Independence Brewing

From Beer Town Austin.

Kona Coffee Macadamia Coconut Porter Review

Manny, one of the Basin Brewers, gave me a bottle of the Ken Schmidt-Maui Brewing-Stone Brewing collaboration, Kona Coffee macadamia Cococut Porter. To save time typing it over and over again, I'll call it Ambrosia.

Kona Coffee Macadamia Coconut Porter

Appearance (0-3): Pours up jet black and opaque, with a thick tan head that lingers and lingers. But the bubbles were a bit large, especially as it dissipated. 2 points
Aroma/Bouquet (0-4): Starts with a strong roast coffee aroma. Hints of chocolate, cream in the background. I can't tell if there's coconut, but who cares? Amazing aroma! 4 points
Taste: Hop/malt balance (0-4): Great balance, exactly as expected. 4 points
Aftertaste (0-3): Leaves a nice coffee finish with a lingering creamy sweetness on the back of the tongue. Some of it may be coconut, but it's hard for me to pick up. 3 points
Mouthfeel (0-3): Thick, full-bodied beer. Like a milkshake!! 3 points
Overall Impression (0-3): There are not enough superlatives for this beer. It's smooth, creamy and delicious. I enjoy coffee stouts and porters, but not the bitter roast that coffee can often give. Fredericksburg Brewing Company's Coffee porter is more like a cup of coffee, and made me wish for scrambled eggs. So did the Breakfast Stout at Back Country Brewing Company in Frisco, Colorado. This is a desert beer. This would have been great with the chocolate mousse I had at NHC in June. 3 points
Total: 19 points

Allow me to summarize, please. I do not believe there is a 20 point beer. Some approach it, and this is definitely one of those beers. I do not use half points or quarter points to judge beers. So 19 points is likely the highest score I will ever give. But, if I did do partial points, the score would be 19.9. An amazing beer. Wish I could get it here.

Jester King Fully Funded

From the Press Release (photos from the Jester King site):

Jester King Craft Brewery is excited to report that it has completed fund raising, found a location and purchased a warehouse. After eighteen months of planning, fund raising began in June and finished this November with $500,000 raised. A 6,000 square foot warehouse has been secured, which is in the process of being disassembled and moved to the site of the Jester King Brewery.

The brewery will sit on four acres of ranch land in southwest Austin off of Fitzhugh Road. In addition to the brewery, the land will be the site of an olive grove. It should be a wonderful destination for artisan food and beer and local music.

Jester King is currently in the process of purchasing brewing equipment and becoming licensed. It projects to open in six to nine months during the spring or summer of 2010.

Congratulations to Jeff Stuffings, and thanks for putting the brewery on my side of town!

Circle Brewing Company Reaches First Financial Goal

Circle Brewing Company in Austin reached their first financial goal, and ordered their 30 barrel brew house. They're still looking for investors, but they are on their way!

Basin Brewers Kegerator Crawl 4

Mark! Say it ain't so!

My favorite brewpub in Eola is for sale on eBay!

NOOOOOOO!

Black Star Co-op Announces their Location

The Board of Black Star Co-op has announced that the first cooperatively owned brewpub in the world will be located at North Lamar and St. Johns, north of the University of Texas Campus, in the Midtown Commons. Midtown Commons is Austin’s first transit-oriented development, which will include Capital Metro's light rail. If it ever gets off the ground (CapMetro that is, not the Commons).

Basin Brewers Kegerator Crawl 3

Barbed Wire Brewing Company in Austin

Yet another brewery is in the early stages of planning. And it's in Austin, too. Barbed Wire Brewing Company has a website that is clearly under construction. Anyone know anything else?