RELEASE: Year Round // THE ABV. 6.5% | IBU’s. ? // THE NOSE: Apple Pie, Devonshire Custard, Pine Wood, Apple Skin, Apple Jolly Rancher // THE TASTE: Apple Juice, Anise, Nectarine, Logenberry, White Cranberry // THE BOTTOMLINE: Apples, apples, apples! Name almost anything appealing and apple in nature and it’s likely a flavor or aroma present in this cider; big emphasis on appealing. The unmistakable flavor of fresh pressed honey sweet apple juice initially pleasures the palate before sugars subside to reveal a clean sourness that effortlessly counters the upfront sweetness. // THE BACKBONE: 5 varieties of apples // PRICE POINT: $6 | 1x 22oz bottle //

RELEASE: Year Round // THE ABV. 6.5% | IBU’s. ? // THE NOSE: Buttered Popcorn, Kiwi, Apricot Jam, Apple Strudel, Wet Stones // THE TASTE: Lemon Sorbet, Watercress, Granny Smith Apple, Sour Cherry, Gooseberry // THE BOTTOMLINE: This cider’s most striking aspect is its effervescent palate cleansing quality. Its immediate crispness makes it the perfect companion to everything from light salads to big hearty meat and potato meals. The finish is tart and refreshing; the bite of sour apple provides a memorable and morish snap. // THE BACKBONE: Cider Apple Blend // PRICE POINT: $10 | 1x 750ml //

RELEASE: One-off Special Production // THE ABV. 5.0% | IBU’s. 20 // THE NOSE: Cucumber, Allspice, Marshmallow, White Pepper, Tomatillo, Cilantro, Spiced Ham // THE TASTE: Fresh Tomato, Jicama, Dill Pickle, Fresh Green Olive, Radish // THE BOTTOMLINE: One of the most vibrant and busy American witbier’s I’ve tasted; this extremely smooth, hot weather friendly beer sings with fresh cut salad aromas and genuinely refreshing vegetal flavor. The session-happy ABV only elevates this beer among the best wit beers available in the U.S. The only hurdle facing wanton drinkers, is the brews Delaware only availability. // THE BACKBONE: Dried Organic Orange Slices, Fresh Cut Lemongrass, Coriander // PRICE POINT: $8 | 1x 750ml bottle //

RELEASE: Occasional // THE ABV. 13.0% | IBU’s. ? // THE NOSE: Rare Steak, Beet Soup, Blackcurrant, Clove, Asphalt // THE TASTE: Red Grape, Pomegranate, Black Pepper, Black Cherry Jam, Prunes // THE BOTTOMLINE: This gamey beast of a mead is juicy, ominous and unusual, and I like it, a lot. From the get go, this grips the palate like a complex earthy Bordeaux wine; light fruit tannins giving a bitter balance to all that honey. The best single word I can use to describe this huge mead is, confident. Lovers of massive red wines and pitch black stouts will find bucket loads to appreciate here. // THE BACKBONE: Black Raspberries, Indiana Wildflower Blossom Honey // PRICE POINT: $25 | 1x 750ml bottle //

RELEASE: Occasional // THE ABV. 13.4% | IBU’s. ? // THE NOSE: Strawberry Daiquiri, Dried Strawberry, Lingonberry Sauce, Blueberry Jam // THE TASTE: Mango, Cranberry Sauce, Apricot, Peppermint, Basil // THE BOTTOMLINE: This plum infused mead’s soft desserty nature makes it a very friendly and inviting drink to those with a sweet tongue. The sweetness is balanced by a tartness that builds to a clean green finish. Prominent and punchy red fruit own the nose and make for an appropriate introduction to mead infused with ripe plums. // THE BACKBONE: Plums, Indiana Wildflower Blossom Honey // PRICE POINT: $22 | 1x 750ml bottle //

RELEASE: Year Round // THE ABV. 12.0% | IBU’s. ? // THE NOSE: Green Tea, Chickpea, Granny Smith Apple, Rubber, Sweaty Sock // THE TASTE: Butter, Candy Apple, White Pepper, Lemon Juice // THE BOTTOMLINE: Slightly smoky and tea like on the nose, this has the cleanliness of crisp white wine on the palate. There is a bump of alcohol on the finish which likewise, echoes a typical wine characteristic. The buttery sweetness present is definitely appealing and the overall dryness makes this a solid bet for folks that enjoy Saison, Bière de Garde and Sahti. // THE BACKBONE: Indiana Wildflower Blossom Honey // PRICE POINT: $16 | 1x 750ml bottle //

RELEASE: Year Round // THE ABV. 12.5% | IBU’s. ? // THE NOSE: Buttercup, Pollen, Grass, Honeydew Melon, Marzipan, Cheerios // THE TASTE: Kiwi, Papaya, Guava, Passion Fruit, Honeycrisp Apple // THE BOTTOMLINE: The aromatics of this mead are simply magnetic; a heavenly meeting of sweet floral perfumes and sugared almonds. In the drink the mouthwatering flavors of just about every ripe sun bathed tropical fruit imaginable gently engulf the palate, sip through to the finish. The depth and deliciousness of this mead is impressive and is yet another reason why more beer drinker should give this dynamic and hugely overlooked style of wine a first or second look. // THE BACKBONE: Wildflower Honey // PRICE POINT: $? | 1x 750ml bottle //

RELEASE: Year Round // THE ABV. 13.0% | IBU’s. ? // THE NOSE: Daisy, White Wine Vinegar, Gooseberry, Turkey Jerky, White Cranberry, Wood Varnish // THE TASTE: Tomatillo, White Grape Juice, Mint, Wintergreen, Lemonheads // THE BOTTOMLINE: Pollen rich wildflower, tart orchard fruit and cured white meat make for an unusually inviting nose. On the palate taste buds are immediately alive with the pucker of green veggies and bitter herbal flavors. As a gateway mead, this is stellar, with many approachable white wine characteristics, while retaining the wanted thick, bittersweet floral profile of a good mead. //
THE BACKBONE: ? // PRICE POINT: $12 | 1x 750ml bottle //

RELEASE: June // THE ABV. 10.0% | IBU’s. 110 // THE NOSE: Chamois Leather, Pastry Crust, Orange Marmalade, Cornflakes, Menthol, Peanuts // THE TASTE: Crème Brûlée, Blood Orange, Butterscotch, Red Licorice, Dried Apple // THE BOTTOMLINE: This is a gigantic Double IPA with the weight and viscosity of a Russian Imperial Stout. It is Barleywine sweet and blossoms on the palate like a stunning hybrid of Dogfish Head’s ‘90’ and ‘120 Minute’ IPA’s. If someone created a creamy hop flavor dessert, it might well taste a lot like this shockingly impressive, citrus monolith of a beer. // THE BACKBONE: ? // PRICE POINT: $12 | 1x 750ml bottle //

RELEASE: May // THE ABV. 5.8% | IBU’s. 60 // THE NOSE: Wet Stones, Fresh Biscuit, Burnt Toast, Horseradish, Spruce // THE TASTE: Gooseberry, Yellow Grapefruit, Lemon Juice, Redcurrant, White Cranberry // THE BOTTOMLINE: Hopped to high heaven, this session happy American Red sits comfortably alongside big brother Imperial Red kindred’s like Troegs ‘Nugget Nectar’ and Ballast Point’s ‘Tongue Buckler.’ While not as wow inducing and palate assassinating as it ultimately could be, this is still a very bright and enjoyable example of the American Amber reinvented for Generation-IPA. // THE BACKBONE: Cascade and Centennial Hops // PRICE POINT: $5 | 1x 22oz bottle //

RELEASE: One-off Special Production // THE ABV. 13.1% | IBU’s. ? // THE NOSE: Wax Jacket, Coal Tar, Bacon, Peat, Bonfire, Wet Stones // THE TASTE: Liquid Smoke, Bovril, Espresso, Sun Dried Tomato, Beef Jerky // THE BOTTOMLINE: Beneath powerful aromatics of warm peat, fresh anthracite and old fashioned coal tar, threads of heavily smoked red meats, peppery coffee and charred red vegetables converge on the palate in show stopping fashion. The influence and wisdom of the whisky barrel here is unquestionable and bolsters the inherent depth of the base ‘Black Hole’ stout significantly. This is the best, most complex and unique release of this eye-opening series of experimental stouts. // THE BACKBONE: Flaked Oats, Dark Cassonade Brazilian Brown Sugar, Honey, Coffee, Vanilla // PRICE POINT: $10 | 1x 375ml bottle //

RELEASE: One-off Special Production // THE ABV. 13.1% | IBU’s. ? // THE NOSE: Spruce, Milk Chocolate, Wet Leaves, Mint, Black Pepper // THE TASTE: Cumin, Jalapeño, Cardamom, Licorice, Clove // THE BOTTOMLINE: Cocoa and dark leafy greenness dominate the nose of this version. On the tongue a spicy, almost curry heat and chewy bitterness really differentiates this from the base, non-barreled stout. On the finish, the heat of alcohol, not spice comes through. This is the choppiest flavor wise of the series but is intriguing all the same. // THE BACKBONE: Flaked Oats, Dark Cassonade Brazilian Brown Sugar, Honey, Coffee, Vanilla // PRICE POINT: $10 | 1x 375ml bottle //

RELEASE: One-off Special Production // THE ABV. 13.1% | IBU’s. ? // THE NOSE: Molasses, Vanilla, Pencil, Allspice, Nutmeg, Paprika // THE TASTE: Cinnamon Toast, White Chocolate, White Grapes, Candied Orange Peel, Ginger // THE BOTTOMLINE: The aromatic warmth of exotic spices provide the perfect invitation to drink this decadent and desserty stout. The rum barrel aging of this version imparts a fire in the belly and sweet peppery flavors that amplify the coffee, vanilla and honey additions to the beer extremely well. This particular barrel aging works so well, you’ll be left wondering why more breweries don’t go the rum route. // THE BACKBONE: Flaked Oats, Dark Cassonade Brazilian Brown Sugar, Honey, Coffee, Vanilla // PRICE POINT: $10 | 1x 375ml bottle // I RATE THIS BREW: 93/100

RELEASE: One-off Special Production // THE ABV. 13.1% | IBU’s. ? // THE NOSE: Turnip, Beetroot, Parsnip, Brown Sugar, Pumpernickel, Oak // THE TASTE: Redcurrant, Black Raspberry, Chives, Marmite, Black Olive // THE BOTTOMLINE: The differences between this wine barrel aged version and the stand alone stout are many, immediate, and quite jarring. If you need proof that beer put into good wood can mellow and evolve radically, then taste this and the standard ‘Black Hole’ side by side for a truly eye opening experience. The nose here is all sorts of delicious earthy vegetables and dank mustiness. On the tongue, the dryness and bitter grip of red wine tannins are unmistakable. // THE BACKBONE: Flaked Oats, Dark Cassonade Brazilian Brown Sugar, Honey, Coffee, Vanilla // PRICE POINT: $10 | 1x 375ml bottle // I RATE THIS BREW: 91/100