Beer O' Clock

The Three Floyds kick continues. How many beers do they make?

I also found some Sprecher at Benz Beverage Depot in Cedar Rapids. When I was home in Dubuque, I passed on a bunch of beers on a trip to Family Beer and Liquor in East Dubuque, Ill., which is like a beer shrine. I have plenty of different beers for now, as you'll see.

This is Alpha Klaus, a Christmas porter from Three Floyds.

It's brewed with English chocolate malt and Mexican sugar with a ton of American hops. On first blush, I believe the Mexican sugars are dominant from the bomber I bought at Woodman's in Madison, Wis., which is where all these beers came from, except the Sprecher.

Poured dark as night with a thick head and ample lacing. Pine, grapefruit and a sugary chocolate standout. There might've been a touch of cinnamon in there, too.

I love good porters and this scored high with me. Should've picked up a bunch. At 7.5 percent ABV, this was very drinkable, too.

Life & Limb is a collaborative effort from Sierra Nevada (a personal fave) and Dogfish Head (not in my fridge, but I'm always willing to try).

It's a 10% ABV American strong ale. It goes away from style characteristics, however, with it being brewed with pure maple syrup from the Calagione (Dogfish) family farm in Massachusetts and estate barley grown on the Grossman "farm" at the brewery in Chico, Calif.

From the website, "The beer is alive with yeast-a blend of both breweries' house strains-bottle conditioned for added complexity and shelf life, and naturally carbonated with birch syrup fresh from Alaska."

Even though I could taste the Dogfish, I dug this beer. Maybe a little on the sweet side, though, for me.

I usually shy away from the Octoberfest/marzens, but after having tasted Three Floyds' Munsterfest, I have no idea why. Good stuff.

This is an Octoberfest/marzen that's authentic, made with Bavarian malted barley, German hops and traditional yeast. It's brewed to the strict rules of the German bier purity law of 1516. It's a rich, malty lager that takes the tradition seriously.

Malts dominate. Hopping is minimal. It finishes with caramel and nutty flavors, true to marzen. 

Founder's Breakfast Stout is a beloved beer on Beer Advocate, rating an A on 1,360 reviews.

It's easy to see why. It's a monster mash of flavor, combining American double and imperial stout styles. It's an 8.3 ABV from Founder's Brewing Company in Grand Rapids, Mich.

The tastes are burnt, smoky dark chocolates, dark coffee and dark fruits. Chewy, malty, terrific. If you're into the bold, you'll love this stuff.

 The Sprecher is a less complex Octoberfest/marzen than the Munsterfest, but that doesn't make it any less enjoyable. It's more of a "check your geekiness at the door" kind of beer, which I kind of enjoyed.

It started sweet with caramel hints and Vienna malts as well as a fruity feel that's light. It stays light, but is hoppier as it dries out. Caramel is noted. I've read that the caramel is uncharacteristic of the style. It was a different beer than the Three Floyd Octoberfest, which is true to the style. I'm OK with this departure, because the Sprecher Octoberfest can stand on its own.