We interrupt the Southwest tour postings to report on the Phase Three Brewing tap takeover at Creatures of Habit Brewing, in Anderson, last Saturday. Phase Three opened their doors in 2019, and their focus is on marrying hop flavors together, big imperial stouts, and heavily fruited ales.
Hoppy imbibed a mug of Swells IPA, described as a blend of Midwest malted barley with a heavy focus on orange pulpy Simcoe with support from lemony Centennial, and a little bit of tropical forward Citra in the kettle. Straw colored, with just enough sweetness to balance the bitterness. 6.5% ABV.
He also drank a flight of the following:
Lost in the Moment IPA – Described as a modern American IPA with Citra, Cryo Mosaic, and Amarillo hops. 6.6% ABV.
Herbasaurus West Coast Imperial IPA – Described as super dank and packed with a sticky, pungent combination of Eureka, Apollo, Simcoe, Columbus, and Centennial hops. 8% ABV.
Pixelated Beezer DDH Hazy Double IPA (collaboration with Old Irving Brewing) – Brewed with four types of Citra and four types of Mosaic hops. 8% ABV.
Eunoia Batch 23 Bourbon Barrel-Aged Imperial Stout: Cacao Nibs, Peanut Butter & Tahitian Vanilla – Rested an average of 24 months in a selection of Henry McKenna, Heaven Hill, and George Dickel 15-Year bourbon barrels. Conditioned on peanut butter, Madagascar vanilla, and TCHO Ecuador cacao nibs. 14.7% ABV.
Pictures follow:
During his visit, Hoppy had the privilege to taste a behemoth of a beer from Pax Verum. This was Sins of Our Fathers Bourbon Triple Barrel-Aged Imperial Stout. This was aged across three bourbon barrels – 6 months in Four Roses, 16 months in honey bourbon from Starlight Distillery, and 24 months sealed in an 8-year Heaven Hill barrel. Described as fudge and chocolate brownie batter leading the way, while being full-bodied without leaning sweet. Warming spirits rise slowly, the alcohol hidden at first, then building from the inside out, and finishing with a subtle tingle at the neck. What’s left is dense, layered, and inevitable. 19.4% ABV, 50 IBU.
The continued posting of the Southwest tour will continue next, in the Dallas/Fort Worth area.