With Uppers & Downers sold out and people still knocking at the door, we decided to hit the road with a couple of special tapping events with one of our Uppers & Downers case study partners — Solemn Oath Brewery. With us since day-one of this adventure, Solemn Oath's Paul Schneider has been brewing, extracting, and blending with Jay Cunningham of Intelligentsia in search of some radical new territory for coffee beers. These beers will be available at the festival this Sunday, but now, you can also look forward to two special tapping events at The Map Room in Chicago, and Solemn Oath's own taproom in Naperville.
Come out and join us for these special tappings, and meet Paul, Kay and the crew — no tickets necessary.
// The Telegraph with coffee
Our Scotch ale, The Telegraph, with cold-brewed Tres Santos – Colombia (50%) and and Kurimi – Ethiopia (50%) added. The base beer is an exploration of malt complexity with toffee and nutty flavors emanating from British varieties of malted barley and fruity overtones of fig and raisin from fermentation. The coffee adds a layer of baker’s chocolate, almond, and tropical fruit without overwhelming the beer’s structure. 8.6% ABV
// Pain Cave with coffee
Our Pain Cave double IPA with cold-brewed Honey Badger Espresso added. The base beer is American hop-driven with a huge grapefruit and machine oil hop aroma and very little malt sweetness to balance. The coffee adds malt-like character to the beer, notably biscuit, rich caramel, and a moderate degree of roast character. The result is entirely different from the base beer: a balanced and nuanced, yet strikingly pungent blend. 8.2% ABV
// Muerte Inmaculada – Three versions
Our Death By Viking double IPA three ways, with each of the Café Inmaculada collection coffees, cold-brewed and added: Laurina, Sudan Rume, and Geisha. The base beer is American hop-driven with catty, pine resin, and machine oil aromas well-balanced by a bready, slightly caramel malt presence. In each case, the coffee from Intelligentsia’s Café Inmaculada collection adds something entirely different. Laurina is bright and tangy, while Sudan Rume is rich in earthy tones, and Geisha surprisingly floral. Try all three and tease out the differences. 9.1% ABV
// Beverage of Champions
Our double milk stout, Most Important Beverage of the Day, aged 11 months in Heaven Hill bourbon barrels with sweet orange peel and cold-brewed Ljulu Lipati – Zambia (80%) and French Roast (20%) added. This beer is layered with the comforting flavors of a very adult breakfast. The base beer is a rich, chocolatey, full-bodied stout that pulled vanilla, coconut, and caramel bourbon character from the barrels. The orange peel adds bright overtones similar to Trix bathed in Grand Marnier–yes, we tried it, and it’s a dead ringer. The Ljulu Lipati adds a tangy acidity that cuts through the darker components, while the French roast pulls everything back to the dark depths, landing this beer squarely in the center, with incredible tension in either direction. 7.3% ABV