I stepped into the Nomad World Pub last Tuesday night to meet up with Rob Shellman, Minnesota's rep for Tallgrass, who was so kind as to drop off the samples of the first Tallgrass beers I reviewed, to taste some of this stuff, in anticipation of today's tapping. He's been keen on having us do the premier tapping of this beer (in Minneapolis), and who am I to refuse such an offer? Rob was there because he and the brewery are sponsoring the Movember movement for men's health issues, and the night's event was a free shaving for anyone who wanted to start fresh, and grow a mustache from scratch.
I hosted an end of Movember party last December at the Nile, and was urged to participate then, but demurred, for I really liked my facial fuzz. Still do. Rob declined this time, too, for his takes him too long to grow. My facial follicles have been embedded on lip and chin for so long, over 5 years, that I'd forgotten what I looked like underneath. After enough sampling of the Rooster (and other beers) I decided to take the plunge and go under the razor. A week later, and it's finally coming in through the stubble.
The next day, Rob brought me a full can so I could do my review of it. I finally got around to sitting down and taking some notes last night. And now I'm about to get out of this coffee shop and go to work so I can make this party happen. Here come the notes, with a picture of the beer I drank (as always), as well as the sweet ass tap handle I'm about to attach to our tap tower.
Tallgrass Velvet Rooster, Belgian-style Tripel Ale. Festooned with colorful, artsy chicken, and no obnoxious gobbledygook. A full 16-ounce can filled with abbey-style triple. First of it's kind. Next up: the first canned dubbel, quadruple, Flanders Red, etcetera. Why, because. That's why.
Bright golden hue, blooming dotted white head, starts big, drifts down to a tight white ring.
Aromatics: pepper spice and lemon zest. Yeasty character comes through next, Neat, tidy array of hop bitterness hits, and then it's all malt, all the time. A little husky cereal graininess for a time, but mostly citrus and spice.
Taste: Clean, supple, and smooth on the palate and down the throat. Fine and fruity, with light spice, tickly and prickly. Some soft-shoe on the tongue, a little buck and wing, and it's all deliciousness down the hatch after that. Creamy, and smooth, and, as we so often say, dangerously drinkable. Proceed with caution. Too tasty to stop at one, too fierce to go beyond two.
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