Random sips of beer, whiskey, and cocktails

Left, Odell Brewing's 90 Shilling Scottish Ale. Lush caramel malt, finishes quite dry. 5.3% ABV. Right, Blue Dream blueberry sour ale from Madhouse Beer, which closed its doors at the end of September. Oak barrel wild yeast fermentation. Wee vinegar funk on the nose and palate, solid berry washes over the tongue, dry and tart. 6.7% ABV. I will miss Madhouse's exceptional sours.

Left, Sangria shandy from Schell's is refreshingly sweet. Aroma and flavor is strongly dominated by strawberry and cherry. 4.7% ABV, 12 IBU. Right, Milk Man from Confluence Brewing is everything you want in a milk stout, deep roasted malt softened with lactose sweetness. Cocoa and coffee notes round out the experience. 5.7% ABV, 28 IBU.

Left, A Skrew Putin cocktail at The Walnut with Skrewball peanut butter-flavored whiskey, Kahlúa coffee-flavored liqueur, and half and half. Take a White Russian and throw in some butterscotch discs with a hint of Skippy. Delicious! As for the Skrewball whiskey… butterscotch aroma jumps out with a sweet peanut brittle flavor and syrupy mouthfeel; 70 proof. This does not suck! Prairie Fire, right, Iowa Distilling’s signature hot cinnamon-flavored whiskey. Pleasantly volatile flavors fortify this smooth un-aged whiskey. Not too sweet either; 70 proof.

Left, George Dickel Tabasco Brand Barrel Finish Tennessee whisky in a mole jar glass. Aromas of alcohol and caramel waft up. A sip starts quite sweet with a spicy kick. Tastes of sugar, raisin, cherry; the heat prickles the tongue and throat, and lingers well. A dollop of water opens up the notes of cherry along with the zest; 70 proof. Center, A Hemingway cocktail at The Lift. Made with rum, Luxardo Maraschino liqueur, grapefruit and lime juices, and simple syrup. A fantastic dance of sour, sweet, and bitter flavors. Right, A Beer & A Bump at Ernie’s Boondock: a shot of Black Velvet Canadian whisky with your choice of select domestics for seven bucks. Make mine Schmidt beer.