Dogfish Head – 75 minute IPA

Well hello there faithful readers. I come to you on a Tuesday tonight, which is a bit out of my normal schedule… but so be it! And what a contender of a beer I have tonight. Some of you fellow alcoholics may know of Dogfish Head’s IPA lineup already. There’s the standard 60 minute IPA, which is damn solid IPA. For those looking for a bit more, they have their 90 minute IPA, which is the bigger brother of 60 minute. And for the truly outrageous, they have 120 minute IPA….which is one hell of  a beer to say the least. Little did I know, there was a compromise created at some point. I present, for your reading enjoyment: The 75 Minute IPA! Now I didn’t even know this beer existed until my extremely vigilant, beer-loving friend sent me a text message. Thanks to her efforts, I can reward you all with this extra special brew review! Well, lets not waste any more time!

First of all, a brew this special deserves a bit of background story. It’s no ordinary beer, oh no, she’s a blend of 60 and 90 minute IPA mixed with maple syrup, and then bottle conditioned. Ah…blended beers are always something special to me, nothing like taking a risk and trying two beers mixed together. And in some cases, the result is so extraordinary the brewery ends up bottling the result. I’m already a fan of both beers in this brew, and the maple syrup…well it intrigues me to say the least. It also worries me a tad, but I should know this brewery can handle some off-centered ales.

She pours out beautifully, and leaves a healthy helping of head to boot! She’s a beautiful golden amber color, and has a stunning clarity. This is especially remarkable considering she’s bottle conditioned, which means she still has yeast in her. Ah yes, nothing like a living beer. Being a homebrewer, I’ve dealt with more yeast than a gynecologist. Did you cringe? Good! Back on topic, this is one fine looking brew. A beautiful color, a striking clarity, and a generous helping of head, she’s a triple threat. Let’s find out if her aroma is as nice as her appearance.

Hmmm….I think I can detect a hint of maple in there. Now, that’s not the first thing that hit my nose, I just happened to be thinking of it when I took a whiff. No, she’s an IPA, and not afraid to show it by smacking you across the nose with hops. She’s filling me with that citrus-filled, fruity, hoppy good place that we all should just dream about when we sleep. It’s actually more lemon than citrus now that I sit back and let it sink in, but near the end you catch a fleeting glimpse of Old Maple. The old gal just peeks around from her tree, and disappears as quickly as she appeared. She’s so slight that it makes you question her existence. Well, this is one damn fine smelling IPA to say the least, and it should be seeing as it’s made from two damn fine IPAs. Hopefully it will taste like five damn fine IPAs.

Well, it tastes like one damn fine IPA, and that’s just peachy with me! The first thing I notice, however, is how velvety smooth her body is. It’s remarkably different from body of 90 and 60 minute IPA, but that’s all due to the bottle conditioning, and possibly the maple syrup. And that’s the other thing I notice, there’s no prominent maple syrup at all. I should have known dogfish knew what they were doing with it, but let’s not get hasty. Let’s take a journey down this little road named flavor street.

She begins with a lovely sweetness from the malts, it truly reminds me of 90 minute at this point. However, it doesn’t last long, no this girl has a few tricks up her sleeve. The malty sweetness is quickly balanced by a healthy dose of lemony bitter hops, and it’s a perfect counter to the start of this beauty. This is where I can really feel the 60 minute IPA coming through, the almost dry hoppy finish closing off the experience. But….it’s more than that. There’s a slight sweetness to the finish, and the more I sit back and reflect on it, the more it seems like the maple syrup to me. Hold on….let me verify this….
Yup, it’s official. The finish is a blend of hoppy bitterness, and the sweetness of maple syrup. It’s a fantastic flavor, to say the least, and it’s because it’s done with such balance. Truly, Dogfish Head knows how to work with the more exotic beer ingredients.

And to support this wonderful blended flavor of beer goodness comes the smoothest body I’ve experienced in an IPA ever. Looking at the clarity and color of this beautiful beer, you really wouldn’t expect such a rich and smooth body. But there she is, sporting a body that a Belgian Dubbel would be proud to own, and allowing all the flavor to wash over you.

Overall, this is a fantastic and exotic IPA. A beautiful brewery blended brew that takes the best from both beers and adds her own spice to the mix. 75 minute IPA…you’ve earned your title for sure. If your into IPAs, or just extremely cool beers, try to find one of these babies.

Until next beer, this is Brian G. signing out!

Due South – Category 5 IPA

Ah, good evening faithful readers. It’s another lovely Thursday vesper, and I have an extremely special beer tonight. Now look, I know I say that…almost every review, but it’s true damnit! Tonight’s player is brewed in one of the few South Florida breweries that exist today. Specifically Due South, and it’s the first time this beautiful beer has ever been brewed! Ah…nothing like tasting a piece of history in the making.  I can’t begin to tell you readers how happy it makes me to have this bottle in my possession. Well I could, but we’d be here for a while. I’ve been longing for a bottle of locally brewed bubbly goodness for a while. It’s not just the beer, it’s the fact that the local brewing scene down here is growing, and the alcoholic in me is ecstatic! And to top it all off, it’s a nice Double IPA. Well let’s get on with it then, shall we?

What a gorgeous girl we have here. She sports a lovely golden color, topped with a very generous helping of foamy goodness, and has a striking clarity.  She’s like a gorgeous sunset on the Atlantic Ocean, complete with a sky full of the fluffiest, most delicious clouds you’ve ever laid eyes upon. And the best part about those clouds? Well, it’s the lacing good sir! As I write, her generous helping of head subsides and leaves a hefty amount of lacing… Her appearance alone beckons to you, promising a glass full of greatness. Let’s see if her aroma will follow this promise as well.

Oooooh yeah….those hops baby! A fine aroma if I ever smelled one, and lord knows I’ve smelled my fair share of fine aromas. She smacks you in the face with hops first and foremost, a very citrusy, and almost piney aroma with a very nice bite to it…if that even makes sense. The aroma becomes much more subtle after the initial hop scent hits you, a lovely malt flavor is there, coupled with some sweetness. Yes, she is living up to her promise already; she smells like a damn fine Double IPA. She’s hoppy alright, but also more complex than simply hops. Let’s try to discern her other secrets.

Mmm…there’s my IPA fix. She’s a very balanced delicious girl with a nice crisp bitterness to her finish. But let’s not get too hasty here….never that! Let’s take it slow with this girl.Let’s enjoy every subtle nuance she has to offer.
She begins with an exquisite balance of citrusy hops and sweet malts, a lovely start to a lovely beer. But she’s not even close to finished yet, oh no. She waits until your comfortable, and then sends a category 5 hurricane of hoppy bitterness crashing across your tongue… Poseidon himself would be humbled. And once those crisp waves has subsided, the remnants of the storm remain with you quite vividly… begging for just one more trip to the hoppy deep. Far be it from me to deny such requests….Ahh, now that’s a good beer. And, to support this whole experience, a full yet light body encompasses the entire ocean. It’s not too light to leave me wanting, but light enough to allow the flavors their well deserved spotlight.

Overall, this is a damn fine Double IPA from start to finish. It’s a shame it won’t be around for long, but that makes it so much more special. And the fact that it was created about 20 miles from where I live…pretty damn cool if you ask me, and I know nobody asked me but I’m gonna say it regardless. So if your a local South Floridian (or an advocate of travel), and a fan of hoppy yet balanced Double IPAs, make sure you get some of this brew before it’s gone.

Until next beer, this is Brian G. signing out!

Chimay – Spéciale Cent Cinquante

Good evening faithful readers, and what a spéciale evening we have tonight. For on this fine Thursday vesper, I have a brew that was created in celebration of 150 years of brewing. Chimay, founded in 1862, has released a special beer for this occasion. Now if you don’t know Chimay, they are one of the seven breweries in the world that produces Trappist beer. Their blue label brew is excellent, and all of their beers can be cellared for years, if your into that sort of thing. Me…I can’t wait that long, and I live in Florida with no cellars. So…I’m gonna have to drink this one now.

Oh, she’s a pretty one all right. She’s a lovely golden color, topped with a healthy dosing of that delicious Belgian foam. She looks like rays of sunshine, cascading down from beautiful clouds, as if sent by the beer goddess herself. Her effervescence is quite noticeable as well, due to her stunning clarity. Truly, she is a worthy representation of 150 years in brewing excellence. What truly inrigues me though, is the flavor. The descriptions I read stated: “The distinctive bouquet evokes the rich fruity and complex notes of the Chimay yeast in harmony with a delicate spicy note and the fragrance of fresh noble hops.” Hops you say? Tell me more…

Well, well, the smell does tell. There’s a stark hop presence, but when I say stark, I mean that relatively. It’s nothing like the wallop of hop aroma you get from a strong IPA, this girl is much more subtle. Her aroma is a delicate balance of the spicy sweet scent from the yeast, and a lemony… almost citrus hop aroma. Now she doesn’t just stop there with the aroma, she blankets the entire experience with a health biscuity, malty backdrop. An excellent aroma for this celebration of brew. She really deserves to be tasted at this point.

Oh my…now this is a special beer for a few reasons. First of all, it’s markedly different than all the other beers from Chimay. None of them feature a crisp hop finish like this baby, it blew me away. And it’s executed in an excellent manner in regards to the entire experience. Let me take you one this ride…

It begins in very familiar territory, one filled with sweet malts, pepper, and spice. It’s an extremely welcoming place, one that leaves your taste buds swirling. “But something new is here…” you suddenly notice when you swallow. The ground starts trembling slowly, and a secret door slides apart showing you a hidden staircase in the ground. It’s covered with dark green moss and looks a bit precarious. You look around nervously, wondering to yourself what could be down there, if you should risk going, and….but then it hits you like a ton of bricks. That lemony, herbal aroma that could only come from humulus lupulus, so you run down the stairs and dive in a giant pile of hops. Then you snap out of you daydream that was caused by this brew and it’s hoppy finish.
With us again? Excellent.

Now normally I would say overall at this point…but no…this beer deserves it’s own paragraph dedicated to it’s body. And the best way to put it: It’s awesome! Seriously though, the carbonation is huge! She spits out more bubbles than Bub and Bob combined. (points if you get that reference)  It allows the flavor to mingle extremely well, and the texture it adds is fantastic. She manages to be full bodied and playful at the same time, I suppose a bit like Oprah. It’s a fantastic supporting role to the flavor of this brew, a testament to good brewing.

Overall, (now were here) this beer is nothing short of amazing. It’s a special beer from a company that’s been brewing for 150 years in Belgium and is one of the seven Trappist producing breweries in the world. Treat yourself and get this beer, the next one might not be around for another 150 years.

Until next beer, this is Brian G. signing out!

 

Smuttynose – Farmhouse Ale

Well hello there faithful reader. It’s Monday evening once again, and what better time for a beer? I’m in a particularly beer-drinking mood tonight (no surprise), but it’s a little stronger than usual. Last night I bottled my special holiday saison…and it tastes pretty damn good already. It’s like a saison, but darker with a hint of that warm fuzz feeling you get from a hug. I’m also brewing an nice hoppy IPA tomorrow, the yeast starter is all set to go! Well enough about my homebrew, tonight we have atraditional style saison from Smuttynose.

She pours out beautifully! This is what a great saison should look like, a beautiful clear golden color, topped with a luxurious, oh-so-foamy head. If there is one type of beer that gives fantastic head, it’s saisons baby! It leaves a damn good amount of lacing too, truly a beauty to behold. Kudos to Smuttynose for making a saison every bit as gorgeous as her imported sisters. Let’s see if her aroma is as wonderful.

Ohhhh yeah… Let me tell you guys and gals something. Some saisons will have an aroma extremely similar to a barnyard. Some saisons will be mostly peppery and spicy, with a hint of the barnyard aroma. Some of them also have the slightest bit of tartness to them. But every now and then you come across a very special saison, one that is prominently tart. These ones…they’re freaking awesome! And this one… it’s proudly offering an extremely tart aroma, and I couldn’t be happier! It’s mostly reminiscent of tart apples, and has a very slight amount of sweetness near the end. She doesn’t forgot the signature barnyard scent though, it’s just less pronounced than the tart aroma. I’ve gotta taste this…

Ok, I was expecting more sour up front, but your immediately blasted with the sweetness. Honestly, I’m a bit disappointed, and that’s hard for me to write but it’s how I feel. It’s mostly from the aroma, I was expecting something more like a gueuze rather than something so sweet. It’s not overly sweet though, it’s very balanced by the peppery, spicy flavor, which is pretty common for saisons. There’s the slightest bit of tartness, but it’s nowhere near what the aroma suggests. She also gives you a nice citrus overtone that complements the whole tasting experience. Her body is a lovely smooth yet rich feel, it’s extremely full for a saison which is nice. And to finish it off your left with the slightest bit of pucker from the tart and a lingering sweetness to balance it.

Overall, this is a solid saison. It’s a bit on the sweeter side, but if you like that go for this brew. I probably wouldn’t get this brew again as good as it is, it’s just not my style. I need something with a bit more bite, and the aroma was a huge tease for me. But don’t count her out, shes a solid brew no doubt.

Until next beer, this is Brian G. signing out!

Cigar City Brewing – Bolita

Ahh…Good evening faithful readers. Tonight is an especially fine evening. “Why is that Brian?”, you ask with wonder. Well, a few reasons actually. I just secured four more bottles of Marshal Zhukov’s Imperial Stout, the new X-Com is out and I have all night to play it after this, and this weekend is Oktoberfest! In fact, a local brewery called Due South is releasing bottled beers for the first time ever with brand new beers! I’ll be there Tomorrow or Saturday for sure, but let’s talk about tonight. Tonight is a wonderful night, a night for the brown beauty named: Bolita. Make sure when you read that you pause after named, and then whisper….bolita. Go ahead and try it, it’s fun! I can wait….alright done? Moving on!

Well, well… this gal is a beauty! She certainly lives up the appearance of a double brown ale. She’s a decadently dark brown, almost black color, topped with gorgeous foamy helping of head. She’s already left a bit of lacing as well, good show! A good helping of head is always quite nice, especially from a dark beauty like this. Let’s check out her aroma….don’t use that sentence out of context.

Ohh, clever girl…Because of my habits, and her dark appearance, I was fully expecting a roasty stout aroma. Ha…should have known better…it’s a damn double nut brown ale, and it smells freakin wonderful. It’s a huge hit of toffee and nuts up front, and I detect a subtle roasted quality in the back of the aroma. It has this woody feel to it as well…if that even makes sense. It’s pretty damn good smelling to say the least. Let’s see if her taste can live up to her complex aroma.

Oh, what a pleasure. I’m immediately reminded of Zhukov for some reason, maybe it’s because I’ve  had too many and my palate is forever changed. But she’s got her own style for sure, far be it from this beauty to simply rip off another gal’s ensemble. She begins boldly with all that toffee aroma converted into taste immediately, yet she teases it with the slightest hint of sourness…now that’s awesome! She’s not done there either, oh no, she mixes some chocolate in with it…but once you swallow…man. Once you swallow this, my friend, your sweet chocolatey toffee taste is washed away by a wave of woody bitterness. And in her wake she leaves you with a roasted nutty flavor that echos through the ages.

Overall, wow! I’m not a big fan of brown ale, or double brown ale, or double nut brown ale, but I’m a fan of this beer right here! Plus the label is kind of funny with the bald guy and all the cue balls. It’s probably got some meaning, I won’t ruin the surprise and google it for you. This beauty impressed me greatly, I never knew a brown ale could be so complex. If you can, try this beer!

Until next beer, this is Brian G. signing out!

Great Lakes Brewing Co. – Nosferatu

Ah, hello my pretties… Another Monday evening is upon us, and tonight’s player is a bit chilling. Ah yes, Nosferatu, a term meaning: “vampire”, that was born out of legal necessity. I’ve always thought it was a cooler name than vampire, and it’s a very cool name for a brew. Appropriately released for the fall season, it’s an Imperial Red Ale, which is a new one to me. The label features a creepy picture of it’s namesake, the perfect beer for October, and a fine companion for a Monday night. This devilish delight doesn’t make it’s way down to Florida, my loving sister generously shipped this beautiful brew my way, so I’d like to personally thank her for making this possible! Thanks sis! Well, let’s see how scary this beer really is.

Appropriate, almost by requirement, this brew is a nice bloody red color. Well… as red as beer can truly get. I wouldn’t have expected anything less from this beast, it would look at home in the dungeons of Transylvania. And the beautiful head reminds one of boiling cauldrons. It fits quite nicely atop this brew. An appropriately attired ale that lives up to her name and spirit! Let’s find out how chilling her aroma is…

Oh, it’s a monstrous aroma of hops in your face, heartily held up with a healthy dosing of malts. It immediately reminds me of Hop Head Red, a fine hopped up red ale. It’s a damn fine smell if you digs those hops, and being Irish I can’t help but feel the need to approve red ales. Usually, I find red ales to be lacking a bite…I know, I know…how dare I go against my heritage! But it’s just how I feel… and I won’t apologize for it damnit! But if there is anything that can make a red ale appealing to me, it’s hops baby! The aroma has the slightest bit of sweetness too, it’s mostly from the malts. Well she smells wonderful and balanced, but how does she taste?

In a word, awesome. In more than one word: She begins with a fistful of piney hoppy goodness and immediately follows with sweet malts and….is that a bit of caramel? Whatever the hell it is, it’s freakin great, a perfect counter to the piney hops. The malts take over midway through the tasting, and the finish is a wave of bitterness that cleans everything up nicely. It’s an incredibly hoppy and malty beer at the same time, and it makes for a very balanced, extremely tasty brew. As much as Nosferatu wants to be a terror, she’s an absolute delight. Don’t take her lightly though, a few of these monsters will leave you ripe for vampir…ahem, Nosferatu attacks.

Overall, this is a damn fine brew. Perfectly balanced yet in your face hops and malts, definitely a beast of a beer. If you can get some of this halloween delight, do yourself a favor do it!

Until next beer, this is Brian G. signing out

P.S. Muhahahahahaha!

Cigar City Brewing – Improv (Improvisación)

Why hello there faithful readers. Another fine Thursday evening is upon us, and as usual I have a tasty brew close by. Tonight’s player is a little beauty named Improv, named after her improvised birth. She’s an “Oatmeal Rye India Style Brown Ale”. Now that’s a mouthful to say, and a hell of a lot going on in one beer. If anyone can pull it off though, it’s Cigar City. You may be interested to know they shortened the name to Improv, I was, but I’m weird like that. The label promises “a growing crescendum of taste bud temptation”, that sounds pretty damn good to me! Let’s get on with it then…

She’s a gorgeous girl alright, an extremely dark cocoa color with a vigorous helping of head. This is how I like my brown ales, dark as can be and generous with head. The foamy goodness leaves quite a bit of lacing as well, the perfect complement to a brew’s appearance IMAO. She’s a very attractive brew, but let’s test her aroma.

Ah, it’s a pleasantly surprising roasty aroma, very similar to many Russian Imperial Stouts. This immediately makes me happy, I’m a big fan of roasty, roasty stouts. The aroma hits you up front with the roasted malts, but it finishes with a sweeter note…as if to say: “Yes, I can live up to my name!”. Indeed,  the aroma doesn’t stop there either. She throws a healthy mix of piney, hoppy goodness in the scent for good measure. This creates an incredibly balanced yet complex aroma. I’m sold, let’s taste this beauty.

Well, they made good on their promise. It’s “a growing crescendum of taste bud temptation” alright. Truly she is a complex beauty, with many sides to her ever-changing personality. Incredibly, somehow, a balance is found between her many flavors and textures. She begins with a show of roasted malts that any fine stout would be proud to harbor, and then progresses gracefully to the sweeter side of her brown ale personality. Living up to her name, she throws a curve ball of hops at your taste buds once you swallow. And she finishes as any fine IPA would, with a lingering, but not overly strong, presence of hop bitterness. But let’s not forget the oatmeal rye, goodness no! It sets a beautiful body for these flavors, it’s slick from the rye while remaining extremely rich and full from the oatmeal. It’s an excellent companion to the multitude of flavors she contains.

Overall, this a is damn fine brew. Utterly complex, yet shockingly balanced. This baby lives up to each style in her own proud way. It’s as the label states, it’s all about the layers. It’s a shame I was only able to find one of these brews, I’d love to have her again some day. If you dig heavy beers with a lot of complexity, try to get some Improv.

Until next beer, this is Brian G. signing out!

Lindemans Gueuze Cuvée René

Ah, hello again faithful readers. It’s your resident alcoholic again, wishing you a lovely Thursday evening. I have a wonderful beer from Belgium tonight, the motherland of beer IMAO. These are beer styles that have been around for much longer than you or I, unless your some sort of vampire. If you’ve never had a beer from Belgium I highly recommend it. I wouldn’t start with a sour beer like I have tonight, check out my review on “The Keiz“, I call him that for short because were cool. Anyways…I’m not here to remind you of old brew reviews, I’m here to share something new. Tonight’s feature is a sour style called Gueuze, which I pronounce “gaze” whether it’s right or wrong. It’s simply because I cannot help but gaze into this brew’s very soul…

Ah yes, a soul of radiant sunshine emanates from this golden goddess. She’s the most beautiful golden color, with an incessant bubbling and an immense mountain of foamy goodness. Ah yes…one of the many reasons sour beers are awesome, the sheer amount of head they are willing to give will leave you in awe. She sparkles and shows a great clarity, yet maintains the slightest aura of mystery. Let’s try to unravel it, shall we?

Mmm, now I don’t know if it’s because I’m drinking more sour brews, but for once the tartness doesn’t smack me directly in the face. No, it’s more like a playful tap across the cheek, but it’s much more than that…. It’s a mixture of tart and sweet with a very earthy overtone. If you don’t know what earthy overtone means…well, I’m not sure I do either, but I picture a forest and making a fort out of sticks. Ah…childhood memories, it’s a powerful thing when a beer can evoke those. Well if the aroma can wake lost memories, I shudder at the implications, but I’m nothing if not brave for you readers. Onward!

Well, I’m still conscious after taking that sip, so that’s a good sign. Alas, no more missing memories have awoken, but the present is far more exciting. She begins gracefully, balancing both ends of the sweet and sour spectrum in an endless twirl. That is…until you dare to swallow this beauty, she whisks the sweetness off the stage and you’re left to gape at the marvel of her tartness. It really comes through strong as the sweetness quickly disappears, a wave of sour across your entire mouth. It doesn’t stick around long however, and the finish is a mildly sour and sweet memory that echoes through the ages. Probably a lot like your childhood memories.

Overall, this is a fantastic, highly affordable, and extremely accessible sour brew. While it’s not as sweet as Goudenband, it’s got a nice sour bite to it that Goudenband lacks. Sometimes you want a little extra tartness when your reaching for a sour beer. If your into sours, or getting into them, check this baby out. She’s well worth your time.

Until next beer, this is Brian G. signing out!

Cigar City Brewing – Marshal Zhukov’s Imperial Stout

Good evening again faithful readers. It’s an especially fine evening tonight, I happen to have IMHO the best stout in the world. You might have noticed from the picture, this is a beast of a beer. It’s a seasonal release from Cigar City and is the mother of all stouts, named after the great Russian Marshal Zhukov. This beer promises to be a heavy hitter based on the label alone, boasting an impressive 11%. Let’s get on with it then, best not keep this beauty waiting any longer.

Impressive…that’s what come’s to my mind when I look into this beautiful brew. She pours out like motor oil, the blackest of black, and incredibly thick. Even the head cannot escape the darkness untainted, it emerges from the bowels of this beastly beauty, stained with the tasty tar of her depths. The head leaves a beautiful lacing as it struggles to stay above the pit of despair. She’s an amazing looking brew, truly a thing of beauty. I must be closer to this beer…

Ahh…the smell is very subdued for such a big brew, perhaps the aroma has trouble escaping the thickness of this beauty.  If I try reaaaaal hard I can get some aroma though. It’s dominated mostly by roasted malts and dark chocolate, with the slightest hint of coffee. It promises a very balanced taste in a very bold beer, let’s see if she live up to it.

Oh, this brew tastes amazing. The flavor that hits you first is incredible, it’s like a wave of chocolate mixed with hoppy bitterness crashing across your tongue whilst locked in an epic battle. As you swallow, the bitterness takes over, and you get the warm and fuzzy internal hug of alcohol washing down your chest. Yup, she’s a cuddler alright, a perfect beer for winter. In fact, the brewery suggests holding on to this beer until winter, mine won’t be lasting that long! The finish stays with you long after you’ve swallowed your beer, a mild bitterness and slightly alcoholic, almost like the aftertaste of whiskey. Ah the remnants of greatness… But there’s one thing about tasting this beer that truly stand out, and that’s the body. Super rich and creamy doesn’t do this justice, it’s the absolute perfect body for a heavy stout. The richest of the rich, this is the Oprah of stouts people! They don’t come thicker than… The Marshal….

Overall, this is a god damned honor to stout. The body alone deserves applause, and the taste stands right next to it. If your a fan of stouts, or heavy beers, you gotta try to get one of these babies.

Until next beer, this is Brian G. signing out!

Dogfish Head – Miles Davis’ Bitches brew

Ah, good evening again faithful readers. The time has once again come, the time…for beer. Tonight’s player is a very cool customer, possibly the coolest there ever was. It’s Miles Davis’ Bitches Brew, named after the album, an intriguing blend of honey beer and imperial stout laced with gesho root, whatever the hell that is. It’s probably going to be every bit as complex as it’s namesake. Well, let’s see what this musically infused baby looks like, shall we?

Ah… now there’s a dark complex beer if I ever saw one. A copious amount of head as thick as ice cream sits atop a pitch black vortex of complex flavor. Truly, she is a dark mysterious beauty, begging to be appreciated and tasted. Far be it from me to deny such requests…

Mmm… it’s a swirling vortex of aroma, like a couple in an endless dance, spinning until the end of time. I can sense a roasty chocolatey aroma paired with the sweet overtones of honey and vanilla. Honestly, this is one damn fine smelling beer right here. I’m gonna dive right in, this beer deserves to be tasted right now.

Smooth baby, real smooooth. This beer is Miles Davis, it’s the smoothest brew I’ve ever had, real cool. The roasted chocolate aroma is definitely a big player in this band called “Flavor”. You can hear him the loudest, with Coffee Man backin him up on bass. And creating some ambiance for an all around taste is sweet Miss Honey. She wraps everyone up in her loving arms, infusing her flavor across the entire experience. And of course, the body of this beauty is velvety smooth, which is perfect for this beers homage. She finishes clean with the slighest bitter aftertaste, but it’s so slight you almost believe it’s purely your imagination…or is it?

Overall, this is one smooth beer that’s pretty damn tasty to boot. It’s mostly a stout, but it’s rough edges have been sanded by honey, and if I hand any idea what gesho root was I could tell you about how that impacted it…C’est la vie. If you dig the sweeter stouts, give this a try no doubt.

Until next beer, this is Brian G. signing out!