Image by Robert Donovan

Rare Beer Tuesday at the Charleston Beer Exchange is getting a little crowded this week.  John John Dead Guy from Rogue Ales is the featured rare beer, but its debut on the growler station at 5pm coincides with this year's release of Boy King Double IPA from COAST Brewing.

First a bit about John John.  Rogue is famous for beers like Dead Guy Ale and Chocolate Stout, but in 2003 they launched a line of spirits as well.  Staying true to their beer roots, they produce Dead Guy Whiskey using the same grain varieties used to make Dead Guy Ale.  Combining the two seems like a natural combination, and thus John John, a.k.a Dead Guy Ale aged in Dead Guy Whiskey barrels, was born.  Both the brewmaster and the master distiller are named John, in case you were wondering.

John John is 6.4% ABV, earns a B+ from BeerAdvocate, and gets an 84 from Ratebeer.  I had the pleasure of trying this puppy on tap at Brewvival and more recently from a bomber.  While barrel-aging is normally reserved for huge beers like imperial stouts or barleywines, the choice to barrel-aged a maibock like Dead Guy was a surprise, but it works.  The whiskey essence is well-balanced with the Dead Guy, complementing it without going overboard into "booze bomb" territory.

COAST's Boy King Double IPA made its debut last year as the first of two double IPAs, the second remaining nameless.  Here's what they have to say about the Boy King in 2010:

This time around he is 9.7% abv and we bumped up the Citra Hops even more because we are just loving this hop variety. Think tropical fruits like mango and pineapple- the aroma is simply beautiful. We’re so glad he’s back!

2009 Boy King received an A from BeerAdvocate, and it was flipping delicious.  'Nuff said.

Charleston Beer Exchange is located at 14 Exchange Street downtown.