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The Defense against the Dark Beer reviewer tested a bottle from Port Brewing.
12% abv 12 oz bottle
Old viscosity aged on bourbon barrels. Super dark in color, no head. Smells like booze not beer. Tastes the same. It’s smooth but it has lost all the beer qualities in the bourbon. I’d much rather have a special old engine oil.
It holds the balance between the two better.
Thank you Daily Pint for pouring the latest Vertical Epic from Stone! More on that in a bit. First, I have to say, that I really like Stone beers in French Oak. I had Arrogant Bastard from the Daily Pint handpump and it was smooth and hoppy with spice notes that could also make it a session beer. Of course, I recommended it to various people and they were taken aback. Presumably due to the lack of arrogance.
On to the Epic. It pours dark black and almost has the espresso head on it. It has spice notes and roasted notes and is easy to drink at first. Then the alcohol swoops in and it becomes more of a sipper. I am not a big dark beer fan but this is a complex beer with multiple flavors swirling in the glass.
photo courtesy of Richard Rosen
My mystery dark beer reviewer has this to say about another Japanese beer…
“Nice dark chocolate almost black color. Pretty hefty alcohol smell. 7% abv. Nice rich taste. Fairly full mouth feel. First after taste was pretty bitter but as I drank more the flavors melded nicely. Nice lacing on the glass as well. Drank after an green enchilada dinner while airing out my ole filled house. There’s little doubt that my taste buds have been influenced by my surroundings.
Even though I have only had 2 Japanese beers, they both seem somehow lighter and brighter than the us and Brit beers I’ve had.”
…one of the weirdest beer tastes that I have ever had and I have had a few. The Bruery in Orange County has their Hottenroth Berliner Weiss on tap and they offer a traditional style serving with Woodruff syrup.
I asked the bartender what he thought of it and he said “Lucky Charms”. I was unbelieving. That is not a beer flavor to me but he was spot on. It tasted like freeze dried cereal marshmallows.
I am still on the fence about how to review it. It was a light absinthe green. The aroma was faint but that Lucky Charm taste was pronounced without completely overpowering the beer. The tartness of the Berliner Weiss was very muted.
I may have to get it again to really come to a sound decision either for or against.
Follow that link and you will find a review of a beer that I had at my first beer tasting event for the Beer Search Party. This beer sharply divided my guests and is not one of my favorites either.
I also just received my very cool Beer America TV shirt. Thanks guys!
Occasionally, I will let trusted beer tasters give me the rundown on what they are drinking (especially if it is something I haven’t had before).
My mystery reviewer “walked away with Real Ginger Brew from Hitachino Nest. The first taste is really light and bright followed by a slightly metallic taste. Ginger flavor is not prominent and it’s not dusty spicy at all. In fact I didn’t think there was a Ginger bite at all until I realized my palate was tingling about a quarter of the way thruogh the glass. It went nicely with my green bean chicken.”
The Beer Search Party is blessed to have guest reviewers with specific beer style tastes. One is a fan of the Belgian tripel and the other is my dark beer specialist. And not just any dark beer, we are talking about Old Engine Oil Reserve and the big chocolate stouts. Without any further ado, here is a review of McMenanmin’s Terminator Stout…
“Loved it. Very rich and smooth. Hint of expresso notes. No bite. Very dark almost black with no head. Paired it with sliced havarti rolled with pastrami & tomatoes with garlic mustard. Thanks again for bringing it back for me. On my list of favorites”
So I endured the horrible traffic from Los Angeles to Escondido to hear Wil Wheaton talk and to try some sour beers. The outdoor bar is just perfect on a hot day. By 6pm it was nice and cool, and the drive was forgotten.
First up was Craftsman El Prieto. It was dark red and not to much head on it. You could smell sour from a mile away. The tartness doesn’t push you away though. When you drink it you get the sour first then fruit flavors mingle in later.
Second was Deschutes St. Lucy Belgian Artisan Ale. This was golden and fizzy. You could see the bubbles. This was more sour than the El Prieto with a bit more kick to it. This could have used some more fruit taste to balance.
Last was the Stone 13th Anniversary. Almost cola colored. Had a nice foamy head that dissipated quickly. Very floral hops. Bold and assertive IPA. But what do you expect from Stone? My favorite of the night.
Also, on August 22nd, the fine folks from Stone will be throwing a birthday bash and Invitational Beer Festival. $35.00 will get you in if you buy now. Those tickets will fly away quickly.
Wow! I had the pleasure of sampling this on Sunday and I was blown away. I am not a big fan of the whisky/bourbon aged beers. To my palate the vanilla and oak tastes tend to obliterate the actual beer. But this was something else. It is a mix of Old Foghorn, Liberty Ale and Anchor Bock. And it is almost like dessert. Roasty and whiskey notes dominate but not overpower and at around a skosh over 8% abv it is not going to drop you under the table.
