Another visit from the sample man! And this time, he came from NorthEast Minneapolis' 56 Brewing. I still don't know why they're called 56. But, here's their Dark Territory Stout, with additions of coconut and cocoa nibs. We had it on nitro at Acadia, but I never took notes. And now I have a mini-growler all to myself, thanks to the sample man!
Notes from August 23, at 4:23 A.M.
It's dark, alright, very nearly black, with a slim, roasted tan head on top.
Sweetness in the nose right away, with low bitterness, and low roast. Coconut? Yeah, I'm getting it. Cocoa? Not yet.
Let's drink it: Um. Uh. Okay. Well. Let's drink it again. Dark malt, a little toasty, some of that coconut sweetness is coming through, but...it is beer, and you can drink it, however...to paraphrase whoever (was it Dorothy Parker or Tallulah Bankhead?) there's no there there. It does nothing for me. The thrill isn't just gone, it was never here.
I'm going to take a break and read the back of the growler. First off, the phrase "garden to growler." It's never explained. What garden? Where? How? Why? When? And then: "Do you love this beer because it is great? Or is this beer great because you love it? We love craft beer. But our beer wouldn't be here without your love for it. So with every one of these growlers that gets filled, rinsed, and returned we thank you. You love great beer and you make our beer great!"
Can a love not make something great? Can a thing that is not great remain not great despite some misguided love for it?
There's nothing "great" about this beer, no matter how much someone may love it.
It's fullish bodied, smooth and easy-drinking, but the promised flavors never show, and the ones that remain do not entertain. There is so much that one expects and enjoys in a stout that never shows up here. Well, there's something, but ... occasional coconut ain't gonna cut it.
That's all I want to say. There's no need to rake them over the coals further.
The brewery has this to say about the beer: Dark territory is a term used in the North American
railroad industry to describe a section of running
track not controlled by signals or traffic control.
Train movements in dark territory were previously
handled by timetable and train order operation but
now replaced with train dispatchers managing train
movements directly.
The brew house is adjacent to BNSF & CP train and
railroads that run throughout Minneapolis, hence
the appropriateness of this craft beer brewed in our
facility.
DESCRIPTION:
A rich and complex stout composed of smooth,
sweet and dark tones without being overpowering.
It has forefront aromas of chocolate, roasted dark
malts. A slight scent of hop bitterness and coconut
with resounding velvet, smooth and roasted flavor
gives this an opulent finish on the palate.
It is brewed with a blend of 6 different malts,
flaked oats, milk SUGAR, toasted raw unsweetened
coconut and cocoa nibs. The fermenter is loaded
with additional coconut to balance the flavor profile.
Drink this with lower carbonation to enjoy the full
bodied flavor.
Pairs well with: Roasted Beef, Blue Cheese
ABV: 5.6%
IBU: 31
SRM: 37
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