Malt Couture

In one of the wildest Power Ranking throwdowns, a white whale from the year 2000 by De Dolle Brouwers finds itself up against barrel-aged barleywines from Brujos Brewing and Dimensional Brewing Company and a locals only single-barrel 2026 BCBS. In the Beer News, beer sales on St. Patrick's Day have bounced back, Chicago claims the American English Mild Ale crown for the three-peat, and Tilray teams up with an American legacy brand Popsicle.  Thanks to Trillium Brewing for sponsoring this episode. Follow them on IG @TrilliumBrewing. Check out their latest releases and collab beers here. Don't sleep on their spirits program either. Look out for their West Coast IPA collab with Sante Adairius, Monkish, and Side Project at the 2026 Firestone Walker Invitational Beer Fest.  For more info about colon cancer and to help support the fight against it check out the Colon Cancer Foundation.  Head to our Patreon for weekly exclusive content. Get the Malt Couture Officially Licensed T-shirt. Follow DontDrinkBeer on Instagram.

Alex won his first ever razzle in order to put this episode together when he sources a hazy DIPA from Threat Beer Company. A mysterious benefactor sells Alex a Stone Stonewall bottle from 2005. Then rounding out the Bottleshare is the 2025 Toronado Barleywine Festival winner from Wonderous Brewing Co. and a love letter to Dark Lord from a bunch of basement dwellers in Chicago. In the Beer News, George Clooney gets involved in the NA beer game and Half Acre and Maplewood Brewery & Distillery merge to form a new Chicago beverage platform.  For more info about colon cancer and to help support the fight against it check out the Colon Cancer Foundation.  Head to our Patreon for weekly exclusive content. Get the Malt Couture Officially Licensed T-shirt. Follow DontDrinkBeer on Instagram.

We all had one. She'd buy you tickets to R-rated movies or go on pre-Thanksgiving dinner walks. She adds Coke and ice to her red wine and smokes slims. She's your cool aunt and she's not judging anyone for drinking NA beers. The Malty Boyz™ also do their due diligence when they crack open Bud Light Blizzard Brew and take in the terroir of HIghmark Stadium. In the Beer News, Tilray acquires BrewDog, Michelob Ultra Zero becomes the king of NA beers, and a SoCal beer icon is blowin' in the wind. To get involved with the  "Life" International Barleywine Collab, click the link for info about the recipe, BSG discount, and links to help raise awareness of colon cancer.  For more info about colon cancer and to help support the fight against it check out the Colon Cancer Foundation.  Head to our Patreon for weekly exclusive content. Get the Malt Couture Officially Licensed T-shirt. Follow DontDrinkBeer on Instagram and Twitter

Alex tracks down another White Whale as Surly Darkness Batch 1 lands on the show and finds itself in the mix with Holy Mountain Brewing Company's Summoning Spell, Bissell Brothers' Brewing Super Swish, and Fiddlehead Brewing's Second Fiddle. In the Beer News, a beloved SoCal brewery closes shop, BrewDog announces they're being sold but not without tons of drama, and Budweiser takes the top spot in this year's Super Bowl commercial rankings according to USA Today.  To get involved with the  "Life" International Barleywine Collab, click the link for info about the recipe, BSG discount, and links to help raise awareness of colon cancer.  If you'd like to make a direct donation to help support Alex, head over to his GoFundMe.  For more info about colon cancer and to help support the fight against it check out the Colon Cancer Foundation.  Head to our Patreon for weekly exclusive content. Get the Malt Couture Officially Licensed T-shirt. Follow DontDrinkBeer on Instagram and Twitter

Returning to their old way of ranking beers, Alex's video game and Stephen's wrestling rating systems are back for this batch's motley lineup of beers. Bell's Brewery's Hopslam finally makes it on the show. A throwback to the IBU Wars, Three Floyds Arctic Panzer Wolf, takes the Malty Boyz™ back to the mid-2000s. Alex's leather jacket-gate inspires a massive collaboration with Barreled Souls Grifter and Friends strong ale. Then a Drekker's smoothie sour has Alex struggling to wrap his head around... well, craft beer. In the Beer News, Midnight Sun shutters an iconic taproom location while a bear poop fueled press release makes the rounds through the press.   To get involved with the  "Life" International Barleywine Collab, click the link for info about the recipe, BSG discount, and links to help raise awareness of colon cancer.  If you'd like to make a direct donation to help support Alex, head over to his GoFundMe.  For more info about colon cancer and to help support the fight against it check out the Colon Cancer Foundation.  Head to our Patreon for weekly exclusive content. Get the Malt Couture Officially Licensed T-shirt. Follow DontDrinkBeer on Instagram and Twitter

Alex hunts down the best and most sought after whiskeys released in 2025! E.H. Taylor BTAC, Russell's Reserve 15 Year, Jack Daniel's Single Barrel Special Release Tanyard HIll Rye, Bardstown Bourbon Company Distillery Reserve Hokkaido Mizunara Oak Barrel Finish, and Hill Farmstead Whistle Pig Rye 10 Year all compete for that coveted spot atop the Malt Couture Power Rankings. In the Beer News, the TTB gets served a lawsuit to allow meads, ciders, and fruit wines to display vintages on their labels and the world's oldest monastic brewery in Germany is sold. Thanks to Amory's Tomb Brewing Co. for sponsoring this episode. Visit their newly reopened tap room in Maynard, Massachusetts. Look for them at the New England Real Ale Exhibition from March 25-28 and at Widowmaker's Hopsmokerfest in April! Follow them on IG @AmorysTomb! To get involved with the  "Life" International Barleywine Collab, click the link for info about the recipe, BSG discount, and links to help raise awareness of colon cancer.  If you'd like to make a direct donation to help support Alex, head over to his GoFundMe.  For more info about colon cancer and to help support the fight against it check out the Colon Cancer Foundation.  Head to our Patreon for weekly exclusive content. Get the Malt Couture Officially Licensed T-shirt. Follow DontDrinkBeer on Instagram and Twitter

Alex and Stephen start 2026 with a visit from Lord Maris for the seventh Barleywine is Life episode with four Barleywhales that have been lighting up the tradeboards on the secondary market. Featuring barleybobs from The Veil (STARVE: Exhibit H), Goose Island (King Henry II), Anchorage Brewing (Penta Oaked A Deal With the Devil), and Half Acre (Bazalt Wilderness of History). In the Beer News, Jim Beam temporarily shutters a distillery, Disneyland offers a $250 adult beverage, and Bells Brewing tests the spelling skills of their fanbase for this year's Hopslam release.  To get involved with the  "Life" International Barleywine Collab, click the link for info about the recipe, BSG discount, and links to help raise awareness of colon cancer.  If you'd like to make a direct donation to help support Alex, head over to his GoFundMe.  For more info about colon cancer and to help support the fight against it check out the Colon Cancer Foundation.  Head to our Patreon for weekly exclusive content. Get the Malt Couture Officially Licensed T-shirt. Follow DontDrinkBeer on Instagram and Twitter

After braving the Black Friday crowds outside Binny's and pissing in bottles in now temperate weather, Alex and Stephen have sourced a horizontal of all six of Goose Island's Bourbon Country Brand Stout releases from this year. They'll be goosin' it, they'll be loosin', and they'll be Power Rankin' it to see how this year's Chicago Juice stacks up. Nothing like 14% ABV beers in the AM to kick off the new year. In the Beer News, the Canadian Brewing Awards integrate AI into their voting system and the judges take a hard stance against the clankers, Bud Light brews beer with melted snow from the Buffalo Bills stadium. Thanks to Uinta Brewing Company for sponsoring this episode. Utah's favorite in '93 has released Cutthroat Zero, their non-alcoholic Pale Ale which is on shelves now! Follow Uinta Brewing Company on Instagram @UintaBrewing. To get involved with the  "Life" International Barleywine Collab, click the link for info about the recipe, BSG discount, and links to help raise awareness of colon cancer.  If you'd like to make a direct donation to help support Alex, head over to his GoFundMe.  For more info about colon cancer and to help support the fight against it check out the Colon Cancer Foundation.  Head to our Patreon for weekly exclusive content. Get the Malt Couture Officially Licensed T-shirt. Follow DontDrinkBeer on Instagram and Twitter

Call us The Malty Boyz™. Some years ago--never mind how long precisely--having little or no malty bucks in our purse, and nothing particular to interest us on the shelves at Binny's, we thought we would sail about a little and see the watery part of the world. Now we've slayed many a white whale but it's been a minute since we've searched for a modern day whale. Which is why in this episode, Alex reels in some Schramm's, Hill Farmstead, Moksa, and Perennial Artisan Ales to see what's still worth paying triple digits over in the beer and mead game. In the Beer News, the thrilling conclusion of the Fair State saga, Canada gets its own gas station whale, and beer brewed for an arctic expedition looks to be brought back to life.  To get involved with the  "Life" International Barleywine Collab, click the link for info about the recipe, BSG discount, and links to help raise awareness of colon cancer.  If you'd like to make a direct donation to help support Alex, head over to his GoFundMe.  For more info about colon cancer and to help support the fight against it check out the Colon Cancer Foundation.  Head to our Patreon for weekly exclusive content. Get the Malt Couture Officially Licensed T-shirt. Follow DontDrinkBeer on Instagram and Twitter

After a run of White Whales, Old Money, and lots of fresh hops, Alex and Stephen return to the NA space to Power Rank an XL line-up of beers (and a soda) that have popped up in the Beer News in recent months. Sapporo, Paulaner, Years Beer, Rhinegeist Brewery, and Athletic Brewing Company are all represented for this due diligence episode. In the Beer News, A Class of '88 pillar topples as Rogue Brewing abruptly shutters their operations, The Siebel Institute of Technology and World Brewing Academy move to Canada in response to visa operations in the US, and Cigar City ditches aluminum and glass as they sell Jai Alai in a plastic five gallon bucket.    To get involved with the  "Life" International Barleywine Collab, click the link for info about the recipe, BSG discount, and links to help raise awareness of colon cancer.  If you'd like to make a direct donation to help support Alex, head over to his GoFundMe.  For more info about colon cancer and to help support the fight against it check out the Colon Cancer Foundation.  Head to our Patreon for weekly exclusive content. Get the Malt Couture Officially Licensed T-shirt. Follow DontDrinkBeer on Instagram and Twitter.

Alex looks into some old dogs learning new tricks as Brasserie Au Baron, Kern River Brewing Company, 3 Fonteinen, Brasserie Fantôme, and Yazoo Brewing Company break from traditions. In the Beer News, Paulaner gets into the soda game, Untappd allows any beverage to be checked in, and craft beer legend and long time New Belgium brewer Lauren Woods Limbach retires after 28 years. To get involved with the  "Life" International Barleywine Collab, click the link for info about the recipe, BSG discount, and links to help raise awareness of colon cancer.  If you'd like to make a direct donation to help support Alex, head over to his GoFundMe.  For more info about colon cancer and to help support the fight against it check out the Colon Cancer Foundation.  Head to our Patreon for weekly exclusive content. Get the Malt Couture Officially Licensed T-shirt. Follow DontDrinkBeer on Instagram and Twitter.

Alex and Stephen celebrate 300 episodes by cracking open tried and true old money staples and one not so old money beer. Beers from Brasserie de Blaugies, Uerige Obergärige Hausbrauerei, De Ranke, and Sierra Nevada will be put through the Power Rankings treatment. In the Beer News, Schramms Meadery released a batch of The Statement Reserve to help pay off their orchard loan, Sapporo gets in the NA and light beer game in the US, and AB-InBev gets caught doing gimmick infringement with the look of their latest hard tea product line. To get involved with the  "Life" International Barleywine Collab, click the link for info about the recipe, BSG discount, and links to help raise awareness of colon cancer.  If you'd like to make a direct donation to help support Alex, head over to his GoFundMe.  For more info about colon cancer and to help support the fight against it check out the Colon Cancer Foundation.  Head to our Patreon for weekly exclusive content. Get the Malt Couture Officially Licensed T-shirt. Follow DontDrinkBeer on Instagram and Twitter.

It's fresh hop season and Alex sources four of the best fresh hop beers from the heart of hop country: the Pacific Northwest. Beers from Fremont Brewing, Crux Fermentation Project, Little Beast Brewing, and Gigantic Brewing Company will face off to see who's got the dankest offering this fresh hop season. In the Beer News, Alex recaps the NA winners at GABF, another twist is added to Ballast Point's long, complicated history, Fair State stops being a co-op, and Tree House Brewing Company launches their Barrel Reserve Society and membership sells out immediately. To get involved with the  "Life" International Barleywine Collab, click the link for info about the recipe, BSG discount, and links to help raise awareness of colon cancer.  If you'd like to make a direct donation to help support Alex, head over to his GoFundMe.  For more info about colon cancer and to help support the fight against it check out the Colon Cancer Foundation.  Head to our Patreon for weekly exclusive content. Get the Malt Couture Officially Licensed T-shirt. Follow DontDrinkBeer on Instagram and Twitter.

Alex busts out his trusty ticking harpoon and hunts down four beers off the White Whale list. Lost Abbey Veritas 006,  Stone Brewing Vertical Epic 02.02.02 Encore, New Glarus R&D Very Sour Blackberry (re-release), and Cantillon Loerik go head-to-head and then get put through the Power Ranking treatment. In the Beer News, a series of closures sadden and anger the craft beer community, Unibroue La Fin du Monde celebrates its 30th anniversary, and John Mulaney releases a line of NA beers. To get involved with the  "Life" International Barleywine Collab, click the link for info about the recipe, BSG discount, and links to help raise awareness of colon cancer.  If you'd like to make a direct donation to help support Alex, head over to his GoFundMe.  For more info about colon cancer and to help support the fight against it check out the Colon Cancer Foundation.  Head to our Patreon for weekly exclusive content. Get the Malt Couture Officially Licensed T-shirt. Follow DontDrinkBeer on Instagram and Twitter.

In one of the most competitive Power Ranking episodes, new releases from Pulpit Rock Brewing Company, Russian River Brewing Company, Mcilhenney Brewing Company, and Figueroa Mountain Brewing Brew Co. go head-to-head featuring an array of styles. In the Beer News, longtime Chicago burger joint Burger Antics announces their closure, Charlie Sheen gets into the NA beer space, and Budweiser teams up with Netflix. To get involved with the  "Life" International Barleywine Collab, click the link for info about the recipe, BSG discount, and links to help raise awareness of colon cancer.  If you'd like to make a direct donation to help support Alex, head over to his GoFundMe.  For more info about colon cancer and to help support the fight against it check out the Colon Cancer Foundation.  Head to our Patreon for weekly exclusive content. Get the Malt Couture Officially Licensed T-shirt. Follow DontDrinkBeer on Instagram and Twitter.

Alex praises the recent Sierra Nevada Pils releases in 8.4 oz cans! But does he really believe what he says or is this another #nostrilgate? Then Alex and Stephen try some NA beverages and a new contender challenges St. Agrestis for the throne. They try their first NA wine and revisit a NA beer favorite then throw all four drinks through the Power Rankings treatment.  To get involved with the  "Life" International Barleywine Collab, click the link for info about the recipe, BSG discount, and links to help raise awareness of colon cancer.  If you'd like to make a direct donation to help support Alex, head over to his GoFundMe.  For more info about colon cancer and to help support the fight against it check out the Colon Cancer Foundation.  Head to our Patreon for weekly exclusive content. Get the Malt Couture Officially Licensed T-shirt. Follow DontDrinkBeer on Instagram and Twitter.

It was a summer of boozy beers but Alex and Stephen hop back on the NA train with four summer "refreshers." Not quite a cocktail, not at all beer, possibly soda-ish, offerings from Casamara Club, Something & Nothing, Melo, and Pentire battle it out to see if any NA drink is worthy of dethroning St. Agrestis. In the Beer News, new tariffs will hit the beer industry soon, Spindrift 86s their Spiked seltzer line, and Campbell's Soup teams up with Pabst Blue Ribbon for a soup collab no one asked for. To get involved with the  "Life" International Barleywine Collab, click the link for info about the recipe, BSG discount, and links to help raise awareness of colon cancer.  If you'd like to make a direct donation to help support Alex, head over to his GoFundMe.  For more info about colon cancer and to help support the fight against it check out the Colon Cancer Foundation.  Head to our Patreon for weekly exclusive content. Get the Malt Couture Officially Licensed T-shirt. Follow DontDrinkBeer on Instagram and Twitter.

Alex and Stephen approach completion in trying all the Trappist beers out there as they tick Zundert Trappist, Engelszell Trappist, Mount Saint Bernard Abbey, and Mont Des Cats Biere Trappiste. This leaves only 1 Trappist Beer left to try. In the Beer News, Schramm's Mead is for sale Ken Schramm is told to retire due to health complications, Boston Beer Company closes two of their LA ventures including their Truly LA bar, and Bokke releases a $300 lambic saber which sells out almost instantly.    To get involved with the  "Life" International Barleywine Collab, click the link for info about the recipe, BSG discount, and links to help raise awareness of colon cancer.  If you'd like to make a direct donation to help support Alex, head over to his GoFundMe.  For more info about colon cancer and to help support the fight against it check out the Colon Cancer Foundation.  Head to our Patreon for weekly exclusive content. Get the Malt Couture Officially Licensed T-shirt. Follow DontDrinkBeer on Instagram and Twitter.

It's a Trappist beer showdown as Alex sources four Trappist beers from three different Trappist breweries that have never been featured on the show, then he and Stephen put the beers through the Power Ranking treatment. In the Beer News, a huge shakeup goes down in the distribution side of the beer world, Buffalo Trace grasps at straws for their next limited release, and it's the annual GOOSE IT OF LOOSE IT! To get involved with the  "Life" International Barleywine Collab, click the link for info about the recipe, BSG discount, and links to help raise awareness of colon cancer.  If you'd like to make a direct donation to help support Alex, head over to his GoFundMe.  For more info about colon cancer and to help support the fight against it check out the Colon Cancer Foundation.  Head to our Patreon for weekly exclusive content. Get the Malt Couture Officially Licensed T-shirt. Follow DontDrinkBeer on Instagram and Twitter.

Alex and Stephen head to the capitol of their home state to seek out the best West Coast IPAs that haven't been featured on the show. WCIPAs from Slice Beer Co., Shred Beer Company, Bike Dog Brewing Company, and Movement Brewing Co. will be put through the Power Ranking treatment. In the Beer News, disgraced wrestler Hulk Hogan grifts other grifters, King of the Hill's reboot prompts Alamo Beer to make a true-to-show beer label, Mountain Dew teams up with Buffalo Wild Wings for a collab from hell, and and Miller High Life releases a frozen treat for the summer.  To get involved with the  "Life" International Barleywine Collab, click the link for info about the recipe, BSG discount, and links to help raise awareness of colon cancer.  If you'd like to make a direct donation to help support Alex, head over to his GoFundMe.  For more info about colon cancer and to help support the fight against it check out the Colon Cancer Foundation.  Head to our Patreon for weekly exclusive content. Get the Malt Couture Officially Licensed T-shirt. Follow DontDrinkBeer on Instagram and Twitter.