I haven’t posted much lately so I’m going to combine a couple of ideas into one post!
April was North Carolina Beer month which celebrates the 200+ breweries from the mountains to the ocean. There were beerfests across the state, in Asheville, Charlotte, the Triad, and here in the Triangle, where Brewgaloo was held. The Triangle Brewers Association also had a weekend of fun and they recognized those local brewers in the Raleigh-Durham-Chapel Hill area.
I celebrated NC Beer month in a few ways:
- I created “The Tollwhisperer” a wonderful cuvee blend of @Raleighbrewing BA The Toll
and The Toll conditioned with cacao nibs. It was a wonderful nectar that the good people at Raleigh Brewing should take note of and consider for a future release! The barrel aging and the chocolate notes combined well and made for a tasty Stout that was a one of a kind treat! - Mrs. Stoutwhisperer and I took a trip to Asheboro to visit Four Saints Brewing Co. It’s a wonderful
brewery/taproom in downtown Asheboro that had the feel of a local neighborhood gathering spot. Locals were welcomed by first name and visitors were welcomed as if they were a local. The two people tending the bar were very helpful and accommodating. If I were an Asheboro resident, I could see how Four Saints would be a regular stop! - I also enjoyed the following NC Stouts:
- The cocoa and vanilla variant of Heavyweight Champ from Trophy Brewing
- A 2016 vintage of
Drunken Vigils from Southern Pines Brewing - A 2016 vintage of Foothills Brewing Sexual Chocolate
I extended NC Beer month 
by a few days and enjoyed MDXXI, an Imperial Mexican Chocolate Stout from Twin Leaf Brewery
- Mrs. Stoutwhisperer and I also took another road trip to Waxhaw (south of Charlotte) to visit The Dreamchasers Brewery to pick up a couple of bottles of Wail of the Baen
Sidhe, a really tasty Bourbon Barrel aged Stout with vanilla beans and chocolate.The Taproom in downtown Waxhaw is a renovated firestation! The day we visited, all of the garage doors were wide open and everyone was enjoying the nice breeze and low humidity….a real neat place for families and locals to
meet and relax!
North Carolina Beer Month is really a great chance to focus on the amazing Stouts that North Carolina has to offer. It truly is a statewide celebration of the craft beer industry!
Following NC Beer Month, I took a look at the last couple months of my sampling and realized I hadn’t had any Stouts west of the Mississippi! I took care of that my having a California weekend! Here were my selections:
-Traeblod, an excellent Maple and Coffee stout from Mikkeller San Diego. This was really a tasty one!
-Goshawk’s Grasp from Horus Aged Ales out of Oceanside, CA. A thick, chewy Stout with 
notes of Hazelnuts and Coffee. Loved the aroma and the taste!
-Darkstar November from Bottle Logic Brewing in Anaheim, CA. Another incredible Stout from Bottle Logic – a bourbon 
barrel imperial stout brewed with molasses and rye. I really loved what the molasses added to this one – it really softened the bourbon notes and made it a smooth Stout!
I really enjoyed my California weekend….and I’m looking forward to traveling west again soon! Hope you will come along for the ride!
What are you favorite North Carolina or California Stouts! Let me know!
Stoutwhisperer 