Other Half Brewing Co.: Vapor Ringz

Other Half Brewing: Vapor Ringz

Style: Imperial Stout

Special Notes: Brewed with lactose sugar

Hops: Citra, Galaxy, Nelson Sauvin

Malts: “Pillowy” Oats, Raw Wheat

ABV: 8.4

IBU: N/A

Availability: Rotating

@untappd says: 4.44/5

Let’s see how the Other Half is living on the Windowsill today!

Let me tell you the story of the two-day beer exchange. I have a buddy who lives quite close to Other Half Brewing Company in Brooklyn, NY. A few weeks ago, he was going to the brewery, and offered to pick me up some stuff… or I asked? Who’s to say? Anyway, he picked me up some brews, and we decided that I would pick him up some brews to exchange, and we set up a drinks and beer exchange outing in the city.

Other Half Brewing: Vapor Ringz
Pretty trippy label are on this one. I dig it, man! (Credit: Martin Stezano / Beers on Windowsills)

When exchange day came, my friend brought the beers with him, carrying them around all day so that he could trade them with me later. Me? Of course, I left them on my kitchen counter, like a jerk. We decided to get drinks and food anyway and actually went to a pretty cool spot on 26th and 3rd named @taproom307. Solid nachos and flatbread. Pretty sweet beer selection, too! You should check it out if you’re in the area. Anywho, because of my forgetfulness, We met up again the next day, and I finally fulfilled my end of the bargain. Shadily exchanged a sixpack of beer from backpack to backpack in the middle of 18th street. Exchange complete!

Why on earth did you just have to read that whole story? No, not just a test to see if you guys actually read my long posts. Today’s beer is one of those beers! It’s the Vapor Ringz, a double IPA brewed with lots of Citra, with a side of Galaxy and Nelson Sauvin. “Pilowy” oats, raw wheat make up the malt bill, and there’s some lactose thrown in for good measure. I’d put a ring on the Vapor Ringz. It was amazing.

Check this one out on Instagram now. Follow Beers on Windowsills for more great craft beer!

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Other Half Brewing Co.: I Like My Sugar with Coffee and Cream

Other Half Brewing: I Like My Sugar with Coffee and Cream

Style: Imperial Stout

Special Notes: Brewed with Vanilla, Hazelnuts, Milk Sugar and Coffee. Named after a lyric from “Intergalactic” by the Beastie Boys.

ABV: 15.0

IBU: N/A

Availability: Occasionally available during the winter

@untappd says: 4.22/5

How do you take your sugar? I take mine on the Windowsill.

Nothing says Brooklyn like the Beastie Boys. Alright, I know only Adam Yauch was actually born there (RIP), but the New York rap trio did write that BK anthem, “No Sleep Til Brooklyn.” Being that Other Half Brewing Company is a Brooklyn staple, it’s nice to see them paying homage to the Beasties.

Other Half Brewing: I Like My Sugar with Coffee and Cream
Looks good, doesn’t it? Like an old timey diner coffee! (Credit: Martin Stezano / Beers on Windowsills)

Today’s beer, the I Like My Sugar with Coffee and Cream, which I got from a good buddy, may not be inspired by No Sleep, but it is inspired by another Beasties song—”Intergalactic,” from their 1998 Album Hello Nasty. If you don’t know about it, go take a listen. Celebrate the Beastie Boys with me and Other Half NYC!

As for the beer, the I Like My Sugar with Coffee and Cream is an Imperial Stout made with coffee, milk sugar, hazelnut and vanilla. It’s rich, creamy and super sweet with a great coffee aroma and flavor. The hazelnut and vanilla show up in really nice hints, too. Nice and thick… great for dessert! Did I mention that it’s 15% ABV? Doesn’t feel that way until you try to stand up, though. Hoo boy. That’s what @galleycookinbeersnob and I call a “shoulder slapper!”

Head over to Instagram to check this one out! Follow @beersonwindowsills for more great craft beer!

Swiftwater Brewing Company: Muncheez Truck

Swiftwater Brewing Company: Muncheez Truck

Style: Imperial Milk Stout

Special Notes: Brewed with peanut butter, coconut and chocolate.

ABV: 9.3

IBU: N/A

Availability: Rotating

@untappd says: 4.12/5

Got any snacks? Cuz I have the muncheez on my Windowsill today!

Let’s talk about Rochester, New York’s Swiftwater Brewing Company. Their story is all about home and family, and the respect that Andy Cook—the owner and head brewer—has for both. Everything about this brewery is tied to the Rochester community and Andy’s family. 80% of their barley is provided by the family farm, which also supplied the trees from which their taproom tables are made. As much as they can, they keep the rest of the ingredients they use local too. That passion for the community really shines through in everything they do, including their beer.

Swiftwater Brewing Company: Muncheez Truck
This beer giving you the muncheez? (Credit: Martin Stezano/Beers on Windowsills)

The Muncheez Truck is one of those stouts that you guys know I love. Creamy, Motor Oily, Chocolaty with an awesome coconut sweetness and a nice, albeit more subtle than I typically like, peanut butter touch. I love me some sweet milk stouts, and this one hit that craving right on the nose for me. According to the official description, it was inspired by a mysterious muncheez truck parked across the street from the brewery. Really dug it!

Check out the Muncheez Truck, and more craft beer, on my Instagram page now!

Burial Beer Co.: Skillet Donut Stout

Burial Beer Company: Skillet Donut Stout

Style: Imperial Stout

Special Notes: Brewed as an ode to the skillet. Yes, a skillet. It’s also brewed with Counter Culture Coffee, Lactose and Molasses.

Hops: Nugget, Willamette

ABV: 8

IBU: 50

Availability: Seasonal availability

@untappd says: 4.17/5

Let’s celebrate Women in craft beer on the Windowsill today!

Let’s kick off this Monday with a spotlight on a great woman in the craft beer game, Burial Beer Co.’s co-owner, Jess Reiser. She started out blogging about beer in Seattle and fell so deeply in love with beer culture that she, her husband and their friend Tim, co-founded Burial Beer in Asheville, NC. She had previously spent time in New Orleans, and the influence that time had on her life can be seen in the beer names and can labels that the company comes up with. We need more women and minorities in the craft beer game, and Jess Reiser is a role model for all that come next!

Burial Beer Company: Skillet Donut Stout
What a beautiful label from David Paul Seymour! (Credit: Martin Stezano/Beers on Windowsills)

The Skillet Donut Stout was quite the experience. Starting with that beautiful label art from David Paul Seymour. It’s stunning. The beer itself is an ode to the skillet. “Cold black iron. Never decaying, it is held to the fire to unearth impeccable flavor from whatever it holds. The skillet is our most trusted and daring tool of culinary ingenuity.”

Burial Beer Company: Skillet Donut Stout
And here’s the other side… lovely! (Credit: Martin Stezano/Beers on Windowsills)

Like the skillet, the Skillet Donut Stout pours a nice black color. It’s brewed with a blend of nine barley malts, a “healthy” helping of oats, molasses, and lactose, as well as lots and lots of coffee from @counterculturecoffee. I got a ton of coffee on the nose and in the flavor on this one, and I really, really liked it. Great stout!

As always, check out more great craft beer on my Instagram!

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. Burial Beer Co.: Skillet Donut Stout . Let’s celebrate Women in craft beer on the Windowsill today! . Let’s kick off this Monday with a spotlight on a great woman in the craft beer game, Burial Beer Co.’s Jess Reiser. She started out blogging about beer in Seattle and fell so deeply in love with beer culture that she, her husband and their friend Tim, co-founded Burial Beer in Asheville, NC. She had previously spent time in New Orleans, and the influence that time had on her life can be seen in the beer names and can labels that the company comes up with. We need more women and minorities in the craft beer game, and Jess Reiser is a role model for all that come next! . The Skillet Donut Stout was quite the experience. Starting with that beautiful label art from @davidpaulseymour. It’s stunning. The beer itself is an ode to the skillet. “Cold black iron. Never decaying, it is held to the fire to unearth impeccable flavor from whatever it holds. The skillet is our most trusted and daring tool of culinary ingenuity.” . Like the skillet, this stout pours a nice black color. It’s brewed with a blend of nine barley malts, a “healthy” helping of oats, molasses and lactose, as well as lots and lots of coffee from @counterculturecoffee. I got a ton of coffee on the nose and in the flavor on this one, and I really, really liked it. Great stout! . ABV: 8.0, IBU: 50, Seasonal availability . @untappd says: 4.17/5

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Double Nickel Brewing Company: L.A.S.E.R.

Double Nickel Brewing Company: L.A.S.E.R.

Style: New England IPA

Special Notes: Brewed with milk sugar (aka Lactose). Hopped with Simcoe in the whirlpool and double dry-hopped with tons of Azacca, El Dorado and Rakau.

Hops: Simcoe, Azacca, El Dorado, Rakau

ABV: 6.4

IBU: 16

Availability: Rotating availability

@untappd says: 4.14/5

We are absolutely laser-focused on the Windowsill today!

I’ve been meaning to get Double Nickel Brewing Company back on the sill for a couple of weeks now, so that I could talk about how incredibly generous they are. A month or two ago, I got a couple of beers from them, which I reviewed on the sill. I figured that would be the end of it, but a few weeks later, another package from the New Jersey-based brewery showed up at my door.

Double Nickel Brewing Company: L.A.S.E.R.
Look at this colorful label. Was a laser used to make it? Does that even make sense? (Credit: Martin Stezano/Beers on WIndowsills)

When I opened it, I was floored. Not only did they send me today’s Windowsill brew, the L.A.S.E.R. DDH IPA, they also sent me six other beers and a sweet AF pilsner glass, which has been on the sill already. I’m most looking forward to the three Russian Imperial Stouts—one bourbon barrel-aged, one regular and one oak barrel-aged. Can’t wait!

I do need to talk a bit about the L.A.S.E.R. though, because it was awesome. It’s a New England-style IPA brewed with milk sugar (aka Lactose), Simcoe in the whirlpool and double dry-hopped with tons of Azacca, El Dorado and Rakau. It’s super hoppy without being overly bitter, and you can tell by that color just how bright and tasty it is. Lots of citrus, berries and stone fruit in this one. Gotta try it!

Head over to Instagram now for more great craft beer!

SingleCut Beersmiths: Double Dry-Hopped Harry Doesn’t Mind

SingleCut Beersmiths: DDH Harry Doesn't Mind

Style: Double Dry-Hopped IPA

Special Notes: Inspired by the Dire Straits song, The Sultans of Swing.

ABV: 8.0%

IBU: 88

Availability: Rotating

@untappd says: 4.19/5

“And Harry doesn’t mind if he doesn’t make a scene on the Windowsill / He’s got a daytime job—He’s doing alright.” – Dire Straits… sort of.

If you like 80s rock, you know the band Dire Straits. They’re a British rock band, formed in London in the late 70s but—at least in my opinion—their biggest hits came off of the 1985 album, Brothers in Arms. That album—the band’s only album to hit #1 on every global chart—contained the band’s only number one single, “Money for Nothing.” All that being said, today’s beer, the Double Dry-Hopped Harry Doesn’t Mind from SingleCut Beersmiths, is named after the band’s very first single, The “Sultans of Swing”, which came off of their self-titled 1979 album.

SingleCut Beersmiths: DDH Harry Doesn't Mind
The double-headed dog represents the double dry-hopping in the brew! (Credit: Martin Stezano/Beers on Windowsills)

As the lyric says (paraphrasing here), Harry doesn’t really have time to hit the nightlife during the week, because he works a day job. That’s ok though, because he saves it up for Friday Night… when he plays some tunes with the Sultans of Swing. I relate to this. If there’s one thing I don’t like doing, it’s going out during the week. I like to save my drinking, eating and partying for the weekend. For you, Windowsillers. You guys are my Sultans of Swing.

As for the beer itself, what do you think I’m going to say? It’s from SingleCut and it’s DDHed. That’s literally what they do best. My can had a couple of unfortunate floaties in it, but they didn’t impact the stone fruit and bright citrus flavors, and they didn’t impact the hoppy goodness in the brew. This is a winner, and I don’t mind telling you that.

Head to my Instagram for more great SingleCut craft brews!

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. SingleCut Beersmiths: Double Dry-Hopped Harry Doesn’t Mind . “And Harry doesn’t mind if he doesn’t make a scene on the Windowsill / He’s got a daytime job—He’s doing alright.” – Dire Straits… sort of. . If you like 80s rock, you know the band Dire Straits. They’re a British rock band, formed in London in the late 70s but—at least in my opinion—their biggest hits came off of the 1985 album, Brothers in Arms. That album—the band’s only album to hit #1 on every global chart—contained the band’s only number one single, “Money for Nothing.” All that being said, today’s beer, the Double Dry-Hopped Harry Doesn’t Mind from SingleCut Beersmiths, is named after the band’s very first single, The Sultans of Swing, which came off of their self-titled 1979 album. . As the lyric says (paraphrasing here), Harry doesn’t really have time to hit the nightlife during the week, because he works a day job. That’s ok though, because he saves it up for Friday Night… when he plays some tunes with the Sultans of Swing. I relate to this. If there’s one thing I don’t like doing, it’s going out during the week. I like to save my drinking, eating and partying for the weekend. For you, Windowsillers. You guys are my Sultans of Swing. . As for the beer itself, what do you think I’m going to say? It’s from SingleCut and it’s DDHed. That’s literally what they do best. My can had a couple of unfortunate floaties in it, but they didn’t impact the stone fruit and bright citrus flavors, and they didn’t impact the hoppy goodness in the brew. This is a winner, and I don’t mind telling you that. . ABV: 8.0, IBU: 88, Rotating availability . @untappd says: 4.19/5

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Counter Weight Brewing Company: Crucial Mass

Counter Weight Brewing Company: Crucial Mass

Style: Imperial IPA

Special Notes: Brewed with unknown American and southern hemisphere hops.

ABV: 8

IBU: N/A

Availability: Rotating availability

@untappd says: 4.31/5

I’ve been a little too Trillium heavy on the sill lately, time to counter that weight with some more local fare!

I don’t say this enough—mostly because I make the mistake of not drinking beers from there as much as I should—but Hamden, CT’s Counter Weight Brewing Company is one of the better breweries in the great state of Connecticut. Kickass taproom. Awesome brews. Solid can art, too. I wanted to show them some love!

Counter Weight Brewing Company: Crucial Mass
Look at that radiating label art! (Credit: Martin Stezano/Beers on Windowsills)

A big reason I wanted to show that love was because my buddy, @galleycookinbeersnob, recently got me a couple cans of one of their better Double IPAs, Crucial Mass. This beer is so good, my taste buds almost went nuclear when the first sip hit them. Not sure what the hop bill is, but Counterweight does say that it’s made up of a blend of American and Southern hemisphere hops. It’s a very tropical brew with a very nice malt backbone. Hops in your face all day, though. Crucial Mass of hops!

Head over to my Instagram now, for more great craft beer!

Two Roads Brewing Company: Lil’ Heaven: Anger Cask

Two Roads Brewing Company: Lil' Heaven Anger Cask

Last night I went to a cask fest, and I managed to find a nice Windowsill there!

If you’ve been following my sill for a while, you know that Two Roads Brewing Company is one of my favorite local breweries. When I heard they were having a cask fest featuring 30 different Two Roads casks and 4 firkins of specialty ciders, I was all in. The festival itself was lots of fun. The beer casks were phenomenal, many of which you can see in the photos above.

For me, the highlight of the night was the set of Heaven or Hell casks. Each set of adjunct ingredients was used—in the same amounts, too—in casks using Two Roads’ Road 2 Ruin DIPA, and Lil’ Heaven Session IPA. The theme was, of course, “which road will you choose?” Most of the time I chose Road 2 Ruin, as it is one of my favorite DIPAs, but sometimes I went with the angel on my shoulder and chose the Lil’ Heaven.

Two Roads Brewing Company: Lil' Heaven Anger Cask
Like hot peppers? I do, but this was nuts. (Credit: Martin Stezano/Beers on Windowsills)

For me, the highlight of the night was the set of Heaven or Hell casks. Each set of adjunct ingredients was used—in the same amounts, too—in casks using Two Roads’ Road 2 Ruin DIPA, and Lil’ Heaven Session IPA. The theme was, of course, “which road will you choose?” Most of the time I chose Road 2 Ruin, as it is one of my favorite DIPAs, but sometimes I went with the angel on my shoulder and chose the Lil’ Heaven.

My favorite cask of the night had to be the one in the lead image above. It was called Anger, and it was made with some very hot ingredients—Scorpion Peppers and Carolina Reaper Peppers. How hot are those? Well, a Habanero pepper weighs in at 350 Scoville Heat Units (SHU). A Ghost Pepper weighs in at a range of 850,000 SHU to about 1 Million SHU. The Scorpion peppers? 1.2 Million to 2 Million SHU. And those Reapers are heavy hitters, weighing in at somewhere between 1.4 Million SHU and 2.2 Million SHU. Shit was hot, bro. Like, linger in your throat for 15 minutes hot. But it was such an interesting cask, that I loved it. I did not go back for seconds, though, lol.

Check out the pictures from the fest, and the kickass taster glass they included in the ticket purchase! Only on Instagram!

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Two Roads Brewing Company: Lil’ Heaven: Anger Cask . Last night I went to a cask fest, and I managed to find a nice Windowsill there! . If you’ve been following my sill for a while, you know that @tworoadsbrewing is one of my favorite local breweries. When I heard they were having a cask fest featuring 30 different Two Roads casks and 4 firkins of specialty ciders, I was all in. The festival itself was lots of fun. The beer casks were phenomenal, many of which you can see in the photos above. . For me, the highlight of the night was the set of Heaven or Hell casks. Each set of adjunct ingredients was used—in the same amounts, too—in casks using Two Roads’ Road 2 Ruin DIPA, and Lil’ Heaven Session IPA. The theme was, of course, “which road will you choose?” Most of the time I chose Road 2 Ruin, as it is one of my favorite DIPAs, but sometimes I went with the angel on my shoulder and chose the Lil’ Heaven. . My favorite cask of the night had to be the one in the lead image above. It was called Anger, and it was made with some very hot ingredients—Scorpion Peppers and Carolina Reaper Peppers. How hot are those? Well, a Habanero pepper weighs in at 350 Scoville Heat Units (SHU). A Ghost Pepper weighs in at a range of 850,000 SHU to about 1 Million SHU. The Scorpion peppers? 1.2 Million to 2 Million SHU. And those Reapers are heavy hitters, weighing in at somewhere between 1.4 Million SHU and 2.2 Million SHU. Shit was hot, bro. Like, linger in your throat for 15 minutes hot. But it was such an interesting cask, that I loved it. I did not go back for seconds, though, lol. . Anyway, check out the pictures from the fest, and the kickass taster glass they included in the ticket purchase! . ABV: 4.8%, IBU: N/A, Cask Fest Only . @untappd says: Unavailable

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Trillium Brewing Company: Cacao Day & Night

Trillium Brewing Company: Cacao Day & Night

Style: Blonde Barleywine

Special Notes: Brewed with Barrington Coffee Roasting Company cold brew coffee, and Goodnow Farms cacao nibs.

Hops: Hop extract

Malts: Pilsner, Abbey, Turbinado Sugar

ABV: 10.0%

IBU: N/A

Availability: Columbus

@untappd says: 4.03/5

Now I’m gonna have Kid Cudi stuck in my head all day.

Have you ever had a coffee barleywine? I’ve purchased two in my life—counting this year’s Bourbon County Brand release—but Trillium Brewing Company’s Cacao Day & Night is the first one I’ve actually ever tried. It’s definitely unique, but if you can get over the fact that you’re not used to tasting coffee in a beer outside of a stout, you’ll find a really robustly flavored barleywine that’s really enjoyable to sip.

Trillium Brewing Company: Cacao Day & Night
Cacao and coffee? Not in a stout? OK, baby! (Credit: Martin Stezano/Beers on Windowsills)

I picked this one up on my trip to Trillium’s canton location couple of weeks ago, but I lost it in the back of my fridge. Don’t you hate when that happens? Anyway, it’s from the Day & Night series of coffee barleywines that Trillium has been putting out for a minute now. However, the variants of this brew usually involve different types of coffee. The coffee used in this one comes from frequent contributor Barrington Coffee Roasting Company, but the key ingredient is the cacao nibs from Goodnow Farms. This one is wonderful on the nose, and the flavors really push through too. Like I said, it’s a little weird when coffee isn’t in a deep dark porter or stout, but I really liked this one.

Head over to Instagram to check this out now!

Castle Island Brewing Company: Social Studies: Amarillo

Castle Island Brewing Company: Social Studies: Amarillo

Style: Imperial New England IPA

Hops: Galaxy, Citra, Nelson and Mosaic

ABV: 7.8%

IBU: N/A

Availability: Rotating

@untappd says: 3.84/5

Middle school Me to adult Me: You’re writing a post about how good social studies is? Who have you become, man?

Because of all the awesome Trillium Brewing Company beers I bought on my craft brewery road trip two weeks ago, I’m still getting around to posting about the other awesome breweries I hit up with my buddy, the Galley Cookin’ Beer Snob. Today, I want to talk to you a bit about Castle Island Brewing Company. It was the second stop on our tour, and we weren’t there for very long—just took a quick look around and bought cans—but I was pretty happy with the spot, and the beer I took home.

Castle Island Brewing Company: Social Studies: Amarillo
Does this label take you back to middle school, or what? (Credit: Martin Stezano/Beers on Window Sills)

The coolest thing going on at Castle Island while we were there was the Can derby. I’m not sure the rules, or how it all works with the signups and such, but a large space within the brewery was used to create a race course, and entrants made cars out of beer cans to battle it out for supremacy. You can see one of the cars in the photos below. It was pretty awesome, and makes me definitely want to go back to CIB when I have more time to spend there.

About the social studies: It’s a rotating series of single hop hazy IPAs from CIB, from which eight beers have been released: Citra, Ella, El Dorado, Simcoe, Ekuanot, Azacca, Mosaic and Amarillo. I managed to grab a four-pack of the Amarillo, and I was pretty happy with it. The Amarillo hop produces some great tropical aromas and notes of ripe Mandarin orange. I dug it. Didn’t mind doing the homework on this one at all. I also picked up a four-pack of the Dream Police, a spiced porter, that I’ll review down the road sometime.

Head over to Instagram to check out more photos from my visit!

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. Castle Island Brewing Company: Social Studies: Amarillo . Middle school Me to adult Me: You’re writing a post about how good social studies is? Who have you become, man? . Because of all the awesome @trilliumcanton beers I bought on my craft brewery road trip two weeks ago, I’m still getting around to posting about the other awesome breweries I hit up with my buddy, @galleycookinbeersnob. Today, I want to talk to you a bit about Castle Island Brewing Company. It was the second stop on our tour, and we weren’t there for very long—just took a quick look around and bought cans—but I was pretty happy with the spot, and the beer I took home. . The coolest thing going on at Castle Island while we were there was the Can derby. I’m not sure the rules, or how it all works with the signups and such, but a large space within the brewery was used to create a race course, and entrants made cars out of beer cans to battle it out for supremacy. You can see one of the cars in the photos below. It was pretty awesome, and makes me definitely want to go back to CIB when I have more time to spend there. . About the social studies: It’s a rotating series of single hop hazy IPAs from CIB, from which eight beers have been released: Citra, Ella, El Dorado, Simcoe, Ekuanot, Azacca, Mosaic and Amarillo. I managed to grab a four-pack of the Amarillo, and I was pretty happy with it. The Amarillo hop produces some great tropical aromas and notes of ripe Mandarin orange. I dug it. Didn’t mind doing the homework on this one at all. I also picked up a four-pack of the Dream Police, a spiced porter, that I’ll review down the road sometime. . ABV: 7.8%, IBU: 40, Rotating availability . @untappd says: 3.84/5

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