DEATH STAR!

In celebration of this weeks Force Awakens premier we present to you Death Star! Finally an indica that is appropriate for night and day time. Of course it would be named after Star Wars. Death Star is a blend of the indica strain Sensi Star and the sativa Sour Diesel. Both strains have such dramatic effects that you would think the high from them being put together would drive you insane. Death Star is known to be a heavy indica, which is true but, the amount of euphoria that it takes from its sativa side is amazing. This strain is recommended for daytime or nighttime. It has great pain relief and tones of mental help. I would say this is a great strain to keep around for an anytime use. Its fairly popular now-a-days so, i'm sure you won't have trouble finding it! Keep it real! -Colin

Founders Brewing - Double Trouble Imperial IPA

A little bit sweet, a little bit bitter, a little juicy and dank, a little bit country, a little bit rock and roll. Oh, how I love me some seasonal releases. Especially from Founders. Also, ya know... IPAs forever. Weighing in at 86 IBU's and 9.4% abv so it's a big juicy bitch and I love her. This one never disappoints and honestly will hold it's own with any other highly touted DIPAs. Definitely some citrus hops in there but unfortunately I can't tell you what else is in there because they just don't tell ya! I'm just here to tell you that if you've been neglecting your local beer store, stop that right now. Go grab what's left of these majestic four packs and fire up a giant blunt. Prepare for your favorite summer day. Cheers!

My Score - 1oo

Rate Beer - 99

Beer Advocate - 94

Flying Monkeys Brewery: The Matador version 2.0 - El Toro Bravo

Have you ever been inside of a humidor? It's a very distinct smell. Ever wonder what it would be like to burn one down and then use the ashes to make a beer that tasted just like it? Wonder no more. This version of Flying Monkeys The Matador dark rye ale is aged on a bed of Spanish Cedar. This process marries the beer with the flavors of the wood and, with the spiciness of the rye malt, leaves this beer with an amazing flavor and mouth-feel. A little on the beefier side in the mouth, along with a huge 10.10% abv Flying Monkeys is no stranger to gigantic flavors and huge beers. This beer is no exception. I can only imagine chewing the perfect medium-rare steak and sipping this in unison. The flavors were almost meant to be. Drink it now or cellar this beast for up to 2 years and see where it goes. Cheers!

My Score: 97

Rate Beer: 95

Beer Advocate: 87

Great Lakes Brewing_Chillwave Double IPA

Yup. More IPA's. I can't help it and I just love when one of my favorite hops gets shown off. Chillwave is a blend of Mosaic and Nugget hops. There's a nice sweetness in there from the honey malt too. This is a great hop bomb. Upfront bitterness to a nice dry after taste. Citrusy and floral. Formerly called Alchemy Hour, paying homage to the icy cold lake Erie surfers who brave the freezing temps to shred the gnar. This seasonal IPA always comes around right as spring starts to push it's way out of winter's butthole and its timing is impeccable. Chillwave also clocks in at 9.4%abv so the buzz I currently have is telling me that I've done my work here. Cheers!

My Score: 1oo

Rate Beer: 1oo

Beer Advocate: 95

Sierra Nevada _ Hop Hunter IPA

If I may quote (be lazy) the Sierra website: "Hop Hunter IPA harnesses the complex flavors of just-picked hops through an all-new method of steam distilling wet hops before they even leave the fields. This revolutionary technique captures and intensifies the natural flavors, creating a unique and intensely aromatic beer. Our custom process gathers pure hop oil which, when combined with traditional whole-cone hops in the brew kettle and in our Hop Torpedo, makes for an incredible IPA experience." I have a source that says they hired the guy at Crest toothpaste who distills the mint leaves. Who knows!

That being said, not only does this beer push new boundaries for brewing, the owner of Lagunitas was trying to sue Sierra over label likeness. Claiming Hop Hunters label looked too similar to the flagship Lagunitas IPA. You be the judge. The lawsuit was dropped because of all the negative feedback from the beer community. Either way, this shit is amazing. It smells like weed. That's always good. Cheers!

My Score: 98

Beer Advocate: 91

Rate Beer: 97

Beers 101

It's not that I'm upset. I'm just disappointed. I often am told, "I like stouts but not ales...". Well guess what fancy pants, a stout is an ale. So is that fruity beer your bff Jill likes to smash so when her boobs come out she can 'blame it on the a-a-a-a-a-alcohol'. To hopefully alleviate some of this confusion, I am going to give you the quick lowdown.

There are two types of beer: ales and lagers. Ales are any type of beer that is brewed at higher temperatures (60-75°F). It's the higher temp that allows the specific type of yeast to ferment and quicker than lager yeast. Lagers are brewed at lower temps (around 34°F) and then further stored in cooler temperatures to mature. Lager is a German word meaning "to store". Aside from obvious labeling, a lager will almost always announce itself with lighter, more crisp flavors. Almost always hay/straw in color. Pilsners, marzens and bocks are all prime examples of a lager. There's really not much more to lagers so that leaves just about everything else as an ale. Only a few random styles make an appearance in a 'hybrid' category.

So there you go. Next time your butthole friend says "Fuck IPA's! Give me a real ale!", you can tell him to go suck a randall. An IPA is an ale. CHEERS!