Abrasive

The first double IPA in Minnesota demands your attention. When the tab is pulled, this white phosphorus hop grenade explodes, filling your nostrils with floral shrapnel. Your taste buds will run the gauntlet, happily running over mines of fruit flavors, destroying any and all thoughts of disappointment. This beast of a beer is seasonal, so get it while you can. 

www.surlybrewing.com

Lagunitas: The Story

Ya love beer and reading? This is the best way to do it! Great story about a man/great brewery forging their own path without compromise.  A very punk read, kinda like Motley Crüe: The Dirt of the brewing world in a book strangely. This book made laugh multiple times and cry even. A great read! You won't be able to put it down and it will be done before ya know it. Bonus, it makes you thirsty. 

www.lagunitas.com

Darius The Giant

Aged for a year in Heaven Hill barrels, each packed with 50 lbs of Balaton Cherries, this sour beer stands in its own league and has become a fan favorite at the Raleigh Rare Beer Tasting.  Darius The Giant has been at the fest two years straight and the keg kicks faster than anything else.  Haw River is raising the bar with this beer. 

www.hawriverales.com

Tartare

The one beer to rule them all for me at this past weeks beer festival in Raleigh, NC. The Raleigh Rare Beer Tasting had lots of different beer to sample from each style, both unique and rare for either the area or in general.  Tartare took the cake for me. This Berliner Weiss really shined with all it's tart lemony-citrus sharpness like a one inch palate punch without the pain. The Champagne of the North has some weight behind it.
www.bearrepublic.com

Black

Brewed by Mikkeller (The worlds first "Gypsy" brewer as far as I know). Russian Imperial Stout at it's finest. There is a series of Black aged in various barrels, this one is Cognac. Beautiful chocolate and coffee malt melody with just the right sweetness. At 17.5%, the alcohol is ninja like in presence while wielding Dim Mak.

www.mikkeller.dk

Pliny The Elder

The hop herald of California and once proclaimed best IPA in the nation, (breweries keeping one upping each other in the hop world) Pliny is a world class beer. Not widely available and usually gone from stores in the blink of an eye, this beer is awesome as deserves all the hype it gets. The label says it all by stressing four or five times to drink the beer fresh. Do not age, drink fresh. The fresher the better. I've had it it only three days old and it was stunning. 

www.russianriverbrewing.com

The band.

Our tentacles starting twitching again yesterday in Richmond VA, with the addition of our new full time bass player. The man is Aaron Dallison of the mighty Keelhaul. 

A whole other layer has been exposed, expanding our sonic range further beyond limits. 

Keep up with us here: www.facebook.com/Thebraintentacles