Growlers: Forest King and Forest Troll, Moody Earl Grey ESB Returns

Well, to say this is a crazy week in Little Rock’s beer scene would be an understatement. To explain, we first have to start with today’s Freshcut Monday release at Lost Forty Brewing. The brew team is bringing back Forest King Imperial Stout, one of the original seasonal brews that was on when the brewery first opened. This 10 percent ABV ale is a big one, with a load of booze coming through a heavy body, and flavors of coffee and chocolate playing at the front. It is a tremendous beer, one that Lost Forty uses as the base for its annual Nighty Night barrel-aged release. This year, it’s available in four-packs at the brewery for the first time. You can also get it by the glass, and in growlers and crowlers to go. Today’s release starts at 4 p.m. …
…and here’s where it gets crazy. Just a block up the hill, Rebel Kettle Brewing Company is debuting Forest Troll “Un-Barrel Aged” Imperial Stout on Thursday. That’s right. Rebel Kettle is doing a troll release of its own stout to coincide with Lost Forty’s release. Rebel Kettle’s comes in at 11 percent ABV. I’d give you a hint of the description, except I’ve never tried it before, and Rebel Kettle continued its trolling by copying and pasting (with a few tweaks) Lost Forty’s description onto its Facebook event page. All that aside, Rebel Kettle can brew some good beer, and there’s no reason to think this won’t be delicious. Join the taproom for what promises to be some good laughs at the release at 4:30 on Thursday.
A beer that hasn’t been seen in Little Rock in more than two years comes back on tap this week. Moody Brews is releasing its Earl Grey ESB later this week at Vino’s Brewpub. Originally created with Apple Blossom Brewing Company in Fayetteville, this traditional English-style brew is made with Earl Grey tea, resulting in deep citrus and honey notes. Josiah Moody brought the ABV down to 5 percent for this one, saying he wanted to make it sessionable. More than one person called this brew their favorite when it was last on tap. We don’t know the exact release date yet, so fans should keep an eye on the Moody Brews Facebook page for the announcement.
Stone’s Throw Brewing has begun buildout of its Stifft Station location after some delays in getting the keys to the spot. Pictures of the space show the team has been hard at work getting the bar and taproom area ready. At their MacArthur Park location, Stone’s Throw has a brand new on for #NewBrewFriday. It’s called Kleinschmidt Kellerbock, and it follows in the Stone’s Throw tradition of resurrecting older European styles. The kellerbock is an unfiltered lager that used to be served straight from the barrel where it was aged. This means the brew is hazier and has more yeast flavor than most lagers. It’s named after Gustav Kleinschmidt, who took over Papa Geyer’s Biergarten and Hall in the late 1800s. You can get a taste of this unique brew at 4 p.m. on Friday.
And the year’s first beer festival is this coming weekend in Fayetteville. Frost Fest is back on Saturday at 3 p.m. next door to the Washington County fairgrounds. Virtually ever Central Arkansas and Northwest Arkansas brewery will be there, as will beers from Missouri, Oklahoma, Mississippi and other nearby states. General admission tickets are still available for $60; “beer enthusiast” tickets have already sold out. This is an outdoor, rain-or-shine event, so go ready for the weather and make sure to call an Uber afterwards.
Do you have any beer news to share with us? Email steveshuler@gmail.com.

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