Random sips of beer and whiskey

Left, Firestone Walker's Coconut Merlin milk stout. A roasty, nutty stout rounded with lactose, delightfully accentuated with fresh coconut flavor. 5.5% ABV, 23 IBU. Right, Confluence Brewing's Gray's Lake Nessie Scottish ale. Aromas and flavors of malt, toffee, and some yeast. 6% ABV, 17 IBU.

Left, Cherry Bomb Blonde from Front Street Brewery in Davenport. A refreshingly light and aromatic brew, cherry forward in nose and palate but not over-the-top. Easy drinking. 5.4% ABV, 15 IBU. Right, Oreo Speedwagon, a chocolate vanilla milk stout from Lake Time Brewery of Clear Lake. Smooth drinking and delectably chocolatey in flavor and aroma, with a hint of vanilla. 5.6% ABV, 26 IBU.

Left, Evan Williams 100 proof bottled-in-bond bourbon. With flavors of black pepper, vanilla, and citrus, a swish with an ice cube softens the alcohol's bite a little. A good sipping whiskey when you need something with extra pizzazz. Right, Award winning Cedar Ridge Iowa straight bourbon whiskey, featuring a mashbill of 74% corn, 14% malted rye, and 12% 2-row malted barley. Oak, turbinado sugar, and vanilla come to mind on enjoying this smooth sipper with a spicy finish; 86 proof.