True story:  I tried to get some Goose Island Vanilla Bourbon County Stout this past weekend at the Great Taste of the Midwest, but there was about a million people in line and I wasn’t going to waste 45 minutes trying to get a beer when there was so much other awesome beer available.  While it didn’t bother me that much, my long-time companion Irene was really looking forward and walked away a little disappointed.

So, I was pretty excited when I saw an email from Brad Lobdell, one of the co-owners of the International Tap House, this afternoon with the subject of “Goose Island Invasion on Sept. 13th!”  What does this invasion entail?  Here’s a peek at the draught list:

• 312
• Honkers
• IPA
• Harvest Ale (first time on draft in the St. Louis area)
• Sofie
• Matilda
• Pere Jacques (first time on draft in the St. Louis area)
• Bourbon County Stout!!!
• Bourbon County Stout VANILLA!!! (first time on draft in the St. Louis area)
• Bourbon County Stout COFFEE!!! (first time on draft in the St. Louis area)
• Pepe Nero!!! (only time it will ever be on draft in the St. Louis area)

This one night only event will begin at 7:30PM on Monday, September 13th and will take place at the Chesterfield location of iTAP. This is something not to be missed.

Today, from 4PM to 6:30PM the Wine and Cheese Place in Clayton will be holding a beer tasting featuring Karen King of Goose Island Brewing. Here’s just a couple of beers that they’ll be tasting this afternoon: Goose Island 312, Goose Island Honker’s Ale, Goose Island Summertime, Goose Island Sofie, Goose Island Matilda, Goose Island Pere Jacques, Goose Island Demolition, and Goose Island Nightstalker. Additional information can be found at their blog.

Cory from deVine Wines and Spirts, located at 2961 Dougherty Ferry Rd, holds a beer tasting every Wednesday evening from from 5PM to 8PM. Each Wednesday will offer up a few new beers for you to taste. Swing on by and check it out.

Once again, if you’re a retail shop, bar, restaurant, brewery or distributor and want me to list your tasting, make sure to email me at mike@stlhops.com.

Cicero’s Italian Restaurant continues their Winter Beer School semester this Wednesday from 5:30-6:30PM. Cicero’s Beer School provides background about beers and beer styles usually directly from people directly in the beer industry. It’s perfect opportunity to learn more about a style you’re unfamiliar with or to just brush up on a style you haven’t enjoyed in a while.

This week’s school is being hosted by Karen King from Goose Island. Karen will be on hand to discuss and sample some of their beers including Pere Jacques, Sofia and the Goose Island IPA. Go out and take advantage of one of the few places where you can drink and learn!

If you can’t make it out to the Beer School, you can check out all of the classes via podcast at Cicerosbeerschool.com.

Today’s an exciting day if you’re a fan of some big, black beers.  Starting today you should be able to find both the Goose Island Night Stalker Imperial Stout and the Sierra 30 – Fritz And Ken’s Ale, a 30th Anniversary collaboration stout from Sierra Nevada and Anchor Brewing.

Here’s some of the information I could dig up about each beer:

Night Stalker:
Brewmasters Notes:
A heavily-hopped imperial stout, Night Stalker is a heavyweight of a beer. It delivers a formidable punch of hops and rich roasted malt notes to the nose in a silky body that’s as dark as night.

Recipe Information:
Style: Imperial Stout
Alcohol by Volume: 11.2%
International Bitterness Units: 60
Color: Midnight
Hops: Mt Hood, Simcoe
Malts: 2-Row, Munich, Chocolate, Caramel, Roasted Barley, De-Bittered Black

Serving Suggestions:
Preferred Glass: Snifter
Preferred Serving Temperature: 40º
Cellaring Notes: Develops in the bottle over 5 years

Sierra 30 – Fritz And Ken’s Ale
Notes:
Fritz Maytag, owner of San Francisco’s Anchor Brewing Company, is regarded as the godfather of the craft brewing movement. Fritz agreed to guest brew this very special ale with us in honor of our 30th anniversary. As a nod to the robust black ales that seduced both Fritz and Ken in the early years, we bring you this Pioneers Stout, a rich and roasted ale, perfect for aging, and worth of your finest snifter. Enjoy!

Charity:
Fritz Maytag has always had a passion for knowledge. As a child in Iowa, he learned early about the wealth of information available to him at his local library. Maytag chose to donate to the Butte County Library system, which is library district local to Chico, California-home to Sierra Nevada Brewing.

Beer notes:
Style: American Imperial Stout
ABV: 9.20%

Cicero’s Italian Restaurant continues their fall Beer School semester this Wednesday from 5:30-6:30PM. Cicero’s Beer School provides background about beers and beer styles usually directly from people directly in the beer industry.

It’s a perfect opportunity to learn more about a style you’re unfamiliar with or to just brush up on a style you haven’t enjoyed in a while.

This week’s school is being taught by Paul DeVries, Regional Sales Manager for Goose Island Brewery. Paul will be on hand to discuss and sample Matilda (on draft), IPA and 312. Go out and take advantage of one of the few places where you can drink and learn!

If you can’t make it out to the Beer School, you can check out all of the classes via podcast at Cicerosbeerschool.com.

I know I’m very random about which new beer releases get their own post and which get just get put on the Friday Round-Up.  I’ll be honest, the reason is that there are just some beers I’m far more excited about than others.  That’s not to say those are beers aren’t important.  I’m just easily excitable about some beers.

Goose Island‘s Bourbon County Stout is one of those that tickles my fancy.  It’s just a wonderfully complex beer that gets better and better with each sip.  This beer is perfect for these cool fall evenings to just sit back and savor.  Paul from the Wine and Cheese Place now has this year’s beer available for $17.99 a four-pack.  For added fun, visit Andy over at the Galleria Whole Foods and pick up four-pack of the 2007 and sample them side by side.

I often have people asking me about aging beers.  I’m happy to say this is one of the best examples of what giving a beer a little age will do.  You’d be remiss if you have a cellar and don’t have this beer in your collection.  Go out and buy some today.

Ric Syberg, one of the Culinary Directors at Whole Foods in Brentwood, has also taken on the task of being the beer buyer for Syberg’s on Gravois. Ric has done all of us beer nerds the favor of adding some new beer to the Syberg’s menu. He’s added beers such as Rouge Dead Guy Ale, Bells Two Hearted Ale and (correct me if I’m wrong) two beers (thank you Dave) one beer I’ve never seen on a local beer menu here in St. Louis: Goose Island Imperial IPA and Goose Island Bourbon County Stout.

At 5 bucks per 12oz bottle retail, I’m kind of curious to see how much Syberg’s is planning to sell the Goose Island beers for. More important is that us beer nerds make the effort to patronize the location and show them that when they care about beer, we care about them.