Brew Day & Tasting Notes: Spring Training Stout (Irish Extra Stout)

"I am so happy" is what I texted a friend on brew day as I brewed this batch. I also unintentionally sent the same message on a group text as I tasted the beer a week after kegging when the carbonation was perfect.

Hello, friend. 

Back when Jennie was still involved in brewing, she enjoyed coming up with beer names as much if not more than brewing or recipe development. In those early days the plan was to come up with seasonal beers like we were Sam Adams. An Irish Stout that would be ready for St. Patrick's Day named Spring Training Stout was just too perfect. Of those early seasonal brews, this is the only one that has stuck.

12x12 Review: Great Lakes Eliot Ness

Beers included: Eliot Ness

Purchased: 15 March 2025

Purchase Price: $17.99 

Initial Impression: When I first started really getting into craft beer one of the things people would get excited about was when a brewery started distributing in their state. This was before there was a taproom on every street corner and almost all packaged craft beer was bought at a store. 

Then by the late 2010s as the growth in craft beer began to slow, a regional brewery entering a new state became a red flag. Dumping liquid in a new market could provide a sugar high for a brand struggling for growth. Two large out-of-state breweries I worked with sent beer to Massachusetts; both have since been sold or merged. 

In that context, it was interesting to me to see Great Lakes Brewing on store shelves late last year. I almost pulled the trigger on Great Lakes Christmas Ale when I saw it late last year. For March I picked up Eliot Ness Amber Lager. 

Tasting Notes: Five commercial dry Irish Stouts

Inspired in-part by a recent video on Tree House Brewing’s YouTube channel, I decided to do my own Irish Stout tasting. That and finding a bunch of singles at my local Total Wine. 

I intended to make an Instagram reel or maybe even a TikTok video of the tasting. I ended up talking about each beer for 3-4 minutes which was way too long for either platform, so I posted the full video to my Facebook page and to YouTube.  

Off camera I jotted down some quick thoughts in a BJCP format like I do with my commercial beer and homebrew side-by-sides. The difference here is since I wanted to choose a favorite is I actually scored the beers using the BJCP 0-50 scale. Since these were all commercial beers, my scoring was probably harder than it would be for a homebrew competition. 

12x12 Review: Bent Water Thunder Funk

12x12 is a new series dedicated to reviewing 12-packs of 12 ounce cans or bottles. Inspired by my guide to garage beer, 12-packs are often the workhorse of the beer fridge. The beer you bring to a cookout or grab on the way to a party. This series honors craft flagships, seasonal classics, and imported examples of classic styles.  

Beers included: Thunder Funk IPA

Purchased: 1 February 2025

Purchase Price: $19.99 

Initial impression:  After reviewing a sample pack for my first 12 x 12 review I wanted to review a 12-pack of one beer. I picked this 12-pack up at a liquor store in Salem with a modest craft beer selection. I was on my way back from Notch. Having some IPAs in the fridge would be a nice contrast to the cans of lager I had just picked up.