Tioga-Sequoia 'Midnight Lightning' Bourbon Barrel Aged Imperial Stout. 13.6% abv. 70 IBU. Black box color with a finger of mocha head. Excellent retention and lace. Nose of bourbon, oak, vanilla, roasted malt. Front taste of bourbon, vanilla, bittersweet dark chocolate. Aftertaste is dark fruit, plums, chocolate, alcohol. Medium-full body. Mouthfeel is warm-hot, thick, rich, astringent.

This is an outstanding beer. The promised bourbon is there from start to finish. The barrel aging imparts a nice oak flavor behind the darker tastes of chocolate, plums, and roasty dark malt. A wonderful creation from a reliable brewery. Highly recommended.

From the brewery:

"Our 2014 American style imperial stout was aged in our cellar for a full year in whiskey barrels from Colorado's Breckinridge distillery. The result is this delicious complex beauty of a stout. Heavy notes of roasted chocolate, creamy vanilla, and bourbon, with subtle notes of rich coffee, soft oak, and dark fruit."

[source: bottle]

Midnight Sun Brewing 'Kodiak' Brown Ale. 5% abv. 24 IBU. Dark brown color, a finger of thick frosty head. Excellent retention and lace. Nose of roasted malt, nutty, caramel. Front taste of amber malt, brown sugar, caramel, bright herbal hops. Aftertaste is earthy, coffee, bitter hoppy back end. Medium body. Mouthfeel is warm, creamy, some carb.

This is a solid brown ale. Malty, nutty, creamy, with a nice hop profile that emerges in the aftertaste. A good example of its category, just a hair above the average brown. Recommended.

From the brewery:

"Rugged yet smooth, Kodiak Brown Ale balances caramel and roasted malts with enticing Northwest hops. Perle and Willamette hops accent without overpowering this American brown ale’s intrepid maltiness. The result is uniquely delicious. Inspired by the adventurous spirit readily found in Alaska, Kodiak Brown Ale invites you to take the road less traveled. Kodiak has remained one of our most popular beers since we first fired up the brew kettle in 1995, proving that Alaskans are not afraid of the dark. Pair Kodiak Brown Ale with comfort foods—macaroni and cheese, lasagna, burritos; pub grub—burgers, nachos, deep-fried bites—and just about anything prepared on the grill. You can also just kick back and enjoy a tall cool one when you want to relax and enjoy life."
[source: midnightsunbrewing.com]

Montecristo Media Noche. 5x52. Good build with a mostly straight line, a few pronounced veins. Maduro wrap. Cut well. Light took a moment longer than I'd like, a minute more roasting. Good draw pre- and post-light. Even burn until the second third. A slightly uneven burn from that point, despite my best efforts. Tastes of mild leaf, light wood, slightly sweet nutty profile on the intake. On the exhale, the tobacco flavor has more earthy notes. Wrap has a creamy taste once the burn gets going. Clean light gray flaky ash that drops at an inch.

This is an excellent mild cigar wrapped in a nicely roasted maduro wrap. There's not as much punch and spice as I was expecting, but it's still an excellent cigar. Recommended.

From the company:

"Montecristo Media Noche is hand made in the Dominican Republic and provides a very smooth and deliberate draw while creating a pleasant flavor, medium in body. Media Noche is one of the more recent releases from Montecristo. It features a dark Connecticut broadleaf maduro wrapper and tri-country filler which includes tobaccos from Nicaragua, Peru, and the Dominican Republic. This cigar features both, sweet and spicy flavors and produces some earthy notes, which feel incredibly toasty on the palate. A top-notch choice from a top-notch brand, you should definitely give the Media Noche a try!" (source: Cigar.com)

The ash turned flaky shortly after the light. It was still solid, holding just over an inch.

I enjoyed this Montecristo Media Noche on the lovely patio of Cigars Ltd.