Huge week starts off with Redhook Double Black, Alpine Ichabod

I spent some time giving the site a tune-up this weekend, hence, the reason for no stories. Next weekend I will stories as usual so be sure to check back on Saturday and Sunday. If the pictures loading to the right make things a lot slower for you, let me know (granted, Mondays are busy so the site may be a bit slower anyway).

Leading off this week is Redhook Double Black Stout. Albeit seemingly mammoth in stature, the beer is on the fringe of what some would consider an “imperial stout.” Debating styles aside, this beer has already leaked out in some markets and should hit more of you this week. Hopefully the price point is more affordable than some of the other options we may have seen on shelves recently.

A couple other beers have hit a lot of markets recently. I spotted Brooklyn Black Chocolate Stout and Sierra Nevada Celebration today but I am taking a trip later this week and only left the store with a couple bottles. Hopefully there is a thread in one of the regional forums over at Beer Advocate that will lead you to the promise land. And in case you missed it last week, here is my article on Brooklyn Black Ops, due out in December.

Alpine Ichabod his SoCal over the weekend. The Pumpkin Dunkelweizen is the latest rendition in a Halloween tradition for Alpine Brewing Co. If you haven’t checked it out recently, visit the Buy Beer page. It is the best craft beer buying guide (in-progress) on the ‘net IMHO. Anyway, I may be a little late on reporting this one but Joey from South Bay Drugs got 15 cases of Ichabod. After taking at least a couple hours to package up two boxes, clean my mess, and tweak a nerve in my back rendering me in pain for 24 hours (I am in my mid 20s, too), all things considered, ordering online is really convenient and, well, pain-free.

Goose Island Bourbon County Stout hit some stores recently. Archer Liquors and West Lakeview Liquors have/had some in for the Chicago-area folk (and online folk) as does/did The Wine and Cheese Place and South Bay Drugs. All of them ship so give them a call to see if any is left in stock. All of the store links are found on the right side of the buy beer page.

Ninkasi Oatis Oatmeal Stout is out now in the Portland, Oregon area. The owners had hoped to make it a year-round release but will try it as a seasonal first. This one comes in bombers.

Firestone Walker Twelve (XII) comes out on Saturday at the brewery and should filter out to shelves not long afterwards. It will go quick in the stores though so try to make it to the brewery if you can. It probably won’t be found online at any point but I could be wrong.

Finally, another beer that could arrive as early as this week is Bell’s Christmas Ale though I would lean toward next week (no inside info here, just an estimated guess).