Best high ABV beers from small brewery

Discussion in 'Beer Talk' started by bubseymour, Aug 17, 2016.

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  1. bubseymour

    bubseymour Grand Pooh-Bah (4,800) Oct 30, 2010 Maryland
    Pooh-Bah Trader

    So here's the ground rules:
    8% or higher ABV

    No IPAs/DIPAs etc.
    No stouts/porters of any kind
    No high ABV sours

    Thought it would be fun to give recognition to some of the smaller brewers around the country whom are making amazing beers from the other styles that aren't quite "hot" right at this point in time
    Belgian Dubbels, Tripels, Quads, Strong Darks etc.
    Wee Heavy's
    Dopplebocks
    Barleywines
    Old Ales
    Other high ABV styles I forgot to mention

    Basically any / all the other big ABV styles that might be kinda unknown from some of the smaller locals around the US to try to spread the love a little while everyone is trading and chasing all the best IPAs, BA stouts and funky wild ales.
     
    dianimal likes this.
  2. Squire

    Squire Grand Pooh-Bah (4,385) Jul 16, 2015 Mississippi
    BA4LYFE Society Pooh-Bah Trader

    Mississippi Fire Ant Imperial Red Ale, 8%, 65 IBU, brewed by Southern Prohibition in Hattiesburg, MS.
     
    chris826 likes this.
  3. utopiajane

    utopiajane Grand Pooh-Bah (3,982) Jun 11, 2013 New York
    Pooh-Bah

    I just had an imperial fruit beer from ellicottville that I thought was well done. Raspberry beret.
     
    VABA likes this.
  4. cavedave

    cavedave Grand Pooh-Bah (4,157) Mar 12, 2009 New York
    In Memoriam Pooh-Bah Trader

    Just had Blend Part IV from Rushing Duck. At 12% ABV this a Barrel Aged whopper of a beer, and it's full of enough clean flavors and complexity to keep things delicious and not too "hot".
     
  5. TheGent

    TheGent Grand Pooh-Bah (4,235) Jun 29, 2010 New Jersey
    Pooh-Bah Trader

    Riverhorse Brewing Company out of Ewing, NJ made a 10.5% 20th anniversary ale which I found excellent. They took the bourbon barrel aged version of their Belgian Tripel called Tripel Horse, and blended it with a red wine barrel aged version and added orange and tart cherry. It had a buttery red wine quality, vanilla bourbon flavors with sweet orange and a hint of tart cherry.

    Along the same lines, Rinn Duin out of Toms River New Jersey for its second anniversary brewed a bottle conditioned Irish red ale at 8.5% that was also excellent.
     
  6. Beersnob724

    Beersnob724 Initiate (0) Jan 11, 2016 Ohio

    Just saw no stouts......lol. Damn.
     
    #6 Beersnob724, Aug 17, 2016
    Last edited: Aug 17, 2016
    JuicesFlowing and HuskyHawk like this.
  7. Homers_Beer_Odyssey

    Homers_Beer_Odyssey Initiate (0) Jun 17, 2014 New York

    To-Ol Ov-ral
    Sixpoint Hi-Res
    Knee Deep Hop D-Ranged
    Smuttynose Smuttlabs Shebang
    Other Half Green is for Gs
    Avery Maharajah
    Knee Deep Hop Shortage
    Mikkeller Double Eye PA
    Knee Deep Simtra
    Finback Auspicious Day
    Singlecut Billy 200-Watt IIPA
    Flying Dog Double Dog Double IPA
    Thomas Creek Up the Creek
     
    mikeinportc likes this.
  8. sjverla

    sjverla Initiate (0) Dec 1, 2008 Massachusetts

    Abandoned Building does a great Quad and solid Trippel - both in the area of 9%
    People's Pint has done a scotch ale that's 8% I believe and was fantastic on cask. They also have an imperial red rye in the same area that's really good.
    Many of Element's beers are 8%+ and most are excellent, but cost prohibitive. Their wheat wine, Vernal, is around 11% and outstanding.
     
  9. orcrist_cleaver

    orcrist_cleaver Initiate (0) May 3, 2014 New York
    Trader

    RD has really been cranking out the BA blends this Summer. Wondering if you've had the chance to try Pine Island Big Brown...a 10.80 American Brown Ale. It's worth the 15 minute or so drive from RD.
     
  10. cavedave

    cavedave Grand Pooh-Bah (4,157) Mar 12, 2009 New York
    In Memoriam Pooh-Bah Trader

    No, but I sure will now. Thanks for the recommend!
     
  11. yarnbomb

    yarnbomb Initiate (0) Oct 1, 2014 Vermont

    Burlington Beer Company: Amber Ridge (12% Bourbon barrel aged Maple Brown ale)

    Rock Art: Vermonster (10% Barleywine) and Barrel aged Vermonster (10% Barleywine aged in Maker's Mark barrels)

    Queen City Brewery: Monk of Underhill (9.2% Belgian Tripel) and Old Monty (9% Barleywine aged in Chardonnay barrels)
     
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  12. TheEpeeist

    TheEpeeist Maven (1,434) Nov 5, 2008 Virginia
    Trader

    I love a good quad. my two fave domestics that i'll probably never try again.

    Midnight Sun Venus
    Odonata Rorie's
     
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  13. CreekOfTheDead

    CreekOfTheDead Initiate (0) Jul 18, 2016 Texas

    Bishop Barrel 13 from Saint Arnold's was such an awesome quad.
     
  14. JohnnyMc

    JohnnyMc Pooh-Bah (1,623) Feb 14, 2012 Ohio
    Pooh-Bah

    Jackie O's Nobel Sorrel.

    It's an Imperial Brown Ale aged in bourbon barrels for 17 months and is insanely good!
     
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  15. CreekOfTheDead

    CreekOfTheDead Initiate (0) Jul 18, 2016 Texas

    The Kraken from Real Ale was probably one of the best Barleywines I've ever had as well.
     
    Realsambo likes this.
  16. GoffmanvsDuffman

    GoffmanvsDuffman Crusader (460) Jul 15, 2013 Arizona
    Trader

    Joseph James 7th Anniversary was an old ale that was really good. 11% aged in bourbon barrels.
     
    dianimal likes this.
  17. Ranbot

    Ranbot Pooh-Bah (2,463) Nov 27, 2006 Pennsylvania
    Pooh-Bah

    I second Vermontster! When I'm in VT I always pick up a couple bottles of Vermontster so that I have a rotating stock aging in my cellar. I prefer Vermontster after 6-12 months to let hops mellow some and balance the malts, particularly for the BA version.
     
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  18. Lingenbrau

    Lingenbrau Grand Pooh-Bah (4,853) Apr 9, 2011 Oregon
    Pooh-Bah

    AleSmith.
    Still cranking out the goods:

    Old Numbskull
    Wee Heavy
    Decadance
    Grand Cru
    Private Stock
    Horny Devil

    Cheers!

    Edit:. Although, I guess you can argue that they are "big" now. :rolling_eyes:
     
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  19. Domingo

    Domingo Grand Pooh-Bah (4,252) Apr 23, 2005 Colorado
    Pooh-Bah

    Elevation Brewing in Poncha Springs CO is probably the best small "high octane" brewer in CO. Avery certainly takes the cake overall, but I don't know if I'd call them small anymore.
     
  20. gatornation

    gatornation Grand High Pooh-Bah (10,388) Apr 18, 2007 Arizona
    Pooh-Bah Trader

    Steel Toe in MN has a few all BA from a very small brewery.
    Lunker (BW) 14.4%
    Wee Heavy 10.95%
    Before The Dawn (BW) 13.7%
     
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