Beer Review - Blantons Bourbon Barrel Aged Imperial Stout

 

"Blanton Bourbon Barrel Aged Imperial Stout"

Let’s use a cliche!

If there is one fan of Goose Island’s “Bourbon County Stout” it’s me. If there are no fans, I am dead! “Bourbon County Stout”, which you can get nearly everywhere in the fall, is the beer that really started my fascination with beer and Imperial Stouts that have been aged in barrels. But they are expensive to make with higher ingredient costs, smaller batches, and longer brew times. These are expensive beers that have lower profit margins, so I was resigned to the fact that maybe one would show up at a festival since these beers scare some drinkers. Or hey, I can live with the mass-produced, “Kentucky Bourbon Barrel Ale.” I mean I’m not drinking it at home, but sometimes a barrel is a barrel. But find my unicorns on Disney property, I don’t think so.

I walked into Polite Pig and saw it. “Blantons Bourbon Barrel Aged Imperial Stout” was the pricey seasonal on tap. It cost more, and it was a smaller pour (it always is because these are higher ABV), and it called my name.

I confidently walked up and ordered this tulip of beer. The server looked at me approvingly, like there’s a bold drinker. Or maybe it was, hey we can finally move some of this. I joked about taking some home, she started to tell me I could but then made a comment about “opening it” which made me think it was canned or bottled instead of being on tap. What a world! A craft made Imperial Stout on Disney property. I was living the dream.

“Blantons Bourbon Barrel Aged Imperial Stout” by Ravenous Pig Brewing Company, the Polite Pig’s sibling brewery, is an 11% ABV and 46 IBU imperial stout. It was brewed and then placed into Blanton’s bourbon barrels to live and soak up the character of wood and remains of the bourbon qualities of the Blanton’s that was born there. I have to use “Bourbon County Stout” as my comparison. It is definitely more bitter than the Goose Island original releases of the last two years, and I enjoy that sweetness found in the original barrel-aged imperial stout. The hop bitters lead the taste, with some oak from the barrel, giving me more dryness than sweetness in this dark-colored liquid elixir. It reminds me of a hoppy Surly “Darkness” variant I had a few years ago that was a special one-time keg. I was surprised I could find a quality imperial on property and found it fit well with my lunch.

A Winning Lunch!

That being said, no one else in my group wanted to touch it. They all wanted beer-colored beer or mixed drinks.

But me, I was surprised by a location that I already had a high opinion of because I was able to order something I never expected to see. That’s a magical Disney Springs type of day! 

Who Drinks This? Me! I think if you are someone who enjoys “Bourbon County Stout” you should grab one while it’s there to compare how it hits your palate. Who knows how long it will be on menu? In Central Florida, imperial stouts tend to linger on menus longer than what I have seen in the Midwest as those drinkers tend to view these as very special releases. Despite the care put into these beers, I am well aware that the price, style, dark malty color, and even flavor for some can be an obstacle. This is not a candy bar of an imperial stout. But it is a nice representation of what you can do with a category of beer that “Bourbon County Stout” created.

Brewery Review - Sideward Brewing

Sideward Brewing Co.

As I looked past the bar into the brewhouse I just kept thinking, “That’s a lot of metal!” Sideward Brewing Co. in the Milk District was a brewery that for some reason I had slept on. But as I saw the investment they had made in stainless steel, like two brite tanks (I’ve seen some breweries make the mistake of not adding this finishing tank)...I was left impressed. I was shocked at all that metal in an unexpecting building. And now I know we can find Sideward cans all over the Orlando area. This means this is a brewery that could be a default beer choice for me at several central Florida locations.

Sideward Brewing Co. is situated in the beer-rich section of Orlando. One could travel between Tactical, GB’s Bottleshop, and several other craft breweries to make a fun day. Just make sure that someone is the designated driver because, within a few minutes, there are a lot of choices. 

All That Steel!

Parking is plentiful at this taproom, which I fully appreciate when visiting a new-to-me location. The venue honestly to me looks a little bigger on the outside. The sign says there is only room for around 90 inside. There is a bar and a few long tables. But there’s not really a lot of inside seating. Alongside the building is a covered patio with even more seating, where honestly most guests sat on the day of my visit. The reason it looks bigger on the outside is the brewhouse has a lot of stainless taking up the floor plan. There is also a full kitchen. The building has a lot going on.

Hey…let’s get past blueprints and get to the beer. Sorry, I skipped a flight. Flights were not an option, but I could order 5-ounce pours. Now with a flight, I may try to jump around styles. But this brewery had for me what I love…Imperial Stouts!

"Morningstar"

• “Morningstar”: Is a 10% ABV Boston Cream Pie Imperial Stout. Now, I’ve never had a Boston Cream Pie in a glass. But I did find that it may not have exactly matched the taste but definitely the vibe and reminded me of the donut I had that morning. It had a really nice sweetness, with much of that coming from the lactose in the liquid.

• “Is This Batter?”: This pour was another 10% lactose-backed Imperial Stout. It was brewed with adjuncts of pistachios, cacao nibs, vanilla, and cookie dough. Like “Morningstar” I also got the sweetness from the lactose combined with the vanilla and cookies. But I got more nuttiness than defined tones of vanilla and sweet dough.

Overall, I did think flavor wise they were very similar and on the sweet end of things due to the lactose. They were not must haves, but they scratched a sweet stout itch. I also grabbed sips and a pour from two other brews.

"Is This Batter" and "Moon Boots"

• “High Volume: Peach and & Mango”: This is a 4.6% ABV fruit bomb. It is really sweet and creamy, almost a smoothie sour. It reminded me of something that Drekker Brewing in the Midwest could produce. But the wild thing to me is this fruit snack is lactose-free, so that sweetness is all from the mangoes and peaches. It is yummy, and my companion loved it.

• “Moon Boots”: Every brewery needs a flagship IPA. “Moon Boots” is even listed on the menu as that flagship, so I didn’t need to overthink. Okay, Sideward, I see you. I’d love to know the IBUs, because I was caught off guard by the bitterness. The first sip slapped me in the mouth with the piney punch. I mean a flagship IPA typically has some bitterness, but approachable. As I sipped it grew and grew on me as it’s filled with flavor from that hop bite. It reminds me of a Double IPA, not most brewery's everyday drinker. I kept thinking, this isn’t a special release! And yes, If I can find this on tap at a restaurant…yeah, this is the IPA I would pick today from a list of flags.

Along with the beer, there were seltzers, wines, cocktails, and NA drinks. There’s also a full kitchen with apps and sandwiches that we did not sample. Based on the weekend afternoon crowd around me, there was a fairly diverse Sideward community. And everyone had something to drink.

Who Drinks Here? Well, me. I plan to drink here again. I will keep my eye out for Imperial bottles to grab and go, along with the changing tap list of 20. It is a location that could easily serve as a cornerstone of a non-park day brewery tour, where everyone can stop by. I love the Sideward graphics with demons, which while I hate scary things…for some reason I like scary beer images. I’d also say if you stop into a central Florida liquor store or bottleshop that has Sideward cans for sale, they are good options for filling up your resort hotel fridge.

Just remember, don’t sleep on Sideward Brewing Co. There’s some serious intention going on over there!

Brewery Review - Tactical Brewing Company

This is not a drill!

Tactical Brewing Company keeps popping up on my list of too-visit Central Florida craft breweries. As a lover of Imperial Stouts, they seem to be one of the few breweries that always have an Imperial on tap. And those beers generally seem to be rated fairly well. It is an Orlando-based brewery that seems to brew good beers and have something I want.

Tactical Brewing Company is located in a target-rich area for beer hunters. The building feels like you are entering an up-and-coming shopping and dining district full of activity and new buildings. It feels modern, open, and welcoming. It is not a barracks. The brewery itself has a modern feel, full of light, though a little cramped when full and loud. The founders are veterans, passionate about their beer and creating “Strategically Chaotic Beer” which could explain why an Imperial always seems to be on tap as it’s not a style for everyone! The tap room also has military embellishments and decorations in an understated manner that would welcome all beer nerds including the hipster kids. It is a nice balance of representing the brewery and its values, but not a spot only painted in greens or red, white, and blue. The bathroom, yes I mentioned the bathroom, was super clean and strategically chaotic in its decorations which made me laugh.

The Way We Rust

But, how is the beer? This was not my first stop! Being someone who advocates always drinking responsibly, I ordered just “The Way That We Rust”, a 12.5% ABV Imperial Stout with vanilla, cocoa nibs, and pecans. The battle plan was executed well, giving me a lot of sweet and nutty flavor. It was more than enough for me to say, yes, I will return to have more of their Imperials. It is nice to have an option in Orlando that is consistent with this style. My drinking companion, who does not enjoy Imperials, found “The Way That We Rust” to be sweet enough that she enjoyed it. For her enjoyment, she grabbed “Mo Muggles Mo Problems”, a Butter beer-inspired sour with a crushable 5% ABV. It may not have been my favorite boozy butter beer with some sourness coming through. But it may not be fair to compare it to a seltzer-style butterbeer, where the style adds nothing to the flavor making the brewing technique easier to camouflage. 

Haze Cult: Ahhhroma

Second Sips: I returned on a Saturday to chase down an Imperial Target. I grabbed the “Seeker in the Dark” an 11% ABV collaboration with Cerebral Brewing in Denver. I know I go around hyping bourbon barrel beers, but rum-enhanced imperials can be really sweet fun. This stout was aged on rum-soaked amburana and had flavors of toasted coconut, cinnamon, clove, and star anise. If you don’t like black licorice, well you’re wrong, but everything about matched my order of battle. I found it really sweet, and enjoyable, but since I had recently had a Bourbon County Stout Biscotti variant, I didn’t bring a bottle home. I also grabbed a “Haze Cult: Ahhhroma” an IPA with only one hop, Ahhhroma, which was solid and drinkable but not my favorite hazy.

I may not be ready to say that Tactical Brewing is my favorite craft brewery in Orlando…yet. But it has all the markers of a potential favorite that I can include in my drinking plans with it serving as an outpost where you can recon for other beer operations!

Who Drinks Here?: If you are in Orlando and want to add a beer search to your vacation, Tactical Brewing Company is a good base to launch your attack from. It is near other locations where you can continue your campaign, making it a good waypoint. The menu has a lot to offer at almost any time, including for Imperial fans like me. And the vibe is welcoming. Or if you just want to sample what the Orlando beer scene has to offer, Tactical is a good target.

I may not be ready to say that Tactical Brewing is my favorite craft brewery in Orlando…yet. But it has all the markers of a potential favorite that I can include in my drinking plans with it serving as an outpost where you can recon for other beer operations!

Venue Review - GB’s Bottle Shop

 

GB's Bottle Shop

State laws around liquor are weird. You never know what you are going to find or be able to do as you go from state to state. I lived for decades in a state that didn’t sell beer on certain days, from a liquor store. But everywhere else, drink up bro! There were limits to how much take-home beer one could take buy at a brewery if it qualified for off-site sales. Big breweries couldn’t let you take the liquid home. But they totally allowed all breweries to sell you as much THC seltzer as you wanted. State laws are weird. So as you enter Central Florida you may start to question what is and what is not allowed.

Here’s one of my happy discoveries, there are options for off-site sales that allow you to consume both on and off-site. The liquid you buy may be produced by that location…or it could be beers from breweries across the United States. I’m, finding, I love a good bottle shop/brewery refrigerator! 

GB's Glorious Taps!

GB’s Bottle Shop in Orlando is one of my favorites. The vibe is a hip tap room, though they are not producing and selling their own beers. Thought the outside doesn't scream, find your beer here!  It’s wide open, with plenty of space for friends. And best of all plenty of beer options, along with wine and mead. I had a party of four. Two of us wanted barrel-aged big imperial stouts. I had a handful of options, something that is often lacking in central Florida. I grabbed a draft of The Bruery’s “Black Tuesday”, a true big beer with a 16-hour brew that lived in bourbon barrels, bringing forth some awesome chocolate and dark fruit flavors. Truly this was not for the faint of heart with a 19.4% ABV, yes big big beers. For my second beer, I just went for a small beer that I had never enjoyed that had not kissed wood. I grabbed a Weldworks Brewing Company’s “French Toast Stout”, a sweet milk stout that brought forth maple, cinnamon, and vanilla…with its tiny 7.1 ABV! But again, there was something for everyone. Another friend grabbed a sour IPA, a style that I have never really seen. And it may have been a step too far for my companion. Maybe I will never see that style again. Our final party member snagged a Tripping Animals Brewing Company’s “Cosmic Bandito 2.0” fruited sour…which provided happiness. Again, a big tap selection with something for everyone. In our group, we grabbed beers from Florida, Colorado, and California!

 

The On-Site/Off-Site Guest Options

 

Room Temperature Beers to Go!

A big attraction here is the to-go offerings. There is a big refrigerated section, filled with beer from throughout the United States, which you can drink on-site or back in your themed resort room. And next to that is a huge selection of room-temperature cans and bottles to go. I bought three beers I had never seen on this visit, and a companion bought two. Even after I left, I was drinking my spoils at home. 

Enjoying "Lil Coconut"

Second Sips: I totally had to go back to grab a wish list draft and restock my home beer fridge. I was able to enjoy two Angry Chair Imperial Stouts. I really wanted their “Bourbon Barrel Aged Simple Math” with it’s 12 ABV of 17 months living in wood goodness. It was so coconut and worth the trip. I also grabbed a glass of Angry Chair’s “Lil Coconut” at just a small little 11.5% ABV which put out the rum and spice feels. And best of all I walked away with a four-pack of “Black Bouquet” a collaboration IPA between Phase Three Brewing and BlackStack Brewing. I truly believe BlackStack makes the best IPAs and collaborations reach the Central Florida area all the time even though BlackStack doesn’t distribute here.

Who Drinks Here? If you’re visiting a theme park, this is a great spot for you to visit to stock your room fridge. Just imagine a fun-filled and tiring day of touring a theme park. You get back to your room, grab a beer you can’t get at home, settle into a chair, and take a break from your relaxing. If you want to get away from the parks and are a hophead, the Ivanhoe area around GB’s Bottle Shop has several craft brewing tap rooms to visit. Treat yourself because you don’t know what gems GB’s Bottle Shop has stashed in their to-go offerings or on their revolving taps.

Brewery Review - Home State Brewing Company

Home State Brewing Company

Home State Brewing Company in Winter Garden, Florida, got me to visit through a theme park connection. What I found on our visit was a comfortable space and well-crafted beer that made for a fun afternoon.

Home State Brewing had a logo and name that did not tell me much about the vibe and story of the brewery. I’m not from Florida and I’m not sure if the owners are from Florida. I definitely don’t know if they are trying to masquerade as a local spot or explain what Florida means to them. A small part of me thinks they are trying to express their out-of-state roots, without emphasizing their transplant to Florida. Maybe they come from Nebraska? All in all, the logo was cosmic to me, without good old home vibes. So after a fair amount of research on my part, apparently, the owners are nerds, who chose a logo that made sense to them but not to me. After sleuthing up an answer, I knew why they chose their logo, but the issue still remains that I, as a common consumer, have no idea what their vibe was going to be.

I was there for Mammoth Club, the theme park YouTube channel. They were having a meet-up at Home State at the end of the week. Unfortunately, a meet-up I was going to miss. Alan and Molly had worked with Home State on a beer collaboration. As a proud drinking member of the MamFam, I needed to at least try and rate their IPA creation.

Expecting more, my expectations diminished when we arrived at a strip mall. A smallish strip mall brewery, likely with the typical cramped feeling setup that tries to fit ten times as much seating into the room as possible. Expecting the worst, I was surprised to open the door and find an unexpected phenomenon to my left. It was there I saw a large and spacious patio complete with games and an outside set of taps currently not in use. Additionally, the inside offered a roomy, clean and welcoming taproom. It was obvious time had been invested to set up a taproom that provided a consistent feel instead of one that haphazardly filled a room with mismatched furniture.

But hey, why are we here? Obviously the beer! I could care less about the atmosphere if the beer is worth the pain. So, is the beer good? Yes, the beer is well-executed. All in all, Home State makes a super drinkable beer.

• “SheMAMigans”: The Mammoth Club collaboration is to me a light hazy IPA. Light in the sense that there is a lower-level citrus taste, not a juice punch. But it is also not coming at the drinker with an excessive hop bite. I think a lot of MamFam members may not fully be in the “I love IPA” camp. For those drinkers, this is super approachable, something that they can share in without feeling excluded. And maybe, they can enjoy one of their first IPAs.

• “Big Dark Energy”: I love Imperial Stouts. They are my jam. This version was roasty and toasty. I could cuddle up next to a fire with this beverage. Oddly, it seems like a good-tasting non-Imperial stout and the 9% ABV doesn’t slap one in the face. Honestly, that high ABV is super sneaky so watch out. But I do wish that it had lived for a while in a barrel.

• “Doctor’s Orders”: This is a well-made on-model Hefeweizen that gives you the banana and cloves vibe. It’s exactly what one wants when ordering this style.

• “The Audacity - Strawberry Peach” - I was worried this sour would be too puckery, not something that I enjoy. This is not a lactose-type sour that tastes like a fruity cocktail with the mouth feel of a smoothie. But it has a light pucker with a celebration of fruit flavor and a mouth feel that comes across as well, beer. It could serve as an introduction to traditional sours for some drinkers as it’s not overpowering.

• “The Selective Eccentric” - I am not a Saison fan. But this was still something that I could sit down and enjoy if there were no other options available. It could have easily been the addition of peach and blackberry, as I’m not sure I have had an adjuncted saison before.

• “Octoberfest, Ja!” - Yep, that’s a Marzan! I loved the bubbles, the perfect Marzan caramel color, and it’s one of my favorite representations of an Octoberfest this fall!

Overall, everything was approachable in a sense of style, and something that I could recommend to friends. But on this day, there were no unicorns that were must-haves that I would chase upon release. There were numerous to-go options if you wanted a great-tasting beer back at your resort.

For food, we just had the always-welcomed big pretzel, which was good. However, we did not go deeper into the menu because we noticed that there was a Pizza Press nearby. This was an unexpected find for someone who has fallen in love with this freshly made pizza joint in the shadow of Disneyland. So stumbling on one located in the Orlando area completely derailed the food plans of my party.

For the non-drinkers, there was an array of non-alcoholic beverages. Along with craft beer, Home State offers craft coffee. Specifically, Filigree Coffee is located within the same building but as a separate business. 

Second Sips: Recently I stepped in for a second visit on a Saturday.  And I loved that the outdoor patio was vibrant full of people visiting and enjoying the sun.  Some where there for a conservation event but others were just there using the large open space to socialize...and enjoy what is really is, a friendly open, neighborhood space.  I only grabbed one taster

• "Sweet Nothings": To me this tart cherry stout is an experiment, trying to create a chocolate covered cherry.  I got the tartness instantly, but maybe not as much of the cherry as I wanted.  It was easy to drink, but maybe not something I would order more of. 
  

Who Drinks Here?:  Honestly, if one were visiting Orlando for a theme park, it’s hard to recommend a side trip to this brewery as a must-do. On the days we visited, no beer screamed, “Everyone must drink this!” However, if you need to get away and want some space, Home State would guarantee well-crafted and executed beer in a friendly environment. The beer is well-made, and delicious, and offers a menu where almost anyone can find a style that fits their tastes. It is a safe bet to keep a craft beer fan satisfied within a clearly theme park fan-friendly environment.