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Tag Archives: Imperial Stout

Intuition’s Underdark release day coming with two new variants

31 Jan

underdark2017-600x226Each year around this time something dark, thick and delicious appears at Intuition Ale Works. Now in its fifth year, Underdark Saturday will be held February 4 from 11:00 a.m. to 11:00 p.m. at the Bay Street brewery. Underdark Imperial Stout is Intuition’s coveted annual release and Underdark Day draws beer lovers from throughout the city, state and even country.

Underdark is an Imperial Stout aged in oak barrels – this year from Woodford Reserve Rye Whiskey. In years past, the beer pours inky-black into a brandy snifter with a pleasing light brown head. Previous releases of the heady brew have been described: The aroma is laced with bourbon, coffee, and anise, while the flavor fully develops the bourbon notes and reveals a strong hop kick and lingering toffee and vanilla notes.

This year there are two variants available along with the base brew. In one variant, Bold Bean Coffee beans were added to bring a wallop of big coffee flavor. The other includes additions of cinnamon, vanilla and cocoa nibsunderdark2017-600x226.

Bottles will sell for $20 each and cash is the only form of payment that will be accepted.

In addition to the bottle release, Intuition will feature a number of special beers on tap. If past release days are any indication, you can expect to find vintage releases of Underdark, special one-off Intuition brews and possibly a few notable guest taps.

 
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Posted by on January 31, 2017 in Beer, Beer Releases

 

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Cold weather means big beer releases

05 Feb

Coco_Jones_LgDuring this time of year it is not uncommon for breweries to release their heavier beers. For instance, last month Funky Buddha Maple Bacon Coffee Porter was release to great fanfare at the brewer’s South Florida brewery. Closer to home, this weekend Jacksonville brewery Intuition Ale Works is releasing its annual Underdark Imperial Stout and next month Tampa brewery Cigar City will host a beer festival where they will release their Hunahpu’s Imperial Stout.

All three of these release events draw heavy beer fans from all over the state and region. Fans stand in line for hours to get their hands on their allotment of these highly-coveted and extremely-limited bottles. Often, the hearty souls share bottles of other high-end brews among themselves as they wait.

Scoring a bottle of these brews is akin to catching a home run baseball at Camden Yards, it is something beer aficionados treat as a badge of honor. Many collectors have multiple vintages of the beers aging in their beer cellars and bring them out only on special occasions.

But, what happens if you cannot make one of these bottle release extravaganzas? Well, there is always the beer trading circuit. If a collector has a bottle that is desired by another collector a trade may be negotiated. Or, if a taste of the beer is enough to satiate craving, bottle shares are common within the craft beer community.

Another way to score a taste of these rare beers is to watch for tasting events at local bars and bottle shops sponsored by the breweries. For instance, if you were unable to make the pilgrimage to South Florida for the Funky Buddha Maple Bacon Coffee Porter release event last month, your chances of tasting the brew are not lost. In a recent post on its website, the brewery has announced that the beer is going on tour throughout Florida.

Over the next few months you will likely see several tastings of Underdark pop up around Jacksonville and other markets where Intuition beers are sold. Hunahpu’s though is a rare find on tap. It may show up in one or two places after the bottle release, but traditionally it is pretty hard to find.

So, if you are after these big beers, it is best to try to make it to a bottle release. But, if that is not possible, ask around at local beer pubs about bottle shares and watch for special tappings. For lovers of big beers, the brews discussed in this article are more than worth the effort to find them.

 
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Posted by on February 5, 2016 in Beer, Beer Releases

 

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Underdark release party to include impressive list of guest beers

28 Jan

UNDERDARK-snifter-173x300As if it were not enough to have Underdark Bourbon Barrel Imperial Stout available on tap and for sale this Saturday, February 1, Intuition Ale Works has just released a guest beer list that is in and of itself astounding. The list has beers from such luminous breweries as Funky Buddha, Founders, Bell’s and even Rodenbach.

Underdark is Intuition’s annual release beer and, in its short history, it has garnered a rabid following. The beer began as an amped up version of the brewery’s King Street Imperial Stout but, according to brewer Andrew Cattell, has evolved into its own recipe. Once brewed the beer is then aged for a year in a variety of bourbon barrels.

But, the artistry on this beer does not end there. The week before it goes on sale, Cattell and the brewery staff carefully drain each barrel and blends them together creating a single, phenomenal flavor profile. The beer is then bottled for the big release party.

Like the brewery did for its anniversary party in November, they will close King Street for the party that runs from 12:00 noon to 9:00 p.m. Bottles of Underdark will be available on a first come, first served basis for $15 each. The brewery is also selling vertical two-packs of the brew containing one 2013 and one 2014 bottle.

The guest beers announced for the party include:

Cigar City Brewing Don Gavino’s Big Guava (guava ale aged in Chardonnay barrels)

Funky Buddha Brewery French Oak Hop Gun (American IPA)

7venth Sun Brewing Highly Suspicious (Belgian strong dark ale)

Founders Brewing Company Backwoods Bastard (Scotch ale aged in bourbon barrels)

Rodenbach Grand Cru (Flemish sour ale)

Stone Brewing Co. Imperial Russian Stout

Dogfish Head Beer Palo Santo Marron (American brown ale)

Bell’s Brewery, Inc. Third Coast Old Ale (American barleywine)

 
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Posted by on January 28, 2014 in Local Brewery

 

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Intuition Ale Works releases first bottle label

18 Oct

Intuition Ale Works revealed the label design today for its first bottled beer: Underdark. Underdark is an Imperial Stout aged in oak barrels for a distinctly oaky and full-bodied flavor. The beer pours inky-black into a brandy snifter with a pleasing light brown head. The aroma is laced with bourbon, coffee, and anise, while the flavor fully develops the bourbon notes and reveals a strong hop kick and lingering toffee and vanilla notes.

When the brew was first introduced last year, reviewers in BeerAdvocate.com were quick to rave about its virtues. “Absolutely outstanding,” proclaims one reviewer. “I hope this one comes back,” exclaims another.

The label portrays an evil-looking octopus lurking in a dark cavern and guarding a jeweled goblet. The text on the side tells a tale of dark allure and daring do:

“Legends tell us of the Underdark, a vast dark and dangerous place where few brave souls have journeyed, and from which even fewer have returned.

Journeying through the unforgiving terrain where cruel creatures lurk within the dark caves is not for the faint of heart and neither is this drink. It is for the brave who journey fearlessly into the dark void to battle true darkness.

Let the mead halls forever echo with the sounds of praise for the survivors who dared travel the Underdark.”

The sinister and darkly disturbing label was designed by Chad Landenberger. The brew is expected to be available in bottles mid-January after the Federal approval process is completed for the label.

 
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Posted by on October 18, 2012 in Beer, Craft Beer Brewery

 

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