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SingleCut Beersmiths: Barrel Aged Heavy Boots of Lead

SingleCut Beersmiths: Barrel Aged Heavy Boots of Lead

ABV: 11.0%

IBU: 55

Availability: Rotating

@untappd says: 4.29/5

It’s not the sabbath, but we’ve still got Iron man on the Windowsill today!

For today’s SingleCut Beersmiths rock n’ roll inspiration, I give you the following lyrics, from Black Sabbath’s Iron Man…. “Heavy boots of lead / Fills his victims full of dread. Running as fast as they can / Iron man lives again.” As you can see, that’s what today’s beer is named after, and I think it’s pretty appropriate for this barrel-aged version of the Heavy Boots of Lead, an imperial stout that, if you’re not ready for it, might have you running scared.

Luckily, I was ready for this brew because it won the Instagram story poll this weekend. You wanted me to drink it, so I did. This incredible stout from SingleCut is aged in rye whisky barrels for a year. It also has some added Oregon honey for a touch of sweetness. The result is a chocolaty, smooth, creamy stout with just enough whiskey and honey flavor to put it near the top of my list of favorite stouts. It’s so good that, like the Iron man, must have been created in that great magnetic field, indeed!

Head over to Instagram for more great SingleCut brews!

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Fifth Hammer Brewing Company: Llama Drama

Fifth Hammer Brewing Company: Llama Drama

Hops: Mosaic, Palisade

ABV: 7.2%

IBU: N/A

Availability: Rotating

@untappd says: 4.05/5

Save the drama for yo’ llama… and my Windowsill!

I love trying out new local breweries. This week, I had the honor of tasting my first brew from Long Island City’s (that’s in Queens) Fifth Hammer Brewing Company. When they opened their taps in October of last year, owners Chris Cuzme and David Scharfstein ended a two-year search for the perfect brewery location. My favorite part of this brewery is its name. There’s an old story about the famous mathematician, Pythagoras (you’ve heard of his theorem, I’m sure). It seems Pythagoras was doing some digging into the mathematical relationship between musical notes. He walked into a blacksmith shop and heard five hammers clanging on metal. The first four were in harmony, but that fifth hammer clashed with the rest. Here’s to the discordant ones!

I’m glad the Llama Drama was my first foray into this brewery. Although it seemed a little too carbonated when i first opened it, once I let it settle in, it was really good. Very nice notes of tropical fruit, honeysuckle and peach on the nose, and lots of hoppy and tropical goodness on the palate. The Llama Drama is dry-hopped with Mosaic and Palisade hops. Super tasty, but surprisingly drama—and llama—free.

Check out this, and all the other drama, on my Instagram right now!

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Alewife Brewing Company: Death to Ego

Alewife Brewing Company: Death to Ego on the Windowsill

Hops: Azacca, Centennial, El Dorado

ABV: 6.1%

IBU: 54

Availability: Year-round

@untappd says: 3.9/5

Let’s set our egos aside in favor of good beer on the Windowsill today!

Yesterday, my good pals Mike and Christine introduced me to Alewife Brewing Company—a great brewpub in Long Island City, Queens. I’m really grateful that they did. Not only did Alewife have a Windowsill for me to put a beer on (although it was a tad dark), they also brew their own solid beers, and carry over two dozen craft beers from New York, and all over the country, too. I tried some delicious in-house beers, as well as other craft brew on tap from LIC Beer Project, SingleCut Beersmiths and Clown Shoes Beer. One nice detail you can see in the photos in the Instagram post below… at 8:29 PM, they printed out a new tap list. It replaced the 3:38 PM tap list. These guys are on top of their stuff. Oh, did I mention they also have delicious food? I devoured my burger so quickly, I didn’t even take a picture of it. If you’re in Long Island City, check them out!

It doesn’t matter how many craft beers a brewpub has, I have to judge them on the beer they brew in in their own barrels and tanks. Thankfully, the Death to Ego was tasty! It’s an American IPA, and the official description says it all. CITRUS. FRUIT. LOVE. If you ask me, those are some pretty key ingredients for brewing a good IPA. Thankfully, they also used actual ingredients—namely, Azacca, Centennial and El Dorado hops. Great combo! I wish I’d tried more of Alewife’s in-house brews to see how they stacked up to the Death to Ego, but I was too busy oogling the rest of the craft brew list. Oh well. Next time!

Head over to our Instagram to see more photos of Alewife Brewing Company, now!

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SingleCut Beersmiths: Double Dry-Hopped Workers Are Going Home

SingleCut Beersmiths: Double Dry-Hopped Workers Are Going Home

ABV: 8.0%

IBU: 123

Availability: Rotating

@untappd says: 4.26/5

My name ain’t Jonas, but I have a killer beer on the Windowsill for you today!

In case you haven’t figured it out, today’s SingleCut Beersmiths brew is named after a repeated line in “My Name is Jonas,” a hit song by from one of my favorite rock bands, Weezer. The song is off their self titled 1994 debut album (also known as The Blue Album), and was inspired by a situation lead singer Rivers Cuomo’s brother was having with insurance after a car crash. In the song, it seems like more of a construction problem—the song basically describes a construction crew deciding not to work, and going home—but whatever. Great tune! On the original version of this beer, the little man on the label is wearing a construction outfit, complete with a hard hat and orange vest. For the upgraded DDH version, we get the guy in the business suit. You fancy, huh?

Like just about everything else I’ve had from SingleCut, the Workers Are Going Home was pretty amazing. Although I don’t know the exact varieties, the double IPA uses hops from Australian, Pacific Northwest and new-age European hops. The dry-hopping is done with the mysterious Australian and European varieties. Lots of hops. Lots of juice. Solid ABV. The Workers Are Going Home is delicious. If I see it at my local shop again, I might use a dozer to clear a path to it. Go home and drink one for yourself!

Check it out on Instagram. Make sure to like it, and follow Beers on Windowsills!

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Port Jeff Brewing Company: Party Boat IPA

Port Jeff Brewing Company: Party Boat IPA

Hops: 10 Kinds (undefined)

ABV: 7.7%

IBU: 101

Availability: Year-round

@untappd says: 3.54/5

Taking the ferry over to Long Island for today’s Windowsill brew!

Port Jefferson Brewing Company opened its taps in Port Jefferson, New York in 2011. It’s the old feel good story of home brewer makes good. In this case, that former home brewer is Michael Philbrick. Philbrick’s wife actually bought him his first brewing kit back in 2000, which is really when the seeds for PJBC were first sewn. It took over 10 years, but PJBC is now in its 7th year making beer for the people of Long Island, and beyond, and they even have a nice taproom now!

The Party Boat IPA is a pretty crazy IPA. It’s got a big malty backbone up front, with some good piney, citrusy hop finish. Although I don’t have the specific varieties identified, this beer contains a whopping 10 different kinds of hops. I wouldn’t say it bowled me over, but the Party Boat is a nice little IPA, not too hefty on the ABV, but with some good flavor and aroma.

Check out our great selection of craft beer (and Windowsills) on Instagram, right now!

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Newburgh Brewing Company: NewYorkBoss IPA

Newburgh Brewing Company: NewYorkBoss IPA

ABV: 7.0%

IBU: 35

Availability: Limited

@untappd says: 3.77/5

I Paid the cost to drink the boss on the Windowsill today!

Whole Foods is at it again, partnering with a New York craft brewery to bring an exclusive beer to market. This time, the supermarket chain struck a deal with Newburgh’s Newburgh Brewing Company to release today’s beer, the NewYorkBoss. This is actually part of an even bigger collaboration initiative from Newburgh, called the Boss Series. The NanoBoss, MegaBoss and GigaBoss are their original IPAs (there’s also a LagerBoss), but the new series includes the following collaborations: NewYorkBoss (Whole Foods), the ChefBoss (with The Brewery at CIA) and the MooeyBoss (with Bonn Place Brewing). A new Boss collaboration will be released every month!

I Decided to drink the NewYorkBoss in honor of the New York Yankees, who currently wear that title after winning 15 of their last 16 games (the crosstown Mets, meanwhile, have won just 5 of their last 16). It’s an IPA brewed using 100% New York State-grown ingredients, with hops from Pedersen Farms in the Finger Lakes, and malt from Germantown Beer Farm. Very citrusy and delicious! Those NYS ingredients really make for great brews. Go Newburgh, Go Boss Series, and Go Yankees!

Check this one out on Instagram, now! Like and follow our page for more great craft beer!

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Industrial Arts Brewing Company: Power Tools

Industrial Arts Brewing Company: Power Tools

ABV: 7.1%

IBU: N/A

Availability: Rotating

@untappd says: 3.94/5

Sometimes you need the right tools for the Windowsill job!

Typically I would tell you about the brewery here, but instead, I’m going to tell you about the two newest members of the Windowsill family, our new kitties, Luna, who is modeling nicely on the Windowsill, and Charlie, trying her best to ignore my empty can. We adopted them this past Saturday and, as you can see below, they’re adjusting just fine! Don’t worry, they don’t drink, they’re just being pretty for the camera. They’ll be debuting on their own Instagram soon enough, but I figured I’d introduce them to you guys!

Luna the cat and the Power Tools IPA from Industrial Arts Brewing—on the Windowsill
Luna the cat and the Power Tools IPA from Industrial Arts Brewing—on the Windowsill
Luna is definitely ready for the Windowsill spotlight to shine on her!
(Credit: Martin Stezano/Beers on Windowsills)
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Now, let’s talk about the Power Tools IPA. New York’s Industrial Arts Brewing Company is really becoming one of my favorite breweries. I couldn’t find much information about the ingredients in this IPA—other than that it’s a beefed up version of the Tools of the Trade—but it’s pretty great. Big aroma of grapefruit and pine oils punches you in the nose up front, and it has an awful lot of hoppy bitterness on every sip, with some good light maltiness for balance and body. The Power Tools is Delicious!

Check this one out on Instagram! Make sure to like and follow us!

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Sixpoint Brewery: Hi-Res

Sixpoint Brewery: Hi-Res

ABV: 11.1%

IBU: 111

Availability: Limited

@untappd says: 4.13/5

Sixpoint Brewing Company: Hi-Res

The Windowsill is definitely in high resolution today!

Brooklyn, New York’s Sixpoint Brewing Company was the result of a guy from Milwaukee and a guy from Manhattan bond over beer. Andrew Bornstein (the Manhattan guy) and Shane Welch (the Milwaukee fella) met while attending the University of Wisconsin (Go Badgers). Welch, and avid homebrewer, had the recipes. Bornstein put up the cash, and Sixpoint was born. Their brewery is housed in a Brooklyn factory that was once used to make filing cabinets. These days, they’re just filing good beer after good beer.

The Hi-Res Triple IPA is a bit of a monster, weighing in at 11.1% ABV and 111 IBUs. It’s basically an amped up version of their DIPA, Resin, which we haven’t had on the Windowsill before. It’s got some bomb hoppiness aroma to it, as you can imagine, and lots of solid tropical, sweet and resin flavors in the background. Despite the big ABV, not a lot of boozyness to it. If you like Resin, you’ll love Hi-Res!

Love triple IPAs? Head over to Instagram for more great craft beer!

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SingleCut Beersmiths: Tomorrow Who’s Gonna Fuss?

SingleCut Beersmiths: Tomorrow Who's Gonna Fuss

ABV: 10.0%

IBU: 155

Availability: Rotating

@untappd says: 4.32/5

We have another kickass New York beer on the Windowsill today!

SingleCut Beersmiths is at it again with the rock references! “Tomorrow Who’s Gonna Fuss?” is a lyric from the song “Androgynous” by the Replacements. The song says: “Here comes Dick, he’s wearing a skirt / Here comes Jane, you know she’s sporting a chain / Same hair, revolution / Same build, evolution / Tomorrow who’s gonna fuss?” The song goes on to say that Jane and Dick love each other, and the message behind it is… In the grand scheme of things, who gives a crap what they look like, their gender or who they love? This is a message that I fully support. Love whoever you want, as long as you love my Windowsill! Logo note: To the best of my understanding, the Replacements wore a lot of plaid. The reason behind rainbow coloring should be clear.

I’ve been on a bit of a triple IPA kick of late, and I think I’ve found the absolute cream of the crop with the “Tomorrow Who’s Gonna Fuss?.” SingleCut doesn’t say what the hop blend is for this beer, and I don’t want to guess and reveal my novice status in the craft beer game, but just know that this is triple dry-hopped to go along with being a triple IPA. Triple! All that brewing, and hopping contribute to not just the hefty 10.0% ABV, but also to the highest IBU total I’ve ever had in a beer, 155. Despite all that bitterness and alcohol, it’s incredibly smooth and easy-drinking. No booziness at all! Goodness, gracious this was great. Tomorrow, I will still definitely make a fuss about it!

Head on over to Instagram to like this post, and follow us for more great beer!

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SingleCut Beersmiths: Conform or Be Cast Out

SingleCut Beersmiths: Conform or Be Cast Out

ABV: 7.2%

IBU: 70

Availability: Rotating

@untappd says: 4.16/5

Don’t worry, we won’t cast you out of the Windowsill today, whether you conform or not!

In 1982, Rush released their ninth studio album, Signals. The first track on that album, Subdivisions, says this: “Subdivisions / In the high school halls / In the shopping malls / Conform or be cast out.” Whether you agree with that social commentary or not, that lyric inspired the name of today’s beer from SingleCut Beersmiths. If you’re wondering about the label, you Rush fans should recognize “that Darn Dragon!” The Dragon originally appeared in the live concert tour Rush in Rio, before the band played “One Little Victory,” and eventually returned during their R30 tour. The writing uses simplified Chinese characters generally only used in China (thanks @mindic1782 for the translation) to say the name of the beer. Conform or be Cast Out!

OK, enough about Rush, let’s talk about the beer. This one was really special, and really tasty! It’s an IPA brewed with pink peppercorns—actually a berry related to cashews and not pepper—and Szechuan peppercorns, which is a commonly used spice in Chinese cuisine (is the label situation becoming clearer?). The result is really astounding. The pepper hit my nose immediately when i poured it into the glass, and the tropical flavors combined really well with the late hint of heat from the Szechuan. Really a work of art!

Ready to conform? Well then follow us on Instagram for more great beer!