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Left Hand Brewing Company: Wake Up Dead Nitro (2018)

Left Hand Brewing Company: Wake Up Dead Nitro

Style: Russian Imperial Stout

Special Notes: Carbonated with Nitrogen.

ABV: 10.2%

IBU: 45

Availability: Winter seasonal

@untappd says: 3.82/5

Happy New Year Windowsillers!

Did you ever wake up dead? I thought I did this morning, but it turned out I was just hungover from celebrating New Year’s Eve at Barcelona Wine Bar in Fairfield, CT. It’s something my wife and I have done a few times now, and it’s always a blast. We typically start with dinner at the restaurant, where they do pretty incredible Spanish-style tapas and entrees. Our favorite tapas are definitely the Sweet & Sour Chorizo & Figs and the Potato Tortillas and the very best entree is the Vegetable Paella. The best part? It’s attached to the Hotel Hi-Ho, so we just rented rooms. No drinking and driving. All drinking and partying!

Left Hand Brewing Company: Wake Up Dead Nitro label closeup
This is definitely a badass label design. Love it! (Credit: Martin Stezano/Beers on Windowsills)

It’s the hotel that I have to thank for today’s Windowsill. You can even see the Barcelona Wine Bar sign in the background. Beautiful! As far as the beer? It’s a Nitro Imperial Russian stout from Left Hand Brewing Company named Wake Up Dead. It’s brewed with a slew of delicious malts, including Pale 2-row, Munich, Crystal, Chocolate, Roasted Barley, Black Barley and Flaked Oats. Magnum and US Goldings hops make up the rest.

I love Nitro everything. I don’t care if it’s coffee or beer. Today, it’s beer, and the creamy, cascading head from the nitrogen carbonation works beautifully with this stout. It’s chocolately with hints of dry fruit. I really loved it. Got my New Year’s Eve rolling! Plus, that can art is awesome! Hope you all had a wonderful New Year’s Eve, and that your 2019 includes a lot of great beer—on a windowsill if possible!

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. Left Hand Brewing Company: Wake Up Dead Nitro (2018) . Happy New Year Windowsillers! . Did you ever wake up dead? I thought I did this morning, but it turned out I was just hungover from celebrating New Year’s Eve at Barcelona Wine Bar in Fairfield, CT. It’s something my wife, @jbeataetn, and I have done a few times now, and it’s always a blast. We typically start with dinner at the restaurant, where they do pretty incredible Spanish-style tapas and entrees. Our favorite tapas are definitely the Sweet & Sour Chorizo & Figs and the Potato Tortillas and the very best entree is the Vegetable Paella. The best part? It’s attached to the Hotel Hi-Ho, so we just rented rooms. No drinking and driving. All drinking and partying! . It’s the hotel that I have to thank for today’s Windowsill. You can even see the Barcelona Wine Bar sign in the background. Beautiful! As far as the beer? It’s a Nitro Imperial Russian stout from Left Hand Brewing Company named Wake Up Dead. It’s brewed with a slew of delicious malts, including Pale 2-row, Munich, Crystal, Chocolate, Roasted Barley, Black Barley and Flaked Oats. Magnum and US Goldings hops make up the rest. . I love Nitro everything. I don’t care if it’s coffee or beer. Today, it’s beer, and the creamy, cascading head from the nitrogen carbonation works beautifully with this stout. It’s chocolately with hints of dry fruit. I really loved it. Got my New Year’s Eve rolling! Plus, that can art is awesome! Hope you all had a wonderful New Year’s Eve, and that your 2019 includes a lot of great beer—on a windowsill if possible! . ABV: 10.2%, IBU: 45, Winter seasonal availability . @untappd says: 3.82/5

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Boulder Beer Company: Killer Penguin

Boulder Beer Company: Killer Penguin

Style: American Style Barleywine

Special Notes: Bottled in 2009 and 2014, respectively

Hops: Nugget, Willamette, Cascade

Malts: Pale Malt, 70/80 Crystal Malt

ABV: 10.0% at bottling

IBU: 2009 – N/A, 2014 – 60

Availability: These are no longer in production, but the Killer Penguin is released every fall/winter

@untappd says: 2009 – 3.84/5, 2014 – 3.81/5

Last week, I debuted my Cellar on the Sill series with a lovely brew from Avery Brewing Company. Today, it’s Boulder Beer Company’s turn to get dusted off and prepared to shine.

Established in 1979, Boulder is known as Colorado’s first microbrewery. It was started by two physics professors, Randolf Ware and David Hummer, and their associate, Alvin Nelson. At the time it was established, it was only the 43rd licensed brewery in the United States. For context, there are now at least 41 in just Colorado, according to wikipedia. The company has undergone several name changes, from Boulder Brewing Company to Boulder Beer Company to Rockies Brewing Company and then back to Boulder Beer in 2005.

The Killer Penguin, of which I have two different bottles on the sill today, is their Barleywine Style Ale. It’s a limited small-batch release which, according to Boulder Beer, is a “dark garnet red in color with a candied-fruit like aroma and flavor.” Boulder says it’s big and smooth, and “perfect to share among friends.” It’s one of their most rare and sought-after bottled beers. The 2009 bottle says they only brewed one 50-barrel batch per year. Not sure if that still holds true, though.

Colorado Beer Company: Killer Penguin
Look at those badass labels! (Credit: Martin Stezano/Beers on Windowsills)

The first bottle you see is from 2009, and was gifted to me by great friend of the Windowsill, @one_ill_tom. He bought it on a trip to upstate New York, from a random bottle store that had a cellar sale. Aside from the coloring of the label, you can also see that this Killer Penguin was part of BBC’s Looking Glass Series of more experimental brews.

By the time the 2014 bottle came around, things got different. The label is darker and more menacing, and, frankly, better drawn. You can even see the Penguin’s other eye. The Looking Glass Series label is also gone… guess that branding was no longer being highlighted.

I’m not sure if I am going to open these, or try a little harder to collect more from other years, but whenever I do open them, I’ll definitely do a vertical tasting and let you guys know!

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. Cellar on the Sill – Boulder Beer Company: Killer Penguin 2009 and 2014 . Last week, I debuted my Cellar on the Sill series with a lovely brew from Avery Brewing Company. Today, it’s Boulder Beer Company’s turn to get dusted off and prepared to shine. . Established in 1979, Boulder is known as Colorado’s first microbrewery. It was started by two physics professors, Randolf Ware and David Hummer, and their associate, Alvin Nelson. At the time it was established, it was only the 43rd licensed brewery in the United States. For context, there are now at least 41 in just Colorado, according to wikipedia. The company has undergone several name changes, from Boulder Brewing Company to Boulder Beer Company to Rockies Brewing Company and then back to Boulder Beer in 2005. . The Killer Penguin, of which I have two different bottles on the sill today, is their Barleywine Style Ale. It’s a limited small-batch release which, according to Boulder Beer, is a “dark garnet red in color with a candied-fruit like aroma and flavor.” Boulder says it’s big and smooth, and “perfect to share among friends.” It’s one of their most rare and sought-after bottled beers. The 2009 bottle says they only brewed one 50-barrel batch per year. Not sure if that still holds true, though. . The first bottle you see is from 2009, and was gifted to me by great friend of the Windowsill, @one_ill_tom. He bought it on a trip to upstate New York, from a random bottle store that had a cellar sale. Aside from the coloring of the label, you can also see that this Killer Penguin was part of BBC’s Looking Glass Series of more experimental brews. ABV: 10.0%, IBU, N/A, @untappd says: 3.84/5 . By the time the 2014 bottle came around, things got different. The label is darker and more menacing, and, frankly, better drawn. You can even see the Penguin’s other eye. The Looking Glass Series label is also gone… guess that branding was no longer being highlighted. ABV: 10.0%, IBU, 60, @untappd says: 3.81/5. . I’m not sure if I am going to open these, or try a little harder to collect more from other years, but whenever I do open them, I’ll definitely do a vertical tasting and let you guys know!

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Avery Brewing Company: The Czar (2013, Batch 12)

Avery Brewing Company: The Czar

Style: Imperial Stout

Special Notes:  German hops, English yeast, Imported malts and Rocky Mountain water

Hops: Hallertau

Malts: Chocolate, Special Roast, Black, Victory, 2-Row

Yeast: London Ale

ABV: 10.3% (when bottled)

IBU: 55

Availability: Good luck!

@untappd says: 4.07/5

Today, we have a bottle of Avery Brewing Company’s The Czar, an Imperial Stout… from 2013! I got this baby from my good friend Tom, who graciously gifted it to me for my birthday this past summer.

Not all of my beers are for drinking, but I still want to show them off, so we’re starting a new recurring series on the Windowsill. These won’t be reviews, just an exhibition of sorts. Let’s call it… Cellar on the Sill!

The wax-sealed top of the Czar bottle
That wax seal tells you all you need to know, right? (Credit: Martin Stezano/Beers on Windowsills)

The Czar is part of Avery’s Dictator Series (along with the Maharaja Imperial IPA and the Kaiser Imperial Oktoberfest), which was discontinued in 2017 (except for the Maharaja). It’s name, and the art on the label, is inspired by Russia’s last emperor, Nicholas II. Long story short, the House of Romanov ran Russia for over 300 years, until a guy named Vladimir Lenin came along and riled up the proletariat—that’s the working class—to the point of inciting a Karl Marx-inspired communist revolution.

Lenin wasn’t a fan of the Romanovs, and said specifically that Nicholas II was “the most evil enemy of the Russian people, a bloody executioner, an Asiatic gendarme…a crowned robber.” When the revolution hit, the Romanov family was gruesomely executed, ending the House of Romanov’s reign.

Tsar Nicholas II on the bottle label
Look at this mug. (Credit: Martin Stezano/Beers on Windowsills)

Politics aside, the Czar is a pretty solid representation of Nicholas II. For one, it’s an Imperial Stout, which was essentially invented by British brewers in the late 17th century so that they could ship their stouts to then Russian dictator Peter the Great. It’s brewed with German Hallertau hops and English London Ale yeast, which fits into Nicholas II’s family tree, since he was first cousins with both England’s King George V (seriously, have you seen the resemblance?) and Germany’s Kaiser Wilhelm II. Royals gonna royal, I guess?

There’s more to this beer than a good name, though. I can’t give a full review until I try it, but from what I hear, it’s one of the better Imperial Stouts out there. I wonder how it has aged? Hopefully better than the 300-year Romanov family reign. I don’t need a revolution in my stomach!

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. Avery Brewing Company: The Czar (2013, Batch No. 12) . Not all of my beers are for drinking, but I still want to show them off, so we’re starting a new recurring series on the Windowsill… Cellar on the Sill! . Today, we have a bottle of Avery Brewing Company’s The Czar, an Imperial Stout… from 2013! I got this baby from my good friend @one_ill_tom, who graciously gifted it to me for my birthday this past summer. . The Czar is part of Avery’s Dictator Series (along with the Maharaja Imperial IPA and the Kaiser Imperial Oktoberfest), which was discontinued in 2017 (except for the Maharaja). It’s name, and the art on the label, is inspired by Russia’s last emperor, Nicholas II. Long story short, the House of Romanov ran Russia for over 300 years, until a guy named Vladimir Lenin came along and riled up the proletariat—that’s the working class—to the point of inciting a Karl Marx-inspired communist revolution. . Lenin wasn’t a fan of the Romanovs, and said specifically that Nicholas II was “the most evil enemy of the Russian people, a bloody executioner, an Asiatic gendarme…a crowned robber." When the revolution hit, the Romanov family was gruesomely executed, ending the House of Romanov’s reign. . Politics aside, the Czar is a pretty solid representation of Nicholas II. For one, it’s an Imperial Stout, which was essentially invented by British brewers in the late 17th century so that they could ship their stouts to then Russian dictator Peter the Great. It’s brewed with German Hallertau hops and English London Ale yeast, which fits into Nicholas II’s family tree, since he was first cousins with both England’s King George (seriously, have you seen the resemblance?) and Germany’s Kaiser Wilhelm II. Royals gonna royal, I guess? . There’s more to this beer than a good name, though. I can’t give a full review until I try it, but from what I hear, it’s one of the better Imperial Stouts out there. I wonder how it has aged? Hopefully better than the 300-year Romanov family reign. I don’t need a revolution in my stomach! . ABV: 10.3% (in 2013), IBU: 55, No longer available . @untappd says: 4.07/5

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Avery Brewing Company: Tweak (2017) Batch #4

Avery Brewing Company: Tweak

Style: Imperial Stout Aged in Bourbon Barrels

Special Notes:  Coffee added, and aged for four months in bourbon barrels.

Hops: Columbus

Malts: Special B, Roasted Barley, Black, Aromatic, 2-Row

Yeast: Westmalle Belgian Ale

ABV: 16.0%

IBU: 65

Availability: Good luck!

@untappd says: 4.42/5

All of my BCB hunting had me tweaking for a barrel-aged stout!

All week long, I’ve been hunting and collecting the Goose Island Bourbon County Brand releases, knowing that I probably won’t get to taste their bourbon barrel-aged goodness until at least January. That seeking built up a thirst for something barrel-aged, chocolaty and with the consistency of motor oil… Delicious, 16% ABV motor oil.

When you need a good stout, you can’t go wrong with Colorado’s Avery Brewing Company. They’ve been putting out incredible beer since 1993, and today’s beer is no different. The Tweak has a backstory as interesting as its recipe. Avery has a famous stout they used to brew called Mephistopheles’ Stout (I had a bottle from 2007 on the Windowsill earlier this year). It’s a hefty whopper of a stout, indeed. What better to make a hefty stout better than to barrel age it?

Avery Brewing Company: Tweak
I knew this beer would kick my ass, but damn! (Credit: Martin Stezano/Beers on Windowsills)

That’s where the Tweak comes in… sort of. It was first brewed under a different name, Meph Addict. As you can imagine, that name did not come without controversy. It sounded like something Walter White would be concocting, and not a craft brewery. The decision was made to change the name to Tweak, which is still a Methamphetamine reference… if you want to get technical.

That being said, this beer was pretty awesome. It’s aged for four months in bourbon barrels, resulting in a viscous, oily, boozy and chocolatey stout, with really great notes of coffee, to boot. I’m so glad I picked it up. It really hit the spot, and damn near knocked me on my ass!

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. Avery Brewing Company: Tweak (2017) Batch #4 . All of my BCB hunting had me tweaking for a barrel-aged stout! . All week long, I’ve been hunting and collecting the Goose Island Bourbon County Brand releases, knowing that I probably won't get to taste their bourbon barrel-aged goodness until at least January. All that seeking built up a thirst for something barrel-aged, chocolaty and with the consistency of motor oil… Delicious, 16% ABV motor oil. . When you need a good stout, you can’t go wrong with Colorado’s Avery Brewing Company. They’ve been putting out incredible beer since 1993, and today’s beer is no different. The Tweak has a backstory as interesting as its recipe. Avery has a famous stout they used to brew called Mephistopheles’ Stout (I had a bottle from 2007 on the Windowsill earlier this year). It’s a hefty whopper of a stout, indeed. What better to make a hefty stout better than to barrel age it? . That’s where the Tweak comes in… sort of. It was first brewed under a different name, Meph Addict. As you can imagine, that name did not come without controversy. It sounded like something Walter White would be concocting, and not a craft brewery. The decision was made to change the name to Tweak, which is still a Methamphetamine reference… if you want to get technical. . That being said, this beer was pretty awesome. It’s aged for four months in bourbon barrels, resulting in a viscous, oily, boozy and chocolatey stout, with really great notes of coffee, to boot. I’m so glad I picked it up. It really hit the spot, and damn near knocked me on my ass! . ABV: 16.0%, IBU: 65, Rotating availability . @untappd says: 4.42/5

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Two Brothers Artisan Brewing: In the Flesh Pomegranate

Two Brothers Artisan Brewing: In the Flesh Pomegranate

ABV: 4.1%

IBU: 7

Availability: Brewed once

@untappd says: 3.93/5

Jim and Jason Ebel followed their dreams to start Two Brothers Artisan Brewing back in 1996, and they’ve been making creative brews ever since. Aside from the beer, the best part of their brewery is their commitment to “craft with a conscience.” They use green, renewable energy at all of their restaurants and tap houses, and all of their packaging is made from recycled—and recyclable—materials. They also have a rooftop garden where they grow a lot of the ingredients used in their recipes, and whatever they can’t grow, they source locally. Love that Colorado craft life!

The In the Flesh Pomegranate is part of Jason And Jim’s American Sour series. They strive to provide “drinkable fruit sours that offer the perfect balance between sweet and tar.” If you can think of a fruit, Two Brothers has turned it into an In The Flesh release, or they’re going to eventually. The Pomegranate is made with real pomegranate, and I found it achieved the goals the series set forth. A little sweet, a little tart and very refreshing!

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New Belgium Brewing Company: Voodoo Ranger Juicy Haze IPA

New Belgium Brewing Company: Voodoo Ranger Juicy Haze IPA

Hops: Citra, Cascade, Centennial, Simcoe, Nugget

Grain Bill: Pale, Wheat, C-80, Oats

Yeast: American Hefeweizen

ABV: 7.5%

IBU: 50

Availability: Year-round

@untappd says: 3.78/5

Who is the Voodoo Ranger? Consider him a brand extension for Colorado’s New Belgium Brewing Company. In December(ish) of 2016, New Belgium retired some year-round brews, including its Ranger IPA, and debuted a new IPA, the Voodoo Ranger. The now famous skeleton with the ranger hat became the de facto mascot for this brand swap, and he’s graced the bottles and cans of several incarnations of the Voodoo Ranger brew in the last 18 months or so. Check his wacky adventures out on Instagram, @voodooranger. Also, check out Frost Motion, the design company that created him!

The Voodoo Ranger Juicy Haze IPA is the latest major incarnation (not counting special releases) of the Voodoo series. True to its name, it’s an unfiltered IPA brewed with Citra, Cascade, Centennial, Simcoe and Nugget hops. All those hops, and the hefeweizen yeast strain, combine for a very citrusy and tropical delight that I definitely wouldn’t kick out of bed in the morning. Very enjoyable brew from a brewery that remains one of my favorites. I definitely recommend trying the Juicy Haze IPA, and the rest of the other Voodoo Ranger line.

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Left Hand Brewing Company: Saison Au Miel

Left Hand Brewing Company: Saison Au Miel

ABV: 6.8%

IBU: 10

Availability: Spring seasonal

@untappd says: 3.61/5

The Windowsill is feeling sweet like honey today!

Left Hand Brewing Company is the brainchild of Dick Doore and Eric Wallace, two friends who met in college, at the Air Force Academy. They incorporated in 1993, and started rolling out the beers. Why Left Hand? The company is named in honor of Chief Niwot, an Arapaho chief who wintered his tribe in the Boulder Valley area of Colorado. Niwot, whose name meant Left Hand, was killed during the Sand Creek Massacre, betrayed by the U.S. soldiers he thought were his friends.

I love a good saison (aka farmhouse ale). The Saison Au Miel was my first of the style from Left Hand, and I really enjoyed it. It was dry, crisp and mildly tart, and the Colorado wildflower honey really came through in the middle to soften my palate. Makes me sad that I only picked up one!

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Trinity Brewing & Evoke Fermentations: Super Juice Solution

Trinity Brewing & Evoke Fermentations: Super Juice Solution

ABV: 4.1%

IBU: N/A

Availability: Summer seasonal

@untappd says: 3.83/5

There’s a problem on the Windowsill, and there’s only one solution: Lost Photo Friday!

Trinity Brewing & Evoke Fermentations is all about finding solutions. Not just for beer-related problems, either. They also want to solve their patrons’ health problems. Starting after St. Patrick’s Day, they host a running group called Soul Runners every Monday at 5:45PM. Anyone—at any level of fitness—can come, and there are 4 and 8-mile (can we call these “Spaghetti, Spaghetti?”) trails. This is very smart business. Healthy customers live longer, and come back for more beer. Everyone wins!

When I had the Super Juice Solution over the summer, it was the first sour IPA I’d ever had. For whatever reason, the photo got lost in the BOW archives, but the beer is definitely one to be remembered. It’s soured with Lactobacillus delbrueckii yeast bacteria and uses fruity american hops for aroma and flavor. It’s a very juicy IPA that really refreshed me. And, at 4.1% ABV, your summer solution can involve more than one of these.

You have a problem, and the only solution… is Beers on Windowsills on Instagram!