Four Corners Brewing Company: La Lechuza S’more Stout

Four Corners Brewing Company: La Lechuza S'More Stout

ABV: 7.6%

IBU: 50

Availability: Retired

@untappd says: 3.54/5

Happy Cinco de Mayo from the Windowsill to you!

Let’s talk about the Lechuza. No, not the stout, the animal at the forefront of a pretty creepy Mexican leyenda. Lechuza means owl. The leyenda speaks of a witch named La Lechuza, for the shapeshifting powers that allowed her to turn herself into an owl. There are many origin stories for the leyenda, but one of them says that she is seeking revenge for the death of her child at the hands of a drunk. At the end of the night, she hangs out near bars, looking for the last drunk to walk out so she can take them. They’re never seen alive again. Interesting that the only people reporting this giant owl woman are the dudes closing out the bars, but i digress. She also steals children who are allowed to play alone at night, so be careful kiddies!

Now let’s talk about the La Lechuza S’more Stout. It’s a no-longer-in-production stout from Dallas, Texas’ Four Corners Brewing Company. It’s a dry stout brewed with cinnamon, graham crackers and chocolate malts (hence the S’mores). The aroma hits you with some good cocoa and cinnamon, like Mexican chocolate. Pretty chocolaty on the palate, too, with a little kick from the cinnamon. It’s not sweet, though, and only slightly creamy. Pretty solid brew for sitting around a campfire telling stories of La Lechuza! Check out how the can opens, too!

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Noble Rey Brewing Company: Tactical Combat Firefighter

Noble Rey Brewing Company: Tactical Combat Firefighter

Hops:Citra, Galaxy, Amarillo

ABV: 6.2%

IBU: 70

Availability: Year-round

@untappd says: 3.61/5

The Windowsill’s on fire tonight, we’re gonna need to call the fire department!

Noble Rey Brewing Company has the distinction of being the first brewery from Dallas to grace our Windowsill. It was founded in 2012 by Chris and Kendra Rigoulout. Head brewer Tommy Miller is in charge of the recipes. In some exciting news, they recently struck a deal with Neodif, a french beverage distributor, to bring their cans overseas. The first cans were scheduled to hit the shelves at the end of February. Vive la France!

The Tactical Combat Firefighter is our first brew from Noble Rey, and it came courtesy of my good friend @dawnthegourmand. It’s brewed with three kinds of hops—Citra, Amarillo and Galaxy—and it was overall pretty good. Some good tropical upfront flavor and aroma is followed by a good bitter finish, and there’s not much more you can ask for from an IPA. Very drinkable!

Shout out to Magnificent Beard for the can art. If you’re wondering why there’s only a head, the fireman’s body is on the other side. The cans are meant to be stacked. Cool!

Our Instagram’s on fire today, so go check it out!

Last Stand Brewing Company: Black IPA

Last Stand Brewing Company: Black IPA

ABV: 6.9%

IBU: 70

Availability: Rotating

@untappd says: 3.81/5

Is that another stout on the Windowsill? Nope! It’s a Windowsill first—a black IPA!

What the hell is a black IPA, anyway? The style was recognized officially at the Great American Beer Festival… in 2010. Yep. It’s a baby! You might know it by a different name: the Cascadian Dark Ale, named after the Cascadian region of North America where it originated. Or maybe the India Black Ale? How about an American Black Ale? At the most basic level, it’s a beer brewed with dark malts and American hops, and a true Cascadian Dark Ale is made with ingredients from the Cascadian region. Now I know!

Let’s talk about Last Stand Brewing Company’s Black IPA. This was my very first black IPA, so I didn’t know what to expect. It was a little weird getting that hoppy aroma and flavor from a dark ale, but once I got over that, I enjoyed it. I do think the “black IPA” monicker is a bit misleading. This isn’t at all like an IPA, other than the hops. It was good though. More caramel and maltiness than an IPA would have, but good lingering and lacy hoppiness, too. Looking forward to exploring this style more in the future!

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Spoetzl Brewery: Shiner Holiday Cheer

Spoetzl Brewery: Shiner Holiday Cheer

ABV: 5.4%

IBU: 22

Availability: Christmas Seasonal

@untappd says: 3.59/5

It’s still very cold on in the Northeast, so, I decided to deck my window sill with some leftover bows of holiday happiness today.

Spoetzl Brewery is the oldest independent brewery in Texas. Originally named “The Shiner Brewing Association,” it was founded in 1909 by German and Czech immigrants living in the tiny town of Shiner, Texas. In 1914, with their beer gaining popularity and demand skyrocketting, the owners began searching for an experienced brewmaster to take over daily operations. They found one in Bavarian-born Kosmos Spoetzl, to whom they offered partial ownership as an insentive to take the job. Spoetzl had learned the trade of brewing in Germany, but also spent nearly a decade making beer in Egypt and some time in Canada as well. A year later, Spoetzl bought the business outright. He changed the name of the location to Spoetzl Brewery, but honored the town by keeping the name of the beer the same: Shiner.

The Holiday Cheer, Shiner’s winter seasonal offering, makes you feel like it’s Christmas morning and Mom and Dad finally got you that Nintendo you’ve been begging for. Peaches, pecans and caramelized malts give it a rich body, and a sweet taste that would make the Grinch’s heart grow three sizes.

Want more holiday craft beer ideas? Check out my Instagram page for all your craft beer knowledge, now!