Thirsty Thursday Beer Painting #150. Midnight Still Imperial Stout by Holy Mountain Brewing Co.

Holy Mountain Brewing is a fresh new Seattle brewery that has been leading the Emerald City to new heights and flavors in the craft beer community.  Colin Lenfesty and Mike Murphy opened their doors in 2014 (the same year I was painting a new beer painting every day), and were overrun with beer enthusiasts so much that they ran out of clean glassware.  Holy Mountain is the new type of brewery with a barrel aging program and amazing fresh pale ales and traditional styles that are often overlooked in the local beer scene in Seattle.  Midnight Still is a great barrel aged imperial stout.  I was lucky enough to be stationed next to Holy Mountain’s table at the Culmination Beer Festival hosted by Gabe Fletcher at Anchorage Brewing Company, and had a taster, or two of this amazing stout.  The Bourbon notes are delightfully blended with the robust, dark, coconut, vanilla, raisiny, plum-like flavors and aromas that this black dank brew encompasses.  As far as barrel aged imperial stouts go, you really can’t do much better than this.  Midnight Still is a perfect example of what BAIS should be!  This beer is hard to get, and I feel lucky to get to try it.  I got to meet the cool dudes from Holy Mountain at Culmination, working at the table, serving up beers and giving me a break so I could go around and sample the other great brews.

Cheers to Midnight Still!  When you drink this, your night will be tranquil for sure!  A beverage for those late night quiet hours to be enjoyed silently and with sophistication.

This original oil painting, and limited-edition prints are available at our Etsy shop RealArtIsBetter.

Thirsty Thursday Beer Painting #150. Midnight Still by Holy Mountain Brewing Co. 8″x10″, oil on panel. By Scott Clendaniel.

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Thirsty Thursday Beer Painting #142. Moon Juice Galactic IPA by SanTan Brewing Co.

What happens when you go to Arizona?  If you’re from Alaska, probably a sun tan, but what about the beer you ask?  Well, you might end up drinking a delicious beer from SanTan Brewing Co.  This beer known as Moon Juice Galactic IPA is a great version of IPA with enough hops and strength to make sure you feel satisfied.  My mother-in-law winters in Surprise, Arizona, and I was pleasantly surprised when I found Moon Juice readily available at Fry’s grocery store when we were visiting her in February.  I’m beginning to really like the desert the more time I end up spending in the Grand Canyon State.  The desert, despite making one feel like being on the moon, has way more life than an Alaskan guy would expect.  More culture is growing in the form of breweries too.  Eight breweries have sprung up in Flagstaff and at least 29 in Phoenix recently.  SanTan is located in Chandler, AZ, but is opening a second location in Uptown Phoenix.  SanTan not only makes Moon Juice, but also brews a grapefruit version of its über popular IPA.  They also make a pineapple wheat beer among many other creative offerings.  SanTan is leading the AZ canning revolution and only has its products available in 12oz, 24oz and onsite 32oz cans!  While I was working on this painting I was listening to a Sci-Fi book about war on the moon.  I totally felt like I was that guy in the pressure suit pictured on the can!

Cheers to an unearthly beer!  Great work SanTan, and keep up your well-crafted Arizona ales!

This original oil painting, and 52 limited-edition prints are available at our Etsy shop RealArtIsBetter.

Thirsty Thursday Beer Painting #142. Moon Juice Galactic IPA by SanTan Brewing Co. 8″x10″, oil on panel. By Scott Clendaniel

Thirsty Thursday Beer Painting #127. Kriek Ale at Cascade Brewing Barrel House.

Last week when I was in Portland, Oregon, I was lucky enough to be granted permission to paint live at the Cascade Brewing Barrel House.  A few years ago I was introduced to Cascade barrel-aged sour beer at my friend Sam’s birthday dinner in Philadelphia, and I was impressed from my first sip.  Sam is an avid collector of fine beers, so I was able to try not only the Kriek, but the Pêche Fumé, the Elderberry, the Blueberry, and the Cassis, among others.  Yes, the tasting was that remarkable!  Cascade offers a perfect blend between fruit, oak and fermented barley that is simply exquisite!  I chose to paint the Kriek in the taproom, because it is probably the most famous of the Cascade offerings.  I have painted live at breweries many times, and my experience at Cascade exceeded expectations!  The beertender made sure I tasted the most notable beers on the extensive menu.  The staff was amazing, and the beers… well they speak for themselves!  If you haven’t been to the Cascade Brewing Barrel House, you must make a pilgrimage to this beer Mecca, home of the best American sour beer!

Cheers to inventive and creative breweries!

The original oil painting sold. Limited-edition prints are available at our Etsy shop RealArtIsBetter.

Thirsty Thursday Beer Painting #127. Kriek painted live at Cascade Brewing Barrel House. 8″x10″, oil on panel. By Scott Clendaniel

Thirsty Thursday Beer Painting #126. Melt Down Stout by Root Down Brewing Co.

I think I feel like having a Melt Down right about now.  That’s right, the beer brewed by new Root Down Brewing in Phoenixville, Pennsylvania in a collaboration project with Beer N.E.R.D.s (Network of Educated Refined Drinkers) to remind us all that life is too short to get our underpants in a bind over waiting for a pint.  How many beer lines have you waited in?  I understand it can definitely cause anxiety if you can’t count how many folding chairs there are in front of you.  According to the story behind this beer, which is rapidly becoming a BeerNERDs legend, a gentleman saddled up to the brewery’s bar, and got impatient after waiting for the bartender to serve him, so he stormed off the premises without getting a pint!  He ranted about his experience online, and someone checked the security camera footage to find out how long he actually waited.  Needless to say, people had very little sympathy when they found out the wait was only 107 seconds.  So that’s the reason this beer is 10.7% ABV.

People have melt downs over strange things sometimes, so that is why Root Down and BeerNERDs are giving a big amount of the proceeds to support Main Line Deputy Dog, a non profit that trains and maintains service animals for people with challenges in life.  Root Down has generated over $6,000 for the non-profit so far!  I will donate 10% of sales from this painting and prints to MLDD to help with the cause.  So don’t wait too long before making it into Root Down… You might just have a real melt down, instead of the chocolate oatmeal stout that comes in a cool can with the BeerNERDs logo on it.  My friend Rich from PA sent me a can of this beer, and it knocked my hat in the creek!

Cheers to bartenders who work fast to get us our pints!

The original oil painting sold. 52 limited-edition prints are available at our Etsy shop RealArtIsBetter.

Thirsty Thursday Beer Painting #126. Melt Down Stout by Root Down Brewing Co. 11″x14″, oil on panel. By Scott Clendaniel

Thirsty Thursday Beer Painting #118. Darkest Hour Imperial Stout with Coffee by Anchorage Brewing Co.

There is a darkest time of year, and for that time we need beer.  Not a golden, effervescent, belly-filling swill of a brew, but a dark, dank, barrel-aged libation.  As black as midnight on the longest night, and robust enough to warm even the weakest of souls.  Add coffee to combat the instinctual hibernation that is inevitable at this time of year.  You may find this in Java Cask Coffee Bourbon Stout, or Speedway Stout.  If you are an Alaskan you should drink Anchorage Brewing Company’s Darkest Hour Imperial Stout with coffee.  Happy Winter Solstice, the light begins to come back tomorrow!

Cheers to return of the light!  Celebrate Solstice!

The original oil painting sold. Limited-edition prints are available at our Etsy shop RealArtIsBetter.

Thirsty Thursday Beer Painting #118. Darkest Hour Imperial Stout with coffee by Anchorage Brewing Co. 8″x10″, oil on panel. By Scott Clendaniel.