It's KBS To You!

For hard-core beer geeks out there, I'm about to give you a gift. My gift is knowledge ... privileged knowledge.

One of those beers is coming.

What's one of those beers, you ask? One of those beers is a beer that is incredibly hard-to-find and tends to sell out the minute it hits the retailer's shelves. That is, if it makes it to the shelves at all. Many stores don't even put this beer out on the shelves because they opt to take pre-orders and it's all spoken for before it arrives.

Okay, enough teasing. If you're not a crazed craft beer fan, this really isn't that big a deal. If you are a crazed beer fan, but don't get bent out of shape by events like Dark Lord Day and the like, this news probably won't keep you up nights either. But, if you're a fan of hard-to-find, limited batch beers from great American breweries, then this is your lucky day ... or week as it were.

Founders KBS is coming to Kindling Spirits ... very soon. Never heard of KBS? Perhaps you know it by it's former moniker - Kentucky Breakfast Stout. You might be saying, at this point, that you've already had the Founders Breakfast Stout and this isn't really news at all ... well, hold your horses there, beer nerd.

This ain't your father's Breakfast Stout.

While Founders Breakfast Stout is a world-class beer itself, KBS takes that beer and hits you with even more coffee, chocolate and a year in a cave-aged oak barrel before it's bottled and sold. You can read a little more about the beer on the Founders Website here.

I don't know for certain if Kindling will be taking pre-orders, but I doubt it. You'll have to get this one - one of the highest rated beers in the world on major beer review websites - while it lasts.

Oh, and while you're there you can get your hop fix by grabbing some of the remaining Bell's Hopslam too.

Beer Mecca.  

Carbondale Liquor Advisory Board Takes No Action

A brief update on the ongoing liquor sales ban in Carbondale ...

The Carbondale liquor advisory board met last evening and several representatives from city grocery stores were in attendance in hopes that the much-discussed issue of raising or removing the current ban on packaged liquor sales at grocery stores and gas stations in Carbondale would be addressed. According to a story in today's Southern, the topic was not included in the agenda for the meeting. The minutes were unavailable on the city's website as of 8:30 am Wednesday.

Until recently, local grocery stores had been collecting signatures on a petition to show support for the repeal of the current ban. It's not clear what, if anything, will become of the signed petitions. 

Carbondale mayor Brad Cole sets the agenda for the advisory board meetings.

Keystone (Light) Kops in Philly?

In the 'can you believe this' file today ...

Like something straight out of Keystone Kops, three Philadelphia bars that specialize in hard-to-find craft and specialty import beer were raided - and product confiscated - all due to a consumer complaint. Apparently, several of the beers available at the establishments were not properly registered with the state's liquor control board for sale in the state of Pennsylvania. The bar-owners had purchased the beer legally, it seems, but some of the particular beers in question didn't match up with a list of registered beers the state police used to cross-check the establishments inventory during the raid.

I say 'some' of the particular beers because it seems that the blundering cops might have grabbed far more than what they had the right to confiscate because they didn't know what exactly they were looking for. According to an article appearing on the philly.com website, the cops took beers like Duvel along with the unregistered beer because the liquor control board's list read 'Duvel beer' instead of 'Duvel Golden Ale.'

Hilarity. It probably went down something like this:

"Hmmm ... must be a different beer. Says beer, not ale on the label. This one's not on the list, Charlie. Let's grab it!"

Kind of crazy, but this sort of thing should serve as a wake up call to specialty bars and retailers everywhere. Make sure all your ducks are in a row, along with your beers, or you might just have the Keystone (light) Kops knocking on - or down - your door next!

"Charlie, I don't know what all these beers are, but I'm glad they don't have any good stuff here. Just stuff I've never heard of ... Pliny the what?"

O'Fallon Wee Heavy Coming

Here's an early look at the first in a new series of beers from O'Fallon Brewery they're calling the 'Brewer's Stash Series.' O'Fallon Wee Heavy weighs in at a massive 10.4% ABV and promises to be both substantial and delicious from what I've heard. I understand a portion of the grain bill employs cherrywood-smoked malt to add a new twist on a classic scotch ale technique. Who needs peat after all.

I recon that O'Fallon did not use their house kolsch yeast strain to create this monster beer, so it will be very interesting to see something completely new and different coming out of the little brewery that could. Free these guys up to brew big beers and they go crazy! I love a good wee heavy, so bring it on.

I've got to say, too, that the label is terrific. I've been an advocate of O'Fallon's beers for years, but I've also always been very critical of their "cartoon-like" labels. I just feel like they don't do the brewery any favors with winning over critics. This one is just the right balance of whimsy and professionalism, I think. Well played. 


On another quick O'Fallon note - those of you who are fans of the made-for-summer Wheach - a peach flavor-infused American wheat beer - you'll be able to find it in cans this year just in time for your summer time events! Here's hoping that the label (see afore-mentioned criticism) gets an upgrade as well, but I'm not holding my breath. Regardless, break out the can koozie and enjoy this summertime favorite!