Washington State is well known both for its winemaking and craft brewing traditions, so Westland focused on the two as part of its Cask Exploration Series in its continued commitment to bottling the Pacific Northwest “sense of place.”

Beer Cask Finish American Single Malt Whiskey Batch No. 2 is made with Westland’s signature five malt and Washington pale malt and matured 6-9 years in New American Oak
and ex-bourbon and ex-rye whiskey barrels. The 92 proof expression is finished in Stout/Porter, Brown Ale, Imperial Munich Lager and Foudre Ale barrels.

Wine Cask Finish American Single Malt Whiskey Batch No. 2 starts with Westland’s signature five malt mashbill and is matured for 5-9 years in first and second fill American Oak barrels. This 92 proof expression is finished in Tempranillo, WA Red Blend, Cabernet Sauvignon, Syrah and Merlot barrels.

“Westland set out to express the place we live,” says Shane Armstrong, Westland’s Master Blender. “The Cask Exploration Series extends that through collaboration with brewers and winemakers of the PNW – notes woven with our whiskey are pieces to the puzzle of our region. The second batch incorporates new varietals/beer types made from trusted Washington producers, continuing the connection from a different vantage.”

Originally launched in 2024, Westland’s Cask Exploration Series delves into the vast possibilities of cask finishing.

Available via e-commerce this August and nationwide this September, Westland’s Beer Cask Finish American Single Malt Whiskey, Batch No. 2 (12,840 total bottles) and Westland’s Wine Cask Finish American Single Malt Whiskey, Batch No. 2 (9,048 total bottles) will be available for $74.99.

The post Westland Toasts Washington’s Love Of Beer And Wine appeared first on The Whiskey Lifestyle.

Distilled from an Imperial Stout in Brooklyn, the result is a whiskey with a dark chocolate aroma, with notes of caramel and toffee. It is bottled at 83 proof.

“Arcane Imperial’s vacuum distillation process captures and preserves the exact malt flavors and aromas of our Imperial Stout, delivering a complex and flavorful American whiskey unlike any other,” said Brian Thompson, CEO, Arcane Distilling. “It is infinitely more complex than other whiskeys and a perfect example of the whole being greater than the sum of its parts.”Arcane Imperial joins Arcane Alpha in the portfolio, a whiskey distilled from a triple IPA loaded with bright, citrusy hops, which launched earlier this summer. Together they offer two distinctly flavorful experiences that appeal to both the whiskey lover and beer aficionado.

Arcane is a new type of distillery that lives at the intersection of beer and whiskey. The Arcane approach is to make great beer and distill it into great whiskey. The entire approach to brewing differs greatly from a traditional whiskey distiller, where the goal is often to maximize the alcohol content in its “distiller’s beer.” Rather, the Arcane approach is to make the most flavorful craft beer possible to produce the most flavorful whiskey possible. Using only premium malted barley and hops – the same ingredients you would find at a craft brewery – and fermenting with a particularly flavor-forward yeast called kviek.

Because so many of the aromas and flavors of beer are delicate and volatile, traditional distillation would all but destroy them when boiling beer to evaporate the alcohol. Under vacuum, however, alcohol evaporates at a much lower temperature. Arcane’s custom-designed vacuum still operates at room temperature, allowing the system to preserve and collect those volatile aroma and flavor compounds. Further, Arcane’s still is equipped with three auxiliary condensers, one of which operates at -30 degrees Celsius, and is designed to capture exceptionally flavorful but extremely volatile compounds that cannot be captured in a traditional still.

Arcane’s whiskeys are finished via a process designed to ensure its flavors are preserved and carry through to the final product while trying to avoid barrel waste. The expressions rests in large oak foudres to add mouthfeel without overwhelming the beer flavors with too much wood character.

Arcane Imperial retails for $45.99.

The post Brooklyn’s Newest Distillery Debuts Arcane Imperial appeared first on The Whiskey Lifestyle.

The relationship began with long time friendship between Brooklyn’s Brewmaster Garrett Oliver and Four Roses COO and Director of Operations Ryan Ashley. This vintage of this stout was aged in Four Roses Small Batch Bourbon barrels selected by Master Distiller Brent Elliott. Black Ops rested in these barrels for months, emerging with vanilla-forward oak notes, a hint of mellow Bourbon character, and a smooth, regal finish.

It was originally concocted by the Brooklyn brewing team and hidden from everyone else at the brewery. This Black Ops is aged for months in the barrels and re-fermented with Champagne yeast. The beer raises a rich, fluffy dark brown head, and combines big chocolate and coffee notes with a rich underpinning of vanilla-like oak.

Brooklyn Brewery x Four Roses Black Ops is available in limited quantities wherever Brooklyn Brewery is available.

The post Four Roses and Brooklyn Brewery Plan Black Ops appeared first on The Whiskey Lifestyle.

The device accommodates the different heights of cocktail and beer glasses, supporting glasses that range from 4.25 to 9 inches tall. It also features a new base design to better stabilize taller glasses and prevent spillage. In addition to changes in its form factor, the Ripple Maker PM software has been optimized for beer and cocktail glasses with a print time of about 10 seconds per drink.

The counter-top sized devices also feature an easy-to-use touchscreen system and customers can even send a photo, personal image or message to either Ripple Maker through the Ripples mobile app. Along with the new Ripple Maker PM, the current Ripple Maker has been rebranded as the Ripple Maker AM and will be used for personalized images and messages on foam-topped coffee and lattes.

“We started Ripples with the idea that a drink could serve as a communication platform,” said Yossi Meshulam, CEO of RipplesTM. “Thousands of customers are enjoying Ripple Maker AM on coffee and the new beer extract announced earlier this year draws tremendous industry attention. Now we are excited to bring to the market a new device designed specifically for printing on cocktails and beer. Whether people need a morning jolt with the Ripple Maker AM or to spice up their evening with the Ripple Maker PM, our customers can serve printed coffees, beers or cocktails with personalized content that inspires, lifts up, and creates unique experiences and emotional connections with their customers.”

The Ripple Maker PM with cocktail capabilities is available now in the U.S. and Canada for $3,000 with an annual subscription fee of $1,500, which includes all consumables for up to 6,000 prints, customer service support and advice on best content practices.

The post Ripples Makes Waves With Custom Cocktails appeared first on The Whiskey Lifestyle.

Yes, its Pumpkin Spiced Latte season, but we’re really looking forward to Bourbon County season. This year, Goose Island Beer Co. has announced a record eight variants to its annual Bourbon County release.

More than twenty years ago, Hall wanted to do something different for the brewpub’s 1000th batch. A chance encounter between Hall and the legendary Booker Noe, Jim Beam’s legendary distiller, led to Goose Island acquiring the barrels for what was to become the world’s first bourbon barrel aged beer.

Since then, the beer has become both internationally known and locally recognized. Fans line-up down the street for its Black Friday release in Chicago. Below are the eight variants that the brewery will be releasing this year:

• Original Bourbon County Brand Stout
• Reserve Bourbon County Brand Stout
• Proprietor’s Bourbon County Brand Stout
• Bourbon County Brand Wheatwine
• Bourbon County Brand Vanilla Stout
• Bourbon County Brand Bramble Rye Stout
• Bourbon County Brand Coffee Barleywine
• Bourbon County Brand Midnight Orange Stout

Goose Island’s Bourbon County lineup will be released Black Friday, Nov 23.

The post Goose Island Beer Reveals This Year’s Bourbon County Lineup appeared first on The Whiskey Lifestyle.