There are certain beers in the craft beer world that come along and just absolutely blow your mind. Don’t get us wrong, there are copious amounts of delicious craft beer out there to be consumed. We’re talking about those that come around now and then. Maybe they are seasonal releases, or maybe they are one-off beers, but they leave a profound impact on your palate. One such beer we recently had the pleasure of trying was a barrel-aged Stout from Tampa, FL based Hidden Springs Ale Works.

Mint Condition

Hidden Springs Ale Works has a seasonal beer called Darkness In The Light, which is a barrel-aged Stout. This beer is excellent in its own right, but we were able to try its boundary-pushing sibling which was brewed with mint cookies!

This was a brand-new variant of Darkness in the Light for 2023. It was inspired by previous research they did with another beer Hidden Springs made with Bottle Logic Brewing in December of 2022. It was a mint chocolate chip-inspired Imperial Stout. Josh Garman, the co-founder, CEO and head brewer of Hidden Springs Ale Works noted, “We liked the mint expression and wanted to play a bit with it.”

Being a big fan of those mint chocolate cookies, a certain American Girl Scout organization sells, Josh wanted to gravitate toward that flavor. That is until he tried a mint version of a famous chocolate and cream sandwich cookie brand, and then their direction changed completely. “That was the flavor I wanted to capture, I grew up eating a lot of sandwich cookies as an 80s kid,” said Josh. Noting that those sandwich cookies were a lunchbox staple, Josh noted they also have a more balanced mint, cream, and cookie flavor. Immediately thought to himself that they would work perfectly with the Darkness In The Light base.

“As a team, we all chime in with ideas and not just production,” said Josh. Their recent anniversary beer was dreamed up by someone on their marketing team after a trip camping across America. “We all just love creative flavors, food and nostalgia,” noted Josh.

Image provided by Jason Murphy

Cookies and Bourbon

While cookies and bourbon might not sound very appealing, we can assure you that this decadent dessert of a beer could change your mind. This iconic beer was aged in wet Heaven Hill bourbon barrels before getting the cookie treatment.

When you crack it open, you get those wonderful notes of bourbon on the nose. It’s a bit boozy, but not overkill, really just the right amount. Trailing the bourbon on the palate is the little mint engine that could. The mint is prevalent but balanced. You know you are sipping on something with mint in it, but it’s just enough. There are faint notes of chocolate throughout the experience that add to the overall flavor profile of the beer. We like to call this an experience instead of just a beer, because it’s just that, a beautiful experience.

“We knew going into making this beer that mint was a hard adjunct to work with, so we thought a lot about how to but didn’t shy away from the challenge,” said Josh. Numerous hours were spent researching and learning new processes. “Beer making is an art that requires a huge investment of time and patience,” noted Josh. People don’t see it in their social media, but if he isn’t brewing or helping to run the company, the team at Hidden Springs is always researching. “We are very proud of this beer. It reflects our ethos of crafting the best craft beer experience possible, but also one that will delight and surprise you,” exclaimed Josh.

Label Art

We wanted to give some high praise for the label art for this beer as well. The artwork is beautiful, intricate and very detailed. Josh let us know that Hidden Springs has been lucky enough to work with Arielle Katarina, who they met a long time ago in a beer group. Arielle has been designing their labels since day one. “She’s a very busy artist now, but we continue to collaborate with her,” said Josh.

Working with a professional like Arielle over the years has been very rewarding. For some brands, like Empty Devils, she is given full creative control. Josh notes that they completely trust her and love what she has envisioned. “More recently, our CMO, Mary Warner, gives creative direction but she would say she and Arielle share a vision for the quality of art we produce and speak the same language,” stated Josh. Label creating is another way they are making art. Often times they have easter eggs or are telling a story with their labels, but they intentionally keep it a secret. “It’s more fun that way,” said Josh.

 

https://beerguysradio.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/12/280063272_5729389680446214_3634439000138343630_n.jpghttps://beerguysradio.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/12/280063272_5729389680446214_3634439000138343630_n-150x150.jpgJason MurphyBeer Review#bastout,#flcraftbeer,#hiddenspringsaleworks,stoutThere are certain beers in the craft beer world that come along and just absolutely blow your mind. Don't get us wrong, there are copious amounts of delicious craft beer out there to be consumed. We're talking about those that come around now and then. Maybe they are seasonal...Cold beer, hot conversations, stupid jokes.