Valentine's Day Lovin' - Get a Taproom!

Once again February has come around, and with it Valentine’s Day. And unfortunately, for some, this can cause a bit of distress. What should we do, where should we go to celebrate? Should we celebrate? What if I buy someone a gift and they don’t like it? What if my gift is totally inappropriate for what we have going on? Oh God, what do we have going on? Do we classify it, quantify it, or just have a little fun? Should I have gotten reservations? I can’t make reservations because everyone booked a table last year! How was I supposed to know I’d meet someone and actually have a dinner companion? I can’t predict that! I’m used to eating alone damn it! And what would we do after dinner? Oh God, if there’s an after. I’ve probably already blown it and won’t even be able to get a date for coffee! Slow down lover pants, and let me help you out for 2015. I did a little bit of research again this year and I’ve got a few suggestions for a great day or night out for you and a special friend (or friends, I don’t judge). It doesn’t involve reservations, messy foods, or rude overworked waiters. Take it easy, take some notes, and let me show you how you can impress your love with some local chocolates and a trip out to some great twin cities tap rooms.

If beer pairings aren’t new to you, you already know how well chocolates and beers can go together. If you are new to beer pairings, you probably think I’ve lost it. Yes, everyone knows that you can make a chocolate stout cake, and that’s great. But chocolate, like beer, comes in such great variety that you really should take a chance and explore pairing your sweets with your beers, especially chocolate. Play around with the flavors and in the spirit of Valentine’s Day, do some experimenting. Surprise yourselves a little and step outside your box. The worst that can happen is you find something you won’t want to try again. The best thing that could happen? You’ll enjoy something new with your partner. Besides, experimenting is fun, isn’t it?

If you’re looking for a taproom with a little more of a romantic feel, I suggest hitting up Steel Toe Brewing. You’ll find that their tap room can be pretty romantic! Its lighting is on the low side, perfect for setting a close and personal mood. I like to sit at the bar on the back wall, and with my back to the rest of the room, create my own privacy to enjoy my company.  On your way stop off at The Drooling Moose and grab some of their Malted Milk Boulders. The Drooling Moose makes their version of malted milk balls in super-sized form. These are huge, roughly the size of a quarter, and covered in ¼ inch of sweet milk chocolate. Order yourselves a couple pints of Steel Toe’s Dissent and enjoy how the malty sweetness of the beer melts the malted center of the chocolates in your mouth. The milk chocolate in turn enhances the smooth, creamy mouth feel you’ll get from the beer. If there’s a downside to these chocolates it’s only that they’ll ruin whoppers for you forever. If you really enjoy yourselves, make sure to grab some growlers to go, and continue your party in an even more intimate setting.

I next headed over to Big Wood Brewery for a glass of the tried and true Morning Wood Coffee Stout. This stout has an incredible kick of coffee flavor with sweet chocolaty notes. My pick for a great compliment chocolate is one of my favorites, milk chocolate toffee. I stopped off in Arden Hills at a place new to me, Sweet Chocolat. You will absolutely love how their toffee breaks apart into crunchy, buttery chunks in your mouth. It pairs perfectly with the Morning Wood, the other enhancing the best parts of its companion. Isn’t that what is perfect about so many great relationships throughout time? We should all be so lucky to fine someone who bring out the best in us, yet still showcases just how awesome they are in their own right. The tap room at Big Wood works great for new and more established couples as well. There’s plenty of intimate seating off the sides of the room if you’re looking to spend some quieter time together. Not sure if you can handle that level of closeness? Enjoy your treats at the larger tables in the middle of the room, or at the centralized bar area. And if toffee isn’t your bag, check out the incredible selection of molded chocolate shapes Sweet Chocolat has to offer. Their Valentine’s Day selection blew me away, with everything from traditional hearts to anatomically correct hearts. One of my favorite offerings was the anatomical lungs packaged with the following – ‘You take my breath away’. How can you not love that sense of loving humor? Or for the more adventurous, try the chocolate hand cuffs on for size. See how much fun you can have with your Morning Wood and chocolate this Valentine’s Day.

But what if you’re feeling really adventurous? Then I suggest you and your date go get ‘funked up’ at Bent Brewstillery. Bent is quickly making a name for themselves with their funked up series of sour beers, each a little different, each an incredible way to try a new beer profile that you might not be familiar with. I myself love sour beers and I’m always curious to see what Bent has been up to with this series. Right now they have their Belgian Berlin Ur-Bock on tap and I highly recommend it. This is a beer reminiscent of a Berliner Weisse so if you like a slightly more wine like beer, give it a try. You might think that finding a chocolate pairing for this would be hard, but if you’ve had this style beer before you’ll know that it pairs quite well with fruity flavors. I actually found a great one for you to try at the nearby Roseville Mall in the Godiva store. Pick yourselves up a tin (or bag) of their Strawberry Cheesecake Truffles and prepare to have your mind blown away. The strawberry will help to pull the fruitiness out of the beer while the cheesecake layer tempers it with a slightly creaminess to counteract the sour in just the slightest way. Yes darling, opposites can and do attract and will make for some of the best experiences of your life. You’ll have a blast in their gorgeous tap room with plenty of seating to hide away in a corner. Or make sure to head over on a night when they have a local band playing and do some dancing! Their knowledgeable and friendly beertenders will make sure you have everything you need so you can concentrate on making sure your date has everything they need. And isn’t that what it’s all about? Also, they will be releasing a new beer on Valentine's Day at the taproom. Uber Lupin Shwarz IPA. You could experience something brand new with your date!

So when you’re making plans for Valentine’s Day remember to think outside the standard chocolate boxes and wine that every store is offering. Hit up your local tap rooms and chocolate shops for some new and fun ideas to show your date. Experiment a little bit and try some new things this year. Valentine’s Day shouldn’t be stressful, especially when you have so many great options to choose from! Your date with love it, and if you’re lucky and buy enough chocolate they’ll probably love you before the night is over. Send them home with their own growler, you just might get a proposal out of the deal.


www.steeltoebrewing.com
www.droolinmoose.com
www.bigwoodbrewery.com
www.mysweetchocolat.com
www.bentbrewstillery.com
www.godiva.com

Craft Beers to Enjoy on Halloween

When I was a young buck, my favorite holiday, by far, was Halloween.  I remember one particular year, when I was 8, I began making Halloween decorations in July.  Yes, you read that right; when other kids were out riding their bikes, skinning their knees and playing kickball, I was busy cutting construction paper into bats, Jack-O-lanterns and ghosts.  Wearing paper cuts as badges of courage, I turned my bedroom into an arts and crafts display that would have given Martha Stewart DTs.  As Halloween got closer, my anticipation worked itself into a rabid fervor, and by the time October rolled around and by October 31st, I was a full-on spazz.

As an adult, my enthusiasm for this spooky holiday has not waned.  Through therapy and the necessity of paying the mortgage, I no longer am making Halloween decorations in July, however, I have found a grown-up way to embrace my child-like love for All Hallows Eve: Halloween appropriate beers!  Obviously, there is no defined category of Halloween beers, but with cool artwork on the bottles and creative names, many of these beers jump out at me as I am walking through the aisle of my local craft beer store.  What I have come to discover over the years is that these beers are not only visually appealing, but also incredibly delicious and unique.

So, here, in no particular order, are some of my favorite craft beers that scream Halloween.

1.  Great Lakes Brewing Company Nosferatu.  I mentioned earlier being obsessed with Halloween, but what I didn't mention was the for 6 out of the 9 years I went trick or treating, I went dressed as a rubber chicken-toting vampire.  A unique take on Count Dracula, for sure.  This beer also has a unique connection to vampire lore.  The label art and name of this beer is an homage to the 1922 vampire movie.  This beer is a remarkably balanced Imperial Red Ale that you will be sure to want to sink your teeth into.

2.  New Holland Ichabod.  This beer is named for the unlikely hero, Ichabod Crane, from Washington Irving's The Legend of Sleepy Hollow.  The label has an awesome depiction of the Headless Horseman riding a horse, getting ready to terrorize your thirst.  This pumpkin ale is spiced with cinnamon and nutmeg and is very drinkable at 5.2%.  At that reasonable ABV, it is the perfect beer to drink while you spend Friday evening handing out candy.  Better yet, if you play the drinking game that necessitates you taking a drink every time you see someone dressed as Elsa from Disney's Frozen, you will still be able to function the next day

3.  Surly Pentagram.  I believe it was Adam Sandler's 1996 comedy album, What The Hell Happened To Me? track about joining the cult that said, "The night time is the right time."  This beer begs to be consumed on a ghoulish evening filled with goblins and ghosts.  This sour beer that is brewed right here in MN has awesomely demonic bottle art and is topped with wax.  The flavors are complex and funky and the ABV is 6.66% which is apropos for this dark and magical sour beer.

4.  Southern Tier Warlock.  You don't have to have a collection of 20-sided dice and a dingy basement to enjoy this deliciously arcane ale.  This beer has only been on the market for two years, but is already considered by many to be in a class by itself.  Warlock is a stout brewed with pumpkin spices.  I first consumed this beer while giving out Halloween candy last year and was also mixing and matching candy pairings.  It didn't take long before I was under the Warlock's spell.  Available in 22 oz. bombers, this limited offering is sought after by many, so if you see it, grab it.

This list is just the tip of the tombstone, but you get the idea.  I don't go trick or treating anymore and I retired the rubber chicken.  However, I still am giddy when I start to see these beers on the shelves in the liquor stores, or on tap at my favorite haunts around town.  I would love to hear which Halloween selections put a scare in your snifter, so feel free to list your favorites in the comments section below.  Cheers!

Cooking With Craft Beer: Bittersweet Chocolate and Stout Ice Cream

Here is the recipe that we used on the 3 Growlers show for Bittersweet Chocolate and Stout Ice Cream:

This recipe was found on Allrecipes.com here:  http://allrecipes.com/Recipe/Bittersweet-Chocolate-and-Stout-Beer-Ice-Cream

Ingredients:

• 1 Pint Heavy Cream
• 1 Package of Chocolate Chips (we used semi-sweet)
• 3/4 Cup of Sugar
• 1 Pint of Local Stout (We used Big Wood's Morning Wood)
• Any additional topping (nuts, whip cream, etc, we don't recommend any more chocolate, it's pretty rich at this point)

 Directions:

1. Heat the heavy cream in a saucepan over medium-low heat until it begins to bubble. Remove from the heat and stir in the chocolate and sugar until melted. Slowly stir in the stout beer. Cover and refrigerate until completely cooled.
2. Pour the chilled mixture into an ice cream maker and freeze according to manufacturer's directions until it reaches "soft-serve" consistency. Transfer ice cream to a two-quart lidded plastic container; cover surface with plastic wrap and seal. For best results, ice cream should ripen in the freezer for at least 2 hours or overnight.

Watch our 3 Growlers Episode to watch us make the ice cream:

Brews and Reviews: Tin Whiskers Brewing Company

Since becoming an avid craft beer drinker in 2005, I have always had a soft spot in my heart for a brewery with a unique concept and brand.  I am drawn to creative names for beers and eye-catching tap handles.  There is something comforting and familiar about being able to pick a favorite beer brand out of a lineup of a myriad of taps at a bar.  From the names of their beer all the way to their robot logo and tap handles, Tin Whiskers is a recognizable brand that will only continue to grow, and it is in large part to the approachability of their beer.

The Tin Whiskers taproom is in the Rossmor Building downtown St. Paul.   The vibe of the taproom evoked memories of the taprooms in Colorado.   The abundance of windows and exposed brick provide a very industrial and clean feel which fits very well with their engineering-themed brewery.  The bright lights and long communal tables make this a natural space to gather and meet people.  They also have a nice long bar that you can belly up to and enjoy some nice conversation with other patrons, or the knowledgeable beertenders.  If you are hungry, the brewery shares the same building as Black Sheep Pizza, Sawatdee and Key’s Cafe.  If takeout or delivery is not your thing, then they encourage you to bring a picnic if you crave something to nosh while you imbibe.  The name, Tin Whisker, comes from an electrical engineering term for a soldering failure on a circuit board.  However, let me assure you, there are no failures when it comes to their portfolio of approachable beers on tap.  The lineup of beers at Tin Whiskers have several things going for them: approachability, depth,  and drinkability.  There is truly something here for everyone.  

If you are into hoppy beers, the Flipswitch IPA comes in at 6.2 ABV and 63 IBU and has plenty of hop presence.  Chinook, Citra, Warrior and Centennial hops are used in the boil and then the beer is dry-hopped with Citra and Warrior hops.  This beer is big on earthy, citrus and floral aromas and has a nice malty presence to make it a very drinkable and balanced American IPA.  The hop bitterness is not heavy-handed for this beer and I tend to prefer that when it comes to American IPAs.  

If you are into something refreshing, the Wheatstone Bridge American Style Wheat ale is something that is perfect for those Minnesota summer days.  What separates this from other wheat beers is the use of honey and chamomile which give it a very pleasant and complex flavor and aroma.  This beer is orange in color and is slightly cloudy.  The beer is light and effervescent and at 5.4 ABV and 20 IBU, it will appeal to a wide range of beer drinkers.  

If you are in the mood for a pilsner, the Parity Pilsner is a nice option.  This is a very balanced beer with a slight sweetness and just enough hop bite to give it a great flavor.  The slightly sulfuric yeast character, which I find incredibly pleasing in this style, is present and accounted for.  The beer drinks crisp and bright and is a nice addition. This beer is 5.8 ABV and 29 IBU, making it very drinkable and approachable.

Moving towards their malty selections we have the Ampere Amber.  I have to admit that I am not a huge fan of amber beers, so I was not expecting a whole lot from this offering.  I was pleasantly surprised to find that instead of the overbearing malty sweetness that I have come to dislike in amber beers, the Ampere Amber has a distinctly roasted malt character which makes the beer crisp and gives it an edge.  This beer, like most of their others, is very drinkable 5.3 ABV and 48 IBU and perfect for fall.

The Boolean Brown is one of my favorites from Tin Whiskers.  It has a roasted malt aroma that is so rich and inviting.  The flavor has a very nice biscuity and melanoidin flavor which balances out the sweetness from the malt.  The mouth feel is a little dry and the roasted malt gives it a nice bite that makes you want to enjoy another pint of this delicious beer.  

As we are entering fall, nothing says warm me up like a nice and flavorful stout.  In my opinion, the Short Circuit Stout (5.3 ABV and 31 IBU) embodies everything right about this style.  It is robust and roasty.  It is velvety and slightly sweet from the chocolate and lactose.  This is what I will definitely come back and have several pints of because it hits on all cylinders from flavor to mouthfeel.  If that wasn't enough to get you to put the coordinates in your smartphone and head on down there; Short Circuit is also available on Nitro!  Yes, imagine all the velvety goodness I described and add in the cascading smoothness of my second favorite gas.  Well, I don’t need to tell you that you know what you are going to do when the weekend hits.  

You can also order a Short Bridge, which is a half and half pour of the Short Bridge Wheat and the Short Circuit Stout.  Believe it or not, the chocolate from the stout and the sweetness from the wheat beer play very well together.

As a St. Paul resident myself, I cannot say enough about how excited I am to see Tin Whiskers putting out the beer that they do.  Whether you are a beer connoisseur or are just dipping your toes in the craft beer pool for the first time, you will find something to enjoy at Tin Whiskers
The atmosphere of the taproom is a great place to eat, drink and be merry.  

Brews and Reviews: Bent Brewstillery's El Guerrero

This area is traditionally known for its abundance of lakes, summers that go by way to quickly and larger-than-life icons like Paul Bunyan and Snoopy.  However, lately there is something else happening and it is threatening to change what people typically associate with Minnesota.  Breweries are opening right and left, and with that boom, we are deluged with some delicious and unique imbibing options.  

Photo courtesy of bentbrewstillery.com

Bent Brewstillery’s selection of unique and complex beers are amazing additions to a landscape of libations that is growing both in breadth and depth.  Their fall seasonal, El Guerrero, a Chilean Double Stout, is out and definitely worth a try.  This special beer is brewed with honey, guava and merken, a Chilean pepper spice that has been used in gourmet cuisine for hundreds of years.  In the taproom, it is served on Nitro and it is also available in 750 ML bottles.  

This beer has a lot going on starting with the opaque color.  El Guerrero pours thick and the cascades culminate in a thick and creamy quarter-inch head that is light caramel in color.  The aroma of the beer is rich and chocolaty with subtle hints of coffee, merken spice and boozy goodness.  

While the look and smell of this beer are intriguing, it is the taste where this beer climbs into a class of its own.  At first, you are greeted with the roasted malt and coffee notes which leads nicely into an alcohol flavor that smooths into a rich chocolaty finish.  The thing that really balances this beer out and makes it something special is the gradual building heat from the merken spice.  It pleasantly builds at the back of the tongue and is never to the point of overtaking all the other flavor subtleties that are happening in El Guerrero.   The sweet notes from the chocolate and honey are balanced deftly with the Merken spice, roasted malt and coffee.  As it warms, the flavors and spice of the beer are all elevated and it leaves the drinker to do nothing but wonder how a single beer could have so many things happening.

El Guerrero’s mouth feel is velvety at first and finishes slightly dry from the heat of the pepper.  The dryness from the heat and the smoothness from the booze make this also a key factor in the beer’s overall balance.  If you enjoy a big body to your stout, this beer does not disappoint.

This beer is versatile and could be paired with the bold flavors of smoked meats such as brisket or ribs.  It would also marry well with a very good steak or blackened chicken.  If you wanted to pair it with a dessert, think ice cream or a decadent chocolate dessert like a cake or high-end dark chocolate.  

Bent Brewstillery prides itself on being unique and this beer is a terrific representation of that vision.  There is nothing quite like El Guerrero in this market and it is a welcome addition to the ever-growing portfolio of wonderful beers that Minnesota’s craft brewers have to offer.  

Brews and Reviews: Dangerous Man Brewing Company's Chocolate Milk Stout

Trying to figure out my first post for Beelploma.com came with a little bit of anxiety and help from an expert source.  A good friend and former colleague of mine and I had got to talking about this endeavor and based on where I live and what I usually dig. He suggested I tackle Dangerous Man Brewing Co. and their flagship brew; the Chocolate Milk Stout.

Photo courtesy of Dangerous Man Brewing Company

I grabbed a pint of the infamous beer of 13th and 2nd in NE Minneapolis, right there at the taproom (one of the only two ways you can grab their beers. The other being via growler) with my wife and her aunt and uncle who were up from Kansas City. Everyone but my wife, who doesn't drink much anyway, ended up ordering a pint to accompany some much needed catching up and good conversation.

This beer looks intimidating and intense, as some craft stouts tend to do, just based on its extremely dark tone and deep copper hues on the head.  Often times, these stouts' tough appearance is matched with a heavy taste, overwhelming mouth feel and strong overall taste. However, the Chocolate Milk Stout from Dangerous Man suffers from none of those. One's senses are greeted with a very smooth beer that is tickled with a great classic stout taste accompanied with hints of chocolate and coffee.  The brewer perfectly balances the aroma and flavors of the product, while creating a beverage that isn't too over-the-top, but isn't whimpering as it enters your mouth. Even on a warm Minnesota afternoon, this beer was refreshing and delicious.

The Chocolate Milk Stout is also, surprisingly, a great beer for any occasion. This variation on the classic high gravity beer is like that of John Bender; tough looking exterior, but once you get to the core of it, a really sweet and enticing product that everyone either wants or wants to be.

Brews and Reviews: Stouts for Summer Badger Hill Foundation Stout

Stouts are not just for winter drinking anymore.  There are plenty of drinkable, sessionable stouts that almost qualify as "lawnmower" beers.  In my opinion Badger Hill's Foundation Stout fits the summer bill for craft beer stout drinkers.

This beer pours inky black with a decent foamy soft brown head.  A noticeable coffee aroma pleasantly passes my nose as I pass my glass under it.  The first sip gives off bitter coffee tones with a hint of chocolate.  It reminds me of my favorite mocha lattes.  Where the difference really lies in this beer from other stouts is in the feel.  Most stouts come off with a heavy mouth feel, this beer has a light-medium mouth feel, and had amble bubbly carbonation.  This stout also doesn't leave the heaviest of after tastes.  And has a lingering coffee bitterness with a hint of a sharp citrus hoppiness.  As the beer warms up the beer takes on a slightly heavier chocolaty tone, as well as a more fruity ale like flavors. 

Overall this is a solid beer, and will be a staple in my beer fridge since I first drank.  I give this a **1/2 Rating (Excellent).

So fear not stout and porter lovers, while winter is still a few months away, there are plenty of great stouts to fit the season.  So grab the lawnmower, get some yard work and done, and finish off the day with a well deserved Foundation Stout by Badger Hill!

Adventures of a Beginning Home Brewer

The Christmas Beer Miracle and the Gift of Easier Bottling

To me, the most tedious part of brewing is bottling. You have to sanitize bottles, the bottling bucket, all its parts, the siphon, the caps… And that is just the first step. Then you have to boil the priming sugar, rack the beer, fill the bottles, and cap each one of them individually.

The boil process in the beginning takes a bit longer, but that is inactive time while the stove does the work. In bottling it is all you, all the time. But there is some hope. You can make the process go by a bit faster. The trick? It’s all in the bottles.

When I made my first beer, my Ragin’ Red, I stupidly sanitized, filled, and capped 48 12 oz. beer bottles. It took forever! I did the same thing for my second beer. Then came the Christmas Beer Miracle and my home brewing life was changed forever.

When I brewed my first Merry Cherry Christmas Stout I had an idea. I wanted to have a beer with all of my friends and family for Christmas. Obviously this is impossible with the hustle and bustle of the holidays. My solution was to give everyone a Merry Cherry Christmas Stout that we would all crack open at exactly 5:00 pm CST on Christmas day so that no matter the distance between us, we would all have a beer together for Christmas. This is known in my circle as the Christmas Beer Miracle!

I decided it would be a nice touch to use 22 oz bottles so that everyone could not only have a beer together no matter where we all were, but also everyone could share the Christmas Beer Miracle with someone special they were actually spending the holidays with in person. That is when I realized the math.

 

(22 oz Merry Cherry Christmas Stout bottle vs 12 oz Ragin' Red Ale bottle)

Here is the deal; bottles come in all shapes and sizes. You can sanitize, fill, and cap about 48 12 oz. bottles, about 24 22 oz. bottles, or heck, you could even just fill a few half gallon jugs I suppose. I use nothing but 22 oz. bottles now. I basically cut my bottling work in half by only needing to sanitize, fill, and cap half as many bottles!

One quick tip: I have noticed that sometimes the bigger bottles may need a little extra bottle conditioning time to get the desired amount of carbonation. But we are just talking a couple days if it is needed.

 
Let’s face it; if your beer is tasty there is no one who will complain about their bottle having an extra 10 oz. in it!

Adventures of a Home Brewer

Don't Fruit the Beer? Forget That!

 

Remember those Man Law commercials for Miller Lite? One was “Don’t fruit the beer!” I broke that law yesterday. Send the beer police if you need to, but if anyone should be arrested it’s the brewers of Miller Lite for trying to make us think carbonated water is beer.

Yesterday I started making my annual Merry Cherry Christmas Stout. I make this every year in order to facilitate the Christmas Beer Miracle… I will explain that a bit closer to Christmas.

Merry Cherry Christmas Stout was the first beer that I brewed with other types of additives. When I brewed my first one it was just a recipe kit from the beer supply store. It was a cherry stout that used cherry extract during bottling. It was good, but I knew I could do better.

Year two I decided to step things up. I wanted that cherry to really sing! So, I decided to, “fruit the beer,” and add some actual cherries in addition to the extract. I did a bunch of searching for info on beer forums and Yahoo! as I had no clue where to start. Here is what I learned.

The biggest thing in brewing is that anything that goes in the bucket needs to be sanitary. This applies to fruit as well. You can’t just grab a bunch of cherries from the produce section of your local grocery store and chuck them in there. You will more than likely infect your beer… I did that once with a nut brown and it is a headache.

Some home brewers on forums indicated that you should put the berries in with your beer at the secondary fermentation stage. This seems illogical to me on two fronts. One, you have to boil the berries separately to basically sterilize them. Some people are fine with throwing frozen berries straight into the secondary, but I am not willing to gamble on 5 gallons of beer getting infected. And two, you will lose some of the clarity of your beer, which is kind of the whole point of secondary fermentation.

So what do I do? I throw them in the boil. I am not saying its the end all correct way, but its how I do it. And it works! I mash up the berries to release more of the juices and then just chuck ‘em in during the last 15 minutes or so of the boil. This makes them sterile, saves me a whole separate boil later on, and helps my beer keep its clarity as I don’t bring the cherries along for the party when I rack the beer into the secondary fermenter.

 (Cherries in the Boil)

With most fruits you will want to use approximately one pound of fruit for each gallon of beer you are making. I have played with that a bit for my Merry Cherry Christmas Stout though because I still like to throw that extract in during bottling for a final kick. I try to make this beer palatable to my friends and family who are not into thick dark beers. The extra cherry taste and sweetness helps to accomplish this. No complaints yet!

Here is another tip; use frozen fruit. Using frozen fruit works the best because the freezing process breaks down the fruit. This helps release the juices into your beer to give you more of the fruit flavor. I found this tip online when I first decided to use cherries in my stout. Admittedly I have never used fresh fruit, so I can’t swear by this. But, it makes sense to me and I am happy with the end result. Why fix what ain’t broke, right?

Anybody else out there ever break this unjust man law and, “fruit the beer?” If so, leave a comment below with any tips you might have for the rest of us!