. So I think you know the answer to this, and it's gonna give you the easy one. Okay, thank you. Because I think we've been talking, we've kind of alluded to it. So initially we started talking white stouts, normal stout, but the very close sister to the stout is what? Porter, yes. And what is the main difference between a stout and a porter? One ingredient. Um you mentioned it like 50 times today already.
SPEAKER_00Coffee? No, as malt.
SPEAKER_01Yes, yeah. So that's the main difference between a stout and the porter.
SPEAKER_00So porter doesn't have is it like doesn't have as much malt?
SPEAKER_01So while stouts use unmalted roasted barley, porters use malted barley as a roasted.
SPEAKER_00Yep, yep. The roasted malt part. Yep. And it makes sense because a lot of your porter, unless it's a robust porter, then they they have that dark burnt flavor. But your normal porters typically don't.
SPEAKER_01Right, because then they're trying to lean into the stout, trying to get their toes into the stout.
SPEAKER_00Yep, exactly. But well, awesome. Okay, well, we've got uh we've got one more final stout of these stouts, and then we have kind of a wild card coming up after that. So this one, and I've actually been to this brewery, it's in Eaure. Oh, okay. That's in Wisconsin again.
SPEAKER_01In Wisconsin. So again, this is our sixth beer from Wisconsin. Yep. So the only one that wasn't from Wisconsin was the nitro.
SPEAKER_00The nitro, yeah. Because they're from Colorado. Yep. Now, when when I went to this brewery, they were actually in like a pole shed to begin with. Oh, really? And the next time I was up there, because they had built a brand new building, and I've heard it's really nice. We were in Eau Claire over well, basically around the COVID time, you know, and we were not that far from there. So we're like, hey, let's go check out this brewery. You know, they got the new building, and we went there, and at that time you had to call in and they would bring beer out. You could not go in because they shut the state down. Really? Oh, yeah. So at some point, and we're not that far from Eau Claire, so we could we need to make a trip up there. Uh to the and this is uh the the brewery I'm talking about is the brewing project, and I do give these guys credit for a few things, but they do try some interesting stuff. Yes, they've got I mean, they've got pretty much you know, they they got all sorts of sours, they've got IPAs, they've got stouts, they've got, you know, they they try, they're not afraid of flavor.
SPEAKER_01Well, that's good. I mean, because it looked like correct me if I'm wrong, I was looking on the website and it looked like it was similar to the brewery in Milwaukee that just went out of business, um, uh where they come had a lot of people would offer the recipes. Oh, um, um what was the name of that brewery?
SPEAKER_00Um I know it too. Um darn it. I wish I would have remembered as soon as we get done, we're gonna remember the name of it.
Stout vs Porter: The Malt Difference
SPEAKER_01But when I looked online, it said that they like people to offer their recipes and they they do it use um recommendations from the public on to make their next uh because we we've talked about this before because the other brewery we had a a beer that some fans brought up or whatever said you should make something like this, and they did.
SPEAKER_00Yes. What was it? Darn it. BK's gonna be so mad because I think he brought the one the one time.
SPEAKER_01Anyway, but it was it was I I'm just saying I think it's similar. Yes, it's not the exact it's not their exact business model, but I think they get a lot of recommendations. But it's close, yes.
SPEAKER_00Okay, all right. So what do we got? So this one is by the brewing project, and this is cow cow chocolate milk stout. Ooh. Now we if you remember right, we had, I believe we did in a podcast earlier, we did the cow cow with peppermint. Oh so this is gonna be more like their base, yes, you know what I'm saying, of that. Uh and this is five and a half percent so ABV.
SPEAKER_01What is weird, not to cut you off there, but it says five point five here on the website, it says eight point five, so that's where it's in this line. So it's kind of somewhere in between. So I don't know a hundred percent what the ABV is. That's why it was down here because oh, sure. Yep. When I looked online, it said 8.5, and then right here on the side of the can. Yeah, it says 5.5. So that's where I guess I left it there because I'm like, well, hmm. Yeah, I don't know. I don't so sometimes so I guess it's our our information was in the difference between eight and a half and five and a half is fairly significant. Yeah, so I left it on the end just to make sure that's so that's why it was not in the sequence by ABV. Yep, no problem. So, and I did not find much, I just wrote what it actually said on the can.
SPEAKER_00Okay, yeah, and it's what it says is milk stout brewed with milk sugar, coffee, vanilla cinnamon, and salted caramel flavoring. Right.
SPEAKER_01So, so this is our final stout for the category, and this is in a pint can. Yep. It's dark. That's not a white stout. No, that is definitely a dark stout. This is kind of the opposite of a white stout.
SPEAKER_00This definitely not quite as dark as some of them we've had, but it's it's definitely dark. Yes. Got that tan head that's not a whole the head reminds me more of it's a higher EB. Yeah, but we'll see. That smells I know. It does have aroma. That's that salted caramel, isn't it? Yes, it is. That's that's the aroma. That's exactly what the aroma is. Yep. There's a lot going on there. I totally get the salted caram flavor. There is a lot. A lot of that. Wow. Cinnamon, I'm not really picking up, but boy, that salted caramel comes through.
Brewing Projekt Cow Cow: Salted Caramel Hit
SPEAKER_01Yeah, that really comes through. And that's not a bad thing. I mean, and we've had, I wish I could name or number, list the number of beers that say caramel, and there's no caramel flavor. You don't there is caramel flavor in this.
SPEAKER_00Definitely. This is huge salted caramel.
SPEAKER_01Well, yeah, just even caram flavor, but it's like you know what's weird, just you know, because we're we kind of talked a little bit about it today. But if the brewing project would change up a couple of these ingredients so that it was pale in color, oh but kept that same flavor, they could make an unbelievable white white stout, yes, with that caram flavor.
SPEAKER_00Yeah, wow.
SPEAKER_01You know, I mean, I don't just throw it out there.
SPEAKER_00I mean, that is that is wild because when we had the peppermint one, it didn't taste of course it didn't have the salted caramel, right? As far as I remember, but wow.
SPEAKER_01This is this is this is up there with one of the better ones for today, too.
SPEAKER_00I think I I would agree. I think this is uh very good.
SPEAKER_01Wow, this is surprising. I mean, I mean, because again, nothing against the brewing project, but you know, sometimes you get a good brewing project, you you get a not so good. It's it really, you know, wavers back and forth on the spectrum. This one is up on the upper end.
SPEAKER_00Well, like I said, I always give them credit because they usually are not afraid of flavor, right? And this is big time flavor. So the only credit.
SPEAKER_01Yeah, so the only thing, right? And they mentioned coffee, vanilla, cinnamon. I don't get a lot of those flavors. This the salted caramel really stands out, but the other flavors, if they're there, they they could be, but I I'm not picking those up.
SPEAKER_00Yeah, I like I said, I don't taste cinnamon at all. Coffee, if it is, it's very muted, or it's like a coffee with some kind of salted caramel thing in it. You know, that salted caramel to me is the the huge flavor.
SPEAKER_01Yes.
SPEAKER_00So, and that's not a bad thing at all, but yeah, that that does overpower the other things. It's like even the vanilla, I don't really taste that. I I just I get days and days of salted caramel.
SPEAKER_01So here's the other thing that intrigues me. What's the name of this beer? Cow cow. Cow cow milk stout. Oh I don't taste any chocolate.
SPEAKER_00Well, oh wait, no, it's brewed with milk sugar.
SPEAKER_01So on the back it says caramel macchiato cow cow.
SPEAKER_00Oh, so this is a different one. We got the wrong well, I clicked on it. The it actually matched, but what's so caramel macchiato? It's gonna be that's why we that's why we're getting caramel flavor like crazy. So the chocolate must be brewed with milk stout, sugar, coffee, vanilla, and cinnamon. Yeah. So the caramel maca maca chaco. No, that's yeah, that's makes sense. So what do you get at first score? Boy. Um, uh, we don't like uh I'm gonna go, I'm gonna go a 3.3. Honestly, I do like it. And would I it's a pint can. Yeah. So would I drink multiple paint cans of it? I think after a while, I've that caramel flavor might wear on you, right? But that first can is gonna be glorious. I I mean I I think it's really good.
SPEAKER_01I'm with you. So I guess my only distinction for my score is gonna be the exact mirror of what you said. How which of these last the top three so far? Could I drink multiple cans? Could I drink multiple of the lineies? Yes. Could I drink multiple of the whole hog? Yes. Could I drink multiple of the cow cow?
SPEAKER_00I don't know. That is a good that's a good thing to look at.
SPEAKER_01I'm gonna I'm gonna say a 3.0 only. I mean, it's up there in the top ones for today. Very good beer. But that, like you mentioned, the salted caramel. I don't know if that's gonna give me some heartburn later on, but it's very good. I mean, could we finish a can? Yes, and there's no doubt, very good flavor, but I definitely would like to have seen, you know, the the vanilla and that cinnamon. I think that those are really bad in there, too.
SPEAKER_00Yep, I agree. I definitely agree with you.
SPEAKER_01So, yeah, so I guess out of these lower ABV stouts, yep. We got what are you thinking on for the the six ABV, the six stouts? Because we had quite we didn't have one just particular stout, we had right a little bit of a sampling.
SPEAKER_00They were all very good. I would say my top boy, my top three in no particular order. Okay, okay. I definitely liked I liked the cow cow. Yep, I did like the whole hog. Yep. I honestly like that liney's that was very good, and it's in a normal size can, so you could drink a few of them. I would say that's my top three. Yep. And I guess which one would be number one? Honestly, it depends what you're looking for. I guess overall, my number one probably would be the whole hog. And then honestly, it would probably go to the lineies, and then because I think I what what you said about the cow cow is true, and I think that's the only reason that I would put it just that little bit below below, just because I think eventually that that caramel flavor might get a little much, right? But the the other two, I again, I think it's gonna be easier for people to find the lineys. Get it if you see it. If you do get a chance to do the the Casper, get that, and I think that's that's how I'm gonna put them.
SPEAKER_01And then again, I think I like exactly the way you went. The top three. So we had three that were okay. Yeah, none of them were terrible, right? By any means. Um, we I mean they're all within that average range, which which is good, which is I mean, I think we had a good category there. The but the top three that really stood out, you hit a nail on the head, the lineies, the whole hog, and the cow cow brewing project. Very good all the street. If you see them, I try them. I mean, if you can get one at a time, it'd be perfect. But I like what you said. I I like the lineies, and a lot of times, you know, linies is known for their shandy, but this is definitely one where it's they're stepping out a little bit different. Really, really did a good job. And that whole hog, wow, that was vanilla in that one was awesome.
SPEAKER_00That was amazing. Yes.
SPEAKER_01You know, so we had a really good chocolate flavor, a good vanilla flavor, and we had a good salt. We had a caramel flavor. So whatever your tooth is your sweet tooth is looking for. So, and and what is weird and what is good about this category is that they were all still stouts. Correct. You know, so kudos to the brew make brewmasters out there that are using the bass as a stout, but adding the good flavors. Kudos. I mean, hats off, very good job.
SPEAKER_00Yep, exactly. I agree 100% with you. So, are you ready for the last one? Let's whip out this wild card that you were been telling me about. Um I got I might have you have theme music for this one?
SPEAKER_01Yeah, I think I might have something.
SPEAKER_00Okay. Um, wait a second. It's a little early for that, isn't it? Well, what do you hear? I hear like jingle bells. You hear jingle bells? Yeah, like Santa's coming. How come? What what does that mean? I don't know. You must have found some sort of something. What is that, buddy? Well, this is by Lakefront Brewing, and this is their holiday spice lager beer. But you missed some words.
Ranking The Top Three Stouts Today
SPEAKER_01You missed some words there.
SPEAKER_00Oh, on the side here it says barrel aged.
SPEAKER_01Oh, and what are we known for?
SPEAKER_00Barrel aged. We we do kind of like we kind of specialize in the barrel aging process.
SPEAKER_01So I don't to honestly, to be honest, yeah, I was looking for other beers and this was out. That's wild that this was out already. So I don't know if I don't even know if we've ever had this before. I don't know either, and I it was out, and I was like, well, sure you know, because I'm not, I guess I get a preface by saying, you know, I'm not a big Christmas shopper. Yeah, I'm not good. I mean, we do Black Friday shop for beers.
SPEAKER_00And we will around Christmas, we're hoping to have some sort of another couple episodes or so about those type of beers, but we're gonna jump the gun on this one.
SPEAKER_01When you're out looking for beer and you see something that's unique, you gotta get it. I gotta get it. I can't I can't just like because I think it's almost like antique shopping. Right. If you see it, you don't buy it, you're gonna get yourself for not buying it. If it's there, you you gotta at least try. There you go. So I don't that's why I brought it. So it does not tie into these, but maybe that's why we're trying it last. Right. So maybe it like preludes into something we could try. Yeah. And it's not Christmas, it's not right around the corner, but I think it's uh maybe a good lead in to where we're going. So maybe that's what it was about. Nothing, nothing, there's no other ulterior mode other than I saw it. Boy, let's try it.
SPEAKER_00Yeah.
SPEAKER_01Well, yeah, I did. So because we've had a lot, we've had a few holiday spice beers.
SPEAKER_00Oh, yeah, we've done episodes on them and such, but but very barrel aged. We've only had yeah, very few that have been barrel-aged. Yes. So what what what is a right on? All right, so this is from Lakefront Brewing in Miliwaukee. Another Wisconsin brewery. Milwaukee for the the layperson.
SPEAKER_01Yep.
SPEAKER_00Uh, this is their barrel-aged holiday spice. Nice. Ten and a half percent ABV and 20 IBUs. All right, still low. And it says this is uh their version of a winter warmer brewed with cinnamon, orange zest, clove, and generous amounts of honey. Honey. Honey pours a deep amber to ruby color with an off-white head. Aromas are fruity and spicy with a slight floral undertone from the lager yeast. The flavor coriander, though, wasn't it? It didn't say anything about coriander, so we should be safe.
SPEAKER_01All right, good, good.
SPEAKER_00Uh let's see. The flavor is smooth, full, and spicy, balanced by Mount Hood hops and substantial warming alcohol character. The brandy barrel aging gives our winter warmer complex notes of oak, marzipan, toasted almonds, and molasses. This is a full-bodied beer making it a holiday taste sensation that will warm your bones on a cold winter night. Oh, all right. Well, I don't know about you, but I'm kind of interested here now.
SPEAKER_01Well, that's I I mean they piqued my interest. So there's a lot of different words there. Yeah. And I mean, that's kind of why I bought it. Because I mean, I get I I don't know if ever the listeners are out there the same way, but I mean, you're walking by at the the liquor store and you see something that's different, it kind of piques your interest. Like, whoa, whoa, whoa, that's that's look at the color on that.
SPEAKER_00That looks interesting. Yeah, oh yeah. You see a can that shouts like that. You gotta try it. Look at the color on that. Boy, that is that is definitely when it talked about a ruby, a ruby color. I mean that is it's not stout dark.
SPEAKER_01It's a deep amber. But it's darker than uh the Oktoberfest beer. Oh yeah, oh yeah. It's a couple shades darker, a couple shades darker than that.
SPEAKER_00All right.
SPEAKER_01You can smell is that the brandy barrel?
SPEAKER_00I smell uh clove. Well, because it says barrel age.
SPEAKER_01It doesn't say it doesn't say bourbon.
SPEAKER_00No, but it's brandy barrel. And then their description was brandy, so it could be a little bit sweeter than a bourbon barrel.
SPEAKER_01Right, and brandy is a good winter flavor, too. Not bad. It's not bad.
SPEAKER_00There's a lot going on. Yeah, there's a lot going on.
SPEAKER_01And what's hard is not one flavor doesn't like out flavor the other ones.
SPEAKER_00It's like I'm I'm sitting here trying to pick out those flavors. They did a good job on mixing, yeah, kind of thing because they really balanced it. Because typically you'll have one flavor that, oh yeah, I can there's that, there's that, there's that.
SPEAKER_01But even like the brandy flavor doesn't stick out, and there's no burn down as you drink it, and the finish is really smooth.
Wild Card: Lakefront Barrel-Aged Holiday Lager
SPEAKER_00Man, it doesn't linger. No, that's I don't, and you know, when I said about orange peel, I was kind of like, oh boy, you know, because that's gonna be like that bitter flavor. Right, that can really make or break. Oh, yeah. We've had some that it's like, ugh, you know, this is you don't taste. I mean, this tastes, I hate to say it, it tastes like an old-fashioned. Yeah, I mean it's a brandy old-fashioned is but it it does have foam.
SPEAKER_01Oh, yeah. So it's just a beer, but it's it's decent.
SPEAKER_00Boy, that's uh and Lakefront.
SPEAKER_01I mean, they've had a few of their barrel-aged ones the last couple of years that have really done really good.
SPEAKER_00Oh, yeah. I and look again, here we are close to the thing or to Thanksgiving. I'm sorry, we're close to Halloween, yep, and we're doing a quote unquote Christmas beer, right?
SPEAKER_01Because it says holiday on it, yeah, and it has a wreath. Yep. So we're assuming we're assuming it's Christmas.
SPEAKER_00That's what we had some sleigh bells in there. This is uh, I don't mind that. Now, could I drink a six-pack of it? No, being 10%, yeah, 10.5%. But there's a lot, a lot of flavors, and they they all work ex they they complement each other very because clove, a lot of times when you taste clove, it's like whoa. It's almost like heather. No, at least we know when we taste clove what it is. Yes, but coriander. I don't even taste clove. You know what I mean? Everything is so well balanced that you just get kind of that overall, like I said, a brandy old-fashioned kind of flavor to it.
SPEAKER_01It all really mixes together good. So, what do you think? Interesting.
SPEAKER_00Ten and a half percent drinks very, very smooth. Yep. Again, and we I know we've said this before, we really specialize in the high, higher AVV, barrel-aged beers. Because we try them so that everybody else doesn't have to. Well, no, we try them to try and get people to try them. But I mean, this is you definitely you wouldn't be scared. Oh, no, no, no, no. This is that's what I'm saying. I of all of them we've had, yes, we've had a lot of them that are very good. Don't get me wrong, but just the how they blended all those flavors together, it works. Yeah, you know, so man, score wise, I'm gonna go a 3.8. That's solid. I yeah, I I think they did a really good job. And again, I you even us, I wouldn't want to drink a number of them right in a sitting, but we wouldn't do that with the vast majority of the the barrel-aged beers that we've tried. But boy, just to sit down and share with people, this is good, you know. And I I know some of our friends probably still wouldn't like it, but this I give them credit because like I said, this this is a whole different flavor than the vast majority. It's not the coffee and cigarettes that people you know, some of our friends talk about all the time. I think they did a great job. Good way to go, Lakefront.
SPEAKER_01So I'm gonna step out on a limb. And the reason why I want to step on a limb is because a lot of our beers that we rank really, really high are bourbon barrel. And I think to our credit, we haven't had many brandy flavors. Not really, no. So I'm gonna say I'm gonna go a 4.0 nominate as a at least an honorable mention for beer of the year.
SPEAKER_00Okay, yeah, we can we could add it because yeah, I have no problem with that because it is different.
SPEAKER_01It is different, and it's like and it's really, really crafted very well. So it's it's not you know way up in the four range, it's right at you know the the very bottom. But I'm giving them kudos for what they did. I mean, I don't mind brandy. This has a really good brandy flavor. Very kudos, good job. I like it. I know that it's probably not gonna be beer of the year, but I just want we can we'll be able to talk about it again at another at another time. Exactly. But I I do definitely like this one, yep.
SPEAKER_00And you know, that's the one thing that that if if you've ever tasted like a bourbon old-fashioned or you know, and then a brandy old fashioned, the brandy old fashioned is a little bit sweeter, yeah, typically, and that's what this reminds me of, right? You know, but I think they did a great job, you know.
SPEAKER_01Yeah, this is really good. Very good. So, what do you think of today's beers?
SPEAKER_00I think they were extremely good compared to you know, the American Oktoberfest that were very difficult this year. But yeah, this is I think this is a great introduction, getting us ready for what we really like. Uh you know, the stouts, these lower ABV stouts, I do appreciate they have a place. The white stouts, I think a lot of people need to try them if you've never had one. Because don't look at the word stout because I think there's that connotation from some people that oh, it's gonna be terrible. No, try it.
SPEAKER_01And I think that's what the brewers are trying to exactly change somebody's perspective because stouts are not always dark and heavy, they can be light and flavorful too. Exactly.
SPEAKER_00I agree a hundred percent with you. So awesome.
SPEAKER_01So I do have one other announcement too. Oh boy, what's that? So um recently I went up to Central Waters, our local brewery that has a very good track record with us doing some very good barrel aged beers and um made a trip up to see if I could get their new releases and one of their actually they distilled one of their Imperial Stouts into a bourbon. Okay, and somehow I I misread the the Facebook post and as We pulled up, which I thought they were set gonna start selling, it was the end of the selling. Oh boy, so I missed getting the whiskey. Oh, which I that was the main because I wanted to be able to then say, All right, now we can test it. You know, because we've done that not a lot. We've done it a couple times, right? Yep. With the beer and the whiskey itself or the bourbon, how they taste similar. That was my whole goal. But I did come away with six different barrel-aged beers from Central Waters.
SPEAKER_00Oh, nice.
SPEAKER_01Okay. So so we we definitely need some assistance with those because those are the big yeah, the big bomber bottles. And so I think we're gonna need uh maybe Toby. We'll have to find somebody that or somebody that we can somebody that'll drink them with us. Yeah, or you know, we've had some other so if you if somebody's maybe available, send it send Mike a DM or is that a DM or yeah, whatever that is, whatever that but we're gonna a lot bigger than these 12 ounce bottles or even a pint can.
SPEAKER_00Exactly.
SPEAKER_01So but I just wanted to let you know that yeah, no, that's cool.
SPEAKER_00So so there, you know, we got another you know, another not to cut you off, another thing that we could try at some point too is when you talked about distilling a beer down to a whiskey. Yep, we do have we picked it up a number of years ago where Sand Creek remember distilled Oscars into a whiskey. And I have we should do that. That would be a good I have the bottle of the whiskey, and I just gotta I didn't see a post that they have beer, you know, the Oscars is out again. Okay, and I think I gotta look because they did have an apple thing too. I gotta remember what that one was. I got that bottle too. Oh so that's one we could look at it in the future as well.
SPEAKER_01Well, that I mean, I'm all for I mean, because I mean we're always you know we want to try and give the listeners as much of an opportunity, and I hope the listeners you know let us know what you think too. I mean, send Mike an email. I mean, even if it's bad, send them some. I don't mind because I don't have to read it. Mike does it. He can I gotta read it.
SPEAKER_00I have to do with the emotional scars of a bad one.
SPEAKER_01But so he has to they've all been good so far. And on the when I ask him on the the podcast, then he has to be politically correct. So see, exactly. So he can't use he can't swear at people.
SPEAKER_00I can't swear at Jim like I do when I'm off off the phone.
SPEAKER_01Yeah. So yes, please let us know what you think. Let us know. I mean, because we're trying, I mean, we're and again, like these, I kind of knew these were gonna be okay, but wow, this this really surprised me. I mean, I don't know about you, but I'm oh I agree, I agree.
SPEAKER_00Those like surprise, yep, yep. The newer ones, you know, that mochust out and all that. I mean, we had some really good ones, yeah. So give them a try. So awesome, man. Well, hey, ladies and gentlemen, thank you once again for listening. And as Jim alluded to, we're probably in the near future gonna have some barrel-age stuff coming. Yep, we've got a lot of barrel age stuff coming. Yeah, we haven't even looked on my counter over there. Well, we didn't, we're not even taking into account the three sheep's beers that we'll be picking up in sooner.
SPEAKER_01It's gonna be at least one or two podcasts.
SPEAKER_00I was thinking like one or two months worth of podcasts because there's a lot of beers we're getting. So awesome. Well, hey, ladies and gentlemen, thank you for listening. Tune back in, and we're gonna we'll see what next week brings. Yes, see what we're going with. And uh anyway, Jim, thanks a lot for uh providing these. Thanks for that barrel age one. That's pretty crazy, even though you know it's a little early for a Christmas type thing, but I know we're still gonna do it.
SPEAKER_01I know what it there's no snow underground, and it's actually a very warm day out. Yeah, but it I think today it was a good beer to have.
SPEAKER_00Definitely, definitely, especially since it's a brandy barrel. Yes. I do have a couple at the house that are apple brandy barrel.
SPEAKER_01Oh that uh we can always get it in the spirit.
SPEAKER_00There you go. There you go. We're gonna shake things up this winter. So good answer. There we go. Well, hey, ladies and gentlemen, thanks for listening. And like we always say, we hope your campfire is always warm. And your beers are always cold. See ya. See ya. Thank you for listening to the Northwoods Beer Guy Podcast. If you have a question, a comment, or a beer you'd like us to review, please feel free to send us a message at Northwoodsbeerguy at gmail.com. You can also find us on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram. If you're on Untapped, look up Northwoods Beer Guy and send a friend request. Until next week, I hope all your campfires are warm and all your beers cold.
