My 2nd week on Steemit, and another Beer Saturday is upon us! Saturday is definitely my favorite day of the week. My week is just so jam-packed with work, gym, and everything else. Saturday is the day where I can go out there and try some new breweries, attend some fests, or get a nice haul at one of my local favorite bottle shops. I typically spend my whole morning working out, and get really tired but calm. I’ll go hit up a spot and bring some goodies home.
This weekend I stopped by one of my favorite bottle shops called “Beer On the Wall” in Park Ridge, IL. I can say a lot of great things about this place, and how much it has done for the community, but I will just point out one big one. They sell bottles and cans individually. This is like a golden ticket when it comes to someone like me, who loves to sample a lot. I am not sure how many times I bought a six-pack only to find I don’t really like that much, and felt burned. It frees me up to purchase a lot of different things without spending tons. This is an ideal that every shop should aspire to. It is great for limited releases too, because it leaves enough for everyone; I can get one can instead of grabbing 4 and possibly drain-pouring them, at the same time keeping from someone else enjoying them. Also, they make a little extra from selling individually, and I actually end up buying more because I am able to get so many selections.
That’s where tonight’s selection enters the picture, a Schlafly Ibex Cellar Barrel-Aged Imperial Stout. This actually comes into a 4 pack of 12 oz bottles. While I was curious about it, I was hesitant about grabbing the entire 4 pack because there’s other selections I wanted to get as well. I bought just the one. I am actually a fan of the 4 pack format with Barrel-Aged Stouts because it allows you to split it up among many different nights and share it with more people, but I wanted to keep my options open.
I actually visited Schlafly in St. Louis several times, it’s a must when visiting there and brewery touring. It’s the largest craft beer brewer in St. Louis. They have a giant operation with tours, many tasting rooms, and a large catalog of offerings. I had the Ibex BA Imperial stout when I was there in 2016 and it was highly enjoyable. I also bought an Ibex Teku Glass when I was there and it has remained my favorite glass to this day. It’s an ideal glass for big stouts, sours, and hazies. It is essentially a large wine glass but with some curves at the top. Most Teku’s can be around the $20 range, but this one rang up at $4. What a steal.
There is often a give-and-take when getting big stouts from large brewers. Generally, smaller brewers take more chances because they are not brewing for mass appeal, but want to make something exciting. The flavors from small brewery stouts tend to be a little more unique for this reason, which can be excellent or it can fall flat. Larger breweries are making a product which will appeal to large groups of people, while they still experiment, there’s going to be less surprises. However, the larger breweries often have greater resources and can make a consistently great product. Higher resources can mean better ingredients, more brewer expertise, and better equipment if allocated properly.
**My Review**
This year’s Ibex is outstanding. It has all the bells and whistles of a fantastic BA stout. It was bold but balanced. The bourbon barrel announced itself proudly but was not overwhelming, and just enough to mix well with all the other flavor going on. A wave of rich dark chocolate splashed the tongue and had a milky smooth texture and mouthfeel. Pure vanilla bean swirled throughout, with a tiny sprinkling of cinnamon and clove following. It was much more drinkable than I am used to for BA stouts. Typically, they are slow-sippers but this one went down fast and smooth. As it warmed up, more of the barrel became apparent.
I have had better BA stouts, because those ones pushed the envelope in terms of ingredients and style, and the risk paid off. But this stout is just perfect for what it is. I love stouts that have a delicate balance of flavors and are wonderfully crafted for consistency. You don't need to stand in a line for this one, if you’re near the Midwest, it’s just as easy as hitting up a shop that carries it. At $16, it is a steal. I have spent that much on a single 12 oz. BA stout before. It is 10.3% ABV but the big flavors and roast malt bill mask the booze well, which is almost always a good thing. Not everything I have tried from Schlafly has been to my liking, but it has always been high quality. I highly recommend you visit or pick up one of their beers if you happen to see them, especially one of these Ibex Stouts!
Cheers everyone! Feel free to post what you’re enjoying in the comments!