Stone Brewing Co.

$22 per four-pack

Homebrewers Jim Moorehouse, Brad Zeller and Nate Albrecht of Aleman, Greg Koch and Mitch Steele of Stone Brewing Co, and Jason and Jim Ebel, co-founders of Chicago’s Two Brothers Brewing Company, have embarked on a style-bending beer they hope will standout from the rest.

>> Brilliantly named Dayman, a reference to the hit television comedy, “It’s Always Sunny in Philadelphia”, the beer combines the tropical fruit flavors of an India Pale Ale, with the roasted flavor and aroma of freshly brewed coffee. To achieve this perfect style collision, the brewers used a lightly roasted yet flavorful blend of coffee to give the typically hop-and-bitter beer style a nice roasty finish.

Moorehouse, Zeller and Albrecht, who plans to open a Chicago brewpub in the near future, entered Dayman in an annual competition for a chance to brew the beer at Stone and have it bottled and distributed in 21 states. The three friends came out on top, and the beer has now made its way to Ohio distribution.

Stone Brewing Co. was founded in 1996 by Koch and Steve Wagner and is the 11th largest craft brewer in the U.S. Headquartered in Escondido, Calif., Stone owns and operates the farm-to-table restaurant Stone Brewing World Bistro & Gardens – Escondido, as well as Stone Catering, Stone Distributing and Stone Farms. Dayman is the brewery’s first collaboration of 2013.

Though in limited release, Dayman Coffee IPA should be accessible in 22-ounce bottles at Acme Fresh Markets, Heinen’s, West Point Market, 101 Bottles of Beer and other fine craft beer establishments. If beer aficionados are lucky enough, it may also grace the taps of their local craft beer-friendly hangout.

/ Writer Aaron Fowler is a bit of craft beer geek. Though he may deem himself a bonafide hophead, he never passes up a well-defined stout.